I hate to admit this, but I would have glad done this without the MP3 player reward at the end. What fun it has been. I promised myself I would find at least three things I would use, rather than just complete, and that has been an easy goal to exceed.
Flickr alone provided lots of useful tools and I have used several already and will continue to do so. Now I have to discipline myself not to ogle the pictures I have on my PC.
Zoho is so easy and useful for customers. I think the trend toward web-based mail, picture-storage, document storage is such a boon to libraries in communities where there is a technology gap and many customers may not have the hardware they need.
Blogging alone was worth the trip, and adding videos was really a satisfying accomplishment for me. I could communicate with my puppy people so much more effectively that way. I might even be tempted to get a video camera now that I could share videos.
I know that the things I have enjoyed about this experience are not the same challenges we get regularly from the public here in the branch, but I have decided not to feel guilty about my pleasures. (except about taking an mp3 player for them) Any experience with making things work properly on the computer is valuable in troubleshooting a customer's problems even though they may be doing something simpler. We hear a lot of why-am-I-getting-this-message questions in the branch and the more different experiences we have with different technologies we have the more likely we are to be able to figure that out. Confidence, too is invaluable in troubleshooting, and this training opportunity has afforded all of us confidence aplenty.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Bailey Makes The Catch
My beautiful puppy is all grown up - His mother Tally can be seen at www.friendshipbeardies.com
Sites on the Web 2.0 Awards list
I was just beginning to think there weren't many sites that were really useful to me beyond some the I had already looked at earlier in this process, when I found BeGreen. I found it a little rigid to use, but its "heart" is in the right place. The only problem I had was that aside from driving a car too much (so I can listen to all those audiobooks) I already do all those things. Then I found Farecast which seemed a really good idea, but having just had BeGreen discourage air travel I was torn about when I would use it. I will go back and see what else I can find....
Zoho
Hmmm... I think I like this Zoho tool. They even sent me a confirming message and so many other "accounts" I have signed up for on this journey have failed to do so - a real upper! I like all those pretty icons too
Now to see if I can put this on my blog...
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Del.icio.us
The tutorials will not load with Aberdeen's connection, but we are using it on our Info Desks in the Branch. While it is difficult at first to see what advantages it offers over a well organized Links bar, I know I will get accustomed to some of the features that are not available on the Links bar.
We have used headings on our Links bars like, "General", for weather, Google, Marina, etc and "Government/taxes for First Gov.gov, IRS, "Prices and Values" for BUC and ebay, etc , "Book Jobbers" for Amazon, Bibliomania and so on, "Children" and Maryland for sites that fall in those categories. We have started with similar categories in Del.icio.us.
We have used headings on our Links bars like, "General", for weather, Google, Marina, etc and "Government/taxes for First Gov.gov, IRS, "Prices and Values" for BUC and ebay, etc , "Book Jobbers" for Amazon, Bibliomania and so on, "Children" and Maryland for sites that fall in those categories. We have started with similar categories in Del.icio.us.
Podcasts! I love podcasts!
I have recently discovered how many wonderful podcasts there are with directions for crafts and discriptions of places and things I might never have seen. This is a link to one inwhich a blithering idiot talks about her sock machine:
http://letsknit2gether.com/blog1/?p=35
http://letsknit2gether.com/blog1/?p=35
Merlin
I have explored Merlin before and even attended a morning intro to the site a year or so ago. This is a wonderful opportunity for training and communication that we shouldn't waste.
This visit I enjoyed reading mystery reviews written by collegues. I cannot help wondering, however, why librarians consistantly review titles everyone is already reading. We don't really need to know about the titles with long hold queues even though we might want to read them - after all everyone else wants to so why shouldn't we. Let's not waste our time reviewing them though. We need to hear about some good titles to substitute when the popular titles are not available.
This visit I enjoyed reading mystery reviews written by collegues. I cannot help wondering, however, why librarians consistantly review titles everyone is already reading. We don't really need to know about the titles with long hold queues even though we might want to read them - after all everyone else wants to so why shouldn't we. Let's not waste our time reviewing them though. We need to hear about some good titles to substitute when the popular titles are not available.
Tags and folksonomy
I guess the problem I have with randomly assigned tags is the lack of reliability. I search Flickr for pictures of sock machines and found vending machines that sold socks and some circular sock machines. I finally found this picture, which shows my ample backside facing the camera featured as if that is what the photographer was trying to snap, by searching the work of the photographer, who is fortunate enough to be unknown to me and will therefore avoid repercussions. The tag he or she had chosen was "CSM" the abreviation for circular sock machine. I suppose I should be pleased that my name is not one of the tags - "Gregory in a red apron" or something.
