Wrapup

When starting this whole exercise I had absolutely no idea what to expect, so approached it with excitement mixed with a little bit of trepidation. It has taken a whole lot longer than anticipated, as I fell into a hole halfway through. With wonderful help and encouragement from Sarah (thanks, Sarah), I have soldiered on. It did feel a slog at times but what a wonderful relief on reaching the end. I have learnt a lot and have realised how much more there is to learn.

Change, change and more change is the order of the day in the 21st century, and if one is not willing to embrace it, one will be left far behind. I am really pleased to have worked through Web 2.0; as a result of the programme I feel more open to exploring the fun aspect of the Web and in developing my skills independently.

Flickr, Youtube and Del.icio.us have been the sites I have enjoyed the most. I would love to surprise my family with my knowledge and skill in exploring the internet and its various applications - I know I am a long way off, but I now feel I have started on the journey.

Social networking and libraries

It is interesting to see how some (but not many, yet) libraries have realised the possibilities of the powerful social network that is Myspace. Embracing this technology will be critical to the survival of the library. Outreach programmes specially developed to engage young people on their own turf is very smart. However they must be maintained in a timely and relevant way otherwise libraries will soon be seen as nerdish and out of date. I enjoyed the article by Beth Evans.

Myspace and others like it are great vehicles for creating online communities for professional development. No one need feel isolated.

Social networking

The task this time was to look at Facebook (which I have done, and even joined it and the North Shore Libraries group), Myspace, Bebo and various other social networking services. Different members of my family are old hands at this and keep in contact almost every day with friends from around the world. They have been amused and sometimes disconcerted when someone they barely know has asked to be their friend - what is the etiquette, would you hurt their feelings if you declined? - and I think that although the networking sites are a great tool for personal use, I'll mainly pass. Don't think many of my friends have joined Facebook and Myspace and I cherish my privacy too much to divulge personal information.

Looked at Auckland City Library bebo and again can see it is a great tool, used judiciously and targeting different age groups. Must be kept up to date and relevant.

e books

Found this an interesting exercise, if only to realise that although it might be easy and convenient to download a book and listen to it on the bus, it still would not have the same feel as physically touching and smelling and absorbing the story in a book with pages as I have traditionally known it.

I searched for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice on LibriVox and immediately was able to make a choice of downloading it in total, chapter by chapter. Elsewhere I was offered any number of books and articles about Jane Austen and her works. It would be extremely useful to a student wanting criticisms for an assignment.

Podcasts

Went into podcastpickle.com, chose a travel tag, and then a podcast that appealed, added the rss link and added the feed to my bloglines account. I had to get help from a colleague to do this, as was getting very frustrated!

You tube

Having viewed some of the library videos, can see what a wonderful marketing and promotional tool they can be. I liked the way some videos were pacey, using modern music and technology while teaching kids how to use the library. Could see a use in our library in informing patrons of the different collections, like the specialist art collection and the NZ collection. Could also do a virtual tour of Sargeson House. We already have made use of videos in teaching how to conduct a reference interview but there are countless other uses.

Flock of starlings

Wonderful video of flocks of birds

exploring google maps

I looked at a couple of Web 2.0 awards sites before settling on google maps. The first (Zillow on Real Estate) was disappointing because it was so US oriented, but I got to see amazing homes owned by US presidents or presidential hopefuls. The second was fun (Im cooked in the Food option) and I learnt how to make sicilian pizza. But I finished up closer to home when I went into Google maps and zoomed in to Auckland, NZ and found a lovely photo of the beach at Minehaha Ave. This site could be very useful in pinpointing where libraries are and in printing off a map to a patron when they ask for directions.

zoho writer blog

Zoho writer

Thought it would be fun to write my blog using zoho writer. Hope it works out... My lack of experience is showing, but so far, so good. I think I could get to like this site. It's very like microsoft word, but more fun. I would like to explore more. It's a great site.

