Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
wiki to me
I love wikipedia. I know you have to read it with an open mind, and check the information before you take it is factual. But it is often a good starting place to learn about something and even learn unsual things about a certain topic, which might not be anywhere else you are going to look, are or able to look.
I like the table of contents on the page. I utilize the live links to explore the subject at hand even further. The references at the bottom of the page can be very useful. The statistics given are very helpful. I did a search for tattoo. I am having my birthday and thinking of getting a tattoo. I learned things about tats that I was not aware of. I have had a tattoo for 15 years.
The layout of the information makes it easy to read and the pages easily navigated. I love the see-also section, it gave me other terms I had not thought of to explore and read about.
We have used wetpaint to wiki-ify our reference manual, so I was just recently trained on it and think it's going to be very useful.
I like the table of contents on the page. I utilize the live links to explore the subject at hand even further. The references at the bottom of the page can be very useful. The statistics given are very helpful. I did a search for tattoo. I am having my birthday and thinking of getting a tattoo. I learned things about tats that I was not aware of. I have had a tattoo for 15 years.
The layout of the information makes it easy to read and the pages easily navigated. I love the see-also section, it gave me other terms I had not thought of to explore and read about.
We have used wetpaint to wiki-ify our reference manual, so I was just recently trained on it and think it's going to be very useful.
Google Docs
I have had some experience with Google docs, but what I found today made me feel like I might want to replace what I and the rest of the world use now and use this option.
The programs were very similar to the Microsoft Office programs, but with a somewhat more basic layout and actually a little less intimidating to some users I am sure.
I like that you are able to share and collaborate the files with others and allow them to make changes and send them back.
It's neat to have that option, and for free. It has many advantages, some of which I probably am still unaware of. This is something I will use.
The programs were very similar to the Microsoft Office programs, but with a somewhat more basic layout and actually a little less intimidating to some users I am sure.
I like that you are able to share and collaborate the files with others and allow them to make changes and send them back.
It's neat to have that option, and for free. It has many advantages, some of which I probably am still unaware of. This is something I will use.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Pause for a moment of reflection
My favorite thing was the image generators. I mean, I LOVE my facebook, youtube, google, flickr, and delicious, but I had used them all before and image generators were new to me, and being sorta artsy, I loved being able to combine my artistic flare and favorite poems into a single piece of art that I created very easily and free. I had to make myself stop!
My least favorite was LibWorm. I will cut it some slack for two reasons, it is still in beta form and it is not something which interests me like many of the other things did. I didn't find it very interesting and didn't think I would use it very much, BUT never say never, right?
I found LibWorm somewhat challenging because some of the results I retrieved weren't things I would read. I enjoyed them all though and I don't hate libworm, I look forward to the stage following beta. :)
I learned about the history of facebook in the assigned article. I learned about Digg, which I have enjoyed since doing that thing. I learned image generators, which were fun, creative, useful at work and my favorite thing of all. I learned more about Google docs, which I knew some about, but now have a better understanding and stronger desire to utilize that option.
We already use so many of these in our library and I am very proud to say that. As new things appear on the horizon we have staff innovative enough to scope it out and share their knowledge with the rest of the library and our patrons. I plan to use Google docs more, I plan to use Digg, and will use delicious more than I have been. I will use taggin more than I had been and I also learned how to keep a blog and make an entry somewhat regularly. I have been attempting that for awhile. The learning, sharing, writing was really great and I am so happy I signed up and even more happy that I will complete it in time. Two days before my birthday, my luau is tomorrow, maybe I will win the prize...a birthday girl can dream, right?
THANKS!!!!!!
I truly learned a lot and think this is one of the most useful things I have done in years. Thanks a lot.
My least favorite was LibWorm. I will cut it some slack for two reasons, it is still in beta form and it is not something which interests me like many of the other things did. I didn't find it very interesting and didn't think I would use it very much, BUT never say never, right?
I found LibWorm somewhat challenging because some of the results I retrieved weren't things I would read. I enjoyed them all though and I don't hate libworm, I look forward to the stage following beta. :)
I learned about the history of facebook in the assigned article. I learned about Digg, which I have enjoyed since doing that thing. I learned image generators, which were fun, creative, useful at work and my favorite thing of all. I learned more about Google docs, which I knew some about, but now have a better understanding and stronger desire to utilize that option.
We already use so many of these in our library and I am very proud to say that. As new things appear on the horizon we have staff innovative enough to scope it out and share their knowledge with the rest of the library and our patrons. I plan to use Google docs more, I plan to use Digg, and will use delicious more than I have been. I will use taggin more than I had been and I also learned how to keep a blog and make an entry somewhat regularly. I have been attempting that for awhile. The learning, sharing, writing was really great and I am so happy I signed up and even more happy that I will complete it in time. Two days before my birthday, my luau is tomorrow, maybe I will win the prize...a birthday girl can dream, right?
THANKS!!!!!!
I truly learned a lot and think this is one of the most useful things I have done in years. Thanks a lot.
passing it on...
I think there are many ways to educate staff using what I have learned on NT 23 Things. Sharing tips and techiques with coworkers, using the knowledge I have gained to help patrons more than some of my coworkers may be able to do if they have not participated.
I could take this knew knowledge and do a mini-23 things workshop over a course of time and allow all staff to participate. Or ask your superiors to consider using google docs so that collaboration on projects would be easier. Presenting the 23 things and allowing staff to pick 5 they wish to learn, and helping them through it. Sharing in meetings what we all learn from doing these things.
I plan to do a lot with my new knowledge and I am very glad I have been part of it all.
