Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The End - yay!
Being a little rushed for time, I may not have listened to all the podcasts (try - any), and I may have skimmed through some sections. Nevertheless, I have discovered a few new tools (like Technorati and LibraryThing) and more deeply explored websites I'd heard about, but never really looked at properly (Flikr, wikis). I now know a few new tricks I can use in private and working life, as well as a heightened appreciation for all the great websites and tools made possible by the Internet and hard-working webmasters and programmers.
#21 - Audiobooks
In the world of electronically-delivered audiobooks, subscription services have popped up to provide downloadable audio files for PCs and MP3s at small cost.
The Gutenburg Project was developed by thousands of volunteers to provide free (non-copyrighted) books to the public. Just check out the World e-Book Fair!
In my opinion, audiobooks (and ebooks) have to be noted as the next great innovation in information delivery and recreation. I'm sure a lot of people may disagree with me on this issue, since hardcopy books and manuscripts tend to be easier to read and handle.
But remember; not that long ago, people didn't see the potential of the fledgling Internet phenomenon, either.
The Gutenburg Project was developed by thousands of volunteers to provide free (non-copyrighted) books to the public. Just check out the World e-Book Fair!
In my opinion, audiobooks (and ebooks) have to be noted as the next great innovation in information delivery and recreation. I'm sure a lot of people may disagree with me on this issue, since hardcopy books and manuscripts tend to be easier to read and handle.
But remember; not that long ago, people didn't see the potential of the fledgling Internet phenomenon, either.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
# 20 - Podcasts
Podcasts are audio digital media files that are distributed online (usually through RSS syndication) and are played either on a computer or a MP3 player or ipod.
Postcast search engines like PodCastAlley allow you to search for relevant podcasts. People can also create their own using audio software, or display podcasts on their website or blog. Such a tool is obviously very useful as an educational tool and could be used as tutorials on a library website, as an example.
Postcast search engines like PodCastAlley allow you to search for relevant podcasts. People can also create their own using audio software, or display podcasts on their website or blog. Such a tool is obviously very useful as an educational tool and could be used as tutorials on a library website, as an example.
# 19 - YouTube
YouTube would have the be the most well-known video hosting website on earth. YouTube is so popular because it is easy to use, easy to search and users can embed YouTube videos in their own website or blog, making it incredibly versatile. Downsides? Well, downloading YouTube videos can burn through your alotted download limit at home pretty quickly...
# 18 - Web 2.0 Awards
Check out the Web 2.0 Awards for 2008.
It has some great websites listed. The only downside is that they are mostly USA-based.
I was instantly intrigued by the LuLu website featured under 'Books - 1st prize'. It is a self-publishing website where members can sign up and create a digital copy of their book, album or artwork. Lulu will print, bind, market and sell on their members' behalf, or assign an ISBN number and you can market them yourself. However, it is a US site.
There are many, many tools and useful sites to look through, and no doubt many will have their place in a Library 2.0 environment.
It has some great websites listed. The only downside is that they are mostly USA-based.
I was instantly intrigued by the LuLu website featured under 'Books - 1st prize'. It is a self-publishing website where members can sign up and create a digital copy of their book, album or artwork. Lulu will print, bind, market and sell on their members' behalf, or assign an ISBN number and you can market them yourself. However, it is a US site.
There are many, many tools and useful sites to look through, and no doubt many will have their place in a Library 2.0 environment.
# 17 - Online Word Processing and Spreadsheets
Ah, the wonder of the web. Not many people know that there are literally dozens of free word processing applications and websites out there - if you only know where to look. Even better, most are compatible with Microsoft Office. The documents are stored in the provider's web servers, and accessible from anywhere. All you need is Internet access.
Zoho is a particularly well-designed website which offers a variety of featured applications and services, most of which are free.
You can even embed your documents in your blog (like this):
Zoho is a particularly well-designed website which offers a variety of featured applications and services, most of which are free.
You can even embed your documents in your blog (like this):
Thursday, July 24, 2008
# 16 - PBWiki
PB Wiki is a collaborative tool that allows you to set up your own wiki and search other public wikis. Members can edit and add entries, and so on.
For the purpose of this exercise, we were instructed to visit PBWiki Learning 2.0 and add our blog link and an entry to the page. However, being unable to log in using the Wiki invite key, and being unwilling to join the site just to fulfil this exercise, I guess I fail this one. Oh well.
