Thing 23 - Evaluate 23 Things

Well, here I am. Thing 23. The proverbial end of the road. I've made a huge push to finish this up over the past three months, yet I'm kind of ashamed that it took me close to two years to finish this up.

That said, the real question is: what do I think of 23 Things now that I've completed it. Well, it was fun. That's for sure. But for me, it was a little different. First of all, I put the 23 Things together, so I'd had a rather in-depth look at all of the Things before tackling them as a user. However, I feel like that perspective/context ended up making the experience more educational. For instance, after putting the 23 Things together, I was kind of burnt out on the whole thing and, despite accomplishing the first few "things" early on, I basically sat back and watched my colleagues tackle the exercise. As I rested, I watched a few early adopters breeze through the "things", and these folk ended up providing important feedback. These folks also helped to spread the word about the initiative and got others interested. They also told their colleagues which Things they found most interesting, and it came as no surprise that many of those in the "second wave" of participants jumped straight to Thing 16 and created a Facebook account. Now almost every librarian at MCPL has a Facebook account whether they've completed the fifteen Things that preceding Thing 16 or not. And they seem to being having a blast using this very robust tool As a side note: I've grown very wary of Facebook's privacy policy and its connections to elements within the intelligence community:



I'm digressing.

I think the coolest thing that I saw come out of this was the online tour of the Children's Department that Stephanie A. made. I was, quite honestly, surprised and delighted with that. I was also impressed with the creativity some participants incorporated into their blog posts (like the nifty video that Brian S. used to some up his thoughts on 23 Things). And I would be remiss if I failed to say how much I've enjoyed the visits from Pat F., who has become the de facto poster child for 23 Things. Go Pat!

All in all, it's been great, and I hope many more staff take the time to explore the 23 Things. In the meantime, Bill W. wants me to create another 23 things. So if you have suggestions, I'm all ears.

Toodles.

Thing 22 - Keep on Learning

As I sit here on the brink of tackling Thing 23 and the inevitable "completion" of this exercise, I've been asked to describe how I keep up emerging technologies and what I do to keep tabs on them. I have to admit, there are two primary tools that I use to keep up with and document trends and emerging technologies: networks and bookmarks. Now you might wonder why I didn't name specific applications, why I kept things so, shall we say, vague. Well, it's because keeping up with trends goes beyond the information I see on a computer screen. Indeed, when I think of networks, I'm thinking not only of the social networks I maintain via tools like Facebook and listservs, but also of the face-to-face networks I maintain via direct contact with co-workers, colleagues, friends, and the students and faculty and the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University.

As you can see, when I talk networks, I'm talking online social networks and face-to-face contact (and email bears mentioning, too). I would have to say, however, that Facebook is an excellent tool in that regard. Former SLIS students of mine have gone on to become outstanding librarians in their own right, and they sometimes share ideas in their Facebook feeds. They also point to interesting blogs and the like (e.g. In the Library With the Lead Pipe). Beyond former SLIS students, many of my other Facebook buddies are interested in technology, and I learn from them, too.

I do also stumble upon the odd tidbit in my Google Reader account, though I must admit to not checking that nearly as often as I should. Honestly, I should set aside 15-20 minutes a day to peruse the dozen of so feeds I've set up there. Another site I really like is Dark Roasted Blend (though this site doesn't really focus on libraries per se, it does point to the odd tidbit).

Keeping track of it all is the easy part. I mentioned bookmarks. In that regard, my favorite bookmarking tool is Delicious. I learned early on that developing a system of controlled language for bookmarking links is imperative, so I've worked to make it pretty darn easy for me to search through the hundreds of sites and tools I've bookmarked to locate something related to, for example, readers' advisory or Web 2.0.

My modus operandi is to stumble upon a link via friend suggestion, Facebook, my Google Reader feeds, Dark Roasted Blend, the odd tech blog, a listserv posting, et cetera and then bookmark it in Delicious.

In terms of Web 2.0 tools and such that I've stumbled upon that haven't been mentioned so far, I would begin by listing the following:

• A Day in the Life of the Internet - cool graphic


• Wired.com Contributor Tries to Vanish - attempting to disappear in the age of the Internet


• After Social Networks, What's Next - panel of bigwigs convenes at Oxford to answer the question


• Cut My Pic! - cropping photos without Photoshop, Paint, or Picnic


• Which Date Works? - an online tool for planning meetings


• F**k My Life - everything Twitter should be, but isn't


• Five Sites for Building Music Playlists - find new music


• Remember the Milk - great tool for managing tasks with deadlines

Of course, if people have ideas for new "Things", they should send them my way. I've already nixed to Things, and, as the world continues its mad spiral journey, I'm sure they'll be a need to tweak the list some more. One thing's for sure: Web 2.0 is definitely shibbidy-dibbidy-dazzletastic!

Thing 21 - Web 2.0 Aggregators

I gotta admit, after reading through the articles in the Thing 19 (i.e. 'Maintaining Your Privacy'), I couldn't bring myself to sign up for another social networking tool. There's a line that has to be drawn, and this is where I draw mine. Terrible, I know.

