What an adventure! This learning experience was excellent in covering such a vast field of new technology. I feel that at least I now grasp the idea behind Web 2.0 and Library 2.0. They are no longer ambiguous concepts used in the literature and news.
While I found it necessary difficult to find time for this investigation, I wanted to find out about the topics. There is no way that I would have done this on my own.
The carefully designed and thought out exercises and commentary is what made learning happen. Participants should be thankful to the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, North Carolina for sharing this with their fellow librarians. I look forward to more training opportunities like this one.
I understand they are continuing to explore with a Learning 2.1 program. (http://explorediscoverplay.blogspot.com/) I hope to be able to look into those as well.
It just points out that library staff must keep up with the social and technological trends in the communities and put in use by the public they serve. Now I keep thinking about what impact these technologies will have in the workplace as well as on information and service provision in the library over the next few years.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Week 9, Thing #22 Downloadable Audio Books
I thought I was familiar with Project Gutenberg! I did not realize that they had downloadable audio books and even a limited selection of digitized sheet music and downloadable sound music and spoken word recordings.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Week 9, Thing # 21 Podcasts
I was amazed at the many topics covered by podcasts although some were quite dated and of uneven quality. While I didn’t take the time to evaluate them, I was impressed with the number of podcasts for learning languages, including less well-known languages, and basic overviews of topics, such as Finances 101.
Initially, I had difficulty figuring out how to get my podcasts into Bloglines. It took quite some trial and error but it seems to have worked! Nancy Pearl Book Reviews, Denver Public’s podcasts of children’s stories and the Diane Rehm Show on NPR now are in my Bloglines feeds. At least one of them was updated today. Triumph!
Initially, I had difficulty figuring out how to get my podcasts into Bloglines. It took quite some trial and error but it seems to have worked! Nancy Pearl Book Reviews, Denver Public’s podcasts of children’s stories and the Diane Rehm Show on NPR now are in my Bloglines feeds. At least one of them was updated today. Triumph!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Week 9, Thing #20 YouTube
I have seen this site before but had never thought about using it with customers. In searching I found some TV commercials and programs from my childhood. I'm thinking back to those questions I had for words to a commercial jingle or pictures (where videos may have helped)which were difficult or impossible to track down.
While tagging helps, the search capability is very uneven. Sometimes I was amazed at what came up and other times I had no results through keywords or tags. Sometimes it meant scanning a broad category like 50s TV which could prove very time consuming.
Our customers may find it interesting to have some of our library storyhours, author visits and programs available on video.
While tagging helps, the search capability is very uneven. Sometimes I was amazed at what came up and other times I had no results through keywords or tags. Sometimes it meant scanning a broad category like 50s TV which could prove very time consuming.
Our customers may find it interesting to have some of our library storyhours, author visits and programs available on video.
Week 8, Thing #19 Interesting Online Tools
I found some tools for my personal use. In fact, I spent too much time checking out all those links. The categories of City Guides and Reviews and Travel held me the longest. Guess I must need a vacation!
Yelp.com and Yahoo Local both presented excellent information about my immediate neighborhood. Which could be helpful for those travel questions. Under Travel the Farecast site is being added to my watchlist. How good are they at predicting when is it a good time to purchase that airline ticket or hotel room.
I think for library use some of the applications could assist in committee work with being able to share documents and the knowledge that some of these applications and tools exist to help our customers is beneficial.
Yelp.com and Yahoo Local both presented excellent information about my immediate neighborhood. Which could be helpful for those travel questions. Under Travel the Farecast site is being added to my watchlist. How good are they at predicting when is it a good time to purchase that airline ticket or hotel room.
I think for library use some of the applications could assist in committee work with being able to share documents and the knowledge that some of these applications and tools exist to help our customers is beneficial.
Zoho Writer Attempt 3
This is my third and final attempt at creating a document using Zoho Writer. I hope that I can use some of the features. My attempt to use styles and headings was quite frustrating. Text colors changed without my asking. I couldn't seem to find away to change my line spacing between bulleted items. Let me try again.
