Just in case you'd like to know - we've started our blog at Heart of England Foundation Trust. It's not published yet, but we have lots of pages set up and we're all writing like mad. It's thanks to lots of you out there that we're doing so well as we have been inspired by your blogs. When it's up and running I'll give you the link and you can comment on it and in it !
Remember the cat? She's a darling, but well and truly jinxed as her name (Jinxy)implies. She was ravished by a rampant tom and is now about to give birth ! I'll keep you posted.
In the meantime..........anybody want a kitten ???
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
Friday, 14 December 2007
Last Post ?
Well this is it ! The last post to Struggling out of the gas age. It's been great working with you all and I've enjoyed the course and found it valuable. I am having to post this from home, however, because all social sites have been blocked by the Trust !! So much for our library blog ! Never mind, I hope we'll get it sorted sooner rather than later, before the enthusiasm wears thin.
On the home front I am freezing in our study, so will be quick ! I've been to TOHs ex father-in-law's funeral today which was sad, but he was 86 and had a lived a full life with a large family and so we were celebrating his life and taking forward with us all the good memories. It made me think of all the inventions and technological advances he must have seen in his life - he was born in 1921 and how in a couple of year's time our struggle with wikis and blogs will be lost in an avalanche of new sites and new tools to grapple with. I only hope I have George's energy to deal with it all !
.............and the kitten ? It's called Jinx. I hope it keeps away from the computer !!!!
Have a good weekend folks and if we don't catch up before, a Wiki Christmas and Bloggy New year to all.
On the home front I am freezing in our study, so will be quick ! I've been to TOHs ex father-in-law's funeral today which was sad, but he was 86 and had a lived a full life with a large family and so we were celebrating his life and taking forward with us all the good memories. It made me think of all the inventions and technological advances he must have seen in his life - he was born in 1921 and how in a couple of year's time our struggle with wikis and blogs will be lost in an avalanche of new sites and new tools to grapple with. I only hope I have George's energy to deal with it all !
.............and the kitten ? It's called Jinx. I hope it keeps away from the computer !!!!
Have a good weekend folks and if we don't catch up before, a Wiki Christmas and Bloggy New year to all.
3CsT3 Evaluation
1) How well does this course meet your expectations / learning objectives?
My expectations were quite low as I was not convinced I was going to get to grips with the course to start with and although the course objectives were very clear and straightforward I was a bit intimidated by it all. However………. The course exceeded all my expectations, I thoroughly enjoyed trying out the different resources and tools and enjoyed the challenge too. For my own learning objectives, which were at the very least to know what others were talking about, these have also been exceeded as I now feel confident enough to dive in and ‘have a go’.
2) What are the difficulties encountered in accessing the course materials on the Internet at your workplace which have NOT been reported before?
The main problem I found was not being able to explore the social networking sites as well as I would have liked. I was able to access them, but when I tried registering I never received a confirmation e-mail, so suspect that it was blocked. We also received this e-mail, Trustwide this week, which is unfortunate.
Dear Colleagues
Due to recently advertised security threats and identity fraud, the following two web sites will be banned with immediate affect:
You Tube
Face Book
These sites will be banned indefinitely while further investigate of these threats are identified.
This is being done to protect Trust staff, and we would like to thank you for your understanding and co operation in this matter.
Regards
ICT Services
3) Did you need to seek the permission of your trust IT before you accessed certain course materials on the Internet?
I didn’t need to seek permission, they were quite helpful if certain things like the Del.icio.us buttons needed to be put on the toolbar etc. Our IT were even interested in the course itself !
This is a revision to my original evaluation comment. All ‘social networking sites’ have been blocked by the Trust, and no exceptions are to be made. I can’ actually post anything on my blog, although I can still access it.
4) Do the readings meet the learning objectives of each topic?
I think the readings were quite adequate. It is interesting how quickly things move on, as reading around some of the areas, particularly Web 2.0 in general I found articles which were quite recent on the subject. Now we know about social bookmarking sites we can share all these !
5) What is the average amount of time you spent on the course each day?
It’s difficult to average it out as there were days when I did nothing as my training schedule was too busy, then I spent several whole afternoons catching up.
6) How do you find the interaction among participants of the course?
