Oh, How Web 2.0. Isn't Frightful: Thinking About What I've Learned

Hello to all my readers! Now that we've hit December, it's usually the perfect time to reflect on how the year has come and gone, and what new things we have learned. Today, I want to think back on what I've learned over this semester. Put your best set of fuzzy slippers, sip some hot cocoa, and prepare yourselves for my course reflection.

In my multimedia class, us library tech students recently had the pleasure of listening to some guest speakers working in our field. The guest speakers came from an wide arrange of library types: public, academic, you name it. They mainly discussed how they implemented Web 2.0. tools in their jobs.

What stood out to me, however, were the differences of opinion about Web 2.0. implementation. 

For example, one speaker working for the University of Winnipeg claimed to use a wide variety of Web 2.0. based tools, even going so far as to creating his own subject guide. You can browse through some of their guides, as they're quite informative: http://libguides.uwinnipeg.ca.

However, others were a bit more cautious when it came to implementing social media and other Web 2.0. tools. Some talked about having difficulty with having so many options out there, and trying to maintain their chosen tools. A speaker who worked in a school library even had trouble trying to get social media approved.

What we can learn from this is that Web 2.0. technology is heavily dependent on commitment. Before a library tries to implement new technologies, patrons' needs and their abilities to access them must always be considered.

Throughout my multimedia course, I've also learned about different types of tools libraries can use. 

Where I once despised Twitter, I have now come to respect its positive impact on libraries, as library events can now be easily described to patrons. 

I've also grown to love listening to library-based podcasts (e.g. ComicPop Library and Circulating Ideas). They contain a wealth of information for library staff and for podcast-loving patrons. 

Finally, I've learned to go out of my way and search up library Youtube accounts, instead of...well, watching How It Should Have Ended (HISHE) episodes.

These aforementioned tools (along with many others) have really peaked my interest.

If there was one thing I wish our class could have gone over more was creative/maker sites such as Weebly, Glogster, Wordle, and Zee Maps. 

For instance, I created a fictional high school library website using Weebly as part of my final project. Learning a bit more on how to use such tools would have been great. But I think I've managed to make a nice little website: http://lougheedbrucehighlibrary.weebly.com 

Yes, I really did name the high school after myself. I'll admit my name choice is highly unoriginal. You can blame the stress of completing other assignments for that.

Anyway, to wrap things up, I've been made aware of numerous applications and tools that libraries can effectively use. It's been fun learning about them all, and I've realized that it's important to stay on top of new developments. 

I'm not saying that libraries have to use every web tool out there. Some tools and applications fall out of favour quickly. And with all the upkeep, we'd be chained to our desks, never being able to properly help our patrons.

But libraries should start out with a few web-based tools for the benefit of their patrons and staff. Libraries need to adapt to new technology in order to stay relevant. After all, their primary duty is to educate patrons about various information. And what better way to inform them than by using Web 2.0. tools?

No Fog In Sight: Cloud Computing Within The Library World

Before we begin today's topic, Lieutenant Horatio Caine, king of one-liners, has a few choice words to say on this matter:

Awful puns aside, cloud-based programs are very handy for libraries. Perhaps this post can clear up some of the fog surrounding cloud computing and its relation to libraries.

All right, all right, I'll stop with the bad jokes. 

To put it simply, cloud-based services store information on the Internet without having to rely on your hard drive.

I suspect that over 90% of you have used cloud-based services, even without realizing it.

For example, I use cloud-based programs very frequently, as I constantly check my Yahoo Mail for important updates (and not-so-important matters). 

Of course, cloud computing doesn't only extend to email systems. It's everywhere you look, and it's here to stay for a while: in fact, cloud computing makes over $100 billion each year (http://247wallst.com/technology-3/2015/03/07/the-270-billon-cloud-computing-market/).

Cloud storage applications such as Google Drive, Thinkfree, and Dropbox can hold all of your documents without having to free up space on your hard drive. 

Cloud technology also makes image-editing websites (such as Pixlr), document-editing programs, and video-sharing services a breeze to use.

