Week 10: is this the end? or beginning?

Whew! I've learned a lot - not sure I'll remember it all .... kind of, you lose it if you don't use it! I have seen a lot of advantage of many of these discoveries for personal use as well as understanding the "background" of how things have been done at hcpl for us - in training videos, downloadables, etc. It is definitely a HUGE computer world out there - that we are just tapping into and learning about! Wow! I don't feel "expert" at all, and may never be - but am anxious to get started on some of my sites to develop them for friends and family - to share and to learn. Thanks so much for everyone's HARD WORK putting this all together for us!! It has definitely been an enjoyable learning experience.

Week 9: Downloadable media

the Librivox site stated that their directory was "unavailable and having issues".
Wowie was very easy to use - high demands were not available... mostly self-published things. HCPL has a wide variety of items to download - ours is easy to use and easy to find something by subject. I'm glad that it will be "growing" and increasing in number of items. I have downloaded a book from HCPL in the past.

Week 9: Podcasts

I found a really darling 5 year old reading a Christmas book on her mother's radio program. What an entertaining and very expressive reader! I can see recording something done by anyone, like a librarian telling about or reading an exerpt from a book as a teaser for book clubs in the libraries... or - many other uses!

Week 9: Discover YouTube +

I found a video in YouTube about making a secret compartment in a book. The name of the video is: Make a Book with a Secret Compartment There are LOTS of videos to choose from - this was fairly easy. So - this is how y'all do this! ha!! I see how I can create my own video, put it into YouTube, and then share it with whatever entity or friends I wish.

Week 8: Zoho

Once upon a time I toddled my way into the world of computers. Here I am - trying to learn about web applications. sd



This is what I typed in Zoho - very basic, nothing to "work" on... but I have the idea of how to do and how it works. It would have been very useful when I was designing the FOL tri-fold brochure that went back and forth from me to Adm - and back again 'til we had it "right"... this would have been much easier.

Week 8: Social Networking

I checked out facebook and it was "ok"... then I checked out Ning. I liked this one a lot and think it may be the one I "land" on. I then went to Linked-in and really liked it, except, I don't see a personal use for me at this time in my life - it would really be helpful for someone who is looking for a job, etc. and needing to make contacts on a more expansive basis. I do have a young friend who moved here from Maine and is having trouble finding a job that pays like a real career job would.... so, I'm going to suggest this to him. I looked at threadless and thought it was cool - also will tell a friend of mine who designs t-shirts about this one. The catster was cute -
ok - I just went and created an account in Ning. :)) COOL!

Week 7: Blog about Technology

Technology is still a scary thing - but not so much when I know that as I go along and learn different parts I find it is fairly easy. It is kind of like "use it or lose it" concept - if it is to remain easy, I need to use it frequently to keep up with "how it is done".... like blogging, wiki, tagging, etc. I'm afraid I'll be "losing it" for awhile, as we are very short staffed every day and I don't find the time to do any of this. I am accomplishing all this on my time off - which doesn't really make me happy - yet, I'm feeling good about learning all of it. Just would like to be "paid" when I do it (maxed out on comp time).

Week 7: Wiki

Ok - got in there and posted my thoughts. Hope it showed up and I created my account correctly. Could not find a way to check up on that. I think I goofed when I put down my real name - and not my blogging name. and I went back and added my name to the wiki list.

Week 2: Online Safety & Sharing

I feel fairly comfortable with blogging and sharing. I'm usually pretty general and don't use specifics when writing about something. I can see that I need to be sure that inferences can't be made or assumptions that may be hurtful or negative - totally not the meaning I may be trying to get accross. I hadn't thought about that before. I am greatful that this is a step in the I-HCPL learning program. It brings all these issues to the mind and will be a help in evaluating my posts in the future.

Week 6: Library 2.0 & Web 2.0

Away from the Icebergs: opened my eyes in the area of "weeding"! Surprise! I really enjoy weeding, to keep the collection smart looking, up to date, and able to fill the demands of the community. However, I hate doing away with some of the "older" materials that contain great information and take up space because they really aren't part of the community's demands - but "might be requested" someday by someone needing the info. Well, by gosh, all that info. is on the web and with 2.0, it is easily accessed. So - I will be reviewing many of the items on the shelves that are "taking up space in case they are needed in the future" but not really a "demand" from the community.
Also, I like 2.0 because of the ease and accessibility that the consumers can use without training - that focus is super! AND, that is why I feel pride in our HCPL system when I go visit other libraries - even in big cities - that just are not "up with us". I really feel that we keep on the forefront with our technology. I can see where, now and in the future, more budget money should go to network services and perhaps less in books - books that are on the reference shelves that are never used, opened or needed (depending on the community the branch serves).
So - after reading these articles, I am totally amazed and better informed about 2.0 (library & web). Thanks soooo much!

Week 6: getting not so technical w/ technorati

I checked this out and discovered that until you do a search in EXACT phrase and "all blogs", do you get specifics on the most popular - which may be helpful with most popular movies, cds, games, etc. I could use this to introduce kids to a different internet game - other than Runescape, etc. to get them out of their rut.
Also can get comments about these too. As a whole, it really doesn't appeal to me as a real useful tool yet.

Week 6: Tagging

The tutorial video is not working today. I will return to this another time & hopefully it will be working then.
I looked at "Delicious" and saw how it looks and what you can do if you subscribe for a personal one. With my time like it is, I'll wait until a later date to subscribe. I can see good uses for it, i.e. when I work NC on a Sunday and want to use my own "favorites" when I am not logged in to my profile. I can even use them at home. Kind of like packing them into a suitcase that goes wherever I go. ; )

Week 5: Library Elf

I joined up with the elf. It is a "fancy" way to keep track of the books I have checked out!

Week 5: Library Thing

I enjoyed Library Thing! I will use this to keep track of all the books I've read and am reading. The Good Reads is cool too - but I think at this time, I only want to keep track of the titles and not make notes, etc.

Week 5 Image generators

Magazine cover - whew! that was easy, but PLEASE, I hope I am never on a magazine cover! No one would buy the mag!! ha!
The avatar creating was fun. A little frustrating not to be able to have "control" of some of the little details - but that's ok. I chose one and will go back later to create more.

Week 4 Finding Feeds

Feedster was unavailable - working on site
Technorati came up with a large number of blogs that were on target with my search.
Syndic8 came up with very few results that were not on target with my search.
Topix came up with some but not necessarily what I was looking for -
Bloglines was right on!! and seems the easiest to "get at". My second choice is Technorati.

Week 4 RSS and bloglines

Moving right along! I've learned how to subscribe to other people's blogs and develop my own personal list. I may never get the time to read them - but we'll see.

week 3: online photo editing

pixer and snipshot are easy to use and nice to have available for editing photos.

I used picnik to edit and post this picture. I think I like this tool best.

week 3: flickr mashups

The colorpicker is kinda cool - but don't think I'll ever use it.
The trip planner sounds like something I might like to try sometime. Probably when I retire and have more time to mess around with the computer. This old lady ain't dying yet!
Looked at the trading card section and I could get interested in this, but time is not available right now.
This tripper map is kinda cool! good idea - kinda like scrapbooking but takes much less storage space in the house! ha!!

week 3 - flickr

I finally have some photos posted! whee!!

Week 2 Create a blog

I did my blog! after much frustration of not having time to do anything!! :))