What did you find interesting about the wiki concept?
There are many things I find interesting about the wiki concept. The first is the concept of linking between pages. Wikis take full advantage of the hyperlinked web environment. Wikis are read differently than other forms of "linear" media. Quite often while reading Wikipedia I've clicked a hyperlinked word to a new article before I've finished reading the original article. This process is often repeated with the new article and can be repeated ad infinitum or until my eyes are tired of staring at a computer screen.
What types of applications within libraries and schools might work well with a wiki?
Our library uses PBwiki as a knowledge management tool. We post information from reference questions and organize them by topic. I like using a wiki, because we can create numerous indexes that link to the page containing information about the reference question. These can be arranged different ways - alphabetically by topic, by subject, by professor, by date, by class, etc. The reference librarians can create as many indexes linking to these pages as they deem necessary or useful, and they do not take up extra "space" in the same way multiple indexes would take up pages in a book.
Many teachers/faculty "ban" Wikipedia as a source for student research. What do you think of the practice of limiting information by format?
I don't think it is so much the "format" of Wikipedia that these teachers and faculty are concerned about. If it was, say, a science wiki created by a group of world-renowned scientists and accessible to the public, I think the teachers would be more willing to allow it as a source for student research. Wikipedia is occasionally edited by scholars in various fields, but also by many people who are not experts at what they write about. I think these teachers and faculty members are more concerned with authority than format, which is a perfectly reasonable concern.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thing 9 - Online Collaboration Tools
Which of these tools is easier for you to use?
I believe the Google docs version of the document was easier for me to edit, because Google has become such a familiar interface for me. Google, Gmail, Google groups, etc. all have similar-looking tabs and functions.
What would the Founding Fathers think?
Having visited Thomas Jefferson's house, I know that he was a fan of invention and innovation. He was already into collaborative writing technology before it was in fashion. One of his inventions was an improved polygraph machine, which duplicated his correspondence as he wrote it. This improved collaboration by ensuring that both the sender and recipient possessed identical documents. I'm sure he would enjoy the ease of collaborating with his fellow founding fathers using Google docs, not to mention saving on postage.
I believe the Google docs version of the document was easier for me to edit, because Google has become such a familiar interface for me. Google, Gmail, Google groups, etc. all have similar-looking tabs and functions.
What would the Founding Fathers think?
Having visited Thomas Jefferson's house, I know that he was a fan of invention and innovation. He was already into collaborative writing technology before it was in fashion. One of his inventions was an improved polygraph machine, which duplicated his correspondence as he wrote it. This improved collaboration by ensuring that both the sender and recipient possessed identical documents. I'm sure he would enjoy the ease of collaborating with his fellow founding fathers using Google docs, not to mention saving on postage.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Thing 8 discussion
What uses do these tools have for library or personal use?
The slide show tools could replace PowerPoint presentations in some settings. Online slide shows such as those created with ZohoShow are accessible from any computer with Internet access - there is no need to access your network files or a flash drive to present your slides. Online slide shows also facilitate collaboration by allowing geographically distant colleagues to edit the same slide show via the Internet. One could also present a slide show over the Internet to people at a distance, or post the show on your website for public access.
I can see a use for this type of slide show tool in our library instruction sessions. Instructors could access their slides from any computer on campus. The slide shows could be linked or embedded on the library website or within the portal for students to review at a later date.
I used Picture Trail to create the photo slides hows seen below. This type of visual slide show could be used as a fun way to increase library users' familiarity with the people and places of our library. Slide shows give people an "insider" glimpse of people, places or things. I think people feel included as part of a group when they are given the chance to see someone else's slides. Our library might be able to benefit from generating that feeling amongst our users.
I enjoyed using lazybase, an online database tool with potential uses for academic libraries. I've already started a database for my C.S. Lewis book club. Our library could use a lazybase, linked to our website or the portal, to organize and share Research Writing topics, book reviews and recommendations, subject guides, etc. We could choose to give editing privileges to everyone or restrict editing access to library staff.
I was also quite impressed with eFolio Minnesota. What a wonderful tool for everyone in Minnesota to organize and share their professional development activities! Using web functionality, educators, students and other career people can present their professional portfolios using text, pictures and links between sections. With eFolio, I can read about what other educators in Minnesota are doing, learning, presenting and publishing. This will give me ideas for my own professional development, as well as the ability to network with people who have similar professional interests.
I hope this idea catches on on other states and countries. It would be a helpful tool for students researching scholar's credentials for their Research Writing papers.
Was the tool you used easy to navigate and understand? Would you recommend it to others?
I thought that all of the tools were easily understandable, and I would recommend them.
The slide show tools could replace PowerPoint presentations in some settings. Online slide shows such as those created with ZohoShow are accessible from any computer with Internet access - there is no need to access your network files or a flash drive to present your slides. Online slide shows also facilitate collaboration by allowing geographically distant colleagues to edit the same slide show via the Internet. One could also present a slide show over the Internet to people at a distance, or post the show on your website for public access.
I can see a use for this type of slide show tool in our library instruction sessions. Instructors could access their slides from any computer on campus. The slide shows could be linked or embedded on the library website or within the portal for students to review at a later date.
I used Picture Trail to create the photo slides hows seen below. This type of visual slide show could be used as a fun way to increase library users' familiarity with the people and places of our library. Slide shows give people an "insider" glimpse of people, places or things. I think people feel included as part of a group when they are given the chance to see someone else's slides. Our library might be able to benefit from generating that feeling amongst our users.
I enjoyed using lazybase, an online database tool with potential uses for academic libraries. I've already started a database for my C.S. Lewis book club. Our library could use a lazybase, linked to our website or the portal, to organize and share Research Writing topics, book reviews and recommendations, subject guides, etc. We could choose to give editing privileges to everyone or restrict editing access to library staff.
