For the most part, these articles did not grab me. I was fairly uninspired. I was most interested in Dr. Wendy Schultz's article To a Temporary Place in Time. I like her idea that individual books might have their own avatars and online personalities. I would love to have the job of creating avatars for books!
I liked the way she explained Library 1.0-4.0. The thing that keeps getting brought up is that Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 is that it's about community, and about user involvement. I think in many ways it's about relying on community instead of experts. The library keeps trying to find ways that it can get in on the 2.0 thing. I think that by definition, almost, libraries are too much an institution to really be 2.0. The idea that people will "collect" virtual librarians is wishful thinking, in my opinion. Ultimately, I think we will continue to be mostly 1.0. That doesn't mean we shouldn't learn about 2.0, or shouldn't pursue it to some extent. I think libraries should support 2.0 technology, and be 2.0 savvy. I just don't think that the concept of "librarian" is 2.0, so let's not kid ourselves. Fortunately, in Dr. Schultz's vision, Library 4.0 won't replace 1.0-3.0, but will incorporate them. That's the most sensible thing I've heard yet.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Thing #14 - Explore Technorati and learn how tags work with blog posts
Technorati leaves me cold. I didn't feel particularly inspired by this Thing, as I have with some others. Doing a search on Technorati seemed no less overwhelming and random than searches on the web itself. Like elsewhere, just a bunch of clutter and junk to prune through.
It seemed sort of redundant too, like it provided a lot of overlap with what del.icio.us provides. I created an account, just to see if that improved things (as I found with del.icio.us), but no. I felt that my bloglines account and my del.icio.us account provided much the same features, but were more fun, and easier to use.
It was somewhat interesting to see the differences between searching blogs and searching tags.
It seemed sort of redundant too, like it provided a lot of overlap with what del.icio.us provides. I created an account, just to see if that improved things (as I found with del.icio.us), but no. I felt that my bloglines account and my del.icio.us account provided much the same features, but were more fun, and easier to use.
It was somewhat interesting to see the differences between searching blogs and searching tags.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Thing #13 - learn about tagging and discover Del.icio.us
Well, I didn't think I was going to think much of Del.icio.us, but boy is it addictive. Just looking around was not all that interesting, but once I created an account and started adding my own bookmarks, I really got hooked. It was somewhat fascinating to me to find out how many other people had a particular site bookmarked, and what they had to say about the sites. This could turn into a huge time waster for me. I think it has a very similar appeal to LibraryThing. And like LibraryThing, while I was very enthused at first, I probably won't end up spending that much time on it in the long run. Still, I'm glad to have checked it out.
One thing I especially liked was adding bookmarks for sites belonging to friends of mine who are film makers, or are otherwise in need of publicity. I hope that someone will stumble upon their sites this way. For three out of the four like this that I posted, I was the first to post the bookmark. However, one was already out there, which pleased and surprised me.
Again, using it at work is not jumping immediately to mind. The possibilities are there, I have no doubt. I think this is another effect of working on the Circ Side (was that the Dark Side, you said? No? My mistake.) as opposed to the Reference Side of Life.
One thing I especially liked was adding bookmarks for sites belonging to friends of mine who are film makers, or are otherwise in need of publicity. I hope that someone will stumble upon their sites this way. For three out of the four like this that I posted, I was the first to post the bookmark. However, one was already out there, which pleased and surprised me.
Again, using it at work is not jumping immediately to mind. The possibilities are there, I have no doubt. I think this is another effect of working on the Circ Side (was that the Dark Side, you said? No? My mistake.) as opposed to the Reference Side of Life.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Thing #12 - Roll your own search roll with Rollyo
Well, I explored Rollyo, and I registered with Rollyo, but I did not roll my own search roll with Rollyo. I think Rollyo is a neat idea, and I think I may have use for search rolls that other people created (for instance, the Squirrels search roll). However, the sites that I visit with any regularity don't have a whole lot in common. I don't have a lot of trusted sites on the same topic that I frequent. If ever I do, I will certainly roll up a search roll.
What bugs me about Rollyo is the name. It annoys me. And why is it called a search "roll"? There's probably a very good reason, but I don't know it.
Next day: Well I have gone ahead and created my own search roll after all. There's only two websites on it, but that's ok. It's for shopping for ecologically friendly products, and has National Geographic's Green Guide, and Co-op America. Could be handy.
