May 12, 2008

PanOye - 360° virtual panoramic tour

This site looks interesting - panaoramic views submitted by users.

The site states "Upload, organize, geotag and publish your panoramas. Help us build a virtual tour all around the Earth!"

http://www.panoye.com/

Posted by Mary at 10:18 AM | | Comments (0)

Adobe Photoshop Express

Adobe Photoshop Express - Online

Shixing sent this link out a few weeks ago. I'm posting the link below.

https://www.photoshop.com/express/landing.html

Posted by Mary at 08:27 AM | | Comments (0)

May 09, 2008

Facebook - How to delete your account

Dan sent this info out via email. It works best if you are logged in when you click the link to delete.
If you've forgotten your password you can still delete by clicking the same link and following the instructions on the screen.
Mary


All,

I've heard some concern regarding the deletion of a Facebook account. In the past, it's been very difficult to completely delete your account. If you are interested in the process, read on.

There's actually a Facebook group to aid in the process (irony?):
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=16929680703

I've borrowed the instructions from that group and pasted them below. I hope this helps.

Dan

- - - - HOW TO ACHIEVE PERMANENT DELETION - - - -

Want do disappear from Facebook once and for all?
Here's how!

Go to this page: http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account

Select the checkbox and click "Submit".

You will get an automated response saying Facebook has received your request. After that it will take approximately 2-3 days before your account is actually deleted.

This method is official and should be complete, i.e. no need to delete individual items from your profile!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - OBSOLETE WAYS OF ACCOUNT DELETION - -

NB: These methods are only left for historic reasons! Instead, use the deletion page linked to above.

- SECOND METHOD (Outdated 2008-04-16) -

Go to this form: http://www.facebook.com/cs_forms/fshelp.php?page=9

Tell them to delete your account in BOTH the subject and the message fields!

This method is official and confirmed by ex-facebook users to be satisfactory!

- - -

- FIRST METHOD (Outdated 2008-02-13) -
1. Delete everything that is related to your profile. That includes, but is not limited to: pictures, friends, messages, wall-posts, mini-feeds, news-feeds, posted items, interests, groups, applications, gifts....etc etc etc... Get the picture? EVERYTHING!

2. Contact the Facebook staff and request a permanent deletion of your account and that all information about you is fully erased. Of course, remember to tell them your user name.

Go ahead and try the following e-mail addresses:
privacy@facebook.com
comment-info-rt@facebook.c
om
info@facebook.com

You should get a response within a week.

3. Once you receive a reply from the Facebook staff confirming that your account is deleted, try logging in to Facebook as you used to. If you don’t get an invitation to reactivate your account it should now be permanently deleted.

Posted by Mary at 02:22 PM | | Comments (0)

November 16, 2007

#A Wrap up (optional)

Thanks for all your hard work. We appreciate your thoughts. Please comment on this blog post with your thoughts about this whole 20some thing project.

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:00 AM | | Comments (7)

November 02, 2007

#23 Discovering Web 2.0 tools

Throughout the course of this Learning 2.0 program we’ve explored just a small sampling of these new internet technologies and websites that are empowering users with the ability to create and share content. But given time there are so many more we could explore. And although time will only tell which of these new collaborative, social networking and information tools will remain on top, one thing is for sure, they're not going to go away (at least anytime soon).

For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to select any site from this list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees and explore it. With so many to choose from, it might be handy to first select a category that interests you (like Books or Personal Organization) and then simply select a tool/site to explore. Be careful to select a tool that is Free and that doesn't require a plug-in or download. The majority of these free, so this shouldn’t be a problem.

Discovery Exercise:

  1. Select any site/tool from the list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees. (If you prefer to select from just the winners, here’s a link to the short list.)

  2. Explore the site you selected.
  3. Create a post about your discovery. What did you like or dislike about the tool? What were the site’s useful features? Could you see any applications for its use in a library setting?

Web 2.0 – with so much to explore, just start with ONE. :)

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:01 AM | | Comments (1)

#22 Web-based Apps: They're not just for desktops


The availability and use of online productivity web-based applications (think word processing and spreadsheets) has exploded over the past two years and for good reasons! These powerful applications provide users with the ability to create and share documents over the internet without the need of installed desktop applications. Some experts speculate that this emerging trend may mean the death to Microsoft Office and other software-based productivity tools, while others think web-based applications have their place, but not in the office. But no matter which side of the office suite platform you side with, on this both sides seem to agree; web-based apps have their place.