And until today, I didn't realize that cloud printing was a major thing. As is usually the case, I'm wrong. The market has exploded with cloud printing technology, with heavyweights like Kodak Cloud Print and HP Eprint front-running everything. It's amazing how you can print over miles away from your house by using these services. 

Anyway, you might be wondering how cloud computing relates to libraries. 

It can be explained in this way: the coming "extinction" of traditional integrated library systems (ILS). 

Using cloud-based platforms in replacement of ILS has been a controversial topic within the library world. 

A lot of us can't deny that cloud computing has disadvantages. Libraries that use lots of cloud computing programs have to rely on the Internet, which is prone to crashing. 

One of the biggest problems, however, is the area of privacy. 

Although vendors frequently claim that they do not access data other than to smooth operations, terms of service can vary from program to program. 

As an example, while Microsoft's Skydrive has the same rights and limitations as Google Drive, other services amp up censorship a bit more. Apple iCloud has the right to delete "unacceptable" material without any prior warning. 

The lack of consistency between companies' terms of services can be very problematic for library staff. 

There is also an issue when it comes to dealing with law enforcement and government bodies. 

Services frequently tote that they won't share data unless required by law, but usually don't tell its users when it does so. This allows some secrecy to law-enforcement actions, which privacy-advocates are against. 

While these are still real issues, I believe that storing data onto sites that allow users the right to both encryption and decryption can solve most problems. 

We also can't forget some of the benefits of cloud computing: free upgrades, automatic-backup, and cheap storage space are among many reasons to consider cloud services. 

Of course, these types of products won't work for every library. A company discontinuing its product does unfortunately happen, so libraries should take caution when choosing cloud-based services. While I believe that ILS still has their own positives, it isn't wrong for a library to try out some cloud-based services. 

In summary, libraries just need to make sure that there are no potential storms in the future (sorry, I couldn't resist any longer). 

Sticky Notes, Begone: A Review on Remember the Milk

How do you like to organize your personal or work life? 

Most people, including myself, tend to use sticky notes or some other variation to keep track of important things to do. 

Where would anyone be without this kind of organization? I imagine we wouldn't nearly be as productive as we are now. I swear, if the Chinese didn't invent paper a thousand years ago, I'm sure we'd all be toast. 

When it comes to organization, many of us act like Nemo the clownfish. We rely on father-like notepads to come save us when our lives become disorganized chaos. Just think of how many times sticky note stacks have saved your behind from getting canned at work.

But sticky notes, the glorious things they are, also happen to get lost easily. 

When this unfortunate thing happens, many of us tend to forget what we're supposed to do until it's too late. 

"So how can we prevent this from happening?" one may ask.

Simple. By creating an account with Remember the Milk, or downloading their app onto a mobile device. 

But before I fully get into my review, I just want to mention that Remember the Milk is not the only type of productivity tool libraries can use. 

There are three types of productivity tools out there: word processing/presentation tools, collaborative tools, and time management/organization tools. 

Word processing/presentation tools are just like you'd imagine: they aid in the creation of professional documents, charts, and other word processing shenanigans. For example, some free websites that focus on these activities include OpenOffice, Google Docs, and Prezi. 

Collaborative tools are also self-explanatory, as they ease the process of sharing and collaboration between users. They are especially useful when you must communicate from long distances, or collaborate on a presentation designed by you and your fellow co-workers. Popular websites of this type (Jing, Zoho, and Slideshare) allow users to be more efficient in completing work projects.

What's great about productivity tools is that many don't require the use of the Internet, and are pretty stable things to work on. You certainly won't lose all your info when a dreaded hard-drive crash happens. And if you work offline, all of your information will be updated when you login again. 

Today though, we will be looking in-depth into time management/organizational productivity tools, using Remember the Milk as a guide.  

Remember the Milk grants its users the ability to create their own to-do lists. Think of this website as your own re-writable sticky note.

It's very simple to use: you can set due dates for tasks, and can also tag them under appropriate headings. This way, users don't mix up grocery lists from work tasks. 

