Thing 5

Uploaded one of my favorite photos of Bangle to Flickr - which you can see above! Searching using the tag "bangle" afterwards brought up a weird assortment of photos (no other dogs!). I did find lots of Airedale pictures - but none as cute as mine! This is the first time I've uploaded a photo to a site like this - but I have searched Flickr in the past for photos many times (once to help set a vacation agenda) and both of my kids use Flickr so I've viewed their pictures there as well. It is a fun way to share. As for library use, I wasn't sure how having pictures on flickr rather than just on our own website would serve patrons, but picked up some ideas from reading "16 ways to use flick @ your library" and see how it might as long as we direct them to those photos. Most interesting were the facts about social networking sites and Internet safety - and the need to educate ourselves and patrons about DOPA and its potential impact.

bangle

bangle
Originally uploaded by theskokieten

My dog Bangle. Isn't she cute?

Thing 4

Set up a MySpace account - easy enough to do initially! Searched for my children, only one of whom was there. (She popped right up - so it's easy to find people here if they are using their real names.) I didn't add her to my "friends list," though - I didn't seem like the intended audience for the things she was sharing. (Nothing bad, just aimed at her friends and age group!) I uploaded a picture of Bangle (my dog) and a flower picture taken off the Internet and fooled around with the site a bit. I have to say I know I won't be using this or adding to it and am glad I didn't use my name (only initials) or do much with my profile. Also, I didn't have any personal pictures on my computer at work so had to do that from home but found that there was very little in the way of directions on how to upload a picture if one didn't already have that knowledge. At work, spent a considerable amount of time with 2 coworkers trying to figure out how to add each other to our "friends list" - nowhere is this clearly explained (we were trying to do it from our own pages, not the other person's) and it took an Internet search and Yahoo questions to find the answer. Apparently, many other people have had the same problem. Very frustrating!

I have investigated LibraryThing in the past as a place to keep track of what I've read and store my annotations but, for a number of reasons, have not used it as yet - I hear that many small libraries are using it in lieu of a catalog!

Thing 3

Completed thing 3 - had to wait to get a partner(s) to actually IM but had read the articles, etc. earlier. Interesting that so many libraries are using IM for reference when the LJ article didn't come across as all that enthusiastic and seemed to give more drawbacks than advantages (or advantages that didn't apply to us like communicating between branches not in the same call area?). Also, I guess I don't understand the technical differences between "chat" and "IMing." The acronyms are fun, though - interesting how many of them (POS, CD9, PRW, etc.) warn of the approach of an impending parent encounter! Shows who is using this communication tool! But there is also BIL (boss is listening)! I know many people who stay connected this way - personally, I don't need to be that connected with anyone that much - but had fun with it and see the uses. Also, used in the workplace, better than being on the phone and annoying co-wokers with personal phone calls - or having them listen in on your conversations! TAFN!

Thing 2

Thing 2 accomplished! But I may already have to scale it back - or suffer from chronic information overload! Still, having "food," "fun," and "news" delivered might be a welcome change to seeking it out - and will keep me in the loop (or loopy, as the case may be). I subscribed to eight sites - the most intriguing the "Chocolate and Zucchini" blog; the most useful the Chicago Tribune; the most timely Cubs News. By the way, to finish off Thing 1, I visited Jim's 10 Things, left a posting and voted in his poll (how far will the Cubs go?). All the way, baby! - of course!

Thing 1

Well, Thing 1 seems to have been accomplished without a hitch! I confess I am surprised at the ease of setting up a blog - more a perfunctory exercise in following simple directions than either a technical feat or a creative endeavor. Inspired by the ease of it, I (almost) wish we had been asked to do something a bit more creative, and am lamenting that this is solely for the purpose of commenting on the process itself and the assignments to come. Ha, not really!!- time being the big issue (when do people read these things much less maintain their own?!) though I will admit that I've come up with a great title and topic for the blog I would establish if I ever feel inclined to share my passions and opinions with the entire world. And, when that day comes, at least now I'll know how to do it!

From the sample blogs I visited, I do see many applications for libraries - from keeping abreast of patron's concerns and opinions to informing them of library events, etc. to allowing them to be more active participants as members of the library community. I look forward to seeing how SPL utilizes this tool in the future!