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The Library 2.0 Idea Generator

There's an ancient Japanese proverb which translates roughly as:

"If you put an infinite number of programming monkeys into a room, one of them will write a Library 2.0 Idea Generator"

So… tonight, Matthew, I am going to be that programming monkey and I proudly unveil the…

If you get any particularly juicy ideas, please post them as comments — here's a "starter for 10":

hack OCLC using LibraryThing

[update] I've added the ability to save your favourite ideas to the Library 2.0 Whiteboard

[update] To complement the Idea Generator, I've hacked together…

25 Comments

  1. …and your little dog Toto, too.

    Hilarious. Even if some of those could be taken seriously by those inclined to take such things seriously.

  2. Dave Pattern says:

    Many thanks Walt!

    It's surprising/worrying how many of the ideas have actually been done already! ;-)

  3. It might be hard to do, but I like "redefine the OPAC with comfy chairs & coffee".

  4. Dave Pattern says:

  5. Dave Pattern says:

    I've done a little bit of tweaking to try and make some of the suggestions more grammatically correct.

  6. Dave Pattern says:

    I've just added the Library 2.0 Equation Generator – enjoy!

    Remember folks, you read it here first:

    Information Desk + Skype = Library 3.0
  7. Dave Pattern says:

    Hmmmmmm — this Library 2.0 idea might just be a step too far…

  8. Dave Pattern says:

  9. Hermes says:

    links for 2006-07-31

    Developer’s Son Acquires The New York Observer – New York Times well, that makes it easy–no subscription needed (tags: newspapers NYC) "Self-plagiarism is style" » The Library 2.0 Idea Generator (tags: Libraries) The Ultimate Analog Mashup Toolk…

  10. Dave Pattern says:

    I've had an email asking how the generator works, so here's all the gory details…

    There are three text files: file 1 contains a list of actions, file 2 contains a list of things/people/objects/etc, and file 3 contains a list of extra misc comments:

    http://www.daveyp.com/cgi-bin/l2/table.pl

    The generator simply picks random entries from the first two files, and then (most of the time, but not always) appends a random entry from the 3rd file.

    Some of the early ideas lacked correct pronouns, so I tweaked the code to insert the relevant pronoun depending on which entry was selected from the 2nd file.

    I couldn't resist adding some silly entries to each file — after all, who wouldn't want to "tickle Lorcan Dempsey at the next conference you attend"? If you do so, please remember to upload the video footage to YouTube!

  11. "Self-plagiarism is style": The Library 2.0 Idea Generator

    Hilarious: "Self-plagiarism is style" The Library 2.0 Idea Generator. With thanks to Alan Fricker for pointing it out

  12. David Oldenkamp says:

    How's this: Take a picture of Michael Stephens where he is holding something besides a Mac (a watermelon, a handsaw, etc…). Call it Library 2.0 sans product placement.

  13. Dave Pattern says:

    I'm sorry Michael — I just couldn't resist that image!

  14. Tim says:

    You're too modest. I want to see "Use Pewbot to completely reinvent Amazon"!

  15. Dave Pattern says:

    Tim — Pewbot's actually part my "World Domination 2.0" plans, which all basically read like this…

    "eliminate [insert item here] and then take over the world [insert diabolical laughter here]"

    …for example…

    "eliminate Michael Stephen's watermelons and then take over the world… mmwwwuuhahahahaha!!!"

  16. connie says:

    What fun! Some of them are actually some great suggestions. As the director of my library, this was my favourite today:

    digitize your Library Director then replace her with a robot

    LOL! I've posted that one on my door. If I could figure a way to do it I would!! Then I could catch up on some of that valuable "me" time. Heh.

    cheers,
    connie

  17. Mrs. Andrews says:

    Hey, I don't see any suggestions about Facebook or Flickr….

    I'd like to see something on the order of Post scandalous photos of the library director on Facebook…..

  18. libgrl says:

    Library 2.0 Idea Generator…

    bwahahahahaha…(evil laughter)
    Now this is my kind of thinking :) Some really hilarious stuff generated over at Dave Pattern's Weblog with his Library 2.0 Idea Generator and Library 2.0 Equation Generator. I could play with this for hours, b…

  19. Roslyn says:

    Love the generator.

    Noted a minor spelling error, you may want to change "glace" to "glance"

    "glace sideways at Amazon and then run naked through your library screaming "eureka!""

  20. Dave Pattern says:

    Cheers Roslyn :-)

    I hadn't anything to drink before I wrote the the generator code… honest!

  21. bwp says:

    Maybe I didn't click "reload", enough times, but surely the Library 2.0 should include something about "Disintermediation"!

  22. [...] new but I was just shown this today by the Gay Librarian. There is also a equation generator – check it out. Some of them [...]

  23. limor says:

    just click your heels three times and call me in the morning.

  24. [...] latest post courtesy of Library 2.0 Idea Generator – Thanks Dave= "harness the oldest librarian at your library and then dispose of all your [...]

  25. Decouple the digital humanities then observe from a safe distance

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