Tuesday, November 20, 2007

#23 Summarize Your Thoughts About This Program...

When the program first started and I tried it and dropped out. It was a combo of a lot of things - mainly I had a heavy workload at the time and simply could not find the time to do it. People in the office who had the time started early and started talking about it which was really annoying. And when I did start I did it as expected, one week at a time. Bad idea. I could not remember from one week to the next what I had covered. When I got to flickr and found a picture I thought would make great wallpaper guess what. It wiped out the wallpaper I had (and did not remember where I had got it) and the flickr picture wouldn't show. I have tried to copy recipes from sites and have gotten a message about it being cpyrighted. Was there a message on flickr to say oops, can't do that. NO! Then I wasted time trying other pictures - apparently they are all copyrighted. Then I spent time on google finding new wallpaper. After days had passed and I was ready to do the 23 things again I could not remember how to get to my blog or my username and password. Of course I dropped out.
In future fewer things to learn with lots of repetition. Even though I've done all 23 in a week I can't really remember many things. Plus while doing it my excel sheet with all my usernames and passwords got lost.
And you should start with the fun things like Online Image Generator.
That's all - glad I'm done! PS The post time is in California time not Maryland time.

#22 Learn about Audiobooks

Overdrive is too complicated for me. I wouldn't know which kind of download to do but I did see titles I would be willing to read - I would rather have the book. Amazon did start selling its electronic reader Kindle and they have a very nice presentation on their website. That looked very user friendly with downloading being done like a cell phone (wireless) and could be done anywhere you are. I could see reading newspapers this way and perhaps books when traveling. But you still have to shell out $400 and then pay for each book you want! Maybe if I were richer.
I did download a Gutenberg picture book to see what it looked like. Not a picture book when the pictures aren't there!
The only thing I could really see me using downloaded books would be for reference - cookbooks, dictionary etc.

Friday, November 16, 2007

#21 Discover Some Useful Tools for Locating Podcasts

The ninja podcast was extremely stupid. Wasn't there anything better that could have been used? I'm not getting the difference - what is regular streaming. I went to the three discovery resources listed but was unable to get a podcast to play. Well, at podcastalley.com which I went to first 'cause I like the name I didn't try to play any because there wasn't a content description that I could find. But since podcasts have been used on many of the MD 23 things I feel I already understand it.
For library training of staff it would be good as long as its not blurry. It would be a good way to train staff in their available time and being able to watch repeatedly until you picked up whatever new skill is a benefit. Also saves on gas and travel time.

#20 Discover YouTube...

I looked at 1970s TVC commercials. I don't remember the levi ad - the one I remember wasn't on the first two pages. Then I searched for Dr Pepper TV commercial. There were alot of listings and it appeared (I didn't watch to make sure) that many were jokey ones that people had created. Some did say spoof but others weren't clear. A real one which came up first was very blurry.
My question would be if anyone takes a video of you and posts it on YouTube what is your ability to have it removed. Is there some kind of authorization that has to be obtained from you? There should be. I think its a scary new world.
The other problem would be viewing something that is unacceptable to you. How do you filter so things like that don't appear? I don't want trash in my head.

#19 Discover any Site from the Web 2.0 Awards List

So two great things - 1) knowing there is an awards list which makes it easier to locate sites that are useful. I thinks books that print websites and rates them would be extremely useful. No more keyword search with thousands of hits many of which are dups. and 2) I explored the Google maps and am hooked. I was able to print a map with all the roads clearly labeled - this is the kind of map book I've been searching for and can't find. No more using mapquest. An I love how you can shop for say pizza and have the locations come up and have them show you wheere on the map.

Learning 2.0 #18


Here is my first zoho document written for my Maryland libraries learning 2.0 #18.cool While I don't like smiley faces the one with the shades is cool.

 

I can insert a picture. Resizing was a little ackward.  There is no explanation of what anchor does.  But most everything else is understandable. What I love is that you are not tied to a computer to get your documents.  Things like this will make working from home more of a possibility.

