mapbuilder

I added Manderfield's to the mapbuilder this afternoon. This is my favorite bakery in the area; everything they put in their cases looks like Bon Appetitt magazine (or better). The owner, Jerry, came to the Library last fall and did a cake decorating workshop. Whenever we have holiday music or special events we try and get our baked goods from them - quality is #1.


Again - I can foresee a few editorial add-ons which I guess the Internet browser would have to check out for him/herself. But, it is all about self-publishing in Web 2.0 - and, why not?

Semester 2 - Final Week

I watched the video about curiosity and couldn't help but think of Van Morrison's song, "Keep Mediocrity at Bay." Using my Web. 1.0 tool, C&P or CTRL P, here are a few lines from the lyrics:

"You gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay/
Gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay/
Got to fight with all your might not to get in the bleeding heart's way
You gotta fight for your rights,
you can't bury your head in the sand/
You gotta fight for your rights, you can't just bury your head in the sand/
Politics and religion,
superstition go hand in hand."

Curiosity is the first part of learning. On talkradio once I heard a man say that his earliest memory from childhood was the joy he felt from learning something new. If this "joy" is not acknowledged by parents or teachers, I feel, personally, that it doesn't extinguish the desire to learn. I think we just get quiet about our curiosity....and jump for "joy" on the inside, or, until it's safe to yell, "eureka!"

Play more, learn more, fear less....we can take that with us!

Project Play Ends

I have to say that semester two was less intimidating than semester one with PP; however, there was so many new slick tricks that I will have to revisit some of the lessons.

I would like to see a glossary of terms published or sent out in an email . If this glossary could also have links to useful sites to help us remember why or how something would be used or produced - that'd be helpful, also.

I don't know if our patrons are ready for the length and breadth of Library 2.0 as of, yet. We are still doing the majority of catalog searches for our patrons. But...our computer classes give us a chance to introduce different aspects and future dimensions of the world wide web.

Thank you to Joy, Steph & Beth - great job.

YouTube

Forgot to add comments about likes and dislikes:

• Lots of goofy, amateur, waste-of-my-time videos.
  Like seeing some music videos from the past, (Mary J Blige & U-2 on "One)
• The variety of subject matter is incredible.
• I would prefer searching for my own videos than have people email me links to what they think I would appreciate.
• I believe the best use so far for me has been seeing clips from previous performances of "Once on this Island". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHAquaNe6UY This is a musical (Tony award winner) which Susan Rabideau at UW-Fox Valley is directing this spring. I play a very small role, Madame Armand, but it helped me to understand the story of Ti Moune and how the staging has been done by other theatre groups.

YouTube for Libraries

I believe there is something to be said for using filming programming in libraries and uploading it to the Internet.

Patrons who missed a computer class may be interested in looking at a PPT online, but a moving visual re-creates the class more realistically, I think.

Such as: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XrYesGi1v8&feature=related

YouTube

I will try to embed a Youtube of Gusty Spence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DGU_FPN2ac.

ScreenCasting

I followed the instruction at Screen-Cast-O-Matic to create a screencast of a few scenes from Northern Ireland in addition to a couple of photos of Gusty Spence. Somehow the instructions from the website "sneaked their way in" to my cast. Here's the link: http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cje2i5VI6

Some rather boring visual.....

Podcast Selection & Subscription

I finally got it, I believe. You have to use some kind of "reader" or decoder to listen to a podcast. You don't just subscribe to one; I forgot I had an account with bloglines.

Perhaps google could create a page just for people to keep track of their account settings for banking, travel, hotmail, yahoo, google docs, blogging websites, music downloads, etc. I have a piece of paper by my desk with at least 20 usernames & corresponding passwords for everything I do on the Internet. The list grows as the number of plastic cards in my wallet. Whatever happened to: Phone #____________ Address________________?

Podscope

Podscope failed me. I'll try looking for a podcast on "Northern Ireland" via google.

PodCasts

Our library recently was awarded a podcasting studio. It will be fascinating to see how this is used (by staff or by the public, if this can be contracted without too much hassle).

I would probably listen to a podcast before I would read a blog. It occurred to me that a podcast would have been helpful in college if I skipped class!!!

Facebook/Myspace

I attended a workshop at Appleton Public Library in December which focused on the social/legal/moral issues with public libraries and social networking sites.

I feel that as professionals working in a public domain, librarians must educate patrons about the dangers of posers on myspace and facebook. There are "tensions" which can't be ignored. I'd like to see our Library use a myspace page for this purpose. If our young adult Internet patrons are trolling and meandering through social networking we can use our presence to teach responsible behavior by example, foremost, and also by linking to sites which succinctly outline the good and the bad.

My daughter, next month (or in 18 days!) will be visiting a "friend" met on myspace who lives on Long Island. It will be a tremendous experience for her to bridge the virtual with the real person.

Remember the Milk/Jott-Three

Ooops! I didn't follow the instructions correctly - both email #1 and #2 are in RTM now. My neck is already beginning to hurt this morning from all this computer typing. That refers pain to my TMJ which has been a bug-a-boo for almost 10 years. Guess it's my cross to pick up.

Remember the Milk/Jott-Two

I logged into RTM but did not find my email or reminder. I don't know what I did wrong.

Remember the Milk/Jott

I had never heard of these calendars or online task builders. For groups, organizations or departments within institutions and companies, I can see how these tools would be helpful.

However, for me, I don't like being tethered to too much technology. I love my little pocket calendar Barb gave me back in January of 2007. I'm still the "tactile librarian", I guess!

Google Docs

If Microsoft Office isn't available, or, if I am sending an attachment to someone via email and he or she doesn't have the version I'm running, Google Docs can be the cat's pjs.

It incorporates a lot of the Web 2.0 tools, e.g., online publishing & sharing, plus it saves all of the versions of a document. There are times when it's best to go back and see what was initally written or uploaded....as the past can be a great teacher.

Instant Messaging

I've heard that Instant Messaging is gaining an advantage over email when it comes to online communication. It's "real time" attribute and immediacy are very helpful when you're at your workstation for a period of time.

However, I do like to keep replies to email if there's been an explanation or set of instructions for procedures in the Library. I don't know how that can be done with IM.

Also, if you're not at your workstation the sender cannot reach you - unless there is a mobile/cellular alert.

Within the Library, IM can be a wonderful way to send out an appeal for help in the case of emergencies or challenging situations with patrons.

Personally, I feel so tethered to the computer as it is, I don't know if I'm the greatest candidate for Instant Messaging....sometimes I like the option of being, "unavailable"!