Wiki Update

Soo...

Came across this blog from the States which I am following...it's really quite educational and you can glean for what your interested in. Came across a load of information on using Wiki's in a Library. Easy to read and take it in. Mind you as with lot's of the Wikis I found previously this dated 2006. Must have been about the time Wikis  were the new emerging Web 2.0 tool.

At work this week I 'overheard' a conversation that suggested a Wiki could be used to gather information from a particular group of people and also follow on with clear instructions on how to partake in an upcoming event. Maybe if it goes ahead a video could also be done for instruction and imbedded here?

Just thinking out load. Not saying I have changed my mind or have been sold on them, but I now have my eye's opened here and may just come around...

Wikis

Wikis Wikis Wikis Wikis......

Well to be brutally honest the jury is still out here. Apart from 'Wikipedia' I never knew there were personal or professional applications available. Yup; another learning curve today.

However the imagination and logic needed to apply this within the 'Library or Information' industry is on holiday. I 'spose there is some good arguments in the 'for' side but in my case unless I'm out there using it day by day it just doesn't grab me. Think that would be the only way I could be bought around. A full day Personal Development session by a service hooked on it, done the studies and with a viable network to other users would be well worth my while. Not that I want someone to SELL it to me, I just don't, well I just don't...Someone to open my eye's is possibly what I'm getting at. Then I could objectively give an opinion.

Many many hours have been spent searching for these little lovelies. Not easily found. Maybe I should say not a lot up to date, very interesting - to my mind or within my criteria. I certainly didn't start with the 'criteria', very broad searching is what I began with.Some of the methods I used were Wikipedia, Google, Google Blog, Technorati ( I know stabs in the dark) and recommended class links (which I really didn't want to utilise finding my own was far more important to me), as well as looking at home pages to some blogs I follow.

Nothing catching me for inspiration to write about here. A couple of Wikis that looked like a good idea, had a lot of work on them and then not utilised to their fullest are Library Goddess and Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki both dated 2006. Giving me the impression Wikis have been a flash in the pan. A large amount of time and effort sadly wasted.

At the National Library of Australia my Wiki search came up with the definition of one and the State Library of New South Wales takes me to a blog but still nothing within my criteria...and more and more I find are all done in the last decade! I heard UTAS uses them but all I could find was how to cite them.

I even tried searching for Rare Books. Now that was interesting, all of my hits came up with blogs relating to GAMES with the words rare and books and how to play the game.

Can you feel me getting rather 'frustrated'??? Time to have a break and check out what fellow class mates have come up with. Am I soo glad I did this! I found something that piqued my curiosity.

  

ULCAT Wiki published by the University of Limerick contained a good variety of 'Useful Websites for Cataloguers'. This includes information such as: 'about' the University, Tools, LC Authorities to Miscellaneous and Library Wikis. 

Up to date and still keeping me interested I decide to check out the Dictionary section. The German one to be precise, have a daughter who has just come back from an exchange and wondered if it would help. It wasn’t quite what I expected – more like a magazine on line and then into the Miscellaneous section at….yes you guessed it ‘Bookbinding and the conservation of books’.

SMILING  SMILING  SMILING  SMILING  
 Do you see me smiling?

Finally something within my criteria! YAY!!!

I had to suffer pop up window of ads first on my way to a new place called Etherington and Roberts  tried it twice but not too sure if it is a website, blog or wiki – not loading correctly- grrr…computers. So I hit a link ‘color plates’ and get a wonderful page of photographs!                                                            Oh just yumm      Just beautiful.                   

There is also 'A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology'  Still not sure what I’ve linked into – looks the same – not loaded correctly or just baaaad web design????   Obviously ‘baaaad web design’ is what it is; as I have come from something called ‘Useful websites for cataloguers’.  Not sure if this is too useful for them as I couldn’t find anything ‘catalogue’ related on the surface. On further study skimming through the Preface. I find it could be worthwhile for them. ‘Cool’ are the people responsible and I quote…                         

“…an online resource operated by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation is a full text library of conservation information, covering a wide spectrum of topics of interest to those involved with the conservation of library, archives and museum materials. It is a growing online resource for conservators, collection care specialists, and other conservation professionals…”   

  

Not a ‘Wiki’ but it came from a 'Wiki' and again we come across something non Australian….but it fits my ‘criteria topic!’

In the end I came to the conclusion 'networking' in industry was the only way I was going to come up with anything worthwhile.

