Thing-free for the first time !

This is my first blog post since I finished my 23-Things-on-a-Stick blog project supported by Minnesota libraries.



So, the first thing I did was log onto my Blogger dashboard and skimmed through some headlines - one of the blogs I'm monitoring has to do with LIS news (multiple posts per day). I read about the California State Deputy Librarian, Stacey Aldrich, projecting four things to watch in the future of libraries, and she referenced a Sony Corp patent for beaming sensations directly into the brain - part of the next generation of gaming. Link is to the USA today story. I'll practice looking up this patent later (what's the US class, I wonder??) .



So, the system seems to be working. Except now I'm supposed to be pondering how the development will impact libraries. I think the point is that libraries, particularly public libraries, need to be aware of the development of technologies on the horizons. And I recall about three years ago, one of my clients asked me questions about computer systems which accepted input from anywhere in the room. He must have read some early promo about Wii. and now, they're everywhere (even the state fair this year) !

Before finishing up, I took a look at the recent blog additions to Science Blogs from the past 24 hours. Always something interesting there! Ah, this is fun, and relaxing!

Thing 23 - Final Thoughts

Whew, I'm done. Inspired by the deadline, I've met it.

I just removed from my blog the countdown clock I had added a few weeks back (and so much work it took to get that item working). I replaced the clock with a jpg picture of a ticket saying that I'd finishd 23 things - and it looks great!

This is proof that I have learned a whole lot in this project, enough to make minor changes to graphics, to be able to make the blog aesthetically pleasing, at least to myself.

I'm glad I pushed through to the end of this program. Quite recently, we had to log on to the 23 Things ning, one of many social networking sites (I'm not sure how they all differ exactly, but that's a question to answer later). All who join are presumably 23 things on stick contributors, and activly trying to fisnish up. Sending a note to another member was one of the assignments. My person wrote back to me, and I intend to reply. So- I actually have been 'social' in the social networking tool. I didn't just 'observe' this phenomenon !

As I wrote in my survey response, I was really impressed with the Common Craft videos, and the most useful was the one which described wikis, and when they were a good idea, and when a blog or other tool is better. It raised the question: What ARE we trying to accomplish with a particluar tool, and is it the best one? What incentive do my intended users have to log on and participate?

With 23-things, it has been self interest - an excitement to learn. My users have to get somthing out beyond the joy of using the tool.

Thing 22 - What did I learn today ?

Keeping up-to-date is the idea behind this 'thing'. I am glad this project has had so many (23) steps, because as I've developed proficiency, I can easily do things that were difficult when I first began. Such as signing up to monitor blogs. And I've found a more sensible way to do it - from the dashboard of this blog. I have now directed about four interesting (and active) blogs to be delivered here, where I already am. I guess I find GoogleReader to be mostly out of the way, off my beaten track.

I plan to keep this blog somewhat active. I will monitor my incoming blogs, keep my eyes open for other good blogs to monitor, etc. And add good ones. Specifically, and measurably, I plan to add to my 23-things blog at least once a week. Maybe check up on my blog monitoring from work. I still have weekly visits to the coffee shop near Tae Kwan Do, so I will keep using that time for blogging.

The goal will to keep my brain engaged in Web 2.0 tools and applications of those tools to help foster interactive communication within my organization.

In a related vein, I plan to start a second blog, a more personal blog, which I can share with my extended family (which is thinly spread on three continents). That blog will start from the same dashboard, which will increase the likelihood that I'll review the blogs I'm monitoring, and apply more of the 'fun' tools on my personal blog. More opportunity to explore these tools. Photos, fun, communication.

I'm psyched!

Thing 21 - Beyond MySpace - Other Social Networks

I have heard about Gather.com for ages - as I listen to MPR/NPR often. I hadn't realized the goal is for publishers to harness social networks around writing/publishing. I guess that observation leads to a larger question - who benefits/hopes to benefit from any of these sites?

