I really like the web stickies that was found on igoogle.com I do wish that I could move them onto my desktop, rather than on the home page. I will have to play with it more.
Maybe I should go back to work and be productive….sigh
Thing #7 Fun with photos
Ok, I know I’m not going in order – nobody said a librarian had to be obsessive compulsive about order (even though I MUST read series in order)
I have already made posters for the Teen section in my library using bighugelabs.com . They were quick and funny – and I even got comments from a couple of teens - I then got to show off my 2.0 skills and show them how I did it. I’m sure they were amazed!
Mashable – Image generator Thing #6
I had fun with the mashup on flicker.com, addletters.com and bighugelabs.com. I’ll find ways to use them just because I can!
Thing 12 (Half way there and time running out)
No, I don’t digg… I have and opinion, and most of the time I keep it to myself. I recently did some research about senior citizens and their use of computers and 2.0 tools. One of my conclusions is that sometimes senior citizens don’t use the 2.0 tools is that their life is full with friends and family and hobbies and careers and relaxation…and at the moment, I can’t see why I need to add my voice to the opinions out there. I’ve got better things to do.
It’s del.icio.us (thing 11)
I don’t own my own computer. I work at different desks in the library where I work, and I borrow my daughter’s computer from time to time. I do have favorite sites, and with the amount of things going on in my mind/life, I can’t always remember where my favorites are. So, del.icio.us has become my new favorite. I only have to remember one favorite. I have posted a bunch of my favorites in del.icio.us, and I can get to them anywhere!
My 2.0 class became my buddies, and I posted favorites to them too. Somehow del.icio.us doesn’t make getting old and losing your memory quite so bad! Sigh…
M
Last Class Thoughts
Sometimes at the end of a semester – I go skipping off campus thinking about how glad I am to be done with another class. Although I did do some skipping this past weekend, because I have finished all the classes necessary to attain the Masters Degree in LIS, I wasn’t necessarily glad to be done with this 2.0 class.
I haven’t been living under a rock, and I even use a few of the 2.0 tools that were introduced - but I know that I would not have tried out some of these tools on my own, even if I had been aware of them. It wasn’t just Michael Stephens who is unendingly enthusiastic about this stuff, but the other people students as well. Honestly, the camaraderie and positive attitude of this class was inspiring.
There was enough discussion of theory behind these tools for me to give some of them another look, and to think about how they can be used in real library settings – not just some theoretical library – but in real libraries like the one I work in! And a really important part, was that there was enough time to actually try them out. Not to do in-depth research projects with pages of action initiatives, but simple hands on introductions and tasks using to the tools to figure out how it might be useful – or not. And that’s important, too! It was acceptable in this class to decide that a tool wasn’t useful for me or for a library setting, or that some tools were simply less useful, but valuable just the same.
In retrospect – I wish I knew then, what I know now…I could have used a whole lot of these tools earlier on in the LIS program. Some of this could certainly could be integrated into the intro class – but because there is so much technology availalbe, and it’s everchanging, I think it is important to keep it as a stand alone class.
Thanks Michael,
M
Dewey or Not? “The Project”
Do 2.0 tools make Dewey obsolete? Well, maybe.
My curiosity was piqued when the subject was suggested as a topic of research. The project for the 2.0 library class was challenging, my partners intelligent, creative and, generous with their time. And above all, I got to meet Marshall Shore the Adult Services Coordinator of the Maricopa County Library who said “NO” to Dewey!
The group began the project by conventional research methods- reading journal articles, talking to people and working to get primary source information. As a finished product for our research we decided to put our findings, thoughts and ideas regarding the deweyless library into a YouTube video. The technology presented a bit of a problem as we all worked to learn to use both new and old technology and bind them together. I am extremely pleased with the outcome. Though the video editing was a one-person project, I felt that we all contributed to the project in unique ways with video clips, artwork and editorial suggestions.
