#20 Social Networking

Ok, I see who writes the articles for 23 Things--it says at the bottom of the page.

I think the Social Networking sites are wonderful for young people. Lots of young adults hate to read and hate to write even more! Because of this, many of them are losing important skills, such as reading comprehension and spelling. Because of MySpace and Facebook, they are forced to read AND write--and lo and behold--they LOVE it. But shhhhhhh, don't tell them. They surely don't want to admit that they're actually learning anything. I know at least two young women have improved their spelling skills by 75%! Keyboarding and typing skills are also necessary when participating in social networking sites. (Again, don't tell them that.)

I haven't accessed my Facebook account since I started the 23 Things, but I think my name is (I guess I won't tell you yet--better check my page first, since I've never used it professionally.) if you're looking for me. Will let you know if it's not.

So far, our library doesn't use Facebook or MySpace, although we spend a lot of time unfiltering MySpace for everyone else. I just have used the two sites to goof around with friends. I half-heartedly made a snowman and opened a couple of free gifts. Someone is always poking me. I've got some photos on them and have listed my favorite movies, books etc. Not much blogging--well none really, thank goodness, or I wouldn't be blogging here. I will have to check out some library pages to see what they are doing with Facebook and MySpace. I can't seem to think outside the box right now as to how to use them in our library. To be continued...

#20 Libraries and Social Networks

Ok, sorry, I am really skipping around now. This is going to make it difficult for me to later figure out if I've completed all the Things--but I'll take my chances. Some of these "things" are just to hard for me to figure out on certain days. Plus, tomorrow I'm back at work again and won't be able to work on the 23 things--I am WAY too busy at my library to dink around with this stuff. And yes, I know eventually it will be useful to incorporate into our library resources, but right now I just have to learn it at my own speed and not really use it for anything. Have you noticed that I've tagged this blog? And after listening to Lee on the little tutorial we had to read, (that guy is so cool), I am seriously thinking of putting all of my trip to the Mediterranean on Flickr. But that's a LOT of tagging if I really want it to work for me. I know I can just upload them but there are 1300 photos and they are very difficult for me to find when I want them--take for example my Towel Animal Trading Cards--there are really about 10 but I had all I could do to browse for 3!

As far as social networking goes, I already am on MySpace and Facebook (and Ning thanks to the 23 things). So lets see if I can find out more about them by reading all of the 23 Things info. Someone went through a lot of trouble to blog on the 23 Things site so we may as well read it! Who wrote all that stuff anyway?

#4 Explore Flickr and #5 More Fun with Flickr

Ok so that last thing was an example of a Flickr Mashup I think. It's a combination of using Flickr images with another application. In this case, it's a spelling application. I spelled: "LibrariesRus" and it brought back photos from Flickr that spelled out what I spelled through photographs containing those letters. The interesting thing about it is that each time you click on one of the letters, the application brings back a different photo with that letter on it, so you can keep changing it.

I still don't know what it means to "tag" something. Ok I do now. I've searched tags "23thingsonastick" and "library cats". I tagged one of my flickr photos as 23thingsonastick but I can't pull it up when I search it, nor can I add the photo to my blog via flickr, although I did add it earlier by just browsing the photo from my computer. So, while interesting to find different photos on flickr and neat to post them onto a flickr account, I guess I can't seem to master the transfer to my blog.

#4 Explore Flickr

Our library actually uses Flickr to post photos that we take during programs and such. We all take the photos and our Director posts them to our Flickr account. It's nice because the public can see what we do even if they can't get to the program and it's good advertising so that maybe they'll be encouraged to come to the next program.

This photo actually is a cruise ship library (Carnival Freedom), not our public library, but hey, I was just trying out the Blogging tool bar and this is what happened.

I just signed up for a Flickr account on Monday, Feb. 4, 2008