I joined the 23 things Ning, was refreshed by the observation that we all enter our full names. On our blogs, many leave cryptic names (myself included), but the social networks request full names, and it seems we comply. Now, in Ning (and Facebook, last thing), most of use were fully identified.

23 Things on a Sting - Ning Page

I also added the Ning badge to the right side of this blog. Check it out!

I was getting ready to leave comments for another member, when I realized that others had much more information about themselves on their profiles. I don't have even a photo close at hand. I added a bit more content, then sent a note to a recent visitor. Wonder if I'll ever hear back. I'd better check back, just to see if anyone writes to me!

I was filling out my profile, and found myself blabbing on about web 2.0 in my workplace. Seems like a better addition here: In my workplace, Web 2.0 is not far away. We have corporate initiative to use wikis, blogs, and even social networking to the corporation. I think people are watching to see what happens, but it's quite evident that the library need to be involved. Needs to be prominent. Available.

I may clip that later and place it in one of the last blogs required. Thoughts on Library 2.0.

Anyway, I also joined Flixter, as I enjoy movies. Immediately, I was asked to choose a background graphic, and the choices seemed aimed at teenage girls. Fans of movie mags. That may be the hook, which seems to miss me. I agreed to have reviews sent to my email, so I'll see what that yields.

Thing 20 - Libraries and Social Networks

I chose to try Facebook, and enjoyed poking around. I realized that one can click into a group, and then back out just as easily. I feel a little bit guilty signing up, logging in, joining up, and then not being sure how much of a contributor I'll really be.

I wasn't able to find many 'friends' - I recognized people from college, but not enough to be 'friends'. My brother-in-law was extracted from my email ( I have very few names, only family, in my yahoo email account). So I 'friended' him, and it will be interesting to check in and see what his page looks like. The whole family seems to use the same email, so maybe they will all be there (they're all in their photo).

I joined two groups, the 23 things on a stick group, and the Library 2.0 Interest Group. Lots of information on the 2.0 group. And I added to the wall. I don't know if all social networks are like this, but I felt quite adequate with no photo in Facebook.

Ultimately, I think I'd like to join LinkdIn. A couple of colleagues from work have mentioned that they are there, and my recent professional organization PIUG (Patent Information Users Group) has a group (or whatever they call it). I'll have to join that one too.

I haven't yet figured out if social networks make life easier, or more difficult for the introverted. I should search on that question the next time I have an opportunity search ELM databases (see, I really learned something !).

Maybe I should have searched for an introverts group on Facebook. Next time. . .

Thing 19 - Explore Podcasts

As I mentioned in Thing 3 - RSS feeds, this is one technology I am familiar with, from the perspective of a consumer. I listen to podcasts of favorite radio shows while working out, gardening, dinking. So, I'm excited to delve deeper in this technology.

I reviewed the local podcasts, and took a quick listen to several podcasts, such as the Minitex Reference 5th Grade Interview, and Minnesota Public Radio's Grammar Grater. The MPR site has great material on it, and is my favorite source (though the audio quality of the one above seems a bit weak - I think I'm hearing bleed or feedback.

I find that the directories are more difficult. I was completely unimpressed with podcast.com and podcast.net. Maybe I was having trouble coming up with good search terms. I had some better luck with the Educational Podcast Directory. I chose the category 'science', and found some useful discussions on scientific subjects.

As for regular podcast subscriptions, my favorite one is from Wisconsin Public Radio - the show is 'To the Best of our Knowledge" - covers a wide subject area, from history, sociology, science, and human experience. Highly, highly recommended by me.

Thing 18 - YouTube and Other Online Video

Of course, this was an entertaining "thing' to complete. I enjoyed just about all of the videos listed, and also viewed the most similar ones at the end of each video (other jokes, other commercials, etc.).

I chose to add a video to my blog called "Information R/evolution", by Michael Wesch, Kansas State University. Artist is a Professor of Cultural Anthropology. "Information R/evolution" describe information from typed on paper and filed to all aspects of Web 2.0, but an emphasis on information storage, retrieval, organization. Web 2.0 considers information and interconnection. Artist is the same as the one who did "Library 2.0", from our program, but 2.0 was from Jan 2007, and "Information R/evolution' was October 2007.