I could take this knew knowledge and do a mini-23 things workshop over a course of time and allow all staff to participate. Or ask your superiors to consider using google docs so that collaboration on projects would be easier. Presenting the 23 things and allowing staff to pick 5 they wish to learn, and helping them through it. Sharing in meetings what we all learn from doing these things.
I plan to do a lot with my new knowledge and I am very glad I have been part of it all.
Pick a Podcast
The audio on most of the podcasts I listened to was pretty good, there were a couple that just weren't as high quality sound, but I have no doubts that could be my laptop.
I enjoyed Librarygeek. The cast about LibraryThing was interesting. Also, I noticed JJ Hill Reference had their own channel. I receive a weekly email from them, and their casts are educational and have some seminars on there which also look very useful.
So, yes, there are more than a few in just the few library pages I searched which I would subscribe to. I want to do some more searching on things of interest so that I might listen to them on my mp3 player as I workout or do art, or as I drive.
We do use podcasts to provide instructional sessions to students and speakers who come to campus. Instructors use them to teach sections of homework. I think they, along with youtube, have the potential to very useful in reaching the generation of young adults who've grown up in this age of mp3 players and computers and Internet. Again, reaching them where they are and how they like to be reached...and above all options of how. Which mean a lot!
I enjoyed Librarygeek. The cast about LibraryThing was interesting. Also, I noticed JJ Hill Reference had their own channel. I receive a weekly email from them, and their casts are educational and have some seminars on there which also look very useful.
So, yes, there are more than a few in just the few library pages I searched which I would subscribe to. I want to do some more searching on things of interest so that I might listen to them on my mp3 player as I workout or do art, or as I drive.
We do use podcasts to provide instructional sessions to students and speakers who come to campus. Instructors use them to teach sections of homework. I think they, along with youtube, have the potential to very useful in reaching the generation of young adults who've grown up in this age of mp3 players and computers and Internet. Again, reaching them where they are and how they like to be reached...and above all options of how. Which mean a lot!
Youtube, I tube...we ALL love youtube!
Youtube.com is one of the best sites on the web. Funny pets, awesome old videos and clips, instructions on how to do almost anything, people expressing themselves, babies laughing, bloopers...the list of youtube goodies could go on for pages.
The library where I am employed uses youtube to make all different types of videos. We have a series called Librarian vs Stereotype and addresses copyright and other scholarly communication issues, clips about all that librarians and libraries have to offer, and that there is more to research than computers and that library staff have the ability and desire to help them, and to make their college experience easier.
There were topics ranging from roving reference to proper library attire (good luck with that!) Ask-a-Librarian service, Dewey Decimal System, and many funny library videos. An AWESOME song that I added to my blog months back is
I think these are effective and will grow even more so once the users of youtube realize there is this type of information and assistance available to them in their own places, whereveer that may be. But it is meeting the users where they are, and as modern librarians that is what we have to do.
Other uses could be instructionals, ads, announcments, contest, outreach, I would think the possiblities are almost limitless!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne_WXP7lUWM
The library where I am employed uses youtube to make all different types of videos. We have a series called Librarian vs Stereotype and addresses copyright and other scholarly communication issues, clips about all that librarians and libraries have to offer, and that there is more to research than computers and that library staff have the ability and desire to help them, and to make their college experience easier.
There were topics ranging from roving reference to proper library attire (good luck with that!) Ask-a-Librarian service, Dewey Decimal System, and many funny library videos. An AWESOME song that I added to my blog months back is
I think these are effective and will grow even more so once the users of youtube realize there is this type of information and assistance available to them in their own places, whereveer that may be. But it is meeting the users where they are, and as modern librarians that is what we have to do.
Other uses could be instructionals, ads, announcments, contest, outreach, I would think the possiblities are almost limitless!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne_WXP7lUWM
That Libworm Thing
If I am being very honest, this might be my least favorite "thing" so far. I did the searches assigned, some things of interest to me in the library world, and then the name of my library. Some fairly interesting things came up, but none so riveting and useful that I would go back and use it again, unless of course when it is out of the beta stage it goes on to do and contain bigger and better things.
Given that it is still in Beta I will take that into consideration. The layout was dull and where the searches did result in some interesting reading and articles, it seemed to be things I had seen, or could find, elsewhere.
Example: I did a search for twitter. To see if I could get some information on how libraries are utilizing Twitter in their services. One of the results I retrieved, and that I was aware of, BUT could have gone without being reminded of again, is how congressmen, while in session, are tweeting about what they are doing. That may be exciting to people working over at Twitter, but to me it was like announcing that high school kids are tweeting about what they do all day in school. We know what they do, we know what they SHOULD be doing, but do they really need to be preoccupying themselves by tweeting about very important decisions and ideas that will one day affect us all while they are in the process of making the decisions??? I will just go out on a virtual limb here and say a big no!
I followed many other links off libworm, and unlike the rest of the 23 things I never thought to myself "I can use this." Or I will return to read this in it's entirity. I think, even though this is a library-based website, that I find more interesting reading vvia delicious, even on many library-related topics. No, I am not searching cataloging or anything that library specific. But the things I did search wasn't that interesting.
I also search the name of my library. There were 3 results. 2 job descriptions that Ihad been posted out somewhere and one result of our Science & Engineering Library. Given that our library has been doing some very exciting things this past year, I found these results to be disappointing as well.
Again, I will cut libraryworm some slack since it is in beta, but don't think I will be revisiting the site anytime soon if I was to be very honest...and I always am!
Given that it is still in Beta I will take that into consideration. The layout was dull and where the searches did result in some interesting reading and articles, it seemed to be things I had seen, or could find, elsewhere.
