Using Flickr in a Library Setting

Did you discover some innovative ways libraries can incorporate Flickr to improve library services?

I saw that some libraries post images of their past exhibits on their site using Flickr. Since we have images of many of our past exhibits, we might wish to do this.

Will you use Flickr to share your personal photographs?

My family shares lots of baby photographs via this method. I may do so in the future.

Favorite Photo on Flickr

My favorite photo is available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/2179131683/

It is a 1944 image of home canned food from the Library of Congress. This reminds me of one of the ways in which the people in the United States supported the war effort.

More about Using Social Bookmarking

• So, what is your impression about social bookmarking?

As we progress through this class, there is always another new website and account information of which to keep track. I had bookmarked the sites on my own pc, but could not access them at the reference desk. Using the social bookmarking services, it will be possible to work on the activities from any computer without the necessity of memorizing an ever increasing list of websites.

• Do you think you will continue to use traditional browser bookmarks or make the switch?

I will probably use both. However, it will be quite handy to be able to access my bookmarks from any computer with internet access.

• Describe how you would incorporate this tool in your personal or professional life.

I would use this tool to make working on the reference desk and at the circulation desk more productive. I will no longer need to depend on my memory, but be able to have a wide range of authoratative and/or useful web sources at my fingertips.

Using Social Bookmarking in a Library Setting

• Search for those tags on Delicious. Did you discover a site that interests you?

I found the following sites on Delicious which were of personal and professional interest. It occurred to me that one could use this search to find more relevant websites. It would be more focused that Google because someone has already selected it as interesting or important for them.

-U.S. GenWeb Arkansas Archives: http://usgwarchives.org/ar/arfiles.htm

-University of Michigan Documents Center: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/

-Judaism 101: http://www.jewfaq.org/index.htm

Using RSS Feeds in a Library Setting

I am so excited about learning about RSS feeds! The Government Printing Office is utlizing this technology to keep up with the depository community, so I am sure that it will be beneficial to become more proficient in its usage.



Our questions for this week:

• How can libraries utilize RSS feeds to improve library services?

Subscribing to RSS feeds from content providers connects the library faculty and staff to library vendors and other agencies. The staff will be apprised of new information on their websites. Providing an RSS feed on this library's website would encourage faculty, staff and students to look at the site when items are updated and probably bring them to the site more often.

• How would implementing RSS feeds on your personal site improve communication with your readers?

When the information is pushed to your readers, they are more likely to keep up with the blog and post comments. I am glad we are taking the time to learn these technologies.

Using Blogs in a Library Setting

I think blogs could be used to publicize new government documents, new displays, new books, upcoming events and celebrations, and other information. I wonder if a blog would be more effective than sending out an e-mail in some cases? Perhaps both methods would prove fruitful.

Week of September 1

It has already been a busy week! The remnants of Hurricane Gustav has caused flooding, wind damage and school closings in the area.

This post is the beginning of an employee training session on using Web 2.0 capabilities.