Thing 13: Tagging

We have a Delicious account for the Children's librarians and tagging is used there to organize all of the recommended web sites. It is pretty handy for that. I do a fair amount of searching for images on Google for school kids and tagging is used there, too. But I don't see it as a practical application for a library catalogue. Tagging doesn't seem to be specific enough. Maybe I feel that way because I'm used to doing searches a particular way. To keep track of the web sites I use, I prefer bookmarking. I can't always remember the addresses, but I can usually recognize the names of the sites. Still, tagging is nice for certain circumstances.

Thing 12: Twitter

I can find no redeeming factors in Twitter. I did not find it easy to use. I had my account for literally three minutes when I received an email that someone named dee boog was following me. Ah, there's nothing quite like a bored child at home on the Internet all summer long. So I changed my settings to give me some privacy. Before I had completed that, a young woman (assuming the name and picture were accurate) from Houston was following me. Why? I have no idea. I don't know her and she doesn't know me, in real life or cyber life. I tried sending a Tweet to a couple of colleagues, but it didn't work. According to Twitter, they did not exist. I found that odd since I had their information. I emailed one of them, who had my info, and she experienced the same thing. That really ruffled some feathers. So I concluded that Twitter was for the birds since it was taking much more of my time than it was worth. I will stick with email. I swear by all Things 23 that I will never Tweet again - not that I managed to Tweet even once. I'm throwing the bird seed out with the birdbath water and I am cancelling my account.
I forgot to do a step on this blog. I don't remember where I first heard about Twitter. I think it was used some in the last Presidential campaign.

Thing 11: Instant Messaging

I signed up for IM and tried to send messages, but no one was online. I decided email was best. I'm sure there is a use for IM in the Library, but it isn't obvious to me. It seems we are either on the desk, be it Circ or Ref, and we wouldn't be available to immediately respond to a message or we are off the desk and working on other duties and/or projects and wouldn't necessarily be online. If a patron needed immediate information about their account/where an item is located/an address or telephone number/whatever, then maybe IM is the way to go. But staff would have to be designated to work IM for this to work. I do not know if we would have enough questions from the public to justify taking someone away from regular duty. Since location doesn't matter with IM, we could rotate doing duty among the libraries that have enough staff to spare one staffer for a few hours. Then, if the public started using it frequently, maybe we could set up an IM team. Honestly, it might be easier for people to IM than call on the telephone, especially if they usually call the libraries with the automated telephone menus.

23 Things Meltdown

OK, I'm stuck on the Instant Messaging Thing. My computer doesn't have what I need to watch videos about it, I don't know what an Avatar is, and I question what I'm really doing here. I have not seen a quiz on Fb about "What Am I?". If I did, I'm sure the answer would be one of three: a Dinosaur, an Anachronism, or Stupid. I understand I need to learn new technology to do my job. I can cope with that to a point. What I don't understand is the Big Picture. Why do all of these Things exist? Why do I need as many "friends" as I can get on My Space, Facebook, etc. when most of them won't even truly rate as Aquaintances? When I am home, I choose whether or not to answer my phone and the doorbell. I prefer to spend some time during the day by myself, not hooked into a computer sending useless messages, invitations, etc. to people. If I want to talk to someone, I prefer face-to-face, but have been known to call on the telephone. I will leave a message if no one answers. I've also been known to email and to write and honest-to-God letter once in a while. I prefer to read books to surfing the Internet. I prefer to concentrate on my driving instead of multi-tasking by talking on my cell phone or text messaging. I do not see the reason for Instant Messaging. I was taught that Patience is a Virtue and that All Good Things Come to Those Who Wait. A quick response time is for emergencies. All else should be done properly in whatever amount of time the task takes. Competition used to be associated with sorting events. I prefer an hour for lunch as opposed to twenty minutes. I prefer to enjoy a meal, not just fill the hole created by (perceived or otherwise) hunger. I don't know why my profession should be turned into a Drive Thru of Information. I am taking a break from all of this for a few days to reevaluate what I'm to get from all of these Things, which I'm starting to believe are merely toys of our society. This is my Meltdown.

