Blogging

Having has a nosey at some of the other 23 things blogs I have been surprised by how many bloggers were nervous or lacking confidence in their Web2.0 skills. It came as no surprise that quite a few people didn't know a lot about the different tools, but it didn't occur to me that they would be 'scary'. At the other end of the scale are some very experienced bloggers who talk the talk.

I might not know a lot about some of the Web2.0 things we are going to be trying out over the coming weeks but I'm not expecting them to leave me completely flummoxed. This is mainly because once you've got a few of the main things down - signing in, creating profiles, uploading files - most sites are quite easy to navigate. If all else fails there's always trial and error!

In terms of blogging I don't think this is something I would do at an individual level because I don't have enough to say (Susan - the other SSL trainnee - will attest to my love of succinct phrases wherever possible). They are very useful for collective information sharing. For instance, the SSL staff blog is great for sharing information about lost property, IT problems, messages about readers coming to collect books/needing assistance. It is especially good as a way to ensure staff who work mainly on the issue desk are kept up to date and for info to pass between day staff and evening/weekend staff. The Oxford Graduate Trainees blog is also a good way to discuss library things with between the trainees - like the 23 things!

The wonders of iGoogle

I had lots of fun setting up my iGoogle homepage, although I would have preferred squirrels to penguins. The page might take some refinement thought to ensure my tools are useful. My fellow SSL trainee had the clever idea of having two tabs - work and home - to organise two homepages so maybe I'll copy that. The SSL has its own iGoogle homepage which is very useful. It has all the links we need for staff working on the issue desk - to our blog, online diary etc. Sometimes my homepage can feel a bit slow though - maybe it's the penguins.

Thing 3 - Blogging begins

Hopefully the 23 Things will allow me to deal will Web 2.0 things with more confidence and knowledge, especially if I get asked about it in a library school interview! Although I'm happy to pootle about on sites like Facebook and YouTube, this is the first time I've considered Web2.0 tools through a 'library lens'.