Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Web 2.0: The Neverending Story
Now that I have a firm grasp on the Web 2.0 game I feel like I can keep this up. We now have a great list of sources to keep checking, and as I begin my career in libraries, I need to remain up to date on the latest literature, so it is all about checking the resources and experimenting with new things.
Personally, I don't think libraries need to be on the cutting edge of everything ever. Instead we need to pay attention and find useful, meaningful, and engaging ways to use new information. One of my favorite school library authors, Doug Johnson, says when it comes to technology, stuff isn't enough. If we have a blog, but aren't updating it, it is useless.
The best way I've found to find new things, like the one you will see in my final post, is to just pay attention to what you look at. One program a friend of mine told me about is called Pixton. This is a comic book creator that allows users to pose and edit different stock characters in order to creat a comic book. All you need to do is enter the text. You can also watch an interesting trailer. Different places will have different articles, or links to interesting new programs, and since we have a great foundation we can now look and see what is out there for all of us to use.
Personally, I don't think libraries need to be on the cutting edge of everything ever. Instead we need to pay attention and find useful, meaningful, and engaging ways to use new information. One of my favorite school library authors, Doug Johnson, says when it comes to technology, stuff isn't enough. If we have a blog, but aren't updating it, it is useless.
The best way I've found to find new things, like the one you will see in my final post, is to just pay attention to what you look at. One program a friend of mine told me about is called Pixton. This is a comic book creator that allows users to pose and edit different stock characters in order to creat a comic book. All you need to do is enter the text. You can also watch an interesting trailer. Different places will have different articles, or links to interesting new programs, and since we have a great foundation we can now look and see what is out there for all of us to use.
Web 2.0 Alligators... I don't know yet...
I tried both friendfeed and secondbrain and I have to say... they are okay so far. I'll probably be trying Netvibes I liked what it had to say about finding content, but I'm still not sure whether I like the current interface of of these things yet. Basically, what I want is a service that takes all of my web 2 junk and puts it all in one easy to find space with an easy to find layout that I can sign in with and not go all over the web to make my updates. That is what I want. I don't particularly like this everything in a list format that friendfeed and secondbrain have, and the fact I can't access these pages makes these services useless to me for the most part. I really don't want another place that I have to make friends, I have facebook for that. I guess I see these as looking at someone elses RSS feed about themselves so you can get updates. I don't think the technology is at the point where it is really useful yet. Maybe when more MCPL 23 things participants are on it it will be better.
I just like the RSS feeds better. They let me get to where I want to be on the web all in one place. So far, these aren't for me, but I'm willing to give them more of a chance than I gave twitter.
I just like the RSS feeds better. They let me get to where I want to be on the web all in one place. So far, these aren't for me, but I'm willing to give them more of a chance than I gave twitter.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
I like Video Games, I just don't like paying for them
Having the privelge this summer to attend Gen-Con with a few other members of the library has already significantly shaped my perspective on games in libraries: I like them. Table top games are fun and putting them in libraries for circulation is a recipe for fun. There are a lot of worries about losing pieces and missing parts, but at Gen-Con Brian Mayer (at least I think it was him, I might be wrong though) said that game companies have thousands upon thousands of these piece that you can get to replace lost pieces, and you usually can get these for pretty cheap.
I'm a bit more cautious about circulating videogames. I have no problem with putting videogames in the library, my caution comes from, which consol do we support? There are the three biggies out there, playstation, wii, and xbox, along with computer games, so what should we collect in? If the decision is made to support only one then an automatic judgement is made for what is deemed valuable, and the other supported formats are left out. Fortunately, newer systems have ever increasing backwards compatibility, so there isn't a huge problem of formats going out of style.
I think gaming programs at the library would be met with enthusiasm from the attendees and indifference from other people. I don't think that there would be an outcry of resistence from worried parents.
