Twitter and Libraries

I already follow Alexander Turnbull and National Library on Twitter. They send out Tweets as teasers:– a recent tweet from National Library states:

Megaphones and midget cars. This looks serious http://bit.ly/4yTi6k

At the digital conference, they said they try not to make it sound too much like a marketing communication. They want to intrigue people and draw them in, and use bit.ly to truncate URLs.

AT's recent tweet was:

For starters : H1N1. Honey, what do you think of the Ebola ? http://www.sas.org/tcs/weeklyIssues_2006/2006-04-07/feature1p/index.html

Access Science retweeted LISNews tweet:

LISNews: Rise Of The Web Librarian: An Elegant DMOZ Solution http://lisnews.org/node/35091

I enjoyed that article, and like the title "Web Librarian".

Some of the tweets from others are boring though. And some tweets look more like personal communications than professional ones.

I think it would be great to start doing one for ours:– library events, new books, recommended books etc.

Come wiggle and sing, @ Wriggle and Rhyme http://bit.ly/8K5NLC

A separate Twitter account for Local History Online would be good too.

Can you tell us more about this photo? http://bit.ly/8Ihfv0

Searching Twitter

The basic search within Twitter is quite straight-forward. I used the words "digital" and "library" and got screens-full of tweets in reply.

I used Twoogle, to search Twitter and Google using the same words. Both returned comprehensive results, the top results of course being where the phrase digital library was together. I quite liked the split screen between results and being able to scroll separately.

I noticed though, that although the Tweets were often in English, the websites mentioned in them, might not have English content.

A popular trend listed on Twitter recently, has been Google Wave. Its a cross between email, chat and search engine, blogger, and social networking site.

Watch this video: http://wave.google.com/help/wave/using-wave.html



You can search Twitter from within Wave - and it will keep collecting new search results as they occur.

I can't wait to start "Wave"-ing

Introduction to Twitter

I am already a Twitterer and have been for quite some time. I go through spates of tweeting, followed by spates of quietness. I use Facebook everyday, so I have set up my Twitter account, so that if I tweet, it also updates my Facebook status at the same time.

If you decide to do this, from your Twitter account, go to the bottom of the page, and click on "Goodies", then select "Widgets", then select "Facebook", and "install Twitter in Facebook" it will ask you to log in to your Facebook account.

I find the 140 characters in Twitter, a bit limiting - so normally use Facebook to update my status. However, I like keeping up to date with people/organisations that I am "following" in Twitter.

I recently attended the National Digital Forum conference, and found it fun to participate with other attendees, by tweeting from my iPod Touch.

Anyone wanting to follow me in Twitter, can do so @sauvblancgirl .

I already follow NZHistory Online - and attended a presentation that they gave at the NDF conference. They use Twitter as a marketing tool, to draw attention to items of interest in their collection. As there is only 140 characters, the messages are short and of a teasing nature, and usually has a URL shortened by bit.ly that takes you to either a weblink or a photo.

Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a superb idea and could be of use/interest to my husband, so have got him on to this.

The Creative Commons licence on the Get With It programme is found here: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/nz/

This basically means its free to SHARE (to copy, distribute and transmit the work) and to REMIX (to adapt the work); providing the following conditions are met:

Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).

Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes

On Flickr, I searched for an image of Waiake beach, which is my local beach. There are some stunning shots out there. I found this one (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29079014@N08/3407284049/).

The Creative Commons licence for this is the most restrictive of CC's six main licences that allows redistribution: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works (BY-NC-ND), which means:

It allows others to download works and share them with others as long as they mention the creator and link back, but they can’t change the work in any way or use it commercially. Its often called the "free advertising" licence.

Module 1 - Topic 2: Exercises - OpenID

It was interesting reading about OpenID. The article and the video were both easy to understand and very informative.

I kind of knew about OpenID, in that I have a Yahoo one and a GMail one that I use for different things. I find it useful, as I get fed up with having to create/remember different logins and passwords. They tie in with my disposable email accounts.

