Week 12 - Final Reflections

It is hard to believe that the 2.0 Challenge is over. It has been so much a part of my life for the last 5 months that it will be hard to let it go. And yet, all things must come to an end, so I also find that I am ready to move on.

What was the most important thing that you learned? Why?
Do I have to limit myself to one thing? First, I learned that this staff is an incredibly creative and insightful group (see my previous post) Professionally, I learned that there is an unbelievably rich and varied number of 2.0 tools out in there in cyberspace and that we have barely scratched the surface. I need to be much more involved on a daily basis, because it is easy to fall very far behind very quickly. Personally, I found out that I could be less resistant to change (at least some change) and more willing to just throw myself into a tool or site and play. Play is a great way to learn.

What was the most challenging exercise? Why?
None of the exercises was particularly difficult, though many were time consuming (and a few outright addictive.) Multimedia was challenging because there was so much to do, so I am glad we decided to extend the time frame by an extra week. MySpace was probably the worst. I just hated the site, found it annoying and confusing to use, and needed a bit of help to get through it.

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises?
RSS was a revelation to me. Now I cannot live without my Bloglines account. I am also using Google Reader as well for professional feeds. I was already addicted to YouTube, so I enjoyed that exploration tremendously. After at first dismissing GoogleDocs, I just may have found a personal use for it. Now I just have to find the time. And actually, I enjoyed and/or learned something from almost everything we did.

How can the Arcadia Public Library use these technologies to deliver or improve library services?
I feel strongly that there are many web 2.0 tools we could use for both public and staff benefit. Our catalog and website can both be improved by adding a variety of content. Some apps are easily implemented, however others require monetary outlay and staff time. In some cases a lot of staff time. With both money and staff already tightly stretched, priorities need to be determined and some current projects, services, etc. let go in favor of new and potentially better ones. And, we need to recognize that just because we can do something, it doesn't mean we should.

Here are some of my previous suggestions:

Blogging: We could have a Director's blog that would give the public the big picture viewpoint. Adult and Children's Services could blog about new acquisitions, databases, websites, story time themes, authors, National Whatever Week, etc. YA services could be another blog. We could have blogs on technology, ESL, gov docs (hey, David's already done this!), local history, the Museum, etc. We could have a volunteer blog highlighting accomplishments of current volunteers, projects, volunteer opportunities. We could have book reviews or a "what the staff is reading" blog. We could have a Friends blog which could include projects, fund-raising opportunities, programs, newsletter. How about a Book Discussion blog to take the experience online and open it up to more people?

Most importantly, we need to open our blogs to comments. The community would feel much more invested in the library if they could participate. In fact, user driven content is the entire basis for web 2.0.

RSS Feeds: Adding RSS feeds is, to my mind, one of the most valuable web 2.0 tools of all. Currently, we cannot achieve this due to problems with our content manager. I'm still not sure if this is money or technology driven, but it should be a #1 priority to solve. It would be invaluable to patrons who would not have to check back again and again to see if there was something new. If our blog (or blogs :-) ) were set up as RSS feeds, patrons could subscribe to those they found most interesting or helpful - new books, what the staff is reading, etc. Perhaps the most valuable might be program/event feeds. Patrons could then subscribe to Kids and Tweens, Teen, or Adult Programming feeds. Or, perhaps Friends or Museum events. The possibilities are almost endless. Staff can also utilize RSS feeds to keep in touch with professional journals, blogs, news, technology information. Again limitless possibilities.

Tagging/Deli.cio.us: Staff members can create their own lists of sites useful in their own work tasks. These can be accessible whether at their own work stations or at the public desks; in effect, all staff working at the Children's Desk, for example, can have access to their own favorites. Public services staff can put their favorite sites on del.icio.us and make them available for the public to take advantage of the research expertise of information professionals.

Wikis: The Library policy manual and section procedure manuals could be utilized as wikis.

Images: Jackie is already doing a fabulous job creating and maintaining the Library's Flickr account. Perhaps there is a way to get our teens involved in posting photos to a Teen Flicker account. Maybe we could organize a photo project in which patrons could post photos of the library, their favorite books (including the photos taken at the upcoming Library Week photo shoot), favorite places to read, etc.

Online Productivity Tools: Internal uses - Monthly Statistical Report, Volunteer Database, Incident Report, Section Documents (i.e. SRP documents) For the public, recommending GoogleDocs as an alternative to Word.

YouTube: We could have vids of concerts, Friends' programs, events, story times, etc. Perhaps even a video tour of the Library. Using YouTube, they could be embedded on our website, in blogs, etc.

Podcasts: Some possibilities for podcasts include: Book Discussion groups for anyone who was unable to attend, staff and teen book reviews, Friends' programs.

LibraryThing: LibraryThing (or other third party products such as Aquabrowser) would offer added dimension, information, and functionality to our catalog and provide an experience similar to many websites with which patrons are very familiar, including IMDB, Amazon, etc. It might be fun to have a staff LibraryThing group. Just like the favorites wiki, it is another way to learn a bit more about your fellow staff members and might be a bit of a morale booster to share interests with each other.

Social Networking Sites: Remember what I said about just because we could do something, it doesn't mean that we should?

