Library 2.0 Spectrum

Though my current job is primarily face-to-face customer service with young kids, teens and their parents, I am very excited about the possibilities of Web 2.0 and updating myself through research. Still looking for my dream Library 2.0 job. However, like any hobby, these interactions via the Internet and keeping up-to-date are very time consuming. I partially utilize social networking as a performing musician, yet I never want to replace the live community of performing and rehearsing. Finding the balance is the key, but I do believe I am further to the right than the left. This said only 2 days before America's big 2008 Presidential election :)

If you are a librarian, where are you along the Library 2.0 spectrum?

Full article from which I took this graphic at - http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/08/01/am-i-a-20-librarian-and-the-library-20-spectrum/

Navigating Information Clutter - Mindmap

An academic librarian with a keen visual way to navigate information overload and clutter has given us a great educational tool.



Check out more of Keither Stanger's ideas and great content at http://keithstanger.com/. I could explore his recommended websites, webblogs, and other web development resources for hours.

Hats off to Keith, a librarian at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti!

Scrapblog - Worthwhile Web 2.0 Resource

Just found out from a friend about an online scrapbook that allows one to organize photos and videos in a creative fashion. Move over "Creative Memories" and home-based scrapbook clubs - Web 2.0 is taking over your domain. Scrapblog has been around since Fall 2006, but is now catching some media attention with recent spots on ABC and NBC. (Oct 13, 2008 Scrapblog's Blog)

As stated on the website "Create stunning multimedia scrapbooks. Share them online with family and friends and print them." By the way, due to copyright issues, the embedded music choices are limited, however, my friend got around this by linking to sound files which were located on other websites.

SEE - http://www.scrapblog.com/

Conveniently enough, the currently featured scrapblog "Italia 2007" is of a person's visit to the three Italian cities which I visited last fall - Rome, Florence, and Venice. I'm thinking my first scrapblog will not replicate this but be an educational one . . . still plotting.

Thanks, Phil for sharing this fun resource with me. Keep sharing your ideas and creativity . . .

The Library is now Cool

This headline "New fans check out libraries" was in the Chicago Tribune's daily commuter magazine "The Red Eye" and the article says how libraries are becoming cool. More people are visiting and checking out materials from the library due to the state of the US economy. Sure, I don't like the higher prices of gas or food, but perhaps with this new usage of the library I'll potentially have more job security :) Since one pays around $70 a year in taxes to the local library why not find a movie with potentially more educational appeal or even not, as my public library has both. Enjoy the air conditioning, but know that the library is now cool for more than one reason.

Web 2.0 Experience - join in for FREE!

Per the School Library Journal's website "Beginning Monday, July 21, Michael (Stephens) will author a blog here on SLJ.com that will lead us through the different exercises, offer guidance, answer questions, and even provide a little hand-holding. We're calling it "All Together Now: A 2.0 Learning Experience." - Anyone can join in and do the excercises, so I'm going to do this to have some company as I continue my exploration of Web 2.0.

If you want to join me go to http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Michael Stephens, technology Guru from Dominican University, should be an awesome guide and it's FREE!

Helen Blowers' Blog

It's been awhile since my last post, but I have been a bit preocuppied by job searching and most recently a visit last week to Kansas City, MO, where I have family and friends.

I really enjoy the http://www.librarybytes.com/ website and will share one of this blogger, Helen Blowers' recommendations. Consider looking at http://wordle.net/ and create your own wordart.

Also check out this 26 minute podcast - http://www.sarahlong.org/podcast/?_episode=105 on Patricia Martin's book "Renaissance Generation." It is a book on my shelf right now which I am hoping to finish in the next month.

Generation Y & the Future of the Web

While catching up on the ALA American Libraries Direct E-newsletter one item caught my eye in particular.

See - Why Gen Y is going to change the web

Worth a read to understand the Generation from approximately 13 yrs to 31 yrs old - labeled Gen Y. Social Networking is really big as are social causes. If a job can't be fun then they will look elsewhere. Bosses beware and get ready to change your expectations and mindset to keep the younger generation happy and productive!

I too will need to consider how I can reach out to these socially enabled and wired kids. What they are looking for isn't always something to read - maybe they want a sound bite or a Youtube video and not a book. . . gee will anyone of Gen Y even want to read to the end of this posting. Sorry there's no fun picture posted.

From your Gen X librarian exploring this new generation/mindset to better serve.

Creative Discovery

The following is a new powerpoint I've recently presented on the research process. All of our decisions and thinking processes can be improved by utilizing this model and specifically realizing the inevitability of an increase in uncertainty as we explore new information and ideas.



That's it for now. I'll keep learning and sharing as I'm on this Web 2.0 discovery.

Voicethread College Presentation

Introducing JMB Web 2.0 Project

This blog will be a spot where I record my personal thoughts, as well as share interesting tidbits that I am learning. I will hopefully find others along a similar path with whom I can collaborate and learn.

Currently I'm discovering various Web 2.0 tools. If you'd like to share my passion for learning Web 2.0 go to this wonderful resource, http://plcmclearning.blogspot.com/ developed by librarians to teach these exciting new web technology tools.

Just today I've been exploring two different music websites and listening especially to Regina Spektor songs and those who sound similar. You can likely find your favorite artist and be directed toward others with a similar sound. Check out http://www.pandora.com/ & http://www.last.fm/.

There are links to YouTube videos of artists as well on last.fm, though I wonder about the use of the music and even some of the video coverage on these video tributes . . . Of course as a librarian I'm always thinking copyright!)