Ah hah!

Funny (and all too true) posting today from "Librarians Matter"

Unshelved

I subscribe to the "Unshelved" comic every day in my email (if you want to be more "2.0" you can also get it as an RSS) One of the creators is a pseudonymous librarian in the Seattle area. Gene Ambaum was interviewed in another blog on Monday. The posting is here. I love this strip, and recommend it to everybody who works in libraries. It really helps to start the morning with a smile (or giggle, or laugh out loud and roll on the floor) Even though it's set in a public library, the situations are all too familiar.

Another blog to read

It's been a really long time since I posted. We won't get into why (I'm REALLY good at rationalizing)

I've just found a new librarian blog that looks interesting. It's also really pertinent. "Librarians Matter" is a more balanced look at libraries, librarians, and the value of technology. A couple of recent posts actually talk about the Learning 2.0 series and the value of learning new technology (as well as the entirely valid argument from some that they have more important things to do at work than "play") I was pointed to the blog by an article in Walt Crawford's "Cites & Insites" (which is a blog but which points to a monthly pdf newsletter that's worth reading but is LONG) He mentioned postings in Librarians matter in late April & early May about libraries in Second Life (10 good reasons and 6 "very bad reasons") Most of the good is to the library/librarian (learning new stuff, etc) but very little to most patrons (who aren't there)

Just what I need is more stuff to read. OTOH, the "live bookmarks" and RSS for these blogs are really handy.

What's the netiquette?

I've joined a facebook group of librarians, and today there's a message pointing to another blog talking about librarians using facebook (boy, does this get circular) Can I put a link to it here? Is there another way to point to another blog? What's "tagging" anyway?

http://onlinesocialnetworks.blogspot.com/2007/06/social-networking-library-services.html

Face Book

I signed up for FaceBook today (so I could see a posting from a colleague). I'm getting messages from all sorts of folks. Claire thinks it's "spooky" that Mom is on FaceBook. I promised not to read her posts.

I think I'm even less likely to use FaceBook than I am blogger (after this summer's push) I see its value as a social tool, but not professionally.

Library 2.0 and Learning 2.0

I've been doing a fair amount of reading the last week or so about "library 2.0" I'm doing this in preparation for the WRLC retreat on the "next generation library system" when I have to lead a panel on user needs. I'm finding that learning 2.0 is helping me understand some of my reading - and vice versa. I'm seeing how these new technologies are being talked about by others in the field, and how they are or could be applied.

I love when one thing fits so neatly with another - feels like I'm doing two things at once.

Welcome!

This is actually my second attempt at a blog. I created another one after attending a workshop about a year ago. Heaven knows where it is! I may have deleted it when I changed jobs.

I'm not sure I agree that blogging can be addictive (but I never kept a diary as a kid, either, so I may be strange) but I do see a value to it as an easy way to provide up to date information to users. The question is whether we want users to be able to post, too. My initial thought is that vandals are a very real possiblity (too many years of unruley frat boys) But I might be convinced. I wonder if there are any academic libraries with open blogs?

So far, the technology is easy. We'll see how the next few weeks progress.