How successful was the “self-directed” learning model? Is this a useful way of encouraging staff development?

From my perspective it was hugely successful. Setting aside time for meetings and workshops is very difficult considering our schedules. A "self-directed" learning program allows staff to work at their own pace and at the times that fir their schedules. This is definitely something we should continue.

What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?

I think this program was the very best we could make it. However, if we decide to do something similar in the future, I would like to try a 4-week program and explore just two types of tools, using 2 weeks for each. Then, I would take 2 months off and do another 4-week program. I think everyone was tired by the end of 12 weeks. Although it may be possible to streamline the support materials or exercises, I strongly believe it is important to really get a feel for the tool, not just stop in, look around quickly, and move on. I also think it is important to reflect on what you discovered and experienced. Although I sometimes wanted to never write another reflection again, the process helps to reinforce what you learned and gives the opportunity for suggestions for use (or not) of the tool in a library setting.

If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again choose to participate?

Are you kidding? Shiny! Sign me up.

There. That's it. Done. Last post.

Well, maybe not.........

Reflections from "The Vision Place of Souls"

I arrived last night in Gettysburg, and as I do every evening I am not involved in an event or the weather is inclement, I visited a few favorite places on "this deathless field" to "ponder and to dream" in the words of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. I usually end by visiting Little Round Top to watch the sun hit South Mountain in the distance and then the Angle, near where my General Garnett was killed, to watch the sunset. No sunset tonight as the sky was overcast, but it is a place ripe for reflection, so I find it particularly appropriate to begin this post here.

When I was approached about the Library 2.0 Challenge, my first thought was: How exciting! I had been using several web 2.0 tools for months for personal use - YouTube, Photobucket. I had even attended a workshop, though I hadn't gone back to any of the sites I had joined *my bad*, but I had not explored many of the new tools popping up almost daily and had little understanding how they might be used in a library setting. My second thought was: This is going to be a lot of work!

And so it was. Both exciting and a lot of work. :-)

Just prior to the launch of the Challenge, I spoke with another organizer and we speculated on whether or not staff would be willing to engage in this challenge to discover, explore, reflect, even play. We hoped for maybe 10-15 participants. I was so amazed and delighted that we had over 30 staff members create blogs. We have lost a few along the way for a variety of reasons, but many of you have struggled and carried on. I can unequivocally state that I am so very, very proud of everyone. I have marveled at your creativity, your humor, your forthrightness, and your hard work. I have been tickled, excited, frustrated, tired, enthusiastic, thoughtful, miffed, determined. I have learned a bit more about my co-workers from the favorites wiki, your personal photos, and your insights. I learned a lot about myself *go me!* I learned about many web 2.0 tools I had little or no experience with and also about how much there still is to learn. I learned there are some I loved and now can't do without. I learned that some I had initially dismissed I now think I may wind up using after all. I also learned there were some I hated and want to have nothing more to do with. :-) And I am more willing to jump in and explore something new. I have learned to be less confrontational about change *who knew?* And I played - a lot!

I truly believe in the quote I shared from the introduction to the Challenge blog: "Nothing is a waste of time if it adds to the person you are." I hope this experience added to the people you all are.

I hope that from this shared journey, we don't lose what we have begun. I hope some of you keep your blogs (I would hate for all that creativity, wit, and insight to disappear) and continue to share your thoughts and experiences with each other. I hope that perhaps, whatever 2.0 tools we use in the professional sense (and boy, did you all have some great suggestions - and cautions!), that we use some tools just for us. That we perhaps create a staff blog to discuss real life work experiences. That we maybe create a staff LibraryThing group to share our own reading suggestions, etc. That we perhaps create a group to encourage each other in getting and/or keeping fit (I loved that suggestion. I'm in. I need all the encouragement and pushing I can get. I need to get back to my gym 'cause I have let my fitness lapse completely. Boy, you know you are in trouble when your former PT actually calls you and asks where the heck you have been!)

This isn't truly a Final Reflections post. I will actually answer the questions in Part 2. But I wanted to thank you all for going on this journey. It has been amazing.

Week Eleven - Explore and Play

Since this is the week to really just have fun, I thought I would play with a couple of image generators, as I am fascinated what can be done with images.

I started off with Easystreet, which allows you to create your own street signs. There are three sizes, five languages, and even MySpace and Live Journal codes so that you can insert your signs into those sites. Or, you can do as I did - simply create your sign, save it to your computer, and then upload it to your blog.

Not earth shattering, perhaps, but I found it fun. After all, who wouldn't want their very own street?

I then moved on to Trading Card Maker, one of Big Huge Labs large stable of image generators. On this site, you can create trading cards of your favorite TV casts, motion pictures, pets, friends, even library staff! What fun.

So, I made one for me:

And one for a friend:

After playing with images for a while, I decided perhaps I had better look at something library-related. So, naturally, being a reader and a cataloger, I headed straight for LibraryThing.

LibraryThing is a website where you can "catalog" the books in your own library and connect with others who share the same interests. Here is my LibraryThing Bookshelf

What are some of the features you particularly liked?
I liked being able to "see" my books as a "catalog"; as a cataloguer, this is not surprising, eh? I can now search and inventory what I have. However, there is a limit of 200 books on a free account. I have way more than 200 books, and I am not going to pay for an account, so already I see little use in continuing with LibraryThing.

