Week 8, question 2

Question 2, part of Week 8 for Project Play
I looked up two things. With dogs, I ended up on the same website whether I clicked on title, tags (I tried multiple tags), or saved by. With TV, when I clicked on title and saved by, I got the same website but when I clicked on a tag, I was led to other websites on similar topic.

Am I right, that the number of saved by is for del.icio.us or is it the website I was at -- meaning I clicked on a dogs title from Menasha PL's site and got over 800 people had saved that title -- is that 800+ people saving it from del.icio.us or from visiting the Menasha PL website? Anyone know the answer for sure?

Lesson 8 - a del.icio.us meal from Project Play

Another great lesson from the Project Play team. Teaches new tools and informs users about benefits of social networking. When I first looked at the Seminole Co. Library webpage, I was thinking "wait a minute, there's no organization, the first page just STARTS and there is no explanation of what this is!" Then, I took another look and saw the right-hand column with the tags and realized people will just get the idea of what Seminole PL has created for users (to use and add to) by clicking on the tag. As I clicked further, I saw the difference in the right-hand columns,
Seminole is one long alpha list that you have to scroll through, Menasha uses subjects to organize into subjects/categories; and San Mateo uses Dewey! I liked Menasha's choice best, way to go, Menasha folks!

Thought the Nashvilee Teen Site impressive. Are teens around the globe already using del.icio.us for their own stuff? (Don't tell me if they've been using it for years!!!)

I can see our library considering del.icio.us and tags for book reviews, teen site, genealogy.

Share your favorite nonfiction book(s) of 2007

Hopefully you enjoyed, were intrigued by, or learned something new by a nonfiction book this year and want to share the title and author with a WI library in addition to LibraryThing.

I will put the list - titles and authors fine, book review good too - on our library website. No names necessary. I'll just call it Wisconsin Librarians Favorites in 2007 - or suggest a more catchy caption please.

Week 7 LibraryThing - How can a librarian resist?

How can a librarian resist LibraryThing? It was so easy to add books to MyThing and to write tags- I probably wrote too many per book and tried not too mimic LC subject headings too much. And luckily the phone rang so I stopped at 6 books for now.

a. I wasn't able to successfully get my books posted on this blog - but I've asked for help from Joy.
I tried the link on LibrarThing but it asked me to paste in HTML code.
So, you'll have to come back to check out my 6 books.

b. Strengths of Library Thing - easy to sign up for an account. Would be popular with more folks if they knew about it - think how many prolific readers we have who would love to share their favorites and learn about others. I also could see how useful it would be for nonprofits and other organizations who have small libraries. Our local historical society just created a list of their titles. I wasn't involved in the effort to "catalog" their collection. The volunteers did a lot of work but ended up with only a written list of titles and authors.

Although I haven't tried it yet, writing reviews and ranking titles will make this seem more like Amazon to first-timers. I like starred reviews myself.

b. Weaknesses:
I think they should add an Advanced Search that would let people search for author-title combinations, etc. Will people use this and then move on to Amazon and other book-buying sites or decide just to stick to those?

c. Innocent Traitor by A. Weir Unsuggestor suggested Dune Messiah and many titles I've never read or plan to read!

Week 6 Project Play assignment

I was so excited to add the Flickr photo to my blog I forgot to answer the questions in the assignment about Flickr!

I thought Flickr was easy to set up and easy to find photos. However, bad thing, could get addictive - don't ask how long I spent looking at photos. I thought it was interesting that most people are including tags and they seem effective. In my search of Wisconsin full text and tagsthere was a difference in hits but not by a dramatic number. And imagine my disappointment when the first hit for Oshkosh Public Library was Nebraska's Oshkosh Public Library. But, great news, one of my colleagues took care of that and added great Oshkosh Wisconsin PL photos!



I chose the blog this button icon on Flickr to add the photo to my blog - that was easy. I previously tried the email my photo to Flickr - I'm not sure where that photo ended up - couldn't find it on Flickr and checking my Flickr account showed no photos. I'll have to try again.
This sharing of photos and groups really highlights the success and value of social networking.
I thought Flickr Help was good. I just don't know enough about photos - I don't have a digital camera and don't work with photos (yet) on our library website.

Look Bella, I think it's Santa!

Look Bella, I think it's Santa!
Originally uploaded by hugsRgood

Just in time for the holidays I find this terrific photo on Flickr, a public photo. My dog, Lexie, looks just like the Sheltie on the left. I have antlers for the holidays - maybe I'll have to expand her wardrobe to a hat this year!

Anyone else have a Sheltie or know someone with one?

One cute breed and so sweet.

Have a photo for me to post of a Sheltie

Favorite Books in 2007

Recent NF book I enjoyed in 2007:

How Starbucks Saved My Life. Michael Gates Gill came from a privileged background and had a successful job - lost his job and was divorced - a coincidental visit to a Starbucks when the co. was hiring led to Gill becoming a barista - he started at the bottom - cleaning bathrooms and the store windows - I'm skeptical about how triumphant he feels in scrubbing toilets and later making change at the register - but I remained interested - not a coffee drinker, I enjoyed learning about what working at Starbucks is like and the company ethic -- yes, Gill's life was saved and he even has a movie deal, with Tom Hanks picked as the lead. Is he still at Starbucks?

What are some of your favorites - what you'd recommend to a friend?

Project Players - What Ideas Did You Come Up with for Feedback

Feedback thingies: I could create a survey to find out where people hear or read about nonfiction books they want to read; I could do a survey to ask the same question; I could do a survey to ask what were their favorite nonfiction books they read or listened to in 2007; I could ask for their opinions of books reviews I write for our Staff Picks library page on our website.

What would you like to learn: More about successful ways to get people to know about their chance to give comments on library websites and blogs.

What barriers: Best way to create an alert so I know I have comments to blog and survey.
Do people get tired of surveys?

Project Players: If you have tried out thingies to do what I've listed or can suggest ideas for ways to get the public to know about library blogs -----please share!