Ask the Library

A few weeks ago staff at my library offered a short course in the "Ask the library" program. It covered both how a patron would use the program and how the staff would handle their end of the IM. It seems very easy to use, for people at both ends, even those without a lot of IM experience (as I am).
Our instructor did say that a lot of the questions were about hours and other all-too-easy things, but that some of the questions asked involved definite research. He said that staffing the program was interesting for the most part. I think that I would enjoy doing this at some point in time.

Instant information exchange

I've actually used several libraries' IM feature "Ask a librarian". It was so cool both times. I was, as usual, researching my ancestors and frustrated by a lack of information. I queried a librarian in Oak Park and she actually found my great grandmother's obituary and said she'd mail me a copy. She also gave me several links to follow for more information. How cool!

It's so much easier to be able to ask a live person when you're looking for info and frustrated. The librarian can help you more clearly define just what you're looking for and, wow, can help to find it.

My experience was good & positive. I'd enjoy getting onto the VBPL IM team and helping others to have the same positive experience I had.

Adding headlines

Using the search engines to find RSS feeds was fascinating. Not only did I find the sorts of news I'm looking to follow, I also stumbled on several other related web sites that, even if I didn't necessarily tag them for the feeds, were still quite interesting to read. I love serching for things on the internet. I always end up in such interesting places!

Fun with RSS

This is going to be very useful indeed. I've set up a reader with my regular email account and can now scan both the library headlines that are so interesting, but the headlines in various genealogy publications as well. I've run into so many genealogy headaches, being able to scan these headlines for help is wonderful.
And I love the fact that I can sort my feeds into groups and folders. Helps so much. I'm going to really like this new tool!

A Challenge???

Library 2.0 seems like a wonderful challenge. I'm looking forward to exploring and learning more! Working with Flickr & the idea of RSS and the Second Life sound fascinating.
But when we talk, some of the folks I've talked to are a bit concerned about all the lack of privacy on this new web. I personally don't have a lot to actually blog about - keeping a record of this training course, of course, but in the normal course of things... what I'm doing and/or thinking are not really for sharing. It's even a bit scary that all this public life seems to be the way of the future for everyone. My daughter, who knows a lot about all of this new Web 2.0, accepts it all as run-of-the-mill.
We'll have to see how this all plays out.

The first time

The 7 1/2 Lifelong learning habits were interesting. Most seemed self-evident. Easiest for me was taking responsibility for my own learning. If I'm not self-motivated then I'm not going to get anywhere. Problems are definitely challenges - usually interesting ones. Running into stumbling blocks, especially when I'm researching history, leads to fascinating discoveries.
The hardest part of those 7 1/2 Habits was the part about setting up a Learning Contract. That seems too much like work. If I'm going to study something I make the decisions about the parameters of the study and then go at it. Codifing it is too tedious.