Thing 23: It's All Over

It's hard to keep a short list of everything I have learned from this program. I think that I have a greater knowledge of all of the tools that we have covered in 23 Things, and a greater awareness that there are many fantastic tools out there. I have achieved my lifelong learning goals, I challenged myself to learn new tools and revise old tools. I wouldn't have expected to walk away with so many new tools that I enjoy using like MakeBelieveComix and LibraryThing.

Thing 9 (LibraryThing, Booktagger, Google Books and eBooks) and Thing 17 (Creating Content) were my favourites and hence were the highlights of the program for me. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy the other tools (because I did) but for some reason I really 'clicked' with Thing 9 and 17.

I would definitely recommend this program. It has taught me a lot, and it has been interesting and fun along the way. It's a great opportunity for professional development. If another discovery program was offered in the future I would definitely join.

Thing 22: Mashups & Libraries

Mashups were really fun to look at and play around with. It's amazing what some people have created out there, I really liked looking at the creativity of the Libraryhack winners.

I had fun playing around with the Mashups. I liked Flickr Colour Pickr and Spell With Flickr. I spent some time making mosaics with Mosaic Maker which was fun. I created a mosaic of my overseas trips.

I think that mashups are just another opportunity for libraries to give a message in a fun way. Perhaps mashing up some content would help make students remember our services better? Or give them a clear idea of how everything is linked together? Maybe we could create a mashup of a library floor plan, showing students exactly where the social work area is etc.

I went to the VALA 2010 conference and I thought that video was awesome. It was very inspirational  and really set the tone of the conference at the time. I think that it makes a very valid point about the expectations of a new generation.

Thing 21: Mobile

I don't have a smartphone so I was a little restricted with this Thing. Although I read about it and looked at some of the mobile sites it would have been nice to have been able to use a smartphone and play around with some QR codes.

I definitely agree that it is really important to provide users with mobile accessible sites. It's becoming more and more common for our students to whip out a phone to look something up rather than jumping on a computer. I think that vendors who neglect to provide a mobile accessible webpage are really not looking at the expectations of the end user.

My local public library sends notifications of holds via SMS and I think it is a fantastic way to notify patrons, since not everyone checks their email regularly but almost everyone has a mobile and uses it frequently.

Thing 19 & 20: Twitter

I really feel that a week is definitely not long enough to really get a sense of Twitter. Plus it didn't help that the Twitter week coincided with my holiday to Dubbo and then directly followed a week when I was unwell. So the times that I should have been using and learning twitter, I was struggling for the time.

I agree with some of the other posts that its a nice way to get a short summary of what other libraries are doing. Since its not a tool that has really taken off among our students though I wonder how effective it is? My old workplace used to grapple with this question, especially since tweeting actually takes a bit of time (i.e. forming an idea, or finding a good link).

Did anyone else get a picture of the fail whale frequently with the message "Twitter is over capacity"? Grrrrr that was annoying. I checked out Google and so many users were complaining about it!

I don't think I'll continue tweeting much but I might log in from time to time to check out what other libraries are doing. I think perhaps Twitter's greatest value is in making other libraries aware of the great services ACU provides (after all, other libraries could send us potential new patrons) and in being able to compare what we are doing with what other libraries are offering.

By the way Kate thanks for trying to tweet while you were sick, I think its really impressive that you tweeted as often as you did given the circumstances.

Thing 18: Reflection Week

I think that I can confidently say that my skills have improved since embarking on the 23 Things challenge. I'm glad I've tackled these with an end goal in mind, because I think trying to look at the emerging technologies and trends without the direction and support that this program offers would have been overwhelming. Being compelled as part of my 23 Things schedule to experiment with and familiarise myself with these tools has been a great opportunity and I can see myself continuing on with some of them.

This program has covered everything that I wanted to know; I was really interested in LibraryThing so I'm really glad that it was one of the tools. I think if I were to suggest any tools to family or friends it would be LibraryThing since most of them are avid readers and could probably get a lot from it. I usually feel a little behind when it comes to the latest trends because I think sometimes the first challenge is in hearing about them. Since so many trends are through word of mouth, I feel that there are probably some other great tools out there that I just haven't heard of. This program has inspired me to more actively look for new tools.

