So this is the final module. I've been revisiting Online Tools to find a Web 2.0 application that could be useful in my work or private life and have decided to go for Todoist - www.todoist.com - which advertises itself as "the leading personal task manager that's useful, fast and easy to use".
It is easy to create an account and Todoist is a great online tool for managing your projects and tasks. You can choose deadlines for your tasks by typing in a date or choosing one from the calendar, or you can schedule a task to be done daily, weekly or monthly. Todoist organises and prioritises tasks brilliantly. You can review the week's tasks at an easy glance and can also colour code your projects so you can easily see which tasks go together.
The great thing about Todoist is that you can use it wherever you can access the Internet or it can even be used as as app on your mobile phone.
If I was given complete freedom to do whatever I wanted with what I have learned during 23 Things, and if my library service didn't already have a Facebook page, I would set one up and make it fun like the Orkney Libraries' page. I would hope to promote all aspects of stock as well as provide up to date news and info on any events taking place, and to make the page such fun that it would attract new users and keep the current ones interested!
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
What's Coming Next?
For the penultimate module in my 23 Things course I've been reading about how things have grown since Web 1.0 in 1990 and where things are going next.
Readers may be interested to know that my friend Dr John Carlow was a scientist working alongside Tim Berners-Lee on the Internet project in the late 1980s at CERN, the physics laboratory in Geneva, but due to family circumstances he had to move back to England. He always says that if he didn't have to leave Geneva it could have been HIM and not Tim Berners-Lee who created the World Wide Web! But I digress.....
We currently use Web 2.0 but many important organisations are putting lots of money and research into making Web 3.0 (The 'Semantic Web') happen and it is predicted that by 2030 we will have progressed to Web 4.0.
The 'Semantic Web', mentioned above, tries to understand exactly what we are looking for when we use search engines in order to get the most accurate results and group similar things together. For instance, I could be searching for Dove - the brand name - and could get results on the type of bird instead. The Semantic Web tries to understand the nature of one's search, but this reality is still a long way off. Something else relating to the concept of the Semantic Web is linked data. This is when information can be linked together by certain coding and could greatly benefit library catalogues in the future.
More about the Semantic Web can be found here:
http://webtrends.about.com/od/web20/a/semantic-web.htm
On another subject, I've enjoyed reading about Mashups. These are websites or web pages which bring related information together from a variety of sites and present them in a new way. One of these really great websites is called Panoramio:
http://www.panoramio.com/
This site shows photos from all over the world and on the same page a map marker shows exactly where in the world the photo was taken. I've just uploaded a photo I took in Las Vegas two weeks ago. Take a look:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/72104165
For the last part of this module I've been reading about Mobile Technology and its current and future impact on libraries. There are so many more portable devices in use now than ever before and less and less people are using desktop PCs, so libraries really do need to keep abreast of this technology to avoid being left behind! Mobile Apps are available for everything nowadays, from checking to see if your scheduled train is on time to using your mobile phone as your boarding pass at the airport! There are library-related apps too of course, such as one which allows you to scan a book's barcode and read other people's reviews of it. Other ideas for library apps - some may already exist - include apps to renew your loans, to check which books are the most popular, or to book a public PC.
Location based services - or LBS - use GPS mapping to identify the mobile phone user's nearest cafe, library, bank, etc. If library users were to use this technology to 'check in' on social networking sites, it would create publicity for these places and heighten awareness of their existence - all very good in the case of libraries when we want to remind people that we do still exist!
QR codes ("QR" stands for quick response) are also on the increase. These are graphics which act like a barcode when scanned with a mobile phone and can take you straight to a website, a photo, or even to hear a piece of music. These are easy to create and could be most useful with regard to libraries.
I do not think that all of the above technologies solely represent our libraries' future but I do think we need to take them all on board and move with the times to ensure we don't get left behind and so that libraries aren't seen as outdated.