That said, I did take the time to read up on social aggregators, and I can definitely see the appeal. Were I wedded to the Internet and/or the owner of a mobile device, I'd probably be much more interested. As it is, I'm happy to bookmark Flickr and Facebook on the two computers I use and access my Delicious bookmarks through the buttons on my Firefox toolbar. Another issue to consider is that some social networking tools--like Facebook--now have add-ons that allow you to push your Twitter and Flickr posts out (though, admittedly, one would be missing out on similar content from pals unless they too had set up their Facebook accounts in the same manner).

But mayhaps I'm getting a tad ahead of myself. The first thing I should probably address is the difference between the various social aggregation platforms and my thoughts on said differences. The first type mentioned in the Thing is the IM-type of aggregator exemplified by 8hands, which sits on your Desktop like an IM client. The second is the browser-type aggregator exemplified by Flock. And the third type are web-based aggregators. Of these, I'm most interested in web-based aggregators. "Why is that?", you might ask ask. Well, first of all, I'm not at all interested in anything that makes me think of IM. Blech! Secondly, I'm not interested in another browser (I like Firefox and feel good about using it, thank you very much). So then which web-based aggregator would I choose if I were actually to choose one (which I'm not)? Hmmmm. I guess I'd go with Friendfeed.

"Why Friendfeed?", you might ask. I don't know. I suppose it's a combination of factors. First, Friendfeed is very popular. As such, it's probably not going away anytime soon. Second, it's not trying lure me into signing up with some goofy name or manufactured geek appeal (if there's one thing I can't stand, it's IT companies that try to appeal to the "geek in me"). Third, it supports all of the sites I use. Fourth, it's free. What other reasons would I need? None.

But what I really need is to decide whether or not I'm going to maintain my Google Reader account. I could write an epic poem on that topic. Well, maybe a haiku.

Thing 20 - Gaming in Libraries

As much as I love paper-and-dice RPGs like Pathfinder, my own experience with gaming in the library has been kind of "meh". "Why is that?", you might ask. Well, for one thing, the library tried starting a monthly gaming night a few months back, and it didn't really generate much interest. I attended a few times, and there were less than half a dozen people there--including librarians. Now, there may be any number of reasons for this: competition from the daily gaming workshops down the street at the Game Preserve, ambiance, publicity, gaming options, or something else. Maybe there's just not sufficient interest in Monroe County. I really can't say.

But I do know that the idea is intriguing.

As the articles point out, there are two types of games, and I definitely have strong feelings about the value of board/tabletop games vs. video games. True, my experience with both is limited: I haven't played any board/tabletop games beyond Pathfinder, Dungeons & Dragons, and Call of Cthulhu (all RPGs) in a long time save one exception that I'll mentioned momentarily; and I haven't played computer games since Duke Nukem and Dark Forces were popular back 1997. That said, my gut reaction to video games is that, yes, some of those produced for toddlers might make learning the alphabet fun, but that sponsoring Halo and Mario Kart tournaments doesn't seem mesh well the our stated library mission...neatly. True, the library is a community center, and sponsoring video gaming tournaments for teens might get them into the library and off the sidewalks; however, I think it's important to ask: Do we simply embrace what teens like as a means in and of itself, or should we temper our enthusiasm for such programming with some consideration of the library's mission. That said, I can see the need for flexibility depending on the community.

When it comes to tabletop games, my opinion is much more positive. Two years ago I had the opportunity to attend the GenCon pre-conference for teachers and librarians in Indianapolis. GenCon is the world's largest gaming convention, and the sessions I attended focused on the role of games in the classroom and as potential library programs. Some of the takeaways from that day include:

• focus on games that place emphasis on teamwork instead of competition


• tie programs to the collection, e.g. set out books on medieval arms and armor at sword and sorcery RPG events


• have a "Library After Dark" event where patrons (i.e. teens) come in after hours on a Friday or Saturday and play games in the meeting rooms


• tabletop games that foster social skills should be emphasized--especially the aforementioned games that emphasize cooperation


• many games involve math skills, especially probability, while others test historical knowledge


• the key is to pick games that are not overtly educational; kids will see through that ruse, but when a game encourages learning that occurs "under the radar", then you're dealing with a good game for the classroom, etc

David Niecikowski was one of the presenters at the pre-conference. At his session there were four tables. We broke up into four groups. We would sit at one of the tables and play one of four games. The point of all of the games was fun, but there was learning occurring under the proverbial radar--some of it geographical and mathematical, other times it was historical. But regardless of the game, there was a social component. And it was the social nature of tabletop gaming that most intrigued me. As each participant contemplated their next move, introductions were made, questions were asked, and we collectively problem-solved. This is so much more appealing to me that the solitary experience of staring at a screen with a game controller in hand. And it's the main reason why I'm so enamored of such programming in the library. The trick, of course, is getting people interested.

