Final Thoughts

Thing 23
I am done. It was fun. I like creating pictures best. There were so many "things" to learn! Some of them I will probably have to re-read to use again. But it was all worth it. It renewed my interest in the world wide web. I even ended up using Flickr to post some vacation pictures I wanted to share with my family. I can now see why so many of the public computers are used for viewing videos and listening to music. I think the future of communicating will be a total connection between audio, video, telephoning and using the web. While I still worry that we may actually lose personal touch between each other, it is obvious that the youth of today are already comfortable in the world of technology and ready for anything. (However, I may re-read "Future Shock!")


The benefits of completing this project were:

• Learning about many web-based tools such as, wiki's, widgets, image generators, tagging (still not too sure about using that), blogging & using feeds to keep up-to-date on the latest news and special topics.



• Being better able to understand what our customers are doing online and perhaps helping them use the internet more efficiently.



• Broadening our view of the web and what we can do with it. I think we are probably just beginning to see the endless possibilities on the web. But things are moving very fast in the web world and more and more tasks are all connected by online programs. I can see how important it is for the library to keep up with all the changes.

One more thought:I think using the Internet is a good way to communicate ideas and learn more about everything. On the other hand I have developed another viewpoint, that is: being online alot can just as easily pull us apart as bring us together. The more time people spend sitting in front of a computer the less they are actually connected to the real world and real people. It is just as important to have face to face contact in person as it is online. It is very important that we not lose contact with the natural world we live in. And we all need time to play:))

Brave New World 2

Thing 15 (again)

The most interesting feature of the Web 2.0 presentation was the video "The Machine is Us/ing Us". This very clever presentation helped bring together for me the concepts of form vs. content and how the new web allows us to do things online in many different forms without needing to know complicated web language or content. It also made more clear to me what mashups are and why we can use them. So Web 2.0 was able to teach me somethng simply because it is what it is. Well, it made perfect sense at the time.......

Brave New World

Thing 15

Somehow, in my haste to do many fun things, I left out my thoughts on Web 2.0. I read all the perspectives and after the first one, "Away from the icebergs", I felt like I had crashed into one. Overall some good points are made.

• The library must go with the times and become more accessible to everyone. We can't keep all the books we might like "just in case" (of course BCPL always knew that!).


• We can't train everybody. The commentator suggests that our technology should be made easier to use so that we don't have to teach everybody how to use it. I think this is a great idea on paper (online) but in reality, face to face, we have many people who are still just figuring out how to click the mouse and use an online catalog (or any catalog). So I think we are still going to have to teach people the basics. People still want human contact to help them navigate.


• We seem to be making progress in connecting with more people online. But we should keep in mind that there is still a population out there who don't have the money or the means to use a computer at home. Some people (older?) don't want to deal with the technology at all.

Audio Books

Thing 22

Well, here is another tool that I just don't feel like using. I have checked up on the Overdrive audio books and I understand basically how to use them. Unfortunately my computer at home has crashed permanently. Also, I don't even like listening to the books on tape or CD's that we can check out in the branch. So it is not something I would want to use. I feel sure I could help someone else use it if needed. I just prefer to read the books myself:)

Podcast for dogs

Thing 21

I have managed to add a feed from a podcast to this blog. It is for me, appropriately about dogs from what seems to be a British radio station. "Dog Cast Radio" It is very soothing as well as informative to listen to. However, it was not easy to add it. At this point I don't even remember how I found the feed URL to put in the blog. I did use Yahoo Podcasts to find the website. I'm not sure I will listen to as many podcasts as I would watch videos:)

You Tube

Thing 20

Wow! I now understand why millions of people use YouTube. It is practically addictive! I could spend hours looking at videos. As far as the library is concerned, we definitely need lots more bandwidth so everyone can use it. I guess we could maybe do some booktalks that kids might watch. They would have to very exciting. Or maybe do a funny video about things that happen at the library, without offending anyone. Anything that would encourage people to visit us. To be honest I don't see many people looking for us on YouTube.
Wait! I've got it! A video of Sneaks promoting, in a funny and exciting way, the Summer Reading Club:)

Spanky the Cairn Terrier Battles His Monster!

This is my kind of dog! He even looks like me!

Definition of widget

From Wikipedia: A widget is anything that can be embedded within a page of HTML, i.e. a web page. A widget adds some content to that page that is not static. Generally widgets are third party originated, though they can be home made. Widgets are also known as modules, snippets, and plug-ins. Widgets can be written in HTML, but also in JavaScript, flash and other scripting languages that will be run when the page is called.
See Weather on right side of blog.

Online productivity!

Thing 19

Used Google Docs to upload a poem that I had saved on the wan.
Also added a widget for local weather. Found this on the Web 2.0 awards list.
Still not sure what the word widget means. Lots of useful and fun things to download or copy though.

A poem from Google Docs

Thing 18

Mother to Son

by Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you:

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

It's had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor-

Bare.

