Back At It

Well, I'm back to learning to use new technology with Maryland Learning 2.1. Today's assignment involves posting a powerpoint presentation from SlideShare to my blog. So, here I go. I thought I'd get a little fancy and post it to the sidebar rather than just as a post. It seemed to work just fine. Looked for something humorous hence the strange motorcycle shots. I found the Maryland Library slideshows with no trouble at all. The site seems quite easy to use and search. I imagine you could find some useful instructional slides here. I found some interesting slide shows, I may review when I have more time. The drawback is the question of reliability of information. There is no guarantee that the source of the information is reliable. If a reputable source posts an instructional slideshow, they would most likely claim their authorship.

Finally!

Well, I finally changed my outfit (after a year) and I'm ready for Christmas, 2008. Next up...Widgets!

Ready for Christmas! Happy Holidays!

Thing 23 - Woo Hooo!

I cannot tell a lie... I am happy to be finished with "The 23 Things." Actually, I learned quite alot and gained confidence in using some of the "things" to which I was re-introduced, such as blogging. I am happy, not because I just wanted to get done, but because there are some things to which I plan to return and either use or explore further. The looming deadline for completion hindered my adequate exploration of some tools.
Overall, this was a terrific exercise as many of us as librarians experienced the problems that are encountered by our patrons. Better understanding the current technology and what can go wrong with it will help us to serve the public more efficiently.

Thing 22 - Downloadable Audiobooks

The selection of titles offered as audiobooks from Project Gutenberg is rather limited. I did find titles that I would not mind "reading." I even found at least one that is on my list of classics I have to read at some time. Overdrive had a wider selection of current offerings, but most of these would have to be placed on hold. I was surprised at how many titles are now able to be burned to a CD. Unfortunately, although I checked out three titles (one was an ebook-oops!), I am unable to configure my Window Media Player to listen. I got the expected error requesting a "Security Upgrade," then I got a message stating that there is a problem with the "Digital Rights Management component" and I need to contact Microsoft. For the record, I had no problem listening to my Gutenberg Project selection. I am really puzzled as I have downloaded and listened to an audiobook from the MD Library Consortium previously.
I think this is a great service that is offered by Project Gutenberg and the MD Libraries. I think it is important that we as librarians continue to take advantage of these services now and then so that we can understand the problems our patrons experience and work to improve the service and find solutions before our patrons encounter the problems.

Thing 21 - Finding Podcasts

At first glance, I did not find the tools for locating podcasts much more useful than Technorati. The few book review podcasts I was able to find using podcast.net and podcastalley seemed rather new and, therefore, lacking in content. Librarian podcasts were mostly system-centric (is that a word?). I did not bother much with Yahoo Podcasts as there is a message explaining that this is a site they are discontinuing as of October 31, 2007. I finally just went to NPR and added their podcast feed to my blogroll.
What I did like about Podcastalley was their own podcast interviews. One of the first I saw was an interview with Marcus Couch, host of The Scene Zine. I began listening to The Scene Zine, not the interview. The show plays rock/heavy metal music that one cannot hear on the radio. I really enjoyed most of the music on the two shows I heard.
I do not believe there is much use for these sites in the library; however, visiting them from time to time and playing around with them might reveal the occasional worthwhile podcast.

Thing 20 - YouTube

I have often viewed videos on YouTube, so I was already familiar with the site. I had never embedded a video clip in anything... email, blog, etc. After several false starts, I was actually able to post this video to my blog more easily than is described in the discovery exercise. I simply set up a YouTube account, added my blog, and when I found the video I wanted to include in my blog, I clicked on "Post." It was that simple. I did try adding comment to the post entry that contains the video clip after posting it. This seemed to delete the actual video, so I deleted that entry and re-posted.
I imagine the library could upload "how to" videos about services available at the library to YouTube and then link to these videos from the home page of the library's website. After enjoying some old commercials and domino videos, I searched on the term "library" and came up with multiple library videos. I liked this one because it reminds users of all the OpenSource software available.

Ubuntu @ the Library

Resourceful!

Thing 15 - Library 2.0

This was a particularly difficult assignment in that there is so much info. The OCLC perspectives are simple enough to read and evaluate so that is what I will do. I do, however, plan on returning to Walt Crawford's extensive article on Library 2.0 as he seems to mirror my feelings about the whole Library 2.0 concept. However, 32 pages is a little too extensive at this point.
As for the OCLC newsletter, I definitely agree with Tom Storey that the principles that drove/are driving Web 2.0 will be reflected in Library 2.0. I think Rick Anderson's statement that no library should embrace new technology without considering how that technology gels with their own core principles and values is of great importance. This point is also made by Michael Stevens in disparaging "technolust" while emphasizing the importance of "trendspotting." So I guess what is really important is trendspotting coupled with trend analysis within the framework of the individual library system and its self-image.

Thing 14 - Technorati

Exploring Technorati left me feeling empty. I had a hard time discovering its usefulness. Then I searched Blogs for some health topics and realized that if you had a specific need to see how other people were coping with health problems that affected you and/or your family, you might find personal blogs, and maybe support, through this site. I do not see myself using this site.

