Tell Me What You Really Think. . .

While we are on the break, I thought it would be a good time to remind everyone about the Anonymous Feedback Form. The reason I set that form up is so you can tell me what you think without fear of reprisal. So you can be as mean as you want.

So, tell me what's on your mind. Were any of the "things" too confusing? Is there something you feel that is unfair about this training? Is it too much? Too little? Are you learning alot from this, or is it all repetition? Is there a thing you were expecting to see and haven't yet? Was there anything that doesn't quite belong?

Good, bad or ugly -- I'd really love to hear from you.

Google Trends, Facebook and Halifax?

There's a neat tool called "Google Trends" that let's you compare different search terms and see trends over time based on search data.

There's an interesting one that appears if you search "Facebook" and "MP3" together (for instance). Sure, you'll see that the popular social networking site Facebook is taking off and has been since about the summer of this year. But the other thing you may notice is that the country that does the most per capita searching for "facebook" is Canada.

Or even more importantly, the city that does the most per capita searching for facebook is "Halifax." Yes. Halifax, Nova Scotia searches for the term "Facebook" more than any other city in the world on a per capita basis.

There could be many reasons for this -- for example, perhaps there are a wide range of people that have come here from away and want to keep in touch with their friends in other towns?

Maybe the story is more about family members moving out west and parents trying to keep in touch with their children/grandchildren. It's all hard to say, but it does affirm that we should be learning about this stuff.

Noticed by Kevin Wong.

An email I received recently, redirected from the wiki.

How are you? I hope you are well. My name is Kevin Wong, and I am the author of the book Heroes of Destiny. I just saw on the front page of the hpllearning wiki that someone rated my Heroes of Destiny book as being the 10th best book of all time, which I found truly humbling and amusing all at once. Who was it that rated my book so immeasurably (and probably undeservingly) highly, and what criteria did he or she use to create the list? In any event, I wanted to thank whoever it was (and if it was you, the wiki's owner, then "thank you") who thought so highly of my book, and to say that it brought a smile (and a great, humble laugh) to my face. :-)

Sincerely,

Kevin Wong
Author of the Heroes of Destiny Trilogy of Books
www.kevinwong.ca
www.heroesofdestiny.ca

This is one thing I've discovered about the blogosphere (the world of blogs out there). Writers are very interested in hearing what people say (positive or negative) about their books and often respond to blogs about their works.

In short, our tongue-in-cheek resource has become a resource, just like that! And now it's noticed by a local resource. Lots of big projects, probably even Wikipedia, started off just like that.

Thing # 14: Help Someone Else do One of the 23 Things

Description:

Maybe you found everything easy. Maybe Wikis stumped you, but RSS was a breeze. Maybe it was all hard for you, but you learned some neat tricks about blogging that could help the geekiest tech geek you know. Studies have shown that the absolute best way to learn something is by teaching it to someone else. That's what I would like you to do.

Hints:

1. Some people do not want to finish all the 23 things, but might be willing to try one or two to help you finish yours.
2. Maybe just work with someone else on something that you both are having trouble finishing.
3. I will be posting the remainder of the 23 things over the course of December (some are already up there), you can help someone with a "thing" that will happen in the future if you would rather jump ahead.
4. The next update will not happen until January, so you have plenty of time to catch up on any of the things you missed.
5. I will be answering any email or blog queries, so feel free to send me an email if you need any help or if something is not clear.
   

What is Podcasting?

In quick terms, a podcast is like an "on demand" radio show.

A radio show (like the CBC) may choose to put out the sound files for the show onto the internet. That's great, but it's not podcasting quite yet. But, using RSS, they can have their radio show sent automatically to people who subscribe it.

The Podcast is a Blog with Sound

But let's just explain this in terms of something you already know (or ought to know): the blog. Think of the podcast as a blog, except it uses sound files (MP3s, for instance) instead of words. In fact, you can use a plain old blogger blog to do a podcast. All you need to do is provide a link to a sound file on your blog and there is, you have a podcast.

Subscribe to a Podcast using RSS

If a podcast is a blog with sound, then you subscribe to a podcast the same way as you do with a blog: using bloglines or Google Reader.

The Podcast Advantage: MP3 players and Podcasting

There is a bonus way to subscribe to a podcast as well (which is not required as part of thing #12): through an MP3 downloading service such as iTunes. I find this way easier (you just search for the podcast in iTunes and hit "subscribe" and things are taken care of for you).

This creates a larger advantage. If you are "subscribed" to a podcast via an MP3 downloading service, then your MP3 will have the podcast pre-installed whenever you charge it. That means the podcast is right there for you to listen to when you turn on your MP3 player. I have had many great walks to work with my iPod because I discovered a fun new podcast waiting for me.

Conclusion

In the end, Thing #12, is just a review of RSS but it doesn't tell the whole podcasting story. The problem with demonstrating the true power of podcasting is that I'd have to ask you all to have MP3 players to do it properly.

That said, I hear that branches are getting MP3 players to test out overdrive. . . maybe you would want to try subscribing to a podcast as well?

Thing #13: Embed a video onto your blog

Description:

Sites like YouTube and others let you embed videos onto your blog. That means, you can make the video appear on your blog. This is probably the most popular way of videocasting these days, other than using a YouTube account.

If you have never put code onto a website before, this may sound much more difficult than it really is. In the end, you are just cutting and pasting some funny words into your blog that will make the video show. Don't be intimidated by this: geeks have a habit of making easy things sound hard. Don't be afraid to ask for help, if you get stuck.

Hints:

• Go to a YouTube video page (perhaps the one you searched for for thing #11) and copy the "embed" code. It should appear on the right hand side of the screen. You may have to click "more" to find this code.
• Add the video to your blog:
  
• In blogger,
  
• you create a new post and click the "edit html" tab on the top right of the edit box.
• Paste the embed code into the box. And that should be about it.
  
• Wordpress has a different approach:
• create a new post.
• Underneath the editor is an upload section, with tabs that say "Upload", "Browse All", "Videos" and "Slideshows." Click "videos".
• Put the URL (web address) into that box -- important: this is not the same as the embed code!
• You will see a little bit of code in your editor. Publish that with a title and you should be done!
  

Thing # 12: Subscribe to a Podcast

Description:

A podcast is just an RSS feed with digital sound for content instead of text. The procedure for subscribing to a podcast is the same as for subscribing to any RSS feed.

