CPD Thing 13: Google Docs, Wikis and Dropbox

CPD Thing 13: Google Docs, Wikis and Dropbox. In this section of the CPD we looked at online collaboration. The use of google docs at my library has been mainly when i'm at home and working. I personally have used google docs for spreadsheet of our book collections. Whether we have the item, how many items we may have, if its available or if its available via Copac and then send to the subject librarians.

Dropbox. I do believe we have used it for our document supply team, who will put scanned and paid for photocopy items in dropbox for clients to collect.

Wiki's I have set up within my previous departments. I used these predominantly as training tools and as a personal intranet. I have used mainly wetpaint when using wiki software.

5 UK Library stories of 2009

Following on from from lisnews Ten Stories That Shaped 2009, I thought I would do my 5 UK stories.

1. Cilip 2.0. This was a discussion started by Brian Kelly & Phil Bradley which looked at Cilip Bob McKee failure to take on board some of the web 2.0 technologies within CILIP. The power of the network caused Cilip to rethink there policy and have an open forum on the event in April and produce a draft paper on the subject.

2. Woodsiegirl meme on 'why i became a librarian. I like blogging because sometime one persons post can spiral into a bigger discussion (see above). Well blogger Woodsie girl discussed why she became a librarian. A few others started adding there reasons why and the wikiman made a wiki for others to enter and discuss the subject on. This was actually pretty life affirming and a great idea.

3. Many had heard that Wirral maybe closing many libraries in that area. Thankfully all 11 were saved. Many local people voiced there concern on the closures, making politicans back down (for the moment).

4. Most stupid idea of the year? Culture minister Margaret Hodge's suggestion that libraries should link up with internet bookseller Amazon. Um, people go to libraries so they don't have to pay and store it. A library and a bookseller are two divergent markets and its not possible for one to be the other without major changes in the organisation (read money).

5. UK mashup still going strong. It was good to see many librarians meet this year for two mashups in Huddersfield and Birmingham. I went to the Huddersfield one and was really great to see a profession working to help our users experience (and learn something to).

Anyhow, thats my top 5? Anybody have any others?

Why do I do This? Wiki

Following on from my recent blog post entitled Why do I do This? The person who started the original meme for this, pointed me in the direction of a wiki . The wiki has been set up to collate people's blog posts on the subject.

Chartership, wiki's and idea's.....

Having previously mentioned I had set up my own Wiki, I had unfortunately allowed to stand more dormant than my delicous account. Until I started my Cilip chartership that is.
Therefore my idea with my wiki is to put as much information online about my idea's and what I am presently doing etc. I can then inform my mentor and they can edit any idea or just look it over. Simple and productive I think.

Crowdsourcing for job applications

Since starting my own Wiki I have been interested in what I could add to it. I have thought of practical and web 2.0 idea's I could also add to it (i'm so last year I know).
Anyhow, since reading Tapscott's Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything. This book along with Jeff Howe's Book Crowdsourcing: Why the Power of the Crowd Is Driving the Future of Business and his Wired article. I was wondering how to use this practically, the crowdsourcing and wiki.
Therefore, my idea was whilst looking for jobs, to put my application forms up, give feedback and recieve updates from other people. The items could then be tagged, reference and used by other people and companies to use. I reckon it could be a winner (unless all my applications are rejected, no one gives feedback etc). I wonder why no one else has done it.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure if some people might see it as either a free dinner or plagarism to a degree. What do others of you think?

My own wetpaint wiki

I decided to centralise all my social media information into one wiki, that can be found here. I've put my dissertation up there, which I previously said was on my website (but is no more). Anyhow, hope to add more features before long.

Wetpaint is some wiki software

I was recently introduced to wetpaint via a new blog I've subscribed to. I know its been reviewed previously, but I had never heard of it.
As I had been working on PBWorks for a work, and although I liked it, wetpaint was really easy and had a great advantage. The accessibility of users was great. You can allow different user access. It also looks prettier.

Web 2.0 in Higher education

Over on Information Literacy meets Library 2.0 they have an article Higher education in a web 2.0 worldin which it discussed JISC Web 2.0 in Higher education report. The part I liked is when Goodwin says:-

At present use of Web 2.0 is patchy in HE and tends to be driven from the bottom up. Web 2.0 technology has not yet been fully exploited for student learning yet. As this develops in HE it will challenge some students who expect traditional delivery. Surely the role of HE is to challenge and provide opportunities for adapting - that's what tomorrow's students will require. This is where the usefulness of Web 2.0 for supporting constructivist educational practice comes into play.

Its totally true. I've often tried to implement these technologies at Senate House (1, 2 & 3. But thankfully some projects have come off. This has only been internally, but this has happened only internally. Small steps, but all in the right direction.

My new project at work

Working at Senate House, I heard that are interlibrary loan group were going to set up there own wiki. I therefore asked if iI could help in anyway and have started working on one with them. Quite enjoyable to.

Social networking? Or will my users be bothered?

After watching the rise of digg and technorati and all the site's that require feedback, it seems sad when some people try this and its not as successful as it wished. For example, over on Ubiquitous Librarian blog, he was discussing how he set up an internal wiki, which just has not taken off. The problem is not usually the technology or the training that scare's people, its they don't always see its relevance or even worst, there suffering burnout from having too many social cataloguing sites...... I'm really a fan boy of the social networks sites, but people are really finding it hard to keep up with this stuff.......oh, well another rant from me, but I do hope that Brian does get the wiki up and running, sounds a great project.