Bangers and Mash(ups)?

Well, it all started with the pulverising of the potato, and then the adding of milk products, perhaps some butter, and even a generous helping of pepper, and lo and behold! The simple spud has been mashed up!

As for my own encounters with Google maps, I have been using it on my endless search for an new abode ion a more southerly location than my current location. I uses a street directory, a satellite photo and even a mash up of the two! Just so you can get a good look at where your future location is. Perhaps you could even create a topographical map of the library outlay, and much like Kier Clarke's Star Viewer. It would be handy to find information in the library for sure.

As for my own mashup, I don't really have any photo's sitting around on my work computer, and my lappy at home has been shipped off to the sick house, so you can enjoy my favourite card game, Hungry Hungry Haiku's!

I guess one possible use of the Google maps (in addition to my library floor plan idea) would be to acquire digital maps of the local Hornsby bush walk tracks and include information on sites of interest along the way, linking videos, photos from the archives, and even links to books about a certain area! that would be handy indeed, especially for those not able to hike anymore.

Another option we recently discussed was creating quizzes that we made by having questions regarding the databases we use, and inputing them into a crossword generator, now that would be nifty, maybe even creating a link to the actual page when the answer is correct. This will require more research...

Another cliche title

ahh the world of podcasts, how ambivalent I am towards thee. Why do I say this, well I have always intended to utilise this lovely service myself for programs that I wanted to hear either on radio or television that I would miss due to work or inconvenient hours, but I could never find the time to allocate to said task. Given that I have such as busy lifestyle and my spare time is of a premium, I'm guessing I'm not alone in this circumstance. Hence their handiness!

And as for its applicatioin to the library world, its uses are numerous. Missed out on an author talk? Why, you could get it on podcast (with the authors permission of course). You could create help videos and spoken instruction files for using programs at the library, as well as speaking about upcoming events. Hell one day you may be able to upload a podcast for suggestions for the library, or ask a librarian a question! now that might be handy.

Slamming the boards? Rebounding?

As a former amateur basketball player I assume that it is a quasi-reference to the ability of librarians to clear away those errant shots (questions) and turn them into points at the other end (I'm assuming a slam dunk is in order). But points scoring aside, it is a definite way to virtually create a presence on the net for the amazing reference skills, which much of the public may take for granted. So it is a great way to promote one of the services you can get everyday at your library. By adding to this service people in the area that may use the online questioning service may frequent the library more often, or at the very least come to trust the answers provided by librarians. Handy indeed!

As for reviewing services or the collection, the ability to comment on the collection and services can only improve the quality of the patron's experience when they visit, so an open forum may be a possible solution.

And you thought a library was bad!

well of course not, otherwise you would not be reading this, or making such brash comments. So after many trials and tribulations I got Technorati to finally recognise my claim to this wonderful little blog as my own intellectual property, about time I say!

As for searching for bookmobiles as per our exercise, I found it really easy to locate posts, and even easier to find bookmobile blogs. and due to the tagging system, as bookmobile is only one searchable term, the advanced search yielded much of the same, unless you restricted it to bookmoblie tagged posts in bookmobile blogs, reducing it from 551 to 519 to 26 hehe. So perhaps this tagging system does work after all...

LibraryThing is quite interesting and would be great for anyone to use as a resource to find books of interest, especially with reviews and suggestions to read materials. I like how you can include the specific version you read, as some works have superior translations and linear notes to enhance your reading pleasure. A long week indeed, linking done, blogging out.

Mmmm tasty

Well, I have to say I am mighty impressed with the services available on the del.icio.us website, the fact that you will have access to your favourites from any computer in the world is a tremendous advantage, much like the the online email systems that I love to rant on to my friends.

This if fact has wonderful applications for libraries, as from my own searches books that I feel should all be grouped under one heading are in fact held under a multitude of headings, often so obscure you have Buckley's of finding them. One project I have is locating all the Adult Reader's advisory materials in the library, and boy are they all over the shop! How to make this easier to find? folksonomies I say!

