Catching Up on Web 2.0

Thanks for the nudge, Alex.

My experience with wikis to date has been mixed. I find these really essential with keeping departments up to date. My case is point is my ILDS procedures wiki. I have uploaded as many of the written procedures I have for this specific department and then passed it onto the staff. They can then edit and add new procedures to their heart's content. No more binders of un-updated procedures. Neat and tidy.

I've developed a preference for pbwiki as it appears to be the most streamlined to set up. Limited choices in setup and development allows me more time to focus on content. You can get lost in the setup details in something like wetpaint. My 2 cents worth any ways.

Now about RSS feeds: I had set up my account a few years ago and didnt' see the great use in the few feeders at that time. In the last several months, I got an exported file of library related feeds from a colleague and now I get it! Lots of new ideas floating around out there.

What I find most difficult is the time factor however. I really limit myself to browsing for only 15-20 minutes a day as otherwise I could spend most of my day on my feeds. I've also streamlined what feeds I look at daily. Now I wonder what I'm possibly missing. Sigh...

Our Late Night Study Pilot Project

We've been very successful with our first ever late night (until 2am) opening of our Mills Learning Commons. Here's a photo at around 1am in the morning. How young they are!

Gaming in libraries...hmmmm

As you've probably guessed from my previous posts, I'm still pondering over the value of this type of social software in the library world--especially the academic library world. After viewing some WOW video footage, I'm still very uncertain about this application in the "real world". However, the Second Life aspect may still have some merit.

Since I'm still in learning mode, I'd like to draw to everyone's attention, this neat looking conference in July put together by ALA and ACRL:

first annual Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium will be held in Chicago on July 22-24, 2007

More details at: http://gaming.techsource.ala.org/index.php/Main_Page

Jeff Trzeciak our University Librarian will be presenting.

I think I'll attend; how about you?

Facebook: Are we infiltrating?

Our week's activity for our Web 2.0 course was to look at Facebook and make a comment on it on our blog. I've been on Facebook for a while now and have the following experience.

When I joined Facebook, it was for very practical reasons as there was a particular site I needed to look at. Once in however, I found my cousin (who is 17) had an account. I asked her to be a friend. She responded with: "Hi, I guess anyone can get a Facebook account. Please don't show my parents my photos."

Obviously she saw this as an infringement of her personal space and thought I was far too old to be doing the Facebook thing! I did promise her not to share her photos of partying--the typical snaps of a university student. But my question is: are we infiltrating where we're not wanted?

Using Facebook as a marketing tool may be a bit too aggressive if we want to get into everyone's faces. However, there may be a few ideas on being more subtle and there is people really want to talk to us. Stephen Abrams had some good suggestions on his blog this morning. Check it out at:

http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/

He's talking about the Bivings Report on today's blog item.

Well, I'm still sitting on the fence with this one. What's your opinion? Send me comments