I've spent several days experimenting with online productivity tools. I tried a MyYahoo start page several years ago, but I never really stayed with it. I revisited that page, and it's a lot more user friendly now. I added lots of things I'm interested in--news, weather, mail, a calendar, and a to-do list. It still needs some work--I'm not entirely comfortable with it.
Then I tried iGoogle, adding the same kinds of applications. I routinely use the Outlook calendar, and I take a paper planner when I'm away from my computer. Right now I don't see myself switching to one of these operations, but if I did, it would probably be the Google application. I've never gotten used to using online to do lists--just the kind I scribble on old catalog cards! Using an online list would probably make me more efficient, and I intend to convert this summer when things move at a slightly less chaotic pace in our library. I will also try to get used to a different start page--although right now I don't really see any advantage for what I do.
I've been using CutePDF for years now. It's a wonderful tool, and I've shown it to many people over the years. I was interested in the PDFconverter tool. It's nice to have something that goes the other way. It reminds me to be vigilant, though, knowing that PDFs can also be edited if they are converted, then turned back into PDFs. We tried it on several files, and it works great.
Zamzar also is intriguing, although I haven't tried it. There are always those frustrating moments when, for reasons unknown to me, a file refuses to open.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Thing 14: Library Thing
Library Thing seems to be easy to use--really intuitive. I can imagine several uses in the library, but I just can't see using this tool for my personal books. A colleague and I were considering the possibility of using Library Thing as a way to let somebody else know what titles we might have for sale. We haven't really explored the implications of that yet.
Even though I'm a cataloger at work, I don't have much interest in cataloging my home library. For one thing, I don't own that many books--I check many of them out from libraries. I also buy quite a few used books and resell them or donate them. I know I'd never keep up with the turnover on Library Thing.
A major disappointment was not being able to add DVDs and sound recordings to my library. If the tool does accomodate formats other than books, I couldn't figure out how to do it.
Here's the link to my library on Library Thing--by no means a complete list!
While I don't see myself using Library Thing for personal use, I do use Books iRead, a Facebook application. I like its "Want to Read" feature. Whenever I run across a title I'd like to read someday--usually when I'm reading reviews--I can quickly add it to my list. It's also easy to change its status after I've read it.
Even though I'm a cataloger at work, I don't have much interest in cataloging my home library. For one thing, I don't own that many books--I check many of them out from libraries. I also buy quite a few used books and resell them or donate them. I know I'd never keep up with the turnover on Library Thing.
A major disappointment was not being able to add DVDs and sound recordings to my library. If the tool does accomodate formats other than books, I couldn't figure out how to do it.
Here's the link to my library on Library Thing--by no means a complete list!
While I don't see myself using Library Thing for personal use, I do use Books iRead, a Facebook application. I like its "Want to Read" feature. Whenever I run across a title I'd like to read someday--usually when I'm reading reviews--I can quickly add it to my list. It's also easy to change its status after I've read it.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Thing 12, Part 2.
What can I say about StumbleUpon? This is really fun! But, boy, could this use up time...
Another thing--it seems like many of these sites have a "download the xxx toolbar" option. There is only so much real estate on my screen. I can't possibly have all these toolbars displayed and still have much space left in which to work. I need to make careful decisions about what is most conducive to productivity and convenience--for me.
Another thing--it seems like many of these sites have a "download the xxx toolbar" option. There is only so much real estate on my screen. I can't possibly have all these toolbars displayed and still have much space left in which to work. I need to make careful decisions about what is most conducive to productivity and convenience--for me.
Thing 12: Social Media News Sites
I've loved online news sites for a long time. I get most of my news--local, state, national and international--online. I have RSS feeds set up for some of these. I also share stories I think others might find relevant.
