Learning 2.0 Sandbox Wiki

I found it interesting that so many different library groups across the world (e.g. Australia) contributed to this wiki. In terms of placing my blog link on the site, it did take a few tries to input it in a manner where the link would actually work.

Wikis

Regarding the use of wikis in library settings, I found the SJCPL Subject Guide site very useful as a way for librarians, particularly those in a specific system, to pool their resources together to suggest useful links. The ALA 2006 New Orleans Wiki also made sense, particularly before a conference, as a useful tool that those attending the conference could make use of before the conference, especially if librarians who know the city are contributing to the wiki. Actually, as a special assignment librarian, I used a wiki (and now I currently use sharepoint) for the purposes of my job. In this format, the Library Staff needs across SAPL are posted by the respective branch and when any person able to fill the needs indicates this on the site. Thus, in this environment, it is most useful to have all involved have editing capabilities. So far, this system has worked very well overrall.

Web 2.0

The comments various people have made about Web 2.0 in relationship to libraries has been most interesting. Rick Anderson's "Away from Icebergs" comments seemed most out of touch with reality. For example, Anderson proposes the idea of getting rid of print material because he says everything is on the Internet now. This is inaccurate in many respects. Not only is there many printed items that have never been put on the Internet, there are many items that can only be accessed by paying for them. Moreover, there is no guarantee that a site will be there the next day, so it is in some ways even less reliable than print. Another incompletely conceived idea by Anderson is the idea that user education can be reduced by making computers more direct in interface operations. While librarians can sometimes change this, often they cannot, as they are typically stuck with the software interface that they have and the degree of modifications they can make on them is often minimal.

A Library 2.0 commentator who made more sense was Michel Stephens. In his article "Into a New World of Librarianship," he makes a observations that more technophiles should pay heed to: that technology should not be pursued just to be trendy, but should be pursued in sync with the librarian's mission and with the users needs in mind.

Technorati

The "Rush" below was a test. Technorati seems useful in helping people limit their internet searches to blogs only, but it seems more tedious than it needs to be in its "tagging process." By contrast, Goodreads tagging process seemed more user friendly and less tedious

REVIEW: RUSH-- Snakes and Arrows Live DVD

Long awaited by the most serious of Rush fans, this DVD wisely includes an additional disk that has the alternate songs that were swapped out on the second leg of the Snakes and Arrows tour. In sum, this DVD is an excellent and comprehensive DVD representation of a impressive tour for those who were not fortunate enough to see it for themselves.

SAPLL2

"Del.icio.ous" Tags

In certain circumstances, I can see how this tool could be useful. This would be especially true if one has consistently had difficulties finding information through normal searches in search engines or simply has specific sites in mind.

Goodreads

So, now I have a goodreads account with some of my book suggestions.

Rollyo

I created a "statistics" search roll in Rollyo. Very cool. I can see many potential useful future uses for such a tool.

Where are you?

YOU ARE HERE SOMEWHERE I BET

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

RSS Feeds

Concerning RSS feeds, I found the intstructions in Google on the topic of "sharing" them a bit unclear.

Technology Comment

Since the "DOS" days, some things have obviously improved with computers. Clearly, the Internet was a dramatic improvement in terms of capability, as was the development of blogs, which made it easier to have one's own "mini" website. On the downside, while on the surface it may seem neat to litter up one's screen with so many moving images, links and so forth, I think it can detract from the quality of both thinking and presentation. Right now, with so many new technological "toys" there is a tendency to be baroque and rather gawdy. Hopefully, with time, the trend will change to emphasize quality of information and presentation rather than emphasizing quantity as it does now.

Trading Card Maker

Playing around with various FlickR "Mashups" sites and the like, I found out by trying to create a trading card that it only wants jpg images. This is something that it doesn't make very clear at the beginning when you first start trying to make one.

Chess was derived from Chataranga. This is a very ancient Indian/Persian game. The rules of the two games are virtually identical with a few interesting exceptions. In Chataranga, the game piece that is today referred to as the "Queen" was originally called the "King's Advisor" and was significantly weaker. By the late 1400s, the "King's Advisor" game piece had its name changed to the "Queen" when the game piece was made more powerful by some clever fellows in Europe who asked the Queen of Spain if she liked the new rules and would sanction the new game. Obviously she did...

7 1/2 lifelong habits comment

"Beginning with the end in View" comes naturally and thus easiest. "Viewing Problems as Challenges" is probably the hardest in the way that it is expressed in the presentation--as an opportunity. While some problems seem to be opportunities, others just seem like headaches with no real benefit other than perhaps the opportunity to learn even more patience.

Greetings!

Welcome to the twilight zone, where you never know what will happen!