Number 19--Library 2.0

I've read all of the articles, and I think there are some good ideas here. Libraries, of course, have always triedto meet the needs of the community, and be relevent. The collaboration and shared network space components of Web2.0 can certainly be applied to library service. I think initiatives like the Open World Catalog (OCLC) are most interesting, and I think we could build on the ideas of Library Thing. And there are, of course, obvious applications for reference ( especially del.icio.us and the custom search engine). I'm all for patrons adding tags or reviews to the catalog, but--as an Old Reference Librarian--I sincerely hope that we still use controlled subject headings!

#18 Custom Search Engines

I really liked the Google search engine much more than the Rollyo engine. The Google page was much cleaner, didn't have the sponsored links, and listed the "phrase search" results before the other results. (I searched "library cards" and the phrase results listed first were much more meaningful than the results listed first in the Rollyo engine.)

The Rollyo engine results page was more cluttered, with the advertising links listed amongst the regular results. The results page was very confusing--and with surprising results. When I searched "library card" my first hit was from the SPL catalog--which listed a children's picture book.

I created my own custom search engine, using Google. It searches Boing Boing, The Stranger, Metacritic, Village Voice, and the Advocate. Here's the link to the page:

http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=015953780373495794160%3A03oqgkcldkq

Interesting exercise.

Generators! WARHOL!!!

I love the Warholizer. Here's my mom, Warholized.

Numero Fifteen--Wiki means Quick!

Well, I didn't know Wiki is hawaiin for "quick". Now I know. I looked at many of the Wikis listed, and I have to say I'm a bit underwhelmed. They seemed like they were sites where a few people had decided to create a Wiki, and posted some things, but then they withered away. The library wikis seemed to have a lot of dead ends, and the postings were not very interesting. I found the Stevens County Library (northeastern Washington State) interesting--because it seemed like it might be a good idea for a rural area like that to have a Wiki. But there wasn't much there. (not much there on the Wiki--not that there's not much there in Stevens County:-)

Anyway, I'm sure we could create some interest group Wikis on our Intranet, and have one for the reference librarians, the youth librarians, even the administration. But I'm not sure it will really be successful. It seems like you need a community of people dedicated and interested in creating and maintaining the Wiki.

I must say, though, that I LOVE the Wikipedia, and I use it all the time. It's the cadillacs of the Wikis!

14 Library Thang

I had created a Library Thing account several months ago, but I never got around to adding any books. So, for the sake of this exercise, I've added a few titles--mainly my favorite "gay men--fiction" writers like Andrew Holleran, Michael Cunningham, Alan Hollinghurst, etc. I've not had the time to actually develop this site, but I think it's a wonderful resource and obviously useful for librarians and book-lovers. I've not had a lot of time at work to devote to the 27 things--not, at least, enough time that I would LIKE to have to play around with these lessons. But I'm learning a lot, and it's great to be familiar with these web 2.0 (as "they" say) things.

I posted a few of my Library Thing books on my blog--and I actually learned a littel more about blogging. I needed to edit some things, and rearrange some pictures, so this exercise was particularly instructive.

Number 12--Del.icio.us

Today's assignment interests me a lot--and I want to look at this more. I forgot that I had set up a Del.icio.us account a year of so ago--but the computer didn't! When I went to the 27 things site, it "remembered" me. I never had time to add bookmarks to it, so I forgot all about it. I'm very intrigued by this delicious thing, especially as a reference librarian.

Right now, I'm trying to figure out a way to add all of the bookmarks I have in IE to Del.icio.us. Matt has been trying to help me, but we haven't figured it out yet. We know that you can import bookmarks, but mine are all in folders (and subfolders), so I can't figure out a way to import them all at once. There may not be a way to do that. If anyone knows how, let me know.

I'll definately use Del.icio.us as a reference tool. Great site!

Number Nine, Number Nine, Number Nine Social Networks

I've read most of the sites and discussions about MySpace ( and MyFace), and I don't really have anything against libraries having a presence on these sites, but I'm not sure it's going to make a big impact on libraries--or it's users. Fine with me to have a KCLS MySpace page ( but who decides what our favorite movies and bands are?) On a personal note, I feel REALLY OLD when I look through most of the listings on MySpace.

My mom, Dina, has a page and she has 1173 friends! Here's what she lists as her general interests: The simple pleasures... my adopted daughter Phoebe, Cabo, Daewoo Leganzas (nice!), Talbot's, island life, guys on crutches, stopping to smell the little things. donky kong.