- I did manage to change text color and size of font.
- I created a table with 2 rows and 3 columns but could not figure out any way to add a 3rd row to the original table. NOTE: The image of the emoticon did not cross over from Zoho and I couldn't seem to get it into my image file. Also for some reason the second row of the table is not appearing.
Name | Address | Phone |
- I used the background feature and the center justification.
- Obviously I created a bulleted list.
- This time line justification worked. Let me try it again.
- Yes it worked.
- Now for headings. This is the highlight style.
Monday
Morning
Back to normal
Evening
Tuesday
PS: Obviously when doing formatting to post to a blog you need to keep in mind what will work on your blog background. For example, the borders of the table and the background colors of the table don't work on this blog design.
Week 8, Thing #18 Zoho Writer
I did not find this as intuitive as I expected. My first attempt went badly as a result of what were apparently connectivity problems at my end. My second attempt went better but there were several things that I had difficulty with in formatting. After creating a table I could find no way to insert an additional row or delete a row. Something I frequently have to do. Also, I couldn't quite figure out styles. The only one I managed to do was highlight a sentence. But when I tried to erase the highlighting for a portion of the sentence I couldn't seem to do that. It was either undo the whole thing (assuming it was my last action) and rehighlight the appropriate area. The Style drop down also doesn't appear to be a toggle of either highlight or not. Obviously more time will be spent with this if I decide to use it.
Attempt 2
This is my second attempt at creating a document. I hope that I can use come of the features. My first attempt to use styles and headings was quite frustrating. Text colors changed without my asking. I couldn't seem to find away to change my line spacing between bulleted items. Let me try again.
- I did manage to change text color and size of font.
- I created a table with 2 rows and 3 columns but could not figure out any way to add a 3rd row to the oridginal table
Name | Address | Phone |
- I used the background feature and the center justification.
- Obviously I created a bulleted list.
- This time line justification worked. Let me try it again.
- Yes it worked.
- Now for headings. This is the highlight style.
Monday
Morning
Back to normal
Evening
Tuesday
Week 7, Thing #17 Adding Wiki Content
This was certainly easier than what I went through with the major editing of the BCPL Wikipedia entry!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Week 7, Thing #16 Wikis in the Library's Future?
For the public, the St Joseph County type topical subject guide for promoting library resources and services has potential. Highlighting services, collections and specific titles, databases, and future programs to in-library users and to the remote users (perhaps via e-newsletters links, chat, etc.) could help with in-house library instruction for specific topics as well as market the library. How-to documents or tutorials on tech topics or on software applications could assist the novice trying to learn the basics of the new technology.
Access to customer and staff reviews of materials may appeal to some of our customers. It is a way to share the wealth of information from our strongest readers’ advisors throughout the system. Perhaps this could eventually replace print booklists. At the same time as providing readers’ advisory to both remote and in-house users, there is the opportunity to market book related library or community events and news. I do worry about the malicious content when it is opened to public editing. Having had experience with this recently! Yet requiring login and passwords will lessen participation. Princeton’s site requires registration and does not appear to have many active contributors. Would it be another Virtual Book Club where the entire workload falls on staff to keep it going!
The staff oriented wiki could be used for online manuals and training documents with linking to items now scattered on the WAN, memos, management group minutes, etc. Wikis could play a role in providing online instruction, for example on tips for using research databases and other brief tutorials. It certainly is worth considering. Of course that means one more thing for staff to view, create and/or maintain regularly to make it a useful tool. It could be equivalent to maintaining a large website.
Certainly this is a topic for further investigation!
