tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79426756953793201272024-03-19T03:31:39.518-07:00Librarian ABCMy 23 MORE Things.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-24675186553946190482014-01-22T14:59:00.000-08:002014-01-22T14:59:10.337-08:00Thing One: 23 Mobile ThingsI haven't looked at my blog in years? That doesn't seem right. On the other hand, what have I missed by jumping into Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat? <br />
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So, I will renew the blog to get started with 23 Mobile Things. Bring on the apps!!!<br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-80471385221499690382009-03-29T09:43:00.000-07:002009-04-02T09:57:10.407-07:00Thing 28: Customized Web PagesCustomized web pages are one of those things that become such a part of your routine, you don't even realize you are part of the revolution. When you realize that you rely on your internet connection to maintain your links to the world through e-mail, newsfeeds, RSS feeds, Blogger, Twitter and Facebook, etc., the customizable web page allows you to access all these things in one feel swoop.<br /><br />I rely very heavily on my iGoogle page. It has links to all of the above mentioned, as well as to my lifeline...the Google calendar. This was originally why I started my page. I needed to have access to my calendar wherever I was that day. As a "have badge, will trave"l librarian substitute sometimes it is good to have access to that calendar at home, at the ref desk and in my car via my phone. Google makes all this possible, with the help of my smart phone. I love it.<br /><br />I set Google as my default at home and at work, and wherever I go. It coordinates my crazy life, just enough to keep me in line. I still lose my gloves, but I always know where I should be at any given time.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-23610782951434462512009-03-24T20:28:00.000-07:002009-03-24T20:58:12.178-07:00Thing 27 TwitterI will just come out it: I love Twitter. I love it more than my blog, I love it more than my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">RSS</span> feeds, I love it more than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Facebook</span>. So there.<br /><br />I signed up for Twitter during the first round of Things, and puttered around with it, but I didn't really see the need to continue with it until I got connected with two GREAT women who keep me up to date on library matters. Both Tweet in very different ways. One (http://twitter.com/mlrethlefsen) is someone I worked with during an internship early in my library life, the other (http://twitter.com/elloyd74) is a library cartoonist that I adore. One keeps me informed on the new things she investigates as a tech librarian <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">extraordinaire</span>, and what she is currently eating instead of lunch. The other links to current social awareness topics, and with a very wry sense of humor, sums up all that is goofy about working in a library.<br /><br />If it weren't for these two women, I don't know that I would have continued to post myself. I don't know if anyone finds what I have to say interesting (since I have lost a couple of people already, I would say I need to work on that) but I keep trying to add content as well as just my status. There are friends that Tweet <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">occasionally</span>, and I love hearing from them also, but it is that nebulous world of friends that are also professionals-in-common where Twitter really shines.<br /><br />I am also very selective about who I follow. I will friend most anyone who friends me on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Facebook</span>, but I don't follow everyone who follows me on Twitter. I'm still trying to figure out how much I can follow and still enjoy. Right now I think I'm only up to 11 people that I am following, although I added a couple graphic novel accounts in the process of re-evaluating for this post. We'll see how long they last.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-79564032581213514972009-03-13T06:33:00.000-07:002009-03-24T14:33:20.188-07:00Thing 26: NingI joined the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ning</span> in Round One, and dutifully updated and fooled around for Round Two as well. Now I have run into the age old question of technology use: What is there to make me go back, sign in, and look at this thing again?<br /><br />I began this post two weeks ago, and I (without actually trying to avoid anything) haven't been back. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ning</span> might be a good tool for a multi-library task force, or the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">beginning</span> stages of planning for a conference. It would be a great way to ask a whole bunch of librarians something, but you would have to have their <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">commitment</span> to actually checking in on a regular basis.