How to summarize my experiences with this program?

Maris Clare

I started working here in May of this year, after all of my coworkers started on their blogs of 23 things. I would come to work, check out books, and notice the people around me blogging and looking at all sorts of internet technologies. At one point, someone (maybe Hedy?) told me I could participate as well, but as I was just starting a new job, I was content to "learn the ropes" at Cashiers before jumping into any big projects. As I discovered at the beginning of these 23 things, one of my habits is that I don't start projects well. It took some pushing on the part of my boss ;o) but I eventually decided to see what all this blogging was about. And I'm so very glad I did! Once I got started, it wasn't nearly as daunting as I thought it'd be--by working one step at a time, I'm at the finish line. Each exercise has exposed me to internet technologies in an easily approachable way; some of these services I've worked with in the past, and some were brand new and have turned out to be quite useful (and some not so much). I particularly like the exercises with Google--they have so much more to offer than I ever thought. I routinely use Docs now, rather than MS Office; I discovered that there are a TON of mashups with Google Maps that are pertinent to the questions I recieve both in my home life and in the library setting.
I really liked the format; it didn't try to impart too much information at one time, but instead allowed me to work at my own pace and really get to know the service I was working with. If we were to do this again, I would love to participate! It would push me to learn about more technologies that might be useful.
I would very much love to help implement some of these services in our library system; some of them would be very useful in getting a patron-run book review page going. I think the community could really use something like that, where they could they could see recommendations from their peers and their local library staff.
All-in-all, I'm glad I participated!

eAudiobooks: for the technologically-savvy

The Mystery & Suspense subject makes up the largest percentage of NetLibrary's Audiobook collection.
I wish there were more books uploaded (particularly in the scifi section), but I assume as it's a demand issue, I'll deal. Working at the library has taught me that the popular demand is predominantly "for Mystery & Suspense" in regular books, and the same seems to hold true for downloadable audio.
As far as what's allowed with NetLibrary and what's not, it was a bit difficult to find. The FAQ page was helpful once I found it, and provided links to each topic. It is possible, and even encouraged, to download the audiobooks to Windows Media Player and transfer to a portable listening device (as long as it jives with their standards--no iPods, because iPod doesn't support an expiring file-type, which you need to check a book out of an elibrary). Patrons are not, however, allowed to burn audiobooks to cd's (which makes since, as you wouldn't have bought the book, only borrowed it).
And what about Macs? The version of Windows Media Player that will work on a Mac doesn't support NetLibrary eAudiobook files. Microsoft doesn't even make a version of Internet Explorer for Macs, and Safari (the native Mac browser) isn't supported by NetLibrary. I'm assuming iTunes won't run an audiobook? It's not mentioned. What do Mac-using patrons do if their local library doesn't allow downloading of eAudiobooks to their computers? This seems to be a limited resource for people like me.
Patrons seem to like this site (I learned how to use it while teaching a patron, and she was happy with it). The selection is limited, but it's a convenient way to check out an eAudiobook--as long as you understand the technology.

argh podcasts

I don't really like podcasts. Never have. They're useful if you're one of those people who records class lectures instead of (or in addition to) taking notes, which I'm not. I don't particularly enjoy radio or television talk shows, either, and podcasts are along the same vein. I'd much rather just read a written article. I can understand how they might be helpful to others, though.
The Fontana Learning links for finding podcasts are simple to use; I liked the setup of podcastalley the most. It was very easy to both search and browse through a multitude of all sorts of podcasts, including book reviews geared toward children and other specific audiences. A library might use a podcast to advertise programs and events or host a session on patrons' book reviews; it would be another way to get library information to the community with minimal cost and in an easily accessible venue. I even found a podcast that takes you through Bill Clinton's Presidential Library, complete with interview and discussion on his chosen works!

YouTube!

