Captain Rob's Bilge Bucket

Congratulations and Thanks!

2009-04-15T23:47:00.007-04:00

Tipping my cap to those who took the time to look in and help me out on this group of "things," and to those who were otherwise occupied in worthy pursuits.

I would like to have set aside more time to explore blogs and interact with those doing the exercise, however, I know that everyone is very busy, just as we are here.

It's been my experience that folks who work in libraries are smart, talented, resourceful, and insightful.

They are currently working diligently to accommodate the needs of patrons, many of whom find themselves facing real challenges.

Technology is important.
Knowledge is important.

Cap'n Rob

Thing 23

2009-04-10T00:55:00.003-04:00

Survey submitted.

Thing 22: Staying Current

2009-04-01T14:49:00.010-04:00

1. Take a moment and look back at the first Thing you posted to your blog. Reflect on how far you've come since then.

My first blog post was a general comment on what the exercise was about and what we hoped to accomplish. Later, I made some comment about confusion having to do with passwords that made it difficult for me to accomplish the task. As I recall, I expected to need to create new user name and password for the blog that were different from the ones I created for the mail account. Just goes to show you, that often when dealing with new technology, the easiest most direct path is the one you least expect to find.

On the other hand, as I expect we all have experienced, some applications are less intuitive and logically presented. (referring to user interface here)

2. Make a resolution to maintain your blog, use the tools you now know, keep up with new tools, and apply them in your library. Give yourself the gift of time—15 minutes a day, a Webinar now and then, conversations with colleagues about Library 2.0, whatever—but don't quit now! Put your resolution writing in your blog!

I do expect to do some blogging in the future, although these somewhat rustic "pearls of wisdom" may not be collected in their present form. (The Bilge Bucket)

I'm sure there are folks who have the opportunity to set aside 15 minutes a day as suggested above. Truth be told, between work and other obligations I have currently, I am unable to reliably "gift" myself with the time necessary to properly maintain a meaningful library related blog. Luckily, we are fortunate to have folks in the system here who can devote time to that. I will however strive to remain current in communications technologies, both on the net and elsewhere. I have been at that task since 1970.

3. Every day, ask yourself, "What did I learn today?" Record your responses in your blog.So here are some Web sites and blogs to add to your RSS aggregator.

I will peruse the RSS list offered at 23 things and make decisions about whether or not I want to "tend" to those feeds.

Thing 21: Student 2.0 Tools

2009-03-30T12:57:00.008-04:00

This is really interesting.

At first glance, I thought great... another glorified web based calendar, however, after closer inspection of the supporting materials I do think students/patrons can benefit from use of the RPC.

Looked through the Research Planning Calculator site and found a number of useful tools for students and teachers. Basically a time management device and resource center designed to "shepherd" students through the process of a research project.

There is an abundance of useful downloadable material here. For example, style guides for APA, MLA, and Chicago citation methods, tip sheets for boolean basics and advanced google searches, storyboarding materials, and scripting outlines, just to name a few.

The tools are presented chronologically, and sorted under the relevant topics one might use to "plan and manage" a research project.

1. Question
2. Gather
3. Conclude
4. Communicate
5. Evaluate

I think this "thing" would be highly useful for students and working groups. This may have been conceived of by professors who are teaching while simultaneously serving on graduate committees. (Time consuming.) Or, more likely by dedicated, vigilant, observant librarians in Minnesota who took it upon themselves to create a "bread crumb trail" for those who are unfamiliar with the process of doing meaningful research.

It wasn't readily apparent to me whether or not the user can allow others to access and monitor the project as it progresses, but I suspect that could be accomplished via shared passwords.

I will bookmark this site and keep it handy for introduction to library patrons/students who are beginning a research project.

Kudos to University of Minnesota Libraries!

Cheers

Thing 20: Books 2.0

2009-03-25T17:28:00.010-04:00

I'm aware of portable digital reading devices like Kindle, but do not own one as yet. I expect I will eventually make that purchase. For now my desktop does what I need it to do.

Sorry, don't have any desire to read a book on my phone.

What are you observing in your library about books and reading?

