Thing 30

The Learning 2.0 training iniative was an excllent idea. I came away with alot of needed tools and even if I don't use all of them as customers mention them I now know what they are talking about :)

The pace was a bit ambitious. There was alot of reading and it took me and my co-workers more time than we thought it would to get through the exercises. Sometimes I found myself rushing to get through exercises I didn't enjoy as much just so I could plow through.

It might be helpful for the next round to break it down in chungs. This month the focus is on blogging, this month the focus is on social networking and slow the pace down. However, no matter the pace you have to have a deadline for completing the work or it won't get done. Thank you for extending this deadline!

At WW we made sure everyone had time to work on this. Those who did not finish did not finish because they decided to do other work on time that could have been used for Web 2.0. This project was very important to us and so we conveyed that to our staff.

I did find (since we have alot of visitors from other libraries working with us) not all agencies provided staff with time to work on this project. Many part time staff were left out. I'd encourage all agencies to sacrafice something in order for staff to experience this work. We're a small staff with vacancies and managed to give everyone even our clerks the opportunity to participate and finish. We even had a staff member assigned as "coach" so that staff didn't have to go to labs or if they couldnt' we had an alternative.

Thing 29

I thought when I first started I'd be in over my head. However, I found that I already used many of the tools and I just didn't recognice them as Learning/Web 2.0 tools.

I gained alot of new skills. I now keep in touch with my family via my personal blog. I share photo albums via Flickr rather than email. As I finish the Learning 2.0 program those are the two new tools I am delighted with and see a way to incorporate them both at home and work.

I saw alot of teamwork among my co-workers as they helped each other finish the program. That was exciting!

It was fun to be a part of an entire department training initiative.

Thing 28 Rollyo

Not a big fan. It seems like alot of work when I love Google just fine the way it is. I like the look and feel of the Google pages. I don't have to set anything up, plug in what I want and always get what I needed. Google Alerts helps me stay in touch with items of interest.

Thing 27

I created a Library Thing account last year. I probably use it differently than other people. I use it to keep track of my reading "wish list". You know - when all the books you want to read come in at the same time and you have to send some back (it's that feast or famine thing). So listed in my library are all the books I WANT to read.

Thing 26

The Lederhosen Dance Generator was my all time favorite. I couldn't figure out how to save my image. Maybe because I don't speak or read German:
http://www.huettengaudi.de/flash.php


I could save this one though!

This was alot of fun - cute ways to use your images.

Thing 25

So now I found a podcast that I enjoyed :) I just needed to keep digging. I really enjoyed Booktalks Quick and Simple and included the feed on my blog. I can see where booktalking could be a very useful and fun tool on a library's website. Book clubs could use this tool to promote their next book. Events like our month long AAHM celebration could book talk several titles to promote reading and the event. The possibilities are endless.

Thing 24

I've added the feed from Library Channel podcasts to my blog. Though I found some interesting things I've discovered that I really don't enjoy podcasts. I like video with my audio. I'm not an audio book fan so that is probably why.

Thing 23

I decided to post my own video to YouTube and share it here:


I also found this cute video...



I love You Tube - you can find anything on it. That may also be a drawback...there is so much there.

I can see how it would be useful to share info about the libray and programs with customers. When we were renovating it would have been nice to use this to have a virtual tour of the new features of our new library. You could do a short book talk to publicize a storytime or program. I think teens would find it especially fun.

Thing 22

I finally figured out what a mashup is - I think!

I explored some of the cool toys you can use with Flickr and created a trading card for my cat!

Thing 21

I've spent the past few days exploring Flickr. Since I have never used or were even aware of any photo sharing sites, I have no idea how Flick is different from others.

As far as using Flick as a resource or a tool, I can see where tagging is very helpful. You can look at other library's buildings to learn how other arrange collections and market their collections. So you can gain alot of ideas using Flickr.

As far as teen groups go, teens love to share pictures and see what teens in other places are doing. Flickr provides an easy way to do that. It is one way teens can develop a sense of community and share with other teens.

Thing 20

View from Syline Drive
Originally uploaded by Beachmeezer

Sending this from Flickr....a picture from my vacation.

Flickr resolves alot of issues I have with photos and how to share those. I've got boxes of photos and files of photos on my PC. So that I don't have to bog down friends and family's email accounts with pictures - I can share them this way.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Thing 19

I decided to explore Flickr. I had heard alot about Flickr from co-workers. Also, since most of my pictures are now digital I was finding it difficult to share pictures with family. Also, with the abundance of email we all get I've not been sending as many pictures via email. Flickr solved all my digial pix issues. It can be very private, you can invite others to view and expire inviations.

I think Flickr is a great tool for teen programming. Or for any group that meets regularly. Pictures from events can be posted for the participants to view.

Thing 18

I found Technorati easy to use and like the navigation tools and lay out. I tried the two different searches and actually found my own Learning 2.0 blog as well as those of several VBPL staff members using the Blog Directory search. I found more information as opposed to personal Learning 2.0 experiences by searching blog posts.

Practicing Technorati Tagging

practice practice

Thing 17

Social book marking easily resolves a frustrating research issue: No matter what workstation I am on at my branch I can access my bookmarks. Also, we can create a research account that all the staff can access and add content.

I did sign up for a del icio us account and found it easy to use. I recommend that we have an agency account for the purposes of sharing research and reference bookmarks.

Thing 16

I already had a My Space account. I've done nothing with it so far. I find the entire My Space thing "too junky" though I can see why it appeals to young people. I found it hard to navigate, hard to figure out how to add things to the page and the entire page looks a mess - everyone's page looks a mess to me!

I did go ahead and sign up for a Face Book account as something new to try. Less junky but kind of boring until I figure out how to jazz it up. If it can be jazzed up.

Thing 15

Social networking via whatever is hot with teens is important for libraries. Alot of our teens are online but they are not seeing the emails we are sending out about programs and community service opportunities. I feel we would reach more of them via My Space.

However, it is also important to change as trends change and stay up-to-date in regards to the most current places teens like to hang out on the Net.

Things 13 and 14

It was very easy to post an entry into the Staff Picks section of the Reader's Advisory wiki. We have a similar wiki for WW staff. Wikis are helpful because they can be updated by anyone and at anytime. It is a more efficient way to share work.

At WW, we have "impulse checkout" books on display at the front desk. The staff use the WW Staff Wiki to post what moves and what doesn't move. While not a very scientific measurement of collection activity, it does provide some feedback about what customers might readily pick up. Plus, it gave staff a chance to practice posting to a wiki.

Wiki's can be used by groups developing booklists, training materials, etc. Multiple people can work on the same document with multiple people able to view the progress of the work.

IM Service

IM offers yet another way for the customer to connect to us and for us to connect to them.

With IM service, they do not have to wait for a reply to email or have a phone to make contact. They can IM us from the school lab, while they are online working on a paper, etc.

All young people today are familiar with IM and in the case of my library agency, they are our target audience

Thing 10

I prefer using Google Reader because I am most familiar with Google resources.
I used the all items search button. I have used Google Alerts for years and actually prefer that method of keeping up with topics of interest. I have found that process for keeping abreast of alerts on a topic of interest much easier to set up, make adjustments and keep up with the reading.