Wikipedia Article: Mashup (web application hybrid)

I visited the Chicago Crime map mashup. This site allows the public to view reported crimes throughout the city of Chicago. Viewers can search by type of crime, area, and the given time frames. For instance, I was able to search how many robberies were reported in the past 30 I also liked the Travature site. This site allowed me to search the details of every single flight departing from Minneapolis and arriving in Dallas on my specified dates. My results listed the air carrier, departure/arrival times, connections (if any) and most importantly the price. I'm sure that this is a site I'll use again. I'm not sure if the Travature site allowed me to purchase my ticket online though. That may be worth researching.

Pientroniro and Fitchter Article: Map Mashups and the Rise of Amateur Cartographers and Mapmakers

I must admit I did not know what map mashups were until I saw the push-pin map example in the article. I remember seeing a map mashup example on my cousin's MySpace page. Each push pin on the map represented the geographical location of one of his MySpace friends. When I hovered over a push pin a photo and other profile information would pop up. I also remember that it was pretty simple to add my information to the map. All I had to do was type in my address, type my name, and add a photo (which was optional) and immediately a push pin was created for my location.
Is there a future for map mashups in libraries? I pondered this question as I read the article and I believe the answer is yes. I imagine that map mashups can serve as directories in libraries. Very similar to phonebooks and directory databases, map mashups have the capability to provide location and description information at the same time. For instance, if a library customer wanted the phone numbers, addresses, and photographs of all the White Castle restaurants in the Twin Cities a map mashup could locate and list that information. Why someone would want to do that, I don't know but it could happen.

Czarnecki and Gullett Article: Meet the New You

I think using virtual environments like TSL is an effective way to engage young adults not just in libraries but as discussed in the article the classroom as well. It's nice to know new and innovative ways of teaching and learning are developing as a result of technologies like the ones talked about in the article. I'm interested in knowing if the MUVEs are successfully competing with the traditional "dragon-slaying" MMORPGs.
I think the case studies presented in this article reiterates how important it is to meet users where they are at. The librarians and educators in these examples were able to use virtual worlds as an effective teaching tool because their students/users were already familiar with virtual online role-playing games.

Abram Article: At Second Life...

Reading this article made me feel like my library is hundreds of years behind in the realm of technology. We just recently created a MySpace and Facebook page. We are no where near entering the virtual world of libraries and library services. At the same time I guess it's okay because our library users have not yet verbalized a want or need for this type of service.
The virtual world of libraries is a concept that is still very new to me. However, I am familiar with creating avatars (please view my blog avatar). I created an avatar of myself via Yahoo and I found this virtual experience really enjoyable! My favorite part was choosing different outfits and hair styles. I spent a great amount of time creating this virtual representation of myself because I really wanted in to reflect me and most importantly I want others to see that reflection.

Ojeda-Zapata Article: Tuning in to Regional Podcasts-Innovators Turn to the Internet to Offer Radio-Style Programming

It is nice to know that so many people are utilizing new technologies like podcasting to share their voice and in some cases their hobbies. I stopped listening to to the local radio stations a long time ago because I heard more commercials than music or programming. This article convinced me to start looking for other options of local broadcasting.
I may decidet to start my own podcast. The "Vinyl Podcast" sounds too go to be true. I would love to go through my mom's old record collection and build my own old school juke box via podcast. That would be nice!

Podcasting:Wikipedia Article

It was interesting to read the Precursor portion of the Wikipedia article. It amazes me how such groundbreaking technologies like podcasting has been around for years. As the article mentions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_podcasting) technologies very similar to what we now call podcasting existed before the World Wide Web, some as early as the 1980s.
I find the evolution of technology scary and exciting at the same time because with the rapid advancement of technology it is difficult to fathom what will happen next. Just as Radio Computing Services and Mbone were precursors to podcasting, podcasting will soon be the precursor to something else.

Asychronous Session 2

Recommended Podcast-
One of my favorite cable channels is CNN. CNN.com is also one of my favorite websites. CNN provides a number of podcasts via their website (over 20) and each one covers different types of news. The two that I listen/watch the most is America Votes 2008 and CNN Daily. The CNN Daily keeps me up to date on general news and headlines. I also enjoy the America Votes 2008 podcast because it allows me to listen to speeches from the candidates and keep up on the latest primary results. I like these podcasts because they are usually updated by the hour.
Good subject matter for library podcasts-
It think offering podcasts of popular and favorite picture books for children could serve as an effective library podcast. The podcast could include a picture of the book cover along with book's title and a short summary of what the book is about. Listeners could subscribe (and download) the podcast of their choice and listen along as the author reads. Picture books usually have a very small amount of print so each podcasts wouldn't be too long. This may also serve as another way for children to enjoy reading and books.
Bad Subject Matter for library podcasts-
I think any information that a library already has on its website is unnecessary for a podcast. For instance, hours and location information or announcements of events and programs delivered via podcast is not needed if it is already on the library's website. More than likely if a library has a podcast it will be connected to the website and posting the same information twice is a bit redundant.

