Thing #7: Wikis

I like the idea that anyone can create a wiki. And on many wikis, anyone can edit.
I joined the group at Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki and was amazed at how easy it was to edit the pages.

I added the Library to the list of Libraries Using IM Reference; added myself to the Wiki Users List and just now, added myself to the Librarians Who IM list.
When I have more time, I'll check out the User Guide so I can edit a short "about me" to link to my name in the Wiki Users List.

I can see where exploring/adding/editing wikis could be every bit as addicting/time consuming as social networks! But I can also see the organizational value of them, especially where you want others to contribute.

- did you find the Wikipedia entry for Roselle, Illinois
Yep!

- What did you think of Schaumburg Library and Park Ridge Library's Learning 2.0 wikis? Does a wiki make more sense for a project like this? Why or why not?
I pored over these pretty thoroughly as I developed our own "Thing" thing. At the time, I wasn't familiar enought with the creating side of wikis to consider using that format for Roselle's program

- how could we use the wiki format at Roselle
If we ever re-design the employee intranet, a wiki would be an option.
Adult and or YS might consider using a wiki for an online ready reference tool; staff could easily add items that would then be searchable by all.

One last word about wikis. The other day I stumbled on a wikipedia article about my daughter-in-law's grandfather! Talk about a small world...

Thing #6: Instant Messaging

I use instant messaging alot at work - not so much at home.
The first thing I do when I log on to my computer at work is open my Meebo account. I particularly like Meebo because it works with several IM applications - AOL, Yahoo Messenger; MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ and more. But he nicest thing about Meebo is that people who don't have any IM application at all can use the Meebo chat box to ...well, chat.

You can try out the Meebo chat box on the Technical Services Intranet page and on the Playtime 2.0 blog.
I think I will go ahead and put one on this blog, too.


- How do you feel about IM as a mode of communication?
I really like IM because of its immediacy. If your "chatee" is online, you can just chat. You don't have to wait for an email response.

- Do you think IM Reference is a valuable service?
Yes! Yes! Yes!
I'm not sure how much use it gets in our Library, but I think it is a great service. Patrons are online; patrons have questions; patrons get answers right away.

When our redesigned website is launched - and maybe before - there will be a Meebo chat box on the home page and on departmental pages, as well.

Thing #5: Podcasting and Video Sharing

Listen to a podcast of this blog post




Arlington Heights PL has been in the forefront of Library video casting for a few years. They have a vLog (a video blog) on their website that is updated at least weekly.
This is their introduction to Baker's Dozen (their Web 2.0 learning program, offered to patrons): http://www.ahml.info/vlog/default.asp?ID=158

I think it would be great to do a vLog on our website including either live video promoting Library programs and events, or staff book reviews, or "canned" video trailers for books and movies.

Patrons might also like podcasts. gCast and Gabcast are two very easy to use sites that allow you to create podcasts for free. I used gCast to create the podcast about Playtime 2.0 on the Intranet.

Let's think about ways we can use video blogging and/or podcasting to promote the library. Leave me a comment with your ideas!

Thing #4: Flickr

Peek-A-Boo,
originally uploaded by marty_pinker.

This is the "interesting" photo I found on Flickr. Very cool, no??


- how you can use a photo sharing site for your personal photos?

As Karen mentioned in her blog, there are so many sites that allow you to upload and store pictures. If you hve accounts on several, how do you decide which to use?
I started out using Flickr for personal pictures. I posted my son's wedding photos there so I could share them with family. I may continue to use it for "albums," but for photos I want people to see, I will be more likely to post them on Facebook for my friends to see, or my MyFamily site, since my family in New Jersey, Pennsyvania, Florida and Michigan are all members of that site.

- how are libraries using Flickr? Roselle Library has a very minimal presence on Flickr. Should we be exploiting this site, or not? What do you think?

In my heart I feel like we should be using Flickr...but, it is just one more place to put the pictures we are already putting in the Photo Gallery and perhaps on Facebook, so...maybe not.
Some sites are parterning to make it easier to manage several sites at once. If you published a picture from Flickr to your blog as I did, that is an example of partnering. Flickr can also be configured so that when I post a photo, it is automatically added to the Library Network site.

If you are interested in seeing my "trading card," it is also on my Flickr photostream.

Thing #3: Social Networking

Karen is setting the pace for the TEAM trainers so I 'm just catching up tp her.
:)

I am not a social person but I love social networking!
- I have a facebook page and created the corresponding fanpage for the Library.
- I have a LinkedIn account.
- I have a LibraryThing account (catalog your personal books and talk about them with others) and created the corresponding Library LibraryThing page.
- I have a Flickr account (upload your pictures and share with the community) and created the corresponding Library Flickr page.
- I created the Roselle Public Library Network on Ning - an exclusive social network for patrons and staff of the Library.

For this Thing, I created an account on Eons. I had never heard of Eons and was intrigued that it was geared toward 50+. I wasn't crazy about Eons, but I probably didn't give it a fair chance - and maybe I should try mySpace next????

What features do you like or dislike about the site(s) you visited?
I really enjoy seeing what all of my "friends" are doing. Two of my kids are on Facebook and I can kind of keep up with what their doing through their postings and photos (they both know I'm on there, so it's not really like spying!).

What do you think makes them so popular?
They are so easy to use and everyone is on. It is instant communication without having to try.

Did you identifiy ways that you might be able to implement features or components of this tool in your library/work.
There is a segment of our patrons that is always online. This is where they "live." To be relavent to them, we need to live there too. We can promote the Library and Library events through our personal profiles and all of our friends are automatically in the loop! "And then they tell 2 friends; and then they tell 2 friends..." It becomes viral marketing.

Thing #2: RSS

Bloglines is another application, like blogs, that I have been using for awhile. I am subscribed to all of the blogs I mentioned in my Thing #1 post and more.

I also have a MyYahoo page. I find it helpful to keep personal things on my Yahoo page (like TV listings, weather, news, movie times, etc.) and library-related blogs on my Bloglines account.

The library blogs are an invaluable way to keep up with the rapid changes in the library field and in technology. It is very helpful to have them all in one place, in a nice organizaed list.
Another area of blogging that has been growing rapidly in the last couple of years is blogging conferences. All of the major library conferences - ALA, PLA, Internet Librarian, Computers in Libraries - they all encourage, and often are instrumental in organizing, attendees to blog about the sessions they attend. Those of us who are not there can often attend virtually through the blogs.

I would not be surprised if this phenomenon morphs into more online virtual conferences. Thing os the savings in time and money, to be able to attend ALA from your office!

If you are interested in which blogs I read regularly, you can see my subscriptions here.

Thing #1: Blogs

I have created and contributed to several blogs, so Thing #1 is not new to me, but many of the Things coming up in Playtime 2.0 are as new to me as they are to everyone else. So I'll be playing this game, too.

I read a bunch of library-related blogs. This idea (Playtime 2.0) actually came from reading blogs, I think it was Michael Stephens who originally wrote about Helene Blower's 23 Things.

I also read an eclectic variety of non-library related blogs:
Boing-Boing - "A Directory of Wonderful Things" (actually very strange things!)
Olive Tree Genealogy blog
The Outfit: A Collective of Chicago Crime Writers - 7 local writers including Sara Paretsky
Alaska 2008 - a blog some friends of mine set up for their vacation in Alaska
Santa Claus blog - Periodic Updates From North Pole, Inc. Chairman & CEO Santa Claus (this is a strange one, too. The writer has posted year-round since 2006)
And a few more that are equally strange.

Perhaps you'll find some interesting ones, too.
In Thing #2 we'll learn how to easily keep track of the blogs we want to read.