One large benefit to web-based applications is that they eliminate the need to worry about different software versions or file types as you email documents or move from PC to PC. Another bonus is that they easily accommodate collaboration by allowing multiple users to edit the same file (with versioning) and provide users the ability to easily save and convert documents as multiple file types (including HTML and pdf). And, you can even use many of these tools, such as Zoho Writer and Google Docs to author and publish posts to your blog. It’s this type of integration with other web 2.0 tools that also makes web-based apps so appealing.

For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to take a look at a web-based word processing tool Zoho Writer or Google Docs, create a simple document and then record your discoveries in your blog. If you're up to the challenge, you might even export your document as an HTML file or publish it through Zoho to a Blogger account.

With Zoho and web-based applications, the possibilities are endless. Here’s a document (viewable as a webpage) mocked up in Zoho about some of the features that may be beneficial.

Discovery Resources:
A short list of web-based productivity applications – Note: I authored this list in ZohoWriter and exported it as HTML.

Discovery Exercise:
  1. Create a free account for yourself in Zoho Writer or use your Gmail account to access Google Docs.
  2. Explore the site and create a test document or two.
  3. Try out Zoho Writer’s or Google Docs features and create a blog post about your discoveries.
Optional: Consider exploring other tools in either online application suite such as Google Calendar, etc.

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:00 AM | | Comments (0)

October 19, 2007

#21 UM Wiki Sandbox

Playing in the Learning 2.0 Wiki Sandbox.

Discovery Resources:
umwiki.gif

Visit the University wiki site, TWiki

There is a lot of information on the page. For now just click on the All Webs link and see what others are doing with Twiki. (All Webs link)

Browse the list of Wiki topics in TWiki WebTopicList

Look at What is a WikiWord? to learn how to create links in TWiki.

Discovery Exercise:

"Sandbox" is the term that wikis often use to describe the area of the website that should be used for pure play. For this discovery and exploration exercise, we’ve set up a Learning 2.0 wiki that’s for nothing but play!

For this “explore-and-play-with-wikis” exercise, you are asked to add an entry to the Learning 2.0 UM wiki.

Please note that you will need to login using your internet ID and password to play with this wiki. You do not need to register for an account.

The theme of this wiki is simply “Favorites” : Favorite books, favorite vacation spots, favorite restaurants, favorite anything …all you need to do is play and add your thoughts.

Posted by Mary at 08:03 AM | | Comments (0)

#20 Playing around with PBWiki

Discovery Resources:

[Sorry, no podcast for this "thing." ]

PBwiki

pbwiki.gif
Discovery Exercise:
  1. Access Mary's Learning 2.0 PB Wiki and edit or create a page. Note: The password is "liblearn" if you need to sign in.

  2. Take a look at Jodi's PB Wiki as an example of how wiki's can be used for fun as well as work. Note: The password is "cookies" if you need to sign in

  3. Look at the list of 25 ideas for using your PBwiki

  4. Explore another free wiki site - Zoho Wiki

    5. zohowiki.gif
  5. Visit Mary's Learning 2.0 wiki on Zoho You have the option of leaving a comment.

  6. Blog about your experience with the various wiki software. What did you like about PB Wiki or Zoho? Which was easier to use?

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:02 AM | | Comments (0)

#19 So what’s in a wiki?

Listen to this podcast [1:49]-->powered by ODEO
A wiki is a collaborative website and authoring tool that allows users to easily add, remove and edit content.

Wikis in Plain English - Common Craft Show


Wikipedia, the online open-community encyclopedia, is the largest and perhaps the most well known of these knowledge sharing tools. With the benefits that wikis provide, the use and popularity of these tools is exploding.
Some of the benefits that make wikis so attractive are:
  • Anyone (registered or unregistered, if unrestricted) can add, edit or delete content.
  • Tracking tools within wikis allow you to easily keep up on what been changed and by whom.
  • Earlier versions of a page can be viewed and reinstated when needed.
  • And users do not need to know HTML in order to apply styles to text or add and edit content. In most cases simple syntax structure is used.
As the use of wikis has grown over the last few years, libraries all over the country have begun to use them to collaborate and share knowledge. Among their applications are pathfinder or subject guide wikis, book review wikis, ALA conference wikis and even library best practices wikis.


