I love food, so have enjoyed looking at the photos and the odd recipe on this site. This is definitely something I could spend (or waste :p ) loads of time on.... Although Tastespotting count as play, I would recommend it to patrons who have a bit of a foodie in them.
I would prefer that not all web 2.0 activities relate directly to libraries and our customers, as that would gives us a bit of a break and make the whole experience less intimidating.
The recipe I picked is: chocolate avocado pistachio cake. (To view the recipe, please click on the title.)
I chose it because I though it sounded unusual - yet when you think about it, the creamy consistency of avocados and its fat content would be useful in baking. (Hmm, maybe NZ Healthy Food Guide should look into this?)
This site is easy to use, and I would use it again even if just to browse and drool over the images.... I think a function whereby you enter in a couple of ingredients that you might want to use in a recipe would be helpful too.
23 August 2010
Week 3 : FeedMyInbox - RSS made simple
And it really does... Much better than Bloglines - easier and more simple to use and more convenient because everything goes to your email account. I think I might use this if there is a blog or site that I'm really keen on following.
It was fine on the staff PCs and I'm assuming it would work fine on Lear.net too. I guess I would tell patrons about this if we happen to be on a related topic, or if I was asked about RSS feeds.
It was fine on the staff PCs and I'm assuming it would work fine on Lear.net too. I guess I would tell patrons about this if we happen to be on a related topic, or if I was asked about RSS feeds.
12 August 2010
Week 2 : PicApp
Have not finished Week 1 yet...will go back to it.
An image from PicApp
PicApp is pretty easy to use, but I do find that you kinda have to be a bit more specific about the type of image you are looking for.
Curious as to where the images come from, I had a quick look at the FAQ, and found that Gettyimages and ZUMA Press are two of the source of the images - no wonder then that when I type in "puppies" I get images of celebs at pet/dog-related events...
PicApp could be somewhat useful for libraries to get free and legal images without worrying about photo consents. I guess I could also suggest PicApp for kids doing homework and wanted to find news-related images. Not so sure I would use this again, as I think Google Images is pretty good, and I do like Flicker for interesting-looking pictures...
An image from PicApp
PicApp is pretty easy to use, but I do find that you kinda have to be a bit more specific about the type of image you are looking for.
Curious as to where the images come from, I had a quick look at the FAQ, and found that Gettyimages and ZUMA Press are two of the source of the images - no wonder then that when I type in "puppies" I get images of celebs at pet/dog-related events...
PicApp could be somewhat useful for libraries to get free and legal images without worrying about photo consents. I guess I could also suggest PicApp for kids doing homework and wanted to find news-related images. Not so sure I would use this again, as I think Google Images is pretty good, and I do like Flicker for interesting-looking pictures...
10 August 2010
Week 1: Box.net
Hmm...turns out the Final post wasn't so final afterall.
And we are back to another round of Web 2.0
Just for your viewing pleasure, an amazing image found on Flicker:
And we are back to another round of Web 2.0
Just for your viewing pleasure, an amazing image found on Flicker:
[ no words ] Originally uploaded by bonnix (Scotty)
For more images: www.bonnix.de
So back to Box.net...
The video clip on the Learning resource bit is missing, so went ahead to Box.net to watch the demo provided on their front page, but was blocked from doing that...
Nevermind, I went ahead and created an account anyway, thinking that creating an account should be pretty straight forward. And it was.
But...when I got to "Upload Files", the "Add files" button doesn't seem work...maybe it just doesn't like me. Or maybe I have to try this on one of the Learn.net PCs??
......to be continued......
13 July 2010
Final Post
Summary of my thoughts:
Thanks for the opportunity to learn about, and to do new stuff - some which I might not have done otherwise (Twitter). I will definitely use and continue to use some of the new tools that I've learnt about, but others I feel I just don't have the time or interest for (Twitter - sorry I do see the merits of, but it's just not for me...)
Web 2.0 is better this time round because things are broken down into smaller, more manageable bits, and we were given more time to complete the tasks. (Yet I still managed to finish this late...oops! :p ) The instructions and what was required of us were also much clearer this time round as well.
Overall I feel fairly positive about the whole Web 2.0 experience and I wouldn't mind learning more.
Thanks for the opportunity to learn about, and to do new stuff - some which I might not have done otherwise (Twitter). I will definitely use and continue to use some of the new tools that I've learnt about, but others I feel I just don't have the time or interest for (Twitter - sorry I do see the merits of, but it's just not for me...)
Web 2.0 is better this time round because things are broken down into smaller, more manageable bits, and we were given more time to complete the tasks. (Yet I still managed to finish this late...oops! :p ) The instructions and what was required of us were also much clearer this time round as well.
