Tagging, folksonomies and other things

Well it has been a very long time since my last post. I got so caught up with facebook and all the games you can play on it that I spent way too much time playing games. My new years resolution is to reduce the game playing and spend more time using my computer more productively.
I have used the del.icio.us resources used by the Ask Now service and saw how useful it could be providing access to relevant websites that others have found useful. Del.icio.us could be a very useful tool for reference staff within a library service. I have a number of websites in my favourites on a range of topics but it would be great to see what other librarians have found useful too.

Videos online

My introduction to Youtube was when Paul Potts performed on Britain's Got Talent and was posted on Youtube. Since then I have followed Susan Boyle's performance. Closer to home I looked for film of the March 31st floods in Coffs Harbour.
I was very interested in the examples of libraries using video to promote their service or to provide staff training. Initially I would like to see video being used with the youth. I think this media is very much a part of their culture and it could be a good way to promote library collections and databases to them.

Wikis

The video on wikis was a real eye-opener for me. I found the use of a wiki to plan a trip fascinating and I can see how useful this could be - it cuts out so much time with emails going backwards and forwards. I have used Wikipedia for quite sometime and find it very good. While I generally find it reliable I did get a start one time when it gave a date for Schapelle Corby's death!. That was very quickly removed.

As there are 3 libraries in our library service I could see a wiki being very useful for organising activities and perhaps running a calendar so everyone can see it regardless of their location. It could also be useful for planning a staff luncheon and working out who is bringing what.
I loved the readers advisory applications and could spend hours looking at these sites and making a big list of books I would like to read.

RSS

Well I have struggled with this and not sure whether I will use it much. Eventually managed to add some feeds to my bloglines account. Got a bit frustrated finding blogs/rss that I was interested in and it took a while to work out how to add them to my account. I found the Google blog search a useful tool. The ones I added included Bronwyn's library blog - found a very interesting entry there about downloading music to MP3 players. Also added the Powerhouse Museum photo of the day, ABC news - health and Christchurch libraries.

Harry Bailey Memorial Library Jan 1992

Harry Bailey Memorial Library Jan 1992 - medium
Originally uploaded by coffsharbourlibrary

This is an interesting photo for me as I had not known where the previous library was. I am new to the Coffs Harbour area and am only familiar with the existing library.

Library technology

I have worked in libraries for many many years and it is interesting to reflect on some of the changes I have seen over the years.
My first library position was in a regional country library service with a number of branch libraries. While there was a regional card catalogue at headquarters the branch libraries did not have any catalogue at all. It certainly helped train the memory - who wrote "Sons and Lovers"?
There was plenty of sorting and filing of the cards recording the borrowing transactions.
Gradually computers were introduced and I have now worked with quite a few different library management systems. But it is the use of technology to gain information for library customers that I am most interested in.
People in the country now can access so much more.