What if you have a very important library staff meeting that you must attend, and don't want to forget? Easy- all you need to do is adjust the priority level for each task. 

Another really cool feature is the ability to share tasks with other users, creating an effective way for library staff to keep track of things they have done or have to do. There's even a map feature to see where your tasks are located. With this website, you'll never have to look up different computer stores on Google again, as it will direct you to the nearest relevant building from your location.

With its awesome features, Remember the Milk is a good organizational tool to help library staff keep track of events and work-related projects. 

It is free to sign up, so don't worry about having to pay. And who doesn't like free stuff to try out? You can take a look at what they offer here: http://www.rememberthemilk.com

Of course, I wouldn't end this post by leaving you with only one website. There are plenty of others that function well as time management/organizational tools. Below are the links, and I hope you find a tool you believe you can benefit from. Happy browsing!

1. http://doodle.com/?locale=en

2. https://www.zotero.org

3. https://www.surveymonkey.com

Not the Paper Kind: How Social Bookmarking and Social Cataloguing Impacts Libraries

What do you think of when you hear the the term "bookmarking"? Does a metal one come to mind? Or does your brain gravitate towards a paper bookmark showing off quotes from Shakespeare? Maybe you just think of old-fashioned dog-earing. By the way, I wouldn't recommend dog-earing books from the library. We don't want to be caught committing "book assault", now do we? I can only imagine the disgusted faces of hardcore bibliophiles at the mere mention of dog-earing. Let us take a moment of silence for this victim:

Like traditional bookmarks, social bookmarking allows people to organize and manage their bookmarked web documents. Social bookmarking sites' key feature is the ability to allow users to share their bookmarks at will (this is different from file sharing, which only shares the resources themselves). 

Social bookmarking sites (and its cousin, social cataloguing) have exploded on the Internet, coming together like a graceful dance. 

If I'm going to be using a social bookmarking site, I tend to go with Reddit. To be honest, I don't really use it that often, but I can see how it could be used as a potential news source for popular content, especially if one utilizes subreddits. 

While I'll admit that I don't frequent social bookmarking juggernauts like Reddit, Digg, and Delicious all that much, libraries can use these sites to strengthen patrons' information access by providing helpful links. In some cases, they can almost act like subject guides.

An example that comes to mind is the Whitby Public Library. They have a Delicious account, allowing patrons to easily find the information they desire with just a button click. You can take a peek on how they did it here: https://delicious.com/whitbypubliclibrary

Moving on, I should mention that social cataloguing sites take social bookmarking one step beyond: these sites can categorize and organize books, movies, and music so users can manage their items more effectively. 

Sites such as Goodreads, Librarything, and Shelfari can be classified as social cataloguing tools. I like to employ Goodreads the most, as I'm able to rate and comment about the books I just read, plus find recommendations whenever I want. 

In a library setting, social cataloguing sites are very useful for setting up discussions on books or scheduling events or meet-ups. For instance, if your library has a mystery club, and some members are not always able to attend meetings, why not create a discussion group online? This way, everyone can participate at their own convenience. 

There are other benefits to social cataloguing sites, of course. They can give patrons the ability to easily browse through recommended titles they might not have considered. Patrons can also quickly organize materials they have already read, seen, or heard with site features. These sites allow patrons more interactivity with informative materials, which can foster more interest in library collections. 

However, there is a potential downside: user-generated content can confuse some patrons trying to find titles, particularly when social cataloguing site features are implemented into online library catalogues.

What I mean by this is the fact that some patrons still find use out of traditional library catalogues. These same patrons may become overwhelmed if a library creates an online catalogue with social cataloguing features. They often just want the ability to search for titles without frills, and may become alienated as a result. 

Personally, I recommend that libraries create two versions of their catalogues. One version could implement features similar to Goodreads and Librarything to attract social-media savvy patrons. Another version could offer only traditional searching methods to satisfy those who prefer more straightforward catalogues. 