Access to customer and staff reviews of materials may appeal to some of our customers. It is a way to share the wealth of information from our strongest readers’ advisors throughout the system. Perhaps this could eventually replace print booklists. At the same time as providing readers’ advisory to both remote and in-house users, there is the opportunity to market book related library or community events and news. I do worry about the malicious content when it is opened to public editing. Having had experience with this recently! Yet requiring login and passwords will lessen participation. Princeton’s site requires registration and does not appear to have many active contributors. Would it be another Virtual Book Club where the entire workload falls on staff to keep it going!
The staff oriented wiki could be used for online manuals and training documents with linking to items now scattered on the WAN, memos, management group minutes, etc. Wikis could play a role in providing online instruction, for example on tips for using research databases and other brief tutorials. It certainly is worth considering. Of course that means one more thing for staff to view, create and/or maintain regularly to make it a useful tool. It could be equivalent to maintaining a large website.
Certainly this is a topic for further investigation!
Week 6, Thing #15 Library 2.0 and Our Future
When I started with the Maryland 23 Things program, I thought Library 2.0 was strictly a new technology happening. While technology certainly is a component, Library 2.0 also has implications for decision-making on services, staff training, the mission of the library, involvement with our communities, the user in our library, our remote users and the non-library user. It builds on BCPL’s customer service philosophy and “Give ‘Em What They Want” and asks for us to really understand our present and future customers needs and how we can serve them.
Week 6, Thing #14 Technorati
It’s nice to have a search engine for blogs. As conference speakers or authors and columnists who write in the print media now maintain blogs, the ability to quickly update your knowledge through blogs and postings is exciting. It is proving useful for one of my workplan assignments.
You could spend hours trying to figure out which search feature presents the best search results. Trying all the search options, I found that for Learning 2.0 the enclosing of the two words in quotes helped. My best search was in the Advanced search option using Keyword by exact phrase “Learning 2.0” and then clicking on blogs about Learning 2.0. However, trying other topics, this search strategy was not always the best. I found the Directory search not useful for searching at least 3 topics. The results were much too broad and resulted in finding many irrelevant listings. I need to play around with the search features more when I have time.
I was not at all surprised at one were the top blogs or favorited items. Global social networking is quite apparent as reflected in these listings.
For use in responding to customers, the authoritativeness of the poster or blog author must still be paramount. You need to be cautious in using blogs as resources. With some reservation it might prove useful to those seeking opposing viewpoints on a topic.
You could spend hours trying to figure out which search feature presents the best search results. Trying all the search options, I found that for Learning 2.0 the enclosing of the two words in quotes helped. My best search was in the Advanced search option using Keyword by exact phrase “Learning 2.0” and then clicking on blogs about Learning 2.0. However, trying other topics, this search strategy was not always the best. I found the Directory search not useful for searching at least 3 topics. The results were much too broad and resulted in finding many irrelevant listings. I need to play around with the search features more when I have time.
I was not at all surprised at one were the top blogs or favorited items. Global social networking is quite apparent as reflected in these listings.
For use in responding to customers, the authoritativeness of the poster or blog author must still be paramount. You need to be cautious in using blogs as resources. With some reservation it might prove useful to those seeking opposing viewpoints on a topic.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Week 6 Thing #13 Del.icio.us
What a great idea to allow access to relevant bookmarks between multiple computers and then to be able to discover additional great links from other account holders.
For reference assistance, the ability to post to a blog could assist in the creation of subject guides and topically designed reference tools, I guess. But I do worry about the possibility of people being led to sites through tags stating unverifiable facts and only personal opinions or beliefs. Is the customer receiving information from someone who really knows what they are talking about?
For reference assistance, the ability to post to a blog could assist in the creation of subject guides and topically designed reference tools, I guess. But I do worry about the possibility of people being led to sites through tags stating unverifiable facts and only personal opinions or beliefs. Is the customer receiving information from someone who really knows what they are talking about?
Week 5 Thing #12 My Vacation Planning Search Tool
For library use, I think searches on narrow topics, for example math resources on a homework help website/blog or the MD AskUsNow Partner Support Pages may find this useful. The PLCMC example seems much to broad to be supported by Rollyo. The Site Search on our website seems more helpful to me in finding info on our website.
