Reflecting....

I have found that the 23 things is very valuable to me. I have tapped into new resources that I can pass on to patrons at the library. Recently, a patron came in on an exceptionally hot day, and she was stressed. As we worked to get her up and running on the internet she told me she was here because her 'word' was not compatible with her sisters 'word' and she had to submit something immediately. Therefore, she had to leave her home to use our computers. It was then that I recommended Google.docs and Zoho for her and hers in the future so this won't happen again. A similar incident occurred right here in our library when someone was sending the minutes and her system was not compatible. Think of the time savings and no back up discs to carry around. Anyway, a week ago or so I didn't even know about this technology either.... Ah, a happy librarian and something useful I could pass on.

Week 9 thing 23 cha chink!!!!

I'm done number 23 wahhooo!!!!! It was a journey. I learned so much and have so far to go yet but I feel confident. What did I learn? My favorite discovery was Library Thing by far. It is my favorite tool and I don't know what I'll do when I input 200 books. I'll most likely subscribe. I've told my YA patrons about it and they love it too. This excercise certainly got me over my hump - fear of going into an arena I am not confident in - by having 23 things be my goal. I had an end in sight I could do it and do it with my poor technology skills. I gained a lot of insight and had fun especially w/Meez. I love it! I think in the future it would behove people like me to work in teams that can help each other build, create, challenge and explore with playfulness instead of getting that awful headache from time to time when the going was very iffy.... I am pleased that Maryland libraries put this program together and to say yeah well done, we did it!

Week 9 thing 22 - Oh yeah!

Okay, I thought Overdrive Digital Media seemed extremely user friendly w/many, many current titles. I would love to be hooked up w/it. *wink* Netlibrary also seemed fine but I was looking at it after Overdrive so it didn't wow me. Project Gutenberg did not offer any titles I'd like to read at this time. It seemed boring - the site and the choices - and I never did grasp how it works. World eBook Fair seemed fine but why pay when libraries are giving you so many opportunities to download books? Now let's talk about that, I really have never downloaded a book. Why? I'm new to talking books and feel like I have to do something while I'm listening. But I can read a book in leisure. I may try this out when I get my new MP3 player. Oh lucky me to have such a learning experience that I now know where to go and I may actually use it!

Week 9 thing 21 "Zits"

washingtonpost.com This is perfect for the podcast exercise. I love Zits. Okay podcast.net did not let me open many items, Podcastalley did but it was harder to get around and Yahoo podcasts was fine. I sent NPR to my bloglines but I can't find it. I did a search and all kinds of things popped up on my blogline. Oh my goodness number 21 done. (I am done right?) It worked and I put it here. I am better at this but still not 100% confident. I wish I could do this all at one time instead of bit by bit but alas who wants perfection? Not me, I'll take the baby steps to learning... one of my comments about my challenges to overcome at the beginning of this exercise.

Photo of the Month @ National Geographic Magazine

Photo of the Month @ National Geographic Magazine

Week 9 thing 20

Week 8 thing 19

This was interesting since we are going over the same sights again and again they have become more user friendly. I enjoyed Findory news. It was easy to catch a title and read the article. Technorati is really video driven and I prefer to read than watch. Would I use these sights? I'm not sure. If I was having difficulty finding something I might especially a news article.

Week 8 thing 18 :Google Docs

Wow, everyone is saying it even my comic strip this is the end of the Harry Potter series. And today I realized I could have read more of these books, at a time when I am getting played on my other series that have reached the level 7. Is it because I read this one, Deathly Hallows knowing it was the last and the others like Alex Delaware, and Maximum Ride are wearing me out so I can say maybe I've had enough? Who knows? This book was a happy book too and I expected it to be extremely dark. I was prepared this time to expect the worst and it didn't really happen. Ha, Rowling got me because I was shocked, angry and sad in the last one. This time it ended and I was thinking 19 years is cheesy.... (Note: I did this w/Google docs and it looks like a normal posting.)

Whoops, Week 4 thing 9

24 Jul

Posted by grady as Tech News

"Although Facebook has been gaining quite of bit of steam lately in the social networking arena, another company is now claiming they stole the idea from them. The owners of Connect-U has claimed that Mark Zuckerber(Facebook Founder) was supposed to write some code for Connect-U but instead opened up Facebook a few months later. Facebook has now grown to about 31 million users and continuing to grow daily. The founders of Connect-U have filed a suit and want a judge to shutdown Facebook and turn it over to them. If Facebook did indeed steal the idea from Connect-U I really don’t think any judge will grant them what they are asking, plus Facebook contends that there is no proof of any of this."

Technorati Tags: Facebook, Connect-U, Social Networking,

This was an interesting article; partly because a patron was trying to get into Facebook, and had to have it unblocked by us. He pitched it to me over Myspace as the older people's place to go. Interesting. I'm back tracking since I forgot to make comments when I visited MERLIN, Feedster, and Topix.net. I like this site the second time around because I can use tags better than I could before I started 23 things.