I have never experienced gaming in a public library, but I have experienced game nights in a high school setting. They were wildly popular and incorporated both table top games, video games, and physical games, such as basketball. They were popular because they had something for everyone. The video games were displayed through a projector, and there was free food.
I do not agree that video games or table-top games are necessary in the library to ensure that teens will continue to support the library. But I don't think it could hurt. What is necessary is to create positive experiences for our future population of tax paying adults. If gaming events can contribute to this, then why not? It really wouldn't hurt, it would bring people together for the purpose of fun, and it creates a memory. Memories create value, value creates support. So, while I don't think it is the only way to continue support, I think it is an effective way to continue support.
I'm a bit more cautious about circulating videogames. I have no problem with putting videogames in the library, my caution comes from, which consol do we support? There are the three biggies out there, playstation, wii, and xbox, along with computer games, so what should we collect in? If the decision is made to support only one then an automatic judgement is made for what is deemed valuable, and the other supported formats are left out. Fortunately, newer systems have ever increasing backwards compatibility, so there isn't a huge problem of formats going out of style.
I think gaming programs at the library would be met with enthusiasm from the attendees and indifference from other people. I don't think that there would be an outcry of resistence from worried parents.
I have never experienced gaming in a public library, but I have experienced game nights in a high school setting. They were wildly popular and incorporated both table top games, video games, and physical games, such as basketball. They were popular because they had something for everyone. The video games were displayed through a projector, and there was free food.
I do not agree that video games or table-top games are necessary in the library to ensure that teens will continue to support the library. But I don't think it could hurt. What is necessary is to create positive experiences for our future population of tax paying adults. If gaming events can contribute to this, then why not? It really wouldn't hurt, it would bring people together for the purpose of fun, and it creates a memory. Memories create value, value creates support. So, while I don't think it is the only way to continue support, I think it is an effective way to continue support.
I'm a Pupil of Drupal
What do you think of the new LInt? Given that you've explored a number of Web 2.0 applications prior to this Thing, can you think of anything that you'd like to see folded into the LInt experience?
What reaction did you have, if any, to the articles espousing the benefits of content management systems?
Personally, I love the new LIntranet. Not that I'm bias or anything, but Paula and the rest of the LIntranet redesign committee have done a great job in picking a great CMS that works with our current needs, will help to eliminate the extra and forgotten junk, and help to facilitate faster communication while cutting down on piled up inboxes. The addition of the blog feature and hopefully Private Messaging will help with fast communication. I would like to see a meebo application in place for fast communication, but I realize there is a problem with the interaction of a meebo module and the drupal interface. It is a great system. I especially like the drop-down menus.
I, in general, agree with the praising of CMS systems in the articles we read. They are pretty neat. I am a little bit confused about why the articles talk about the layout versus the content. Isn't that what CSS does in conjunction with HTML? But then again, CSS and HTML require programming knowledge.
When I am done with school, I will probably be using drupal to create my own personal webpage. Although I might use Magneto, because its name is way better than drupal.
What reaction did you have, if any, to the articles espousing the benefits of content management systems?
Personally, I love the new LIntranet. Not that I'm bias or anything, but Paula and the rest of the LIntranet redesign committee have done a great job in picking a great CMS that works with our current needs, will help to eliminate the extra and forgotten junk, and help to facilitate faster communication while cutting down on piled up inboxes. The addition of the blog feature and hopefully Private Messaging will help with fast communication. I would like to see a meebo application in place for fast communication, but I realize there is a problem with the interaction of a meebo module and the drupal interface. It is a great system. I especially like the drop-down menus.
I, in general, agree with the praising of CMS systems in the articles we read. They are pretty neat. I am a little bit confused about why the articles talk about the layout versus the content. Isn't that what CSS does in conjunction with HTML? But then again, CSS and HTML require programming knowledge.
When I am done with school, I will probably be using drupal to create my own personal webpage. Although I might use Magneto, because its name is way better than drupal.
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