thing 23 / evaluate the things!

Many of the 'things' I was already familiar with when I started this project, but as I've worked through them I've definitely learned a lot. I knew about RSS readers but since I completed #3 I've been using google reader non-stop! It's just so convenient. I've also started to use LibraryThing to keep track of the books I'm reading. I haven't really used the reviews feature yet, but maybe in the future. I'm excited to start using Drupal to edit the Circ Lint page. I also plan to keep using WebJunction for online classes.

Overall I think the 23 things project was a great way to introduce employees to new technology, especially people who don't have a lot of tech experience.

Thing 22 - Keep on Learning

I decided to keep using Library Thing to keep track of the books I read. So far I've done pretty well! It's nice to be able to look back and remember what you've read recently. I also have a Webinar class I really need to finish on the Crew Method for Weeding.

I didn't really add any of the professional Library blogs to my rss reader. Simply because I am not a librarian. But every now and then when I have some extra time, in drive up for example, I head back to the 23 things page on lint and browse for new, interesting library info.

Thing 21, Social Aggregators

Hmm, just signed up for a friendfeed. It seems like it's only helpful if all of your friends and contacts use friendfeed as well. 8hands looks more like what I need, except it's so darn ugly. I almost can't stand it. Also you have to download the application, which isn't useful to me. I want to be able to login to a webpage and see updates from gmail, twitter, flickr, and blogger all in one page, separated into little tabs. Plus like rss reader capabilities. This is kind of what netvibes does, but not quite well enough... Also it loads pretty slow. It also does concern me a little that I have to enter my login data at these 3rd party sites in order to aggregate my stuff. I will keep looking for the ideal solution! Actually I think the solution might just be widgets on my Mac Dashboard.

Thing 12 / Social Media Websites

Wow, I can see how these sites can be addictive. It's easy to find something you're interested in quickly. From the ridiculous to the relevant, they could go either way on the productivity scale. Used as a tool to get current info they work but they can definitely turn into a time suck.

I see the digg icon all the time at blogs and miscellaneous websites but have never joined. Occasionally I will read a really interesting article and think, hey I should digg this. So this gives me a chance to join! I used digg to recognize a post at one of my favorite blogs (Smart Bitches Trashy Books!) and found this article about ebooks at the digg homepage. The article on Slate.com about Digg was really interesting. It's intimidating that just 100 users submit Digg's most viewed content. Mixx seems like an interesting alternative to Digg, this article about it certainly presented a good case. Just signed up for netvibes as well, so far I like seeing all of my different social media accounts in one place. But it's a little cluttered and not all of the add ons are completely functional.

One thing I like about these social media websites is how customizable they are. You can contribute a lot or a little. I think an element that is key for these sites to grow and stay relevant is their interaction with other types of media. Blogs + twitter + iphone apps = more visibility and access. I think they could be used in libraries to keep up on current news and technology. It always helps if you know what patrons are talking about ;)

Thing 15 : Podcasts

I've listened to podcasts in the past, mostly just for entertainment. In fact for a while I subscribed to Tim Gunn's weekly podcast about Project Runway. I liked podcasts in general, but lost interest pretty quickly. I think if I had a long commute or a time to listen to the podcasts regularly I might get excited about them again. This time I listened to a podcast I found in the Educational directory about photography. It was only 3 minutes long and not very interesting. But I don't think that says anything about podcasts in general, just that I picked a boring one ;)

I don't think my particular job has any pressing needs for podcasts. If it did, maybe something supplemental, like some of the podcasts at the Educational Podcast Directory. Although there don't seem to be many there yet. (Actually since I started this entry a few weeks ago there seem to be a lot more that have recently been added!) I definitely see how podcasts could be useful to reference librarians. It could help librarians keep up with book reviews and trends.

The link to the Yahoo podcast directory didn't work. And the Yahoo Music site didn't make it easy for me to find more podcasts! When I searched, using Yahoo, for "yahoo podcast directory" I got podcasts.yahoo.com as the first result. This website does not exist. SO. YAHOO YOU LOSE.

Thing 20, Gaming!

At MCPL we currently circulate Computer Games. We have copies of The Sims, Fifa Soccer, and tons of Harry Potter games. Games provide entertainment just like DVDs and Music, and some argue that games are more educational then those types of media. Video games have basically replaced table top games in popular culture. And I think the demand for video games is only going to increase. I don't see games or other social activities taking the place of literacy and learning. Like Brian Mayer's article said, libraries (especially public libraries like ours) have always housed and hosted entertainment options. Games are just another way for libraries to reach a younger generation.