Hints:

• Try thing #9 first (subscribe to the hpllearning blog's feed), then duplicate the procedure for the podcast.
• Here are some that I like:
  
• Any of the cbc podcasts, particularly The Best of Ideas.
• Uncontrolled Vocabulary, which is a library discussion call-in show. They also have a blog.
• LibVibe is another podcast related to libraries (and it uses blogger to do it).
• Since knitting seems to be my theme today, here's a knitting podcast.
  
• You may have trouble listening to the podcast, depending on what computer you use and whether you have speakers. That's why listening to the podcast is not required for this "thing" (although it would be a shame if you didn't at least try to listen).

Resources:

• Lansing Public Library podcast FAQ.
  

Thing #11: Watch a Video on YouTube

Description:

YouTube is a site that is popular for watching videos. A wide variety of "videocasters" (like a blogger, except they use video) exist there and they share a wide variety of information -- some frivolous, some useful, some offensive (be warned, though YouTube is very good at letting you know when something is considered offensive).

Hints:

• There's not much to this. Just go to www.youtube.com and search for something of interest to you, watch and react to it on your blog.
• Here's one I just saw on how to "cast on" your knitting.
• Here's one on the Evolution of Dance.
• Tony Bennett? or Ella? or Satchmo?

Resources:

• Time's Person of the Year: You.
  

The 4 o'clock final top-ten list!

Ok. Here is what the top 10 book list looked like at just before 4pm. Sorry for people who missed the deadline by just a bit -- I had to go by the clock on pbwiki to be fair.
Now, just because your book is on the list, does not mean that you win chocolate. I have to find out if you actually followed the rules.

Oh, and for readers-advisors, there is a whole list of books still on the wiki -- take a look!

The Top 10 Chocolate Books Ever

#1Pride and Prejudice (and chocolate) by Jane Austen

#2 The Polar Express (full of chocolate) by Chris Van Allsburg

#3 Tale of Despereaux (and the chocolate) by Kate diCamillo

#4 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (full of non-unionised workers making chocolate) by Roald Dahl

#5 The Secret Garden (no chocolate allowed, it's bad for the teeth) by Frances Hodgson Burnett

#6 The Terrible Horrible Smelly Pirate (and the chocolate that loved him) by Carrie Muller and Jacqueline Halsey, illustrated by Eric Orchard available from Nimbus Spring 2008

#7 A Great Deliverance (of chocolate) by Elizabeth George

#8 Little Women (who eat chocolate) by Louisa May Alcott

#9 The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

#10 The Very Hungry Caterpillar (is looking for chocolate) by Eric Carle

UPDATE:

I had 2 extra shirts, so I included 3 more people in the chocolate list. Doug Wournell just did the draw for the shirts. If you are a prize winner, you will be notified by email.

Why I Think RSS is the Most Important "Thing"

So I keep saying that RSS is the most important "thing". Of course, that's just an opinion -- but at least I'd like to justify it. Here are the reasons I think RSS is the most important "thing" to learn:

• RSS gives you up-to-the minute content. When I first discovered RSS, it was like my learning curve went into warp speed. I learned a lot of stuff very quickly, because I was getting content very quickly.
• RSS is like having your very own customized daily newspaper. You get to choose what goes in and what does not.
• RSS connects well with blogs. That means I can get up-to-date news from family members alongside my news about the war in Afghanistan.
• RSS works well with wikis. You could have used RSS to check to the history page of the top ten books wiki and be updated as it got editing (oh yeah, NOW I tell you! :) )
  
• RSS is what makes other social sites like del.icio.us, facebook, myspace, etc. work. You were probably using RSS without ever knowing what it meant.
  
• RSS means, potentially, that people have to "visit" websites less. If customers can get your news where they want it, why would they bother going to your website?
  
• Our new website will be using RSS.
• RSS is used in widgets to enhance the content of websites. If you had a blog about cats, why wouldn't you want to put an RSS feed from something else fun, like LOLCats (mature content warning, but probably safe for work).
• For the cataloguers out there, RSS uses a way of organizing information called XML, some have suggested that XML will/may/ought to replace MARC as a standard for organizing content.
• RSS also works for soundfiles and videos, as we will see when things 11, 12 & 13 come out.
• RSS can work on a web service, like Google Reader, or directly in your favorite browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer as a "live bookmark."
• Yahoo widgets lets you grab RSS feeds directly to your desktop, without ever using a browser!
  
• The more I talk about RSS, the more uses I find for it, so I'll stop now.

In short, RSS pretty much drives most of Web 2.0. When a new Web 2.0 tool comes out, it probably utilizes RSS in some way or another.

Thing # 10: Add an RSS feed to your Blog

Description:

You can add an RSS feed to your blog as a service to keep your readers up-to-date on the latest goings on as well. Some people call these things "widgets," "modules" or "gadgets" -- though RSS feeds are only one of many things you can add to a blog via a widget.

You can choose any blog or news service you want.

Hints:

• I added the RSS feeds of some Learning 2.0 participants on this blog -- scroll down to the bottom!
  
• In Blogger, click dashboard -> Template Layout -> Page Elements if you are not already logged in. (UPDATE: If you are already logged in and you are visiting your site, you can click New Post -> Template -> Page Elements).
• Click Add a Page Element on the blog outline you see on the page.
• Choose "feed" as the thing you want to add.
• Enter the web address of your feed (what shows in the address bar after you click the ) into the box.
• The RSS feed will show up where you told it to go.
• In Wordpress, click "My Dashboard -> Presentation -> Widgets.
• Scroll down to the bottom and tell Wordpress "how many RSS feeds widgets would you like." Make sure the number is more than zero.
• Drag one of the RSS widgets to where it says "sidebar."
• Click the "configure button." It looks like this:
• Copy the web address of your RSS feed and include a title if you want. You can also choose how many items you'd like to display.
• The RSS feed will show up where you told it to go.

Resources:

• Some Bling for Your Blog -- Scott Kirshner, New York Times.
• 10 RSS Hacks - Micropersuasion Blog
  

Thing #9: Capture the Learning 2.0's RSS feed for easy reading

Description:

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." Like Global News Syndication is a system for sending the latest news stories to newspapers, RSS is a way of sending the latest news (whether it be a blog, newsline, preset search or whatnot) to you.