My favorite of the videos we watched for this thing was "Introducing the Book", which featured the help desk person demonstrating new 'book' technology, as compared to the scroll. An early adaptor to technology.

And my son will love 'Conan the Librarian', and the advertisement featuring a reader who imagines warfare in the trenches, with the message that 'reading increases the imagination' (the linked ad). And the Library Musical- went on a bit too long, but was quite fun.

Thing 17 -- ELM Productivity Tools

I spent some time exploring a few of these databases. I had a lot of fun, searching for articles that interest me in Ebsco's MasterFile Premier - fun subjects, rather than my work-a-day searches.

I tried to set up the alert to deliver to my GoogleReader, and following the instructions in 23 Things News, Issue 8. I was able to get a delivery, but it didn't seem to be related to my search parameters. I think it was somehow the most recent input to the database, but not subject limited. Furthermore, when I tried to open the links, I had to put in by library card number again. If I worked in a public library, this might go more smoothly, but I got tired of the hassle.

I am amazed by the breadth and depth of the databases, and that they're available to me, a Minnesotan, in my home. A few years back when I had a job at MPL, these resources were only available in the library, so this is quite an improvement.

Finally, I set up my Google Reader account back in thing #3 - RSS feeds, I was hoping I'd be able to keep up with those other blogs I selected that I found interesting. I'll play around a bit now to see if I can get something on THIS blog so I can see the most recent entries from those blogs. I barely have time to work on this blog, let alone go over to GoogleReader to look for something else to read. I'll report back if I find anything good (or you may find a new item off in the margins of this blog . . .).

Thing 16 - Student 2.0 Tools

I think this is the coolest tool! All those painful years, working my way up from five paregraph essays to longer papers, research papers, senior thesis, masters thesis . . . I felt I learned those lessons well, developed some reasonalbe writing skills (write, rewrite, rewirte . . .lessons I generally skip when blogging [oh well]).

I was particularly impressed by the U of M tool, which helps with the scheduling of the entire project, provides manageable steps along the way, with examples (what is a good thesis statement), links to the different research tools, databases, people, etc. The most difficult part of writing papers for me was the scheduling, and the tool gets you started (and reminds you with emails).

The RPC tool was a bit broader, and doesn't hold the users hand quite so tightly (varied schedules and tools for various disciplines). None-the-less, an impressive tool.

My son is the student closest at hand, and though still over his head, I expect there is a tool out there somewhere aimed at fourth graders.

As for work, many of my clients come to me because they need to write patents. Like research papers, patents have very specific research expectations, tight deadlines, and stringent requirements for the final product. There are many printed tools, but somthing interactive like this would be amazing. My own littlel project - is there somthing out there like this already? Let's check !

Thing 15 - Online Games and Libraries

Well, I'm about to try the Puzzle Pirates option. I spent a few minutes looking at the Second Life info. Looks quite involved. If I didn't have a job and a family, it might be quite enticing.

The Puzzle Pirates looks much more limited. Much like my son's experiences with Club Penguin - another interactive game system. He's just ten, so we don't allow him to get a membership, so he's not allowed to spend his points and decorate his igloo, or 'live' the higher life. http://play.clubpenguin.com/

I have played a few times on his password (bad mom?), and even earned him a few points from being pulled in an inner tube behind a boat, and by racing other player down an icy hill. I had the experience of talking to other players, interacting, and making brief buddies. It's an odd experience, playing virtual skill games against others. I'm curious to see how different this pirate game is.

Oops, I just hit a glitch. I'm using the home computer, and have previously agreed to not download any software. Seems like a different version of Java is required. I'll need to get back to this post (putting off playing a game - - this cannot be procrastination!).

I now have another computer at the coffee shop, and have had no Java issues, but now my antivirus software is stealing all my fun. I now accept the fact that my gaming 'thing' won't be quite as fun as I had hoped. I need to throw in the towel, and call this a 'blog entry'.

