Method 8

How do you feel about social networking sites in general? Do you have privacy concerns and/or concerns about keeping your personal life separate from your professional life in the online environment? Is your library already using some of these social networking tools and if not, do you see potential uses for any of these tools in your library?

I am just beginning to use the social networking sites on a personal level. I enjoy being able to stay in touch with family by Facebook who live a long distance from me. It feels like real time conversation. I'm trying to get my mind around trying to use it in a library setting.

I feel there is and always has been tensions in keeping your personal and professional life separate. We all want to be able to "control" all aspects of our relationships to some extent. It is easier for our young people to share than it is for us older folks so I believe as time passes, these issues will resolve themselves.

Our library is not at present using any of these tools. Having a very limited staff in a small library does not allow us time to use them currently. Most of our patrons do use these sites on our computers though so I am pleased to become aware of them through these steps.

Method 7

Can you see the potential of this tool for use by libraries/librarians? Or do you think it is just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere?

I believe this tool would be useful by libaries if they have someone who is good at categorization. I think it has a potential to be too burdensome if one is not trained to be very specific in the libary setting. Used carefully, it would be good for directing patrons to useful sites. Being able to access the sites from anywhere, is a real plus for anyone who uses more than one computer. I'm looking forward to playing more with this to see how it can be more useful.

Method 6

What did you like or dislike about the site and why did you choose the video that you did? Can you see any features or components of the site that might be interesting if they were applied to library websites?

I enjoyed this exercise, also. It was fun looking at all the goofy videos that are posted. I disliked thinking I was looking at something I was interested in and then opening it to find it was something else entirely! I decided to look for sounds that I could use in the website that we are currently developing. Our website theme is the water in our area so I looked for sounds of water. Many of the water sounds were too much, but I found the one I chose that has thunder in it also. I'm looking forward to trying to use it somehow in our website. I can envision many uses of the videos in a library setting. Programs, courses of study, etc. It fires the imagination!

Method 5

On a personal level – is it something you plan to do or perhaps something you are already doing? And on a professional level — do you see some potential uses of online photo sharing sites for libraries?

I have done some photo sharing online but not on a blog. I am pleased to learn to do so on a blog and do hope to use it on a personal level.

We are learning to photo share in our programs. The article on whether it is legal was very interesting... and a little scary. I would not be comfortable posting any facial pictures to a blog at this time after reading the article. I do plan to continue learning more about what can or cannot be done.

Method 4

What appealed to you about these feeds? Do you see yourself using Google Reader or some other RSS Reader to keep up with certain sites now?

The feeds I chose:


Feed URL: http://feeds.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness/latest Fox News

Feed URL: http://www.librarian.net/feed/

Net Library

Feed URL: http://www.nytimes.com/services/xml/rss/nyt/Books.xml

NY Times Best Sellers

I really enjoyed this section. I had no idea such readers existed. The hardest part for me will be to know when to quit adding feeds!

I chose the fox business feed to keep up with treasury notes. I can see at a glance what the rates are. The Net Library site helps me keep up with others in the library field. Always, a pleasure to hear what others are doing and thinking. The NY Times lets me know what I might need to order for those who like to keep up with the latest best sellers.

I plan to continue "playing" with this reader.

Method 3

How do you feel about these tools and concepts? Do you see great benefits for use in libraries? Overall, would you say that you are more excited or more cautious/skeptical about cloud computing?

There is a lot to learn here. It will take me many more hours to “play” around with these sites to become familiar enough with them to teach others. I am enjoying learning about them though. Going through this method at least introduces me to the concepts.

I do believe these tools will drift into our libraries by those computer users who do show up to use our resources. Any new tool today adds to the common knowledge and someone else builds on it to make the new tool of tomorrow.

I am excited about any new tools of computer usage and at the same time cautious until all the “bugs” are worked out.

Method 1: Library 2.0 and Web 2.0

Web 2.0
Next, think about what you have read and seen. What are your thoughts regarding Web 2.0 and Library 2.0? What do the terms mean to you? To your library? Or libraries in general?
My first thoughts were how in the world are we going to do all this in a small library with two staff persons. My second was to say “Wow” I am excited to be able to learn all of this.
Web 2.0 mean using all the resources discussed in the larger world. Library 2.0 is using them in the library world.
The terms mean that we are in a whole new world of communication. We are in fact pioneers of new methods to see into each others minds.
These terms mean that in our library, we must learn how people in our community use these communication tools and decide what we can do to support them.
Libraries in general will be teachers of these methods to the many people in their communities who will seek help in learning them.