#23 Is this really the end? Or just the beginning...

I was always positive about the 23 Things concept but working through this program has exceeded my expectations. I have discovered more useful tools than I had thought possible, started new initiatives for our library service, had fun, but lost sleeping time.

I’m so glad I understand rss feeds. I have become quite dependent upon Bloglines for keeping up to date so I am constantly exposed to new library ideas and possibilities. My blogines feeds include Technorati and podcast searches.
I use Del.icio.us all the time. I search by my Rollyos when I want information on medicines, to locate an art image or to find a recipe. I will continue to upload photos to Flickr but more importantly use it as a very valuable image resource. And of course I love image generators. Library Thing is now part of my own profile as well as being a useful bibliographic tool. YouTube has given me more laughs than anything else for quite a while. I am now in the habit of storing vital documents on Zoho for easy retrieval.

At our library we have started uploading our data to Library Thing to test whether we can use their Libraries product. We are using contacts found via library blogs to add code to our catalogue that will allow users to add rss feeds from updates.
We are planning on starting a staff library blog as a communication means. We are exploring online book clubs and are also looking at wikis.
We would like to offer podcasts of our author talks and much much more.

And following (yet again) the example of Vampgirl, the next step is Learning 2.1.

#22 Audiobooks

As someone who listens constantly to audiobooks whilst walking, cooking, driving etc I was quite excited by the prospect of a new trove of titles to plunder. I was even thinking of seriously asking the red suited man in the sky for an ipod. From a personal point of view I was slightly disappointed with the range of titles offered on World eBooks and Gutenberg although they do offer some great classic titles. And I liked the fact that on the Audiobooks for Free site you could listen to a sample prior to downloading. Nevertheless I now feel inspired to discover what might be available via subscription sites.
Some public libraries offer downloadable audio titles for limited loan periods. Pretty canny - they automatically delete off the listening device when the loan period expires.
I would like to explore offering this service at our library. SirsiDynix have a product that does this. However at the moment it is limited I think because the titles cannot be downloaded to an ipod. When they resolve these licensing issues, we would certainly consider purchasing it.

#21 Podcasts

I decided to see how easy it was to make a podcast myself so you can listen to what I found out about podcasts whilst doing this exercise.
Listen to my podcast
To do this, I downloaded Audacity to record my spoken words. I also had to download an mp3 encoder to be able to export the file as an mp3 file. I then had to register with Box.net to store host the file online so it could be shared with the word via this blog.

For my fellow IT persons in libraries

#20 Down the Tube

Yet more byways in which to lose oneself.

I spent more time than I had on YouTube. I was looking for a genuinely funny video about libraries and chose this one for what has to be the most morale boosting line for librarians battling with 2.0 = "Dewey is like Google for smart people".
Another close contender was "The Professional Librarian" dealing with correct returns policy. Also worth a look are the YouTube Salute to librarians and clips from Monty Python and Mary Hartman.
Of course there are some serious videos where libraries are using YouTube for promotional or training purposes that we could adapt and adopt. I would especially like to explore offering a YouTube clip on the catalogue that would engage users with our databases so they could find the resources they wanted to when they really needed them.
Something else that I discovered whilst doing this exercise - YouTube has an amazing diversity of material. I hadn't really expected that it could also be such a powerful information repository, despite its searching limitations. Quite by chance in a search for "London" and "library", I came across some footage related to concentration camps during the second world war. My father was a victim of several so I started looking for some shots of any of his camps in what I suppose is a continuing search of mine to make up for the conversations I never had with him whilst he was alive. I was marvelling at the depth of resources when I came across some very powerful footage that was accompanied by a glorious Bach cantata and I realised that this clip was actually a celebration or worse of the Holocaust. This was very chilling and I ceased these explorations.

So moving right along and nothing to do with libraries- this clip is for other baby boomers who started watching television in the late fifties.

#19 Weaving the web

Working my way through these Web 2.0 winners could take some time. Lucky it's a rainy Sunday. There are some wonderful tools for people and libraries to use, but gosh some people do just have too much time on their hands, leading innocent bystanders like me into temptation. I have resisted, yet again, the urge to sign up for an organization tool Backpack. Seriously though, does the world need sites that look for True Stories in one sentence or a tool for sending emails with all your corrections in it? And more self-publishing in Lulu? I am reminded of Martin Luther: The multitude of books is a great evil. There is no limit to this fever for writing; every one must be an author; some out of vanity, to acquire celebrity and raise up a name, others for the sake of mere gain. Table Talk, 1530s.
So thought I'd focus on some tools for libraries. Library Thing we already know about and love. I looked at Biblio which is a rare and second hand book finder that I wasn't aware of, and will use again. I like the fact that some of their profits are donated towards communities in need.
I thought I would look at some other searching tools and was sidetracked by Swicki. I couldn't resist adding my search for food and cooking videos widget on the left. Just enter a search term and it will locate relevant videos for you. I might even like it more than Rollyo but I will have to explore further. I definitely want to add some of these metasearch tools to our website.
I was most impressed by the tools that rely upon collaborative knowledge eg. Listdump, Craigslist, Yahoo Answers, all of which I have used. And I was very taken with Boxxset which is a tool for bringing together different media eg. blogs, videos, fan fiction etc all on one topic. Would be particularly useful for cult titles and TV shows.
Google Maps I already knew about and have used quite extensively. They can be added to library sites where appropriate and I have even annotated the maps using an image generator. (Thank you Thing #5)
I might just have to go and play with a few more tools now. But I will leave you with this link to the Top 87 Bad Predictions about the Future and a tip for those who still have time to live a real first life. Go and see Death at a funeral. It will have you laughing out loud.