Example: I did a search for twitter. To see if I could get some information on how libraries are utilizing Twitter in their services. One of the results I retrieved, and that I was aware of, BUT could have gone without being reminded of again, is how congressmen, while in session, are tweeting about what they are doing. That may be exciting to people working over at Twitter, but to me it was like announcing that high school kids are tweeting about what they do all day in school. We know what they do, we know what they SHOULD be doing, but do they really need to be preoccupying themselves by tweeting about very important decisions and ideas that will one day affect us all while they are in the process of making the decisions??? I will just go out on a virtual limb here and say a big no!
I followed many other links off libworm, and unlike the rest of the 23 things I never thought to myself "I can use this." Or I will return to read this in it's entirity. I think, even though this is a library-based website, that I find more interesting reading vvia delicious, even on many library-related topics. No, I am not searching cataloging or anything that library specific. But the things I did search wasn't that interesting.
I also search the name of my library. There were 3 results. 2 job descriptions that Ihad been posted out somewhere and one result of our Science & Engineering Library. Given that our library has been doing some very exciting things this past year, I found these results to be disappointing as well.
Again, I will cut libraryworm some slack since it is in beta, but don't think I will be revisiting the site anytime soon if I was to be very honest...and I always am!
Monday, August 10, 2009
That thing, that thing...that LibraryThing
This is another site that I love. Every month I make a feeble attempt at scoring an early reviewer's book from the list...and every month I get an email saying I didn't, try again. So even at my busiest I visit LibraryThing at least once a month.
I have many of my home-library books in there, but not even close to all! I just added 4 more that I had forgotten to add earlier.
I have a free LibraryThing account, so not all features are open for me, but the features that are open are very cool. I love looking at other's posts and new books coming out, and books I have missed. I enjoy the recommendations and featured authors sections too. Being in an academic library I miss some books that would be in a public library, so having suggestions on this site is great. It is a very multifaceted site with many wonderful features and functions.
The various blogs and groups are very cool and fun, I have yet to join any, all of my other social networking keeps me busy. But I was just on LibraryThing this morning prior to seeing it on the list, so I can definitely see why it is one of our 23 things!
I am:
swiftees
on the LibraryThing website.
THANKS!
I have many of my home-library books in there, but not even close to all! I just added 4 more that I had forgotten to add earlier.
I have a free LibraryThing account, so not all features are open for me, but the features that are open are very cool. I love looking at other's posts and new books coming out, and books I have missed. I enjoy the recommendations and featured authors sections too. Being in an academic library I miss some books that would be in a public library, so having suggestions on this site is great. It is a very multifaceted site with many wonderful features and functions.
The various blogs and groups are very cool and fun, I have yet to join any, all of my other social networking keeps me busy. But I was just on LibraryThing this morning prior to seeing it on the list, so I can definitely see why it is one of our 23 things!
I am:
swiftees
on the LibraryThing website.
THANKS!
Can you DIGG it?
Finally, a "thing" I have not had very much experience with. My brother often posts things from Digg on facebook, but I never really knew what it was until this thing. It's awesome too! I consider myself slighty Internet ADD...email, facebook, google reader, outlook, so on...all on ALL the time, for the most part. I enjoy Digg because it indulges that part of my personality. All kinds of stories, photos, cartoons, videos, images of documents, etc...everything. All in one place and by popularity, searchable, and easy to share the content with friends on facebook or twitter and email. Searchable by time, day, month, year...and by topic. I consider this a very user-friendly site which I look forward to using a lot.
Setting up my account and learning the ropes was very easy. They did not require too much info, and gave you options on adding a profile, etc. Easy registration is always nice.
Some of the information given has the potential to be very helpful, some very amusing, some very mind-boggling...and some a tad disgusting. But for me it is that diversity that makes it such a unique and fun site.
I am excited to start using it and even though I opened another of about 200 accounts I have...I can tell this is one I am going to use a lot!
I located this information on Digg and the progress and changes it has made lately...interesting read.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/09/digg-is-on-a-roll/
Setting up my account and learning the ropes was very easy. They did not require too much info, and gave you options on adding a profile, etc. Easy registration is always nice.
Some of the information given has the potential to be very helpful, some very amusing, some very mind-boggling...and some a tad disgusting. But for me it is that diversity that makes it such a unique and fun site.
I am excited to start using it and even though I opened another of about 200 accounts I have...I can tell this is one I am going to use a lot!
I located this information on Digg and the progress and changes it has made lately...interesting read.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/09/digg-is-on-a-roll/
MMMMM, that was a DELICIOUS THING!
As mentioned in my previous entry I have used delicious for a long time. I began using it at home over a year ago. Now I use it at work too. At our reference desks we have it marked and save frequently visited pages to it all the time.
My personal delicious contains 70 bookmarks. I added a few today, they are:
101 Awesome Free Blogger Templates and
Teriyaki cooking tips from Truly Hawaiian, a 100 year old recipe and
Truly Hawaiian's top tips for hosting a luau
~My birthday party this weekend will be a Hawaiin Luau, so I did some delicious tag searching and found some great recipes and ideas for the party Saturday!!!!
My delicious account user name is:
swiftees
delicious is just one more way to make life online and in the "real world" easier and I think it is a most valuable asset to anyone who users computers and the Internet.
My personal delicious contains 70 bookmarks. I added a few today, they are:
101 Awesome Free Blogger Templates and
Teriyaki cooking tips from Truly Hawaiian, a 100 year old recipe and
Truly Hawaiian's top tips for hosting a luau
~My birthday party this weekend will be a Hawaiin Luau, so I did some delicious tag searching and found some great recipes and ideas for the party Saturday!!!!
My delicious account user name is:
swiftees
delicious is just one more way to make life online and in the "real world" easier and I think it is a most valuable asset to anyone who users computers and the Internet.