My other dismay with this process is that many more casual users are leaving the business of tagging to those more technically interested and searches for some craft subjects produce very minimal results compared to their actual presence. There are almost seven thousand knitters working on the Mystery Stole 3, a lacy knitting project and scores of them have shown their work on their blog, but only a few have been tagged.
My other dismay with this process is that many more casual users are leaving the business of tagging to those more technically interested and searches for some craft subjects produce very minimal results compared to their actual presence. There are almost seven thousand knitters working on the Mystery Stole 3, a lacy knitting project and scores of them have shown their work on their blog, but only a few have been tagged.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Thinking about the future of libraries...
Reading several suggested trend-loving and elitist articles has not really changed my views on the future of libraries. I still feel that the future of libraries and librarians is with those who need us. That's certainly an obvious statement in any field, but technologies have changed the definition of the "who need us" part of the statement.
We will have a roll in developing reading in children for a long time ,and even in affluent communities story times and children's programming will serve a need. Parents will continue to need us in the foreseeable future to share our skills in sharing children's literature and teaching pre-reading activities. Technology hasn't changed this.
Adults are a different story though. Ask any information librarian how much the use of books, particularly reference books has diminished. How much do we use reference books for our personal information gathering? I know my use is considerably diminished. This doesn't mean though that there are not people who need us. There are many customers in the poorer communities who do not have the technological skills to find the information they need or the money to stay current in the purchase of technology. These are the people who need us - now more than ever. We are needed by the entry level job-hunter looking for a job in a a food service who is told he must apply on line or the construction worker who is told he must present a resume.
Just as once a librarian's skill might help an unfamiliar customer through the intricacies of the Reader's Guide, we will always be needed by those same customers to help select the right keywords to free their information from the technological thicket. Did we ever expect in the "good old days" to run out of people who needed what we called "Library education"?
In a branch where a greater percentage of the population lives in poverty you can see the library filling its roll as a communtiy center among the homeless and the technologically deprived more than it was in the pre-computer age. Many customers come to the library regularly now who would never have come then, and we have a greater chance to make a difference in their lives. Isn't this what we have always wanted? Haven't we always wanted the food service employee or that construction worker to tell us that we helped them get jobs? Isn't that why we chose this job?
We will have a roll in developing reading in children for a long time ,and even in affluent communities story times and children's programming will serve a need. Parents will continue to need us in the foreseeable future to share our skills in sharing children's literature and teaching pre-reading activities. Technology hasn't changed this.
Adults are a different story though. Ask any information librarian how much the use of books, particularly reference books has diminished. How much do we use reference books for our personal information gathering? I know my use is considerably diminished. This doesn't mean though that there are not people who need us. There are many customers in the poorer communities who do not have the technological skills to find the information they need or the money to stay current in the purchase of technology. These are the people who need us - now more than ever. We are needed by the entry level job-hunter looking for a job in a a food service who is told he must apply on line or the construction worker who is told he must present a resume.
Just as once a librarian's skill might help an unfamiliar customer through the intricacies of the Reader's Guide, we will always be needed by those same customers to help select the right keywords to free their information from the technological thicket. Did we ever expect in the "good old days" to run out of people who needed what we called "Library education"?
In a branch where a greater percentage of the population lives in poverty you can see the library filling its roll as a communtiy center among the homeless and the technologically deprived more than it was in the pre-computer age. Many customers come to the library regularly now who would never have come then, and we have a greater chance to make a difference in their lives. Isn't this what we have always wanted? Haven't we always wanted the food service employee or that construction worker to tell us that we helped them get jobs? Isn't that why we chose this job?
Friday, August 24, 2007
Audio Books
I know this is at the end, but I may as well get this out of the way now since I have downloaded so many audio books from Audible, Overdrive and Net Library that my dogs probably think George Guidell and Scott Brick live with us somewhere.
Of course Audible allows the most flexibility, but it comes at a price. I have decided the most cost effective plan is the one that allows one to buy the credits all at once and use them when ever one wishes.
Overdrive has pretty good selection of titles, but one must have a lily-white library card (Ahem) and many of the titles one might listen to are in Circulation. I have learned to search "Recently Returned" and choose titles there, but I still find the many little sections that the download is broken into a bit of a problem. I have never figured out how one is notified of a hold, but maybe Overdrive has singled me out to remain in the dark. Anyway I have never been notified that a book I requested is available.
