I've just filled in my end user survey. Thank you Mary for making this training possible, I think a lot of people will be encouraged to give web 2.0 tools a go.
102 DAYS TO GO!
See you at Computers in Libraries 2024?
2 months ago
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Link to my library thing profile
Here's a link to my librarything page. Don't get too excited, there's nothing much to see yet!
http://www.librarything.com/profile.php?view=corporatechik
http://www.librarything.com/profile.php?view=corporatechik
Library Thing
Well here I am on test drive number 6, with 113 days to go before the trip!
This week I was particularly interested in Library Thing as it's not something I've ever looked at. I have to say I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Before looking at it I couldn't imagine why anyone would enjoy "cataloguing" their home collection but by the time I'd added a few of my own books I could understand the attraction. It's not so much the adding of books as the social interaction that comes from "meeting up" with people who share the same book likes and dislikes.
I can definitely see possibilities for the use of "library thing" in libraries. For example, imagine linking back to the library catalogue so that readers are drawn to your library website. Or how about using the review section of each book to link people who don't have a copy of that particular title to your library?
Not forgetting of course the social side of things where groups of readers from your library with similar reading tastes could be encouraged to collaborate online. Online book clubs such as these would dramatically improve the accessibility of library services to groups who (for whatever reason) are unable (or unwilling) to visit the library in person.
I will be keeping up my subscription to Library Thing! (Link to my page to follow shortly).
Cheers!
This week I was particularly interested in Library Thing as it's not something I've ever looked at. I have to say I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Before looking at it I couldn't imagine why anyone would enjoy "cataloguing" their home collection but by the time I'd added a few of my own books I could understand the attraction. It's not so much the adding of books as the social interaction that comes from "meeting up" with people who share the same book likes and dislikes.
I can definitely see possibilities for the use of "library thing" in libraries. For example, imagine linking back to the library catalogue so that readers are drawn to your library website. Or how about using the review section of each book to link people who don't have a copy of that particular title to your library?
Not forgetting of course the social side of things where groups of readers from your library with similar reading tastes could be encouraged to collaborate online. Online book clubs such as these would dramatically improve the accessibility of library services to groups who (for whatever reason) are unable (or unwilling) to visit the library in person.
I will be keeping up my subscription to Library Thing! (Link to my page to follow shortly).
Cheers!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
RSS Feeds
I signed up for a Bloglines account some time ago but like a lot of these sites I neglect to visit them! This time I'm determined to keep going as I can see how useful it is to go to the one website rather than checking individual websites for updates that may or may not be there! I think RSS feeds are such a common part of a modern website that it would be unusual for a site like ours NOT to have one. Currently, we have an electronic newsletter but at this stage it's only sent out monthly. How fantastic would it be to be able to update information on our website (library events, closures, new books etc) and without having to do anything else, notify our clients!
As far as the feeds I've subscribed to, the topics range from news to current affairs, the OPAL training blog and of course the inevitable "visit england" type blog! As of today (and you knew of course that I was going to mention it!) 119 days to go!!!!!
As far as the feeds I've subscribed to, the topics range from news to current affairs, the OPAL training blog and of course the inevitable "visit england" type blog! As of today (and you knew of course that I was going to mention it!) 119 days to go!!!!!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Travel Update
151 days to go until I jet off to the UK!
It's a bit chilly today in Brisbane, I'm wondering how I'll cope with their Autumn weather!
As I've been doing my family research I've found that many of my ancestors come from the Cumberland region (the north of england, not far from the Scottish border). Here are some of the towns relevant to own history, if I can make the time I'll be visiting them. :)
(HINT! Click on each town and it will take you to the relevant websites!)
Wigton
Simonburn
Aspatria
Exciting!!!!!!!
X
It's a bit chilly today in Brisbane, I'm wondering how I'll cope with their Autumn weather!
As I've been doing my family research I've found that many of my ancestors come from the Cumberland region (the north of england, not far from the Scottish border). Here are some of the towns relevant to own history, if I can make the time I'll be visiting them. :)
(HINT! Click on each town and it will take you to the relevant websites!)
