Finding a space on My Space

I liked the fact that some libraries in the US have created My Space profiles especially the Animanga Club at Coshocton Public Library. These are 'friends' of ALA's My Space and this lends credibility to the idea of developing at My Space site for my library especially for Youth Activities as kids would probably tap into My Space more than they would the libraries website or a blog on its own. Having said that the article on NEWgrist about a museum on My Space, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, says that The Walker identifies itself as an 80 year old woman interested in community engagement and enrichment. when it promoted a show on the recently launched MySpace page the show sold out within days. Obviously not just youth are using MySpace in the US. The map on Le Monde showing use of different social networking services in different parts of the world indicates that in the Pacific MySpace is used less than Friendster and Rotorua Public library uses Bebo which doesn't rate at all in the Le stats. Perhaps this does not show the true picture in Australia.

Like my colleague Annetta I am very excited about social networking sites for use in libraries and I have found useful discussion to use to convince the IT department that we should be able to use it.
The article from the powerhousemuseum.com site outlines how museum's can benefit and it is not hard to related what is said to libraries.

At Auburn Library I can see the use of Flickr pools as a way of energising library patrons especially young people.

And I have been energised by as I have learnt about social networking and the possibilities for libraries has dawned on me. Thanks very much to the team at the State Library for the Web 2.0 project. I have really enjoyed participating once I sorted out when and where to access a PC to do it on.

On line magic

I found useful Powerpoint Presentations when I took a look at Slideshare and Thumbstacks, for example, How to do visual effects in Powerpoint. Its great that we can store and share so much online. I agree with Jalen who commented that Google Docs may make USBs less necessary although it does in some ways worry me that I am putting so much on to Google. Hope some unseen catastrophe does not wipe them out!

It will be useful in collaborating with committees with members in different libraries

Mashups

I managed to add this jigsaw to my blog after a chat with a colleague. I chose jigaw from Big Huge Labs because it was a quick option I thought. But I can see how I might use posters for instance for library uses. The jigsaw could be used as a quick to produce activity for kids in our After School Craft or Holiday craft programs at the library.

Discovering Podcasts

I looked went to various podcasts as suggested and moved on the discover the very professional ones from British Library and the ABC.

Exploring the podcasts linked on Library Success wiki prompted the question how is this different from what I learned in week 6 about videos online. I have every intention of going back and completing the adventure ....

On the Library Success wiki I looked at Curtin University of Technology Library and Information Service podcasted tutorials for students (chosen because it is Australian) and found tips for accessing the library technology very useful for my own information and also a model for what could be done in my library given the resources. Having a multicultural population often newly arrived in Australia with a need for specialist language skills, I could see how we could run a series of programs for Arab or Chinese speakers using current staff who are native speakers of these languages explaining different aspects of the library. Examples could be library etiquette including feeding children in the library, places to eat in the library and reasons for this, how to connect to the library's wireless network, what programs we run etc. I still haven't got a handle on how to actually do the podcast but at least I know where to go to find this information.

I also looked at Worthington Libraries Programs to Go http://worthingtonlibraries.org/programs2go/ kids postcast feed and was excited to see excellent performances of nursery rhymes podcast coupled with links to relevant books to borrow. Did they podcast during an actual library program I wonder. Could I download these versions for staff running preschool storytimes and baby bounce and rhymetime sessions instead of podcasting our own. Perhaps I can investigate funding for our own versions.

I have a gut feeling that the benefits would far out weigh the costs.

All aboard

I visited the Answer board Librarians wiki a couple of days a go and looked at the exemplary answers section. It seems a good idea to slam the answer boards and to have a wiki. looked at the questions typically asked on these boards. Many are folk type queries. It also makes one think how information in authoritative sources like dictionaries is gathered where the meanings of words is based on usage. However librarians job is about providing access to organised knowledge and organising knowledge.

I went back again and looked at the exemplary answers and noticed the websites that were listed to find pictures of marine life. I found some sites I did not know and I added them to my delicious account - the first I had added. Great sense of achievement and satisfaction followed!
How can we get IT to let library staff add a widget to our reference and personal work computers!

Then I looked at another answer to a question on finding interesting facts about countries of the world and as I did not know these sources also added them to my delicious account. Wow! I'm having fun. Asker's rating for this answer was five stars and a comment like mine:

"Wow, Wow! Thanks so much! This site is amazing! It has everything! This is much better than CIA! Everyone should check this out. This is exactly what I was looking for thank you!"

Obviously this librarian knows his stuff and we can all benefit.

A little back tracking

Asked a colleague to help with adding widgets and did a little back tracking today to add a widget for delicious to my blog so others can view my recommended websites. I edited my entry Food for thought to reflect this.

Technorati again

Feel better today. Went to Technorati again and searched bookmobile in advanced search - tags and found item on digital bookmobile which will host a handson interactive training event at public libraries in cities around US in August 2008. This is an interesting find. It maybe a cost effective way of giving the public training in using technology which specialist staff. Maybe an idea for country services as long as internet wireless services are available. The advanced s

When I searched my blog address I got no result but I have not put any labels on my posts - surprise, surprise! I will label this one and try again. I have not labelled my Flickr images - is this why I don't get a result when searching nswpln2008?