Friday, December 21, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
ListenNJnw
This is something that's been available in our library for quite some time. If you're interested in audio books, this is a great service. In fact, it's almost revolutionary. All you need is a library card (hopefully in good standing) and an internet connection on your computer. I won't get into the specifics to much, because you could just go to the website and get all the info from there. But basically, from ListenNJ's website, you download a player to your computer, browse the selection of books, download your selection and viola, sit and enjoy. You don't have to worry about anything even returning the material late. After the loan period, the audio book is automatically returned/deleted/uninstalled/unusable/etc.
There are some things that I personally don't like about ListenNJ. One of these things is the need to have their player downloaded. You can't use iTunes or Quicktime, Media Player, etc. You also cannot play the audio book on an iPod. While this may be okay for some who don't mind purchasing other MP3 players, most of the iPod generation will miss out for now.
This is also assuming that you are allowed to use the audio book in that form. Unless the services have changed, the way it worked was each book had certain rights purchased. Some you were allowed to burn to cd and have forever and always. Others were strict "listen-to-on-the-player-only" titles.
If you are interested in audio books, this could be a good service and worth checking out.
There are some things that I personally don't like about ListenNJ. One of these things is the need to have their player downloaded. You can't use iTunes or Quicktime, Media Player, etc. You also cannot play the audio book on an iPod. While this may be okay for some who don't mind purchasing other MP3 players, most of the iPod generation will miss out for now.
This is also assuming that you are allowed to use the audio book in that form. Unless the services have changed, the way it worked was each book had certain rights purchased. Some you were allowed to burn to cd and have forever and always. Others were strict "listen-to-on-the-player-only" titles.
If you are interested in audio books, this could be a good service and worth checking out.
YouTube'n
As you could see below, I modified my Thing #20 a little bit and posted a video from Adult Swim rather than YouTube. While it doesn't discuss anything library related, I felt it touched upon a more universal theme. Everyone's got bad days. And yeah, sometimes just chalk it up to poor communication. Plus the video makes me laugh, so that's a plus.
I like YouTube for what it is. It definietly has it's uses and is a good source for people to share information (even if it's just something funny to brighten someone's day.) That said, I have found that there's more junk to sift through recently. I don't know if that's because I haven't spent much time on YouTube in recent months and rather go to certain websites for video clips (ie: Adult Swim) or I just don't have the patience to surf around on there.
I could see several uses for YouTube where libraries are concerned. It would be a good outlet to communicate some of the services, or even show a video tour of the library. Of course, that means said library would have to have the means in which to make the video and upload it. There could be a link from the library's webpage to the video clip. While it might be better to post the clip on the library's page itself if it was something that specific, general information could benefit library users from different places across the board.
I like YouTube for what it is. It definietly has it's uses and is a good source for people to share information (even if it's just something funny to brighten someone's day.) That said, I have found that there's more junk to sift through recently. I don't know if that's because I haven't spent much time on YouTube in recent months and rather go to certain websites for video clips (ie: Adult Swim) or I just don't have the patience to surf around on there.
I could see several uses for YouTube where libraries are concerned. It would be a good outlet to communicate some of the services, or even show a video tour of the library. Of course, that means said library would have to have the means in which to make the video and upload it. There could be a link from the library's webpage to the video clip. While it might be better to post the clip on the library's page itself if it was something that specific, general information could benefit library users from different places across the board.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Web 2.0 awads list
Man, there's a whole lot of stuff on there! It's pretty cool how some of the sites on the Web 2.0 awards list are things that we've touched upon through PalsPLUS2.0 (Google docs, del.icio.us, LibraryThing, etc).
I was also happy to find sites that I already know and sometimes use (Google maps, Picasa, YouTube, Craiglist, etc).
One of the sites I found to be interesting is called ColorBlender. You can make your own color palettes, match colors, find "blends," etc and use them in Photoshop and Illustrator. I'm sure something like this will come in handy at some point in the future with my artwork.
