W12 Wrap up, Social Networks and Catch up

Wow it's the final lesson already! I'm really glad to have participated in this program! Also a bit panicked to hear other colleagues finished it months ago. Although this has also really motivated me to try and catch up with them.

I like The article, "Spotted" by Seb Chan from the linked Powerhouse Museum webpage mentions a chart compiled by Josh Bernoff at Forrester which analyses how libraries use social media to support five key functions research, marketing, sales, support and development.

We have to follow the new trends and adapt to new age online applications to reach out to a broader community. According to Wikipedia, "the traditional way to interact is face-to-face, but nowadays interactive technology make it possible for people to network with their peers from anywhere, at anytime in an online environment".

"communities of practice for local government" use Wiki as a forum which can allow patrons to get involved and help other patrons and also to improve their services throughout the comments.

Social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace are a good way of bringing people with the same interests together.
Libraries can use sites such as MySpace for promotion to young people who would be interested in clubs such as the Animanga club which acts like a magnet, pulling in young people with those interests. It would make the present library web page more attractive and fun. As a result they would be promoting the library. Young people are our future patrons, so they are very important to us.

Learning 2.0 has shown me valuable ways in which online tools can be exploited to further promote our library services.

I will go back to learn more from the past 12 weeks of lessons to get an insight and better understanding of how to apply it to my library, but at the moment I have learnt about exciting new ideas such as online story telling using podcasts and vodcasts, using Google maps as a source to help patrons with directions. I've been introduced to sites and tools such Flickr, Youtube, podcasts for promotion, advertising, highlight events etc...

Finishing the program I have more time to explore other blogs to learn from them. I will register for the NSW Reference and Information Services group forum, as recommended. I am researching more about "second life", which is unfamiliar to me, but from what I've read "second life" is the new way to do business, where people plan what they want to do in a real life but experiment with the concepts first in the virtual online environment. They then wait and see how residents in second life respond and decide if it's worth doing in real life or not. This is a very cost efficient way to test the success of future businesses in comparison to doing it straight away in real life. Second life includes many real life features such as the option to buy land, build business for example libraries, and creation of all kinds of services.

Here is a link from Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg Country: teen library in second life with include the video tour of virtual library in teen second life.

http://www.plcmc.org/teens/secondlife.asp

W11 -Online Application Tools Continued

'Thumbstack slides' has less features in comparison to Powerpoint and Zoho which come with many features such as clipart, shapes, sizes, fonts, colours and other customisable options. These programs allow us to create and edit attractive and professional presentations online whenever we want to.

Zoho has different useful online software which includes all the software that a person or business needs in order to do a good job. It allows us to create, edit and share files anywhere, anytime.

Some examples of online software include:
'Zoho meeting' which allows a group of people to meet or learn online. We can use these new tools in the library for training patrons online or to carry out urgent meetings between central and branch staff when needed.
'Zoho planer' is another useful tool which can be used as an online organiser to keep track of what we have to do and what has been done to meet deadlines etc...
'Zoho creator' can be used to create an online contact list. We can embed it to our blog and update it whenever we want to.

Below is the presentation I created by using 'Zoho show' it looks better in comparison to the ones I made using the 'thumbstack slide show'.

Week 11 Zoho, Zambar, Thumbstacks

I have set up a zoho account. The toolbar has more features than Google Docs, I like the emotion icons, they're add lots of fun to our message. Also the special characters are helpful for typing in other languages.

It is easy to convert Word document files from my computer to pdf files, and have them sent to my email, but I couldn't successfully convert from URL to pdf.

I also practised creating a presentation slideshow from thumbstacks about how to renew items online in our library.

http://www.thumbstacks.com/play.html?show=faa69665702a0d511eacc5dfdef91c1c

W11- Online application tools

Google Docs is really useful and handy website which allows us to create documents, or projects for individuals or groups. Its features allow several members of a group to work on the same document so that they can finish their work quickly and efficiently without meeting each other. We can update information or edit data and republish. It is a real time saver.

In the library, we can work on projects, plans, agendas for meetings and staff can add to the document. It also allows staff who may have missed the meetings to have a say on the topics discussed.

I think we can introduce Google Docs and zoho.com services to our patrons so they can work on their documents and save directly online making things easier and preventing problems such as discs getting stuck in the computer's drive, loss of discs or USB sticks.

Mashups: Marrickville Library Google Maps

View Larger Map

Mashups are useful tools for business including libraries. The combination of google map features, videos, audios and information allows us to create library location maps and local history building tours etc. It also can be used to highlight events and promote library services.

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/londoninmaps/exhibition.html
allows people to explore the city's history at different periods from past to present by simply clicking the map marker.

http://www.libraries411.com/glibrarymaps.php?lat=34.040511&lng=-118.180628&dls=6295&dsp=4&dtype=BRcovers all of its branches. A display window with a search option will pop up to show details of certain locations and directions.