As for inventing an app which a member of the public could find useful in regard to libraries, I am not fully aware of what is already 'out there' so I will probably suggest something which already exists, but how about library members having a barcode or QR code on their mobile device which they merely scan in order to get their books issued, doing away with the need to have a physical library card? Or an app where the borrower can pay fines on overdue loans using something like PayPal?
I am now going on to the final module!
The 'Semantic Web', mentioned above, tries to understand exactly what we are looking for when we use search engines in order to get the most accurate results and group similar things together. For instance, I could be searching for Dove - the brand name - and could get results on the type of bird instead. The Semantic Web tries to understand the nature of one's search, but this reality is still a long way off. Something else relating to the concept of the Semantic Web is linked data. This is when information can be linked together by certain coding and could greatly benefit library catalogues in the future.
More about the Semantic Web can be found here:
http://webtrends.about.com/od/web20/a/semantic-web.htm
On another subject, I've enjoyed reading about Mashups. These are websites or web pages which bring related information together from a variety of sites and present them in a new way. One of these really great websites is called Panoramio:
http://www.panoramio.com/
This site shows photos from all over the world and on the same page a map marker shows exactly where in the world the photo was taken. I've just uploaded a photo I took in Las Vegas two weeks ago. Take a look:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/72104165
For the last part of this module I've been reading about Mobile Technology and its current and future impact on libraries. There are so many more portable devices in use now than ever before and less and less people are using desktop PCs, so libraries really do need to keep abreast of this technology to avoid being left behind! Mobile Apps are available for everything nowadays, from checking to see if your scheduled train is on time to using your mobile phone as your boarding pass at the airport! There are library-related apps too of course, such as one which allows you to scan a book's barcode and read other people's reviews of it. Other ideas for library apps - some may already exist - include apps to renew your loans, to check which books are the most popular, or to book a public PC.
Location based services - or LBS - use GPS mapping to identify the mobile phone user's nearest cafe, library, bank, etc. If library users were to use this technology to 'check in' on social networking sites, it would create publicity for these places and heighten awareness of their existence - all very good in the case of libraries when we want to remind people that we do still exist!
QR codes ("QR" stands for quick response) are also on the increase. These are graphics which act like a barcode when scanned with a mobile phone and can take you straight to a website, a photo, or even to hear a piece of music. These are easy to create and could be most useful with regard to libraries.
I do not think that all of the above technologies solely represent our libraries' future but I do think we need to take them all on board and move with the times to ensure we don't get left behind and so that libraries aren't seen as outdated.
As for inventing an app which a member of the public could find useful in regard to libraries, I am not fully aware of what is already 'out there' so I will probably suggest something which already exists, but how about library members having a barcode or QR code on their mobile device which they merely scan in order to get their books issued, doing away with the need to have a physical library card? Or an app where the borrower can pay fines on overdue loans using something like PayPal?
I am now going on to the final module!
Monday, 16 April 2012
Maps!
I LOVE maps, so was really pleased when I saw that this was to be my next 23 Things module.
I use Google Maps all the time but was happy to spend some time going over them again. I Google Mapped my current library location and viewed the satellite image. It was difficult to tell exactly when the image was taken, but I'd say it's at least a couple of years old. I can't tell which day of the week it was taken!
I switched to Google Street View for a closer look and could tell that the trees were green, therefore the image was probably taken in summer.
Google Street View is fascinating but has been very controversial and when it was first introduced it was accused of invasion of privacy. Google claim, however, that is it very easy to remove images and there are tools available for users to remove pictures they are unhappy with.
I've just had a look at my own local authority's interactive mapping service. It seems very basic and takes longer to load than Google Maps. I feel that my local council should be commended for providing their own mapping service, however I will definitely be sticking to the tried and trusted Google Maps in future.
I use Google Maps all the time but was happy to spend some time going over them again. I Google Mapped my current library location and viewed the satellite image. It was difficult to tell exactly when the image was taken, but I'd say it's at least a couple of years old. I can't tell which day of the week it was taken!