Overall I feel fairly positive about the whole Web 2.0 experience and I wouldn't mind learning more.
21 May 2010
Week 6: Facebook - playing nicely with others
Yep, Facebook page created... Added 1 colleague... Became a fan of Manukau Libraries Facebook page... Commented on "What I am reading Right this minute"... Commented on "What is the BEST book you ever read and WHY".
That was saved as a draft back in May..... One month + a few days later.....
I searched for public libraries on Facebook and noticed that they are mostly North American, maybe it's got something to do with how they are under more funding pressure than we are??
Anyway, had a look at two of those (one a US library and the other Canadian), and it looks like the content on their Facebook pages are pretty much similar to what we have on our library website/Facebook pages - locations and opening hours, promotion of events, event photos, features in the media and discussion boards. (Although one even had a "Chat with a Librarian" button.)
I have had patrons asking about Facebook, wanting to know:
I guess Facebook for us as a public library, would be a promotional tool as well as one that allow us to interact with library patrons outside the restriction of library locations and hours.
For Library patrons, Facebook would enable them to interact with Library staff (again with less restriction - location and time-wise), and also a source of information (eg: library happenings, who's reading what, what's a good read etc).
As for promoting our Facebook page to customers. Umm... I guess I would, if the patron seem to be interested in this sort of thing, or actually want to be connected to people with similar reading interests. Although I do think that people who are on Facebook already and who are interested in being part of the library network would already have found us on Facebook.
Other than having to go onto Learn.net computers, Facebook was easy to use. I guess it helped that I had set up my Facebook prior to starting Web 2.0 learning.
Having said that, I don't actually go onto Facebook much, I tend to rely on email notices that it send me. I mostly use Facebook for keeping in touch with family and friends overseas, and I would continue to do that.
Facebook would be a great tool for meeting people and meeting like-minded people if you share your likes and dislikes. But I like my privacy and therefore still prefer to share and communicate in old-fashioned ways...
A recent article on Facebook in Time magazine
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1990582,00.html
That was saved as a draft back in May..... One month + a few days later.....
I searched for public libraries on Facebook and noticed that they are mostly North American, maybe it's got something to do with how they are under more funding pressure than we are??
Anyway, had a look at two of those (one a US library and the other Canadian), and it looks like the content on their Facebook pages are pretty much similar to what we have on our library website/Facebook pages - locations and opening hours, promotion of events, event photos, features in the media and discussion boards. (Although one even had a "Chat with a Librarian" button.)
I have had patrons asking about Facebook, wanting to know:
- about the charges to access Facebook on our Learn.net computer.
- why they are not able to log-in (either because they have insufficient funds or had tried to log-in too many times with the incorrect details).
- how to chat on Facebook.
I guess Facebook for us as a public library, would be a promotional tool as well as one that allow us to interact with library patrons outside the restriction of library locations and hours.
For Library patrons, Facebook would enable them to interact with Library staff (again with less restriction - location and time-wise), and also a source of information (eg: library happenings, who's reading what, what's a good read etc).
As for promoting our Facebook page to customers. Umm... I guess I would, if the patron seem to be interested in this sort of thing, or actually want to be connected to people with similar reading interests. Although I do think that people who are on Facebook already and who are interested in being part of the library network would already have found us on Facebook.
Other than having to go onto Learn.net computers, Facebook was easy to use. I guess it helped that I had set up my Facebook prior to starting Web 2.0 learning.
Having said that, I don't actually go onto Facebook much, I tend to rely on email notices that it send me. I mostly use Facebook for keeping in touch with family and friends overseas, and I would continue to do that.
Facebook would be a great tool for meeting people and meeting like-minded people if you share your likes and dislikes. But I like my privacy and therefore still prefer to share and communicate in old-fashioned ways...
A recent article on Facebook in Time magazine
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1990582,00.html
No Facebook
No Facebook on staff PCs...so will have to get onto Learn.net (hah!) or do this at home :(
Oh well...
Oh well...
13 May 2010
Week 5: Music files and mp3s
It was fairly easy to navigate the sites I visited, so I guess the customers should be okay with this too - especially the on-to it teens. Amazon.com is more mainstream pop, Jamedo is more alternative and mp3raid.com is probably the site I like most so far (still yet to look at alll of them - that will have to wait for when I could make more time!)
03 May 2010
Week 4: Books and social networking
Goodreads is similar to LibraryThings, but with some extra functions - e.g. exploring quotes, and book swaps (only in the US though..)
I think Goodreads would be useful for customers who likes keeping lists of what they have read and have not read. I've come across several who are intereted in looking at their Reading History in MyInfo, and a few who wanted to recommend a book b ut couldn't remember what the title or author of the book was... Although I would probably only recommend this to those who are already confident with using MyLibrary.