This way, both groups of patrons are satisfied and offer variant ways for patrons to access information.

With all that said, I'll be busy bookmarking and tagging books on my Goodreads account during my downtime. And I'll try my best to not dog-ear my precious library novels in the future. Maybe.

It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Library Podcasts: A Review On comicpoplibrary.com

Hello everyone! Remembrance Day, along with the promise of a few snowflakes, is approaching us Canadians. November is definitely a good time to check out plenty of books and other materials about World War I and World War II. 

I remember back in high school, our classes had to present a play based on the famous war poem "In Flanders Fields". It was actually quite fun to do at the time, and we tried our best to impact the audience, given the solemn nature of the topic. Anyway, I hope you Canadians take the time to wear your poppies (even if you can't get them to stay on your coat, as is always the case) and remember the sacrifices our soldiers made.

Regarding today's topic, I was browsing along the corners of the Internet trying to find podcasts centered around libraries. 

Although a lot of podcasts for libraries happen to revolve around either library instruction or library policies (which is always great information to take in for library staff), I was specifically looking for ones that provided a focus on reviewing materials. 

Because gosh darn it, I sometimes like my podcasts to not contain dry topics.

To my delight, I found the perfect marriage between the library world and the review world. Who exactly is this podcast superhero, you may ask?

comicpoplibrary.com, of course!

comicpoplibrary.com specializes in critiquing comic books, graphic novels, anime, manga, television shows, and even music. It all gloriously culminates into one big "geek" utopia. 

As I listened to their podcasts, it all melted my little nerdy heart. Kapow and boom, indeed.

Reading into their purpose, comicpoplibrary.com's content is reviewed by librarians and teenagers, with their podcast lengths usually hitting the 30 minute mark. I think what I like most about their podcasts is the amount of enthusiasm the hosts bring. You can tell they really like what they do and they have a good flow to their segments.

With their podcasts, I feel the comicpoplibrary.com team has done a great job in gaining the attention of patrons looking to find the next great comic book or television show. 

By keeping the content concise and entertaining, patrons will have a harder time feeling alienated on the subject matter. 

I also think that comicpoplibrary.com's podcasts are excellent resources for school or public libraries looking to purchase materials, as the team goes into great detail about each item they review. 

For example, in Ep 4 ComicPop Heroes Take on "Wraith", the hosts analyze the artwork contained within the item. Such attention to detail can be quite helpful to those building library collections. 

In short, I think podcast-lovers and library staff should give these podcasts a shot. In any case, they provide a good starting point for libraries looking to expand their comic book and graphic novel collections. 

You can find all their episodes on their website, or you can tune in to some episodes on Itunes like I did:

http://comicpoplibrary.com/category/podcasts/

It just goes to show that heroes and heroines are all around us, from soldiers to reviewers. Now it's time for me to fly away at supersonic speeds! 
  

A Beginning of A Beautiful Friendship: The Future of Libraries Using Youtube

Hello, one and all! Can you believe that Halloween has come and passed? Craziness! I rocked the steam-punk look with my boyfriend on the 31st. It took a lot of convincing on my part for him to dress up and attend a Halloween party, but we ended up having a boo-tiful time. Of course, I hope that everyone had a fun and safe Halloween too.

Anyways, as you may recall from my last post, I had mentioned Pinterest was a effective website for promoting library activities. However, it definitely isn't the only photo sharing site that libraries are using. 

Flickr, Photobucket, and even 500PX have sprung up like gladiolas in the library world, with usage rates growing alongside Pinterest. Video sharing sites like Youtube and Vine are also being used more frequently by libraries to promote activities and libraries themselves. 

For the sake of length, I will be mainly focusing on how some libraries are using Youtube and other video-sharing sites to promote themselves and their services.

Just the other day, I browsed Youtube  to see if I could find videos about libraries that didn't involve Harlem Shake dances. Sure, those videos are entertaining, and I still kick myself for not mentioning the idea to my former boss (it would've been nice to dance around like crazy instead of polishing book shelves for the billionth time). However, I wanted to find out how libraries promoted themselves in other creative ways.