Your task is to use RSS so you can get the latest Learning 2.0 news right to your chosen news site. Some good examples of these include Google Reader, iGoogle, MyYahoo.com, Bloglines, NetVibes and Pageflakes.

Hints:

• UPDATE: An anonymous commenter (thank you anonymous commenter!) reminded me to tell you that you do need an account (eg. A Google or Yahoo account) with your reader in order to add the feed -- that is, if you do not already have one.
  
• I did a screencast earlier in October to demonstrate step-by-step how to add an RSS feed to Google Reader. UPDATE: Anonymous commenter also advises that the screen cast does not work for all machines. Sorry about that!
  
• Look for the icon next to the address bar (where you enter your web addresses to find Google or whatnot), or you can scroll down and find " Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) "(oops! I made your job even easier -- we'll see if you are paying attention)".
  
• Click on the icon or link and "copy" the URL (web address) of that link into your RSS Reader (Google Reader, Bloglines, or whatever). If you have an updated version of Firefox, your task may be even easier than that.
• You can also search for this blog's RSS feed from your Reader, if you want.
  

Resources:

• What is RSS?
• RSS Feeds in Libraries.
  

Chocolate and more? Join the Wiki-war?

If you have already completed thing #6, you may have noticed that there is a "sidebar" that says something about rules for the wiki-war.

If you read these rules, you would notice that I am offering chocolate to those people whose books are sitting on the top-ten list at precisely four o'clock pm this friday. One of the people whose book(s) is on the top ten list will receive a "Denis Cunningham original" t-shirt for their troubles as well, complete with a nifty slogan that will convince anyone of your technical acuity. The actual slogan and design is a surprise, since this is the very first time we are offering it.

Remember the password is "learning20".

Why am I doing this? Well, it's to share a few points that made alot about wikis.

• If you have a diverse enough crowd, no individual voice is capable of influencing the whole. Case in point: all of my original entries in the top-ten list are gone!
• Imagine if we had thousands or millions of people working on the same page!
• Each individual contribution is small, yet the entire resource can be immensely useful. Take a look at the list -- there's already 33 "top ten" or "former top ten" books there!
• The list will be send off to the reader's services team as a resource if they so desire.
• You could probably see the potential for such a tool as a resource for "read-alikes" or something like that.
• The neat thing about the wiki is that even though I created it, I have no control over the content. I could change the whole list right now and one of you could very easily change it back!
• In short, a wiki is more than just another wysiwyg editor like the one on your blog. It's just difficult to demonstrate that without a challenge. :)
  

Reminder about the Wiki

Just a warning -- when you make edits to the wiki, you will be asked for a password. You will also be told to enter your name and you email. For "name" please enter a nickname if you do not want your real name to be used on the wiki.

Thing #8: Try Out Either Google Documents or Zoho

Description:

Google Documents and Zoho are online wordprocessors. Well, actually, they are suites of productivity software, including spreadsheets, presentation software and the like. I even showed you a demo earlier on that described why these products are important. Now, I just want you to try it out. Create a document. Write out a brief letter, or fill in some blanks in the spreadsheet. That's all.

Hints:

• Common theme -- you will have to sign up with the service, and that may require an email. The good news is if you've signed up with Blogger to get your blog, you can use your Google ID to use Google documents.
• Another Common theme -- Both Google Documents and Zoho use a WYSIWYG, just like your blog and just like the wikis before it. This may seem just like repetition of your blog!
• There are alot of features available, including the ability to share your document with others and publish it to the Web. How far you go is up to you, but I only expect you to play around with a few things on the page.

Resources:

• Google Docs Tour
• Type and travel: Web-based word processors
  

Thing #7: Read an article in Wikipedia on any pet subject and assess it in your blog.

Description:

Wikipedia.org is a free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit. Yes, anyone -- even you! This fact has led to controversy about the validity of the information available there. I want you to look at a subject of interest to you (maybe something you know lots about) and tell me what you think. Are there mistakes? Misinformation? Poor writing? Would you user or want your child/niece/nephew using this resource in a school paper?

Please speak to the article itself, and not to the idea of Wikipedia. I am more interested in hearing whether the particular information you found was useful or not and why.

Hints:

• Choose something you enjoy. For instance, I liked the entries on Spiderman, saltpeter and Daphnia.
• If you google your subject, the first entry may very well be a Wikipedia article.
• Use the 50 words rules for quantity if you just want to do the minimum here.
  

Resources:

• Another Wiki Mess Robert McHenry, Britannica blog.
  
• Jabberwiki: The Educational Response Michael Gorman, Britannica blog.
• Jimmy Wales Time Magazine
• Wikipedia's Aukward Adolescence Karen Schneider CIO
  

Wikis in Plain English

Dang if I won't let Commoncraft do all my work for me. :)




There's a headstart on next week! If you didn't notice, I've already added "Thing #6."

Thing #6: Change the Learning 2.0 "top ten titles" Wiki

Description:

I created a Wiki at http://hpllearning.pbwiki.com with an arbitrary list of the top ten books of all time. I want you to change that list to your liking, including a favorite book or two of yours.

Hints:

• The password is "Learning20" "learning20" (no quotes) UPDATE: I originally had the "L" capitalized. If you tried the password and it didn't work, please try again.
• UPDATE: Please remember that the email and name you enter on the password screen will be visible to others.
  
• Look for the word "edit" on the wiki page.
  
• You are going to find editing the wiki very similar to writing a post on your blog.
• The interesting thing about wikis is the collaborative part -- that's why I have the "Wiki War" mini challenge for chocolate.
• Yes, you can change anything you want on the wiki.

Resources:

• What is Wiki?
• Commoncraft -- Wikis in Plain English
• New Media: Who are the real winners now we've all gone wiki-crazy? --
  Ana Kronschnabel and Thomas Rawlings

Del.icio.us Tutorial

Common Craft is a great organization for creating understandable tutorials. Here's one for del.icio.us, which, as I said before, is "Thing #16."

Oh -- and they also have a tutorial to help you avoid a Zombie attack on Halloween. :)

Copyright, Copyleft and Hyperlinking

1. I added an RSS feed showing comments as they come up. Pretty much all of the comments are really helpful, so I thought I'd try as hard as I could to make them accessible.

