delicious

Delicious is a tasty treat for those who want to carry their favorites from pc to pc. Also perfect as a home page. It could be a very useful platform for numerous organizations, especially libraries. In the current info-scape, where fact-finding doesn't stop between the covers of a book, delicious folksonomies mediate information providers and users in a way that allows the searcher greater autonomy. It also gives the searcher a platform to create their own folksonomies for future references and for other net users. The fact that the information is web based means that computer crashes or missing files aren't an issue if the user has access to other computers - such as those provided by the library.
Although it can take a little time to comprehend the many different features, this technology offers alot in accessing information, and tailoring the methods of accessing.
The ability to link your bookmarks to your blog opens up numerous possibilites for teachers and libraries - really for anyone who provides information in blog form. Although installing link rolls and tag clouds are useful, the process is not as simple as I expected.
All in all, however, the process is much, much easier that writing lines of intersecting html and css code - and don't even get me started on javascript ...

library on twitter

Here we go again. I just looked at twitter for the first time - is it just me or does this site promote banality? Every tweet I found about the library was either, I'm studying at the library, I don't like going to the library, the library doesn't have the book I want, etc. If you didn't have any physical contact with people, the stream of tweets might represent a conversation to you - but what good is this conversation if you can have it with yourself anyway? Maybe there are more stimulating subjects to discuss, but how much information are you going to get out of them if they are only a sentence or two long? Maybe it is a good place to write rhetorical questions like "Do you know where your children are right now?" Or, "Do you know how many people are wondering if they will eat anything in the near future as you write about people 'slutting up to study at the library' (Actual tweet)?" Any way, I'm glad I got that out of my system. (How ironic to be writing these comments on a blog.)

Back on the boards

After a long break from blogging, I'm back on the boards again. Library 2.1 has begun and unfortunately my my blog was looking a little sad - possibly the lack of attention I've given it, or possibly because my blogging expertise is at a beginner's level. Still, I managed to contribute one post in the time between learning 2.0 and learning 2.1. That's not to say I haven't been harnessing the awesome power of the blog, but rather, I've begun a new one to showcase my writing, and the writing of my partner in crime. The ability to promote homegrown literature, without the all powerful word of the publishing conglomerates predominating, is the best aspect of blogging. In saying this, the use of the blog in the library environment, without the all powerful word of the local council, is an appealing prospect - but it is a realistic one? Every thing published by and for this library needs approval from above - both from library managers and members of council. Could they ever allow staff blogs in this climate? Hopefully one day the bureaucracy will allow some freedom of expression in this regard.
And now for a confession. This blogger has not been following other blogs. So now that I'm back on the keyboards, I'll start following some other blogs.
Till next time.