Week 9, Thing 21

I have been confused for awhile about podcasts and what the difference is between podcasts and YouTube. Now I get it! I surfed around at some different podcasts, tried to get a daily Yoga one to load onto the blog, but couldn't. Also subscribed to a daily French for beginners on itunes, but couldn't figure out how to load that onto the blog either! Finally loaded the Pottercast, and it's pretty fun. Also looked into Twitter, but again, way too narcissistic. Who cares what I'm doing every second of every day?? Of course, it's been suggested that Twitter may be useful for us librarians trying to prove our worth - show EXACTLY what it is we do all day. But I think it would be way too time consuming.

Week 9, Thing 20

You Tube rocks! I wasted TONS of time watching the librarian videos, and the '70s commercials (geez, I remember the cigarette jingles - yipes!) I liked the TeacherTube videos. People are SO creative.
I don't know if I embedded the "twilight" video correctly. Web 2.0 directions mention using an "embeddable player" but I couldn't find it on YouTube or in Blogger. I guess I'm a little confused about how to do it correctly. But I was able to post a link.
YouTube is so incredible - I am amazed at the breadth of what's out there.

Week 8, Thing 19

How fun is LibraryThing!!! I created an account and added about 8 books. Can't wait to spend lots more time rating and reviewing my library. I loved surfing around and seeing what other people have said and are doing with it. I was interested in the number of other readers who also chose my books for their libraries. Only ONE other person added "Act of Contrition", which I really liked. Outdated, yes, but I liked it. What a fun tool this is! Oh - I have to now see that I add it as a link on my blog.

Week 8, Thing 18

I have heard a lot about Zoho writer, and it does look nifty, but the thought of yet another place to store stuff, and yet ANOTHER username and password almost drove me over the edge of web 2.0!! So I decided not to reinvent the wheel, and I went to Google Docs (which I have never used). Since I already have a google account, I just thought it would be easier. And it is - to a certain extent! This assignment was to create a document in Zoho or GoogleDocs. I decided to use GoogleDocs to create a HIT list of responses to a CALIB post I made on Friday. GoogleDocs gives you the choice of posting your doc as a URL, or post it on your blog. I wanted to just post it as a link on my blog. I thought I could click on the link, and have it go to the doc. What a dummy - of course it posted the whole darn document! So then I figured out how to post it as link in a page element, but I wish I knew how to make the document read-only so no one can mess it up.
I really like the idea of using these web tools to manage docs, pictures, etc. so that you can get to them from anywhere (provided you remember the usernames, etc!!). Many are the times I've been frustrated at work because something I needed was on a computer at home. I do wonder about the security of it, though. Can't hackers get in to my photos or documents and do malicious things? Maybe I'm just paranoid...

Week 7, Thing 17

OK - I visited the "Sandbox" and tested my theory about wikis. WAY TOO LITTLE CONTROL! Unless you are wiki-ing with close associates, I don't know how you maintain any kind of integrity. I was able to just "blah blah blah" right in the middle of another person's post! Yipes! Not sure how this would work with middle schoolers. No, I take that back - I know EXACTLY how this would work!
Is there any way to monitor posts to a Wiki like you can with a blog? I like the free-form style of the Wiki as opposed to the "post a comment" structure of the blog, but am deterred from using it for my library because of the lack of control. I also surfed around the California Curriculum CSLA 2.0 portion of the wiki. It reminded me that there are even more things I want to try with web 2.0.

Week 7, Thing 16

I explored some of the Wikis on the list. Some of them were old - no posts for a long time - and the ones I found most interesting were from middle or high schools. I found some of them confusing and couldn't understand why they were classified as Wikis since there was no way to participate. I particularly liked it when a teacher librarian would use a Wiki to promote reading. I would like to try that - to post my own book reviews, and have students post theirs. I'm a little confused as to how to do this - is the Wiki part of the blog, or is it separate (like a link)?
Also, I watched the Common Craft video on Wikis and it was the easiest and clearest explanation I've seen.

Week 6, Thing #15

Web 2.0 Future of Libraries: I have a few thoughts that have no real connection, but here goes:
As a librarian, I always feel pulled in two different directions. One points toward the technology aspect of a library, and the other toward the love of reading aspect. Sometimes I think they are two things fighting against each other. Studies show that kids who spend lots of time in front of screens (be they computer or television) read less for pleasure. Yet as a librarian, I'm expected to provide lots of screens and unrestricted (at least time-wise) access to them. I'm also expected to instill in my students a love of that most un-technological of diversions - reading books.
I've discovered that my students are what I call "keystroke smart" - they can download videos and music, navigate the web, email, create with Photoshop, muck around with the settings on my computers, etc. The problem is that they have no critical thinking skills! So when these computer whiz kids have to do research, their brains can't formulate the proper questions to ask the computer in order for them to they get what they need. So we had a teacher who asked them, "Tell me what you might find in Betsey Ross' basement." So what do they do? They go to google and type in "What would I find in Betsey Ross' basement?" And they actually think they will get an itemized list! I've been saying for a long time, "They have the computer skills - We need to teach research skills!!"
I read several of the articles listed for this "Thing," and found them most interesting. They challenged my current mindset. Rick Anderson stated, "We need to focus our efforts not on teaching research skills but on eliminating the barriers that exist between patrons and the information they need, so they can spend as little time as possible wrestling with lousy search interfaces and as much time as possible actually reading and learning." But in my experience, the biggest barrier between a middle schooler and information is his BRAIN! The best search engine in the world isn't going to answer that ridiculous question about Betsey Ross!
I did agree with John Reimer, though, when he stated that libraries should be more open to including patron reviews, tags, and other user participation, in the services libraries make available. My motto is, "You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too many subject headings!"