2. Sara had a question about copyright and using other people's information. I'm no lawyer, but here is a summary of what I know:

• Hyperlinking -- linking to other content is pretty much legal, unless you are pointing to illegal content for the explicit purposes of disseminating the information. Don't point to illegal content and you are safe. Here's a good resource for this.

• Fair Use -- you can use portions of other people's content so long as it is to make a separate point, such as in a review or a parody of a work. The key points here are a) don't copy all of the work b) have a point other than the one illustrated in the work -- you have to be adding to the conversation. Here's a great comic on the subject of copyright and fair use.

• Common Knowledge -- you cannot claim a copyright on factual information. Things like gas prices, weather facts and the like are not copyrightable. Recently, a court case declared that information like batting averages, and hockey point totals are also not copyrightable.

• Licensing -- many blogs, wikis, and photo groups offer Creative Commons licensing on their writing, art and/or photos. This means you can copy without asking so long as you follow certain conditions depending on the license. Flickr, for instance, has a collection that points to photos that have applied a creative commons license to their works. An artist can choose to add any or all of the following four restrictions to their license:

• Attribution -- you must give the originator credit for the work.
  
• No derivs -- you cannot change/re-purpose the work.
• Non-commercial -- you cannot use the work to make money.
  
• Sharealike -- you have to include a similar creative commons license on your work.

There's a quick summary. I hope this is helpful for any of you who are concerned about what you can or cannot put on your blog. In general, if you are in doubt -- ask permission to use the item. And if you are told to take something down for copyright reasons do so right away unless you are absolutely sure you are within your rights to use the item.

RSS on the website?

Yup! For programs by branch. You can see the feeds on the test site which you can access if you are on a staff computer.

There's a small technical problem, though -- because the test site is behind a firewall you cannot use a third-party site like Google Reader, My Yahoo, or Bloglines to see the feed in action. If you understand how to use a live bookmark to grab a feed, that will work though. There are other ways too, it's just that I do not want to make this post too long.

You'll just have to trust me that it will work when we go public. :)

Promoting your blog and a preview of Thing #16

A number of you expressed interest in sharing your blog either with me, or to promote it more widely now that you have it. That's great! Here are a few notes:

• There's going to be a 10-question quiz (via surveymonkey) to help me know if you completed the 23 things -- one of the questions will be: "what is the address for your blog?"
• If you would like to have your blog linked from this blog, just let me know, either by using the feedback form or by leaving a comment on this post. If you look down (waaaay down) you'll see that Sara Gillis & David Lewis already did ask me to do this (UPDATE: Cheryl Black and "Library Doodling" are added as well). I'm going to start by adding RSS feeds and then move to links if there are too many.
• 
  

Later on, I will ask you to "tag" a website (perhaps your blog) using del.icio.us (and write a quick post about delicious on your blog). That will be "thing #16" in fact.

If you want try del.icio.us (and I would consider this "advanced" unless you consider yourself a "techie") go ahead. My only caveat is to either

• do this from home or
  
• skip "Step #2" in the registration process (just go on to step #3) if you are applying for an account from a work PC. (delicious wants you to add an extension to Firefox or Internet Explorer when you apply and I do not want the extension on staff computers -- yet.)
  

When we get there (in early January), I will offer a way to make the del.icio.us "thing" easy to do for any non-techies out there.

Serendipity

During the creation of a screencast, I found an article from Helene Blowers via my RSS feed about the latest video by Michael Wesch, who did The Machine is Us/ing Us video.

Here it is. For example, via things like RSS, information can find us -- that's what happened to me as I discovered this video right while I was demonstrating Google Reader!




People used to talk about the Internet and searching removing the "serendipity" benefits of browsing through shelves. Web 2.0 seems to be trying to put some of those things back -- but by using social networks, rather than spatial proximity. Very interesting development.

Web 2.0 Screencasting!

So I discovered a neat online tool called screencast-o-matic via Amanda Etches-Johnson who I met at a Computers In Libraries conference and again at a Canadian Libraries Association preconference last year. So, I created a small tutorial on how to install an RSS feed in Google Reader (using Firefox 2.0).

It is unedited and has maybe about 300 too many "uhs" in it, but it does go to show how easy it is to do cool things with these technologies. Oh -- and I should warn that a news article title spells out "B.S." during the tutorial. Don't view this if you do not want to see the "S" word.



And that is one of the neat things about the Web 2.0 movement. I get information from people that have information I need, neato tools to help me do my work better, and then I get to share with you!

Death, Taxes and . . . SPAM!

Just a few words on blogs and spam.

Just like email, blogs can get spammed.

There are two general ways that spam on blogs works.

1. they put ads directly on your blog (to sell viagra for instance) or
   
2. they create a "splog" or spamblog with ads for un-tech-savy visitors to click on.

The first one is fairly easy to recognize. The comments usually have lots of links, are off-topic or pointless ("great post!"), or downright shameless in what they are trying to promote.

Splogs are more tricky. The way they work is by linking to your blog. This creates a "pingback" (a comment on the blog that tells people another blog linked here), which in turn links to their blog where they hope people will click on ads and make the owner money.

Having people link to your blog is often flattering (particularly when someone has something interesting to add to your discussion) and it's the way you can increase your "authority" ranking in a service like Technorati. Splogs play to this need, so you will want to use some of those website evaluation skills to figure out if your pingback is legit or if it's a splog. Here are some ways to tell if a blog is a splog:

• There are lots of advertisements, and nothing much else of value.
• All of the posts appear to do nothing but link to other blogs.
• The posts contain lots of gibberish.
• There is no "about this blog" page, or the page does not have a whole lot of information about the author of the blog.
  

AVOIDING SPAM

In the end, -- avoiding spam on your blog is pretty easy. Here are some Dos and Don'ts.

• DO set up your blog so that you get to moderate your comments before they go up.
  
• In Wordpress, you do this by clicking "Options," then "Discussion" from your dashboard.
  
• In Blogger, it's "Settings" then "Comments."

• DO mark any spam you moderate as "spam." This will help your service eliminate the spam from the system.
  
• DONT allow anonymous comments. Spammers tend to be anonymous.
  
• DONT leave a blog unattended for long periods of time. If you are done with a blog, delete it. "Ghosttown" blogs are prime for spam.
• DO use the built in spam filters from your blog company. Wordpress uses Akismet spam blocking, which I really like.
  