Wigton
Simonburn
Aspatria
Exciting!!!!!!!
X
Social Networking Tools
I can see huge possibilities for libraries who use social networking tools, particularly in the way they communicate, interact and market themselves. This form of communication is in the early trial stages at my place of work and it's only now it seems, that management appear to be considering it a valid aspect of an employee's normal work day. The fact that we are being given time during the work day to complete License to Test Drive is testiment to these changing attitudes.
From what I can see, my place of work echoes that of Australian public libraries in general, we're getting there! Academic libraries on the other hand have been using social networking tools for some time. The reason? Their users, the ones they want to attract to the service use these tools on a daily basis, it makes sense to meet them in their world. As people outside the "generation y" or student demographic begin to and continue to use these tools I think we'll see a huge increase in the number of public libraries using them as well to attract and service their clients.
Those of us in public libraries REALLY need to jump on the web 2.0 bandwagon and learn what these tools are all about. As with all trends, the tools being used will change. Twitter for example, seems to be taking over Facebook in terms of popularity. I think the most important thing that libraries need to realise is that these trends DO change and they change at an increasingly rapid rate. Public libraries really need to make sure that they don't fall into the trap of taking SO long to evaluate and test a product that by the time it is approved the users have moved on to the next big thing!
Another thing we need to be wary of is remembering to "let go"! Let's face it, libraries tend to stick to their guns, we do something and we do it well and typically we'll hold onto it for years to come (card catalogue anyone?!) I guess what I'm trying to say is that "sure, you've created a Facebook page, that's great". But if it's not being used or contributed to, get rid of it, otherwise you'll end up being a library with an image problem- at least amongst the very people you want to atract to the service!
People moving in the "web 2.0 age" are all about getting what they want now, and they usually want it yesterday, they also move from using one product to another in the blink of an eye. I'm not saying this is necessarily a healthy thing, but it's an increasingly frantic world and to keep up and maintain our relevance in this environment is vital.
Ahem.... well I didn't mean to turn this into a rant........
From what I can see, my place of work echoes that of Australian public libraries in general, we're getting there! Academic libraries on the other hand have been using social networking tools for some time. The reason? Their users, the ones they want to attract to the service use these tools on a daily basis, it makes sense to meet them in their world. As people outside the "generation y" or student demographic begin to and continue to use these tools I think we'll see a huge increase in the number of public libraries using them as well to attract and service their clients.
Those of us in public libraries REALLY need to jump on the web 2.0 bandwagon and learn what these tools are all about. As with all trends, the tools being used will change. Twitter for example, seems to be taking over Facebook in terms of popularity. I think the most important thing that libraries need to realise is that these trends DO change and they change at an increasingly rapid rate. Public libraries really need to make sure that they don't fall into the trap of taking SO long to evaluate and test a product that by the time it is approved the users have moved on to the next big thing!
Another thing we need to be wary of is remembering to "let go"! Let's face it, libraries tend to stick to their guns, we do something and we do it well and typically we'll hold onto it for years to come (card catalogue anyone?!) I guess what I'm trying to say is that "sure, you've created a Facebook page, that's great". But if it's not being used or contributed to, get rid of it, otherwise you'll end up being a library with an image problem- at least amongst the very people you want to atract to the service!
People moving in the "web 2.0 age" are all about getting what they want now, and they usually want it yesterday, they also move from using one product to another in the blink of an eye. I'm not saying this is necessarily a healthy thing, but it's an increasingly frantic world and to keep up and maintain our relevance in this environment is vital.
Ahem.... well I didn't mean to turn this into a rant........
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
LSS staff have it!
The majority of LSS staff have signed up for the License to Test Drive program, fantastic! Some have gotten as far as test drive 3, some are on test drive 1, but they're all going well. I think once they get the hang of it they'll really enjoy blogging, certainly their blog titles are creative!!
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