In our research, we found that as much as some people are passionate about the traditional arrangement of the library – there are those who dislike it just as much. Librarians are a tough bunch. They have high opinions of themselves and the traditions of their profession. Going deweyless seemed like a pretty big stretch for some. There were editorials and rants on both sides of the issue. As a bonus, two of us realized that we would be attending the PLA convention in nearby Minneapolis, and that Marshall Shore would be presenting information about the deweyless library now that it has been open for almost one year.
In his presentation, Marshall was enthusiastic and positive about the dewyless library. The administration of Maricopa County took on the “unpopular” idea. They studied their own users, and gave them what they wanted/needed, and the satisfaction rate one year later is high. His shirt matched his socks! He was articulate and generous with his time and his expertise.
I think Maricopa County deserves a hearty Congratulations for recognizing what their customers want – and finding a way to deliver!
Check out our final project: Dewey or Do We Not on YouTube Here
Does Your Grandma 2.0?
Change is everywhere, and not everyone likes it! Some people have a very good reason to dislike the changes that 2.0 bring on. The paper I’m writing for the 2.0 class looks at the tools and how Seniors may not be able to use them. For instance; for those individuals with vision disabilities, websites with low contrast and small type are difficult to see. Mousing skills can be challenging for people with fine motor tremors. Many senior citizens do not have the keyboard skills to make using a computer a positive experience. “Cautious Clicking” is a problem. Seniors will not follow a hyperlink path because they are unsure of where the path leads, and do not want to “break something” or go to an unknown place.
In some cases, seniors are simply not interested in what the world wide net has to offer. They feel their lives are already full with family, friends and hobbies – and they have no interest in learning something new. In addition, due to lower income levels, some seniors cannot afford the high speed computers and connections needed to make 2.0 tools function properly.
On the other hand, email is great for those who have diminished hearing. Web sites have been developed specifically for senior networking. Seniors are sharing stories and photos of full and interesting lives with others. Gaming too is popular with generations other than teens! The wii has made family night popular again!
So, Grandma might not want anything to do with computers, or she might just need to be introduced to 2.0 tools – or, there’s the real possibility that she already has a social networking page out there already (facebook with wrinkles?)
Rock on Grandma!
I Got Lost Blogging
I was happily reading the mass of blogs in my rss feeds, following links across the web. I found lots of people talking about Library 2.0 and how they are using it.
The Library of Congress blog http://www.loc.gov/blog/ was really interesting! There were lots of comments about their recent release of photos using fliker.
I met the Loose Cannon Librarian , the Librarian in Black, Maura the Librarian, and the Shifted Librarian. These people are amazing, and are very courageous not only that they are implementing some new and unique programs, but making it work, not just to try it out, but really using the tools to make their libraries and communities a better place.
I also took the time to appreciate the humor and political wit in the link to the Chronical of Higher Education contest to design the Bush Memorial Library, (Thanks to Helen B at LibraryBytes) and I suppose I shouldn’t have spent so much time at the Mental Floss site, but I’m a librarian, and I just never know what those pieces of trivia might come in handy – and they’re really good for a laugh or two and provide some good stress relief on a particularly hectic day.
And wouldn’t you know it, I was having so much fun that I worked long into the night. So, maybe I’m not that great at creating my own blog, but I sure do enjoy the work that others put into them!
Keep up the good work, I’ll be watching!
M
The award goes to: The developer of “23 Things”!
I registered to do the “23 Things” and even though Michael Stevens is holding my hand through Library 2.0…they aren’t easy things to do. They take time, and thought and the ability to stretch the brain muscles around concepts that are new and innovative, and creative in the library world. Don’t get me wrong, those are definately good things! And I think that everyone should be doing that from time to time (stretching their brain muscles around new, innovative and creative things from time to time).
I just saw today in the ALA news that Helen Blowers the developer of the “23 Things” is getting a pretty cool award for it and her work with Library 2.0.
I know that the “23 Things” has been a pretty big topic of conversation in my library…Congratulations to the developer!
M
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