Sometimes I feel like I'm undergoing library 2.0 psychoanalysis, since I have to explain how I feel about things so much! Now I am going to emote about the Learning 2.0 PBwiki.
I am glad that someone posted the invite, because I had no idea what it was. The way this wiki was set up made me think that wikis, like many of the sites/programs with which we have experimented, might be a good place for certain groups from libraries to keep in touch and to also share information with the general public (stating the obvious, I know). I guess what I had in mind was all of the children's librarians sharing resources amongst themselves for the benefit not only of one another but also of other children's librarians somewhere out there. I also noticed that the promote the use of the program for education on their homepage. If I were teaching, I might turn something like this into a group project, especially if students wanted others to be able to benefit from their work (i.e. if they posted the results of research or an experiment and also discussed the process, what did and didn't work, etc.). Maybe I could use it as another forum of exchange for my teen writing group at the branch.
I don't really have any thoughts on this topic that are new or interesting, so I'll stop now; I do see how programs like this can be useful to libraries and librarians though.
8.18.2008
8.16.2008
KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS : Library Edition
Remember that show on which Bill Cosby interviewed children to see how hilariously they responded to his questions? He should have observed a preschool storytime!
One of the first things I do during preschool storytime is ask the children to guess what we are reading about that day. I always provide them with some clues to help their guessing, most often a poster featuring the letter the topic starts with and pictures of the topic.
On one occasion, the responses went something like this:
Girl: I know! I know! I already know what we we're going to read about! I knew before you asked even!
Boy: Well, I already know what we're going to read about too! {Pause for thought.} I knew in the van on the way here!
Poor girl, how could she top that!?
One of the first things I do during preschool storytime is ask the children to guess what we are reading about that day. I always provide them with some clues to help their guessing, most often a poster featuring the letter the topic starts with and pictures of the topic.
On one occasion, the responses went something like this:
Girl: I know! I know! I already know what we we're going to read about! I knew before you asked even!
Boy: Well, I already know what we're going to read about too! {Pause for thought.} I knew in the van on the way here!
Poor girl, how could she top that!?
Thing # 16...
My random thoughts on wikis....
The library best practices wiki is pretty cool. I found a lot of useful job searching resources on it that I wish I had know about when I graduated from library school.
I think a good use for a wiki in a library--which has already been done, I know--is to provide a forum where people can talk about new materials the library is getting and post reviews of them, etc.
I like how the Bull Run Library had a section on the wiki about whether people are getting their money's worth for the $33 that the library costs each citizen.
We could probably use something like this to show how much of in-county residents' taxes go towards the library and what they get from it. We could add this to our arsenal of defenses against anger about the out-of-county card fee (I work at the MAX branch, so we have LOTS of out-of-county card confusion, ire, etc.).
I definitely see how wiki's could make a library more "2.0." They can extend the library as a gathering place or community space onto the internet. Libraries can now surpass their physical boundaries, in a sense.
The library best practices wiki is pretty cool. I found a lot of useful job searching resources on it that I wish I had know about when I graduated from library school.
I think a good use for a wiki in a library--which has already been done, I know--is to provide a forum where people can talk about new materials the library is getting and post reviews of them, etc.
I like how the Bull Run Library had a section on the wiki about whether people are getting their money's worth for the $33 that the library costs each citizen.
We could probably use something like this to show how much of in-county residents' taxes go towards the library and what they get from it. We could add this to our arsenal of defenses against anger about the out-of-county card fee (I work at the MAX branch, so we have LOTS of out-of-county card confusion, ire, etc.).
I definitely see how wiki's could make a library more "2.0." They can extend the library as a gathering place or community space onto the internet. Libraries can now surpass their physical boundaries, in a sense.
#15 On Library 2.0 & Web 2.0 ...
I would like to comment on the following excerpt from "Away from the Icebergs:"
"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. Obviously, we’ll help and educate patrons when we can, and when they want us to, and the more we can integrate our services with local curricula, the better. But if our services can’t be used without training, then it’s the services that need to be fixed—not our patrons. One-button commands, such as Flickr’s “Blog This,” and easy-to-use programs like Google Page Creator, offer promising models for this kind of user-centric service."
