Library Serendipities

I have had a facebook and myspace.com account for sometime, but haven't really utilized them. I prefer facebook over the other because it has a smoother and more organized interface...my opinion.

I have now gone in and added some friends and relatives...we'll see what happens.

It is really amazing to find the variety of podcasts that are available on the Web. From news bites to proper English usage, there is much out there to explore. Podcasts can be used creatively in a number of way as well as provide users with an additional choice when looking for information. I believe they can be quite informative. But anything else you do need to verify the source and other attributes of the recordings.

I liked the directory at Podcast Alley and have used several of the other when looking for podcasts. I would like to utilize a podcast in my portfoilio so I'll have to try out a few new tools. Especially Gcast. I had heard of it some time back, but needed the reminder.

There is no doubt that YouTube has taken the Web by storm...I can't imagine that anyone who uses the Web with any frequency that hasn't seen a YouTube video...

I have used YouTube on a number of occasions to view a wide variety of video...from topics in the news to information Literacy. I have checked out several other sites, but I have to admit, you can just about find it all on YouTube. Even me...see below.

The Elm resources are excellent tools for a wide variety of questions floating around out there. What I like best is that there is something for everyone. Even to the point of setting up searches and other features to keep you informed about topics of interest.

I have actually directed a lot of students (academic undergrads) to this tool with mixed results...some really jump on it, but unfortunately others don't. Then again "they" don't feel they need such a tool.

Interesting enough the grads students I have taught always seem quite interested in both the assignment calculator and the dissertation calculator. I think they realize the advantages that a tool like this can provide.

I have also used it on occasion...the reminders are nice.

I have tried Second Life, but couldn't get past the tutorial. Just takes a lot of time. My kids are really into the games. They are a lot of fun and the kids are always happy to get me going if I have any questions.

LibraryThing does look quite useful and I am aware of a few libraries (public and academic) that are using it to either maintain and organize their collection or as a tool to expand various aspects of their collection. Can't beat the price :).

Now this is where it gets real interesting for me. I really like playing with a variety of toys, oh I mean tools.

I have used a few of these, but especially like the widgets that can be used in iGoogle...they are fun and easy to delete if need be.

BaseCamp...its awesome, but wish you could get a bit more for free...it is an excellent resource for projects....I'm going to check out Zoho and see what it has to offer.

I can Digg and I can Mixx, but I prefer to StumbleUpon and like the nuances of the Newsvine. All do about the same thing...they are just organized differently. That said I like to move everything to iGoogle and keep it all in one neat package.

As a visual person, I am surprised that I just don't see the appeal of this tool. That said I do like certain parts of it (the sidebar), but I find that there is just too much going on for me. Related, but then not related.

On the other hand I have liked Furl...but I don't use it consistently. Lately I am into using Foxmarks because I can sync and pickup both work and personal bookmarks.

Pagekeeper is a bit more to my likes...perhaps I'll give it a try...

Just me thinging out loud!

For whatever reasons I always feel that Wikis look unfinished...like they are always under development and for some reason that really bothers me. That said I have created and used a number of them for different reasons, but don't really have an affinity for them. I would suspect that given time and modifications, I may eventually like them..

I have to say that I have used a number of tools to collaborate. They have primarily been subscription software. More recently I have used Google Docs and been quite please with it. Though the actuals editors lack some of the features you might want, it is very easy to downlaod and uploads documents, hence there is a lot of flexibility.

I have tried several of the items mentioned in Thing #8 with mixed success. It's not that I can't get them to work, but rather that I have definite likes and dislikes, which in turn colors my thoughts on their usefulness.

For instance, I have had a del.icio.us account for some time and I just don't get the attraction for the usefulness...just one of those things! Whereas I find others utterly fascinating and look for ways to incorporate them into my work. I like Stumbleupon and anticipate that it will lead me to a wide variety of resources on my topics of interest!

My conclusion is that its important for librarians to have a handle on the various tools of 2.0, but one should not feel that you have to use all of them! I am currently working on a eFolio...it will be interesting to see what I can do with it over time.

My eFolio: a work in progress