Thing 22 - MyLibraryDV and READS

I'm pretty familiar with both R.E.A.D.S. and MyLibraryDV, mainly because of my interaction with the library's website. I think services like these are where libraries are heading. I think we're probably a bit ahead of the game with MyLibraryDV -- from what I've seen, our patrons aren't using this service a lot yet. It may be because they're not familiar with it, or it may be that they just aren't hip to downloading and watching full-length programs on their computer. Regardless, I think within a few years, we're going to see more blurring between computers and TVs, to the point where eventually it's the same system (in some houses, at least).

R.E.A.D.S. is a great service. I don't use it personally, because I'm not too into audiobooks. There are some nursery rhyme and lullabies available in the children's book section, which I've thought about downloading and burning to CD. Once I have my MP3 player, I'll probably let Denny borrow it to listen to some of the audiobooks, if there's any he's interested in. He gets audiobooks sometimes from the library for the blind, but R.E.A.D.S. has a much bigger selection.

#21 = YouTube

I like YouTube. The guys who thought up this site were geniuses, in my book. I frequently use YouTube, both as a viewer and as a creator. As a viewer, there are lots of interested videos you can find there. Friends and family send me links, or I'll see a link or embedded video on a blog I read pretty much on a daily basis. Sometimes I'll go there specifically looking for a video -- when you remember some cartoon you saw as a child that you want to see again or you're trying to tell somebody about a music video that starred Christopher Walken, and it's just easier to find the video and show it to them than try to explain it. I also have a YouTube account, and I've used it to share short video clips of my son with our family and friends. We have family who live all over the country, who we're not able to visit often, and many of them have been really pleased to be able to watch our son's growth and development. (I'm not going to link to it here, but if you want to see them, let me know and I'll email you the URL.)

As you saw on the 24Things post I made about YouTube, there are lots of library-related videos to be found. Here's one of my favorites. It was made for a video contest. I like it because library + zombies = awesome.



Here's a few other choice videos:

• I'm a Librarian; I'm an IT Professional - a spoof of the Mac vs. PC commercials (which I love).
  
• How to Make a Zine (using 1 sheet of paper)
• I also love the Chad Vader video series.

So, in short: Yay for YouTube! I can see lots of potential ways libraries could use YouTube. We need a good digital video camera first, tho.