In closing, I do think it's important for libraries to reach out to teens, and gaming programs seem like one avenue for doing so. It's only my opinion of course, but it seems to me that the patron life cycle begins with enjoyment of the library as a kid--perhaps because of the programs and the emphasis on readers advisory and pleasure reading--but as kids become tweens and teens, librarians too often expect kids to embrace the YA collection and reading. Consider this: the primary focus of services for children at most libraries seems to be readers' advisory-ish in nature; services for adults, on the other hand, seem to focus less on RA and more on reference and research. While some tweens and teens are bookworms, many are not. And I think teen programming can play a vital role in keeping these teens interested in the library during a time when they may be much more interested in social activities by embracing non-traditional services like gaming. Again, these are roughly formed thoughts, and I welcome comments.

Thing 19 - Maintaining Your Privacy

Privacy has always been a real concern of mine. Those who know me may doubt this statement given my willingness to be interviewed by the press at certain points, but I can guarantee you that such "lapses" were actually thought-out sacrifices of privacy in the name of other stronger convictions (like work-democracy).

Still, trying to pass myself off as someone who values privacy to the extent I claim is a hard sell given my fondness for the Internet and certain social networking tools. For example, I maintained a weblog from July of 2001 through this past New Year, I have posted close to 1700 photographs to Flickr, and I maintain a Facebook account. However, that weblog was password-protected and registered under an alias, all but two of my Flickr pictures are "private" and that account is also registered under an alias, and my Facebook account is registered under a pseudonym (and I'm am very careful about allowing photographs of myself to be tagged, have posted false personal information, and have deleted all personal interests in lieu of recent changes in Facebook privacy policy). As such, if you do Google my name, you get a bunch of pages about my father, a couple links to articles relevant to collective bargaining efforts at the library, and little else. But if you figure out my aliases, then you get a lot more. I guess that's the trade-off: you either accept some intrusions of privacy as a 21st century "necessary evil", or you end up isolating yourself.

A couple months ago I read a book by J.J. Luna entitled How to Be Invisible: The Essential Guide to Protecting Your Personal Privacy. More than any of the links listed in the Thing 19 instructions, this book really drove home the point that computers are the bane of those seeking privacy. Seriously. Before the Internet, yes, you could access some information about a person via County Clerk offices and old phone books, but the process of tracking down information on a person was not nearly as easy as it is now given our propensity for not only posting information about ourselves online, but because governments, businesses, and organizations are posting information about us online (and oftentimes sharing it with other businesses and organizations). In addition, so much commerce takes place via the web these days--booking flights, buying books and other sundries, eBay, email, banking, and the placement of library holds--that to shun the web is to limit one's communication and purchasing options immensely. Indeed, all such Internet transactions are logged and stored on a server somewhere. If we lived in a country with a truly totalitarian government (unlike the marginally fascist government in Washington), we'd be, for lack of a better word, screwed. And the truly frightening thing is that there is a fairly vocal minority hell-bent on empowering corporations and eliminating government regulatory bodies. If this group has their way, well then you can kiss the last vestiges of your privacy goodbye.

Political rants aside, I would say that while the articles were all very enlightening, my favorite read from this Thing was the one describing how to become (mostly) Google-free. I gotta admit, I love Gmail, and I'm also very reluctant to force all of my contacts to update their address books (yet again), but Scroogle was cool--as were some of the alternatives to popular Google tools. Other suggestions I liked from the other articles: using a web browser other than Internet Explorer, using two email addresses (I actually maintain seven), and the most important: that a healthy dose of paranoia is a good thing.

When all is said and done, I would love to delete all of my accounts and this blog when I'm done, but, alas, I feel that I'm obliged to leave it up. I am, after all, the guy who's in charge of it all.

Thing 18 - SurveyMonkey

This was a fairly simple Thing. The first thing I did was to take a look at the features of the four survey programs listed. Of the four, SurveyMonkey seemed like the easiest and most robust--at least when you're only looking at the options for the free version. However, if I had the money to afford a premium plan, I'd probably go with QuestionPro, which has the most robust reports and offers the most options when it comes to question creation.

Creating a survey was easy, too. I ended up creating a survey related to the television show LOST. Creating it was easy, and I've have fun checking out the responses. The one frustrating aspect of it was creating questions where I allowed for multiple answers but for which I only wanted three responses. "Why was that frustrating, Phil?". Well, I'll tell you. It's because you can't set up such questions so that a respondee can only choose three options. Once you open up the survey to multiple responses, there's no way to limit that number--at least in the free version.

Regarding surveys in general, I think the main challenge is in wording the questions. I've taken so many questions with leading questions, or which failed to offer an option to leave comments, that I'm usually quite put off by the majority of the surveys that I encounter. I mean, honestly, if you want my opinion, then don't frame questions so you get the answers you want. It's disingenuous.

Looking forward, I only have five more Things left. I'll be sad when this is over. It's been a lot of fun.

