Things 21 & 22 - Widgets

So we're nearly at the end of 23 things, just one final Web 2.o tool to go, and a very useful one at that... it is the widget!

I did as the tasks requested, adding a Flickr photostream to my blog and my delicious bookmarks to my iGoogle page. Both were easy to do. The photostream would be good if I used Flickr properly and the photos were relevant to the blog content so I see the benefits but seeing as I don't, it looks a bit silly really. As for the delicious bookmarks, I really didn't like how the widget looked so after a day or so it was promptly removed!!

Widgets offer a good way of streaming content from your various Web 2.0 accounts to a centralised location e.g. your iGoogle page or blog. There is an infinite amount of different ones you can play with so you could say that the world is your oyster when it comes to customising your pages.

Things 19 & 20 - Google Docs & ThinkFree Office

As part of the Office 2.0 task, I've had a go with Google Docs and ThinkFree Office.

I can see the benefits of using cloud computing, especially when you're moving around a lot and rarely at the same computer. I'm still a little wary of storing documents on a company's server both for privacy and stability reasons.

After testing both services, I'm definitely leaning towards Google docs. It was much easier to use than ThinkFree and although it doesn't have as much functionality, it's user-friendliness swings it for me. ThinkFree just seemed a bit more complicated and not very intuitive.

I'll consider using these services in the future as they are a good tool for collaborating on a document with colleagues without having to email around multiple versions. I might even employ it during my next batch of group work for uni, that way no-one has the excuse that they don't have access to PowerPoint!!

Things 17 & 18 - Wikis & Wikipedia

I have some experience of wikis. I used them as part of my library degree and as a trainee, we had a wiki to share information, although it wasn't very heavily used. I've used the Oxford Web 2.0 & the C&RD wikis before but never edited them. As my library already has a case study on the Web 2.0 wiki, I did some OULS spotting which resulted in me updating some links on the History Faculty Library page.

I find wikis extremely useful for sharing information and it can be easily updated. They're easy to use and much more practical than distributing multiple versions of documents between colleagues. They offer a valuable tool for project work with colleagues.

The other task related to wikis is looking at Wikipedia.
It is a useful resource for getting an quick overview of a subject but obviously the fact that anyone can edit the entries means you should take it with a pinch of salt! The reliability and accuracy of Wikipedia should definitely be questioned and it isn't a reliable source for academic research. I've never looked at the discussion or history pages before. It's very interesting to see how an article has evolved to its current state!

Things 15 & 16 - Twitter

I've had a Twitter account since April last year but gave up after a grand total of 6 tweets!
I just never really got into it so I'm giving it another go for #ox23 (see I'm getting the hang of it already!)

One of the things I like best about Facebook is reading people status updates so Twitter really indulges me on this! It's a brillant way to share current information quickly, the retweet feature helps to get information out to a wider interested audience and helps people avoid missing something they might not have seen otherwise!

I feel it can be quite difficult to use until you've mastered the symbols (@ and #) and the navigation. Sometimes it's hard to find people that you know are on there but you don't know their twitter name or email.

There is a rather large library & information professional presence on Twitter. It provides another opportunity for librarians to network and share information, but it offers a currency and immediacy that offers mediums cannot. I can see the sharing of links to articles and blogposts being really useful in my library school studies and for keeping on top of professional issues.

Thing 14 - LinkedIn

This is only going to be a short post as I've tried LinkedIn before and I'm not a fan. Although in the name of 23 things I'm giving it another go and have updated my profile and started adding people to my network.

I see why it's a good thing to have a social network that is purely professional, especially when you read those horror stories on the news about interviewers finding prospective employees on Facebook then not giving them the job based on what they've found!

I find that LinkedIn is not very intuitive, and quite difficult to use. Maybe the more I use it, the easier it'll get. However I remain sceptical.

Thing 13 - Facebook and Libraries

I've been a member of Facebook for a few years now and use it as a way of keeping in touch those people that I don't see regularly and that live long distances from me. Also, I'll have to admit that I do like seeing what other people are up to! Obviously there are things about Facebook that I don't like such as those stupid applications like Cafe World & Farmville and the increasing "oops, sorry something has gone wrong" messages.

