And finally ... an unexpected delight was some of the security words generated when commenting on other blogs. A few of my favourites were:
hydromas
askind
mommulco
puffleen .... and the very last one for my very last post -
hunpoo
Boi
Sunday, December 19, 2010
At last ....
At last I've come to the end of the course. It's been a bunch of fun, I must say. It took a while to get my head around doing more assessment tasks just a few weeks after finishing uni for the year, but I have to say the last couple of weeks have been very valuable.
From being an occasional (very occasional) Facebooker, lapsed rss user and poor e-mail correspondent I have become a confident blogger and complete Twit!
I can see the value for many of the tools we've experienced for promoting library participation, reader services and our own professional development and am very glad to be working in a profession that is constantly looking forwards.
Information is our business afterall and using, finding, facilitating, navigating, providing etc etc information in all its myriad forms is what we do best. It's essential that we know what's available, how it's used and how best to use it as part of our work.
So thanks for the course, thanks to everyone for the fun blogs, tweets and videos you've all contributed. It's been fun. I'm now off to tweet my excitement at finishing, update my Library Thing book list, look for a new social bookmarking spot to go to, check for new feeds and pods and generally hangout in web2.0sville. See you there!
From being an occasional (very occasional) Facebooker, lapsed rss user and poor e-mail correspondent I have become a confident blogger and complete Twit!
I can see the value for many of the tools we've experienced for promoting library participation, reader services and our own professional development and am very glad to be working in a profession that is constantly looking forwards.
Information is our business afterall and using, finding, facilitating, navigating, providing etc etc information in all its myriad forms is what we do best. It's essential that we know what's available, how it's used and how best to use it as part of our work.
So thanks for the course, thanks to everyone for the fun blogs, tweets and videos you've all contributed. It's been fun. I'm now off to tweet my excitement at finishing, update my Library Thing book list, look for a new social bookmarking spot to go to, check for new feeds and pods and generally hangout in web2.0sville. See you there!
Library Cache
Geocaching looks like a hoot and it's now on my list of things to try. When I get a phone with GPS functionality ... hmmm, I have a friend with a new i-phone. Could be a nice day out/adventure.
For libraries it could be used to get people in initially or to visit some or all of a libraries branches - perhaps other than their home library. But having done it once participants will probably know what to expect or where to go in subsequent forays into the cache. So it could be a limited activity to be used occasionally.
On a smaller scale caching could be used as a school holiday activity in a larger library (with enough room to spread out)- particlularly fun if puzzle solving is involved.
If the library is in an area with a particular interest it could be undertaken in conjunction with the local business or community groups using a multi-cache (didn't know that word before this morning!) allowing stops as significant places - e.g. the library. Perhaps a heritage walk organised to highlight local landmarks as well as the local history collection.
Geocaching should be added to the fun promotional activities libraries undertake ... we're all about promoting community involvement and learning (and fun!) and offering people different ways being involved can't hurt.
For libraries it could be used to get people in initially or to visit some or all of a libraries branches - perhaps other than their home library. But having done it once participants will probably know what to expect or where to go in subsequent forays into the cache. So it could be a limited activity to be used occasionally.
On a smaller scale caching could be used as a school holiday activity in a larger library (with enough room to spread out)- particlularly fun if puzzle solving is involved.
If the library is in an area with a particular interest it could be undertaken in conjunction with the local business or community groups using a multi-cache (didn't know that word before this morning!) allowing stops as significant places - e.g. the library. Perhaps a heritage walk organised to highlight local landmarks as well as the local history collection.
Geocaching should be added to the fun promotional activities libraries undertake ... we're all about promoting community involvement and learning (and fun!) and offering people different ways being involved can't hurt.
Life in the pod ...
I discovered podcasts a couple of years ago and have found them incredibly useful. The thing I like most is being able to choose the time, place and subject of your listening/viewing. It's great to have a few things on the mp3 player or phone to watch or listen to when things get a bit boring. Like using public transport or (for me) going for a walk. With an interesting podcast I can just devour the miles. What I'd really like is waterproof player I can use when swimming - great exercise but unutterable dull!
My fave pods come from ABC Radio National - you can access The Philosophers' Zone from this blog - it's worth going to the website and browsing the programs. They're only 1/2 hr or an hour long, there's bound to be something of interest and with podcatching the show can download without any effort. Whack it on the player and you're away. Fantastic!
Libraries could offer podcasts of speakers or authors or storytellers etc who present at the library for those that aren't able to attend sessions or if sessions are filled. Audio versions of blogs or other info on the site could be podcast for sight impaired users to listen to. Local government could podcast procedings of council meetings, perhaps, and access to these might be available from the library site.
But like anything we do, it needs to be measurably effective and well used enough to justify the time and cost involved in setting up and maintaining it.
My fave pods come from ABC Radio National - you can access The Philosophers' Zone from this blog - it's worth going to the website and browsing the programs. They're only 1/2 hr or an hour long, there's bound to be something of interest and with podcatching the show can download without any effort. Whack it on the player and you're away. Fantastic!