I could see us adding more CD Roms or xbox, Wii, Playstation games. It would be expensive to purchase games in all of these different formats so it might be a tricky decision to decide what to buy. While I don't think adding Games in some capacity is necessary to the future of the library, I think they could definitely be a beneficial addition. Young people are using the internet more and more for research and visiting libraries less. I don't necessarily think games will the saving grace of libraries, but they certainly couldn't hurt.

An even better idea that than circulating more games I think would be to buy a Library game console, like a Wii, and some games. Patron could check out games and play them here in the library, under library supervision. We could also do teen programming with games like Rock Band or Wii bowling competitions. There are tons of options and opportunities. I think it would be a great type of after school activity for young adults. When I visited Boone County Public Library in Kentucky, I toured their Teen area which featured a flat screen tv and video game consule, along with games like guitar hero. It seemed to work really well for them, but would require some supervision or security.

Thing 19, Drupal / CMS

I'm super excited about the new Drupal Lint. I think it will be much easier to keep documents up to date, especially on our department page. I'd love to see some sort of blog/message board/forum for clerks to discuss policies, procedures, and any questions they might have. From what I've seen of the new Drupalified Lint I like how much easier the navigation is compared to the old LInt. I hope to see a feature where comments posted on LInt blogs are emailed to the original poster so they can respond.

I really liked how the Ann Arbor District Library used Drupal for their public website. They have also made really good use of other Library 2.0 technologies like Facebook, Twitter, and, especially, Flickr. I'm also super impressed by their "On Demand" video collection. They have video footage of library programs and events available to watch online. I'd love to see CATS do something like this for the MCPL website.

The articles about Drupal were interesting but pretty basic and geared more towards the people who do the actual implementation of the website. The article from WebDesignerDepot was the best, the other two seemed to be sponsered by specific CMS companies.

Thing 17, Other Social Networks

Ning seems interesting. It's cool that it's aimed more for adults but so far I don't think it has gotten much public attention. I'm definitely pro social networking, I lurve flickr, twitter, last.fm and facebook. I like how Ning consolidates recent user blog posts but this is only really useful if there is real, valuable content. For example some of the blog posts listed at the Library 2.0 Ning page are relevant and interesting (example), but there are also links to this and this. Probably just librarians trying out Ning for their 23 things! And while there are a lot of 'groups' associated with the Library 2.0 page, most of them haven't had much activity in a while. The Teacher/Librarian Ning on the other hand seems really active.

I've used Webjunction for a few online course but haven't found it to be super engaging. It's functional, but kind of cold. It doesn't seem to be a very participatory environment. But maybe I just didn't look hard enough. Seems like more of a reference type of site, where you go when you're looking for a specific kind of information.

The time article asks if there is a market for smaller, niche, social networking sites. And I think there is, but they need a really loyal and participatory base to be successful first. Only time will tell if these networks can develop an active base. I think a big element to it is a straightforward and easy to use design. I was a little skeptical of twitter at first but it's so easy to use, and as I was learning so was the rest of the world. So by the time I was hooked, so was everyone else! Maybe though, social network sites geared towards adults are a little slower to catch on. Facebook and twitter really caught the interest of a younger, tech-savvy audience then gained more adult users as they got more attention.

Thing 16 : Facebook/Myspace

I hate Myspace. I hate how ugly and unorganized it is. I hate how music starts playing automatically every time I open a new page. I hate how 50% of the time my browser crashes because Myspace requires too much memory. I went to the Denver Public Library Myspace and was not particularly impressed. It looks like most of the recent comments are from authors and publishers just looking for promotion. I'm sure that's not what the Denver Library intended originally, but that's what Myspace has turned into. The Hennepin County Public Libray Myspace was pretty much the same, they even had the same "books" thanking them for the friend! Library 2.0 should be about interacting with library communities and patrons not about promoting James Patterson's new Young Adult novel. I think for Myspace to be successful as an Outreach tool it needs to be carefully maintained and moderated.

I already have a Facebook so I didn't feel the need to make a new one. I definitely prefer Facebook to Myspace. The site is well constructed with an uncluttered design and straightforward functions. While there are still spammers and fake accounts on Facebook, it's not really as annoying as it is on Myspace. There are tighter friend controls on Facebook so you can choose exactly who can view your profile and pictures. Facebook also works much better for communities and event invitations. It's super easy to find and join groups about your interests. Also the messaging and forum features are much more functional than on Myspace.

