Week 9, Thing 23 - Conclusion

My journey through San Jose Library's Learning 2.0 has been amazing. When I started this "lifelong learning" experience, I was new to every "thing." As the weeks unfolded, I found myself trying to solve puzzles each new topic and website would bring.

I was moored by Flickr until I was taught, by one of our talented interns, how to copy and paste a URL. This new bit of knowledge sent me cruising through Really Simple Syndication feeds and HTML postings. I totally enjoyed creating art work from Flickr's third party websites, using image generators, and posting a video from YouTube.

I have found that my Rollyo on U.S. Elections has pulled up some interesting articles. I have also found that "tags" can give you a place to start when deciphering information and photos on Flickr, Technorati or Del.icio.us. Also, wikis are the tool of the day - enabling a group to edit a piece fluidly.

In thinking about the library potential of many of the different websites, I found endless possibilities. They include Library Clerks sharing a wiki and Librarians posting an instructional video on a subject blog. Most importantly, this program has enabled me to provide more knowledgeable service for our customers. Just the other day, I was asked, "How to you post a picture on a blog?" I said, "All you need to do is..."

I completely enjoyed the learning experience! However, the time commitment was enormous. The nine to twelve week session is so very long. In the future, I would like to see the learning programs broken down into shorter units.

I would like to especially thank the Virtual Services Team for their wonderful work in reviewing hundreds of postings that fill the amazing San Jose Library's Learning 2.0 blogs. Thank you for your kind comments and encouragement.

This journey has been a treasure, and it continues - these technology lessons are just the beginning of my learning experience. My sails are full and they will take me on new adventures within and outside the "23 Things" of this "lifelong learning" experience.

Week 9, Thing 22 - Ebooks & Audio Ebooks

The resources available electronically are numerous. On our SJLibrary.org website, we provide five different services: netLibrary, Overdrive, Pimsleur Language, Safari Tech and Ebrary Academic. However, the services are separated for San Jose Public Library customers and San Jose State University customers. Although the material is similiar, SJSU focuses on "scholarly" material for research, and SJPL focuses on "general" material for "lifelong learning."

Both SJSU and SJPL provide netLibrary for their customers. It includes topics such as Business, Education, Literature, the Sciences and Social Sciences among others. It is interesting to note that netLibrary can be searched in five different languages besides English. It also has an embedded dictionary that can actually pronounce words. As a browsing library, it is not necessary to check the item out. It must also be read online and can be accessed from the computers in the library. Searching here, I was able to see the variety of material available and found an ebook on the environment: Harmony and Conflict in the Living World by Alexander Frank Skutch.

The Pimsleur Language service is provided to SJPL customers. This netLibrary service provides over 160 different audiobooks in a variety of language lessons including Arabic, Egyptian, Hebrew, Japanese and Spanish, among others. The material must be checked out and downloaded; however, it can be played offline and on some portable audio devices. For this service, I downloaded: Spanish (Latin America) The Plus Course.

Overdrive is a SJPL service, and it provides a variety of material including: Ebooks, digital audiobooks, and digital music. The collection includes: Nonfiction ebooks and audio ebooks on Travel, Biographies, History, Self Help, etc.; Fiction ebooks and audio ebooks on Classics, Mysteries, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Young Adult and Children's Fiction, etc. The music collection is small but varied including Classics, and New Age, etc. Overdrive is set up nicely with descriptions of the material, about the author, even excerpts of the music collection. I checked out and downloaded: Autobiography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. edited by Clayborne Carson, Ph.D.

Safari Tech is a resource for "programmers and IT professionals." This service is provided by SJPL and SJSU. It includes topics on Artificial Intelligence, Desktop Publishing, Graphics, Multimedia, Operating Systems, Security, etc. Safari Tech is browsable and the full-text can be searched on a particular issue or the ebook can be read from "cover-to-cover."

Ebrary Academic is a SJSU service - it is also browsable and doesn't need to be checked out. This service is available on our Library computers. The topics covered include Library Science, Education, Fine Arts, History, Law, Literature, Medicine, Music, Political Science, Science, Technology, etc. With the Personal Bookshelf, highlights, notes and bookmarks can be saved. Also, "InfoTools" has links to more information in our Library and the Internet. Since the service is browsable, I found some interesting ebooks: Lives of Moral Leadership by Robert Coles and Adapting the United Nations to a Postmodern Era: Lessons Learned edited by Andy W. Knight.

