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About Me
- Geri Hoekzema
- Sometimes it seems like there might be a plan and sometimes I think I'm making it up as I go along. Sometimes I'm certain and sometimes I'm undecided. Sometimes I just don't know enough yet. New information is always coming in. The book is never closed.
16 comments:
I've checked out several socail network sites, including MySpace and Face Book. I have not opened an account yet because I don't know if I want one, but I've familiarized myself somewhat with them.
GSH
I read Library Journal's aritcle about IM and its importance to library services now. I think it would be more helpful in some wys than phone info simply because it's easier for some people to spell out what they need in writing.
I also read the article summarizing various IM programs, and looked at the Blackberry website. I am not going to start instant messaging anytime soon since I don't see a need for it in my own daily routine, but if I ever want to, I know where to go for equipment and service.
I looked over the blogline offerings, and subscribed to Bookworm just to see what I'll get.
I used Google to search for the Bookworm site after I left it. I tried several of the other search tools but Google worked well enough.
I probably won't use services like Technorati in my personal life, since I don't habitually spend hours at the computer. It might be a useful feature for libraries to have, since many people do.
Delicious was, for my own purposes, much more useful than anything else I've seen during this course. I could really use a program that organizes my favorite sites and makes them available outside my home computer.
At this point in my life, I don't cruise the cyberworld much, partly because of time (with a FT job, family and a few outside fascinations, where would I have the time?), and partly because I guess I just haven't been bitten by the bug. Also, I prefer f2f visits over screen ones, and while I use email to keep up with people, I only send brief I'm-still-alive messages. I save the really satisfying stuff for letters...yep, letters, written on paper. For me, nothing can take the place of a really good pen with quality ink in a fun color, and interesting (possibly) handmade paper.
I earn extra income via freelance feature writing for women's magazines, most of which are published online, and I use the web to research. I also sing & play with a group dedicated to Renaissance music, and I have used several sites like the public domain choral library extensively in search of new material. I find that I really need some external motivation or project to mount a search - I don't just surf for the fun of it.
Life Goodreads. More later - gotta go.
I like the wiki concept - it would come in handy for a lot of daily functions. I esp. enjoyed browsing the wikihow site. I can see using it for a number of projects at home. The shared textbooks for children on wikibooks seems like a good site for libraries to load onto public computers.
I played around in two different sites, Cognitive Labs (the Wordshoot game) and Yahoo Answers.
I plan to have my son get onto wordshoot, and use it to up his typing speed. This would be a good game to have on YS computers, since everyone needs to know how to keyboard but many skill-building exercises are boring.
I also tried out Yahoo Answers. It was fun, but I think it has the potential to turn into one of those activities that can end up eating hours...sort of like web-surfing, for some people.
I was already somewhat familiar with Pandora, but took some time to explore the other features. I like the personal stations idea, with the program "reading" elements of the music, then finding other artists in the same vein. What I really found interesting, however, was the music genome project...although it's incomplete, with no info (or very little) on whole genres of music, such as Middle Eastern, Asian and Renaissance.
I have used podcasts for a number of years now. I subscribe to a few podcasts of shows on NPR, including "Splendid Table" and "Speaking of Faith," since I can't listen to them at the time OPB airs them.
Also, while this is not the same as podcasting, I've been using streaming sites for a number of years as well. Since OPB started dropping music shows and replacing them with news & talk, I've used streaming almost exclusively, rather than radio. My favorite os these sites is Allegro.
The problem with podcasts is that I usually don't have time during the week to listen to everything. Also, I find that it takes a long time to download some of them onto my MP3.
The sections on podcasting and online video were both informative; I explored a bunch of sites that were new to me. Both online audio and video should have a large place in the library system of information because of the enormous potential for information that will help customers, without the storage problems of regular materials. I would personally use these types of resources mainly for information, as in research, rather than entertainment, since I'm a reader who likes traditional books.
There's a lot of drek on the video sites, but occasionally there's something engaging, such as the video I saw on YouTube entitled "Return to Innocence." Demos of various kinds (cooking, crafting, repair) would be esp. appropriate for library coverage. Videos and podcasts both would be esp helpful for popular materials that are always checked out/on hold; customers wouldn't have to wait as long to get them.
I've read the items about microblogging, and can't say that this feature would seem terribly useful for libraries - too much "stuff." Since libraries don't actually make sales, there is no need for this kind of minute-by-minute updating appropriate to business.
This will cover two topics:
1. Social networks:
So far, I have not used either MySpace or Facebook - frankly, because it seems like just another thing that will need care & feeding (Wasn't email supposed to do away with paper clutter? Why hasn't it?). I've had friends with accounts, though, so I know what's involved.
When I get to a point where it will make sense to keep people apprised of thing going on with me, or if I ever go into business for myself, I think I'll stick to using my own website.
2- Newsfeeds
I've subscribed to one service (I can't even remember the name of it - it's pertinent to librarians) to be fed to my work email. Since I don't spend a lot of time on the computer at home, it doesn't make sense for me to subscribe to anything there. However, since I have a brother who works for Weatherbug, I have in the past subscribed to that.
To me, many of these programs seem a lot like TV - useful up to a point, but capable of becoming real time-wasters.
I created a Facebook account. Don't know how often I'll use it. I did see faces of some old college friends.
Much of what the course covered were things I've already used in the past or use regularly now, such as Pandora. I don't think I'll use any newsfeeds at home because I don't have time to do a lot online.
Here is what I think I can use:
* Possibly use Facebook to look people up.
* Look over whatever Goodreads sends me, to keep up with recommended books.
* Use whatever social networking sites might be available to get specific information when I'm researching something.
I don't anticipate using blogs or programs like Twitter, but I guess I should never say "never."
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