I was also quite impressed with eFolio Minnesota. What a wonderful tool for everyone in Minnesota to organize and share their professional development activities! Using web functionality, educators, students and other career people can present their professional portfolios using text, pictures and links between sections. With eFolio, I can read about what other educators in Minnesota are doing, learning, presenting and publishing. This will give me ideas for my own professional development, as well as the ability to network with people who have similar professional interests.
I hope this idea catches on on other states and countries. It would be a helpful tool for students researching scholar's credentials for their Research Writing papers.
Was the tool you used easy to navigate and understand? Would you recommend it to others?
I thought that all of the tools were easily understandable, and I would recommend them.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Thing 7 - Web 2.0 Communication Tools
Describe how your library uses email. Has it improved productivity?
The staff at our library use email to communicate with each other and with the rest of the college: faculty, staff and students. Many of us store important messages for future reference, and retrieve them using the search feature or a sorting feature.
Our library uses Outlook email, with the feature that alerts us to incoming messages. I believe this feature can be turned off, but so far, we have all left it on. Some might argue that this decreases productivity by providing random interruptions to workflow, but I would argue that it adds variety to workflow. I typically enjoy answering emails as soon as I receive them, so that I know that task is done and I can move on to other things.
Share your thoughts on online reference using some of the other Web 2.0 communication tools.
I think online reference is a good idea, if it will be used by the students here. One important principle of online reference is to go where the students are. It would be helpful to do some kind of survey of the student body to determine which online Web 2.0 tools they already use, and then to incorporate those into our reference services.
Are you an active user of text messaging, IM, or other communication tools?
I do not currently use text messaging, because I do not own a cell phone. The only IM I use is within Gmail. When I am logged in to Gmail, I can see which of my friends are also logged in and chat with them. This has been a great tool for keeping in touch with friends from graduate school. Since they all live in Canada, chatting with them in Gmail is a lot less expensive than phoning them.
For this Thing I used Google talk to chat with Dora. It was remarkably similar to chatting within Gmail, and probably just as permanent.
Which OPAL or MINITEX Web conference (Webinar) did you attend? How was it? What do you think of this communication tool?
I viewed the archived MINITEX webinar on OCLC collection analysis. It was a really interesting product! As for the webinar itself, I liked that fact that it was archived, so I could view it in my own timeframe. I was also able to pause the webinar while I ate lunch and then worked at the reference desk, and then come back to it several hours later and pick up where I left off. I've attended and even led live webinars in the past, so I think they are a useful tool for communicating a message to a geographically distant audience.
The staff at our library use email to communicate with each other and with the rest of the college: faculty, staff and students. Many of us store important messages for future reference, and retrieve them using the search feature or a sorting feature.
Our library uses Outlook email, with the feature that alerts us to incoming messages. I believe this feature can be turned off, but so far, we have all left it on. Some might argue that this decreases productivity by providing random interruptions to workflow, but I would argue that it adds variety to workflow. I typically enjoy answering emails as soon as I receive them, so that I know that task is done and I can move on to other things.
Share your thoughts on online reference using some of the other Web 2.0 communication tools.
I think online reference is a good idea, if it will be used by the students here. One important principle of online reference is to go where the students are. It would be helpful to do some kind of survey of the student body to determine which online Web 2.0 tools they already use, and then to incorporate those into our reference services.
Are you an active user of text messaging, IM, or other communication tools?
I do not currently use text messaging, because I do not own a cell phone. The only IM I use is within Gmail. When I am logged in to Gmail, I can see which of my friends are also logged in and chat with them. This has been a great tool for keeping in touch with friends from graduate school. Since they all live in Canada, chatting with them in Gmail is a lot less expensive than phoning them.
For this Thing I used Google talk to chat with Dora. It was remarkably similar to chatting within Gmail, and probably just as permanent.
Which OPAL or MINITEX Web conference (Webinar) did you attend? How was it? What do you think of this communication tool?
I viewed the archived MINITEX webinar on OCLC collection analysis. It was a really interesting product! As for the webinar itself, I liked that fact that it was archived, so I could view it in my own timeframe. I was also able to pause the webinar while I ate lunch and then worked at the reference desk, and then come back to it several hours later and pick up where I left off. I've attended and even led live webinars in the past, so I think they are a useful tool for communicating a message to a geographically distant audience.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Thing 6 - Online Image Generators
Consider how you can use these tools in your library.
I think librarian trading cards would go over well with the students here. The librarians are popular and well-liked, and I'm sure students would appreciate having cards with librarians' image and contact information to take with them, anywhere.
How about a license plate with the name of your program?
Sure, why not?
Thing 5 - More Flickr Fun
Wow, it's a dog puzzle.
How can you use any of these tools in your library? Reading programs, posters promoting library events, librarian trading cards all come to mind as possibilities.
Our library does a fair amount of event promotion. We actually had a puzzle theme for last year's National Library Week events, and a puzzle generator might have been a handy tool to embellish our theme. Some of the other mashups, including the slideshow, could be added to our website as a way to share library photos. A moving slideshow might generate more interest in library events than clip art alone.
What do you think of sharing photos online?
I think it's nice if people want to share their photos with others. One thing I enjoy is looking at people's Flickr photos of places (mostly in Europe) that I'd like to visit. It's like taking a mini-vacation. My graduate school (in Canada) has a Flickr account where people upload photos from around campus. I occasionally enjoy looking at the UWO photostream to see what's happening at my alma mater. Our library could start a similar Flickr account for people to upload their photos of library events, or just everyday life in the library.
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