Thing 2

As I stated in my Thing 1 post, I'm hoping to do one Thing each month, so I'm right on course at the moment. Every week when I print out my work schedule, I pencil in a time to do the next Thing, and then something comes up so I'm unable to do it. I will keep at it, though, as being able to do Thing 2 today proves that time can be found if one keeps trying.

I'm participating in 23 Things because it is a way to force me to set aside time to learn. I feel very inadequate at using the web, but I feel that especially because I work in a library, I should be more knowledgeable than I am. I'm embarrassed to admit to others that I'm not as "up" on things as they think I should be. I expect 23 Things (and More Things, eventually) to give me the understanding and skills to more confidently and effectively use the internet.

In spite of my feelings of inadequacy, however, I realize how far I have come in using internet resources. We have been weeding some of our ready reference books that are within arm's reach at our service desk, and I have discovered that I no longer use books that I depended on previously. Using internet resources is much quicker and more reliable now. I also spend much more time at home using internet resources to keep in touch with family and friends. Where I once used snail mail and phone calls, I now use email as a communication tool first. As I learn to use other communication tools through 23 Things, I'm wondering how my preferred communication methods may change.

Reading articles and watching videos about Library 2.0 helped me to understand the concept better. Doing the tasks in Thing 2 expanded my perceptual boundaries of what the internet is and how it relates to library work. I still have a lot to learn, and I'm looking forward to doing Thing 3 next.