Podcasts

Another Thing, and I'm pleased to say it's another one I'm familiar with.

I've been downloading podcasts on iTunes for a while, and have a noticed a trend towards Radio 4, which is a bit disturbing. I must be getting older.

I attended a session on how to make a podcast in December. It seemed pretty easy, and we're considering how we can use them to promote the library. The most likely way will be to improve database tutorials etc.

Being a bit more, errr, enthusiastic (deluded?), I came up with an idea of producing a 60 second rundown of hot topics each day. Or maybe What's New in 2 minutes every week. A kind of round up of big journal articles or new resources. Which I still think is a good idea, but it's a commitment - you'd really need to keep it going to get people subscribing.

I think it's also important to bear in mind that you'd have to produce something that isn't shonky. For it to be successful it would need good content, and be professionally made (or at least sound it). This kind of resource would be competing for people's time with all the other podcasts that are available, so there better be a USP. If we do produce a library podcast it's going to need a fair bit of planning.

I like podcasts.

Social Bookmarking

Social Bookmarking sounds like it should be the punchline to a really bad library joke.

But it's not, and I'm a fan. I use Delicious a lot, and have the toolbar installed on all the computers I use. Web access to it means I can get to my links whatever computer I'm at, which is also great.

Looking at Delicious for 23 things has made me realise that although I use it, I don't use it in the most efficient way. I tend to just look at my most visited or recent views to find my bookmarks. Going back and looking at thse tags has made me have a think - I really should organise my links, there were one's on there I'd forgotten about!

Also, adding tags will make them more useful to other people searching Delicious.

Out of the web2.0 stuff we've looked at I think this is one of the best. Professionally, it means I never forget a link in a training session, and personally as it means I can access my favourite sites wherever I am.

Searching other people's favourite sites is pretty interesting too, and it fits in with my vague notion of Web 2.0 being about user generated content.

Delicious and social bookmarking gets a thumbs up from me.

Images, Flickr, and Picnik.

You may have noticed a bit of a gap since my previous post. Let's carry on as if nothing happened eh?

So, Flickr. I thought it was OK. I guess I'm used to Picasa, which I use already, so I'm not really that bothered with Flickr. It was easy enough to use, and I've posted a few photos, but I probably won't use it again.

Picnik is ace though. I'd used it a while ago, but hadn't bothered for a few months. However, the ability to edit photos and save them to my Picasa account is great, and something I'll definitely make use of in the future.

Anyway, the image at the top is one I edited with Picnik. It's a bit sombre, but then I killed this bike so I think it suits my memories of it.

Week 4, Photos

I'm a bit behind with my things, so Week 4 is likely to run into Week 5.

I don't want to disapoint you dear reader, so here's a link to my Picasa web pages.

PHOTOS

I'll transfer some photos to my new Flickr account as per 23 Things instructions.

And I know it's becoming a bit of a theme with this blog, but stay tuned for more progress.

RSS feeds

Well, here's my Google Reader page:

I've signed up to some fellow 23 Thing-ers blogs, a couple of non-work blogs (a podcast and a bike blog)in a fun folder, and some work related blogs.

I follow a few blogs but have never really bothered with using RSS feeds. I've got a fairly systematic way of browsing the net (librarian in doing things a certain way shocker) so tend to have a set routine of checking them. I also have email alerts and follow blogs on Twitter.

So personally I'm a bit ambivalent about RSS feeds. i can see their usefulness but they’re not for me. However, Google reader is pretty simple to set up and use, and I would definitely recommend it to my users, many of whom don’t have access to their own PC or such regular work patterns (and PC useage).

Blogging on the bus

This might have been a bit too ambitious, however checking up on the blogs I'm following has meant this journey is going quicker than usual!


23 Things update when I get home, promise.

A quick update

Just a quick update.

I've had a look at some of the other 23 things blogs, and have decided to get stuck in to the important bit.

Which obviuosly is how my blog looks.
The pink is staying, and I've added a Jackson pollock gadget, so that avid readers can create works of art whilst staying up to date with my progress.

And speaking of progress, better get the next Things done. Stay tuned.