Thing 5: Exploring Flickr

ABOUT: Flickr is a website where all members can share their photos (dependent on each member's privacy level) ; be in groups to share photos only with the group; manage their photos using tags, sets, and collections; and have discussions within their public or private group. Basic accounts are free. Flickr was a startup company and is now owned by Yahoo. You can use your Yahoo account to enter and choose a screenname.
Tags are keywords you index for each of your photos so they are easier to find later. Tags make it easier to find others' photos too. You can apply up to 75 tags to your photo(s). You can have your photo(s) marked private but they will be available to the members in your group. Groups are public or private. Groups are "a way people can come together with a common interest" or passion that they capture in photography. For a public group, anyone can join or it can be by invitation only. Private groups are by invitation only. Private groups are not listed on Flickr.
Libraries are using Flickr to capture the interesting "compositions" of their libraries' interiors; exteriors; and scenes staff members capture on vacations, library programming, and staff functions. With Flickr, you are able to upload photos from a computer, via email, or from a cameraphone; organize your photos into sets and collections and have them searchable with tags; share your photos with group and privacy controls; have the option of using maps to show photo's location; create 3-D items from your photos such as cups, stamps, calendars, photo books, etc.; and keep up-to-date with your family and friends group(s) .

THOUGHTS FROM A PHOTO: The link here is from the Montgomery County Public Libraries (MD) group's pool of photos. This one is public. It is of a children's area in one of their libraries: http://www.flickr.com/photos/montgomerycountypubliclibrariesmd/1341892127/in/set-72157601899841498/

I love the children's area in libraries. To me, they are inspiring, inviting, and fun. Two of my favorite memories from childhood are my elementary school's library and our local library, especially it's children's room. At school, I was in the library club for 3 or 4 years and loved to shelve books. In the early years I only was allowed to shelve the picture books. Later the fiction and nonfiction as well. The local library's children's room had stadium-like steps (4 or 5) that went up to the window, which was almost wall-length. They were fun to sit on. To add one more favorite, from the movie "You've Got Mail," I loved the children's bookstore. Especially when all the books were off the shelves, before they were about to close shop, you could see how much character the shelves brought to the store.