For the purpose of this exercise, we were instructed to visit PBWiki Learning 2.0 and add our blog link and an entry to the page. However, being unable to log in using the Wiki invite key, and being unwilling to join the site just to fulfil this exercise, I guess I fail this one. Oh well.
#15 - Wikis
Wikis are websites which allow users to collaboratively develop a database of information. Pages can be added, deleted or altered by any member, and the pages are connected by hyperlinks and searchable by keyword, rather than set out by index, like an encylopaedia. Despite a few downsides, like possible misuse, credibility issues, or inaccuracies in information posted, a Wiki's advantage lies in the fact that information can be added and edited much faster by users than a conventional database.
Obviously, Wikipedia is the biggest, with over a million entries. But Wikis can be used in many more contexts. Like The Grand Rapid Public Library's wiki, which provides another information resource for library users.
I can see great potential here.
Obviously, Wikipedia is the biggest, with over a million entries. But Wikis can be used in many more contexts. Like The Grand Rapid Public Library's wiki, which provides another information resource for library users.
I can see great potential here.
# 14 - Musings on Web 2.0 and Library 2.0
Web 2.0 broadly describes the concept behind interactive web applications and Internet technologies such as blogs (rather than static websites), wikis, social-networking, open-source, file-sharing, and collaborative user-compiled search engines.
Due to the rapid evolution of the Internet and the increasingly powerful servers and web operating systems, users can do much more with the Internet than Google news articles. While most people would be hard pressed to write a succinct definition of "Web 2.0", they all agree that it means big changes in the way people communicate and share information.
From a library perspective, Rick Anderson from the University of Nevada (Reno Libraries) makes a good point when he writes: "it no longer makes sense to collect information products as if they were hard to get. They aren’t...As a Web 2.0 reality continues to emerge and develop, our patrons will expect access to everything – digital collections of journals, books, blogs, podcasts, etc."
Library 2.0, to use the newly coined phrase, will impact upon the way libraries expand and reach out to their members, the way information is presented and sourced, and encourage greater two-way feedback and communication from members to libraries. For example, greater Internet presence, a user-friendly Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) where members can renew their own books, search, make 'wish lists' and provide feedback for the library management system.
With Web 2.0 and Library 2.0, we need to embrace and adapt to new technologies. Librarians will require greater IT skills and knowledge and the ability to plan for future innovations.
Due to the rapid evolution of the Internet and the increasingly powerful servers and web operating systems, users can do much more with the Internet than Google news articles. While most people would be hard pressed to write a succinct definition of "Web 2.0", they all agree that it means big changes in the way people communicate and share information.
From a library perspective, Rick Anderson from the University of Nevada (Reno Libraries) makes a good point when he writes: "it no longer makes sense to collect information products as if they were hard to get. They aren’t...As a Web 2.0 reality continues to emerge and develop, our patrons will expect access to everything – digital collections of journals, books, blogs, podcasts, etc."
Library 2.0, to use the newly coined phrase, will impact upon the way libraries expand and reach out to their members, the way information is presented and sourced, and encourage greater two-way feedback and communication from members to libraries. For example, greater Internet presence, a user-friendly Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) where members can renew their own books, search, make 'wish lists' and provide feedback for the library management system.
With Web 2.0 and Library 2.0, we need to embrace and adapt to new technologies. Librarians will require greater IT skills and knowledge and the ability to plan for future innovations.
# 13 - Technorati
Technorati is a search tool for blogs and other "citizen media".
It searches and organizes blogs, tracks the links between blogs and allows people to tag posts and search the vast database.
It searches and organizes blogs, tracks the links between blogs and allows people to tag posts and search the vast database.
# 12 - Del.icio.us
Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking website. It offers users a way of storing bookmarks online, whiallows you to access the bookmarks from any computer. It can be used like the Favourites folder on Internet browsers, only more portable. You can also share your bookmarks with family and friends.
After checking it out, I have decided that while it is good in theory, and probably very useful in reality, the Del.icio.us site is so messy and user-unfriendly it makes me not want to use it.
After checking it out, I have decided that while it is good in theory, and probably very useful in reality, the Del.icio.us site is so messy and user-unfriendly it makes me not want to use it.