Mashup

Podcasts and Audio

Podcast/vodcast features such as storytelling author talks, book discussions, library news, interviews, library programs, and library tours
are of great use to libraries. Patrons can get updates through RSS and can then listen or view them whenever they desire. I believe storytelling podcasts have become very popular because they can be listened to repeatedly at home or on a portable mp3 by our patrons.

Podcasts allow children all over the world to listen to stories being read, not just the limited local children groups who can attend story time in person.
We can show patrons how to use and subscribe to podcasts through RSS. They can also download mp3s to listen to on the move.

Library events for instance, author talks and book reviews can be recorded on library's webpage so that patrons can listen later to programs they have missed. Using podcasts for introductory library programs or book reviews gives patrons a more user-friendly alternative in comparison to the past where everything was only available in blocks of text.
The link below is my favourite storytelling.

http://www.storycove.com/tale_of_two_frogs

Answer boards and social searching

Having checked out the Yahoo and wiki answer sites I’ve seen how informative and useful they can be. Sites like these are great because posters can choose to be anonymous which is encouraging for people who wish to share their knowledge or ask questions but don’t want to reveal their identities. Answer boards are another form of outreach for our library services. They promote reference services more readily. The answer is beneficial for anyone who has the same or similar questions around the world. Often answers will refer to a hard copy as well as an online resource. It can also serve as a network, allowing librarians and others professional in the field to build up skills and share knowledge. Such sites as Yahoo!7 Answers and WikiAnswers are very simple to use as they classify by categories, different languages and show quality answers which have rating and comment on them. Customers can then use the ratings systems to determine which answers are more reliable. Patrons can give feedback on the services we offer at the library via email, surveys online or by phone.

Similar to “Slamming the boards”, my library has an online service called 'ask a librarian', this service provides information relating to books and other material held by the Marrickville Library Service. We also have an information desk where questions can be asked in person. Feedback can be given online as well.

http://www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au/library/webresources/askalibrarian.htm
http://www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au/getinvolved/yourfeedback.htmI also posted two questions on Yahoo!7 Answers.

My Library search widget

LibraryThing My Library Catalogue

It is fascinating and quick to create my library catalogue, the features include a link to view book details, an alternative display, ratings column, a shared column, a powerEdit feature to edit several books at the same time etc.

Delicious (Week 7)

I have set up my own delicious account which includes my favourite sites and all the sites that I regularly visit. There is a link to this in my blog.

I think delicious is a very convenient site for creating a collection of bookmarks which can be easily accessed anywhere by just saving it only once on the site. This is a great improvement in comparison to the past where I had to save my bookmarks repeatedly on different computers by copying the URL to my email and then pasting it on separate computers.

Tagging makes searching for information much easier. Social bookmarking is a great tool to use in the library, because the sites selected have been evaluated by many visitors including professionals in the field so that the information is more reliable. It can help to provide quality information to patrons for their research as well as add to the library’s collections. It also gives many students the opportunity to access electronic versions of the same information simultaneously.

Cleveland Public Library’s recommended bookmarks page is a good example. It makes it easier for patrons to browse through the bookmarks and gain access to related sites quickly.

Technorati

I searched "bookmobile" by keyword and the advanced search feature, and both had similar results. However with the tag search feature less results were made available.

When I entered the keyword "nswpln2008" there were no results for post, blogs and videos but there were for photos. The tag search for this term had the same result.

Youtube and Google video

After browsing through the Youtube and Google video sites I’ve found that there are many different uses for sharing videos on such public sites. Some of these include their use as:

- Guides to using library services
-Orientation and training procedures in an efficient and effective way
-Promotional material e.g. exhibitions, library events, book reviews, and author talks etc. Advertising using YouTube and Google video is affordable, effective and readily available for the international community.

The presentation of “Mosman's built heritage Mosman between the wars” is an example of an excellent and informative video.



All of these features are essential for the library environment. It is an affordable tool for promotion, education, passing information on, advertising etc. for both the community and library staff.

Embed- video "Nostalgy" (Richard Clayderman)

Wikis

One of the goals of Wiki is to allow individuals and groups of people to collaborate and add to a collection/ community of growing data/ knowledge. So it would be ideal to use in libraries for tasks such as manual procedures on the intranet where staff can access, build on and edit the information to make it perfect. It is good for networking, allowing users to learn and share bits of knowledge, as we can see in “The full library success: a best practice wiki”.
The SJCPL Subject guides wiki have contain lots of useful information.
The Book Lover wiki page created for Princeton public library is a result of such hard labour and meticulous work. http://www.princetonlibrary.org/new-recommended/index.html . Each book has a detailed description of what is in it. Patrons can then access this information and by searching for it online, find exactly what they need and then place reservations on them.
For instance, new fiction titles include details such as – links to a cover page image, a summary of the book, chapter excerpts, reviews, and recommendations for similar titles and books within that genre. Non-fiction books show the page of contents.
I hope that someday our library can create a wiki page like that one. I’ve learnt how to add new information to the nsw learning 2.0 wiki pages, but I think I need more time to explore wiki to get a better insight of it. I have a great appreciation for staff that created the nsw learning 2.0 program; it seems very worthwhile to complete this program as a librarian. I feel that Australian Pubic libraries are quite behind with the new technology in comparison to most American public libraries. So it is time to jump on the bandwagon and keep up with the new technology.

