Thing 14 substitution--Google Books

After not getting anywhere for too long with the links on Technorati, I started looking for a substitute thing to do for thing 14.  Although I originally went looking for Google Labs, which was listed on the 43 things list, I stumbled upon Google Books, which looks really exciting, and especially relevant for libraries.   Here is a link explaining a lot of it in more detail than I can here http://books.google.com/googlebooks/agreement/.  In essence, out-of-print, out-of-copyright books are searchable and sometimes readable in full on Google books, an invaluable resource for people whose interests go beyond the current bestseller lists.  Also, with library funding dwindling, which is making it more and more difficult to replace damaged, worn copies of older books, this could prove to be very, very useful.  It sounds like they are expanding access to other sorts of books too, which, if handled properly with respect for intellectual property rights, would certainly be a boon to libraries.  For high school students, who are very comfortable with reading online, this could be great when they need to read a classic at the last minute and all the library's copies are checked out.  Another use for works they have access to, such as Shakespeare's, is to search for a line of part of a line that you remember but can't remember which play, or part of the play it's from.  They also have access to back issues of all kinds of magazines, which makes physical preservation of these fragile media something libraries will have to sweat out less.  In addition, you can use "my library" on Google Books to build a list of books you've read and/or liked, post reviews, etc.  I don't have time at the moment to delve more deeply into Google Books, but I'd say it's a promising resource for libraries, librarians, and book-lovers of all stripes.

Del.icio.us--Thing 13

Hmmm . . . I am feeling more and more like doing 23 Things is like following a web road map of an area where many of the roads have changed.  Del.icio.us seems like something that seemed exciting several years ago but since has been supplanted by other, better services.  For example, most of the links about del.icio.us on www.marylandlibrarieslearning2.blogspot.com/, including the one to the tutorial video were dead.  Also, at one point I selected "show freshest" instead of "view all" on del.icio.us and the first link was from 2007!  I did eventually find newer bookmarks, but find the layout to be kind of uninviting and techie-looking.  I went to the sites of a couple of libraries that were listed as using del.icio.us, and their links and bookmarks appeared to be 3-4 years old as well.  I hate to make this the negativity blog, but do not see del.icio.us as a useful library tool.  In terms of serving customers, a well-designed, diligently maintained library website with well-organized links (which I'd say that MCPL has) is a far better resource 

On this quiet, snowy day at my library, I will try to do one more "thing" today before we close.

Rollyo--Thing 12

Well, Rollyo . . . what can I say?  I wanted to like this tool, but I just don't.  I can't see how creating a search roll serves any useful purpose, that wouldn't be served just as well or better by a favorites list or Google.  I have also found it, on multiple different occasions that I tried to use it, to be a very slow website, often timing out because it was overloaded with "too many connections."  So, after stalling at Thing 12 for far too long, I am going to move on to the next thing.  Here is the link to my Rollyo profile: www.rollyo.com/twibrarian/

Library Thing--Thing 11

Library Thing is pretty cool.  I don't really feel the need to catalog my personal library, so just threw in a few titles I've mentioned here to fulfill the assignment.  Click here: www.librarything.com/catalog/CaitlinMc to see them.  It was easy to find what I was looking for and easy to add the items to my collection.  Two flaws I noted though, were: (1) that there was no obvious 'return to results list,' option which is handy when entering multiple titles by the same author, and (2) it didn't alert me when I added the same title twice by accident.  Overall though, I'd say it's user friendly and a handy way to connect with likeminded readers, probably especially for people with more off-the-beaten-path selections in their collections.  I had already joined goodreads.com awhile back, which is similar in terms of social networking about books.

The "groups" and "talk" tabs on Library Thing are good and well-organized, especially "librarians who Library Thing."  I immediately saw discussions of topics related to my work that would interest me there, and found the responses came from all over the world.  It seems like a good networking tool, and a free peek into other librarians' experiences from places as far flung as New Zealand.