The other main component of LibraryThing is to connect with others sharing your interests via tags (you have already read enough of my feelings on tagging) and groups. I did join Librarians Who LibraryThing, checked out some messages, and really didn't see anything I felt like discussing or contributing to. I looked at several other groups on SF, Fantasy, Tolkien, Harry Potter, and history. Once again, nothing I particularly cared about joining. I have other ways to connect with like-minded folks, so this just seems superfluous. I notice that this post is turning into another negative one, rather than describing features I liked. Sorry. Part of the problem is that I already have an active life on the web and all these social networks are fine for those who don't or who are looking for ways to connect with others. I am already connected, so many of these sites are just time-wasters for me. Obviously, I don't have the right mind-set for the social side of Web 2.0. :-(

Did you find it difficult to use?
Not at all. LibraryThing was very easy to use. I catalogued 23 books for my library, added a user pic, and joined a group all without any problem at all.

What LibraryThing features would work well in the library's catalog?
I am not certain that any particular features would work with our catalog. However, there is a version called LibraryThing for Libraries that might be useful. After checking out several libraries who use this third party product, LibraryThing for Libraries would utilize the database created by "LibraryThingers" to provide a tag cloud (enough with the tags!) and suggestions for similar book titles a patron might like. There are other third party products, such as Aquabrowser that would do something similar. These products would offer added dimension, information, and functionality to our catalog and provide an experience similar to many websites with which patrons are very familiar, including IMDB, Amazon, etc.

Are there other ways the library could use LibraryThing?

It might be fun to have a staff LibraryThing account, with staff able to add their favorites from their own libraries. Just like the favorites wiki, it is another way to learn a bit more about your fellow staff members and might be a bit of a morale booster to share interests with each other, though the 200 book limit would be a bit of a problem.

Week 9 - YouTube and Podcasts

I have to tell y'all that I am completely addicted to YouTube. I have had an account for over a year, and I have 18 playlists and over 175 videos favorited. Yeah, addicted, totally.

For the purposes of the challenge, I visited the other video hosting sites listed in the task as well as checked out the MySpace vids (since I was stuck there) and I have to say that none of them is on the same planet as YouTube. For one thing, their vids are miniscule in number, and none of them have all of the features that YouTube does. Only Google was slightly different in that Google is really a search engine and lists vids from other hosting services including YouTube, although you can restrict the search to Google vids only.

Since the other video hosting services are really not worth the bother, I decided to try some additional stuff with my YouTube account. I made comments on several favorite videos and even exchanged a few messages with someone who had served as a sound engineer on a movie I liked and had posted some behind-the-scenes footage. I also contacted a videographer about a favorited video that wasn't working and she reloaded it. Go me!

Post your YouTube username on your blog.
My YouTube user name is ladygarnett

What did you like or dislike about the site?
Likes: I love the fan vids. These are videos created from clips of movies or TV shows and set to various pieces of music and are often very, very creative. I also enjoy seeing clips from actual movies, TV shows, DVDs, etc. One feature I really appreciate is that you can search on a tag and then sort the results by date, which makes it easier to find new vids. I like the display lists of similar vids, because you can often find something you like that you might not otherwise have seen, and I like the subscription feature, though I have yet to take advantage of it. You can also share videos with your friends. A co-worker and I enjoy some of the same types of vids, but we usually search on different tags. We are always finding something we think the other will like and sharing it via email. I also share vids with other friends who share similiar interests.
Dislikes: Well, not to put too fine a point on it, there is just lots and lots of crap on YouTube. And I really hate the adverts. They clutter the screen and are just bloody annoying. I also lament the fact that I have saved vids that are later taken down for a variety of reasons. Then, just as with many other social networking sites, my usual problem with the lack of uniformity in tags is also a nuisance. Occasionally, I find vids just by lucky accident rather than by searching because the tags have been mispelled or poorly chosen. *sigh*

Why do you think YouTube is so popular?
YouTube offers opportunities to be creative, be entertained, be the star of your own film. It enables people to see moments they might have missed, participate in social and political processes and be a part of pop culture. You can post and share with family, friends, the world your creative efforts or your vacation videos. You can interact with others who share your interests. In today's world of constant contact and technological sharing of everything with everyone, what's not to like?

Post the URL of the video you chose. Why did you select that video?
The Librarian Song I chose it because it was both library-related, and just silly fun.

Here is my attempt to embed a video. I chose just one of my personal faves:


If you explored any other video hosting sites, how did they compare to YouTube? What was your favorite and why?
See my intro above. And I really did not like any of them at all. YouTube is definitely "king of the world" in terms of video hosting sites.

What was the most interesting thing you learned?
The most interesting thing about YouTube is the sheer volume and variety of the videos. You can be entertained by something freaking hysterical one minute and be caught up by something of social or political importance the next.

Can you see any features or components of YouTube that might be interesting if they were applied to Arcadia Public Library’s website? Are there any other ways our library might use YouTube?
I was surprised to see that there is already a video of kids reading to Bernie of the Barks and Books program. However, I think the best use of YouTube would be as a means to post the vids and then embed them in the Library's website, blog, etc. We could have vids of concerts, Friends' programs, events, storytimes, etc. Perhaps even a video tour of the Library. Concerns would include copyright, permissions, and staff time.