I don't, however, have much interest in sharing my opinions/reactions/insights into news stories with the world in general. I'm also satisfied with the news sources I use on a daily basis. Sometimes there are sites devoted to a special issue, such as politics, that collect stories from a variety of sources and make them available to others. One that I'm using now is realclearpolitics.com. It's one place I can see up-to-date polling data from a variety of organizations collected in one spot.
I think I might use some of these sites if I were at a public desk and had to be "up" on what was happening almost before it happened. But in my current situation, I think I'd spend even more time I didn't have on news if I tried to become familiar with all of these sites. Some of them didn't even seem very inviting. If I had to choose one, I guess it would have to be Newsvine--but I just don't see it happening.
This is really the first "thing" that doesn't have much appeal for me, either personally or professionally. IBut I know they exist now!
I don't, however, have much interest in sharing my opinions/reactions/insights into news stories with the world in general. I'm also satisfied with the news sources I use on a daily basis. Sometimes there are sites devoted to a special issue, such as politics, that collect stories from a variety of sources and make them available to others. One that I'm using now is realclearpolitics.com. It's one place I can see up-to-date polling data from a variety of organizations collected in one spot.
I think I might use some of these sites if I were at a public desk and had to be "up" on what was happening almost before it happened. But in my current situation, I think I'd spend even more time I didn't have on news if I tried to become familiar with all of these sites. Some of them didn't even seem very inviting. If I had to choose one, I guess it would have to be Newsvine--but I just don't see it happening.
This is really the first "thing" that doesn't have much appeal for me, either personally or professionally. IBut I know they exist now!
Thing 11: Tagging and del.icio.us
Social bookmarking is intriguing--I can see how useful it would be when you're researching. I've encountered the problem of where to put a URL, and it is helpful to add as many tags as needed to a single URL--rather than adding a single URL to a number of different folders. It is also very convenient to have access to your bookmarks from anywhere.
I do use bookmarks, but not very much. There are some sites--less than a dozen--that I use on a regular basis--those are displayed on my links toolbar in IE. As for other sites that I just might use again, I don't bookmark them--I just re-search on Google. I think del.icio.us would be more relevant to me personally if I used more bookmarks. When I created my del.icio.us account, I found I had a very short list, and very few of them had been used by very many others. Does that mean I'm not using the best sites? Many of the sites I use most often I don't bookmark--I just type in the address. Probably inefficient....
I think I've been a cataloger for too long--I'm really hung up on using controlled vocabulary. I have an initial, negative, gut reaction to anybody applying any terms they choose to a site. The same goes for applying tags that reflect only a small portion of the site. The Educause article mentioned some of these problems. I experenced the latter situation personally when I was tagging pictures on Flickr. I had some pictures of a group of guys who were pheasant hunting. I tagged only "hunting" since this is how I thought of them. I didn't make any attempt to be thorough--just because that would have taken longer, and I was only doing it for myself. I suspect the same thing happens to other people, too.
I have to admit, though, that critica mass would take care of that problem. If enough people use a site and tag it, it will eventually be adequately described. I just wonder what the critical mass might be. I just ran across an article on the subject of tagging in library catalogs--I'll have to track it down.
I also have to admit that Library of Congress subject headings, although controlled, sometimes have almost no relation to how people really talk. Even as I cataloger, I sometimes have to ask how on earth they came up with THAT language!
I know that social bookmarking sites are extremely popular. I need to be intentional in using them.
I do use bookmarks, but not very much. There are some sites--less than a dozen--that I use on a regular basis--those are displayed on my links toolbar in IE. As for other sites that I just might use again, I don't bookmark them--I just re-search on Google. I think del.icio.us would be more relevant to me personally if I used more bookmarks. When I created my del.icio.us account, I found I had a very short list, and very few of them had been used by very many others. Does that mean I'm not using the best sites? Many of the sites I use most often I don't bookmark--I just type in the address. Probably inefficient....