YouTube. You can find absolutely ANYTHING here, from some guy showing us the contents of the dock on his Mac (a dictionary and a web browser, for starters) to the infamous Fainting Goats. And then some. As with most Web 2.0 services, YouTube's draw is also its downfall. ANYONE can post. Sometimes videos get flagged if they're extraordinarily raunchy, but pretty much anything goes. So be careful what you search for. There's even a video of Count von Count (from Sesame Street) singing his song about loving to count. Someone ingeniously bleeped out every utterance of "count" so that the viewer's mind fills in the blanks....I'm not going to post a link. The funny part is that it works so well...
Regardless, as evidenced by the St. Joseph and McCracken links in the Fontana Learning blog, libraries can indeed put YouTube to good use. Using it as a source to post library videos, then linking them to the library's own webpage, would be a safer way to get library information out there. Otherwise, I think it would get lost in the pool unless someone were to specifically search for it, and patrons may unwittingly run across information they'd rather not see while searching for our ads.

I have two videos to share, both of which I was shown by someone else. The first is awful, but my soccer-playing sisters find it HILARIOUS. They really do laugh every time they see it. The second video is a guy singing. It's pretty awesome--he has an amazing range.

Web 2.0 Choice

Classifieds and Directories
1st Place: craigslist

I happen to agree with their ranking, as I use craigslist for nearly everything (I found a free cat, some books, and am looking for a chair). It is very user friendly, particularly for the college student. Everything from items for sale to job listings are organized by US city and subject and are easily searchable. The major drawback is that you have no guarantee as to whether a posting is legitimate or not, as anyone with an email account can create a listing, so just be wary! Contact the person directly and ask to see merchandise before you consider sending any payment. Deal in person if possible.
Craigslist is probably not very useful in a library setting, unless it were to serve as a tentative community resource when directing patrons, most likely for things like events in the area.

Online Productivity!

I think we looked briefly at Google Docs in an earlier Thing, but I'm not sure which one. I've been using it to compose my blogs ever since. It lets me take my time, saving my work automatically, and I don't have to worry about losing my thoughts in the blogger abyss. It's very easy to use as it's set up almost exactly like Microsoft Office products.
I should have waited to go to college. Using Google Docs would have made group projects and reports MUCH easier. Generally, to finish a collaborative lab experiment report, one person in the group types up the data in Word, then emails it to the next student, who makes a chart in Excel. The data and chart are then emailed or copied to a disc and given to a 3rd person, who writes out the procedure. All of that information is then sent to another student, who uses it to write up the results and explain everything that (inevitably) went wrong during lab. To be able to share the same information while everyone can sit at whatever computer they wish would have made life incredibly easy (no more camping out overnight in the Science Center!). Emailing data multiple times always resulted in damaged documents anyway, so that it was necessary to copy and paste the data into a new file occasionally.
Library staff could use the collaboration feature among themselves (and across libraries) to make banners, come up with program ideas and create presentations.
All in all, Go Google Docs!

Your Turn with the Wiki.

Playing with Fontana's wiki was a bit challenging, simply because it's a technology I haven't worked with before. It was much easier to figure out than DreamWeaver, and anyone can use it! The most frustrating aspect was that I couldn't figure out how to get my blog name's color to match everyone else's (NOT on the Favorite blogs page--I added myself to the list of all blogs). Not the most drastic of problems, but an annoying one nonetheless. Because it is now coffeetime, I gave up.
Otherwise, it was really easy to sign in and edit pages. I added "The West Wing" to the list of favourite tv shows and linked it to imdb's site. I considered adding a page for West Wing comments, but there really isn't that much to say about it (not to mention that I'm behind everybody else in posting, so most people won't even notice that I've added a page...).
Not to harp, but let's go back to Wikipedia for a moment. Now that I know just HOW easy it is to modify pages, I have an even stronger aversion to wikipedia. It's fine for researching information just for curiosity's sake, but I'm extremely wary about trusting the information I find (unless I can verify it through either an outside source or a trusted bibliographic reference on Wikipedia's page).
I do wish we had a book review wiki for our system--it would be much easier to recommend books to patrons if I had their peers' reviews in an easily accessible area.