<br /><br />I meant to check back in, and there are several people I dearly love to chat with on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ning</span>, but I already have avenues for that. Again the question is "What makes this thing better than other things that I should devote my already dwindling time to it?"<br /><br />All that said? I love that it shows all our faces. I think of it as "Librarian Face Collage."Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-3453628173437583552009-02-22T12:58:00.000-08:002009-03-13T05:50:32.825-07:00Thing 25: Bloggers' ToolkitAlthough I am a big fan of fun and exciting extras on blogs, I think they need purpose. Most of Thing 25 was instructive and informative, but not necessary.<br /><br />I am toying with the right idea for a poll. I played around with a number of different options, including commenting, counters and other gadgets, but none of them seemed to add to the blog, and most of them made my already full page very cluttered. (Some of them made me feel downright unpopular.)<br /><br />But a poll, that might work out, if I can come up with a good idea.<br /><br />I did enjoy the usability tips, and I now feel like a have a bigger arsenal with which to blog. Now I just need an extra couple of days in my week.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-3823062924250928252009-01-26T14:10:00.000-08:002009-01-26T14:30:12.484-08:00Thing 24: Keeping CurrentI believe I have updated enough to say I have a new look, and I've been putting info into my profile as I can. And have indeed-y kept blogging, just not on this blog. I have kind of kept this one Thing-Centered, and my other blog is where I post reviews of what I have been reading, as well as other thoughts. I find a sense of accomplishment posting, although I do wonder if anyone reads anything at all.<br /><br />I have mixed feelings about posting when it is apparent (From my lone comment in the past few months, thanks Jeff.) that if anyone is reading they are not finding anything to say. On the one hand, whatever. I like seeing the record of my own reading habits, and reminding myself that thinking critically is a muscle that needs to be exercised. On the other hand, it is too easy to think that NO ONE is reading, and start posting stuff that I would not normally say. That is a trap I have fallen into twice now, both times to no good end. I will stop trying to be funny, Ali.<br /><br />And I tend to read blogs only from people that I already know, and so I am more likely to comment in person that on their blog. Perhaps I will change that behavior as we proceed. And I do find some that I love to read. Graphic novel and manga reviews are a great source of information for a librarian, even if there are so many of them it is hard to keep up.<br /><br />But is it all an exercise in futility? I don't think so, but besides keeping arguments fresh and politically correct, I can't tell you why. So I'll keep blogging, and maybe something will come to me.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-53853400860217078662008-11-11T18:16:00.000-08:002008-11-11T18:26:26.181-08:00Snarkiness and Old LaceI have changed my avatar in preparation for the NEXT 23 Things. Rock on.<br /><br />In celebration of Inservice Day at RCL, and of my personal brand of Geek Chic, I have also named my Dino.<br /><br />Meet Old Lace, referring of course, to one of my favorite graphic novels, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaways_%28comics%29">Runaways</a>.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-60834178316660277532008-09-14T22:23:00.000-07:002008-09-14T22:34:52.031-07:00Thing 23: Final ThoughtsI enjoyed this a lot, and found myself talking about it outside of work more often than I would have imagined. I was using some of these things, but it was nice to have to work in a bit more depth and really do the things I knew I had the option of doing, but had not yet tried. I would not have uploaded so many pictures, or figured out Twitter, or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span>, or even kept up with a blog before this. (I have had 5 so far in this life.)<br /><br />Not only did I learn a lot, but going through these Things has created some excellent discussions at work regarding what we do, and how we do it, and why. Knowing that everyone is on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">YouTube</span> is one thing, but considering all the possibilities for what they could be looking at is another. I watched a concert for a German band I loved 20 years ago. I would never have seen them again if it weren't for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">YouTube</span>.<br /><br />I think this process has given me more patience with new computer users, also. It is hard to learn a new technology! Someone has to show you once so you know it is possible, and then a hundred more times until you master it. That is the part that I am struggling with as I try to master some of these Things, and what I'll try to take with me going forward. Both the benefits of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">persistent</span> learning, and the patience to deal with those I'm instructing.