A fun thing!

Week 9, Thing 23

I have finally made it! It is finished! I'm so glad this is finished, and I have a real sense of accomplishment for doing so, it's been a rollercoaster but I finally have a new appreciation for technology after given the time to try some of these things out.

• What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey? I really enjoyed Pandora, Flickr, reading other library blogs, and I loved my Library Thing and avatar.
  
• How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals? I have less of a fear of technology because I feel like I now have a grasp on what is out there and how I can use it. Some of it will actually make my life simpler.
  
• Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you? I am going to go home and use Pandora right away, and I did not expect this program to inspire me to use technology (the Internet, specifically) for leisure other than surfing the Web.
  
• What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept? Other than maybe clarifying some directions or having fewer password programs, I thought it was very helpful and informative. I like how we got the time to actually try some of these things out as an assignment to justify our exploration, not just for fun. It made us take the time to do this.
  
• And last but not least… If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again chose to participate? Definitely!
  
• How would you describe your learning experience in a few words or a few sentences, so we can share our successes and promote this program? This program allowed me to take the time and explore the resources that are available for work, school, and leisure, and I would definitely do it again. I liked how everyone was excited to do their blogs and getting to read fellow staff member blogs to read their interpretation of the exercises we completed.

Anyway... so glad I'm finished, and I made it before the deadline.

Week 9, Thing 22

Almost there!

As far as downloadable books, I do not think I will ever try to download them because I do not have a compatible music player and I would rather read a book than listen to one in my car, because I'm a music while driving fan.

However, I like how the library subscribes to Overdrive and allows patrons to use this service because some people prefer audiobooks, and this is very helpful for them.

Week 9, Thing 21

Podcasting... maybe it's just me, but I still have issues with Bloglines. I did enjoy my Yahoo experience and did find a Yahoo podcast called "Children's Book Radio" which I think is pretty neat. This obviously has library applications. However, I do not see myself as a podcast audience person, no offense, it's just not me.

Week 9, Thing 20

I have seen some YouTube clips that are pretty amusing... but I love how I can watch my old school Nickolodeon shows of the 1990's with ease, like "Salute Your Shorts," a personal favorite of mine. Fun, fun, fun... I'm looking forward to watching more clips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-JL_cU1wrs

Week 8, Thing 19

From the Web 2.0 Awards... I present to you the best little website for radio ever! I cannot wait to buy new speakers for my computer so I can take advantage of this awesome little site! My best friend casually mentioned this site when I was on vacation and I never explored the web very much, but trying it here today made me fall in love with this site. I cannot wait to recommend it to everyone I know that spends time on the computer. Here's the handy link...
Pandora. com .

Thanks again 23 Things!

Week 8, Thing 18

Well... did you miss me, it's been forever and I'm sorry, but life happens as does going back to school. Excuses, Excuses... so here we go again...

GoogleDocs. This is so practical for me! I have always wanted to work on documents on the Web at an internet cafe at school where you can borrow laptops, but they do not have Microsoft Office, so I cannot get anything accomplished besides surfing the Web. Plus, using Google means I can use my old blogger name so I do not have to remember another password/username. Thank you 23 Things for showing me a way to be productive while sipping my coffee in the cafe. I will tell all my friends so they can work on projects too!

I heart Thing 18!

Week 7, Thing 17

This picture is from bridgepix, from OBX, NC. I got it from Flickr. It was fun to play in the sand. I contributed my blog to the list of many and also added a few things to some of the other pages. I really liked the tips on the knitting wiki page and I also thought it was fun to see that my favorite foods were also favorites of others. I like the idea of sharing information with lots of people and reading what everyone has to say, especially state-wide library wise. This was a fun activity, and it's great to know we have our own wiki to contribute to that we can maybe test out if we decide to create system wikis later.

Sand Castle, Outer Banks, North Carolina
Originally uploaded by bridgepix

Week 7, Thing 16

I heart Wikis! Wikipedia has come to my rescue several times this past semester when creating portfolios for my Biology Class, as well as for general knowledge when I hear someone mention something unfamiliar... Wikipedia is my new Google. I am aware that it is run by people for people so there is a margin of error to be taken in with a grain of salt, but overall, it's user friendly and I like the fact that I can also contribute to the topic if I choose to.

