I had some difficulty with the Sandbox, specifically with the "Point and Click" edit feature. It didn't work, so I had to revert to the classic mode. I was able to limp along, although I have no knowledge of HTML. I basically just copied the code from previous postings, and it seemed to work. No room for creativity on my part, however.
If things had worked as advertises, I would have probably completed the exercise much quicker than I did. The floundering wasted a bit of time.
The Digital Me
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Week 7, Thing 16
Although I was somewhat dubious when I began this exercise, after looking at a few wikis I am convinced that they can play a good role in libraries. SJCPL's Subject Guides, Princeton's Book Lovers, and Meredith Farkas' Library Successes wikis all showed me a specific situation in which wikis can play a useful role.
SJCPL's wiki seems to me to be a good instance of applying a team approach to maintaining a library's website. While BCPL takes this approach to it's Intranet-based policy file, with a wiki, it could do the same with its subject pages, like SJCPL does. This would allow for quicker, rolling updates to the site, and take pressure off of the webmasters, allowing them to concentrate on major site changes rather than content changes.
Princeton's wiki provides a great way to get customer actively involved in the Readers' Advisory process. While many libraries have a place within branches for people to contribute recommendations of their own (i.e. a bulletin board, notebook, or table), this web-based approach allows customer to do the same thing from the comfort of their homes.
Library Successes applies the collaborative/best practices concept in a much wider scope, beyond local meetings or associations. At least in theory, it allows librarians worldwide to contribute and learn form each other.
SJCPL's wiki seems to me to be a good instance of applying a team approach to maintaining a library's website. While BCPL takes this approach to it's Intranet-based policy file, with a wiki, it could do the same with its subject pages, like SJCPL does. This would allow for quicker, rolling updates to the site, and take pressure off of the webmasters, allowing them to concentrate on major site changes rather than content changes.
Princeton's wiki provides a great way to get customer actively involved in the Readers' Advisory process. While many libraries have a place within branches for people to contribute recommendations of their own (i.e. a bulletin board, notebook, or table), this web-based approach allows customer to do the same thing from the comfort of their homes.
Library Successes applies the collaborative/best practices concept in a much wider scope, beyond local meetings or associations. At least in theory, it allows librarians worldwide to contribute and learn form each other.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Week 6, Thing 15
I enjoyed Michael Stephens' short essay regarding his conception of Library and Librarian 2.0. I fully agree that Libraries and Librarians must be in tune with what is going on around them, not just within the profession. The world is indeed a big place and seemingly going at a faster and faster pace. If we ever had the luxury of slow paced planning and decision making, we no longer do. Technology has encouraged folks to expect, even damand, quicker response times, and many times the expectation is legitimate, not just the result of impatience.
It is also refreshing to see the opinion that technology is not the end all and be all definition of progress or accomplishment. As with all customer services, technology decisions must be made based on the needs of customers and of the staff who work to meet those needs. Low tech can still work and many times might be a better solution than just buying the latest hot gadget. The primary question is, "Will this help us to better serve our customers?"
Technology for technology's sake is out, the thoughtful application of technology is very in (and always should be).
It is also refreshing to see the opinion that technology is not the end all and be all definition of progress or accomplishment. As with all customer services, technology decisions must be made based on the needs of customers and of the staff who work to meet those needs. Low tech can still work and many times might be a better solution than just buying the latest hot gadget. The primary question is, "Will this help us to better serve our customers?"
Technology for technology's sake is out, the thoughtful application of technology is very in (and always should be).
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Week 6, Thing 14
I found Technorati to be quite intriguing, not because it can be used to search blogs (although that it interesting), but because of at least one concept borrowed from academia and the parallels with searching an OPAC. The concept of authority is taken directly from the world of academics, i.e. the more folks cite you work in theirs, the more important you are within that field of study. At Technorati it's the number of blogs that link to yours that count, the more the better.
As far as searching is concerned, searching by tags will, of course, provide a much more focused and relevant results list. Essentially, tags searching and post searching have the same relation as subject and keyword searching in OPACs. I realise that this will be no revelation to any librarian, but I find it interesting how some ideas from librarianship have leaked into the rest of the world somewhat in disguise. I'm not sure what that proves, if anything, but it is worth remarking on. Maybe we are having some sort of impact, albeit a quiet one.
As far as searching is concerned, searching by tags will, of course, provide a much more focused and relevant results list. Essentially, tags searching and post searching have the same relation as subject and keyword searching in OPACs. I realise that this will be no revelation to any librarian, but I find it interesting how some ideas from librarianship have leaked into the rest of the world somewhat in disguise. I'm not sure what that proves, if anything, but it is worth remarking on. Maybe we are having some sort of impact, albeit a quiet one.
Week 6, Thing 13
Del.icio.us just doesn't work for me or for the way that I approach things. Like other things I've blogged about, I can see how other folks may find it of use, but I'm just not online enough (outside of work) for it to be useful in my life. The social aspect also leaves me very cold; I'm afraid my social life tends to revolve around actual people in close proximity to me. Very old-fashioned, I know, but it works for me. Heck, I never was even interested in having a pen pal when such things were "in" and up-to-date!
In spite of the fact that I might never use Del.icio.us, I am glad to have learned about it. At the bare minimum it keeps me in touch with what is going on in the world of Internet-based technology, which is critical in librarianship. Sort of the electronic parallel to knowing the titles of best-sellers whether or not you've read them.
In spite of the fact that I might never use Del.icio.us, I am glad to have learned about it. At the bare minimum it keeps me in touch with what is going on in the world of Internet-based technology, which is critical in librarianship. Sort of the electronic parallel to knowing the titles of best-sellers whether or not you've read them.
Week 5, Thing 12
I checked out Rollyo and created a searchroll about the arts in Baltimore and DC (http://rollyo.com/rmaranto/baltimore-d.c._arts/). With all of arts happening in both towns, it can be quite daunting to figure out what is happening where. My searchroll searches the Kennedy Center, the Baltimore Opera, An Die Musik, the BMA, the Walters, Center Stage, and the Washington Perfoming Arts Society websites. Like man of the tings I've done as part of the Maryland 23 Things project, I found this quite easy and intuitive.
Although I liked Rollyo, I prefer RSS because it actually sends the information to you. With Rollyo, it is obviously still necessary to do a search, even though it is much easier than visiting each of the sites seperately. Sometimes technology can actually make life a bit easier, and searchrolls are a good example!
Although I liked Rollyo, I prefer RSS because it actually sends the information to you. With Rollyo, it is obviously still necessary to do a search, even though it is much easier than visiting each of the sites seperately. Sometimes technology can actually make life a bit easier, and searchrolls are a good example!
Week 5, Thing 11
Although I doubt I will maintain my LibraryThing account, it is an interesting concept. I can understand the attraction to folks who are Internet and blog focused. Overall, it is rather intuitive and I had to check the help files only once (although I did not actually find an answer to my question). The one weakness I see in LibraryThing is that you are not always guarenteed to find the edition of a title that you actually have in your collection. (Maybe with a bit more searching on my part, it would have been possible. Who knows?) This is probably not a big deal for someone who is looking for a casual way to share their book shelves with the world, but it would not serve the needs of a serious collector (I'm not one). Maybe that is asking too much, but I couldn't help noticing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)