I thought it was a shame so many people dropped out as it left so few of us to interact ! Some of us interacted more than others and in the end there were about four of us who were quite prolific ! I enjoyed sharing ideas and reading the comments left by others, it was interesting to see how others looked at the same subject. I also enjoyed ‘meeting’ people I’d not come across before in person and look forward to working with them in the future.
7) Will you continue blogging and/or reading RSS after the course?
Most definitely ! We have a Blog planned for our library in the New Year and with the changes with NLH and the Core Content I shall be updating my users like mad in the Spring – bags of opportunity to introduce them to MyLibrary and RSS feeds etc. I may even set up one of my own !
Due to the Trust’s restriction of access to social networking sites, including blogging, I wonder if the Library Blog will get off the ground. I haven’t checked to see if I can still set up RSS feeds. This is very depressing as we were looking forward to our library blog.
Objectives Targets Deadlines
Get involved in getting the Library Blog up and running ? These will be decided at the next staff meeting, tbh on 19th December ? February, when the next Library Bulletin would be due ?
Look into getting an induction podcast set up to deliver via iPods, loaned from the library counter. This would be to catch individuals joining the Trust, or stragglers who missed the Trust Induction Read round subjectJan 31stExplore tools needed and find funding for iPodsJan 31stRecord podcast March 31st Podcast ready for 1st April 2008 ?
My expectations were quite low as I was not convinced I was going to get to grips with the course to start with and although the course objectives were very clear and straightforward I was a bit intimidated by it all. However………. The course exceeded all my expectations, I thoroughly enjoyed trying out the different resources and tools and enjoyed the challenge too. For my own learning objectives, which were at the very least to know what others were talking about, these have also been exceeded as I now feel confident enough to dive in and ‘have a go’.
2) What are the difficulties encountered in accessing the course materials on the Internet at your workplace which have NOT been reported before?
The main problem I found was not being able to explore the social networking sites as well as I would have liked. I was able to access them, but when I tried registering I never received a confirmation e-mail, so suspect that it was blocked. We also received this e-mail, Trustwide this week, which is unfortunate.
Dear Colleagues
Due to recently advertised security threats and identity fraud, the following two web sites will be banned with immediate affect:
You Tube
Face Book
These sites will be banned indefinitely while further investigate of these threats are identified.
This is being done to protect Trust staff, and we would like to thank you for your understanding and co operation in this matter.
Regards
ICT Services
3) Did you need to seek the permission of your trust IT before you accessed certain course materials on the Internet?
I didn’t need to seek permission, they were quite helpful if certain things like the Del.icio.us buttons needed to be put on the toolbar etc. Our IT were even interested in the course itself !
This is a revision to my original evaluation comment. All ‘social networking sites’ have been blocked by the Trust, and no exceptions are to be made. I can’ actually post anything on my blog, although I can still access it.
4) Do the readings meet the learning objectives of each topic?
I think the readings were quite adequate. It is interesting how quickly things move on, as reading around some of the areas, particularly Web 2.0 in general I found articles which were quite recent on the subject. Now we know about social bookmarking sites we can share all these !
5) What is the average amount of time you spent on the course each day?
It’s difficult to average it out as there were days when I did nothing as my training schedule was too busy, then I spent several whole afternoons catching up.
6) How do you find the interaction among participants of the course?
I thought it was a shame so many people dropped out as it left so few of us to interact ! Some of us interacted more than others and in the end there were about four of us who were quite prolific ! I enjoyed sharing ideas and reading the comments left by others, it was interesting to see how others looked at the same subject. I also enjoyed ‘meeting’ people I’d not come across before in person and look forward to working with them in the future.
7) Will you continue blogging and/or reading RSS after the course?
Most definitely ! We have a Blog planned for our library in the New Year and with the changes with NLH and the Core Content I shall be updating my users like mad in the Spring – bags of opportunity to introduce them to MyLibrary and RSS feeds etc. I may even set up one of my own !
Due to the Trust’s restriction of access to social networking sites, including blogging, I wonder if the Library Blog will get off the ground. I haven’t checked to see if I can still set up RSS feeds. This is very depressing as we were looking forward to our library blog.
Objectives Targets Deadlines
Get involved in getting the Library Blog up and running ? These will be decided at the next staff meeting, tbh on 19th December ? February, when the next Library Bulletin would be due ?
