(Thing #15) Library Two Point Oh... Kay, I Suppose

I found a great little photo essay about the changing image of libraries. I was intrigued by the industrial look of the new Seattle Public Library, pictured on the left.

I realize that the look of libraries isn't exactly what we're blogging about this week, but I got to thinking about how the image does correspond to the changes in services libraries are offering over the past few years. We're providing new and different services, and naturally that will change the look of the venue.

I spent some time reading up on Library 2.0. I guess it's kind of silly for us to be afraid of all the new resources once we realize our patrons are using them all the time- in fact, in many cases, we're using them ourselves, and that's how they get implemented into our services. That's not a new concept at all. We just have to remember that at one time the idea of letting people read and borrow books for free was pretty radical and intimidating.

I'm curious about how we'll continue to integrate what we're learning into our everyday reader's advisory and reference. Just yesterday a patron asked me if there's a way to suggest and request new materials through the library website- is this something we'll be adding to our services? And if so, who will be monitoring the requests? I'll bet there's a way we could streamline the process of going from patron requests to making orders- not sure myself what it would take, but I'm glad people are asking.

(Thing # 14) (Insert Cheesy Google Books Title Here)

Wow, Google Books is great! Not perfect, but definitely a good resource. I would be more likely to use it to look for older books and passages; but maybe that's just because I'm more familiar with Amazon's layout for when I'm doing new book orders.

I liked how, if I did a search for a phrase, I was directed right to the page where that phrase shows up. For example I searched the line in the William Carlos Williams poem, 'this is just to say, i ate the plums' and came up with several books- some with the poem, several with commentary on the poetry.

The 'Search for Libraries' tool is also a great resource that directs you to WorldCat; I was able to find that a number of the books I searched are over at Western's library.

I'm assuming that Google's partnership with libraries and universities assures that copyright laws are followed. I could turn this entry into a debate on the rights of authors, or I could talk about the environmental resources it takes to produce all of our books, OR the resources used to digitize and run those books through the internet... but I'd rather have that conversation face to face! I don't assume to have the answers; I just think we should be having the conversations.

Meez Must Be Thing #24

Making a Meez for our FRL blogs seems to have turned into one more Thing. So yes, I made one, went nuts adding accessories, and before I knew it I had a bill for over $20! I went back and used all the free stuff instead. Who on earth actually buys that stuff???

Anyways, check her out at the bottom of my page. Personally, I think I'm a better dancer, but at least she's got the decor going on!

(Thing #13) del.icio.us.and.tas.ty.

At first this looks like yet another link-gathering site, not so different from, say, Google Reader or Digg. Just pick the one you prefer, and stick with one. They're all so general and random, but you can narrow your searches down to anything. But then you realize you tend to be drawn into certain subjects in one, and completely other subjects in another site... you hear your friends talking about Digg, but others only use Del.icio.us and you've got to keep up with all of them. Not because you prefer one over the other, but because you've got different 'conversations' going on in different places. Kind of like having a MySpace and a Facebook profile- you don't necessarily prefer one over the other, you just have different friends, different artists, and different reasons for visiting both of them.

I did a search - Del.icio.us for Librarians and found dozens of good articles and blogs on how libraries, librarians, and library students are using the site. I have a much greater appreciation now! Do your own similar search, as the tags are always being updated and added to.

(Thing # 12) Anything

I don't have a television, but in my household of three people, we have managed to accumulate five computers. I really don't miss having tv in my house; I subscribe to Netflix and I have a library card, so I can choose what I watch. I did get a little jealous when it seemed like everyone I knew was talking about The Daily Show- it seemed that so many of our peers got the majority of their knowledge of current events from watching the show, rather than traditional news shows. Come to find out, you can go to the website and watch downloaded copies of the previous night's and earlier shows. Voila! Now Stacy and I can keep up with the news, including the latest author interviews, along with our peers.

For more detailed news from around the world about the Middle East- places we feel strong connections to- we usually spend a part of our Sunday morning watching Link TV Mosaic.

PS.
May I have an MP3 player? Thank you!

(Thing #11) Buried in Digg

I've been noticing the Digg icons since we started the 23 Things, and I've started clicking it on articles I thought were noteworthy, but never really followed through to see how far those articles made it in Digg. It's beginning to make more sense now. I like that, unlike Google Reader's format, you can read the article in it's own space and site.



I found an article about the cleanup of "ghost nets" around Ireland.



I still prefer to go directly to a news source, rather than have updates, and other peoples' suggestions chosen for me. I also prefer news gathering sources that are more specific, for example, for world and political news, I like to check out the Common Dreams site. Still, I see the value in a more generalized source like Digg.

(Thing # 10) Goodreads: Well Read and Naughty (sort of)

I had added Goodreads to my blog last month since other FRL folks were already in there and had started a group. I still haven't added a whole lot of books other than what I'm currently reading, but I'm in the process of going through my Friends shelves, and adding books of theirs that I've also read, or hope to read.

