This is the end...

I can't quite believe I reached the final thoughts stage - I didn't think I would for a while there! I feel 23 things has been really useful for me, as I have had to properly reflect on how technologies could be used for library work. I think this is something that will I try to continue - partly because thinking about how and why things are done is a good way to possibly see how things could be improved, and also because I imagine the world of Web 2.0 will keep expanding and I'd like to keep up-to-date as much as possible. I did find the weekly pace quite hard to keep up with (I've only just properly caught up in the last few days!) and I think seeing people's reflections as you go along rather than before I'd even got to that thing would have been good. If I had to go back and do it again I would make sure I kept up initially to take advantage of the many interesting opinions and reflections weekly rather than in big chunks!

So having explored all the lovely shiny things that have been introduced - my final summary:

Getting the worst out of the way first: the thing I really didn't like
There was actually only one thing that I did not get on with at all and really couldn't see the point of, and that's iGoogle. I know many people do use it regularly but I have never looked at my iGoogle page since the first few weeks of Cam 23 and it actively annoyed me when I was using it. I much prefer Google to be the clean and un-distracting search box it now is on my homepage. I like being able to decide what I want to look at when I log onto the internet, rather than passively viewing whatever pops up on iGoogle.

Things I will keep an eye on and possibly use again, 'but':
Google calendar: Does exactly what it says on the tin, but I currently have no need to use it. I will file it away into 'things I might need one day'.
(Ditto Slideshare, LinkedIn and Google docs).

Blogging: I've loved having the opportunity to read the other Cam23 blogs, and will continue to read some, but now the programme is over I don't think I will be blogging anymore. I like the reflective writing side, but I don't like the sharing my thoughts so publicly. It doesn't fit in with the sharing/ communicating/ linking side of Web 2.0 but I would consider writing reflectively blog style posts for myself in the future, but won't be posting them to the internet!

Things I liked and would use again:
RSS feeds: useful to keep up with sites I'm interested in as well as having a lot of potential for library users to use as a way of keeping up-to-date with their subject area.

Doodle: Simple way of organising meetings/making group decisions. Love the fact it doesn't need a password as well.

Tagging: Although I used sites where tagging was an option, I'd never really used them myself before. I find them helpful when trying to find information though so will continue using them.

Flickr/Creative Commons: I had used Flickr before starting 23 things, but the Creative Commons section was new to me and is a fantastic source of free images.

Delicious: I have already started saving my links in Delicious, and there are lots of ways links could be organised by librarians using the site to provide useful resources for users.

LibraryThing: Not sure whether I will actually manage to find a helpful or relevant way to use this, but I like the community aspect of discussing books, and being able to nose around people's reading habits. Also I think the catalogue display is rather good!

Podcasting/YouTube: Trying to get information across in an entertaining way is always a good idea!

Wikis: Brilliant way to create and edit shared resources. And I think more useful as a distinct internet resource than Google Docs - which is more like traditional computer programmes with some features for collaboration tagged on.

The top three
Twitter and Facebook: OK I admit it I liked these before I started 23 things, but doing the programme has allowed me to think about their use in libraries more. The marketing possibilities of Facebook were interesting to explore. Facebook's popularity means a lot of people want to exploit this online user base, but how you do that is trickier than just setting up a page to 'like'. I have also started using Twitter a lot more for library related news than when I initially started Tweeting, which is mainly thanks to #cam23 hash tag. I now follow lots of librarians which is fantastic for keeping me up-to-date with news stories about libraries, different conferences that are going on as well as seeing what people are doing in their working lives.

Zotero: Useful for me both as I start my LIS Masters and also as an excellent tool librarians can tell students about.

So all that's left to do is to wave goodbye!

With thanks to striatic