Lesson # 6: Photo Sharing

More enlightenment--I had previously viewed Flickr and photo sharing as a way for my 30- something friends to easily share all those baby pictures with everyone in their email address book, and didn't see a personal need to participate. After all, I can send the occasional prom or graduation picture by email to family members. I'm not big on the idea of family photos on the web, even with the assurance of privacy settings. So until now, I've remained in ignorant bliss on the subject of photo sharing.

I took the Magical Mystery Tour (clever title to grab the 'boomers) and once agian learned some things that peaked my interest.

I have always loved to travel, and enjoy taking photos of places I've been. I've loaded my digital photos onto my computer and also burned CDs as back-up. However, I've recently begun to question the safety and permanence of this method, given the speed with which technology is advancing (will I even be able to view a CD in 10 or 20 years?), and the vulnerability of CDs in general. Flickr sounds like it might be a good place to store these photos.

Because I enjoy travelling but cannot currently afford to do so, I like to follow my brothers on their frequent excursions via the internet. One brother recently went to Rome--I typed in the address of the villa where he stayed in Google Maps and Google Earth. There I found and clicked on photo links, which opened pictures taken by various people and posted to these sights. I now realize these photos were shared by someone using Flickr or a similar tool. Again, enlightenment.

I enjoyed the tour on Flickr (clear and logical) as well as the video lesson (I feel like Lee LeFever is becoming an old friend). I will add "photo sharing" to my ever-growing list of things I want to do. I'm not interested in the social aspect of photo-sharing--I don't want to communicate via the web with folks who have similar interests (I feel like I barely have enough time to share with those I truly am close to--family and friends). As far as using it in a work context, I always figure I can help a patron who might come in with questions. If someone in the system uses photo-sharing in a project that involves me, I feel like I now have the knowledge to participate fully.

Lesson #5: Podcasts

This week's lesson was very enlightening for me--it dispelled many misconceptions that I had previously held about podcasting, and gave me a greater scope of the realm of possibilities. I'm looking forward to having some time to explore the podcast directories more thoroughly, and then subscribe to some personal interest podcasts (art, travel, books). I can see that perhaps having some links on our website might be appreciated by our patrons. I'm not ready to see our storytimes broadcasted, however.



Thanks, Web 2.0 Committee, for this very practical lesson.

Lesson 4: Twitter

I found the lesson to be clear and informative, but currently have no desire to be electronically connected to anyone 24/7. I like a little space and quiet time. I wonder how those who are microblogging find time to actually experience real life--aren't they missing a lot while staring at their little keyboards and typing?! I enjoy the occasional "mandatory pauses" in my life: while my car is being serviced, in the dentist's office, a snow day. I use the time to people-watch, or read, or just slow down and think. I love my family and friends, but I can keep up with them via snail mail, email, phone calls, and Facebook, and I have control over the time element of these activities. I fear that using Twitter would tempt me to spend too much of my precious time socializing on a very trivial level. I don't need to know when someone is mowing the lawn, nor do I need to tell everyone I know when I'm mowing the lawn (which will never happen, but I digress...).

If I find a need to Twitter down the road, I'm ready, thanks to our always-informative Web 2.0 Committee.

Since I'm not tweeting (or twittering or whatever you call it), I've spent time this week exploring my RSS feeds, and reading other people's blogs. What an interesting mix of people we are, and it's fun learning a bit about all of you.

Lesson 3: No Longer Homeless

Thanks, Web 2.0 Committee, for this informative lesson. Prior to this week, I thought I understood RSS feeds. I knew that they had something to do with updates. I had even clicked on the orange RSS icon a couple of times, thinking that I would begin getting email notification (or something) regarding updates. Then, because nothing happened, I promptly forgot about it. After viewing the video (well done in my opinion) a lightbulb came on--without a reader, I was RSS homeless!

I have since remedied the problem and set up a Google Reader account. I've subscribed to a couple of online newspapers that I often peruse, as well as my daughter's art teacher's website. Going to one place to check updates will be handy, and I've dropped them into neat little folders. I imagine I'll subscribe to more sites that I frequent, as I get in the habit of having them come to my home, rather than visiting them. I do love the reduction of advertisements!

I've just spent way too much time trying to figure out how to get those RSS feeds on my blog, but will solicit the help of my co-workers tomorrow morning.