Describe some of the podcasts you found that interested you. Provide links so that others may also listen if they choose.
Podcasts aren't my favorite tool, but I really do like the Lost podcasts and vidcasts. They are generally available the day after the episode is shown. Go here to see and listen: Lost Podcasts

What kinds of podcasts were being used by other libraries? Did you find anything useful here?
Searching through the podcast directories wasn't all that easy. I did find a podcast from the Denver Public Library: Stories for Kids and another from KCET and the Los Angeles Central Library: Explore CA that were interesting.

Can you see any uses for podcasts in our library?
Some possibilities for podcasts include: Book Discussion groups for anyone who was unable to attend, staff and teen book reviews, Friends' programs.

Here is my attempt to publish a Google Docs document to my blog. I must say, that isn't exactly what I had in mind. I wanted to just post it as a link. *sigh* Obviously, I have much to learn. :-)

One additional note that makes Google Docs a web app to consider using is that it is available on the web and at any time. You don't have to have Word, Excel, or any other program installed on your computer, and you can access documents when you are away from your own computer. Shiny!

Having said that, I still don't plan on using Google Docs regularly. However, one probably shouldn't say never, eh?

IDEAS FOR USING GOOGLE DOCS IN THE LIBRARY

Internal Uses

• Monthly Statistical Report
• Volunteer Database
• Incident Report
• Section Documents (i.e. SRP, etc.)

The first possible internal use for Google Docs that occurs to me is the Monthly Statistical Report that all Supervisors must file. Our separate reports are emailed to the Library Services Manager, and then forwarded to Shelly to compile into a single report. Perhaps the template could be set up by Shelly and then each supervisor would contribute their portion. Shelly could then compile the copies for the Board wihtout a lot of further input. Just a thought, anyway.

We currently have the Volunteer Database set up on the network. It might also be possible to use Google Docs for this document.

The Incident Report is another document which is added to and edited by a number of people. This might be another possible use of Google Docs.

Also, perhaps some sections would find it useful for other documents which are used or edited by several people. I can see possibilities for Children's SRP documents.

Week 8 - Social Networking

The Library 2.0 Challenge is all about exploration, discovery, even play, as we visit some of the wonderful, fascinating, and also truly terrible sites out on the web. When we began, I knew that we would one day arrive at Social Networking Sites. The dreaded Social Networking Sites.

Before I go any further, I really need to be upfront about this section of the Challenge. I hate Social Networking Sites. For me, they are among the truly appalling aspects of the web. OK, I know I am being Pauline Pessimist here and not entering into the whole spirit of the Challenge, but I cannot help it. I am sorry to be so negative (what a surprise), but I am not interested in showing my face to the world, being connected to everybody, or looking for scads of new "friends." I have a very active life on the web, but I choose to live it quietly. I am quite happy with Live Journal (yes, I know, it is one of the original social networking sites, but the feeling is totally different)

However the Challenge says we must be social, so social for the moment I shall be. But the minute the Challenge is over, my MySpace account is history.

I set up a very, very minimal MySpace page, since I don't plan on keeping it: Darien's MySpace
I found MySpace (this may not be true for other sites) to be very difficult to use. It was not intuitive or user-friendly at all. I was able to add the Challenge MySpace as a friend (but needed help). I sent off a couple of friends requests, but received no reply. *so sad*
EDIT: I was able to get a friend - a co-worker and I friended each other! :-) However, my gmail account was spammed by two friend requests that turned out to be from a singles site. So not likin' the MySpace!
EDIT THE SEQUEL: Hey, I have 2 more friends! Your co-workers can be your friends in more ways than one. :-) However, I was also friend-requested by two ladies looking for relationships. Denied. *sigh*


What are some of the pros and cons of using a social networking sites?
I suppose the pros would be to meet new people, make new friends, share your life with family and this every widening circle of acquaintances. *sigh* The cons include being inundated with contacts and messages from people who you know little or not at all and being in too much contact with everyone. People really do give away much too much personal information to the world. In the case of MySpace, the plethora of intrusive, animated ads just makes me want to run screaming from the place.

Why do you think social networking sites are so popular?
Today it is all about staying in constant contact with everyone (and his twin brother everybody). Email, mobile phones, IM, texting, twittering (dear Lord!), it's relentless and unending. People walk, drive, and even talk to each other while simultaneously talking to someone else on their cell phones. Texting has spawned a new language and new medical conditions. Kids today are conditioned almost from birth to stay in constant touch. Social networking sites allow you to share every tiny tidbit of your life with everyone else and everyone else shares their tidbits with you. They help fulfill this rampaging need to know everything about everybody.

How can the library make use of social networking sites?

I suppose the only reason is to be where the patrons are. They are, especially teens, on social networking sites. Therefore, we should be there as well. I know other libraries are using MySpace, Facebook (I tried to take look at Facebook, but you had to sign up just to view it and Lord knows, I didn't want another account!) and other sites. Perhaps the best thing to do is to visit lots of other library examples and see what might work for us. I know that our experiment with a Teen MySpace has already been abandoned. Frankly, I am just not sold on the concept.

