Thing 22: Staying Current

NEFLIN's 23 Things has been a lot of fun. There were "Things" I was already familiar with and "Things" that were completely new to me but I come away from this experience with a craving for more. With that said, I vow to continue exploring more Web 2.0 opportunities.

Thing 21: Student 2.0 Tools

Where was this when I was going to school? I am a huge procrastinator. I have convinced myself over the years that I do my best work when I am under pressure and have a deadline to meet. But I also like to be organized and not stress myself out. This is an amazing tool to help you manage your assignments and plan your research. I'm not sure how the public library could promote the use of this tool, but I hope the media specialists would. It should definitely be linked to our teen pages.

Thing 20: Books 2.0

Wow....and I thought some of the other "Things" were long. This one takes the cake! So I'm gonna have to keep this one short and simple because I just don't have the time to look through all the links posted for the Thing. In my library I have noticed over the years that movies have become a hugely circulating item....but so have audio books. I think that as society has become more busy trying to save time, they have just found other avenues (such as audio books) in which to escape. People who were read to as children most likely still read today. If you have never been a reader, then you appreciate the fact that the library offers dvd check-outs for free. At least we get them in the door!

Thing 19: Other Social Networks

Are you a member of any online communities?
I have been a member of GoodReads for some time now. I find that's it's a great way to keep track of all the books I have read or would like to read inthe future. I can also search through shelves of other people that read the same types of books that I read and get updates when they write a review. I have also used WebJunction to search and find technology training for library staff. I also became a member of Library 2.0 through Ning.

Are any of these social networks appealing to you? I spent a few minutes looking through the Gather site and think I would like to come back and check it out more when I have more time.

What did you find that was interesting and that you might use later? Probably Gather but I will have to spend more time checking out the site.

Thing 18: Facebook

FINALLY! We have hit a "Thing" that I absolutely love. I became a member of Facebook just last October after returning from my 20 year high school reunion. Signing up was easy and before I knew it I was connecting with old friends again back in my home town of Houston, TX. And just like anyone else who uses Facebook, I am addicted. I love it...absolutley love it. I talk to old friends now on a daily basis and have even learned how to keep my social friends seperate from my professional friends.

Just a short week ago the library was given permission to create our own presence on Facebook. I have learned even more through this experience and can't wait to get our page up and running!

P.S. You may have noticed I didn't add MySpace to the Thing 18 title......I'm not a fan. I find Facebook to be a lot more user friendly and secure.

Thing 17: Podcasts

It was very convenient that I had a Podcasting Webinar the same week as Thing 17. I learned all about the different equipment you can use and the various ways you can promote your library. My boss had asked me to "study-up" on the topic because she would like to see podcasts for book reviews, upcoming programs, and other fun things made available to our public. I don't know if I have learned enough about it yet to jump right in and start writing my first script, but I am getting more comfortable witht he idea (especially now that my library has made its first YouTube video!).

Thing 16: YouTube

Why did you choose the video that you did? I absolutely L.O.V.E. Amy Winfrey so I thought I would share her work with everyone else.

Can you see any ways to use video--YouTube or other sites--on your library Web site? We already use YouTube on our library website. It's great for posting upcoming movies based on books that our library system owns. This helps increase the circulation of titles that may not have been checked out in a while.