THE 23RD THING!!!!

I was reluctant at first to start this venture when it was first announced. Honestly, I though "What more can I learn than what I already know?" I know, that is a bad, bad attitude to have, but I didn't think I was going to see anything new that I hadn't seen before. Well, I was only partly right in that assumption. Yes, I knew that many of the tools we explored over the past few weeks existed, and I was mildly aware of their application in the library....but I have learned much more than I ever expected. These excercises challenged me to explore these tools and discover new an inovative ways to utilize them in my everyday life.

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
Del.icio.us is one of my favorite discoveries...I really enjoy the ways I can keep track of my bookmarks, as well as share with others.
The image mashup excercise was a nice opportunity to play and learn at the same time.
Googledocs has become a lifesaver in service to many of the patrons at this branch.

How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?If anything, this program has taught me to never stop exploring because there will always be a new tool or application that I can utilize in my professional as well as personal life. Technolgoy is everchanging, and I want to be on the crest of that wave. I wish this wasn't the end of 23 Things, but that just means that I will have to take more of an initiative to continue exploring, discovering, and sharing.

Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
Blogging was something that I shyed away from for so long, but amired when others did so elequently. I love my blog now, and will continue to post well past the end of this learning experience.

What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
I love the format and the concept! Don't change a thing!


If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again chose to participate?
I think that would have to be a "YES!"




....I think I'm done now!

Downloadable Media

I have used Net Library a couple of times to view ebooks, but haven't attempted to download any audiobooks until today. Apparently I don't have the latest version of Windows Media Player, because I was unable to obtain the license to listen to the book. That was frustrating, but not unsolvable. I should probably just download the Net Library Media Center to circumvent the problem.

Overdrive looks appealing, but I will have to find time at home to download the Overdrive Media center and play with it a bit. I have an Ipod, so I will test out the transfer to a portable device when I get home. From just playing around with Overdrive, I can say that I like the interface a bit more than Net Library. While Net library seems easier to use, Overdrive appeals to me more and the added effort to use the system seems worth it to me. From just playing around with Overdrive, I can say that I like the interface a bit more than Net Library. While Net library seems easier to use, Overdrive appeals to me more and the added effort to use the system seems worth it to me.

I compared these two tools based on features that are most important to me:
When users first enter the Overdrive site, help is apparent. The user does not have to search for a guide, it is linked right on the front page. NetLibrary users have to dig for a start-up guide.
NetLibrary does not require any special downloads in order to listen to audio books, while Overdrive does require the user to download the Media Center. (not a huge problem for me, but that limits use on public library computers)
Overdrive offers IPod downloads, while Netlibrary does not.

Overall, I think Overdrive is going to be a better bet for me, but I'm sure I will use them both equally.

Library 2.0 perspective

As a relatively new librarian, I was initiated into library culture with Library 2.0 firmly planted in my head. From the first day of my Library Science program, I was aware of Library 2.0. Of course, I knew it only in abstract terms at the time. My final farewell from many of my professors included a push to incorporate Library 2.0 in my new career. What is Library 2.0? It wasn't until I stepped into my role as a librarian that I was able to truly understand the importance of this concept. In my mind, I consider it to be a movement towards keeping users at the forefront of any initiative towards change in the library, by specifically utilizing new technologies to reach out to our community of patrons. Being aware of the user's needs and possible contributions to our work is the first step in developing a functional Library 2.0 environment. With the ever changing web, we are presented with numerous tools and applications that at first inception were not meant for specific use in libraries. Through ingenuity, these applications have found purpose in our everyday interactions with patrons. That being said, these tools are not necessarily evident to the public. Many of these tools are to our professional benefit to make us better, stronger, smarter librarians. Sure, we could survive without these tools, but libraries would surely be left in the dust if we did not evolve to fit this new culture of technology.
Library 2.0 is slated as service for the next-generation, and I see the weight of this statement with every interaction I have with my teens. They are plugged in and ready to go. Will the library be ready for them when they become out adult patrons? With the steps I have already witnessed in SAPL, I know we will be ready.

A message brought to you by YouTube

I've been a fan of YouTube for a couple of years already, but it never ceases be a constant source of entertainment. You really can find just about anything on there, and yes sometimes you should be careful because your eyes will never recover from some of the crazy things people will put out there for public consumption. I love the ease of copying and pasting the coded html text so you can embed it in your blog in just a few clicks. You don't even have to sign up for in order to make use of the videos, you just click and go. I personally like that because I don't like to enter my personal information in every website or share service. Who knows what they do with my email once they own it?

This is just a little Christmas fun! Be sure to have your speakers on to enjoy it to the maximum. Happy Holidays to you all!