Reading traditional books is still popular although more and more patrons opt for video, specifically Hollywood based narrative film, or the use of Internet stations.

Fiction books check out more frequently than non-fiction books.

Readers of traditional books tend to be more advanced in age than those who seek out electronic sources.

Don't think any of this will be surprising to folks who work in libraries.

Do you think these Book 2.0 tools hamper or enhance one's reading experience?

I don't really have a sense of that either way.

Let me preface this by saying that I do not read a lot of fiction nowadays, and I think these sites may have more to offer to those who do.

In the case of non fiction, I am able to review sources of information for accuracy in a number of ways, to include past and present studies in peer reviewed journals, bibliographic citation review, and keeping current with scholarly periodicals that are specific to a given subject.

Those who read a lot of fiction may be seeking out the more subjective musings and opinions of their peers, so perhaps, reviews found on these sites would be of more interest to them.

If I should find a particular reviewer of fictional literature who consistently comes up with picks I enjoy, I would seek out commentary from that reviewer.
So far, that has not occurred. I am more likely to find a book on my own or hear about it from a friend or acquaintance who has some sense of what my interests are.

Which of the sites/tools did you visit?

Daily Lit, Unbound Reader, and Complete Review.

What are their appealing features?

After an admittedly cursory review of 1 site from each category, I was unable to find features that were appealing to me.

What's Next, and Book Stumper might be useful when trying to find specific reads for patrons, but it appears the latter requires a fee for each use. I suspect that will deter potential users.

Any features seem unnecessary or just there "because?"
Yes.

Thing 19: Other Social Networks

2009-03-15T19:02:00.008-04:00

Are you a member of any online communities?

I do utilize a couple of social networking sites, primarily sites that pertain to "niche" subject matter that is of interest to me. (As referred to earlier in Thing 11" Social Media.")

Spent some time looking at the the various social networking sights suggested at 23 things. Web Junction looks kind of interesting, however I haven't yet looked at it in depth.

When it comes to joining groups, I'm afraid I subscribe to the old Groucho Marx axiom:
(Paraphrasing here)

"I don't want to be part of any club that would have me as a member!"

Of course he was trying to be humorous, or facetious, or both. I do find that membership tends to lead to the inevitable mandated scheduled participation, perhaps even the holding of some sort of office or leadership position. Currently I have neither the time or the inclination to take on either.

Did create a "presence" at Ning and touched down briefly at "Blues Musicians Worldwide."
Hope to be able to peruse that sight without leaving any discernible tracks, as I am an amateur musician, and I do love blues music.

What did you find that was interesting and that you might use later?
Please see above

Thing 18: Facebook/My Space

2009-03-15T18:46:00.009-04:00

I am familiar with these web entities.
I have friends/acquaintances who maintain a presence at one or both of these sites.

They have become a popular way for indie musicians to keep their fans apprised about upcoming performances, cd releases, etc.

Haven't found them terribly useful myself, but it will be interesting to see what 23 Things and NEFLIN have to say about their use as tools for communication in libraries.

Our library's web page has some powerful interactive features already, and I like the idea that one url allows all patrons to interact with multiple branches in one place.

Watched the video and perused Facebook and Myspace.

Looked at the Jacksonville and Alachua county library pages. (Noticed that some authors are using the sites to promote their work.)

Also checked out the Pew Internet & American Life Project site. Lots of interesting statistical information there. (Some concerning use and availability of broadband in rural areas.)

I get the idea that these social networking sites allow users to become more easily connected to one another, and that users can broaden their group of "friends" by "acquiring" those of other users. A breaking down of barriers, so to speak. It's also clear that they are wildly popular at the moment.

I don't consider myself to be anti social, but I don't feel compelled to sign up for these.

So much of the communication that appears there is general, unfocused, smarmy, and truth be told, mindless.

"Digital Schmoozing" if you will.

I just don't have leisure time to spare for that.

Cast off...

Special Bulletin

2009-03-13T22:56:00.008-04:00

Be on the lookout for "Nefarious Ned."
This scurrilous sea slug is related by birth, certainly not by choice, to our fearless but kind and benevolent leader Cap'n Rob.