Stephens Article: Social Networking Services

I used to be one of those adults who thought social network systems like Facebook and MySpace were only used by teenagers until I found out different. I was visiting my hometown one summer and I caught up with a couple of my high school classmates. Of course I was curious to know the updates on all my other classmates that I had lost contact with over the years. Well, my two classmates that I was visiting that day recommended that I get a MySpace page. They informed me that this was the best way to reconnect with all of my high school friends. As soon as I returned to Minnesota I created a MySpace page. It amazed me how many of my high school classmates had a MySpace page. Almost instantly I was reconnected with my high school friends.
In the article, Stephens mentioned "Going where the users are", and I this is the information that I found the most vital for libraries. The new 2.0 tools that librarians choose to utilize will only be effective if it is a tool that library users are already connected to. Creating a Facebook page to communicate to a teen community only works if the teens are avid users of Facebook. The new technologies that are being presented to libraries are great and I think librarians should utilize as many new technologies as possible. However, librarians should first have a complete understanding of library users and what their needs and wants are. Knowing who and where the users are will help libraries utilize more of the technological tools that are introduced in the future.

Boyd Article:Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace .

WOW! Who knew that such interesting group dynamics were happening as a result of social networks like MySpace and Facebook. I had no idea that this type of division was being created amongst teenage users of these sites. I'm interested in knowing what type of results the library that I work at would report amongst our teen users. That may be a study worth taking a look at. What would the results mean? The MySpace users are the "bad" kids and the Facebook users are "good" kids?
I can't say that I'm completely shocked at Boyd's findings. The United States is well-known for its division of the "haves" and the "have-nots". This division is even more prevalent in the area of technology. Has the information gap gotten any smaller?
Where do libraries fit in the scheme of MySpace vs. Facebook? This maybe a good question to try and answer.
On a more personal note, I do have a MySpace and Facebook page. Recently, I've noticed that MySpace has acquired many of the same applications that are available on Facebook. Visually it is also taking on some of the characteristics of Facebook with the use of more white space on the the main page. I wonder if this is a direct result of what Boyd discusses in the article.

Shirky Article: Ontology is Overrated: Categories, Links, and Tags

Yes, yes, and yes again. I agree that ontology is overrated. I am one future librarian in favor of developing a tagging system for online catalogs in public libraries. Why not let the library user tell the catalog what they are looking for instead of the catalog telling the user what they meant to search for? As a library user and a librarian I want to do a subject search for "cooking" and NOT be directed to "cookery".
I believe a tagging tool like del.icio.us could serve as an effective way of creating a more user-friendly online catalog for library customers. As a library worker I've found it very frustrating to search for items using the public catalogs. That same frustration has also been shared with a number of library users. Some library users have given up on the library catalog and they choose to browse the stacks in hopes of finding what they are looking for or they will go to the Internet because they know they can count on the simplicity of Google (one box, YAY!). Google is a good model for libraries to consider. I say this because Google gives the user full control of what they want to search for. The best example of this is the ability for Google users to search with their own vocabulary.
I think it's time for us librarians to admit that were not mind readers or fortune tellers as Shirky mentions in the article. When we try to predict the future it's unfair to us and most of all it's unfair to our library users.
Shirky challenges us to think outside of the shelf and create more possibilities and less constraints.

Poe Article: The Hive

Just recently at work I joined one of our many strategic planning committees. The committee that I joined is responsible for re-evaluating our current competency charts for various positions held in the library (para-professionals, clerks, librarians) and clarify any ambiguity that may exists. We decided to post the current competency charts into a wiki. Everyone who is a part of this committee joined the wiki and at our leisure we are able to enter the wiki, review changes made by others, and we can also make our own editorial changes. In the article, Poe mentions "a loose community of users". I feel that my colleagues and I have created a loose community of users in efforts to get a variety of opinions on how to make our competency charts more practical. The wiki tool that we've chosen to use as served us well. Now instead of having long drawn out meetings about the changes we're suggesting we are simply able to make changes at our convenience.
I can't say that I agree with Poe's suggestion that Wikipedia permits organization and improvement and the Internet does not. I am interested in knowing how he defines "organization" and "improvement". I have a very general knowledge of how Wikipedia works but I would imagine that with it's users ability to edit at their own free will, organization and improvement could be a challenge at times. How is the credibility of each Wikipedia contribution evaluated? Is it always objective? Is it always true?
I believe the Internet and Wikipedia share the same vulnerability in the areas or organization and improvement because each tool is an open source to everyone.

Hello

Hello instructors and fellow classmates. Welcome to my blog. This is my first and only blog and I'm really looking forward to using it as a tool to communicate with you all. This first post will tell you a little bit more about me. I have lived in Minnesota for nearly nine years. I was born in Kansas and that's where the majority of my family lives. I moved to Minnesota in 1999 right after graduating from high school and attended the University of MN. I graduated from the U in 2003 with a degree in Journalism. I started my studies at St. Kates in the Fall of 2005 and if all goes well I'll be finishing the MLIS program this December, YAY! I'm very excited to graduate this year and continue my career in the library and information field. Currently I work for the St Paul Public Library and I've worked there for a little over 3 years. I'm really glad that I took this class this summer and I'm excited to learn more about Library 2.0 tools and how I can utilize them in the work that I do.