I have worked with teens for almost thirty years so I tended to gravitate to the article and videos that relate to their needs. The video posted by the Monroe County Library impressed me the most. They are doing a great job of including teens in the library experience in some many ways. I especially liked the noise I heard in the back ground. Teens can be noisy and their activities can be noisy. It's great to see the library provide a space for them where they don't have to worry about that.

I assume the the teens put this video together themselves. What a great add for their very special library. Kids could put videos out to show other kids what goes on there. I just loved the comment by one of the kids that he likes the library because “they don't have a lot of old things”. I wonder if he meant the librarians too!

As for blocking... It is needed in areas where supervision is not constant. But certainly some of the computers should be left unblocked. When I worked as a school librarian I found blocking to be arbitrary and frustrating. Students looking for information on breast cancer were blocked; I had difficulty looking for sites that had teen in the title or URL. We could provide our director with the URL to unblock but that really isn't the answer. Some control is needed though because kids can get themselves into trouble easily. I'm not sure what the answer is.

I agree with the IT director who unblocked YouTube. The staff will have to be vigilant and the students must accept the consequences of bad judgment. The day will come when a student downloads something objectionable and he or she should lose computer privileges, but the whole school shouldn't suffer because of that possibility.
Cynthia

This lesson was fun. I liked the storytelling podcasts, and I think that short instructional videos are very useful. I think the children really love hearing themselves do the book reviews and news items. In a school setting this activity sounds like a terrific way to encourage all kinds of learning. I did notice that one site is already defunct, and several have old (2005 & 2006) dates on the latest postings. Keeping up with any project is always the biggest challenge.

I think that we have to be very careful about the filters we use. In public libraries, we have more latitude, but in school libraries there are so many people to contend with: parents, school boards, concerned citizens, etc. Schools often have to take the "safest" path.

This week I used Odeo to listen to various podcasts and YouTube to view video clips. It was a fun and interesting experience for me since in the past I rarely visited these types of sites. I think I will tend to visit them more now. I found that the "Making Waves" article had good, useful information, included instructions on how to get started and many links for podcasting in education. Both sites I visited are user-friendly, and I was successful in adding RSS feed to Google Reader and the video link into my blog.


Libraries could incorporate podcasting with booktalks, storytelling, and poetry slam. Video sharing could be used to promote the library and its programs, almost like an advertisement.


I wouldn't say it is reasonable to block YouTube in schools, however schools do need to be vigilant when using this type of site. If the site is being monitored by teachers and viewed for instructional use, I think it would be acceptable to provide a few workstations in the school or a station in the school library. Students would need to be given specific criteria when searching the site, or even better, the actual link to be viewed, rather than random searching. Otherwise, I think students would get easily distracted by material not related to their topic.

This was a short week for me, due to the holiday, so I didn't get to linger with these resources like I normally do. I searched for interesting food related podcasts and was amazed that there are so many beer-making podcasts! Personally, I don't feel I have time right now to subscribe. There was nothing relating to my hobby, quilting, that is newer than 2005! Does the old stuff ever get "cleaned out?" YouTube is SO popular among the middle schoolers - my kids are addicted. It's interesting. Check out the lecture I posted on my blog.

Judy, thanks so much for posting Dr. Wesch's YouTube lecture. I was totally fascinated by it, having had no clue what YouTube was really all about. I particularly loved the ending. It is so hopeful that the younger generation recognizes that we really are one world.

Cynthia,

I too was impressed with the Monroe County Library video. If the rest of you have not seen it yet, visit the Info Tubey Awards on YouTube. I can see how students would fall in love with this library. The video highlighted the many activities, contests and programs the library has to offer. It looks like it was produced by the students as well.

Debbie

This has been a short, crazy week, so I am even tardier than usual (!)

I really enjoyed this week's exercises; I learne SO MUCH! I hadn't realized how **easy** it is to find/subscribe to podcasts and find good YouTube videos and embed them into a blog. And to even create your own! This has been a real eye-opener. Thank you!

I found the articles very interesting. The idea of using podcasts for language instruction is so neat.

I wonder how podcasting compares to course management systems like WebCT? Our school was videotaping lectures--which the library then placed on reserve. Now that has disappeared and there is WebCT (well, Blackboard now.) Faculty and Administration worry that students won't come to class. Other faculty wouldn't allow the videotaping and are still "gun shy."

Some of the library staff have suggested taping for podcast some of the guest authors and other speakers we have. There has been reluctance--and questions about "releases" and such. How have other libraries dealth with this?

The suggestion to document our community through "radio Diaries" is very appealing for our school's archives.

Great lessons this week!

I agree that the videos in the InfoTubey Awards were very clever! Great for PR and possibly instruction, etc. (Is there a time limit for a YouTube video? How about for a podcast?)


The library at another college in our town held a contest for students to create PR about the library. I'll have to investigate those further.


Our library has just started to use Twitter to promote library programs. Maybe podcasting will be our next venture.

Judy: Thanks for posting that interesting lecture!

This was a great lesson. Uploading my video to my blog really made it come to life.


I agree about having to block unmonitored computers from YouTube since there is way too much junk on there. Already I don't allow my children to have Internet access except in common areas where I can see them. Not that I think they'll look for things but stuff finds its way into your home...


My family already were YouTube fans -- I torture my children by looking up 80's music videos and dancing around the kitchen. Also it's great for finding classic cartoons or funny videos.

What a fun week! I enjoyed and learned from everyone's You Tube blog posts, too.

It was a nice surprise to find my old You Tube video about the Library's mascots still available to link to my blog for the class assignment.

Conversations and conflicts about blocking sites from school libraries and classrooms must be never-ending. In Hyannis we are always discussing matters about personal responsibility, individual rights to information access, and privacy, but the director reminds us to leave our personal views at the door. How do school librarians and teachers handle all the conflict? I would really like to hear more about your experiences.

Carol DeLuca

I like the idea of podcasting and posting videos. You could do a video tour, how to talks and reviews. I enjoyed the podcasts I listened to and think i might become very addicted to listening to them.

I had a much easier time posting a youtube video to my wordpress blog than rss feeds.

I love how the Denver Public Library has children's stories on their podcast page. I wonder if they are getting circulation statistics from them. I think they should.