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