I thought this would be easy, but there seemed to be a go-slow on this afternoon, I got lost going round and round in circles even with the help of my friend, but we took a deep breath and tried yet again. Despite this, I would like to explore this further.

Rollyo exercise

I enjoyed doing this exercise. Found very interesting, useful information and pictures on some of the sites, choosing to look at bird migration and volcanoes and then Barack Obama. Found an amazing sequence of videos of flocks of birds.

Library thing

http://www.librarything.com/home/reynoldsdebbie8

Had a quick look only because I'm scooting to catch up with my exercises. Looks like fun, and I will return to it later.

playing around

Generators, exercise # 13

I added a most unoriginal picture to my site because I'm rushing to get through the exercises. I can see how exciting it would be to create posters, letter heads, make personal greeting cards, etc, and for libraries it is brilliant - the uses are endless - for displays, posters competitions.

message in the sand

Playing with paintbox

I've just spent an enjoyable half hour looking at other people's favourites, and have added one myself, on New Zealand birds.

Tui

Tui
Originally uploaded by Steinychris

Tui feeding in Kowhai tree

Birds

Birds of New Zealand
About a year ago a friend and I volunteered to do a regular bird count in our local park. Initially we were accompanied by an expert bird watcher, but lately we have been on our own. Once a month at (or near) dawn we walk through the park, which encompasses open meadows with exotic trees, up tracks through regenerating native bush, to a golf course in which there is a small pond. We then skirt around the margins of the bush on the golf course before plunging back onto a track leading eventually through an avenue of pohutukawas, past tennis courts and back onto the road through the park. Many private properties back onto the park, and so we are counting birds we see and hear ( the varieties and the numbers of each) both within the park and on the neighbouring properties. The bird life changes over the course of a year. When we started a year ago we could hear shining cuckoos, which overwinter in the Islands, and we are now waiting to hear our first shining cuckoo this year. So far we have sighted or heard 26 different types of bird, mostly introduced, but we are hoping as we clear out the exotic weeds in the park and the native plants with berries for food become established, more native birds will be attracted to the area. We hope that our bird count will provide valuable information about bird populations over the years.

Looking at Wikis

I very much enjoyed this exercise. In the book lover's wiki I instantly saw books that I would love to read, and plan to have a look on our catalogue to see if we already have them - if not, I will put in a recommendation to buy. The utube video gave a very clear and helpful example of how a wiki functions. Some of the wikis for libraries and librarians seemed quite technical, but I could see how useful they would be, making it a useful tool for sharing information and processes so that one doesn't need to keep on reinventing the wheel. I could see many ways that our library could benefit from other's expertise, for instance in branding and promoting services and in the reader's advisory service.

Having read a few perspectives on Web 2.0, Library 2.0

The reading that most spoke to me was Wendy Shultz's "To a temporary place in time". She feels people will still need experienced tour guides to help them navigate through the information sources and expostulates that libraries (librarians) must offer a compelling experience - authentic, humane, experiential, impassioned, relevant and participatory. She sounds a very passionate advocate and certainly enthused me with her thoughts. Library 4.0 sounds wonderful, providing a stillness, a retreat.

I enjoyed the other readings and the video and again looked at North Shore Library's Mission Statement, and found it still keeps the core values and recognises how important is is to be relevant and at the cutting edge.

Technorati

Finally can see the point of this exercise. Have been into Technorati, found 732 posts tagged" 2.0 learning", there were 932 blogs and 8,218 posts tagged with "2.0". I found the site very busy and can't see that I will use it, but good to know what its all about. It is all adding to my knowledge of the interactive information that's available.

del.icio.us

Have had a look around some of the sites recommended and can see what a wonderful idea it is to use tags in a library - it doesn't feel stuffy and controlled, it is more a case of using everyday language. Many people have preconceived ideas about libraries, andtagging could pick up those who think that libraries are outdated and behind the times and show them that libraries and librarians (some) are techni-savvy. I'm working on it!

