LIBR 246-13 Building the Social Library Online

Wow, I can't believe it's really over. This is not only my last class of the semester, but also my last class in the SLIS program. I've spent this semester compiling my e-portfolio, and a lot of time reflecting on what I've learned over the last two years. It's hard to believe it's really over!

How has your view of social software changed since starting the course?

I see a couple of different barriers to implementing social software tools at the public library where I work. One is lack of long term support by staff members. There is no lack of enthusiasm when a web 2.0 technology is mentioned, and everyone is eager to get started using it, but after the initial enthusiasm wears off, we are left with a bunch of half finished concepts that aren't going anywhere.

I used Camtasia to do my screencast, and was really impressed by easy it was to use. I found I really enjoyed doing it! So far, this has definitely been my favorite project for this class.

I haven't had the opportunity to listen to many podcasts before, and none from libraries, so I found the examples very illustrative, since they proved to be from a wide variety of different libraries using different formats, themes, and content. I liked the Alden Library's tour podcast: even without having ever seen the library before, I could picture it by her description. I imagine for new students, or students looking to become more familiar with their library, this would be a very helpful tool.

I created an avatar and explored the SJSU SLIS part of Second Life last semester for a class. Since I hadn't logged in since October, I figured I'd check it out again and see what had changed. First of all, something seemed to be wrong with the graphics: my poor avatar looked like she had melted. It was really sad. The few other people I saw looked the same way, too. I don't even know what to think about that.

I am very glad I got a chance to look at all these tools over the last two weeks and think about how they can be used in a library setting. The library where I work doesn't have any kind of IM reference, and the AskNow is only done by certain librarians (and I'm not one of them) off-desk. Text messaging is actually somewhat new for me; I just got a cell phone that could text in December of '06.

I used the Ask Now chat service available here in California and asked the homicide question. The librarian I chatted with introduced himself and said he was going to read my question, and then he told me he would look for a resource. He came back with a government website that had the data I needed. He asked if there was anything else he could help me with, and I said no, and we said goodbye and signed off. The whole transaction took less than 5 minutes. I was very impressed.

I've had a MySpace account for almost two years, and I like it. I guess my friends and I are behind times, because we all still use MySpace; no one I know is on Facebook!

There are so many great ways for libraries to utilize wikis: as subject, research, or community guides. I thought one of the best examples from this week was the Plymouth Regional High School Library wiki. The design is appropriate: it doesn't look like a wiki, has a rotating picture, and is simple and clean. It seems to really be geared toward high school students. The teachers for different classes have their own pages where they list links for assignments.

After watching the video on Library Thing, I immediately had to sign up and start cataloging my books, and now I am completely addicted! What a wonderful idea. One of the features I like best is the tagging, and being able to click on the tags and see what other books people have tagged with the same description. Why not have the same feature in the library for our patrons? Why not let them enrich and enhance the descriptors we've already applied with their own, and allow them to search for other books that someone else has applied the same tag to?