Thing 10: Ning

I searched Ning for library, wildlfe rescue, and paranormal groups. It was fairly easy to do. There were several I could view without joining, which was nice. Some were better managed than others, which I expected. I don't know that I will keep up with any of the groups I viewed. Time is always a factor. Ning seems to be more serious than Facebook. It's more like Blogspot in that the postings are less frivolous. We had a Ning account a few years back for some of the branches but nobody had much to say, possibly because Admin was invited to join. We were Mirandized in that Admin said our postings would not be used against us. I truly believe Admin hoped for honest discussions concerning our system, but I think some of the issues people wanted to discuss were particular to certain locations rather than system-wide. It fizzled out and no one felt inclined to do anything about it. Ning does appear to be a good system for this sort of thing. We employees tend to communicate without using a networking system. I'm not convinced that Ning is the way to communicate with Library users. It is getting harder to evaluate as I experience more of the 23 Things.

Thing 9: More Facebook

I posted a link to the Fort Worth Library Mayor Mike's Summer Reading Challenge so friends could register. I joined three groups: Ballet Folklorico, Historical Novel Society, and Artes de la Rosa/rose Marine Theater. I don't know if thiese are what you are looking for isnce the link to the Groups application doesn't want to work for me. I have made contact with several family members through Fb, which is nice. It was relatively easy to find them. An old friend found me on Fb, which is also nice. What isn't so nice is that a particular telephone company that was trying to sell its services went through my address book and used the names to send me invitations to take an IQ quiz. I took it in a weak moment in an attempt to stop the harrassment. Instead of posting the result at the end of the quiz, I posted a message telling everyone my score and asking them to stop sending it to me. I had several replies that the no one had sent it to me even though their names were used (along with an IQ score). I obviously have a room temperature IQ for falling for that. I am still bothered by it. I didn't think my address book was to be used in that manner. I'm still unsure as tho the application of Fb as a business tool. The potential is there but, after the phone company incident, I don't have much confidence in it. It would look very bad if some unscrupulous company started pushing their services in the name of the Library. I don't know if there is a way to block this.

Hey, what happened? There's no northtexas23.blogspot anymore. This isn't good, is it? I don't have the technical knowledge to track down where it's gone. Oh well, I guess I'll call NTRLS to see what's up.

Thing 8: Facebook

I already have a private Facebook account. I ran into problems when I tried to make another account. I didn't want to use a false name since I wanted to invite business associates to become friends, and it wouldn't let me use "nrslibrarian" as a name. I tried emailing Facebook, but the results were not what I wanted. One of the big problems I have on my personal account is that I cannot delete individual messages from my wall. I can hide the friends that post any and every thing that tickles their whimsey, but that is all I can do. Facebook Help is useless for this. I am on the verge of closing my account after sending private messages to those I want to stay in touch with. It's unfortunate because it's so easy to see what is happening, including photos, in their lives. I will use email in the near future for this purpose. I'm assuming they all have email accounts. I do appreciate how easy it is to find people on Facebook, but overall I am not impressed with it. As a business tool, such as inviting patrons to be friends of the Library's Facebook, it would take way too much time to control what is posted. As for business associates, email serves me much better.

Thing 7: RSS Feeds

OK, I feel like I'm doing the Cat in the Hat Thing 1 and Thing 2. I see very little difference between Thing 6 and Thing 7. I did enjoy looking at the recommended sites. I even added some. Now I'm starting to wonder how I will keep up with the relatively few subscriptions I have. I do not own a computer. I always thought that, with my addictive personality, it was a wise decision. Now I see that I can bring my addictions to work with me. I have unsubscribed to some feeds because I felt they were not necessary. But I have what some call a "junkie" personality - I collect junk of all types. Reader is dangerous because I can now collect electronic "junk". You can tell by what I've bookmarked in Thing 6 & 7 that I do not have total control. Still, these two things are wondrous tools. It may be a good way to keep in touch with Library patrons. Maybe this would work as well, if not better, for someone like the Central Media Manager who sends emails about upcoming events and new items in the collection. I'm sure there are other possible uses, but I haven't figured them out yet. Hey, I'm still working on my Blog. I intend to finish the 23 Things, but it won't stop there. It will take time for me to become familiar with all of this, and to consider how to use it to the Library's advantage.

Thing 6: Blog Readers

This is an easy way to keep some of my favorite sites bookmarked. It's nice to have the folder option instead of having to scroll down a long list. It will save me time since I can do my one-stop-shopping at Google Reader. I probably shouldn't put this, but my memory isn't what it used to be. This device will save me from the torture of trying to remember a site that I read about (was recommended/found on the web) and that I promptly forgot either what the address was or where I wrote it down. It is kind of like having my own reference library at my fingertips, and I can keep up with what my co-workers are doing via their blogs. I have to admit that Theresa's blog puts me to shame. She is way more savvy than I will ever be. She is also extremely generous with her knowledge and at most is just a few key strokes away.