Thing 6. Mashups

Several librarians make signs for the library. I can see Mashups utilized for colorful signs in our library. I am careful about the photos I post online. I usually only post landscape photos or clipart. I think young people have learned just how harmful posting online the wrong "party" photos can be to their future. However, I do have a UNF webpage with a recent photo online as well as a photo on my Facebook page. Like anything you post on the Internet, one must be careful to post appropriate information online and that includes photos.

Thing 5. Flickr--Some Thoughts

I could use Flickr in our library as an alternate sight for posting library event photos. We now store events photos on a separate drive that only our library has access to. With Flickr we could advertise and promote events far beyond our library's borders. It could be a cheaper alternative to taking up space on a computer drive. I could arrange the privacy settings accordingly so that certain photos could be shown to certain people or the public at large. It would be another promotional/PR tool for the UNF Library.

In conclusion, Flickr is an amazing photo tool. Editing is way easier than trying to edit something in Photo Shop. However, one has to be careful about public posting of photos, especially when other people are in the photo. Always ask permission before posting photos of others on Flickr. Always ask permission and give credit to photos taken by others before posting on your Flickr site.

Thing 5. Flickr--Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach
Originally uploaded by cjjordan2001

I took this picture on vacation in August 2007. I traveled for the first time to San Francisco, CA to visit a friend! Not only does she and her husband own a Victorian House (built in 1896 and renovated recently) but I got to see famed Pebble Beach and Carmel as well as ride a Cable Car and eat in Chinatown! This picture was taken at Pebble Beach looking out over the Pacific Ocean. I thought the picture came out very well considering I used a disposable camera! This is part of my San Francisco photo collection on Flickr. The link is http://www.flickr.com/photos/12818712@N06/2258385633/

Thing 4. RSS--Library Blogs

I went on "Worldwide" and found a library blog I was interested in. It is called LISNews--Library and Information Science News. I added it to my Google Reader page. Looks like I will now be able to stay on top of the latest library-world developments. NOW onto Flickr. . .

Thing 4. RSS

It is great to be able to view what I am interested in all on one site. Also to keep up with certain other blogs. However, I am still learning the finer points of RSS. Not sure I really understand how this all works. I set up an aggregator account and added two blogs and CNN to my Google Reader site. I need to work with it more to fully understand its capacity. Now it is on to Flickr!!

Thing 3. Blog Search Tools

After reviewing the features of two blog search engines: Technorati and Google Blog Search, I have come to the conclusion that there are advantages to Technorati over Google. I conducted a search of "Green Buildings" in both blog search engines. In Technorati I was able to narrow the search pretty quickly from 38,811 to 63 results utilizing the following limiting features: 1) Narrowing the search from all/any language to "English" only. 2) Limiting the authority from any authority to "some authority." 3) Limiting the search from "any Post" to "Blogs." However, in the Google Blog Search Engine, on the same search, it was more difficult to narrow the number of results. My first search result, in advanced mode, with the date limited from 2000 to 2009 resulted in 47,760 results. I limited the next search by narrowing the dates to a two-year period which resulted in 31,402 results. My third attempt further narrowed the search to "English" only blogs which resulted in 30,479. My fourth and fifth attempts narrowed the search results by date--past 6 months--result 15,429 and past month to 3,160. It seems to take more time in Google Blog to weed one's results down to a managable result. I can now understand why Technorati is the first choice among bloggers!

Thing 3. Blog Search Tools

A little confusing--all these blog search engines. I must take more time to explore this further. My search on Google Blog Search resulted in over 2 million hits on "Al Gore" but some of those results were much more up-to-date than the 2,791,410 hits I received on Technorati. I will continue this analysis over the weekend. Too many engines and too many tools!! Not sure I can master all this. . .

Thing 2. What is Web 2.0

Okay, I get it. Obviously the web has become more sophisticated. Users are using it like previous generations used the phone, radio, and television for business and communications. We need to go out and seek our users and communicate with them through these tools--blogs, wikis, chat, virtual sites. However, I do have a problem with sites such as Second Life. Although one can sign-up for a free "basic" SL account. SL now charges for "real estate" to establish your building or site on their site. What happens when they start to charge users for basic sign-ups? I predict this will come with time. I feel if we are to be effective in reaching out to people (via these new tools) then we should be able to choose the free ways to communicate. Not everyone can afford to purchase a site on SL. Also, some people would rather deal with the "real" world rather than a "virtual" world when they do communicate. I think, as librarians, we should give serious thought and focus on what type of tools we use to reach out to patrons. I agree with the free chat, wikis, and blogs, and whatever else technology comes up with in the future--as long as it is free and open to everyone. If the "virtual world" decides to market itself with "land" and "buildings" free of charge then we should put time and effort into this. We need to be able to communicate with our patrons and they communicate with us without us having to purchase yet another site in another place. We have a variety of tools that are free of charge. Let us use them until better and freer "virtual sites" come along.

Thing 2. What is Web 2.0--Stephen Abram's Video

This was a good selection to begin the 23 Things process. Stephen points out ways to work in the "23 Things" assignments on a daily basis. I am looking forward to the "unintended consequences" positive, of course, that will occur through my involvement in "23 Things!"

Thing 1. First Time!

OMG!! I am in and I am blogging! This is my first attempt at blogging. I am so excited to be a part of NEFLIN's 23 Things! My blog URL is http://fyi23things.blogspot.com/

I look forward to learning all the new tools and to talking to everyone. Monday's are quite busy for me since I teach a semester class on Library Resources. So I will go for now. Talk to you later!!