TAG this is TAGGED!
YES...tagging is awesome! Recently our department head decided to transfer our entire reference desk manual into an online format. Each of us were assigned certain sections of the manual to move over into the new format. We previously had it all in a blog, but the newer format allowed us certain things that the blog did not. So we all cut and pasted, or typed in our assigned sections and were able to tag them. My section was different forms we have for our department. So my tags were: forms, reference, and various descriptive words indicating what type of form: fax cover, lost book, etc.
At our ref. desk we have also started a delicious account for pages we visit often. We use tags on those. I have my own personal delicious account and use tags for it, and I love the flexibility of tagging and searching the taggings of others. Searching with tags is forgiving, you can use slang terms, official terms, and don't need to know specifics, most of the time you can pull it up without.
I can see the potential for this to drive an OCD librarian right into an early retirement. But as mentioned in the assignment description for tagging, online tagging is the readers, researchers, writers, organizers FRIEND. It is forgiving and assists in locating things as well as organizing them. I use tagging in my personal blog, at work, my delicious accounts, basically anywhere I am able to organize in that way, I do.
As library staff for us to not embrace tagging for all the good things it offers would be a big mistake!
At our ref. desk we have also started a delicious account for pages we visit often. We use tags on those. I have my own personal delicious account and use tags for it, and I love the flexibility of tagging and searching the taggings of others. Searching with tags is forgiving, you can use slang terms, official terms, and don't need to know specifics, most of the time you can pull it up without.
I can see the potential for this to drive an OCD librarian right into an early retirement. But as mentioned in the assignment description for tagging, online tagging is the readers, researchers, writers, organizers FRIEND. It is forgiving and assists in locating things as well as organizing them. I use tagging in my personal blog, at work, my delicious accounts, basically anywhere I am able to organize in that way, I do.
As library staff for us to not embrace tagging for all the good things it offers would be a big mistake!
That Twitter Thing
I had a Twitter account prior to this "thing", I actually set it up months ago, and have used it a few times. When events occur that EVERYONE is talking about and following, I like to get on Twitter to follow what people are saying. I follow certain media outlets and news hosts, comedians, my brother, and just some twitter users whom I have found via Twitter.
What makes this thing so unusual for me is that last week when I went on to Twitter to login and post an update was the first time (that I know of) that Twitter and Facebook were in and out, on and off, due to a DDoS attack, them and a few other sites. I was able, finally, to login, and when I did I read a tweet regarding the Denial Of Service messages. Facebook was down that same day. It really made me think, and really made real to me how we take these things for granted and how easily they can be attacked. It was, for lack of better words, an eery feeling, a vunerable feeling, and just wondering "what's next?" "What's the extent of the attack and damage?" It turned out to be something that quickly subsided, but I am glad to have experienced what I did, just because it's a lesson-learning moment...that this Internet and alllllllll it holds, seems so permanent, the ties to people online so close...and how, with the evil doing of others with bad intentions it can all be altered.
My Twitter ID is: Lizees
The last time I heard of Twitter. Everywhere! We use it at work to update students on things. I use it to talk/goof off with my brother occasionally during the day. I have use and do use hashtags to locate things and see what's out there regarding certain things, people, etc. At work we view TED talks once a week, and even in some of the TED talks Twitter is mentioned. I don't know how long it will last, what all it may eventually do, and when it will one day become yesterday's news, but it is here now and seems to be growing in popularity. It even has it's own jargon and terms, which are tongue twisters and quite funny.
It's not my favorite of the things, but it's not too bad!
What makes this thing so unusual for me is that last week when I went on to Twitter to login and post an update was the first time (that I know of) that Twitter and Facebook were in and out, on and off, due to a DDoS attack, them and a few other sites. I was able, finally, to login, and when I did I read a tweet regarding the Denial Of Service messages. Facebook was down that same day. It really made me think, and really made real to me how we take these things for granted and how easily they can be attacked. It was, for lack of better words, an eery feeling, a vunerable feeling, and just wondering "what's next?" "What's the extent of the attack and damage?" It turned out to be something that quickly subsided, but I am glad to have experienced what I did, just because it's a lesson-learning moment...that this Internet and alllllllll it holds, seems so permanent, the ties to people online so close...and how, with the evil doing of others with bad intentions it can all be altered.
My Twitter ID is: Lizees
The last time I heard of Twitter. Everywhere! We use it at work to update students on things. I use it to talk/goof off with my brother occasionally during the day. I have use and do use hashtags to locate things and see what's out there regarding certain things, people, etc. At work we view TED talks once a week, and even in some of the TED talks Twitter is mentioned. I don't know how long it will last, what all it may eventually do, and when it will one day become yesterday's news, but it is here now and seems to be growing in popularity. It even has it's own jargon and terms, which are tongue twisters and quite funny.
It's not my favorite of the things, but it's not too bad!
Monday, August 3, 2009
My Lucky number 11...IMing
I have registered with the Meebo.com IM service. My user name is:
swiftees.
This service includes my yahoo and facebook account info, so that I am able to chat with the folks on those sites also.
I don't use chat very often in my personal life, I used to, but in the past few years I have just not had time for that. Occasionally I will speak to old friends via the facebook chat service, but it's not a form of communication that I utilize very often.
Here at work we use the meebo IMing service to provide reference assistance. After a brief slow start, the popularity and use of our IMing service has really grown to be very popular and we have been able to use it to answer questions of all types.We offer this service from 8am-midnight each week night, except Fridays when we close at 8pm. We still cover some Question Point service points, but we have taken most of it away and replaced it with Meebo chat/IMing service. I love doing reference in IM because I can push them the pages I am looking at, they enjoy that and it makes things easier for me.