Libraries could offer podcasts of speakers or authors or storytellers etc who present at the library for those that aren't able to attend sessions or if sessions are filled. Audio versions of blogs or other info on the site could be podcast for sight impaired users to listen to. Local government could podcast procedings of council meetings, perhaps, and access to these might be available from the library site.
But like anything we do, it needs to be measurably effective and well used enough to justify the time and cost involved in setting up and maintaining it.
Victor's Song
Hmmm - hoping this will work. I've found the embedding instructions a little sketchy but I can see You tube stuff on other blogs so it shouldn't be too difficult to master.
This is a scene from my favourite movie of all time - Local Hero. You'd have thought 25 years later something else would have taken it's place on my fave spectrum but no. Nostalgia is a powerful thing and I'm a giant dag who loves bad karaoke. What can I say - I just love the old guys in the corner!
This is a scene from my favourite movie of all time - Local Hero. You'd have thought 25 years later something else would have taken it's place on my fave spectrum but no. Nostalgia is a powerful thing and I'm a giant dag who loves bad karaoke. What can I say - I just love the old guys in the corner!
So online video for library use, I'm not sure yet. Having a snappy quirky or funny video with a tour of the library or instruction/information could get people in and it's fun - lets face it. But I'm not sure the space and time it takes up are valuable - at the moment. Videos would need to be short, very informative, relevant and above all - entertaining. People are inundated with stuff on screens and in video form. Finding something that stands out in a positive way would be the big problem. Not every amateur video producer creates outstanding memorable (for the right reason) video. And not everyone thinks the same thing is entertaining - case in point - Victor's Song which I happen to love.
Hope you enjoy Victor.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Facebook Follies
Having raved about Twitter I find I'm less enthusiastic about Facebook as a personal use site.
I've had an account for about 12 months and find I rarely use it - too much junk on there that's more than 150 odd characters.
Having said that, I can see the value for libraries having a presence on Facebook.
Just the sheer volume of people who use it and are comfortable accessing information and keeping informed through Facebook is a pretty compelling reason to use it to promote library stuff. Facebook can serve as a forum, an information provision tool, a reader advisory source and a promotional site - all FREE!
Readers and interested parties are familiar with its look, how it works and can contribute to or take from it as much or as little as they like. It's not a huge time consumer to maintain once set up and I think it's both cost and time effective as a service for us to offer. It's there, lots of people know about it, so why not use it?
I've had an account for about 12 months and find I rarely use it - too much junk on there that's more than 150 odd characters.
Having said that, I can see the value for libraries having a presence on Facebook.
Just the sheer volume of people who use it and are comfortable accessing information and keeping informed through Facebook is a pretty compelling reason to use it to promote library stuff. Facebook can serve as a forum, an information provision tool, a reader advisory source and a promotional site - all FREE!
Readers and interested parties are familiar with its look, how it works and can contribute to or take from it as much or as little as they like. It's not a huge time consumer to maintain once set up and I think it's both cost and time effective as a service for us to offer. It's there, lots of people know about it, so why not use it?
It's official - I'm a Twit
I wonder if Twit is the appropriate title for those who use Twitter. Frankly I don't care - I'm hooked.
One of the reasons I don't keep in touch with my mates regularly via electronica is that opening and scanning my e-mail or Facebook pages for relevant stuff is a bit of a time waster. I always manage to put it off for a couple of weeks and if I'm not going online for any other reason .... I just don't do it!
Now, through the marvel that is Twitter, I can rattle off a quick message and keep in touch between e-mails and phone calls. Quick and easy - and fun! Who wants to write a whole e-mail about one's thoughts on the state of Australian Cricket. Limiting the characters means I get succinct thoughts out to my masses of fans.
On a less than personal note, Twitter can be used by libraries to keep library communities abreast of events, titles, programs and even send reminders. Something like "Don't forget we'll be closed between Christmas and New Year. Have a safe and happy holiday "
As professionals who are continually networking we can send links to relevant info quickly without interrupting the recipient. We can comment on issues that affect us and communicate with a large group of our peers. It's there easily accessible for interested parties who are following our organisation. I like the function to have tweets to your phone - keeping up to date wherever you are!
Yes, I am a Twit - and proud of it!
One of the reasons I don't keep in touch with my mates regularly via electronica is that opening and scanning my e-mail or Facebook pages for relevant stuff is a bit of a time waster. I always manage to put it off for a couple of weeks and if I'm not going online for any other reason .... I just don't do it!
Now, through the marvel that is Twitter, I can rattle off a quick message and keep in touch between e-mails and phone calls. Quick and easy - and fun! Who wants to write a whole e-mail about one's thoughts on the state of Australian Cricket. Limiting the characters means I get succinct thoughts out to my masses of fans.
On a less than personal note, Twitter can be used by libraries to keep library communities abreast of events, titles, programs and even send reminders. Something like "Don't forget we'll be closed between Christmas and New Year. Have a safe and happy holiday "
As professionals who are continually networking we can send links to relevant info quickly without interrupting the recipient. We can comment on issues that affect us and communicate with a large group of our peers. It's there easily accessible for interested parties who are following our organisation. I like the function to have tweets to your phone - keeping up to date wherever you are!
Yes, I am a Twit - and proud of it!
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