There are certainly possibilities for personal use here. Here is my Vacation Planning search tool created through Rollyo.
There are certainly possibilities for personal use here. Here is my Vacation Planning search tool created through Rollyo.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Week 5 Thing #11 My Library Thing Account
While I was familiar with Library Thing and have recommended it to those customers who want to have a list of all the books they checked out, this is the first time I really explored it. I can't wait to spend more time with it. I particularly want to study the tagging and whether it could provide readers' advisory suggestions. Of course it may also help me remember the author or title of that good book I read about ... but now what was its title?
My catalog is at http://www.librarything.com/catalog/bellefontaine
My catalog is at http://www.librarything.com/catalog/bellefontaine
Week 5 Thing #10b My Squirrely Image Generator Attempt
Well here we go again. Well the image I created in a 3D Stereogram Generator appeared briefly on my blog than mysteriously vanished. It had some great colors but now the Generator doesn't work. So instead I used the Totem animal generator. This is suppose to be my totem animal. Guess I am a little squirrely at times.
"Perhaps you feel insignificant within the vastness and impersonality of our modern world. But remember the squirrel - how many oaks have grown out of his winter nut stash? The squirrel's message is that our lives are of more import than we can ever know."
www.crowcity.co.uk Words and design by Sam Malone Totem drawings by PK Rollings
Week 5, Thing #10 My Avatar
I'm finding this blogging quite frustrating. It seems that either I can't log in or I create a post and it doesn't appear only to mysteriously show up more than an hour later. However, let me try to post my Avatar. Well, the preview shows it's there so let's give it a try!!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Week 4, Thing # 9 Blogs and News Feeds
I registered with Merlin. I can see its usefulness for tech training if it is actively updated and the training opportunities are truly statewide contributions.
I like that Topix can bring up local information based on your zip code. Even though most of my results were obituaries. A real downer!! I actually brought up my blog using Technorati. Neat!!
However, I can’t say that I found the search tools very intuitive. Many of my search results brought up nothing or quite old information. The usefulness of the results for finding current information is questionable. Would I want to have a feed to potentially dated information? The search tools need more investigation on my part before I use them regularly.
I like that Topix can bring up local information based on your zip code. Even though most of my results were obituaries. A real downer!! I actually brought up my blog using Technorati. Neat!!
However, I can’t say that I found the search tools very intuitive. Many of my search results brought up nothing or quite old information. The usefulness of the results for finding current information is questionable. Would I want to have a feed to potentially dated information? The search tools need more investigation on my part before I use them regularly.
Week 4. Thing # 8 RSS & Bloglines Account
Hey! I really get it. How they create an RSS is still a mystery but maybe some day I’ll even get that.
RSS has possibilities for getting the word out about new services, upcoming programs and new materials to our customers. Yet, I wonder how many customers use RSS. Perhaps initially it has a place in communicating with staff.
On a personal level, I could really get carried away. Next thing you know you're spending your day reading all your feeds. Of course, many of the topics of personal interest currently don’t exist or were not free feeds. This could become as addictive and time consuming as reading email.
By the way here is my public Bloglines URL
http://www.bloglines.com/public/Bellefontaine
RSS has possibilities for getting the word out about new services, upcoming programs and new materials to our customers. Yet, I wonder how many customers use RSS. Perhaps initially it has a place in communicating with staff.
On a personal level, I could really get carried away. Next thing you know you're spending your day reading all your feeds. Of course, many of the topics of personal interest currently don’t exist or were not free feeds. This could become as addictive and time consuming as reading email.
By the way here is my public Bloglines URL
http://www.bloglines.com/public/Bellefontaine
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Week 3, Thing # 7 Neat Technology
Rome Reborn 1.0
See the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, or the ancient city of Rome as a detailed 3-D computer generated reconstruction created by an international team of architects, computer scientists, archaeologists, and classics scholars. Sections of the Rome Reborn 1.0 simulation are available at http://www.romereborn.virginia.edu/ .