Update! The survey results are in:

• Favorite Season - 2nd season (31.5% of vote)


• Favorite Character - Hurley (56.3% of vote)


• Least Favorite Charater - Michael (31.3% of vote)


• 62.5% want all of the mysteries resolved


• The mystery most want to see resolved is the nature of the Jacob/MIB conflict


• Just over half have a healthy obsession that entails watching LOST and talking about it with friends, but nothing more


• Only 25% of respondees own all five seasons on DVD


• But 43.8% have watch some of the DVD extras


• When LOST ends, most will be sad but plan to go on living--though one person plans to slip into a catatonic state

I think my enjoyment of SurveyMonkey is directly related to the content of the survey. This one was a lot of fun.

Thing 17 - Other Social Networks

I tell you what: one of the best things about having set up 23 Things and then waiting close to two years to actually tackle the endeavor myself is the perspective on many of these tools that I've been granted. When I put this whole 23-part exercise together, I remember thinking, "Golly, some of these tools are pretty cool. I could use this for that, and that one for this, and this other one for this specific task". Now, in hindsight, I'm like, "You know what, I don't have the time to track umpteen different social networking tools. I think I'll pick a couple and stick with them".

And that's where I'm at with this Thing. Allow me to elucidate.

Back in the day, I actually set up a Ning to share news about my musical endeavors with friends. I gathered a handful of fans and posted updates about recording sessions, upcoming gigs, rehearsals, and the like. I had a lot of fun with it for a while, but then I decided that I was spending way too much time switching between and tracking conversations via my Facebook account, my Ning account, my Flickr account, and my blog--not to mention other blogs and such that I was following. It was time, I said, to reign things in a bit and re-establish a life away from the computer.

My Ning was the first to go. I had delved deeper into Facebook groups and fan pages, and ended up setting up a Facebook fan page as a replacement for my Ning network. Then I made a resolution to step back from all of this and spend less time in front of the computer. Over the past few months, temptation has gotten the best of me, and, once again, I'm using Facebook and Flickr (and have temporary latched onto the Reddit group devoted to LOST). But that's it. And honestly, that's enough (in fact, it's probably still too much).

Still, I had fun working through this Thing and revisiting some of these other social networks. One thing that struck me as I did so was how niche-based many of these other social networks are. Whether users are delving into Ning or Gather or something similar, they are doing so in an effort to set up a community devoted to a very specific topic (like teaching librarians, etc). I also took a close look at WebJunction (something, admittedly, I should be much more familiar with), but was, once again, struck by how much their courses cost.

The other issue to address is the use of these social networks in the library. Again, as I mentioned in my thoughts on Thing 16, I think it's important to reach out to patrons where they spend their time. Thus, Facebook seems like the obvious avenue. Yes, there are some Ning's out there devoted to librarianship (and there's some discussion on WebJunction as well), but the relevance of these communities is hampered by how many people participate (i.e. a paltry sum). Another issue that hampers participation is time. In this age of budget cuts, the pressure is on to use one's time as efficiently as possible and to prioritize core services. And one of the things that many in the field have less time for is networking with other professionals and taking the time to explore and create--especially when positions are eliminated and responsibilities are parceled out to those who remain.

Strange days, indeed.

Thing 16 - Facebook & MySpace

If ever there were a web 2.0 Pandora's box, Facebook would be it. As a counter to the positives (which I'll hit on momentarily) there's a plethora of issues that individuals and organizations should give serious thought to when diving into software of this sort. Privacy is the big one (especially for individuals). It's not that Facebook is trying to be invasive per se (though they are getting to be that way), but that people seem to give little thought to how much info they're putting out there on the Internet and how difficult it is to reign in (and/or delete) that information once it's archived on the Facebook servers. There's also the related issue of blogs and the like being cached by Google and the Wayback machine.

Another issue to consider at the organizational level is the amount of time staff spend on Facebook during work hours [link and link]. I have a friend at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Their IT staff collected data on staff computer use and found that over half of it was Facebook-related. What about our library? Does such behavior occur here? Should we block Facebook on MCPL staff computers? I don't know. I suppose the issue becomes complicated when an organization decides to have a Facebook presence (or makes it part of a training exercise like 23 Things). In addition, we have a Facebook page for teen services and are currently working on a Facebook presence for the library in general. That said, the Shedd Aquarium has a Facebook presence while still blocking the site on staff computers. Perhaps MCPL should consider a similar policy. Hmmm...

I, myself, have a love-hate relationship with Facebook. I vacillate between "What a colossal waste of time" and "Good golly, I sure don't want to miss out on all the fascinating updates on my pal's pet peeves of the day, the crazy things they saw on the way to work, the things they ate for breakfast, and how much they drank last night...oh, and here's 45 pictures documenting it, etc). No, seriously, I'm not trying to be cynical; I simply am cynical. But perhaps I'm getting a way from the spirit of 23 Things in this post. Thing is, I can't help myself. Of all the "things" I've looked at so far, this is the one about which I have the strongest opinion.

