Thing #19: Discovering Web 2.0 Tools

Via seomoz.org I discovered the yourminis site. Yourminis offers a bunch of widgets that people can add to their websites. I used it to add an "O! What a Geek Deadline" countdown widget to the side of my blog.

UPDATE December 2, 2008: I replaced the countdown to the old deadline with a countdown to the new deadline.

Thing #18: Web-based Apps

This posting was created using the Google Docs word processing program. That program is remarkably similar to Microsoft Word, at least in its basic features. Likewise for the Google Docs spreadsheet program and Microsoft Excel. The spreadsheet program was running a little slow when I was looking at it, with multi-second pauses whenever I tried to change anything, but it did a really good job of uploading an existing Microsoft Excel file. Every computer that I use at work and at home has Microsoft Word and Excel installed on it, so I don't think I'll have much use for Google Docs. But I can see the use for the people who are on the run a lot and/or people who do not own their own computer and have to use public computers.

Thing #17: PBwiki

I have added my blog to the plcmclearning Favorite Blogs page. It was easy enough to log in to the wiki and add the URL for my humble blog. I used to have a PBwiki account (I no longer remember why I signed up for it) but my username and password are no longer valid, so I just used the plcmc login. I declined to add a few of my favorite things to the wiki.

Thing #16: Wikis

After looking at some of the library-related wikis I can see that wikis are a useful tool for libraries. The question is when to use them. If a library system is comfortable with the idea of letting all of its staff or even any member of the public to edit content then a wiki would be an easy way of making information available. On the other hand, if the ability to edit a wiki is going to be limited to select staff members then a wiki is not necessarily an easier format than some of the alternatives. A lot of the information found in OPL's SamePage could be done in wiki format, but if the only staff members who were allowed to edit that wiki were the same ones who are currently allowed to edit content in SamePage there would be no point in using a wiki instead. But I can see the usefulness of something like the BookLoversWiki, especially if everybody on the staff, and everybody in the general public, is allowed to add their own book reviews. It's a question of trust. Goodness knows Wikipedia works much better than I ever would have expected it to.

Thing #15: Library 2.0

I have a confession to make: I really, really hate readig or listening to discussions about Library 2.0. They so often have a smug, hysterical "This is the soul of civilization that we're fighting for here!" quality that drives me right up the wall. I like some Web 2.0 applications (blogs, delicious) and am indifferent to others (LibraryThing, Technorati). I think that, on balance, the Web and Web 2.0 technologies have allowed me to become a better informed person than I otherwise would have been, but I also think that sitting in front of a computer screen reading stuff does eventually reach a point of diminishing returns. The whole idea of people spending vast amounts of their time communicating with each other online often sounds very narcissistic and unappealing to me - until I remember that I like to spend a portion of my time reading those communications and benefit as a result. Librarians should have at least a passing familiarity with Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 tools, and libraries should adopt at least some of those tools, but no one should expect a golden age to dawn or a dark age to descend.

Thing #14: Technorati

I still don't find Technorati very interesting, although I can see how the Popular feature might come in handy when trying to satisfy one's curiosity about what is popular in the blogosphere. It is interesting to see that Boing Boing is the most popular blog in the world since after looking at the blog I have absolutely no idea why it is so popular. Not my cup of tea.

Anyway, here is my Technorati tag: PLCMCL2