Change of Address

I am trying out WordPress blog software and my new posts may be viewed on http://maeverest.wordpress.com. I've changed the title to On Libraries and Other Stuff In the hope that more readers will know what it is supposed to be about but am also intent on on commenting on a lot of "Other Stuff".

Relay for Life in Second Life

People often wonder whether Second life has any use other than enjoyment and entertainment. There are, of course, may educational institutions who maintain a presence and conduct classes. The Second Life Library is a flourishing community dedicated to helping people find information on a wide variety of subjects and many businesses had established themselves there.

Second Life residents also support several charities, one of which is Relay for Life. Events are planned throughout the world culminating in the 24 hour relay scheduled for this weekend. Apart from the relay 33 sims have events planned to educate and entertain you and encourage you to part with your lindens

In 2004 Second Life’s Relay For Life Gala raised US$2,000.00

In 2005 Second Life's Relay For Life raised US$5,000.00

In 2006 Second Life's Relay For Life raised US$41,000

In 2007 Second Life's Relay For Life raised US$118,500

That gives Relay a grand total of having raised US$166,500.00 in Second Life for the American Cancer Society.

In 2008 as of July 13 Relay For Life of Second Life has raised US$160,128.92

So this year already the total raised is almost as much as the combined total of the previous four years. I have several friends who are or were stricken with this dreaded disease and I'll be there to help raise money for cancer research in the hope that one day the world will be cancer-free. If you attend and see my avatar Galia Beck please stop me and say "Hi!".

Free !

Free - how I love that word. Whether I'm finding things on the web or scrounging through shops in Second Life I'm always on the lookout for special bargains and freebies.

Sarah Houghton-Jan, Librarian in Black, has posted about free software cheat sheets available at http://www.customguide.com/quick_references.htm . These are useful guides that may be printed out and made available in the library for clients who need assistance with a variety of software applications for Microsoft or Mac.

Now this may not be the type of freebie that everyone is falling over themselves to obtain, but I think most educational libraries will find the cheat sheets very useful and time-saving.

Technology Trends

Librarian in Black, Sarah Houghton-Jan, summarises her contribution to ALA 2008 in Sarah's Top Technology Trends - virtual presentation for ALA 2008. I would like to draw attention to point #3 in the hope that the comments may filter through to the bureaucracy running our organisation.
I really like the way so much of the technology trends that are buzzed in Library circles were used in this presentation.

Web Taming Ringmaster

Michael Stevens' blog, Tame the Web, has two articles this week that I find particularly thought provoking.

1. Keys to a Successful Self Check-Out Project (linked from Michael’s blog)
Our new library is under construction (it's exciting to see progress with the new building across the road) and it would be good to consider implementing a changeover to a fully automated checkout policy. Please don’t argue until you have read the report and its answers to possible objections.

2. Brian Kelly: What if We’re Right? & Libpunk’d
Brian poses questions aimed at the detractors of Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 and proposes that there are more risks involved by not accepting such things as social networking and open source technology than by adopting them whole-heartedly.

Web 2.0 Tutorials

As anyone who reads this blog regularly will have guessed I am a great fan of using Web 2.0, particularly its potential for making libraries more "with it". This list of 100 Free Library 2.0 Webinars and Tutorials from the College@Home blog will help anyone who wants to find out more or give instructors ideas for spreading the word amongst unbelievers. I'm sure that library staff have already been converted but part of my mission is to get others to understand. Any library that hasn't yet run a variation of the 23 Learning 2.0 Things programme should consider implementing it as soon as they are able.

Wordle Cloud

This is fun. I Used Wordle to create a web cloud of my tags in del.icio.us (see how interested I am in web 2.0 and Second Life). Similar clouds can be created for any body of text you choose.

Thanks to Phil Bradley's Weblog for giving me this idea.

Firefox Download

Don't forget to download the new Firefox browser on June 17 to help Mozilla set a new world record (most software downloads in 24 hours) for the Guinness Book of Records. For Perth users the time period starts at 1.00am Wednesday 18th.