Wikis

Wikis are excellent sources for information and applications for planning.

I checked out several of the Wikis listed. Of course we have been using Wikipedia for years. The hardest thing is getting our patrons to understand that ANYONE can add to the wiki and that often information is incorrect. I found that for my purposes the Library Success wiki at http://libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Main_Page will be an invaluable source for information.

I see that libraries can use wikis for a variety of purposes. In our library we've attempted to use a wiki for book discussion and writing sharing. We have had moderate success only. Most of htat success came in the summer when we were really pushing the wiki. Our main problem right now is getting the work out that we have a wiki. Right now we are attempting to host a Winter Teen Reading Club on our Wiki. We are working with Killeen Public Library to have a dual city club. Check out our site at http://http//www.ci.harker-heights.tx.us/hhplwiki/index.php?title=Main_Page.

Technorati

I've been playing around in Technorati. I found that I most enjoyed looking at the reference type information "about" blogs rather than at the blogs themselves. I was very impressed with the relatively simple usage of larger and bolder letters to indicate the most used tags. This intuitive concept shows that simplicity is often best. It's completely intuitive. As I discovered tags and posts, I was also amused to find that at least the titles of most of the the top ten blogs indicate that those blogs are self-help in nature. Those at which I looked ended up being entertaining as well.

I did look up "learning 2.0" in Technorati. I found vastly varying sites, most of which were not at all what I wanted to read. I suppose that it just part of this type of open tagging.

I did claim my blog and I am going to attempt to tag this blog for Technorati as well. My concern is that I am not sure how useful my blog can be to other people. Since I have gone to the considerable trouble of tagging it, then I feel that I now have an obligation to make the blog educational or informative or entertaining. After reading several blogs, however, I see that other people do not feel the same pressures that I feel.

CTLS

Del.icio.us

I started my own Del.icio.us account. I have already found a multitude of uses for this sort of organizational tool. Not only are my bookmarks now available to me virtually, but I can also quickly find numerous links to sites of interest to me on particular topics. Because we are not allowed to download to our work computers, I was unable to install the bookmark bar. I am still able to add the bookmarks as I find useful sites, though. I just have to take a longer route to do it.

I can also see how I can find authoratative information as well as "well reviewed" information by searching for tags from other individuals. That is something very new to me.

I am also interested in the concept of building lists and working on projects with other individuals through the use of specialized tags. I can already think of several ways that our staff can use that feature.

Doubtlessly I will find many other possibilities when I begin to use this service more and more.

Web 2.0 for Libraries

I can certainly see the many positive aspects of utilizing web 2.0 concepts in and for the library. I am particularly insterested in using blogs and IM within the library structure to let staff know what is going on and to communicate quickly without disturbing patrons. Our library must work closely with our IT department to explain why these features would be helpful.

We find that by discussing these matters with the City's IT department, we are able to increase understanding to to get the IT department to buy into our service needs. Our IT department is very supportive of the library and works very hard to help us. We just have to remember that the IT department must be concerned with security and City of Harker Heights rules and regulations. For example, we have to own our own wiki. We cannot use one of the free wikis because of the advertisements. In the article that I mention below, I was impressed with the concept of value added blogging. We want to have a blog, but again our City will have to purchase some software to do it. On the other hand I have found that with continued explanation of our needs, the IT department is more and more willing to allow us to use some of the already excellent free applications.

I read "Tools for 'Web 2.0 and Libraries: Best Practices for Social Software' Revisited." This is chapter 2 of the Sept/Oct. issue of Library Technology Reports. I found the discussion quite helpful. I have reflected some of my thoughts in the above statements.

Gaming

I love to play games at home. I am a role player. Our family plays cards, board games, and more. I find, though, that I am not as interested in playing games online. I think that the reason is that everytime I get started I end up spending so much time getting relatively few things done. :) Also, I really miss the in person interaction that I get from some other in site games.

I found that if I am going to game online, I pretty much want to be doing it with my family members. I enjoy the short games that my kids play to win pretend points in Neopets and other such sites. I do not mind watching other people play. My favorite kids game sites are http://www.neopets.com/ and http://www.webkins.com/. Really I think that we enjoy the taking care of pets more than anything else in these sites.

I tried http://www.jigzone.com/ and enjoyed myself quite a bit. The game itself was relatively short. Also the site has options to upload your own picture. I am sure that I would also like strategy games.

I also like hearts and spades online. I do not mind playing with other people that I do not know, but it is so much more fun to play with people that you know.

I have some friends who do online role playing using IM and webcams. They seem to like it, but they do admit that it is not as fun as playing in person.

Social Networking

Our library does a "Theirspace" workshop for parents and caregivers. Our workshop attempts to familiarize adults with the social networking that children and teens are using. We try not to scare parents. Instead we hope to get them to use the tools themselves. We also give helpful and practical tips for keeping children safe.

I did not make a Facebook or Myspace account. Our staff computers do not allow access. I did use the patron computers to look at those and other social networking sites. I have quite a bit a familiarity with children's sites such as neopets.com. I decided that I just didn't have the interest at this point in making an account. I am considering a library account, but I have been reading articles about the problems with library Myspace accounts. I also am concerned about children and teens wanting to "friend" me. We have had some problems with out young patrons finding out staff Myspace accounts and then sending very ugly messages.

I did look at the Myspace music. Though I thought that it was interesting, I do not think that Myspace is the best choice to find music. There are other sites that offer easier access to music.

Chat and IM

I tried chat and IM yesterday. I feel that IM would be a great solution to our staff communication problems with the new library. We are so used to being close together that we are not sure how we are going to cope with a larger facility. The new facility is roughly three times the size of our current building. We think that IM would be a good way to communicate.

I also see chat as a good reference tool. My only concern is the frustration that patrons will feel if they do not get immediate responses. I know that I was anxious to get a response from Kam when I used the Meebo Me.

Both reference and staff centered IM would have to be approved by our IT department.