Wow...Web 2.0 Awards!

Nice to see that sites that I like and use, such as Technorati and Bloglines, have won awards. I like the way each category has a summary describing the category...very helpful when one has no initial idea of the purpose of the sites, like "Peer Production News", for instance.

I looked at the book-related sites, of course, and was especially taken by Lulu, www.lulu.com, a self-publishing site. Interesting to see what people are publishing, what the needs and interests are outside of the mainstream publishing industry choices.

I also was blown away by the winner of the "Mashups" category, Supreme Court Zeitgeist, www.judgejohnroberts.com. A site like this is a fabulous reference desk find!

Google Labs

Amazing how many things there are to discover...way more than 27 I'd venture to guess! Anyway, Google Labs was one of them for me.

My favorite, in terms of potential usefulness to my library work, was Goggle Suggest. I like the way it came up with potential search terms as I typed more letters into my search...and I was surprised at the usefulness of some of the suggested terms. I can see using this Lab in my on-desk searching. Google Suggest was much better than Google Sets, which I think was kind of off-base and uninspired when it comes to linked areas/terms.

I also looked at Google Trends and Google Mars...fun but not really exciting or useful. And Google Transit, which I liked..glad to see Seattle was listed as an accessible city...would be great to have more cities added...a good traveling tool.

Sharing is good/No discs needed!

Enjoyed learning about Google Docs AND Zoho Writer. I actually liked the format, options and operation of Zoho Writer slightly better, but I am more likely to use Google since I am there so often!

I just love the capacity with both these programs to save, share and collaboratively edit documents...all without saving to a disc or drive or sending back and forth through e-mail. I can easily see KCLS applications, especially the capacity to share, access and edit documents effortlessly from any computer in a cluster.

Library 2.0 Debate

Wendy Schultz really hit a chord for me with her article, "To a temporary place in time..." For one, she places libraries in an evolving historical context, judging neither past, present or future, but accepting change and making sure that she is an agent of change by helping to guide it in the ways that she envisions:

"The ongoing Library 2.0 debate frames library renewal within the current trends transforming our information infra-structure. But those trends themselves will evolve, even mutate, under pressure from emerging change. A futures perspective asks us to reconnect this dialogue to the grand sweep of time from the treasured past to the adventure of the future—and to put people and meaning at the center of our concerns."

***PEOPLE AND MEANING*** Shultz values the past, imagines the future and sees the present as a continual transition...which is the way it has always been! I love her insight and humor...and her ability to dignify past, present and future at the same time. No haranging or criticizing, no placing technology in a superior position. Always keeping the good as libraries evolve, Schultz's Library 4.0 would include Library 1.0-3.0 rather than evolve beyond them...these ideas of library evolution are spherical, circular, fluid...not linear and rigid. And I love her final inclusion of the library piece that we will always need...the retreat, the WIFREE space, the sensual, the "relaxation spa"...part of, included in, not in opposition to, the multi-dimensional library that will live beyond our ability to experience it.

I read all the other articles, and could argue or agree intellectually with each of them, but none affected me like the Schultz article and made me feel glad to be a librarian and to see myself as part of an evolving cultural community.

Custom Search Engines

Missed the podcast this week --I realize I look forward to hearing how my library co-workers have found creative ways to apply new technologies to library uses.

Didn't see all that much difference between searching on Rollyo and Google except format and, as mentioned, the sponsored results on Rollyo but not on Google. I searched for "teen gaming" and "best books". I actually liked the screen "look" for Rollyo a little better, but I chose to create my custom search engine in Google because I am already signed up with Google, use Google regularly and thought it might be more useful in the long run.

I was going to do a library related search engine on "readers advisory" sites, but actually there seems to be little need for a custom search engine like that because it is a pretty straightforward search -- I get a whole list of good sites right away. Instead I created Bead Favorites Search Engine, where I can look for beading/jewelry/wire working supplies without looking through pages of sites I don't want. And, trying it out afterwards it turned out to be very useful...much more useful than just having my favorite sites in "Favorites" or on del.icio.us because I can search the contents of all the sites with one click.

I can see that the custom search engine feature can be useful for those of us with passions (loved the Wine Search engine!) and for those areas where it is difficult through a general search to pinpoint just the useful sites. Good, as usual, to learn about web features...it will allow me to be aware of possible future uses!

Playing Around!!

Well, I did have alot of fun playing around with the Generator Blog stuff...yes, one of my absolute favorites is the Nietzsche Family Circus Generator. I was going to upload a cartoon from that site, but I'm having trouble accessing it today, so I will visit and upload a random gem another day. I also created characters I liked from South Park and the Simpsons, but didn't want to go through the complexities of saving them. So...I made myself a cute dollar bill from the money generator site: http://en.festisite.com/tools/generators/money/

The Wonder of Wikis!

Well, exploring wikis was exceptionally fun.
As usual, I really enjoyed the podcast. Listening to Sarah talk so articulately about using a wiki at her library really helped me understand the benefit of wikis for communicating information that is needed quickly and that changes quickly.
Also, I really loved the St Joseph Subject Guides wikis. Very creative and entertaining with a local focus. Maybe KCLS could do something like this, with different regional connections.
I also really enjoyed looking at the Library Best Practices Wiki; it has the potential to be a really good resource if more librarians contribute ideas to it. I did find a really useful article there on weeding political biography.
I also thought the Book Lovers Wiki was a great idea for an adult summer reading program...and something we could adapt, possibly, for KCLS.
On a personal note, I also found two more book review sources to add as RSS feeds!