Week 7 - Online Productivity Tools

This task was to explore Google Docs, one of the many new web apps that can replace traditional software. In this case, Google Docs can be used instead of Word, WordPerfect, or other word processing software.

The advantages are that Google Docs can be shared so that they can be used and edited by several people at the same time. Revisions can be tracked, but there is really only a single copy of the document rather than many copies or versions emailed back and forth.

For this Challenge, I have been using the Challenge Tracking Sheet along with the other Challenge organizers. Also, just for this task, I created a simple spreadsheet, which I am really using as a database, and a very simple document outlining some possible uses for the Library of this tool.

Was it easy to set up?
Yes, both documents were ridiculously easy to set up. However, I kept them very simple, so perhaps it wasn't a true test.

Was it easy to use?
Very easy. Google Docs is far simpler than Word (though I still prefer WordPerfect) or Excel. The tool bar is very clear, and as I have used Gmail for a couple of years, very familiar.

Would you use it on a regular basis?
At the moment, no. I don't see any need for it myself. I really prefer WordPerfect for all of my word processing uses, and I have no need at the moment to share any documents. However, who knows what may come up in the future.

What was your favorite feature?
That documents could be shared, used, and edited among several people at the same time. Such a time and effort saver over emailing copies back and forth a dozen times.

What was your least favorite feature?
Didn't have one, actually. Sorry.

How could the library make use of Google Docs, either internally or for the public?
I really cannot see any possible uses for the public. However, there are several internal uses that might be worth considering: GoogleDocs

Week 6 - Images

I love searching the web for images and would like to develop some skills in creating wallpapers, montages, and icons. I have had a Photobucket account for several years, but I usually only use it to post photos to my LJ. I seem to have found other ways to share my photos with family and friends. However, this was an opportunity to explore something new, so in the spirit of the challenge, I decided to just jump in *aaaaiaiiiiii*

Hmmmmm. Well....... So this is Flickr. Obviously, I just don't have the right mindset. I searched through the popular tags. Uh-huh. Part of the problem for me is that tagging is great if I am doing it. I can create tags that are meaningful to me. However the lack of standards just drives me nuts. Trying to search tags is just an exercise in sadomasichism. Everyone tags things differently. Finally, I just gave up in frustration.

I found no groups of interest. Geez! Obviously, I am not in sync with the rest of the world. I think I will stick to LJ. And sadly, I am not that interested in someone else's vacation or birthday party photos. *sigh*

But, on to the Challenge.....

What was your favorite feature on Flickr?
Aaaaaah. Didn't have one? Just not feeling the Flickr love.

You have uploaded a photo from Flickr to your blog. Why did you choose that photo?
I confess I was unable to upload a photo from Flickr to my blog. *sad, so sad* So, I used an end-around. I saved several photos to my computer and uploaded them from there. Not sure if that's OK, but hey, it worked!

I chose photos from New Zealand, which is one of the places in the world that I hold in my heart. My adventures there have changed my life beyond all imagining. And if you didn't know the identity of this blogger by now, this will certainly give it away! :-)

And here they are: This photo was taken from inside Bag End at Matamata, New Zealand. This was the filming location for the Hobbiton scenes in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. All of the Flickr photos were taken by Diane Rooney (Ironically, a lady I have met at a couple of LOTR cons. Small world, no?)

This is my photo, taken by our tour guide on my February 2005 trip to New Zealand with Red Carpet Tours. The view in both photos is from inside the Bag End hobbit hole looking toward the Party Tree in the background on the right.

This photo is of one of several rivers in New Zealand to portray the River Anduin, down which the Fellowship traveled.

This particular river is spectacular not only for it's sheer beauty, but because located here in Gravity Canyon is one of the most fabulous thrill rides on earth - The Flying Fox.

After hiking up a "wee hill," as our guide called it (translation: "wee hill" means something akin to Mt. Everest and you better have oxygen waiting at the top, 'cause you'll need it!), you are strapped face down in a harness and shot down a slip line for nearly a mile at almost 100 mph!

Certainly not for the faint-hearted. I almost didn't go, but I thought I would never have the chance to do something so daring ever again. Little did I know that this was just the beginning. Between the inspiration of my tour fellowship (some of whom have become the very best of friends) and the daring spirit of New Zealand itself, I would wind up doing things I never, ever even dreamt I could do.

My photos show "the deep breath before the plunge" and the supersonic flight without a plane.

We survived! And I would go again in a heartbeat!

This photograph is of Mount Sunday, which became for the film the Rohan city of Edoras, a hilltop fortress and settlement. It was exactly as Tolkien had described, a mount surrounded by a flat valley encircled by snow-capped mountains. Looking huge in the film, it seems tiny when viewed from a distance.

However, that view is deceptive. It's another "wee hill" to climb, and we had to cross three "streams" (translation: raging rivers that you have to cross together, holding each other up to avoid being swept away)

For sheer grandeur, beauty, and magnificence this was my favorite film location.

My photos show a far view of Edoras and a crossing of one of the "streams."

Well, I have indulged myself for far too long. Back to the Challenge!

Why is tagging so important?

