This week’s assignments:

Mashups

I find the mapping mashups to be the most fun and most useful. I like NLM’s Toxmap, which allows users to see chemical dumping in their area and to integrate census and public health statistics with their results. There are some very simple but useful ones out there. Qlock, which shows time all over the world, as well as where it is dark and light, is cool. I don’t know how Down for Everyone or just me? works or who does it, but I think it is a very clean, simple tool that fills a need.

Rollyo

I searched Rollyo to find the librarianblogs roll and searched “privacy.” Among other results, I read this posting about the Naperville, IL, public library. In 2005, the library had a contract with US Biometrics to confirm computer users’ identities using fingerprints. This was very interesting (and kinda horrifying), so I wanted to see if this is in place now. I found lots of news articles and blog postings from mid2005. I looked through Naperville’s computer use policies but did not see anything about fingerprinting. Apparently, the technology was never implemented, for “strictly technical” reasons.

I think Rollyo could be a very useful tool. One could make a reference desk Rollyo or a Rollyo of local resources for local news. I think there are a lot of potential applications, and I am glad to know of it. I like that you do have the choice to expand the search to the web if need be. One thing I don’t like about it is that the Sponsored Links are almost indistinguishable from actual search results (they are a very light gray in the middle of the search results); I also did not like getting old results before new ones. Still, I do anticipate using it in the future.

I’ve enjoyed the class very much. Thanks to MLA and all the instructors!

I’ve used YouTube a lot for fun, and I’m amazed by all the stuff one can find on it.  I find searching a bit of a pain on it, especially for popular tags.  I think it is great that libraries are using it, and I heard some good ideas at Computers in Libraries.  I think YouTube is most effective when the video is embedded in context (a library’s web site, for example).  I like how instructors in this course have selectively used video to illustrate points.  For this week’s assignment, I spent some time looking at InfoTubey winners and am embedding (fingers crossed!) a favorite of mine, courtesy of QandANJ.org, Gibbsboro, New Jersey.

Do you see any potential uses for Podcasting in the library? If so what and why?

There are absolutely uses for podcasting in libraries.  NLM has a regular podcast, which summarizes a recent development in research or health news topic for consumers.  I think the best use is providing access to existing resources, such as lectures (I’ll be listening to the Claude Moore library’s History of the Health Sciences series for a while!), or directing users to podcasts that might be of a particular interest.  I’m not sure how many people would listen to regular podcasts about the library, but there may be potential there depending on users and the library.

I am blogging from Flickr! I have enjoyed living in the DC area this year, especially this spring. I have never used Flickr. I experimented with several ways to add phots from it to my blog; I think if I paid I would have more options on WordPress, but this way works for one picture at a time. I use Snapfish to share photos with my family, but I can see many uses for Flickr in a library setting. The library could set up a Flickr badge on its site to show photos of the library. It can share “mystery” photos and get knowledge from users. It can use users to promote the library by sharing their own pics.

Still, I liked some aspects of the sites. I liked the idea of making my own portal with all the available widgets (though I have that on iGoogle). One of the presenters at CiL, Sarah Houghton-Jan, gave a great presentation on digital marketing, and I liked the idea of inexpensive targeted marketing using Facebook. That ability alone might make it worth it to have a site.

Answer: YES! I have heard one definition of Web 2.0 describing it as the Internet as platform. This type of product fits that description. Why pay for the software? Sure, right now there are functions in Office07 that I can’t get in a web form, but that’s not always going to be the case, and I’m not sure those functions are worth the extra money. I have never used any of these tools before, but they were very easy to use. I like being able to add an rss feed to track changes. I don’t have a laptop and often find myself emailing things to myself so I can get them at work. I also do a lot of work collaboratively, and it would be nice not to have to keep track of a thousand versions of things.

These tools aren’t perfect, of course. I do worry about “Big Brother” being able to see all my stuff, though. Google doesn’t have the best privacy record. I also worry about having so much of my data stored online–what happens if Google changes their business model, and I need to pay to get my documents? Of course, I will keep multiple back-ups of anything crucial.

I’ve been using for del.icio.us for a few days now, and I’m digging it! (Look at me–I’m so comfortable with Web 2.0, I’m making puns!) I don’t care so much how many other people have the same bookmarks as I do, but I am finding other aspects useful. I like that I can use multiple tags for the same resource, rather than just putting each site into a single folder. I have been tagging sites like crazy, but I also learned how to import bookmarks from my browser, so that I’ll have my home and work computer bookmarks in one place. I can see using this for personal research as well as for helping patrons. I like Michelle Rethlefsen’s (http://midwestmla.org/midline/2007/11/feature_articlesocial_bookmark.html) suggestions to use it for shared reference desk resources and for subject guides. I think anyplace where people would be using similar tools might benefit from a shared del.icio.us account. I expect that for the near future, I will use it more as a personal bookmarking organizing tool over a shared resource.  I could see using people/department/etc. names as tags (not shared) as I am compiling lists of resources for folks.

It has been interesting to see all the information management tools coming out of Web 2.0.  It’s not just librarians who feel the urge to categorize and label!

This week’s questions: What is the difference between a blog and a wiki? What sort of things might be better suited for a blog and better suited for a wiki?

A blog is like a journal or announcement board that accepts comments from readers. The readers however can not usually edit the main post and are responding to what the writer has posted or to other readers’ comments. A wiki is a collaborative web site that does not depend on a main poster. Anyone can edit any page of the wiki. From a hierarchical viewpoint, blogs are top-down. Wikis are flatter. Both, though, can be moderated. A blog is better for announcements or moderated discussions. Wikis are better for collaborative work and the sharing of information from multiple sources.

Let’s get down to the questions for the week: How do you think you could use RSS feeds at your library? How do you think patrons could use RSS feeds?

I think RSS feeds are a great way to personalize the web and keep track of updated information. I’m currently in a student role, so all of my patrons are hypothetical, but I think there are several ways for patrons to use RSS feeds. As librarians, we can help patrons become aware of how to set up RSS feeds as we did in class–for relevant professional blogs, journals, and PubMed. Photocopied table of contents distribution could disappear. I think it also important to offer RSS feeds for frequently updated library pages.

Glad to have the opportunity and reason to play with these tools, and I look forward to the rest of the course!