The digital model can be updated to reflect the latest archaeological discovery. The dream is that scholars will share information no longer just in text but through similar digital models to which all scholars can contribute their findings. Other scholars are beginning to create these models. It is hoped that a database of these models and related textual resources will follow.
Shortly tourists in Rome will be able to view a simulation of ancient Rome Reborn on satellite-guided handsets and as a 3-D orientation movie. What a great way to understand the ruins you are visiting!
As a potential educational tool this type of simulation is awesome for grasping history and culture. Both students and scholars would benefit from what could potentially be a visual encyclopedia of the world's cultural heritage.
The article mentions the application of “reverse modeling” used by engineers interested in the design of the Coliseum. The Coliseum was recorded as a great people mover that allowed people to enter and exit the building quickly. The engineers peopled the model with virtual spectators and studied the simulated traffic flow.
Their are so many creative possibilities for using this type of technology.
Two articles, “Ancient Rome reborn in virtual reality” on MSNBC at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19173006/ and “Rome Reborn” in Newsweek http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19169594/site/newsweek/ introduced me to this project.
See the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, or the ancient city of Rome as a detailed 3-D computer generated reconstruction created by an international team of architects, computer scientists, archaeologists, and classics scholars. Sections of the Rome Reborn 1.0 simulation are available at http://www.romereborn.virginia.edu/ .
The digital model can be updated to reflect the latest archaeological discovery. The dream is that scholars will share information no longer just in text but through similar digital models to which all scholars can contribute their findings. Other scholars are beginning to create these models. It is hoped that a database of these models and related textual resources will follow.
Shortly tourists in Rome will be able to view a simulation of ancient Rome Reborn on satellite-guided handsets and as a 3-D orientation movie. What a great way to understand the ruins you are visiting!
As a potential educational tool this type of simulation is awesome for grasping history and culture. Both students and scholars would benefit from what could potentially be a visual encyclopedia of the world's cultural heritage.
The article mentions the application of “reverse modeling” used by engineers interested in the design of the Coliseum. The Coliseum was recorded as a great people mover that allowed people to enter and exit the building quickly. The engineers peopled the model with virtual spectators and studied the simulated traffic flow.
Their are so many creative possibilities for using this type of technology.
Two articles, “Ancient Rome reborn in virtual reality” on MSNBC at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19173006/ and “Rome Reborn” in Newsweek http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19169594/site/newsweek/ introduced me to this project.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Week 3, Thing # 6 Flickr Third-party Applications
Here is my attempt at a magazine cover. Don't think I'll be hired by any magazine publishers.
Thing # 6 introduced some really clever applications for Flickr. I spent more time than I should have looking at Flickr Colr Pickrs and FlickrMontagr. Neat!! Next I found Flickr Sudoku at http://flickrsudoku.com/ Had to try that out. Montagr and Flickr Sudoku are MashupAwards winners.
I don’t know where to stop. Dumpr.net presents two rather unique ways to present your photos to family or friends, Brilliant Circles at http://www.dumpr.net/brilliant-circles.php and Brilliant World of Easter Eggs at http://www.dumpr.net/brilliant-eggs.php Have a look!
I don’t know where to stop. Dumpr.net presents two rather unique ways to present your photos to family or friends, Brilliant Circles at http://www.dumpr.net/brilliant-circles.php and Brilliant World of Easter Eggs at http://www.dumpr.net/brilliant-eggs.php Have a look!
Week 3, Thing # 5 Flickring Images
Since I do not own a digital camera, my recent trip to New Zealand was documented on 35 mm film. Not too conducive for using Flickr. However, this photo that I found on Flickr does give you an idea of why I was so awestruck by the Huka Falls. The deafening rumble of rushing crystal blue-green water was breathtaking. No kayaking here.
