Blogs

So where do all the expired and abandoned blogs go? I had forgotten all about this site, started as a 2.0 assignment at work two years ago and up it popped when I was noodling about on Flickr. Think of all of the failed and fallen blogs and bloggers and picture infinity.

Silvernail New York 2009 150

Silvernail New York 2009 150
Originally uploaded by featherlearning

This was as pleasant, peaceful and hospitable as it appears. Lovely respite.

#25, #26 and #27 The Finale

KCLS eAudio is something I am pretty familiar with from answering patron queries at the Answer Line but will look forward to trying it out once I have a new MP3 player.

This program has expanded my horizons as any lifelong learning effort should, and given me a sense of pride and satisfaction with each new lesson. I often refer friends and family to my blog site and only wish there were more comments. Pictures on Flickr have been one of my favorite new things, to say nothing of winning a photo contest for cookbooks on LibraryThing (hip, hip, hooray for LibraryThing & thanks to Meredith who first sent out a staff email announcing it) with a Flickr photo submission. That would not have happened before starting KCLS27Things. The success of my accomplishments in this program encouraged me to try other new projects . I think all of us have raised our "technological IQ" and it shows in our interactions with patrons and friends.

The mashups were a surprise to me, as was the ease with which you could hyperlink things on the blog. I had made an attempt at trying to subscribe to an RSS feed about a year or more ago and failed miserably, thinking I had to have a website to accomplish it. Now I'm adding all kinds of RSS feeds (even podcasts) to my Bloglines account (another favorite for keeping abreast of sites of interest). I was probably most tickled with the photo and slide show capabilities of Flickr but hope to spend a little more time on Zoho developing a common history and tools for my book club. And what would we be without Delicious for keeping track of all of these amazing new sites!
The wikis are the area where I'd like to spend a lot more time, understanding, applying and seeing how these will be useful. For instance, this might be a smarter alternative for the book club but I'm not as confident with wikis as I would like to be.

There were moments of getting stuck and being unable to find the solution on my own, but Matt, Peggi and Jen (our youthful compatriots) were generous and helpful in moving me along and I salute each of them with heartfelt thanks. At least one of them was usually available to soothe my ruffled brow. Time constraints were perhaps the major frustration in that the picture would be all ready to download and I'd be stymied and then have to return to the phones. This happened with the MySpace site and the blog when Matt had to walk me through the Paint schemes to reduce the picture size but we created a usable photo.

I would like to see more speakers on Web 2.0 since I missed most of the talks. But what a nice thing to have them linked on the blog.

David & Laurel, you have done a great job and given me a boost both career-wise and personally. There are few things more satisfying than learning new things and applying them. I would definitely do this program again and look forward to similar opportunities.

#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.