#17 Add an Entry into the Sandbox Wiki...

Created a wiki page and added my URL. Logged out and back in and found my page in the search box. I don't know how to get it into the long list on the left side of the screen but they are not in alpha order so it might be there.

#16 Learn About Wikis...

I know about wikis from a workshop I attended that was done by someone from the college community. She said college students go to wikis for their info and at the time I thought bad idea. I still do. While it is a good starting point to take anything that is on there as authoritative, factual, correct would be wrong. There are too many stupid people that think they know what they are talking about, too many pranksters with too much time on their hands, and too many people out there with agendas. But I really liked the community wiki - what a great way to recommend places, events, and services to others. And a great place to exchange ideas - I could see parents, especially first-time ones using something like that alot. And for people who have moved into the area - great. So the library should pursue setting one up especially now when we will be out of the internet business.
I did think that the Bull Run Library wiki was bizarre since it wasn't associated or sponsored by the library.
I don't get the wiki for the staff library intranet. I think what we have is good but a library staff wiki to talk about things that are not work related like whose a good dentist to use but if the library has a community one set up that wouldn't be needed.
The wiki for library success stories which could include the whole country would be fantastic however there were no stories listed under selecting material so if it isn't sold as a tool to use than it is useless. Maybe PLA could start one for MD.

#11 Take a Look at Library Thing...

This is a website I will use. I only cataloged three books - one was originally published in France and the other people who had cataloged it were mostly french! I'll need to do some more exploring to get a better handle on how to get recommendations but this is a terrific site.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

#15 Read a Few Perspectives on Web 2.0...

These a great articles that really got me thinking. The google map mash of local libraries by Chicago is the type of driving instructions I would like to have someone create. If you get directions to point B and your given the names of 5 roads that you turn on it is much easier to find those roads that may or may not have road signs big enough to read from a distance. But say go down this road and take a right at Dunkin' Donuts and I won't get lost and would feel more confident starting out. This would work great for businesses. How cool to have a map of the York Road corridor that shows you all the business with operating hours.
The comment on "project timelines that stretch for months don't work in Library 2.0 thinking" makes me cheer. Too many projects mean everything takes longer. Fewer projects with sharper focus would make a great change around BCPL. I really like the thought about including the public in designing library buildings. We should find out what Baltimore County residents really want for their local library. They probably have fantastic ideas.
After reading the articles the future (present) seems very exciting. I'll just have to be dragged into it kicking and screaming.

#14 Discover Technorati...

The Technorati Videocast Tour did not work so I had to READ the whole page of small type. I liked where it said that one of the improvements was to make it accessible to normal people (as opposed to bloggers) I did my learning 2.0 search in posts tagged (659) in blog directory (778) and in posts (6677). But tagging is solely decided by the individual and doesn't necessarily reflect the content. I went to Boing Boing - one of the top favorited because I have run across the name before. But its just alot of people blathering on. I'm not impressed with blogging.

#13 Tagging and Discover Del.icio.us

All these different sites and tools are starting to run together. The 12 minute tutorial was blurry. The links for the libraries didn't really show me how they are using the del.icio.us. Though I did see that the La Grange Park had a different late fine for children's material (lower) than adults. Very interesting. Also a cheaper hold fee than BCPL. I'm not sure what the term bookmarking means - is that the same as adding something to my favorites. If yes than I could see the use of del.icio.us in that you would have your favorites anywhere you were on whatever computer.

#12 Roll Your Own Search Tool with Rollyo

I had to skip #11 because LibraryThing would not display. Rollyo is a useful tool if you look at the same sites alot - I don't. I made two searchrolls by editing existing ones because there aren't any websites that I go to often enough to remember them. (Except Amazon but why have a search roll for one site?) Thias create a link is a tough thing to do when you don't know how. I think I managed it in an earlier blog but to do it now I have know idea where to begin. Perhaps there should be a list of what someone should already know before starting a learning exercise like this. Anyway I made my search rolls private since they are nonsense searches. Three of Debra Messing's website on her Boutique were"cannot display this page" and the prices on the other sites were for someone with a hit tv show paycheck - $50 for a candle! Rollyo would be a great tool for librarians at the info desk.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

#10 Play Around with an Online Image Generator


Okay, now I'm having FUN. I couldn't get the defacer generator to work but I was using a clipart smiley face so that might be why. The Monsterize Initial generator is fun but that could get boring fast and your not really creating anything. The Motivational Poste generator is my favorite. I could spent a lot of time with image generators!