In terms of using Facebook in a library context, there are definitely some benefits.
It offers an alternative method of communicating with the library's users as well as giving them an alternative point of entry into the library's information and resources. It can be used as a promotional tool for the library's events, training and services and can provide readers with instant news updates. A Facebook presence can also raise the library's profile in the public domain and encourages interaction between the library and readers in the form of feedback. Therefore it has the ability to act as an excellent marketing tool. Another feature which is particularly beneficial to libraries is the library-specific applications which can be used to personalise your page. You can include feeds from Delicious of your useful links, you can search SOLO, Copac, Worldcat and Jstor and I've discovered that there is an application which displays your guides created by the new LibGuides software which the Bodleian Libraries has just purchased.

There are inevitably some downsides to using Facebook in libraries. It is a social networking service and it is important to maintain a professional image. There are continued concerns over privacy and security issues, as there are with any social networking service. There is often a low uptake, which may be because users do not want libraries encroaching into their social space.

Overall, I would say that Facebook offers another medium for libraries to interact with their users and stay current in the online environment.

Thing 12- YouTube

So thing 12...YouTube...the principle place on the internet to watch and share videos.
It's predominantly made up of user-generated content from individuals but increasingly organisations have been adding content to the site.

I wouldn't say that I was a regular user of YouTube, but I occasionally dip in and out. It's usually when someone has recommended something to watch or I've missed some sort of event in the news and the clips are on the site. I don't really have the patience to trawl through the thousands of videos just for the sake of it, I'd rather have something specific to look for.

I like the idea that libraries and universities are using the site as a marketing tool. The Said Business School where I work has a strong presence on YouTube Edu, offering interviews with alumni, videos about events and aspects of the courses as well as studying at the university in general.

I don't know how large the uptake for library based educational videos are but it's great to offer an alternative format of information to students, especially to those who learn visually.

Just to finish off, I've included a video of a really cute baby panda!! Enjoy!

Thing 11 - Podcasts

I've dabbled in podcasts before but they've never really held my attention so for the sake of 23 things, I've had another go.

There is a vast ocean of podcasts out there covering every subject imaginable. There really is something for everyone. I can definitely see the plus points of them.
I decided to subscribe to some of the BBC 6 music podcasts. The site was very easy to use and clearly linked to Google Reader so I didn't have to faff around finding out how to subscribe. As much as I enjoyed testing out the podcasts, I don't think it'll be something that I continue with! I already have enough to follow what with my google reader feeds and uni work, I think I'd struggle to keep up and end up with a massive backlog and ultimately I'd rather listen to music!

In terms of the use of podcasting in a library context, it's definitely a useful tool. It can be used for library tours, especially useful when readers have missed their induction or when people are joining throughout the year. I also like the Bodleian's podcasts as it's an excellent way of marketing the libraries and their collections and getting them out there in the public domain. This is something that should be expanded on.

Things 9 & 10 - Social Bookmarking & Tagging

I have been a member of Delicious, the social bookmarking service recommended in the 23 things programme, for about a year now but admittedly my use of it has been rather sporadic!!

Delicious is a really useful tool, especially when you flit between numerous computers which I do. It makes much more sense to have your bookmarks saved in a centralised service which can be accessed from anywhere as opposed to tied to favourites on one particular PC. The one thing that really annoys me though is that when you click on a link, it navigates away from delicious. It would be much better if the link opened in a new tab!

I like the element of serendipitous resource discovery that comes with tagging! It allows you to find similar links to yours based on other people's tags. The downside of this is that there is no standardised terms and is very much based on individual opinion. There is a large margin of error for misspellings.

The network element of Delicious is useful as it means you don't have to search for a user each time you want to view their bookmarks. I added the Sainsbury Library to my network. Being able to switch between my own bookmarks and the library's makes it easy to access this links whilst at work! I think social bookmarking and tagging is one of the most useful Web 2.0 tools for library as it eliminates the need for messy useful links pages which are often difficult to navigate and update.