Ipoditis

OK, Now that we have completed 23 Things and are getting our Ipod Shuffle, will someone explain how to use it? Or is that the 24th Thing? I understand you can tune your Ipod into a radio station and play the tunes you have downloaded instead of the songs on the radio station? I don't think I explained that very well. Well, anyway will someone explain how to use it? Thanks for all of your help Jennifer, rock on!

The Finale!

#23 The End Of The Beginning

Yahoo! I am done! I thought this was a great learning experience. It was fun and interesting most of the time, and I plan on revisiting many of the websites that we had to learn about. I think I would feel confident answering some questions if I needed to in order to help a library patron. I appreciate the opportunity to learn about Learning 2.0 technologies, and feel that each task was just enough to learn about in each one. I would say that the benefits definitely outweigh the drawbacks of the tasks. The drawbacks were: no way 15 minutes for each task was enough, I would say most took at least an hour, I didn't like signing up for all of the web sites, most that I will never use again, I don't like providing personal information on the web, and I have received some really weirdo e-mails, some containing viruses, since I started. Besides the things I just mentioned, I thought it was a great program. I think that the library system should offer this learning opportunity to the patrons in computer classes, although that would take a big time commitment, and I think the area media teachers in the schools should learn about it also. Thanks!

#22 Audiobooks

I had some success with Project Gutenberg. I didn't want to set up another account with a web site that I wouldn't use. As I said before when we were talking about audio books, I prefer to have a book in my hand to read, not stare at a computer screen or an electronic device. That said, I tried researching 3 different authors that I was interested in with no success. I looked at the top 100 books and found mostly classics and obscure non-fiction books. I don't think that is a bad thing. It may be a way for one of our patrons to read a book that we can't acquire for them ourselves. So I think it may be good customer service to have that knowledge on hand. I didn't see any information regarding the length of the books, timewise, and no descriptions about the books themselves. It could be that I just didn't look in the right place, but it made it difficult to choose a book. I did like the FAQs with the varied categories. I thought that was good customer service also.

#21 Podcasting

I tried a couple of the sites for podcasting and several didn't work without loading software that the computer wouldn't accept or we didn't have. However, I did have more success with Yahoo Podcast. Although there were several podcasts that wouldn't load from that site, I at least was able to get a sampling of some, including some more or less audio book chapters, and interviews with artists, as well as some wonderful music audio casts. I thought, just like YouTube, that I could spend a lot of time listening and exploring the site. I preferred YouTube because I could see what I was listening to. I'm glad I had to explore this technology, just to get somewhat familiar with it, and I will visit it at another time.

#20 YouTube

My other addiction other than Harry Potter has been a marathon Gilmore Girls with my daughter. I love the series and am sorry to see it go. I also loved YouTube, and I don't think 15 minutes is enough. That site could quickly develop into another addiction. Good thing my sound card is not working on my computer at home or I wouldn't show up for work. I had a toss up between Gilmore Girls, Ireland the Beautiful, the Manly Art of Knitting and Santana and Eric Clapton. And that was only in the first 15 minutes! I think use of YouTube for libraries could be a good thing. Not only could it be used in an instructional way, but also a creative way to show all of the wide range of things in the library. In addition it would be a creative way to show that librarians don't always say "Shh!" and have interesting personalities as well.

#19 Web 2.0 Award Winners

I thought this site was fascinating. There was something there for everyone, even some of the same sites we had visited before, like LibraryThing. I looked in the Music category at Pandora, where you can create your own radio station based on the music that you like, to the Visual Arts award winners, like Color Blend and Swivel, a tool for creating charts and graphs. Also, I visited Etsy, a web site where you can buy, see and sell handmade things. I could have spent a lot longer on this assignment, checking out all of the sites. It was a good opportunity!

#18 Zoho Writer

After exploring Zoho Writer and Google Docs, I decided to use a feature of Zoho Writer called 30 Boxes - It's Your Life which primarily provides a site for calendars and planners. I decided to set up a calendar of daily events with reminders, and an option to link to friends and family or co-workers. I thought that it might help me manage my time better and remind me of when I have projects due, etc. I was impressed with both web sites and was glad that we were directed to explore them in 23 Things.

Maryland Libraries Sandbox

Well, that was interesting. I decided to make a list of my favorite recipes. I should have added a picture but ran out of time. It is a good way to keep in touch with all of the MD libraries/librarians, and a way to find out some interesting things about all of the above.

Uh Oh!

I forgot all about an entry for Technorati. I was too busy reading the new Harry Potter book! I did explore the web site and reviewed some of the blogs linked to the web site. I thought it was good for those people who would use it but didn't think that I would. I really wasn't interested in any of the top blog sites even though I did understand the tagging concept.

Wiki, Wiki, Wiki, Week 7, #16

I explored several Wiki websites that I thought would be useful for organizations and communities; I think that a wiki would be very useful for communicating within library systems, as Carroll County is with their Project Forum, linked to their intranet and used for internal team communication and file sharing. A great way to cut down on e-mails, and share files without sending them over and over to participants. Also, I think it would be a way to stay proactive with local communities and libraries to set up a wiki that could be contributed to by all. The only drawback that I could see would be editing out inappropriate material. In general, I thought the wiki websites that I visited were good communication tools.