What would I do differently? Good question. I think I will put myself on a schedule so that I don't keep finding myself behind. Otherwise I feel like I spend time on each 'Thing' and that I put the necessary thought and effort into learning and understanding it.

Thing 17: Creating Content

23 Things keeps getting better and better :) I really loved this Thing, it was so much fun and its amazing what great tools there are out there. I had a look at MakeBelieveComix, Xtranormal, Animasher and Storyboard.

I think they all have potential for getting a message across. I've seen Xtranormal used for library conferences and also presentations during Orientation Week at university and I think it has so much potential for helping us engage with students. My old workplace used it for Orientation Week because students hadn't been responding to previous library presentations (not surprising given the amount of new information students have to process during Orientation) so they tried something different and for the first time students really paid attention to what was being said.

I really liked MakeBelieveComix, just because it was so much fun to create something and really simple to use. My partner and I can both see ourselves spending a lot of time on this site. I think for libraries it could be very useful for making a short point but in an interesting, humorous way. You can view one of the Comix my partner and I created here

Thing 16: YouTube

Wow! I knew there would be a lot of library YouTube videos but I didn't expect how fantastic some of them would be! It was hard to chose just one to embed!

I definitely think YouTube is a great way to reach library users, and I think its marketing potential is greater than some of the other tools, like podcasts. The challenge in using YouTube though is finding a way to stand out from every other YouTube video, whilst still providing users with some information about library services. I think YouTube has a lot of potential - it can be a much nicer format than the standard lecture spiel about what the library offers (important information I know, but not retainable for new users) by offering acting, and allowing for props and humour. Plus we know most of our students are familiar with it.

Thing 15: Slideshare and Prezi

Slideshare
Slideshare seems like an easy way to share your slides, and I can see why a lot of libraries already use it. It definitely looks more interesting than the traditional Powerpoint presentation. I seem to prefer the Prezi layout though. This one was my favourite Slideshare:

Flying Librarians of Oz: What's all the fuss about Second Life and what's it got to do with libraries?

View more presentations from sirexkat

Prezi
My first experience with Prezi was at a library conference almost two years ago, listening to UTS library give a really inspiring presentation. Part of the reason their presentation stood out so much was that unlike very other library who used Powerpoint, UTS used Prezi. They embedded some YouTube videos into it, and they made Powerpoint look outdated. Since then I've always really like Prezi, theres so much scope for imagination with it and its a great way to make a presentation different.

I've embedded a Prezi presentation that I think is relevant to 23 Things.

Collaboration with Web 2.0 Tools on Prezi

Thing 14: Exploring Podcasts

I have known about podcasts for sometime, and I've worked at libraries that have incorporated these into their website. I think they are a great idea, it means that libraries can assist people with a different learning style which is important in our efforts to encourage information literacy. I know some students who like to download them onto their MP3 or iPod.

I don't think I would subscribe to podcasts, I think they are just not my learning style (I tend to tune them out). I'd rather read the information, or learn by doing. That said I'm not at all opposed to them, as I can see the value in them. I would create a podcast happily if it happened to be part of my job in the future.

I found an interesting site that looks at podcasting and libraries. The site briefly covers question like 'why podcast?' and lists some libraries doing a great job with podcasting. You can check it out here

Thing 13: Facebook

I've been on Facebook for awhile now personally, and I think its a great social networking tool for those people that you don't keep in regular contact with (although the lack of privacy settings, or the unnotified changes to them can be very annoying). My grandfather used to say that his disappointment in life is that you never get to find out what happened to people you once knew but have lost contact with; unless you chance upon them one day. I think that Facebook goes a little way in filling in some of those blanks.

In terms of libraries, I think Facebook is a great way to target the audience. I know there has been some research suggesting that students don't want libraries in 'their' space. I think though that the students that do choose to 'like' a page are unlikely to have that opinion. It's a great way to get regular library updates delivered to something students check regularly. I've seen large numbers of students using Facebook in the library and I definitely think if we don't join them on Facebook we have lost our audience. There's a fascinating blog post about Facebook and libraries here

For me a good library Facebook page has important library news, but also offers some interesting articles or unusual facts about libraries. As fun as reading about database downtime on the library Facebook page is, I think students also need some interesting posts that make them think, allow for interactivity, offer interesting pictures or links to interesting new stories. Here are 10 Great Library Facebook Fan Pages that show that it is possible to really connect with patrons on Facebook.

