Twitter

I never had any desire to be on Twitter! Still, it wasn't so bad. I know that a lot of libraries are supposedly tweeting. Interestingly, I think a library Facebook or MySpace page would be much more effective than having a presence on Twitter. My students are definitely on Facebook, but not on Twitter. So, I guess I wouldn't have a problem with tweeting as a librarian. However, I don't know that there would be anyone out there paying attention.

It was funny--I got a follower (not from the class) and it was a funny little thrill. Then she un-followed me, and that kind of hurt!

The Last Thing

This has definitely been an expanding experience. I already felt pretty comfortable tackling new technologies, but, on the other hand, my motivation to try some of these applications was pretty low. Additionally, I wasn't aware of the existence of some of them (such as Technorati or Delicious). So having to complete the tasks for Learning 2.0 did force me to explore new things I would never otherwise have tried.

I suspect that the goal was not to convert me to every single one of them, but rather to do just what I said--to push me out of my comfort zone and to alert me to the fact that there was so much more out there than I was aware of. If I'm right, then the goal was definitely achieved, because now I am so much more tuned in to the existence of all these things that are possible to do online. I've thought about ways to make them work for me in a library setting, and I know that was also an important aim of this entire assignment.

No surprise here, but if the goal really was to convert me to all of them, then I must say that didn't work. Some of the "things" really drove me crazy! My favorites, by far, were wikis, blogs, MyLibraryThing, and Wordle. My least favorite week was (big shock here) the Flickr week, with a close second being Delicious. Still, now when someone mentions them, I will know what they are talking about and will even have some thoughts of my own.

Looking at my blog, it does give me a sense of accomplishment to know that I successfully completed all those tasks. It wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done, but I got through it, and it feels good.

Podcasting

I found Nancy Keane's "Book Talks Quick and Simple" when I was investigating various library-related podcasts last semester, and I've started following her ever since. I'm so impressed by librarians who really read, and that's definitely the kind of librarian I want to be. How do they find the time? I guess you make time for what you prioritize high enough.

http://nancykeane.com/booktalks/

Online Video

I love this video. It does a great job of explaining what fair use is, which is a big issue for schools and libraries. I love that it makes fun of the Disney Corporation. Even though I love Disney and Disneyland, I also know they're largely responsible for copyright being so much longer than it used to be. I think this video would be a really clever way to introduce the subject of copyright to a faculty, perhaps at one of the meetings at the beginning of the year. Obviously, the librarian would need to reinforce the concepts, but it would get everyone engaged and laughing. Enjoy!