Week #12 Wrap up; social networks and catch up

There are so many application and uses for social networking in any kind of setting wether it be for work or play. One way social networking could be used in libraries is to have a under 5's childrens face book page where we can notify parents of program dates and invite them to sessions being held. Photo's could be posted by parents of their children enjoying library activities and parents could chat about literacy and other issues. My brain is going overboard with possibilities and as i am an 3 times a day social networking user!!!

Week #11 Online applications and tools

Online applications and tools I believe are where the future is headed for most work places where collaborative sharing is essential. Currently we are using Tada List to co ordinate school holiday programs, storytimes and even planning for book week next year. We have found this very useful as we very rarely have the same hours of the circulation desk as each other so we can just go online and check where things are up to.

Week #10 - Mashups

I love it! Not only is it great fun and anyone can use it, but it has so many applications it endless. This would be extremely useful in the library environment such as a map highlighting the locations of branches attached to a regional headquarters. Also to show accommodation if hosting events or conferences. It would also be a great way to present thing on the children's page of the website to further engage target audiences.

Week #9 - Podcasts and Audio

In my opinion the usefulness of podcast in the library would be very much in the same way YouTube works. To be totally honest i don't see how they are different. In the case of using them on the library website or for staffing purposes i would be more inclined to use YouTube footage links rather than podcast as more user are familiar with YouTube. As well podcast are only available for short periods of time and there is no garuntee they will be there when you need them.

Week #8 – Answer boards and social searching

Maybe I'm not grasping the over all concept of this week but i have been over it a few times, i really don't like this idea and defiantly don't see a role for such an informal 'thing' in libraries. Not when there are reference services provided with in the libraray and sites like Ask Now http://www.questionpoint.org/crs/servlet/org.oclc.home.TFSRedirect?virtcategory=10014
provided to the public where they are guaranteed a qualified librarian is attempting to answer their question.
However after using Yahoo!7 Answers I can see how this would be useful for people who would feel that the question they have is too silly or unimportant to ask a librarian for example "who sang and what are the words to the song in the new Arnotts add??"

mmmm Delicious .......

http://delicious.com/k.mcpherson

I believe there is much potential to use delicious in the library for both staff and clients. This could be a useful tool for library headquarters with regional branches in that by tagging useful website from anything to do with adult book clubs to children's story times or programs branches can instantly go to what there looking for with out having to wade through numerous Google and other search engine results. Also staff who work in numerous branches will have access to their tagged sites to continue working as effectively as they would have at any other branch.

I have been using delicious for over a year now and I have found it very effective especially as a great way to share with the rest of my team.