# 15 W 2.0 / L 2.0

The L 2.0 program has shown us that there is a vast range of shared, multifunctional and interactive web-based technology. I think that the challenge for libraries will be to identify the most useful and appropriate features to incorporate into their web sites. We wouldn't want to invest considerable time, effort and money into passing fads, dead-end technology or user-unfriendly or unpopular features. Privacy is another consideration.

While moving with the times, staying up-to-date with technology and remaining relevant to our communities is very imporatnt, we also need to consider patrons who aren't interested in web-based technology, don't understand it or aren't prepared to try. We can offer user education and on-the-spot help, but some folk, particulary older people and those with language difficulties, will find it all too hard, and will avoid it. We still have to cater for these people.

The internet has already led to lower usage of non-fiction and reference collections and therefore downsizing of those collections, but I think that a signiificant number of patrons just want a good (fiction) read. Library budgets should still provide for this.

The interactive, 24 hour nature of the technology could be very useful for getting patron feedback, especially when conducting surveys. However, experience has shown us that on-line opportunities to provide general feedback tend to encourage some young, computer-savvy people to send barely intelligible, very trivial or chatter-type responses.

Our challenge will be to reach a wider audience with specific, relevant questions or proposals, through user-friendly technology. As for the introduction of shared networking spaces, such as social networking sites, I think we need to carefully consider whether these sites are appropriate for the majority of our users, whether people's privacy is protected, and overall, what benefits we hope to achieve.

#14 Technorati

After searching high and low for a place to do a search of Blog posts, tags and the Blog Directory, I found the Advanced Search link! Subsequent searches revealed that there were 1214 posts about Learning 2.0, 274 tags and 374 Directory listings. Obviously, the posts are the most popular by far, but it's surpriisng that more people don't use the L 2 tag or register it.

Popular blogs showed an emphasis on technology, business/money, and entertainment/lifestyle, while searches concentrated on music, sport, technology and social matters. Tags were similar, but also included video and blogging.

Technorati is a good place to search the different aspects of blogs

#13 Del.icio.us Tags

I like the idea of assigning your own tags to your favourite web sites and then having these tags grouped under subject headings. It makes access to the web sites quick and easy, and there may also be related tags to explore.

It's good to see which sites other people have selected and how popular they are. This allows you to expand your own list of sites and tags and therefore increases your search options.

Putting the tags in order of frequency is a useful feature. However, I found that the comments people made, were not descriptive enough to be very helpful.

Here is my Del.icio.us account http://del.icio.us/longroad
Over 4000 people tagged my Lonely planet listing in a few minutes!

The network feature could be handy for sharing bookmarked sites in a work setting.

#12 Rollyo

This is a useful means of narrowing a search to your favourite web sites and doing one search across all of them simultaneously. You get many good results, quickly.

Here is my Search Roll http://www.rollyo.com/stuartdh

#11 LibraryThing

LT was quick, easy and fun to use. It would be useful for cataloguing, producing booklists and being the focus of book discussion groups. The ability to add your own tags and ratings etc. is also appealing.

I chose a range of fairly rare non-fiction books, mainly true escape stories and rescues, but LT found many records, some with jacket photos. It only failed to find one, which is an Australian crime story.

Here is My Library http://www.librarything.com/catalog/stuartdh07

#10 Image Generators

Would you follow this car? I wanted to have a longer message, "Sorry, my satellite navigation got lost," but the program put it in capitals and compressed it so much that it was unreadable. All messages are converted to capitals.

Here is where you can create your own car sticker
http://www.imagechef.com/ic/make.jsp?tid=Car+Sticker
The Generator Blog has a huge range of other images for you to customise.

#9 Finding Feeds

Bloglines Search has a useful "preview" feature and Feedster allows you to put feeds on your blog. Topix.net is very fast and provides a comprehensive list of news results. Google Blog Search offers e-mail alerts and blog search feeds, while Technorati is quick and comprehensive.

ANZ Reference Centre allows you to quickly and easily add feeds to particular magazines. I also noticed that the Mozilla and Yahoo web sites already offer useful lists of RSS feeds.

#8 RSS Feeding Time

I think that RSS is a great idea. I added 10 feeds from a variety of sources, using several different methods.

Unfortunately, the Bloglines Tutorial didn't explain that, when adding a feed, you don't right click on the RSS button at the top of a web page. Rather, you need to look for a second RSS button (or similar) on that page, or if one doesn't exist, use another method, as described in the tutorial eg. copying and pasting the URL.

Also, the exercise instructions to make your Bloglines account public said, "Click on the Share tab on the right side of the screen." However, this tab didn't exist in my account, but was actually a link on the lower left of the screen.

Here is my Bloglines account
http://www.bloglines.com/public/stuartdh57

#7 Technology Blog

Hybrid Cars - the Way to Go?
Hybrids use less fuel and produce less greenhouse gases than most standard cars. However, they cost thousands more to buy, meaning that you would have to own one for many years in order for savings in fuel costs to pay for the difference. Would the hybrid last that long and would you have to replace the high-tech battery pack, at a cost of several thousand dollars? You may even get bored with the car after a few years and want something new. What would the resale value of your hybrid be, then?

Another issue is finding high-tech spare parts and getting specialist repairs done, especially in the country or outback. I've also heard that rescue services are concerned about working on hybrids involved in accidents because of the possibility of damaged batteries and high voltages.

Some small diesel cars are just as economical to run as hybrids and are much cheaper. However, they pollute more. On the other hand, I've heard that it takes a lot more energy, in a car factory, to produce a hybrid than a standard model, so the overall greenhouse gas emissions may not be lower.

The potential buyer has to weigh all of these factors, plus the cost of insurance. I personally don't think the current hybrids are the answer. They are more a bridge to the future - a stop-gap until better technology arrives. We have to thank Toyota and Honda etc. for starting the process, and also thank some brave buyers for supporting them by buying this new technology.

My (Could Be) Librarian Trading Card

My Librarian Trading Card
Originally uploaded by mtominaga

This shows that librarians don't spend all of their time behind a desk or shelving or reading. They can be adventurous!

I share an interest in travel, including backpacking and biking, but not web stuff and dogs. Also, I do like driving.

#6 More Flickr

I like this mashup http://travel.yahoo.com/trip because it combines photos, maps and text to allow you to record a previous holiday, see other people's journeys and plan a new trip. It also looks professional.

Don't Let This Happen to You

Road trip
Originally uploaded by Marwood Abroad

For a big trip, compatability is very important, so choose your companion/s wisely. If you can't navigate very well, drive. If you can't drive very well, navigate.

Hopefully, there is at least one good driver and one good navigator in the car. In my experience, people who can navigate on foot, often have trouble navigating in a car!

#5 Flickr: To Start Your Journey...

Check this photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/panthaboy/361473965/
Step 1: Make sure you can get out of the carpark.

#3 Blog: First Post

The Value of Travel
It is said that travel broadens the mind. It offers a break from your normal routine and presents you with a fresh set of people, customs, activities and places. Travel tends to make you appreciate what you have, to a greater extent, but it also makes you realise that some things could be improved or done differently.

The weather affects your impression of a new place. Warm days and sunny skies may encourage you to relocate, but what is the new place like in winter or at the peak of summer? A tour guide said recently that her home city fell to -40 degrees in winter and that the wind chill could be another -40. Understandably, people didn't want to spend their retirement in those conditions.

With less extremes, including high humidity and torrential downpours, Melbourne's weather doesn't look so bad - except for the lack of regular rain (which we would like at night and/or when we are at work).