FINAL, 9-WEEKER POST!!!!!

This has been a worthwhile 9-weeks. I loved the "generators" week. That was fun. (And informative.) It's nice to know what all those "RSSes" mean when you're looking at different websites. Of course, this last week with "audiobooks" has helped me on a personal level, considering that I'd been wanting to download some books recently. It's nice to know more about "wikis", beyond just Wikipedia!
I already have my own family blog, but these exercises gave me more insight into what can be done with blogs in the work environment. So, yes, this was beneficial. And yes, I would participate in another discovery program.

OVERDRIVE, HERE I COME....

This was a very beneficial exercise, because I'd been wanting to download audiobooks to my iPod Shuffle. I DID, however, discover that I must use iTunes to transfer OverDrive's MP3 files to the Shuffle, rather than use their usual "Media Console Transfer Wizard." Good to know. I look forward to trying this out when I get the time.
For now, I listened to a PRIDE AND PREJUDICE excerpt. It's nice to have excerpts available, to see if you like the narrator's voice and style.
Cool! I'm glad our library website has this so easily available.

PODCAST DIRECTORIES

I didn't have a lot of time to explore the podcasts. Nevertheless, it's good to know these directories exist. News to me....
I chose NPR, and went to their "NPR Columns: Books We Like" for my RSS feed. Obviously, this book review feed would be valuable in a library setting.

Hen-REEEE!!!!

I've seen YouTube videos numerous times over the past several years, usually because a friend had forwarded them in an email. Or my husband had found a good comedy video while playing on YouTube. I'd never taken the time before to explore it. Nice to know that there are so many categories available; I chose EDUCATION this time. And I found a spotlighted video, less than 2 minutes long, entitled "The Life of Henry David Thoreau." Quick biography, but it had some good photos.
I also was interested in the "non-profit" portion, and found videos made by "Friends of the Earth" and the "Asia Society." Interesting. This could definitely be used on the library website. Some of these videos would be difficult to find elsewhere.

Web 2.0 Awards List

Didn't even KNOW they had an "awards list"! Good to know that.
I chose the site, "My Heritage", since genealogy is a love of mine. It was pretty elementary, but the tabs make it easy for a user to navigate around the site. There is a special tab just for photographs, which is a nice touch to anyone's family history. As far as application to a library setting, I think that it would be a wonderful site to introduce in a workshop, particularly with youth - to help them get started in recording their family history, and feeling a part of that heritage. Beginning adults, also, would benefit from the simplicity of this site. It makes family history seem exciting and state-of-the-art. Eventually, of course, users would need to include research from some of the other sites, such as Ancestry.

Zoho Is Cool

Yep. I like the idea of having one's documents available in places other than one's own PC. Makes it tres convenient. Zoho is user-friendly, too. I think it's something I can use in the future.

Week 7 Finally Continues!

I've forgotten much of what I did with "23 Things" over the past couple of weeks....It's difficult to find time to do this when you're participating in the opening of a new library!
Anyway, it was easy to add my blog to the FAVORITE BLOGS page -- clicking, highlighting, etc. Now, I must go on to weeks 8 and 9....

THE WONDERS OF WIKIS!!!!

This was a pretty cool exercise. Previously,I'd only been aware of Wikipedia. I liked the look of the Bull Run Library wiki, but that one seemed more like a website than a wiki. I really liked the "Best Practices" wiki. It was succinct, and it had that marvelous tab for comments. Someone mentioned, on one of these wikis, that they are great for sharing library ideas, experiences, successes, etc., which I think is a great thing. There's really no reason for any of us, in this awesome information age, to allow our libraries to be way back in the 20th Century, now is there?

Feelings about Web 2.0

I've been learning some new things about what's available on the internet through this "tutorial". HOWEVER, it's been frustrating trying to 1) find the project time to do it, and 2) avoid the many distractions in the work area. Just when you're gaining enthusiasm for a lesson, you get an interruption, or the hour is up, and you must go to another area of the library.
In MY case, I began "23 Things" as a displaced OBB Youth Services staffer assigned to RPB Circulation. Now, I've been re-assigned to HRR Circ., where there weren't any working computers available to most of the staff for the first week (not to mention the volume of work to be done here. Ergo, time lost to work on "23 things".
I truly wish that I'd had more time to explore these things. I really had no concept of the wonderful sites available to us all. Perhaps sometime soon, before I forget too much about them,I'll find time at home to pursue some of my favorites.

ICEBERGS

"Away from the Icebergs" was interesting, in that it pointed out 3 dangerous threats to the future success of libraries: The "just in case" collection, reliance on user education, and the "come to us" model of library service. All three of these, I think, are true. The traditional COLLECTION has been available for "if" and "when" patrons might need the items. I liked the point made that library staff aren't teachers -- If patrons cant' use the services available, then the service needs to be changed! AND, thirdly, the libraries need to find ways of bringing services TO patrons, rather than insisting that the patrons come to the library...on our terms! It's exciting to speculate on the various possibilities for the future. The main thing to remember is that the world, even for libraries, is changing VERY quickly, and libraries need to not only keep up, but think WAY ahead. So that the patrons can benefit.

