I watched a couple of video tutorials on You-Tube, on how to use del.icio.us. One of them was from the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
The main advantage for using del.icio.us instead of a different search engine, is that the topics have already been filtered by the public. When doing a search, which by the way is not limited to just del.icio.us (you may search the whole web as well), the tag that you may use, has a high probability to yield good results since it has pretty much been already used several times to "mark" a certain web page, or article. That is the advantage of being a social networking site.
You are offered a list of related items, as well; and other possible tags. When about to tag a web page, you do not need to come up with an original idea, the "mass" as already done the job for you. You can either search a tag from your own list, or look at the recommendations (i.e. the list of tags used by other users to bookmark that page).
Your bookmarks are going to be public as well, unless you specify otherwise.
The possible uses of this tool for the Library, are first and foremost as a search engine. It is a way of finding a topic utilising several tags already in use by thousands of people. Sometimes it is hard to find the right word..., not a problem if you use del.icio.us!
Besides that, it can also become like a file cabinet of all the websites that have information of your interest cataloged with your own tags. It should alleviate the need of browsing the web for commonly searched subjects.
And finally, it allows you to use several tags each time that you bookmark a web page.
As they say in Spain "all roads lead to Rome"; in this case, all tags lead to the information you are looking for!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
ABOUT LIBRARYTHING
The books listed above were randomly chosen by LibraryThing as a sample of my Library, and I could not find the way to choose the titles myself.
From this preview you may think that I am a feminist, and this would be a little bias. I do certainly like to read non-fiction books on female issues, but I do read non-fiction on other subjects as well (parenting, pregnancy,genetics, animal behaviourism _"Is my cat crazy?" and "Animals in translation" are awesome books on the subject_...
I also tend to check out books on whatever project for the house or myself I am about to tackle( sewing curtains, cooking, painting the house, gardening, decoration and design etc.); and once in a while I do read fiction books (" The red tent" or "Yummy mummy" are some of my favorites).
And if you checked out my library account lately, you would also notice a long list of juvenile picture books that I read to Hugo before going to bed. He is an avid "listener" and asks for one book after another. This would be a sample list of his favorites titles: Potty Time; If you give a moose a muffin, Trucks, Planes, Fire engines, a Look and Find Book about Thomas the train, What baby wants, Moon game etc.
The good thing is that if the books are not on sight they are out of his mind( it is a little boring to read the same books over and over for a month!).
Finally what I would like to point out about LibraryThing is the possibility of connecting to people with the same reading tastes, how easy it is to find a book to add to your list even if you do not remember the exact title, or the author( if you have a visual memory the display of several options with a cover picture of the book makes the task very easy indeed!) and another plus is how easy it is to get recommendations on other books and check out reviews.
And that is all!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
ABOUT GOOGLE DOCS
Google docs is a great tool for collaborations. Its tutorial is very informative, plus you can check out a lot of other U-tube tutorial videos on how to create a spreadsheet, charts, etc.
There is one video on how to create a live poll, and that would awesome to use during these days of getting to know the candidates for the Library Director position. We could have a staff poll on the candidates!
I did create a chart on my pregnancy weight gain with Hugo and currently with Enzo, but I did not have all the data to delivery of neither one, so it will need some further updating. It was very easy to create, and it was nice to have different formats available to showcase the data.
I also typed a couple of word documents, more to try the different fonts than anything else; and I tried to make a presentation, but I could not figure out and easy way to keep on adding slides. Needless to say that my lack of PowerPoint knowledge did not help!
Overall, Google docs is a great tool. The potential is infinite for personal use or work.
As a suggestion for the use of Google Docs in BPL, would be a live poll on the library director candidacy, an opinion column where everybody could be voicing their opinion using the collaboration options, typing charts on the circulation of library materials, monthly or bi-monthly... For that purpose, the "cheese-charts" would be my favorite(how many non-fiction,fiction,juvenile&teen items, DVDs, audio books,and Music CDs; for example).
We could also have a demographic study of our patrons made into a chart etc.
Charts are definitely one of my favorite tools from Google docs!
There is one video on how to create a live poll, and that would awesome to use during these days of getting to know the candidates for the Library Director position. We could have a staff poll on the candidates!
I did create a chart on my pregnancy weight gain with Hugo and currently with Enzo, but I did not have all the data to delivery of neither one, so it will need some further updating. It was very easy to create, and it was nice to have different formats available to showcase the data.
I also typed a couple of word documents, more to try the different fonts than anything else; and I tried to make a presentation, but I could not figure out and easy way to keep on adding slides. Needless to say that my lack of PowerPoint knowledge did not help!
Overall, Google docs is a great tool. The potential is infinite for personal use or work.
As a suggestion for the use of Google Docs in BPL, would be a live poll on the library director candidacy, an opinion column where everybody could be voicing their opinion using the collaboration options, typing charts on the circulation of library materials, monthly or bi-monthly... For that purpose, the "cheese-charts" would be my favorite(how many non-fiction,fiction,juvenile&teen items, DVDs, audio books,and Music CDs; for example).
We could also have a demographic study of our patrons made into a chart etc.
Charts are definitely one of my favorite tools from Google docs!
Monday, May 12, 2008
ABOUT DOWLOADABLE AUDIO
Our Overdrive program allows patrons to check out audio books or music from a sort of a virtual library.