Thing 13 - del.icio.us

I can see the usefulness of this bookmarking website. I have been completing my 23 Things from many different computers and my usual route is log in to passport, click on Harford County Participants, scroll down to "The 23 Things" and get moving from there. I had book-marked Maryland Learning 2.0 on my home computer. Now I can go to del.icio.us from any computer and click on the site. I have many bookmarks I would not put on this site, but I am bookmarking the sites I found interesting from the 23 Things.

Thing 19 - Web 2.0 Award Winners

Puzzle games are my thing so I chose to explore Arcaplay. I quickly found a few games that could easily be my new addiction. Great site! I'm not sure that it really has any application to my work as a librarian. I am thinking that maybe I could direct parents to the site if they have children to entertain while they are working on the library computers.

Thing 18 - gottastartsomewhere

My First Zoho Document

What better way to demonstrate my use of Zoho Writer, than to create my blog entry for Thing 18 using this web application and then exporting the document to my blog. Zoho and I had a ruff rough start. First, I entered half my home email address and half of my work address when registering. I had a little difficulty fixing this problem, but all is now well.

Next, I tried changing font size and color and removing the underlining after typing my heading. These font characteristics seemed to repeatedly change back to defaults on their own. After several false starts, I was able to create the document as I wished.

I am still having some difficulty setting the font type and size prior to actually typing although it is easy enough to type and then change the document to look the way I want to. Even as I just edited some of my text above, the preceding paragraph changed to 24 pt (for no reason?). So, while this particular online productivity is not perfect, I think it is a great tool especially for students who always forget their papers, disks, etc. If a student typed their research paper using a tool such as this, they could easily print it out during homeroom.  I even spell-checked this document.

P.S. The document did not post exactly as the print preview showed. Background color was unplanned and should have been white for all of the text not in italics. This text was added using the blog editor, not Zoho. Another drawback is that printing the document from Zoho leaves "page a of n" at the top, the url address of Zoho and the date at the bottom of each page. I assume that there is probably a setting which allows these to be hidden. All in all, I am glad to know this is out there and I will be happy to appear so brilliant the first time it comes in handy.

Thing 17 - Playing in the Sandbox

I enjoyed the simplicity of this "Thing." Everyone needs to play around now and then. My only complaint is that it is not as easy to point and click as was described. I tried entering my blog title and linking it to the url without success. I gave up and listed my url only which is really no big deal as my url pretty closely mimics my blog title. I even completed the optional exercise three. See my entry under Favorite Dogs about Jade and Copper.

Thing 16 - About Wikis

I already had some experience with Wikis from my LATI training and, of course, I have been to Wikipedia. I found the Book Lovers Wiki interesting although it does not have too many reviews yet. I was thinking that a Wiki could be developed for HCPL that explains to patrons how to use HIP to find their books. We could add a link to the results pages that says "Now what do I do?" and it would take them to a Wiki that explains what to do at each step of their search. It could explain what is meant by the collections labels and the call number and tell them what information is necessary to find their books in the stacks once they see that the branch has a copy checked in.

Thing 12 - Rollyo

Making it to the halfway point is gratifying. A tool such as Rollyo may be a great way to combine all of our links and favorites in one convenient location on our reference desk computers. The drawback with my search roll is that it returns multiple entries from one site and then multiple entries from another and so on. Once you search for one thing, you can see what stores are listed on my roll and search each, one at a time, with a click of the mouse.

Thing 11 - Library Thing

I love this Library Thing. I expect to go back and edit some of my entries after I am finished the 23 Things. This is a great way to keep track of what I have read and I may even try to incorporate notes about language, sex, etc. in my personal reviews so that I can better remember and choose better for the "gentle reader."
Just as an aside, one thing I am finding in completing the 23 Things is that, in trying to complete them by the deadline, I do not have the time to use some of the more useful Things for their intended purposes. This is a little frustrating. I realize I can go back and take my time with them when I am finished, but I wonder if I will?

Thing 10 - Image Generators

Well, I played around with a few of the image generators. Very cool. I created my Meez during the Technology Fair (my minimimi looks a little better than the real Mimi). I also enjoyed the Dylan message generator. I can't wait to think of a good time and message to send to my husband using this. I think image generators such as Meez and avatars can help emails or ims seem a little more personal. Otherwise, they are just fun.

Thing 9 - News Feed Search Tools

I was not very impressed with any of the news feed search tools. I think it is more effective to google a subject, explore the results of my google search, then subscribe to sites that I find worthwhile. The "feed" finding tools return way too many personal blogs. Many of these merely mention one of my search terms, but, in actuality, have nothing at all to do with my subject of interest.

Thing 8 - RSS feeds

This is, so far, my favorite if not one of my more time-consuming exercises. I am listening, as I type, to the World Cafe which I used to listen to on WXPN in NJ when I was picking the kids up from school. I forgot how pleasant a show it is. I can see how having new items only fed to one site can be very useful both personally and professionally. I subscribed to Reader's Club: African-American which will send me book reviews. There were so many genres from which to choose, I decided to select only the one. I can then reach the site and select from any genre simply by clicking on the book title. I also selected NPR: Books as we often have patrons request books that were discussed on NPR and they do not have the exact title and/or author so this is a useful feed. Finally, I successfully shared my blogroll with the help of my coworker, E.B. Thanks Elizabeth!