Admittedly, for some users it does make more sense to ask them to call us, and usually they are glad to do so. That is often for the in-depth answers, or responses where there is a long answering process.
I don't mind at all doing reference via chat, or IMing, but I prefer not to communicate with friends that way very often...for no other reason than I am a tad lazy and spoiled on text messaging. :)
swiftees.
This service includes my yahoo and facebook account info, so that I am able to chat with the folks on those sites also.
I don't use chat very often in my personal life, I used to, but in the past few years I have just not had time for that. Occasionally I will speak to old friends via the facebook chat service, but it's not a form of communication that I utilize very often.
Here at work we use the meebo IMing service to provide reference assistance. After a brief slow start, the popularity and use of our IMing service has really grown to be very popular and we have been able to use it to answer questions of all types.We offer this service from 8am-midnight each week night, except Fridays when we close at 8pm. We still cover some Question Point service points, but we have taken most of it away and replaced it with Meebo chat/IMing service. I love doing reference in IM because I can push them the pages I am looking at, they enjoy that and it makes things easier for me.
Admittedly, for some users it does make more sense to ask them to call us, and usually they are glad to do so. That is often for the in-depth answers, or responses where there is a long answering process.
I don't mind at all doing reference via chat, or IMing, but I prefer not to communicate with friends that way very often...for no other reason than I am a tad lazy and spoiled on text messaging. :)
Thursday, July 16, 2009
#10 - NING NING NING
This was an interesting excercise and I apparently I was part of ning already because when I went to the page it pulled up my info...I had my facebook opened at the same time, so I don't know if it pulled it off my facebook info, because the photo it showed of me is the same as my facebook profile photo.
So I logged in and went to adding! I added a "cat lovers" group, the "foodtube" group, a bird watching group, a Celtic friends group. Altogether I am now a group member of 5 groups and very interested to see what comes of my group choices, what each group offers, etc.
In a forum of the "Celtic Friends Network" they are conversing about a "Celtic Symbols Encyclopedia", which I would love to look at. The foodtube.net group looks SO AWESOME...all kinds of ethnic food recipes, videos, etc...I have been majorly expanding my food horizons the last year or so...and with these videos and all I can learn even more! I am stoked about using this at home. In the foodtube forum there is a FREE SAMPLES thread which looks gooooood...free starbucks ice cream bars...HECK-TO-THE-YES!!!!
I look forward to exploring these even further and participating in the groups I joined and finding more. Possibly some in our area.
The issue I had with joining the groups is that each time I joined I would have to fill out yet another profile, email, password, etc...that got old. I wish there would have been a way to just use a blanket profile instead of writing one for each group. But they were brief, and I kind of see why they do it, but it looks like they could find a way to improve that some.
Not my fav thing...but I don't hate it either! :)
So I logged in and went to adding! I added a "cat lovers" group, the "foodtube" group, a bird watching group, a Celtic friends group. Altogether I am now a group member of 5 groups and very interested to see what comes of my group choices, what each group offers, etc.
In a forum of the "Celtic Friends Network" they are conversing about a "Celtic Symbols Encyclopedia", which I would love to look at. The foodtube.net group looks SO AWESOME...all kinds of ethnic food recipes, videos, etc...I have been majorly expanding my food horizons the last year or so...and with these videos and all I can learn even more! I am stoked about using this at home. In the foodtube forum there is a FREE SAMPLES thread which looks gooooood...free starbucks ice cream bars...HECK-TO-THE-YES!!!!
I look forward to exploring these even further and participating in the groups I joined and finding more. Possibly some in our area.
The issue I had with joining the groups is that each time I joined I would have to fill out yet another profile, email, password, etc...that got old. I wish there would have been a way to just use a blanket profile instead of writing one for each group. But they were brief, and I kind of see why they do it, but it looks like they could find a way to improve that some.
Not my fav thing...but I don't hate it either! :)
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
My lucky number 9 - Facebook Groups, etc.
Having had a facebook account for a few years now I am actually, and I was surprised at the number myself, but I am actually a member of 222 groups! lol (yes, I know that's excessive, I do nothing in moderation!) I wil gladly name some of my groups...
I am part of the "Fuzzy's Taco Shop" group, I am a member of a small, yet amusing group called "Why, yes, I do frequently burst out in song", I am a member of many political groups which will go unwritten, I am a member of many Dallas Cowboy groups, and Texas Longhorn groups or two, I am a member of "When I was your age, Pluto was a planet"...obviously with 222 groups on my profile I could name groups for days, but I will spare us all. I LOVE groups and there is one for almost anything. I LOVE Converse shoes, last week I found 3-4 groups regarding the love and adoration the some have for these awesome, classic shoes.
YES! I have been ELATED to have people from elementary school, church camp, high school, college, etc contact me. My long lost best friend for 15 years moved away and changed jobs and we had not spoken for years and I longed to hear from her...one day there she was asking to be my friend on facebook. My first crush when I was 4 years old, he was much older (go figure!) added me recently...talk about a trip down memory lane! Actually this coming weekend many of us who reunited on facebook are meeting at an ice house near my hometown to watch a band and get caught up...I'd have never even been speaking to any of these people had it not been for facebook. The only way I know how my own brother is doing is his daily posts on facebook. So I haven't just had one happy story I have one all the time! I love it!
I am part of the "Fuzzy's Taco Shop" group, I am a member of a small, yet amusing group called "Why, yes, I do frequently burst out in song", I am a member of many political groups which will go unwritten, I am a member of many Dallas Cowboy groups, and Texas Longhorn groups or two, I am a member of "When I was your age, Pluto was a planet"...obviously with 222 groups on my profile I could name groups for days, but I will spare us all. I LOVE groups and there is one for almost anything. I LOVE Converse shoes, last week I found 3-4 groups regarding the love and adoration the some have for these awesome, classic shoes.