I think Facebook definitely has the advantage over Myspace for reaching teen library patrons. For young adult programming especially, Facebook could be a great way to let teens know about what's going on at the library and really get them interesting in library groups and programs. But like Meredith Farkas writes, it will take more than just putting up a profile page on Myspace or Facebook to reach teens. These library pages need to actually reach out and interact with young adults. The most successful group pages and blogs encourage conversation among users.

Thing 14 - YouBoobTube

Ahh Youtube, the latest greatest time waster. I'm not much of a Youtube user. Occasionally I'll check out videos recommended by friends, clips from tv shows or music videos. The accessibility of the site is great but the video quality is usually pretty poor. One of the best things (and simultaneously the worst thing) about youtube is that you can share your own videos with anyone. The Page training video made by library pages is a great use of the site. But there is such a large volume of crap on Youtube that it can sometimes be difficult to find what you need.

I like Hulu a lot to watch tv shows. The video quality is really nice, I usually don't even mind the short commercials. But it's more of a tv thing so I don't see libraries getting a lot of use out of it, except for maybe watching videos during programs.

I think it would be cool to see CATS use youtube or embed videos at the MCPL website. I would be nice to be able to watch city council or library board meetings online. CATS also records tons of concerts and local events that I would love to be able to watch online.

And now a video on Emergency Preparedness in the workplace :

Thing 18, SurveyMonkey

Everyone loves SurveyMonkey. And I thought I would too. I've taken dozens of surveys on SurveyMonkey and never had a problem. But for some reason I had SOOO much trouble with it, which I totally wasn't expecting. I'm still not sure what I did wrong, but my initial survey wouldn't complete and report restults when you clicked done. Instead the survey just refreshed, with the answers still filled in. I searched the faq and help pages but couldn't come up with an answer. In fact I spent way more than an hour on it, so I decided not to make another one. I think it must have been a fluke because everyone else I've spoken with has had no trouble at all with their survey.

Of the four survey sites linked in the training post PollDaddy appealed to me the most because of its slick but simple design. I took the tour but didn't sign up for an account and could see myself possibly using it in the future, especially on my blog. I've taken surveys using Zoomerang before online and found it to work pretty well.

As for using SurveyMonkey in the library, I think it's super useful for MCPL to have a pro account. It would be interesting to use it to survey the public on our website about features they like or to suggest improvements. SurveyMonkey is already used a lot for committee work which I think is great. I like the option of open-ended questions because they allow participants to elaborate on their answers. But if you use too many of them it may be difficult to get a lot of responses. Multiple choice questions are quicker and easier to answer, especially if your on desk or in a time crunch.

Thing 13 - LibraryThing

LibraryThing is pretty darn cool. It's tons of fun adding and rating books in your library. I do wish the design and function of the site was a bit more elegant. I found it a bit difficult to find friends, and it took me forever to figure out how to write a review! It's not particularly intuitive in that respect. I also wish you could use the search box in your home page to search for and add books. It doesn't really help me much to search my own library, and I don't anticipate that being a feature I would use all that much even if I had a much larger compilation of books.

As it is I think LibraryThing is a great tool for librarians and staff to use internally. Staff could easily see the books their co-workers are reading and discuss them through the forums. It could be a really useful way to connect with other libraries and book enthusiasts for reader's advisory and book trend purposes. I don't think LibraryThing would be ideal for sharing with the public in it's current state. It could be a bit confusing for patrons who are unfamiliar with the application. I do like the idea of importing the reviews and suggestion features from LibraryThing into our pac. That would give our patron's access to the really helpful features without all the details.

So basically I think LibraryThing is a really nice tool for keeping track of the books you read and own. I also like the community aspect of being able to share books and make recommendations. It could use a little tweaking, but so far so good!

Thing 11, Tagging and Delicious!

I first tried using Delicious 2 or so years ago, and was super confused at first. I used it for a while to archive some favorite websites so I could find them easily when I was away from my own computer. I didn't use it again until recently when a friend of mine moved away, now we have a special Delicious that we can both log into and use to share links. With tags it's super easy to sort and search for links by subject. Because links are basically ranked by how many people tag them, it's really simple to find helpful website on any topic. Tagging a link in Delicious can be just as easy as adding a favorite to your browser. All you have to do is install a Delicious application in Firefox or IE, then all you do is push a button to tag a website.

