Week 6 #13, #14, #15

Thing # 13
I listened to the podcast and had a look around the Del.icio.us site. I also watched the video. I like the idea of having bookmarks available on any computer. I already do this through ‘ikeepbookmarks’ recommended by a colleague many years ago. The idea of tags is interesting and perhaps that is the benefit of Delicious. I will have a closer look at this. Tag sharing also sounds useful.

Thing #14
Results for searching for ‘Learning 2.0’ varied. A keyword search brought up 11,731 entries, a tag search, 972, and the blog directory 829. The popular blog, searches and tags page wasn’t really my cup of tea-- celebrities I don’t care about, mainly.

Thing #15
Thoughts on ‘icebergs’. I believe that libraries are attempting to move with the times, embracing new technologies and ways of finding information.
However from my experience in a small country library, the service is largely geared to the providing of books and I believe that is what the reading public are most interested in. The older population want to borrow Large Print fiction and others fiction mainly. Non fiction is a smaller percentage. Yes, there are some younger members who will use the internet to find information. However, at present, the technology, i.e., the on-line catalogue, is used primarily for ordering in books from other branches. Books still rule in a country library.
Availability of ‘hard to get’ journals through the web, access to library materials across the world are all exciting possibilities for libraries in the future. I like the idea that we don’t just cater for what the majority want and that there is a possibility to provide almost everything, even in a country town. We are not there yet. One big obstacle in remote places in Australia is that while the technology changes, the infra structure that provides the information flow is sub standard. For example, it is impossible for me to work on Web 2.0 at home. I need a book to read while the pages load. I find the slowness frustrating and annoying. And yet it is remote communities, far away from the large public libraries of the city who need the access the most.