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-21634253185579423702008-09-14T21:58:00.000-07:002008-09-14T22:13:17.721-07:00Thing 22: Keeping upI will make the pledge to keep up. :)<br /><br /> I like the little bit every day philosophy. Librarians (in gross generalization, at least) are good at incorporating a little bit of everything all the time. If it comes in handy, we want to know about it.<br /><br />I have my iGoogle, which keeps me on time and in touch and in the know and entertained. I have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span> which sucks all the spare time out of me, but keeps me in touch with those I might lose track of. I have my blogs, both the 23 things, and my own personal blogs. I feel prepared to take on the future!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-18812577662267538072008-09-14T20:40:00.000-07:002008-09-14T22:00:05.393-07:00Thing 21: Other Social NetworksGather - kind of a waste of time. I couldn't figure out what I could get out of joining that I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">couldn't</span> get from the other networks. I felt the same way about most things - until I could make a personal connection, or needed to find something.<br /><br />I wasn't thrilled about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ning</span>, but I loved that Ramsey County Library had a group on the 23 Things on a Stick Ning! And it made all the difference in my excitement about joining. I even posted a picture, which is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mostly</span> hair and hat.<br /><br />Again, it comes down to desire and purpose, and each of the things we discover and experiment with are only as good as what we get out of them. Friends, commiseration, humor, these are the things that keep us returning, I think. And that they are easy to use!!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-15504623201166268722008-09-14T19:48:00.000-07:002008-09-14T20:40:33.054-07:00Thing 19: PodcastsI could become addicted to "<a href="http://podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=61581">the dinner party download</a>" If I could find more time to listen to my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">IPod</span>, this would be more problematic. As always, my ears are not my own, except in very specific instances. "Dinner Party" is the right length for these times. They include my drive from my house to work and back again, and the time after the kids go to bed. And when I mow the lawn. Needless to say, I have also been looking for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">podcasts</span> that I can share with my kids.<br /><br />I can see using any of these download directories, but I get where I need to go using <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ITunes</span>, also.<br /><br />Cool ideas for Library <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">podcasts</span>:<br /> Book reviews posted by and downloaded to members of a "podcast' book club.<br /> Download important policy meetings to library intranet<br /> Updates on waiting lists, new rental books, what the library has on display<br /> Ramsey County "Star of the week" featuring an employee, what they specialize in, what they like to read, and one zany fact.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-65560275973055617512008-09-14T19:14:00.000-07:002008-09-14T19:48:03.329-07:00Thing 18: YouTubeHere is my FABULOUS librarian Star Trek clip. I couldn't ask for a better reason for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">YouTube</span> to exist:<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2Cv2INuu9eo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2Cv2INuu9eo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />I find it hard to emerge from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">YouTube</span>. While I enjoy clips about bacon, Harry Potter puppet shows and all the many and various ways people think librarians act when the library closes doors for the day, it can take a lot of time to sort through it for gems like the clip I inserted, or Parker <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Posey's</span> library rant from "Party Girl."<br /><br />There are a lot of good ideas for posting video of library instruction, etc. Would people honestly look for library instruction from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">YouTube</span>? It would have to be a clip posted to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">YouTube</span>, then linked to a site that actually provided the content, I think.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-31453353536976276232008-09-11T13:05:00.000-07:002008-09-11T13:57:14.614-07:00Thing 20: Facebook and MySpaceI had reservations about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span>, wondering what the fuss was about, and what the heck I would do with it.<br /><br />I signed up after a friend of mine moved to Nashville, and she invited me to keep in touch via her <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Facebook</span> page. (This is the same friend with Mob Wars, mentioned in post #16.) Within the hour of signing up and checking out who had accounts, I had four friends! I was flabbergasted, really. One of these was my brother-in-law.