Podcasts wins hands down. I've been addicted to podcasts inse acquiring my first MP3 player some time ago. There is so much on offer from the ABC, BBC & BBC particularly for book lovers.
I also like wikis especially wikipedia. I was surprised to find an entry for my uncle who lives in the Seychelles. I like the concept of many contributors to any topic but of course you do need to exercise caution and verify information located.
The great advantage of the technologies we have been exploring is the way they can reduce isolation. I grew up with a good local library which was always accessible to me it was only 3 kilometres away and my family and I spent many hours there. Not everybody is so lucky. Disability, illness or distance can severely limit access for many. This is where I see the great advantage for the public library in these technologies. I would like to see progress in the provision of access for all to training and the technology to utilise the tools with special programs to cater to special needs groups. Then we can hope for the true 'library without walls' ideal and access for all.
I have enjoyed reading the blogs of my colleagues. It is interesting to see the opinions of people I know but not well. Hecuba I like the ginger cat. Librarychick hit the spot with gripes about stationery costs. My pet hate is the caps being left of markers so that they dry up and have to be discarded.
I loved looking at what people are reading, their favourite books and what is in their library.
Thankyou to Lynette &b Lesley et al for this opportunity to explore Learning 2.0.
29 November 2007
09 November 2007
Victorian Libraries Learning 2.0
I've been working my way through this program for the past few weeks. I was already familiar with many of the different Web 2.0 offerings.
Flickr has its advantages but there is so much rubbish out there. Some users seem to take heaps of photos and them load them all to Flickr without assessing their quality. Poorly composed, overexposed, out of focus etcetera they still load them. There are some really good photos on this site, inspiring to the amateur photographer and it's these which I like to see. I am always interested in photos of Mauritius and there are some really good ones on Flickr.
I enjoy soime blogs and regularly follow up on some. My own library has had its own blog for a little while now thanks to Gitte our Online Services Librarian. The Age Green Guide has a section each week which recommends varius logs and I usually investigate.
Librarything is okay but I'd never keep it up. I'm the kind of person who starts such projects but quickly lose enthusiasm for it and move on to something else.
Flickr has its advantages but there is so much rubbish out there. Some users seem to take heaps of photos and them load them all to Flickr without assessing their quality. Poorly composed, overexposed, out of focus etcetera they still load them. There are some really good photos on this site, inspiring to the amateur photographer and it's these which I like to see. I am always interested in photos of Mauritius and there are some really good ones on Flickr.
I enjoy soime blogs and regularly follow up on some. My own library has had its own blog for a little while now thanks to Gitte our Online Services Librarian. The Age Green Guide has a section each week which recommends varius logs and I usually investigate.
Librarything is okay but I'd never keep it up. I'm the kind of person who starts such projects but quickly lose enthusiasm for it and move on to something else.
25 October 2007
'The Librarians' is coming
Starting next Wednesday 31st October at 9:30 pm this new comedy on ABC is set in a public library. Frances O'Brien (Robyn Butler) is the highly-strung Head Librarian of the Middleton Interactive Learning Centre, and is completely insensitive to the needs of her eclectic group of employees and the public in general.
Immersed in planning for Book Week, her focus is diverted when her ex-best friend and nemesis, Christine Grimwood (Roz Hammond) applies for the Children's Librarian's position. While completely unsuitable, Christine desperately needs a responsible job before fronting court on drug trafficking charges. Frances refuses but soon finds herself forced to hire Christine.
It will be interesting to see how accurately libraries and librarians are portrayed. The reviews so far have been positive. Debi Enker this morning on 774 raved over it.
Immersed in planning for Book Week, her focus is diverted when her ex-best friend and nemesis, Christine Grimwood (Roz Hammond) applies for the Children's Librarian's position. While completely unsuitable, Christine desperately needs a responsible job before fronting court on drug trafficking charges. Frances refuses but soon finds herself forced to hire Christine.
