Yippee!!! I got through it, without setting off any mines.

I've finally finished the Learning 2.0 program and I've come out on the other side without any scratches.

Being involved with in the I.T side of this library, it's been pretty easy for me to wade through the many new applications and "stuff" on the web, but there will always be more new "stuff", even as we speak.

Hopefully, I'll be able to apply some of what I've learnt in the Learning 2.0 program into my work practice. Onwards and upwards....away.

"To be or not to be...?"

...on Facebook or any other social networks, that is the question.

If you have the time to monitor and add to these networks, it would be another way to reach your public, but being in a small library with little resources, there are more pressing matters with face to face networking and reaching out to the local community.

Don't get me wrong, I love using Facebook, but I don't use it to connect to libraries, it's more a fun factor, a place to catch up with friends near and far.

I need to create a document, but I don't have Word.

What a lifesaver!...these online tools are so nifty. Not only can you create documents, spreadsheets and presentations, you can also share it and ask others to contribute to it, as as the video demonstrated, it sure does save a lot of time emailing documents to each other.

I can see lots of applications for these tools for both inhouse and our clients. But especially as a back of house tool for Librarians, we can save ourselves a lot a time and paperwork, by just working on the one document.

Zoho has extra bonuses with other applications like the planner, creator, chat, wiki, etc.

Mashups

So many fun things to make and do on the Big Huge Lab sites, I decided to try and make a magazine cover. Looks good if I say so myself. Have to make time to try the other programs available.

Had a quick play with Google Maps. That would be a good to plot historical buildings and places of interest for quick reference although I think Council already does quite a bit of mapping.

Podcasting or Vodcasting

This looks like a tool we could use to get any messages across, whether it's internally as a staff training tool or to our public to advertise services and events.

Recording storytelling sessions looks like a new way to reach a wider audience as well.

Answer Boards and Social Searching

What to write???

I suppose if you have time on your hands and aren't already busy answering reference questions in your own library, then answering questions posted to these answer boards would be fulfilling.

I suppose you could also post questions which have stumped you and other library staff members and see if anyone out there can answer it.

I know I've used forums and other answer boards to get questions to technical problems that have stumped me, so there is a use for them.

LibraryThing

Well, I've been trying to find a way to put a link to my LibraryThing, but it seems the only way I can do it is through this blog, so I've linked it up, but would have preferred to have it as a page element..but that is just a bit beyond me at the moment..have to read up on html and all that's involved.

Delicious tags

This is also a great idea, but when you are so used to using the bookmark tool in your browser, its a bit hard letting go of customs and adopting a new way to do things.

It is a great research tool and I can see the implications of using this tool as a way to share bookmarks with each other.

Funniest Home Videos...maybe

I picked this Youtube video as I needed a break from the seriousness of Learning 2.0. We need a laugh in our lives daily and I thought this was a silly but good one.

But back to business...Mosman's use of video to record guest speakers and presenters is a good idea.

It's a great way to record the happenings in a library, as well as using it as a tool to teach as in the guides to using library services.

We could make "How to" videos of "how to use the opac", "how to use the self check-out" and other library services.

Wikis: the new meeting place?

I visited the Book Lovers Wiki and it highlighted the fact that you can hold a book club without getting all the participants in one room.

I also took a sneak peek at the Wisconsin Heritage Wiki. It's a great way to get information on a particular area from lots of different sources...a bit like an Oral History project. Maybe I can get our local history librarian to start up a project like that for our area, it's a great way to get contributions to the history of the area, even if it's just what happened yesterday and not what happened 100 years ago.

The third wiki I looked at was Wookieepedia. An excyclopedia for Star Wars fans...anything and everything you wanted to know about Star Wars. But maybe only those who are Star Wars fans would find it interesting.

What a great idea, now if only we could educate our public to use wiki's too. It's hard enough teaching them the basics of the Internet and how to use e-mail.

Its a great way to get other people to contribute information, but knowing what is genuine and authoritative and what's not may be a problem.

I can see it's usage in the workplace, but it does rely on contributors.