Thing 12: Flickr

I've heard lots about Flickr and I have used it for searching before but until Thing 12 I haven't actually joined and uploaded my own photos. For backing up photos online, and sharing them it is a great resource. I love the multitude of pictures on the site, from historical images right through to present day. It's also got a nice collaborative feel to it with the groups and the ability to add contacts. Usually if I'm going to share photos at all I do so on Facebook but I'll definitely keep Flickr in mind for the future.

In the spirit of Flickr I thought I would share a photo from Mayfield Gardens near Oberon NSW.

Thing 11: Productivity and Collaboration Tools

Awwww Thing 11. Part of the reason I have procrastinated this one so far is for the same reason that lifeofalibrarian stated. I too found the list quite daunting, but mostly reading the explanations of what each site does made me think I'd never use it or find it all that helpful. For this task I have chosen these 3 tools to discuss:

Workflowy:
I noticed a trend among 23 Things bloggers that Workflowly was actually helpful. I have to say I do like it and I can see how it would be useful. My partner is currently finishing off a PhD and I can see something like Workflowy being useful for him. If I needed a detailed list for studies, I would consider using Workflowy. Originally I looked at it with chores in mind but rather than having to refer to my laptop frequently (my phone is not very web capable) I think I'll be sticking to a paper list.

Doodle:
I could see this being useful, particularly for anyone trying to organise a group assignment, event or just a group of people. I could see that it could be an asset to avoid a heap of emails trying to organise a date and time.

Hootsuite:
This is something that I have used before in my old job. It was great because it helped organise all the updates into one handy place and it was easy to use and read. I used to love the statistics, it was quite gratifying to see that the posts made by the library were being read. Plus it was interesting to see which posts were being clicked through, and hence what students are interested in reading.

Thing 10: Social Bookmarking

I think that social bookmarking has some great purposes. There's nothing worse than logging onto another computer only to realise that all your links are saved on your computer, so you'll have to find them all again. Delicious and the social bookmarking sites make accessing important sites easy. I love that it also allows for collaboration.

I've seen Delicious used in my previous workplace, as a tool to allow for library staff to tag recent information in their allocated fields and share it on the library website. I think that there is always the danger of inconsistency with tagging, for example people using lots of variations of the same words. My old workplace had to address this issue to make staff consistent so that we were not using an unnecessary amount of tags which could potentially be confusing.

I think social bookmarking has the potential to make collections more accessible for libraries. Some of the tags seen a little more intuitive than the OPAC search terms needed.

Thing 9: LibraryThing, Booktagger, Google Books and eBooks

So far Thing 9 has been my favourite, and here is why:

LibraryThing

So LibraryThing has been around for awhile, its not at all new and yet I have never looked seriously at it until I had to for this program! I have to say that I'm glad I have seen it and I will probably continue using it after this program is over. I really like that it shows other members with the same books as you (potentially leading you on to reading new books since you may share the same taste). Plus I like the idea of having recommendations, since I'm always looking for new great reads and have exhausted other website suggestions. The reviews are interesting too. I found learning my way around this site to be fun.

Booktagger

Similarly Booktagger allows you to also share reads on the internet, only it seems like it would be more effective with more friends to share it with. I think I prefer the layout and feel of LibraryThing better. Still I could see how it would be useful for those looking for a new read.

Google Books

I've used Google Books a few times. As a student it was sometimes helpful in working out which pages would be the best to photocopy from a book I could get in a physical copy at the library. Although I have used Google Books in the past it is not something that I would use regularly.

eBooks

I've never really embraced eBooks much for my own personal library. I love that they exist for students because I was once a Distance Education student so I know first hand how useful eBooks are for an assignment. Despite not seeking them out for my own personal reading, my roommates have been using Kindles and after seeing them and hearing all the virtues (i.e how many books you can carry in one lightweight kindle) I'm a little envious and it has definitely made me interested in looking further into eBook readers and eBooks.