Ned, along with his scurvy crew, has been sighted in and around the waters off St. Augustine FL.

He is a notorious folder of library book pages and revels in routinely maintaining a significant fine on his library card!

If you encounter Ned, do not try to detain him!

Instead, give him a "stern talking to," concerning the finer points of the patrons code of conduct!

Betty Barnacle
Ships Communications Liaison Officer
"Pooterscoot"

Thing 17: Podcasts

2009-03-09T23:50:00.011-04:00

A great way to time shift content.

I use these all the time.

Is there an audio or radio event you want to hear?
Are you otherwise occupied when it is aired?
Podcasting allows you to access audio/video content from web providers and access it at your convenience.

Many of the patrons at our library use mp3 players. Our system offers "talking" books for download to these portable devices.

I'm told we will soon begin checking out mp3 players to patrons, with audio books already installed.

Podcasts work much the same way.

Regarding recording software for creating audio files, the NEFLIN post provides links to several. Some are free, or offer free "lite" versions of their software.

It is probably important to be aware that programs which allow you to digitize audio often will do so with varying degrees of compression. Currently mp3 files are by far the most widely used on the net, and in portable personal audio devices, so one might want to opt for that format when recording podcast content.

Personally, I am not a big fan of mp3 files as I think the high level of compression degrades the overall sound quality, especially in the upper mid range of the audio spectrum. This won't be readily apparent to most listeners. The anomaly is most apparent when the file is a music recording, and less so if the recording is strictly voice.

The advantage of the mp3 compression is that the files are relatively small, and take up less space than a more "full range audio file." (Such as a .wav file)

It's essentially a quality/quantity trade off that allows you to cram more content into a hard drive, playback device, storage medium, etc.

(Kindly excuse the techie rantings of a former audio engineer, non-linear audio editor.)

To each his/her own!

Make ready the frannistan coupler...

Thing 16: Video... YouTube etc.

2009-03-07T22:35:00.025-05:00

Video on the net! I am familiar with the YouTube site, and occasionally view the wacky content therein. However, where I am employed, we are admonished to steer clear of the YouTube site while working. (Which is probably a good indicator that there is some fun to be had there.)

I'll post video from elsewhere.

Sites that contain video range from "free for all," to downright stingy.
Some provide embed code for you to copy and paste, others do not.

Most provide links to video that your readers can access via url, but I think you can provide a quicker more seamless experience for the blog visitor/viewer if you upload the video file directly to the blog, rather than simply linking to it.

Hint: Download the video file to your computer, then upload the file via the video icon in the edit html tab in the blogger post page. This may take some time depending on the speed of your connection and the size of the file, however, the embed codes provided on the various websites often clash with bloggers' post function if you simply paste them in. (Of course... that would be far too simple!)

I found the following video at NPR's Science Friday web presence.
Super slo-mo footage is kinda neat!

Update: This video displays just fine anywhere other than a county system computer, so I suspect there is some kind of block occurring. If you're interested in seeing the video, just access it from home, or try your luck with the Science Friday link provided above.

Visted Jumpcut and looked around at the tools available.
This company is based in San Francisco and has been acquired by Yahoo.
I created an account there.
I was unaware of the existence of this editor.
It's a very neat site for the amateur videographer!

Spring forward and weigh anchor, we're out of here...

Thing 15: Rollyo

2009-03-04T15:29:00.013-05:00

Looked at Rollyo and ran some searches.

I like the idea that the site identifies the various url's it has utilized to perform a specific search, and allows the user to designate where a given search will look for information.

Essentially, Rollyo allows one to "customize searches."

Paring searches down to sources where one has successfully gleaned pertinent information in the past seems both logical and useful to me. It also provides the opportunity to disqualify commercial sites, should you desire to do that.

I created a search box for inclusion to my blog. In the select search engine drop down menu, you will find "Capn Rob's Seeker," a not so aptly named reference search. You'll also find a more wide ranging web search provided by "Rollyo."

Note: If you want to create a searchbox at Rollyo, be sure to create a presence there first. (Username and password required)

If you do not do so, you won't be given the option of making the search capability available to the public.

