27 Reflections

I am so thankful for the opportunity we were given to explore Web 2.0 in a work context. I'd heard of Flickr and YouTube and podcasts, of course, but never took the time at home to poke through and experiment with this new technology. KCLS' 27 Things has given me a depth of knowledge and an opportunity to think about work, patrons and technology from a new vantage point. I'm mulling over how to incorporate blogs, podcasts, and YouTube into work life. Our teen librarian just showed me Kirkland's teen librarian's booktalk on YouTube and we both thought that was so cool! It's getting our wheels turning. I'd like to video the Fall City Library coming down and get that up on YouTube - I'll post a link if I do. I hope to incorporate this knowledge I've gained into publicizing library events, services, collections, resources, etc. Maybe do computer classes online by setting up a blog similar to David's 27 Things full of instructions, self-paced lessons and whatnot.

I very much appreciate opportunities for staff development and the fact that 27 Things was online, self-paced, well written and directed with humor and flair (kudos David and accomplices!)made it easy for me and every employee to participate. There was no pressure, only encouragement and support.

My favorite things were del.icio.us, YouTube, and I really enjoyed setting up my MySpace page.

I'd like to go deeper into some of these Web 2.0 things. I'd like to create a podcast, create an avatar in Second Life, post to YouTube.


Would you like to see similar training opportunities as new library-relevant technologies emerge?
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE . . . Yes! Although I wasn't able to make it to any of the speakers - I'm glad they were arranged and I wish I could've gone.

And, last one, if you could go back in time and tell yourself to either participate in the program or skip it, what would you do?
Definitely do it! I wish I would've been more vocal in encouraging other people to do it and mentor them through.

Thank you! Absolutely wonderful experience!

Podcasts

This was an interesting experiment because I haven't explored this field on my own very much. I work in the Snoqualmie Valley, and there is a fella that puts up regular podcasts of life in the Valley - what's going on around town, interesting features, etc.Snoqualmie Joe's Podcast Page.

I think Nancy Pearl has a great idea for use of podcasts in libraries. She's featured on KUOW and Podcast.net linked me to all her podcasts in one easy search page. Here's a link Nancy Pearl

Podcasts are yet another way to reach a different crowd than traditional libraries have attracted in the past. Many folks are audio-centric these days with looonnngg communtes. Children's librarians could do weekly story time podcasts (as if they weren't busy enough!), Teen librarians could do book talks and email them to teens, if there is a librarian with a particular specialty let's get a podcast on the website, or a YouTube

How to get away from a carjacker

YouTube is a lot of videos to wade through -- the joy is in finding that one hidden gem, like Will Ferrell's Landlord short, the dog fighting its own foot short, or treadmill band OK Go. I don't really have the patience to look - thankfully my husband does and he shoots me the odd link no and again.

I did find a useful DIY video on how to disarm a carjack attempt. Hopefully I'll never have to use it, but it's in the back of my mind now . . .



YouTube could be very cool for libraries to advertise/publicize library events, highlight the library in the community, as a way to do outreach. It certainly reaches a different audience than we're used to and our presence online in video form would be very cool. We could do online search instruction, catalog classes, tutorials on practically anything!