First we look at Podcasts. My task is to familiarise myself with some Podcast search tools, then link to one.
The search tools were straightforward enough. I didn't have time to really assess any particular podcast, but I'm a horror fan, so I picked a random horror themed podcast that I found on podcast directory. And here it is!
My next task is to consider ebooks, and look at the Auckland City Libraries netlibrary, and open a free account. I did so easily enough, although I think the layout of the ACL netlibrary is a little cluttered; it took a little while for me to figure exactly what I was joining up to. But now 'Schopenhauer 2010' is an official elibrary member.
Ebooks in general are useful for quickly getting your hands on textbooks and so on. For example, this Yale course on the philosophy of death that I'm doing has Tolstoy's 'Death of Ivan Ilych' as a set text; it's nice to be able to easily read it through my net account.
However I still love the physical aspects of books. Etexts are useful but if I want to read for pleasure I'll stick to paper, thanks.
Finally, I'm tasked with reflecting on my learning process for this course.
I definitely enjoyed this 2.0 learning experience. I think 'learning by doing' is both fun and effective. I'm slightly over the course deadline by one day - hey, I blame library school - but I probably shouldn't have written so much in my posts! Oh well, I'm opinionated. Hope I still get a memory stick. Regardless, I look forward to the next learning program which is I believe is a more advanced version of the 2.0 exercises I've done here. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Week Nine - Part One
This is the final week of the Web 2.0 course, and hopefully, I'll get it all done before the March 29 deadline.
The first task is straightforward enough. Explore YouTube, find a video to link to, and blog about the site.
There's probably not a lot left to say about YouTube, that epic, copyright-busting, top dog of the Web, as it's a regular favourite of journalists already; who seem to alternate between bemoaning it as an idiotic waste of time dominated by self aggrandising attention seekers, and extolling it in those '10 top YouTube videos for this month!' articles.
I think it offers an intriguing glimpse into human nature. The things people are willing to share, and the things people are willing to watch, reveal some human desires and frailties quite clearly. I don't mean so much the content of what's shared and watched, but rather the motivations behind the sharing, and watching, in the first place.
Anyhoo, here's the philosopher Alain De Botton talking about Schopenhauer's views on romance. Like many YouTube clips, this is very likely still in copyright, so the link may not last forever.
The first task is straightforward enough. Explore YouTube, find a video to link to, and blog about the site.
There's probably not a lot left to say about YouTube, that epic, copyright-busting, top dog of the Web, as it's a regular favourite of journalists already; who seem to alternate between bemoaning it as an idiotic waste of time dominated by self aggrandising attention seekers, and extolling it in those '10 top YouTube videos for this month!' articles.
I think it offers an intriguing glimpse into human nature. The things people are willing to share, and the things people are willing to watch, reveal some human desires and frailties quite clearly. I don't mean so much the content of what's shared and watched, but rather the motivations behind the sharing, and watching, in the first place.
Anyhoo, here's the philosopher Alain De Botton talking about Schopenhauer's views on romance. Like many YouTube clips, this is very likely still in copyright, so the link may not last forever.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Week Eight Part Two
This next task was both easy and enjoyable. It was simply to select one site from the Web 2.0 Award Winners, explore it, and blog about my findings.
Although there are many interesting sites to choose from, I was instantly drawn to Biblio.com, compelled by my terrible desire to buy books over the Internet; well, not terrible in the sense of being sick or bad, but rather in the sense of being very strong and causing me to spend too much money.
Biblio seems to be a slicker version of older sites such as ABEbooks and alibris. I don't see, though, that it has a great deal more functionality than those sites - which are already well established and used by booksellers and book buyers all over the world. Nor do I think the selection is more comprehensive, as rare book dealers usually advertise their wares on every site they can; thus the same dealer will list the same book on various different sites.
However Biblio does have 'browserbility'. Using the top menus on the page it's possible to browse books in various categories, which is nice, yet dangerous, for a cash-strapped bibliophile like myself.
Although there are many interesting sites to choose from, I was instantly drawn to Biblio.com, compelled by my terrible desire to buy books over the Internet; well, not terrible in the sense of being sick or bad, but rather in the sense of being very strong and causing me to spend too much money.
Biblio seems to be a slicker version of older sites such as ABEbooks and alibris. I don't see, though, that it has a great deal more functionality than those sites - which are already well established and used by booksellers and book buyers all over the world. Nor do I think the selection is more comprehensive, as rare book dealers usually advertise their wares on every site they can; thus the same dealer will list the same book on various different sites.
