Wrap up; Social networkings and Catch up

Socially, it is great idea in catch up with what your friends or family members up to via the internet instead of phone call and emails. But I am not quite sure about it using in some area of the library, especially a social networking group for the youth - would they keep it up or is it going to flop after their interest is turning into something else?

A social networking will be good to set up for the friends of the library though, what they are doing, any events they planned, and they can interact with library staff and other members through this instead of email or phone call (if they don't know each other's phone number, then they will not be able to contact each other) or until the the meeting time.

A social networking setup for all libraries in NSW sound goods though, as they can marketing their coming events, activities and other libraries can promote them as they see fit without the original library have to sending an email and asking other libraries to promote them.

Online applications and tools

Google docs sounds useful. I wouldn't mind using it when working with other colleagues on procedures or collabrate on a project together. Instead of phone call, sending email, print out and editing, then sending each email at each changes. We can easily use this online application and edit the documents or information with comments on why the changes are made. Since it can be accessed anywhere with a computer that has an Internet access, the team can work on the documents without setting up meeting, or see each other. They can even work together on the same document when they are at different branch libraries.

Mashup

I have copied an image from google and use "Big Huge Lab" to create a puzzle

Mashups

Library can create a map of the library collections on the OPAC or library web sites - when select each section of the collection - it will have a pop up with an explanation of what is and break down the collection into different contents - good for parents to found out where and what collections to found information they want for their kid's leisure reading or school works. It will also be used to educate the children on how to use and found information in the library - more interesting this way instead of just information typed and place on the OPAC /website.

Below is a map that indicate which countries that I have been to - created use Big Huge Labs

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

Podcasts and audio

As some of the events held by the library have limited space available, and the time has set up conflict with client's time. The library can place the podcasts recording the event on the library web site for the client who would like to come but unable to. e.g. an event on "How to manage your stress - HSC studies", some of the youth cannot come to library to attend this event, but they can still access to it via the podcasts on the library website.

Answer board

It might be nice to set up an "answer board" so that customer can asked question and answer by a Library staff, or other customer can add their bits of comments on it. e.g. if someone want to know things about gardening or traveling information - library staff supplied from the books etc, then another customer might have actually be an expert in that topic area, so they can supply extra comments on the topic area.

Customer might also post opinion and comments about certain item held inside the library, and another customer or a library staff might answer and indicate that if they like a certain item, they might like to read another similar item.

Librarything

Another try to set up to search Libarything from this blog

Del.icio.us, Technorati and Librarythings

I have place some bookmarks into the del.icio.us site, and used the blogging (daily blog post) option to set up a link - not quite sure it works or not. This can be set up so that library staff can be keep up to date with all the library subscriptions from one place - set up the bookmarks in the del.icio.us, then set up so that an entry containing your latest del.icio.us links to your blog automatically updated every day. Library staff can access the informations instead of the paper print copy.

It is great for research assistance as any new updates will be automatically comes up, but it is too many, it will be information overloaded and takes a lot of time to goes through the lists. But it is also good as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere?

When searching "bookmobile" in Technorati, the result of the simple and advance are the same - except when enter the word in "the exact search phrase" search query field, the result are different.

Technorati Profile

I have set up a link to search Librarything in this blog - hope it works

Video online

Both YouTube and Google video have all kind of topics on the web sites, some of them personal, entertainment or inform.

Library can videotape the events and activities such as school holiday activities or senior week events, then publish them on library website to promote, and inform the community of what has happened in the library.

Wiki

I like the wiki idea, as the video suggested, a group can organize their ideas or trips or plans together using the wikipedia. And only the one created it and people involved can edited contents. I think it will be good for library staffs if they are working in a project together. Such as written a procedure, instead of email to each time the contents changed, the changes can be edited in the wiki documents and others can either edit or change or leave comments. It will make life easier.

Library procedures can also placed in a wiki site, save the network space, or trying to retrieve from trim. It will make finding documents so much easier.

Real simple syndication

I have selected three web sites to be included in my bloglines, News, powerhouse museum and travel. One of the advantage of it is that all the interested topics can be access from one point without have to remember the individual web site address. But then still have to remember the user name and password - what happen if it is forgotten? while if forgot the web address of each individual site, you can also search them from google.

Library can use them to access the current update library news online instead of print format. But some of the current update have already been send out through the subscribe list.

Library buildings

To upload some photoes onto my blog, I choosed five different library buildings, as I wondered, Does it make a difference where and what kind of library buildings you work at? and What is the designer's thought when they design such a building for library?

Also, from the client's point of view, do they more likely to attract clients (who does not go to library at all) more than the conventional buildings? I think, for myself, I probably will go to such libraries out of curiosity.

Blogs

Blogs sound like fun. You can share your personal and professional stories or discussion stories. Such as the program of live library, where people can blog about their stories and share with other people who are interest in different cultures, compare life style with now and back 1950s by sharing stories.
I like the idea of library having blogs, which they used to promote activities. They can also invite the borrower to participate in by sharing their opinions, what their thoughts etc.