Net Library is easy to download, but has limited titles and the directions saying one must use the largest file size to transfer a title to a device are simply incorrect. I have used the radio quality size many times with no reduction in sound quality. The tranfer is much faster and one can check out more titles at once. It seems to require a device with Windows Media Player.
I could say more and I could devote anothe post to choosing suitable devices, but enough for now.
Of course Audible allows the most flexibility, but it comes at a price. I have decided the most cost effective plan is the one that allows one to buy the credits all at once and use them when ever one wishes.
Overdrive has pretty good selection of titles, but one must have a lily-white library card (Ahem) and many of the titles one might listen to are in Circulation. I have learned to search "Recently Returned" and choose titles there, but I still find the many little sections that the download is broken into a bit of a problem. I have never figured out how one is notified of a hold, but maybe Overdrive has singled me out to remain in the dark. Anyway I have never been notified that a book I requested is available.
Net Library is easy to download, but has limited titles and the directions saying one must use the largest file size to transfer a title to a device are simply incorrect. I have used the radio quality size many times with no reduction in sound quality. The tranfer is much faster and one can check out more titles at once. It seems to require a device with Windows Media Player.
I could say more and I could devote anothe post to choosing suitable devices, but enough for now.
Rollyo - Why?
I have to admit that I do not particularly like the idea of limiting my searches in this way. With so many effective ways to search the Internet available, I cannot see whay I would want to do this. What if I did a news-search and the item I wanted was in a source I hadn't included in my sites to be searched. I enjoyed the thought, but will give this one a miss.
Image generator
Goodness, how strange! I "fooled around with and online image-generator" and added it to my blog and now there is a very large abstract image at the bottom of my blog with squiggles in it that move. Doesn't look at all like what I drew, but it is the color range I chose.
Library Thing
Well that was easy. I didn't quite realize my titles were going to be featured with such prominence on my blog when I added the widget or I would have chosen something more impressive.
Monday, July 16, 2007
bloglines
Okay, I set up a new whosit at Bloglines and put all those things I like to read in one place. I can see whether I have read the latest Yarn Harlot post, Librarians’ Guide to the Internet, The Blue Blog, and so on. The only problem is that now I feel compelled to stay on top of them instead of catering to my mood. No more" Let’s see what Stephanie Pearl McPhee is going on about today…" Now I have to keep up – What a burden! I feel as if someone had chained me to my desk and forced me to read all my junk mail willy nilly. Perhaps I shall downsize.
I had great difficulty setting up this news-reader, so I hesitate to admit it may have been for naught. I kept begging for a validating e-mail – "Just one more try? If I disguise my name and use a different e-mail, then will you send me a ‘Validating e-mail’?" I tried my HCPL address and two Comcast accounts before giving up and using an old Yahoo account. Maybe that’s the problem: that old Yahoo persona just isn’t me. After so much work, I feel maybe I should learn to love it.
I had great difficulty setting up this news-reader, so I hesitate to admit it may have been for naught. I kept begging for a validating e-mail – "Just one more try? If I disguise my name and use a different e-mail, then will you send me a ‘Validating e-mail’?" I tried my HCPL address and two Comcast accounts before giving up and using an old Yahoo account. Maybe that’s the problem: that old Yahoo persona just isn’t me. After so much work, I feel maybe I should learn to love it.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Using Mosaic Maker
I have to make a cover for a book of sock patterns I am putting together for the National Convention of the Circular Sock Machine Society of America and so I posted a few pictures of socks and other things made on a CSM anf created a "set". Using "Mosaic Maker I was able to make this picture for the cover. This is definitely one of the things I shall use again.
Flickr
I have loaded some pictures onto Flickr and tried to post one to my blog straight from Flickr instead of using my blog directly. Seems strange, but maybe it will work better
Monday, June 11, 2007
June Eleventh
I have been thinking about the use of technology by craftspersons. We have all noticed that the technological world is full of contrasts like seeing people handspin yarn on an antique spinning wheel and knit it up using a pattern found on the Internet, but I think craftspersons and possibly all people with hobbies are different.
Usually when people at a party, for example, ask to see a picture of my grandson or my dog, and I pull out my PDA to show them there is an amazed flurry of comments like, "George look at that thing she has for her pictures!" or ," How did you get pictures on there? Is that your dog?" as if I might carry around a device preloaded with someone else’s pictures. If however I am at a knitting conference or other craft event and pull out my PDA, I am immediately confronted with a similar collection of devices displaying the family pets of all present.