After reading the articles...

I learned that:

• Wiki means "quick" in Hawaiian. http://meredith.wolfwater.com/cil06/
• Everyone can contribute to the wiki entry
• Information on practically everything can be found
• Wikis are not always 100% factual

BCPL could use them for:

• Subject guides
• Annotated Catalog upgrade, making our online catalog like Amazon with pictures and more information besides author, publisher, copyright date, etc. This would make it easier for customers that recall a book by cover instead of author*
• Community Information which would be handy for visiting patrons and staff when they would like to know... "Where can I get lunch?"
• Clearing space off of our shelves and file cabinets for staff manuals, procedures, book club sign-ups, Reader's Advisory, etc. Everyone could have their say about certain things, like programs and Book Recommendations, or even display lists with title ideas.

Overall, I thought the Wiki readings were very informative and handy and I can better appreciate Wikipedia now.

* even though covers are prone to updates and changes.

Week 6, Thing 15

Apparently I have an old soul at a young age. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely thrilled that I am getting an Ipod to consolidate my music collection and enjoy using the computer, but I still have a hard time thinking of a library in the 2.0 sense. I like the idea of reading real books, and understand the value and accessibility of audiobooks and downloaded varieties, but prefer for as long as my eyes can take it to read page to page. I also understand that in a world of limited space it is silly to have encyclopedias that are probably outdated as soon as they hit our shelves, much like the technology that is brand "new." I like printed things, and I guess that is why I am taking to papercrafting like so many other people at my branch, maybe trying to hold onto the past and quality of using quality papers for various projects like mix cd covers, jewelry, and scrapbooking. As I say this, I am also too lazy to search my University library for educational journals, when I can look them up in the databases available all over campus, so I see where that is helpful.

I agree with Library 2.0 in making the library a more accessible and helpful for patrons and making it more user friendly with updated information and helping people get the most out of our databases, (which I feel I could always be advised on, our webpage is pretty handy when you check it out). I just really like the idea of the Pratt Central library with brass railings, wooden bookshelves, marble floors, etc. etc. much like the Beauty and the Beast library. But unfortunately that may not be the best way serve the public anymore, and like any institution change must always occur so that it is the best for the population it serves.

By the Way

I love bcpl.info (our homepage) because it has a wealth of information that is helpful for me to share with patrons when I am working on the Information Desk, like using our Research Databases for finding the Maryland Library for the Blind phone number, as well as using for other things like when patrons need information about the local community.

So great job to the people who make our little homepage!

Week 6, Thing 14

Technorati sounds like it should be the title of a Red Hot Chilli Peppers song, or was somehow slipped into Anthony Kiedas lyrics' sheet, I think.

Anyway, in order to really connect with other blogs on this big thing called the World Wide Web, this seems like a great way to do it, especially if you are seeking an audience and looking for people to read your blog. I liked how the information was organized and the website was visually appealing for me, and pretty easy to navigate. I liked reading other blogs outside of 23 Things category for a change, like the Harry Potter spoilers, since we are all waiting for the book tonight at Midnight. Some of the other bloggers out there are pretty funny, however I doubt I would look to a blog for medical advice, religion, or politics. However, if I was reading other blogs for pleasure, I definitely would use Technorati to search and read.

I do not know if I really want to jump on the bandwagon however for the 23 Things Project and signing up for HTML tags and Technorati though, because I do not think many people outside of the branch I work at look at this humble little blog. Maybe I will make tags and change my "old fashioned" ways eventually.

Anyway... Happy Harry Potter Release Eve!!!

Week 6, Thing 13

Okay, I've looked at del.icio.us. and I can say openly that I am confused. When I went to view the 12 minute tutorial on Maryland 23 things... I found that there was an error http://www.library2.0.ottergroup.com/blog/_archives/2006/2/19/1772390.html saying that it could not be found, so needless to say, the tutorial was not very helpful.

