F-R-E-E-D-O-M!

2.0 needs a 613.25

The perspectives on Web 2.0 were a bit expected but nice to read. I see great things for incorporating Web 2.0 into various aspects of librarianship, but only when the focus is very tight and systematic. Some people liken the Internet to a library with all of the pages torn out of the books - assuming that many of those books are completely unauthorized and unreviewed nonfiction - and all of those pages strewn across the carpet (or astroturf, depending on your branch's location). Some of the sites required for our "23 Things" seem to me offshoots of this rambling mess concept, and I think in an effort to better relate to hip 21st-century patrons we are embracing points of entry that go against the integrity and cohesion we pray are central to society's definition of a library.

Technorati Requirement

A search for "web 2.0" and an advanced search for our library's URL as instructed yielded many unorganized results. This site has better search tools than del.icio.us, but I still don't understand what "Does this mean that people don't see the giant turkey we have on our homepage?" has to do with our library system's Web site. More interesting is our IT's statement that 175,000 blogs are created daily. Er, okay. If I ever needed a reason to take up drinking...

Delicious Requirement

The del.icio.us site was interesting. I thought it was rather funny that our system saved its individual Web pages to the favorites. Although I appreciate the experience, I think the site is not well-organized and needs more advanced search tools as the current setup most certainly favors bored browsers.

Web Feat Fulfillment

A search for my hometown brought up many hits. I <3 many research resources but do not love Web Feat. It is passive enough that I may use it for very obscure phrasings and in select other cases, however, so I do appreciate the experience.

Library Thing Fulfillment

Five book titles were added to an account created at Library Thing, and a Library Thing widget added to the blog elements. Library Thing was interesting but not as impressive as it could be, as their search tools leave something to be desired.

Image Generation

Exploring the image generator websites led to many interesting finds. It was not hard to generate the image, although it was rather difficult to find the image I had already visualized. Mission accomplished, though. I always did love to combine work and play. Now Showing. Really.

Bloglines Requirement

I added 3 RSS feeds to my bloglines account as mandated by law, and it was not too terrible an experience. I added two Library Journal feeds and one The Onion feed. I later added the feeds to the blog itself, a task that our library system would do well to elaborate on since this seems more conducive to our mission than Bloglines alone. I'm not as likely to incorporate this into my own (ongoing) personal life for now but I can see how this would be beneficial for specific library Web pages or weblogs. Some feed displays are warm and cooperative, others huge and imposing.

Photo Upload

LVY 166
Originally uploaded by bloomcounty1

Here is a photo. Now that blogger has reluctantly accepted me as a friend, I am trying to retrace the steps I so eloquently took before being blocked. It was not hard to upload once I read through most of Flickr's many, many, many help pages. Like my blog name, my photo pretty much ensures my obscurity.

The Onion - America's Finest News Source

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Technology

What interests me that is technology-related... the Internet and email are truly incredible, and I feel so blessed that I am experiencing them in this physical reality. However. I think that children being raised during the time that the Internet is widely available are missing out on that wonderful LIFE tool called delayed gratification. I have a lot to say about this. (Turns, walks away.)

Liblogs?

Blogging in libraries is a pretty interesting concept. Branches that have a good YA person on staff (those that actually want people to come) could really extend on great programming by creating a teenager-oriented blog, and those branches with a devoted group of adult book discussioners could benefit from this, too. Literacy tutors could have a blog, and book discussion leaders, and each branch - with related blogs linked visibly from one to the other. Hmmm...

7.5 Habits of Lifelong Learners

The video was fairly straightforward about various steps one can use toward attaining a goal. The steps are nothing unusual but repetition always helps concepts to sink in, so I thank them anyway. I have always been a believer in lifelong learning and usually have a couple of nonfiction books and one fiction book at any given time. This extends to my extracurricular interests as well.