Please don't kill Delicious. I love it too much! And, other people will to if you give me time.

Dear Ms. Bartz,

I love Delicious! I found out today (http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/rip_delicious_you_were_so_beautiful_to_me.php#more) that there are plans to kill Delicious. Please don't do this.

I'll try harder to win over potential Delicious users. I tell people about Delicious every chance I get. And, when I do, they think it is great. I know I could do better job promoting it...so please don't kill Delicious just yet. Please give me more time to win people over.

As a librarian, Delicious is the best tool ever. There are many librarians that use it for educational and promotional purposes. David Rothman is just one example. Even the Medical Library Association Public Health/Health Administration section uses it: http://www.delicious.com/ph_ha.

Thank you for considering this request. I look forward to hearing about Yahoo!'s plans to reassess the potential of Delicious.

With best regards,
Andrea
 

Andrea Lynch
andlynch@yahoo.com
Delicious: http://www.delicious.com/andlynch

Twitter: andlynch
Skype: andlynch

Combo stuff: a couple of mashups and a little mention about privacy

So...I'm learning about mashups. Mashups are a combination of things. One mashup tool I like is called Twitsay. It is a way to communicate (a very short message...10 seconds) with your friends and family using a recording of your voice. I love it!

Oh...and another thing, I was searching Rollyo (another mashup; using "librarianblog" batch of blogs) and found something about Google's privacy policy, or lack of it, really. This posting was back in 2007 so now I have to check to see if it changed. I hope it did. I'll let you know.

Another communication tool: YouTube and other online video tools

Our users -- students, faculty, staff, and the general public -- are using YouTube. Why aren't we using this tool to share our videos? We could create a channel just for our library...just for our MLA chapter...just for MLA. We could also tie into what our institutions are doing, like UC Berkeley (http://youtube.com/user/ucberkeley).

We have library events. Why not capture them for promoting the library as a destination on the campuse or in the community as contributing to social capital.

Just another communication outlet: Using flickr to share photos with your users

Do you take pictures of your library and/or library staff? Do you take pictures of your library's events? Well, how do you share them with your users or potential users?

I say consider using flickr (flickr.com)! flickr is an online photo sharing application that allows you to upload your pics and add descriptions and tags/keywords. You can set the access level to your liking. flickr also interfaces with Facebook and I'm sure can work with other Web 2.0 tools you are using.

It is just another tool that can connect your users with your library and the work that you do. We know that pictures speak louder than words...kinda. Think of it as another way to promote resources, services, and your staff with your users...by going where they are!

Look at me...using Web-based applications

Have you tried Google Documents or any other Web-based application tool? If not, I would definitely recommend it.

I've used Google Documents (the word processing and spreadsheet tools) with my colleagues and faculty. It is a great way to share a document or spreadsheet and work on it together during meetings and the times in between, instead of emailing various version back and forth. Oh...and it has a feature to revert back to a particular version...all with a click of a button!

I do think it is the future of software applications. Why should you pay for something if there is a free version that does most of the same features and functionality.

Next steps...I need to look at ZoHo and compare it to Google Documents.

Tools for keeping track: Social bookmarking

Social bookmarking is a great tool for keeping track...keeping track of the Web pages that you visit again and again. It can also be another way to suggest pages for others -- your users, your colleagues, your friends, and people who you haven't meet yet but have gotten to know you through your virtual presence (from your blogs, wikis, del.icio.us, flickr, etc.).

It is an easy way to access your favorite Web pages from any computer and/or mobile device, especially when people have a variety of computers they use to do their work (either professional or personal).

It is also a tool that your users, from faculty and researchers to students and the general public, can use to keep track of their own favorite research tools and resources. It can also be another way of promoting resources for your users. Just create your own set of bookmarks for your various population groups and add them to your email signature file, handouts, and Web pages geared to the respective groups.

social networking tools

• How can social networking be used by MLA to connect members?
•  I think this type of Web 2.0 tools can be a way that MLA members can get to know each another and connect with others between MLA meetings. MLA could, instead of setting up separate email lists for the various webcasts, set up groups based on the webcast topics. That way people could be part of the discussion even though they did not watch the webcast.
• Should your library have a Facebook or MySpace page?
• Yes, I think we should have both as well as other profiles on nursing- and medicine-specific social networking sites. Because that is where some of our users are.
• Are there privacy concerns for individuals when using social networking sites?
• Well, I think it depends. It depends on what information one has included about themselves on their profile. Also, I remember hearing something about private profiles becoming public after a period of inactivity. I only put information on my profile that I am want to share with others.

Blogs vs. Wikis

You may ask "What is the difference between blogs and wikis?" Well, I would say that a blog is used for one-way communication...from one person or a group to many readers. Now, comments can allowed but the author(s) have the say in that and can moderate them. A wiki is collaborative, providing the opportunity for all members of the wiki or the public to add content, edit, and remove content.

So, things that are more suited for blogs are news items...basically things that are up for discussion really. As for wikis, frequently asked questions and resource guides are some of the sort of things that are better suited for a wiki...'cause you want other people to help you with.

thoughts about RSS

How do you think you could use RSS feeds at your library? How do you think patrons could use RSS feeds?
I use RSS feeds to keep up with different news, such as in the areas of technology, library, and health. That way I can use this current information to prepare for reference desk questions as well as to make class activities relevant.

My patrons can use RSS feeds in a similar way...to keep current on a particular research area or topic area.

Using my iGoogle page, that acts like a RSS reader, facilitates the process of perusing various news and database sources all at once.

quality, accuracy, currency, and authority -- things to look for when evaluating online health information

when searching for health information on the internet...

it is crucial to evaluate for quality, accuracy, currency, and authority. need help? try the below online tutorial (approx. 16 minutes).

Evaluating Internet Health Information -- brought to you by the National Library of Medicine

first interview

i interviewed for my first librarian position yesterday. the presentation on camtasia went over well. the part of the interview i don't feel so good about is the search committee session. the search committee asked questions that i had not thought about or prepared for. here are some that i remember:

1. if you had to criticize management at your current place of employment, what would you say about it?
2. give an example of how you went above and beyond the call of duty.
3. how do you handle pressure and describe some of the techniques you use?
4. how much structure, direction, and feedback do you need to handle projects?
5. describe some benefits and disadvantages of working as a member of a team.
6. how would you describe your outlook on life? are you a pessimist, optimist, realistic, or other?