It seems to me that the crafts people I encounter have embraced new technology with an enthusiasm that exceeds that of the rest of the population. Is it the craving for new information that all hobbyists have that drives them to use all the technologies available? Is it the need to share that inspires them to learn to share information and pictures with the world. I sometimes think that fiber artists have blogs because there is a limit to how many times one can share with one’s spouse that one has knit ten more rows on one’s knitting project, or the nifty color one got dyeing with cherry KoolAid. Presumably the anonymous people who read one’s blog are interested.
It may be true of all hobbies, but the fiber people have a whole language of abbreviations beyond the usual ROTFL… type, including things like "NTINAMY", (Not That I Need Anymore Yarn) and "SEX", (Stash Enhancing eXpedition). Women seem to call their husbands "DH" which I take to mean that the H is "Dear" or "Darling", but it could just a well mean the poor fellow is dreadful, desperate or dead. I suppose to fly in the face of tradition and just refer to him a one’s "H" would make him sound unloved. People selling fleece like to say it is free of "VM" which, for a while, tickled my imagination… Vicious mercenaries? Virtuous maidens? Or as a friend suggested voice mail? Then I realized as you, no doubt, already have, they meant only vegetable matter and that the sheep, llama, alpaca lived in the kitchen or wore a coat or something.
Are craftspersons different or is it all hobbists or is the rest of my acquaintance just exceptionally untechnological?
Usually when people at a party, for example, ask to see a picture of my grandson or my dog, and I pull out my PDA to show them there is an amazed flurry of comments like, "George look at that thing she has for her pictures!" or ," How did you get pictures on there? Is that your dog?" as if I might carry around a device preloaded with someone else’s pictures. If however I am at a knitting conference or other craft event and pull out my PDA, I am immediately confronted with a similar collection of devices displaying the family pets of all present.
It seems to me that the crafts people I encounter have embraced new technology with an enthusiasm that exceeds that of the rest of the population. Is it the craving for new information that all hobbyists have that drives them to use all the technologies available? Is it the need to share that inspires them to learn to share information and pictures with the world. I sometimes think that fiber artists have blogs because there is a limit to how many times one can share with one’s spouse that one has knit ten more rows on one’s knitting project, or the nifty color one got dyeing with cherry KoolAid. Presumably the anonymous people who read one’s blog are interested.
It may be true of all hobbies, but the fiber people have a whole language of abbreviations beyond the usual ROTFL… type, including things like "NTINAMY", (Not That I Need Anymore Yarn) and "SEX", (Stash Enhancing eXpedition). Women seem to call their husbands "DH" which I take to mean that the H is "Dear" or "Darling", but it could just a well mean the poor fellow is dreadful, desperate or dead. I suppose to fly in the face of tradition and just refer to him a one’s "H" would make him sound unloved. People selling fleece like to say it is free of "VM" which, for a while, tickled my imagination… Vicious mercenaries? Virtuous maidens? Or as a friend suggested voice mail? Then I realized as you, no doubt, already have, they meant only vegetable matter and that the sheep, llama, alpaca lived in the kitchen or wore a coat or something.
Are craftspersons different or is it all hobbists or is the rest of my acquaintance just exceptionally untechnological?
Friday, June 8, 2007
June Eighth
Well, I have alway enjoyed play, and do I ever have a toolbox! I would just love to have an excuse to add to it if only I could think of something else I might need.
I am trying to decide how specific I want to be in my contract... Just complete the twenty-three things? That's measurable, but is it enough? I want to become good at these things and that's harder to measure. Maybe I should try to find a certain number of skills in the twenty-three things that I really enjoy and will use.
I have already subscribed to a feed of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" and RSS feeds would be one I could count. I can take "All Things Considered" to the fitness Center and won't have to watch the drug company ads that make me so angry. This is such a wonderful addition to my world. So if you see me laughing at nothing in particular I am probably listening to the latest "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" and I haven't lost my marbles, (Well maybe I have, but that isn't proof).
I am trying to decide how specific I want to be in my contract... Just complete the twenty-three things? That's measurable, but is it enough? I want to become good at these things and that's harder to measure. Maybe I should try to find a certain number of skills in the twenty-three things that I really enjoy and will use.
I have already subscribed to a feed of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" and RSS feeds would be one I could count. I can take "All Things Considered" to the fitness Center and won't have to watch the drug company ads that make me so angry. This is such a wonderful addition to my world. So if you see me laughing at nothing in particular I am probably listening to the latest "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" and I haven't lost my marbles, (Well maybe I have, but that isn't proof).
Thursday, June 7, 2007
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