I've enjoyed this process. Learned a lot, got excited about the possibilities of some of the things. Also experienced a bit of frustration at the college's firewalls and other security measures which completely blocked some of the applications, but even that process enabled me to become a lot more familiar with the network staff and I believe we'll be able to come to some accommodation.
The things I found most interesting were:
1. Wikis. As I mentioned in the original entry, I want to use this tool to create a new version of the library's policy and procedures manual. Something similar to the example in week five: Antioch University New England Library Staff Training and Support Wiki . I think we've just about worked out a compromise with IT to actually allow a wiki on the college's servers, so now all that remains is to create the thing.
2. Youtube. I have a much better appreciation for the educational videos that Youtube has to offer. We've just started a subscription to LibGuides here and I'm planning to incorporate some Youtube sources into our new guides.
3. Photos and Image Generators. That was just plain fun.
4. Creative Commons. Having had some frustrating experiences with the current copyright codes in the past, I am gratified to know that there is a grassroots movement of sorts creating another way. Maybe as this grows it will encourage lawmakers to revamp the codes for everyone.
Overall I'd say that I've become much more aware, and more interested in how media, the web, and emerging technologies have become integrated into and are shaping our lives (that's just about what the intro to 23 Things said, isn't it?).
Thanks to Tara and all the other participants!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Thing 20: Tagging and Social Bookmarking
OK, looked around delicious. Explored the site options. Created an account and bookmarked a few sites. I like the portabiity of the bookmarks. Since I'm traveling between two campuses these days, that could really be useful.
Didn't think much of the comments. Everything I saw seemed to just be brief reiterations of the basic site info.
We don't currently have a social bookmark collection, but I mentioned before that we've just started working with Libguides, and I can see delicious working into that nicely. One of the tabs in the Libguides template could be for a delicious list. We'd just have to create a generic TNCC account so that any of the librarians who are editing the Libguides could add links to the delicious list.
I created a collection of bookmarks related to an event we have coming up in October. Author Orson Scott Card will be speaking at CNU, brought in by the Virginia Peninsula Literay Consortium.
Didn't think much of the comments. Everything I saw seemed to just be brief reiterations of the basic site info.
We don't currently have a social bookmark collection, but I mentioned before that we've just started working with Libguides, and I can see delicious working into that nicely. One of the tabs in the Libguides template could be for a delicious list. We'd just have to create a generic TNCC account so that any of the librarians who are editing the Libguides could add links to the delicious list.
I created a collection of bookmarks related to an event we have coming up in October. Author Orson Scott Card will be speaking at CNU, brought in by the Virginia Peninsula Literay Consortium.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thing 19: Multimedia
I was not aware of the Text-to-speech options in Ebsco, Gale, and Factiva. How cool. I couldn't find the option in Ebsco, but I did in the other two and tried them out.
I was aware of the other audio options listed, and have used all of them except Last.fm
I haven't used Youtube much. I know it has a good deal of useful, educational material, but I get tired of filtering through the dross. We've just started a subscription to Libguides, and I'm hoping that we can use some of the more useful Youtube material in some of our guides.
I found several videos done created by academic libraries. This was a good one, though a bit overlong:
And I liked this series, "The Library Minute" from Arizona State University. Short, coherent, easy to understand:
Lastly, this old one, more general tech than library oriented and a bit dated now, but one of my all time favorites:
I was aware of the other audio options listed, and have used all of them except Last.fm
I haven't used Youtube much. I know it has a good deal of useful, educational material, but I get tired of filtering through the dross. We've just started a subscription to Libguides, and I'm hoping that we can use some of the more useful Youtube material in some of our guides.
I found several videos done created by academic libraries. This was a good one, though a bit overlong:
And I liked this series, "The Library Minute" from Arizona State University. Short, coherent, easy to understand:
Lastly, this old one, more general tech than library oriented and a bit dated now, but one of my all time favorites:
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Thing 18: Audiobooks
In my opinion Farrell's article summed up the whole audiobook experience quite well. A bit confusing, often frustrating, and very, very popular.
I love audiobooks, and jumped right into Overdrive when the VCCS first got the service. My initial experience was very much like that depicted in "Webcomic Takes on Audiobook DRM" - I spent a several hours downloading and updating various players and files before I finally got it to work at home. Since then it's been great, at home. At work it's a different story. When we first got Overdrive I was able to download the media player just a couple days before the latest draconian security protcols were put in place. I used it for quite happily until a few months ago when I received a new computer (a necessary evil, the old one had smoke coming out the back). Since then the multiple layers of security and firewalls have made it impossible to use. So what I do now is download at home, transfer to my Sansa recorder, and then bring that into work. And I probably ought to note that I only listed to audiobooks at work when I am engaged in those most tedious of tasks that would put me to sleep otherwise.
Students and faculty also seem to love Overdrive. We have a modest collection of audiobooks on CD, cassette, and Playaway, and whenever someone checks out one of those we make it a point to show them the Overdrive links on the webpage. The universal response is some variation of "OMG - this is great! And it's FREE? Wow."
I love audiobooks, and jumped right into Overdrive when the VCCS first got the service. My initial experience was very much like that depicted in "Webcomic Takes on Audiobook DRM" - I spent a several hours downloading and updating various players and files before I finally got it to work at home. Since then it's been great, at home. At work it's a different story. When we first got Overdrive I was able to download the media player just a couple days before the latest draconian security protcols were put in place. I used it for quite happily until a few months ago when I received a new computer (a necessary evil, the old one had smoke coming out the back). Since then the multiple layers of security and firewalls have made it impossible to use. So what I do now is download at home, transfer to my Sansa recorder, and then bring that into work. And I probably ought to note that I only listed to audiobooks at work when I am engaged in those most tedious of tasks that would put me to sleep otherwise.
