Week 10: Podcasts and Youtube

Podcasts

I think podcasts have huge potential for Library 2.0 applications, as shown already by the diverse ways that libraries are using them. One that I really like, and which I hope to be able to develop in my library, is the podcasts of children's storytimes that the Denver Public Library are doing: Denver Public Library Storytime podcasts

There are lots of parents that can't always make it to storytime, and by letting them know about the podcasts and what stories will be read in advance, it's possible for them to be there virtually for the storytime.



Youtube

Love Youtube, always have since I first found it. Once again, another great tool for libraries, but with a few proviso's. We have to be very careful about permissions etc when filming anything due to privacy issues, and that can really restrict what we want to do. For example, I love this storytime with signing that's shown here:


By having the visual element, it means that children who are hearing impaired can also join in with the story. But if there are children in the recording, which I feel makes it look and feel much more interesting, we have to make sure that it is appropriate to have their images on the net, and have their parents consent, in the form of legally binding permission documents.