It will be interesting to see how accurately libraries and librarians are portrayed. The reviews so far have been positive. Debi Enker this morning on 774 raved over it.
24 October 2007
Books rule
In an earlier post I commented on the fact that travelling by public transport was a way to spy on what Joe Public is reading. Harry Potter remains a favourite. In the past few days I have observed fellow commuters reading Harry Potter volumes 4, 5 & 7. Other popular titles include the latest Nicci French and university textbooks. Paperback detective novels remains favourite as do fantasy novels. My reading varies according to mood.
It is good to see also those who spell doom for books and reading being proved wrong. Sure there are numerous passengers plugged into the their MP3 players and others tapping away on their laptops but there are still substantial numbers reading books. Have MP3 listeners and laptop tappers abandoned reading? I suspect not. They either still read books or never did anyway.
The doomsayers forget the convenience of the traditional book format. It doesn't need batteries and the technology is almost fail safe. The price of books has come down over the years and one can always borrow them. There are no ridiculous, restrictive licencing agreements attached. You an read them at the beach or on the park and they are much easier on the eye than electronic formats.
It is good to see also those who spell doom for books and reading being proved wrong. Sure there are numerous passengers plugged into the their MP3 players and others tapping away on their laptops but there are still substantial numbers reading books. Have MP3 listeners and laptop tappers abandoned reading? I suspect not. They either still read books or never did anyway.
The doomsayers forget the convenience of the traditional book format. It doesn't need batteries and the technology is almost fail safe. The price of books has come down over the years and one can always borrow them. There are no ridiculous, restrictive licencing agreements attached. You an read them at the beach or on the park and they are much easier on the eye than electronic formats.
Funny books on trains
This morning I was reading on the train as usual. The passage was very funny and I started chuckling. Interesting to observe the reactions of fellow passengers. Curiosity mostly but some seemed to think I was nuts. I must do it more often. For those of you who want to know the book was 'Trick or Treat' by Kerry Greenwood.
03 October 2007
iPod
I've put in my order for a new iPod so I can store more podcasts and talking books. I have a nano but the storage capacity is limited so I want to upgrade to the new 160 GB. There is a delay but I'm not impatient. The store is getting frustrated because they have customers who are nagging them for a time-frame. Now a load of 340 has been stolen from a courier depot. Apple have very successfully marketed their new product and demand is exceeding supply.
I love using these devices for talking books, so much less cumbersome than CDs and once you have read/listened to the book you can delete it. Great for long walks and for when the train is packed and it's difficult to read a book and hang on to whatever to maintain your balance. The podcasts from the ABC & BBC are great. I hope they don't start charging for them.
I love using these devices for talking books, so much less cumbersome than CDs and once you have read/listened to the book you can delete it. Great for long walks and for when the train is packed and it's difficult to read a book and hang on to whatever to maintain your balance. The podcasts from the ABC & BBC are great. I hope they don't start charging for them.
Stereotyping books and readers
It's funny how we assume that a particular author or book will appeal to a specific group of readers. This morning while spying on my fellow passengers on the 7:00 to the city I observed a middle-aged balding gent reading Stephanie Laurens 'The Power of Seduction'. Somehow I had assumed that this would be read more by female readers, although not my taste. the I thought about the book I'm reading at the moment. 'In Search of Africa' by Frank Coates is probably more often read by male readers so I should have know.
Spying on the reading habits of other commuters is quite interesting. You not only observe what people are reading but whether or not they are borrowing from libraries. If libraries are interested in marketing their 'brand' then a distinctive label on the cover (back or front) would be seen numerous people daily. Every time a commuter reads a library item on public transport it will be seen by other commuters just like branded shopping bags.
Spying on the reading habits of other commuters is quite interesting. You not only observe what people are reading but whether or not they are borrowing from libraries. If libraries are interested in marketing their 'brand' then a distinctive label on the cover (back or front) would be seen numerous people daily. Every time a commuter reads a library item on public transport it will be seen by other commuters just like branded shopping bags.
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