However Biblio does have 'browserbility'. Using the top menus on the page it's possible to browse books in various categories, which is nice, yet dangerous, for a cash-strapped bibliophile like myself.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Week Eight Part One
This week it's all about online productivity tools. Personally I'm more of a fan of online unproductivity but that's just me.
It seems to be that the Microsoft Office package of applications is clumsy, annoying and even, yes, patronizing to the average user; for example, the animated dancing paper clip that offers generic, hopeless, instructions. And on principle I'm for anything that prises Microsoft's giant fingers away from the throat of 90% of personal computer users. Thus Google Docs - in essence a free online version of Microsoft's popular Office software - strikes me as a good thing.
Still, there's the possibility that one day, as the Microsoft moster reluctantly releases it's stranglehold on business productivity tools, the Google monster will eagerly step up and wrap its meaty hands around the same poor throat. I wish I could pretend to myself that the Google monster is less malicious; but underneath that faux air of techno-cool it's all about making money. A monster in a zany costume is still a monster.
My task this week is to join Google Docs and link to a doc from my blog. So here we are:
On to part two!
It seems to be that the Microsoft Office package of applications is clumsy, annoying and even, yes, patronizing to the average user; for example, the animated dancing paper clip that offers generic, hopeless, instructions. And on principle I'm for anything that prises Microsoft's giant fingers away from the throat of 90% of personal computer users. Thus Google Docs - in essence a free online version of Microsoft's popular Office software - strikes me as a good thing.
Still, there's the possibility that one day, as the Microsoft moster reluctantly releases it's stranglehold on business productivity tools, the Google monster will eagerly step up and wrap its meaty hands around the same poor throat. I wish I could pretend to myself that the Google monster is less malicious; but underneath that faux air of techno-cool it's all about making money. A monster in a zany costume is still a monster.
My task this week is to join Google Docs and link to a doc from my blog. So here we are:
On to part two!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Week Seven Part Two
It was easy to add my blog to the favourites folder of the ACL wiki. A simple case of edit n'save.
Which means... I've caught up! I'm up to week eight like everybody else!
YESSSS!
"If the teaching of experience bears fruit in us, we soon give up the pursuit of pleasure and happiness, and think much more about making ourselves secure against the attacks of pain and suffering. We see that the best the world has to offer is an existence free from pain - a quiet, tolerable life; and we confine our claims to this, as to something we can more surely hope to achieve."
-Schopenhauer.
Which means... I've caught up! I'm up to week eight like everybody else!
YESSSS!
"If the teaching of experience bears fruit in us, we soon give up the pursuit of pleasure and happiness, and think much more about making ourselves secure against the attacks of pain and suffering. We see that the best the world has to offer is an existence free from pain - a quiet, tolerable life; and we confine our claims to this, as to something we can more surely hope to achieve."
-Schopenhauer.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Week Seven - Part One
I'm almost all caught up! Let's see... today's Tuesday. If I can get this posted within a couple of days I'll be up to Week Eight, along with everybody else.
This week's task is to learn about 'wikis' and how libraries are using them.
I'm no stranger to the concept of a wiki; when I'm investigating some topic I often use Wikipedia as an introduction to it. Of course, it's important to do so in a cautious way, bearing in mind that any given contributor may have some ideological axe to grind. But usually I find Wikipedia to be a quick and useful summary of the basic facts around a subject.
Looking through the wikis suggested in the discovery exercise was interesting. What struck me is that an important fundamental of successful wiki construction is to have a clear idea about what the wiki is actually about and to set clear boundaries on what will be presented. By this I mean the wiki should have an obvious focus on a topic or set of topics. The easily expandable nature of wikis can be a drawback when a particular wiki gets too sprawling, or there seems little logical connection between entries.
For an example let's use the St Joseph County Public Library's Wiki. Now, although individual entries may be well written, I struggled to see what the overall coherent purpose of this wiki is. If it's about 'local information and educational, cultural and community resources' as is stated, why are subjects such as 'pets', 'travel' and 'history-related mysteries' presented? Slowly it dawned on me that the mysteries are set in, or near, the County's geographic area; but there seems nothing particularly locally relevant about the information under 'pets' and so forth.
Despite this minor criticism there's still many things that work about the Joseph County blog, and one can see how it's useful to group a broad range of library resources together under a subject.
I thought the library success blog was well done; I could easily imagine using it to research best practice.
This week's task is to learn about 'wikis' and how libraries are using them.
I'm no stranger to the concept of a wiki; when I'm investigating some topic I often use Wikipedia as an introduction to it. Of course, it's important to do so in a cautious way, bearing in mind that any given contributor may have some ideological axe to grind. But usually I find Wikipedia to be a quick and useful summary of the basic facts around a subject.