Discovery Resources:
Use these resources to learn more aboout wikis:
Discovery Exercise:
  1. For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a look at some library wikis and blog about your finding. Here’s a few examples to get you started:
  2. Create a blog post about your findings. What did you find interesting? What types of applications within libraries might work well with a wiki?
So what's in a wiki? Find out by doing some exploring on your own.

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:00 AM | | Comments (0)

October 05, 2007

#18 On Library 2.0 & Web 2.0 ...

Listen to this podcast [1:37]-->powered by ODEO
Library 2.0 is term used to describe a new set of concepts for developing and delivering library services. The name, as you may guess, is an extension of Web 2.0 and shares many of its same philosophies and concepts including harnessing the user input in both design and implementation of services, embracing constant change as a development cycle over the traditional notion of upgrades, and reworking library services to meet the users in their space, as opposed to ours (libraries).
Many have argued that the notion of Library 2.0 is more than just a term used to describe concepts that merely revolve around the use of technology; it also a term that can be used to describe both physical and mindset changes that are occurring within libraries to make our spaces and services more user-centric and inviting. Others within the profession have asserted that libraries have always been 2.0: collaborative, customer friendly and welcoming. But no matter which side of the debate proponents fall, both sides agree that libraries of tomorrow, even five or ten years from now, will look substantially different from libraries today.

Discovery Resources:
OCLC Next Space Newsletter – Web 2.0: Where will the next generation of the web it take libraries?
Five Perspectives:

Wikipedia – Library 2.0
Library 2.0 Discussions (list of great references from Wikipedia)

Discovery Exercise:
  1. Read two or three of the perspectives on Library 2.0 from the list above.
  2. Create a blog post about your thoughts on any one of these? Library 2.0 - It's many things to many people. What does it mean to you?

    3. Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:03 AM | | Comments (0)

#17 Getting not-so-technical with Technorati

Listen to this podcast [2:46]-->powered by ODEO
So now that you’ve been blogging for awhile, you might be wondering just how big the blogosphere is. Well, according to Technorati, the leading search tool and authority for blogs, the number of blogs doubles just about every 6 months with over 107.9 million blogs currently being tracked by the site. Yes, these numbers are astounding, but as you’ve already seen for yourselves, blogging is so easy that these publishing tools are being taken advantage of by almost every industry, including libraries. So how does a person get their blog listed as part of the blogosphere and how can you tag your posts with keywords to make them more findable through a Technorati search? The answer to the first question is that your blog is probably already being captured by Technorati if you chose Blogger as your blogging tool. But if you want to join the party and have your blog officially listed on Technorati and also take advantage of the watchlist and other features, you’ll need to claim your blog yourself. As for tagging posts with Technorati tags? This is easy, too. All you need to do is add a little bit of HTML code to the bottom of your post and Technorati will pick up these tags when it spiders (or web crawls) your site. There are a lot of new features that have been added to Technorati, including new ways to search for blogs. You can search for keywords in blog posts, search for entire blog posts that have been tagged with a certain keyword, or search for blogs that have been registered and tagged as whole blogs about a certain subject (like photography or libraries).

Discovery Resources:
Technorati Tour – videocast of new features & new look Technorati Discover & Popular features.

Discovery Exercise:
  1. Take a look at Technorati and try doing a keyword search for “Learning 2.0” in Blog posts, in tags and in the Blog Directory. Are the results different?
  2. Explore popular blog, searches and tags. Is anything interesting or surprising in your results?
  3. Create a blog post about your discoveries on this site. OPTIONAL: If you're up for a challenge, learn how to tag your posts by with Technorati tags so they can join tag searches. Create a post about something. It can be anything you want and add the HTML code to the bottom to tag it as “UMDLIBLEARN.” You may also want to consider claiming your blog and creating a watchlist.
There's a lot to explore.