YES! I have been ELATED to have people from elementary school, church camp, high school, college, etc contact me. My long lost best friend for 15 years moved away and changed jobs and we had not spoken for years and I longed to hear from her...one day there she was asking to be my friend on facebook. My first crush when I was 4 years old, he was much older (go figure!) added me recently...talk about a trip down memory lane! Actually this coming weekend many of us who reunited on facebook are meeting at an ice house near my hometown to watch a band and get caught up...I'd have never even been speaking to any of these people had it not been for facebook. The only way I know how my own brother is doing is his daily posts on facebook. So I haven't just had one happy story I have one all the time! I love it!
#8~~~Facebook Rules~~~
I saw facebook as a topic and smiled. I am a facebook junky. I admit, I resisted at first, hearing it was for college kids and I was a myspace kind of girl. I enjoyed the page design, HTML coding, aspect of making a myspace page. Things changed and myspace turned into booty-call central and I knew it was time to make the move. When I initially set up my profile I was one of a few people from my high school and from my library that used facebook. Within a matter of weeks and months everyone I work with was on it too. Then suddenly people from high school and college whom I had not seen in 20 years were adding me on facebook...it was like a virtual reunion of sorts.
At work we use it to see where people are, to chat back and forth from office to office, and the library has it's own page that our staff posts library and academic-related news for our student subscribers, and slowly but surely we have a student following. We post an announcement and low and behold they respond back with their thoughts, comments, etc.
I love facebook to add my favorite shows, restaurants, clothing stores, comedians, and the list goes on...by adding chik-fil-a we learned that last Friday if you dressed up like a black and white cow and go into a store you would eat for free. Starbucks sends out specials and freebie notices on there as well. One of my favorite shows, "No Reservations" on the travel channel tells me when the season premier is...and I have the option to give a thumbs up on what I like and what I think is good.
The anonymity issue is an issue, but resist it all you want, we are a society moving towards having our entire existence floating around in cyber space, so you might as well test the waters while they are still simple and shallow. What I like about facebook, as far as privacy goes, is yes, you put a name on there, however, only those you allow to look at your profile can look. Sure, they can pull up a photo, and maybe the area you live (if you put that in) but don't feel like you have to put a photo of yourself. My alter-ego and super hero is Super Girl, so my facebook profile sports a lovely pic of Supergirl and her long, blonde locks flowing in the wind. I am a long-haired blonde, but I don't wear a cape (not in public anyway) so even if they find me, without my allowing them access to my profile all they will know about me is that I live in "Funky Town" and I am a Supergirl fan named Elizabeth. Anonymity is a real issue and I don't intend to make light of it at all, however, online existence is the way we are headed and denying that will only prolong the inevitable.
I love the facebook quizzes! I am aware that they do allow those people to look into your profile and things I probably have no knowledge of...and I may suffer repurcussions from it down the line...but it will be and 1000's of other quiz addicts taking the fall together.
To me the fear of online, social networking anonymity is less than my fear of handing over my debit card at a restaurant, store, etc...we have this false sense of well-being. So we try to be careful and do the wise thing to protect ourselves. The same goes for any online platform.
I can hardly go the weekend without a visit to facebook. But I attempt to have 2 days facebook free, yet it beacons me throughout the weekend and sometimes I can't help but to give in...because I always need my facebook fix!
At work we use it to see where people are, to chat back and forth from office to office, and the library has it's own page that our staff posts library and academic-related news for our student subscribers, and slowly but surely we have a student following. We post an announcement and low and behold they respond back with their thoughts, comments, etc.
I love facebook to add my favorite shows, restaurants, clothing stores, comedians, and the list goes on...by adding chik-fil-a we learned that last Friday if you dressed up like a black and white cow and go into a store you would eat for free. Starbucks sends out specials and freebie notices on there as well. One of my favorite shows, "No Reservations" on the travel channel tells me when the season premier is...and I have the option to give a thumbs up on what I like and what I think is good.
The anonymity issue is an issue, but resist it all you want, we are a society moving towards having our entire existence floating around in cyber space, so you might as well test the waters while they are still simple and shallow. What I like about facebook, as far as privacy goes, is yes, you put a name on there, however, only those you allow to look at your profile can look. Sure, they can pull up a photo, and maybe the area you live (if you put that in) but don't feel like you have to put a photo of yourself. My alter-ego and super hero is Super Girl, so my facebook profile sports a lovely pic of Supergirl and her long, blonde locks flowing in the wind. I am a long-haired blonde, but I don't wear a cape (not in public anyway) so even if they find me, without my allowing them access to my profile all they will know about me is that I live in "Funky Town" and I am a Supergirl fan named Elizabeth. Anonymity is a real issue and I don't intend to make light of it at all, however, online existence is the way we are headed and denying that will only prolong the inevitable.
I love the facebook quizzes! I am aware that they do allow those people to look into your profile and things I probably have no knowledge of...and I may suffer repurcussions from it down the line...but it will be and 1000's of other quiz addicts taking the fall together.
To me the fear of online, social networking anonymity is less than my fear of handing over my debit card at a restaurant, store, etc...we have this false sense of well-being. So we try to be careful and do the wise thing to protect ourselves. The same goes for any online platform.
I can hardly go the weekend without a visit to facebook. But I attempt to have 2 days facebook free, yet it beacons me throughout the weekend and sometimes I can't help but to give in...because I always need my facebook fix!