Huka Falls
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93474406@N00/462672029 Photo owned and uploaded on April 17, 2007 by Fritzy2
The Maori word “Huka” means “foam”. These wonderful falls are just north of Taupo, New Zealand. 62,000 gallons of water per second pour down the Falls. The Falls are caused by the Waikato River, which goes from 250 yards across to a confining 50 ft wide, forcing the water through a hard volcanic rock gorge. Today, the flow of water is controlled depending on the rainfall and the needs for power generation from the hydo-electric dams on the river downstream. It is hard to believe the water comes from the placid fresh-water Lake Taupo.
The entire Lake Taupo area is within an active volcanic region complete with bubbling mud pots, geysers, floating rocks (pumice), steaming cliffs, and boiling lakes. The lake itself was formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption. Yes, we even experienced an earthquake!
Huka Falls
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93474406@N00/462672029 Photo owned and uploaded on April 17, 2007 by Fritzy2
The Maori word “Huka” means “foam”. These wonderful falls are just north of Taupo, New Zealand. 62,000 gallons of water per second pour down the Falls. The Falls are caused by the Waikato River, which goes from 250 yards across to a confining 50 ft wide, forcing the water through a hard volcanic rock gorge. Today, the flow of water is controlled depending on the rainfall and the needs for power generation from the hydo-electric dams on the river downstream. It is hard to believe the water comes from the placid fresh-water Lake Taupo.
The entire Lake Taupo area is within an active volcanic region complete with bubbling mud pots, geysers, floating rocks (pumice), steaming cliffs, and boiling lakes. The lake itself was formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption. Yes, we even experienced an earthquake!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Week 2, Thing # 4 A Registered Blog
Yessss!! I'm registered. Bring on my prize and the CEUs of course.
Week 2, Thing # 3 Setting up a Blog
Well I finally made it. I must have spent 15 minutes just trying to set up the account. Finding an available name for the blog address took the most time.
After creating my blog, I had to sign out. When attempting to do my first posts, I had trouble logging on to my blog through Blogger. It told me an account didn't exist even though I could bring up my blog through the blog address.
Somehow I managed to get to this page to edit my blog, but I'm still confused. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do any customizing of the page.
I guess I'm on the track since the posts seem to be appearing on the blog. I'm sure it will all be a breeze next week.
Blogging is neat! It should be useful both on a personal and professional level.
After creating my blog, I had to sign out. When attempting to do my first posts, I had trouble logging on to my blog through Blogger. It told me an account didn't exist even though I could bring up my blog through the blog address.
Somehow I managed to get to this page to edit my blog, but I'm still confused. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do any customizing of the page.
I guess I'm on the track since the posts seem to be appearing on the blog. I'm sure it will all be a breeze next week.
Blogging is neat! It should be useful both on a personal and professional level.
Week 1, Thing # 2 Being a Lifelong Learner
I consider myself a lifelong learner. How else can you keep abreast of all the changes going on around you? It takes less than a nanosecond for me to become curious about most any topic. If I really get into the topic I’ll find ways to learn more and more about it.
I've got it!!
The first 2 habits are the easiest for me. Once I’ve determined what I want or need to learn, I can usually determine how and what I need to do to reach that goal.
It's really hard!!
Viewing problems as challenges is hard for me. I tend to get caught up in the situation and to seek the quickest remedy. After the fact, I might look into how to prepare myself for handling the situation better should the problem reoccur.
I've got it!!
The first 2 habits are the easiest for me. Once I’ve determined what I want or need to learn, I can usually determine how and what I need to do to reach that goal.
It's really hard!!
Viewing problems as challenges is hard for me. I tend to get caught up in the situation and to seek the quickest remedy. After the fact, I might look into how to prepare myself for handling the situation better should the problem reoccur.
Week 1, Thing # 1 Learning 23 Things
Finally a chance to really grasp what those tech terms really mean. This learning approach may do the trick.
“ All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” Galileo Galilei quote
“ All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” Galileo Galilei quote
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