Week 6 : EnCompassCulture - the global bookclub

EnCompassCulture is a worldwide reading group, where you can find recommendations about the next book you may like to read and talk about books with other readers around the world. It has full details of over 11,000 books, representing the best of UK, Ireland and Commonwealth writing. The site has recommended reading for all age ranges and is very user friendly. I personally thought the site was somewhat limited, i.e. Bryce Courtenay and Colleen McCullough did not appear in the 'Author' list as commonwealth writers. It would be useful for age group reading recommendations although some of the 'rating comments' written by other readers can be somewhat 'colourful'! I think there are better sites and our own libraries offer a more comprehensive package. But in saying that, the site is definitely worth a peep.

Week 5: SlideShare - online pesentations

Although I can see the benefits that this site offers, I could not in all honesty recommend it to anyone else.
I have tried on numerous different occassions and from different access points (e.g. learn.net, workroom p.c.) to log into the slide shows and have had no success at all. I am waiting for the slide show "Happy 4th birthday" to download as I edit this post!
In answer to your questions

• No, it is not easy for staff to use.
• No, customers would not find it easy to use.
• It does not download easily on the learn.nets or workroom p.c.'s (still waiting....)
• No, I probably wouldn't bother with this site again.
• For all of the above reasons I probably wouldn't recommend it to customers.

Week 4: TasteSpotting

http://www.tastespotting.com/

Oooohhhhhh yeeessss!

Now this is my sort of site!

I love foody sites. I will definitely use this site again and again and again. Maybe I will be able to finally declutter all those recipes I have cut out over a period of years and never made. And all those recipe books that are gathering dust in my book case!

This site is very easy to access and use.

I would recommend this site to customers looking for something for a special occassion and haven't been able to find it in our stock for whatever reason. Customers are notorious for leaving things to the last minute and this site would satisfy anyone who was looking for any recipe for any occassion.

Week 3: FeedMyInbox - RSS made simple

Feedmyinbox is a very simple RSS-to-email tool that allows users to subscribe to their favourite blogs, feeds and news in seconds. Previously users were able to add as many feeds/sites as they wanted to receive updates for, nowadays users can subscribe up to 5 sites for free before they need to look at pricing plans. For RSS newbies this is a very non-threatening way to keep up to date with your favourite blog or news site. Update alerts will be sent straight to your email inbox.
Mmmmmm.... I can't say that I found this site easy to use. I don't think that I personally would use this site as I'm not really an internet junkie. I already have trouble keeping abreast of my emails let alone reading 'update alerts'.

For people who use computers all the time this site will be great as their favourite sites will be quickly at hand.
A student remarked to me that they found the site excellent as they could access their favourite sites quickly. For example when they are doing an assignment on the computer and need to have a break, they can quickly access updated information on their favourite topics, to just chill for a bit.

Week 2: Picapp

Wow! That was impressive.
I chose Mr Richard Kahui, because his image on my blog will make it look good!!! And All Black rugby is awesome, bring on the World Cup.
This is a free-to-use website that offers over 20 million images for people to use in their own blogs. It is FREE, LEGAL and, best of all, does not require users to create an account.
Lots of people would use this site to jazz up their website, school projects just to name two.
Once you have used this, I am sure you will be a fan!
Very simple to download.

http://www.picapp.com/

Week 1: Box.net - online file storage

Some of our customers would find this site especially useful as they often do not have a USB with them when they are creating, for example, a C.V. This site will enable them to save their work and download it from any computer site when it is convenient.
Personally, there would be occassions when I would use this site myself.
It is quite slow to download, but this could just be because our internet is experiencing access problems?

web 2.0 experience

On the whole I have enjoyed the web 2.0 experience. It is frustrating not being able to get access (i.e. we have ONE computer in the whole of the workroom that has internet access) and then when you do get access it is sooooooo slooooowww!
But, being given the opportunity to look at these sites is an advantage in so many ways.

Week 6: Facebook

Well, what can I say! Thought I would be totally anti Facebook, but no!!! It's really great! The thing I need most now to continue using facebook, is time, which I don't have enough of anyway.
It's absolutely amazing how many people I have found on facebook that I already know.
As there is virtually no cost involved in facebook, it would be a great way to stay in touch with overseas acquaintances and family. The days of keeping in touch by mail are certainly numbered.
The age range of customers at Pakuranga Library using Facebook on a regular basis are very varied, from the young to quite elderly. So it is obviously a tool that is very user friendly.

I have had a quick browse of the Auckland University Library site and found it to be easy to use with all the basic options easily accessible. Not over powering and having to really search for the information you require.

Christchurch Library's home page is really interesting. They have their own Blog site and obviously keep it updated. The content is very local which will be very attractive for their users.

Week 5: Music files and mp3s

I have had a look at a couple of the Music files and mp3 websites and can understand the interest that millions of people have in these sites!! For the life of me I cannot see how the sale of CD's will not just be a thing of the past in the very near future!

I went on to the 'GarageBand' website http://garageband.com/ but did not find this as easy to use as the Amazon site.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music-track&field-keywords=blue+are+her+eyes
Amazon MP3 offers millions of songs and albums all in MP3 format.
Most songs are between $0.89 and $0.99, and most albums are between $5.99 and $9.99.

Week # 4 Good Reads

Goodreads is a free website for book lovers. Imagine it as a large library that you can wander through and see everyone's bookshelves, their reviews, and their ratings. You can also post your own reviews and catalog what you have read, are currently reading, and plan to read in the future.
I have had a good browse through this site and yes I can imagine a lot of our patrons enjoying this website. By selecting the books that you have enjoyed reading, it is quite amazing the number of people who feel exactly the same!
I think a lot of people would enjoy communicating with like minded people about books and being able to receive and reccommend good reading to others.
http://www.goodreads.com/

WEEK # 3 Twitter

Well this is week 3 and I have had a little play around on "Twitter". I'm not really enthused, but then I don't seem to have enough time now to do half of what I want to do, let alone start twittering to people.
I think most customers would find it easy to use once they have been walked through it the first time. But most information they require is already on our websites, so I don't think I would vigorously promote this cite.
To me it would just be another programme that needs time to be maintained.

WEEK # 2 ZAMZAR

http://www.zamzar.com/getFiles.php?uid=675224039359001271904082&targetID=ADzFz83t4gPKLmp7di4rrI6lYdlBmTY_Z

Yes it does sound like a foreign language! I have often been asked by learn.net users who are having trouble downloading files, if I can help them. Now I will have a few clues about how they can convert their files. This is a great tool and anyone with an email account can use it.

WEEK # 1 Back "Agen" for 2010.

Well here we go again, blog, blog, blog!!
I have to be completely honest and say that I have not been near my blog site since I finished in 2009!
This time around I hope to be more confident with using this tool.
Libraries could probably promote themselves more using this forum as it is definitely the way of the future. I have no doubt e books will have a big impact on the way we access information and read for leisure.
So now on to week 2.