Comments for

Comment on 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche by wbkatie

wbkatie — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:15:21 +0000

Dan, your post caused quite a bit of discussion at our library. Some staff members find new technologies fascinating, others want to go back to the charging trays (which wasn’t all that long ago!). As much as some of us would love to explore all the new and fun technologies there is, as melanes said, simply no time. We feel like we’re doing well using the things that do save us time…IM between branches and our desks, discussions on a Google Group have replaced half our staff meetings, we keep our procedures up to date on a wiki, and staff ‘attends’ online classes. If we don’t use a technology regularly, it gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list. Maybe someday we’ll Twitter. Right now we’re just happy to have all these people in the library taking up our time!

Comment on Time of day by Anne Abrams

Anne Abrams — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:27:36 +0000

11:27 a.m.
Wow! What a popular subject! I looked and looked and couldn’t figure out where people were seeing it. Thanks Dan for letting me know.

If anyone in C3library land has figured out how to change it on WordPress, let me know. If not, one solution would be to manually type the time in on your post…

Comment on 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche by melanes

melanes — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:55:27 +0000

The one thing I do the most of is blogging - mostly to keep in touch with others who share the same interests. As far as twitter, texting, IM, MySpace, Facebook and whatever other Web 2.0 platforms that exist, I just simply don’t have the time. It’s simply too many options for interacting. In time, I wonder which forms of interaction will survive?

Comment on 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche by lburnett

lburnett — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:33:21 +0000

I am not sure if this is exactly what you are looking for but I want to add my two cents from the experience I had this year of feeling obliged to create a website for the library even though I didn’t have an online catalog, the resources to keep it up to date, or any idea how to use it as a tool (interactive or otherwise). In retrospect, I regret making the decision to allow it to happen. Now that it exists, I don’t want to take it down but I consider it an improper reflection of the great library I work for simply because it gets little to no attention (unlike everything else).
I share this story with you in case you want to add a word of caution to those you are speaking to so that if/when they do implement some version of technology, they only do so after making sure that they can follow through with the proper care and feeding of that product. Otherwise, they might regret ever buying the kitten.

Comment on 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche, part two by justinac

justinac — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:20:36 +0000

>>… respond as to whether you have, … blogs, myspace, wikis, nings, yahoogroups (or other brands), mailing lists, … etc. …why did you choose them? <<

IM – I began using ICQ at home way back in the IM dark ages — 1997. Our library set up IM reference last year, which failed immediately due to poor marketing and lack of staff buy-in. IM was transitional for me, and I think it will soon be almost entirely replaced by texting – it has done so among the teens I work with. I believe desktop and laptop computers as we know them are transitional. But you asked what we have and why –

Blogs — my far-flung family used linked blogs for a few years to keep up to date. They replaced long distance phone calls and the US mail (for sending pictures, etc.) Our blogs died a natural death when we all began communicating with text and pix messages. At work, I’ve built blogs for specific purposes, mostly with a staff focus — most teens don’t blog or read a lot of blogs. Anything I write that they’re going to read will be as short as a bulletin or a text — just the FAQS! I do subscribe (RSS) to many library related blogs to keep abreast of library issues.

MySpace — after the 2006 ILA conference with the Digital Native focus, I built a profile. Why: I used it (1) to connect with library teens (post bulletins, remind about programs, etc.) (2) to use it for a MySpace class for teens and parents, and (3) to keep in touch with my own young adults. I did not jump on the Face Book bandwagon, because I have more content responsibilities on the internet than I can manage.

Wikis — I love those things! I’ve built and moderated several wikis for city committees and trainings. The results were… disappointing. Maybe half of the committee members jumped in and used it, but a good committee needs all of its members. The teens I work with mostly have no clue what a wiki is (except for Wikipedia.)

Those are just a few of examples. The one thing that strikes me as important to libraries is not what particular technologies we invest in to serve and connect us with our customers, as log as they DO connect us, but rather that we do it at all. There is a continuum of knowledge, abilities, and skills that make it easier to jump from one technology to another as they fail or transition. Any library person who has helped the 14 year old set up his first MySpace profile (he gets it, he does it, he understands) and also the 45 year old set up an email account and send his first email (he’s baffled, uncoordinated, lost) can testify to the value of transferable technology knowledge, comfort level, and skills. I guess I’m saying that even if a technology that a library invests in becomes obsolete, especially free or subscription 2.0 technologies, the outcome isn’t failure if staff and customers used it while it was hot.

Comment on 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche, part two by 08corvette

08corvette — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:41:35 +0000

I have a friend who also has 8 tracks, but as noted above I never had any, going straight from 33s to cassettes. I’ve seen them at flea markets for a nickel or a dime each.

Thanks for the kind words.

dan

Comment on 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche, part two by wedothatinidaho

wedothatinidaho — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 03:35:05 +0000

“service development” - a brilliant use of the term. what services will we provide/develop/and sustain?

funny note: my family still listens to 8 tracks with a working 8 track player, so if you have any i’ll take any and all of them. we’re getting kinda sick of the ones we have.

Comment on Now entering the blogoshpere… by News about Games and Gaming » Blog Archive » Gaming in Libraries in the News

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:31:05 +0000

[...] librarian in Stanley, Idaho is launching gaming services this summer, and seeking best practices for small town [...]

Comment on Join Us by Anne Abrams

Anne Abrams — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:11:17 +0000

At the Commission, we plan to have our staff do the content updates and creation and then write a blog post to the site alerting the library community to its availability. That’s only 2.0 because people can leave a reply to the post. It will get to true 2.0 on our community page. That’s where when you sign in (much more easier than creating a WordPress account) and register, you can create your own posts. Anyone be able to create their own content with blog posts–which is what 2.0 is all about–user generated content. I wondering if you could do the same off your website with your users talking about their latest reads or recommendations… if you are doing the Let’s Talk About It series maybe your readers would be willing to post their thoughts.

Comment on 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche by 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche, part two «

8 Tracks and Ultrafiche, part two « — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:32:28 +0000

[...] 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche, part two Posted on July 14, 2008 by 08corvette Part one of this post is a few postings down, and I invite you to review it if you’ve not seen it. If you don’t want to scroll, click here and come back after reading: http://c3library.com/2008/07/10/8-tracks-and-ultrafiche/ [...]