Lucky Thing # Seven - RSS feeds
I have a confession...I consider myself fairly tech savy and try to stay abreast of the latest and funnest thing floating around online, or making our lives easier. I am lucky enough to work in a library in which we get a lot of workshops and education regarding this type of thing, and I have listened about RSS feeds, heck, between you and me I have pushed the little orange RSS feed buttons before, and couldn't figure out where the stupid thing went...DUH!
But now I get it, now I use it, and I will continue to do so, until something else along the horizon comes in to take it's place. Technology reminds me of a new car, you look for the latest and greatest with all the bells and whistles and go devote yourself to making a purchase...drive it off the lot and something new and better takes it's place a week or so later. (Well, like a new car aside from google reader and RSS feeds being free and cars outlandishly priced.)
I consider myself set. I added my yahoo news, that I cannot make it through a morning without at least glancing at it. I added recipezar, so that the new recipes and food blogs can tempt and torture me all day long. I added Texas Monthly feeds, because I love their website and the magazine itself and all it has to offer. I added the TED talks updates page, a page that I enjoy looking at, yet forget to do so regularly, and it will be very valuable to have that update.
And, just as the video said...it, along with Google Reader itself...IS ADDICTIVE!!!!
Of course, between you and I by the time bedtime rolls around each night my shoulder aches and burns anyway from excessive mouse use...I predict that will be similar to "tennis elbow" or carpal tunnel..."mouse arm" the syndrome of the new millinium! But what a way to go!
But now I get it, now I use it, and I will continue to do so, until something else along the horizon comes in to take it's place. Technology reminds me of a new car, you look for the latest and greatest with all the bells and whistles and go devote yourself to making a purchase...drive it off the lot and something new and better takes it's place a week or so later. (Well, like a new car aside from google reader and RSS feeds being free and cars outlandishly priced.)
I consider myself set. I added my yahoo news, that I cannot make it through a morning without at least glancing at it. I added recipezar, so that the new recipes and food blogs can tempt and torture me all day long. I added Texas Monthly feeds, because I love their website and the magazine itself and all it has to offer. I added the TED talks updates page, a page that I enjoy looking at, yet forget to do so regularly, and it will be very valuable to have that update.
And, just as the video said...it, along with Google Reader itself...IS ADDICTIVE!!!!
Of course, between you and I by the time bedtime rolls around each night my shoulder aches and burns anyway from excessive mouse use...I predict that will be similar to "tennis elbow" or carpal tunnel..."mouse arm" the syndrome of the new millinium! But what a way to go!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Thing 6...Google Reader can be Addictive!
As you can tell by this post's title I enjoyed the Google Reader exercise. Once I started doing searches and adding more feeds I did not want to stop, even though it is LUNCH TIME! (so we know it must be good!)
I added more than a few and still have so many more things in mind to add when I get a chance.
The google reader was fairly intuitive after watching the video and reading the set of instructions I was able to add and file things with ease. Searching for more add ideas can be fun, just to see what is out there and what you might run across by mistake.
I look forward to utilizing my reader account, as there are many sites I visit frequently, and this will save me time...and I need all the time I can get these days!
My hats off to Google Reader!
I added more than a few and still have so many more things in mind to add when I get a chance.
The google reader was fairly intuitive after watching the video and reading the set of instructions I was able to add and file things with ease. Searching for more add ideas can be fun, just to see what is out there and what you might run across by mistake.
I look forward to utilizing my reader account, as there are many sites I visit frequently, and this will save me time...and I need all the time I can get these days!
My hats off to Google Reader!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Step 5...Generate Me Baby!
The generators are fun!!! I am excited about how these "things" are giving so many options of fun graphics and designs. I have expensive Adobe software at work (and I am thankful for it!) however, this allows me to do fun stuff when I am not at work, and to generate (no pun intended) new and exciting ideas for graphics for online use and usage in any in-print materials we might create too.
I have seen these ideas online and never knew how and where to use them. I consider myself a pretty savy PC and Internet user, so finding new things, FREE things, is so exciting.
These were a blast! I had to cut myself off after making more than a few, and so I can go home from work! I look forward to having more time to play with many of the other generator options.
What did I learn? Aside from how to make all of these cool graphics, I learned what a generator is in the virtual world. Again, it is a word I have heard a few times in some circles in library land, etc, but never knew exactly what was being referred to before now. I had fun, and I learned something...a heck of a way to start the week!!!!!
I have seen these ideas online and never knew how and where to use them. I consider myself a pretty savy PC and Internet user, so finding new things, FREE things, is so exciting.
These were a blast! I had to cut myself off after making more than a few, and so I can go home from work! I look forward to having more time to play with many of the other generator options.
What did I learn? Aside from how to make all of these cool graphics, I learned what a generator is in the virtual world. Again, it is a word I have heard a few times in some circles in library land, etc, but never knew exactly what was being referred to before now. I had fun, and I learned something...a heck of a way to start the week!!!!!
Step 4 of the 23 thangs...Shiny Happy Flickrs
Prior to step 4 I had already used the Flickr Spell to spell my name and such. So today I felt like challenging myself and doing some things new and exciting (I sure needed that on a Monday!)
So I went to Big Huge Labs (which, by the way, gives me visuals of big labrador retrievers...and that makes me smile!) I was excited to see all of the choices of things to do in Big Hige Labs. I was able to access and use some photos that I had not only in my Flickr account, but my photobucket account as well.
I played around with many of my photos in the different apps. and saved 2-3 of my final choices. I thought it was cool that you could readjust the layout, without having to go back into the edit mode, each time I hit the adjust button the image changed some until I got the look I was hoping for, that was way cool. Also, I like the fact that you can order the images you create.