# 11 - Rollyo
Rollyo allows you to create your own search tool for the websites you trust and choose, and to search other members' searchrolls as well.
I set up a profile at: www.rollyo.com/braveworld
...and a searchroll: http://rollyo.com/braveworld/book-related_sites/
I set up a profile at: www.rollyo.com/braveworld
...and a searchroll: http://rollyo.com/braveworld/book-related_sites/
# 10 - Discovering LibraryThing
LibraryThing helps you create a library-quality catalog of your books. By joining up you can add up to 200 books to your catalogue, create a profile and a blog, and search for people with similar tastes or join a forum and chat about books.
You can add your books to your profile by searching the Amazon databases or the Library of Congress for an exact match. You can sort your books by title, author or date, or tag them according to genre.
I was pleasantly surprised by how easy the site is to use and navigate. I had no trouble setting up my own profile:
http://www.librarything.com/home/braveworld
You can add your books to your profile by searching the Amazon databases or the Library of Congress for an exact match. You can sort your books by title, author or date, or tag them according to genre.
I was pleasantly surprised by how easy the site is to use and navigate. I had no trouble setting up my own profile:
http://www.librarything.com/home/braveworld
# 9 Online Image Generators
These are fun and useful. You can make all sorts of pictures and images. I had a look through the Generator Blog and found hundreds of different generators to choose from. I got this blast-from-the-recent-past at http://www.says-it.com/cassette.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
#8: Useful Library Blogs or News Feeds
The News Limited website has a full list of their RSS feeds for the news junkie who just can't get enough.
There are also countless useful library-related blogs to wade through, like the State Library of Victoria's Great Summer Read blog.
Hmmm...I think they're onto something.
There are also countless useful library-related blogs to wade through, like the State Library of Victoria's Great Summer Read blog.
Hmmm...I think they're onto something.
#7: RSS feeds
RSS feeds (Really Simple Syndication) provide a way for readers to receive regularly updated news or content from a variety of sources over the web. Users subscribe to their favourite website's RSS feed, whether it is the National News or their best friend's personal blog, look at the newest headlines and choose which stories they want to read, without having to navigate through each individual website.
I set up a Bloglines account to check this out, and was actually pleasantly surprised. However, I'm not sure if this is something I will use on a regular basis. Call me old-fashioned.
http://www.bloglines.com/public/AreWeThereYet
I set up a Bloglines account to check this out, and was actually pleasantly surprised. However, I'm not sure if this is something I will use on a regular basis. Call me old-fashioned.
http://www.bloglines.com/public/AreWeThereYet
#6: The Phenomenon of Blogging
I'm not much of a blogger. But I appreciate the fact that blogs allow people to keep a journal or column they can access and update from anywhere in the world (well, almost anywhere - somehow I doubt you'll see people in the Amazon sitting on a tree log and blogging with their Macbook). What I don't appreciate about the whole phenomenon (and this includes gaming, forums and live chat) are the associated catchphrases. Like leetspeek, blogosphere, moblogging (blogging via mobile phone), splog (spam blogging), blargon (blogging slang) and so forth.
These newly coined words are slowly insinuating themselves into our language, culture - and our dictionaries! Check out Merriam-Webster's 2007 word of the year.
It's enough to make me need a blogiday...that is, a holiday from blogging.
These newly coined words are slowly insinuating themselves into our language, culture - and our dictionaries! Check out Merriam-Webster's 2007 word of the year.
It's enough to make me need a blogiday...that is, a holiday from blogging.
# 5: Flickr fun - APIs and Mashups
Flickr has an open application programming interface, which means users can create their own third-party applications that use Flickr images in new and creative ways. Some featured members have written applications that use images to make jiqsaw puzzles, slideshows and digital 3D photocubes, as well as more practical search and mapping tools.
Mashups combine data from multiple sources to create a single web tool that enhances both original sources. An example is the use of Google maps within real estate and business websites. All very interesting, and I never really thought about the effort required to create all these little applications before.
Mashups combine data from multiple sources to create a single web tool that enhances both original sources. An example is the use of Google maps within real estate and business websites. All very interesting, and I never really thought about the effort required to create all these little applications before.
#4: Photos & Images
Flickr and other similar photo-sharing sites make it easy for people all over the world to share their photos with friends, family - or total strangers. I did a quick search and found this picture taken by a tourist of the sign outside the Geelong Library.
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