Although I've downloaded ebooks before, this "Thing" was a good review. It is simply amazing to see what is available including the 100,000 electronic books from the World Ebook Fair and Project Gutenberg. The topics are endless. I searched a variety of subjects including Thomas Jefferson, the Environment and NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Iraq and Transitional Government, and Nutrition. I found ebooks available on all of these topics. Unfortunately, for me, ebooks are a difficult read online, but a tremendous asset for full-text searching on wide variety of research topics.

Journey to Ecuador

The sun shines through the white cumulus , on a cold winter day, as we board a Pan Am flight for our journey to Ecuador. As a newly appointed United States Foreign Service Officer, my Father bundles up his family of six.

Quito, a beautiful capitol, is surrounded by mountains with Cotopaxi as its highest peak. White sugar icing covers the mountain's jagged edges as winter cold settles in. The buildings of the city are colored pastel: Orange, green, blue and pink. Churches and steeples grace the town squares spiraling to the heavens. Open markets -- with fresh fruits picked by tender hands -- tortillas of corn ground and slapped into thin, small, round patties -- fill the aroma of the air.

It is a treasured adventure -- the new world before me sparkles.

Week 9, Thing 21 - Podcasts

"Podcasts" are like radio programs on the Internet - they have no music or video broadcasting within them. The New Oxford American Dictionary named "Podcast" the "word of the year" in 2005. It is defined as "a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player." However, the "podcast" can also be heard on a PC that has the needed software and access to the Internet. Using a directory, such as "Yahoo! Podcasts," makes searching easy. Tags are used to help describe "podcasts," but you can also search by keyword. If the "podcast" is part of a series, RSS feeds can be used to add it to a site like Bloglines. In this way, you will be notified of any new programs in a series.

In searching through "podcasts," I did find NPR's book reviews which I posted to my Bloglines. I also found an interesting "podcast" on library news, but the latest update to the series was November 2006. I listened for a while, to a number of "podcasts," and found the variety of subjects very interesting, instructional and entertaining.

Week 9, Thing 20 - YouTube

"YouTube" is absolutely the most entertaining site I have visited through Learning 2.0. The site is so easy to use - after signing in - you just search and play. It is also easy to share a video through email or embed one in a blog.

You can "stream" by opening a page that lets you send messages and share videos at the same time. On "YouTube," you can use the "QuickList" page to save a video temporarily, or you can create a "Playlist" to share and save your favorite videos. Saving your videos under "favorites" will enable you to view them at another time. Videos can also be rated and you can post comments as part of the "YouTube" community.

Since blogging is a tool that can be used by librarians for instruction, "YouTube" would be ideal for making an instructional video to be posted on a blog. Such an addition would be ideal for an Academic Librarian's subject page or a Public Librarian's area of expertise.

Unfortunately, I did find some unwanted video pictures and advertisements that were on the "YouTube" website.

The video below is a pretty accurate reflection of my experience with Learning 2.0. 8)

Thanks to lesterjohnson who uploaded "This is Yacht Racing" on "YouTube."

Week 8, Thing 19 - LibraryThing

"LibraryThing" is a wonderful tool! It enables you to set up your own personal cataloged library including books you have in your home library, or simply books you have read. There are 8 million books listed on "LibraryThing" - it uses sources such as the Library of Congress, Amazon and 30 Library catalogs from around the globe. Although the Library of Congress subject headings are used, "LibraryThing" also uses tags. Tags, book reviews and ratings are completely user generated and can be shared making "LibraryThing" a "social" place.

"LibraryThing" is also a useful place for libraries - you can set up a display of recommended, recent or random books with a "LibraryThing" widget. Tim Spalding, the "LibraryThing" creator, is also working with Innovative Interfaces' Millennium OPAC to possibly include "LibraryThing" information.

My "LibraryThing" widget is posted to the right.