Should I ever get any free time, I intend to build some searchrolls that are specific to some of my interests. I have used advanced features available on search engines previously in order to narrow the scope of a search. However, it seems that the ability to designate specific areas for searches could be useful as well.

Cast away those lines...

Choosing a Blogging Application

2009-03-03T21:07:00.007-05:00

My experience here, with the 23 things exercises, has led me to consider the creation of other blogs that may or may not be work related. (I work a lot, need to have some fun with this stuff)

I wondered if there might be a matrix of sorts that would allow me to compare features of the different blogging applications. I have been largely satisfied with the blogger interface, but have encountered some problems along the way, especially when attempting to post anything containing java script. (Still uncertain as to why this occurs, perhaps java is proprietary and blogger is barred from accepting it?)

A search came up with several such sites offering comparisons between the various services available. One can choose two or more of 26 different blogging applications and do side by side comparisons of capabilities at weblog matrix.

Simply check the boxes corresponding to the applications you wish to compare, then click on the compare button.

There are other places to look as well, but this one appears to be relatively up to date.
There are tabs at the top of the page that will allow you to compare other applications as well.

As you are probably aware, the various providers improve and add capabilities on occasion, so the matrix may not be 100% accurate. However, it is a place to start, and to learn more about what's available out there.

Somewhere out over the bounding main...

Thing 14: Online Productivity Tools

2009-03-02T12:56:00.011-05:00

Created an igoogle page presence and perused pageflake and others.

The igoogle was painfully slow to move around in, took far too long loading features.
That surprised me as their search page is so consistently fast.
Perhaps I just caught it at a busy time.

I haven't found anything in these sites that my ISP (Internet Service Provider,) doesn't already make available on my home page.

Created a presence at 30 boxes, posted both a widget and a calendar, wasn't pleased with the appearance of either on the blog so I took them down. Doesn't seem to offer anything I can't already do in my Outlook calendar, and I don't feel the urge to publish that. Certainly could be a tool for keeping patrons abreast of upcoming events, programming and the like.

I can see how the file conversion applications could come in handy in the library for the same reasons mentioned at NEFLINS 23 Things site. I haven't actually tried a conversion yet, but I'll get to that.

I don't expect I would find the listmakers useful in my day to day work, but others might.

Tight lines and good fishing...

Thing 13 Library Thing

2009-02-26T22:00:00.013-05:00

I enjoyed using this site.

I no longer collect books in the traditional sense so I don't plan to use it for cataloguing.
I do expect to use it to keep track of past reads. Also the search functions worked well for me, regardless of what parameters I chose.

As I am not trained as a reference librarian, I don't feel qualified to comment on whether or not this cataloguing scheme will be of use to current or future librarians. I'll look at other posts and comments for feedback on that issue.

Important Note:

I did encounter a problem after adding one of its links to the blog.

I created an account with Library Thing, took the tour and created an abbreviated list of some of my reads.

Created a badge that was supposed to display covers for those books, but was unable to post it due to some java display code embedded within the html. (A problem I encountered earlier with the flickr badge.)

The site offered an alternative widget that created an icon that linked to my Library Thing list. After being published to the blog, the link looked and worked just fine. However, every time I've tried to post since then, I get an error message from Google saying that my client has issued a malformed or illegal request. The new post does publish, but it is followed by a Google error page, rather than the usual "successful publish" page.

I deleted the entire post along with its widget but I continue to get this error message whenever I attempt a new post .

So I guess the moral here is, enjoy the Library Thing site, but be careful about linking to it or publishing code you generate there. Can't say for certain my problem is related to Library Thing, but it began occurring right after posting content from that site.

So far I have been unable to resolve this problem, anyone have any ideas?

More Toon

2009-02-24T00:44:00.004-05:00

Ok, I admit it, have become a little "overly enamored" with making these cartoons. What else is the Captain going to do in his luxuriously appointed state room (with solar powered jacuzzi and surround sound wide screen high definition television,) aboard the Pooterscoot during these voyages from port to port?