I think I've been a cataloger for too long--I'm really hung up on using controlled vocabulary. I have an initial, negative, gut reaction to anybody applying any terms they choose to a site. The same goes for applying tags that reflect only a small portion of the site. The Educause article mentioned some of these problems. I experenced the latter situation personally when I was tagging pictures on Flickr. I had some pictures of a group of guys who were pheasant hunting. I tagged only "hunting" since this is how I thought of them. I didn't make any attempt to be thorough--just because that would have taken longer, and I was only doing it for myself. I suspect the same thing happens to other people, too.
I have to admit, though, that critica mass would take care of that problem. If enough people use a site and tag it, it will eventually be adequately described. I just wonder what the critical mass might be. I just ran across an article on the subject of tagging in library catalogs--I'll have to track it down.
I also have to admit that Library of Congress subject headings, although controlled, sometimes have almost no relation to how people really talk. Even as I cataloger, I sometimes have to ask how on earth they came up with THAT language!
I know that social bookmarking sites are extremely popular. I need to be intentional in using them.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Thing 10: Wikis
I've been familiar with wikis for some time, but I've never edited one before I added a comment to the "23 tihngs" wiki.
Wikis are wonderful tools for collaborative work. The video pointed out how cumbersome email can be in certain situations. But I wonder if I'm the only one who find wikis somewhat cumbersome. For example, the 23 things wiki seemed to be pretty slow--almost unresponsive at times. When I've looked at a couple of others (not for this project) they also seemed slow. I don't think wikis are always the best choice!
The idea of a collective knowledge base is appealing. Also the idea that wikis are self-organizing and self-policing. Procuedure manuals seem like a great application--we all know how quickly procedures evolve. And the people who deal with the application of procedures should be able to add comments that others may find useful or that might clarify confusing situations. Perhaps I'm a sceptic, but I think they would need careful monitoring--first to be sure I kept up with changes, and second, to ascertain that the entries were accurate. One of the entries for this Thing discussed how wikis can be edited by opposing sides of an issue to promote a particular bias. Most of these uses would seem to be fairly obvious. Yet recently I read an article that discussed how some of the edits in Wikipedia articles are more subtle, that seemingly minor edits can substantially change the tone and slant of the entry. I guess that could be true--as we listen to the presidential campaigners, we can't help but notice how powerful a single word can be! It would be interesting to trace the edits of some entries on controversial topics.
I don't think our library catalog has any potential for adding user content, which is too bad. I think this is something our users would embrace. I know I like this aspect of Amazon.com! I think it would be fun to create wikis as public spaces for discussions of interest to communities--books, speakers, issues, events....
Wikis are wonderful tools for collaborative work. The video pointed out how cumbersome email can be in certain situations. But I wonder if I'm the only one who find wikis somewhat cumbersome. For example, the 23 things wiki seemed to be pretty slow--almost unresponsive at times. When I've looked at a couple of others (not for this project) they also seemed slow. I don't think wikis are always the best choice!
The idea of a collective knowledge base is appealing. Also the idea that wikis are self-organizing and self-policing. Procuedure manuals seem like a great application--we all know how quickly procedures evolve. And the people who deal with the application of procedures should be able to add comments that others may find useful or that might clarify confusing situations. Perhaps I'm a sceptic, but I think they would need careful monitoring--first to be sure I kept up with changes, and second, to ascertain that the entries were accurate. One of the entries for this Thing discussed how wikis can be edited by opposing sides of an issue to promote a particular bias. Most of these uses would seem to be fairly obvious. Yet recently I read an article that discussed how some of the edits in Wikipedia articles are more subtle, that seemingly minor edits can substantially change the tone and slant of the entry. I guess that could be true--as we listen to the presidential campaigners, we can't help but notice how powerful a single word can be! It would be interesting to trace the edits of some entries on controversial topics.
I don't think our library catalog has any potential for adding user content, which is too bad. I think this is something our users would embrace. I know I like this aspect of Amazon.com! I think it would be fun to create wikis as public spaces for discussions of interest to communities--books, speakers, issues, events....
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