My local library does offer eBooks. The ACT Library service offers several eBook services, and also has this handy page for users.

Thing 7 and 8: The Time Saving Capabilities of RSS

RSS readers and feeds are certainly helpful for keeping all news and blogs updates in one place. I also like that its a simple procedure for adding an RSS feed (although I too had to do a lot of cutting and pasting, but I assumed that might be because I'm using a Mac). Compared to clicking on five different websites, the RSS feeds are much more streamlined. I've added these to Google Reader.

In terms of using this for my work or personal life, I have added some personal interest RSS feeds including one for library comics and one for PhD comics (yes, I'm a bit of a comics fan :)) So I can see myself using this to check these sites that I would normally click on every now and then. In terms of work I have used RSS feeds at my previous workplace for ideas for the library blog (latest news & especially latest library news) and I also used it for research blogs for the subjects I was responsible for listing the latest information or research.

I think that RSS feeds could really aid librarians to help patrons find the latest research or information on a given topic. There is so much information out there that I think RSS feeds are really useful to us as professionals in helping us keep up with our favourite blogs, news etc, and in turn our up-to-date knowledge of various topics can only benefit the patrons.

Thing 6: Gathering Google

Google Docs
Has some great features that I can see being really helpful to students and the general public. I really liked that it auto-saves frequently so that document changes are not lost. I can imagine for stressed students this is a very helpful function, plus with the collaborative nature saving time having multiple versions and conversations by email seems like a great idea. I think that it also has great potential since you can see in real time when someone is editing the document. I would use this again, it seemed quite easy to use, especially if you are familiar with Word.

Google Maps
I've been using Google Maps for awhile now. I really like the street view option (great for when I'm looking at accommodation and checking the location, or just need to see where I'm going). I have also used Google Maps frequently to get directions, and work out travel times and distances.

Google Scholar
As a student I used Google Scholar a lot, especially when doing a literature review. In addition to my database searches via the library website I found Google Scholar another source of information. I like that you can search across a large volume of information and for academic students having their university library preferences being set up can aid students to locate a vast array of knowledge that they have not have found otherwise.

Thing 5: The World of Wikis

My first experience with wikis was a library science student. Our assessment task was to create an e-portfolio using a wiki. Since my degree was entirely by correspondence the wiki was also used as a collaborative tool to bring students together to meet in the virtual world. I think that wikis definitely have potential for educational tools.

I think that wikis can be an amazing resource for users. For example ALIA have a wiki for special libraries available from here

My previous workplace liked the idea of wikis, especially since it was a multi campus university and a wiki would enable everyone to be on the same page; one of the challenges though I think for libraries is dedicating staff resources and time to these tools. Although my previous workplace liked the idea of a wiki they were unwilling to allow for staff resources to continually update such a tool.

Have wikis had their day? I think that wikis are still being widely used and have been embraced as educational collaborative tools. I think like all technological tools the creators need to maintain the innovative thinking that made them so popular in the first place, in order to remain relevant as time goes on.

23 Things and Lifelong Learning

The 7 Habits of Lifelong Learners include:

1. Begin With the End in Mind
2. Accept Resonsibility For Your Own Learning
3. View Problems as Challenges
4. Have Confidence in Yourself as a Competent Effective Learner
5. Create Your Own Learning Toolbox
6. Use Technology to Your Own Advantage
7. Teach/Mentor Others

AND

      7.5 Play (Have Fun While Learning)

Which habit of lifelong learners is easiest and which is hardest for you?

Hardest: For me this would be seeing problems as challenges. Initially I see a problem as a challenge but then as I begin something and discover it’s more of a challenge than I expected, it can be discouraging.

Easiest:

Using technology to my advantage. I think I tend to seek out technology if I think something should be out there to make it easier.

Your goals for the 23 Things ...

To expand my knowledge of technology and web 2.0 tools, for both my own personal learning and to see how these tools can be applied in libraries. I aim to challenge myself by learning new tools, and by revising tools that I have used in the past.

What you need in your learning toolkit to achieve these goals ...

Time, technology, perseverance and commitment 

Welcome to My Blog

Welcome to my blog. Here you can read all about my learning as I take on the 23 Things challenge