A lot of this commentary seems more relevant to an academic library, but I think the concept of eliminating barriers to certain resources is important in the public library environment as well....perhaps, even, more important. It is an iceberg we must avoid hitting as well. Public library patrons may not have to regularly conduct research. When you don't do something often, it is difficult to keep up with the current trends and techniques, so it is even more important to make things like databases more accessible and easier for them to use.
A public library patron who hasn't had a lot of higher education--in contrast to the majority of college students--may not even know that databases and other such resources exist. The issue moves beyond that of making these resources easy to use without training or that of struggling with lousy search interfaces to that of making them easy to recognize (making their existence easily acknowledgeable or increasing knowledge that the search interface is even there, whether it is lousy or not), to understand, AND to use. In a sense, several steps in the current research chain need to be eliminated or combined. We have a lot of extra things to consider. Plus, it is not just students we have to worry about, but every patron. Everyone should have equal knowledge of and access to these resources...if they want it.
In the public library, as in the academic one, research would no longer be something one had to be "skilled" with/at/in/on if we removed some of the barriers to it. At the least, it would not require as complicated a set of skills if all of the above issues were addressed or it would make use of skills patrons already have.
I'm not trying to eliminate the librarian, though it might seem like it. Advanced research, would still require skills, acquired through specialized training. Plus, library and information professionals' understanding of people and their searching habits would be a vital resource for information on how to intuit the best way to make services easier to use and the best way to adapt services to users instead of users to services.
"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. Obviously, we’ll help and educate patrons when we can, and when they want us to, and the more we can integrate our services with local curricula, the better. But if our services can’t be used without training, then it’s the services that need to be fixed—not our patrons. One-button commands, such as Flickr’s “Blog This,” and easy-to-use programs like Google Page Creator, offer promising models for this kind of user-centric service."
A lot of this commentary seems more relevant to an academic library, but I think the concept of eliminating barriers to certain resources is important in the public library environment as well....perhaps, even, more important. It is an iceberg we must avoid hitting as well. Public library patrons may not have to regularly conduct research. When you don't do something often, it is difficult to keep up with the current trends and techniques, so it is even more important to make things like databases more accessible and easier for them to use.
A public library patron who hasn't had a lot of higher education--in contrast to the majority of college students--may not even know that databases and other such resources exist. The issue moves beyond that of making these resources easy to use without training or that of struggling with lousy search interfaces to that of making them easy to recognize (making their existence easily acknowledgeable or increasing knowledge that the search interface is even there, whether it is lousy or not), to understand, AND to use. In a sense, several steps in the current research chain need to be eliminated or combined. We have a lot of extra things to consider. Plus, it is not just students we have to worry about, but every patron. Everyone should have equal knowledge of and access to these resources...if they want it.
In the public library, as in the academic one, research would no longer be something one had to be "skilled" with/at/in/on if we removed some of the barriers to it. At the least, it would not require as complicated a set of skills if all of the above issues were addressed or it would make use of skills patrons already have.
I'm not trying to eliminate the librarian, though it might seem like it. Advanced research, would still require skills, acquired through specialized training. Plus, library and information professionals' understanding of people and their searching habits would be a vital resource for information on how to intuit the best way to make services easier to use and the best way to adapt services to users instead of users to services.
8.10.2008
Also on Technorati....
The most popular post...
Bernie Mac died of sarcoidosis!
Someone actually had the disease they misdiagnose almost every patient with or at least mention twice on every episode of House, M.D.
Weird!
Bernie Mac died of sarcoidosis!
Someone actually had the disease they misdiagnose almost every patient with or at least mention twice on every episode of House, M.D.
Weird!
Technorati
I got many fewer hits when I searched for "Learning 2.0" in tags than I did when I searched for it in blogs and blog posts. I did find that results with the tag "Learning 2.0" were more focused on the topic than blog entries with the phrase "Learning 2.0" somewhere in them. This reinforced, for me, the whole point of having tags: to make the subject of a post more specific and clearer. The concept is similar to finding the appropriate subject terms--and multiple subject terms--with which to catalog any item in a library in order to make it as easy to locate them as possible. It's all about making information more manageable and accessible. I'm starting to sound like a textbook now, so I'll move on to a different part of the exercise.