RSS

It is a useful tool to help bring the latest news to me from my favorite sites without having to search for them by myself.
RSS readers are a real time saver. After adding the sites to the RSS reader I can then just check the inbox to receive the newest updates.

The sites that I selected for my RSS reader include those that relate to my career and also some which suit my personal interests, as well as a couple of recommended sites that I find fascinating also:

The Powerhouse Museum’s picture of the day blog. -it is an interesting site because everyday I can view beautiful and professional photos.
ABS for librarians
Librarybytes (Helene Blowers blog)
ABC News
Sydney Morning Herald

I can see how useful this technology might be in my work. It can help to keep librarians and customers up to date on the latest information concerning libraries.

Libraries can use RSS and take advantage of this new technology by using it as a marketing and promotional tool.
It is a good idea to incorporate RSS feeds into the library website so that developments in bookweek, holiday activities and other events can be advertised on the library's sites and can be easily passed onto the customers.

The blogs from South West library show online bookclub discussions, they also feature Microsoft Excel tips online and other local community events that might interest patrons.
These blogs allow patrons to comment so that libraries can improve services.

I have also added the RSS feed [Librarybytes(Hellene Blowers blog)] to my blog.

shwedagon in the mist

shwedagon in the mist
Originally uploaded by flappingwings

Shwedagon in the mist is a photo which I found on Flickr. It was taken in Burma by the user, Flappingwings who has also kindly provided a brief history and description of the pagoda.This photo in particular I thought was very beautiful and I appreciate how an image sharing site such as Flickr can allow users to share places and special moments like this with others that may not have had the opportunity to visit such locations. It seems to be a great way for people to store photos also, as backup in the event that the original shot gets lost or damaged. This feature allows photos to be preserved and remain intact forever.Flickr has made it easy to find pictures relating to specific topics and keywords, with the use of tags and sets. I also like the slideshow feature and the fact that it’s accessible wherever, whenever (provided there’s internet connection of course).The copyright laws make it so that our own photos are protected from theft.
When using another person’s photos we have to link or state its source and acknowledge the creator, as part of the “Creative Commons” license. In relation to safety or privacy issues there are certain etiquettes we all have to be aware of, such as when posting identifiable photos of other people on the web, in which case permission has to first be given.

Stanmore library

Stanmore library
Originally uploaded by lilly1960

Stanmore Library opened on 8 August, 1957, but was burnt down on 7 November, 1981. It was rebuilt and re-opened in 1982.

Sowing the seeds of new knowledge, 2.0

This program is very attractive to me, because it involves features that are unfamiliar to me, such as blogs, Flickr, RSS …. I am going to sow that seed of new knowledge in my head and hope it will grow and flourish in the next 12 weeks.

What do I think about lifelong learning?

I value lifelong learning, as it is very important like oxygen and food that one cannot forgo in their life. Since the time of birth, this world, we have started to learn consciously or unconsciously from parents, from the environment, from schools, from friends and work…for the purpose of survival and securing job prospects, all of which conduce to happiness.
Learning a new thing to me is a passion, a hobby… a source of happiness in my life.

What other blogs have I discovered? What do I like about them?

During the course of the week I came across different blogs such as library blogs and other public blogs with different interests ranging from professional to personal. Blogs include text, images and videos with transcripts, so that the readers with impaired hearing or computers without sound cards can still manage.

Can I see a use for blogs inside the library and how about blogging for a client audience?

I learnt about many of the features that blogs possess, some of which include:
· Easy, free and quick sharing of news on the web
· Blogging makes news a two way street
· A record of comments by other viewers
As a result, libraries can use blogs to share news, ideas and as a way of networking, promoting, educating and passing on information to our clients, on the other hand our clients can comment on it so that we can improve our services to meet our clients’ needs.

My first blog!

As a member of the library staff, I am really excited about participating and learning from this program at my own pace and place. I intend to keep abreast with new developments in technology to provide quality service to the patrons of the library.

I am impressed by the rapid changes in technology. With the simple click of a button we can search for information on any topic. Editing has now become a lot simpler and hassle-free. Communication with people who live on the other side of world is possible, and the introduction of web cameras for example, has allowed us to talk and keep in touch with others visually as if they were sitting in the same room.

Having viewed some of the video clips, I discovered how easy it was to set up a blog. One of the great uses of blogs for libraries is for promotion of services to customers. I believe video clips are a very useful way to educate patrons in downloading e-books, searching catalogues and to make them aware of our internet services.