I have really enjoyed this hands-on online course. My confidence with things digital has increased, and I would love to be able to implement/integrate some of the Web 2.0 technologies into the services provided by by local public library (if and when I eventually get a job). Thanks heaps Mylee and Ellen and whoever else was involved. I will keep a look out for updates on your site.
Cheers
Jo
Monday 29 August 2011
Activity 24: The Dark side of the Web
Unfortunately I learned the hard way about just how 'dark' the Web can be. About 10 years ago (not long after I started using online banking) I had a key-stroke-capture virus attach itself to my computer via a trojan. About thirty thousand dollars was taken out of my account before I noticed the discrepency. Luckily, the bank reimbursed it all. I'm still not sure why it happened, except that despite having antivirus software installed and running, a window used pop up saying I had a trojan virus. My teenage children at the time said "don't worry Mum, the antivirus software is working etc..". It certainly was worrying at the time, and has made me very aware of scams and viruses etc. I was asked to go to court to testify, but didn't have to in the end. I was notified of the findings of the court case eventually. They prosecuted the 'donkey' who is the person who went to the ATM's and withdrew the funds, but he was working....wait for it...the Russian Mafia! Yes, it was like on the tv, only real. Apparently the banks very rarely get their money back in such cases. I believe the banks have more secure systems now. I haven't returned to online banking though. At the time, I talked in depth to someone in the bank's frauds department who assured me he would never do online banking on a home computer.
My mother-in-law was also targeted in a scam recently. She received a phone call and believed the caller to be a representative of microsoft, so proceded to allow him remote access into her computer. I really feel for the elderly when they are targeted like this. I guess being aware yourself, and promoting awarenesss amongst anyone you think might require assistance can only be beneficial. The internet certainly is wonderful, and with a little care, the pitfalls can be minimised.
My mother-in-law was also targeted in a scam recently. She received a phone call and believed the caller to be a representative of microsoft, so proceded to allow him remote access into her computer. I really feel for the elderly when they are targeted like this. I guess being aware yourself, and promoting awarenesss amongst anyone you think might require assistance can only be beneficial. The internet certainly is wonderful, and with a little care, the pitfalls can be minimised.
Activity 23: Mashups revisited
Mashups are so varied and applied in so many different ways. I googled and explored mashups via youtube. I looked at some actual youtube mashups (of classical music mixed with contempory artist's vocals), but decided this isn't really my thing...obviously someone does appreciate it though. I also looked a youtube videos explaining what mashups are, so my understanding has deepened. APIs are provided by the likes of Yahoo, Google, Amazon, and Ebay. Developers can merge these APIs to make new applications.
Here is my Bubblr mashup....
Bubblr uses a Flickr Api that lets you add cartoon bubbles to photos, which are then available publically online. This application could be used as a promotion tool on the library website if someone was creative enough.
The mashups of US data weren't so interesting to look at.
'Interestingness' uses a Flickr API to display a daily photo wall which is composed using the 'interestingness' algorithm. This algorithm is based on users comments, time of comment, whether the image is added as a favourite, tags and more. This is a great way to browse a a wide variety of images.
Another fun mashup using a Flickr API is 'Bookr', with which you can create and share a book containing flickr photos (creative commons content), adding your own title, text etc. The book can be emailed or embedded into a blog. This would be a fun activity to explore during library computer classes.
Here is my Bubblr mashup....
Bubblr uses a Flickr Api that lets you add cartoon bubbles to photos, which are then available publically online. This application could be used as a promotion tool on the library website if someone was creative enough.
The mashups of US data weren't so interesting to look at.
'Interestingness' uses a Flickr API to display a daily photo wall which is composed using the 'interestingness' algorithm. This algorithm is based on users comments, time of comment, whether the image is added as a favourite, tags and more. This is a great way to browse a a wide variety of images.
Another fun mashup using a Flickr API is 'Bookr', with which you can create and share a book containing flickr photos (creative commons content), adding your own title, text etc. The book can be emailed or embedded into a blog. This would be a fun activity to explore during library computer classes.
Activity 22: Instant Communication
This activity has helped me become aware of the multitude of 'instant communication' options available. Although I am familiar with, and use skype, and have made use of the online chat facility available via the CSU library, I wasn't familiar with MSN messenger, Yahoo Messenger, AIM or google talk, google video and voice etc. I use skype to communicate with family in Victoria, but our internet connection isn't always great and personally I prefer to chat on the phone, rather than via glitchy video and voice. I have really appreciated CSU's online chat facility and think this is a great way for libraries to provide a service to their clients. I now understand that an instant messenger service for the library can occur via the library webpage, or via these other chat options, provided the screen name of the chat service provider is known (eg. davisrefdesk is the screen name for the UNL Unuversity Libraries IM librarian service). My teenage son has just recently purchased a headset with microphone, and he now chats to his friends as they play online games against each other. I'm not a great fan of these online games but I do concede that being able to chat and socialise whilst playing, is better than sitting quietly and only ineracting via the game.