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:02 AM | | Comments (1)

#16 Tagging, folksomonies & social bookmarking in Del.icio.us

Listen to this podcast [3:53]-->powered by ODEO
Tagging is an open and informal method of categorizing that allows users to associate keywords with online content (webpages, pictures & posts). Unlike library subject cataloging, which follows a strict set of guidelines (i.e.Library of Congress subject headings), tagging is completely unstructured and freeform, allowing users to create connections between data anyway they want. In the past few weeks, we’ve already explored a few sites – Flickr and LibraryThing to name two --that allow users to take advantage of tagging and in the previous things many even used a common tag (UMDLIBLEARN) to create an association between photos that we individually uploaded.
This week, in addition to exploring Technorati tagging, we want to also take at popular social bookmarking site called Del.icio.us (typed in as http://del.icio.us). Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking manager which allows you to bookmark a web page and add tags to categorize your bookmarks. Many users find that the real power of Del.icio.us is in the social network aspect, which allows you to see how other users have tagged similar links and also discover other websites that may be of interest to you. You can think of it as peering into another users’ filing cabinet, but with this powerful bookmarking tool each user's filing cabinet helps to build an expansive knowledge network. For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a look at Del.icio.us and learn about this popular bookmarking tool.

Discovery Resources:
Discovery Exercise:


  1. View this 12 minute Del.icio.us tutorial to get a good overview of its features.
  2. Take a look at the bookmarks we've saved using the UMDLIBLEARN account that was created for this exercise. Also, using the del.icio.us search feature, find other sites tagged with "learning2.0" or "UMDLibLearn".
  3. Explore the site options and try clicking on a bookmark that has also been bookmarked by a lot of other users. Can you see the comments they added about this bookmark or the tags that they used to categorize this reference?
  4. Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool. Can you see the potential of this?
  5. Create a Del.icio.us account for yourself and discover how this useful bookmarking tool can replace your traditional browser bookmark list.
OPTIONAL: You might even want to explore Del.icio.us’ latest addition, a network badge. (Psst! see it over there at the end of the navigation sidebar)

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:01 AM | | Comments (1)

#15 Roll your own search engine

Listen to this podcast [1:32]-->powered by ODEO

Do you have a group of websites that are your favorites? Or a set of online resources that are similar that you frequently use to answer questions? Well Rollyo may be the tool for you. Rollyo allows you to create your own search tool for just the websites you know and trust.

Take a look at some of these search rolls that have already been created:
Try a search for broad terms like "homework” or “history” to see results listed from multiple sites.

Discovery Exercise:

  1. Explore Rollyo and create an account for yourself.
  2. Create a search roll for any subject you like.
  3. Create a post in your blog about your experience and link to your search roll. Can you see a potential use for tools like this?
OPTIONAL: Add your searchroll to your blog using the " Create a Searchbox" tool.

Powered by Rollyo
Rollyo - You just never know when this little tool might come in handy.

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:00 AM | | Comments (0)

September 21, 2007

#14 A thing about LibraryThing

Listen to this podcast [1:52]-->powered by ODEO

Are you book lover or cataloger at heart? Or do you enjoy finding lost and forgotten gems on the shelf to read? Then LibraryThing may be just the tool for you. Developed for booklovers, this online tool not only allows you to easily create an online catalog of your own it also connects you to other people who have similar libraries and reading tastes. Add a book to your catalog by just entering the title -- It’s so easy that you don’t even need MARC record training to do it – or connect with other users through your similar reading tastes. There are lots of ways to use LibraryThing. You can even view your books on a virtual shelf, add a widget (see sidebar for sample) to display titles that are in your catalog or install a LT Search box on your blog.

So why not join the ranks and create your own library online. With over 73,000 registered (BTW: LibraryThing also has group forum for librarians users and over 5.1 million cataloged books, you're bound to discover something new).

Discovery Resources:

Discovery Exercise:

  1. Take a look around LibraryThing and create an account.
  2. Add a least 5 books to your library.
  3. Blog about your findings and be sure to link to your LibraryThing catalog.

Photo - MicroSoft Clipart

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:02 AM | | Comments (0)

#13 Play around with Image Generators

Listen to this podcast [1:00]-->powered by ODEO


Generators? No, we are not talking about those gas powered back-up things. The generators we are talking about allow you to easily manipulate image and graphics to create fun images like these:



For this discovery exercise, we just want you to have fun. Find a few fun image or text generators to play around with and write a post in your blog about one of your favorites and display the result. Often adding the image you mocked up to your blog is as simple as copying and pasting code that the page provides. If not, you may just need to right click on the image and then save it to your hard drive before using Blogger’s image button to add it to your post.

