for openers

Recently I realized that knowing about Web 2.0 current events and actually applying these new things in a library setting are two very distinct things. While doing my customary daily "research" (which involves a random walk through the library blogoshpere, with frequent digressions via hyperlink, until much time has passed and the applications are still not filled in), I stumbled upon a link to the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg Country ( http://www.plcmc.org/ ) and an interesting online learning program developed by their technology director, Helene Blowers, called Learning 2.0: 23 Things (http://plcmcl2-things.blogspot.com/).
Setting up a blog was Thing #3, and it's a useful exercise. I already am in the throes of trying to create a website, so this will be a useful notebook type space to attempt to organize the ramblings.
The program is very neatly organized and presented- it looks like an excellent way to introduce these new technologies to a technophobic or just inexperienced audience. The very process of moving through the list provides exposure to the technologies involved- listening to podcasts, viewing an online tutorial. The exercises are carefully limited in scope, so as not to overwhelm. I see that the online tutorial was done using a presentation package from Articulate (in the source code, the website is listed as http://www.articulate.com/ ; they have eLearning tools (including Presenter, which was used for this presentation) available (15-day free trials available- I will be trying that out).

And, actually I do remember the circuitous route to this link: I was looking at the website for the Darien (CT) Public Library, which is one of the oft-mentioned technologically hip library websites, and saw a mention of John Blyberg, who has recently been hired in some technical capacity by the DPL. This led to a link back to Blyberg's blog, wherein he posted the Library Journal's 2007 Movers & Shakers list. Helene Blowers was listed with her "Steal this idea" and here we are- some 90 minutes later...