The thing about tagging / labeling that bugs me is that some sites use commas and some don't. Flickr and delicious don't, but Blogger does. This creates a bit of a learning curve, especially if you're using multiple sites and applications that all tag and label things differently. I think no commas could be standard, with quotation marks for multi word phrases. With delicious you just smush words together or use an underscore if you need more than one in a tag. For example, say you wanted to tag a picture in flickr, a blog post, and a website with the labels hot dogs and chicago. In flickr you would type in; "hot dogs" chicago. In Blogger you would say; hot dogs, chicago. And in Delicious you would write; hotdogs chicago or hot_dogs chicago. Why can't this be standardized?!

Delicious could be a great research tool for Committees. Since many Committees and Task forces are charged to investigate procedures and products used by other libraries and companies, Delicious could be used to organize helpful links. Delicious might also be a great tool for the reference desk. Librarians could create a Delicious account containing helpful for frequent reference topics. For patrons who can't physically make it into the library a compilation of links would be a great resource.

Thing 10, WIKIs!

So this thing 10, Setting Up a Wiki, is the first thing that I've never actually had any experience with. I've used wikipedia, and the MCPL wiki of course, for research/info purposes, but never worked on one myself. I loved the Common Craft wiki video. It was super easy to follow and I think the use of paper props will really help the less tech-savvy among us understand the concept. What's so great about a wiki is that you don't have to know html or css to create a really informational webpage. I edited the MCPL wiki, adding the story of my kitties, Mr. Darcy and Lizzie, to Jared's page about "The Merits of Cats." It was ridiculously easy. The hardest part was deciding what to edit, not how to edit it.

MCPL uses wikis for a lot of committee work, which works really well but I think we could do even more with them. Departments could post policies and discussions. I think it would also be excellent for compiling training procedures and workflows. Keeping track of information that changes or is adjusted frequently is so easy on wikis because editing them is so simple. Of course the open access aspect of wikis can also be a negative. If anyone can edit a wiki then anyone can spread incorrect information. I don't think that would be a problem internally but Managers and Supervisors would definitely need to be reviewing a wiki regularly to maintain accuracy.

Thing 9, Collaboration Tools

I love Google Docs for the convenience. The design is really clean and functional, and overall it's very easy to use. But sometimes find myself annoyed by the features it lacks, especially the size limit and limited selection of typefaces. It would be nice to have a version available with more advanced options. Like Google Docs Lite vs Google Docs Full.

Zoho seems pretty awesome. I liked that I didn't have to sign up, it's linked to Google so I can use my Google account to access all the Zoho products. And Zoho has so many different applications, it seems especially nice for poor young people who can't afford the full price of programs like Microsoft Word or Excel. Zoho Writer feels more like a full featured word processor than Google Docs, in both design and function. I really like the history feature that allows you to track changes. This type of application would be perfect for collaborative committee work or policy drafting. I could definitely see using it to share documents with co-workers. Especially if MCPL switched to gmail, it would be awesome to be able to use Google Docs to work on Circ documents from any library computer and with any co-workers so easily.

Thing 8 continued...

Hmm, so I really wouldn't recommend that flickrslidr I used in my last post. While it's easy to use and quite pretty, something about the code has made it impossible to edit my entry. Instead of using flickrslidr, use SlideFlickr. I found it using Phil's link to 50 Web 2.0 ways to tell a story. It has a nice clean design and good customization options. Like background color, size, and the option to add mp3 for sound. To me, SlideFlickr was a lot more appealing than PictureTrail. I like a lot of the features PictureTrail offers, but I really wish it would link with flickr so you wouldn't have to upload your pictures a second time. Also, there are a lot of really ugly animation options. Maybe I'm a design snob, but it kind of turned my off immediately to be honest.

I really like the idea of using slideshows for committee work or to document library programs. They could also be used as training aids, using pictures to document procedures and workflows.

Here's yet another slideshow, just because. Watch closely and you might catch another MCPL clerk!

Photo Slideshow, Thing 8

Lets see, I decided not to make a picturetrail slideshow simply because I didn't want to re-upload my pictures AGAIN. I attempted to make a flickr badge but for some reason I kept getting code errors from blogger. So instead I created a flickrslidr to show off my pictures from my trip to San Francisc. I also tried out the slideshow feature through BigHugeLabs, with the same pics.




Created with flickrSLiDR.