El Fin!

First of all, I am so happy to have made it this far. Honestly, there were times when in the past I thought of just quitting and just wait for the next batch. This is specially true when there are pressing concerns at home and when it gets really crazy here in San Marco. But having two of my colleagues in the branch being really patient in going through each activity for all the weeks we have worked on this together inspired me to never gove up.

Looking back, I have mixed feelings of the activities that were presented. Frankly, most of them are not really new to me. I am comfortable with a lot of these web 2.0 applications that some of the activities were mere refreshers and/or an added opportunity to re-visit some of the websites I haven't been to recently. But I still do appreciate teh opprotunity as creative repetition is still a valued aspect of learning. It also give me the opportunity to see all of these learnings vis-a-vis improving the services we have for the library customers. So in a way, this still gave me a fresh perspective in a number of things.

Would I do it again? Certainly. I love the chance I had discussing these with my colleagues. I enjoyed the working hour or two each week to have some sort of creative output. It is time well spent.

As for future JPL learning 2.0 batches, I suggest that participants be given more hands-on activities with regards to being more immersed in the application. Or atleast have different skill levels (eg beginner, intermediate or advanced) so different learners will have other options. Maybe we could explore team/collaborative output on the branch level as well. But all in all, I think this is a good start. Congratulations to all of us.

Maximum Overdrive!

Even before this activity, I've used Overdrive a number of times in the past. My wife and I are big fans of the library wven before I came to JPL and maximize all the library services available. I've downloaded a couple of C.S. Lewis audiobooks in the past and may download a few more when I do get my new MP3 player. :-)

I think the instructions of downloading audiobooks are simple enough. I don't get it when some of our customers feel overwhelmed with using this non-tradional library service. An issue raised before is the speed of internet connection may be a factor in the wait time for the download. Some are not too patient with this. However, I see more and more customers (hopefully) taking advantage with this wonderful service. I just hope to see more of the popular titles available and more librarians more comfortable with the technology for us to effectively guide the library public.

Being a bit daring with podcasting

With everybody being so busy (or atleast pretending to be), having the flexibility of having your music, TV and radio shows and other information when you want it or where you want it is becoming more and more important. The 2008 Beijing Olympics is the perfect example with NBC seeing a remarkable increase in the number of viewers watching the video streaming online rather than "adjusting" their busy lives just to see the latest world-record shattering triumph of the planet's best athletes.

Podcasting is pretty cool in its ability to cater to the needs of its intended users in this changing times. I for one find it very useful because on certain days when I work the night hourshere in the library, I fail to catch my favorite radio program (The Clark Howard show) That is why I was so excited when the show offered podcating link in their website, albeit a couple of days after the live broadcast. It gives me the flexibility of just downloading the show with my MP3 player and listen when I want.

Beyond this, the technology have potential as well in the realms of public service (podcasting important info) or education when a student who misses class can download a podcast of a lesson. However, like with any other tools, this should always be used responsibly.

Amazing world of you tube

The world of video sharing is changed forever by online video sharing sites. By far the most popular of this is You Tube. I've been using You Tube for a couple of year now for a variety of purposes. I use this as a tool to upload home videos to share with my friends as well as find certain TV shows from my home country that I miss. I find the program pretty straight forward and interesting.

Above is one of my all-time favorite videos posted in you tube. The link was shared to me by a friend earlier this year and I think the "show" was pretty amazing.

Better Library Service with Web 2.0

I had a grand time playing around with the different websites of Web 2.0 award winners. A lot of them are really cool and worth the time if one cares to maximize its use. I am happy to note that I do take advantage and aware of a number of these sites and agree that some of them are really excellent. A number I have used already to assist customers. One common site is google maps. Web 2.0 in mapping has gone a long way that it now gives real time traffic video update integrated to the usual turn-by-turn direction from point A to point B. This is really neat coz it gives you an option to find alternative routes which is as easy as dragging the lines across the map with the use of the mouse.

Docstoc.com is likewise pretty useful in public library reference work. It's straightworward, user friendly and very reliable in finding important legal and educational documents. It is a resource we can share to our customers as some sort of a DIY when tehy can't access the library or when we're closed.

There's honestly alot more of these applications that I see have great potential. A customer may be interested for the latest Olympic games stats (versus the 1972 Munich games for instance) and istats.com would come in handy. :-)

All systems go with the Zoho

Honestly, this is one web 2.0 application that I haven't previously explored and find great potential in use. I marvel at the flexibility of this program vis-a-vis the usual word processor (eg ms word or open office writer). I like how different applications can be easily managed like doing spreadsheets or even including features. And because it (only) works online, sharing/editing documents with your network is pretty straightforward too.

 

But the application being dependent on the internet may be a liability depending on the user. If one is dependent on wi-fi and encounters a dead spot, then work can be seriously delayed. So, it may still not totally replace the traditional word processor. atleast not yet. I haven't gotten the chance to test its compatibility to import documents across a range of word processor versions. In some cases, that is very crucial as well.