• DONT click any ads or links on a spam blog.
• DO report any splogs to your service. Most bloggings services do not allow spam blogs to exist on their servers.
• DO let a blogger know when you have encountered a spam comment or pingback on their blog. They will thank you for it.
  

Blogs, blogs, blogs!

So we are entering section #2 of the ever illustrious Learning 2.0 challenge! The next two weeks are going to be about blogs.

Chances are, you've already encountered blogs as you went along your daily business of finding information. This section is focussed a little bit more on how to create a blog and why they are so popular. However, there are a few more things that might be of interest to you.

Searching for a blog is a little bit more challenging than your average website. That's why there are search engines like Technorati and Google Blog search that specialize in searching for them. The main difference between a regular search and a blog search is that a regular search will tend to focus in on *particular* blog posts. Blog searches will get you the particular posts and then provide links to the entire blog, in case you want continue reading the authors thoughts about your favorite subject.

Technorati also provides authority rankings for blogs, based on the number of people who link to the blog. This is a helpful (though not perfect) way to see if a blog is worth the page it's written on.

Later on, we will be doing some "things" related to RSS. RSS is a great way to read blogs (among other things). In my view, RSS is *the* most important subject area for libraries to know right now. Itsa little bit tricky for beginners, so you'll find that I will be offering as much help as I can on the subject. Once you know how to use it though, I think you'll find that it can really help keep information overload under control.

Thing #5: Write a 50-100 word Post (on your blog) About Your Article from Thing #2

Description:

Write a post on your brand new blog, describing the article you read as part of thing #2.

Hints:

• You can be longer than 100 words if you want, but try to reach 50 if you can.
• Answering these three questions should get you to 50 words pretty quickly:
• What was the title of the article?
• Who was the author of the article and how did you find it?
• What did you think of the article? Was the writing clear enough that you "got" what he/she was saying? Did you agree? Disagree?
• This is not mandatory, but try and play around a little bit when you write your blog post.
  
• See if you can figure out how to add images, movies, or hyperlinks to your post (remember copyright, though -- don't use someone else's stuff without their permission!).
  
• You can change the colour of your text, provide bullet points, add italics and bold print and so on.
  
• Chances are, the compose box is very much like Word or Wordperfect. Geeks call this a "WYSIWYG" editor. It makes doing web pages a lot easier.

Resources:

• What do all the icons mean? -- Wordpress help
• All about Blogger's Post Editor -- Blogger help
  

Thing #4: Write a comment on the Learning 2.0 campaign blog or any other blog

Description:

Most blogs offer the ability for readers to comment on specific posts. This blog is one example (and yes, you can do this anonymously). Just comment on one of the posts on this blog or another blog of your choosing. Did you like doing one of the things? Did you dislike it? Want to learn more? Have a tip that can help others do it? One line or ten, it's up to you!

Hints:

• You can do this at any time from now to March 31st.
• Look for "[x] comments" at the bottom of the blog post. It is located between the posting time and the "email to a friend" icon that looks like an envelop. Update: If you do not see the comments link, look for "Post a Comment" at the bottom of all the other comments you see.
  
• Remember netiquette? That applies to blog comments too.
• Blogs have different policies on how you are allowed to comment. You may be required to:
  
• 1. Include your real name.
  
• 2. Have an account with blogging service (Google/Blogger is what this blog uses).
  
• 3. Enter special code words (called captchas) before you submit your comment.
  
• 4. Provide an email address (that does not get posted with your comment).
• 5. Wait a little while after you post before you can see your comment so a moderator can see it first.
• This blog applies #s 3 & 5 to prevent spam and/or abuse of the blog.
• To be anonymous (on this blog) you have to choose "anonymous" as your identity, or you can make up a name for yourself (or, as they say, be "pseudonymous" ).
  
• Blogs may also ask you to add the address of your personal website or blog. This is usually optional and is a good way to promote your blog, provided you are offering something useful to the blog discussion.
  
• You are permitted to break the "add something to the conversation" rule on this blog. "Good idea" or "I agree/disagree" is fine. I just want you to have tried commenting. Of course, if you really have something to say. . ..

Hype:

• People who advocate Library 2.0 often talk about the blog as a way to engage in a conversation with your users, particularly online users, via comments. It's an interesting theme that will rear its head again as we learn about other tools.
  
• Ann Arbor Public Library is known for its attempt to develop conversations with its blog-style website.
• Hennepin County Library even offers comments on their catalogue!
  

Resources:

• How to comment like a King (or Queen!) -- Cool Cat Teacher Blog
• How to Blog for Fun and Profit -- Blog Commenting Etiquette? -- T. L. Pakii Pierce

Additions to the FAQ

Just a few items that I will add to the Frequently Asked Questions portion of the blog. If you have any questions or comments, or if something is not clear, please let me know.

New Questions:

When are we going to see the rest of the 23 things?

I have created a timeline that goes through the 23 things and when they are due. I'm going to evaluate this timeline as I go through the process. The only reason I am doing it this way is so that I do not inundate you with "things" right off the bat and scare you off. Also, I have other projects I need to be working on as well.

You can help me out by giving me feedback (it's anonymous, so you can be mean if you like :) ). I may be able to speed up the release of the "things," though I think the March 31st deadline is going to have to stand.

I have concerns that regular work will get missed because people are playing with Web 2.0 technologies. What should I do?

The rules on the 23 things are fairly clear: supervisors get to determine priorities on work time.

This program is not intended to interfere with day-to-day work and clearly, if you have customers in front of you, or a deadline looming, you should be working on that instead of doing the 23 things. Another point about the program: it's about trying 23 things, not doing 1 thing for 23 hours. :) Please be respectful of your co-workers, and library customers and use common sense about the amount of time you are spending learning these new technologies on the job.

If you are not sure if you are in the right, ask your supervisor.

Are the "things" going to be mandatory to learn in the future?

The answer is "yes" and "no." "No" because the goal of the 23 things is really just to expose you to some to the themes surrounding new technologies.

That said, some of the "things" may be used in the future to support library services. So, some (and I do not know which ones) may become a "yes" in the future. That said, I would expect that the "23 things" training would not be sufficient to support a new service. If, for example, the library were to offer "blogging help" as a service (this is just an example), then I would expect that specialized training would be required beyond the 23 things.

What about new staff? Can I do the 23 things if I am on a sick/parental leave?