For both library staff and customers, Goodreads would be a very useful sorce of recommendations and readers' advisory - one of the booklists on there was "Best books for reluctant readers", and also some funny ones like "The series got worse and worse" etc. Goodreads would be yet anbother place for library staff and customer to interact and talk about books, like Twitter.
I think Goodreads would be useful for customers who likes keeping lists of what they have read and have not read. I've come across several who are intereted in looking at their Reading History in MyInfo, and a few who wanted to recommend a book b ut couldn't remember what the title or author of the book was... Although I would probably only recommend this to those who are already confident with using MyLibrary.
For both library staff and customers, Goodreads would be a very useful sorce of recommendations and readers' advisory - one of the booklists on there was "Best books for reluctant readers", and also some funny ones like "The series got worse and worse" etc. Goodreads would be yet anbother place for library staff and customer to interact and talk about books, like Twitter.
30 April 2010
Week 3: Twitter - micro-blogging at a glance
Not so keen on Twitter...
My initial reaction when I see or hear about Twitter was: who's got time for this??
Having said that, signing up to Twitter was fairly easy. I doubt I would actually use Twitter, but I could see the potential it has a s a tool, in terms of promoting library services and events. Twitter could also be a way for us to connect and interact with our library users out there.
I guess Twitter could also be used to follow other library systems to see what's happening elsewhere, and perhaps follow a favourite author?
My initial reaction when I see or hear about Twitter was: who's got time for this??
Having said that, signing up to Twitter was fairly easy. I doubt I would actually use Twitter, but I could see the potential it has a s a tool, in terms of promoting library services and events. Twitter could also be a way for us to connect and interact with our library users out there.
I guess Twitter could also be used to follow other library systems to see what's happening elsewhere, and perhaps follow a favourite author?
Week 2: Zamzar - converting file formats
Zamzar is awesome!!!!
I would definitely use this again, and this is also something that would be helpful to the public.
I've had experiences of customers wanting to print the .docx file from their flash drive but wasn't able to because we didn't have Office 2007 on the Learn.nets. More recently, I meet a customer who came in to scan her CV as she had lost the file on her lap-top. The poor lady had to re-type everything to update it - Zamzar would have saved her a lot of time.
I find the 4-step process of Zamzar very simple to follow, so I think this is a tool that would be easy to use for both customers and staff (especially since we now have internet access from generic logins). I think one way that Zamzar would be useful for staff would be when we are preparing promotional materials. E.g. converting publisher files to word files if the PC you are on doesn't have publisher. I also like that what you've converted on Zamzar is available for 24hours, just in case you didn't have time to save it or work on it right after conversion.
I would definitely use this again, and this is also something that would be helpful to the public.
I've had experiences of customers wanting to print the .docx file from their flash drive but wasn't able to because we didn't have Office 2007 on the Learn.nets. More recently, I meet a customer who came in to scan her CV as she had lost the file on her lap-top. The poor lady had to re-type everything to update it - Zamzar would have saved her a lot of time.
I find the 4-step process of Zamzar very simple to follow, so I think this is a tool that would be easy to use for both customers and staff (especially since we now have internet access from generic logins). I think one way that Zamzar would be useful for staff would be when we are preparing promotional materials. E.g. converting publisher files to word files if the PC you are on doesn't have publisher. I also like that what you've converted on Zamzar is available for 24hours, just in case you didn't have time to save it or work on it right after conversion.
23 April 2010
Week 1: Blogger - Here we go again...
Here we go again... Web 2.0 in 2010!
I haven't thought about what I expect from another dose of Web 2.0 really...ummm....just to have fun trying out different things and most definitely learning something new.
My 2.0 fears?... "just" the time factor - finding time really.
How might a public library use a blog, you ask? Well...promotion of events and services comes to mind. I t could also be the basis of an online community where library users could post review (like on our library website) and set up Book Clubs online, where everyone could just chat about what they are reading etc.
I think customers would expect to see recommnded reads, new book lists, discussion forums, what's happening at the Libraries and the world of books. And maybe some sort of "online community noticeboard". But most of what I've thought of are pretty much already done on our library website! :)
I haven't thought about what I expect from another dose of Web 2.0 really...ummm....just to have fun trying out different things and most definitely learning something new.
My 2.0 fears?... "just" the time factor - finding time really.
How might a public library use a blog, you ask? Well...promotion of events and services comes to mind. I t could also be the basis of an online community where library users could post review (like on our library website) and set up Book Clubs online, where everyone could just chat about what they are reading etc.
I think customers would expect to see recommnded reads, new book lists, discussion forums, what's happening at the Libraries and the world of books. And maybe some sort of "online community noticeboard". But most of what I've thought of are pretty much already done on our library website! :)
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