Here's the thing: the masses love Facebook. It's a form commodified socialization that allows us to do yet one more thing on our computer/PDA/iPhone without having to actually interact with another human being. It allows us to find an echo chamber of like-minded individuals within which to bounce our opinions about without fear of hearing a disparate point-of-view--and, better still, the expectation is that we do it in 20 or so words, so there's none of that formulating well-reasoned arguments for our convictions that we're to justify with something resembling empirical evidence and logic. And don't forget videos of cats in boxes and drunks falling down. Gotta post links to those viral videos.

Okay, I'm doing it again. I'm ranting and being cynical.

Now, where was I? Oh yes, the masses love Facebook. As such, Facebook provides a means for organizations (like libraries) to reach out to people (like patrons) and actually connect with them somewhere where they actually spend time. In that sense, yes, Facebook has positive potential. Perhaps I lapse into cynicism because so much of what passes for content on Facebook is--in my humble opinion--noise. But if that noise leads to meaningful discussion, then I suppose it's a good thing. In that vein, organizations (like the library) could promote talks and programs and the like on Facebook. The interest generated could then lead to increased turnout at library functions, and perhaps disparate points-of-view would be shared, listened to, responded to calmly and rationally, and we might actually help to evolve some ideas. If the end-product of a Facebook post is something like that, then I'm all for it. But if Facebook is simply an ends in and of itself, then I'm not such a big fan.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to update my cat's page.

Thing 15 - Explore Podcasts

You know, the whole je ne sais quoi of podcasting, now that I've delved a little deeper into it, reminds of those guys you see in the movies. You know the ones I mean: living in natty one-bedroom apartments full of old TVs, stacks of magazines and newspapers and clippings pinned here and there, beyond dusting, eating microwave dinners, living in their bathrobes, scratching dry scalps, talking hurriedly (usually to themselves), and lost in their own strange world. Yes, those guys. I think of podcasts, and I think of some guy like that who is constantly listening to the weirdest radio broadcasts imaginable. Radio broadcasts that make you go, "There's no way that's a real radio show. That's just some drivel that they cooked up to flesh out the character in this bogus movie". But the thing is, now, thanks to podcasts, such radio shows are real, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of them out there. One need only poke around for a while, and they will indeed find some of the strangest, off-the-wall broadcasts imaginable. I mean, there are podcasts out there posting by people who make Art Bell seem normal (actually, said podcasts are likely created by the oddest of the oddballs who regularly call into shows like Art Bell's).

That said, not all podcasts are of the conspiratorial, New Age, nutjob variety. In fact, I have to admit to actually enjoying a couple of the weirder ones I took the time to explore--namely Yog Radio, a podcast devoted to all things H.P. Lovecraft. But, moving on from the fringe stuff, one podcast that I did find intriguing was a talk hosted on the IU Podcast portal by Joel Garreau entitled Radical Evolution that discussed the rapidity of scientific advancement and the way that, more and more, scientific research is focusing on the exploration and modification of self and less on the physical world around us. However, it's an 86-minute talk, so I'll have to finish it on my own time some other day. Regardless, stuff like that and perhaps some of the news outlets posting podcasts that cater to the left-of-the-left folk like me were much more to my liking. And, if I were ever to become the person I described above, these are the types of podcasts that I'd stream in my one-bedroom apartment. Who knows? Mayhaps that'll happen someday.

I did find that the Podcast.com portal was the easiest of the directories to use; however, there are so many podcasts out there that searches of Podcast.com for general topics returned an overwhelming number of results. But when I searched for the keyword "lovecraft", I received a very manageable number of results and quickly found a podcast that was to my liking. Still, with enough time and patience, one could probably track down a handful of worthwhile podcasts--even when receiving an abundance of search results.

My last thought on podcasts has to do with types of people. Obviously, we're all different. Amongst the myraid quirks that make me who I am, one attribute that I possess is a profound dislike of earphones. If I did (and if I also enjoyed talk radio and such), I might just become a huge fan of podcasts. A co-worker of mine likes to listen to LOST podcasts, but I am simply not interested in walking around with earbuds stuck in my head. In addition, when I do sit in front of my computer at home, I prefer silence. Like I said, there are different types of people. Perhaps someday I'll change and become a bigger fan of earbuds and podcasts. For now, I'll stick to silence, conversation, and Stereolab tunes that emanate from car stereo speakers.

Thing 14 - YouTube & Online Video

A person could "waste" hours and hours on this Thing. I remember in high school thinking that Pink Floyd was the greatest band ever (I still love a couple of their official releases and enjoy listening to bootlegs of the early stuff a lot). Anyway, finding video of Pink Floyd back in the day was very difficult. Learning of the existence of and watching Pompeii for the first time was a real treat. But other than that, the unofficial video for "Echoes" at the end of Crystal Voyager (which didn't even feature footage of the band), and Alan Parker's The Wall, there wasn't really anything else out there.

In the age of YouTube there's so much Floyd out there that it actually becomes a chore to wade through it all. In a sense and given the ease with which we're able to access information and entertainment via resources like YouTube, we've become incredibly spoiled. As mentioned, it used to be very difficult to track down video of Pink Floyd performing. Now I can actually find archived television appearances from the Syd Barrett era or grainy footage from the Animals tour. Yet I now find myself frustrated with the poor quality of much of the footage, though, truth be told, I'd rather have access to grainy VHS transfers than nothing at all.