I find that the list of titles offered is limited( i.e. I could not find my favorite non-fiction authors); but on the plus side, it is a great addition to our already extensive collection of Audio books and media at the library and branches for those who like to multitask while listening to audio books or music.
The other neat thing is that you can dowload to an MP3 PLAYER, so you do not need to be by your computer while using this option.
It is also available from overseas as long as you have a BPL card. My father, has been listening to Overdrive books from Spain,and he loves it!
And for classical music aficionados, it is a great resource to use from home.
The program Overdrive, needs to be dowloaded first, but it is free and only take a minute. Once you have done that you can select wichever title you would like to listen too; and as a great help, you can listen to an excerpt before you commit yourself to listening to an irritating voice for 3 hours!
I did dowload "A bear called Paddington" because I liked the voice of Stephen Fry from "Babe, the sheep-dog"'s audio book.
I find that the list of titles offered is limited( i.e. I could not find my favorite non-fiction authors); but on the plus side, it is a great addition to our already extensive collection of Audio books and media at the library and branches for those who like to multitask while listening to audio books or music.
The other neat thing is that you can dowload to an MP3 PLAYER, so you do not need to be by your computer while using this option.
It is also available from overseas as long as you have a BPL card. My father, has been listening to Overdrive books from Spain,and he loves it!
And for classical music aficionados, it is a great resource to use from home.
The program Overdrive, needs to be dowloaded first, but it is free and only take a minute. Once you have done that you can select wichever title you would like to listen too; and as a great help, you can listen to an excerpt before you commit yourself to listening to an irritating voice for 3 hours!
I did dowload "A bear called Paddington" because I liked the voice of Stephen Fry from "Babe, the sheep-dog"'s audio book.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
ABOUT PODCASTS
After a little break editing this blog I am back!
I did have a chance to check out videos and podcasts a while back already, but something did not bring myself to edit a post about it yet.
As most of my feeds are about, I did sign up for a podcast feed on pregnancy, and it has been pretty fun to listen to it.
The impression I got, was to be listening to a radio program. The name of the feed is pregTASTIC(http://www.bloglines.com/myblogs_display?sub=66549574&site=8065973); and it has always the same format. I mean by this that it always start with a little music, an intro of the content of the podcast,an advertisement of their program and
then the start of the presentation...
The annoying part is that you cannot tell how long is going to take to listen to the whole presentation; but maybe I am just a nerd and there is a way that I have not figured out yet. It is hard to fast forward, and skip parts...but overall it is pretty entertaining. Every week they have a different subjects they talk about (that's a plus) and they always have different women being interviewed, wich is always nice specially if you do not like someone's voice.
I did have a chance to check out videos and podcasts a while back already, but something did not bring myself to edit a post about it yet.
As most of my feeds are about, I did sign up for a podcast feed on pregnancy, and it has been pretty fun to listen to it.
The impression I got, was to be listening to a radio program. The name of the feed is pregTASTIC(http://www.bloglines.com/myblogs_display?sub=66549574&site=8065973); and it has always the same format. I mean by this that it always start with a little music, an intro of the content of the podcast,an advertisement of their program and
then the start of the presentation...
The annoying part is that you cannot tell how long is going to take to listen to the whole presentation; but maybe I am just a nerd and there is a way that I have not figured out yet. It is hard to fast forward, and skip parts...but overall it is pretty entertaining. Every week they have a different subjects they talk about (that's a plus) and they always have different women being interviewed, wich is always nice specially if you do not like someone's voice.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
ABOUT ONLINE VIDEOS
This is a video of Joss Stone, one of my favorite singers, and one of my favorite songs. The title is self-explanatory "I've got the right to be wrong".
The tune is "catchy", and yet the lirics are Oh, so true...
I found out that navigating Yahoo videos, Google videos or YouTube was very easy and entertaining. It is amazing what you can find on the internet nowadays!
I typed in "birth" and a long list of x-rated videos appeared on the screen. They say in spanish that a picture is worth a thousand words,...well, that was certainly the case, no sound neccesary.
Anyway, a good use of videos for the library would be some "video tutorials" on how to find books, or place a hold through prospector, where everything is located etc.
Monday, February 4, 2008
ABOUT RSS FEEDS
The real simple syndication, alias, RSS; is a great way to have all your research funnelled to one single page where you can view all new articles at a glance. It saves you a lot of time, by not surfing the web in search of the subjects that you are interested in. It is a very convenient tool to reseach a topic for work or private use.
This is a link to my feeds as an example: http://www.bloglines.com/public/tatianad
If you have not noticed my bulging belly, my research on pregnancy matters might be a hint, that in mid-june I will be taking a little vacation to welcome into this wold a little brother for Hugo.
Libraries could use this technology to get the latest reviews and list of BEST SELLERS; it would allow the adquisitions department to know what items are most popular; and would allow Reference and the Readers Advisory to know what are the best rated books, films or other media.
This is a link to my feeds as an example: http://www.bloglines.com/public/tatianad
If you have not noticed my bulging belly, my research on pregnancy matters might be a hint, that in mid-june I will be taking a little vacation to welcome into this wold a little brother for Hugo.
Libraries could use this technology to get the latest reviews and list of BEST SELLERS; it would allow the adquisitions department to know what items are most popular; and would allow Reference and the Readers Advisory to know what are the best rated books, films or other media.
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