If you’re having difficulty getting your image added to a post in your blog, just ask a member of the 2.0 team.

Discovery Resources:
Discovery Exercise:
  1. Play around with some image generators and find one that you like.
  2. Post the result of your discovery process in your blog.
Note: Be sure to include a link to the image generator itself, so other participants can discover it too.

So take some time and have fun with this exercise. And remember to be tasteful too!

* Images created with Dummies Book Generator, FD Toys Magazine Cover, Comic Strip Generator.

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:01 AM | | Comments (1)

#12 Blog about Technology

Hi All!!!!!

For this thing, simply blog about anything technology related. Yes, it can be anything that relates to technology! You just need to share a few thoughts. For example, blog about what you've liked the most so far or if/how you plan to implement any of this in your daily life.

PS: Also be sure to add at least one comment to another participant's blog. That's what online communities are all about - connecting and communication. :)

Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:00 AM | | Comments (1)

September 07, 2007

#11b Google Picasa Web Albums

The last "thing" looked at Flickr, this "thing" will explore another photo sharing site, Google Picasa

You can use the Gmail account you created to login and explore, or just explore if you choose not to create an account.

Either way, explore and learn about albums and tags.

picasa.gif



Discovery Resources:

  • View this UTube video about using Picasa

  • Picasa Web Albums

  • Picasa Getting Started Guide


    • Discovery Exercise:

    For this discovery exercise explore Picasa.

    Create a post in your blog about your experience.


    Optional: Login with your Gmail login and password and upload a photo or batch of photos to an album. Tag the photos with the tag "UMDLibLearn".

    For those who created an account and uploaded photos, try creating a link to the album in your blog, or try embeding a slideshow of your album in your blog. It's easy, just click on the links and copy and paste the code into your blog.


    Reminder:You can check out the Library's Digital Camera for this exercise. So go ahead, explore and have fun.

    PS: Reminder: photo posting etiquette - When posting identifiable photos of other people (especially minors) is it advisable to get the person's permission before posting their photo in a publicly accessible place like Flickr. Never upload pictures that weren't taken by you (unless you have the photographer's consent) and always give credit when you include photos taken by someone else in your blog.

    Posted by Mary at 08:02 AM | | Comments (0)

    #11a More Flickr Fun


    Like many web 2.0 sites, Flickr has encouraged other people to build their own online applications using images found on the site. Through the use of APIs (application programming interfaces), many people have created third party tools and mashups* that use Flickr images. Here are just a sampling of a few …

    • Mappr - allows you to take Flickr images and paste them on a map
    • Flickr Color Pickr - lets you find public photos in Flickr that match a specific color.
    • Montagr – create a photo mosaic from photos found on Flickr.
    Discover more mashups, web apps, and Flickr tools.

    Discovery Exercise:

    Your discovery exercise for this “thing” is to:
    1. Explore some of the fun Flickr mashups and 3rd party tools that are out there.
    2. Create a blog post about one that intrigues you.

    Some fun tools are FD Toys’ Trading Card Maker. And there’s a ton of librarians out there that have created their own Librarian Trading Card.

    So have some fun discovering and exploring some neat little apps. And if you're up to the challenge while you’re at it, why not create a trading card of your own. :)

    * Mashup Note: Wikipedia offers some great articles that explain mashups. Basically they are hybrid web applications that take features from one application (like Flickr) and mash it up with another (like a map). In this example, you get Mappr.

    PS: Learning 2.0 image created by Spell with Flickr.

    Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:01 AM | | Comments (0)

    #10 Discover Flickr

    Library
    UMD Library!!
    Originally uploaded by Jodi.
    Photo sharing websites have been around since the 90s, but it took a small startup site called Flickr to catapult the idea of “sharing” into a full blown online community. Within the past year, Flickr has become the fastest growing photo sharing site on the web and is known as one of the first websites to use keyword “tags” to create associations and connections between photos and users of the site.

    For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a good look at Flickr and discover what this site has to offer. Find out how tags work, what groups are, and all the neat things that people and other libraries.

    Discovery Resources:


    Discovery Exercise:

    In this discovery exercise, you have two options…

    1. Take a good look around Flickr and discover an interesting image that you want to blog about. Be sure to include either a link to the image or, if you create a Flickr account, you can use Flickr's blogging tool to add the image in your post. Another option you have for including images in your Blog.