Glucksman Library, University of Limerick, Ireland. (2011). UL Cataloguer's Desktop. Available: http://ulcat.wikia.com/wiki/ULCat . Last accessed 24 Jul 2011

Etherington & Roberts. (2011). Bookbinding and conservation of books. Available: http://cool.conservation-us.org/. Last accessed 24 Jul 2011

Thanks also to Danielle's Library Blog

Delicious

THE NEW AGE NEW BEAUT INVISIBLE CLOUD BOOKMARKING TOOL.

...so the rumour goes... 

  

If it's a cloud in the sky what's it doin to the atmosphere??                Global warming and all that...you know...mmm bit scarey...not sayin that's what it's contributing to but seriously; between you and me;       I'm WARY.

You know...turn the page on the corner (ooo perish the thought ! use a book mark!) 
 Used it vaguely a long time ago. As far as bookmarking goes I'm glad I put the URL's on it I did, but realistically it's not really for me. Not at this point of time anyway. Personally I'd rather read books and RSS keeps me up to date with whatever I'm interested in. HOWEVER... if I had a 'desk' job as a researcher, or into conservation orrrr was a 'much younger' student, I think it would be invaluable. Akin to a 'Favorites List'.  I wish there was one for movies to go and see!

Today's version of Delicious does have very good help pages for the tools it supplies giving you the choice of a 'quick' tour or 'full' tour. You can have bookmarking buttons and add-ons for your browser or website. It is certainly worth having a look at. If you don't want to use it like this the original version of saving your bookmarks is still available. I like the way you have the choice.

It can also be used as a research tool to see what others are accessing. Although this could be fraught with rubbish unless you have a good network of knowledgeable peers that are trustworthy - academically and socially.

It has changed a wee bit since last I visited but nothing drastic and very easy still to use. There are no folders for categories as such, they are called tag bundles. Either way you look at it you still get 'visual' browsing. The tags use cross referencing and if I used it all the time I would definitely subscribe to other users and share information that way.

I understand the uses for this application and can see it behind the scenes in a library but not sure at this stage how for patrons. On a large scale it would get a bit time consuming for links to 'good reads, Author official websites, Blogs, RSS and the like. I can see it used for 'Book Group' and other groups run by a Library for those members who are so inclined.

Have a play with this one. Get the feel by starting with FAQ'S

Can anyone point me in the direction of  of any other similar applications? 

I'd like to compare.

 sumthingdifferent. (2007). Blue Sky and Clouds. Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/13105039@N04/2220459219/in/set-72157603819711344. Last accessed 31st Jul 2011.

Flickr

                 Today's job...Flickr

 

 
 And no, as you can see I'm not looking for 'Flicker' the horse from movie and television fame.

I thought I would give old historical library architecture a go this time round. I have used this application in the past for 'light entertainment'. Watching slideshows of flowers.

Excitedly I began, stumped again - I failed...Lesson learnt...research your topic first 'before' doing this type of subject search.

As the seemingly inevitable pattern continues; in the need to get things moving along, I decide to change tact but will definately go back forewarned and forearmed on the search for stunning architecture.

 My searching strategy now involves Bookbinding, National Library of Australia, State Library of New South Wales and Conservation of books. Rijksmuseum ResearchLibrary uses Flickr like a diary for their Book Restoration Studio. With my favourite photographs today, that I share with you,coming from Northeast Document Conservation Center's photostream.

All totally different in what they show and have to say. From photographic instructions on how to bind a book, the Flickr effect and Picture Australia, digitising archival photographs which several libraries around the globe tend to use. Personally I prefer the State Library of Tasmania's photographic digitisation layout

I even stumbled upon one Universities photographs on how they moved some of their collection.

Having fiddled with Flickr in the past I added another piccie, a Library photo of my own from Polytechnic. 

I have been loving the fact that some Libraries including my own (oops! in my case LINC and that's a whole other subject...) have been using and promoting the use of 'mash ups' - an amazing world to explore. Check out the winners of this years competition.

I particularly love this one by Soul Solution - Mosaic of QLD – 50 000 images mashed up.

Flickr has an amazing amount of applications for the user to explore and use. It would take ever so long to learn and experiment with them all, I can see it becoming a 'hobby' in it's own right and could become rather addictive!

Julie Martin NEDCC. (2011). Historic document. 

Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nedcc/with/5375557602/. Last accessed 24 Jul 2011. 

Julie Martin NEDCC. (2011). Maps. Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nedcc/with/5375557602/. Last accessed 24 Jul 2011.

Julie Martin NEDCC. (2011). Finishing tool. 

Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nedcc/with/5375557602/. Last accessed 24 Jul 2011.