flickr

Picking a photo was very hard. Flickr had so many options to chose from. Ultimately, I chose a photo of a kitten. In the photo, the kitten is posing on what appears to be a rock or a mountain and in the background you can see a green field and cloudy sky.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/puurthomas/255131313/

Web 2.0 awards list

I chose http://www.metacafe.com/ from the awards list. Metacafe.com is similar to youtube.com. Users can view, share, and upload videos. However, I think youtube.com offers more than metacafe.com/

Exploring technorati

When searching for things in technorati, I found that you come up with different results when you use different search methods. When I used the advanced search tool and typed in "library 2.0" I found blogs on internet years and web 2.o. When I used the basis search tool and typed in "library 2.0" I found blog posts on libraries, web 2.0, and other things.

Tagging and folksonomies

Tagging is used because it allows users to find information and classify information in their own unique way. Folksonomies are tags. "They are a user defined method for organizing data."
I think del.icio.us is very convenient because it allows its users to save bookmarks online. Users can then access their bookmarks from any computer!

Exploring Myspace

Myspace is a website I am very familiar with so this week's task was quite simple. However, when I created my Myspace account years ago, I was unaware that there are websites dedicated to helping new Myspace users so I had to learn the hard way.

Libraries and Myspace

The article Libraries in Social Networking Software by Meredith Farkas was an excellent article! I learned more about the libraries role in social networking than I did in the other articles I read. Meredith answered many questions about social networking sites such as Myspace.com and the library's role in social networking. Because most teens use social networking websites, libraries should use them. As for the libraries that have banned myspace and other websites, I think that is wrong. Just because Myspace can be dangerous if used wrong, that doesn't give libraries the right to ban the patrons from using it. Libraries can however, work to educate the Myspace users and their parents on how to be safe while using Myspace. Libraries can also create Myspace accounts but the Myspace shouldn't be created in hopes of attracting more people to the library or looking cool.

Staff Picks

I found this weeks learning experience very easy. The only hard part was picking a favorite novel since I don't have one. I also noticed that when someone else posted something, my entry would disappear.

"Wiki Wiki"

"The word "Wiki" comes from the Hawaiian phrase "wiki wiki", which is commonly used to indicate something fast." A wiki is a collaborative website that allows its users to edit and change the information. Wikipedia is one of the most commonly known wiki.
Of the wikis I looked at, I liked the ALA 2006 New Orleans wiki and the Library Success wiki the best because they were similar to wikipedia. I found it interesting that each library wiki was different. I think wikis will work well in librarie especially wikis that display upcoming events and have book reviews of books.

Libraries and IM

Meebo is a new fairly new instant messaging program that allows users to assess multiple IM accounts at the same time. It is similar to other instant messaging programs in that it provides chat rooms, voice mail, and video mail.

As for the observing a chat with Ask a Librarian, I have tried several times and the librarian hasn't been logged on.

Why should libraries use IM?

According to the article by Pew Internet, teens have increasingly begun to sway away from emailing and instead have to embrace instant messaging and text messaging. Because of this change, libraries have slowly begun to use IMing for virtual reference purposes. In my opinion, I think libraries should continue to use IM. It is a quick, easy way for customers that get information and because some customers prefer using the internet rather than the telephone, it is a convenience for them. Although, a majority of the libraries customers, prefer to stick with using the telephone for reference questions, I think we should still provide IM for customers that prefer not to use the telephone.