But all the time

I'se been a-climben' on

And reachin landin's,

And turnin' corners,

And sometimes goin' in the dark

Where there ain't been no light.

So boy, don't you turn back.

Don't set you down on the steps

'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.

Don't you fall now-

For I'se still goin' honey,

I'se still climben',

And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

Playing in the Sandbox

Thing 17

I jumped into the Sandbox feet first! It was not all that simple the way the instructions said, but it was fun. I was confused between adding my own blog, Pooh's Place and then adding a new wiki page for Favorite Things, which turned out to be Favorite Dogs of course. Good thing I am not a cat in the sand box!

Wiki world...

Thing 16

Wiki's are nice. They might even be better than blogs. But I would not use a wiki to find specific facts or scholarly information. I have had several students tell me they are not allowed to use Wikipedia for any reports. The teachers do not consider it to be reliable. I agree. If everyone in the world can go into it and make changes it is bound to have mistakes or information that is too subjective in it.
I liked the Book Lovers' wiki. I can see any library using that as a way for people to comment on their favorite books. Maybe we could set one up for "The Big Read"?
The subject guide wiki from St Joseph Co. Public Library was good. But I wonder how many librarians actually contribute to it? Do just a few people end up having to keep it going and up-to-date?
The New Orleans ALA wiki was very good. It was helpful for those who needed to know what they were supposed to be doing and finding out where things were.
So wiki's are good for large groups of people to be able to contribute to a specific topic and keep it up-to-date.
Finally I like the word wiki because it is an actual real word from Hawaii meaning to go quickly...wiki wiki!

Boing Boing

Thing 14

After my last tirade against tag makers and bloggers, I took one more look at the "boing boing" blog and found some fascinating and very funny articles from around the world. This was found in Technorati, which I have decided is not so bad; easier than using Del-icio-us. They have good lists of Favorites and Popular blogs.

I especially enjoyed watching a video on the Liveblogging Chaos Communications Camp in Germany. https://events.ccc.de/camp/2007/Intro/overview.php A large group of bloggers and "hackers" and other computer pros have gathered for a huge camp-out. There are areas set up for people to compute in tents or they can just message everyone from their own tent. They also have various fun games and activities. Different tents are set up by theme and topic to make it easier to find stuff. Everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun and also learning new skills from each other (one group was learning how to pick locks-really!)
Also got a good laugh from an article that said, "A widow and grandma spent the morning in jail, arrested for refusing to give a policeman her name when he tried writing her a ticket for failing to water her yard." Linked in boing boing: http://www.reason.com/blog/show/121852.html
Boing Boing is now one of my favorite blogs!

UN-Del-icio-us

Thing 13

I'm sorry. I just can't deal with all these links and tags and millions of bloggers. I read through and looked at Del-icio-us and I just don't see the point. Also Technorati. Do we really need to have hundreds of tags to find a few blogs? There are some nice blogs/websites on these places but I don't really need to find so many. Isn't there an easier way to find a few blogs? Does Google search for them? Even if I attach my own blog to one of these things, I doubt that many people would get much out of it.

The other thing is that all this techno language is becoming a bit much for me.

Words I have learned about today (and other days): tags, wii, widgets, clouds, wiki, folksonomy, social bookmarking, wii, boing boing (a nice blog). The idea behind all these things (to help people connect with one another?) is a nice one. But it feels like an awful lot of work just to get it all set up and then more time to keep checking everything you want to connect to. This is the same way I felt about the RSS feeds. Isn't it just as easy to bookmark the sites you like under Favorites on your browser?

Also I don't like having to read blogs, email or any site where the person can't take the time to spell simple words correctly (I'm not talking about shortened IM words like "r u ok?") I mean really misspelled words. It seems more and more acceptable to write as fast as you can and make as many mistakes as you want.

Guess I'm getting old and cranky!!!

Rollyo

Thing 12

Created a Rollyo search engine. I only put a few websites in the search box for genealogical searches. This is the first tool I have used that I can see a possible use for the library! It could be created for special assignments that students need (temporarily) or for projects staff are working on. Maybe to create special booklists or look for ideas for library programs, crafts, etc.

LibraryThing

Thing 11

Created the beginnings of my own library catalog with LibraryThing. So where did my link go?
Huh???? Why does it take so long to load? And now the link is being blocked by BCPL's wonderful filter. see right side

Thanks for the help

I must thank the fellow blogger who showed me how to use html to add pics to my posts!
What fun:))))))))))))))

peeps on patrol.....

pooh!

close your blog and your email or we get peeped off!

das peepenburgens

Simpsonized...

Thing 10

Another picture of my wonderful owner Sue.
This is how she looks when she goes to work at the library!
She looks completely different at home;) See avatar on the right...
Donut lover Librarian created with Generator Blog.

Meez avatar!

Thing 10

Pooh added a very cool picture to represent his owner. see on right It looks amazingly like her!
Also added links to some of the good bloggy sites we have been in.

