Thing 7: So What's a Wiki??

I choose to look into the BookLoversWiki, http://booklovers.pbworks.com/Princeton%20Public%20Library,  which is sponsored by the public library in Princeton, NJ, and is in essence a peer review wiki.  BookLoversWiki features an index to the reviews and it is seperated out into different genres such as Westerns, Biographies, Autobiographies, etc.  This particular wiki was set up for a summer reading project and seems similar in nature to the 23 Things learning assignment that the PLCMC set up originally with prizes and gifts associated with the project.  What I found most interesting about this "thing" was the fact that it really created a community outreach of sorts, it got individuals reading, and sharing with others their experiences and thoughts of these books.

The actual uses of a Wiki in a library are numerous.  You can look at the PLCMC 23 Things site associated with this particular thing, http://plcmclearning.blogspot.com/2006/09/16-so-whats-in-wiki.html, and see that numerous other wiki's are listed.  I decided to explore the other ones listed just to get a feel for what other purposes the wiki's really served.  There were wiki's created for subject guides, which really is genius because it allows a library to keep constantly adding to and updating these guides and the BIG plus is you don't have to be trained in html.  Wikis created strictly for events, I guess you could equate it to a facebook event that has it's own site; and one library actually even uses a wiki as it's website which in today's economy is a great idea because we're such an internet driven society and so many libraries just don't have the budget to have someone who is trained in html keep up with an actual website. Overall a wiki can serve any purpose a library wants it to from communication with it's patrons about incoming books, and events to showing a patron where things might even be located.  Princeton's wiki was particularly cool because if after you read the review you were interested in the book you could just click on it and would give you the call number and all the info for where the book was located.  Basically the purposes for a wiki for a library are numerous and I've just named a few.  

Thing 6: A Thing about Library Thing

I set up an account through librarything.com and have to say I was instantly impressed.  I have only put 5 books in there but plan to put a lot more in there.  Library thing offers libraries the ability to basically create a catalog by putting in no more than a books ISBN number which is awesome; it's also a great tool for libraries to allow patrons to use because if you're looking for a book that is similar in nature to the book you clicked on simply just look right below the title and you will see a full list of books that are similar.  Library thing is so easy to use and set up that it would also be great for someone who has a home library.  It also allows individuals to post reviews about the book which could help someone in a library setting who is doing research decide whether or not the book is in fact as useful as it would seem.

I have a friend who is a rare book collector and he uses it to keep up with his collection, I feel that this points out that library thing serves a purpose not only to actual libraries but to people with personal libraries too. 


My librarything:
http://www.librarything.com/home/mcdunbar86

Thing 5: Playing around with Image Generators Part 2

Libraries and Librarians alike are always looking for ways to showcase new books or new technology, taking the books jacket and creating a generated image of it would make the book seem fun and exciting to patrons.  Also, as previously stated in the more flickr fun post, image generators are great ways to illustrate things to show patrons how to use computers or film readers.  If something has been modified to look better and more eye catching that's almost always a good thing!

Thing 5: Play Around with Image Generators Part 1

I have to say that this so far has been my favorite thing of my things (wow that was a lot of usage of the word thing).  I played around with BigHugeLabs, and have to say I was very impressed by it.  I had used things like image chef before, but this was really 1,000x's better! 

I played around with several different options before deciding that I really liked the framer option.  It's rather simple and just adds a cool edge to the photo.  See:

I took this photo when I went to Disneyland this summer for it's 55th anniversary. 

Thing 4: RSS Feeds & a Newsreader

RSS Feeds and Newsreaders really are something we should all use, their ability to put everything in one place is something really busy people dream of.  Until this assignment I was not familiar with or had I ever used an RSS feed.  Now the assignment did say to create your account through Bloglines, but I instead chose to go through google reader; I had read online that Bloglines was being phased out.  It really is a great thing. 

RSS Feeds and readers are something really great for libraries.  Libraries all over the world have have blogs with great ideas, and loads of information, but it's so hard for us to have to sit down and read every single blog in order to see those great ideas which is where something like google reader comes into play.  Websites can also have RSS feeds and so for libraries to keep up with the changing technology subscribing to a sites RSS feed and creating a reader account is really a top notch idea.  There are blogs and sites donated entirely to following what's going on in the world of Library and Information Science and by following those sites Librarians and Libraries can pick up on ideas. Using RSS feeds and readers really boil down to one thing for libraries getting new ideas for things without having to spend hours looking through sites and blogs.

Thing 2: Explore Flicker-Part 2

I found flickr to be a very useful tool for myself on a personal level, I liked the fact the you could set it up where people could be separated out into different categories allowing them to only see in particular photos.  Flickr would be very useful to libraries especially for publicity purposes and for staff.  For publicity purposes the library can upload all photographs to the site and separate them out into different folders for different events.  The library can set up their blog with a link to their flickr site which allows patrons to go and look at pictures of events.  It also the staff to have access to photos, instead of them just being on one computer's my pictures, which they can use for whatever purposes they might have. 

