Week 7: Tagging, folksonomies, del.icio.us and LibraryThing

This is the first week where I have run into some troubles. And in fact that is an understatement. I have been pulling my hair out over this. I must say this is not a 15 minute lesson! Not for my slow brain anyway.

This week's lesson calls for an RSS feed from my newly created del.icio.us account into this blog. And I just can't seem to do it.

After I successfully put up the feed of my dear wife's flickr pics (see right column) I had the idea that really simple syndication was living up to its name. I now think it must stand for Rather Silly Sindication.

So either the problem lies with me or there are restrictions on this PC that stop the process from completing itself. I'm not sure. I even tried getting the rss from Sutherland Library's del.icio.us account and failed. So it can't be because of how I set up my de.icio.us

The only avenue left to me is to "try this at home". Which is difficult when you have a 2 year old to chase after.

At this point I am admitting defeat. I won't be beaten for long though, this I vow. I really need to understand this technology. It will be part of my next job role.

An opinion on del.icio.us

I had no idea it existed and I'm really glad it is part of Learning 2.0 because I can see great value in it, especially for libraries and staff who want to share thier (newly) organised bookmarks. I feel inspired to start making a professional account right now.

I seem to be getting into the meat of learning 2.0 now and am starting to learn some good things I previously lacked knowledge of.

Week 6: Videos online

Week 6 is a quick one for me. I have been embedding videos into blogs for a little while now. In fact, here is a link to my video blog.

If I get a chance I will bring my video camera to work and get a quick shot of those staff game enough to go on my Learning 2.0 Blog then I'll post it into this week's entry.

Thoughts on video embedding for libraries.

Sadly, our council (like many others) has blocked us from viewing youtube. {Stop the press! After emailing the IT person at council about this issue and explaining why I needed youtube, and all the merits of this learning program, I now have access to youtube! This is very encouraging and I'm pleased that council is showing this enlightened way of thinking.}

However, I think that video content could be extremely useful for a library blog. We could have videos demonstrating the use of online databases, or giving a quick tour around our library, or showing travel directions, or even a word from the Manager... The possibilities are quite endless and if we did embed video onto our website I really think it would look good and bring us closer to the cutting edge.

Week 5 - Wikis

Best thing about this week by a long shot is Wookieepedia Now that's MY kind of wiki :)

Also the full Library Success: A best practices wiki I'm actually putting this link here for myself. It'd probably just get lost in my favourites.

Editing pbwiki "NSWLEARNING2"

As instructed I have added a page to the Learning 2.0 wiki. Specifically I have added Community Information Librarian. I have no idea why the link I created, on the home page, is underlined in red. :S (BTW that's an emoticon that means "worried.") I'm :S because red and underlined normally means error. But then I saw the same thing all over pbwiki's style guide page which, if true, would be rather ironic. Perhaps its just because I was the author of the link or the page it links to. Hmm. Well, at least I'm learning something new.

What types of applications within libraries might work well with a wiki?

I think the example given, the library procedures, is a good one - with limitations. Good because everyone always seems to think of things to add to the library procedures manual and so scribbles it in using a pen and terrible writing (so a wiki would be more organised and neat. Bad because everyone seems to think of things...

You get it.

And finally, for this week's bonus points, I have edited the Wikipedia article on Lane Cove and added a link to our Library's website. Not Earth shattering. But definately felt cool to have contributed.

(Image source : Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary)

Week 4 - RSS

For week four I have added an RSS feed from my wife's flickr page. It will show links to the latest five of her masterpieces.

It can be found in the right column of this page just under "About me"

I love this technology.

For my current role I sometimes have the opporunity to plan and run events. It'd be fantastic if I could somehow get every person in the area who has come to past events to subscribe to a Lane Cove Library Blog (not yet in existence). Then I would write articles on upcoming events. This would be a very good way of targeting the right people and letting them know instantly, cost free, of what is coming up.

It would certainly beat wlking the streets posting half a rainforest into letter boxes. (Which I've done more than once.)

Week 3 - Sharing photos

This beautiful photo was taken by my very talented wife. She is studying photography and will very soon be doing a photoshoot for the up and coming band, Jo's Army. Plus she will be in training as a wedding photographer in Melbourne next month.

The photo I've put on this post is from her flickr site "Serendipity Corner". If you're a fan of great photography please have a look at her Latest Photos

My Library

This is my library.

The Author

This is me.