Podcasts

Our library does podcasts of its annual 8-program Great Decisions foreign policy series and several other programs throughout the year. We record them with a digital audio recorder connected to our meeting room sound system. It's my job to edit that recording in Audacity and export as an MP3 and put it on our website. I have to admit that I was surprised that people continue to listen to these programs-- a year later, our first programs are still getting hits.

We don't do podcasts on a regular basis with an RSS feed. Libraries are doing some interesting things with that. I can see us looking at doing one in the future. But I can say what we have done so far has been a success and contributed to the community interest in these programs. If they can't make it to all the programs in person, they still have an opportunity to hear them. It's one more way that the library can be a part of their lives.

MySpace and Facebook

After reading this week's Project Play articles on the pros and cons of libraries having MySpace or Facebook pages, whether it's a great way to reach out to potential library users where they already hang out or an intrusion into their social networks, I'm left with the feeling that I still don't know what I think.

I can see where a vividly designed page that serves a useful purpose rather than a passive description of who we are could help stimulate teens' and young adults' interest in using the library. Making it useful would include a search box for the catalog, lists of the newest material, and boosting upcoming events, particularly those expected to appeal to that age group (but not exclusively, as the over 25 demographic is steadily increasing).

I'd be game to do one if we decided to have a MySpace or Facebook page, but I'd need to become much more comfortable with spending time in social networking sites, as if it's not done with passion it's not likely to interest the people we're trying to attract and get excited about the library. If we're going to be out there, we need to make it interesting and make clear at a glance that we have something to offer them.

Jott to Remember the Milk

Remember the Milk and Jott are both cool tools, but I don't know how much I'd actually use the first one. I've never been a list person; the only time I tried writing an actual grocery list, I'd misplaced it by the time got to the store. Since I have a vivid memory that locks away all sorts of facts, bits and numbers, I've had the life-long habit of relying on it. Which is not without its problems, as while my memory usually is very good, I've experienced the occasional adrenaline-spiking moment of, "Oh, shoot! I was supposed to ...". Perhaps I would be more likely to use an online tool like this, as what I don't like is bits of paper and notes around with lists of to-dos and reminders. But I'm guessing unless we share a Remember the Milk list as a collaborative project, I won't be using it.

Jott, on the other hand, I'm hoping to find reason to use. I thought it was so cool to be able to make a phone call and have it transcribed to into an e-mail. My first attempt didn't work because I have a soft voice and I was making the call where there was too much background noise. But the second two tries were clear and accurate word-for-word. If I have something I wanted to look into further at work, and haven't the time to log on to my computer or access to a PC, I could call and send a quick note to my e-mail account. And of course, Jott combines very well with Remember the Milk. I tried that out with my first call to Jott.

Google Docs

I was excited by the ideas of Wikis in semester one, but Google Docs would be another good way to collaborate on projects. More than a few times I've gone to open up a document on our network drive to find that someone else has it open. They might be finished and forgot to close it, but until they do, I can only access a copy. It also has the advantage that when someone has revised the document, she doesn't need to send out new copies to everyone involved.

But I like best the idea that if people are going to be working on it in different locations -- work, home, maybe on the road -- they don't need to have the "proper" software installed. They can log in to Google docs and have the editing tools right there.

I don't have a project in mind now for Google docs, but I can see it as a useful tool that we could use to work together.

IM Open to the World

How quickly things get outdated in an Web 2.0 world. I just posted an hour-and-a-half ago and that's already old information:

We have a Meebo widget on our website now and are open for business via IM. It will need some publicizing to let people know it's there, but we're game if queries start coming in.

IM on the Job

I first started instant messaging when I was working at home on a regular basis and my department head wanted to be able to keep in touch with me. He likes Trillian and introduced me to using that program. The project that let me work at home is long finished, but I often have Trillian open during the day at my desk. My department head and I still IM each other at times, and I've also used it to contact various Winnefox staff members with quick questions.

The plans are to start using IM for reference service. We're looking into using Meebo, but are still working out the logistics. It will be one more service provided by our electronic branch.

Project Play Semester 1

I couldn't consider myself finished with Semester 1 until I'd carried through on my intention to create a Wikipedia entry for my hometown. I'd come across the entry for Ginger Beaumont, an early Major League baseball player who'd lived in Honey Creek for many years, but the link put him in the Honey Creek in Sauk County. I couldn't fix that until there was an entry for the Honey Creek in Walworth County, where I grew up.

The problem that held me back for some time was that the entries I found searching online continued to scramble the data for the two towns. I sent for information from two books via interlibrary loan, which gave me some history on the early settlers. I also located the latitude and longitude online, added a population estimate from Rand McNally's Commercial atlas & marketing guide, and could list Ginger Beaumont as a notable person. I then added Honey Creek to the entry for Spring Prairie, Wisconsin, and fixed the entry for Ginger Beaumont.

To my surprise and delight, it took less than 24 hours for someone else to add to it, linking to an article with more information under the Notes section. I will be watching to see what else I might learn from other people's additions.

Other tools I have continued to use on a personal level are: LibraryThing, where I still enjoy adding my books as I find time; Bloglines, to which I already subscribed; and I've tried to fall into the pattern of adding and accessing my bookmarks through del.icio.us instead of the individual PCs' browsers. Our library intends to add at least one blog to our website, and I've proposed using a wiki for a project among librarians, but I don't know if they will do it that way once they start work. My own goal is to continue to try more things instead of keep putting it off until I find more time. That extra time never seems to appear and there's so much out there to play with and explore, much of it free and very useful.