Post of the week

Surprise! I've been reading your blogs. I was trying to choose one post to highlight this week as an incredible example of learning in action. As I read, I got tangled up in other things --- cute pictures of babies, cats, dogs, fish (you get the idea), personal mottos and candid statements , and well other really important stuff.

So this week, I want to highlight the post "Thanks to All" at Pond - Ering Life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

L2 Participants blog

I finally got around to starting the L2 Participants blog. I've added around a dozen or so blog names with blog URLs to the blog post and started a rollyo search roll. If you do not see your blog list yet, please do not dispair. I'll work on it again over the weekend.

I am so impressed with your blogs. Please check out what your friends and co-workers are doing! You rock!

Here is the link: http://vbpl-people-learning20thebeach.blogspot.com/

PA Library reports 100%

According to Matt, Princess Anne Library has 100 % participation in Learning 2.0 @ the Beach online learning program. No, it's not a contest. And YES, participation is voluntary.

As an organization ,we are at a tipping point. It would be simply awesome if everyone was enjoying the moment together.

Get out there! Encourage your co-workers to join the fun!

Bloglines and Share feature

Elizabeth sent me an email wondering about the “share” feature in bloglines. Before I could even email an answer, she found it. It was in her account as a menu item. It was minimized under the “Additional Features” link.

Keep the questions rolling.

Learning 2.0 Registration is climbing higher

Wow! As of Friday afternoon, 206 library staff members are signed up for Learning 2.0 @ the Beach. VBPL has 69.5 percent of Library staff participating in this program. If you are doing the math, we have 297 people on staff. You'll need to subtract me because I'm not eligible for the program. No worries! I'm having a great time, too.

Let's keep going until we reach 100% of eligible staff! Please encourage your co-workers to participate.

Recording your progress

Diane W. sent me an excellent question about what posts goes with what Thing on the 30 Things list. It is a little confusing because I wanted you each to have the opportunity to read about the program and learn about web 2.0 as well as think about library 2.0 before creating your blog and worrying about recording your progress. So, please follow these guidelines below for the first 8 Things. You will be asked to create a blog post about all the Things that come after number 8. You will need to cut and paste the permalink for each blog post into the corresponding Thing on your row of the spread sheet. To recap, beginning with Thing 9, you will create a blog post for all the remaining Things. Please record your progress!



Thing 1 -Read about the program-If you complete Thing 3, you will automatically receive credit for Thing 1.
Thing 2-Do discovery exercises as directed -Once you get to Thing 7, Cut and past permalink for learning habits blog post into Thing 2 on the spread sheet.
Thing 3 -Fill out online registration form-You will receive credit once your registration is processed.
Thing 4-Complete as directed-If you complete Thing 5, you will automatically receive credit for Thing 4.
Thing 5-Do discovery exercises-Once you get to Thing 7, Cut and past permalink for web 2.0 or library 2.0 blog post into the Thing 5 space on the spread sheet.
Thing 6-Do discovery exercises as directed-If you complete Thing 7 and 8 you will automatically receive credit for Thing 6.
Thing 7-Do discovery exercises as directed.-If you add your permalinks for Thing 2 and 5, you will automatically receive credit for Thing 7.
Thing 8-Do discovery exercises as directed.-If you add your permalinks for Thing 2 and 5, you will automatically receive credit for Thing 7.



I can not wait to read all the great thoughts that you're going to be sharing this week!

Thanks, Cindy

Google Gadgets

Most of you already know about Google gadgets, so ignore this post. I love the idea behind google gadgets. Why? This is pure web 2.0 in action --- a participatory culture zenith ---- people grabbing code, reworking it and sharing it with others. Try one of my favorites! Google book search: this one does a nice keyword search and returns the results in the box. Use the scroll to see more.

Web 2.0, social sites and privacy

As you explore web 2.0 tools in the upcoming weeks, you will notice that to fully particpate in many social sites, users have to give up some peronsal privacy to connect with others online. I mean that they are explicitly asked to divulge some information about themselves to join the fun.

