Lists for staff and kids and end of Ten Weeks

I thought the online To Do Lists had a lot of potential. Of course it would be very useful, as staff, to get rid of all that paper and have access to your lists whenever at an internet terminal. Plus you could print them out if you needed them for a meeting. But we also have Lotus. What I thought would be really useful would be to show our kids at the library how they can make lists or to do lists, and not for schoolwork either. For instance, say their friend tells them about a cool band while at the computer lab or something they really want to remember, but they seem to keep misplacing things. This way they can keep their lists safe, and access them later from any internet terminal. I also think it would be cool to show them how they can make lists not only for school, but for their personal interests as well, say for instance a list on all the things they want to make sure they go do over the summer, i.e. see a certain movie, go on vacation with a certain friend.

I don’t know how many of these tools I will actually use, and I don’t know how easy it will be to get an okay for their use in the library. But the program has really forced me to use the tools and gotten me thinking about their potential. The MeeboMe Widget allow kids to interface with staff through text or IM, a format they are probably more comfortable. I’ve already seen mentioned in magazine a library that was doing this. Will post that as soon as possible.

I really don’t know how long we will be using 2.0. I suppose it has a lot to do with how well we are able to utilize its potential and how much our users like it.

Podcasts, Vodcasts, and YouTube

Honestly, I’ve never really been one to listen to podcasts, but I did find what I was looking for, which is what’s important. Perhaps I’ll download some tonight and listen to them tomorrow during breakfast.

I searched ccclib.org for any podasts and also on podcast.com, but found nothing. Of course podcasts can be used for storytimes and programming, it’s just a question of who will be interested. The library can use YouTube as it is being used now, to let users and staff see what important things are happening in the library. Right now it seems geared to staff. Maybe each community library can give a tour, talk about something special it has to offer or show off some programs.

Ning network for Teen Services

Teen Services staff should check out “Library Youth and Teen Services 2.0″, a Ning network. See how 2.0 can better service the needs of our teen patrons, specifically!

Bloglines

I was updated through my Blogline about the upcoming Book Bug Bingo, Saturday, August 16 at 2:00 PM at the Kensington Library. I work that day–so I should know about it!

(I felt comfortable with RSS. I’ve gone through previous tutorials, but practice is always great. No problems, everything went smoothly.)

MeeboMe Widget very cool for teen library patrons

Library staff should check out the MeeboMe Widget, especially for teen patrons. If your library has its own Myspace or Facebook (and okays installation and use of MeeboMe), patrons may synchronously communicate with us over the Internet. This should prove especially attractive to teens who might need quick information like program dates, yet don’t have our phone number or aren’t going to go through the trouble of calling us (I rarely get reference calls from teen users). Teens who aren’t able to get a ride to the library or who merely prefer a more familiar form of communication (instead of the traditional face-to-face reference interview) might also find MeeboMe useful. Very cool.

Google Docs

I just used Google Docs for the first time. My collegues and I were able to access, view, and edit said document from anyplace that had internet. We shared our recent reads!

I’d like to see the potentials of this resource!

My del.icio.us

Check it out:http://delicious.com/CBrownCCCL

My photostream.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29120330@N02/

Wiki

Check out my review of Marion Cunningham’s The Breakfast Book, and make some steel-cut oats this weekend! http://staffpicks.pbwiki.com/Books%20for%20Adults

New Travel Book

Today during lunch I paged through 239 Great Places to Escape to Nature Without Roughing It: From Rustic Cabins to Luxury Resorts. The Requa Inn caught my eye, with giant picture windows, unpretentious, and within walking distance of some of the tallest trees in the world.  Rooms described as pleasant and homey without frill and fuss. Definitely cool.