Week #6, Thing #15

Hmmmm. Web 2.0 and the future of libraries??? After reading a couple of articles in response to the question of how libraries will meet patrons' needs using the methods that our Web-savy patrons use the most, I was struck with how inadequately prepared many libraries (including mine) are to meet the needs of its patrons on today's terms. We are so used to asking patrons to COME TO US, that we forget many patrons are migrating to a library or world of information that exists outside of the 4 walls that enclose the library building. Libraries and librarians (library media specialists?) must work overtime to familiarize themselves with how their patrons access, use, create and collaborate on web-based information and trends.

Week#6 Thing #14

Blogger Central, a feature of Technorati, is a tool that helps one keep track of what is the latest and greatest (as voted upon by Technorati users, I think) on the blogosphere. You can check out the top 100 blogs, the top 100 searches (links) and the top"favorited" blogs. And, I am sure all of these are up-to-the minute realtime statistics. INCREDIBLE. I'm beginning to get Blog Exhaustion and worry that I will NEVER be able to catch up, let alone know what is on the horizon in the Web 2.0 world.

Week#6, Thing #13

I've had a del.icio.us account but didn't really understand its value other than an online keeper of my bookmarks. Now that I have had time to sit and play with this application, I recognize that it has value way above and beyond a place where I can access my bookmarks from any computer. I love the idea of tagging and taking advantage of the collective community's bookmarks as well. We truly are learning so much from one another. I suppose teachers have always welcomed building on the ideas of those who came before, but the web has made an incredible difference in the access and sharing of these ideas.

Week #5, Thing #12

Yikes, it took me forever to figure out what Rollyo was all about. Once I did, though, I became more enthusiastic about this tool. I created a "Young Adult/Teen Literature" Rollyo and understand how useful this tool can be. However, I guess one will need to check the list of sites searched periodically to make sure those links are still viable. Very ingenious!

Week #5, Thing #10

I used an image generator, Image Chef http://www.imagechef.com" to create the "reading" poster that I've included in this blog. Pretty nifty tool, lots of flexibility, but make sure the image you use is not copyright protected and that the image you use is square and no bigger than the size allotted by the site. Still...fun to use.

Week #5, Thing #11

I've just finished creating a customized start page using the web 2.0 application netvibes. Prior to finding out about this application, I had created a start page using Google's "IGoogle". While perfectly adequate, I had no idea how much more one could cram into a personalized start page. In my case, I included a slideshow generated by Slide, a very cool application allowing for the ultimate flexibility in creating a personalized slideshow of your own images or images from other sites AND making it very easy to post the show on your blog or send it via email or IM to a friend. I also included Google News, weather specific to my hometown, a map search tool, my del.icio.us bookmark site, an image and video search tool, AND MORE. You can create tabs for this page which categorizes content, e.g. "General", "Interests", etc. You can easily create a "public page" which, I think, gives you the ability to connect with a wider audience through social networking ("friends"? "universe"? ) via publishing on this public page. I have to play around more to really get the hang of that. I admit I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of what is "out there". I just keep wondering, "how does one get the laundry done when you are so busy keeping up with your social networks on the web?"

Doing this exercise made me think about an article I read somewhere on someone's blog about how our students are evolving from retrievers of information to receivers of information. The example given was a teacher that had his world studies students create an IGoogle start page in which they added modules allowing for RSS feeds about notable world news. When a student goes to his/her google start page, he no longer has to search for current information about specific subject matter, the information comes to HIM/HER.

Librarian Lays Down the Law

Week #4, Thing #8 RSS Feeds

I think I FIHALLY understand RSS! Such a simple concept but extremely powerful in its usefulness. Although I could spend way too much time reading all the feeds I might be interested in, I've begun to identify those that I find must useful professionally and those that I want to read out of personal interest. Prior to including particular feeds on my Google startpage I would depend upon bookmarking pages I wanted to return to on a regular basis. However, what really would happen is bookmarks would proliferate and I would rarely return to any of them.

Now, with RSS feeds directed to my Google page, I'm regularly updated on the news and events I wish to see without ever having to go to another web page. Plus, I get a summary if the news item, choosing to read further or delete. I find I'm much more informed now that I am using RSS. I suppose the downside is information overload!!!