Below I've embedded a video from a Neil Young concert. This song has never been officially released on CD or LP, so this is the only way to experience it--and, good golly, I'm thankful for that because it's one of the better songs he's recorded in the past 10 or so years:



I have used Hulu.com, too. However, Hulu seems geared much more toward television programs than fan videos. In that sense, it's more like a outlet for "official" releases. And, again, I'm thankful. Back in the day, if you missed a TV show or heard about a great skit on SNL after the fact, you were out of luck. Now I can watch a whole library of television shows and catch up on episodes I've missed. A real life example: I've been watch LOST on Hulu with friends as a way of reviewing episodes in the run-up to the series finale. Good times.

In the library, I would think there'd be a lot of applications for these types of Web 2.0 tools. In YouTube, you can create channels where videos you've uploaded are hosted. CATS could easily set up a channel and begin archiving video from past programs on YouTube--especially performances by local musicians and artists in the library auditorium. Another obvious use for these types of tools is as a supplement to our own collection of audio-visual material. Historical recordings, speeches, and more are all excellent adjuncts to the printed word.

A major downside to these tools--especially in a library with multiple internet users--is the amount of bandwidth they use. But as internet service providers switch from phone lines to dedicated fiber optic cable, these types of obstacles should go the way of the dodo and the passenger pigeon. Time will tell.

Thing 13 - LibraryThing

I tell you what: the more Things I do, the more I think about privacy. And I think that's a very important "thing" to consider before diving into social networking tools and/or posting all manner of personal information on the web--information that--once cached by Google or the Wayback Machine--is next to impossible to remove.

LibraryThing is yet another tool with all kinds of possibilities, but then it's also another way to put an immense amount of personal information on the web. Yes, I could self-censor and only add "safe" books to my profile. But if I'm going to self-censor, then what's the point? On the other hand, what would a potential future employer or patron think if they saw that yours truly was a big fan social histories of the 60s counterculture, or the writings of neo-Marxist thinkers like Wilhelm Reich? What conclusions would they draw about me based on such titles, and would they be justified in doing so?

Regardless, I did create a LibraryThing profile. Actually, I created it back when I was putting the 23 Things together. Now, in retrospect, I find myself questioning that decision and sit here contemplating my compromised privacy. Should I delete my profile once I finish the 23 Things, or do I have an obligation to leave everything in place for the sake of staff members choosing to explore the 23 Things in the future? And does it even matter at this point? Tough questions.

With regard to the mention of incorporating LibraryThing into our online catalog, I would add the following update: the committee looking into this decided against purchasing the LibraryThing for Libraries enhancement. The main issue was cost. However, Adult and Teen Services staff have addressed this to a degree by creating the For the Love of Reading Blog. This does allow for reviews; however, there's no direct link from the PAC. Oh well.

When all is said and done, I'm not against LibraryThing. Yes, I'm reluctant to catalog my entire book collection. But what I find most useful is that LibraryThing can be used in the readers' advisory interview as a way of identifying similar books/authors--especially when used in concert with Amazon recommendations and NoveList Plus.

Thing 12 - Social Media Websites

This Thing provided me with a lot of food for thought. Up to this point, I hadn't paid much attention to these types of services. Yes, to be perfectly honest, I'd poked around on Reddit a bit, but only to check out their LOST page, which I've bookmarked and continue to check somewhat regularly (though I'll likely stop when the series wraps up).

Anyway, my approach to this Thing was to first explore the four social media sites mentioned in the Thing (i.e. Mixx, Digg, Newsvine, and Reddit). As a test, I searched for left-leaning political commentary and LOST news on each. In the case of the latter, I looked for something like a group or page dedicated solely to the topic. The results are as follows:

• Mixx - I looked at this tool first, but ended up liking it the least. While it does have a tagging feature, the tag 'lost' does not apply solely to the show. It is, however, possible to create a community, but there currently isn't one devoted to LOST, which didn't sit well with me. With regard to political opinion, there is a sub-category devoted to news opinion stories, but I just couldn't connect to the randomness of it. Actually, it's not the randomness per se (a certain degree of randomness is good and allows for disparate points of view). Rather, it's the lack of depth. It's blurby and sound bitey in nature, and I, personally, need more meat and less bone.


• Digg - This is one of the most popular social media sites, and it did offer a little more than Mixx. But that likely had a lot to do with the fact that there are a lot more Digg users than Mixx users. My issue with Digg was the lack of tags, i.e. you're basically stuck with Digg's categories, and, according to their FAQ, if you want to submit a story that doesn't fit within their categories, it's suggested that you don't. The interface is nice, but not nice enough to make up for Digg's shortcomings.


• Newsvine - At least Newsvine allows for tagging, but the interface is so ugly and busy that I was turned off before I even started to explore. Which brings me to...