Week 6

Found a bookmark..."Gather" then "Olive Oil is Olive Oil." This'll be nice, think of the creative resources available with all this sharing stuff!

WRIGHT BROS. and MADAGASCAR

I accessed Webfeat, both from the "23things" link, and from the PBCLS homepage. Fun. Found the Wright Brothers while searching for Dayton, Ohio. Orville was the younger of the two, but the one who actually piloted the first flight.
Thought I'd do a children's search -- in Madagascar (since I know very little about the place). Read a little about lemurs, which are native only to Madagascar and one other small island country off the coast of Africa. Who knew?

LIBERRY THAING

Library Thing is very similar to SHELFARI.com, which I'm registered with. I'll have to do a little more exploring to see which is superior. Nevertheless, it's nice to have your reading repertoire all in one place. Hey! We need to tell our patrons to register on one of these sites -- they're ALWAYS asking if we can pull up what they've read in the past!!!!!

RSS & Readers

It was said this would be the hardest of the 23 things. Very right. It might have proven harder for me because of the limited chunks of time I had to complete it; ya think you're "getting it" and it's time to quit. Then, next day, you must re-teach yourself for a few minutes before making more progress! Ain't that life, tho....
I added three readers to my blogline account. I can see how this would be very valuable for many library staff - both at work and in their personal lives. It shortcuts one's searches for latest news, products, etc. which are of interest. I'm not one to enjoy surfing the internet -- there's SO MUCH at our fingertips, and (for most of us) so little time.

TECHY

I enjoy blogs. My husband & I have a blog which he maintains, for the most part; I make my additions as I feel like it, AND whenever I can get some computer time from him! (He gets home from work before I do....).

I also just got a Shuffler iPod for my birthday, and so am working a little on it, and downloading some favorite music. I feel that I'm making s-l-o-w progress, but at least it's progress!

Another challenge for 2008 is for me to copy our home videos onto DVDs. We have the equipment, but taking the time to read the instructions (and to translate them into physical tasks to accomplish my ends) is the HUGE hurtle!!!!!

Beyond that, my technology interest is to better-organize all my family history research, while continuing to DO research online. All this is quite an overwhelming project. Doable (I keep telling myself....).

As I read over this post, I see a lot of EXCUSES! Am I a negative person????? Or just a busy one?

Mont St. Michel

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scramed/2419058047/sizes/m/

I've always been fascinated by Mont St. Michel -- never been there, but perhaps someday. It's just such a COOL phenomenon! The tide comes in, and you're swimming over to the rock! I've heard that horses have been drowned in the tide. Oooh! And how many PEOPLE have drowned?! ;) Morbid, maybe, but fascinating.
Anybody reading this ever visited Mont St. Michel?

'Nother update...

Just so all you throngs of peepers, er, people know, I DID keep my promise and viewed/listened to the 7 1/2 habits thing again. Same reaction. Correction, tho: The narration wasn't monotone as I'd remembered it previously; it was more like this young woman wasn't enunciating. Regardless, her voice was annoying. DON'T GET ME WRONG....she's probably a really intelligent, sweet person. 'nuff of this....
Yesterday: GREAT to see you, Marianne and Melissa and Mimi (the 3-Ms). [Sorry I missed seeing you, Erik and Vicky.] 'Twas a good YS meeting, all y'all. Wish I'd been in town to attend the poetry fest in April....It sounded WONDERFUL. I love children's poetry, anyway.

How Blogging Can Be Used in Libraries

What a great way to share ideas and library innovations quickly!! No need to send emails with attachments. No need to wait for the latest ALA weekly or monthly publication (even online). It's all right there in a professional-looking template! Pictures, captions, explanations, at a glance.

Addendum

OK. So, in my last blog, I didn't say what my biggest challenge will be with this "exploration". My fear is that I'll MISS some cool stuff that can be done, i.e. I'll not be aware of its existence. I tend NOT to click on every clickable icon on a page, mostly because I don't want to take the extra time to explore. Very busy woman, I am....Perhaps it's time for a little more exploration!

At Last -- Here I GO!

After a few days' delay, due to Gmail's "disabling" me, I'm ready to rock 'n roll.
The assignment is to give feedback on the "7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners". In all honesty, I currently can't remember them....I listened to the tutorial a week-and-a-half ago! I remember that the narrator's voice was annoyingly monotone. And I remember thinking that most of those habits are either common sense, or I've been practicing them for many years. Of course, I can certainly improve my learning habits, so I PROMISE that I'll go back to the tutorial and listen to it again. What's interesting is that, at my daughter's recent Brigham Young University commencement, the keynote speaker emphasized the importance (and the joy) of "learning to love learning", and continuing to love it throughout our lives.