Week 8, Thing 18 - Productivity Tools

The story posted above, "Journey to Ecuador," was created on Zoho Writer, a web-based writing tool. Because it is web-based, I am able to write and edit on any computer that supports the Internet and Zoho Writer's writing tool, JavaScript. It is amazingly easy to use - it has many of the same elements as Microsoft Word, and has more than 40 templates including resume writing and business labels. It has the added benefit of supporting collaboration - meaning that others can edit a piece with its wiki tool.

Thanks to Dimplemonkey who posted the "Streets of Quito" on Flickr's Creative Commons Attribution License web page.

Week 7, Thing 17 - PBWiki and the Sandbox

The "PBwiki", or Peanut Butter Wiki, is a wonderful site - it is so easy to add comments to a page and even add a link to another website. It was great fun writing in the "Sandbox" - especially about my favorite web page: Natural Resources Defense Council, and my favorite television shows: Spanish soap operas. However this wiki site has great potential and many uses for our Library.

How might I use wikis in my work at the Library?

Please check out my posting below for Week 7, Thing 16 - it is on "Wikis" and there I posted my thoughts on how we might use this tool in our Library.

Week 7, Thing 16 - Wiki

"Wiki" is a Hawaiian term meaning very fast. Within the world of technology, it is a tool where the users are able to edit information on a "collaborative website." The key to success is in using the knowledge base of the community of users. It is interesting to see how libraries have incorporated this tool into their community's website.

Adding a book review "wiki" enhances the reading list of any user. Princeton Public Library has a delightful Booklovers Wiki which enables their customers to read and write reviews. Ohio University set up a business "wiki" called Biz Wiki where members of their community can search business information from Internet sites to databases. This site can be continually updated by the community instead of having one librarian and/or webmaster make the changes to the enormous knowledge base they have created. Meredith Farkas from Norwich University also suggests using "wikis" to manage meetings. She suggests that agendas be posted on a "wiki" enabling the thoughtful sharing of ideas prior to the meetings.

Here at San Jose Library, two possible "wikis" come to mind: First, there is a need for communication between Library Clerks. It would be nice to have a "wiki" about our circulation rules and processing techniques. The shared knowledge would enable us to have a manual that would continuously be updated by our Library Clerk community. It would be a great asset for new incoming clerks and it may streamline processing for seasoned clerks. Second, since we all are doing so much work to upgrade ourselves on technological "things," we need to keep up the momentum by having a Technology Wiki. Everyone in our Library community can have their eyes and ears to the monitor to share the new things developed in the world of technology - today.

Week 6, Thing 15 - Perspectives on Library 2.0

In "Away from the Icebergs," Rick Anderson illustrates that there are three "potential disasters" that "threaten" the "future success" of libraries. The first is in building a collection of material, in print, when Web 2.0 leads the customer toward expecting "access to everything." Second, the "reliance" on "teaching research skills" when there is a "need to focus our efforts" on "eliminating the barriers that exist between (customers)...and the information they need." Third, is the "come to us model of library service." "The post-print era" changes the paradigm by "placing library services and content in the user's preferred environment...integrating" the "services into their daily patterns of work, study and play." Rick Anderson continues by stating that there is a need to "adapt to a radical fundamental change in the marketplace...one library at a time."

To facilitate access, Anderson states, "people need to be able to learn how to use something on their own." Especially since the ratio between Librarians and community is so great. Customers need to spend less time searching and more time "actually reading and learning."

Anderson brought up some interesting points regarding the future of libraries in a "post-print era." Knowledge, shared on the Internet, grows exponentially, and yet it has made our world and the understanding of it seem smaller and much more integrated.

The Library 2.0 is a library integrated on every level. It means database providers working together to develop interfaces that are user friendly - integrating the best possible search pages and developing uniformed search methods. It means using sites like Del.icio.us to integrate postings of the web - using tags to enhance the web based searches. It means developing uniform tag codings for libraries when using web based information. It means the sharing of information between libraries to enable customers to "access (almost) everything." It means active listening to the world around us from the business community to the customer who uses our services. It means customers sharing their vision and knowledge in developing the library of the future - today.

Week 6, Thing 14 - Technorati

As Web 2.0 changes the Internet paradigm, "Technorati" serves as the directory for the "World Live Web." "Technorati" uses keyword searching and tags for blogs, pictures, videos and other Internet sites using "user-generated content."

