"Gone away is the old nerd --
Here to stay is the the new word --
He sings a love song
As we go along ...
Walking in a Wiki Wonderland"
Yes, I realize that those are not the right lyrics, but you get the idea. I use Wikipedia from time to time and enjoy its versatility, but I am also aware that any wiki can have its flaws, especially if it allows unrestricted editing. Some people choose to use wikis to express their own opinions on subjects that have nothing to do with the wiki entry that they are supposedly updating. In our own library wikis, certain staff members have used the wiki as a vehicle for pushing their own agendas rather than trying to add to the body of information for all users. I prefer the use of a wiki that is overseen by individuals that restrict the postings or who can edit out the nonsense. I was impressed with the wikis created for use by ALA conference members and can see how that would be useful as tourism tool for most communities. On the other hand, other library wikis that I looked at had been edited to the point that grammar and meaning had been lost in several places on the wiki. This is where it is useful to have someone acting as "overseer" to correct errors and omissions.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Library 2.0: Libraries of the Future
The first time I heard about Library 2.0, I was interested in the fact that "2.0" was being added on to the term "Library" as if it were a new course being offered such as "Librarianship 201" for sophomores. The term is very misleading. Library 2.0 is not a college course to be taken or a new software program to be downloaded; it is a new philosophy about the direction of library service for the immediate future. Just as Rick Anderson pointed out in his "Icebergs" article, we must prepare for this future by ridding ourselves of the philosophies of the past. His comments about the "just in case" collection hit too close to home. As a Reference librarian, I have shed tears over the loss of our beloved Reference collection and the books that we are no longer receiving as part of our standing order collection. Yet when I look at the books that we still have behind the desk, I think back 12 years ago when those books were being pulled off the shelves weekly to answer questions; those same books are rarely used now, if at all. Why? Our customers can find the answers they need on the Internet without us! So what is a librarian to do? I believe that we need to embrace the technological advancements and use them to our advantage. We have both the knowledge and the resources to create a product that our consumers want and need: free library materials and information combined with great customer service! Barnes and Noble can't compete with that! I look forward to the future predicted by Dr. Schultz in her discussion of Library 4.0: the library as "knowlege spa." Visit your online library for the full library experience, massages and meditation included. Count me in!
Monday, December 8, 2008
SlideShare in the classroom
If I were still teaching, I would love to be able to use this tool in the classroom! Not only is it a great way to do presentations, but it is so easy to share with others! I found a nice example of a slideshow where a teacher demonstrates the use of digital cameras in the classroom. My favorite shot is the one of the up-close-and-personal maggot! See at:
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