#21

The number 21 is my lucky number...and I did prove to be lucky when exploring Thing #21: Podcasts. I don't have much experience with podcasts, so I started this excersise with no real expectations. Well, I was pleasantly suprised. I found a podcast for one of my favorite NPR shows, and I am thoroughly excited about it. If you haven't heard of This American Life , which is a weekly radio show found on NPR, you are missing out. The basic premise of the show is just that, basic. Ira Glass, who by the way is an amazing personality, presents a weekly theme and three stories that align with that theme. These stories are about every day people or events, that somehow take on an epic quality. The real appeal is that these stories appear ordinary at first glance, but viewed through Ira's lense they take on this extraordinary magic of their own. Check out one of their favorite stories, Episode 360: Switched at Birth

Podcasts are generally easy to use, and can be valued for both informational and entertaining qualities...yet another 2.0 tool we can utilize to streamline our busy lives. I never catch This American Life on the live radio, but now I can keep up with the episodes on my own time. Now that I've added it to my Google Reader, I can have easy access to my favorite radio show!

WEB 2.0 Award

I'm always on the hunt for a good deal, and Craig's List is a great site for snatching up some awesome bargains. With just a few clicks, I can find everything that I could possibly want or need. Sure, maybe that bicycle needs a bit of work, but it's vintage! And it might not be a castle, but you can't beat $500 a month for this beauty ! All in all, I can find everything I need in one place. From a vehicle to get me from point A to point B, to a sturdy if not beautiful roof over my head, and yes, even my very own wall-phone so I can call home and tell mom about all the great deals I've found!
Oh, and if Santa happens to be reading this blog, click here!

I love the plain format of the site. It is pretty straightforward, no real guessing involved when navigating the page. The lack of flashy graphics and neon buttons is much appreciated; it almost has the flea-market feel with the bare bones display. Much more appealing and easier to search than the Sunday Classifieds, plus I can just email the seller if I am interested in an item.

So far that's it for this very uninspiring Sunday morning. I need to go back to bed.

Slowly, but surely....

When I orignally used the image generator, my phrase was too long to fit in my blog and appear right. So, I did a "print screen", and copied my image into Publisher. I then croped the screen shot and saved it as a picture. Then, I went to Photobucket and uploaded the picture so I could post it on my blog. Not sure if this was the long way of doing things, but I got it done nonetheless!

Have your own fun with Flickr Spelling!!

Google Docs Rock!

I am dancing in my seat right now, because I was able to put Google Docs to use for the first time today.
First, a little background. Our public computers have recently been transitioned to use flashdrives instead of floppy disks. Many of our patrons only have access to disks, and some cannot afford the price of a flash drive. As you can imagine, that can be frustrating for our patrons who are creating documents such as resumes or reshearch papers.
Today I came across a young lady who was working on a final research paper. She only had a floppy disk to save her work on, and no money to print. At first, the situation looked bleak, but then the light bulb flashed on above my head. An idea! Yes! Google Docs! After I did an internal happy dance, I sat with the young woman and proceeded to set up a Google account for her, and gave her a quick tutorial on how Google Docs works. Now, this lady appeared to be relativelly unfamiliar with technology of any sort, so I was a bit apprehensive of throwing this application in her lap. Fortunatly, Google Docs is so easy to use that it only took about 2 1/2 minutes to show her how to use it to create documents and save them. She did not ask for any further assistance, so I assume she was able to navigate the system the rest of the way. I know that I am going to be using Google Docs on a regular basis from this point forward.


I'm so happy I could kiss my computer!

I Heart Wikipedia

I can't count the number of times I've heard students say "My teacher says that we shouldn't use wikipedia because it is not reliable." This frustrates me to no end. I love Wikipedia , and I think it is a great resource for students, especially when dealing with topics with which they are only vaguely familiar. The format is easy to follow, and when taken with a grain of salt, the information is helpful and most times reliable. I often explain to them that wikipedia has weaknesses not unlike all other information resources. One of the major reasons people distrust wikipedia is because the information it contains is edited by numerous contributors, sometimes annonymously. I say "What?!" In my humble opinion, that is what makes it so great. To have a topic expanded by people from varying backgrounds and disciplines adds to its credibility in my mind. Not only can people add to entries, they can also challenge faulty information. What other source can brag of timely (sometimes daily or even minute to minute) updates and editing? In graduate school I wrote a paper on the validity of wikipedia compared to that of other trusted information resources. You know what I found? You might want to sit down for this one.....When articles on the same topic taken from both Wikipedia and Encyclopedia Britanica were compared, researchers found an average of 3.86 errors per Wikipedia article, and 2.92 errors per Britannica article. Hmmmmm.....let's just chew on that one for a minute. Apparently, the overall integrity of Wikipedia has been found to be at least comparable to that of The Encyclopedia Britannica. And teachers still say that it is unreliable? For now, to satisfy teachers across the country, I will say that Wikipedia is at the very least a good starting point for students who are researching topics for school papers. And the next time a student chastizes you for using wikipedia to help them explore a topic, take the time to educate them on the usefulness of this wonderful tool.

Rollyo

It took me approximately 2 1/2 minutes to set up a searchroll with Rollyo , and I am quite impressed. My typical MO is to enter a site, see if I can make sense of the application, and in the case of Rollyo, try to create my own. It really was self explanitory. After creating my searchroll, I went back and read the user guide and found even more exciting things that I can do! I will admit that I rely on Google to a great extent, but I have a feeling that I will be creating my own search engines from now on. Oh, the power! No longer a slave to Google! In all actuallity, this tool will allow me to streamline my searches, specifically refering to searching for book reviews for the newest teen materials. The searchroll I set up for this excersize consists mainly of sites that are dedicated to reviewing young adult literature, but I'm not stopping there. After some experimentation, I have a sneaking suspicion that I will have numerous searchrolls created by the end of the day.

