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!