Mike Washburn

(Just for the record, I title my post - strictly for my own amusement - with whatever phrase bubbles to the surface when I’m thinking about my current post. Sometimes it’s some random gobbly-gook, sometimes it’ll be an accurate title, and sometimes it’ll be some subtle or witty description of my topic. You’re just going to have to take your chances.) 

The second group of lessons for the Web 2.0 course (the first group was about blogging) is about Wiki’s. They give a list of several library related wiki’s and we’re suspost to comment on what we find and our thoughts on them.

SJCPL Subject Guide – very nice. I like the way it defines and then breaks down the various subject areas and then has links that lead into the catalog.

Book Lovers Wiki – This is wonderful. I would love to see our library setup something like this. Initially we could “stock” it with reviews by staff members, and then allow patrons a chance to log in and review, or give counterpoints to reviews already posted.

Library Success: A best practices wiki – it’s a good idea, but I’d like to see more content – not just a bunch of sorted links.

ALA 2006 New Orleans wiki – Well organized. I’d have liked to seen links to program materials / PowerPoint’s for each program instead of just the brief description.

Bull Run Library Wiki – interesting, but it was more like a library’s home page instead of what I think of as a wiki. Still had some good links.

iRead wiki – again a good site, something that I think can be merged with something like the Book Lovers Wiki to create a wonderful web site.

My library has started this Web 2.0 course for all staff members to advance their knowledge of the ever changing Web. One of the requirements is to start blogging. Since I’ve been meaning to get back in the habit of posting more here, I decided to use this blog to talk about my escapades with this learning course and maybe intersperse it with some of my witty insights and thoughts.

A lot of the stuff that’s being covered in this program isn’t all that new to me. I like to think that I’m fairly savvy in the ways of the computer and the GlobalNet… Errr make that Internet but some of the lessons cover things that I have a passing familiarity with, but no in-depth knowledge. So in the words of T-Bone Stankus (from his song Existential Blues) “Alright, tighten your shorts pilgrim, and sing like the Duke” – in other words here we go!