The 23 Things

Listed below are the 23 Things we will discover and explore. So as not to overwhelm you (and to reduce my workload) the exercises will be posted on a weekly basis.

Week 1: Blogs

1. Read the initial FAQ
2. Set up your own blog on blogger.com.
3. Post at least one entry on your blog. You might want to include your thoughts about setting up an account or perhaps what you wish to gain from this experience.

4. Optional exercise: Microblogging and Twitter. For you overachievers, check out twitter.com. Curious about microblogging -- read this entry in wikipedia. There are already a few VHS-ers on twitter; can you find us? (hint: my handle is k8wilkins).

Week 2: Flickr

5. Explore Flickr. Play around with tags. See how libraries, museums, and other institutions are using this site; try searching for the Library of Congress, or closer to home, the Library of Virginia, both have collections of photographs available through Flickr (or just click the links above.) In particular, read a few comments on the images that are posted to check out the kind of response these institutions are getting from posting their images.

Optional exercise: Create a Flickr account and upload images. Then post a link to your Flickr page in your blog.

6. Play around with some mashups using flickr. What's a mashup? Click here to learn more. Some mashups to check include: spell with flickr, flickr picker color, or check out the selection from programmable web.

Remember to include in your blog your thoughts on this week's exercises. Did you like Flickr? Is this something we at the VHS could use?

Week 3: RSS and newsreaders

Ever noticed this on web pages: . It is the RSS (Real Simple Syndication) logo and clicking this one button will allow you to subscribe to new posts, pages, feeds, etc. from that blog or web site.

RSS feeds are a method for sharing updates to websites. Using an aggregator allows you to pull in many updates to just one account. Therefore, instead of pulling up 10 different websites, i.e. book reviews from the NYT and WP, NPR's Fresh Air, SEC football headlines, ACC basketball headlines, upcoming exhibitions at the Smithsonian, cartoons from the New Yorker, even posts from listservs (VA-Hist, anyone?), I can read, save, and delete all from one screen. Think: the CNN ticker, but with stories that interest you.

7. This week set up an aggregator or newsreader account. Curious as to what that is, click here.

In terms of newsreaders, I personally prefer Bloglines, but it will involve creating yet another user ID and password. If you want to use your Google account information (remember, Blogger is part of the Google-sphere) you can opt to set up an iGoogle or Google Reader page if you'd prefer. (I also have these as well.)

Once you have created your aggregator account, subscribe to three different blogs and/or websites. Include at least one VHS 23 Things participant's blog in your feed; heck it could even be this one.

8. Use at least one of the following sites to search for feeds to blogs that interest you: topix.net or syndic8.com.

Remember to include in your blog your thoughts about the aggregator you chose to use, the feeds you grabbed, and the usefulness of topix or syndic8 in tracking down feeds.

Week 4: Play week (Pick any three)

9. Play with an online image generator (check out The Generator Blog, Letter James, or FD's Flickr Toys.
10. Check out LibraryThing (the VHS has a LibraryThing account, check that out.)
11. Roll your own search engine with Rollyo.com.
12. Nag yourself web 2.0 style with Jott.com and/or rememberthemilk.com.
13. Visit livemocha.com for translation assistance or to begin learning a new language.
14. Visit the Web 2.0 award winners site to find other sites that interest you.

• Remember to include in your blog your thoughts on the three sites you chose to visit - what you liked or didn't liked, etc. For you over-achievers out there, I challenge you to check out all these sites. BTW some of the web 2.0 award winners will appear in later exercises.

Week 5: Delicious, Tagging, and Technorati

15. Take a look at Delicious.com and learn more about tagging. Curious about Delicious? Learn more by clicking this.

16. Explore Technorati.com and learn how tags work with blogs. Also, read this to learn more about claiming your blog.

Perhaps you're wondering about the benefit of these two sites? Ever get frustrated because you can't access your bookmarks from a second computer, perhaps your home and work computer, or your office computer and the reference desk computer or a VHS laptop? Well, Delicious remedies this problem. By creating an account (yes, another username) you can sync your favorite sites so no matter where you are, you can easily retrieve your bookmarks.

As for technorati, are you interested in what people are blogging about? Is there any mention of the VHS in someone's blog, or perhaps a VHS related exhibit? Did you know we even have a few videos out on the web featuring VHS events? How do I know? By checking out Technorati. I searched "Virginia Historical Society" and clicked on each of the tabs for posts, blogs, photos, and videos. Check it out!

Week 6: Social Networking

17. Explore Myspace, Facebook, and/or LinkedIn.

18. Create a profile on at least one of these sites. The VHS has a profile on Myspace and Facebook. If you choose to create a profile on one of these sites, you might want to check out the VHS page and then become a friend (Myspace) or a fan (Facebook). If instead, you opt for a LinkedIn account, check out the other VHS peeps on LinkedIn.

Optional:

19. Explore Meebo.com and chat online with your friends. Many libraries are incorporating Meebo widgets on their websites to establish a virtual librarian presence. Learn more about Meebo.

Week 7: Wikis

20. This week is all about wikis. Check out the VHS wiki. This wiki has been created for us, so please take time to read the Introduction and then,

21. Add new content (or edit existing content) to the wiki.

• Remember, in order to get permission to contribute to this wiki, please let me know which email address you wish to use to log in to the site. As soon as I have added your email address I will let you know. Have fun!

Week 8: Google documents

22. This week check out Google documents. Take a tour of all the features of Google documents. Ever had to collaborate on a document? Ever had to make a presentation? Perhaps Google documents could assist.

Week 9: Podcasts

23. Download and listen to a podcast. What's a podcast? Check out this definition of a podcast. Hint: the link will take you to the glossary, YOU will need to click P and then scroll down to the definition for podcast. There is also a link to explain how to listen to podcasts. To find podcasts you might wish to check out podcastalley, podcast.com, or iTunes.

Also the VHS has a number of downloadable audio files. Ever miss a lecture? You can visit our site and either download or stream the lecture. As someone who doesn't always have the opportunity to attend lectures, I truly appreciate the ability to catch up at home. Thanks Ann! I hope that in the future we could include gallery walks as podcasts. Think how wonderful it would be to listen to the curator discuss an exhibit without having to muscle your way through the crowd!