One of the ongoing issues for many people, I know, is that there are so many usernames, passwords, pin numbers etc that everyone has to remember.

I have a notebook at home, filled in, with different usernames, passwords, and email addresses for different websites. They all ask for different types of logins, so you often can't standardise anyway. And having a webmail account like GMail is handy, as if you change ISP you don't have to troll round all the websites you belong to, and update your email address.

However, I hadn't been deliberately using consciously on purpose - OpenID is something I found I had been using "accidentally".

I would never use OpenID for anything important. Just for non-critical online memberships. I don't trust anyone being in charge of my identity other than myself!

Online Privacy and Security

There seem to be millions of passwords and pin numbers you have to remember. Bank, email at home and work, network at home, network at work, video shop, library card etc, etc etc. And you are told to change them all frequently and not to write them down anywhere LOL!

The rules for password protection are sound. I've followed them for years. I have a generic password I use for everything that is of low importance. And secure passwords for high safety items like email accounts and banking etc.

I always use a mixture of upper, lowercase, and numerals.

However, that didn't prevent my GMail account from being hacked into from within webmail, and an email with a Korean website address was sent out in my name to everyone I had in my address book.

I am very careful where I use this GMail address too - its what we consider the family account. I have three other GMail addresses that I use, that I consider "disposable" addresses for when I don't want people to know who I am etc.

The best thing to do in circumstances like this, is to change your password and contact your ISP and your webmail provider.

My ISP reassured me that it didn't come from my computer - so that confirmed my home network firewall and security controls were working. They suggested that my password had been hacked - there is software that can do this, no password is 100% inviolate.

I've had no repeats since then. And will remember to change my password a wee bit more frequently than I used to.

I would be very hesitant to use a password generator. I don't like anyone else other than me knowing my passwords.

I am a heavy user of Facebook, and I think I don't think I get up to anything, that I wouldn't be happy to share with everyone. However, I am careful who I invite as friends, and I make best use of privacy controls as I can. Only my friends can see everything. I don't want everyone in the world having access to photos of my daughters or my nieces and nephews for that matter.

I think Facebook should make the controls easier to understand. It took me some time to get my head round all the different bits. A less technical person couldn't be blamed for being completely lost!

Sign-Up - Get with it Web2!

I've signed up for the GetWithItWeb2 programme and am looking forward to extending my Web2 skills!

I use Facebook ALOT, Twitter a little, and enjoy visiting various blogs all over the internet.

I look forward to seeing some of my colleagues "online" again, and enjoying the camaraderie I experienced last time!

Exercise 23:- Reflecting on my journey!

Well, I have certainly enjoyed large parts of this exercise.

Parts of it, like Flickr's widgets, I doubt I will ever use again.

RSS feeds was probably the hardest exercise to complete. The rest was relatively simple. The hardest thing was finding time! Like most of us: juggling work, family, and library studies and other commitments!

I found delicious really useful, and will probably explore that in more depth when I have time. I can see that this will be quite useful:- portable bookmarks!

I liked finding out about creating an iGoogle page, which I found a tutorial for on podcasts.

I had been subscribing to LibraryThing for quite a while now, and find the info really interested. Some of it helps with my assignments.

I thought I might be tempted into playing with the look of my blog page, and adding bells and whistles. But basically didn't have time to.


I learned heaps - and while I might not use alot of it, at least I know its there now. It might be useful to be able to show my children some of it … and there are always patrons who might ask tricky questions.

Exercise 22 - Social Networking and Libraries

I find the concept of a Library having a "MySpace" page or "FaceBook" page, very interesting.

Having examined several such pages, I can see that it is a good idea. Its a great way of reaching patrons - current and potential. Its a fab way of keeping people up to date with what is going on in the library. Letting people see that libraries aren't all about books. Its also a good way to get feedback from people too.

