Thing #8 -- Tools for Sharing

This Thing includes lots of tools for putting content on the web. In general, I prefer to work with other non-web applications, probably because I value features and efficiently over sharing. As a Mac user at home, I am familiar with Apple's iLife suite of tools for personal use. Plus, it is fairly easy to share content using those tools and my iDisk. (I don't need to share with the world, just friends and family.)

For creating slideshows, I tried Thumbstacks and Zoho Show. Thumbstacks was extremely tedious to use--I can't imagine ever using it for anything. Zoho, by contrast was easier to use and more robust. I created the same presentation in both applications and it took me far less time in Zoho. My presentations are below.

First, from Thumbstacks. Unlike with the Zoho presentation following, I couldn't find a way to embed this in my blog.

Then from Zoho:



I also like that Zoho allows you to import an already created file. If I were to use Zoho for presentations I am likely to still create them using PowerPoint and upload them to Zoho. One use that struck me with both Thumbstack and Zoho is the ability to give the presentation remotely.

Of the other tools mentioned for this thing, I played around with LazyBase and eFolio Minnesota. (I decided I'd worked with pictures enough already and so skipped those.) LazyBase is certainly easier than Microsoft Access or FileMaker Pro, both of which I use for work and personal reasons. I like their template for "restaurants I need to try."

One thing with all these tools that I see as a drawback is having to create, and remember (!) all the different accounts I create to access the tools. Both Google and Zoho provide several different applications for one login, but these other stand alone tools make things more complicated.

Thing #7 -- Web Communication Tools

Regarding email: one tip I received from a colleague is to not check email first thing in the morning each day. Her reasoning was that you already know what you need to get done first each day, and checking email can distract you from doing it. Get the priority done first, and then look. I'll admit I don't always follow this. Usually I'll open my email right away and glance through the new messages for any that need immediate attention (with fairly strict criteria for those). Everything else I leave until later in the day. One other thing that helps is filters, and even separate email addresses (I have several accounts) for things like listserv messages. Then they're not cluttering up my work inbox, and I can get to them when I have time.

Creating a set of mail templates sounds useful, and my email program provides the ability. I haven't really made use of it yet, although I've played around some. Mostly if I think I may want to reuse the text of a message later I keep it in my "Sent" folder to cut and paste later. I'll admit this isn't terrible efficient!

My library has been providing IM reference for about a year and a half now, using Trillian, which, like Meebo, allows us to consolidate several IM accounts into one. It doesn't get a whole lot of use, and we plan on making the service more visible on our web site to improve this. One of the problems is remembering to log on to Trillian when we begin our reference shift. I'm a heavy IM user, in both my work and personal life, so it's not a problem for me. Other librarians aren't in the habit so much. Due to the low use, I haven't found it a problem to be monitoring our IM accounts while at the reference desk. Students usually understand when I tell them I'm helping someone else online. Plus, depending on the nature of the questions, sometimes it's possible to help both simultaneously.

I'm aware that some libraries provide online reference via SMS as well, and I'm sure it would be useful for our students--judging by the numbers of them seen texting around campus (and even sometimes in library instruction sessions). We haven't yet explored what the technical requirements are to make it possible, however.

For the most part I've found web conferencing beneficial, although technically trying at times. I've "attended" a few different Minitex webinars, the first over 5 years ago and the most recent last month, as well as one from OCLC. In addition I've attended web conferences from the Library of Congress and The Blended Librarian. All of these have primarily been informational presentations, with little to no interaction between presenter and attendees outside of a Q&A period at the end. Still, it's a way to get valuable information without having to physically gather in one place.

Thing #6 -- Online image generators

For creating images and other things, the Generator Blog does have a lot of tools--it would take quite a while to go through all of them. This image was actually made using Big Huge Labs Motivator tool. Image generating tools could be useful as a source for web graphics, especially with the ability to add custom text to highlight library notices or events. It makes the notices more eye catching than plain web text would be. And Carleton's use of trading cards for their librarians is clever--more creative than the typical name, phone, email, kinds of contact information, or dry personal web pages.

Playing off the season, here are some Easter eggs from GlassGiant.com:

Thing #5 -- have fun with Flickr

Ok, so playing with some of these mashups is cool. (And a potential big time waster.) I tried several of them out. In addition to the ones below, some of the ones I looked at include splashr, Flickeur (kind of arty, kind of bizarre), and Tagnautica. I'm not exactly a visual learner, and Tagnautica's interface didn't work that well for me--I'd want to click on a new tag but the process of moving my mouse over to it made the whole wheel of tags spin around to a different spot from where I wanted.

As far as applying all of this to my library goes, I don't see many uses right off the bat, although Captioner has possibilities. I can see using it in posters or even tutorials. And as a sometime web and graphic designer for my library I should file the Palette Generator away in my professional toolbox. I might browse other 23 Things blogs to see what Flickr-related uses others are coming up with.

Here's spelling with Flickr. I tried to find letters whose colors wouldn't clash with my color scheme.:



And here's a David Hockney-esque version of a picture from my iPhoto library (created using Big Huge Labs' Hockneyizer):

Thing #4 -- Flickr

I've explored Flickr a bit, primarily for personal reasons (it's one of the ways my brother-in-law shares photos with family), but my library-related experience with Flickr has mostly been limited to seeing it in Library 2.0 presentations I've attended. I confess for the most part I've had a hard time seeing ways to integrate Flickr usefully into my job. But browsing what other libraries have done made me think that maybe there are ways to use it.

