LIBR 246-13 Building the Social Library Online

It was really interesting to check-out the various pages of the different libraries. My library is looking into developing either a MySpace or Facebook page. Right now that project is kind of on hold because we are short one full-time person. But this exercise gives me some good ideas.

RSS should be important to libraries because by offering feed subscriptions to its patrons, libraries empower them to remain informed. Libraries can offer feeds for so many things: new additions to the collection or particular subject area, events, policy changes, and so much more. It is our duty to provide current and accurate information to our patrons. By offering RSS feeds to them, we can do so easily (and by subscribing to them ourselves, we can stay up-to-date).

I found the Elluminate session with Vicky Chase from Lucy Robbins Welles Library in Connecticut very interesting. I was so impressed with the way her library using Web 2.0 applications. There is so much offered to their patrons!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I really feel that Santa Barbara City College’s Luria Library blog has become one of my favorites. It really is an all-in-one resource! You can find their blog here:

http://library.sbcc.edu/

I feel that blogging in this class will help me reinforce what I have learned from the readings and activities assigned to us. Reflecting on my own impressions will help me synthesize and retain the information. Also, reading and responding to my classmates' postings will allow me to be exposed to and learn from different perspectives.

I ended up subscribing to more than five blogs. I actually got so caught up in looking at the various blogs and all they had to offer that I had to stop myself and focus back on completing my assignment (albeit a little late). The blogs I subscribed to and the reasons are:

acrl log - I currently work in an academic library and will more than likely continue to do so as a librarian.

circ and serve - I work in circulation and am always looking to improve my own performance as well as the services in our department.

Well, the Santa Barbara City College's Luria Library blog is one that our library director shared with us last week at work. Since then, I have been drooling over it. You can find their blog here:

http://library.sbcc.edu/

Well, I have to say that I am really excited about this class. Our library director had the staff take an Infopeople online class during the fall (?) and it was a lot of fun. I also went to an Infopeople workshop last Thursday at LAPL that was on how to use Web 2.0 tools to train staff. So, right now I've got a lot of thoughts running through my head about this kind of thing. However, for now, I'll just start with what I've been using at work.

Hello Professor Farkas and Fellow Students,

My name is Diana Lopez. I started the MLIS program at SJSU during Fall 2006. I work full-time as a library tech in the Circulation Department at Pasadena City College. We are all very excited because we just won ACRL's Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. You can read the press release here:

www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2008/january2008/academic08.htm