Week 9: Podcasts and audio

Podcasts/ audio are tools for distribution of information allowing the user to listen/view content when and where they want. It's very attractive and familiar to the younger generation who love their MP3s and ipods.
Podcasts for professional development are wonderful and great when studying at Uni: suits different styles of learning, busy people and are also great for "How to" instructions.
In Public Libraries suggested uses include:

• how to search the catalogue
• updates of Library procedures
• new innovations in Web 2.0 and future

It's a really satisfying learning experience to listen/view what others are doing in their libraries like Cornell University Library and these applications could work well in our Public Libraries.

Week 8: Answer boards and social searching

The techniques of social searching are appealing , refreshingly new and easy to use. However time quickly slips by as one browses contributions. Answer boards appear to be the quick fix that the next gen so badly wants and demands. If they knew that sort of thing was happening at their local library they might be engaged. I'll ask on Yahoo!7 how Answer boards could be used in public libraries and see if it merits a response. One of the best features of these boards is that if your question has already been asked, there will probably be an answer waiting : what great service! An important thing to keep in mind is evaluation of these sources of information.

A practical example: What does the Great Wall of China really look like?

This question from a little boy who has heard about rabbits and the Great Wall courtesy of Telstra, and heard about it in relation to a cancer fund raising walk and the pending Beijing Olympics. My answer: let's look at YouTube.

Week 7: Tagging

Do you remember playing tag ? There are many versions to choose from and they can be adapted to suit the group. Tagging involves linking and very quickly one or two becomes a big group. This is what happens when Web 2.0 tools like those explored in the Learning 2.0 program are used. They are social, quick, easy to use and accessible. A key feature of Web 2.0 is sharing; of information, resources and ideas. In the game of tag players get caught. As I explored the participants blogroll on Learning 2.0 and Technorati I realised librarians are being caught in the activities and weaving a web rich in information and ideas. Del.icio.us has enabled saving of references to share anywhere. I found it very good when studying at home, then come to work and show my colleagues what I had discovered. The AskNow resources are very well suited to reference desk enquiries.

I will survive Learning 2.0

National Library Week: Super Sized

Everyone Loves Stories!

Using videos and libraries: the possibilities

Entertainment, motivational, inspirational and instructional uses for videos can easily be discovered surfing Google video . For our small Branch Library video could be useful for:

• advertising events like Library week
• Local history
• storytime
• author and writer talks - the possibilities seem endless.

Daniel Vettori @ Your Library

Week 6: Videos online

Like most of my learning about new web technologies it has been accidental or as a result of a younger generation joining in social networking and sharing their lives with each other and infrequently with me. Recently I have been fortunate to learn through being engaged in university study and professional training. This is the way to go. Stunned and amazed was the reaction when YouTube was first demonstrated to me. Reluctant learners were fanatically engrossed in organising and producing videos for sheer entertainment value. Another dimension was revealed when I had to access Google videos for training modules. Now I am thinking that motivational clips like Daniel Vettori @ Your Library might be useful to help promote our libraries.

Week 5: wikis

The investigation of another type of software application to help with the management of information has been done. It was discovered that many wikis had already been visited and looked like websites. Wikis work much faster to compose, edit and link with more information. It was interesting that one very informative resource used frequently when searching for technological definitions of terms was wikipedia. It was first discovered when I was trying to work out the difference between lossy and lossless compression and as indicated by my pen name , I enjoyed the discovery !
Types of Library applications that might work well with wikis could include:

• internal procedure manuals
• computer technical and troubleshooting
• online book clubs