Friday 26 August 2011
Activity 21: More with Google Docs
As i'm not yet working in a library and am self employed, I haven't had the need to create a working Google Docs document yet. I've had a good play around with it though, and looked at the tips, and I can definitely see the benefits of being able to share a document, spreadsheet, presentation or drawing online, and share the creating and editing too. This application would be really helpful for branch libraries that are geographically dispersed, but similarly in large libraries where co-workers are in different departments or on different levels.
The tip I found most interesting is that collaboration is possible via a chat session in real time. This means if you are creating or editing a document/presentation/spreadsheet/drawing and someone is working at the same time as you, a chat box will show, to allow collaboration in real time. This feature is quite remarkable and I imagine it would be most useful, efficient and effective. I also envisage that specific times could be scheduled (perhaps with the help of google calendar and Doodle) so that co-workers could log on, chat, and work on a project at a designated time.
Also the fact that Google Docs are 'rendered' in HTML, making it easy to add content to a web page is of great benefit. I completed a subject in Web design last semester, so I can envisage that being able to use Google Docs to create content collaboratively for a library webpage, and then upload it easily to the website is real boon.
The tip I found most interesting is that collaboration is possible via a chat session in real time. This means if you are creating or editing a document/presentation/spreadsheet/drawing and someone is working at the same time as you, a chat box will show, to allow collaboration in real time. This feature is quite remarkable and I imagine it would be most useful, efficient and effective. I also envisage that specific times could be scheduled (perhaps with the help of google calendar and Doodle) so that co-workers could log on, chat, and work on a project at a designated time.
Also the fact that Google Docs are 'rendered' in HTML, making it easy to add content to a web page is of great benefit. I completed a subject in Web design last semester, so I can envisage that being able to use Google Docs to create content collaboratively for a library webpage, and then upload it easily to the website is real boon.
Wednesday 24 August 2011
Activity 20: Event Management
I'm not yet working in a library, and am self employed, so personally I don't have much need for events management tools. However I can certainly see the benefits of being able to schedule events/meetings concerning lots of people with a tool like Doodle. I did set up a Doodle account, and emailed an invitation to nswpln@gmail.com. to invite you all to my dinner party in October (let me know which Saturday suits you), to celebrate my completion of a Bachelor of Applied Science in Library and Information Management! Hope you can all make it.
Here is my Google Calendar. I'm definitely getting more confident. I changed the size of the calendar so it fitted into the blog better. A Google Calendar can be shared with co-workers or within a company (or library of course). It is a great little application that optimizes attendance at events in such a simple but clever way.
I wonder who will reply to my Doodle invitation???
Who thought up that name anyway....Doodle???
Here is my Google Calendar. I'm definitely getting more confident. I changed the size of the calendar so it fitted into the blog better. A Google Calendar can be shared with co-workers or within a company (or library of course). It is a great little application that optimizes attendance at events in such a simple but clever way.
I wonder who will reply to my Doodle invitation???
Who thought up that name anyway....Doodle???
Activity 19: Productivity: more ways with RSS
This activity wasn't quite as useful as some of the others. RSS in itself is a filtering tool, and to have to filter further would only be useful to someone who had a specific need. So I can see the benefits of its use for serious researchers who might want to further filter sites they are already subscribing to via RSS. Hence, RSS filtering (eg. by FeedRinse, FilterMyRss or FeedSifter) would be be applicable in a tertiary library, government department library or medical library for example, but not so much in a public library setting. Perhaps librarians researching a specific topic relevant to their work might also use an RSS filter.
I did set up an alert for my Regional Council website 'vacancies' page, as I am constantly monitoring it incase there is a library job advertised I can apply for! Hopefully I will now receive an alert via email.
I haven't organised my feeds in any way. I simply scroll through them and scan to see what I might like to delve further into. I quite like doing this.
I did set up an alert for my Regional Council website 'vacancies' page, as I am constantly monitoring it incase there is a library job advertised I can apply for! Hopefully I will now receive an alert via email.
I haven't organised my feeds in any way. I simply scroll through them and scan to see what I might like to delve further into. I quite like doing this.