Wikis #16

Wikis are great! They're easy to access, easy to modify, and easy to use. The concept is a good one if you're trying to include visitors in a giant collaboration project, particularly for something like a library Book Review site, where the idea is to let anyone (not just the computer-code-savvy) edit content.
Well of course "wiki" means "quick" in Hawaiian!! Didn't everyone know that? pfft.
Meredith Farkas's slideshow pretty much sums up the pros and cons; everyone can modify, which means EVERYONE can modify. Wikis are very useful when gathering (subjective) community knowledge into a localized, searchable site, but they're probably not the most factual of databases, as anyone can post anything they wish.
I really like the St. Joseph County Public Library's Subject Guides wiki. It's easier to use than an "official" city website like Access Atlanta. It's also something that could be really useful in the Fontana system; a book review section could be edited by patrons and staff from all libraries. We could also sponsor a regional subject wiki for community information (I would use it on a regular basis).
Rant: WIKIPEDIA IS NOT AN ACADEMIC RESOURCE. No, Wake Forest University, it doesn't count and isn't "useful" for research papers. It can come in handy when you're looking up, say, an episode synopsis for an obscure 1985 made-for-tv drama, but it's wise to bear in mind that the information may or may not be, you know, TRUE.

Library 2.0

I'm using Google Docs as I compose this blog. It's easier to edit text in something like Word, rather than typing straight into blogger. And if I have to step away, I can save it and come back to it later at another computer using the same Google account I have for a multitude of services. Technological services like this are what really will be the turning point that will "make or break" library usefulness in the coming era.

When I was a child, there was no such thing as the internet, in any version. If you had a school research project, you were limited to the resources your local library physically had in-house. Living in a rural area meant that there was one library, those resources were extremely limited, and you quickly learned to read "adult language" and use the massive, old (and often outdated) encyclopedias.

As services like Google get more complex and varied in their abilities (like Google Library), it's not necessary to come to the library to do research. Lots of my college reports were conducted solely using online scientific journals. As a student, I had access to my library's online resources, encompassing everything from journals to ebooks to "Ask a Librarian" Instant Messaging. Perhaps my favorite resource, "Ask a Librarian" was set up so that a librarian would staff the reference desk at posted hours, have access to a few IM services, and be available to aid students from any location with internet access in finding resources, whether they were in-house, online, or at another library altogether. This, to me, is the face of Library 2.0.
The largest difficulty with implementing new technological services in our library system will be getting the older population to use them. In Cashiers, we primarily have an older population. Most don't have internet access and don't need it. As time passes, the younger generation will be the one to utilize and direct these services, so we can do our best to implement new ideas, but we must stay on top of the changing needs. Pushing the online catalog (and individual use of online accounts) is one good way we've started. We need to continue getting the library out to the public, rather than wait for them to come to us.

Google Books

I remember hearing about the Google Library Project quite awhile ago (maybe a year?) and was rather impressed that they were undertaking this huge project. Looks like progress is being made!

The site is very helpful if you’re looking for something specific. I’ve been looking for a book that I have on my shelf, Memories of Pope Pius X, to see if I could get an extra copy (the one I have belongs to someone else, and Matthew really loves it…), but it’s long out of print and I’ve had no luck. Much to my surprise, Google Books has it listed! They have no preview available, and no image, but they do provide a link to sites that specifically have it for sale. Perhaps I was using the wrong search terms, or it recently came up for sale, but I hadn’t been able to find it at Abebooks until today.

The search site is really easy to use, and it’s not bad for browsing if you’re looking for a general topic. It could be useful in searching for books to add to our collection. Perhaps it could be used to look for titles in a specific topic, then cross-referencing to see if we have a copy in our system (in much the same way as we currently use Amazon). It looks like a really useful tool! Google is so huge now that it’s good to have a list started of all the books available.