• Reddit - Of the social media sites I explored, this is the one I liked best. Not just because there's a category devoted solely to LOST (as well as a plethora of other topics), not just because the interface is fairly clean and straightforward, not just because of the robust social community that makes reading the comments associated with each submission as much fun as trolling through the stories themselves, and it's not just the ease with which one can find stories of interest. No, it's not just these things. It's actually all them considered in concert. Just my opinion, of course, but I'm not likely to ever look at Mixx, Digg, or Newsvine again. Reddit, on the other hand, will continue to attract my attention.

But there is a dark side to all of this. I learned this by checking the four articles associated with each tool on the Thing instructions (i.e. the links labeled "one person's opinion of..."). Basically, there are two main problems. First, the development of potential echo chambers. For example, if you search for "chris hedges" on Reddit, you basically get links to articles written by Chris Hedges, but not a lot people who disagree with him. As such, you're not really get disparate points of view. But when you expand your focus, I think this issue is addressed to some degree. And, of course, a critical thinker would recognize this and actively seek out disparate points-of-view on their own. Sadly, critical thinking is no longer in the norm in this country, and, trust me, we'll all eventually pay the piper for such folly.

The second issue is that the stories that achieve the highest ranking on these sites are often placed in that position by a handful of contributors. Me? I don't really care about either criticism. I take everything I read with a grain of salt and do actively seek contradictory points-of-view. When it comes down to it, I just like being able to find information of interest easily, and Reddit is just one tool in a vast arsenal employed by yours truly.

Thing 11 - Tagging & Delicious

I've been using Delicious regularly since July 2007, so a lot of the material in this Thing was old hat. As of this posting I've bookmarked 746 web pages. Obviously, I'm a fan of the service. It is a fantastic way to organize content and discover new websites (I'm a big fan of the list of current popular pages). In addition, I love being able to type in a keyword or browse my list of tags to find an article I stumbled upon a couple weeks ago that I now want to share with someone else. And it's also a great alternative to Google. Though, truth be told, I don't use that way often; however, if I'm looking for something technology-related, I always make sure to check Delicious. Why? Because most Delicious users seem to be techies, and the stuck being bookmarked is often of interest to techies--not that that's reigned in my inclination to bookmark everything from YouTube videos, to political commentary, to the odd reference site.

Tagging in general is something that I embraced slowly. When I first started using Flickr in December 2005, I was like, "Tags? Bah! That stuff is for kids". But as I began to upload more and more photos (eventually upgrading to a Pro account), I was like, "Well, golly, these tags are the bee's knees!". I even spent the goodly portion of one afternoon going back through a lot of old photos and updating the tags. Another tag issue that garnered my attention was proper names. At first, I just tagged photos with the first names of the people in pictures. But as I started to tag more and more photos containing more and more people with the same first name, I was like, "Well, shucks, looks like I should've been a-taggin' people with both first and last names". So, again, I spent another afternoon re-tagging all of my friends. That said, I have not embraced labels in this here blog--and I probably never will.

With regard to some of the sites linked to in the Thing 11 instructions, I have to admit to being disappointed. It seems that all of the libraries that were using Delicious when this Thing was first created are no longer using Delicious. And that really is a shame. "Why would you say that, Phil?", you say. Well, it's because I think Delicious is a much better approach to bookmarking reference websites and such than the current method. That's my opinion, of course. But I'm convinced. So there.

Thing 10 - Setting Up a Wiki

It's been quite interesting to see how people have used the wiki platform in various contexts since the software started to garner serious attention around the turn of the millennium. I've seen contexts in which wikis worked really well and contexts in which they've failed miserably.

First, let's consider the tasks required by this Thing. The readings and examples of wikis in action were interesting, but what struck me most was the optimism with which some libraries embraced wikis prior to the advent of content management systems (CMS). Prior to CMS like Drupal and Joomla, wikis actually provided a straight-forward, relatively user-friendly way to create web content. Some libraries embraced this with gusto (like the St. Joseph County Public Library subject guides mentioned in the Thing 10 instructions). In an MCPL context, this sort of approach could result in our librarians creating subject guides, book maps, and pathfinders on a broad range of topics, and the plus is that it's all be possible without the need for additional Dreamweaver licenses and training in HTML, etc.

With regard to the MCPL wiki, which we were asked to edit, I found the actual process of working with and editing a wiki to be quite simple--that is it's fairly easy once you find the help page that explains the commands. It's also fun to see how creative my co-workers are. The tale of Bilbo Dreamweaver is awesome, and I liked hearing about my co-workers cats. And using the page history to see who added what and/or made revisions is a great example of the real potential of wikis.