Okay uploading my motivational one did not work - image but no text. Oh I looked at it on my computer and the text isn't there. Don't know how to get it with the text from motivational poster generator. But it was fun.

#9 Explore MERLIN...

Checked out the search tools for RSS feeds. Feedster was under construction. Technorati had people's blogs but there is no way that I could tell what the people were blogging about unless you opened them up and read them. I'm not interested in reading people blathering about stuff that you know is opinion and not fact or experience. Syndic8 was confusing. I think the best way would be a google search and then open sites one by one and add to bloglines the ones you like that offer a RSS feed. Merlin - couldn't find the games link so the only way is from the #9 link.

#8 Continued

I could not figure out how to edit the real #8 post but wanted to add - a newsreader is what you have to gather the RSS feeds from different sites so that you can read everything you want to at one place. Okay, if you have not signed out you can edit - how do you do it if you have left and come back?

#8 Make Life Really Simple with RSS and a News Reader

I have 9 feeds on my bloglines that I don't think I will use. Work-wise if sites were chosen by a supervisor of what I needed to look at would be better than me guessing what would be useful. I love the commoncraft.com explanation the best and could see going to that website first to have technology explained.

#7 Create a Blog Post about Anything Technology-Related

Amy got a digital camera for her years of service award. She has to read the manual which she says is pretty thick. Once she does that I'll pick her brain on how it works. Seeing people at the machines in the stores where they pick the ones they want printed seems like something I could manage to do and I understand that they come with a zoom lense so I could take pictures of insects.

#6 Flickr Mash-ups & Third Party Sites

No fun here. A mashup combines things like a map with pictures. Don't know how to make it - I think you need a flickr account (no thank-you). Funniest one was the chia pet that will grow green hair on your photos. Unless you can make money off of what your doing I just see all this as sucking your life away. Discovered I can save a flickr photo as a picture on the computer.
However when I try to add the image there is a terms of agreement that I would need a lawyer to interpret but I think since I did not take the picture that I can't add the image here.
I've read of people being prosecuted for downloading music so I'm not taking any chances. The picture is in My Documents - should I delete?
Not clear on what 3rd party sites means.

#5 Explore Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gigapic/357904756/ This is Ice in the Gorge. What I don't like about Flickr is that it seems (based on trying to copy and paste or set as wallpaper on computer that everything is copyright protected but there isn't anything to indicate that. You have to copy and try to paste to find out. And if you try to set it as wallpaper it will wipe out the wallpaper that you do have and leave a white screen so you don't get a new wallpaper and unless you remember where on the web you got the old one your screwed.
Can't do Discovery exercise b because I have no digital camera and have never used a digital camera. Just proves my point about technology needing other technology and there goes your money into a big black hole.
So other than sitting here looking a photos onscreen where is the fun in exploring flickr?

Maryland Learning Libraries - 23 Things

#1 Read this Blog and Find Out About the Program
Done - Took several tries to make podcast play
#2 Lifelong Learning & L2
Liked online tutorial (power point) - too bad you can't pick the voice you would prefer to hear. It is easiest to learn about something new when you know you will be using it. I don't know all the ins and outs of my DVD player and I don't need to - play, stop, pause - I really don't need more than that. Habit 6 about using technology to your advantage - technology is expensive and most out of my budget range, its complicated, often requiring a whole knew language (What exactly is 2.0?) It also becomes quickly outdated and often requires other technology to use it. No learning contract - I can't even manage to finish my to do lists or keep my New Year's resolution.
#3.Set up your own blog & add your first post
Ta Da.