Activity 18: Slideshows, Screencasting and Digital Storytelling
This activity helped me get some terminology sorted, and increased my confidence so that I am keen to help the librarian (for whom I volunteer)produce some tutorials about using the OPAC, for those who aren't familiar with it. Here's what I learnt: In the library setting, slideshows are useful for presentations, storytelling and training purposes. 'Slideshare' is an online slideshow hosting service, where slideshows (powerpoints, open office and PDF files) can be uploaded and shared online, or embedded into a blog or website. The slideshow then has a URL which can be shared via email. Soho is a similar site that allows you to create, edit and upload online presentations.ScreenCasting involves making a digital recording of a computer screen with added audio.
I explored Screenr and attempted to make a presentation about using the OPAC in my public library. I couldn't get the audio to work...(guess I need a microphone)but I'm sure this would be easily sorted. What I learnt was that the technology is very user friendly (surprise surprise). It is the development of the script that would be time consuming. When I first started my online study, I made good use of screencasts when learning how to use the CSU library. Now I feel I'm ready to make one! This is an excellent tool and I hope I can convince Ros that we can make some really useful screencasts.
I explored Screenr and attempted to make a presentation about using the OPAC in my public library. I couldn't get the audio to work...(guess I need a microphone)but I'm sure this would be easily sorted. What I learnt was that the technology is very user friendly (surprise surprise). It is the development of the script that would be time consuming. When I first started my online study, I made good use of screencasts when learning how to use the CSU library. Now I feel I'm ready to make one! This is an excellent tool and I hope I can convince Ros that we can make some really useful screencasts.
Activity 17: Nings
Like lots of new technological terms, I had come across the term Ning but had no idea what it was before I completed this activity. Here's what I know now. A Ning is a site that combines elements of blogs, wikis and forums. It is a social networking site for an online community. Ning used to offer a free service, but now it is fee based (which upset some users). I explored the 'Mosman Reader' Ning which contained lots of content and seemed to be an active community. For myself, the 'Library 2.0' Ning was very interesting, expecially the 'New Librarian Experience' group, and the 'Public Libraries 2.0' group. I also found the 'NSW Public Library's' group (run by Ellen) and tried to join, but haven't had an email reply yet. Ning claims to be 'the worlds largest platform for creating social websites'. Phil Bradley's weblog lists some alternatives that are free; www.zimbio.com and www.socialgo.com. Ning is a really effective online community building tool. I also think in a public library setting, those participating in an online Ning community could also meet physically. So I see it could be a way to build an online community that would spill over into the physical environment of the library too.
Tuesday 23 August 2011
Activity 16: Evaluation of Web 2 Tools
In this activity I learnt how lots of Web 2 tools can have a built in ability to gather statistics about users. Google analytics is used to gather statistics from websites, blogs and wikis. The University where I completed my placement used google analytics to see which parts of their website and which information sources were most used. Survey Monkey is a free or fee based service for creating a survey to use online. The public library I visit recently hosted a survey created by servey monkey, which I completed.
I have set up a Feedburner account to analyse use of my blog. Let me say I am not expecting great things here. For libraries, I can definitely see the benefits of these statistic gathering tools. If a librarian wanted to create a blog, wiki, podcast etc., and needed permission to do so, being able to say statistics would be so easily gathered about the tool would be a great selling point, when everything these days needs to be costed and justified etc.
I have set up a Feedburner account to analyse use of my blog. Let me say I am not expecting great things here. For libraries, I can definitely see the benefits of these statistic gathering tools. If a librarian wanted to create a blog, wiki, podcast etc., and needed permission to do so, being able to say statistics would be so easily gathered about the tool would be a great selling point, when everything these days needs to be costed and justified etc.
Activity 15: Del.icio.us
I have just created a Delicious account(as I didn't do so in the first course),so here is my Delicious tagcloud. Am rather pleased with it but realise it is rather small compared other peoples. It is a start....
Actually this tagcloud is quite a personalised description of how I spend my time. This activity wasn't too difficult, partly because I did spend time exploring Delicious in the first nswlearning2 course. I have to admit that my 'Favourites' box was so random and unorganised and dated, I had to sort through and decide which sites to bookmark via delicious. This really is a good activity for a soon to be librarian (am worried that my Favourites box didn't look like a librarian's Favourites box should, however.....my Delicious account does!). I will definitely be adding to it, and can really see the benefits for libraries to share websites they have tagged, as searching for useful sites/requested topics is so time consuming.
