#24 Podcasts

Podcasts are *so* appropriate to the library. I just listened to one from ASU called "Don't Panic: Information Resources For When Your Deadline Looms!" which is addressed to the pajama-clad student searching frantically for resources at 2am. We have those same patrons, and many of the same resources, i.e. Ask a Librarian 24 hours, Google Scholar, and various journal article databases. A couple of databases they mentioned were Academic Search Premier (formerly called EBSCO Host) and one called Polling the Nation. This is an ideal way of reaching patrons. Also heard a brief bit of an "un-microphonegenic" speaker (uh, ahhhh, ummmm) which was dreadful so that is something to keep in mind when planning library podcasts. Of course, David & Bruce were audible and pleasant-sounding.

Podcastalley wouldn't let me listen to the first library podcast I selected without downloading an aggregator, and further searches required more and more downloads and mysterious error messages. The Yahoo Podcasts were easiest to search and listen to. After perusing several relatively dull library podcasts, I subscribed to Mr. Nice Guy (a former reference librarian) http://mrniceguy.org/who provides fairly animated reference tidbits, and listened to an interesting piece on sleep studies and the importance of naps. It appears that many libraries are using podcasts to give instruction on library use or tours of the library, library services, collections, as well as revisit public talks and lectures.

I also added a podcast of San Francisco's KQED public radio host, Michael Krasny http://www.kqed.org/programs/program-landing.jsp?progID=RD19, who recently interviewed Michael Chabon, and another episode with his listeners' Summer Reading recommendations. First title listed is Roberto Bolano's The Savage Detective http://www.elliottbaybook.com/product/info.jsp?isbn=0374191484 which is on my list, too.

Video - #23

The addiction factor is a real concern here! I've already spent half an hour watching dogs talk, babies fall asleep, fashion icons blabber and the only chance I can see for the library is replication of interesting talks and presentations. To wit, the Ninja Librarian, below.

#22 Web 2.0 Award Winners and Webware

The first Webware article which grabbed me was one about a new Zoho Notebook but further reading brought up serious glitches (disappearing content) although the designer commented that these problems have now been smoothed out. From here I found out about Google Notebook, Netvibes http://www.netvibes.com/, Clipmarks http://www.clipmarks.com/(bookmarking service) and simplest of all, Notefish, which provides a sample of gathering online data such as all one needs for a trip to New York http://www.notefish.com/notes.php?p=122 or to purchase a laptop http://www.notefish.com/notes.php?p=162 I would have to sign up for each to really evaluate them (perhaps someone already has) but they sound perfect for public computer users at the library and student or work groups working on team projects.

Web 2.0 awards under Books brought up nothing new until I spied http://reader2.com/ which was interesting in its links to the "global world takeover project" under Honorable Mentions.

MyFilmz - social list of movies.
MyProgs - social list of programs.
TagFacts - social knowledge base.
Bank of Ideas - social list of ideas.


It may be time for KCLS to link to these kinds of collecting and/or tagging sites if we cannot streamline our book bags and checkout lists for our patrons' use.

#21 Google Labs

Google Voice Local Search was the first thing I tried on the Google Labs' site and it worked liked a dream. I gave a business name (Rudy's Barbershop) and they listed the 5 locations and I uttered the one I wanted and was connected in less than a minute. (Faster than calling the Answer Line? Possibly.)

Next I exported (!) my Bloglines subscriptions to the Google Reader and installed a widget on my Blog for shared news items. I like the tagging feature of Google Reader harking back of course to my fondness for Library Thing and its tags. Of course, it also spurred me to read my feeds which cost about a half hour of progress on 27 Things as I shared, starred, tagged and emailed on the new Google Reader. I stopped short of adding it to my mobile phone.

Google Trends is amusing and possibly helpful at work since I don't know what half the citations are! Today, not a big news day, brought us:

1. dena schlosser (murderer)

2. kristen wiig (SNL star)

3. deanna laney (another murderer)

4. rita mori (Miss Universe)

but, best of all, I discovered a blog whose writer actually does the NYT crossword puzzle every day. http://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/ *This* really is something we can use at Answer Line.

#18 Rollyo and Google

I am beginning to see how this might be very useful after looking at Booknotez roll which searched study or homework-oriented sites for literature questions. This could be a real boon in our Homework Help area on the library website, or certainly for those of us working on Chat queries. I created a general quick reference Google search box on my blog, but further thought suggests a more specific searchroll would be better used. The travel searchroll is very cool, as is the Food and Dining (I looked up morels).

#20 Google Docs and Zoho

I find Zoho more fun because it has the planning function which I use fairly often, making to do lists, adding notes to myself, book titles, etc. kind of an electronic organizer online. I tried to use the Google Docs to create a history of my book club's titles, working from someone else's Excel doc which caused me lots of table/cell grief, but the potential is there to share and to add to if I spend some time (not on the phone) figuring out this bonus from Google.
Both of these would be useful in a library setting as they would anywhere a shared document need be created and edited. I've already alerted an out-of-town traveling buddy who loves to organize our trips.

#22 Choose Your Own Adventure

was the link I selected and then got lost for a long time just scanning the endless possibilities. Trying organization, I wasted considerable time setting up an online calendar. Then I pursued t-shirt designs , tools for using eBay & Craiglist , but ended up doing the most on Zoho http://www.zoho.com/ making notes from Kirkus & PW about titles I want to read (instead of using the Book Bag which I usually mistakenly close during multitasking) and http://www.listdump.com/ Who doesn't love lists?

It was a pleasure finding this list of film noir movies on stumbleupon (a site for finding new sites) http://www.stumbleupon.com/: http://www.ericenders.com/noir25.htm