Thing 12: Wikis

2009-02-23T10:53:00.007-05:00

Yep! Wikis is cool!

A nice way to cut down on all those cumulative emails that stack up.

I have never created a wiki before, but have done so for this exercise. You can find it here at pbwiki. Please feel free to join in if you like, but I'm afraid you will have to sign up with pbwiki to get in.

I was hoping it would be available without a membership but that doesn't appear to be an option. (One more card for your already swollen Rolodex file, if you are still somewhat analog as I am.)

I like the option that allows you to create a new page, kind of a snapshot of what existed there at a given point in time. If these new pages are succinctly titled, they could be very useful. Kind of a branching file management deal.

I perused some of the library related wiki's posted on the 23 things site at NEFLIN. Some interesting stuff there, but once again, can't imagine when I might find the time to fully "mine" all the information there.

Not enough hours in the day!

Seems as though this might be a good tool for reading groups, providing members don't delete comments made by others, and still have something to talk about when they meet face to face for discussion.

They do still meet face to face, don't they?

Update: Just went back to pbwiki to test the link above and it appears that one may not need to create an account to participate. However, you must request permission to use the wiki.

I'm assuming I will be the one to approve or disapprove your request.

Ah... more POWER for me!

Captain Rob the Merciless!

(Just kidding, I'm easy)

Try this program at your branch!

2009-02-22T20:26:00.000-05:00

More ToonDoo Image Generation

2009-02-22T15:01:00.000-05:00

Thing 11 Social Media

2009-02-18T21:32:00.018-05:00

Checked out the sites and bookmarked them all. Searched for an article I was interested in and found several. Attempted to post one as a link in the blog but was unsuccessful. Attempted to import it as a Delicious bookmark, and as an “add your own” element in the gadget import feature that “occasionally” accepts URLs. All attempts failed, so I’m assuming I have encountered another compatibility issue. (Or that I am missing something obvious, as has been the case before.) The article originated in the Washington Post so I suppose it is possible that there is some sort of blocking going on. After all, the article does belong to them no?

Think I’ll forgo more attempts to link to that specific page, and instead write a little about Social Media. In mass communications studies, information about some specific interest or subject matter is most often referred to as “niche” content or programming. Content that attracts individuals who “tend” to media involving a subject, or subjects that they, along with a subset of other individuals, find interesting or important.

Advertisers have been aware of this tendency for decades and have done significant research in identifying such groups within various designated market areas. Ex. (If you are selling golf clubs, a golfing magazine, or the golfing channel is a good place to purchase ads.) Placing them elsewhere could be considered a misuse of resources, unless alternative niche media environments have proven to overlap with the target audience in significant numbers.

However, if one is referring to non-commercial motivations that users have, such as forming friendships, clubs, and associations with others who have similar interests, I think that we, as communicators could come up with a more accurate term. The term “social” is a wide-ranging descriptor that encompasses a myriad of cultural phenomena. Some of those areas are significantly more important than others in the grand scheme of things.

I must admit that I find much of the information posted on the web is unreliable and superficial in nature. I am especially concerned with regard to the quality of news related material. There is still something to be said for objective, sourced, and researched information. If we as “citizen governors” are to make wise decisions about societal issues, the quality of the information we “tend to” should be high.

"Truthiness" just doesn't cut it.
(With apologies to Colbert who is very funny)

I suspect that what we are really exploring here is "Gate Keeping Theory."
But this post is getting a little long...

Providing users with better tools for creating, identifying, and sharing such media is certainly useful.

Maybe we could call it “Enthusiast Media”

Or “Maven Media”

Or just “Niche Media”

One of my "niche" interests is communications regulatory policy so the article I searched for concerns the FCC and the new appointee to head that Federal agency.

Lets try this one more time. For an informative article about the incoming Chief Commissioner of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC,) and how that appointment might effect the Internet, click here.

