Understanding RSS, Right-Brain Style

If a segment of the Library public is like me, (right-brained) understanding RSS and effectively subscribing and managing it could be a challenge. Signing up for Bloglines was extrememy easy, but grasping the relationships of choosing and managing feeds can be a little abstract. I'm also still learing how you share your RSS without necessarily sharing ALL your feeds with people who visit your blog. The Palinet tutorial mentions using feeds to keep up on where the cheapest gas is being sold. This is one of the most concrete uses of feed that I can imagine, given how much we talk about the price of gas, and how much time we can spend in gas lines when prices are jumping around. Other uses might be less immediately useful. It is so intimately tied to individual interests, and also how urgently you want information and how timely it must be to be satisfactory for you. I guess it would help to know just what percentage of library patrons use and depend on RSS feeds now, what portion of them would love the convenience if they could be encouraged to embrace the concept and how many are absolutely not interested. Also, what would it take to approach a real non-tech-minded patron and interest them in the concept just because we ourselves think it's a wonderful tool. Maybe if staff members were able to describe various real-world conveniences they themselves love, it would be contagious.

Being a visual learner, I love this site devoted to creating visual representations of the Periodic Table of Elements. In school, this was the bane of my existence, but this site simplifies such technical material by linking each element to a visual cue (Tungsten is represented by an image of a wolf with his tongue hanging out). We need something similar to make it more intuitive to use new technologies, if we are in that group who don't instinctively begin to talk in 2.0 lingo the minute we lay eyes on it. In a case like this, being less tech-savvy can be a distinct advantage by putting ourselves squarely in the camp of those who need to take it slow and have some illustratative element to their learning experience. Comments?

On Speaking Terms

Elusive Inspiration
Originally uploaded by margalearningzone

I've figured out how to give permission for Blogger to show my Flickr pictures. In the past, I was uploading photos to both Blogger and Flickr and just posting the link on my Blogger link list. If I was doing it incorrectly before, this learning program set me straight. I feel like someone who's been picking peaches from a tree, finally going up on the porch and asking the owner for permission and promising to bake him a pie. We are now on speaking terms.

Also experimented with Flickr's SLiDR to make a slideshow or "badge" or something at the top of the blog. I think they let you decide whose or what photos to run there, and one option is to run a show of favorites you have. As soon as I've added some faves in Flickr, I'll try that.

Flickr Mashups and the Tiger

I’ve been reading a novel in which a riddle is posed to a group of suitors, the man with the correct answer winning the bride. They have to guess what two “opposing forces” are woven into a tale depicted in her tapestry. Somehow, this train of thought led me to wondering about the forces at work as libraries and patrons embrace 2.0 technology. In the above story, the issue was about nomadic peoples of Iran (circa 1900) facing changes to their society and entire way of life. (The suitors guessed such things as “stability and change”, “seen and unseen”, “dark and light”, “tradition” and “departing from tradition.”) The library 2.0 concept addresses 2 forces you could call “real” things and “virtual” things. Investigating Flickr, I was thinking that a real tiger is “real”, and a photo of a tiger could be considered less real. But is a digital photo less real than a paper one, and is that image less “real” because it can be transmitted anywhere in the world instantaneously? If a map link then tells you that the tiger is very likely on a particular mountain, and you can “virtually” go there, what does this mean? All the ways of discussing the tiger and sharing it, cross referencing it, comparing it, are fascinating. They aren’t the tiger but they are ways to know a lot about it.

I've opened a Flickr account, and uploaded a few of my pix of the library. The entry sculpture by Larry Kirkland has always left me in awe. According to Flickr guidelines, I must link back to Flickr my use of it on this blog. As soon as I figure out how, I'll post it. One way to "mash" that photo up would be to choose a watermark for it, which is one option. There are so many others, but figuring out their usefulness? I will keep you posted.
Probably need to do some more research on Flickr mashups.

Underway At Last!

Although I do blog, doing so in conjunction with a learning program is an entirely new experience. Learning 2.0 says to ponder the hardest of seven (and a half) habits for me. My greatest challenge is "Beginning with the end in mind." I guess I'm not alone in that, judging from several other posts. Envisioning a goal that does not change or vary too widely can take massive concentration. How not to be distracted by all the interesting things you encounter along the way?! Defining a specific end and keeping it small enough and still fascinating enough to keep you engaged - now that's a challenge. One way to keep it meaningful is to "add some art." Did you know you can add art or a photo to your header in just a few clicks?

Easiest: Accepting responsibility for my own learning experience I guess, being naturally curious to try something cool. One immediately thinks of interesting applications of that great new tool! On the other hand artists say the overwhelming urge "not to create today" (aka artist's/writer's block) is so common IT must be considered part of your toolbox too. You have to take the energy of all that resistance to creating and - use it to create.

I like the idea that learning these technologies lets us share more than information. Looking forward to the weeks ahead.