LIS 9763

   1. Has your view of social software changed since starting this course? If so, how?
Coming into this class, I had some experience with social software, and I was confident that they could be used in libraries, but I really didn’t know how. This class has really taught me some good practical applications for social software in library settings.

    The material this week has gotten me thinking about web 2.0 technologies more than any week so far. What really stood out to me was how explicitly the materials stated what we have been saying all along in this course. There is a strong element of communication, be it from companies, libraries, employees, or the general masses. We have spoken at length about how social media can be used to promote the library week after week, but in general we have neglected the fundamental aspect of communication and creating a dialogue to promote advancement.

    The one thing that really stood out for me this week is branding. It was only mentioned briefly in the readings this week, but I think it’s important and would like to talk about it a little bit. While I do not know anything about the authors who wrote the readings, or the libraries they work in, it seems like there is a disconnect between the online and the real world library efforts. They seem to be kept distinct, and even though the online work serves to promote the library, there is nothing really connecting it to the physical space.

 ...media sharing would not be it.

Doing the readings for this week, I couldn’t help but be cynical. The first few articles all had great things to say about online game learning, and it may be the case in universities where there are larger budgets, but I just can’t buy into the whole idea. I don’t know if the cost is worth it. When we look at a web page, the way it looks has a huge impact on whether we think it is credible or not. I would expect the same would go for games. I know that’s the feeling I got with the information literacy game. It was also not very engaging.

When I think about Social Networking sites, the first thing that comes to my mind is the ubiquity of them. The Nielson Report has been mentioned in other blog posts this week, and I think it just goes to support the notion of their ubiquity.

Hi Everyone,
I'm taking a blog holiday this week.
See you next week.

    I think this week’s readings have been the most beneficial to me so far in this course. I really thought I understood social tagging, and to put it bluntly, I didn’t really know why anyone would be interested in it. I heard the term and thought ‘social’ before thinking ‘tagging’. I’ve heard in several interviews and articles that when you use these types of sites, the chances of you really being exposed to any new topics are minimal because you are likely to encounter people similar to yourself in these environments.

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to let you know that I am taking a blog holiday this week.
see you next week!

I think the class has done a really good job of talking about the benefits and risks of incorporating RSS into library websites already, so I would like to take my discussion in a different direction. Melissa Rethlefsen does a great job of showing how RSS can be incorporated into a library page in her screencast. A lot of posts this week have talked about education around RSS for those who do not currently use it. Many people do not know what RSS is, and so many people are not experiencing the benefits of such technology.