MySpace

This week I had an opportunity to further explore MySpace, and create my own profile if I choose to. I, however, opted not to create a personal profile, and instead took the MySpace tour and explored MySpace Help. The tour itself seemed fairly straightforward. Signing up for a basic MySpace account did not appear to be difficult. Upon going to MySpace Help, I began to play around with some of the features a bit. I watched several music videos, (including, Aaliyah & Family Guy Crank Dat) watched a movie trailer, (for the film This Christmas) and even played a game of Pacman.
While my perception of MySpace did change slightly, after exploring the resources and completing this week’s Discovery Exercises, I am still not inclined to join at this time.

Social Networking

This week I had an opportunity to explore Social Networking. I am somewhat ambivalent about the entire phenomenon. On one hand I have heard horror stories about sites such as My Space & Facebook and the inherent dangers lurking there…especially for teens. However, I can understand why the technology might appeal to libraries that are seeking to connect with teens in their community. By creating a My Space profile, a library can reach teens who are not traditional library users. If designed correctly, the space can provide an easy way to access the library catalog as well as many useful electronic databases. It can also include information on the various services the library offers and provide a calendar of upcoming events and teen programming.
In short, social networking can offer the perfect opportunity for libraries to expand their teen outreach.

Reader's Advisory wiki

This week I had an opportunity to actually collaborate on a wiki, by adding an entry to VBPL Reader’s Advisory site. I thought that the library’s wiki was relatively easy to navigate. It wasn’t difficult to figure out how to edit the page, although I did fumble a bit when attempting to apply bold and italic formatting, (not quite sure why those darn buttons gave me so much trouble)! But the overall experience was quick & non-stressful. I could see this tool being utilized by any library committee or team who wanted to communicate internally (instead of email), or to collaboratively develop a website.

Wikis

This week I looked at a few of what appears to be a growing multitude of library wikis. Each one was unique in its own respect. I enjoyed the Book Lovers Wiki, which was developed by the Princeton Public Library. It features book reviews by customers who were registered in their Adult Summer Reading program. The St. Joseph County Public Library’s wiki was basically a collection of subject guides. While, the ALA developed a wiki to coincide with their 2006 New Orleans conference.
Because of the collaborative nature of wikis, they seem to be an ideal tool for many library related functions, such as collecting links, providing readers advisory, & providing a database for frequently asked questions.

IM Reference

This week I had an opportunity to further explore instant messaging by engaging in several IM reference transactions at the VBPL website. Overall my experiences were okay. On my first attempt to use Instant Messaging, there seemed to be a bit of a lag between the asking of my question and the response from the library. But, they did answer my question, (“Which VB Public Libraries are open Sundays?”), so all in all, not bad. A day or so later, I sent another IM. Again, I chose what I thought was a fairly straightforward question to ask, (“Do any of the VB Public Libraries offer Wi-Fi”). However, this time things did not run as smoothly. After submitting my question I waited nearly five minutes for any sort of response or acknowledgement. Several times I was tempted to log off, but because this was one of the Discovery Exercises, I continued to wait. Eventually, I did receive an answer, but it definitely was not the quick turnaround I had been hoping for. A few days later, when I discovered a colleague was scheduled to do IM Reference, I initiated contact. This was probably my most successful transaction out of the three. The response time was much quicker, with virtually no lag time at all between question & answer! But then again, it was a somewhat “staged” conversation, so of course things ran smoothly. So, do I think Instant Messaging is a good fit for libraries? The verdict is still out on that one.

Instant Messaging

From a personal standpoint, I am very well acquainted with Instant Messaging. I do, on occasion, IM friends and relatives. I have always found the exchange to be a fun and somewhat frivolous way to communicate with those near (and not so near) and dear to me. I never stopped to consider any practical applications that instant messaging might have.
I suppose form a library's perspective, it would allow them to target and possibly connect with some of the millions of adults and teens who use IM on a daily basis. The most obvious way to serve this growing population would be by using IM in Virtual Reference. Because Instant Messaging allows for real time interaction , and is less intrusive than the phone, it provides one more way to reach patrons who are not willing or able to come into the library.

Newsfeed Search Tools

I just attempted to find additional Rss feeds using the suggested search tools. I found the entire experience to be slightly confusing and a bit frustrating. First I tried to access Feedster, but the website was down, (possibly under construction)?! I was successful in accessing Topix, Syndic8 and Technorati, however, I was not impressed with any of them. I suppose if I had to choose a "favorite" search tool it would be Topix. Of the three I tried, it appeared to be the most "user friendly". After performing a keyword search, I found a fairly interesting newsfeed and added it to my newsreader.

RSS

I just finished creating a Google Reader account and subscribed to my ten news feeds. The process itself was fairly simple. I especially like the convenience factor. It will be great to only have to go to one central location for updates. I can definitely see myself using RSS, both at home and work, to access the latest news and information.
From a library standpoint, RSS seems to be a great way to promote the library and keep customers informed about all the latest programs and library related events.

Library 2.0

What does Library 2.0 mean to me? In my opinion, it is a way of delivering library services via the internet. It includes services such as Blogs, Wiki's, Instant Messaging, Podcasts, etc. It is also an interactive experience, which allows customers to collaborate and share information online.

7 1/2 Lifelong Learning Habits

I believe Habit #1, (Begin with the end in mind), will probably be the easiest one for me to follow. Already, I am completely focused on the end of this endeavor...my eyes are on the proverbial prize...in other words, the free MP3 player.
With that said, I believe Habit #3, (View problems as challenges), will be the most difficult one to follow. I have a tendency to view problems negatively. I see them as obstacles or a mini-crisis, so it will take some time and effort to put a positive spin on things and view them as a potential learning opportunity.