Thing 22 Keeping Up

Yes, I've learned so much since mid January when I started my first blog for 23 Things. I feel I can make a decent attempt of using some of the tools that I've explored. I haven't learned as much as would have liked because there just wasn't time at work to do it so I've been doing my best by my lonely at home. But I'm proud I struggled on, even if sometimes it wasn't going as deeply as I should have.
However, I am skeptical at how much I will use RSS or other delivery devices to "keep up". I had subscribed to a newsy email from SLJ and probably read a couple of them before just regularly deleting them. There's just too much to do and your current work problem keeps you busy enough at work to take up all your time. I will try to keep following Things at home but acknowledge that the deadlines and the common purpose in the Neflin program did motivate me to spend hours of my "home" time at it. However I liked reading the Shifted Librarian and the presentation on ways to keep up.
Okay, I'm being negative here and that's not the right attitude and I should be saying I will find the time in my work day. Yes, I will but it will probably be to keep current with the latest thing we have to know/do for my job -- evance or adding Flickr photos to the Branch webpage, or sending out publicity for our events or trying downloading for myself so I can help people. Just responding to email at work keeps me extremely busy and if you're very busy with 2.0 Things you might just miss out on keeping up with people or never get around to doing your Library .1 responsibility -- remember shelfreading?
I hope the NEFLIN blogs will stay there so I can check in with more of them. And I'd like to go back into some of the Things to do them more deeply.

Thing 21 Student 2.0

I think that with any self-help tool the person receiving it has to be interested in receiving the help. This is true with these outlines and calculators of progress and of course Thingers had to be at least mildly motivated in learning 23 things before Jennifer's updates and any deadlines would be of any assistance in getting people going. That said, this is a handy compendium of useful tools that I am glad to become aware of. I used to give programs to help students find materials in the library for their research papers. I would include these to hand out if I ever gave one again but it's unlikely -- students just didn't show up. But if the subject came up when I was helping someone, I'd point them in this direction. Sheets of tips are always useful.

Thing 20 Books 2.0

Once again, overwhelmed by the amount of info and sites out there. Do you think that people are creating book-related social networking sites instead of reading?

Glad to hear that reading is up.
Kindles in libraries - sounds challenging to arrange but I'm all for it if the problems about circulation issues can be worked out.
Books on my phone -- this doesn't interest me at all but maybe because I've become an audiobook lover and would rather just plug in my earbuds and listen off my phone. But I think this is probably the future with young people. I went to Japan and even though the manga museum was full of fans reading traditional books they said the format was moving to having them published in phone form.

We've been using "What should I read Next" for a long time for readers' advisory. What's Next is a great tool as well although I've noticed some lapses in it and no longer take it for the be all in answering reference questions about what book is next.

Loved the Reading group choices sites -- great for our patrons who are avid book clubbers. Read up on my latest listen/read, Edgar Sawtelle, and enjoyed the reviews and comments on the book. LitLovers had alot of possibilities too.
The free download of books might be worth looking at when we've got high schoolers panicked about summer reading assignments and the hardbacks are gone.

Other blogs ways more thoughtful and insightful than mine. Nice to read thoughts of my co-workers -- I'm very impressed.

thing 19 Other Social Networking Sites

I'm not a big fan of being involved with social networking in a big way. I have known about it for a long time because my son developed a site and then sold the company last December and we heard about it and used it though it was mostly popular with teens. It appealed to those who wanted to spill secrets anonymously but your friends were always trying to guess who was saying what because of course alot of it was pretty juicy.
I just used Ning to look into storytelling and found a nice network for storytelling information. Looked again at WebJunction. Looked at the book search networks also and read some comments about a book I just finished. I didn't find the comments any better than the ones you read on Amazon but I didn't sign on.
These things are amazingly numerous and cover so many things. Gee, I just have to quit my job so I have time to network.... (Feeling overwhelmed)

Thing 18 Facebook

I've been facebooking for a while. I got started when my kids posted photos there and told me to get into it to see them. But I lapsed and just recently got more active about getting in when I suddenly got friended by many of my co-workers and their friends so it has been alot more interesting lately. I can spend alot of time at it so I have to back off and stop after a while because it isn't always productive. My email gets full of Facebook notifications; yes, I know I can control that but that's like turning away from a good story when you're on your way to work but you hear a tidbit while passing in the hall.
I've gotten good information and have enjoyed it.
Professional use? I'm not sure yet. I am getting book tips from a librarian friend who posts her favorite reads and that's good. I don't "get" the library as a friend on either Facebook or My Space but it was good to see that ACLD is represented. I guess you could get notifications of our news and programs that way but it doesn't look like anyone is keeping it current.
I think social networking is great and I heard a news program today say that with the economic climate the way it is we're probably going to end up spending even more time at it because it is good cheap fun and many of us will have less $ to allot to entertainment.

Followers, check out online comic Flat Philosophy.
www.kianmckellar.com

I now have two sets of NPR podcasts available off my Yahoo page. I'll never lack for interesting listening.