Audio Available (already) @ HCPLC.org

Did you know that the library already provides - locally created - downloadable audio content to our library customers. Here's a summary of the library's Oral History Project provided by Cody Shelburne, the library's "technologist" behind ...

Hillsborough Remembers: Voices of Our Community
Curious about Tampa History? Did you know that you can experience it in the first person? Just go to Hillsborough Remembers on our website! There you will find over 60 interviews of Tampa residents, recounting Tampa’s past as they remember it. The Civil Rights and WWII eras are prominently featured. You can even download and listen to mp3s of the interviews! There are over 40 hours of interview audio available. So go to our website and put a little local history in your iPod today!
-Cody Shelburne

Many library employees and volunteers have worked on the Oral Histoiry Project in the past few years. The Project is currently managed by Paule Fahle @ JFG.

Podcasting Books (yes, books!)

Take a look at...

Absolute Beginner's Guide to Podcasting by George W. Colombo & Curtis Franklin Jr. [Indianapolis, Ind. : Que, 2006].

If 2004 was the year of the blog, 2006 may well be the year of the podcast. Podcasting, a form of recording and syndicating audio programming over the Internet, is rapidly gaining in popularity, and libraries may want to consider purchasing a guide or two on the topic. Absolute Beginner's Guide lives up to its name, giving new and wannabe podcasters the background they need to start and create listenable shows. From an overview of podcasting and how it works to processing, posting, syndicating, and promoting content, it covers all the basics.

Podcasting for Dummies by Tee Morris and Evo Terra. [Hoboken, N.J. : Wiley Pub., Inc., 2006]. Also available as an eBook from NetLibrary.

Podcasting is like blogging out loud! It gives you a voice—one that can be heard worldwide on computers, iPods, or other MP3 players. You can podcast to boost your business, promote your passion, share your opinions, or just have fun. The point is to say what you want to say to those who want to hear it. With step-by-step explanations, screen shots, and tons of examples, this guide clues you in on recording, producing, and hosting your very own podcast with info on:

-Finding your voice and your niche, whether you want to talk tech, make your own kinds of music, educate listeners, make people laugh, do soundseeing tours, serialize your novel, or invent a new podcasting genre
-Getting the bare necessities (if you don’t already have them), including a microphone, recording software, and an audio card
-Audio editing software such as Audacity, Cakewalk for PCs, GarageBand for musicality, and Audio HiJack Pro for Macs
-Recording, including understanding dB (decibel levels), capturing or minimizing ambient noise, and more
-Editing with GarageBand or Audacity, adding bed music, and including intros and outros for a signature finishing touch

You want your podcast to be heard. Podcasting For Dummies helps you launch and promote it with info on how to:
-Downsize your audio files with MP3 compression
-Change bit rates and sample rates in Audacity and iTunes
-Create and edit your ID3 tags in Audacity or iTunes
-Post your show notes using Movable Type or Libsyn
-Simplify the RSS 2.0 feed by using blogging software or a podcast-hosting company such as Audioblog.com, Podcastamatic, and Feeder
-Ping for publicity
-Communicate with your listeners on your blog, through online discussion groups such as Yahoo! Groups or Google Groups, or on online forums

Of course, if you want to be a podcatcher (a listener) and subscribe to podcasts, this guide shows you how to do that, too! Complete with a companion podcast—a free weekly audio commentary that will keep you up to speed on the podsphere—this guide helps you get your message heard, loud and clear. [Amazon.com]

I've always loved Harriet

I was 12 when Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh was published and I was an avid reader. I loved this book right away. Not only was it set in my city, the main character was completely different from anyone else I'd ever read about, or met. Now I have a little more insight into Harriet and Louise, because yesterday morning I heard this story on NPR's Morning Edition. You can listen to just about anything on NPR via podcast, entire shows or just the story you want to hear. You can subscribe to your favorite shows and listen via computer or iPod or other MP3 player. This is true of other radio stations as well, including "the best little radio station on the planet Earth", WMNF.

Heard the Latest about Podcasting?

Engagement via headphones.

Ever since podcasting was introduced, the question has been the same: Will anyone listen?
The answer is definitely “Yes.”

eMarketer estimates that the total US podcast audience reached 18.5 million in 2007.

Furthermore, that audience will increase by 251% to 65 million in 2012. And of those listeners, 25 million will be “active” users who tune in at least once a week.

”As the US podcasting industry matures it is unquestionably creating a listening audience,” says Paul Verna, eMarketer Senior Analyst and author of the new report, Podcast Audience: Seeking Riches in Niches, “And along with a larger audience comes increases in advertising spending tied to podcasts.”

Driven by this audience growth, US spending on podcast-related advertising (including sponsorships) will rise to $435 million in 2012, up from $165 million in 2007.

A number of factors are driving the growth of the podcast-user base:
-Greater ease of consumption for podcast content
-Growing awareness of podcasting
-Terrestrial radio’s use and promotion of podcasting
-Increased penetration of portable players
-The evolution of smart phones and proliferation of affordable mobile data plans

”No one will argue that mobile devices and communication are becoming widespread,” says Mr. Verna. “Even so, the majority of podcasts are actually experienced on PCs, not portable devices.”
The situation might change in time, but for now podcasts are mainly a desktop phenomenon as opposed to a mobile or portable one.

Reposted from eMarketer (February 4, 2008 ).

Radio when you want it

National Public Radio has lots of interesting coverage of timely topics. This week, for example, they have been marking the 10th anniversary of the first weblogs with daily stories; this morning's story is about people whose blogs brought them attention from publishers who noticed not only their popularity but the fact that they have something to say and know how to write. So, from 2.0 to print they go!
The great thing about NPR, and other radio as well, is that you can actually listen whenever you like, and that is 2.0. Do what you like when you like. So you can subscribe to podcasts and download them from iTunes to your iPod and listen when you have time, while you are out for a walk, cleaning the house, etc. Or you can go to the station's website and download just the shows you want to hear to your mp3 player, or you can listen to what you want right on your computer.
On Saturday's edition of All Things Considered I heard a 20 something woman explain why she had dropped out of Facebook. You can hear that story right here.
And just because it is wonderful, listen to this story about a bat in winter.
By the way, our community radio station, WMNF, offers podcasts of their locally produced shows; you can see the list and an explanation of podcasting right here.

Web 2.0 and the Twelve Days of Christmas

Well in the world of 2.0 I posted to the wrong blog. So here is the poem about Web 2.0 and the Twelve Days of Christmas! Lets try this again....

Here is a poem for the season that also helps illustrate all the aspects of Web 2.0. This poem was actually written by a business person, but it still illustrates how 2.0 has touched every aspect of the work world.Enjoy!http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/12-days-of-christmas-in-a-web-20-world.html

New York Times Book Review - the Podcast

The New York Times Book Review has a podcast - Listen to authors talk about their books...

This Week: Author Kurt Andersen, children's author Brian Selznick, poetry editor David Orr and best seller news.

Listen Now (mp3)