I can see applications for it in archives and special collections, such as the Library of Congress site. I was made aware of their Flickr page early this year, and included it on my library's web site as the site of the month for February. Flickr is a way to reach a wider audience of people who can potentially identify and provide background information for photographs in library collections. Right after library school I did an internship in the archives of a summer dance institute. We were trying to identify dancers in old photographs by taking them (the photos, that is) to staff meetings. Having something like Flickr available then would have helped us get broader input.

I liked what the Clemens and Alcuin libraries did with their book displays--it would be easy for us to set up something similar. I was also intrigued by their library tour, but then started asking questions. Is Flickr a better place for a library virtual tour than the library's own web site? Is that where people are more likely to find it? Or is it just a matter of getting the library out into other places, as well as the web site? The rollover map is a nice feature, and I see that Flickr applications are the next Thing. So maybe my future explorations for Thing #5 will allow me to see more uses for Flickr in the library world.

Oh, and here's my image. The warm weather last week had me thinking that maybe spring is here.

(Photo by lapillus)

Thing #3 -- RSS

I began subscribing to RSS feeds a couple years ago, using the Sage extension for Firefox. I like having my feeds available as a sidebar in my browser, but have found myself going through stages. Sometimes I'm really involved in keeping up with the various feeds I track, and at other times I just mark items unread without actually reading them. It depends on the amount of time I have. I find myself going though these cycles with my email listservs as well.

I've been happy using Sage, but decided to try one of the feed readers mentioned in Thing #3. I went with Google Reader since I already use several other of Google's services, and this way I didn't have to create yet another account. I added my current feeds to Google Reader and took the opportunity to browse around for some new ones I might be interested in, which I added to both readers. Google Reader has some nice features that aren't available with Sage, such as being able to "star" items of interest. However, I think for my day-to-day (really week-to-week I guess) reading I'll stick with Sage. Except now I have the option if I see something I want to hang onto of going into Google Reader to star it, and using Google to manage those items.

Thing #2 -- Library 2.0

Note to the reader: The following will be a series of perhaps disjointed thoughts on the subject of Library 2.0. As a colleague said to me, "It's just a blog," so I may not tie them together in a nice narrative structure.

I've been familiar with concept of Library 2.0 since 2006 when I ran into it at Computers in Libraries. For me, at least, the mindset changes are the most easy to do and apply to my work. I'm fairly open to change and looking for ways to try new things. And since I haven't been in the profession that long (10 years--so the Internet has always been a part of my library career) I don't feel myself completely ruled by traditional library orthodoxy, whether it's library "silos" or the MARC record.

Where I do stumble is in making the time to educate myself about the variety of L2 tools and resources out there. Or in taking the time to learn the necessary technical skills to implement some of the cool stuff. While I have some computer programming experience and am capable of learning the skills necessary, it's hard to justify (to myself and my superiors) taking the time. Unlike Stephen Abram, I was hired to be a "Reference Librarian" not "VP of Innovation" and while L2 is important, sometimes other more boring parts of my job have to take precedence. I still have to staff the reference desk and teach library instruction classes.

Still, there are some L2 changes happening in my library. We've been providing IM reference for just over a year, and brought a customized version of the Assignment Calculator online last spring. Several of us has Facebook account (although we don't always use them). When our building was remodeled a few years ago we made sure to include several group study rooms with tables, whiteboards, and network connections for laptops. There is enough room at the computers in our reference area for 2-3 people to sit around each computer, if they want to work together.

For me personally, I'm most interested in things like mashups or AJAX applications --ways to tinker around with how information is delivered. I've begun playing around with a Google Maps application, for example. However, sometimes I'll run up against the wall of lacking tech support for implementation. It also occurs to me that the move away from desktop applications and towards web apps is bringing us full circle. Or maybe spiraling up to a higher plane. In the early days there were servers to run the applications and dedicated client workstations to access them. Now, our desktop machines are kind of like bulked up clients, connecting to the larger "server" that is the web.

To a certain extent I feel that the ideas behind Library 2.0 aren't that new, or that big a deal. However, I can see the value in naming it and creating a "buzz" around it. It certainly raises the visibility of the concept and thus perhaps makes those who might be more afraid/resistant to change sit up and take notice of what's going on in the world around them. And that maybe they'd better get on board. Look at the number of librarians signed up for "23 Things." By reading some of their blogs there are many who are new to the whole 2.0 thing, but willing to try to learn and change. This may not have happened if they were just left to themselves, without the 23 Things initiative to get them going. Of course, there are also a lot of blogs that were started and have gone nowhere.

I like this line from John Blyberg's blog: "but whatever IT is, it IS." Guess I'd better get going and explore the rest of the Things.

Thing #1 -- finally!

How scary is this? Almost 4 weeks later I'm finally getting around to finish the first of the 23 Things. At this rate I'm looking at an almost 2 year venture... In my case the culprit has been too many things on my plate rather than a lack of technological savvy or a failure to read the directions. Creating a blog was quite simple--the hardest thing was coming up with a name. But it was fun to try out different templates and play around with layouts and colors. The web designer in me enjoys stuff like that.

I hadn't worked with avatars before, preferring most of my public web personas to remain as anonymous as possible. I'm old enough to still want to keep as much privacy as I can. However, Thing #1 said to create an avatar, so I did. Again, a fairly simple task to accomplish, although I did need to decide how much of my "real self" to represent. In the end I decided to go with the spirit, if not the letter, of who I am.