With "Technorati," you can search words within a post, or with a tag, or through the Directory. Each search results in a different, although related, list of postings. In searching the term Learning 2.0, the Directory shows a list of topics by their tags and a list of 310 blogs; the "tag" search shows 254 blogs and 85 photos that match the search words; and the keyword search uncovers 34,614 blogs with words matching the Learning 2.0 search. Interesting to note: The search separated "Learning" and "2.0" - searching the phrase as two different keywords. It would be a nice added feature to be able to do a keyword phrase search within quotes, for example: "Learning 2.0." or using a "+" between terms - as you use in "Technorati's" tagging rules, for example: Learning+2.0. This may capture postings that relate more specifically to a topic.

Having searched, with tags, on Flickr and Del.icio.us and "Technorati," it is evident that there are advantages in using tags to categorize postings. The "World Live Web" sees "1.6 million posts per day." To find some semblance of order, tags create an avenue from where you can begin a search. However, folksonomy or tagging can also have its disadvantages, for instance, words may have more than one meaning. Tagging is also assigned by the user and may reflect the users experience and understanding. Therefore, the postings that result, from a search, may not reflect the topic assigned under a specific tag. But then, do to the sheer volume of postings, tagging is a useful tool for searching topics on the web.

SJLibrary2.0
Technorati
Blogging
Web2.0
Learning2.0

Week 6, Thing 13 - Del.icio.us

As a social bookmarking and tagging tool, the "Del.icio.us" website is simply amazing. Since it is web based, you can look at your bookmarks from any computer that provides Internet services. However, the power is in how it organizes and categorizes and then shares bookmarks.

The key is in folksonomy or tagging. These tools categorize web pages and information retrieved from an unlimited resource - the Internet. Although tagging is "unstructured and freeform," and driven by the choices of its users, tagging can help categorize topics.

The bookmarking and tagging capability on "Del.icio.us" makes it an asset as a reference tool. You can keep links to materials you find on the Internet - including articles. You can also see how others categorize or tag articles of interest to you. In sharing bookmarks, you can connect to other users bookmarks and find articles that may be important for your research. Sharing bookmarks and tags is the key to the power of "Del.icio.us"

In searching through Library sites that use "Del.icio.us,"I found the San Mateo Public Library's "Del.icio.us" page. Under their "libraries" tag, I found a fascinating link to the British Library. I was able to use "Turning the Page" to leaf through sketches in one of Leonardo's notebooks and listen to music from work penned by Mozart. Libraries can use this social bookmarking site to help bookmark and catagorize web information that would be of interest to their customers. It is in sharing the bookmarks that Libraries are able to work together in discovering sites and articles of interest.

Week 5, Thing 12 - Rollyo

I was intrigued by the idea of creating my own search tool for websites. For me, searching the web for election information has been massive - so I created a "Rollyo" on U.S. Elections. To find sites I "know and trust," I researched "Web links by Subject" within our sjlibrary.org website. I used the "Government & Law" button and searched under "Elections & Voting" and "Politics." I found some links including the link to the Librarian's Internet Index. At that site, I was able to find a number of web links under "Government," "Politics," and "Elections." I chose links I knew such as c-span.org, gpoaccess.gov, vote-smart.org, lwv.org (League of Women Voters); I also chose some sites because they were recommended by the Librarian's Internet Index. They included politics1.com, factcheck.org, and thisnation.com. I deliberately did not include news sites, because as a society we have tremendous access to daily news reports. My "Rollyo" is posted to the right.

Week 5, Thing 11 - Web 2.0 Awards

My search of the Web 2.0 awards list brought me to the "Mashups and More" category - to a website called "The Supreme Court." I reviewed the site for content thinking that it might be a useful tool at our Reference desk - after all - it received five stars for content quality.