Users would be able to tag items in the collection as a alternate method of subject searching, and rather have a narrow description for a certain title, it can have multiple tags in subject areas it covers. Brilliant! The two website examples are simply applying this to online content, why not within the collection too?

The use of folksonomy based cataloging eliminates the need to continually search for information by subject, so they can find relevant information much faster for their information query.

Of my standard reservations apply here, that anyone can index items does not mean that they are in fact doing so correctly, but as always you can simply create your own, such as a blog of the most important opinions eh?

I have to say that I sure will be using this tool as it is invaluable, as I work in many different departments and save my bookmarks to each pc, but now I know there is an easier way I will be sure to use it. Now to think of what to put on there...

I'm in a Tube!

Well, I have to say I have been familiar with YouTube for quite awhile now, but have been loathed to use it in excess. I fell into that with ebay once and oh boy can that been an expensive excercise! Especially when you start scanning amazon for more assorted usless junk that you for some reason want to scour the globe for.

Of course I appreciate the level of freedom that Google Video and YouTube offer users and gives them a chance to express themselves to a wide audience, if you are into that sort of extroverted thing. but it can also be used to exploit others, such as not asking for permission for using music, or filming people without permission. I really admire the level of creativity that some people have put into their work though, despite my ever present reservations.

I noticed that Google video also borrows alot of their videos from YouTube, which speaks volumes of its current popularity as a medium for visual communication. And My favourite aspect? Well music videos of course! So of course I'm going to link for you a ripping version of a Gillian Welch song 'Caleb Myer'. Go Dave on that ancient guitar!



Enjoy!

Editing a Wiki

So I decided I would take up the adventure and Look up the entries of my Former hometown Coffs Harbour to have a look at what the general populace decided was an adequate representation of my old stomping ground. I was very pleased that they included the fact that its is in fact misspelled naming of the original founder a Mr. Korff, at least his relatives can know that wiki users know the truth.

I was actually interested in adding to the wiki in the capacity of informing the population of the web about a suburb that had come and gone in Sawtell, The area known as Bayldon. It existed for quite awhile when I was growing up and the area was expanding, but then was renamed 'East Toormina', which I believe at the time was due to a stigma attached to the local denizens of the aforementioned zone, or so the papers would have you believe.

Of course whilst it would be good to include this information, I don't have any resources to back up my editing. This is my biggest issue with wikipedia, someone may know some information to be true, but without the facts to back it up, how are you to know if they have somehow been misinformed? and if people are to use wiki's more and more as a resource of information, you would hope it is built on reliable resources.

Wowwikkis!

Ahh, the wide world of the wikki, how I browse through you plentiful pages and abundant information swelling towards my eyes. I myself have been a rather fond user of Wikipedia over the last few years to find out information, though I have to say I have never been one myself to use it for any academic purposes, strictly for recreational research, such as music (yes I'm rather obsessed). I've always loved the aspect that anyone can contribute, with some doing so more professionally (or should I say more thoroughly) than others. For example contributor may add information complete with references to print or even links to online articles, whilst other may put in entries and leave a citation needed remark.

So my perusal of the examples given this week was quite interesting. I loved the Wookieepedia as I am one hell of a nutter for all things star wars, and I think I may even subscribe to it. It has everything for the casual fan to the die hard enthusiast.

the SJCPL Subject Guides wiki was an interesting way of linking resources that are available within a library under broad headings to help narrow their searches by offering direct links to the catalogue. I liked the idea but I think the presentation and headings need to be simplified to make it more user friendly, but otherwise its a great resource to use in conjunction with the catalogue.

As for the Book Lovers Wiki I think this is a wonderful resource that my own library is hoping to implement, perhaps with links to these reviews via the catalogue and vice versa. I feel this is a great way for patrons to get their opinions heard and assist with selection of resources, or simply to tell the inter world what they thought of an item. I think I would be to prone to long rambling essays much like the emails I send to my friends.

As for Library use? Well I think a broad genre listing of resources and reviews that clients can edit would go a long way in securing a the continued partnership between the library and its users.