Social Networking - What libraries could do best

If your information/computer services allows social networking applications they could be extremely useful for librarians in a hospital or academic environment. I can see potential for quality improvement projects, Magnet committees and for general hospital programs for staff to be involved in with different shift work.

I think most libraries should have a MySpace or Facebook page if the technology is accessible within their systems. In addition I think any librarians that have access to the technology and also serving consumer health should most definitely have a presence.

I think as individuals we have a responsibility for what we put on the internet just as we have a responsibility of what we say and do. I think too many parent shut kids off in their rooms with computers. In reality "they" not the government or other entities need to monitor what their children are doing. Of course the very fact that we could "make up" whatever we wanted and NOT use our real names to create these online personalities is a problem. However can you turn back the clock - no. Parents just have to teach their kids not to do stupid things. Of course that is all a part of learning as well.

I didn't like the fact that I could have created something that wasn't real. That scares me and makes it so easy to see how evil people can use these systems. It makes me wonder if we should promote them but on the other hand they are going to use them.

I will have to think on these things more.

Blogs and Wikis - Differences

I see a couple of differences with blogs and wikis. I see blogs as more conversational and more of an alert time of system. Wikis I see more as a database or resource that is meant to be up to date but not necessarily changing on a daily basis. Blogs are better for commentary or alerts. I've created a blog (not released to medical staff yet) (LSUHSC-S Medical Library Evidence Alert) for my library to keep physicians and others up to date on evidence based guidelines, reports and reviews. I had done this before the class started but I've learned some tricks that I'm going to incorporate into the blog since I only knew the very basics.

I could see wikis being used to create interactive educational tools for new residents. Not only do they have the stress of functioning as physicians with more autonomy but they often have to learn complex procedural tasks for the institution (how do you write orders etc, what abbreviations you are NOT supposed to use etc.) Students currently have big paper manuals that they don't carry and rely on others to educate them which can lead to misinformation or bad habits through students. A wiki might be a good tool that would work and could be updated by multiple individuals.

Using feeds

My experience with the assignment for Week 1 created a few problems. I had create a new blog with a new username which was frustrating. Then I had to work on figuring out how to use the Reader and had trouble with the Folders and such because my Google Reader screen did not appear as the video showed. I never did figure out how to put tags on and will have to keep working on that.

The RSS feed system reminds me of LOTUS NOTES that was used in organizations to share content years ago (may still be used). Also it reminds me of Blackboard usage in academia. There was the Newsgroups from years ago that did the same process but they were complicated to use.

I think the RSS feed will help me in that I can stay on top of information from anywhere at anytime.

For medical students that rotate between facilities every four weeks this would be an excellent way to stay on top of information from their school. Libraries could use this technology to keep resources at the forefront of their mind as they move from hospital, clinic and other locations.

When is enough, enough?

When is enough, enough?

Okay how many email accounts do I now have? I have at least 4 yahoo, now I have 2 google... at some point before the evil one took over hotmail I even had one of those. I can barely remember how to login at work (passwords must be changed every 30 days and can't repeat in the last 14 months). I'm never going to remember all of these things. But if you want to keep your professional persona separate from your (learning persona) then you have to have an entirely new email account for blogging.

Oh well - one of the complications of new technology.