<br /><br />I have had a great time interacting with friends and fluffing up my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Facebook</span> page. I think it would great to have a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Maplewood</span> page, or a Ramsey County Library page. Every friend gets to see whenever I update, if they wish. It is like "low-impact mass e-mailing." I like it.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-70422921795709437332008-09-11T12:49:00.000-07:002008-09-11T12:54:46.797-07:00Thing 17: ELM productivityI think this could be a big help, if I could finally get through all the steps and see updates.<br /><br />For personal librarian use, this is a great way to stay on top of issues. For the public library desk, being able to save searches would be helpful, although still cumbersome. Helpful for the cyclical "review of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">snow blowers</span>" type questions, at least.<br /><br />I'm a little frustrated with all the extra layers, however. The saving grace of many of the fast electronic tools we have reviewed and played with has been their ease of use, and intuitive set up. That is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">definitely</span> missing here.<br /><br />I'm sure it has been mentioned before, but why don't we make library databases easier to use?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-49234344855245013462008-09-11T12:27:00.000-07:002008-09-11T12:32:23.112-07:00Thing 16: Assignment CalculatorWhere was this when I was a procrastinating student?<br /><br />This could have saved my life more than once. I love the helpful advice, the specifics for different types of papers, and the detailed <a href="http://www.lib.unc.edu/instruct/citations/introduction/sections.html">links</a> about comma usage and citations. It is a great resource for planning, but also for those last minutes when you are second guessing your grammar.<br /><br />This would be a good tool to recommend at the reference desk if someone was asking about <a href="http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/commas.html">punctuation</a>, or the specifics on how to write a literary analysis. I like to be able to say “and you can also try this other source...” for which this would be perfect.<br /><br />I love the “<a href="http://rpc.elm4you.org/no_time.php#step1">no time</a>?” condensed version of the prompts for teachers. It is a good reminder of what has to happen in a research project. This would make a great handout (revised even further, and written for students) for those who come in and ask us for “something about...” but look lost when we try to get them to be more specific than “World War Two” or “Civil Rights.”Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-26773338547542774792008-09-11T12:14:00.000-07:002008-09-11T12:27:40.073-07:00Thing 15: Online Gaming<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Yarr</span>. I’m a pirate. I tried it out, I got bored quickly. Maybe if I had played more I would have found more interaction, but this was not my thing.<br /><br />I set up an account at Second Life that I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">didn</span>’t do anything with some time ago. My husband tried to convince me that we should get married there. I passed on that one - aren't we already married?<br /><br /> I think Second Life is one of those things that would be fun, but I would have to have more motivation to spend any real time there. It would be cool to have a Second Life book discussion, or a presentation of resources, or I some other virtual library activity. However, I don’t have enough time in my First Life to make more time for Second Life.<br /><br />I confess that I have a personal objection to on-line gaming. I have spent many a night wondering what happened to my husband as he committed acts of electronic <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">daring</span>-do in the basement computer room.<br /><br />I do know that many, many people like to play <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">RuneScape</span> and World of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Warcraft</span>, and that gaming communities allow for more interesting and complex play than just you against the world. It is also a way to meet up with friends (some that you already know, some that you don't) when you are far away. Perhaps I will explore this option. I have an invitation to join my friend Mel's Mob War group waiting at my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Facebook</span> page.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-25289747142521218232008-08-28T10:43:00.000-07:002008-09-04T09:50:08.989-07:00Thing 14: Library ThingI've set up an account with Library Thing in the past, and it didn't really serve the cataloging needs of the group I was working with at the time. Now, going back in as an individual and looking at Library Thing as a book recommendation and readers advisory source, I am enjoying it very much. I keep getting lost, there is so much to look at!