Mashups & API

I'm just going to come out and say it--I think our HSLS Molecular Biology Information Service website could be considered a mashup. We pull in info from a variety of resources, such as other websites, subscription-based resources, dynamic calendars, and soon, Jing videos. So there.

http://www.hsls.pitt.edu/guides/genetics

Re: Rollyo & libraryblogs & privacy--ran across the Annoyed Librarian ("Whatever it is, I'm against it"), a favorite blogger. This statement is just to show that I did it, not that I have anything I feel I need to report to the world at large. Hence, this blogging ends at the end of the course.

Podcasting and Online Hosted Video

Okay, so here's the link to a Jing video I made for work that provides a quick guided tutorial on how to answer a bioinformatics question. It's a great alternative to having to write up a step-by-step list:

http://staff.hsls.pitt.edu/www/jing/SNP.swf

Now here's the assignment--a clever parody of House that describes how to use the USD library website:

Online Photo Sharing

Well, I suppose a few ways online photo sharing can be used in a library setting could be to post photos of (1) staff members, (2) the library itself, (3) library events. This seems to be such a common usage, I don't really have much more to say about it.

Google Docs

Well, this assignment finally got me to try Google Docs. This week I've been irritated that I have a document on my work computer that I wanted to access from home, but kept forgetting to email it to myself. Now that I've tried Google Docs, I can store my document there, add the tool to my iGoogle, and will happily have access to it (and the others I'm sure to create) from anywhere. Oh, and of course be able to share documents w/others...

Social Bookmarking

My preferred way to bookmark URLs is to include them in my iGoogle--where I can also readily access my blog reader, email, and calendar. I'll keep doing that, but I do see the advantage of using del.icio.us too, in terms of the social aspect (no duh, eh?). However, I don't necessarily feel the need for other people to see EVERYTHING I bookmark. It feels a little invasive...

Social Networking

I already had LinkedIn and Facebook accounts before starting this course, so this task was relatively easy. However, I will admit that I had not been using either of them very much, so this was an impetus to contact more people to add to each of my groups. So that was fun! Overall, I feel like social networking, along w/wikis and blogs, are just another thing to have to worry about and keep track of. It's so easy, now, to be in touch w/so many people and to have access to so much information that I actually find it overwhelming. The idea of going "off the grid" is sometimes very appealing...

Also, I don't know how keen I am that people can track you...it's kind of stalker-y...

What is the difference between a blog and a wiki? What sort of things might be better suited for a blog and better suited for a wiki?

Blog: self-indulgent ramblings
Wiki: group-indulgent ramblings