Looking through the wikis suggested in the discovery exercise was interesting. What struck me is that an important fundamental of successful wiki construction is to have a clear idea about what the wiki is actually about and to set clear boundaries on what will be presented. By this I mean the wiki should have an obvious focus on a topic or set of topics. The easily expandable nature of wikis can be a drawback when a particular wiki gets too sprawling, or there seems little logical connection between entries.
For an example let's use the St Joseph County Public Library's Wiki. Now, although individual entries may be well written, I struggled to see what the overall coherent purpose of this wiki is. If it's about 'local information and educational, cultural and community resources' as is stated, why are subjects such as 'pets', 'travel' and 'history-related mysteries' presented? Slowly it dawned on me that the mysteries are set in, or near, the County's geographic area; but there seems nothing particularly locally relevant about the information under 'pets' and so forth.
Despite this minor criticism there's still many things that work about the Joseph County blog, and one can see how it's useful to group a broad range of library resources together under a subject.
I thought the library success blog was well done; I could easily imagine using it to research best practice.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Week Six
Right! Cracking on here because I'm behind - if I can just get this posted within a day or two I'll be up to Week Seven, which I think is what everyone else is up to.
So let's look at 'Del.icio.us' and how it could be useful.
First I want to mention that I disliked this video which was recommended viewing for this week's tasks. It's an introduction to the very basics of social networking. Now, it is informative, but did anyone else find something very self-serving in the idea that the chief benefit of web social networks is to find a job, or a romantic relationship? The author of the video seemed to imply that networks of people are merely a tool to get what you want.
Perhaps it's always been that way. The French author La Rochefoucauld - another of my favourite writers - argued in his book Maxims that everything we do is based on our own self-interest, especially the friendships we enjoy. In fact, let's give Schopenhauer a break this week and instead here's a typical, cynical, and mostly true aphorism from Rochefoucauld, taken from his wonderful Maxims. Here is one of the many he writes about love:
'The charm of novelty is, to romance, what the bloom is on fruit; it gives a lustre that easily fades, and which never returns."
Anyway, on with Del.icio.us.
My first task is to join up: upon doing so, I was surprised to be taken to a 'Yahoo!' sign-in page. I guess they own Del.icio.us. Many, many, moons ago I had a Yahoo email account. It was my first ever Web mail account - my first ever email account actually - and I thought it a spectre of the past. I haven't used it for years. But to my amazement I remembered the log in and password, and it worked! There was even a little avatar of myself I'd constructed and then forgotten about.
Things never die on the Internet.
At heart Del.icio.us is a way to access one's Web bookmarks on any Internet computer. That's probably useful for some, although I only browse my bookmarks at home; employers frown upon leisurely web surfing at work, alas. Although I have to say, Auckland City Libraries are more forward thinking than most in that sense - I feel lucky to work in an organisation in which Internet use is a fundamental part of my role.
More appealing to me is the ability to see what others have bookmarked. I have a strong interest in the classics, so I searched tags for 'Greek Mythology' and straight away found a number of interesting links, several of which I added. Next (of course!) I searched for 'Schopenhauer' and noticed that this, my very own blog, had been recently added under that tag. Such is the self-referential nature of the times. I'm expecting fame and riches to follow shortly.
While saving bookmarks I also came across this amazing site. Some of America's leading academics, at a top university, offering entire free courses on fascinating topics, such as the philosophy of death, and Dante in translation. Sometimes the Internet excels itself.
Anyhoo, here's a link to my Del.icio.us account.
My next task is to become a member of 'Technorati' and 'claim' my blog. I joined Technorati easily enough.
Now, I'm no idiot. I'm not technologically challenged. I'm good with Web things. But I just cannot figure out how to claim my blog. I can't even find the claim code to put in my post. I even Googled it, but the advice given didn't work. Could it be possible that Technorati has temporarily stopped claims on blogs until they catch up? If anyone can tell me how to claim my blog go ahead - but before you do, please check the current Technorati site to make sure your method still works.
[Wait! Thanks to the credulous skeptic's Week Six post, I found XXXholic's post, who actually explains how to do this. Thanks!]
So I've now claimed and received this message:
So let's look at 'Del.icio.us' and how it could be useful.
First I want to mention that I disliked this video which was recommended viewing for this week's tasks. It's an introduction to the very basics of social networking. Now, it is informative, but did anyone else find something very self-serving in the idea that the chief benefit of web social networks is to find a job, or a romantic relationship? The author of the video seemed to imply that networks of people are merely a tool to get what you want.