New staff are welcome to try the 23 things with the only caveat that the March 31st deadline stands. If you are able to complete the "things" while you are gone on a leave, then you will also qualify for a prize -- the only minus is that I will not send you poster emails. I'll have to get back to you on the status of staff who leave the system entirely. Update: Since the program is only available to library staff, anyone who leaves the system before the deadline will not be eligible for a prize.

Are we going to be expected to help customers blog?

The 23 things should not change expectations about the level of service we offer at our public use computers. If someone were to ask you about blogging at the desk, I would think that you could provide them with 1) information about blogging or blogs 2) examples of a blogging services such as Blogger, Typepad or Wordpress and 3) offer some advice about what is required to start a blog (ie. an email address). I would not expect you to help a customer create a unique design for, add flashy sidebar features to or create convincing promotions for a blog.

You may already realize now that starting a blog is not unlike trying to start an email account.

As you will discover in the future, most of these services will be similar to Google search in terms of what they offer. I *do* expect you to know how to use Google (and know you already do because you told me so). While there may be the occasional frivolity added in for fun, I think you will find most of the 23 things relevant to you professionally, personally or as a possible service in the library.

Can we share a blog together?

Going by the "if it's literally done and you feel no reason to move on" rule, if you can honestly say that you were actively playing a part in "creating a blog" then I say, sure -- go for it. Anything that makes it easier to do these things is fine by me. Maybe there's a "techie" out there you can partner up with to help you with this stuff. Great!

I only do 3 1/2 hours per week and don't have time to do the 23 things, but I really really want to get them done, what can I do?

Talk to your supervisor and we'll see what we can do. In the end, all 23 things can be done at home if you want to. Also, the program is voluntary, so if there just isn't time enough in the day I fully understand. Finally, I am of the sort that thinks there is a way to solve any problem -- talk to your supervisor and we can see if something can be worked out somehow.

Why I Love the World Wide Web

Here is a very common sense explanation of why Google docs is a useful product. It is quite amazing, actually. And (hint hint) might get you a headstart on a few of the "things."

. . . and we're off!

Now that the first two "things" have been released, I can already see quite a bit of enthusiasm around new technologies and the program. Some folks out there have assumed that one of the "things" in the future will be "start your own blog." Ok. I admit, it is. As you can see on the right, thing #3 has already been released early.

That brings me to another point -- what is the value of peeking at this blog every so often? Well, it's like this: I would like to establish a communication device to identify new technological trends and ideas. I do not want to fill up people's email to do it. A blog is one of many ways to do this. In fact, *this* blog may be the way this happens in the future.

So, I'm going to make it worth your while to view this blog periodically:

• For one, all of the "things" have a post on this blog with tips on how to complete them.
  
• Besides the 23 things, there will be some mini-challenges with prizes (perhaps involving chocolate) to help illustrate a point about new Web devices.
• I will drop hints about what the future 23 things will be from here. If you visit this blog, you will have a head-start on them.
• I will announce other "23 things" prizes via this blog. (Did you think I was just going to stop at a laptop?)
• There will be pointers to some fun and silly things happening on the web via this blog.
  

Set Up My Own Blog and Add My First Post

Description:

Go to Wordpress.com or Blogger.com (or another blogging website if you like) and create a blog. Both Wordpress and Blogger offer fairly easy-to-understand instructions to get started.

Hints:

• A blog is just a personal webpage organized in a special way.
  
• You will need to create an account with the blogging site to create your blog. For that, you will need an email address.
• If you already have a blog, just create a post that says you have completed thing #3
  

Some Websites to Learn More:

Ask Bob Rankin on Blogs
Siteground Blog Tutorial

FAQ (will be updated as questions come):

Do I have to use my real name on my blog?

No. You can blog anonymously. However, the blog is the main way that I will be able to tell you have completed the 23 things, so you will need to let me see it somewhere along the line.

You said that I will have to use the blog to describe some of the other "things." How much do I have to write?

You can write as much as you like. :) A good minimal approach to this exercise is to answer four questions: 1) What is the technology? 2) What did you think of it? 3) How might this be useful [or not] to you personally? 4) How might the library use this [or not] to serve patrons better? If you want a minimum word count, let's say 50 words. But if you think I'm going to count the words on a potential 890 blog posts. . .

Learning 2.0 Program Launched!

On Friday, September 21st a training session launched the introduction of the Learning 2.0 program. I facilitated the session using Google Presentations. Jessamyn West was the guest speaker, and she presented on "Tiny Technologies for Tiny Libraries."
















The goal of the training session was to introduce the library/web 2.0 concept, spread the word about the "23 Things" program, and pique curiosity about new technologies.

A big thank you to my helpers, Kelli Wooshue, Mohammed Amin, Emmanuel Chimbo, Andrew Curran and anyone else who laid out a hand when any little glitch happened.

Welcome to Learning 2.0!

This is where all the magic will happen as you start your Learning 2.0 journey. Sure, you can find out what you need to know without ever visiting this website, but you will be missing quite a bit:

• Everything you see in emails, posters and pamphlets will be available here first.
  
• Resources online and elsewhere related to the 23 things.
• Tips and tricks on completing the 23 things.
  
• Other interesting tidbits about Web 2.0 technologies, in case you were curious.
• Updates on the program as it progresses from October to April.
  
• Comments from people who are interested in these sorts of technologies.
• Maybe we'll post some fun things too. Like YouTube videos and interesting podcasts.
  
• Who knows? Maybe some other bloggers will notice us and make their own comments about the campaign.
  

The Machine is Us/ing Us

This video (courtesy of YouTube) will be the introductory presentation to the Learning 2.0 training people. I find it does a good job outlining the major differences between the "old" web and the "new" web.




What do you think? Is the Web changing really? Does this matter to libraries?

Read a Web Post that Pertains to Web 2.0 or Library 2.0

Description:

Gather a bit of background about the harping and hyping going on in the world about Web and Library 2.0.

Hints:

• Google "Web 2.0" or "Library 2.0" and you will find articles aplenty.
• Jennifer Macaulay's blog, Life as I Know It has a nice bibliography citing the major articles surrounding Library 2.0.
• Remember at least one key point. You may have to go back to the article later.
• Bokardo.com has a Squidoo page that outlines the major articles on Web 2.0.
  

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

(Added October 10, 2007)

When are we going to see the rest of the 23 things?

