Thing 22. What Did I Learn Today?

We hope you have learned many new things during 23 Things On a Stick. And one thing you have learned is that Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 are anything but static. Changing, challenging, and exciting are hallmarks of Web 2.0. Here are some other things we hope you have learned:

• It really doesn’t take that much time. You have some new tools—Bloglines, del.icio.us, Digg/Reddit/Newsvine, calendars, to-do lists, and others that make finding news about new tools and ways to use them. You know how to use them to make keeping up easier. Of course, you can spend hours (and hours) playing around with Flickr or YouTube or other tools, but that counts as "improving your skills."

• You know you can do it. Sure, there were trials and tribulations as you learned the new tools or struggled with glitches in the products, but you did finish and you did get the tools to work. That means the next time you see a new tool, you will be ready to figure it out and make it work for you. No fear!
  

• It's fun to know and use these tools. Admit it, YouTube can be entertaining--and you can even see some uses for it in your library. Some of the tools have more toy-like features than others which have a more obvious use. It is amazing what people will think of and more amazing what they create to enhance Flickr, Google, or whatever.

• We need to keep informed. It is easy to get so involved in the day-to-day of story time, library instruction, troubleshooting, programming, reference work, summer reading programs, collection development, faculty meetings, system meetings, meetings and more meetings, and the on and on of the day in the life of a library. In spite of all that work, we do need to stay up on what our patrons are using, talking about, and asking us for help with. As libraries continue to evolve, we need to be informed to evolve with them and guide the evolution.

• We need the support of each other and our administrators and supervisors so we have the time and help we need to learn and stay informed. We hope the communities that have developed around 23 Things On a Stick will continue—whether in a building or a region. Stay in touch through your blogs, IM, and texting!

For this Thing,

1. Make a resolution to maintain your blog, use the tools you now know, keep up with new tools, and apply them in your library. Give yourself the gift of time—15 minutes a day, a Webinar now and then, conversations with colleagues about Library 2.0, whatever—but don't quit now! Put your resolution writing in your blog!

2. Every day, ask yourself, "What did I learn today?" Record your responses in your blog.

So here are some Web sites and blogs to add to your RSS aggregator. There are dozens more—choose ones that speak to you.

Library Web 2.0 Blogs

• Mostly News

• ALA TechSource
• LibraryBytes
  
• Librarian in Black
• LISNews
• Library Stuff

• News and Commentary

• Tame the Web
• Shifted Librarian
• Information Wants To Be Free
• Blue Skunk Blog
• Dangeroulsy Irrelevant
• NeverEnding Search
  

• General Web 2.0
• Lifehacker
• 43Folders

• Web 2.0 Directories
• Web2
• Go2Web
• Web2List
  

• Other Ways to Keep Up
• WebJunction-Minnesota offers newsletters, online courses, and other content (free to Minnesota users, thanks to MINITEX, State Library Services, and Metronet).
• OPAL has many online opportunities both live and in its archives to learn about library-related things—Library 2.0, technology, and more.
• Webinars from MINITEX and other sources
• Podcasts on Web 2.0 and library topics—find a few you like and add them to your RSS aggregator.
  

That’s enough. Glance through these, add the ones you like to your RSS aggregator, use others as needed. And remember, you can delete entries from your aggregator, too.

Blog Prompts

• Blog about how you plan to keep up with the Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 tools.
• Recommend a way to keep up that you have found useful.