Also of interest was Spoke, one of the 3 sites they have listed for professional networking. I've heard of this site before, but never fully checked it out. I think that I'm going to have to take a closer look at a couple of these...
I was also happy to find sites that I already know and sometimes use (Google maps, Picasa, YouTube, Craiglist, etc).
One of the sites I found to be interesting is called ColorBlender. You can make your own color palettes, match colors, find "blends," etc and use them in Photoshop and Illustrator. I'm sure something like this will come in handy at some point in the future with my artwork.
Also of interest was Spoke, one of the 3 sites they have listed for professional networking. I've heard of this site before, but never fully checked it out. I think that I'm going to have to take a closer look at a couple of these...
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Google docs!
I wish I had known about Google docs sooner. I was late jumping into all of Google's goodies and now I feel like I'm really playing catchup. This would have been an EXCELLENT resource for all of those patrons who came into the library to use the internet AND Microsoft Word only to find that we didn't offer that service at the time.
Here, they would have been able to do research online and open a Google document and type to their hearts content (until the time limit was up. This still would not have been a big deal since Google ceremoniously backs up pretty much everything you do... if only Illustrator was so kind...). There appear to be enough other online resources available for those who don't use Google/Gmail services. Very handy.
I don't necessarily feel that these types of programs will make Microsoft Office obsolete. I can see them perhaps using it in conjunction with traditional word processing software. Isn't it a good idea to be more versatile anyway?
Here, they would have been able to do research online and open a Google document and type to their hearts content (until the time limit was up. This still would not have been a big deal since Google ceremoniously backs up pretty much everything you do... if only Illustrator was so kind...). There appear to be enough other online resources available for those who don't use Google/Gmail services. Very handy.
I don't necessarily feel that these types of programs will make Microsoft Office obsolete. I can see them perhaps using it in conjunction with traditional word processing software. Isn't it a good idea to be more versatile anyway?
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Library 2.0, Web 2.0, etc...
Well I must say that I enjoyed this "thing." In fact, I found most of these perspectives to be quite comforting in that some librarians and libraries "get it."
I'm not a librarian (shock! gasp!). However, being immersed in public libraries for over 10 years, I feel like I'm a pretty good judge or outside authority on the subject.
I thought Rick Anderson's "Away from the Icebergs" article summarized much of what has become an issue for libraries today. For example, I would agree with his thoughts on the collections of libraries. Certain materials are in higher demand than others and it's imperative to meet those demands in order to serve the public.
Now granted, a library community's demographic will help to dictate the needs for that library's changes. We have a heavy "reader" population for our library branch. There are families that checkout upwards of 50 or 60 books at a shot (I think the record since I've been here was around 100 books at a pop). We also have a high demand for the bestsellers and popular authors, fiction, mystery, etc that any other library has. That's not to say that we don't have patrons looking for nonfiction or reference materials. However, our city is fortunate enough to house two libraries. More often than not, when it comes to collection development in the reference areas, the main building (understandably so) is the one that gets the most current material. Originally this was a frustrating issue. But when it comes down to it, there are tons of resources available online. If push comes to shove and that patron really, really, really needs the most current information from that reference book on stamps, he can just drive the 10 minutes over to the main building and go to town.
In some respects, I agree with one of my coworkers about our branch evolving into a fiction library. Almost like a circulating Barnes and Noble. Stock multiple copies of the most current fiction, the hottest authors, the best reads of the year. Not that we'd have to eliminate nonfiction or reference entirely. But I feel the collections can be adjusted to meet our needs. Resources would still be available online, and we have a whole OTHER library for our patrons to access. How many towns can claim that?
The other thing that was touched upon in this article was "reliance on user education." Let me apologize in advance to any coworkers or supervisors I may offend by my following opinion. We're understaffed. Now I know that's nothing new, and it's been like that for years and it's probably like that everywhere. But we're not just understaffed when it comes to numbers. We are understaffed when it comes to people capable of answering the questions or teaching the public about the services that they can access. It's absolutely great that we can offer down loadable audio books and as I just learned today, video on demand service. (How cool is that? All with your library card!!)