I’m not too concerned about copyright, as Google has a host of lawyers and a multitude of disclaimers plastered all over their site as to how careful they’re being. They have to tread lightly on people’s copyrights if they don’t want to be sued! Maybe I’m too naïve, but I put a lot of faith in hoping they know what they’re doing…

Del.icio.us

This is an interesting idea; I’ve often been frustrated with browser bookmarking. I finally gave up using it, especially in trying to do research projects, because I was never at the same computer for the duration of a project. This would be a wonderful feature for those bigger projects where it’s a huge help to keep internet sources readily available (and not have to email them to yourself).

It’s nice that you can see other people’s comments. It gives a multitude of perspectives on an article; that’s rather useful when it’s necessary to argue a point based on the information.

As far as library use goes, it would be a trial-and-error resource. It seems like it might be a good idea to keep commonly-used pages bookmarked in a single location where staff can access them from all computers, maybe from each library in the system. It might not be beneficial, though, as the need for such a resource hasn’t arisen (just in my circ-asst opinion). The bookmarks on each computer here in Cashiers have been more than sufficient to serve patron requests, so it’d be something to just try and see how well it works.

something technology-related.

As you know by now, I’m married. My husband decided to go back to school, so now he’s in the Nursing program at Western Carolina University. He’s super-excited.

Anyway, in order to fully participate in the program, he had to have a PDA or Smartphone or something similar. So I’ve spent most of my summer researching and price-checking and comparison shopping. Apparently a Smartphone is/can be a PDA with phone capability. They’re amazing. Palm is the most brand-recognized, and that’s what we ended up getting (thanks to Danni and Josh!).

Nursing school requires PDA’s because all hospital charting is now going electronic. (Theoretically, at least. It’s taking awhile for everyone to switch over, but society’s getting there.) We’ll have to buy software for it that will allow Matthew to record all patient information and keep it organized in a device that will fit in his pocket. It’ll also have reference encyclopedias and dictionaries and a place for his own notes (not to mention a game or two). Additionally, he can add an extra memory card to it for even more useful information. All in all, I’ve decided I want one, too. This is a picture of one like ours:

For my incentive (hopefully I'll finish before the end of the month!), I'd like an mp3 player of my own. That way, I can stop "stealing" Matthew's.

Digg

Using Digg, I discovered a new word: potterianos, or Harry Potter fans. Apparently there’s a teaser before the new Batman movie. They use "potterianos" as if we all know and use that descriptor in everyday language.
Anyway, there’s a website, ecogeek.org, which looks promising. I’ve never seen it before, and the headline on Digg caught my attention: Viva Las Vegas’ Solar Thermal Power Factory – A US First. I don’t care so much about the Las Vegas part, but it’s awesome that we’re heading in the right direction, albeit at a slow pace. It’s the first US solar thermal power factory! Ausra’s factory will triple worldwide production. Why have I not seen anything about it on CNN?

Digg looks pretty cool, especially if you’re interested in what other people are reading. As opposed to programs like Google Reader, you don’t necessarily get the most up-to-date information from a few specific pages, but you get the more obscure articles that you might not have seen otherwise. Sometimes the more obscure stuff is more interesting.
So if you’re interested in keeping up with a lot of various information, Digg is the way to go!

Image Generators

http://wordle.net So much fun! You can type or copy/paste text into a window (or enter a website with an RSS feed) to create a “word cloud” (see below). I used cnn.com/world on July 11, 2008. It’s a good way to memorialize a certain body of text without using straight sentences; instead, you’re left with a general sense of the overall feeling of the piece. I happened to find it through the Generator Blog Sarah linked in the 23 Things.

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/ Using the jigsaw feature, I edited a photo taken of Matthew on our wedding day. It happens to be one of my favorite photos of him, and it makes a great puzzle! I’m sure he’ll be pleased.