<br /><br /><br />I started my library with everything I currently have checked out, read and unread. It was kind of a good cross section of stuff. I found most everything I had easily enough (not paying strict attention details, I chose mostly the copy with the cover art included.) The best part was finding other lists of people with similar tastes. I could work those lists over for a while.<br /><br />This might be a great way to make the library known. Put recommended lists out, post the "name" of the user on the library website with a link, like "Ramsey County Fab Fiction" and see who it catches. Since it would pull up lists with similar titles, it would be an ever expanding resource.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hmm</span>. I like that. But we need a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Facebook</span> account, first.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-81083140797590055802008-08-26T12:18:00.000-07:002008-08-26T12:46:48.362-07:00Thing 13: Productivity ToolsI love my iGoogle.<br /><br />The more things I add to it, the more I use it. I started out with just G-mail and my calendar, but added a pretty background courtesy of <a href="http://www.wunyingcollection.com/">Carrie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Chau</span></a>. Then I added the Google Talk gadget, Google Reader, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Facebook</span>, Twitter, and Blogger. I don't forget I have these things, and I am already signed in - totally <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">synced</span>! Except when I am signed out of iGoogle.<br /><br />This was an easy Thing for me, since I have been using many of the features detailed here for a while. Google Calendar keeps me in line, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">syncing</span> with my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">PDA</span> so I know where I need to be at all times. I use a "sticky note" for my to do list. I liked the idea of Backpack, but I wouldn't pay for it. I'd add stuff to my iGoogle for free!<br /><br />My only complaint is that for whatever reason, when I have first loaded iGoogle and I am about to open my Gmail, no matter where my cursor is, clicking sets my Reader to "all read." I can live with it. I never get through everything anyway.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-46814862912652543222008-08-22T14:52:00.000-07:002008-08-22T15:03:34.154-07:00Thing 12: Social Media SitesMixx: Interesting. Informative at a glance. Terrifying. For instance the two most popular stories today:<br /> #2: Top 50 Sexpert Blogs<br /> #1: <a href="http://www.mixx.com/stories/1884436/100_awesome_free_web_tools_for_elementary_teachers" rel="bookmark">100 Awesome, Free Web Tools for Elementary Teachers</a><br /><br />Obviously, these will not inform the same groups, but might come in handy.<br /><br />Digg looks similar, I'd hop here now and again.<br /><br />Newsvine looks like it might be more worthy of a read for more information, and not just a glance at what is attracting the average surfer.<br /><br />Reddit might be a good combo of newsworthy and interestingly craptastic. I like it.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-89356563551166395682008-08-14T14:53:00.000-07:002008-08-22T13:50:07.074-07:00Tagging and Del.icio.usI cannot ever remember where the dots go in the "del.icio.us" site. It makes me crazy.<br />But, I love the site. It does make navigating the everyday back and forth between life and work and all the different computers an easier chore.<br /><br />Tagging is like cataloging, it is only as good as the person creating the tags. I am not that person. I can complain all day long that subject headings don't make sense, or aren't grouped well, or what have you, but would do a worse job of it. You can tell by looking at my tagging attempts.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-7257616251309934762008-07-23T12:25:00.000-07:002008-07-23T12:36:38.697-07:00Thing 10; WikisWikipedia is so widely used that using a wiki as a source of info (like the library blog wiki, or the book club wiki) is old hat. Editing a wiki, and become part of the source is certainly new for me. I think that although I'm a fairly adept technology user, jumping in with both feet to make or change content is still a struggle. My own blog is one thing, but I'm not comfortable naming myself the authority on a topic not on my own site. Interesting.<br /><br />And our page of 23 Things on a Stick wiki notes is just ugly. Someone suggested creating linked pages, but I didn't see that anyone had done it. Or maybe it just wasn't well presented?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-81927730268665191592008-06-29T12:15:00.001-07:002008-06-29T12:25:06.110-07:00Thing 9: collaborationFirst, can I mention that the link to the LOC's "American Treasure" was misleading? The topic was editing a famous document - it took me a while to understand that I could NOT edit the Declaration of Independence. And I would have, too.