Summary!

1. What was the most important thing you learned in Web 2.Huh? and why?
That, no matter how much I work to keep up with what's happening out there, I'm not ever going to get through my list. It's a lifelong learning process. Which is probably what I like the best about my job. Always something different, and always interesting.

2. What was most challenging? Why?
Facebook was the most challenging. Their start page isn't totally intuitive, and you often have to dig to figure out where you're going. But once you catch on, it can be fun.

3. How can BPL use Web 2.0 technologies to deliver or improve library services?
Lots of ways! Have a totally interactive Home Page. Blogs and wikis, expanded Facebook groups, mashups, LibraryThing, and whatever else comes along, with reviews, services, programs and the like, all inviting participation from customers. And we keep moving forward.

4. How successful was the “self-directed” learning model?
Very successful!
4a. Is this a useful way of encouraging staff development?
Sure is. And the incentive helped too. However, asking staff to do training on their own time isn't really a good idea for continuous improvement. We're all busy people. And we all have lives outside BPL. At least, most of us do. For a happy staff, don't make them take their jobs home.

Facebook Shmacebook

I signed up. I goofed around a bit. And the first 'friend' that popped up for me was my sister. Heck, I talk to her several times a week on Skype. And we email almost daily. And we visit every few weeks. So I need her in my Facebook 'why???' OTOH, there are some other groups that I've found and joined, and I came across an old friend, just by happenstance.

OK, I'll go check out OBOB again. Haven't been there for a while. Obviously, there's not a lot happening at the moment. BUT, if we get the next book up AND we put the Facebook link front and center on the web page, we might get a good discussion going.

LibraryThing

Just a beginning.
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/dimsumspoppy

BPL could use LibraryThing to post an ongoing list of Staff Favourites, Recommendations, and suggestions for discussion. Clicking through to member reviews is a nice bonus.

Wiki wiki wiki

My contribution is: GO HOME! Have the dear boy pour a glass or two of chardonnay, turn on the music, and chill out.

Works for me.

Wikis work wonderfully in a collaborative environment, which is probably what we're striving to be in the library world.

Tag, You're It!

So far, I'm not sure I like del.icio.us. I've found that it messes up some of my settings in IE, and I'm very fussy about those. Just ask IT. It displays differently, depending which machine I'm on at work. And having to log into another site just makes me a little crazy at times.

One tool I use for Bookmark control is my iGoogle page. I have all kinds of RSS feeds (news, sports, schedules, etc), time/date/moon/horoscope and other links, AND my Google bookmarks. All I have to do is sign in anywhere and the ones I universally need are right there. I have it as my Home Page on the laptop.

In IE I use the Links Toolbar and in Firefox I use the Bookmarks Toolbar for all the sites I use frequently. And my machines @ home have different uses, so I have different links on each. If I were a heavy user of public machines I might use this more often, but I usually have my laptop with me and I also have Firefox on my flash key with all my bookmarks, so I think I'm covered.

So, what does a librarian do in her spare time?

Well, at the moment, a whole bunch of things!

Just for fun, we are working on getting our new boy home from our dear friend Elizabeth in Vermont. Here's Petey! At least we think that's going to be his name. Isn't he a luv?? A winter trip to Vermont - some people do this for fun!

The boy is anxiously awaited by our dear Poppy, who has been a lonely little girl since our Taffy left us in December.

On Switch rocks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3yWcEXisdw
OR
http://blip.tv/file/614087

Here they are in all their glory! On Switch, from Orange County SoCal. The dude with the blond Prince Valiant hair is my brother-in-law Kirk. :-)

They also have a myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/onswitch


I suspect YouTube and other like sites are so popular because they give everyone equal access. Everyone's a voyeur to some extent, and everyone's a showoff. With these sites, you can be both and flaunt it! Everybody gets their 15 minutes of fame. Some get even more.

Story Hour

Story Hour
Originally uploaded by mmemouse

@ St Vital Public Library. Where are they now??

Flickr pics such as this could be used in a blog to show exactly what our story hours and other programs are all about.

Librarian at work

Librarian at work
Originally uploaded by mmemouse

Long ago and far away.....