Social networking

Well after creating a blog, posting to Flickr and Wikiing, it's time to investigate our virtual presences out there in the electronic world. Whether or not we choose to post a virtual presence for ourselves out there or not, it's absolutely amazing how and how much further we can spread our virtual wings.If we wish we can tweet in twitter, share our lives through blogs, Myspace and Facebook. You can chat, share photos, favourite music, recipes, jokes, puns, wisdom and/or idiocy. There does not appear to be one thing people are too shy to put out there in the virtual world. One can't but wonder if people would behave the same way in the physical world as in their virtual electronic world. Would these people be as brave in person? Would these people be as vicious in person? Does the virtual world remove them or separate them from the emotional, physical and social affects of their actions?Does the virtual world of cyberspace give people a freedom they do not have in the actual physical world of their lives. Some people appear to have no scruples at all about the way they behave. Or, perhaps and this is scary, they actually don't have scruples because they don't feel the need. An example of the adverse effects of social networking is that the virtual world and blogging appear to be tools enabling bullying, in addition to mobile phones and email.We in Libraries are using social networking to create a greater connectivity with those of our clients such as the generations X, Y and Z, the cyberspacers. We have had to venture beyond the website, because technology creates great possibilites to interact with our clients, it enables greater connectivity. Social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook can give the Library and library professionals a presence in the same electronic universe as our clients, people who ‘live’ in the cyberspace, digital or electronic world (pick your favourite) as well as the physical mundane world..

Using an Opac is not enough, the social networking world gives us a much greater reach into the world of cyberspacers. Yahoo! Cooee! We're here!! Come and see us! We're a cool place to be, to visit, we have games, dvds... We'll help you find your family... we'll help you with that resume, we’re able to .. We must advertise, market and put our brand out there. We must have a place and exist in both the physical and virtual world, because our clients do so.

Our website is already a super blog, we can create interest by sending out Twitters, electronic feelers about what we have and are able to do, send out instant electronic messages to advertise and market the library and ourselves, it's events, it's services, it's activities and capabilities. Social networking is a research tool of endless capability, if there's a question we can't answer a question, we can send out electronic feelers to the cyberspacers out there to get an answer. Cooee! Come and see us now!!!

Wikis

I'm investigating some Wikis at the moment as I'm very interested in ceramics, photography and glass art.

I've been having a look at the Mint Museums North Carolina, it looks absolutely fascinating so far. I really liked the way the images of items from the exhibition were displayed alongside a 'press release', the images could be viewed quite closely and it was so easy to move to the next item by moving the cursor over the next thumbnail image.

THE SJCPL Subject Guides, were very easy to navigate through, there were key topics listed eg Government and Education and there weren't too many to wade through, I liked the way everyday langauge was used.

Book Lovers Wiki at the Princeton Public Library, I liked the way people were submitting reviews of the books they read and how the reviews were archived and the books were divided by 'genre' so people could clue in to a book they might like to read. It's such a pity it ran out of steam.

Wikis might well benefit from being able to utilise some of the microsoft applications or being able to incorporate some photo editing software. It's difficult to learn and watch wikis and other web applications etc when you have no audio available on your pc.

It's amazing how often I visit Wikipedia during the course of my day it's so handy as I often check it for authorities and verify if an author wrote a particular work and biographical details often come up and clue you in about who's who.

These turorials really increase your skill levels and reduce the 'fraidy cat' effect technology has when we're unfamiliar with so much. When you didn't grow up using PCs and learn on the job you are often unaware of how much useful stuff is out there.

Flickring

Well task two is Flickring, all going well we'lll start feeling less nervous and with the assistance of our advanced users we should motor our way through,

I chose to view some photos of Marysville (Vic.), as I have visited this place a number of times. The image is of the road up the Black Spur. It was so beautiful. The trees seem to tower on either side of us and they feel so impressive, it all seems to be a very different world, you are always so conscious of the trees.

I remember being amazed at the speed motorcyclists took riding up and down. The road was no picnic to drive with some quite dangerous spots, and it was amazing to see the risks they took, as they also do on the Mt Glorious and Mt Nebo roads here in Queensland.

I'm so sad to think of the state of the area due to the recent fires. Who knows what I'll see the next time we visit.

Day one

Well, this is my first attempt at blogging it's somewhat scary and terrifying and of course there's the usual terror at making yourself look like an idiot or worse, or even sending people into hysterical laugter at you rather than with you. And of course being of Irish background I think
about Murphy's law and whether any gremlins are around to cause chaos.

Technology is such a pervasive aspect of our lives, it's amazing to consider that we who start using this technology as adults are often scared by the way technology can either assist you or cause chaos to an amazing extent.

Oh well, the journey has now began, let's hope Murphy is not looking in my direction