I have created a timeline that goes through the 23 things and when they are due. I'm going to evaluate this timeline as I go through the process. The only reason I am doing it this way is so that I do not inundate you with "things" right off the bat and scare you off. Also, I have other projects I need to be working on as well.

You can help me out by giving me feedback (it's anonymous, so you can be mean if you like :) ). I may be able to speed up the release of the "things," though I think the March 31st deadline is going to have to stand.

I have concerns that regular work will get missed because people are playing with Web 2.0 technologies. What should I do?

The rules on the 23 things are fairly clear: supervisors get to determine priorities on work time.

This program is not intended to interfere with day-to-day work and clearly, if you have customers in front of you, or a deadline looming, you should be working on that instead of doing the 23 things. Another point about the program: it's about trying 23 things, not doing 1 thing for 23 hours. :) Please be respectful of your co-workers, and library customers and use common sense about the amount of time you are spending learning these new technologies on the job.

If you are not sure if you are in the right, ask your supervisor.

Are the "things" going to be mandatory to learn in the future?

The answer is "yes" and "no." "No" because the goal of the 23 things is really just to expose you to some to the themes surrounding new technologies.

That said, some of the "things" may be used in the future to support library services. So, some (and I do not know which ones) may become a "yes" in the future. That said, I would expect that the "23 things" training would not be sufficient to support a new service. If, for example, the library were to offer "blogging help" as a service (this is just an example), then I would expect that specialized training would be required beyond the 23 things.

What about new staff? Can I do the 23 things if I am on a sick/parental leave?

New staff are welcome to try the 23 things with the only caveat that the March 31st deadline stands. If you are able to complete the "things" while you are gone on a leave, then you will also qualify for a prize -- the only minus is that I will not send you poster emails. I'll have to get back to you on the status of staff who leave the system entirely.

Are we going to be expected to help customers blog?

The 23 things should not change expectations about the level of service we offer at our public use computers. If someone were to ask you about blogging at the desk, I would think that you could provide them with 1) information about blogging or blogs 2) examples of a blogging services such as Blogger, Typepad or Wordpress and 3) offer some advice about what is required to start a blog (ie. an email address). I would not expect you to help a customer create a unique design for, add flashy sidebar features to or create convincing promotions for a blog.

You may already realize now that starting a blog is not unlike trying to start an email account.

As you will discover in the future, most of these services will be similar to Google search in terms of what they offer. I *do* expect you to know how to use Google (and know you already do because you told me so). While there may be the occasional frivolity added in for fun, I think you will find most of the 23 things relevant to you professionally, personally or as a possible service in the library.

Can we share a blog together?

Going by the "if it's literally done and you feel no reason to move on" rule, if you can honestly say that you were actively playing a part in "creating a blog" then I say, sure -- go for it. Anything that makes it easier to do these things is fine by me. Maybe there's a "techie" out there you can partner up with to help you with this stuff. Great!

I only do 3 1/2 hours per week and don't have time to do the 23 things, but I really really want to get them done, what can I do?

Talk to your supervisor and we'll see what we can do. In the end, all 23 things can be done at home if you want to. Also, the program is voluntary, so if there just isn't time enough in the day I fully understand. Finally, I am of the sort that thinks there is a way to solve any problem -- talk to your supervisor and we can see if something can be worked out somehow.

(Entered October 5 /07)

Do I have to use my real name on my blog?

No. You can blog anonymously. However, the blog is the main way that I will be able to tell you have completed the 23 things, so you will need to let me see it somewhere along the line.

You said that I will have to use the blog to describe some of the other "things." How much do I have to write?

You can write as much as you like. :) A good minimal approach to this exercise is to answer four questions: 1) What is the technology? 2) What did you think of it? 3) How might this be useful [or not] to you personally? 4) How might the library use this [or not] to serve patrons better? If you want a minimum word count, let's say 50 words. But if you think I'm going to count the words on a potential 890 blog posts. . .

(Entered August 16/07)

Why are we learning about Library/Web 2.0?

There are many reasons why Library and Web 2.0 are important. Here are a few examples:

1. Web 2.0 is not only a new technology, but it is helpful for learning about new technologies too.
   
2. Many customers are already using these technologies.
3. The e-Learning team would like to use resources such as blogs to keep staff informed about new technologies (without spamming your inbox).
   
4. Some people think the web is changing from an information resource to a place where people engage with online communities. As an organization, the library needs to understand these changes to serve customers.
5. Many of the technologies are useful for getting up-to-date information about anything you can imagine.
6. We should know how a resource like Wikipedia works so we can help customers make decisions on the quality of the information they are retrieving.
7. The library will be introducing Web 2.0 elements to the website and perhaps other services.
8. Some concerns related to privacy, internet safety, and copyright have been raised about these technologies. We need more staff understanding which concerns are valid and which concerns are exaggerated, hoaxes etc.
9. As a rule, these tools are easy to use and are likely to gain popularity over time.

How are you going to introduce the 23 things?

Approximately 3 “things” are going to be introduced about every 2 weeks for a period of about 6 months, with breaks in December and March to help anyone catch up. The “things” are grouped under broader topics such as “Blogging and RSS.” While we encourage staff to “keep up” with the sessions because an even-paced strategy is better for learning, the 23 things can be finished anytime before April 1st.

How much time will it take to do all 23 things?

Each item is designed to take a small amount of time, approximately 10-20 minutes. That means the whole project will take up about 4-8 hours total to qualify for the prize.

Some items may catch your interest meaning that you will want to spend more time learning how it works in more depth. Some people may find certain activities harder to understand and it may take them longer. Other people may already be familiar with the tools and it will take no time at all. The goal is that you get to learn at your own pace and at convenient times.

Because we want as many people as possible to participate, we have provided 6 months to complete the "things."

Can I do the activities at home or on my own time?

There is nothing about the activities that cannot be done at home. Two things are important to realize, however. 1) You do not have to complete the activities at home. 2) You will not be paid extra hours if you choose to do the activities at home. If you are having a hard time finding time to do the activities on work time, speak to your supervisor before the March 30th, 2008 deadline so some arrangement can be made to accommodate your training.

What should I do if I get stuck?