<br /><br />Second, I agree the ability to work collaboratively on something like a strategic planning document is a good thing. So is being able to track who made which comment. However, a document with permissions and the ability to exclude is not so much collaborative as it is frustrating. In my experience, it takes motivation to get people to suggest changes and edits. And at some point, there has to be a person who decides which edits are final, which get thrown out and when the document is complete.<br /><br />I don't know if a collaborative doc on-line is all that different from multiple copies with edits, being assembled by one individual who still has to sift through the changes made and decide to be done or go on.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-68933968729198898062008-06-01T13:40:00.000-07:002008-06-26T09:24:37.262-07:00Thing 8: Slide shows, etc.I can see many uses for sharing photos and slides in my library life. However, I'm suffering from information overload again. Which slide/photo/presentation site should I search for information? All of them, all the time? How do I judge content? Does number of downloads or view show merit? Who can I trust not to be feeding me hooey on their slides?<br /><br />I posted a couple of book displays signs I made in PowerPoint into Slide Share, (http://www.slideshare.net/librarianabc/summer-sizzles) since it seemed the easiest. It was so easy I would call it pain-free. I can see myself using this to work on from home or from one library to the next without a flash drive. Or possibly I will inspire someone with my graphic wonder. (That was a joke.) It could also serve as a reminder of what I have worked on in the past, so I don't duplicate too frequently.<br /><br />On-line databases seem like they could be helpful, maybe. At this time, however, Lazybase was unavailable. What is the advantage to a list in database form that cannot be adjusted? Why not just post a list?<br /><br />I initially liked the idea of the e-folios, but I was not particularly impressed with anything I saw. Way too many words, not nearly enough editing. Why would I be searching this? How would employers know to look for it? Is this the same situation as posting your resume on-line, where only other job seekers will see it, since employers don't regularly trawl the net looking for people to hire out of the blue? I'm not sold on the importance of this.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-13339407465412597272008-05-17T13:32:00.000-07:002008-05-17T13:35:12.636-07:00TwitterWhat on earth am I going to do with Twitter?<br /><br />Found two people on my gmail list:<br />1) parent on former preschool e-mail group list, 5 years since we have spoken<br />2) go-getter librarian friend who makes me feel out of touch because she twitters a lot, and has things to say.<br /><br />I invited my daughter, maybe this will be a good way for her to know what I'm doing?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7942675695379320127.post-17246384880049691872008-05-17T10:26:00.000-07:002008-05-17T13:01:04.393-07:00Thing 7, Part 3: Texting and Web ConferencingText messaging is not a boat that I have sailed on, but I could reconsider. <br /><br />I was going to say that I couldn't think why texting would be easier than an e-mail or cell phone, but then it occurred to me that it skips a step: no logging on in order to get to content. "DVD @ XX, pk up by 5/24, Yr Lbry." I'm not sure that texting would be faster than IM in a reference situation, however. In that case, sometimes more is more.<br /><br />I think in the near future, this kind of "instant gratification" will be the norm, especially as people (meaning those over 25 not currently tech savvy) get more comfortable with ever-changing technology to which teens and younger kids are already adapting so quickly. Alternately, if we don't keep up with the demand for the quick return needs of our younger audiences, we might not have to worry about serving them, as they will stop coming.<br /><br />I am familiar with web conferencing, and have participated in a variety of web conferences in the past. I am a big fan. This is especially a good deal for those on a smaller budget, who might not be able to afford to attend every conference. I would say (and I am being an example of this right now) that it works better when small groups unable to attend chose a time and place and meet each other. Otherwise, the rule of "just one more thing I'd like to do but don't have time for" ends up keeping attendees away.<br /><br />Final thought: technology is not static, and all of these things can be happening at once, right now, on many devices. I have a phone (not something I chose, actually) that I can check my e-mail, voice-mail, and text on, all at the same time. If I were more of a techno-geek, I would also be able to download video and watch it, albeit in tiny, tiny form. I can listen to audio books, read e-books, and even take pictures. <br /><br />Is this the normal technological set-up for most library users? Probably not, but how difficult would it be to support some of this? Of course it will vary. The easy stuff, like text notification of holds, we should start ASAP.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793590344829665731noreply@blogger.com0