The end. I think not! aka week 9 #23

Well here we are at the end, and I must confess, having some familarity with many of the topics and the web in general. I was unsure that it could be of benefit, although hopeful for all that.

To quote Paul comepletely out of context 'Hope did not dissapoint' Several years ago when teaching basic computer and web skills to patrons. I often used an illustration that the web is like a micrososm of a major city where you can find almost anything. To extend the analogy as a frequent stroller in that city, I tended to stick to the same well worn paths, after all don't most fairy tales warn you 'keep to the path, don't stray' Well if Libraries 2.0 taught did anything, it took me off the path, and showed me some different ones, which I intend to revisit. and helped me see others which I had known a little, come to know a lot better. Some of them as I've mentioned in earlier posts can be applied to tasks within the Library, some I can also use in other areas of my life beyond the sphere of Library work, and some were just plain fun.

I'm almost surprised to say. I think I'll miss this exercise. I would hope it is continued and extended beyond #23 at some point, and if not, well I guess its not a bad thing for me to start getting of the well worn path and go exploring. Who knows where I'll end up.

How do you shelve an ebook? aka week 9 #22

First off I like the concept of ebooks, and indeed quickly added the link to my favourites so that I can return to them later. I also find, and this extends to audiobooks in general. Its a great way to take in a book I might not have the time or inclination to read, and if like me you're looking at a daily commute to work taking anything from 40 to 90 minutes. Then it makes a welcome change from radio too.

Indeed they are catching on with the wider public, more and more, they are no longer the sole province of 'print challenged' readers. One of our patrons extolled their virtues, in that she can fit the equivalent of 16 audiobooks onto her ipod, and if you're going on holidays and space and luggage is at a premium then its a fantastic way to stock up on holiday reading.

One slight problem is that due to copyright restrictions, you're often limited to either classics or obscure special interest works, and thats fine up to a point, after all you get what you pay for. This also extends to another form of ebook I've come across on CD-Rom , which hasn't really taken off to the same extent. Which is books stored as text and simply read on screen. I own more than one, which have anything from 18 to 1800 titles stored on CD, one has the grandiose title of 'Library of the Future' I sincerely doubt it.

Which brings me to my final point. For all of their pro's ebooks will never replace print. Why? Books are supremely practical, all you need is enough light to read by, no batteries to replace, no need to plug in, no headphones or speakers needed, nothing to download or upload, no need to rewind if you miss something, no parts to breakdown or be affected by adverse conditions. And frankly nothing beats the pleasure of curling up with a good book beside an open fire and a glass of red at hand (Just don't spill it) And if you still want the pleasure of an ebook try reading aloud. Its fun for one, and can be even more so for two.

The Invasion of the Podcasts aka week 9 #21

Looking at the Podcast directories its quickly apparent that they are by far most heavily used with 'entertainment' related topics. So why fight it, I quicly zeroed in on the webs #1 Doctor Who podcast 'Podshock' at http://www.gallifreyanembassy.org/podshock/podshockmp3.xml and then promptly added it to my feeds.

No much more I can say about it really. As for its applicability to Libraries. It could be used to promote our auditory facilities ie music., audiobooks, but I suspect we would run into copyright issues there. Maybe with inhouse reviews using sample portions would be a way around it.

We have also had a couple of enterprising kids run their own web based radio station from the library called Rumble radio, and I suspect that it would be here that Podcasts would be best used by libraries in conjuction with other outside special interest groups to put themselves out there as it were in a mutually beneficial symbiotic podcast