Merlin

Thing 9

I signed into Merlin. It is full of more wonderful info. My brain is becoming overwhelmed with the wizardry of information technology. Perhaps I can add some links to my Blog to all these "other" sites.
Oh my, it is almost dinnertime........

Blogline

Thing 8

I have used my account on Blogline to read up on the latest news.....boring. Then I thougt of what else would interest me and found some blogs on genealogy. I looked into a couple of them and found myself going into several different websites. The problem is, I have been searching for family history for so long, most of the info is the same regardless of what site you are in. The farther back you go in history, the less you generally find. You have to be very creative to find the clues to what/who you are looking for.
My opinion of the Bloglines is that it is ok if you want to read a bunch of news and info everyday. But what is the difference in doing this on Blogline and just bookmarking your favorite sites on your browser? It seems like one more step to get to everything.
Ho-hum.
I still haven't been able to attach any feeds to my Pooh blog:(

Feed me!

Thing 8

Yesterday and today I tried to understand RSS feeds. I like the idea of having a place to see all the latest stuff on my favorite websites. I read the Palinet "Feed Me: a gentle introduction to Internet feeds". Then I went into Bloglines and created an account. For some reason I thought I would be adding the feeds to this Blog. But apparently not. I also read the Help screen in Bloggers about site feeds. Now, as usual, I am confused again. I just want to have everything in one place. I'm not the web surfer-girl I used to be;( One blog is enough for me! So I must keep blogging along............

Mash-up fun...

Thing 6

I am liking Flickr more and more. I have created a magazine cover (hope it shows up here). It is really a joke to send to a friend of a friend. He is a lonely guy....

Flickr frame

Thing 5

Flickr is not so bad. I have used it to frame my lovely photo! It is much more fun now that I have pictures to work with:)))

Technology

Thing 7

I am no techy! But I do find technology useful; cars, TV's, stereos, computers, etc; I just don't necessarily want to know how it all works. As long as it serves its purpose. I would like to have a digital camera. I enjoy posting pictures online and it would probably be easier if I did it that way. I do not own a camera or a cell phone. My TV has rabbit ears. I have a PC but it is so old I still use Netscape:))) It is very slow. But I can be patient.

I'm glad we have internet access at BCPL!!!

This is the technology post I should have done after my trip to Flickr land.

A New Day

Thing 2 again!

Back again, refreshed and ready for more blogging:) I looked at some other people's blogs just now and realized that I am not exactly following directions. I am hopping around all over the place. So here is an update on the 7 1/2 Habits of Life Long Learners: This was maybe more profound than I thought (especially since I couldn't see most of it). I tend to want to learn quickly and then have to go back and review.
Easiest thing: Play. I feel basically lazy and playing is more fun. But sometimes I get more done when I am having fun.
Hardest thing: Begin with the end in mind. I hate making decisions. If I am given a list I will follow it....sort of/maybe. But if I have to decide what I want to do myself I will procrastinate and then maybe change my mind halfway there. It really depends on what is available.

My favorite blog so far is the Sausage King and his weiner dog!

What?

Well, what do you know? After adding the last post my text color changes suddenly appeared. I can now go home happily tonight.

One more try..

I have now discovered that I should be able to add my own picture from a file online with the Blogger (yay). In the meantime I checked all the formatting and other editing I could do on my blog. I found the place where you can change the color of your background and text; one of my favorite things to do:) I changed just a couple of text colors and SAVED. But not really:-( It all looks so simple, why doesn't it work????? I am NOT having any FUN here.

Images

Thing 10

I have now tried looking at some image generators. This might be a better way to find a free pic but I really want my own. I also don't understand why avatars are called avatars. I don't see any pictures that I realy like. I don't understand how to load them into my blog. I guess I will have to ask for hep soon. I can't believe that I once actually created my own website!

Flickr

Thing 5

Today I explored Flickr. Very nice except I don't own a digital camera. So I thought maybe I could still use someone else's pic to brighten up my blog. But I couldn't figure that out. I went all through the tour and just got more frustrated. I will have to figure out another way to add my picture. Sigh..........

Feeling bloggy

Thing 1 & Thing 2

So, now I have a blog. I began this new endeavor by reading up on blogging (23 things) and attempting to watch the fascinating slide show "Life Long Learning". This was all going well until the slides stopped opening up and I attempted to read the script in teeny-tiny letters on the left side of the page. Slight headache, but I got the gist of it. I can still learn something even though I am getting older! (The next time the slides opened up, but there was no sound).


Next I looked for more stuff to study up on and decided that I was getting too frustrated...


So I moved right on into the Blogger. I managed to actually set up a bloggy page in the 5 minutes I had left before I went on the desk. Brilliant!


Now I need to perk up my page with some nice pictures and an interesting profile.

It feels as though fame is just waiting for me.......

Welcome to Pooh's Place

Thing 3 & 4

I have just blogged myself! That is I have finally created a blog. Soon I will have many exciting things to say...........