Which brings me to my main point: wikis, when you get down to the nitty-gritty, seem suited to a very specific purpose. Yes, they've been used in all sorts of ways, but the online encyclopedia entry seems to be the best application. This is attested to by the popularity of the Wikipedia and other topic-specific online encyclopedias, like the Lostpedia. At one point, MCPL gave wiki software a shot, but it never caught on. Two thoughts there: 1) I really think that given our in-house access to the Office suite and networked drives, the potential for commenting and tracking changes within programs like Word is a much more viable alternative, and 2) our switch from a static web-editing platform to the Drupal CMS allows us to take advantage of certain wiki-like features (like a revision history). I also think staff were turned off to the MCPL wiki because they were asked to use it for tasks and discussions for which it was never really intended. This--coupled with the learning curve involved in mastering the editing commands--led to the development of staff resistance to the wiki use (at least, that's my take on it).

All of which makes me ponder again the goal of 23 Things: to familiarize staff with different technologies and interfaces so that everyone has a better understanding of which online tools are best suited to which jobs. I think one potential application of the wiki at the community level has already been addressed by the Bloomingpedia. Of course, I may be wrong. Time will tell.

Thing 9 - Collaboration Tools

I don't think I'd laughed out loud doing any of the previous Things, but reading through the revised Declaration of Independence was a gut-busting laugh fest. Wow! Of course, the point of collaboration tools is not comedy, but some of my colleagues definitely ran with this one. I especially enjoyed the Lovecraftian overtones and the multiple nods to Yog-Sothoth. Good stuff.

Regardless, I can see the appeal of these tools, and can also see a lot of applicability. In general, these types of tools are great because they're free, easy-to-use, and compatible with basic features of the Microsoft Office suite, i.e. text, paragraph, and image formatting. They're also handy in that a person can access their documents anywhere in the world as long as they have an Interwebs connection.

That said, my one reservation about these types of tools is privacy. Once you start putting documents and spreadsheets and the like on the Interwebs, then your control and ownership of said files is greatly diminished. A few days ago, a pal forwarded me a link to an interesting article on this very topic. That article is mainly geared toward people concerned about the amount of personal data Google is accumulating--especially in the cases of those who use multiple Google products like Gmail, Blogger, Calendar, Picasa, and Docs! These are real concerns of mine, and if there were to be any reason to choose Zoho Writer over Google Docs, it'd be out of concern for such issues.

However, if I didn't really care about all that, then I'd probably choose Google Docs--especially given my fondness for Gmail. I mean, really, how complicated do things really need to be?

All in all, this was an ideal Thing, and it was probably the first I was actually able to wrap up in a single hour.

Thing 8 - Sharing Your Creations

I took time to explore all of the programs highlighted in this Thing. First up was sharing slide shows online. The two programs mentioned were Zoho Show and Slideshare. To get a better grasp of the strengths (and weaknesses) of these products, I did a little digging around on the Intertubes and dug up a somewhat dated but, nonetheless, interesting article comparing the two. Good points to keep in mind:

• Zoho Writer is geared more toward people who are looking to create presentations online--as opposed to uploading an existing presentation. In addition, Zoho Writer allows you to edit a presentation once it's been uploaded.


• Slideshare does not allow you to create your slideshow online, nor does it allow you to edit a slideshow once it's been uploaded. However, Slideshare seems to do a much better job of converting an existing PowerPoint presentation to a web-based format than Zoho Show.

Having zeroed in on the above--and after poking around a little--I've come to the conclusion that if you want to create something online, then you want to go with Zoho Show. But if you want to upload an existing PowerPoint presentation, then you want to go with Slideshare. I gave it a shot with a 2MB presentation I created for a library program (the maximum allowable file size is 100MB) and had good results--though it did take a good 30+ minutes to upload. All in all, this would be an ideal way to share a presentation with colleagues after a talk at a conference or following a program.

Next up was the fun stuff: sharing photos in formats with a little pizazz--not that I'll ever give up on my beloved Flickr. For this Thing, I decided to explore Picture Trail and Big Huge Labs. The most obvious application of these tools our public website. In fact, the Children's Department created a Flick using Picture Trail to highlight the recent renovations in that department. And such slide shows need not stop with shots of staff and empty rooms. Indeed, our photography policy states that staff can take pictures of event attendees and post said pictures to the Intertubes.

However, I chose not to focus on the library. Instead, I present to you some excellent photographs of the one and only Fliffity Fluffers!:

Working with the tool was fairly easy, and I had a lot of fun messing around with the options...though, in the end, I opted for something fairly plain. Next up was Big Huge Labs, and, I gotta admit, I'm a sucker for the Motivator and the Magazine Cover generators. But before I dove in and created the image you see below, I took some time to explore the other options. And, boy howdy, there's some interesting stuff. You can create a calendar with your own photos, make photo mosaics similar to those in Picture Trail, stylize image headers for Wordpress blogs, or put together mock magazine covers. They even have a list of recommended digital cameras that's updated weekly, the times for sunset and sunrise for numerous locations around the globe, and a couple tools for managing Flickr sets. Really cool. Regardless, here's my magazine cover:



All in all, I found this to be a rather enjoyable Thing. Working with images is always fun, and this Thing allows for a lot of creativity. I suppose the one drawback is that a person can get carried away and spend an inordinate amount of time tweaking projects. But the payback is just too great. Good times.