You Tube

Charlie Goes to Candy Mountain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPONTneuaF4

I had to create a link to this strange video. My daughter Tavia thinks this clip is hilarious and has been quoting it for weeks. I finally had a chance to view it during this assignment, so thanks for letting me play on You Tube at work!

At first I thought of You Tube as just a place for entertainment. I didn't realize I could see historical events like JFK's speech. What a way to make history come alive for our patrons, especially for children! You Tube would also be fun as a library promotional tool. I love the idea of libraries running contests for patrons to make a video of why they love their library. Much creativity could abound in promoting library services through a You Tube video clip. Shameless self-promotion for libraries could be quite fun. Maybe that Darth Vader costume I have at home could come in handy...

Libraries are great places that sometimes still suffer from the Shushing Librarian Syndrome. By featuring contests and fun promos on You Tube, we can help further our image as an invaluable community center. Even Conan the Librarian would have to agree...in a non-violent way, we hope!

Semester 2: Instant Messaging

Greetings from "menashakids"--my IM screen name on Aim Pro. It is actually for any four of us in the department, and it is used for other departments to send us a quick message. I've enjoyed many lovely chats using IM. My most recent experience came on the day of the Newbery and Caldecott Award announcements. My supervisor Marge was in Philly for ALA, and we were IM'ing each other about the awards and the conference. We were even having fun changing the font colors and blinding each other with the bright green and yellow (Go Pack!).It is fun to instantly chat with someone without worrying about the long distance bill! I've used IM to ask my director a quick question, and I also keep in touch with my boss when she is working from home during her FMLA times. One feature I like is that I can send something without feeling like I am interrupting. If that person is busy, they can reply in a few minutes, and I don't have to "stay on the line" waiting for information. It's also nice to send a quick message to someone in reference or circ, sometimes for information, and sometimes for a quick heads-up about a patron.

IM can be a nice feature for patrons, too. It is handy at the reference desk and is another tool to promote good customer service--as long as not too many acronyms are used! I can usually figure out some acronyms, but thank goodness Joy gave us a link to the dictionary! LOL! I know that teens love this technology, and it certainly can be fun and convenient, just as long as we still meet face to face and talk on the phone, too.

Project Play Semester 1 Reflections

First of all, I have to give heartfelt thanks to Stef, Joy, and Beth for creating Project Play. There tends to be fear about new technology, and you did a great job acknowledging that fear yet using it to encourage us to have fun and explore. It was good for me to have some exposure to these technologies that I have heard of but knew nothing about, and ignorance is not bliss for me. Thank you for the bite-sized lessons that let me see that I could understand what Web 2.0 is all about and that it is not too hard. Thank you for encouraging me to just play. Thank you also for giving me a few weeks to catch up on my assignments.

My favorite lesson was learning how to set up my own blog. It did not come without its difficulties (mainly trying to remember my password and the difference between Blogger and Bloglines). It was fun picking out a template and learning how to post, plus learning how to post a picture. It is fun to know that I have my own blog. It's kind of like my own little piece of celebrity, even though the Project Play leaders and I are the only ones reading it! I hope to post more storytime articles someday that may be helpful for other librarians.

What was the worst part of Project Play? It had to be the time monster. I only work part-time, and I found it difficult during certain weeks to devote the time needed to learn. Because I am only here three days per week, I found myself having to review quite a bit to refresh my memory of what I just did a few days ago. This is no fault of Project Play as the lessons were all fabulous. That is why I so appreciate how in tune you wonderful Project Play gurus are to those of us who are such newbies to the technology. By giving us time to catch up, you've shown just how much you want us to learn, and I am so appreciative of your dedication and kindness. Sometimes it is easy to feel dumb with new technology, and it is usually just because no one has explained it, and people are often thrown into it to sink or swim. Thank you for teaching me how to swim.

Actually, maybe the worst part of Project Play was dealing with the spelling on Cute Overload and I can has cheezburger. I am an English major, and, although the pictures are adorable, I can't stand the spelling--augh!!!! It is painful! What is happening to the English language? Call Grammar 911!

I am hoping to take the second semester of Project Play. The only factor holding me back is the one of time. We do a lot of programs, and I worry about falling behind. I do think it is important to keep learning, however, so I do think you will see me back. I enjoy playing more, learning more, and especially fearing less. Thank you for teaching me that the Web is not all work but lots of play.

Have you ever considered developing Project Advanced Algebra? I could have used you in high school!

Wikis

Gotta love that name--Wiki! Such a fun name must mean a fun technology. Wikis are a great way to get up-to-date information as opposed to waiting for yearly (and expensive) encyclopedia updates. They also are a great way for people to collaborate over a distance, just like Stef and Beth can do for Project Play. One great library use would be for a community events page. Wouldn't it be great to have a go-to page for all events, school and community? Think of how non-profit groups could keep information up-to-date and accessible to all. Families would appreciate a one-spot place to find things to do. Libraries and community groups could work together to promote each other. Sounds like a win-win situation.

There is always the danger of misinformation on a wiki. How expert are the posters on a particular subject? Will someone edit something I posted, and change it for the worst? There are a few drawbacks, but not enough to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Wikis are another way to help our patrons have access to the information they need, and for patrons to get us information we need.

Tagging

After hearing the term for many months now, I am happy to say that I finally know what del.icio.us is! Thank you for adding the wonderful Common Craft videos to the Project Play lessons; the clips explain these new concepts so well. I like the idea of having all my favorite websites together on a separate website. It seems like sites saved to "Favorites" can get easily lost or not available on the computer I am currently using. How convenient to have my list on the web where I can access it anytime and anyplace.

The concept of tagging is great for libraries. How many times have I been looking for information on a subject and didn't quite know the correct subject heading? How many times have our patrons struggled the very same way? Tags allow patrons to find information in a way that makes sense to them, and libraries are all about access to information. I think patrons with children will have better luck with a tag of "manners" rather than trying to figure out "conduct of life" as a subject heading (yes, I've been there!). Anything we can do to help our patrons find the information they need is anything but unsettling. Bring tagging on!