I like the idea of tagging, don't get me wrong, and Blogger seems to make it very simple, but frankly I just am too lazy to go back and tag all of my previous entries. But I probably will one rainy day.

From my understanding it appears that you can use programs like del.icio.us for saving your "favorites" list of web pages and access it on any computer which is handy, but as far as me checking out what other people look at, frankly I do not have enough interest or time to do so... maybe if I was completely bored I would be "wow... cyber_guy likes to look at this too! what a great person I can Instant Message and discuss our love for..." But maybe I'm misunderstanding the whole point.

Anyway... I do not feel like a fan of this program.

Week 5, Thing 12

Rollyo seems like a simple enough device to use to create a search engine that will provide easier access to things you are looking for. I did mine based on shopping so I would not have to go to each individual site anymore to find a cardigan sweater. The only thing I did not like about Rollyo was that there were basically no directions so you just had to jump into the deep end, which by week 5, was okay, but I would have liked a bit more guidance. I hope to go back and create more search engines and hope that mine will help others who love to shop! Let me know if you have any suggestions for sites and I will gladly add them.


Here is the link to my Rollyo! Check it out!
http://rollyo.com/katems/found_it/

Week 5, Thing 11

I officially love Librarything! It is great to be able to catalogue books I have read and record them somewhere because normally, I never remember the titles... or the authors to recommend to someone. I also appreciate how it matches up with Amazon so I can recall the books by the cover as well since I am a visual learner. This is a really neat site and I cannot wait to go back and add more books to my "shelf."

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/katems

Week 5, Thing 10

From Yahoo Avatars... I picked the dress because it reminds me of Lucy Ricardo.

Week 4, Thing 9

When MERLIN attacks:
When I was searching for feeds, I simply used the search box at the top of the page, which would usually kick back websites, and not necessarily feeds. This was confusing, especially when I would try to subscribe to the feed and there wasn't one. The websites with feed links would occasionally work. I learned that like in CARL, you must be very specific when you search, because when I went to subscribe to MERLIN, I searched it using the search box, and websites that took me to the MERLIN page were there, but not necessarily the "subscribe to this feed" hyperlink were there, so I had to search it like the 23 things website said.
When subscribing to feeds, I did it the hard way and individually selected feeds. I should have subscribed to some that were already grouped by Bloglines in interest areas like "knitting" beacuse that would have been easier than hand selecting for a broad topic. MERLIN's subscribe link on the homepage just gave me HTML code, so I had to search for it again and link with it through Bloglines, which was not much fun. I still wish I could post my Bloglines roll... but I have yet to figure it out.

Overall, it wasn't too painful, and I'm glad I subscribed to the blogs that I did.

On a side note: I really like that we are blogging... I enjoy receiving comments from other staff member and leaving comments because it gives me, as a part-timer who has never been to staff day, or really to another branch, for that matter a chance to interact with other BCPL staffers. It's fun.

I've been tagged! or A thingless thing...

These are the rules: Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, and then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged, and asking them to read your blog.

1.) I had a pet goldfish that lived 16 years. It was a carnival prize.
2.) I like to drink all of my cold beverages through straws.
3.) My favorite color is green.
4.) I have been to the Annual Baltimore Science Fair in Towson, with projects that won first, second, and third from my middle school science fair.
5.) I have ridden an elephant.
6.) I enjoy blogging.
7.) My favorite fiction book is The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank.
8.) My favorite non-fiction authors are: Anita Libery and Laurie Notaro.

I am tagging the following: Library Lady, Rock of Ages, Technophobic, Library LunaSea, Sausage King, Wonder Twin Power, Unicorns are Real, and Shhh.

Week 4, Thing 8!

Ha! I have reached Thing 8!!!! I think I have selected blogs that I will actually be interested in reading and obtaining information (as well as some laughs). I like the idea of RSS and bloglines because it will give me a list of things I am interested in reading without going to tons of sites. It also led me to subscribe to sites that I would not normally think of checking. Libraries could use the bloglines to help keep everyone informed of library related news, which is why I suspect that we needed to subscribe to bloglins as part of the 23 things. I know as a part time employee, I probably would not look into Library Journal News, but I subscribed, and I am ecstatic about receiving the Unshelved comic as part of my subscription as well! I think it will be a positive experience, but I am starting to become overwhelmed by all of the passwords I have created for all of these accounts.