Week 6, #13, Del.icio.us and Tagging

Well, I have tried to comprehend Del.icio.us and I am not sure that I quite get it. I understand tagging and see where it would be useful, and thought it was great for Library Thing. I can understand that it would be very useful as a tool for research assistance, and also a quick and easy way to create bookmarks that could be accessed from anywhere at any time. I guess it depends on the nature of your work, or your time, or lack thereof.

Week 6, #15 Library 2.0

I agree somewhat with Rick Anderson regarding the threat of icebergs in the future success of libraries. On the one hand, he points out that we can no longer attempt to have something for everyone in collections, "just in case" it is needed, on the other he believes that with Web 2.0, patrons will expect access to everything. I don't think that is possible, and I don't think it is probable that we will be able to satisfy all patrons with web tools. Some actually want print material. I also think his second point in reference to user education and easy to use programs like Flickr and image generators, etc., (as we have learned in 23 Things) is relevant because they are easy to use, once you get the hang of them. And lastly, I think our library system is ahead of some others because we are already placing some of our library services and content within the reach of our patrons by using the web.

Rollyo

While I could see where having your own Rollyo would be useful, I don't think I would find it useful on a daily/weekly basis myself.

Purple Cow

One of the quotes I found on Quick Quotes while I was exploring Rollyo was a poem I had to memorize in kindergarten from an old anthology that my mother had from college. I could never find it again, and there it was on World of Quotes.com. It is silly, but I was happy to find it. "I never saw a Purple Cow, I never hope to see one; But I can tell you, anyhow, I'd rather see than be one!" Author: Frank Gelett Burgess

Library Thing

I think Library Thing is a great for librarians or avid readers. One of the features I like the best is the shared feature that you can click on to link to other Library Thing members and review their booklists based on similar authors, etc. I have already discovered some books that I would like to read, and some of my choices in my catalog are not popular books, so it is nice to know there are other similar books that I can find. I am going to keep up with this, and explore other possibilites as a member. My link is:http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php See you there!

Sometimes You Have To Hustle When Life Is A Zoo!

Week 5, Play Week - Boy, I think this is fun! I could spend hours researching the online image generators. Generator Blog looked like it would be interesting but I was looking for a less complicated way to create an avatar. I thought that Letter James could be really useful for both work and home, for altering photos with language, FD Toys looked like fun, and I would like to spend some more time researching it. I thought that Meez.com was the best for creating an avatar, less complicated and more clear cut, and was easier to load on to my blog. That can be found at http://www.meez.com/home.dm. (At least in cyberspace I can get some exercise using my avatar!)

Knit and Purl

Just wanted to see if I could upload a photo from Flikr to my blog. I happen to like the photo so I am going to keep it on here.

Week 4, #9, RSS Feeds and Merlin

I did investigate all of the feed search sites, and was surprised to find on Topix local news for our area. I liked the Feedster site because of all of the information provided in brief snippets for you to explore if you chose. In addition, I was impressed by Technorati, because I found a video on MNSBC of a news anchor, Mika Brzeinski, who refused to read the lead story regarding Paris Hilton, on air. It was refreshing. Also, I disliked Syndic8.com. I thought it was too busy and wordy, and boring. I am going to explore the Merlin site next and am looking forward to it. I will update you on my findings, I know you wait with bated breath.

Colr Pickr

Because I love color, I love Colr Pickr! I did visit Mappr and Montagr, but for me Colr Pickr was the best.

Flickr - Such Color!

I realized I hadn't added anything about Flickr on my blog. When I first explored the site, I was looking for photos of yarn and knitting because I wanted to add them to my blog. I concentrated so much on the how to's of adding the photo that I didn't set up my account and got sidetracked by all of the beautiful and unusual photos. Hopefully, since I now have an account I can add some photos to my blog. What a wonderful resource!

Blogline

Just realized that I created a blogline account many months ago and hadn't visited it lately. Just had to have my password e-mailed to me again and I was in! By coincidence, one of the feeds I received was from the Shifted Librarian. There was a line in there from John Lester of Linden Labs regarding gaming in the library. We are having Gaming WiiK in our library system this month and next and it was interesting to read about the trends in using Wii to attract teens. Also, there was a line in there regarding retirement homes using Wii for seniors to have bowling tournaments. Untapped resource - maybe we should have gaming week just for adults!

Technology

I like digital cameras because you can get an instant photo, and thereby delete it if someone has their eyes closed, etc. Also, because most of my family members do not live in the area, I have Skype set up on my computer at home so I can communicate with them without making a phone call . I would like to learn more about Palm Pilots, even though I will probably never purchase one. I think it would help me to organize life.

ALA Conference

Although I know that this is not part of the 23 Things assignment, I wanted to say how much I enjoyed the ALA Conference June 23rd and 24th in Washington, D.C. It was exciting to see all the energy in the building, not only at the programs, but in the exhibit hall as well. I didn't see very many stereotypical librarians. I did notice that everyone had on comfortable shoes, a very important part of daily dress for a librarian, at least in a public library!

Clarkgirl

Thing 1 - 7 1/2 Habits
Easiest Habit - Boy, that's a tough one. I don't think that any of them are easy for me, even play. Maybe teach or mentor others, although that may also be interpreted as being bossy.
Hardest Habit - Having confidence in myself as a competent, effective learner.