Things #23--Summary

I didn't expect to take to the blog idea as much as I did but it was partly because it got me thinking of doing an Artsy Librarian blog. A real one with ideas, pictures, books and things that help translate the world of crafts and artistic talents into a library environment.

I wouldn't mind being known in library land as the Artsy Librarian...

I found the amount of things I had to register for very undaunting and have many accounts and a sheet of paper with the different usernames/passwords on them to keep them straight.

I would do such an exercise again. I think 23 things is a bit much for our work environment. I was motivated to get this done so I could help my staff through it and because I was worried I wouldn't have the time to do this at all in my new position. But I am glad we had to work for an MP3 player vs just being given one and think the amount of work we had to do was worth it.

Things #22--Podcasts

These were very radio-like in nature. I did a search on podcast.com and did some browsing through their categories for biographies and how to but didn't find much of interest. (I was going on the lifelong learning bent). So, I put in "library" as a search word (I was vague on purpose). I went on the Kewakakee Public Library link and found a slew of podcasts. Some were radio interviews and others were recordings of library programs.

Here's one of Lois Lowry's talk:

http://www.podcast.net/play/58769/6

I was also interested in one that was on the underground railroad in Illinois. I thought it was a great way to do "online outreach" for those people who couldn't make the program for whatever reason.

Things #21--Online Video

The great thing about YouTube is that it makes it easy to demonstrate crafts online instead of with just plain photos.

Find the video I posted on Making Your Own Snowglobe.

I picked this one because it was crafty. I didn't like that there was so many videos to sift through and some were just commercial based--they didn't actually show you how to do anything just featuring craft products.

Hm.. For libraries... A tour of the library? Computer classes online? No, too long. Library advertisement? I think this has been done...

Make Your Own Snow Globe

Things #20--Special Treat

I thought the video was great--quick, informative and short. I liked watching the text change meaning so quickly but think this may be hard for some to follow. I am from the Sesame Street/MTV generation.

I found the simple comments on who's authoring information on the web a good point. And in our profession it does bring up copyright issues. Copyright law is not keeping up with web 2.0 and I don't know if it will. I wish I could go back to library school and ask my law professor what he thinks. I would like a lawyers perspective on it.

Web 2.0 is definitely making things more fluid...

Things #19--Digital Music

Huh! Funny... I've been listening on and off to NPR while I've been working away at my 23 Things. It took me a minute to find the radio station I listen to in my car--momentarily mixed up with the GVSU one. I normally use the Windows Media Player and it has good quality with some buffering issues once in awhile or an error message about Media Player not being able to perform the function. I also tried Real Audio once just to see but the reception was very grainy and I switched right away to Media Player.

I haven't tried to download music but I did have a young friend tell me about Pandora but I haven't messed around with it. I just tried it and it's very easy! What fun! Maybe it's the ego that I get my own customized radio station!!

I like the idea of file sharing and think it would be great for committees to use that were geographically separated...

Things #18--Social Networking

I have been reluctant to get a profile on MySpace despite staff's urging me to do so. I understand the benefits of it--even to a professional librarian--contacting prospective authors for future programs and connecting with other professionals. I don't like that people want to limit access to it for teens and believe that most comments about teens using social networking sites is one dimensional and hurts the other uses of the sites.

The sites for Obama, Edwards and Clinton were spiffy and almost looked liked websites! I had heard that both Obama and Clinton announced their presidential candidacy on MySpace and couldn't help thinking that this was an indication that the elections would be different this time around. I was also happy to see that Edwards had his wife as a friend! Anyway, this is just one way of social impact that these sites have!

Another social impact would be the lesson that many young people are learning and that is that their reputation is a commodity to protect at all times even online as many prospective employers are using these online social networks as a way to check into backgrounds.

Anyway, these three sites seemed like advertising even though I think their purpose for being on a social networking site is to be more personal.