Monday, December 10, 2007

Thingy 7: Podcasting

Must... not... like... anything... from... the internet...

Okay, I have to admit that I could get into this podcasting thing. Perhaps this is mainly because it doesn't involve reading text on a glowing screen for hours on end (instead, it involves some of this but then nicely melds into an aural experience). And adding podcasts to my RSS feed gives me the greedy joy of collecting all these fun things to listen to later (provided they don't disappear from their home on the web. I seem to have this persistent, existential concern with the impermanence of the internet. At least my overly massive collection of actual books will be cluttering my life for the foreseeable future.) I think my next step is to start downloading podcasts into ITunes or something, then I will "have it" and my fears be slightly assuaged. Now, if only I had an Ipod, then I could listen to these casts portably, and their usefulness/enjoyability would be markedly increased. Know anywhere where I could win one? Hmm?

Now, admittedly, the podcasts that stimulated this something-better-than-sour reaction were not "library-related" podcasts. Sorry. Among others, I added NPR's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" program to my RSS feed--it's newsy and amusing all at once.

I did, however, listen to several library-related podcasts: a presentation from the Moraine Valley Community College on Jack Kerouac's On the Road and the headline news from library world as related by the LibVibe podcast. Given the time it takes to load and listen to podcasts, I don't think they would be the most helpful for SPL as a way of giving updates on programming, new materials, etc. However, they could work well as a sort of packaged "book club" discussion to keep people learning and reading about various genres. This could also be a way to tap into the specialized expertise of our various librarians in a way that would be enlightening for our patrons.

Or perhaps we could create a weekly podcast consisting of the most amusing and asinine phone conversations circulation staff have had with patrons:

-"Good morning. Skokie Public Library."

-"Are you open today?"

-"Ummm, yes."

_________________

-"Good morning. Skokie Public Library."

-"Uh, yeah. I have an overdue book."

[Long pause in which one searches for the question or directive in that statement of fact and ponders the inappropriateness of responding, "I'm sure you do--lots of people do. For shame!"]

-"Yes, and what can I do for you?"

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