I tried to do the optional activity but I am having a terrible time trying to share my bloglines account... I will have to ask someone, and hopefully it will be up before the end of this week. It's a shame since I picked some really good feeds. :(

Week 4, Thing 7

My jump into the technology pool:
This should not have taken me too long to post, but I am finally getting around to it today. I am not usually a fan of technology due to my formerly problematic PC and dial-up internet connection... however, as a child growing up in the 90's... video games were always great! I have probably played almost every system except for the brand new ones, starting with Intellivision and Burger Time, ( I know, I never played Atari). Anyway... this leads me to my new love for my Nintendo DS. I just got an internet browser for the system that will allow me to surf the net with Wi-Fi hotspots, such as our lovely branch. I also saw that I can get a plug-in USB port wi-fi adaptor for my house using our desktop computer. I think this is awesome and alleviates my need to surf the web on my Palm Pilot, which is quite difficult. Besides this new contraption for the internet, the games are pretty great and travel friendly.

I'm also excited about my new iPod that should be arriving shortly, but I will probably hinder its potential by limiting it to a music player, but I look forward to consolidating my CD collection onto this nifty little gadget. I am however worried about the battery life of a rechargeable battery, considering I am an avid music fan and curious how many charges the battery will hold thanks to the little note on the box.

I think I am finally starting to like technology... now that it's working for me.

Week 3, Thing 6

Here is what I imagined could be a mashup... it was taken from a site my friend showed me and it combines different photos and text.

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

I also think that a neat Flickr mashup would be the mapping application (Mapr). I like the idea that if someone takes a picture of an awesome old building, you can map it so other people admiring the work can know where to find it. You could also do that with unique landforms, and possibly take the photograph and information and learn more about the subject with more background knowledge, like location.

Flickr is cool!

Week 3, Thing 5

Melbourne CBD Yarra River Reflection Looking West
Originally uploaded by mauriceguerrieri

I absolutely love this picture from Melbourne, Australia. It is amazing and I have always wanted to travel to Australia. Flickr artists have captured interesting shots of various people, places, and things. I chose this picture because it reminds me of a Baltimore artist's interpretation of local landmarks using neon colors and light on a dark background, plus it was of Australia. I really enjoyed using Flickr and it was pretty painless to use once I found out I could use my already existing yahoo account to connect easily.

Week 2, Things 2-4: Lifelong Learning

So far, as you can see I believe I have accomplished things 1-4. Whenever I think of Thing__, it reminds me of Dr. Seuss, Thing 1 and Thing 2, etc. etc.

On a more serious note... I listened/watched the 7 and 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learners and immediately began to think... this sounds like a "self-help" book, which was funny to me. It also made me think of my current education in college where I am being told that learning is abstract and immeasurable in regards to assessment and in the writing of objectives in the classroom setting. (If you are a teacher, or training to be, you know what I mean).
However... lifelong learning is a critical skill and I firmly believe in it.
As for the powerpoint, I think the hardest of the 7 and 1/2 habits, is Habit 2... "Accept Responsibility for your own Learning" because I often have these great goals and deadlines in my head, but then I never follow through. For example, I have less than one month to learn how to play the guitar. I even bought sale books from work on learning how to play the guitar!

The easiest thing for me, as you can tell from the previous paragraph, I would say Habit 5, "Create your own Learning Toolbox." I can go out and shop with the best of them, and am more than capable of going out and buying the necessary supplies to complete "my goals." I am a fan of accessories of all kinds, that is why I am a knitter and crafter... because there are plenty of accessories. Even when it comes to clothing... handbags are my true weakness, which are considered accessories.

I look forward to hopefully completing this program, and it will hopefully make me more tech savvy, and I can use words like "wikis" and "flickr" in everyday conversations.

Test Post

This is my first post for the Maryland 23 Things Activity for BCPL.