Week 8 - Online Applications

This was probably one of the most valuable lessons. I have a household budget document in Excel. My husband insists he overspends because he doesn't have access to the document except for when he is at home, and he doesn't want to get on the computer when he's at home. I've now transferred our household budget into google docs where both he and I can access it from any computer with internet access. Our days of overspending will be coming to an end this month. (Yeah, right.)

My favorite site that I explored of the Web 2.0 award winners was 43 Things. It was inspiring (in many cases) to see what people wanted to do with their lives. And I can appreciate the fact that the entries are varied. While I was exploring I saw entries such as "make people happy", "study the Bible", "be a morning person", and "Learn how to grind dance for free and fast". It was interesting to read people's entries on why they wanted to accomplish a particular thing as well as read people's entries who had accomplished a particular thing and whether or not they recommended pursuing it. This site is one of those that can suck you in as you click from link to link.

Week 7 - Wikis

I found the Library Success wiki to be interesting because it compiled ideas from libraries around the country. However, I think it is difficult to come up with a standard definition of "library success." For example, in an entry on programming, a program that drew four adults is touted as a success. In my mind, a well-attended program is a mjor criteria in whether or not it is successful. I wouldn't judge this program as a success. The fact that anyone can enter what they consider to be a success without defining the standards of success can show a drawback of a wiki -- anyone can create an entry, regardless of how accurate such an entry is.

I also looked at the Bull Run Library wiki which is, interestingly, done by a library customer as opposed to the library itself. It is full of good information. I'm not sure a wiki is the most useful format for such information, as it is very text-heavy. When thinking about a public library, I wouldn't use a wiki to learn about current events. To me, a wiki is more about the history -- or a narrative -- than a quick list of events.

Week 6 - Web 2.0

I first read Into a new world of librarianship and was enjoying the read until I got to the last paragraph which began, "Librarian 2.0 gets content." I read the "content" as being an adjective meaning satisfied with where one is. I was a little taken aback since this seemed to go against everything previously described as what Librarian 2.0 should be. But as I continued on in the paragraph I realized "content" was the noun, not the verb, and the librarian needs to understand all that comprises libraries.

I then read the Wikipedia entry on Library 2.0, figuring this would give me a jump-start on week 7's wiki lesson as well as provide me with some general information on Library 2.0. I particularly enjoyed the explanation on the debate surrounding Library 2.0. I tend to agree with both sides of the debate. Much of what Library 2.0 advocates is already being done. However, Library 2.0 does encourage a more thorough understanding of and use of technology on the part of the librarian. I know I'm not using all the technology available to me for a variety of reasons, including the fact that I don't have time to learn it all and some that I have learned have not been useful to me. I think it would be good to find a balance between what is useful and what is trendy, but it's hard to determine which is which until a few years have passed.