Week 23: Mashup's revisited

I really like how easy and convenient mashups are to create, and how they enable software programs to comunicate with each other (something I wouldn't be able to do without web 2.0 tools even if I tried!!).

The mashup's I find most useful are thigs like Flickr feeding into social networking environments like Facebook. Also Google maps mashed up with real estate sites is very handy when house hunting.

Week 22 - Instant Communication

Instant messaging is currently a significant part of my life. I use skype, facebook chat and msn messenger on a regular basis to communicate with family and friends. I live away from my parents so communication through instant message is regular occurrence in our house if not daily. The ability to chat and see them at the same time makes it feel as if they are never to far away.
My sister and I often have our best conversations on facebook chat even though we live in the same town. My fiance also is a big user of instant communication, as president of his cricket club he uses facebook chat to contact and chat with players, in a space where they already are!

How would they be useful in a library?

Now this is the BIG question. We can all think of many reason (see below) to use instant messaging in libraries to engage with patrons and for staff communication. The problem is justifying these purposes to councils, who only have our best interests at heart, and are worried about exposure to viruses from external sources.

* Instant reference services from the comfort of your own home, regardless of location.
* Staff communication, as an alternative to email and the constant buzzing of ringing phones.

Week 21 - More with Google docs

Google docs is certainly another of the most useful Web 2 tools!! There are literally 100's of possibilities for its use, just as there are 100's of tips and tricks. I particularly found presentations to be the most exciting as I can envision there are many potential benefits such as collaboration over a large geographical area, access to your presentation regardless of location, no need to worry about compatibility with other programs and much more.

I have not yet used Google docs to create a working document but am intrigued by the prospect and have found myself thinking up excuses to use it :). I look forward to experimenting with Google docs and am pleased to discover that there are forums available to support me in my quest!

Week 20 - Event Management

I loved playing with all of these different tools, however I think Doodle is my favourite!

In doodle I created a poll to find out which date would best suit staff to celebrate the end of the uni semester, as there are a number of staff currently studying, and the end of another work week. I have had a great response with most people replying on the same day, a few the next day and others I'm still waiting to hear from, it has been so useful in organising this event and I can see it's benefits for arranging other event's such as staff meetings etc. I found it very easy to create an account in doodle, however I became a little confused after scheduling and event. After fiddling with it a bit more (I wasn't going to let if defeat me!) it made much more sense!!

Doodle is a very easy to use tool providing everyone invited is comfortable using the tool and responds by the required date, as setting reminders requires a paid subscription.

I also played with google calendar, it was so easy to set up!! Entering data was very simple and the instructions straight forward. Although I am unlikely to continue using google calendar, as I am already using the outlook calendar provided by the organisation, I can see it's importance for small business using google for business email transactions, student's studying, keeping a travel itinerary and much more!! (I have also added my calendar to my blog!!)

I experimented with Event brite in creating event and it is very well set out and easy to create. I have previously used event brite to book a place in a seminar, it was very simple and the instructions were great for a first time user. However I did have a small problem at the time, that being I submitted my request twice, as I wasn't sure if the first had worked and ended up with two tickets.

Week 19 - Productivity - doing more with rss

Initially I set up a google alert for wedding invitations as at the time I was getting frustrated searching the Internet for wedding invitation sites. The alert was so helpful in leading me to new sites not yet found in the original search. Thanks to one blog, sent in an alert, I found out that we are 'required to set the tone and etiquette of our wedding through the invitation' lol . . . who knew!!

I have now set up 6 more alerts for the module topics of the uni subject I have enrolled into this semester, Im looking forward to seeing the feeds come through, it's such a great way to get the information you need with out wasting your time searching for it. RSS is just like having my own little cyber librarian!!

Blog post from Twitter

"is writing a checklist for the bridal fair tomorrow . . . flowers, invitations, music, table decorations, suits and oh so much more!!"

Week 18 - Slideshows, Screen Casting and Digital Story Telling

What useful tool!!

I often get tapped on the knuckles for sending large pdf files in emails such as PowerPoint presentions. However it is hard not to when there are so many branch libraries spread out over a large geographical area needing access to resources. I've just found my answer!! What a great way to share large documents, not to mention the ability to share PowerPoint files with others who do not have the ability to open them.

I decided to join in on the adventure this week and joined Slideshare! I have upload a quick PowerPoint preso of some of the promotional bits and pieces we used at the beginning of the year just as an experiment not for any really purpose yet. (Slide show should hopefully feature below). I found that there were a few errors in the layout and font settings but nothing that cant be easily fixed with a bit of fiddling. I decided to leave it the way it downloaded, as I'm busting to find out what is in week three and wanted others to see what I mean about layout and font.


I had a quick peek at Digital storytelling at Culture Shock where stories are inspired by visits to museums and galleries. I was fascinated and my mind explodes at the possibility for using the idea in libraries of the future!

Children services events publicity slide show

View more presentations from Katey.

Week 17 Nings

Hey . . . these things are great, they are virtually a online community notice board for the library. I feel like I could spend hours looking at the Mosman Library Ning! I especially love their little slogan at the top "Book lovers never go to bed alone" !!

Providing your not looking for any particular information, as there are so many links all over the page and it may be difficult to look for just one item, it is a very informative and interactive tool.

Im falling in love with this tool the more I look at each website, they are just fantastic, they will really appeal to gen-Y. The inclusion of photo's, video and a members page are all great for creating a virtual community for the library and connecting people in an online environment!!

They are fantastic!! I would love to be invloved in creating something like this for my own library service.

Week 16 - Evaluation

I have set up a feedburner account for my blog. It will be interesting to see the results as I'm sure CatyJ is about the only one who's 'checking me out'!! lol

I can see how useful it would be to the implementation of web 2.0 applications in libraries. The information these tools can provide are essential to building upon and enhancing existing services.

(I only wish I'd started week 16 before I handed in my assignment on implementing web 2.0 applications/services in libraries . . grrr!!)

I love completing surveymonkey surveys they are so easy to use!!

Week 15 - Delicious

I'm so pleased we have revisited Delicious in the 2.1 course it was one of my favourite applications in the first course!! I feel guilty not having used my account in such a long time. It is certainly time I gave it another try.

I can see it being a very valuable tool in planning my wedding!! With so many idea's out there it will be a great way to bring them all together and sort through them all. As well as the possibility to network with my bridesmaids and see what they've found!

One little complaint though, I was very annoyed my password had to have a number in it, I'll never remember that!!

P.s I managed to add the Delicious tagroll to my blog, I think it looks great, might need a little work though.

Week 14 Twitter

Ok so here I'am again, back on the same day after being so inspired from this morning's refresher! (or it was until I realised I'd saved my post to a draft!!)



I offically have a Twitter account (Kim will be so proud!) under the name of kmcpherson87, original I know but at least I wont forget it! . . . . . . I think I may be addicted and can absoultly see what the rages is all about I think I just posted 4 posts in 1 minute, you can't half tell I was a little excited! At first I was a little frusterated because I jumped ahead and started searching without following the instructions, typical!! After following the instructions everything made sense (funny that!) and I started to relax and become very comfortable with it all.

Week 13 Refreshing your blog

Apart from an assignment I have just completed requiring a blog format submission, I have regrettably not done any blogging since completing the original course. I find it hard to make the time to blog and the fact that when I get time I'm a blank slate on what to post, that doesn't help much!

However it has been fun today re-editing my blog, adding widgets and updating information, it's a bit like catching up with an old friend, you wonder why you left it so long to catch up and always declare to never leave it so long again!!