If for any reason, the link does not function, you can cut and paste the following url address into your browser to access the article http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/13/AR2009011303106.html?referrer=delicious

Thanks go out to the lovely and talented "Miss Anne" for explaining how to create the embedded link. (Assuming it works) Hee hee

Till next time…

New Photo Widget/Compatability issues

2009-02-17T00:56:00.011-05:00

Was looking at alternatives to the flickr photo display badge. Although I was able to post photos via flickr, wasn't wholly satisfied with the result as it appeared on my blog. Wasn't consistent with the design choices I made while creating it.

Came across the "widget" below at dijit. Uploaded some photos and you can peruse them below. So far I have only posted still images, however, this widget allows one to post photos, audio, and video. (Ten of each) Might come in handy for future NEFLIN "things."

If you want to build your own, you can access the site via the "dijit" button in the lower right hand corner of the display, (Be prepared to create yet another user name and password.)

I'm all about standardization and avoiding using many different sites to accomplish each task. I'm discovering that standardization is somewhat lacking when I try to "blend" elements from different providers. Accomplishing the tasks here have required me to create many accounts at various providers. In fact, I'm considering the purchase of a new Rolodex file solely for storing all the user names and passwords involved in these exercises.

Often, having an application open in one window, doesn't seem to help when trying to access its function elsewhere. I find myself having to repeatedly verify my identity in the various applications, even after signing in.

Anyone have any suggestions as to how one might minimize these conflicts?

If so, feel free to post.

Audio/Visual

2009-02-16T22:26:00.003-05:00

Thing 10 Labels and Tags

2009-02-16T20:53:00.006-05:00

This is interesting.
A file management system for net locations.

I created the account at Delicious and have begun labeling posts from my blog. If I understand the concept correctly, labels might best be used to generally categorize, while tags can be used to enter more specific information about a page. I attempted to import some previously existing bookmarks with delicious, but so far that hasn't worked. (Error messages)

Once again, I find myself struggling a bit with the interface itself. One needs to constantly toggle from one to the other in order to see the results, or lack of them. That gets a bit tedious.

Thing 9 Sharing-Slides, Photos, Data bases

2009-02-08T22:28:00.009-05:00

Well, this was simple enough.
Created an account with Slide Share.
Checked out the possibilities.
Not currently in possession of any presentations I want to publish... for free.

Thing 8 Communication - Web 2.0 Style

2009-02-08T21:56:00.007-05:00

Fully acquainted with IM functions but don't use them extensively.
(Mainly because when used as a tool for social interaction, they can be (distracting)
Have used Net Meeting tools, beats flying anywhere these days.
Watched the video proffered by Neflin. Might prove to be a useful tool for reference librarians. Guess they will need to become familiar with all those abbreviations!

Thing 7 Online Image Generators

2009-02-08T21:10:00.007-05:00

Well this was a lot more fun!

I created a little single panel cartoon I titled "Bookends" in Toon Doo. It's not likely to make any sense to non-librarians, but perhaps it will bring a smile to those who "toil in the stacks." (Should appear just below this post)

I bookmarked all the web-based graphics creation tools passed along via Neflins' 23 things site, and hope to have time to spend playing with the others in the future.

I've worked with some highly sophisticated graphics generators in a former career and I find that I miss that aspect of media production.

Nice to see that some of these tools are becoming available to folks via the web. Some of them would have been cost prohibitive to many users just 10 years ago.

Now we just need to lobby for making access to the web more affordable!
Free Wide Band for all!

Thanks go out to the people at Toon Doo, who allow even those of us who are not artists to participate in cartooning!

Image generation

2009-02-08T20:57:00.001-05:00

What I learned!

2009-02-08T14:50:00.010-05:00

Code that represents a specific "Mashup" (And I'm guessing, more "things" to come,) can be pasted directly into a "new post" "dialogue box" in order to have it appear on the blog. Perhaps this will be obvious to others, but I was under the impression this area was reserved for entering standard text. (The html edit function provided there finally gave me a clue.)

Caution 1: Do not waste time attempting to import such code as a "gadget" of some kind. (As I did)

If you are aware of an area within the "add gadget" function, that allows one to insert code, kindly comment and let me/us know where it is! It seems as though having that option would give one more flexibility as to placement of specific elements in the layout.
(But what the heck do I know?)

