Method 12

After all this learning about Web 2.0 and all its various parts, I have somewhat of a better idea and understanding of what it is, but I'm still a little grainy in grasping it all. In a final reflection of it all, I don't see myself as being a web 2.0 follower or doer too much personally, although there may be times when one or more of the web 2.0 processes can be used in the library to effectively bring in more interest in some library event or service. Web 2.0 processes are not passive. They must be kept up to date by those start them. A Twitter, MySpace, Flicker page, etc., needs to be kept fresh to be relevant. Several of the examples that I looked at during this web 2.0 journey have not always been so.



I did not use Instant Messaging before, but make use of it now. I can see the value of a well organized, kept up to date, wiki. Maybe someday I will make one that describes the materials and services we have in the Genealogy and Special Collections Department. I have come to like using Zoho writer better than Google Docs. The RSS feeds have brought in some interesting blogs to read, but I usually forget that they are there. Del.icio.us I had made use of before this course, but did not know that I was using a web 2.0 process. It is a very useful service because there are so many web site that one comes across but doesn't want to take the time to bookmark them permanently. Del.icio.us can allow one to mark web sites in a temporary way, and then go back to take another look at them to decide if they are worth bookmarking permanently, discarding, or just keeping in a del.icio.us list. Some day, I may try to use Flickr or Picassa to put photographs on, mainly as a place to keep backup copies of photos that I have taken and don't want to lose. But I have yet to do so.



Overall, I am glad that I went through the course. I have a better understanding about some aspects of Web 2.0, am still confused about some things, and finally in some areas I am still confused but have a better understanding of what I am confused about.



Thank you for putting this course together. I, and I'm sure many others, are glad that you did. Thanks!



Rob Groman

Amarillo Public Library

Amarillo, TX

Method 11

After several tries at searching some of the podcast directories for different subjects of interest in order to get an idea of how to find podcasts and to learn what was out there, for lack of a better idea I put in the word "books" into one of the directories to see what would come up. I figured that there would have to be quite a lot of podcasts in this area. Several things came up that looked interesting, but I decided to listen to a podcast called "How the Rare Book Business is an Online Treasure Hunt". I don't have a great personal interests in rare books (other than a wish to learn that I have in my own collection of books, 3 or 4 books worth several thousand dollars each), but our library has quite a few very rare books. So I thought it might be interesting to listen to. It didn't really relate to the type of books that our library has, but it was interesting to listen to anyway, and I learned a few things. I tried a few other podcasts, including several from the list of library related podcasts, but I think I have determined that I am not a podcast type person.