I love YouTube. You can find so many funny clips and videos. I looked for a few of my favorites like Star Wars Kid and Lazy Sunday, the SNL video. I settled on Lazy Sunday to write about because it talks about Google Maps and Yahoo Maps. They search for movie theaters using this feature on their cellphone. This is an aside, but I went to Magnolia, and was disappointed. I thought the frosting was way too sweet.
I have seen librarians do interesting things with YouTube. Joyce Valenza of Springfield Township HS has her students create videos that review the rules of using the library for younger students like those coming to high school for the first time. So were quite comical. It gets the kids involved. If you get a chance, you should check out Joyce's website.
The library could tape Verizon Helping Hands doing a Word class so a student could access the video at home and follow along. The possibilities are endless.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
No. 19 - Web 2.0
I looked at Medstory which won a 2007 Web 2.0 Award for Health. Medstory includes articles from the Wall Street Journal and is a very user-friendly search engine. It helps you refine your search and asks you questions as you click different topics. It doesn't seem like it would bog users down with medical terminology like more sophisticated medical research databases. Their is a button for clincial trials and research articles, as well as links to databases like MedlinePlus for basic definitions. There are also other websites, which I assume would be selected because of their accuracy and credibility. At least that's what it looked like at first glance. While I think this would have limited use in a public library, I think it would be very useful for an academic/medical librarian or someone in the medical or nursing field. To be honest, I wish I knew about it when I was working on my final for Medical Bibliography.
No. 18 - Google Docs
Google Docs saved me over the summer! I was at an out-of-town public library working on a school assignment. I had no disk and my time was running out. I was afraid I was going to lose my work. Then, at the last moment, I remembered Google Docs! I could attach my assignments and open them from anywhere I was without having to bring disks, papers, etc.
It is a great feature and if I remember correctly, I first heard about it from Monty Phair in his Branching Out column.
It is a great feature and if I remember correctly, I first heard about it from Monty Phair in his Branching Out column.
No. 17 - Sandbox
Well, it took about half an hour to figure out how to add my blog to the favorites list. I was trying to add a new page instead of editing the current page. Luckily, a staff member who completed this part helped me through.
I really click the interface. Once I got going, it was easy to add my blog.
I didn't complete the optional part because at this point I am just trying to finish. Maybe once I am done I will go back and try to do it.
I really click the interface. Once I got going, it was easy to add my blog.
I didn't complete the optional part because at this point I am just trying to finish. Maybe once I am done I will go back and try to do it.
No. 16 - Wikis
I really liked the SJCPL Subject Guide. I think this could replace our Research Databases and Web Resources option on the BCPL home page. Since they basically use the same headings, we could combine them using a Wiki. I think it would make more sense to the customers and be a one-stop shop for them. Think of all the information we could easily organize.
I also liked the Book Lovers Wiki. This would be a great opportunity to have staff and customer feedback on books. It could replace the Recommended Reading bookmarks and would involve no printing. It would also create a community. I think this would work especially well with younger kids. At Randallstown, the Friends Group asks kids to write book reviews. It makes more sense to have them write them on the computer because then it seems less tedious and can be shared with more people.
I guess the only catch is that someone has to monitor wikis for incorrect information and inappropriate comments.
I also liked the Book Lovers Wiki. This would be a great opportunity to have staff and customer feedback on books. It could replace the Recommended Reading bookmarks and would involve no printing. It would also create a community. I think this would work especially well with younger kids. At Randallstown, the Friends Group asks kids to write book reviews. It makes more sense to have them write them on the computer because then it seems less tedious and can be shared with more people.
I guess the only catch is that someone has to monitor wikis for incorrect information and inappropriate comments.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Thing #15
I have seen the "Machine is Us/ing Us" before in a graduate course. It is fascinating.
I read different perspectives on Library 2.0 and am a little confused because it seems to mean different things to different people. Maybe that is the point. Everyone can have personalized service and immediate access.
I am excited to see what will happen with Library 2.0. Hennepin County Public Library has enabled its patrons to rate books and write little comments. The feature is similar to what Amazon.com offers.
I also think we shouldn't get too carried away with the idea of everything being offered digitally. It involves learning a new skill set and educating people to think differently, i.e. those teachers that think information from an electronic databases is not "print" resources. At the same time, it will enable the library to improve collections that change rapidly and help reduce the amount of material that is purchased and then purged.
This is a little off topic, but Alan Greenspan was on the Daily Show and he said he is no better at predicting the market today than he was 50 years ago and that was before computers. The reason being that you can't predict human behavior.
I read different perspectives on Library 2.0 and am a little confused because it seems to mean different things to different people. Maybe that is the point. Everyone can have personalized service and immediate access.
I am excited to see what will happen with Library 2.0. Hennepin County Public Library has enabled its patrons to rate books and write little comments. The feature is similar to what Amazon.com offers.
I also think we shouldn't get too carried away with the idea of everything being offered digitally. It involves learning a new skill set and educating people to think differently, i.e. those teachers that think information from an electronic databases is not "print" resources. At the same time, it will enable the library to improve collections that change rapidly and help reduce the amount of material that is purchased and then purged.
This is a little off topic, but Alan Greenspan was on the Daily Show and he said he is no better at predicting the market today than he was 50 years ago and that was before computers. The reason being that you can't predict human behavior.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)