WEEK 10 THE LIGHT AT "THE END" OF THE TUNNEL

When I first started the IHCPL program, my knowlege of many technology and informational tools on the computer was similar to looking into the distance in a dense fog. I just couldn't see ahead. So I never even tried. I guess one cannot learn to ride a bicycle without climbing on and pushing the pedals. This whole experience has been a major learning endeavor for me.

I think that the meez, animoto, and myspace were the ones I found to be the most entertaining. I had a lot of fun with all of them including flickr. Wicci was completely new to me, but I thought it could be a great tool for anyone needing new information on subjects. Zoho is probably the one tool that I will use the most. I like to write and that would be a great option for working on my stuff when I am away from home.

I believe that many of the technologies we have learned could be applied to aid in different needs for patrons in the library. No matter what happens in the growing technology world now, I feel I am better prepared to learn new things and utilize skills I have learned in these last few weeks. The whole IHCPL learning process has pushed me to move forward in the concept of what I am capable of doing. I may still be using training wheels, but now I am pushing the pedals...
...yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Week 9#22 Downloadable Media (written from Zoho)

I visited the HCPL digital site and found a classic that I would like to read on the computer or listen to on audio. I haven't actually done that yet, but am planning to from home. I also checked out Librivox and Wowio. I really did not like those services as well as ours. I found Librivox to be a little confusing, and Wowio was okay. It was a little more user friendly, but HCPL's site was definitely the best in my book.

Week 9 #21 Podcast, Smodcasts!!!!!

http://www.willwriteforwine.com/podcasts/wwfw.xml


I looked around at some of the podcast directories. I thought Odeo was really great for a music writer or such. There are definitely a lot of genres and things helpful for libraries. I found a lot of things on libraries and just various books and subjects in general. I chose a podcast on writing called "will write for wine" I added it to my bloglines account. It took me a while to figure the whole process out and actually do it. I think I would like to hit my Podcast right in the smodcast...but I am probably the one that would get hurt!

Week 9 #20 You Tube

I explored You Tube and checked out different categories of videos. There were a lot of truly funny ones! The one component that might be interesting if it were applied to library websites would be the tagging feature. Tagging could be used for searching movies that are in the database. The video that I added to my blog is "PUG DETERMINATION". I chose that one because it metaphorically represents me and my technology learning quest. The determined pug does not give up until he gets all the treats...every last one away from the cat. I too am hoping to finish this program....every last step and get my bling. (No matter what I know that I have learned a tremendous amount from this iStar Challenge!)

My video is towards the bottom of my blog...enjoy!

Week 8 #19 Web-based Apps

I created an account with Zoho. I wrote just a little something there and sent it to my blog...just to see if I could actually do it. I really do like this application. It is great for people that like to write. I think out of all the different sites I have learned about Zoho is probably the one that I will use the most.

Words from my Zoro...uh I mean Zoho account...

This is the silly thing that I wrote on my Zoho account that I am sending to my silly little blog...

Lost in a blog....

Week 8 #18 Social Networking

Social networking in my own simple minded terms seems to be a grander way to reach out not just to one person but to people that you could never have found or communicated with otherwise. It definitely has it's benefits, but like most things it also has it's downfalls. I think one can only use their God given common sense in any endeavor they pursue, and leave it at that. When I toured the different sites, I thought Ning could be good for specific groups of people with a common goal or interest, but it's not for me. I also considered Linkedin to be a great way to find old class mates and old co-employees, and maybe someday I may find that one to come in handy. Facebook also seems user friendly and simple enough for a tech dummy like me, but Myspace was the one I found to be the most appealing. Having a bit of a creative inclination I think it will be something I would enjoy and I have family members I can communicate with through that medium.
Actually I did that one and this is my URL...what fun that was!!

week 7 #17 Technology (Its All Rocket Science To Me)

When I was growing up, back in the 60's, we lived way out in the country. Most people out there had what they called "party lines". It is 1 phone line shared By 2 to 3 households. If someone was out on the road, you just had to wait for them to arrive to their destination to contact them, and that was if the phone line was free! It is amazing how much has changed since then. First there were pagers, and then car phones, and now the ever popular CELL PHONE. What a phenomenon! The capability of its technology seems limitless. Engineers have developed a system for taking anonymous cell phone location information and turning it into positioning data to report traffic congestion on the roads. Who would have thought that a million men's phone calls could be one big traffic report for us all.

http://www.physorg.com/news76178303.html

Week 7 #16 Oh Wiki Wiki You Lost Me At Aloha!