My first concern, as I opened the site, were the four links to Wikipedia within a box labeled "Do Some Research." However, within the same research box, Todd Levy, the site creator, also included links to the U.S. Supreme Court's official site, and the Government Printing Office's U.S. Supreme Court's Opinions Database. There were also a dichotomy of stories within the "News Stories" tab: Some stories regarded the impact on the law and others were filled with tales of gossip. The "Web Links" tab included a link to the PBS Supreme Court site, but also had a number of John Roberts postings - only the John Roberts they spoke of wasn't the Chief Justice, but an employee for Open DNS (A new Domain Name System (DNS) for the Internet.). Under the "Blog Entries" tab, Technorati tags were used for "Supreme Court." Unfortunately, this included blogs concerning the Supreme Court in Canada, the Republic of Croatia, and the state of Missouri.

Based on these findings, I would not recommend this site as a reference tool.

Week 5, Thing 10 - Generators

Trying a number of "Generators" from the Generator Blog, I discovered Celtic cross stitch, glitter writers, poetry writers, anagrams, even the alphabet soup word generator. Using another Creative Commons Attribution License Flickr picture, I found "Color!!!" uploaded by extranoise. I transformed the image with the Kaleidoscope Generator.

This is the link to the Kaleidoscope Generator:

http://krazydad.com/makeyourown/index.php

Week 4, Thing 9 - Aggregators

"News feeds" or "aggregators" are tremendous tools for information on local, national and world news. Topic.net is wonderful for searching a variety of topics that are news related. It is so easy to use: I searched "North Korea nuclear" and found the latest information on the negotiations. I was able to find "RSS" buttons and included NPR, CNN and CBS to my Bloglines.

As an "aggregator," Syndic8.com did not have substantial postings. I searched under "categories" and found "reference" that led me to "Library and Information Science," however, the end result of the search was three blogs. This site of "RSS" feeds relies on users submitted information and lacked the boundless information that is available today.

"Feed readers" or "aggregators" that are blogs are more difficult to sift through. They lack editorial comment - as in most items posted on the Internet. However, for a democracy (or republic) blogs are tremendous sources for the most creative thoughts and ideas. It has been an interesting journey and I am...

Week 4, Thing 8 - RSS Feeds

"Really Simple Syndication" (RSS) is an amazing tool! The "news readers" are so quick and simple -- I'm sailing with the San Jose Mercury News. It is also so exciting that our Library's Ebsco databases will carry RSS, too! What a tremendous research tool!!

My Bloglines URL is: http://www.bloglines.com/public/sailing

Week 3, Thing 7 - Technology Statements

I am so amazed! Learning 2.0 has taught me so much! My favorite part was Flickr even though it was the most difficult so far and had me moored for sometime. It has been so much fun trying out new "things" and creating artwork from my own images. Technology will never look the same to me again -- it is a medium from where I will be...

Week 3, Thing 6 - Flickr's 3rd Party Site

This art work was created on Photofiddler. The picture was taken while on vacation in Kinsale, Ireland. Having been moored taught me a lot -- now I am...

Week 3, Thing 5 - Explore Flickr Continued

I am sailing -- but as you can see my sailboat is ever so small cruising the waters of Learning 2.0. However, with the help of my mentors -- Pages, Interns and Librarians -- I am off on a new adventure!

This picture is a Flickr picture! It is from Flickr's Creative Commons Attribution License postings, and credit goes to jurek d. who captured this boat "Sailing Nova Scotia."

Here I am sailing once again! Success!!

Week 3, Thing 5 - Explore Flickr

Uploading a picture from Flickr had me in port for some time -- sails down -- totally moored. I will need to check in with my mentors -- the Pages and Interns -- the resident experts with everything on Learning 2.0.

This picture comes from one of my vacation photos. I am still moored, however, I hope to soon be...

Week 2, Things 3 & 4 - Set Up and Register Blog

It was interesting listening to (and reading) the 7 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learning. My parents have always stressed the importance of learning. My Dad is a great one for asking us what our goals will be for the coming year. My Dad says, "Time will go by - what are your goals?" My dear brother had had enough of it one year and decided to have an "ungoal" year! We still laugh about it, but goals have been such an important part of our lives.

For me, goals are definitely one of the easiest habits of Lifelong Learning. The most difficult would be technology. You see I have a niece who is on the cutting edge of technology - she is simply amazing at how she uses it. She is always managing the latest tools. She has multiple Blogs, pictures on Flickr, downloaded music and streaming videos on her ipod, etc., etc., etc. You see she has done these for years, and I have just begun. However, I am...
sailing