Thing #11--2.0 Award Winner(s) and Ning

In terms of Award Winning Websites, I happen to love Google Docs (Collaborative Writing and Word Processing). My husband first introduced me to the application created by Google so that we could collaborate on the the simplest things--grocery lists, birthday invites, joint letters, etc. It was great! The ability to make changes, additions, and deletions to one single document rather than having to constantly attach and re-attach the most updated versions to emails was a huge stress-free time-saver. I also like the fact that I can access my work from anywhere. I often will save copies of my class papers to Google Docs so that I can work on it from work, home, school, whatever and whenever. I don't have to worry about the hassle of a flashdrive or (like I said earlier) constantly having to email myself new, updated attachments. I'm not exactly sure the ways different ways that Google Docs applies to visual literacy, but I do know that the application also enables people to share presentations. Certainly the ability to collaborate on a class PowerPoint presentation would have been helpful in some of my other classes. Certainly Google Docs allows users to create images (text or Presentation format) and can also assist in various uses as well as comprehension. I can definitely see the benefit in using Google Docs in the workplace. Certainly from collaborating on schedules, cataloging, staff meetings, library policy changes, etc. Also, I can see myself recommending Google Docs to library patrons, especially those interested in accessing their work from anywhere.

I found a great YouTube video on the simple way to use Google Docs. It can be located from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA#watch-main-area. I believe this video was produced by the Google Channel.

I will try and paste it here...




On a side note, I joined the Library 2.0 site and am looking forward to meeting other librarian professionals, learning more about Library 2.0 applications and "real" life usage of these tools, and joining groups featuring some of my specific topics of interest. I really think that Ning works especially well for librarians seeking to continue professional development. As librarians, we're devoted to life-long learning, and learning from our peers is an excellent way to understand what works, and what doesn't work in various library settings.

I'm also a big fan of learning how librarians came to the profession. I've found so many unique experiences from varying perspectives, and learning about the many different ways in which we all chose this information profession is quite fascinating!