Perhaps it's always been that way. The French author La Rochefoucauld - another of my favourite writers - argued in his book Maxims that everything we do is based on our own self-interest, especially the friendships we enjoy. In fact, let's give Schopenhauer a break this week and instead here's a typical, cynical, and mostly true aphorism from Rochefoucauld, taken from his wonderful Maxims. Here is one of the many he writes about love:
'The charm of novelty is, to romance, what the bloom is on fruit; it gives a lustre that easily fades, and which never returns."
Anyway, on with Del.icio.us.
My first task is to join up: upon doing so, I was surprised to be taken to a 'Yahoo!' sign-in page. I guess they own Del.icio.us. Many, many, moons ago I had a Yahoo email account. It was my first ever Web mail account - my first ever email account actually - and I thought it a spectre of the past. I haven't used it for years. But to my amazement I remembered the log in and password, and it worked! There was even a little avatar of myself I'd constructed and then forgotten about.
Things never die on the Internet.
At heart Del.icio.us is a way to access one's Web bookmarks on any Internet computer. That's probably useful for some, although I only browse my bookmarks at home; employers frown upon leisurely web surfing at work, alas. Although I have to say, Auckland City Libraries are more forward thinking than most in that sense - I feel lucky to work in an organisation in which Internet use is a fundamental part of my role.
More appealing to me is the ability to see what others have bookmarked. I have a strong interest in the classics, so I searched tags for 'Greek Mythology' and straight away found a number of interesting links, several of which I added. Next (of course!) I searched for 'Schopenhauer' and noticed that this, my very own blog, had been recently added under that tag. Such is the self-referential nature of the times. I'm expecting fame and riches to follow shortly.
While saving bookmarks I also came across this amazing site. Some of America's leading academics, at a top university, offering entire free courses on fascinating topics, such as the philosophy of death, and Dante in translation. Sometimes the Internet excels itself.
Anyhoo, here's a link to my Del.icio.us account.
My next task is to become a member of 'Technorati' and 'claim' my blog. I joined Technorati easily enough.
Now, I'm no idiot. I'm not technologically challenged. I'm good with Web things. But I just cannot figure out how to claim my blog. I can't even find the claim code to put in my post. I even Googled it, but the advice given didn't work. Could it be possible that Technorati has temporarily stopped claims on blogs until they catch up? If anyone can tell me how to claim my blog go ahead - but before you do, please check the current Technorati site to make sure your method still works.
[Wait! Thanks to the credulous skeptic's Week Six post, I found XXXholic's post, who actually explains how to do this. Thanks!]
So I've now claimed and received this message:
I know the picture is a bit too small to read, but it basically says 'Don't call us, we'll call you.'
The last task this week is to consider the role of 2.0 technologies in a library context.
I've just begun my Master of Information Studies through Victoria University and there is a heavy emphasis on Internet resources, along with a lot of reading and theory about how this will impact upon library work. One could write about this stuff for hours, but as this post is already lengthy I'll keep it short. In a nutshell, Web 2.0 offers both a challenge and a boon to libraries and our users. The challenge for librarians is to ensure we stay relevant by positioning ourselves as expert guides to the vast sea of information resources now available. The average information seeker faces an intimidating array of possibilities. Librarians can be of assistance by both assessing these resources, advising on quality, and demonstrating how to use them. Further, we can sound a warning note: Wikipedia and Google do not offer the last word on topics. Caution and critical thinking is required when using Internet resources for research, and there's still no substitute for the quality of research and information a skilled librarian can provide.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Week Five
This week I look at 'LibraryThing' and 'Rollyo'.
Library Thing is a fun resource for bibliophiles. It's interesting to see others who have similar reading selections although my highest match with someone else was still only 4 books out of the 11 I 'catalogued'. It prompted me to briefly wonder if there's potential there for some sort of dating site based on books: people list their favourite titles, write short reviews, and so on, then they're matched with others having similar tastes. But then I realised that some people would indiscriminately list hundreds of books simply to increase their chances of a match - so I don't think that idea would work.
Anyway, although I like LibraryThing, I'm not sure I would spend the time to become deeply involved in the site. However, I thought it might be a way for smaller specialist library collections - for example, the Private Press Collection held in the Special Collections Department here at the Central Library - to gain easy Internet exposure.
At this point I'm tasked with adding a LibraryThing search box to my blog; however, I'm unable to cut and paste the html code on my work computer. Perhaps I'll try from home, but for now this task is prevented by my work computer's settings.
Next up is Rollyo.
