I'm starting this blog as a challenge to myself. Although I've used email and the Internet in my work for years now, I've been relatively slow to adopt many new technologies. I got my first cell phone less than two years ago. While that may not be so unusual among people in my age group, it must seem positively retrograde to many others.
Providing access to the Internet is a large part of library business these days. People use it to look at our catalog, to put materials on hold, to search our online databases, and to use what's called the social web. Web sites such as MySpace, Flickr, and FaceBook are hugely popular. This fall I took a class that introduced me to a few of these sites, and I promised myself afterwards that I would make an effort to find out whether there might be a way to incorporate the social web into my work and home life.
I've been using Librarything.com now for several months, and would recommend it to any reader. It lets me keep a list of books I've read, or might want to read, tag them with words that help me remember what the book was about (I have a terrible memory for book titles), and see what others are reading who enjoyed the same books I have.
I've also been using Flickr.com since September. Last year I got a digital camera, but wasn't so good about doing anything with the photos once I took them. Now, I upload them to Flickr, arrange them in sets, and add labels. I can share them with friends and family easily and cheaply--and frankly, since most of my photos aren't that memorable, I don't have to devote shelf space to albums of photos.
Which brings us to this blog. This is my latest foray into technology. I intend to use it to tell you about what's going on at the library, books and films I've enjoyed, and about my experiences as I explore technology that's new to me and maybe a bit outside my comfort zone.
Feel free to comment--otherwise I won't know if anyone is reading this.
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