Week #7 Post #16

I accessed the iHCPL wiki and created an account. I then posted my blog to the favorite blogs page on the iHCPL wiki. Two notifications from ihcpl.pbwiki.com were then received in my email. I overviewed the sample wikis suggested to us through the associated Discovery Exercise for this unit.

This concept and practice of collaborative knowledge sites does have a place in libraries. It's very good for a quick survey on a topic. This isn't the item you are going to use in a DBQ -- Document Based Question -- exercise. It's another tool we use at the information desk as a starting point or for a review of information (which you understand may not be properly sourced). For exact statistical information or the accuracy of various dates, I would go to another more established (reliable) source.

Week #6 Post #15

I read the five perspectives on Library 2.0 and the Wikipedia article. Based on my experiences, the ones that ring the truest are Michael Stephens' piece on "Into a new world of librarianship" and Dr. Wendy Schultz "To a temporary place in time . . . ".

The successful library is a constantly changing entity. I do not believe that Library 2.0 is somehow so radically different than all the change that has come before it. And it will morph/evolve/absorb into several more generations of Library 3.0 and following as Dr. Schultz states.

Michael Stephens brings a point that I am now beginning to see addressed more in the library as well as design literatures. "This librarian asks what new technologies or new materials users need. This librarian proposes building projects [and I would also think renovation projects] and involves users in designing those places."

It was last week in American Libraries Direct online newsletter that an article appeared from the Educause Quarterly, Number 4 2007 by Bryan Sinclair.

http://connect.educause.edu/library/abstract/Commons20LibrarySpac/45534

Diana G. Oblinger addresses Learning Commons 2.0 considerations in design and renovation with her work entitled Learning Spaces.

Week #6 Post #14

The Discovery Exercises called for exploring the advanced search by typing "Learning 2.0". In the Keyword Search--Exact Phrase--6,215; Tag Search--1,999; and, Blog Directory Search--551.

I took this further into my design interests. About a year and a half ago the American Society of Interior Designers began a discussion within their body of knowledge concerning "Aging in Place".

http://www.asid.org/knowledge/Aging.htm

Along with sustainable design, they are probably two of the hottest topics in design these days.

I executed the same search as "Learning 2.0" with "Aging in Place". In the Keyword Search--Exact Phrase--57; Tag Search--58; and, Blog Directory Search--11.

The popular blogs, searches and videos were interesting to read. I scanned the top 100 blogs and learned about "Boing Boing". Technorati.com ranks it as the most popular blog in the world. It won the Lifetime Achievement and Best Group Blog awards at the 2006 Bloggies ceremony. And being a news addict, I also enjoyed this section's "Top News".

Week #6 Post #13

The tutorial on this exercise was somewhat disappointing. I have used the del.icio.us/hcplbiblio as part of my reference toolbox where and when appropriate. There is no sense in recreating the wheel, so to speak, in some cases with popularly asked questions at the desk. I created my own del.icio.us account and am currently exploring and tagging some of the more interesting sites dedicated to color. One that is very intriguing is COLOURlovers. The portability of the account is great.

Week #5 Post #12

I've read through the demo and the FAQs of the Library Elf. At this time, I do not think this service would be of any assistance to me. However, individuals checking out materials from several libraries or families having several cards from one or more library systems may find this a convenient form of record keeping.

Week #5 Post #11

I can see where this could have a good application for an instructor after a lecture in the studio or online session in distance learning. Occasionally a student may want to explore a previous topic in further detail. Titles which are not referred to on the syllabus "Further Reading List", could quickly be cited on the instructor's blog.

In this particular exercise I choose books from my personal design collection about the Hearst Estate on the Central California coast. My grandfathers and father were commercial fisherman off that beautiful coastline and I grew up visiting the estate on vacations from Los Angeles. In 1991 I took my daughter on her first set of tours of the estate.

Faces of Hearst Castle by Jana Seely and Keri Collins is the most recently published of the set (September 2007). It is also the first imprint of the Hearst Castle Press.

Week #5 Post #10

After a self-tour of the image generators, I selected Meez for the combination of features I originally had in mind for my avatar. As you see below she is nosily gliding across her studio's wood floor in a task chair. She actually spins in the original created avatar on the Meez site. For those of you familiar with the task chairs at our branch, you will notice that both arms of my avatar's chair are securely still in place. What a concept!