This is a great way to keep up with what I've read; I've noticed as I scroll through other peoples' books that I'm reminded of books I read years ago- I might never have thought of them otherwise, and this makes me want to go back and re-read some of those books!

One thing I don't like is that as I'm browsing other books, I can't tell right away if I've already added a book to my own shelf. Another thing I don't like is that when I hit the "add to shelves" button, the book doesn't necessarily get added- I realized this after clicking on dozens of books, thinking I was adding them!

In looking for a book I had never heard of yet, I happened across Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind. In reading the reviews I realized it is also a movie, so I checked that out, and remembered seeing a trailer for the film. Anyways, I'd like to read AND watch the story.

(Thing #9) This Could Get Addictive...

... but I'll contain myself!

I went to the AlienNator... Stacy looks pretty good in blue, doesn't he? Although, biased as I may be, he looked pretty good before I alienated him, too!

I will have to remember to go back to Dumpr with all those pictures that we just don't look quite right in, but that I don't actually want to delete.

Below is a picture I took of a lovely surprise in my yard, some purple columbine. We'd transplanted one randomly placed cluster, and now it's multiplying. And in this case, turning into an Amazing Circle. I wouldn't recommend using a photograph of a person for this application!

I definitely want to play some more with image generators- I've got a great picture of three of us 'librarians' to put in a celebrity paparizzi shot when I have my co-workers' permission! But for now, I've spent more than enough time digging through my Myspace at work, looking for photos to manipulate.

(Thing #8) Mashups Are Not Car Wrecks

I checked out Examples from the Web Mashup directory, and decided to take the Science route. There was only one option, and it led me to this Rivers of the World site. Search by continent, country, region, and then by specific river. My brother, sister-in-law and niece are living in Germany, and they recently took my niece on her first cruise down the Rhine River.

I've included the link to the map and photos so you'll know what I did, but I posted my own picture of Summer with her mom, Amy, on their little trip last fall.

I also decided to search for the Little Tennessee River. At first I didn't see NC, so I looked in Georgia, and found it here. You'll notice it's mislabeled as the Little Sequatchie River, which happens to be in Tennesee, but the pictures and map are definitely of our lovely, local river.

This was fun!

(Thing #7) Flickr Fluttr

I used the Explore mode to find an interesting picture, and from there I chose to do a location search. At first I just typed 'Chicago' into the search bar, and was surprised to see that it offered me either Chicago, Illinois, or Chicago, Wisconsin. Never knew there was more than one! It brought up a map and thumbnails to about a gazillion (roughly) pictures, so I narrowed it to the Millenium Park, then to the Cloud Gate, and when I finally narrowed it down to 'at night' I was able to choose my favourite shot. I had seen the recently constructed park and gate (called 'the Bean' by Chicago locals) for the first time on a trip back to Chicago a few weeks ago, and that's how I decided to look for and share a picture of this fascinating piece of work. I made sure it was a public photo, and I'm giving credit to the photographer, Gary Becker.

I like that anyone can look at the photos on Flickr; I don't like that one has to have a specific e-mail account in order to sign in and have an account. (Or is there a way around that, that I haven't noticed?) I don't want to have to set up yet another account... isn't three- Hotmail, Gmail and Fontana- already more than enough?

Thursdays at the Library

I wish everyone in the world would come to these programs... I just haven't figured out how to reach everyone. Yet.

If you're still looking for something to do this Thursday evening, please come out to the Macon County library to hear our very own, my dear friend, Angela Faye Martin. She'll be playing her own songs, and telling some of the stories she's collected here in the Burningtown and Cowee communities of Franklin, and I promise you're in for a treat.

7:00pm Thursday. You won't regret it.

A Moment of Pride...

I had to share...

A vaguely familiar, older patron and I were returning our carts at Ingles at the same time this afternoon, and she piped up and said "I'm so glad you put your cart there, instead of leaving it catterwauled all over the place."

Just a reminder, the public might be allowed to behave anyway they like in the library, but we're all still reps of the library no matter where we go. So be careful with the catterwaulin' when you're out there.

(Thing 6) The Care and Feeding of a Librarian's Reading List

I still don't think I will use this much, but it's interesting looking through blogs I already visit and seeing the RSS options I'd never noticed before. I could have instant access to ANYthing from one place, but for my personal use, I don't use Google Reader that way. I'm interested to know how other library staff use it, but for myself, I prefer to get e-mail updates from my particular sites.

So here are a few favourite library sites.

My good friend Steev Baker is the librarian at the Kewaskum Public Library in Wisconsin where I think he almost single-handedly runs a 12,000 volume library, and I don't think he's even had time to finish his degree yet. Check out the site; he's someone you'll want to have a conversation with.

I had a difficult time finding anything of value doing a Technorati search for 'library, libraries, librarians' but I did happen across Literary Mama which is a site dedicated to balancing creativity with motherhood, so I'll be inclined to revisit this one.

Part of my job at the library is to add to our spanish collection, so I found the New York Public Library Novedades to be helpful in finding popular spanish titles.