Students and faculty also seem to love Overdrive. We have a modest collection of audiobooks on CD, cassette, and Playaway, and whenever someone checks out one of those we make it a point to show them the Overdrive links on the webpage. The universal response is some variation of "OMG - this is great! And it's FREE? Wow."
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thing 17: Social Cataloging
I already have a Librarything account. I set it up specifically for keeping track of the music books and scores that I own. In my other life I'm a musician, and in the intersection of that and my professional life, I do research on folk music and songs. I've amassed quite a collection of books and manuscripts and sometimes when I'm researching a new topic, I forget what I already have in my collection. So I created a catalog through Librarythng to help me keep track. (my only problem now if remembering to check it and keep it updated)
Here is the link to my Librarything catalog, if anyone is interested:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/slawlor314
I've toyed with the idea of using one of these sites for my book club, but that impose an undue degree of organization on my book club (we're a pretty casual bunch).
While not for cataloging, I have made extensive use of Bookmooch to benefit the library. We often receive donations of books that we really don't need in the collection but which are still of interest. I took it upon myself to add them to my Bookmooch inventory, and after accumulating a good points balance, I also started using Bookmooch to acquire books for TNCC. I've been able to replace worn out copies in our paperbacks collection, and get extra copies of titles for the campus book club. The mailing cost comes out of pocket, but it's minimal and I enjoy the global book exchange.
And while it wasn't one of the options mentioned in the 23 Things list, I also want to put in a plug for the "WeRead" feature on facebook. I've used that to post titles that I'm reading and it always generates a bit of discussion.
Here is the link to my Librarything catalog, if anyone is interested:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/slawlor314
I've toyed with the idea of using one of these sites for my book club, but that impose an undue degree of organization on my book club (we're a pretty casual bunch).
While not for cataloging, I have made extensive use of Bookmooch to benefit the library. We often receive donations of books that we really don't need in the collection but which are still of interest. I took it upon myself to add them to my Bookmooch inventory, and after accumulating a good points balance, I also started using Bookmooch to acquire books for TNCC. I've been able to replace worn out copies in our paperbacks collection, and get extra copies of titles for the campus book club. The mailing cost comes out of pocket, but it's minimal and I enjoy the global book exchange.
And while it wasn't one of the options mentioned in the 23 Things list, I also want to put in a plug for the "WeRead" feature on facebook. I've used that to post titles that I'm reading and it always generates a bit of discussion.
Thing 16: E-Books
What do you think of PsycBooks?
I liked it. Since I wasn't looking for anything in particular I poked around in the browsing featured. I liked the terminology finder and the nav bar choices for narrowing down topics.
Are e-books the wave of the future? An aesthetically-challenged plot to empty your wallet? A wild west frontier?
Yes, all of the above. I think e-publishing is the overall wave of the future and e-books are simply a part of that. As for the "empty your wallet" part - I remember reading somewhere that half the books purchase each year are never read. People buy books and get the feeling that they then somehow own the knowledge that's in them, even if they have no idea what that knowledge actually says. Buying e-book downloads is even easier and I suspect far more than half of the those purchases are going unread.
Are e-books popular with your students?
They are once they've been introduced to them. Students still think of the library primarily as a place to get hard copy material, and seem to be surprised when we show them the e-books collections. But they do use them once they know they're there. I think out most popular collection is Safari, great for looking up technical information.
Do you own a dedicated e-book reader such as the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook? If so, what do you think of it?
I don't own one myself, yet. I have several friends who have and love them and I suspect I'll be getting one in the foreseeable future. I'm envisioning e-readers becoming the new format for daily newspapers and magazines. Publishing them for free online hasn't worked very well, at least not for the publishers' bottom lines. But a modest subscription fee to allow one to read the morning paper while sitting on the couch with your coffee might just do it.
I liked it. Since I wasn't looking for anything in particular I poked around in the browsing featured. I liked the terminology finder and the nav bar choices for narrowing down topics.
Are e-books the wave of the future? An aesthetically-challenged plot to empty your wallet? A wild west frontier?
Yes, all of the above. I think e-publishing is the overall wave of the future and e-books are simply a part of that. As for the "empty your wallet" part - I remember reading somewhere that half the books purchase each year are never read. People buy books and get the feeling that they then somehow own the knowledge that's in them, even if they have no idea what that knowledge actually says. Buying e-book downloads is even easier and I suspect far more than half of the those purchases are going unread.
Are e-books popular with your students?
They are once they've been introduced to them. Students still think of the library primarily as a place to get hard copy material, and seem to be surprised when we show them the e-books collections. But they do use them once they know they're there. I think out most popular collection is Safari, great for looking up technical information.
Do you own a dedicated e-book reader such as the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook? If so, what do you think of it?
I don't own one myself, yet. I have several friends who have and love them and I suspect I'll be getting one in the foreseeable future. I'm envisioning e-readers becoming the new format for daily newspapers and magazines. Publishing them for free online hasn't worked very well, at least not for the publishers' bottom lines. But a modest subscription fee to allow one to read the morning paper while sitting on the couch with your coffee might just do it.
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