Thing #4: Flickr

Activity: I created an account in Flickr and uploaded pics from the Roselle Public Library's Staff Appreciation Day.

Uses for personal photos:

• share photos with friends and family
• make photo-books, photo calendars, photo postage stamps, holiday cards, etc.
• print photos

Uses I noticed other library's using Flickr for:

• public libraries sharing photos from the library with their communities
• sharing photos from Illinois Library Day
• school libraries sharing photos
• RPL sharing photos of the Rose Parade 2007 (Where do I sign up to be a Cartwheeler this summer?)
  

Presence on Flickr:

I think that sharing photos with the community is a wonderful idea, however, I feel that some parents may have an issue with having their child's photo posted without giving permission. I think that putting photos on our library website is different than putting them on a photo sharing website like Flickr. I suppose the way around that issue might be to either have parents sign a form giving permission to post their child's photo or make photos "private" so that only people invited to see the photos can view them.

Thing #3: Social Networks

Positives about Facebook:

• easy to connect with friends
• lots of fun widgets to play around with
• ability to include photos and videos on profile
• added "Pages" for businesses - businesses used to create a "group" but now members can easily distinguish between a business and a group

Negatives about Facebook:

• ads galore, ugh!
• got a new interface aprox. a year ago... the old one was much nicer (no ads)... Facebook is getting greedy I guess, they want money from the ads
• if you send too many friend requests in a certain amount of time, Facebook warns you to stop requesting to be friends with so many people... Who are they to say u can't be friends with a million people?

Why are social networks so popular? Because they are a fast and easy way to connect. They are informal, creating a relaxed virtual atmosphere.

Theres lots of ways that we might be able to implement features of social networking in the library. If we are present on social networking websites, we are present in the virtual world, reaching out to every patron that is not in the library, but online.

Thing #2: RSS

I like that you only have to check one site (Bloglines, etc.) to get information from various places on the web.

I like that you can "clip" a newsfeed and save it to your clippings folder.

Great service for $0!!!

I already was a subscriber to Bloglines, so I guess that means I already use it in my daily life. :)

Thing #1: Blogs

Experience w/ Blogger: Good... no problems. Blogger has a user-friendly interface.

Since I already subscribe to some of the library blogs listed, I figured I'd let you know about some additional blogs not included on the list that I find helpful:

• Library Link of the Day: provides a daily link for keeping up to date with the library profession. Destinations include the latest library news, good reads on the web, and other valuable resources. http://www.tk421.net/librarylink/
• School Library Journal - Teens News http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/community/Teens/47192.html
• YALSA: the official blog of the Young Adult Library Services Association. http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/

Blogging ideas:

• online teen book club
• online teen reviews of books, movies, music, video games, magazines
• TAB (Teen Advisory Board) blog to throw around ideas about future teen programs
• link blog to Teen Scene webpage on the Roselle Public Library website and update blog with upcoming teen programs and contests

Opinion about blogs: I think blogs are a simple and fast way to communicate with others online. They have great potential for connecting to teen patrons.