Week 9 Thing 21

I spent some time this afternoon exploring Yahoo Podcasts and Podcastalley. I found Yahoo Podcasts a little easier to use. You simply click on the Listen button next to the podcast title to listen to the podcast. I also like the way they use a star system to rate the podcasts. There are podcasts on every subject or topic imagineable. In browsing around, I found a podcast of "Lib vibe" where you can listen to headline news from libraries. I added a feed to my bloglines account so I can keep up with Library news. Since my daughter is thinking about taking a trip to Italy through her college in January, I tried searching for podcasts about traveling to Italy. I found two really good podcasts on sightseeing in Italy: http://podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=19637 and http://unabellavista.com/podcast/audio/podcast3.m4a.

I also looked at the Merlin podcasting learning links to several library systems that are using podcasts. At Denver Public Library they have podcasts of children's stories. This is like our story line but through the computer. In today's technological age this is a great use of 2.0 technology. Kids love using the computer and other electronic devices. So listening to stories via podcasts would be a natural thing for them. Kankakee Public Library has podcasts of author programs or interviews that have been held at their library. This is another great idea. People who could not get to the program could listen to it later. Podcasts could be used in BCPL in many ways. BCPL could do a podcast of the speaker at Great Books and that way librarians who were unable to go to the workshop could hear the speaker. Also, podcasts of author programs would be useful. Links could be placed on our web page where customers who did not go to the program could listen to it later.