Google Maps

I've usually gone to Mapquest, or more recently, a GPS, for directions to a location. But in exploring Google Maps, I found some fun features. My current favorite feature is zooming in via the satellite view to find homes and businesses with a "bird's eye view." Since we frequently travel on I30E to Little Rock, I was wondering how long it would take us for a side trip to Paris, Texas, and see the "Eifel Tower with a Texas Cowboy Hat." Follow this map and you, too, can enjoy the Eifel Tower in Texas!


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Catching up again -- YouSendIt

I used YouSendIt to send a file to myself (to avoid boring any friends), and it went through quickly with no problems. This is a handy service for photos and videos especially. Graphic artists might love it!

Tiny URL

This seems like a handy little tool, especially if you share a lot of links. To try it out, I used the URL of a trailer for a film documentary that I enjoyed in the theatre last year, "September Issue," the story of how Vogue Magazine's biggest (and heaviest) issue of the year all comes together. The TinyURL for this review is http://tinyurl.com/septvogue, quite a bit shorter and definitely more memorable than www.youtube.com/watch?v=lffDrp4uAlQ.

Facebook

Originally, a couple years ago, I created a Facebook profile so I could keep up with my kids. Then more and more friends, especially in my age group, started becoming part of the Facebook network. Now I find that there are many more ways to use Facebook apart from keeping up with your friends. Next to real people, books have a place on my "friends" list, so naturally I was interested in looking at library and book-related pages. I think the Frisco Library does a great job on its Facebook Page. It stays current and puts art and photos to use. Just needs a little more activity from Adult Services. (Uh oh-- that would include me!) Other pages I have found interesting and helpful are Goodreads, LibraryThing, and Texas Book Festival.

Linked In

I enjoyed exploring the Linked In site and connecting with other librarians. I took the opportunity to look at Dr. Heezen's profile. I think that the primary usefulness of this site would be for job searching and career building. If I were moving to another city and looking for a poistion in the library field there, this would be an excellent resource. It is a good way to build a professional network, much more efficient than passing out business cards at Chamber of Commerce "Meet & Mingle" events. Unless, of course you like face-to-face contact.

LibraryThing and GoodReads

I like using both LibraryThing and GoodReads as resources for book clubs--suggestions for books, reviews, read-alikes, and so forth. LibraryThing and LibraryThing for Libraries are amazing in the amount of information and resources they offer. I've encouraged members of our book clubs to post reviews of books they have read in our catalog through LibraryThing for Libraries, and there is one member who does that regularly. I use the GoodReads website for reviews and recommendations on book club selections. I placed the GoodReads link on my Facebook page--making me a literary social mediaist (right?)

LibraryThing also offers our library another way to publicize our programs, through LibraryThing Local. I added an announcement about this month's book club meeting. (Do I get extra credit for that?) This site could be added to the distribution list for library event publicity.

Social Bookmarking

This is a fun "thing." On a snowy day like today when I am housebound (in midstate Arkansas), I can envision spending whole afternoons discovering websites on subjects I am interested in. I also like the idea of having my own bookmarked websites available to me from wherever I access the Internet. Since "Delicious" made me think of food, I bookmarked a couple of recipe websites on my account. Then I looked at other users' recipe bookmarks, and that opened up a whole new world!

I think that social bookmarking would be a great thing for libraries to utilize and encourage, with the usual disclaimer regarding reliability and accredibility of websites. In fact, we might even find our patrons doing some of our reference work, as they come up with and share creditable resources from the Internet.