Week 7 thing 17

Okay, sandbox wiki was very user friendly... And believe me I got lost, I did it wrong and it still worked. Rah, now why do I want to be on this site? Oh yeah, now you can find me. *wink*

Week 7 thing 16

What is a wiki? "Wikis are websites used to share information and files." They are fast and can be edited. It is a great tool for communication, helpful hints, readers advisory, and teams. We use them now at CCPL. It's a fine tool if you remember it may not be accurate.

Week 6 thing 15

Away from the “icebergs” by Rick Anderson
"In the post-print era, libraries no longer have the monopoly power that they had in the days before the Internet. We have to be a bit more humble in the current environment, and find new ways to bring our services to patrons rather than insisting that they come to us—whether physically or virtually. At a minimum, this means placing library services and content in the user’s preferred environment (i.e., the Web); even better, it means integrating our services into their daily patterns of work, study and play." We have been doing this at CCPL with IPAC. I love showing our patrons how easily they can get that Consumer Reports article free from anywhere w/their library card. They love it and it's fun. But all of the articles are written by highly savy users and I am only tapping the surface, therefore, I can't add anything else at the moment.

Week 6, thing 14

Technorati- hmmmm.... I explored some blogs and did a couple tags and came up with an interesting blog about Toyota Prius hybrids. It was a funny read and written well. I shopped for these cars when my little Nova died after 20 years and couldn't find a fit w/out getting a navigator w/a blue chip. Therefore, I opted out of a hybrid because Honda's interior color choices were limited and were not me. What does that say about me? I don't own an MP3 player, my first DVD player I purchased last year. I am slow but picking up a better pace since 23 things. I don't think I'd use this sight either. It overwhelms me. Maybe later.

Week 6, thing 13

Del.icio.us was interesting. I don't think I'll use it. There was too much on it. What I did get out of it is that I'm using tags in Library Thing now and didn't realize that was what I was doing. I don't know if I could use a social tool but I like the idea of the organization aspect of it but I can't see using it.

Wow an avatar

Now this was a fun excercise. I'm going to play more with it!

Week 5 thing 12

My searchroll: artlover


This was an awful experience. It took many attempts to figure out exactly how to get around this website. I would go to my happy fingers searching as opposed to using this tool. Sorry, it's not my cuppa tea.

Week 5 thing 11 (what a wonderful tool)

The Shifted Librarian - Bloglines (Week 4 thing 8)

The Shifted LibrarianShifting Libraries at the speed of byte!
Flickr ControversyBy Jenny
How would you feel if your social tools weren't so social, deciding for you what you can and can't see? Unfortunately I don't have time to write this up properly, but there's a big controversy surrounding Flickr in Singapore, Germany, Korea, and other countries. Where are the protests taking place? On Flickr, of course. Fascinating viewing in a 2.0 world.
Keep in mind that in the context of restricting what you can view, this is what legislators are trying to do in this country's libraries. (Thanks, Kay)

Week 3 thing 7

Google Seeks Ruling on Microsoft Oversight
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: June 26, 2007
SEATTLE, June 25 (AP) — Google is pressing for an extension to the Justice Department’s oversight of Microsoft’s business practices, which for the most part is set to expire in November, according to a court filing Monday.
“Microsoft’s hardwiring of its own desktop search product into Windows Vista violates the final judgment” in the United States government’s antitrust case against the software maker, Google said in the court document.
Over the last year, Google has complained to state and federal regulators that Microsoft’s Instant Search program, which helps Windows Vista users search their hard drives, slows down third-party desktop search programs. Google has also said that Microsoft makes it hard for PC users to choose alternatives to the built-in search, including its own free Google Desktop program.
The search company’s claims were meant to show that Microsoft was not complying with the antitrust settlement, reached in 2002 after the government concluded that Microsoft used its near-ubiquitous Windows operating system to suppress competition. Microsoft is now bound by a consent decree that requires it to help rivals build software that runs smoothly in Windows.
In a report published last week, the Justice Department and Microsoft detailed a compromise response to Google’s complaints that would let Vista users set a non-Microsoft program as the default desktop search engine.
For Google, those changes did not go far enough. The company asked Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the Federal District Court to extend beyond November parts of the consent decree that govern “middleware,” or software that links different computer programs.

Week 3 thing 6

It took a couple attempts but I did it (w/a little help from Dolores) my first trading card. It was fun and I even sent a postcard to myself. Not bad... headache is gone and I'm feeling confident. Bring it on....

This is my cat, Tahir. He is one. My sister took this picture w/her cell phone. He loves his Aunt Kendra.

I'm a Hufflepuff

I'm a Hufflepuff!

Exploring Flickr

Can it get any harder than this? I have too many logins and passwords.... Oh my I have a headache. But I now have toured flickr.

Week 2 -blogging and other things...

Wow, I am so nervous.... This is another element of learning for me and I feel challenged. My weaknesses are definitely technology and having an end in mind. I am very organic and believe in the process and enjoy the journey however I get there. This should be fun. My strengths are accepting responsibility and enjoying challenges even in my discomfort. Here we go - a new journey.