Conclusion

This blog was dedicated to Web 2.0 and its technologies. As I mentioned before in other posts Web 2.0 is all about people. Web 2.0 is characterized by networked communities in which users contribute content, interact, and collaborate. Because of the easy access and great applications Web 2.0 technologies provide, students have become more involved with the internet. Libraries worldwide are becoming socialized institutions - taking information to users in the time and place that they need it, and in a format that they can have input into it. 


I hope this blog provided a clear view of what Web 2.0 is and showed you some of the new technologies out there and how to use them. Personally my favorites were the RSS and Google Apps. 

Glimpse the Future

Libraries have often been on the cutting edge of introducing new technologies - change is essential if we are to continue to provide information for the modern student in the format, time and place that they need and expect it. There are many other 2.0 technologies out there that we don't even know about. 


Exploring one of 2.0 technologies: Virtual world
A virtual world is a genre of online community that often takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment, through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects[1]. Virtual worlds are intended for its users to inhabit and interact, and the term today has become largely synonymous with interactive 3D virtual environments, where the users take the form of avatars visible to others graphically.

Web 3.0

Web 3.0 is, among other things, about the Semantic Web and personalization. Focusing on the computer elements, Web 3.0 is where "the computer is generating new information", rather than humans. 

Google Apps

Today, Google is not just a search engine. It provides many valuable services such as 'Google Apps'. Google Apps is a service that provides independently customizable versions of several Google products under a custom domain name. It features several Web applications with similar functionality to traditional office suites, including: Gmail, Google Groups, Google Calendar, Talk, Docs and Sites.


One of the services that Google Apps provide is Google Docs . Google Docs makes sharing documents extremely easy. Instead if sending and attaching documents through email you can just post them online where only trusted people whom you give access to can edit and make changes all in one document.


Another application provided by Google  is iGoogle.   iGoogle (formerly Google Personalized Homepage and Google IG), is a customizable Ajax-based start page or personal web portal much like My Yahoo!, and Windows Live Personalized Experience. Google originally launched the service in May 2005. Its features include the capability to add web feeds and Google Gadgets. You can customize your homepage and basically add whatever you want.

Social Networking

Networking is very important. When you travel you look at a network, and when you need help you go to your network of friends. Social networking simply makes connecting easier for you.


What is Social Networking  ?

•  A social network service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people.

Social Networks exist to help people keep in touch professionally or personally. Social Networking sites provide users the freedom to add pictures, slideshows, video and audio excerpts, give virtual gifts and even custom designs.

Types of Social Networking services:

Social Networking in Libraries:

With over 274,000,000 people using social networking sites (2007), libraries should be “going where the users are”! According to OCLC (2006) 89% of College students start an information searchwith a search engine… only 4% start with a library web site or database! 18.1

Many libraries worldwide are using social network sites to:

Speak the language of their patrons/clients

Show them the library

Podcasting

What is Podcasting?

A podcast (or non-streamed webcast) is a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication. The word usurped webcast in common vernacular, due to rising popularity of the iPod and the innovation of web feeds. it is simply a recording that has been made available in a usable format on the internet.

In 2005 podcast was named the “word of the year” by New Oxford American Dictionary. The word “podcast” comes from joining Portable on Demand (pod, like iPod) and “cast” from Broadcast”, Podcast!

How to podcast?

There are many, many podcasting directories and finding tools out ther, below are just four of the more popular ones. iTunes - the most widely known service associated with podcasts, not just for Apple users. Almost anyone with an Internet connection and some inexpensive audio equipment can produce a podcast and make it available online. T o start podcasting you will first need to create a podcast with Audacity the record your podcast and lastly publish and distribute it.

Podcasting and Libraries:
Podcasting is very famous when it comes to libraries. Many libraries are using podcasts to group their programming or to share other information such as book or even movie reviews. This process makes everything easier in the library. There’s really no end to how you could use podcasts in a library. You could record book talks, book discussions, author readings, oral histories, or stories for children or teens and post them online.

Images and Video

What are popular image sharing sites, and how they work?

Photo sharing is the publishing or transfer of a user's digital photos online, thus enabling the user to share them with others (publicly or privately). This function is provided through both websites and applications that facilitate the upload and display of images.To use these sharing sites you would only need to register  in them, create an account, agree to their policies and then start sharing photos.

Flickr and Facebook are some of the most known image sharing sites.Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to host images that they embed in blogs and social media. In September 2010, it reported that it was hosting more than 5 billion images

Video Sharing Sites

A video hosting service allows individuals to upload video clips to an Internet website. The video host will then store the video on its server, and show the individual different types of code to allow others to view this video.

YouTube is an example of a Video hosting service. The company is based in San Bruno, California, and uses Adobe Flash Video technology to display a wide variety of user-generated video content, including movie clips, TV clips, and music videos. Most of the content on YouTube has been uploaded by individuals, evenmedia corporations including CBS, BBC, Vevo and other organizations offer some of their material via the site, as part of the YouTube partnership program.

How to create an account?

What is a Wiki?

Wikis in Plain English

What is a Wiki?

A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used to create collaborative works. Examples include community websites, corporate intranets, knowledge management systems, and note services. The software can also be used for personal note taking.

Wikis serve different purposes. Some permit control over different functions (levels of access). For example editing rights may permit changing, adding or removing material. Others may permit access without enforcing access control. Other rules can be imposed for organizing content.

Wikipedia is one of the world’s best known wikis

How to create a Wiki? 

Wiki software vs free Wiki sites

There are three ways I know of that you can make a Wiki with, one way is to download a Wiki script and then upload it onto your hosting space. The other way is to pay a Wiki hosting service to run and host your Wiki. The last way is to sign up and create your own free Wiki at a site.

3 Ways To Make A Wiki

1. Use a free Wiki service
2. Download Wiki software and upload and install it to your hosting space
3. Pay for a Wiki hosting service that will give you what you need to run your Wiki and host it for you