I switched to Google Street View for a closer look and could tell that the trees were green, therefore the image was probably taken in summer.
Google Street View is fascinating but has been very controversial and when it was first introduced it was accused of invasion of privacy. Google claim, however, that is it very easy to remove images and there are tools available for users to remove pictures they are unhappy with.
I've just had a look at my own local authority's interactive mapping service. It seems very basic and takes longer to load than Google Maps. I feel that my local council should be commended for providing their own mapping service, however I will definitely be sticking to the tried and trusted Google Maps in future.
The DIY Library
In the future people could be carrying around their very own digital library which they have built up themselves on something like a digital notebook. This DIY Library could include items on the same subject such as ebooks, music and photos. Take for example Agatha Christie. If I were to have my own DIY Library on this legendary crime writer it would consist of all her novels, short stories and plays, of music featured in films and tv series based on her books and photos of locations in which these stories were set.
I have hard copies of all Agatha Christie's books. If I wanted to, I could catalogue them all online on the website LibraryThing - http://www.librarything.com/
You might wonder why I would bother, but you would be surprised how many people do this kind of thing. Not only can it be used for cataloguing, but also to 'chat' to people with the same reading interests or to find collections covering particular topics.
This site would be very useful for a library reading group because readers can write about and review what they've read. They can also read other users' reviews and give books a rating. This gets everyone involved and connects readers based on the type of books they like to read.
As to whether libraries should keep these sites up or leave it to the groups and enthusiasts themselves, this is a tricky one. If the local authority is putting their name to a group then I believe that staff should have the facility to edit and moderate posts.
I have hard copies of all Agatha Christie's books. If I wanted to, I could catalogue them all online on the website LibraryThing - http://www.librarything.com/
You might wonder why I would bother, but you would be surprised how many people do this kind of thing. Not only can it be used for cataloguing, but also to 'chat' to people with the same reading interests or to find collections covering particular topics.
This site would be very useful for a library reading group because readers can write about and review what they've read. They can also read other users' reviews and give books a rating. This gets everyone involved and connects readers based on the type of books they like to read.
As to whether libraries should keep these sites up or leave it to the groups and enthusiasts themselves, this is a tricky one. If the local authority is putting their name to a group then I believe that staff should have the facility to edit and moderate posts.
Audio
I have enjoyed reading about 'Audio' as part of my 23 Things course.
I've just downloaded and listened to a podcast from BBC Radio Wales. I have listened to podcasts in the past when I have missed something I wanted to hear on the radio, or if a programme has been on a local radio station elsewhere in the UK that I didn't have access to.
The term 'podcast' refers to audio files made available over the Internet for people to download and listen to.
I've also just enjoyed browsing the available audio books on the Project Gutenberg site:
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Gutenberg:The_Audio_Books_Project
I chose to download 'The Riot Act by British Parliament'! This took a good bit longer than the podcast to download, despite the file only being 5MB larger.
Digital audio books are becoming more popular and there has been an increase in Library Services subscribing to online audio book resources in order for their users to download them. Usually this means that the users log in online using their library card number, download an audio book to listen to and after a certain length of time has elapsed the audio book is automatically erased from the user's device.
I wonder if music and film will eventually be made available to my Library Service's borrowers to download in the same way?
I've just downloaded and listened to a podcast from BBC Radio Wales. I have listened to podcasts in the past when I have missed something I wanted to hear on the radio, or if a programme has been on a local radio station elsewhere in the UK that I didn't have access to.
The term 'podcast' refers to audio files made available over the Internet for people to download and listen to.
I've also just enjoyed browsing the available audio books on the Project Gutenberg site:
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Gutenberg:The_Audio_Books_Project
I chose to download 'The Riot Act by British Parliament'! This took a good bit longer than the podcast to download, despite the file only being 5MB larger.
