Google Docs

I first started using Google Docs when I couldn't afford to buy Windows Office. When I needed to do some word processing, but didn't want to hike to the library, Google Docs were a life saver.
I didn't have to adapt much to start using Docs because the formatting and setup is very similar to Word.
I didn't have need to use the other Google Doc formats, like spreadsheets or presentations, until later when I was using Google Docs collaborative aspects.
As I was working on a project with a group, using Google Docs was perfectly suitable. I was able to create the document on the cloud, share it with multiple people, who could then add their own changes.

Technorati

I don't read many blogs. I keep up with a couple of my friend's blogs on sites like Livejournal and Tumblr but I don't keep up with any of the biggies, like The Huffington Post or Gawker.

I find it so interesting that theses blogs are so popular. It really send home the idea that people are not getting news from "traditional" sources anymore. Most people use the internet, and these kinds of blogs, to learn about current events.
I think a couple of these popular blog feeds could be very useful for a library. Maybe a screen in the lobby or main room with a scrolling feed of stories from a small collection of sites. It could have headlines and a picture. I think that would be a great way to update the library users on current events and technological news.

Tagging and Delicious

I previously owned a Delicious account through my Yahoo! account to hold all of bookmarks for webcomics. This saved a lot of space on my browser and kept the bookmarks organized.
It is also nice to have these bookmarks on the cloud so I can access them away from my computer. 

I was able to tag the different sites with things like NSFW, reminding me not to check these at work or another public place.

It didn't not end up being as convenient as I had hoped though. I reduced the number of links on my browser, yes, but then I found myself not using the delicious page to get to the pages.

Google Reader and RSS

I had always wondered what made RSS so special. I knew the basics of how it worked and new a lot of people used it, but I never saw an occasion to rely on the service.
Little did I know that with a gmail account I also have Google Reader, an RSS service! Seeing as I check my gmail many times a day this is a perfect way to get updated.

One of my favorite things on the internet are Webcomics. Xkcd, Questionable Content, Pictures for Sad Children, Dr. McNinja, I love these things. At one point I had all of the webcomics linked at the top of my browser. It filled the whole browser and then some. This got annoying quickly and I looked for a way to house all the bookmarks in an easier way. I put them all on a delicious account, but then they were too out of the way to check them regularly. Now with Google Reader I don't have to waste time going to the sites to look for updates at all I can just check my e-mail to see if it has been updated! This will make my life so much easier and free up loads of time.

On many of these sites, an RSS feed icon was prominent and clicking that let me select Google as my RSS reader.  Some sites though, I had to copy the url and put it in manually on Google reader. Still some sites did not have RSS feeds set up.

Audio books and LibriVox

Audio books are great for the vision-impaired or even if you're busy. LibriVox is a great resource of audio books, read by volunteers.

Perusing the collection I found a couple recordings of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. The many Holmes stories are broken down into separate files. I found it helpful that the record links the user to the wikipedia pages on Doyle and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes as well as the text from project Gutenberg, an online project of public domain books.
I understand the copyright issues regarding audio books, but the site might be more popular if there were newer titles. This is still an indispensable website and very useful for libraries looking to expand service to the visually handicapped. 

Podcasts

Podcasts are another great way for anyone to share their ideas and work for free online. There are many podcast directories out there including Allpodcast.com, podcast.com, and podcast directory.
Libraries have taken very well to this online tool, posting tutorials, tours, special events, and book reviews.

One such podcast that shows public library patrons how to use a genealogy database to find ancestors is "Accessing your library's genealogy resources" by ProQuest. This one is accessed via iTunes, a popular place for podcasts.

Another interesting podcast series is The Library of Babel. The series is described as "Readings of short fiction, especially the fantastical, the humorous, the sardonic, and the macabre".

Youtube! Moving Pictures! With Sound!

Youtube is pretty great. It's basically an endless source of amusement. Other than interesting things that are from other sources and end up on youtube, like funny commercials, music videos, and clips from tv shows, there is also a plethora of content generated purely for youtube. Youtube shows can be anything; drama, mystery, comedy, news, personal diary, makeup tutorials.
One of my favorites is this video made by charlieissocoollike a popular British youtube-er. He was contacted by musician Ben Folds to make a video for a song written by the author Nick Hornby and set to music by Folds, a new album released September 24th.



Another great music project on youtube is pomplamooseMusic. A music duo that re-creates popular songs in their own studio, they film all the recording and mix it into one video.



They have also had an encounter with Ben Folds and his new project. They recorded a song from Ben's new album with Nick Hornby, Lonely Avenue, with Ben and Nick.



Youtube has become an invaluable resource for young artists looking to spread their talent with the world.