Tagging allows you to both categorize your images and to search out photos posted by others. See my comments about tagging at the beginning of this post.

Did you explore any Flickr mashups? If so, which, and how did it work?

I looked at several, Motivator, DVD Cover (oh, I have plans for this one), and, of course, lolcat. I did make a motivational poster (at least it motivates me!) :-)

What was the most interesting thing you learned?

I loved the mash-ups most of all. Although I am not that interested in using Flickr to share my photos with the world, I am fascinated by all the things one can do with images.

What are some of the ways in which the Arcadia Public Library might use Flickr?

Since the Library already has a Flickr account, we are currently sharing our photos. It may be possible to "advertise" more that we have the account. Perhaps there is a way to get our teens involved in posting photos to a Teen Flicker account. Maybe we could organize a photo project in which patrons could post photos of the library, their favorite books (including the photos taken at the upcoming Library Week photo shoot), favorite places to read, etc.

Week 5 - Wikis

Off into the world of wikis.....

Had you ever used a wiki before completing this exercise? If yes, which?
I had used PB Wiki to create a wiki for a workshop. Once again, I never went back to it after the workshop was over. *my bad* I have also used Wikipedia, IMDB, and a couple of specialized wikis for informational purposes.

Do you think wikis can be a reliable and valuable source of information?
Yes, of course they can, especially if they are internal wikis created and used by a particular group or insitution or are created and maintained by knowledgeable experts in a field. General wikis that allow for public imput without any sort of oversight, however, can be very uneven in terms of their accuracy. An example might be IMDB. The information on the site is only as good as the contributors' knowledge or expertise. Mistakes or incomplete data can happen, sometimes often. Part of our job as information specialists is to evaluate the source of information for accuracy, bias, or other factors that can help determine reliability. It is the same whether the resource in question is in print or on the web.


What favorite did you add to the Library 2.0 Challenge Wiki? Did you find the process difficult?
I added my favorites in books, movies, TV shows, and travel destinations. The process of editing the page and adding information was very simple. However, when I tried to broaden my skills by adding a page, that proved to be an exercise in sadomasichsim. I created a new page, but was unable to add a link to it. I had watched the tutorial video twice, but obviously I hadn't "gotten it." *old age is a curse* I also tried the Help screens. I don't really know why, since they are usually little or no help at all, and these were no exception. Even worse, if you were given several alternatives that might be what you are looking for, you choose one and it doesn't help, when you try to go back to the list of suggestions, you can't. You have to start your query all over again. *a pox on them* So, I tried watching the tutorial video again and this time, the light bulb went off over my head. *headdesk* Success. So, if you are trying to add a page, and you are as dimwitted as I seemed to be, watch that video.

How might the library make use of a wiki, either for internal processes or as an outreach/information tool for the public?
The first uses that come to my mind are internal. Out library policy manual could be converted to a wiki. Updates could then be done once and the process of photocopying pages and changing them out of several notebooks would be eliminated. All without abridging access, as the wiki would be available for the entire staff to view. Also, each section could use a wiki to create a procedural manual. All staff in the section could edit the wiki, with the supervisor providing editorial oversight as needed.

Some of the libraries included in the support material for this task are using wikis for the public in a number of exciting ways - subject guides, book lovers' wiki, etc. Subject guides would be particularly useful. However, once again, staff time to create and maintain wikis would be an issue.

Week 4 - Tagging

This task was to explore del.icio.us, a social bookmarking site. I have had an account for nearly a year, which was created for a workshop. I thought it would be great to access my bokmarks from anywhere. I moved some of my personal bookmarks over, tagged them, and just never went back. It seemed like too much work, the tagging didn't really fit my needs, and I was very used to my folder arrangement in my Favorites.

So, I wasn't really looking forward to this task. However, I created a second account, intending, as with my RSS feeds (BTW, I have changed my mind and am planning on keeping my Google Reader account for professional feeds and also my Bloglines account for personal feeds, go me!) to use this second account for professional bookmarks. I have started moving my favorites over, as well as some pages from starred blogs in Google Reader.

The first thing I noticed, was that I have literally hundreds of bookmarks! It was a good excuse to clear out sites I had never returned to and to re-acquaint myself with sites I had forgotten. The only problem is that this takes time! A lot of time! I am going to be doing this for weeks! Literally! *sigh*

However, I am determined to keep this up and to even go through my sites regularly to keep them up-to-date and really useful. And, another side benefit is getting my Favorites down to those I use regularly. I just find folders quicker and easier.


What are the potentials for using Del.icio.us as a research assistance tool?
The potentials are many, but one first has to get used to utilizing tags and not get hung up on the vast and seemingly unorganized list of sites. At least that's what I needed to do - get myself out of the old folder mindset and into the tag mindset. Once you have a number of sites listed and tags assigned, you can see that other people have tagged the same site. By following the links to those users, you can see what other sites they have bookmarked. Looking through those sites, you may find ones that fits your research needs that you didn't know about. Unfortunately, this can be addictive and you could find yourself immersed in new sites for big chunks of time. :-)

Is Del.icio.us just an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere?
No, although that is certainly one of its main uses. You might find a site at home that would be useful at work and vice versa. You might locate a source while traveling, at a friend's home, in an internet cafe, in an email that you would love to revist or checkout, but you are not at your computer or you don't have the time. Saving a site to del.icio.us lets it be accessible anywhere at any time. However, it is the social interaction, the potentials for discovery that make del.icio.us so valuable.