I was curious why the number one search when I was looking at Technorati was "taskbar." It actually beat out "olympics" and the subject of many a blog and many a conversation: "men," as well as various actresses that must be cool right now. Maybe a lot of people are having problems with taskbars??? Another popular search was "arab." Arab what? People? Culture? Who knows. I guess the searchers were trying to be too specific.
"Boing Boing," which I've never looked it was a highly ranked blog on both the fan and authoritative list. In the description, it is described as talking about "culutural oddities," and that is definitely true. I decided I would visit the blog, and a post from August 9 discusses a book that is about Franz Kafka's stash of porn. Hrmm.. Puts a whole new spin on his writings doesn't it? All those poor Kafka-obsessed PhD candidates. Now all their interpretations of his work will have to be changed.
There are also many fans of blogs that deal with making money off blogging. That would be an interesting career if you were really good at it...and since I am not, I am going to wrap up this post.
I was curious why the number one search when I was looking at Technorati was "taskbar." It actually beat out "olympics" and the subject of many a blog and many a conversation: "men," as well as various actresses that must be cool right now. Maybe a lot of people are having problems with taskbars??? Another popular search was "arab." Arab what? People? Culture? Who knows. I guess the searchers were trying to be too specific.
"Boing Boing," which I've never looked it was a highly ranked blog on both the fan and authoritative list. In the description, it is described as talking about "culutural oddities," and that is definitely true. I decided I would visit the blog, and a post from August 9 discusses a book that is about Franz Kafka's stash of porn. Hrmm.. Puts a whole new spin on his writings doesn't it? All those poor Kafka-obsessed PhD candidates. Now all their interpretations of his work will have to be changed.
There are also many fans of blogs that deal with making money off blogging. That would be an interesting career if you were really good at it...and since I am not, I am going to wrap up this post.
Yum...Tags are So Del.icio.us...
Yay! How's that for a cheesy title.... Anyway...
I took a look at del.icio.us and thought it was pretty cool. I could see how it would be useful in helping you narrow down which websites on a particular topic you visit by looking at whether or not other people found them useful or relevant, especially if you find another user who has similar interests/abilities as you. I don't know if I would rely too much on it while doing serious research....
The idea of accessing bookmarks from anywhere is probably the best aspect of del.icio.us. I know that when you use multiple computers during the course of the day (at work, home, etc.), some of which are not your personal computer, you can't install your favorites or bookmarks on the browser on every one of them. Having them in one spot on the web would be very convenient, and I might actually give it a try
I took a look at del.icio.us and thought it was pretty cool. I could see how it would be useful in helping you narrow down which websites on a particular topic you visit by looking at whether or not other people found them useful or relevant, especially if you find another user who has similar interests/abilities as you. I don't know if I would rely too much on it while doing serious research....
The idea of accessing bookmarks from anywhere is probably the best aspect of del.icio.us. I know that when you use multiple computers during the course of the day (at work, home, etc.), some of which are not your personal computer, you can't install your favorites or bookmarks on the browser on every one of them. Having them in one spot on the web would be very convenient, and I might actually give it a try
Adding the JaxCat Search Gadget
How else can a search box to our catalog be useful outside of our library's webpage?
One possible use for this search gadget: JaxCat Search Gadget could be added to educational pages or websites created or used by local schools. That way, if the child is using the website for some sort of research project, they will be reminded that there is a whole other world of resources to be found at the public library. Another option: put a bunch of similar search gadgets on one page as a sort of...for lack of a better term..."pathfinder" for doing internet research--maybe the schools could have there own iGoogle setup where children using the computers would see a library search box near the Google search box. Maybe they would be reminded to search the library as well as the internet....????
One possible use for this search gadget: JaxCat Search Gadget could be added to educational pages or websites created or used by local schools. That way, if the child is using the website for some sort of research project, they will be reminded that there is a whole other world of resources to be found at the public library. Another option: put a bunch of similar search gadgets on one page as a sort of...for lack of a better term..."pathfinder" for doing internet research--maybe the schools could have there own iGoogle setup where children using the computers would see a library search box near the Google search box. Maybe they would be reminded to search the library as well as the internet....????
8.08.2008
LibraryThing
My catalog is sooooo super awesome! Click on the button below to be amazed!
