Reflections

Libraries should definitely use social media:

1. Promote all library events/new acquisitions/closures.
2. Communicate with patrons via blog/facebook/twitter.
3. Get patron feedback/suggestions.

I wish our Library had a prominent Feedback option on the Website and Catalog to understand our patrons needs. We could set it up to like the Askus email AskUS@friscolibrary and have a staff member respond to the feedback in a timely manner.

It has been a great learning experience and plan on using a few of them. I am already blogging on Unshushed.

Kudos to Adam and Elizabeth for co-ordinating the 22 things.

User Choice- Viewpoints

Viewpoints is a site where people can write personalized reviews and read review on any subject- laptops to our Library.
Users have to complete an I AM tag so that readers can trust and connect to the reviewer.
Sign up is easy.

Check out the review of another library
Our Library could benefit as we could get valuable feedback from our patrons on what the like/dislike about our Website/Catalog/Services. We are in the process of revamping our Website and this could be a quick and easy way to gather our patrons opinions.

Podcasting

Viewed few podcasts, libraries can podcast programs- maybe podcast Computer Classes and Story time as they fill up quickly.

WIKI

I have used Wikis before, the fact that anyone can edit the content makes it less reliable.
I have updated Lochrann's Irish Pub just because I like their McNabbs Fish & Chips.

Do you HULU?

I don't, I prefer to watch TV shows on a big screen in HD if I have time or inclination to watch it.
I do see the benfits of HULU as you can see an episode you missed or a library patron not having to wait for Season 1 Disc 4 with 10 holds.
Free TV is great and if watching TV on your monitor works for you, go for it.
I don't watch too much TV on TV and will probably never see a TV show on my 15 inch monitor.

Library Thing

I created my account and tagged a few books. Having Library Thing enhancing our OPAC is great for Reador's Advisory as well.

Youtube

I use youtube to watch events I miss out on as I stay thousand miles away from my family. Though I was unable to attend an event due to the distance, I can still see and hear my family or friends.
Libraries can use it to showcase past events, provide a virtual tour, publicize new additions or new services.

Music Streaming

I use different websites to download latest Hindi songs. I love it as I can have that only song in the album I want and not have to buy the album. I can burn my own CD's based on a theme. Its quick and easy.

Love Google Docs

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tayqVs1fBHOpvDHSC5sOZOw&output=html

It is my most favorite thing so far..lets more than one person work on the same document, eliminates need to store files, easy access to documents and lets you publish it as a web page, also lets you copy/paste to your blog! What more could you ask for. Will definitely be using it.

Google map from home to Allen library

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=13276+Box+Elder+Ln+frisco+tx&daddr=Farm+to+Market+720+E%2FStacy+Rd+to:33.150487,-96.70372+to:300+North+Allen+Drive,+Allen,+TX+75013-2540+(Allen+Library)&hl=en&geocode=FZA6-gEdUoY7-il3Z1XWDz5MhjGO5eGJMDj6bQ%3BFdPb-QEd70o8-g%3B%3BFa4r-QEdtek8-iF8y8Vl6xnaxCnLAzjYNhdMhjEVTMVecH-SzQ&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=12&via=1,2&sll=33.087227,-96.632996&sspn=0.185534,0.307274&layer=tc&ie=UTF8&t=h&cbll=33.11253,-96.673846&panoid=BvIQnCWsFTDgXq6wpeXvYQ&cbp=11,213.94,,0,5&dirflg=d&ll=33.112536,-96.673851&spn=0.041985,0.153637&z=13

Tinyurl and Yousendit

I have used Tinyurl to send links to friends(e.g Directions). It is a very useful tool and is extremely easy.
YouSendit let me transfer a large file quickly, very handy, will be using it in future.

Facebook

Joined the 400 million strong facebook, kept my profile as private as possible.

Joined LinkedIn

Signed up, looked up some friends.
If you are looking for a job, its a good way to network, be referred by people in your industry.

My Delicious account is http://delicious.com/ananyam11.
I have bookmarked our library website.

Tag

I tagged a picture in my Flickr account. I do not think tagging is great for libraries, I would let the Cataloger tag an item. For example, if you see there are 16 tags on Lost Symbol in i-bistro from Library Thing.
If we allow patrons to create own tags on items in our catalog, we might have hundreds of irrelevant tags.

I'm all for IM

I have uses the Office Communicator often since its quick and I get a response immediately. I know the status of my co-worker(busy/available etc.). I do not use IM to chat with friends but find it a useful tool at work.

Google Reader

I subscribed to two website(one of them being fpl23things). Like the fact that I get the updates automatically.

RSS Feeds

RSS feeds lets you know when a website content has been updated. I used FEED MY INBOX to have the feeds sent directly to my Inbox. The good thing is that you receive the update only once in 24 hours.

Photsharing

I have created a Shutterfly account to upload some pictures. It's a much faster way to send/receive/view multiple pictures, surely beats uploading one picture at a time. I will definitely use it more often.

Twitter

Set up my Twitter account and I can see the library using tweets to promote events/announce closures etc. I will personally not be tweeting as I am not important enough to let people know what I am doing right now. If I do something worth telling, I can call/email.

Not Digging Digg

I choose to BURY Digg. I prefer to trust my own judgement and read what I am interested about. I don't have to read an article just because thousand people thought it was good. If I want the news, I want the latest..not the news from 11 hours ago which 2000 people chose to Digg.