The goal of this campaign is not to “stump” you, so we have offered many hints to help you along. These will be available on the campaign blog. Group work is not only encouraged but it will be rewarded -- people known to be particularly helpful to others will be publicly recognized for their efforts. Google, Wikipedia and other online resources are also quite helpful with these tasks. In December and March, the e-Learning Manager will offer some help for any item that is stumped.

Some of the “Things” are fairly open-ended, how will I know that I completed it?

In the words of Helene Blowers: this program should be “focused . . . on easy discovery and offer[] optional challenges for those who want[] to do more.” In short, the tasks are intended to expose you to the technology, how far you want to go with it is up to you. If you have literally completed the task and do not feel compelled to move further, then you can check it off your list!

How do I keep let the e-learning team know that I've finished the task?

There are going to be two methods for us to check up on you. 1) Most tasks should be journalized in your blog (one of the tasks will ask you to start a blog). 2) We'll ask you to do a quick 10 question test to qualify for the grand prize (if you've done the tasks, you will find the test to be quite easy).

I have to keep a blog? But I don't want my name out the public for people to see!

You can still participate without exposing your personal information to the World Wide Web. If you do not want people to know you have a blog, you can keep it anonymous by giving yourself a unique username and configuring it not to show any information to the public. Instructions on how to do this for the major blog sites will be provided on the campaign blog, or you can ask someone to help you.

We will ask for the blog address at the end of the term so you can qualify for your prize.

I have a great idea for a Web 2.0 service we can offer at the library. With whom should I share it?

Get permission from your Branch Manager to write a one-page document describing the idea and send it to the e-Learning Manager. Put your name on it so you can get credit. The e-Learning Manager keeps a list of the ideas in a file for possible development in the future.

History of Learning 2.0

Learning 2.0 is an initiative created by Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County librarian, Helene Blowers, who blogs at Library Bytes "to encourage staff to experiment and learn about the new and emerging technologies that are reshaping the context of information on the Internet today."

Since then, libraries all over the world have come up with their own version of the Learning 2.0 project and Helene herself has been featured on the cover of Wired magazine.
Helene herself has encouraged libraries everywhere to "steal" her idea to help libraries serve their patrons better.

Jessamyn West is Helping Us Launch the Program

Jessamyn West of librarian.net has offered her time to help the library launch this Learning 2.0 program. Jessamyn is the first librarian blogger and an icon of sorts in the library world, having been quoted in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere.

The Learning 2.0 Guidelines

Proposed Guidelines

1. All Halifax Public Libraries employees are invited to participate.
2. Participation is strictly voluntary.
3. There are 23 things to do within six months; if you complete them, your name will be entered in a draw for a prize.
4. You can do activities on work time, but must ask permission from your supervisor if the activities will take you away from regular work duties.
5. You do not have to use your real name on any of the websites you try, but you will have to submit some information to the campaign team qualify for the grand prize laptop.
6. A blog will provide tips and clues on how to complete the 23 things.
7. One of the 23 things is the creation of a blog. You should use the "blog" to record how you have completed the other 23 things.
8. Collaboration and sharing is encouraged. Branch managers are going to be asked to share the names of people who continuously help others complete the 23 things. These people will be recognized for their contribution.
9. When you finish, you will be given access to a 10-question multiple choice test. This will be used to determine if you really did the 23 things. A score of 70% is required to qualify for the prizes. You can take the test as often as you like.

Learn About the Campaign by Visiting the Blog

Description:

Read the guidelines, posts and the timeline for the "23 things"

Hints:

• You are already doing it! Keep going!
• There are lot of links to access on the right hand side of this page. Click away and see what's on this thing.
  
• There is a square called categories as well. Every time I write a post, I create categories (or "tags") to keep them organized -- kind of like subject headings. There will be more on this later on.
• If there is something that doesn't really make sense to you, you can always send me anonymous feedback.
• There were alot of people at the training session for this on September 21st. Maybe you can ask someone from your branch who went for help?
  

The 23 Things -- Timeline

Here is your challenge: complete the following 23 tasks, then go for the test and get a 7 out of 10 to get your name in the prize ballot. If you click on the thing, there will be some advice about how to finish the task. If you get stuck, don’t forget to ask someone else! Teaching is probably the best way of learning anything new, so everyone wins when you ask for help!

October 1^st to 12^th

Introduction to Learning 2.0

An introduction to the campaign, what it entails, and how it has been done in the past.

1. Learn about the Campaign by visiting the blog.

2. Read a blog post that pertains to either Web 2.0 or Library 2.0.

October 15^th to 26^th

Blogs and Blogging

Discover weblogs or “blogs” and how they are used.

3. Start your own blog and add the first post.

4. Write a comment on a blog (like this one).

5. Create a post about the article you read for thing #2.

October 29^th to November 9^th

Wikis and Online Productivity Tools

No – not a “mixed-up kiwi.” “Wiki” is Hawaiian for “quick” and it’s a popular way for people to get and share information.

6. Change the Learning 2.0 "top ten titles" wiki

7. Read an article in Wikipedia on any pet subject and assess it in your blog

8. Try out either Google Documents or Zoho

November 12^th to 23rd

RSS, Inside and Out

“Really Simple Syndication” is what it stands for. What it can help you do is another story.

9. Capture the Learning 2.0 blog's RSS feed for easy reading.

10. Add an RSS feed to your blog.

November 26^th to December 7^th

Podcasts and Videocasts

Blogs with attiTube.

11. Watch a video on YouTube.

12. Subscribe to a podcast.

13. Embed a video onto your blog.

December 10th to January 4^th

“It’s About Sharing” – a Learning 2.0 break

Only one simple request here, otherwise, we are taking a break for the Holidays.

14. Help Someone Else Complete one of the 23 Things.

January 7^th to 18th

Social Software Part One

Connecting with “friends” in ways never before possible.

15. Find a Similar Reader on Library Thing.

16. Try out Del.icio.us.

17. Try out Flickr.

January 21^st to February 1st

Social Software Part Two

The new way of sharing information?

18. "Tag" something on a Web 2.0 service.

February 4^th to February 15^th

Online Internet Messaging and Chat

It’s been around for a while, but web services are making it a bit easier?

February 18th to February 29^th

Bonus Points: Future Technologies

We can’t afford them right now, but maybe in three years?

March 3rd to 30th

Extra time for Late Bloomers

A whole month to catch up on the gaps. . .. If you are stuck, the hintmaster is ready to help.