Can you see how public tags allow information discovery?
As I described above, by following tags to users to other sites, you can locate sources you previously did not know existed. In essence, we, the public, all of us, are helping each other discover new sources of information and entertainment.

Does this seem useful to you?
Sure, why not? It's perhaps not as focused as direct research, but discovery allows for a personal level of exploration and serendipity that focused research does not.

What was the most interesting thing you learned?
Hmmmm, well, the most interesting things I learned were that del.icio.us is not the most intuitive of sites and that tags are both a blessing and a curse. First, adding the del.icio.us buttons to your tool bar is absolutely the best move you can make. It is sooo easy to tag a site as you visit it. However, when looking at my favorites, I can see that sometimes, what appears instead of the site's title is it's URL, a confusing string of letters and numbers. So, be careful when you tag a site to make sure that the DESCRIPTION is the site's title. Believe me, you'll be much happier (Luckily, you can go back and edit it later, but getting into the habit of doing it as you tag the site just makes it easier.) Also, it is a shame that favorites cannot be sorted alphabetically; they can only be displayed chronologically, with the most recently added on top (don't site designers learn anything from libraries?)

Then there are the tags. Allowing multiple tags means that you can access a site from several different subjects, instead of the single one allowed in a folder arrangement (unless you put the same site in several folders.) And, you can choose tags that are meaningful to you. After all, not everyone thinks in LC subject headings. Now here comes the curse - with everyone using the keywords that they choose, you can have a site tagged with: blog, blogs, blogging, blogger, bloggers, Blog......you get the idea. It means that when you use a tag to search, you may have to search all variants of the tag to get a full range of sites. *can you say information overload?* Maybe there is a reason for those LC headings.

What are some of the ways in which the Arcadia Public Library can take advantage of social bookmarking sites?
1. Staff members can create their own lists of sites useful in their own work tasks. These can be assessible whether at their own work stations or at the public desks; in effect, all staff working at the Children's Desk, for example, can have access to their own favorites.
2. Staff can combine their favorites into a section del.icio.us list. Using tags, staff members can assign meaningful and individual keywords to each site.
3. Links on the Library's site can point to these section pages for the public to take advantage of the research expertise of informaiton professionals.

I didn't have time to check out any additional bookmarking sites - something for a future challenge? However, I have started to tag my messages in my gmail accounts. I can then archive those I really want to keep and delete those I really don't need; maybe I can get my inbox down to a manageable level (do you think 400+ messages is too much? for one account?) *sigh*

And finally (are you still with me?) the issue of tags is an important one. Many sites are already heavily into tags - LJ, Amazon, YouTube, Flickr, this blog are just some I use regularly. Some libraries are even starting to allow tagging in their catalogs. You know, the web and the way we use it is going to change with or without us, so perhaps we had better just go ahead and take that leap of faith. :-)

Week 3 - RSS

Here I go with Week 3 - RSS.....

Which five blogs did you subscribe to?
For the LA Times, I subscribed to: California - Local News and Showtracker (TV news).

The other blogs were:

Webware.com, a site where computer users can learn about really cool new and useful Web applications. Among the goodies I have found so far is information about Picnik, an online photo-editing site (you don't need Photoshop, shiny, no?); Tripit, which is for travel geeks, and can aggregate all your travel info (airlines, hotel, rental car, etc.) onto one page; and SlideFlickr, which can help you make slideshows from your Flickr photos and embed them into your blog or other application. Lots of nifty tech stuff here.

LibraryStream : watching the flow of the social networking library, is chock full of information about web 2.0 applications and tips and tricks for using them. It's not just dry, informational stuff, either. There is some humor as well. Here is a sample of one entry:

To the tune of “The Major-General’s Song.” With apologies to Gilbert & Sullivan… and you…

I advocate creation of a social network library,
Dispense with thoughts a-plenty in my blog much like a diary,
And show how common MySpace is, it dominates the territ’ry
‘Cuz people like to share their lives;
it’s really quite extraordin’ry.

I upload pix of our events on a communal Flickr page,
And make it easy to YouTube; that latest clip is all the rage.
Encourage interaction for our young and old of any age,
Makes working here as fun as anything they do at Cam-ba-ridge.

I recommend Delicious, Facebook, wikis, Ning, and R-S-S,
Use tag clouds, gaming, apps and widgets, and I twitter to excess.
It matters that our patrons are involved with our transparency.
I advocate creation of a social network library.

Props to anyone who can actually sing the above!!

Virtual Hosting Blog is another tech-related blog. Can you tell I am kind getting into this?

Lifehacker has lots of tech stuff too, but it's not just computer stuff. There are tools for DIY wedding planning, a guide to finding better prices for digital photos, and how to get started with stock investing.