Thing 14 - LibraryThing

I wish, over the course of 23 Things, I'd had more time to look at other 23 things blogger blogs. I attempted to look at 2 or 3 each time I blogged, and as a result have added some other pleasing things to my own blog. One of the first blogs I reviewed was from someone who jumped ahead to the LibraryThing early - her second or third blog.

Now, I see why. LibraryThing contains some of the fun of searching in Amazon.com for books you have read, or want to read. Opportunities to read the ranking and the reviews, lists of similar books, etc. (I have spent time on Amazon.com doing just that).

I entered about eight books that I have read recently - quite different in subject matter. It was fun to look at links for other people who have some of the same books. This, I will continue to access - but I see no work-related application. Though we in my library were just discussing using publicly available tools for a catalog - I see how this could be done, and quite easily !

Thing 13 - Online Productivity Tools

Before starting - I've been well aware that since the beginning of September, I've had roughly 15 blogs to do in 15 days in order to meet the 15th deadline. Simply, a blog a day (whether or not I'm exhausted or it's past 11 PM). Now, at last, online productivity tools. And the countdown widget . . . can I load it on the top of my page? (attempted, see above)

I found iGoogle to be the most pleasing customized home page, but not surprisingly, it seemed to already know a lot about me like my metro area, and a few interests (I was already logged in to Blogger edit mode).

At work, have our own library web site, so I'm not looking for any other home page. But I do wonder if any of these personalizations, these widgets, could be made available to users inside the company?

Additionally, this whole 23 things project has ignited a desire to do some non-work related blogging, and I can see making use of many of these tools in my home life/on MY home computer (also a desire).

In the midst of exploring these productivity tools, I decided I'd like to have some non-invasive background music, so I plugged into MPR classical. I was surprised later when I logged into a demo of Backpack that I didn't loose my music, it just played in the background.

Backpack is quite cool. I especially liked the capacity to email myself reminders. I wish my work calendar system could do this. Again, back to the firewall issues at work. I know that with each email revision, we hear that there are more Internet options they are trying to incorporate, and now I think I see some of what they might be, but again, firewall issues probably cause problems.

As for my home life, it might be nice to be able to send or update family to-do lists and planning for the weekend. And especially nice to be able to send it to someone else's iphone (not quite sure that this is available, but worth a try - feature shown on 'remember the milk').

I think for all of the apps I have looked at today, they are most applicable to my home life. I have a huge extended family event coming up in over a year (we're a small family, but spready thinly over the globe), and Basecamp looks like a good tool.

Thing 12 - Do you Digg?

Social media sites. In some ways, these seem to me like the worst of the Internet. What people like - more than what is valid, vetted, peer reviewed. Well, I guess peer reviewed, but not necessarily high quality. Tabloids with votes. I guess the real worst thing is that they can suck you in . . .to stories that you didn't want to read, and waste time that you didn't have!

I liked Newsvine the best - as it seems that the stories are all professionally produced. And categorized. Automatically locally relevent. And it seemed at first glance to be less entertainment-type fluff. I liked the graphic tools so you can viw the most commmented upon stories, and the most voted upon. The time I looked, they were highlighting special 'groups', such as feminists and conservative coalition (both are private groups). If I found an apropriate group, I may find increased agreement with votes and comments.

I actually signed up for Mixx, just to see what it's like in more depth. I realized from the tour that I can select only the types of stories I want to see, so maybe I can cut some of the fluff. I aranged my page to show me Science, Technology, and specific text searches.

As for using this tool in my library - I can't see it. I can't see how this could be relevent to my work. Unless, with time, I realize that the Sci/Tech categories in Mixx may acually have relevence, may provide another way to get to the cutting edge. The breaking news in my technology area. I'll read for a few weeks, and revisit this question.