I am suggesting an alternative for you to think about during Learning 2.0. These users might be in the process of redefining personal privacy. OR the value that society places on personal informaton as a commodity.

In our traditional gatekeeper role, we need to be prepared to provide multiple entry points to personal information and interaction levels. We need to fit our services into our user's model, as opposed to fitting the user into the library's model.

We also need to recognize that this privacy and participation issue presents us with an opportunity to teach people to manage their online privacy in a manner that suits them best. So that they are smart digital citizens. To do this, we need to understand all the available options and their implications.

Web 2.0 is about collaboration, community, and conversation. To make these things possible, users must participate at some level, possibly revealing personal information

Privacy part 2

I wrote about privacy this morning because I read Feed over the weekend; it got me thinking about a lot of things --- information overload, love and personal privacy. Diane W sent me an email to say that Aaron Schmidt at walkingpaper.org blogged about something similar yesterday. Obviously, I am behind on my reading. Thanks to Diane for the tip. Unfortunately, I think the server where walkingpaper.org lives is having some issues today. Neither Diane nor I can get the link to work. I could only read the first 4 paragraphs of the post.

First thing tomorrow, read "Privacy is not an option" at walkingpaper.org. After you read the post, ask yourself this question "what role (s) should librarians play?"

Are we having fun yet?

I've been getting some tense email about Learning 2.0 @ the Beach. Please do not get caught up in the process.

Relax, have fun and share what you've learned with anyone who will listen!

Social mapping - Frappr

For those of you who --- noticed, liked then add to your blog--- the cluster map that I added to the Learning 2.0 blogs, take note of this post and try something a little more - Frappr at http://www.frappr.com.

Frappr ... With this cool mashup, you can put a Yahoo mini-map on your personalized Frappr site. It will show the location of every one of your contacts, there’s a click through full screen that permits all kinds of social networking–chats, forum, blogs, instant messaging, photo uploading and so on. It has exceptionally rich features and a bit more sophisticated complexity than your average web slacker demands.

Imagine using Frappr to map the location of your team members. It can also use GPS and cellphones as a way to automatically find out where they are today and update the map locations.

Frappr even has handy widgets that you can drop into your own blog that allow others to click through and join your map/community.

Microblogging

For those of you who like to think ahead.... In week 3, I'll introduce you all to the topic of blogging. Each of you will create a blog of your own. You'll use your blog to voice your opinions and tell us about your discoveries during Learning 2.0.

Interestingly, microblogging is gaining popularity. It is a form of blogging that allows users to create and publish short text messages via the web, email, an instant message, or text messaging.

Twitter is a very popular microblogging web site. Other popular web 2.0 sites like MySpace are incorporating microblogging features.

A new microblogging service --- Soup.io was reviewed this week at Mashable. Check it out at the following URL: http://mashable.com/2007/10/30/soupio-microblogging/.

What's next in blogging? How can libraries use blogging to create a more interactive user experience?

Heading to the VLA Conference? Go Web 2.0 style!

Try this newish Web 2.0 travel tool---Simpatigo . It generates a trip Itinerary that includes driving directions (common on most mapping sites) AND short descriptions of attractions that you will pass en route. The itinerary can then be printed out to take with you.

Registration update

Wow! Beverli Dewberry, our wonderful office assistant at Library Administration, says that 168 people have registered in just four short days. If you are one of the 168 people, congratulate yourself. You have chosen to embark on a wonderful journey of discovery and learning.



There is still plenty of time to register! If you have not registered yet, please do Things 1 & 2 before Thing 3 --- regristration for Learning 2.0.

Have fun!

Michelle blogged about us again

On Friday, Michelle blogged about our kicked off again. She also posted some video from that day, too. Check it out at http://wanderingeyre.com/2007/10/26/virginia-beach-staff-videos/.