What bugs me about Rollyo is the name. It annoys me. And why is it called a search "roll"? There's probably a very good reason, but I don't know it.
Next day: Well I have gone ahead and created my own search roll after all. There's only two websites on it, but that's ok. It's for shopping for ecologically friendly products, and has National Geographic's Green Guide, and Co-op America. Could be handy.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Not a Thing - Paperspine
I say! I just recently read about paperspine.com. It's supposed to be like Netflix, only with books. I think that's going to give the library a run for its money, at least with a certain segment of the population. No overdue fees, keep the item as long as you want, order online, deliveries to you door - what's not to like? Well, it's not free of course, but I think it will attract folks in any case.
If I were not already spending most of my time at the library, I would probably be a convert, I have to say.
If I were not already spending most of my time at the library, I would probably be a convert, I have to say.
Thing #11 - Take a look at Library Thing and catalog some of your favorite books
Whoa! Where did November and December go? Infernal holidays....
I've had a Library Thing account since 9/25/07, and I have 29 books in my library. However, it's only now that I have gotten around to Thing 11 of the 23 Things (only 12 more to go!)
I love Library Thing, it's fun and addictive to add books to your library, and arrange them this way and that. I have only now started adding tags, which it seems to me is a big part of the point of Library Thing. After the initial infatuation with Library Thing, I have not found myself to be terribly interested. I think that Library Thing would be indispensable if I did not work at a library. However, working 40 hours a week in the Grand Book Smörgåsbord, I find I am rarely at a loss for what to read next. Nevertheless, I do like having the ability to make up a term that describes what I like about a certain book, and then find other books that have been described the same way. As yet, though, I am the only one on Library Thing to use the tag "bunloaf". In Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series, those quaint British children are forever eating bunloaf. I don't know what it is, but it sounds delicious.
I don't know that I have the time or inclination to join a group. I think if I had loads more time, I would spend a lot of it on Library Thing. However, as things stand, it just seems like time I could be reading one of those books piling up next to my bed.
I looked briefly at Library Thing for Libraries. Seems mildly interesting. I think there's a good size group of people who would use it. I never really seem to look at these Things through Library Eyes, but only from my own selfish perspective. I must remember that I am both a patron and staff, so my selfish perspective may come in handy some day.
One thing that disappointed me about Library Thing was the Unsuggester. I love the idea - it will suggest a book that you won't like at all, based on the books you have entered. But I couldn't get it to work - it kept suggesting things I would like. I wonder if I am using it incorrectly. It looks awfully simple though, I don't quite know how I could have gone wrong.
I've had a Library Thing account since 9/25/07, and I have 29 books in my library. However, it's only now that I have gotten around to Thing 11 of the 23 Things (only 12 more to go!)
I love Library Thing, it's fun and addictive to add books to your library, and arrange them this way and that. I have only now started adding tags, which it seems to me is a big part of the point of Library Thing. After the initial infatuation with Library Thing, I have not found myself to be terribly interested. I think that Library Thing would be indispensable if I did not work at a library. However, working 40 hours a week in the Grand Book Smörgåsbord, I find I am rarely at a loss for what to read next. Nevertheless, I do like having the ability to make up a term that describes what I like about a certain book, and then find other books that have been described the same way. As yet, though, I am the only one on Library Thing to use the tag "bunloaf". In Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series, those quaint British children are forever eating bunloaf. I don't know what it is, but it sounds delicious.
I don't know that I have the time or inclination to join a group. I think if I had loads more time, I would spend a lot of it on Library Thing. However, as things stand, it just seems like time I could be reading one of those books piling up next to my bed.
I looked briefly at Library Thing for Libraries. Seems mildly interesting. I think there's a good size group of people who would use it. I never really seem to look at these Things through Library Eyes, but only from my own selfish perspective. I must remember that I am both a patron and staff, so my selfish perspective may come in handy some day.
One thing that disappointed me about Library Thing was the Unsuggester. I love the idea - it will suggest a book that you won't like at all, based on the books you have entered. But I couldn't get it to work - it kept suggesting things I would like. I wonder if I am using it incorrectly. It looks awfully simple though, I don't quite know how I could have gone wrong.
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