Interesting also, was the commentary about some libraries wanting to ban usage of such social networking sites from within the library. Isn't this "censorship.?" Doesn't this go against most librarians' principles?

I agreed with Meredith Farkas (http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2006/05/10/libraries-in-social-networking-software/) totally. Make a rule that is for everyone. That doesn't exclude one set of patrons.

What I did find funny, was seeing libraries listed as being "male" or "female" and "single." etc . . . LOL!

Exercise 21 - Social Networking

Well! I am already a member of FaceBook and Bebo.

I have to admit, I use Facebook loads more than Bebo. On FaceBook, I set up the North Shore Libraries group, some months ago. We now have 31 members. I made the group "invitation only" just to preserve our privacy.

The idea was to use it for social chit chat and goss across all the libraries. Another way of connecting the team together. We have some pictures posted, although the group has been rather quiet lately (largely, I expect, due to everyone being too busy working on Web 2.0 in their free time).

I joined Bebo a few months ago - mainly because I have teenage international students, and they wanted me to view their photos. Good way of keeping an eye on them too LOL!.

I recently found another social network site, called Perf.net. Not sure about that one. You can have too many membership I have found!

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8282916470

Exercise 20 - eBooks

I found this really interesting. As a former typographer, and having worked in publishing for many years, I was aware of Project Gutenberg. I hadn't visited the site, though, for a few years. I just preferred to read books "the old fashioned way."

Still times move on, and I might try downloading an eBook again soon, just to see how I like reading digitally nowadays. I am much more used to it now - as I study with Open Polytech, and do lots of reading on the computer, I might find it a better option these days.

I was interested to see that LibriVox, also offers you books as audiobooks. I imagine that will come in very useful!

Exercise 19 - Podcasts

I found a podcast on Podcast Alley that I thought was interesting.

Its called "Library Survival Guide", and has little tips and shortcuts of how to do research. Its from the Woodruff Library at Emory University, presumably in the States. Useful for general patrons as well as students, I thought.

I have added the podcast on the right of my page down under the Rollyo widget.

Exercise 18 - YouTube

You Tube is very familiar to me, I've often watched comedy or music clips on it. I've also watched informative vids as well. Its a great medium.
I looked at the library YouTube vids, and most were very informative and entertaining.

I also had a look at genealogy tutorial vids. One of the YouTube vids I thought was very informative was on creating an iGoogle page for your GMail account. You can set your iGoogle page up, to have "RSS" type feeds coming direct to it, so whenever you log into your GMail account, you can see what's new in your subject of interest.

Of course my passion is genealogy, so setting this up, with the genealogy websites that I currently belong to, would save me surfing to each page every time I wanted an up date.

Excellent idea!

Exercise 17 - MyHeritage

As a family historian, I am really keen to investigate new sources and resources connected to genealogy.

I have extensive memberships across Ancestry.com, RootsWeb, and various other genealogy websites.

Many family members have either found me, or I have found them, through belonging to such places. This year alone, four cousins from my father's branch have found me.

My father has little knowledge of his family, as his father ran away from his home in Newfoundland, to War (WW1) at age 15, lied about his age and enlisted in the Royal Navy in England. He was away at sea alot, and my father's mum died when he was only 4 months old, so Dad was fostered out.

So finding extended family has been such a bonus for my father, as well as myself.
MyHeritage claims to have nearly 24 million members from around the world. It is a subscription site, and seems to have a search engine that searches all the major genealogy databases - alot of whom are also subscription based. It does allow a basic membership, which is free however.

Like some of the other sites, MyHeritage, allows you to build your own family webpage, which other members of your family can join. It is fairly limiting, as it offers access for only 15 members.

Family history can get to be a pretty expensive hobby - while MyHeritage looks fun, if you are doing family history seriously, and want to pay a subscription, I'd really recommend selecting one of the really good ones:- Ancestry or Rootsweb, and sticking with them.