And just for fun (because everyone needs to laugh now and then, I subscribed to:

A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette, which is a tongue-firmly-in-cheek guide to various workplace issues such as: Containers, Approving; Climate, Controlling the (particularly appropriate, dontcha think?); Up, Catching; and Library 2.0, Embracing. Perhaps not to everyone's taste, I still found myself cracking up, and there is actually some interesting and helpful information contained in readers' comments. And yes, I replied to the climate control entry. :-)

LOL Librarians, another lol site. Very funny!! However, please beware of the opening title on the LiveJournal site; it is very rude.


Which method of finding feeds did you find it easiest to use?
Personally, I didn't like Syndic8.com. I found blogs via Technorati and the search function on Google Reader and both were easy enough to use.

Do you think you will continue to use your Google Reader account to stay uo-to-date with information or news?
I have not yet decided. I will certainly drop the LA Times feeds. I actually read the Times every morning, so see no need for those. And I have a link to Google news feeds on my awesomestart.com homepage.

I have had a Bloglines account for months now. This is another RSS aggregator. My feeds are a combination of personal and professional blogs. I originally thought I would use the Google Reader account for my professional blogs, but I really like Bloglines features much better. The one that is particularly useful is being able to mark various blog posts as new, which saves them so you can go back and read or consult them later. Putting a star on a Google feed does something similar, but all starred items are lumped together, which means you have to scroll through lots of entries to find the one you are looking for. Bloglines' saved entries are within the actual feed subscriptions, so you can go right to slashdot or I Can Has Cheezburger and it is easier to find the posts you want.

How could the library make use of RSS feeds?
The main value of RSS aggregators is to bring the information quickly and directly to you without having to visit numerous sites individually. This would be invaluable to patrons who would not have to check back again and again to see if there was something new (of course, we do want patrons to visit our website again and again, so I suppose it is a two-edged sword, alas). If our blog (or blogs :-) ) were set up as RSS feeds, patrons could subscribe to those they found most interesting or helpful - new books, what the staff is reading, etc. Perhaps the most valuable might be program/event feeds. Patrons could then subscribe to Kids and Tweens, Teen, or Adult Programming feeds. Or, perhaps Friends or Museum events. The possibilities are almost endless.

Staff can also utilize RSS feeds to keep in touch with professional journals, blogs, news, technology information. Again limitless possibilities.

Blogs and More

Well, we are at the end of Week 1 in the Library 2.0 Challenge, and one of the most interesting parts of this experience is reading everyone else's blogs. They are just as individual and unique as we all are. I love it that we have minimalists and wildly creative web artists, straightforward professionals and blog-like-you-talkers. From a people-watching standpoint it has been great so far, with more to come.

As far as my experience, I look around at my own efforts, which I thought were "not bad at all" when I made my first post, but now think need quite a bit of tweaking. So, thanks for the inspiration.

I see that debbieisbeingchallenged has posted a photo I had found for my blog. Great minds think alike! :-)

Weeks 1 and 2 - Orientation

Well, gang, off I go. It seems a bit odd to be talking to y'all this way, but hey, the whole point here is to take advantage of the new web technologies to find new ways to collaborate.

Why did I decide to take part in the Library 2.0 Challenge and what do I hope to learn?
Several reasons.....

Professional: As we are all discovering (if we didn't know already) the web is changing day by day, minute by minute. What was once an information source has become a way to keep in touch, collaborate, share ideas and content, and an integral part of our lives. Since our patrons are using these new tools, it behooves us to discover more about them and how we can utilize them in our library services, to learn how to use the various tools and be able to teach others, and be where our patrons are.

Personal: Some of the Web 2.0 tools I am familiar with and use either occasionally or even daily. Others are completely new to me. I believe in the quotation found in the instructions: "Nothing is a waste of time if it adds to the person you are." I really liked that; it matched my views. So, I want to add to my own personal skill set and discover additional tools and resources that I might like to use myself.

And then there are the incentives. Yeah, I can be "bought" it seems. I am all for collecting loot.


Was it difficult to set up a blog?
Nah, I thought it was easy. However, editing may be another matter. :-)


Would you become a regular blogger?
No. I have no illusions that the world is interested in anything I might have to say. And I really don't like sharing that much. I have had a LiveJournal account for nearly 3 years. And the vast majority of my posts (and I can count them on the fingers of both hands) are private - me talking to me. I have a very small flist with just a few posts that are friends only.


How can APL best take advantage of this tool?
We currently have a blog that is basically just another way to announce programs and services. OK as far as it goes. However, we could do so much more. Certainly we could have a Director's blog that would give the public the big picture viewpoint. Adult and Children's Services could blog about new acquisitions, databases, websites, storytime themes, authors, National Whatever Week, etc. YA services could be another blog. We could have blogs on technology, ESL, gov docs, local history, the Museum, etc. We could have a volunteer blog highlighting accomplishments of current volunteers, projects, volunteer opportunities. We could have book reviews or "what the staff is reading" blogs. We could have a Friends blog which could include projects, fund-raising opportunities, programs, newsletter. How about a Book Discussion blog to take the experience online and open it up to more people? Unfortunately, all of these would take a great deal of staff time - not to set up, but to maintain. Without additional staffing (yeah, right) something else would have to be eliminated. This is not to say we shouldn't be doing some of these things, but that something else would have to go to have the time to devote to blogging.

Well, that's it. First post. Whew!