Thing 8. Share Your Creations

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This was interesting making a slideshow, although I did have problems with it. If you use Flickr make sure you post your pictures as public NOT private, otherwise the slideshow creating software can't find the pictures, and thus can't make your slideshow.

These tools could be used to market the library mainly on their website, as people could click on the links and see a neat show of pictures, or a poster of a bunch of different pictures, etc. For personal use they could be used to show pictures of a newly born baby, your trip to Hawaii, or even a tribute to someone who has just passed away.

Right now Flickr seems to be the easiest to use, but as time goes by other companies/websites will probably come out with better designs.

Thing 7. Web 2.0 Communication Tools

Our entire library system has email setup through our library headquarters. We use it mainly to talk about upcoming programs at the headquarters, and library related events happening around the region or the state. One of my biggest problems is trying NOT to check it while at home! I have too much other stuff going on to be checking and responding to email when I'm not at work. I figure, if it's an emergency or something important my bosses/supervisors have my phone number so they can contact me that way if they need to.

As far as reference goes with the 2.0 technology, the instant messaging tool seems interesting. You could have a real time talk with a librarian and get some good ideas about how to start searching for a topic you need to write a paper about. At the same time you could ask the librarian where to find the material you need before you get to the library to save time, if you are in a hurry. Email and SMS have to have people present for them to have fast communication time, when you are instant messaging, someone has to be there when you are messaging, in order for it to work anyway. Emails an SMS's can be retrieved and responded to when the receiver has time to do so.

SMS seems to be the 2.0 tool that I know the least about. I have recently been using text messaging to keep tabs on people, as I just got a new cell phone. It's an interesting tool of technology, but it sure takes me a lot longer to get a message out, rather if I called someone or sent someone an email. I see teens in the library using SMS sometimes, and they usually don't even have to look at the keypad to send a message, they just know where all of the letters are by memory, just as if they were using a standard keyboard on a computer.

I attended the OPAL web conference Virtual Worlds, Interactive Games, and Libraries. It seemed pretty interesting, they mainly focused on Second Life, an online virtual interactive game. They also mentioned a Teen Second Life, that only Teens can use, whereas the only way an adult can attend is if it is for research opportunities, and they even have to go thru a background check. This could make for a good interactive and learning opportunity for the teens to get together and discuss things even if they are thousands of miles apart. There are even different Islands in the community, with each Island having its own unique and different purpose. This could be a great way to get teens into the library, and expose them to the different ways libraries are changing, and how we are incorporating new and different forms of technology into the library all the time.

Thing 6. Online Image Generators

This is a CADD drawing picture that I found a few years ago, so I thought it would be neat to make into a stamp design using one of the online image generators. For bonus points, can anyone tell me what TDI stands for?




















I was sent this comic by my father a few years ago, while he is a mechanic, he also enjoys libraries. I have my parents to thank for introducing me to the library at such a young age, who know what I would be doing now if it wasn't for them! Anyway, these trading cards would be great to hand out to teens, especially those who collect Pokemon cards, as well as those who play Magic the Gathering, and other CCG types of games.

These applications in this "thing" have limitless possibilities. These are great for doing graphic design, and other related concepts in the design world. This could really help to market the library to the community, and draw in more patrons.

Thing 5. More Flickr Fun

I have always liked this word since I learned what it meant back in 8th grade English. Just like "pow", "bam", "crunch", and all those other words you read in comic books, they all help define the word:
















I figured I would try out the jigsaw puzzle maker, this is a picture of the ALS Bookmobile that I took even before it arrived at ALS Headquarters, about a year ago.

Just as one of the blog prompts mentions, it would be neat to make all kinds of library related media types out of these applications, like bookmarks, posters, brochures, flyers, etc.

Thing 4. Photosharing with Flickr

This was an intersting exercise for me, as I love to take photos. I did a search for a funeral and this was one of the search results. My grandmother just recently passed away, and while I was at the memorial service I took a lot of digital pictures. So, I was looking for a way to share them with family, and Flickr might be a way to do it. Uploading them to Flickr would make it much easier than burning them to a CD, and them shipping them to my family all over the country. This looks like a great tool for sharing photos online. The tag function also makes it easier to search for other photos that you are interested in viewing.

This particular picture was of someon'e iPod that had been used so much it "died", so they decided to give it a funeral. It was uploaded on 9/6/06 by Flickr user sabellachan.
Here is a link to it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sabellachan/237798172/