23 Things ended... or is it?

Well now, here I am at the end of the 23 Things process.  I think I probably experienced the same difficulty all part timers had.  An hour or two each week spent on learning about Web 2.0 is much more significant for someone working just 14 hours a week than it is for someone who works the full 36 ½ hours.  There can be difficulties fitting regular work responsibilities together with 23 Things into the time available.  Still, I’ve done it.

And having said that, there are some useful positives.  Igoogle makes a lot of sense.  I like having everything in one place.  Wider use of RSS feeds by more websites has to be a good idea.  Blogs are constructive tools for centralised group activity.  Facebook is ubiquitous these days, and for that reason, a must.  It’s reached its tipping point.  If you want to talk to a lot of people, you use Facebook.  YouTube is another good one.  I’ve been using it for some time as a useful source of information.

Flickr has limited application, though the use of Creative Commons is very exciting being a bit like SlideShare which I liked a very great deal.  As with YouTube, it’s a wonderful repository for information.  I’m unsure about Wikis.  I think they need to be made simpler, (though I hear that’s in the pipeline), and sometimes more accessible.  Google Docs?  The jury, for me, is out.  I think I need to explore it a lot more than has been possible so far in the time available.

Downsides?  There is the privacy issue, but I can’t help thinking that if someone wants to find out personal details they will.  It’s a fact of life which we all have to get used to.  Doodle seemed a bit clunky to me despite its potential utility.  I don’t like Firefox, but that’s just me.  Diigo was a bit of a lost cause.  I can’t see that we in the Teaching Grid would use it often.  Having said that, an overview of Endnotes is always good to have.  I’m not sure about the applications for Twitter.  Who’s going to be rushing to see what I have to say in 140 characters, or for that matter how often will I need to see what others have to say in the same limited space? 

Clearly, Web 2.0 has a future in libraries, just as it has in life as a whole.  It scores on at least two levels insofar as the library is concerned – the ability to do our jobs more efficiently, (and put simply, better), and in the absolute necessity of communicating with our patrons.  Just as important for the future, it enables us to extend and to expand our services.  Our service goes far beyond the traditional role of making information available.  We are increasingly looking at ways of presenting it attractively, and at inventing innovative ways in which it can be used.  Put succinctly, we are in the business of getting as much out as we can, to as many as we can, as usefully as we can.  Web 2.0 makes the job a lot easier than it was, even five years ago.  Will I be using it?  You bet…!

Systems Failure

Well now, I guess it had to happen sometime.  I'm one of the people who hasn't received the registration email from Diigo.  But no matter.  I'm going to the Workshop on Endnotes on the 1st March.  Somehow I think that will be far better than trying to persue the Diigo option.  As an essential tool for research students and their tutors, I can see the necessity of applying such an information management system from a mile.  I can even see its use in keeping a comprehensive repository for information on the equipment we use in the Teaching Grid.  Nice!

Reflections - Thing 13

Thing 13 - unlucky for some perhaps ;)?

So, a few thoughts on the 23 Things process thus far...

The igoogle page is growing on me.  (My "Bush Quote Generator" is a great way of setting me up for the day.)  I like the 'all in one place' aspect of it.  Blogs?  They've got me thinking.  Clearly, they're only to be used if there's something worth saying.  The trick will be to ensure that those who need to see them actually do so.  Other applications?  I'm not so sure, but in any event it has been decided that there will be a meeting of the staff in The Teaching Grid at the end of the 10 weeks to consider how this learning can be applied.  I'm looking forward to that.  Maybe there should be a library wide plenary to compare experiences, and to formulate recommendations sometime during the Easter vacation.

I have found that it is necessary to go beyond the bare skeleton of the course in order to maximise its usefulness, and in order to develop my understanding.  In practice that means playing with the tools; seeing what others have done; personalising it.  The obvious occurs to me in that as Web 2.0 is an emerging technology, it will change very quickly.  Features of it will become obsolete as often as new applications are introduced.  We need to have a clear vision of what's happening in this virtual world if we're going to get the most from it, and if we're not to waste out time chasing the irrelevant.

This could become addicitve...

...and then when would I find any time to do some work!

Nice little tool, 'twitter'.  Unlike some of the previous "things", I can readily see the applications. 

Talking of seeing applications, I'd like to have a broader view of the ways in which blogs are used.  I have seen how they can be used to disseminate advice and information, but where do you go to find where to look - to find the right bloggers and blogs?  The other comment I would make is that I'll have to be careful to sort the wheat from the chaff; the wastes of time from the really useful.  My time is precious, and I have some worthwhile, constructive projects to be getting on with...

Anyways, it's all good for now.  Let's see what next week will bring.

23 Things - Steps 7 and 8

The sainted 23 Things administrator has suggested another bumble - so here goes...

Now I'm on here, igoogle and Doodle, my suite of tools is beginning to feel reasonably up to date even though I know I've yet to become a twitcher, tweener or tweeter.  The aspect of it all that is beginning to tax me is how to apply all these shiny new things to my job.  It seems inadequate when I think that igoogle hasn't got an RSS (see, I'm learning the lingo ;) ) feed to the Warwick Uni insite page.  That's me home page, that is.

Good thing is that if all the peeps in the library are doing this for more than just a paper exercise, we could use it for slicker communication between us - better understanding, and some useful discussion.  (Emails?  Pah!  So last century ;) ) 

Anyways, I'm off to think about the applications.

Be seein' ya!

Off We Go...

Welcome to the first post on my blog.  It's purpose will be to update on my activities in the Warwick University library - the best library in the Midlands!

Of course, another purpose is to link more actively with our students and academic staff.  Technology moves apace, and we must do the same if we are to take full advantage of communication methodology and if we are to relate in the most suitable way to our patrons.  Put another way, we need to get down with the kids ;). 

As for my web 2.0 experience to date - well I know how to click on a URL.  What more do you want...?  At the end of my Web 2.0 sojourn I expect to be able to tweet with Stephen Fry and to blog on David Cameron's activities.  I'm sure they could both do with my advice.