Digital audio books are becoming more popular and there has been an increase in Library Services subscribing to online audio book resources in order for their users to download them. Usually this means that the users log in online using their library card number, download an audio book to listen to and after a certain length of time has elapsed the audio book is automatically erased from the user's device.
I wonder if music and film will eventually be made available to my Library Service's borrowers to download in the same way?
Youtube and video
I love Youtube! I've been using it for several years now, both to watch videos and to upload my own. I recorded Susan Boyle singing live at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre when she was on the Britain's Got Talent Live Tour in 2009. That particular video has been viewed 49,401 times worldwide so far. I even received a request from a Japanese TV channel asking my permission to use it on their show!! I've had some great comments added from people who love the footage, thanking me for sharing. Here is a positive comment:
You have no idea how much this video means to us to people who could never hope to get to any of these performances. We salute you for your dedication in giving this precious gift...
.....and a negative one:
Poor Quality....Echo....doesn't do justice to Susan's abilities....hard to hear....!
I also subscribe to other users and create playlists on Youtube - this is useful for keeping certain videos together by subject.
Youtube can be relevant to libraries in a number of ways, for instance using video clips to promote authors or events, or creating promotional videos to publicise their services. Newcastle Library Services even recorded the memories of local people. Their Youtube channel can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/newcastlecitylibrary
You have no idea how much this video means to us to people who could never hope to get to any of these performances. We salute you for your dedication in giving this precious gift...
.....and a negative one:
Poor Quality....Echo....doesn't do justice to Susan's abilities....hard to hear....!
I also subscribe to other users and create playlists on Youtube - this is useful for keeping certain videos together by subject.
Youtube can be relevant to libraries in a number of ways, for instance using video clips to promote authors or events, or creating promotional videos to publicise their services. Newcastle Library Services even recorded the memories of local people. Their Youtube channel can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/newcastlecitylibrary
Online Tools
I don't think I had heard of 'Online Tools' before today, however when I started to read about them I realised that I have in fact used them. My email provider is Gmail and I have used Google Documents to open Word and Excel documents from home because I don't have Microsoft Office on my own PC. I have also been able to work on these documents and save them, meaning I can then open them anywhere in the world that has Internet access. If necessary, I can also allow others to work on the same documents. How amazing is that?
Google Contacts is also very good. I have all my friends' addresses and telephone numbers stored in my Google Contacts. No need to worry any more about losing my address book as long as I have Internet access!
I have also used Google Calendar to schedule my social calendar, appointments and friends' birthdays etc - no need to worry any more about forgetting something, as Google sends a reminder!
Doodle is another handy Online Tool for scheduling an event. I have used this at work to respond to an event invitation - in fact, the meeting for the distribution of 23 Things certificates! - but I have just signed up for my own account and had a practise at scheduling an event. Completely non work related, but this is going to be handy for inviting people to a meal for my cousin's 50th birthday and finding out who can manage and what time would suit them best!
Online tools can also be used to store photos, documents and music on sites such as http://www.scrapblog.com/ and http://www.spotify.com - this is useful in case of hard drive failure!
Google Contacts is also very good. I have all my friends' addresses and telephone numbers stored in my Google Contacts. No need to worry any more about losing my address book as long as I have Internet access!
I have also used Google Calendar to schedule my social calendar, appointments and friends' birthdays etc - no need to worry any more about forgetting something, as Google sends a reminder!
Doodle is another handy Online Tool for scheduling an event. I have used this at work to respond to an event invitation - in fact, the meeting for the distribution of 23 Things certificates! - but I have just signed up for my own account and had a practise at scheduling an event. Completely non work related, but this is going to be handy for inviting people to a meal for my cousin's 50th birthday and finding out who can manage and what time would suit them best!
Online tools can also be used to store photos, documents and music on sites such as http://www.scrapblog.com/ and http://www.spotify.com - this is useful in case of hard drive failure!
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