As I go through these 23 Things, I'm discoving a whole new world of internet resources that I just haven't known existed. I wish I'd known of them during college--they'd be great resources for those projects that just need a little extra "something."

goodreads

I had set up a goodreads account awhile back thinking it’d be a good idea, but I never got around to actually using it. So it’s nice to have an excuse to play for awhile! A few of my friends use it regularly (they’re the only ones who have time to read…), and they seem to really like it. I found it easy to use all-around; it was simple to set up, simple to find books and people, and really easy to add new shelves (that might be my favorite feature—how it’s a drop-down menu instead of an entire extra page).

I think this would be a really good library resource, particularly if a localized staff page was set up. Similar to our “Staff Picks” display in our library, it would let patrons know what we’ve all been reading and how well we recommend certain books. I know I have a hard time remembering all the books I’ve read, so this is a good way to get them organized and remember how well I did (or did not) like them.

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1079624

my 'read' shelf:

Mashups!

Thing #8

I’ve never thought much about things like mashups, but they’re really cool! There’s a whole world of stuff, ranging from the really useful to just time-wasting fun ideas. Flickr Sudoku looks pretty cool for those Sudoku players out there; it mashes fun flickr pictures of numbers onto a Sudoku board, instead of using traditional boring text. Bubblr lets users add text bubbles onto flickr pictures. I even used it for an ACCCL Summer Reading project! Thanks to Coworker Danni’s suggestion, my ant poster is both informative and exciting. It draws one’s attention to ant facts using thought bubbles—it’s a really neat way to teach kids what’s going on in the ant farm the poster was created to highlight.

My personal favorite mashup is one created by Google. They blend Google Maps with Panoramio,* enhancing the much-beloved Google Maps feature with photographs of your destination. My husband and I discovered this slightly-scary feature when we were searching for directions to go pick up our new old car (which is now in the shop for a disappearing lock. argh.). It was definitely useful in preparing us to know where to turn!

*Panoramio, incidentally, is similar to flickr in that you can store photographs online. Like flickr, it lets you tag photos as to where they were taken (which city, for instance), and you can "create your own map of the world." As an added bonus, you can track your travel routes and create a map of photos to share with friends and family.

Edit:  I found a Google Maps mashup to help my father find the area of a piece of land in Georgia--Google Planimeter, www.acme.com/planimeter

Thing #7 - Exploring Flickr

I’ve never really gotten into online photo sharing, other than Facebook, which is apparently quite limited in its photographic capabilities. I’m considering opening a flickr account to post pictures of Maris, even though I’m a little put-off by flickr’s excitement about itself. In going through the tour, each screen has a “Next: xxx” button, followed by a “SIGN UP NOW!!!!!!!!” button. I’ve opened way too many accounts just so that I don’t have to look at buttons. So I’m perusing flickr at a deeper level before I commit.

In Facebook, one can post pictures and organize them in sequence and by group, but that’s about as far as it goes. Flickr has way more exciting features (even if they do tout their “betterness”). Organization is very versatile—my favorite feature is “Maps”. I never would have thought that it would be possible to search for pictures based on where they were taken. Pretty cool. Tags and Groups are handy, especially if you’re looking for something in a specific genre or wanting to keep up with a particular type of photographic posting. I think I’d enjoy picture blogging much more than traditional blogging. The “interestingness” feature is awesome, and maybe a little too good for time-wasting.

I found this photo by searching “genetics”:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreac_u/2383726180/
http://www.flickr.com/people/andreac_u/
He asked that a link be added for credit, so the pic is duly linked. Probably over-linked. Anyway.

While this picture has been “photo shopped” to give it color, it’s an amazing photo. It links the generations through a genetic thought experiment—the two probably do have the same eye color, but portraying the connection in this manner is simply striking. I find myself staring. It should definitely be on the “interestingness” page.