This change is largely about improvements in technology - digital video cameras are much more common (including on standard digitial cameras and mobile phones), highspeed internet access is much more common (important for watching videos but also for uploading them to the internet), video editing software has become far less expensive (often free online or pre-installed on newly purchased computers), and online storage (server space) has dropped dramatically in price.That last one, the price of online storage, has been revolutionary - without it, companies like YouTube and Google video would not be able to host videos from millions of users without charging them a cent. Note: Google can host longer videos than YouTube.
The (relative) ease of creating video, uploading it to the web, and storing it in an easy-to-access environment is starting to impact the way our society gets its news. Think about it - anyone with a digital camera can capture a news event on their mobile phone video camera and save it to an online video account. Anyone remember the recent election when both the government and opposition used YouTube video clips?
Video Embedding
All YouTube videos offer code that allow you to embed a video (it doesn't have to be yours - you can embed any video you find on YouTube) on your website or blog. Look below where we've embedded an outstanding video on Web 2.0 - click on the play icon to start it up, press pause to make it stop.
It's not just serious stuff - reporting, politics, web 2.0. There's thousands and thousands of fun, even useless, videos on YouTube for your watching pleasure.
Explore: Try searching these examples in YouTube “lego” or “Matthew Flinders”.
But what about state libraries? Check out We love our NJ libraries.
Can you find any other interesting examples?
Discover:
How about showcasing oral histories [follow the links through to a story], the building of new facilities, staff orientations, guides to using library services or exhibitions? There are many opportunities to use video out there.
Blog about your discoveries in both YouTube and Google video [hint try searching Mosman Library]. What possibilities can you think of for our organisation?
Adventure: Find a YouTube video you like and embed it in your blog.
That's it for this week, thanks for reading and doing.
