Pollsters polled or do you mind if I ask you some questions too?

On Saturday I had a phone call from Newspoll conducting a survey on generational understanding of food safety and the awareness of Food Safety Week. This set me thinking – if they can ask me questions about habits, I should be able to ask them. So I resolved to do a short survey of my own with the next caller.
Within an hour, I had had two calls from different charities that I support, with the latest of the offers for their Christmas fundraising. Now I’ve never actually won anything from these but maybe this time I could get a little something back.
Enter the “I’ve just thought up these few questions” public library use survey. Neither sophisticated nor with a cleverly disguised purpose and with no thought to how the results could be analysed, I launched into a list of 5 questions. And I got answers with extra comments and even enthusiasm.
Am I on to something? What if we all did something similar? It would be a completely random and unsolicited survey – might go viral!
Tested it again tonight. This time the phone call was to tell me that I’d been selected from respondents to a phone survey (that I only vaguely remembered) and had won a prize. After listening to the benefits of the product I had won, politely refusing it in favour of another more deserving soul, I requested permission to ask my questions. Bingo – another short chat about public libraries.

Now I’m getting a bit more excited which could be a dangerous sign. So I’ve “extensively beta tested” the questions – they need some tweaking. Not sure how we go from here but I invite you to participate.

Year of Reading 2012

Not sure how this will look!! The countdown begins.

Happy birth anniversary Banjo

Dusty notes that apparently when referring to long deceased authors, (and probably anyone else)  it is preferred to refer to a "birth anniversary" rather than birthday with an overloading of candles.
If you don't know which Banjo, check out http://www.wordsoutwest.com.au/ for a celebratory contest.

Oops, missed the first anniversary

Dusty notes that a year has passed since this blog first sidled out of the ethernet ooze. I should have celebrated because April 1 was chosen for it being a memorable date. So much for mnemonics!

During some other treks, I have come across a couple of site that made me wonder where all this internet stuff is heading.

Have a look (if you haven't seen it already) at http://www.middlespot.com/. Do you think this is good design? Dusty notes that she's an old fashioned girl and finds this very busy. Good for the goldfish brains who find it hard to remember where they have been. Middlespot was recommended by the folks from the ScHARR Library blog.

The other is Stumble upon - which I did by a now forgotten route. Ah, the goldfish strikes again.

Bye for now.

Please sir, may I have some more?

Dusty notes an apology to Oliver Twist for this title but it was as close as I could get to feeds ....RSS feeds.
I have added a few blogs and one of the most difficult parts was deciding to what to subscribe. In the end, it was:

• for potential brevity - the Bloglines News and Publishers Weekly Bestsellers News both of which have few posts and so take almost no time to (not) read;
• recommended by the 2.0 team - Powerhouse Museum which shows what can be done with a local studies collection;
• others of interest - Radio National Book Show which is a pretty obvious choice; the Blue Mountains Readers in the Mist which looks good and reads well;
• and by a circuitous route, the Thoughtful Dresser, which another subscriber to the Radio National Book Show blog listed. Well worth seeing.

Dusty notes that the feed to the bbc blog network is not as interested as expected and will be cancelled.

My friend Flickr

Dusty notes that I have not been completely idle with following Learning 2.0, but have been most recalcitrant in posting to this blog.
The time has come to move from the childhood interest in "My friend Flicka" and move to the allegedly adult pastimes of my (new) friend Flickr. Neither, of course, would progress beyond round one of any spelling bee.
Dusty notes, again, that it took a while for the photos to appear on Flickr and it seemed that somethings was amiss. Great joys when last searched using "nswpln2008" and the most recent option, the tag of "ifla posters 2008". Well, I might as well add something worthwhile if possible.
Sometimes those who come late, are worth the wait.
Dusty notes number three that the Library of Congress has had some great success in generating interest in and feedback on the historic photos they have placed on Flickr. It's easy to see the huge applications for library photographic, genealogy and local studies collections. I was a bit disappointed in the comments made on some Australian War Memorial photos now on Flickr. However, I guess that the exchange of information beyond "Wow, great photo!" will occur. It can't all be dross.

Back

Dusty notes that this blog will soon contain interesting comments. Wait and watch.