Bloglines account

Have just successfully subscribed to a bloglines account and added some feeds - I think! When I tried last week I was baulked because the page was unavailable. I hope to be able to get news of the avalanche that occurred on Mont Blanc earlier this week, killing 8 Swiss climbers. When I get more up to speed with it I would like to get access to information about new books being published.

RSS feeds and bloglines

Had a look at news feeds, and how one can bookmark URLs that interest you. It is great how you can choose information to be delivered to you automatically via your mobile. Don't know that I will actually use this (being such a technological bunny) but nice to know that I could if I really tried.
Also created a blogline account, but was foiled when tried to add feeds because the page was unavailable. Frustrating! I usually tend to think its because I'm doing something wrong, but was assured by those much more expert than I that this happens to them also. Must try again later.

Around the world communication made easy

One day last week, family member Trisha watched her 7 month old niece Katie as she stirred and woke up in her cot, and then spent the next 15 minutes chatting with her and playing peek-a-boo. She was able to do this because Katie's mum in New Zealand put her laptop in the cot with Katie and skyped Trisha in England. Aunt and niece had lots of fun, and the whole experience was captured on video so that Trisha's brother (and Katie's Dad) could watch them playing when he came home from work. Amazing!

Today at the bus stop I got chatting with a total stranger and in the course of the conversation mentioned how I rely always on having a map book in the glove compartment of my car so that I can refer to it if I get lost. (I can get lost in a paper bag). Sometimes though it isn't there when I need it because other members of my family use it and then don't always put it back. My new bus stop friend whipped out his mobile phone and said he uses that - just tells it where he is and where he wants to go and he gets the answer. I should have told him that he could also use it to look up the library catalogue as well, but the bus came along.

Mashup of church steeples

Having created a flickr account and being asked to use some of the tools, I decided to look at mashup and create a mosaic. I looked at pictures of church steeples, picked the ones I wanted and decided on the format of the mosaic, given the predetermined choices. I added them to my favourites in the flickr account, sending them to the H drive.

Mont Blanc

It is just over 2 years since a group of us from NZ completed the Tour du Mont Blanc. We decided to research it and plan it and do it the NZ way - freedom walking - rather than paying someone else big money to organise it for us. We took 11 days, including 2 rest days en route, and walked all around Mont Blanc, staying mostly in refuges, sometimes in a village or a town, and travelling from France, through Italy and then Switzerland before walking back into France. It was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life, and it stretched me almost to my physical limits. If there was a choice of paths or routes we always took the highest and most scenic (and hardest way) because we wanted to get the most from our experience, and what an experience. We crossed glaciers, climbed over 7 passes, walked through fields of mountain flowers and herds of cows, passed through quaint little villages and enjoyed the most stupendous scenery. It was exhausting and exhilarating.

Scene from the Tour du Mont Blanc

hy2673.JPG
Originally uploaded by AndreJenny.com

A great reminder of my wonderful tramping trip of 2 years ago.

introducing myself

It is very difficult to create a blog without giving away who you are - it makes for very boring reading. How much information to divulge? Oh what the heck, here goes...

I have been a librarian for a long time, a very long time, and I still love it, not only the work but the whole scene - the books, the people I get to meet and my colleagues. I feel very lucky to work in such a happy environment. But library work is only one part of my life. I also love my walking and the outdoors, having adventures while travelling both in New Zealand and the rest of the world, pottering around at home doing bits and pieces of craft work - a jill of all trades, mistress of none. I love being part of the community team looking after our local park, weeding and planting and caring for the environment, learning all the time about our native bush. I also have a very full family life; my family ranges in age from 90 years old to 2 months old, so my help is required on a regular basis. Hardly any time to fit in the reading

Here I am ... finally

After several false starts, I am now starting my journey, not quite kicking and screaming, into the world of cyberspace. How pleased I am with myself. Thanks, team for helping out. More to follow, after I've had a cup of tea and a little lie down.