Week 10

This week - mashups. I'd never heard of them before - but what amazing tools these provide! I used the 'motivator' tool from 'Big huge labs' to assemble a promotional library poster (see below).

The major applications of mashups I can see for libraries would mainly involve promotion and/or mapping. The options for quickly, easily, and cheaply producing professional-looking promotional material (leaflets, posters, bookmarks etc)are really mind-boggling. For example, I noticed 'Big huge labs' provides tools such as the 'Warholizer'- which turns digital photos into pop art images - and the 'Hockneyizer' - producing collages in the style of David Hockney - not to mention mosaic makers, jigsaw puzzle makers, and so on. All of these tools enable high-quality graphic effects for any promotional material the library might require.

I looked at the British Library's 'London: a life in google maps' (a virtual exhibition charting the city's history via maps and associated text), and also 'Voicethread' (which, as noted, might have local studies and /or virtual exhibition applications). I can see how these might have library applications (especially in an academic library context). And of course, all library systems could take advantage of a tool such as the 'public library finder', to ensure our customers can find us!

As a worker in a public library system, though, I have to say that it is the possibilities that mashups provide for promotional material that has really excited me.

Week 9

Podcasts and vodcasts...Wow! What a range of resources presented by this technology, and its significance in circumventing the traditional restrictions of broadcasting (for both producers and consumers).

Via British Library, I listened to a talk about Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, and then via the ABC, listened to a report on Australia's best loved play competition. The podcasts linked to the 'Library Success' wiki were an inspiration - I sampled author talks, teen webcasts, library tours, book reviews, and even a 'new books in the school library' session!

I also visited the 'Online education database', and was impressed by the range of resources (tertiary level)in various disciplines, from prestigious universities such as MIT and Stanford.

I can certainly see a wide range of library applications, including professional networking, library promotion, author talks, user education and library tours, staff training/induction, and more. As a library officer who's done a lot of children's work in her career, I'm particularly impressed by the ability of pod/vodcasts to 'capture' storytelling performances and make them available beyond the library walls. I remember back in the 80's wanting to share a performance at a children's book week conference in another city that I couldn't attend - I had all the effort of arranging for a Council media person to video my performance, which was then sent to the conference, which then had to be timetabled in to a schedule to ensure it would be seen (and I'm sure some attendees would have missed it). With podcasting - problem solved!!