Look at del.icio.us

First of all I am dropping the full stops, can't be bothered. My initial thoughts about delicious were the same as with digg - ok, not my thing, just because someone else is interested doesn't mean that it will interest me. However after some playing around I found sites that I have never found before on topics of interest. I have searched numerous times for free knitting patterns on the web. I have found some very interesting blogs with ideas and hints, some patterns, some very quirky patterns but no significant resource. However, following a few threads in delicious I found this site which is fantastic, hundreds of patterns, all categorised. In the 'quirky' category fall knit and crochet graffiti and microfibremilitia. I have not joined and probably won't, but I will keep looking.

Create a Google Home Page

I created a Google home page which I am using on my home computer. I have the weather, times in other regions of the world, sudoku, the NY Times crossword, a currency converter, a daylight map and a dictionary. I haven't yet had time to do the puzzles, but I quite like the look of 'busyness'.

I have added the Facebook gadget, Book search gadget and the Facebook gadget. All useful !

Google Books

I could use this for browsing obscure topics of interest and to see what is published on a topic. My favourite search term 'Volhynia' finds 691 'full view' items, many in English. I tried surnames of my family and found reports of court cases, a name on a roll of pharmacists, and a history of Kent with references to my ancestors.

Google Maps

I love Google maps, it has lots of uses. My son is moving to London, has found accommodation and looked at the address on Google Maps. We know how much traffic there is in the street, the size of the garden, distance to the station and his route to work.

I knew it existed and fiddled with it before, but never thought to use it for anything useful. I could have used it recently when planning a trip to Perth, for instance, trying to book an hotel, even with a map, it was tricky to envisage the location in relation to transport, shopping etc. Google maps would have been useful.

Google Docs

I don't think that I would use Google Docs, although I can see that it could be useful to share documents, or if you needed to access documents from different computers. I suppose now that you know these tools exist opportunities may arise to use them.

Suscribe to another blog

Subscribed to Librarians Matter to to read discussion of 'The Librarians' on ABC TV last night.

Explore Myspace and Facebook

Myspace - looked at 2 libraries using Myspace Baltimore Law Library and Brooklyn College Library. Baltimore Law Library just seems to replicate a web page, not very exciting, Brooklyn's seems more interactive. It could be potentially very useful for childrens' and young adult activities in public libraries - with art work reviews by readers etc. Chicago Public Library have a link to a 'teen space' where their friends include authors, who discuss and promote their books.

Facebook - joined facebook. I think I could find this quite useful, keeping in touch with family overseas, viewing their photos etc. However looking at my nephew's site, he was kind enough to invite me to be his friend, do I want to know quite so much about his life ? I added the 'what vegetable are you' application and was very disappointed to find I was a pumpkin. Joined a group 'I luv Kews dancing man'.

Digg

Digg reminds me of the TV 'Current Affairs' programs after the 6.00 pm news. I don't think I would ever look at it, a totally random collection of not very interesting information. A lot of the items I looked at were actually promotions for services.

Set up a feed reader, look at Technorati, subscribe to a blog

I set up an account for Google reader - not hard, although a little disappointing, is that all! I subscribed to two blogs which I look at regularly, In a minute ago and Old Saint Nick. In a minute ago is an embroidery blog which has an amazing amount of information with diagrams photos and a lot of shared information. I am not sure about using 'Google reader' often, it's just as easy to Bookmark a blog, although it puts everything in the one place. Like all of these things it depends very much on how much time you want to spend on them.

I then looked at Technorati - a way of searching for posts, blogs, videos and photos. The search for blogs is a bit tricky as it depends on the appropriateness of tags that blog owners use. I found a lot of blogs about Santa Claus but equally as many about Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara etc.

I didn't think the search for 'posts' would be very useful, but tried a search term that I use when looking at databases VOLHYNIA, an area of Europe of interest from a family history point of view. I found a video clip from a town very near our ancestral town, showing the landscape and buildings, far more information than I have ever found using a Google search. I have included one video clip....

Library thing

Have created an account in Library thing and added a shelf of books - all to do with Crazy Quilting. I joined the 'Cozy Mystery' group and the 'Quilting' group, but not sure that I will ever follow it up.

I don't quite see the point of Library thing at all.

Playing with an image generator

This is from a site for creating an avatar, looks a bit like a Librarian !

Flickr account

I have created a Flickr account and with Tony's help changed the Buddy icon. I have added just one photo for the moment. I have joined 3 groups 'Santa Claus's' , 'Vintage Christmas' and 'Crazy Quilting'.

Adding a photo

...the Santa snowglobes

Adding a photo

Part of my Santa collection...the tall, skinny Santas and the Santa bells

The challenge - 23 things

I have finally been pushed to explore blogging. This has arisen as a challenge in which everyone at my workplace, a University library, is taking part. It involves tackling 23 technological tasks eg. creating a blog, using facebook, flickr etc.

This blog will be a diary of my efforts to meet these challenges. I hope I can use what I learn to create a personal blog/blogs to follow up on some personal interests.

My first dilemma was whether to use Blogger or Wordpress. I had looked at websites which discussed the two, and had decided on Wordpress. However, reading the postings of 2 of my colleagues, on their newly created blogs, I was influenced by their criticisms of Wordpress and thought that I may be a little out of my depth.

I regularly read a couple of blogs related to my hobbies. I admire the amount of work involved and the dedication required to enthusiastically post daily updates that are interesting and informative.