      -- OR --

    2. If you're up to an easy challenge ... create a Free account in Flickr and use the library's digital camera to capture a few pictures of something in your area. Upload these to your Flickr account and tag at least one of the images “UMDLIBLEARN” and mark it public. Then create a post in your blog about your photo and experience. Be sure to include the image in your post. Once you have a Flickr account, you have two options for doing this: through Flickr's blogging tool or using your own Blog 's photo upload feature.
    Reminder:You can check out the Library's Digital Camera for this exercise. So go ahead, explore the site and have some Flickr photo fun and if you're interested in looking at some photo hosting sites, then why not check out this Wired story.

    PS: A quick word about photo posting etiquette - When posting identifiable photos of other people (especially minors) is it advisable to get the person's permission before posting their photo in a publicly accessible place like Flickr. Never upload pictures that weren't taken by you (unless you have the photographer's consent) and always give credit when you include photos taken by someone else in your blog.

    Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:00 AM | | Comments (0)

    August 24, 2007

    #9 You too can YouTube

    Listen to this podcast [1:58]-->powered by ODEO

    Within the past year online video hosting sites have exploded allowing users to easily to upload and share videos on the web. Among all the web 2.0 players in this area, YouTube is currently top dog serving up over 1 million video views a day and allowing users not only to upload their own video content easily, but also embed clips into their own sites easily.

    Do some searching around YouTube yourself and see what the site has to offer. You'll find everything from 1970s TV commercials and 60s music videos to library dominos and kids singing about bloopers here. Of course, like any free site you’ll also find a lot stuff not worth watching too. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore and see for yourself what the site has too offer. :)

    Discovery Exercise:
    1. Explore YouTube & find a video worth adding as an entry in your blog.
    2. Create a blog post about your experience. What did you like or dislike about the site and why did you choose the video that you did? Can you see any features or componets of the site that might be interesting if they were applied to library websites?

      OPTIONAL: Try placing the video inside your blog using the copy and paste code for the for "Embeddable Player.” Note: you'll need to use Blogger's Edit HTML tab when pasting this code.






    Just For Fun (This is an embedded video.)


    Other popular video hosting sites:

    NOTE: Videos, like music downloads, are bandwidth hogs so downloads may be slow.

    Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:01 AM | | Comments (0)

    #8 Podcasts, Smodcasts!

    Listen to this podcast [2:17]-->powered by ODEO

    The word podcast is used to refer to a non-musical audio or video broadcast that is distributed over the Internet. What differentiates a podcast from regular streaming audio or video is that the delivery method for podcasts is often done automatically through RSS.

    In 2005, "podcast" was named the "word of the year" by New Oxford American Dictionary and with the growth of podcasting over the last 24 months, it's easy to see why.

    Podcasts take many forms, from short 1-10 minutes commentaries (like the ones used in this Learning 2.0 program) to much longer in person interviews or panel group discussions. There’s a podcast out there for just about every interest area and the best part about this technology is that you don’t have to have an iPod or a MP3 player to access them. Since podcasts use the MP3 file format, a popular compressed format for audio files, you really just need a PC (or portal device) with headphones or a speaker.

    iTunes, the free downloadable application created by Apple is the directory finding service most associated with podcasts, but if you don’t have iTunes installed there are still plenty of options.

    For this discovery exercise participants are asked to take a look at some popular podcast directory tools. Do some exploring on your own and locate a podcast that is of interest to you. Once found, you can easily pull the RSS feed into your Bloglines( or whatever newsreader you are using) account as well, so that when new casts become available you’ll be automatically notified of their existence.

    Discovery Resources:


    Discovery Exercise:

    1. Take a look at one or two of the podcast directories listed and see if you can find a podcast that interests you. See if you can find some interesting library related podcasts here like book review podcasts or library news.
    2. Add the RSS feed for a podcast to your Bloglines account (or other newsreader account)
    3. Create a blog post about your discovery process. Did you find anything useful here?

