Google Docs - Now here is an application that would be useful to just about everyone and not crammed full of annoying advertising. I was expecting minimal level word processing and was greatly surprised to find all the standard tools set up in an easy to use format.

The most useful application that I can see from my experience is for students. I don't know how many times the students in my household have needed to print an assignment (that was due the next day, of course) only to have the printer fail for one reason or another. Okay, you say, just put it on a disk and take it to another printer. Only to get there and find that the disk was corrupt, or the other computer doesn't have the same version of whatever, or various other scenarios. Google Docs would certainly help to prevent at least some of this stress. All it needs is an application to encourage students not to leave their assignments to the last minute!
Hmmm - Google Parent? - no, that would be too creepy ; )

This blog post was easy to create in Google Docs and just as easy to post to my Blogger account especially since both are Google applications. And the ability to share documents with other people would be a great benefit to volunteer organizations where expensive word processing packages are out of reach or family members who live apart from each other and may not share the same word processing software.

The Wonders of Wikis

Having been shown by Tim how to do some of the basics in our wiki for the Library 2.0 project, this week was easy. I did listen to all the tours on the Wikispaces site - it takes a bit of time but it's worth it in the long run. Actually I would suggest this for any new site you go to - view the demos, consult the Help, and read the FAQs. Often the only difference between an expert and a neophyte is the time the expert has invested in the the above activities.

I was excited to see all the different uses for Wikis and I've been trying to figure out how I could put one to use. If I was more trusting of Internet security I was thinking that a wiki with family contact information would be great. I have a large family and it keeps us busy staying up to date with addresses and phone numbers especially now that the 24 nieces and nephews are heading out into the world. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all could enter our own changes and have just one place to look?

Well, I'll keep thinking on it, but for now I want you to remember your New Website Mantra:

"View the Demos, Consult the Help and Read the FAQs"

Thoughts on Library 2.0

Before I read the assigned reading for this activity I jotted down some of my own thoughts about Library 2.0. Was I ever surprised when I read the second article by Michael Stephens which discussed "buying technology for the sake of technology" - which was one of the first thoughts I had written down.

It is extremely important for libraries to keep pace with what is happening in the world but before incorporating a new technology there needs to be proof that true efficiency or benefit will be gained. While an argument could be made that automation can create work rather than save it, (I'm thinking Unicorn here), we need to remember when (not so long ago) we couldn't even tell a patron what they had signed out on their card!

I do wonder what is being gained with all this social networking via Web 2.0 when many people are holding back using false names and fictitious personal information. We have just come through a time of developing stringent privacy and confidentiality laws and now we are being encouraged to let it all go and post our lives on the Internet. It takes some getting used to.

Being aware of what our patrons are involved in is important in order for us to provide good service at the Reference Desk, the Circulation Desk and through the materials we offer in the collection. It also affects how we deliver those services. We may personally choose not to read certain authors (I won't name the one we usually pick on) but it is important for us to keep up on what is available since she publishes at least 3 bestsellers a year. Similarily, whether we agree with certain computer applications or not, we need to be aware of what is out there and find a way to make it work for us and our patrons.