#7 Be a Video Voyager on YouTube

YouTube has become a videocasting phenomenon. Even local news stations use YouTube clips in their broadcasts. It is likely that someone you know has sent you a link to a clip. YouTube is Everyman's site for video self expression. Libraries have been using it as a place for promotional video, instructional video as well as a showcase for services and programs. This week you will spend some time checking out what is on offer in the world of self published video.

Do some searching around YouTube yourself and see what the site has to offer. You'll be amazed at what you can find. There is everything from a recipe for stuffed summer squash and vintage Sesame Street to Dwight Yoakam singing "I Want You to Want Me. Of course, like any free site you’ll also find a lot stuff not worth watching too. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore and see for yourself what the site has too offer. Check out the categories link or search for the obscure, it's all in there.

Discovery Exercise:

1. Explore YouTube & find a video worth adding as an entry in your blog. If you find one you would like to import to your blog, you need to copy the "EMBED" text, not the URL. The EMBED text is actually html and will make the video show up on your own blog rather than just a link.
   
2. Create a blog post about your experience. What did you like or dislike about the site and why did you choose the video that you did? Can you see any features or components of the site that might be interesting if they were applied to library websites?