by David Lee King on March 31, 2006
Gee – mine’s not nearly as good as the original post’s headline: Writing Headlines That Get Results. Go take a peek at this post, though – there are some great suggestions in it about writing better headlines for your blog posts.
The ideas presented ALSO apply to library websites in general – we can all work on writing:
- better page titles
- better article titles
- better subject headings
- better link wording
- better email subject lines
- etc
By the way – I’ve just subscribed to the blog, too – there’s some good stuff there about online writing in general.
by David Lee King on March 30, 2006
The LibrarianInBlack posted about the Soundogs sound effects search engine. It seems to be pretty cool… But FindSounds is cooler.
FindSounds is a specialized search engine for sound effects and musical instrument samples. You can specify audio resolution, sample rates, file formats, mono/stereo, and file size in the search. And all the sounds found using FindSounds are free (better than Soundogs).
Chris Sherman wrote an article about it awhile back.
by David Lee King on March 29, 2006
The Web 2.0 Awards is a website that has “over 300 web 2.0 sites in 38 categories” – rated and ranked. There’s a winner in each category, and runner-ups are also mentioned.
It’s not always terribly accurate – for example, under the category of Bookmarking, del.icio.us isn’t mentioned (and I’d think it would be). But then, maybe the other sites listed were somehow considered “cooler?” I don’t know. Del.icio.us is mentioned in the Social Tagging category…
Still, this is a great tool to use as a summary of web 2.0 products and services, listed in categories. Go take a peek.
by David Lee King on March 29, 2006
The eastwikkers blog is running a series on wikis – “33 Wikis in 33 Days.” The goal is to highligh each wiki, briefly describe what the wiki is for, why they like it, and what one can learn from it.
The focus isn’t on the software used – it’s on the collaboration taking place. It should prove interesting to see what people and groups are doing with wikis!
by David Lee King on March 29, 2006
From this article… a professor has banned the use of laptops in her class. The article says “Professor June Entman says her main concern is that
students are so busy keyboarding they can’t think and analyze what
she’s telling them.”
Wow. Just wow. I have a question… those students are TAKING NOTES. But using a laptop to do the note-taking.
How in the world is typing one’s notes somehow different from using pen and paper to take notes? Is there really a difference, other than laptops might be a bit more noisy?
Compared to what her students just might be doing in the “real world” (as in, using a laptop to take notes, write reports on the go, etc, etc), I’d think the professor would welcome the use of laptops.
But that’s just me.
by David Lee King on March 27, 2006
by David Lee King on March 27, 2006
One final video from the Computers in Libraries 2006 conference. This one is from Paul Miller (the Talis guy) speaking about Web 2.0 and library catalogs.
The video is short – when watching, take a peek at all the laptops! I counted seven of them, and that was just in my tiny little section of the room.
I find it interesting to watch the switch from paper-and-pencil notetaking to laptop and mobile types of electronic notetaking (this video included, I suppose).
cil2006
by David Lee King on March 25, 2006
This conference, to me, was all about:
Collaboration. Libraries need to be collaborating. With our library staff, with our patrons, and with other libraries.
Keeping current with technology. We just “have to do it.” Our patrons expect nothing less, and they get it – at Amazon, at Starbucks, even at McDonalds… we should be willing and able to do the same.
Library Catalogs. Libraries spent a lot of time and money turning the card catalog into an ILS system. Now we need to figure out how to integrate it with all our other search points (website, databases, etc), and provide easy-to-use, familiar interfaces that work like a search engine, but provide Our Content.
Firefox. It so completely rules.
Getting our information “out there.” Blogs, RSS, Wikis, Catalogs, IM, mashups, patron experiences, etc… all ways to supply content, ideas, and information to our customers.
cil2006
by David Lee King on March 25, 2006
Marshall Breeding introduced Project Croquet – he talked about it some, and we watched snippets of a video done by the creators of Croquet.
Project Croquet is a multi-user 3D-ish, game-like collaboration space accessed via a computer. It looks a little like Second Life or Sims Online – but that’s where the similarities begin and end. Project Croquet’s goal is to create better interaction and collaboration in a digital space.
Croquet:
- peer-to-peer network (P2P)
- the PC is doing with work – they don’t need or have servers
- build web pages in 3D – you can even turn it
- you can quickly creat virtual worlds and spaces
- you can walk into other spaces
- The creators are completely excited about their project!
My question – our users are moving to multiple formats, and more mobile formats. Will they want to interact using a Sims-like digital space, when they will probably be able to interact via video/cell phones? I’m not sure.
This project reminds me a little Tad Williams Otherland novels (good read, too).
CIL2006
by David Lee King on March 25, 2006
Library 2.0:
- the open library
- push the library everywhere
- engage with actual and potential user communities
- disaggregate library systems and bring them together
- building apps that make sense – like a set of Lego blocks
- shared innovation
talk.talis.com – a blog devoted to developing a better catalog (I think)
Examples:
- wpopac – search, link, comment – built around WordPress
- Greasemonkey widgets – daveyp.com/blog
- typepad.com/superpatron – his book jacket browse thing (I like this alot!)
- Blyberg’s card catalog thing, with comments
- These things are all done by individuals!
What would happen if we worked together?
cil2006, library 2.0, web 2.0