Look into getting an induction podcast set up to deliver via iPods, loaned from the library counter. This would be to catch individuals joining the Trust, or stragglers who missed the Trust Induction Read round subjectJan 31stExplore tools needed and find funding for iPodsJan 31stRecord podcast March 31st Podcast ready for 1st April 2008 ?
Friday, 7 December 2007
I need a duvet day !
Thank goodness it's Saturday tomorrow, I am in dire need of a duvet day ! We are preparing our Library Bulletin for publication next week and I, for my sins, do the preparing ! It has been particularly tricky this time with lots of interference from 'above' and has convinced Gwen and I, if we hadn't been convinced before, that a Library Blog is what's required. After all the hassle I've had, I need gin, chocolate and my duvet in that order !
However, I have finished all my assignments and commented on everyone else's so I feel a bit smug. I have put my Del.icio.us bookmarks in my portfolio but keep finding more things I want to share - social bookmarking can be very addictive ! so my 'at least ten' has become 'a lot more than ten' I hope Bertha is impressed ! reading through everyone's assignments I have been struck by how much we've all gained from this course and how knowledgable we all seem at the end of it. I suppose the proof of the pudding will be how many Blogs/Wikis and Podcasts spring up in the New Year.
The title of my Blog has always puzzled Bertha, but I feel that I have struggled out of the gas age and bypassed the electronic, nuclear and space ages to land firmly in the virtual age with a reasonable amount of confidence, which is very satisfying.
Meanwhile it has been a bit of an up and down week at home. We have lost a member of the older generation, a good friend and an elderly gerbil - these things always come in threes ! However TOH has been to France to get lots of nice wine and other goodies for Christmas and number 2 son has been given a kitten. It should be an interesting weekend !
Now what shall we call the kitten...................Wiki ????
However, I have finished all my assignments and commented on everyone else's so I feel a bit smug. I have put my Del.icio.us bookmarks in my portfolio but keep finding more things I want to share - social bookmarking can be very addictive ! so my 'at least ten' has become 'a lot more than ten' I hope Bertha is impressed ! reading through everyone's assignments I have been struck by how much we've all gained from this course and how knowledgable we all seem at the end of it. I suppose the proof of the pudding will be how many Blogs/Wikis and Podcasts spring up in the New Year.
The title of my Blog has always puzzled Bertha, but I feel that I have struggled out of the gas age and bypassed the electronic, nuclear and space ages to land firmly in the virtual age with a reasonable amount of confidence, which is very satisfying.
Meanwhile it has been a bit of an up and down week at home. We have lost a member of the older generation, a good friend and an elderly gerbil - these things always come in threes ! However TOH has been to France to get lots of nice wine and other goodies for Christmas and number 2 son has been given a kitten. It should be an interesting weekend !
Now what shall we call the kitten...................Wiki ????
Friday, 30 November 2007
Only one assignment left !
Well I know how I'll be spending my weekend ! I haven't yet started on my individual assignment although I have read most of what I'm going to use and have a few ideas in my head. I was terrified at the beginning of this course and am really pleased I stuck with it as there are so many useful things I've picked up and Gwen and I have loads of ideas we want to share with our colleagues in HEFT some of whom have already done 3Cs so are able to join in our enthusiasm. I managed to submit assignment 6 this afternoon, as a training session I had booked was cancelled and was able to think a bit more deeply about it than I've been able to with some of the others. Hopefully it will generate some comments.
The weekend beckons and apart from my assignment I am off to visit TOHs uncle tomorrow. He a smashing old boy who looks like a combination of Rolf Harris and Anthony Quinn ! He is nearly 80 and spends half his day on the computer. After his wife died a couple of years ago, I introduced him to the idea of compiling his family tree. He now has hundreds of names on it and is travelling all over the country finding new relatives and attending genealogy meetings and local history groups, it's given him a focus, which is great. I haven't yet convinced him to go onto Facebook, but there's still time !
Have a good weekend everyone.
