Maybe this blog lives?

A funny thing happened when I was looking at my Facebook profile this morning - I saw that I'd put in a link to this blog in there. Ah yes, this blog.

Well, as you can see, it has been a good long while since I've added anything to this space. Originally, I had set it up as part of participating in the 23 Things on a Stick program that was done by the Minnesota Multitype Library Systems back in 2008. I had good intentions.

But life and work got busy and this poor little old blog just got neglected. Oh, and now Facebook and Twitter have become so integrated into what I do with technology that a blog seems almost quaint.

However, I'm going to give it another try. Though it may be adding just one more thing onto the Web 2.0 mountain I've created, I feel like I need to try and do this. I can't guarantee that everything I write about will be spellbinding or even thought provoking, but I'm going to try it as an outlet.

MTOAS - Thing 24

MTOAS, in case you're wondering, is my acronym for More Things on a Stick. I thought I'd use that plus "Thing #" when posting about the various things, rather than typing out that title every time. Call it lazy or call it indicative of my profession - we librarians LOVE acronyms. ILL, OCLC, OPAC, ILS, and so on we truly revel in using acronyms to have discussions.

So, Thing 24 of MTOAS asks us to refresh our blog. OK, I've brought it back to life, change some colors, and updated my profile a bit. I like my avatar so it's staying, but I may add some photos just because. I haven't kept up with this blog as I wanted to (good intentions and all) but will keep trying. I had a friend from high school and college tell me he'd read my blog previously so that is some motivation. Plus, one of the library directors from our region called me last week looking for some motivation to do MTOAS, so I figured I'd use that opportunity to get motivated.

I like the idea of blogging but always had the question in my mind of "what do I say on a blog." Well, I'm moving past that and will do many different things on here. I'll blog about MTOAS, library stuff, direct people to interesting things I found, and maybe sometimes just vent. If people want to read it, great. If not, no problem. I'm not looking to hand out advice, be an expert in anything, but want a place to just talk about things.

I'm very bad at following blogs - I've used feed readers that I quickly forget to check. I'm going to keep trying but I need to make a plan as to what I really want to follow. I guess I haven't found anything at this point that motivates me enough to follow it. I also don't comment much, although that may change with using Twitter (I comment sporadically on tweets) and Facebook, which is ALL about the comment.

Feel free to comment on my blog anytime about anything, even if it has nothing to do with the post. All I ask is that you be courteous. More later...

More Things on A Stick - Reviving this blog

Yes, this blog does still exist. I noticed that the only thing that has been updating on this thing is from Twitter. However, I'm motivated again to keep up blogging by joining the More Things on a Stick program for MN library staff. Maybe I'll actually finish this program, even though I have started using some of the things from the 23 Things on a Stick program that was the predecessor to More Things. Well, here goes nothing!

Thing 7, Part 4

I have done web conferencing over the last few years and have experienced some good ones but most have been mediocre at best. The web conference I participated in (although I had to cut it short due to back-to-back meetings) was done via MINITEX for the new EBSCOHost 2.0 interface. Have to admit it wasn't too bad. The software used was MS Office Live Meeting (Web Access). It has a number of features in it, including a chat function. You can chat with either the entire group in attendance (public) or individual attendees (private.) I did use the function at the very beginning just to say hello but didn't do private chat as I didn't know anyone on the list personally. There was a separate but similar function to send in a question to the person running the program. Again, didn't use this but could see this being less of distraction than asking the question on the phone. My only disappointment with these systems is the need to call a phone number to hear audio. I think that there are programs out there that don't require using the phone but most web conferencing seems to still hold onto that piece.

I have to say that the software evolution has been for the better. Certainly I've found less need to go through and test the software before I join the conference online. Most systems seem to handle this just fine. I do like offering this as an option to people to cut down on the need for travel to meetings. We've even tried it here at SELCO with some of our committee meetings with some success. We used GoToMeeting.

2008 MN Library Legislative Forum

I'm attending the 2008 MN Library Legislative Forum where the discussion is on developing the legislative platform planks that MLA & MEMO should support. I am very interested in is what the invited legislators have to say. They have been very supportive of libraries and right now a discussion is happening on how libraries really are an important part of some many things in a community. Libraries can assist schools in helping prepare students to be not only literate but also information literate. This is also a benefit to the workforce too as employers are looking for employees who have good information skills as our economy and the world's places more value on this type of skill. Another point that was brought up is about how public libraries in particular are many times in competition with the jails and law enforcement in their communities. It was refreshing to hear that maybe if we put more emphasis on education and literacy, maybe we could have an effect on how much more jail space or law enforcement we need. I'm no Pollyanna about this as we do need law enforcement and they could always use more money. But I do think that we have to try and devote more to education and literacy because in the long run we will be and our children will be better off.

The challenge of Twitter

As can be seen, I have added my Twitter updates to this blog. In the 23 Things on a Stick program that I'm participating in, Twitter is an optional challenge for Thing 7. I know several folks who are using Twitter here in the SELCO office so they've encouraged me to give it a try. I have and I actually kind of like it. It is easy to setup and use and doesn't require any special software except, of course, an Internet connection.

At first I thought, who the helk cares what I'm doing. I quickly moved passed that phase and really look at it as a great tool for figuring out what I do in a day. If nothing else, it is a small way of motivating me to focus on the work on I do. When I actually put it down in a Tweet (a posting to Twitter) and with the addition of sharing them with friends or colleagues, I feel like I need to keep moving forward so as not to look like a slacker. Of course, nobody may care but it certainly has that power of motivation on me. If you'd like to follow me, I'm at http://twitter.com/mscottmn. Please feel free to invite me to follow you as well!

Thing 7, Parts 1-3

Finally, I've picked up where I left off in Round 1 of 23 Things on a Stick and have worked through most of Thing 7. Actually, I've used most of the items discussed in this thing but did go through everything to see if there was anything I missed. The topics of Thing 7 included email, IM, text messaging, and Web conferencing.

Email: Use it nearly every day and can barely remember life before e-mail. Great tool for sending off a quick message but like anything else, can take over your life. My inbox is overflowing, I sometimes forget to respond to an email in a timely manner, and I still have trouble finding the perfect size for an email, either in sending one out or responding to one sent to me. I do use folders in my email system so that I have some organization of them vs. just letting them sit in my Inbox. I did check out the templates but figured that I'd probably invest too much time into them and then forget to use them.

IM: OK, I was slow to get into IM but now I'm hooked. I like that it has replaced some of my emailing as a way to get a quick answer to something. I really think that libraries could use to their advantage because it is built to be quick and, well maybe a bit dirty. Rather hunt for the phone number or dig through a library's website, a quick IM to the library to ask a question (What time do you close? Could you renew my books?) may do the trick. As a reference tool? Definitely but not for EVERY reference question. You know, sometimes it is easier to actually speak to someone to ask the question rather than TYPE IT OUT in an email or IM.

Text Messaging - Honestly, I'm a Luddite with text messaging. Or maybe just cheap. I don't use it on my cell phone at this moment nor am I paying for a package of text messaging that my cell phone provider offers. I do see, as this Thing pointed out, the possibilities of using it for notifiying a patron of something: overdues, fines, materials are ready for them, reminder about a training course, etc. I know that I certainly use my phone more and more (even as my home phone) for everything. I'll eventually embrace it (and yes, pay for a package of text messaging) but right now, I'm not ready.

I'm still working on Part 4 of Thing 7 - I've signed up for a Webinar on the EBSCO 2.0 interface in July. I've used Web Conferencing on many occasions. Still trying to figure out how to not be distracted when participating at my desk at work. That's the good and bad of being connected...