Thing 11 - Tagging and Del.icio.us

The synchronicity of this tool, Del.icio.us and an expressed need in a work meeting today is pretty amazing. I was in a meeting with people who will all be representing my library organization at a two-day conference. We are grouped in pairs, and each pair takes a three hour shift, and we'll need to be able to access several links to demonstrate tools to booth visitors. We'll be using one shared computer, and we will each log on to this computer. Since we won't be on out own computers, we won't have our bookmarks.

Caveat - I need a social networking tool which functions behind my company's firewall. And I just realized that my internal library web page has a front page which I can customize with my favorite tools - like a personal bookmark list within our library website. Is this some similar social bookmarking tool (without the ability to make my own labels)?

Enter Del.icio.us, or another bookmarking tool (I want to try citeulike, which seems like it may be more academic. And understanding how a tool can be more academic, may another tool be more political, or more humorous? Or more flirty? Or since the tool is used by so many, those differences are mediated by following the tags, and the taggers that appeal to me?)

Back to this social bookmarking tool, I am not currently on my own computer, so I don't want to add any links now, but I do want to try this soon.

Thing 10 - Wikis

This focus on Wikis was fun and informative. The video was particularly well done. It demonstrated quite well how a wiki can be a great tool compared to email when a group of people is trying to accomplish something - like organizing a camping trip.

One of my colleagues set up a wiki for my work group, and it was fun to explore the tool, but we had very few contributions. A few people added notes after attending a conference or meeting, but no one else ever commented or edited (that I knew of).

It was informative to review some wikis used in libraries. In particular, it is amazing to see how effective it can be for organizing reviews of books. A real and collaborative 'readers advisory'.

On the other hand, one of the other wikis is now limited to people who are members, as there had been vandalism to the site. The problem with a resource available to anonymous people.

I took a look at the library bloggers wiki, which looks like someplace I could stand to spend a lot more time. There's even a section for 'special' libraries. Publicly funded, of course, none obviously corporate.

I only looked closely at one, the 'Royal College of Midwives' library, and they posted their last blog in February 2008: The RCM Library is closing on February 16th 2008. The stock is being put into storage and the library staff have been declared redundant. There will therefore be no more entries in this blog. It will be retained on Blogger, however, for reference.

Such a sad thing, and memorialized here, on a blog from Minnesota.

Which brings me back to my library organization's defunct wiki (last I looked). We probably lacked a reason to go to the wiki, and had no incentive to contribute. I heard people say that they are worried about writing or complaining - which they seem to do in every workplace. People need some sort of incentive. The readers wikis were a great example. . .

Maybe a place to go for fun? The joke of the day? Of course, humour can be a fine line, with sharp teeth if you slip.

Thing 9 - Online Collaboration Tools

I liked the Zoho Writer better than Google Docs, because the Zoho Writer link worked for me (and has a funner name). It was fun to read the changes and edits.

I wish I had read ahead and completed all these little communication tasks (emailing to request a couple of invitations) months ago (when I barely had time for thing #2). But to stop now, and send an email, so that I can actually edit, then comment - it's a bit of a delay.

Seeing all these multiple edits (Zoho in particular), I imagine that each editor has to be able to recognize their own edits, which probably accounts for all the colors and funny widget/icon things.

This makes me recall that I read that a scientist has developed an improvement to the wiki system such that an editor/contributor is thoroughly and accurately identified, and that anything that person writes can be absolutely attributed to that person (so someone else can't enter comments on behalf of someone else).

Well, I jumped through all the hoops for the Google Docs, and found that editing the document worked just fine. It was fun to edit.

Since there are more degrees of separation for the Zoho product, it was much more frustrating to log on to. The log on page suggested that I could use either my Yahoo password or my Google password, but neither seemed to work. I finally got into Zoho, but then couldn't bring up the document that I wanted to edit. Grrr!

I now have passwords all over the place, and am not sure which ones are active where. So, I never actually got into the Zoho doc, which sounded more fun based on the name. I guess you can't judge a product by its name. Or, those products which fall under the same banner or password system aer much easier to incorporate into ones life.