As it turns out, the library in The University of Winnipeg (U of W) have created a Youtube account for its students and staff. In their account, they have many useful playlists to choose from. 

A playlist I found especially interesting was one dedicated to Classics students: not only did the library suggest ways to avoid plagiarism, but they also recommended journal articles, library books, and reference materials for essays and other academic assignments. They also have tutorials on how to use their online cataloging system effectively to search for books and other materials.

Personally, I thought these videos would be really helpful in getting me started on finding the materials quickly and effectively in the future. 

By doing videos like this, academic libraries (and other types of libraries for that matter) can cut back on the amount of time answering questions students may have about how certain databases and other resources work. 

While researching other Youtube library accounts, I began to notice patterns that didn't sit right with me. A couple things that personally irritated me was the fact that some videos didn't have great editing, or had poor audio quality. 

I don't expect libraries to have the time and money to put together a 15 minute spectacle, but they should research ways on how to properly attract Youtube subscribers before putting videos up for the whole world to see.

For instance, I think libraries should make sure that they upload videos on a regular basis in order to gain more subscribers. They should also do the best they can to edit thumbnail pictures to make the video more inviting. Unfortunately, content will be most likely ignored on Youtube if one has a blurry thumbnail on their video.

With all that said, I still think that libraries should use Youtube and its ilk, as they have great potential to promote services to a large amount of people. It's just that some libraries should research ways on how to advertise themselves better on it. Even if the sound quality isn't always clean, libraries are putting out videos that have fantastic and informative content.

Here's a link if you want to browse through the Youtube channel made by the library at the University of Winnipeg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwWEekojDfkW8OM3uk_UhnA

Have a good day, folks! 

A Pin Paints A Thousand Words: A Reflection on Pinterest

October- a time to jump in brightly coloured leaves, break out the pumpkin carving knives, and hide under the covers while watching The Exorcist. While it's usually a good month for most folks, I spent most of it re-reading my textbooks, reflecting on all the ways I could possibly botch my mid-terms. Ahh, the wonderful life of a college student. It can be some spooky stuff all right:  

Getting back to the point, libraries are ever-changing like the leaves on a maple tree. With all the technological progress, they seem to be adapting to the times quite well. Most libraries have joined and still commit to social-networking giants like Facebook, Youtube, or Twitter. And who can blame them? These three are most patrons' social networking bread and butters. 

However, libraries shouldn't ignore other social networking sites like LinkedIn, Google Plus, and Pinterest. 

While they might not necessarily garner massive recognition like Facebook does, these sites have tremendous potential in promoting library services and their usage among the public is growing at alarming rates. 

For simplicity's sake, today I will be focusing on how some libraries use Pinterest to benefit themselves and their patrons. 

While adventuring in the mystical land known as the Internet, I stumbled upon the Toronto Public Library's (or TPL's) Pinterest. 

I discovered that they not only marketed their branches through the use of photo sharing, but there were also boards dedicated to the library's children's programming and activities. TPL also promoted their reference library and digital archives by showing off their special collections. I even saw a board dedicated to their Bram & Bluma Appel Salon;located on the second floor of the Toronto Reference Library, this place can hold everything from your standard business meetings to weddings.

As you can see, TPL has done a tremendous job promoting themselves though the use of Pinterest. Without it, I would've never known that LEGO clubs for children existed, or that the library hosted a digital collection of Audubon's Birds of America.

Collections and services that patrons might not readily know about are shown through many pictures on Pinterest boards. Thus, Pinterest and other social networking sites make the public more aware of what is offered at libraries in an engaging way. 

The only thing I wish TPL did more with their Pinterest is perhaps promote more of their adult-orientated services, but I still think that what they've done with their boards is excellent. If you want, you can take a look for yourself through this URL: https://www.pinterest.com/torontolibrary/

For now I'll be busy sipping on a good cup of chicken soup, trying to recover from the stress of mid-terms. I hope to enjoy autumn while it lasts.