LIBR 246-04/13 Web 2.0 (Fall 2010)

I came into this course with an average understanding and experience with social software. I used the basics like Facebook and Twitter and was comfortable trying new things. But what really changed my view of social software and surprised me was playing around with the amazing amount of social software technologies out there. So many people only think about social networking sites when they hear “social software”, not realizing that it includes bookmarking, collaborative technology and more.

Every aspect of life involves change. Some of us hate it while some of us love it and seek it out. But couple change with technology, and some people will go running out the door without even thinking twice. On that note, here are some possible barriers to implementing Web 2.0 technologies in a large university library:

Here is my screencast for Exercise 6. I decided to walk the user through the layout of the new view of Twitter, as certain things are in different places. It was a lot of fun to create this and I can see how it might become addicting, especially with the use of advanced software that includes editing.

There are many experts out there. In fact, everyone is an expert at something, whether that be having a lot of knowledge about a certain historical period, having a lot of experience with video games, or being an expert in a sport. At the same time, we are all extremely limited in our knowledge due to time constraints, lack of experiences or money, or just because we only use a small percentage of our brain's ability. Add these two ideas together, and the result is this: we need each other!

2. What technologies do you find most promising in facilitating internal collaboration and why?

This exercise was eye-opening and addicting! I think I could spend hours online just searching other people's bookmarks and tags, following a trail that will take me to places unknown! As a reader, as well as a music lover, I often find the mass amounts of literature and music out there equally fascinating and frustrating. No matter how much time you put into something, you will probably only ever touch the surface of what's out there.

I spent a considerable amount of time looking over the library wiki examples that Meredith gave us, and my personal favorite is definitely University of South Carolina Aiken Gregg-Graniteville Library . I think the main reason that I enjoyed spending time on this wiki was because it is laid out like a website, yet has the functions of a wiki. I am currently in Libr 251 which is all about usability and user interfaces. As a result, I have become very aware of interface flaws.

The Multnomah County Library in Portland, Oregon, with its nineteen locations, has branched out and created an image of themselves through different online mediums. This is a community public library that has a vast and diverse audience. The main website for Multnomah County Library has a lot of information and links. Right away, you can see on the main page that there are links to the library’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Libraries need to be online. Especially if they want to increase their patron base and really be relevant to their users. Social media is an extremely helpful, powerful tool for all sorts of companies, and libraries need to join the Facebook team! It has always been tough for libraries to get the attention of those in the community who are not already patrons. Social networks are a method for libraries to go where their patrons are, and be useful where their patrons are (Farkas, 2007, p. 122).

As a Twitter user, I feel that I have a pretty good handle on what works and doesn't work with Twitter. I think Twitter is an ingenius idea and definitely encompasses the whole idea of microblogging/lifestreaming and encourages conversation. I was very skeptical about Twitter until they started using the @, # and RT concepts. My original thought was, "Why would you send  something out into the universe if you can't get feedback or connection through it?" It sort of ties into my dislike of having a blog with no comments. Now it seems that Twitter has taken on a life of its own.