    Optional: If you're ambitious, why not try to add a podcast to your Blog about Library 2.0 as an example)

    Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:00 AM | | Comments (0)

    August 10, 2007

    #7 Finding Feeds

    Listen to this podcast [3:08]-->powered by ODEO


    Now that you have a newsreader (your Bloglines account or My Yahoo! or Google or web browser like Firefox), you can begin adding other newsfeeds that interest you. There are several ways you can locate newsfeeds:

    • When visiting your favorite websites -- look for news feed icons that indicate the website provides it. Often a feed icon will be displayed somewhere in the navigation bar of the site.

    • Use Blogline's Search tool - Bloglines recently expanded search tool lets you search for news feeds in addition to posts, citations and the web. Use the Search for Feeds option to locate RSS feeds you might be interested in.

    • Other Search tools that can help you find feeds:

      • Feedster - One of the largest collections of RSS feeds, Feedster lets you search for feeds in three categories: news, blogs & podcasts

      • Topix.net - This search tool allows you to locate recent newsfeed items based upon keyword or phrase searching. The tool focuses specifically on news and media outlet RSS feeds for information, not weblogs.

      • Syndic8.com - Syndic8 is an open directory of RSS feeds that contains thousands of RSS feeds that users have submitted.

      • Technorati - Technorati is a popular blog finding tool that lets you search for blogs. Since RSS feeds are inherent to all blogging tools, Technorati Blog Search can help you find RSS feeds for topic specific blogs you may be interested in.
        Additonal Resource: Technorati Tutorial on finding and adding your blog

    Discovery Exercise:
    1. Explore some of the search tools noted above that can help you locate some news feeds.

    2. Create a blog post about your experience. Don't know what to blog about? Here some questions to think about ...
      Which method of finding feeds did you find easiest to use? Which Search tool was the easiest for you? Which was more confusing? What kind of useful feeds did you find in your travels? Or what kind of unusual ones did you find? What other tools or ways did you find to locate newsfeeds?


    EXTRA STUFF -- Feed icon information:

    The adoption of a standard feed icon among websites and browsers finally began to assist in stopping the madness and confusion caused by so many variations. So far this icon has been adopted by many websites and browers, including Opera, FireFox and IE7, where it displays in the address bar:


    Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:03 AM | | Comments (0)

    #6 Make life "really simple" with RSS & a newsreader

    Listen to this podcast [5:15]--> powered by ODEO
    FYI & ICYW: This is the longest podcast in the program.

    You’ve heard of RSS? You’ve seen those small funny tags on websites? You’ve heard co-workers and acquaintances swear by it, but still have no idea what RSS is? Well don’t worry, according to a recent survey you’re still in the majority, but this is changing rapidly. In the information world, RSS is not only revolutionalizing the way news, media and content creators share information, but it also is swiftly changing the way everyday users are consuming information.

    RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” and is a file format for delivering regularly updated information over the web.

    Just think about the websites and news information sources you visit every day. It takes time to visit those sites and scour the ad-filled and image-heavy pages for just the text you want to read, doesn’t it? Now imagine if you could visit all those information sources and web pages in just one place and all at the same time … without being bombarded with advertising… without having to search for new information on the page you’d already seen or read before… and without having to consume a lot of time visiting each site individually. Would that be valuable to you? Well, it’s available now through a newsreader and RSS.

    This week’s discovery exercises focus on learning about RSS news feeds and setting up a Bloglines account (a free online newsreader) or a My Yahoo! or any other newsreader that will work for you to bring your feeds together.

    Discovery Resources:
    • RSS in Plain English by Common Craft

    Discovery Exercise:

    1. Follow the discovery resources above to learn more about RSS and newsreaders.
    2. Create a free online Bloglines account, My Yahoo! or any other newsreader for yourself. See Using Bloglines Tutorial steps 1-3 for instructions.

    3. Newsfeeds: Try it, it's easy! Add a few feeds from the following sources
    4. Create a post in your blog about this exercise. Optional: If you're up to the challenge, you can provide the URL address to your public bloglines account (find where to find this below)
    Don’t know what to blog about? Think about these questions:
    What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?
    How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your work or personal life?
    How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?
    How to find your public Bloglines URL:
    1. Click on the Share tab within your Bloglines account:


    2. Scroll down the right screen pane and locate the public URL (see screenshot)
    3. Be sure to add this as part of your post to demonstrate your completion of this activity.

    In conclusion ...Why have a public account? To share blog rolls with others, of course.