It's a good idea. The creation of specialised search-engines has obvious library applications: for example, an 'encyclopedia' roll could be created as a first port of call for students tackling a homework assignment; then linked to from the library homepage. Specialist areas, such as family history research, would also benefit from Rollyo.
I buy a lot of books over the Internet, so I decided to create a search roll that will put together several of my most used sites. I was going to include ABE books, Alibris, Amazon, BetterWorldBooks, and perhaps a couple of others. But guess what? The Rollyo site has been down for maintenance for the past few days, so I can't: and I'm in a rush to catch up with the Web 2.0 program, so I'm going to post this now!
Time chases us all. Schopenhauer wrote that sometimes we long to be in some distant spot, when in truth we are only longing to have the time back again that we spent there - days when we were younger and fresher than we are now. In these moments Time 'mocks us by wearing the mask of space'; and if we travel to the spot, we can see how much we've been deceived.
Library Thing is a fun resource for bibliophiles. It's interesting to see others who have similar reading selections although my highest match with someone else was still only 4 books out of the 11 I 'catalogued'. It prompted me to briefly wonder if there's potential there for some sort of dating site based on books: people list their favourite titles, write short reviews, and so on, then they're matched with others having similar tastes. But then I realised that some people would indiscriminately list hundreds of books simply to increase their chances of a match - so I don't think that idea would work.
Anyway, although I like LibraryThing, I'm not sure I would spend the time to become deeply involved in the site. However, I thought it might be a way for smaller specialist library collections - for example, the Private Press Collection held in the Special Collections Department here at the Central Library - to gain easy Internet exposure.
At this point I'm tasked with adding a LibraryThing search box to my blog; however, I'm unable to cut and paste the html code on my work computer. Perhaps I'll try from home, but for now this task is prevented by my work computer's settings.
Next up is Rollyo.
It's a good idea. The creation of specialised search-engines has obvious library applications: for example, an 'encyclopedia' roll could be created as a first port of call for students tackling a homework assignment; then linked to from the library homepage. Specialist areas, such as family history research, would also benefit from Rollyo.
I buy a lot of books over the Internet, so I decided to create a search roll that will put together several of my most used sites. I was going to include ABE books, Alibris, Amazon, BetterWorldBooks, and perhaps a couple of others. But guess what? The Rollyo site has been down for maintenance for the past few days, so I can't: and I'm in a rush to catch up with the Web 2.0 program, so I'm going to post this now!
Time chases us all. Schopenhauer wrote that sometimes we long to be in some distant spot, when in truth we are only longing to have the time back again that we spent there - days when we were younger and fresher than we are now. In these moments Time 'mocks us by wearing the mask of space'; and if we travel to the spot, we can see how much we've been deceived.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Week Four - with Twitter!
Whoops! I completely missed the 'Twitter' section of Week 4, so here's the addendum to my previous post.
Twitter. That's a word I've heard a lot of lately. It was described to me by a Twitter-literate friend as - 'A way to tell people what you're doing at the moment.'
Then I said - 'Why?'
See, I just don't get it. I mean, I know how it works: I just don't understand why anyone would be interested in what I'm doing at the moment.
"@EverettBishop: Just seen 'Bright Star', it was awful, couldn't wait for Keats to die".
"@EverettBishop: Now lying on couch post-Burger Fuel".
I mean, why would I torture my friends with this stuff? Admittedly the first 'Tweet' might possibly save them forking out for 'Bright Star' but aside from that... look. I'm sorry, but my life is just not interesting enough for Twitter.
Nevertheless, to fulfill the requirements of Week 4, here's my Twitter.
However, I can certainly see how Twitter would be an excellent marketing and promotion tool for a library, especially event promotions. Great for reminding people about author talks and so on.
Twitter. That's a word I've heard a lot of lately. It was described to me by a Twitter-literate friend as - 'A way to tell people what you're doing at the moment.'
Then I said - 'Why?'
See, I just don't get it. I mean, I know how it works: I just don't understand why anyone would be interested in what I'm doing at the moment.
"@EverettBishop: Just seen 'Bright Star', it was awful, couldn't wait for Keats to die".
"@EverettBishop: Now lying on couch post-Burger Fuel".
I mean, why would I torture my friends with this stuff? Admittedly the first 'Tweet' might possibly save them forking out for 'Bright Star' but aside from that... look. I'm sorry, but my life is just not interesting enough for Twitter.
Nevertheless, to fulfill the requirements of Week 4, here's my Twitter.
However, I can certainly see how Twitter would be an excellent marketing and promotion tool for a library, especially event promotions. Great for reminding people about author talks and so on.
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