: )
Well, conveniently, I actually have about five books, besides a couple of dictionaries and a desktop encyclopedia, at home that I catalogued (the rest are in storage at my parents in WV).
Overall, my meager collection is a little weird and boring. I have an interesting combination of books here, and I would like to know if anyone has a closely similar set. I might catalog them all, one day, to find out.
I did catalog the required five, though, and, of course, tons and tons and tons of other people have Pride and Prejudice in their libraries. I was surprised to find out, however, that more people have Sarte's Nausea than Ahead of All Parting: The Selected Poetry and Prose of Rainer Maria Rilke. I guess there are a lot of existentialists--or wanna-be existentialists--out there (or not many people like German poetry)??? Actually, I'm also surprised that more people don't have The Best of Lewis Carroll.
I also have a few leftover-from-graduate-school titles about Spanish language translation (from my comparative-literature-studying-at-UGA days [don't ask me why I hang on to them]) and library services for children and teens, but I didn't catalog those. Hrmm.... Maybe I should. I wonder how many people out there have Fundamentals of Children's Services in their personal collections? *grin*
: )
Well, conveniently, I actually have about five books, besides a couple of dictionaries and a desktop encyclopedia, at home that I catalogued (the rest are in storage at my parents in WV).
Overall, my meager collection is a little weird and boring. I have an interesting combination of books here, and I would like to know if anyone has a closely similar set. I might catalog them all, one day, to find out.
I did catalog the required five, though, and, of course, tons and tons and tons of other people have Pride and Prejudice in their libraries. I was surprised to find out, however, that more people have Sarte's Nausea than Ahead of All Parting: The Selected Poetry and Prose of Rainer Maria Rilke. I guess there are a lot of existentialists--or wanna-be existentialists--out there (or not many people like German poetry)??? Actually, I'm also surprised that more people don't have The Best of Lewis Carroll.
I also have a few leftover-from-graduate-school titles about Spanish language translation (from my comparative-literature-studying-at-UGA days [don't ask me why I hang on to them]) and library services for children and teens, but I didn't catalog those. Hrmm.... Maybe I should. I wonder how many people out there have Fundamentals of Children's Services in their personal collections? *grin*
Generating Images = Hours of Fun
This post is pretty random and consists mainly of my thoughts on and experiences with several image generators...
My cat Liesel has been "Warholized"!
I decided to use this generator for purposes of my post, because I realized I was spending way too much time playing around with all the generators featured on the Generator Blog. I haven't really looked at anything like that for years. I really liked the insult generator the blogger mentions (www.insultme.net), but, I will warn you now, it isn't the least bit tasteful. If only I had had that when I was in junior high (hahaha)! The bar soap generator [www.redkid.net/generator/soap] is so random and pointless that it really amused me too. And can you believe there is a "Black Adder Quote Generator" [www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/blackadder/quotes/index.html]? I haven't seen that show in years. My brainscan generator image is amusing, though I can't figure out what the thing in the middle is [ See my brainscanner results]. I guess I'm predominantly sad or angry or something. Being the former literature and writing scholar that I am, I also really love the "Homespun Analogy Generator," which can be found at http://www.generatorland.com/generators/homespun_analogy_gl.php#.
After this one, I decided it was definitely time for me to move on to the next task...
My cat Liesel has been "Warholized"!
I decided to use this generator for purposes of my post, because I realized I was spending way too much time playing around with all the generators featured on the Generator Blog. I haven't really looked at anything like that for years. I really liked the insult generator the blogger mentions (www.insultme.net), but, I will warn you now, it isn't the least bit tasteful. If only I had had that when I was in junior high (hahaha)! The bar soap generator [www.redkid.net/generator/soap] is so random and pointless that it really amused me too. And can you believe there is a "Black Adder Quote Generator" [www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/blackadder/quotes/index.html]? I haven't seen that show in years. My brainscan generator image is amusing, though I can't figure out what the thing in the middle is [ See my brainscanner results]. I guess I'm predominantly sad or angry or something. Being the former literature and writing scholar that I am, I also really love the "Homespun Analogy Generator," which can be found at http://www.generatorland.com/generators/homespun_analogy_gl.php#.After this one, I decided it was definitely time for me to move on to the next task...
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