Week 8: Podcasts, video and downloadable audio

Video sharing
The easiest way of showing off your latest video clips is by uploading them onto a video sharing site. It doesn't cost you anything and it's very easy to do - no complicated code required. The rest of the world can view your clips, and you can watch everyone else's video clips too. [Warning: some content may offend!]

There are plenty of video sharing sites, YouTube being the most well-known and coincidentally, the host for the videos we have used in this blog. Here's a 2-minute video from YouTube about, well ... YouTube!

Now have a go at Thing 17: Discover YouTube and find a few videos about libraries.

Webcasts
You can also experience video content from the comfort of your own desktop in the form of recorded or real-time webcasts via computer programs like QuickTime Player (already on HU computers). Te Papa's Treaty Debate Series 2007 is a wonderful webcast resource, and Otago University's public Humanities Lectures site has both audio and visual content. For fascinating real-time action, have a look at Parliament TV; on some days there isn't any action at all!

Podcasts
Want to keep up with Kim Hill's interviews, or the latest business news in your time? Podcasts are the answer to your problems. They can be played back through a computer via free software such as iTunes or Doppler, or stored on portable devices - iPods, MP3s, even really smart mobile phones! Radio NZ has plenty of podcast content.

If you know of a podcast series (regular additions of content) you can "subscribe" (no cash involved) via an RSS feed and updates will automatically download to your computer, ready for you to access later. iJump.co.nz has easy instructions on how to subscribe to podcasts via iTunes. If you would rather not subscribe you can just visit and see what's available.

Sites for podcasts
Browse the categories in Podcast NZ - there's even one for Jamie's Ministry of Food Recipes! Here are some Google search results for finding podcasts:

• podcast directories
• NZ library podcasts
• rest-of-the-world library podcasts

This 3 minute video explains how podcasts work. The picture flickers a bit in places, but it doesn't detract from the content.

Thing 18: Locate and listen to some library podcasts.

Sites for audio and video
Depending on the site there is usually a cost to download ($US), though you may be able to sample first.

• Music: iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody, Napster (only within the US), digiRAMA, muzic.net.nz ...
• Audio books / ebooks: Project Gutenberg and LibrVox - downloads are free. You'll never be stuck for something to "read" on iTunes and audible.com.
• A site worth exploring is Open Culture. It touts itself as "the best free cultural & educational media on the web". It's full of digital goodies. Enjoy.

Multi-media in education
Online media is ideal for tertiary distance education providers. Some examples:

• Victoria University's School of Marketing offers some distance courses which use various media including "short video lectures"
• Otago's Humanities Lectures
• and a local example: the Law Library's Legal Research Skills program.

Further reading
Angela Jowitt focussed on the use of podcasts in the tertiary library sector for her MLIS thesis (2007): "Perceptions and usage of library instructional podcasts by staff and students at Universal College of Learning". Browse the abstract, or download and read the whole thing.