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.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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.
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 :
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 :
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
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.
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.
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