After nearly two years of not blogging, Learning 2.1 has arrived!

It was interesting to watch "The 25 basic styles of blogging" video because it showed so many different reasons people have for choosing to blog - things I would never have thought of.

Choosing a new look for the blog was fun! It was like redecorating. I had no idea one could control so many details. Not only could one choose a template, but I loved being able to change the colour of different parts of the blog separately, likewise the font.

I chose to share my profile - took the plunge - but didn't want to provide my name yet.

I'm looking forward to what's ahead in Learning 2.1.

Social networking and libraries

Social networking on sites such as MySpace and Facebook was something that I was very aware of, although I've never actually set up a profile. However, I was interested to see the map from LeMonde which showed which social networking sites were most used in different parts of the world. Also, I'd never realised how many of these sites there are.

I can see that setting up a library profile would be a good way of attracting youth and young adults, but I doubt it would attract many people over 35. It is a new approach to marketing for libraries which I think has a useful place, especially in reaching those who don't see themselves as "bookish"! Having not actually joined a social networking site, I don't know how time consuming this would be, but I imagine that would just depend on whoever was responsible for maintaining the library's presence.

Second Life looks like an interesting phenomenon, but I couldn't really explore it because council blocks sites they consider to be games from staff computers.

As for the client interaction element of social networking sites, if a library were to engage in this, it could become very time consuming. It would need to be seen as a very definite priority for the amount of staff time it would require.

Google Docs and the like ...

Google Docs reminded me of wikis, where multiple users can contribute to and change the content of a document. I found using this application reasonably straightforward because it had the main features of Microsoft Word, with which I am familiar. I think most people approaching this site for the first time would be familiar with Microsoft Office software, and so would find using this site pretty intuitive.

I chose to create this particular document because it was a programme which involved a number of people, across several branch libraries, whose input I needed in order to finalise arrangements. I needed to know if some of the people indicated (those with a question mark after their name) whether they were definitely able to take part. I also needed them to get back to me with the theme they had chosen for their session so that this could be included on publicity flyers. In the past this has all been communicated over the phone or by email, but using Google Docs would be another way of doing this.

Another use of this application could be the creation of homework help webpages. At the moment any given topic is assigned to one person to research, but this type of software would make sharing ideas and editing other people's work possible until a decision was made on format and content was completed.

Library calendar mashup

Here is a calendar page of Hornsby Shire Library's wonderful Christmas pantomime last year!

Podcasts

I was unable to view podcasts on my own computer as I didn't have the necessary software. However, I explored what I could on a colleague's computer.

Looking down the list of podcasts on the Library Success wiki, I discovered Boulder Public Library's Teen Webcasts. I think it was an excellent idea to give teenagers the chance to talk about their experience of the library through the library's website. Given that many teens don't naturally gravitate towards libraries, this is a great way of encouraging them to see that libraries can be fun! For those teens who do love libraries, it is a way they can see what other young people with a love of books like to read, or what they have discovered in the library.

"Slamming the boards"

I think some of our customers would love being able to rate answers given to online questions they ask of us. Also, they would love to see the sorts of questions other people have asked, and the sorts of answers they have received. Moreover, this would build public confidence in the ability of library staff to find answers, or sources for answering these questions, to obscure and unusual questions.

I loved the way the Answer Board Librarians wiki linked the American public to their local library website by selecting region, then state, and then local area. It would be great to have something like this in Australia, so that people who wouldn't normally visit a public library can search for their local library and its services online from home.

My Library Thing library