#16 So what’s in a wiki?

I enjoyed this session. I've been a fan of Wikipedia for a while, although one does have to be a bit cautious but then don't we have to be sure of our sources with any information? It was interesting to see to what uses people have put wikis. I agree with one of my collegues in that it would have been nice to have a practical exercise on creating a wiki. I can see several uses for it. The Youtube video, by Commoncraft videos, demonstrating wikis gave three websites for creating wikis. They were http://www.pbwiki.com/ , http://www.wetpaint.com/ and http://www.wikispaces.com/ I like the sound of wetpaint.com! Sounds a bit like another website I like to frequent, namely, www.wetcanvas.com although it is a cyber space for artists and has heaps and heaps of forums on all different types of art and nothing to do with wikis. Easy to get side tracked!!

#15 On Library 2.0 & Web 2.0 ...

It was with great interest I read the different Library 2.0 perspectives. I was particularly taken with the views expressed by Michael Stephens found here. I thought he expressed many of my own thoughts on the subject. It would be nice to see a lot of these ideas implemented in my organisation, and dare I say it, the "good, yet fast decisions"! However I also think after reading the perspective of Rick Anderson (found here) that we need to be careful we don't over do the simplifying of things and "dumb down" our services too far. Often not enough credit is given to our patrons for being intelligent too. The majority of the people I see in my work place are very intelligent, articulate and well informed people and it is more than a bit patronising to imply otherwise. Given the opportunity, many welcome the challenge to learn new things. Another point I think is important to make is that not all people are comfortable with all the new technology and many still can not afford it. If you check the ABS figures internet useage is still no where near 100%. These patrons are entitled to use what is really their library in a way they are comfortable with. I also know quite a few young people who aren't all that fussed with all the new technology either and to them the "user’s preferred environment (i.e., the Web)" is nonsensical.

From reading this you may think that I am technophobic but that would also be wrong. I am a keen user of new technologies but I also think we need to be careful we don't succumb to the technolust Michael Stephens mentions. Our library runs very basic computer classes for those patrons who feel a need to learn new technologies. A number don't want to loose touch with what is happening in the world of technology completely and feel an obligation to stay informed if only to be able to stay in contact with and be able to relate to their grandchildren. It might seem like a futile exercise, especially when you look at the staff to patron ratios, but to the few we are able to reach it means an enormous amount.

After listening to and reading a lot of the hype about Web 2.0 and other technology related information about the role of libraries in the new world, one could almost be led to believe that books are an endangered species. But I ask the question, can you curl up with a computer and read the latest best seller? I know laptops are small (and getting smaller) but the aesthetics are just not the same. I doubt that the whole experience of curling up in a comfortable spot with a good read (and maybe a glass of something nice) will ever, ever be able to be replaced try as people might. We may be able to change the way we access other information we need, the way we communicate with one another and socially inter-react but when it comes to a good old fashioned "read" you just can't beat a book.

#14 Getting not-so-technical with Technorati

Now this I could get used to. Found it easy to use and set up.

#13 Tagging, folksonomies & social bookmarking in Del.icio.us

I just couldn't get into this one. Although I use a computer in two different places, viz. at home and at work, I tend to use different bookmarks in each place. I also am in a habit of regularly checking and keeping my bookmarks in order and feel no need to peruse other people's bookmarks. I tend to use my own as I know what I want to look at and I don't spend a lot of time just browsing on the internet. I'm not really interested in what other people are looking at. I use the internet as a tool to suit my own purposes and although I welcome new technologies when they arise I usually evaluate them and only use those I have a need for. In fact I find aimless browsing about as interesting as watching grass grow! I'd much prefer to use the time in a more contructive manner. Reading a book, for example, going for a walk to take some photos, drawing or painting something, listen to music, create music, chase after my grandson or maybe learning how to master some new computer program. When I have time that is.............

#12 Roll your own search engine with Rollyo

Found it hard to get "rolling" again after having taken a couple of weeks off. However once I got going I found it all fairly straight forward. I can see I'm going to have fun with this one and see lots of uses for it, especially at work. Found the instructions on the Learning 2.0 Activites page fairly straight forward although I had to re-read it a couple of times but that is my problem with reading things on-screen that I mentioned several posts ago. As it is a couple of weeks since I posted an entry I had forgotten how to change the font used in the blog. You know what they say...use it or lose it!! Took me a few clicks before I found what I was after.

I wasn't happy with my page template once I'd added my rollyo to my blog as part of the search box had been chopped off and try as I might I couldn't get it to look like what I wanted. I tried editing the html but gave up as I don't know enough about it and haven't the time to go and find out just now. So I changed the template.

#11 All about LibraryThing

This thingy about LibraryThing!! I found it fairly straight forward. I can see it would be a terrifc tool to use with a book group that I belong to. Another "to do" for my ever increasing list.