Something else to store in the back of my mind

I just stumbled across something that is important for how Library 2.0 translates to the user.  I use Opera as my web browser, while I have difficulties with it from time to time, I like a few of the features such as speed dial.  When looking at the RSS feed from the Shifted Librarian page, the bottom of the page had this line: This page was generated by Opera from http://theshiftedlibrarian.com/rss.xml.  So I did a little experiment and pasted that URL into Internet Explorer.  It displays totally different.  

Why is this good to know.  If librarians are answering questions for users and are directing them through the web, they might need to know what browser is being used.  This semester I've noticed some of the databases I've used do not support Opera.   If you were to send someone to the above place and tell them to look up the information in the third column and they were on IE instead of Opera, then they would be lost.     

Perhaps there are a few things that need to be part of the reference interview.  What browser do you use?  Do you have a different browser?  Are you on dial up?  

Eye opening page turner

As I am reviewing my bloglines feeds, I found one which basically reiterated this assignment.  It included documentation on how to use blogger, how to create a wiki, etc.  This is all part of the Library 2.0 movement.  E-Resourcing the Curriculum, School Library 2.0, it makes me realize how important learning as much about these different programs is for my future.  

I also realized my feeds are mainly just links to pages and are not updated very often so I subscribed to another one today.  So now I am subscribed to The Shifted Librarian, but most of the posts seem to be Tweets.  I don't think I want to get on Twitter.  Do I not spend enough time online as it is?  Well after clicking around a little, I got to the actual shiftedlibrarian site and was able to see the blog posts and subscribed to that instead.  

This led me to an interesting video on how computers were able to make 3D simulations of ancient cities using photos found on websites such as flickr.  The visual society we are today makes it imperative that Library 2.0 is embraced.  It scares me in a way.  How long will books last?  People are now downloading books to their phone or kindle to read.  I still prefer to read something that has pages(made of paper) which you turn to get the rest of the story.

My first blog

Well look who's blogging?  It took a class exercise to make me do this!  I was hesistant enough to get on Facebook until my 20 year high school reunion started hooking people on FB.  And now I have to blog too?  Well, so far so good, the hardest part was creating a name and URL for this thing.  So I decided to go with part of a "Jesus Christ Superstar" song title.  The nice thing is it is totally versatile since now I can blog about anything that is "buzzworthy".  I have found this particular lab exercise very interesting.  It covers a lot of recent technology that are being integrated into libraries today.  I can now tell my co-worker what an RSS feed is, since he recently subscribed to one.  So Dave if you are reading this you are both bored and finding out that it stands for Really Simple Syndication.  Obviously not created by a graduate of you know where...  

Well I'm a little off topic but it's my blog and that's how I tend to be.  I do find it interesting how all the emerging technologies seem to blend together in a lot of different ways.  A DJ I listened to growing up, Steve Dahl, just started a podcast.  His use of Facebook was instrumental in how he got the word spread about his podcast.  Facebook can be a great marketing tool.  But how long it lasts is the big question.  Blogs on the other hand and RSS are here to stay or so it seems.