 

I've been telling some of our librarians that Zoho writer and similar applications have potential as well as an alternative for those who use public computers. This gives them the flexibility of using any station and easily accessing their files. There's no need to worry about defective floppy disks or missing USB thumb drives. Although backing-up, of course, is always be a good idea.

Felt not so witty on PBwiki

First of all, I should read the posts more. I was trying for more than an hour trying to log-in but just couldn't. I created a seperate pbwiki account but i still couldn't get into the site we were supposed to be playing with. I was about to give up when I read the post of Cambie with the invite key. Whew!

Honestly the feeling right now was more of a relief than anything else. But when I was able to get in, I see the potential of wikis hands-on to be able to collaborate with the team in giving meat to the wiki page. As long as you have the right access :-) key, it is fairly easy for team members to make additions or editing the page. But I guess there ought to be some sort of guidance/editing as well if we want to have this used for public viewing. But for private/small group/internal purposes, this is really great!

on wikis and the library

I was really impressed when wikipedia initially came out. I like it's flexibility in accomodating contributions from just anyone who has appropriate knowledge and not just the editorial board. I also like the fact that it's free unlike brittanica or colliers that charges a fix amount to access theire database. However, I started to use wikipedia with caution with the controversy on the accuracy of some of the entries.

I find the wikis on libraries interesting but I still look at it with caution. Wikis ability to have non-programmer/techie librarians to do an info website is well meaning and can be promising. However, I don't see it as necessarily more advantageous than a blogger site which can be set-up if one just means to supplement the website or localize contents. However, if done well library wikis can be useful to compliment the online catalog. But customers ought to be warned with its limitations and accuracy tightly guarded.

A necessary paradigm shift to Library 2.0

I've been with JPL for only a little bit more than a year. I decided to work in the library because I am a lifelong fan of the service the library provide and I am passionate about helping others. I likewise believe in the role of the library in the community and JPL's vision: Start here, Go anywhere fits how I see this organization perfectly.

Modesty aside, I am confident in my own capacity to adapt to the change Library 2.0 challenges us to. I'm not a techie but I believe that as long as it helps achieve a particular goal, technology can and will be an ally. What Library 2.0 brings to the table is a necessary paradigm shift in how we achieve our goals vis-a-vis our role in the lives of the citizens of Jacksonville.

I read the other day in the news that the city is cutting $1million dollars of book funds. That is a huge amount that will definitely affect the way we "traditionally" serve customers...that is to make available more copies of printed titles they desire. But this financial challenges should also be seen in the context of how our customers' needs are evolving. Are there certain cost-effective ways to address certain needs using web 2.0 technology?

I likewise have high hopes when we started this training. I feel that it is not anymore just a mere option for the 21st century librarian to see how this technology has revolutionized the library of tomorrow. It is coming. That's the inevitable. Sure, there will always be customers who will never care about this but more and more people will come to the libraries with a different set of expectations that we encountered say 5 years ago. In this light, I'm a bit disappointed to see less and less of our staff participating in this training.

But hopefully we ought not give up on them 'coz taking this course is in the heart of JPL's continued desire to remain relevant for this great city's future.

getting more from the blogging community with technorati!

Blogging is the ultimate tool for one to truly experess thyself!

With almost 133 million blogs and 1.6million updates everyday, there is a wealth of interesting blogs out there waiting to discover. But the sheer number can be overwhelming specially for someone who is just starting or an ordinary library customer.

What's cool about technorati is it gives an organized, simple yet flexible way of getting you linked with the "right blog" for you. One can search via major categories or even by sheer popularity of the entry. I tried to search for learning 2.0 and I found out that there is a similar training right now being done at the Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan Library. I read the blog entry for their system and this particularly interests me coz we're in a similar setting, CML is a highly rated public library system in the nation and I used to live in Columbus. :-)

I also see Technorati as a site to compliment the news sites I read everyday. Now I can read what the mainstream media reports forst and then search for interesting comments being posted by the blogging world in minutes. Pretty interesting stuff!

yummy...magnifico...del.icio.us!

My wife and I browse/use hundreds of websites on a weekly basis for a variety of reasons. For my work at the library reference desk, we access dozens of sites a day as part of the process of helping customers. Be it seaching weird trivia, filing tax forms or just exploring social network sites, being able to go to the correct website is vital in providing excellent reference work.

Personally, I have bookmarked almost a hundred of websites already ranging from fave recipes, travel sites, parenting page to online travel guides. I also make it a point to send the link to friends and family to share websites I find potentially useful.

Social bookmarking is a convenient 2-in-1 tool in both saving, organizing, and sharing websites. Navigating through the PLCMCL2 account gives me a glimpse of how useful this is for formal research or just sharing useful information to others. I envision it as my online index cards that I can't only confer with my thesis adviser but to mfriends and peers as well.

Start here...Go anywhere. Explore JAXCAT!

Hey friends...

