Thing 3:Instant Messaging

My experience with thing 3 was NOT a good one! I'm not a fan at all. This is mainly because it was a nightmare to get it to start working and then again to try and get the thing to allow me to talk with someone. We would be typing a conversation together and then never recieve each others messages. This went on for a long time. I was definitely surprised at how much of a headache it was to use compared to aim. On aim all you have to do is add each other and it works right away rather than trying numerous times until a message goes through. Eventually a conversation started, but I clearly prefer aol/aim. It is so much more easier and does everything Google Talk does...including sending website links. IM as a mode of communication is a great thing, but Google Talk as program, not so much. I will stick with aim because not only am I more familiar with it, but I also find it MUCH easier and faster to use.

Thing 10:The Virtual Library Branch

That was very different and interesting. It took me a while to pick something to download because I am very picky and almost everything I tried was not there or was checked out. I have a friend obsessed with Gossip Girl so I tried that and downloaded all of the Adobe stuff to get it working. Well, there was no sound and I realized it was just an ebook not an eaudiobook so I had to pick something else. I picked The Call of the Wild and downloaded all of the overdrive stuff to get it to work. IT WORKED! It was very different to have a program reading a book to me and then being able to hear it in a mobile device and walk around. I think this would be something nice when you really want to know what happens next and don't have the time to sit down and read. By having the book read to you through a headset you can hear it on the train, in the car, or wherever.

In terms of the library website, wow. I have visited it before, but never really payed THAT MUCH close attention to where I have no noticed all of these things we have been doing are being used. It was like wow there is RSS, there is updates of all the new releases, etc. What I liked the most was seeing the catalog through my own computer. I knew it was possible, but I have never actually used it on here. There isn't much more I can think of to put in the virtual branch because there is so much already that I have never heard of. I really like how the patrons can interact with the librarians and such. I think that is very helpful. The only improvement I can think of is to possibly open up more options to the patrons. Maybe open up a Wiki or some other thing for the patrons to talk about what they would like improved or to stay the same in terms of the library or maybe even on the library site. Other than that I think the library site is a terrific and very useful site!

Thing 9:Google Tools-Online Productivity

Wow!!!!!! This is almost exactly like Microsoft Word and other software-based word processors. The only difference I really noticed is that some of the features such as the paragraph ones are easier to find. All you have to do is click on style rather than clicking format, paragraph, etc, etc. Another one I noticed that I haven't seen before was the link tool. I don't think it is useful because like other word processors things just link on its own for example a url or an email address. I guess its more there for a decoration. One thing I really like is how in the revisions you can see what you did step by step rather than using "undo" in other word processors 8 million times to figure out what happened. With all that said, I actually think Google Docs is more useful and easier than Microsoft Word. Now this is definitely one of the 10 things I will try to remember for future use. Of course I will have to make sure not to have too many windows open because things can be confusing, but I think it will be easier to access documents rather than from one place or sending millions of emails back and forth to access things from computer to computer. Overall I find this to be very useful and fun, my favorite tool is the revisions if that counts, but if its a tool tool, I'd say the font tool because it is fun to play around with and make a document look more interesting.

Thing 8:Wikis

Hmm...radical trust. It makes sense, but being a person that really needs to get to know someone to earn their trust...its harder to trust the world. I'm not sure if it is something I would be comfortable with. I guess some people are just more trusting than others in terms of trusting people on the internet. Wikis/Wikipedia in general, at first seeing the whole radical trust thing I wasn't too sure, but overall I think it is fun. I enjoyed going into some of the pages and editing and reading about what other people put for there interests. Its a good tool to learn and share information. I do trust the 10 things page, but if I were to start a wiki and have strangers outside of an environment of people I'd be comfortable with...I don't think I would be too trusting and comfortable. I think this would be great for library patrons because it can be a tool for them to post about what they like and dislike about the library so it can be a better place. As for my department I think it would be a good tool to use for important updates that effect our department (or the library in general), for small talk communication between coworkers, and also for coworkers to suggest things that could be improved to help the library better.

Thing 7:Podcasting

The two library podcasts I listened to were BRAINcast19:Social Networking:Facebook or Myspace from Mohawk College Library AND Meet the Author Tim Dorsey from the Orange County Library. I do see podcasting as a useful tool for the library. This could be especially useful for the library events. I definitely could see this as something the patrons would be interested in. Maybe somebody wanted to come to an event but couldn't make it...they can just go to the library website and listen to it. I have never tried to create a podcast in the past, but I have listened to them off websites I had visited such as the American Idol website.

Thing 6:Social Bookmarking

My experience using del.icio.us was very easy. This was probably the easiest thing so far. All I really had to do was log in as the 10 things and put in the web address for the American Idol website (which I had chosen because I know there are other coworkers that are interested in the show as well as myself).
In terms of tags for the library I believe the most useful tags would be Skokie Public Library. Generic, but to the point. In my opinion, when it comes to tags in any site, to the point is the best way to go.

Thing 5:Flickr and Photo Sharing

My experience with Flickr was a good one for the most part. I had a small issue trying to get the photo to my blog, but later on (thanks to Rich on the 10 things team) I had learned my problem was that the person before me didn't log out. After this I was able to easily upload the photo to my blog. I found this to be very helpful because I never new how to upload a picture directly into a blog or page rather than the upload photo link they have for a display picture on the social networking sites. I think the best thing for the library flickr page at this poing would be to have either a get to know the employees kind of thing, or to maybe in the future do something more with the library and upload photos of the library, surrounding landmarks, or maybe just pictures of Skokie in general. I think the most useful tags as of now for the library flickr page would be...Skokie, Library, and 10 things. Yes these are generic, but with such a variety of photos, it makes sense to just get to the point of what all the photos are there for.

Thing 4:Social Networking

Considering knowing I had already made a myspace prior to the 10 things, I had decided to create a facebook. The positive aspect to facebook that makes it so popular is that it can connect you to classmates and friends of the past. With that said, I don't think I will be using facebook anymore rather than for the 10 things. I find myspace to be much much better. This is because it does everything I have learned from facebook, but it does even more as well. Myspace is better tool for keeping in touch with and finding friends. There are a lot more ways to search for people on there. Also, myspace also provides a better environment for marketing and getting noticed. This is especially known in the music industry. Lately I have seen a number of celebrity interviews about how they were discovered on myspace.

Overall it was nice to experience something other than myspace in terms of social networking, but facebook just isn't for me because myspace is bigger and better...besides the people I know on facebook already have myspace anyways. Of course not everyone will agree with me, but this is my opinion based on my findings.