Youtube

Wow. You mean there are still folks out there who don't know how to use Youtube? Blink. Maybe I'm not as old as I thought. I've been a user of Youtube for years, although I've only made one video and uploaded it in my entire life. I made a little presentation using a song, pictures, a digital storytelling software - can't remember which one - and the text from a poem. It was very labor intensive and I wasn't all that pleased with the resolution of the result, but at least I tried something new.

I go to youtube to preview music all the time. However, for this exercise I put in the search term "public library" and was suddenly hit with the uncomfortable spectacle of a public rally in Cincinnati. "Save our libraries!" Apparently budget crunches are wrecking havoc across our profession all over the country. In more pleasant news, Allen County had a video contest and Seattle Public Library put their library tour on Youtube. There was even a video touting their new RFID book sorting system. Under the search term "Library Events" I found several videos on hosting gaming events for teens.

I am seeing several functions in youtube use for libraries. Youtube can be used as an advertising method; I can see how a young person looking up Guitar Hero might see a video about the gaming at his local library under "related videos." Ohio has evidently attempted to use it as a means to raise public support for their library system. It is also a means to publish instruction to and from library professionals; as I recall, this entire workshop began with a video from Stephen Abram. How effective is it?

With so much white noise and tripe on youtube... I don't know. I certainly think it is likely we are not using it as effectively as we could. This, however, is totally adorable: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgrQ4NNoq6M&feature=related

A Salute to librarians!

Also, I just noticed that ALA has put out an interesting channel. I might look at that a bit more.