It was inevitable that the thing monkey would appear one last time in the 23 Things on a Stick. I am accountable to her so she knows about the resolution and will keep me honest. Thanks Thing Monkey. I will continue to read the blogs that I have set up on Bloglines. I will probably even offer comments of my own. I will respond to the journal alerts read the wealth of articles and discussions that are taking place. I will participant heartily in discussions in my home workplace with my co-workers and colleagues. I recommend these paths to others. I will remember that I cannot possibly read it all.
Showing posts with label 23 Things on a Stick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 23 Things on a Stick. Show all posts
Monday, February 18, 2008
Thing 22.2 What Did I Learn Today?
It was inevitable that the thing monkey would appear one last time in the 23 Things on a Stick. I am accountable to her so she knows about the resolution and will keep me honest. Thanks Thing Monkey. I will continue to read the blogs that I have set up on Bloglines. I will probably even offer comments of my own. I will respond to the journal alerts read the wealth of articles and discussions that are taking place. I will participant heartily in discussions in my home workplace with my co-workers and colleagues. I recommend these paths to others. I will remember that I cannot possibly read it all. 
Thing 21.1 Beyond MySpace:Other Social Networks
FYI -- I think this is the MySpace for Books in Publisher's Weekly article. The link was not functional when I tried in the 23 Things instructions. I posted a comment on the Thing 21 page.
Gather is described in this article dated 12/12/05 (the date could be a problem - over 2 years is a LONG time ago in techtime) as a "mix between a lifestyle portal and a content aggregator...". This is a good description I think. Both Gather and Ning are multitasking sites that offer groups, blogs, photoshare, tagging... They add another layer to the opportunities the web offers. In the article "Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library" the statement is m
ade that the social web "represents a cultural shift towards expression, collaboration and interaction...users are not satisfied with simply reading web pages. They are beginning to expect the opportunity to interact online with...(why not?) their library." This is another of the topics that opens boxes for people who think and talk about librarians of tomorrow. Clearly all aspects of social networking are available to the library --- but which ones are useful? From user/patron/open tagging to collection direction and selection -- some of these areas are still considered sacred by many in the profession. Folksonomy can be a very controversial topic. Collaborating has always required studied awareness of dynamics mixed with grace and tact. Think committees. Campion's article suggests three steps toward becoming interactive libraries: education, application, endorsement. The advocates of Library 2.0 agree that this direction is progress, the detractors have many arguments against. Some of the conversation stoppers use words like "fad" and "hype". So here we are at a Step 1: education=23 Things on a Stick. These 23 Things have, I'm sure, set ideas spinning through the our heads. Will we be able to move on to application? Will our supervisors and directors - after opening these doors and windows to us be able to collaborate with us toward the library of the future?
Gather is described in this article dated 12/12/05 (the date could be a problem - over 2 years is a LONG time ago in techtime) as a "mix between a lifestyle portal and a content aggregator...". This is a good description I think. Both Gather and Ning are multitasking sites that offer groups, blogs, photoshare, tagging... They add another layer to the opportunities the web offers. In the article "Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library" the statement is m
ade that the social web "represents a cultural shift towards expression, collaboration and interaction...users are not satisfied with simply reading web pages. They are beginning to expect the opportunity to interact online with...(why not?) their library." This is another of the topics that opens boxes for people who think and talk about librarians of tomorrow. Clearly all aspects of social networking are available to the library --- but which ones are useful? From user/patron/open tagging to collection direction and selection -- some of these areas are still considered sacred by many in the profession. Folksonomy can be a very controversial topic. Collaborating has always required studied awareness of dynamics mixed with grace and tact. Think committees. Campion's article suggests three steps toward becoming interactive libraries: education, application, endorsement. The advocates of Library 2.0 agree that this direction is progress, the detractors have many arguments against. Some of the conversation stoppers use words like "fad" and "hype". So here we are at a Step 1: education=23 Things on a Stick. These 23 Things have, I'm sure, set ideas spinning through the our heads. Will we be able to move on to application? Will our supervisors and directors - after opening these doors and windows to us be able to collaborate with us toward the library of the future?
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Thing 20. Libraries and Social Networks
I opened this post with a hot cup of coffee and this photo of a child looking at the face of another child... Now it is 9:30 and I am nearly done with the assignment and it is time to blog my experience and conclusions...
