HEY LOOK AT THIS

Sorry I'm shouting, but I discovered this great presentation from the LibraryThing blog, which describes it as "jaw-dropping." Yes, my jaw did literally drop. LOOK AT THE BOOK!!!

Using photos of oft-snapped subjects (like Notre Dame) scraped from around the Web, Photosynth (based on Seadragon technology) creates breathtaking multidimensional spaces with zoom and navigation features that outstrip all expectation. Its architect, Blaise Aguera y Arcas, shows it off in this standing-ovation demo. Curious about that speck in corner? Dive into a freefall and watch as the speck becomes a gargoyle. With an unpleasant grimace. And an ant-sized chip in its lower left molar. "Perhaps the most amazing demo I've seen this year," wrote Ethan Zuckerman, after TED2007. Indeed, Photosynth might utterly transform the way we manipulate and experience digital images.

Sorry it begins with an ad, but it's worth it. Check it out!

Upcoming Web 2.0 webcast--free!

Hi all,
Just wanted to share this announcement for an upcoming webcast from SirsiDynix about Second Life--from NC library land, no less.

Teen Second Life: Library Services in a 3D World
Presented by Kelly Czarnecki, Technology Education Librarian for Teens and Youth, ImaginOn, the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
Tuesday, May 22, 2007, 11 a.m. - noon Eastern / 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. Pacific
Have a look inside this new world just for teens.
Second Life has created a grid just for teens. They can do the same things as on the adult grid - fly, design clothes, make movies, build their own house, stream music, and more - but the grid is for teens only. Learn how this immersive space can help keep library services relevant to teens.
Register for this FREE SirsiDynix Institute webinar at: https://events.livemeeting.com/SirsiDynix052207Reg.htm
If you have missed previous SirsiDynix Institute events, or are unable to make this one, we have an extensive archive posted at http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/archive.php. You can check them out at any time.

LibSite.org

Yesterday marked the launching of an interesting new web site called LibSite.org.

The site is described as a "recommendation service for library-related websites". Basically, it is an interactive website that has the appearance of a blog, but the useability of a wiki in that anyone who registers on the site can recommend a library web site.

Libsite serves as a showcase for unique and interesting library-related web sites. These sites run the gamut from a Flickr page maintained by the Dublin City Public Library to the web site of the Queens Borough Library which integrates a lot of Web 2.0 functionality into their site.

Libsite is a great way to see how libraries are building creative and new web sites to engage their users. It will also serve as inspiration to those of us currently serving on the State Library's web site committee.

365 Days Library Project

Since we were recently talking about all the things we could do with Flickr, I thought I'd share this. It was mentioned briefly in one of the blogs I follow. They're doing one of those 365 days in pictures projects for libraries now. It looks interesting.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/365libs/

StumbleUpon.com

It's not quite Web 2.0. More Web 1.5--basically a nice website, but with some of the features of interactivity and communicability of 2.0. Basically a website that gathers groups of like-interests--as the name suggests, the sites were stumbled upon by web surfers who wanted to share the information.

http://www.stumbleupon.com

Ann Arbor Library Website

I've shared this website with a number of folks since I first heard about it a year and a half ago. But many of you may not have seen it yet. The Ann Arbor District Library has a blog-based website that's very Web 2.0. They've even got search boxes from their online catalog integrated into the website, along with posts that discuss titles recently added to the collection. I find the entire site very impressive. You can see it at http://www.aadl.org/.

2.0 resources for library types

Hi all,
Just wanted to share some good related resources in case you haven't seen them already:

-March's American Libraries has articles on librarian bloggers as well as the library presence in Second Life.

-Your very own State Library has a few upcoming online programs that are free to you:

• The Best from the Web Webcast, Friday, April 13, noon-1:30
• The Relevance of Libraries in a Digital Age Webcast, Friday, May 11, noon-1:30

More info and online registration form at http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=SLNC.

-The SirsiDynix Institute has great webcasts on related subjects; the next one is April 3, 11-12, on the Info Island Project in Second Life. These webcasts are free too! You can subscribe to the e-newsletter about upcoming webcasts. The webcasts are all archived, too, and there are some great ones you can still watch that way. There's even one about a library system in Australia that went through the same PLCMC program that we're doing! And if you scroll down to Feb. 2006 there's one on blogging in libraries.

Thanks! Looking forward to our next meeting.

Beth