I was excited about the live OPAL webinar about Dashiel Hammett's Thin Man, but it was a bust. It was set up for online participation and also participation via Second Life. What ended up happening was that the Second Lifer's would text chat each other and the moderator, and then the moderator would come on and say, "We've been talking about. . . " He knew we couldn't communicate directly with them and said he would act as a conduit. Honestly, sometimes it was five minutes between his audible comments.
I sent in a note explaining that I wasn't getting much; wasn't seeing any chat, that I was getting long breaks in between, and was it supposed to be that way? I have a DSL line but an old iMac, so was wondering if that was causing delays or gaps, but in the end I don't think that was the problem.
I didn't get a reply to my note. I didn't find any kind of troubleshooting info on the site that referenced my problem. So, either it was a Mac problem (doubt it) or it was the Second Life participants that couldn't "cross over" into a place I could see their text or hear them.
I only saw my name and the teacher's name on the "In The Room" list. Again, don't know if this meant no one else was online or if I just couldn't see.
It was frustrating, but I did see the potential for the method. There is another event coming up: Friday, September 19, 2008 at , 1:00 Central: A Casual Conversation with Michael Stephens. If I'm working I won't be able to listen live, and will listen to the archived version, but I'm going to keep my eyes out for opportunites to participate "live" again.
This is a great training device. There are a lot of things that look useful and interesting!
Showing posts with label webinar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label webinar. Show all posts
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Thing 7
That was a big "Thing!"
E-Mail: I don't think the library uses e-mail very productively in-house. We aren't even encouraged to set up folders, though perhaps full-time employees get that message.
For our customers: they can get e-mails for author alerts (new books by fave authors), holds ready, books due soon. I would love to get text messages, especially for "Holds Ready" -- if I'm out doing errands, I can just add that one, and furthermore, I'll have the names of the books in case I can't find them on the hold shelf.
I like gmail and Mac's Mail program. Mail has Smart Mailboxes that automatically sort incoming mail into folders, or, you can use "non-Smart" rules. They work slightly differently and sometimes you want one not the other.
I would love it if librarians started using Twitter for all those little messages that get passed around informally through a building or department. That would be great for subs! Just the short message, over and out.
I've watched other librarians use e-mail and IMing to respond to reference queries, but haven't had the opportunity to do it myself. Again, it's a sub thing; they just don't train us or schedule us to do it. Too bad, it would be an excellent task for subs, since it's not moored to a physical space.
I text my kids and it's fantastic. They are young adults and don't feel a need for extensive chat with Mom. Texting keeps it brief and to the point.
I plan to do an OPAL seminar this Wednesday, a book discussion of Thin Man, and will report on that.
Ditto the IMing; I want to set that up from home and haven't yet.
I am on Twitter but don't have many friends; I should check again on my 23Things buddies.
2.0 reference tools? Definitely! The more we get people to use texting or Twitter, the more often they will turn to us. However: I think with the new iPhone3, the day of mobile computing has finally come, and people can get their own "short answers." Still, there will be plenty of times people won't want to do a search but could remember that we're here.
It won't work for complex questions.
We may see a rise in requests for technical help on iPhones and other internet-connected phones, which would be a challenge.
I work in a public library. I think the best opportunities, at least at first, for customers to develop a habit of asking the library, is for college libraries to make those services available. With luck people will take that habit with them after they graduate.
E-Mail: I don't think the library uses e-mail very productively in-house. We aren't even encouraged to set up folders, though perhaps full-time employees get that message.
For our customers: they can get e-mails for author alerts (new books by fave authors), holds ready, books due soon. I would love to get text messages, especially for "Holds Ready" -- if I'm out doing errands, I can just add that one, and furthermore, I'll have the names of the books in case I can't find them on the hold shelf.
I like gmail and Mac's Mail program. Mail has Smart Mailboxes that automatically sort incoming mail into folders, or, you can use "non-Smart" rules. They work slightly differently and sometimes you want one not the other.
I would love it if librarians started using Twitter for all those little messages that get passed around informally through a building or department. That would be great for subs! Just the short message, over and out.
I've watched other librarians use e-mail and IMing to respond to reference queries, but haven't had the opportunity to do it myself. Again, it's a sub thing; they just don't train us or schedule us to do it. Too bad, it would be an excellent task for subs, since it's not moored to a physical space.
I text my kids and it's fantastic. They are young adults and don't feel a need for extensive chat with Mom. Texting keeps it brief and to the point.
I plan to do an OPAL seminar this Wednesday, a book discussion of Thin Man, and will report on that.
Ditto the IMing; I want to set that up from home and haven't yet.
I am on Twitter but don't have many friends; I should check again on my 23Things buddies.
2.0 reference tools? Definitely! The more we get people to use texting or Twitter, the more often they will turn to us. However: I think with the new iPhone3, the day of mobile computing has finally come, and people can get their own "short answers." Still, there will be plenty of times people won't want to do a search but could remember that we're here.
It won't work for complex questions.
We may see a rise in requests for technical help on iPhones and other internet-connected phones, which would be a challenge.
I work in a public library. I think the best opportunities, at least at first, for customers to develop a habit of asking the library, is for college libraries to make those services available. With luck people will take that habit with them after they graduate.
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