    Posted by Daniel Filipiak at 08:02 AM | | Comments (0)

    August 01, 2007

    #5 Learn about Instant Messaging

    What is Instant Messaging or IM?

    Instant Messaging is one of the staples of online social networking.

    According to Wikipedia it is "a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text. The text is conveyed via computers connected over a network such as the Internet."

    Read through a few articles about IM to find out how libraries and others are using instant messaging:

    IM Me - Library Journal
    Wikipedia - Instant Messaging

    aim_brand7.gif

    There are dozens of instant messaging services and clients. An instant messaging client, such as AIM or MSN, allows you to chat using that specific client. An instant messaging service, such as Pidgin or Meebo, allows you create an account that combines all of your IM services for use at once.

    pidgin_full.png


    To go learn more about the most popular instant messaging services and clients and view the pros and cons of each, browse this short but comprehensive guide all things Instant Messenger. Instant Messaging Tools and Technology - A Mini Guide

    So who cares about Instant Messenging?

    Here are some quick fun facts about some of the most popular instant messengers in the world and how many people use them (source: Wikipedia)

    AIM: 53 million active users (Nielsen//NetRatings, August 2005), 195 million total (January 2003).

    Windows Live Messenger: 29 million active (Nielsen//NetRatings, August 2005), 155 million total (April 2005).

    Yahoo! Messenger: 21 million active (September 2005).

    ICQ: 20 million active world wide (source), 400 million total.

    QQ: 20 million peak simultaneously on-line users, 221 million active users (source).

    Skype: 100 million total (April 2006).

    Jabber: 13.5 million enterprise users (Osterman Research August 2005), this does not count users via ISPs and other service providers (estimated to be more than 7.5 million, for a total of at least 21 million)(source).

    Sametime: 15 million enterprise users.

    Gadu-Gadu: 5.6 million total (June 2006).

    MXit: 1.5 million (mostly in South Africa and about 150,000 international) (source: IOL, 4 September 2006)

    Discovery Exercise:

    1. Learn about Jabber, the University instant messaging program and sign up for an account. Send an instant message to a member of the Learning 2.0 team.

    2. Check out a few different Instant Message software providers, like:
    AIM
    Yahoo Messenger
    Meebo
    Pidgin
    Google Talk
    MSN
    Consider signing up for a non university IM account using your non-work email address. Play around with some fun features available in each. If you choose Aim, check out BkLuver36. Feel free to send an instant message to any of the Learning 2.0 team members (see the back of your Learning in Progress sign for contact information).

    3. Write a blog post about Instant Messaging on one or both of these topics:
    Does your library already use IM for reference?
    Would it be good for internal communications?

    P.S.--This site has Chat Lingo definitions--NetLingo and if you want even more information try the Glossary of Internet Terms

    Posted by Heather Mc Lean at 08:01 AM | | Comments (0)

    #4 Explore Facebook and MySpace

    What is Social Networking?

    Social Networking as defined in Wikipedia is "A social network service focuses on the building and verifying of online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others, and which necessitates the use of software.

    Most social network services are primarily web based and provide a collection of various ways for users to interact, such as chat, messaging, email, video, voice chat, file sharing, blogging, discussion groups, and so on."

    Please follow this link and watch this short video on Social Networking.

    Libraries and Social Networking


    Two of the most popular social networking sites are Facebook and MySpace.

    For our exercises we will be working with Facebook as it is a more secure application. It is also the social networking utility most favored by college students.

    Read through the links below to get an idea of what different libraries are doing in Myspace and Facebook and what librarians are saying about social networking!

  • Libraries on MySpace

  • Library Success Wiki list of Library Myspaces

  • The Librarian In Black's ideas about Myspace

  • What does Facebook Matter to Libraries?

    Watch this short video to see how libraries are using Facebook applications for opac searching directly from someone's Facebook page. "The New Developers Facebook Platform: Why Libraries Care"

    welcome_3.gif

    myspace-full2.gif


    Facebook

    Here is a link to get you started with Facebook.

    Discovery Exercise:

    1. Go to Facebook and sign up for an account. It's very straightforward, and requires only a little information. You will need to use your UMD email account.

    Once you're logged in, "home" will take you to a start page that has news for you about your facebook Friends. "Profile" will take you to your own profile page. Next to the word