LIBR 246-13 Building the Social Library Online

This class is liable to be point of contention for any of the more traditional employeers I might choose, or it could very well be the best selling point I have. Over this semester, I've discovered some interesting new tools and some creative uses for them in a library setting. In the course of this class, I've woven some Web 2.0 elements into my work for better or worse. I say for better because del.icio.us makes it easy to work on several computers while sharing nifty things with friends. I say for worse because now that's one more thing I regularly have to check on.

It was really great to hear from someone who helped pioneer social software uses in his library (as well as libraries in general), because at the time Chad was considering the use of blogs and wikis for his business school it didn’t seem like there were many other examples for him to draw from. I really liked his comment about his job being “pattern-oriented”, which I think a lot of subject reference librarians can identify with. After being asked the same question over and over again, you begin to think “There’s got to be an easier and quic

When I found out about this class, I was pretty eager to sign up. I had regularly read Meredith's blog, and this class felt like my one chance to take a class with "celebrity" faculty. (I'll ask for your autograph later.) In October, I had suffered a "crisis of faith" of sorts at the CLA conference in Long Beach. After great presentations by guys like Craig Newmark (the Craig in Craigslist,) and social media expert Shel Israel, the naive questions that followed by the well-seasoned professionals in the audience surprised me in their obtuseness.

I’m going to unimaginatively go through each of the questions one by one…I’m in the middle of the big Course Project for my other class, so all creativity has apparently gone out the window.

I'm really amazed that the class is over. It went much more quickly than I'd expected. I know I've said it before, but I really couldn't have asked for a better group of students. Your enthusiasm was inspiring to me and your reflections helped me to see many of these tools and ideas in new ways. Yes, teachers can learn from their students. :)

I have always been fascinated by social software tools, but I had used them mostly for my personal use. This class helped me to start thinking about ways these tools can be used at my library. I learned that though I can be adverse to learning new technology sometimes, most of these tools were very easy to use and implement. I am excited about finding creative ways to implement some of them in my library.

They're at it again...this time attempts are being made to block access to Second Life in schools and libraries with DOPA raising its head again.  How do we educate this way?  Even about the issues we all agree on like child safety from predators.  I know we're done, but....

Are you going to ALA?

1. How has your view of social software changed since starting the course?
My views have totally changed. Not because I disliked social software, but because I did not know all of the tools available, how to make use of them, and how beneficial they can be to me personally and at work.

Although I embrace learning new things and enjoy new experiences, I was definitely out of my comfort zone in the beginning of this class. At first I was very uncomfortable with using Drupal. The good old blackboard seemed so right, so comfy and so familiar. But now I see Drupal as different and even better way to engage with the instructor and other students especially since our focus is social networking. Now, having to go back to blackboard just seems wrong. One of the biggest benefits of Drupal was the RSS feeds.