Thanks for always visiting My Own Little Corner. If you've made it this far, you're probably aware of my amazing journey learning the ins and outs of web 2.0. This wonderful opportunity wouldn't be possible without the support of the Jacksonville Public Library!

JPL always strives ways to serve our customers better. Our online catalog is an amazing tool which enables our clients to access our database of materials and really go anywhere! Thanks to the gadget link our web 2.0 leaders created, you can now access JAXCAT through this humble blog site.

Enjoy!

Eric's Library Thing!

This is a simple yet potentially useful site to connect with other people (library professionals or not) with similar reading interests. Due to the variety of books I listed in my catalog, the closest person I found with similar books listed have about half of my titles. But I guess as the membership increases, there will be more people I could hook up with with atleast majority of my fave books.

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/ericsor

On Image Generators

I have fun with applications that play around with the tons of pictures I have so having a jigsaw version of our recent trip to disney was pretty cool. I also played around with wordle and find it amusing as well. I tried all the words associated with the cheers for my college team and may use the image when I do attend one of their games!

More Finding Feeds Tools....Yeah!

Activity # 9 provided links for some other sites which are potentially helpful in subscribing to newsfeeds that interest me. Honestly, I am still more comfortable in checking a new site first and then looking for that friendly RSS icon if I do decide that it is worth subscribing too. Other than that, the search tools of bloglines are also very helpful and get basically everything else I want.

I did try feedster.com but for some reason I couldn't get in to the site. Maybe I tried to access it when it's down or undergoing maintenance. Topix.com on the other hand is pretty cool 'coz it automatically detected that I'm accessing a computer in Jacksonville and immediately gave me a variety of links for local news and blogs. I didn't particularly find the syndic8.com that appealing but I may have to explore it more too.

In the end, these additional tools are pretty cool and provide more options to the user. One just needs to decide which is best suited to their taste and needs.

RSS could lead to Reference Super Service!

Using RSS/internet feeds has been very vital to my daily blogging life. Since I have a good number of friends from four continents updating their blog sites everyday, this technology has enabled me to keep abreast with all their blogs in a very efficient way.

Our latest web 2.0 activity made me look at internet feeds as a possible tool to further improve reference desk service to the customers of San Marco library. The reference team could try to make a list of web sites/feeds that most commonly cater to the specific needs of our customers. We could likewise hook it up with blog sites from other libraries as well to keep us in touch with the bigger library community. Hopefully, this will be another one small step for the public to truly go anywhere!

Surgeon General's warning: Blog moderately

I strongly believe of living a life in moderation.

In a world full of extremes and people living in the fast lane, it is often a real struggle to keep oneself grounded and not "fall off the cliff". This, in a nutshell, how I feel about technology. I feel that I'm blessed enough to keep up somehow to survive with the new developments. However, I need to always remind myself not to go overboard and remain focused to the most essential things in life.

One classic example is technology as a means to communication. I served s a volunteer for two years in a far-flung community with barely any cellphone signals. Letters take weeks (even months) to get in and I have to make do with what we call now as "snail mail" to get in touch with family and friends. Probably because of the extreme isolation, I felt like I just won the lottery every time I get mail.

Fast forward ten years...

It takes me about 15 minutes to upload 50 pictures of a recent family trip, compose a brief blog of what happened and BOOM...the almost 100 contacts I have in my blog site have access to it in a matter of seconds after the upload. Hours later, I already get comments from people across the globe how cool the pictures are, blah, blah, blah.

But do I consider my blog site more valuable than the letters I received as a volunteer? Naaah.

At the end of the day, I still see this technology as a mere tool to connect people. The speed, ease and the added aesthetic effects don't necessarily translate to deeper friendships or stronger bonds. I've seen a number of couples just "talk" most of the time using chat rooms or text messaging and feel that they are communicating enough with their partners. Tsk, tsk.

With this, let us proceed with caution and continue to enjoy blogging in moderation.

having fun with 'mosaic maker'

One of the most important use of web 2.0 for me is the power to organize the thousands of photos I have of my two lovely daughters. I particularly liked big huge lab's mossiac maker for the option of being a little more creative in organizing my album.

Here's a basic mosaic sample I did using a number of my little angels' pictures!

Friends and Food @ San Marco

Of all things I enjoy in life, being with good friends while sharing good food ranks among the highest! So it is definitely a great blessing to work in an organization that make time to be with friends... and yes, excellent gastronomic treats!

This photo is one of the many small gatherings we have during the year. Shown here at the San Marco work room are not just staff members but special library friends as well. Bon Apetit!

The 7 1/2 Habits of Learning

Hello JPL family!

For last week's activity, I posted that the hardest habit for me is "having fun" when we play with this new technology. I had the chance to reflectit over the weekend and I don't think that would be the hardest habit for me now. I can't pinpoint a specific habit that I can say is difficult. It's having the consistent effort to applying it to my daily life that is essential.

So I guess the challenge right now is the eight habit: "walk the talk"

Have a good week ahead...