Week 12 - Play: Did you answer my poll on illegal downloads?

Howdy folks,

As you can see to the side of this blog post, I have created a poll asking who illegally downloads tv shows and movies. I ask you kindly to participate in this.

To be honest with you, I would answer with all four questions depending on the person who was asking the question. Please know that I won't call the cops or FBI or the producers of Breaking Bad on you, so feel free to comment as honestly or dishonestly as you feel comfortable.

Do you feel as though it is necessary to download shows illegally as otherwise you might never see it? How do you think Australian TV could present an alternative... personally, if they actually played the damn season in order and at the same time every week would be a good start. I think this is a reflection of our decline in literacy and numeracy, as apparently Australian TV producers cannot count or tell time.

What are your opinions on illegal downloads?

Week 10 - Play: Outline a plan for using gamification in a school library

As I am not the most creative person, nor spontaneous; this is a challenge for me.

I know that reading programs are popular and worthwhile. I would probably work along this somehow and maybe try and make a week of activities. This could involve class visits to the libraries and getting some information on what’s offered. Sounds boring, but it can’t be all fun and games!

Speaking of fun and games, you could make it more interesting by having a free dress day as your favourite fictional or historical character and maybe a massive treasure hunt all over the school with everyone being involved.

Book Week would probably be a good week to have it in as there are lots of activities already in place. On the other hand, maybe a week without anything special just to make school a bit more interesting.

Prizes could be book vouchers, iTunes vouchers, actual iPods or ebook readers.

To be honest, I can’t really be bothered going much further than this as it would all depend on the school and age group as to the specifics.

Also, I have other, bigger assignments to work on, and unfortunately, I can’t spend all day designing a game for a school library (I would for two people though, great teacher librarians who deserve all the earthly praise in the world!).

Week 10 - Reflect: Gamification within Libraries

This week we were asked to explore the role of gaming within libraries or information organisations and whether there was a place for it. Obviously there already is, as Katya Henry (2012) points out various libraries using gamification in her YouTube presentation including State Library of Queensland, British Library, Ann Arbor District Library and New York Public Library. When I watcher YouTube presentation, what she described as gamification made me think immediately of the reading programs that libraries do over the summer/Christmas break. I wasn’t too sure whether it counted as gamification, but Harris in his article points out that ‘libraries have already been using gamification in their summer reading programs’ (2012, p.9).

In a practical side of gamification, Bohyun Kim (2012) suggests five thoughts on how libraries could use gamification to their advantage:

1. Provide level-up experience for library users
2. Award some status and powers associated with library use that can be admired
3. Show the progress bar in library catalogue
4. Colour-code the status of check out items
5. Library currency to accumulate and spend

Also, Kim advises libraries thinking of implementing gamification to avoid these three pitfalls: poor design, over-gamify and a game that is organisation centred rather than user centred. Likewise, both Harris & Kirk believe that the ‘real value of games are the episodes of authentic play that unite groups and build communities’ as opposed to the actual game (2012, p.9).

So I gather from those sentiments that libraries have to make gamification less about the library and more about the user and community. In Henry’s presentation, the majority of the libraries presented gamification as a way to encourage children or teens to take advantage of their time within the organisation (although the British Library’s option of being a historical character sounds pretty cool, especially if you could dress up).

By making the time spent within libraries more enjoyable for children, there’s an option for a new wave of people who as they grow up remember the fond times spent in their local library, and will most likely be active supporters of the libraries and encourage their children to go. I guess it’s our duty as librarians or information professionals to continue to create these enjoyable experiences and if gamification is used wisely, there’s no reason why it can’t help us do so.

Reference List

Harris, C. & Kirk, T. (2011). It’s all fun and games in the library. Knowledge Quest. 40 (1). Pp.8-9. Retrieved from http://aasl.metapress.com/content/k146r1351475723m/

Henry, K. (2012, September 26). INN333 Gamification [video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A8RU_IWsxI

Kim, B. (2012). Harnessing the power of game dynamics 1: why, how to, and how not to gamify the library experience. College & Research Libraries News. 73 (8). Pp. 465-469. Retrieved from http://crlnews.highwire.org/content/73/8/465.full

Week 8 - Play: Audio, Video and Presentation Tools

This week for my Play activity I was asked to make a movie.

Using Screen-O-Matic I created a short demonstration on how to download an ebook from Bolinda Digital offered through Brisbane City Council Libraries.

Week 8 - Reflect: Audio, Video and Presentation Tools

This week I will be reflecting on the role of podcasting, online video, screencasting or slidecasting in libraries or information organisations.

I think the role of these tools will be very beneficial in libraries and information organisations for many reasons both internally and externally. I’m sure there is a range of possibilities for libraries to create and enhance their services and reach a wider range of people through using audio visual tools.

Using audio-visual tools like podcasting, online video, screencasting or slidecasting within a library or information organisation can help with employees training and professional development. By creating interesting and visual displays on how to use a new service or product, staff can develop their own training to meet their specific needs as well as extending their professional development.

Using these tools can also be of great benefit when providing services to their clients. Creating videos demonstrating how to use their services (the library catalogue, ebook downloads) would help make their services more accessible. This would also be attractive to the YouTube generation, who would probably prefer to watch a video than call and ask.

I obviously see the possibility of audio-visual tools as a way to enhance the existing services of the library. As to creating services in their own right there is potential. Libraries could select employees to make their own video reviews of books or music. It could very well be another way to reach their customers.

I did a mini video using Screen-O-Matic on how to download an ebook from Bolinda Digital offered through Brisbane City Council Libraries for my week 8 play activity. While at first I was rather pissed off at the effort it would take as I feel incredibly behind this week, it did prove to be a fun experience. Definitely something I would recommend or encourage people using. It might even be a way to help my mum learn things instead of sitting on the phone getting cranky – I’ll just record a video and send it to her *problem solved*