Explore Twitter

Topic: "Visit Twitter and sign up... tweet..."

My twitter username: Jim_Corva.

I tweeted twice; first on a professional topic, then on a personal one.

I visited the CML Learn and Play account and and added it to my "following" list. Its "followers" list led me to several colleagues' accounts, which I signed up to follow. One account has locked access to its following list, but another added me automatically.

The search function for adding new followers returned this message: "This feature is temporarily disabled." This prevented me from finding other conversations, but I will revisit this tool later.

I viewed the names of followers of learnandplay, and found colleagues I recognized. I invited via e-mail 3 colleagues to follow me.

I recognize some of micro-blogging's uses. Libraries can use it to announce and promote new library resources, facilities, policies, procedures, and events. Libraries' web sites and blogs serve a similar function, except that by design tweets often serve a more immediate and hence temporary function.

I like twitter moderately well. Regarding outgoing messages, the malfunctioning search function made finding users to follow very problematic. Regarding incoming messages, I can use timely messages in proportion to the amount of time I have Internet access to my own twitter account. Without a user-dedicated staff PC, this runs a few hours per week. I'm sure I will find it helpful in many ways, both professionally and personally.

Library Thing

Topic: "Take a look around LibraryThing and create an account. Add a least 5 books to your library."

Here are my library's first five books:

Image Generators

Topic: "Play around with some image generators and find one that you like."

I experimented with the ALA Mini READ Poster Generator, Generator Blog, Letter James, and FD Toys.

Here is one I created with www.letterjames.com.

Finding Feeds

Topic: "Now that you have a newsreader, you can begin adding other newsfeeds that interest you. When visiting your favorite websites... Use Blogline's search tool... Topix.net... Syndic8.com, Technorati.com..."

Q: Which method of finding feeds did you find easiest to use?

A: Searching for feeds with Bloglines was the easiest, since one necessarily has already logged in to Bloglines to use it; one doesn't have to remember to do this. Using the others requires logging in to Bloglines to set up the feed, then visiting the tool's site. This leads to keeping track of multiple windows. I am generally comfortable with this. However, by default, Bloglines keeps one logged in to Bloglines after one closes the Bloglines window. I have not found how to change this in the account settings. This leads me to favor any tool that facilitates managing multiple windows, such as minimizing the need for them. My Bloglines account's remaining open to the next user of the computer I may be using presents problems.

Q: Which Search tool was the easiest for you?

A: Syndic8 benefits from displaying helpful site information for the user prominently, featuring a prominent search box, and and presenting a static display. Its table of feeds with feed status appears to be very useful. However, none of its hits had "approved" status w/recent feeds.

Q: Which was more confusing?

A: Topix and Technorati screens are busy and distracting with news stories, including the trivial. Each also shows video or animation and advertisements which all distract.

Q: What kind of useful feeds did you find in your travels? Or what kind of unusual ones did you find?

A: I searched for the same subject, philately, in each case and found a mix sites. After a quick glance at the quantity and titles, I find both tools useful. Some of the hits from each appeared useful for leisure reading. The range of topics for my search term predictably returned some unusual feeds, such as Latvian stamps.

Q: What other tools or ways did you find to locate newsfeeds?

A: None yet, but I suspect that I will stumble upon some.

Make life "really simple" with RSS feeds!

Topic: "Create a free online Bloglines account for yourself and subscribe to at least 10 newsfeeds to your reader."

Q: What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?

A: Really Simple Syndication and newsreaders for RSS feeds can save effort when one would otherwise repeatedly seek the same news sources out individually.

Q: How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your work or personal life?

A: In either case I can set up RSS feeds to content sources that interest me, and read them when Internet access and time allow. For work, content sources could include feeds from colleagues and industry authorities for professional development. For personal life, content sources would include providers of recreational content.

Q: How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?

A: CML exemplifies using RSS to provide catalog updates to users of newsreaders. CML could add similar content feeds regarding library programs. The staff of a library can take advantage of newsreaders for professional development.

My public blogroll address is http://www.bloglines.com/public/JimCorva. There, you can see the updates I have requested from various content providers.