Activity 14: Tweeting
So I've been hearing about tweeting and seeing the twitter icon everywhere for ages, and now I've spent some time trying to understand the attraction. Here's what I've learnt: Tweets can be up to 140 characters only, tweets are short bite sized updates, tweets allow you to publish your thoughts quickly and follow others' thoughts/information streams, tweets can be viewed by everyone (public homepage) a group or indiviuals, tweets can be published to a blog or social networking site, tweets make connections, tweets serve a different purpose to blogs and email. Librarians tweet to keep clients updated and informed on any manner of things. I did a tweet search for public libraries and found some interesting topics to follow...the convoy of no confidence heading to Canberra, and another..'Take action: stop the privatization of California's public libraries' by Watchdogsniffer (how do they think of these names?). My first impression of tweets was that they are a different language! For example, this ALIA tweet: RT2helenmilner Some slides on slideshare for #disll&future enjoyment slidesha.re/nVBFQH+filmison YouTube bit......I guess Helen Milner must understand this tweet. Some tweets definitely require some deciphering, but I think you would get used to the
language and 140 character limit with practice. I haven't gone as far as getting a twitter account myself. I'm more interested as a result of my exploration though.
language and 140 character limit with practice. I haven't gone as far as getting a twitter account myself. I'm more interested as a result of my exploration though.
Friday 5 August 2011
Activity 13: Refreshing the blog
So I have revisited what is possible via blogger, and changed a few things (the colour and font of the title, and font of the description). I looked at other templates, but decided to keep my book shelves template, as I really like it, and books are still relevant to the topic of libraries, despite the prevalence of digital/online everything. I also learnt that blogs can have up to 100 authors (for blogger anyhow), and a blog can be read by anyone, people I choose, or only blog authors. I also became more aware of other settings and what they achieve, such as how the archives can be sorted.
As I'm not following a weekly timetable for this program, I can't really comment on how much I've blogged since the 2.0 course, as I only just completed activity 12 an hour or so ago.
I guess JoBlogsWeb2 is a form of 'Life blogging' (which is reality blogging), in that it records my progression through this program. I like the informality of it, and how such informality can make a blog appealing to a large audience.
So far I haven't commented on others blogs, partly because lots of them were created quite a while ago, and I'm not sure that the authors would be checking them now for comments. However I did notice in the feedback form that participants do like comments, so....when I do come across a blog that seems to be current, I will comment on it from now on. Mylee provided the only comment on my blog so far, and I did like getting a comment. Thanks Mylee.
As I'm not following a weekly timetable for this program, I can't really comment on how much I've blogged since the 2.0 course, as I only just completed activity 12 an hour or so ago.
I guess JoBlogsWeb2 is a form of 'Life blogging' (which is reality blogging), in that it records my progression through this program. I like the informality of it, and how such informality can make a blog appealing to a large audience.
So far I haven't commented on others blogs, partly because lots of them were created quite a while ago, and I'm not sure that the authors would be checking them now for comments. However I did notice in the feedback form that participants do like comments, so....when I do come across a blog that seems to be current, I will comment on it from now on. Mylee provided the only comment on my blog so far, and I did like getting a comment. Thanks Mylee.
Activity 12: Social Networking
Mmmmmm. I've just spent another frustrating 45 minutes trying to find a library in Second Life. Yes...I am really useless at it, and have given up for the second time. I did sign up and get myself an avatar, but really,...I will have to get my teenage son to help me. And I have been going so well with this techhy stuff up till now. However, I have learned some things. Second Life is huge, and I will definitely return to it to explore some of the 'real' destinations.
Facebook: I did have a facebook account some time ago, but gave it up. I think it's rather wonderful for our younger generations to be able to socialize with eachother in such a fun and effective way. My three oldest have all moved away from home to persue careers, and facebook helps them keep in contact with all their old friends (and their new ones as well). Facebook for libraries: Facebook builds relationships (and these relationships become viral when patrons spread the word about the library with their friends),helps the library create its own personal brand, facilitates patron interaction which allows the library to gain insight from its customers (in an easier manner than via focus groups or surveys), facilitates display of flickr photos, can host an RSS feed from the library website, can host youtube videos of library orientation (or any youtube video)....Facebook creates community.
Facebook: I did have a facebook account some time ago, but gave it up. I think it's rather wonderful for our younger generations to be able to socialize with eachother in such a fun and effective way. My three oldest have all moved away from home to persue careers, and facebook helps them keep in contact with all their old friends (and their new ones as well). Facebook for libraries: Facebook builds relationships (and these relationships become viral when patrons spread the word about the library with their friends),helps the library create its own personal brand, facilitates patron interaction which allows the library to gain insight from its customers (in an easier manner than via focus groups or surveys), facilitates display of flickr photos, can host an RSS feed from the library website, can host youtube videos of library orientation (or any youtube video)....Facebook creates community.
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