The weekend beckons and apart from my assignment I am off to visit TOHs uncle tomorrow. He a smashing old boy who looks like a combination of Rolf Harris and Anthony Quinn ! He is nearly 80 and spends half his day on the computer. After his wife died a couple of years ago, I introduced him to the idea of compiling his family tree. He now has hundreds of names on it and is travelling all over the country finding new relatives and attending genealogy meetings and local history groups, it's given him a focus, which is great. I haven't yet convinced him to go onto Facebook, but there's still time !
Have a good weekend everyone.
Assignment 6
How will technological trends change the information environment and user behaviour
The information environment is constantly changing as technology advances and user behaviour along with it.
The information environment is constantly changing as technology advances and user behaviour along with it.
- Information arrives quickly via the internet, but users want it even faster and want it to be relevant.
- Information can be delivered anywhere and that is where users will want to access it, the library will be the last resort
- The form in which the information comes is now diverse, not just the written word. Users will expect to be able to read, look and listen to the information they require.
- Technology invites interaction and collaboration, sharing of information. Users want to be able to engage, create their own space and do what they want in it.
How libraries meet the challenge
- Provide news feeds, RSS and alerts so users don't have to go looking for information, it comes to them.
- Provide e-resources wherever possible so that information can be accessed from wherever the user has a connection to the internet. This can be as diverse as e-journals and e-books to blogs, wikis and interactive websites
- Libraries will need to think about how information via this new technology is delivered, users are often mobile and the hardware needs to be as well. MP3 players and iPODS may need to be bought alongside PCs.
- Librarians will need to be able to offer their users the ability to access social networking and social bookmarking sites which may mean negotiating with IT departments to remove firewalls.
What are the implications for information literacy ?
- The most important implication is the quality of the information which is received and the ability of the user to evaluate it.
- Because wikis are intended to be edited by anyone who can access them, there is the danger of information not being as accurate as it might be, this might be more of a problem for librarians than for users ! Librarians will need to decide what is authoratative and what doesn't need to be.
- There may be an assumption that everyone is able to use the new technology and the social software. Some users may not bother to use the library because they are wary of the new technology or feel threatened by it or even don't see the point of it.
How libraries meet the challenges
- Users need to be made aware of the quality of the information they find. Evaluating and appraising information will need to be built in to information skills training if it is not there already, even at a very basic level.
- The practice of tagging as opposed to cataloguing information may become a difficult thing for librarians to deal with. There should be room for both.
- Libraries will have to make sure that users can use the new technology. Information skills sessions may be run in conjunction with the IT department who may be better equipped to teach about social networking/bookmarking. Less experienced users should not be made to feel unwelcome and tailoring sessions to specialties and departments so they can see the relevance of it may help.
- Librarians may have to rethink budgets. Is it better to appoint another librarian or a piece of equipment ? They will certainly need to be constantly planning and running to stand still. Not joining in is not an option.
- There is a risk that all this shared information, blogging and editing wikis can lose all sense of privacy, librarians should be able to provide an option of complete anonymity when setting up social networking opportunities
- Ultimately librarians need to accept creativity, chill out and go with the flow !
Friday, 23 November 2007
The end of another week
Here we are again, another Friday afternoon and only four weeks left to Christmas !!! even less to the end of the course which I have enjoyed tremendously. I remember Bertha saying that it would be hard work and it certainly has been, but I have learned so much. I am now beginning to seriously consider employing some of the tools I have explored and can see much more clearly how Web 2.0 can be used in the library - and be fun too !!
On the home front I am having my youngest neice, hot from a Geography field trip, for a curry and bed tonight, her parents having gone off on a jolly ! I don't know what there is to watch on the telly tonight, but it will undoubtably be her choice (she's 17) I shall have to button my lip at the prospect of Hollyoaks etc but may be able to confound her by talking about Facebook and other things she won't think her 'barmy aunty' knows anything about ! it'll be nice having a girl in the house - may even get my toenails done !
Have a good weekend all !
On the home front I am having my youngest neice, hot from a Geography field trip, for a curry and bed tonight, her parents having gone off on a jolly ! I don't know what there is to watch on the telly tonight, but it will undoubtably be her choice (she's 17) I shall have to button my lip at the prospect of Hollyoaks etc but may be able to confound her by talking about Facebook and other things she won't think her 'barmy aunty' knows anything about ! it'll be nice having a girl in the house - may even get my toenails done !
Have a good weekend all !
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