Since I had set up a Facebook membership a couple of weeks ago in preparation for 23 Things I thought this thing would be a fast one. However, the first stop was the enormous Teens and Social Media Report from the PEW/Internet & American Life Project. I read through most of the 44 pages and printed out the Summary of Findings (pages 1-6) for my file. (Yes, I have a file for 23 Things.) The insights and statistics for the appeal of social networks is a revisiting of human development. The Maslow Hierarchy of Needs is a blueprint for the how and why of this appeal. The social need for belonging/love/affection/acceptance=groups,
the need for esteem/confidence/achievement/respect=offering and receiving friendship, the need for self-actualization/making and presenting the self/spontaneity/creativity=posting, sharing photos, exposure. This is life -- today made visible in social networks -- moments of understanding and happpiness alone and yet part of the world. These social networks, for all their quirks, are a sign of the culture's positive mental health.
Since I had set up a Facebook membership a couple of weeks ago in preparation for 23 Things I thought this thing would be a fast one. However, the first stop was the enormous Teens and Social Media Report from the PEW/Internet & American Life Project. I read through most of the 44 pages and printed out the Summary of Findings (pages 1-6) for my file. (Yes, I have a file for 23 Things.) The insights and statistics for the appeal of social networks is a revisiting of human development. The Maslow Hierarchy of Needs is a blueprint for the how and why of this appeal. The social need for belonging/love/affection/acceptance=groups,
the need for esteem/confidence/achievement/respect=offering and receiving friendship, the need for self-actualization/making and presenting the self/spontaneity/creativity=posting, sharing photos, exposure. This is life -- today made visible in social networks -- moments of understanding and happpiness alone and yet part of the world. These social networks, for all their quirks, are a sign of the culture's positive mental health.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Review and Reflect
Ten Things done. Relecting on those three words is a tension. Here's what I mean. They are most definately NOT done. I've worked through the assignments, yes. I've kicked at the templates and searched for the buttons. I've started projects. Here's the THING - it's that wabi-sabi thing.
"Wabi-sabi is a Japanese expression that roughly translates to the "beauty of
things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete". It is the beauty of
things modest and humble. It is the beauty of things unconventional.
Observe a ceramic cup for a tea ceremony, for example. It might have rough
edges, an irregular shape, and glazing that covers only half of the cup."
Woods and Thoeny in Wikis for Dummies
As I review especially Things 5-10 as am thinking about my efforts and responses as imperfect and imcomplete. And I am thankful for the continuing truth of impermanence. The "public-ness" of this learning is daunting. Here are my blog posts, my "creations", by attempts to execute applications -- out here for all to see. There is support and guidance from the community in the building. Comments and questions fly. I want to raise my hand sometimes and ask the teacher, or feel a stronger sense of mastery of each thing. When I go back to an application I do have a familiar "I've been here before" sense. I take that as progress. The monkey mind buzzes and whirls but I am seeing obvious possibilities and potential for use in the library of everything we've studied so far. On to Thing 11.
Thing 10.1 Wikis
Things are clearer now that I've visited some library wikis. All the fumbling and striving makes what I am seeing on these wikis more understandable. For instance, the Library Bloggers Wiki and the pathfinder wiki from the St. Joseph County Public Library systems shows APPLICATION of this tool. Aha! That's the key. How does this tool work AND what are some applications for the public library? The more tools I understand, the more able I am to think of them as solutions for a library situation. YES! I accessed the 23 Things on a Stick PBwiki and added a comment.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Thing 10 Wikis
Thing 10 is the most confusing one so far. Have I said that about things before this? Maybe. I think this is why. I have never edited a wiki or even thought about editing a wiki so that whole process was in the mystery realm. Not unsolvable -- I just hadn't tried it. I read, of course, and clicked and experimented...a lot. The little Common Craft video on wikis made it look very easy. Hmmmm. The first blip was being unable to access 23 Things on a Stick wiki because I didn't have the invite key. I logged in to Google Groups and asked that question and got an affirming reply with the key -- multitype -- and a "thanks" from our fearless leaders for finding an omission. (You are welcome. SmileyFace.) I explored around the lesson a little more and got so excited that I decided to jump right in. Turns out that jumping right in is actually the CHALLENGE part of Thing 10. Hours later I came up for air. I did open a wiki on PB Wiki and I am going to make another one on Wikispaces just to compare the two.
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