Communication: "speaking" in a variety of formats

Blogs

• People write, and other people can often comment on what's written
• Searchable, arranged chronologically, and archived automatically
• Can be personal or informational or both
• Usually somewhat informal
• Typically by a single author or small number of authors
• Uses special services or software:  TypePad, WordPress, Movable Type, and Blogger are examples
• Can be hosted remotely or on your own web server
• Sometimes free, sometimes costs money
• Some library examples: 
  • MADreads
  • Teen Read 07
  • Carpe Hootem
  • Get a Clue @ Your Library
• Can be used for things other than writing! Check out Western Springs Newspaper Obituary Index and Western Springs History for innovative uses of blog technology.

Instant messaging

• Real-time text-based communication

• 3 primary "stand-alone" services: 
  • MSN
  • Yahoo
  • AIM

• 2 different flavors for each service: downloadable software or web version with less features

• Each service can only talk to itself unless you have a program to bridge multiple services: 
  • Meebo and Trillian are examples.
• With a Meebo widget called MeeboMe, people can contact you without having an account at all:  MeeboMe for Kraemer Library

   

• Free
• You might need this: Email, Chat and Text Messaging Acronyms
• Need convincing? Check out IM talking points from walkingpaper.org.

Text messaging

• Can also be called SMS (short message service)

• Done primarily from cell phones

• Can be used to talk person-to-person or to automated services (like voting on reality shows!)

• You can text Google:  Google SMS
• Can cost to do text messaging, based on the plan of your cellular provider
• Some libraries are beginning to accept reference queries via SMS
• Take the quiz!

Podcasting

• An audio recording that's available online
• Typically there will be more than one podcast in a "series"
• Can be entertaining, informational, educational

• You don't need an iPod to play a podcast:  all you need is your computer.   If you want to play podcasts on the run, then you'll need an MP3 player.
• How to find them: 
  • Yahoo! Podcasts
  • Podcast Alley
  • iTunes
• You can subscribe to a podcast using different services -- we'll talk about one, Bloglines, a little later. Other examples include:
  •  iTunes (not just for Apple users!)
  • Juice
  • Yahoo Podcasts
• Free
• Examples of library podcasts:
  • Lansing Public Library Borrower Account instructions
  • LibVibe is a library news podcast
  • Chesire Public Library Teen podcasts
• Want to create your own?
  • Use Odeo or Gabcast or other FREE online tools to create your own podcast.
  • All you need is a phone (Gabcast) OR a microphone attached to your computer.
• Additional library examples and more information about creating your own podcasts are available on the Library Success Wiki
• Try also, SirsiDynix Institute's "What's New in Podcasting?" presentation by David Free

Screencasting & Vodcasting

• A screencast is a video recording of action taking place on a computer screen
  • Good for recording instructions on how to use a specific tool
• Vodcast is short for video podcast - online delivery of video on demand or video clip content
  • More personal than screencasts
  • Like podcasts, can be produced in series, and are syndicated so people can subscribe to content
  • Good for PR
  • Can be entertaining, informational, educational
• Free to use
• Requires investment in equipment and software if you want to create your own
  • For a quick read on how to create a vodcast, read How David Makes Videos
• Examples of online vodcasting services:
  • YouTube
  • blip.tv
• Library examples:

Just for fun:

Image Sharing

• Another way of sharing and collaborating online
• Sites allow you to upload your photos and share them with the world or with only those you invite
• People can add comments about your images, invite you to be their "friend," etc. like on other Web 2.0 sites
• Librarians are using this kind of application to share slides of presentations, instructional info, and graphics that represent concepts (e.g. David Lee King's example shown earlier)
• Great way to show what's happening at your library!
• Examples:
  • Flickr - most popular - lots of cool tools out there to use with Flickr (see fd's flickr toys and flickr daily zeitgeist for examples)
    • libraryman
    • Lester Public Library
    • lplconnects (La Crosse PL)
    • Libraries & Librarians Group
    • 365 Library Days Project
  • KodakGallery
  • shutterfly
• Some sites allow you to take your photos and create a book that can be printed on demand (Blurb).

Social Networking

• Site or place to build community with users having unique accounts and/or profiles describing them
• Most common services: 
  • Facebook
  • MySpace
• There are other services out there for specific interests and professionals:Dogster and  LinkedIn

   

• You can also make your own: Ning (see Library 2.0 @ Ning)
• MySpace library example: http://www.myspace.com/hennepincountylibrary