Caution 2: The java version of the flickr badge code contains elements that may prevent Internet Explorer from opening your blog page after the post is published. After performing this blunder, the only way I was able to re-enter the page was through the blogger sign up page. Problem went away after I changed the posted code to the html version.

A little older and a good deal greyer!

Have mercy!

Thing 6 Mashups

2009-02-08T11:04:00.004-05:00

Well, I must admit, this one has me perplexed.

Created a flickr account, uploaded photos, created a "badge," registered my blog account with flickr to allow direct posting, whew!

However, have been unable to post that element to my blog.

Blogger seems to post anything with a URL address. Creation of the flickr badge results in a string of code that is to be copied and pasted. I cannot find a portal in the blog that accepts such a string of code. Can anyone enlighten me?

Flickr "help" says an icon allowing direct post to the log should appear next to each element, however I have been unable to locate any on my flickr page.

I guess I'll just have to admit defeat on this one for the time being as I have spent more time than I have to spare trying to sort it out.

Hopefully thing 7 will be a little less time consuming and a lot less exasperating.

Thing 5 Flickr

2009-02-04T17:35:00.004-05:00

A way to upload, caption, and feed your blog/reader... photographs, and information related to those photographs
Yikes!
Also checked out the library usage page that was cited.
Visuals serve to draw patron attention to specific items within a photo.
Also allows for creation of titles/tags.

Thing 4 RSS and Newsreaders

2009-02-04T11:05:00.004-05:00

"Real Simple Syndication"
A convenient way to gather and peruse updated information that is of interest to you.
RSS feeds you choose to add to your blog also become available to others. (Those who read your blog.)

Thing 3 Blog Search Engines

2009-01-30T10:09:00.004-05:00

Thing 3
Blog search engines

Once again I find myself far too short of time to fully explore this topic. However, I did manage to create some searches for both Technorati and Blog Pulse. Advanced searches seem to be most useful and focused. The Boolean search feature at Blog Pulse is nice.

Thing 2 Web 2.0

2009-01-23T00:54:00.008-05:00

The term Web 2.0 appears to have been originally “coined” by Tim O'Reilly and Dale Dougherty of O'Reilly Media in 2004.

Admittedly, my research into the origins and subsequent development of Web 2.0, have been very limited due to time constraints.

However, it appears to encompass many forms of interactive information publishing, gathering, and retrieval methods, with an emphasis on “non-static systems.” A non-static system refers to the idea that the framework or methodology of the system allows for both input and active response from users.

In its simplest form, one might liken this to the development of interactive television, wherein, users are more readily able to respond and participate directly after having accessed information, rather than remaining passive receivers of that information.
(Using your remote to purchase that goofy looking lamp on the shopping channel)

In more complex feedback situations, such as wikis, many users have the opportunity to contribute to the feedback loop, effectively creating a user matrix of sorts.

Some personal thoughts:

I work in a library, but my background work experience and field of study has been more specific to mass communication in the realm of broadcast media, more specifically, instructional, and educational media.

I have a sense that the term Web 2.0 may be a misnomer to some degree. It seems to suggest that some specific communications advances currently available via the World Wide Web will dominate until some future incarnation. (Web 3.0?)

I can’t imagine anyone being wise enough at this point to make a distinction about when a new era of functional communication is issued in, and I suspect that no person or group of people can make that call. To put a finer point on it, the innovations we are utilizing now may be passe before the year ends.

Lots of intelligent, creative, innovative folks worldwide are seeking to discover the new “killer application” that will dominate communication on the web.

On the flip side, I may be mistaken here and please post a response if you disagree, but when it comes to interactive communication on the web, the old standby, plain old email is still used more than any other.

I am hopeful, that as we progress through the “23 things,” I will begin to gain a more focused grasp of how these technologies will ultimately shape the way libraries function in the future.

Thing 1 Blogging

2009-01-14T11:28:00.008-05:00

This blog was created as part of an ongoing learning experience for myself and my co-workers.

In the weeks to come, we aspire collectively, to become more familiar with some recently developed or enhanced existing forms of communication and information sharing technologies.

Blogging is the first of 23.