I really enjoyed this step of our 23 things. I look forward to using this at work, home, and sharing my knowledge with my family, friends, and coworkers.
Below are the links to my newly designed creations. I hope you enjoy them, if anyone is even looking at them. ;-)
So I went to Big Huge Labs (which, by the way, gives me visuals of big labrador retrievers...and that makes me smile!) I was excited to see all of the choices of things to do in Big Hige Labs. I was able to access and use some photos that I had not only in my Flickr account, but my photobucket account as well.
I played around with many of my photos in the different apps. and saved 2-3 of my final choices. I thought it was cool that you could readjust the layout, without having to go back into the edit mode, each time I hit the adjust button the image changed some until I got the look I was hoping for, that was way cool. Also, I like the fact that you can order the images you create.
I really enjoyed this step of our 23 things. I look forward to using this at work, home, and sharing my knowledge with my family, friends, and coworkers.
Below are the links to my newly designed creations. I hope you enjoy them, if anyone is even looking at them. ;-)
Thing Three - Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angelees/
I had a Flickr account that I just recently opened in the past few months. I enjoy being able to share my photos with my family this way, and vice versa.
I also enjoy some of the Flickr groups, which I am a memeber of a few. The photos they post are unique and I get to look at things other than what my family and I post.
I have my Flickr account linked to my facebook account, so when I update Flickr it will show on my facebook page.
Our library (our department) just began a Flickr account under our name so that we can show our library facebook friends the progress we have been making on our renovations this summer. Which is fun and let's our patrons know what is taking place, as well as staff who are not in this building. We plan to show the phases of the renovation and the end results.
I like Flickr, there are a couple of things I think might be better if don'e differently, however, I am no expert and have faith that as with many things online that it will evolve and improve as we users master and even exceed our skills in this type of photo sharing.
Above I posted the link to my own account, but would like to post a favorite photo from someone else.
I love angels!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/floatingimitations/463821626/
I had a Flickr account that I just recently opened in the past few months. I enjoy being able to share my photos with my family this way, and vice versa.
I also enjoy some of the Flickr groups, which I am a memeber of a few. The photos they post are unique and I get to look at things other than what my family and I post.
I have my Flickr account linked to my facebook account, so when I update Flickr it will show on my facebook page.
Our library (our department) just began a Flickr account under our name so that we can show our library facebook friends the progress we have been making on our renovations this summer. Which is fun and let's our patrons know what is taking place, as well as staff who are not in this building. We plan to show the phases of the renovation and the end results.
I like Flickr, there are a couple of things I think might be better if don'e differently, however, I am no expert and have faith that as with many things online that it will evolve and improve as we users master and even exceed our skills in this type of photo sharing.
Above I posted the link to my own account, but would like to post a favorite photo from someone else.
I love angels!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/floatingimitations/463821626/
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Step 2 --- Library 2.0
After reading the Blyberg article and viewing the shifted librarian video it made L2 more concrete to me, as opposed of it just being some buzz word thrown around in meetings and at conferences.
I now have a better understanding of what L2 is comprised of and the direction it is going, and above all, how we as libraries and librarians need to evolve with it in order to remain relevant in the live's of todays youth and patrons, who rely on the library for a variety of services and technology.
I was very proud and pleased to learn that the library in which I work, is, and have been, very much on the cutting edge of what L2 consists of. Our librarians and support staff put in a lot of effort into staying on the cusp of new technology and new ideas which enable us to meet our patrons/students where they are, as opposed to having them come to us. Therefore, keeping us "relevant."
We have been doing virtual reference via Meebo and Question Point for many years and have experienced success with both. Some of our librarians are making short instructional videos to walk students through various steps of research, our website, etc. As well as making a concerted effort to stay abreast of the needs of our users in multiple ways, and soliciting user-feedback in order to enhance the services we provide, and to create other ways of fulfilling the needs of our patrons.
Slowly, I see us making attempts at changing the "internal cultures" and striving to obtain some form of "institutional enlightenment". I recognize our efforts to release our idea of what the library "has been" and work towards being a library which evolves into what we need to be in order to better serve our patrons. I like the notion in Blyberg's article that in order to reach many of these goals, libraries will need to pool their resources in order to better achieve, and hopefully, surpass the goals of making a "global impact" as a united front; of what the library once was and how it will evolve into what it will need to be.
I now have a better understanding of what L2 is comprised of and the direction it is going, and above all, how we as libraries and librarians need to evolve with it in order to remain relevant in the live's of todays youth and patrons, who rely on the library for a variety of services and technology.
I was very proud and pleased to learn that the library in which I work, is, and have been, very much on the cutting edge of what L2 consists of. Our librarians and support staff put in a lot of effort into staying on the cusp of new technology and new ideas which enable us to meet our patrons/students where they are, as opposed to having them come to us. Therefore, keeping us "relevant."
We have been doing virtual reference via Meebo and Question Point for many years and have experienced success with both. Some of our librarians are making short instructional videos to walk students through various steps of research, our website, etc. As well as making a concerted effort to stay abreast of the needs of our users in multiple ways, and soliciting user-feedback in order to enhance the services we provide, and to create other ways of fulfilling the needs of our patrons.
Slowly, I see us making attempts at changing the "internal cultures" and striving to obtain some form of "institutional enlightenment". I recognize our efforts to release our idea of what the library "has been" and work towards being a library which evolves into what we need to be in order to better serve our patrons. I like the notion in Blyberg's article that in order to reach many of these goals, libraries will need to pool their resources in order to better achieve, and hopefully, surpass the goals of making a "global impact" as a united front; of what the library once was and how it will evolve into what it will need to be.
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