Thing 3: More Flickr Fun Part 2-Uses in a Library

When doing this particular "thing" I had difficulty seeing how its use served a purpose in a library, and am still struggling with it.  These mash up tools can't serve any other purpose than to illustrate things to patrons and staff alike.  Being able to show patrons particular things through illustrations can be very helpful. 

Thing 3: More Flicker Fun Part 1

I choose to work with the Spell with Flickr mash-up.  I had seen Stephanie use it on some of her slide shows and I was intrigued by it, so I gave it a shot.  It really is rather cool and you can spell pretty much anything with it.  But probably the most unique thing about it is that when you spell the same thing you never get the same look or result it's always different.  I did try some of the other mash-ups but I was just no where near as impressed by them as I was with Spell with Flickr. 

Thing 1: Creating a Blog Part 2-Uses in a Library

I found creating a blog to be rather simple and straight forward, you simply went to the site and they asked you if you wanted to create a blog, you told it yes, answered a few questions, picked out a name and a background and away you went!  I tend to think that blogs would a great social networking application for libraries to get involved with.  Last night on the discussion board for class we were discussing facebook and how it's free and easy to use, etc., and blogs are similar.  It would be simple enough for a library to create a blog and then invite it's patrons to follow it.  They could use the blog to tell their patrons about new books which will be coming in, events coming up such a book signings or presentations, and also keep patrons informed of the libraries hours and schedule.  Libraries could also create blogs for internal purposes such as working on projects.  The individuals on the project crew could create a blog and use it to discuss ideas and assign tasks relating to the project.  They could in essence have conferences regarding the project but discuss the necessary information at times which are convenient to them.  Blogs really are open to exploration and their uses could change from library to library.  But in my opinion they're most useful for reaching out and informing patrons. 

Thing 1: Creating a Blog

Here is the link to the instructions for my thing 1: http://plcmclearning.blogspot.com/2006/08/3-grab-yourself-blog-in-3-steps.html

There were 3 parts to this things discovery exercise.  Number 1 was to actually set up the blog through blogger which you can obviously see that I have done; number 2 was to use the blog to identify my easiest and hardest learning habit of the 7 1/2 habits that were identified in the slide show, and number 3 was to have fun.

My easiest and hardest learning habits-

My easiest life long learning habit is by and far accepting responsibility for my education.  I tend to feel that I am the kind of person who if she really wants to accomplish something she will put everything else to the side.  Also, if I make a mistake like forgetting a due date or not doing well on an exam I do not point the finger at the professor or teacher but more myself, because I am responsible for my own self no one else is.  My hardest life long learning habit is having confidence in myself.  I am not one of those people who will go into something saying "Oh I'm going to be so great at this and I'm going to rock..." I'm much more realistic.  I'll go into something saying "I'm going to do the best I can, and that's all I can do," and that really does not lead me to have a lot of confidence, but then again I'm not a confident person about anything really. 

If I only had a brain...

Sometimes I think that my brain just doesn't function at it's highest level, grr, apparently one of the 23 things was setting up a blog.  So I'm going to edit my 7 things I'm going to do, sorry Stephanie I didn't apparently understand that setting this thing up was one of the 7 things...

Ok let's try this again:
My 7 Things

1. Create a Blog
2. Explore Flickr
3. More Flickr Fun
4. RSS Feeds and a Newsreader
5. Play Around with Image Generators
6. Use Library Thing
7. Wiki's

Ok you will notice that Podcasts got cut,  I considered cutting Wiki's but using a Wiki is one of my assignments in another class so actually knowing how to use one would obviously be helpful. 

Thing #2: Explore Flicker-Part 1

This link will take you to the directions for exploring Flicker: http://plcmclearning.blogspot.com/2006/08/5-discover-flickr.html.

I will do a post after I perform the thing with my review.

This post has been edited to reflect the fact that exploring flickr is now thing 2 instead of 1.

North Carolina Fall 2009 :
In the October of 2009 I was able to make a short trip with my parents to Western North Carolina to see the leaves change.  The experience is one I have had since I was young child and is an experience which I hope to be able to continue to have for years to come.

23 Things or Should I say 7 things???

Most of everyone who will be reading this blog will be my Professor Stephanie Race, and my fellow classmates from LIS 5020.  The purpose of this blog will be to explore 7 things from a 23 things assignment.  I will be following the original 23 things blog which can be found here:Original 23 Things Blog. I plan to explore things through this blog which I am not familiar with such as RSS feeds, wiki's, Flicker, and several others.  Hope I don't bore you all to death.


See you soon!


I went ahead and took the time to create the list of the 7 things I'm going to do.  Take a look if you feel so inclined:
1. Explore Flicker
2. More Flicker Fun
3. RSS Feeds and A Newsreader
4. Play Around with Image Generators
5. Use Library Thing
6. Wiki
7. Podcasts