Playing Catsup

I'm a bad, bad blogger. I've neglected my poor 23 things blog, and I should be scolded. Okay, so it really boils down to the fact that I feel guilty playing like this at work, but since it is a sanctioned play time, I suppose I should get back in the groove here before the deadline hits.

So, in order to bring myself up to date with the 23 things, I'm going to do a couple right here.

Week 4 RSS feeds
I've known about RSS feeds for a bit, and while I see them as really neat opportunities for staying up to date on all my favorite review and news sources, I really don't see myself utilizing them on a daily basis. I set up a Google reader account, and to tell you the truth, I really didn't like the interface. I was just bored with it. I did find quite a few feeds that would be useful to me in my work with the teens, but I would much rather bookmark the site and check it every couple of days. I feel like the feed makes me miss out on the full experience, especially when I really like the layout of the site I'm accessing.

Week 5 Playing
Oh boy! I absolutely love, love, love GoodReads. If there is any one site that I visit on a daily basis, that would be it. I've discovered some really great reads just by browsing shelves belonging to other people. Many of my coworkers have accounts as well, so I can see what everyone is reading on a daily basis. Being able to keep track of the books I've read, want to read, or what is currently on my nightstand has come in handy many times. I even use it to select books for the teen book group. I love having access to all of those reviews and star ratings at just the click of a button. I've even put the Goodreads widget on the teen Myspace page so the teens can check out what I'm reading or what books are being considered for the book group.

Week 6 Tagging
I've heard whispers of Delicious in hallways, and elevators, and up until today had no idea what it was all about. Well, I have seen the light! I haven't had a chance to really explore this tool to its full extent, but I have a feeling that there is much more than meets the eye with this application. First of all, having remote access to all of my bookmarks? Talk about a life saver. How many times have I been working on a project (usually a craft project for the teens), needed to refer to a site, forgotten the URL and even the web page name, and been stuck because someone was using the computer I was on when I bookmarked the site? I only have a couple of bookmarks saved on my account at the moment, but as soon as I get a chance I'm going to really sit down and explore!

Okay, three weeks down, three more to go. I think I've made some good progress tonight, so I'm going to go relax now. (I'm doing this from home....double shame on me.)

Bonnie and Clyde - Photographic Immortality

Bonnie and Clyde 081
Originally uploaded by WildFlower's Pics

Earlier this week, my home computer had a slight malfunction. Well, I say slight, but it resulted in me losing every single photo I had uploaded from my digital camera in the past 5 years. Five years of photos gone in a flash. Family moments, road trips, birthdays, friends of all shapes and sizes....all gone. As you can imagine, I was momentarily devastated. That is, until I realized that at least 50% of my images were saved in some form or fashion. Between my Photobucket account, my Dad's Flickr account, my sister-in-law's blog, and my countless friends' Myspace pages, I can account for the most important of my photos. My first instinct was to save all of these photos on my hard drive again, and relax in the comfort of knowing that at least some of my memories had been restored. On second thought I realized that these images were safer if I kept them on an image hosting site. Not only can I safely keep track of my images, I can edit, share, organize and access my photos from any location. In the past I have strictly used Photobucket, but I'm going to explore Flickr. To begin, I loaded my Halloween photos. I love the edit tools....and I'm even thinking of signing up for the Premium service so I can have access to even more tools.

7 1/2 Habits

A stark reality set in when I finally graduated last winter with my master's degree. From graduation day forward, I was responsible for my own learning. There were no more professors to serve me prepackaged, preservative-laced fundamental gold nuggets of knowledge. No more opportunities to flesh out my ideas in a 20-page research paper. Gone with the required reading; gone with the late night study session; gone with the degree plan with its strictures and limitations. I finally had a choice, a realistic opportunity to say "I want to learn about (insert interesting topic here) ." While I love the fact that there is a surplus of information-ready brain space, sometimes I get overzealous and try to cram an entire lifetime of learning into one session. I want to devour an entire book and expect to retain all of it, but don't really know what I'm going to do with the information once I have it. That's where my problems start. Without an end goal in mind, I often lose the information just from lack of use. In order to retain knowledge, you must put it into practice and recall it on a consistent basis. (Okay, so maybe I did hold on to some of my Theories of Learning and Cognition class from 1999.) I'll read, and watch, and learn, but in the end am I not really just full of useless information until I can put what I know into practice?

Here goes something....

I have been wanting to start a blog for the longest time, but this is my first shot. This lack of motivation is partly to the fact that it has been less than a year that I've had a brain of my own. It takes a while to digest the information deluge that comes with library science school, and for some time I feared that I'd lost my ability to form words into interesting sentences. I tire of regurgitating Ivory Tower babble. I've found that maybe, somewhere, my own rhetoric exists and is eleqouently screaming for my mouth, or in this case hands, to cooperate. So, here goes something...