But our staff is under trained. It's almost a guarantee that any person who walks through that door or picks up a phone to ask about these services I'm going to have to field the question. Let me remind you that I am not a librarian. Let me also throw in that I'm not even a supervisor, let alone anywhere near the top of the food chain. I am an artist. If you told any of my college friends that I'm the "tech guy" they would laugh at you. Out loud. In your face. What I know I've learned from playing around on my own. I understand if numbers in the library cannot be increased. The staff NEEDS to be more knowledgeable. There's no point in providing services that are not understood by library staff. As a whole we need to be more aware of these services and at least understand the concept enough to be able to explain it to someone else.
I was going to talk about some of the other articles, but this post is way too long already. However I will add that I am proud of our libraries. Look at what we're doing. Look at what we offer. We may not be the forerunner by any means, but we're not really being left in the dust either. I think we're in a good position to keep adjusting and evolving. And if we're able to do so, the public won't outgrow us. They'll need us just as much, just in a different way.
I'm not a librarian (shock! gasp!). However, being immersed in public libraries for over 10 years, I feel like I'm a pretty good judge or outside authority on the subject.
I thought Rick Anderson's "Away from the Icebergs" article summarized much of what has become an issue for libraries today. For example, I would agree with his thoughts on the collections of libraries. Certain materials are in higher demand than others and it's imperative to meet those demands in order to serve the public.
Now granted, a library community's demographic will help to dictate the needs for that library's changes. We have a heavy "reader" population for our library branch. There are families that checkout upwards of 50 or 60 books at a shot (I think the record since I've been here was around 100 books at a pop). We also have a high demand for the bestsellers and popular authors, fiction, mystery, etc that any other library has. That's not to say that we don't have patrons looking for nonfiction or reference materials. However, our city is fortunate enough to house two libraries. More often than not, when it comes to collection development in the reference areas, the main building (understandably so) is the one that gets the most current material. Originally this was a frustrating issue. But when it comes down to it, there are tons of resources available online. If push comes to shove and that patron really, really, really needs the most current information from that reference book on stamps, he can just drive the 10 minutes over to the main building and go to town.
In some respects, I agree with one of my coworkers about our branch evolving into a fiction library. Almost like a circulating Barnes and Noble. Stock multiple copies of the most current fiction, the hottest authors, the best reads of the year. Not that we'd have to eliminate nonfiction or reference entirely. But I feel the collections can be adjusted to meet our needs. Resources would still be available online, and we have a whole OTHER library for our patrons to access. How many towns can claim that?
The other thing that was touched upon in this article was "reliance on user education." Let me apologize in advance to any coworkers or supervisors I may offend by my following opinion. We're understaffed. Now I know that's nothing new, and it's been like that for years and it's probably like that everywhere. But we're not just understaffed when it comes to numbers. We are understaffed when it comes to people capable of answering the questions or teaching the public about the services that they can access. It's absolutely great that we can offer down loadable audio books and as I just learned today, video on demand service. (How cool is that? All with your library card!!)
But our staff is under trained. It's almost a guarantee that any person who walks through that door or picks up a phone to ask about these services I'm going to have to field the question. Let me remind you that I am not a librarian. Let me also throw in that I'm not even a supervisor, let alone anywhere near the top of the food chain. I am an artist. If you told any of my college friends that I'm the "tech guy" they would laugh at you. Out loud. In your face. What I know I've learned from playing around on my own. I understand if numbers in the library cannot be increased. The staff NEEDS to be more knowledgeable. There's no point in providing services that are not understood by library staff. As a whole we need to be more aware of these services and at least understand the concept enough to be able to explain it to someone else.
I was going to talk about some of the other articles, but this post is way too long already. However I will add that I am proud of our libraries. Look at what we're doing. Look at what we offer. We may not be the forerunner by any means, but we're not really being left in the dust either. I think we're in a good position to keep adjusting and evolving. And if we're able to do so, the public won't outgrow us. They'll need us just as much, just in a different way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)