Thing 23 - The End

Here's what I think:

•What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
- Facebook (of course)
- SuffolkWave

•How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
Learning new things can be a challenge, but it can also have great benefits. I am now more aware of the different Web 2.0 resources out there and feel better prepared to assist patrons with these resources. Lifelong learning? Yes!

•Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I was surprised by how many Web 2.0 resources there are out there and how easy and/or difficult some of them are to use. The expression "user friendly" has new meaning for me.

•What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
I think the program concept is excellent, but I would actually spread the Things out over even more months. Some of the months had multiple things that were more difficult then others and I got less out of the things when I felt pressured to complete them or had trouble understanding them.

And, last but not least…
•If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again choose to participate?
I would want to participate, but, as I said above, I would want more time and less pressure to complete the program, so I could more fully appreciate what I was learning and put it to future use.

Thing 22 - SuffolkWave

I have been meaning to use SuffolkWave since it first came out, but have not actually done so. It was great to discover that it is easy to use and there are so many titles available, even ones that are IPOD compatible and you can specifially look for just IPOD compatible titles. The title that I found that I would be interested in downloading was 9th Judgment Women's Murder Club Series, Book 9 by James Patterson. Now, I just have to track down my IPOD and MP3 players, find the chargers and go. I think SuffolkWave is a fabulous, timely resource and I am looking forward to using it.

Thing 21 Podcasts

I found Podcasts very confusing. Maybe it is just me, but I hate when sites take you from one link to another link and then to some more links. I did find an audiobooks podcast sampler that I added to my RSS Feeds on Bloglines. I even listened to a sample of the new Sookie Stackhouse mystery, which I guess must be either out or coming out very soon. I will have to check that out, when I am done with this. The podcast was from CastLibrary Best Selling Audiobooks for iPods. They describe themselves as follows: "Every week we update the best selling audio books and provide a short mp3 sample of the best selling audiobooks. If you love to read with your ears, this podcast will keep you on top of the best selling audio books on the market. Don't miss the best selling audio books you will ever hear. To see more audiobooks, visit CastLibrary.com where you can sign up to download audio books for as little as $7.49." So, there is a fee, but, if you can't find everything you want on SuffolkWave, or don't want to wait your turn $7.49 isn't bad. You can even hear a podcast preview of audiobooks that haven't been released yet.

Thing 20: YouTube

Since we are bringing home a new puppy in two weeks to our three cats, I found this video on YouTube to be very relevant. Before today, I had only seen videos on YouTube that were sent to me as links or of Library programs through our webpage. I think YouTube definitely has its positive and negative aspects. I have heard some horror stories of teens putting stuff on YouTube, which makes me nervous. However, YouTube can also be harmless fun or a good vehicle for getting information out there. I have refered other librarians to our program videos when they are looking for performance references and I have used it to see performer's who I am interested in booking. It definitely has some great practical aspects. I guess the goos comes with the bad.

Number 19

I am familiar with all the Web 2.0 tools that the Library is currently using: MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. Of course, I like Facebook the most. I think this a great way for us to reach our patrons and be 2.0.

#18- Web 2.0 Directory

Ok, so I wasn't crazy about the general Go2Web20 directory, but I found the Web 2.0 Award Winners less frustrating. I had never heard of the social networking site Bebo, which came in third place after Twitter and Facebook. Bebo, anyone? I used the classified award winning links. I'd heard of Craigslist, but not Oodle, which came in second place. Oodle was ok, more web based then Craigslist, but VERY SLOW. On to number 19...

Thing 17

Yippee, I like Google Docs. There have been plenty of times when I have wished a document that I saved on one computer were available on another at a different location. It is great that with Google Docs your documents travel with you to any computer that has Internet access. Thing #17 you are ok by me.

#16- Learning 2.0 Sandbox Wiki

I liked playing in the sandbox. It reminded me of Facebook, or as my mother-in-law calls it, Spacebook. It was fun to see people's favorites and add my own. I liked the little guessing game of who added what, although sometimes it might be nice to know whose favorite is whose. I am not sure who really has the time to just sit and play in sandboxes, but I guess if it were a relevant sandbox that made working or a library site a fun, helpful, accessible site, then maybe.

Wiki Wiki Wiki - Library Thing 15

Wiki just makes me think of Wikipedia which makes me think of misinformation, so I am definitely not for using a wiki as an authoritative source for a kid's term paper or such. I also, like Melissa, think that Wikis are ugly and confusing to follow. That said, I think the Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki had some helpful ideas. I don't like the libraries that seem to use the wikis like a homepage. Wikis are just not user friendly for this purpose. It continues to make me nervous that anyone can post anything to a wiki, whether it is true or not.

#14- Library 2.0 & Web 2.0

I am very confused by these concepts, as there seems to be no consistent definition of what they mean. I looked at all the articles and all I really got from them was blah, blah, blah. The thing is nothing has really changed. Libraries have always needed to keep up with the times and remain relevant to the patrons they serve. Now that I think of it, I agree the most with Dr. Wendy Schultz's article To a temporary place in time... and her statements, "What are libraries? Libraries are not just collections of documents and books, they are conversations, they are convocations of people, ideas, and artifacts in dynamic exchange. Libraries are not merely in communities, they are communities: they preserve and promote community memories; they provide mentors not only for the exploration of stored memory, but also for the creation of new artifacts of memory." I disagree with Rick Anderson's idea of "icebergs" that impede the Library's way to the future. The Library is always evolving and changing and for now that means "2.0" (whatever that means) and we will evolve and embrace new technologies and serve our patrons the best we can. Hey, remember once upon a time a book was a new technology.

Thing 13

I can see the usefulness of having your bookmarks travel with you from computer to computer, but I found the website delicious confusing and not visually appealing. I really am also not so crazy about having to sign up for all these new sites, so I was happy that I could log into this one with my Yahoo ID. When I have completed all my Things, I am going to go back and delete my accounts with the majority of the sites I had to sign up with. Using my blog to vent.

Thing 12 - Library Thing

Not thrilled with this website. I like Shelfari better, although I haven't been on it in ages cause who has the time these days. I added books to my library that I want to read, rather then books that I have read. By reading, I mean listening to the audiobook cause I rarely read anymore. Hence my blog name, Audiobooks rule!

Thing 11 - Facebook

Well, of course, I LOVE Facebook so this was not a hard "Thing" at all. I did play aorund on it more then I usually do to see what features it has that I might not have noticed before. I didn't find anything new, but did find some "Friends" who I would prefer never to see again. LOL. I like that the Library is on FB and think it can be a great tool for staying relevant.

Thing 10 - Twitter

Well, I have heard about Twitter, but this was my first time using it. I much prefer Facebook, but maybe this is because I am more used to it. My Twitter username is librarylana, which is my usual tag. Twitter could be used by libraries to keep patrons up to date on events and new collections. I can't see myself using Twitter again, although I did enjoy the Sarah Dessen (YA author) posts. I looked for posts from Charlaine Harris and Stephanie Meyer, but no luck.