I have heard the term Wiki many times since I first started working for this library system, but I was never really aware of what it was. This has been quite an educational exercises! I guess I can't get the "old school" thinking out of my brain, but I have a tendency to want to just walk to the shelf and pick up an encyclopedia and search it with my own bare hands! I am not saying that I will not use Wiki as a tool to get information, I am just saying it will take a little getting used to. I do believe you can teach an old dog new tricks. It just takes a little longer! I thought that the Library Success was an interesting link. It could really be a great resource for Library services and education. I also thought Booklovers Wiki was great. I created an account with Wiki and added my blog to the ihcpl favorites. I clicked on favorite shows and added a comment and link. Now I need some chocolate....LOTS of chocolate!!

http//www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

Week 6 #15 Library 2.0 & Web 2.0

It is obvious that the way things work at the library are moving forward and changing continually. The services and ways of getting information are becoming more diverse and more accessible to everyone. I feel this is inevitable in such a technology driven world. That is a great thing, but I think there will be a whole generation of people that will not take advantage of these services. I hope that their expectations will always be considered and met. After all, other than the informational tools, customer service is certainly the most important aspect of the library system.

Week 6 #14 Technorati or was that Teletubbies?

I created and account with Technorati, I claimed my blog, and made some tags. It is a great way to get data especially for a college student. I liked the desktop widget tool. All this technology has been very difficult for me to understand. I feel like I am stretching the limits of my brain cells!

http://technorati.com/

Week 6 #13 Tagging & del.icio.us

I set up an account with del.icio.us. I did a poetry tag search and found some cool stuff. This is a great tool if you want to get input on others opinion as well as your own on subjects.

http://del.icio.us/

The Whole Enchilada

After having the opportunity to look at my first Library Elf report on my e-mail, this is my personal taste critique; Library Elf in poets and food fanatic terms is the whole enchilada!! It is extremely thorough!! It shows a calender with next due dates, your next items due, holds, and ILLs. It is your Library important info in a nutshell. Anything that you need to know is right there at your fingertips! Just take a crack at it, take a big bite, and enjoy!!

Week 5 #12 Library Elf

I set up an account with Library Elf. It was very easy to do. I think it is a great idea for busy people that need reminders. Now if the elf could do my Christmas shopping that would be wonderful!!

http://www.libraryelf.com/default.aspx

Week 5 #11 Library THING

I created an account, which was easier than I expected selected some books for my library and then got them on my blog, which was harder than I expected, but they are there along with my RSS feeds below some of the pictures at the bottom of my BLOG.

Week 5 #10 Image Generator

I got my image link through Meez. I set up an account and had a quite entertaining time!! It was paper dolls all over again!! It was a little tricky getting it to my blog. I just had to carefully follow the dirrections and with a little help from my friends, I found my meez on my blog!

Week 3 flickr and the cat's MEOW...

I had a lot of fun with that one. It is a little tricky at first, but once you get the hang of what to do it is quite humerous!!

Week 4 #9 Feed My Brain...

Topix was a more visual friendly tool to use, but I simply chose some feeds from my bloglines account and put them on my blog. It was easy enough to do again, but hard enough not to want to! No more spinach!!!....Just give me some french fries!!

Dreams

Shoot for the moon.

Even if you miss,

you'll land among the stars.

Les Brown

Bloglines Week 4 # 8

I created my bloglines account and chose my 10 subjects to subscribe to. It is an interesting way to get information. Now can I please just go watch cartoons?

Its not over until the fat lady BLINGS...

Well I got my blog and made a post,
and got introduced to flickr...
and I might as well learn to cope,
cause I won't learn all the other stuff quicker.
Sooner or later, I will get it and have some fun
and then my 23 thing will be done!

Where is the HAMMER...

The flickr tool I found the most intriguing was the flickrmixer. You take 2 pictures and combine them into one photo. It is pretty cool. I haven't tried it yet, but I will. When I have some more pics to work with.

It Is Only A Flickr...

It is only a flickr
that's what they said
but I am afraid its a
MONSTER
under my bed
and if I could catch it
I know what I'd do
stomp on it
REAL HARD
with the bottom of my shoe!!!!!!!

(Cause it gave me a migraine!)

Brain Surgery For Dummies

Well, now that I have learned how to save a picture to my profile, set up a flicker account and send it to my blog, I feel like I have performed brain surgery. Maybe I just need brain surgery!!

Have you seen my grandchildren

Here are the little cuties!!

Learning Style

I find that participating in the process of what I am hoping to learn is the best tool for me to fully understand and grasp the concept of the task at hand. In other words, "Just Do It".

WHAT A SEAGULL NEVER TOLD YOU

What a seagull never told you about why he flies away, is the farther up you fly, the broader the view you get of the shore you left behind.

What a wild horse never told you is some chained up fences can be jumped.

What a pine tree never told you is those that stand together never fall alone.

What a valley never told you is that sometimes the safest place to wait out the storm is right where you are.

What a sunset never told you is if you leave today does not mean you cannot come back and start all over again tomorrow.

What a pigeon never told you is sometimes the thrown crumbs don't come right to us, we must go to them.

What a sparrow never told you is the leaver sometimes looses the nest.

What a goldfish never told you is maybe the bowl you are swimming in is just where you were meant to be.

Online Safety

I can sum it up in a nutshell:

"COMMON SENSE"

ihcpl week 2

This has been a great new way to learn and explore new avenues of technology and information that many of us have been in the dark about. Learning technology in general has been a major hurdle for me from get go, but I think that there may be light at the end of the tunnel.