Emotion B.3.14159 26535 89793 23846 26433 83279 50288 41971 69399 37510

I admit it- it had to be done. If I had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century, I would expect the same held true for a few of my colleagues. I had used some of these before- youtube, wikis, flickr, webfeat, overdrive. I had read blogs. But it was educational to create a blog, figure out how to embed pictures, sound files, videos. I’m not ready yet to jump on the rss or tagging bandwagon. But I’m happy to understand more about it. Which ones of these are we going to incorporate into our library services?



I think the future takes a lot of time. A fellow PBCLS blogger noted that her internet activities were cutting into her leisure reading time. This is true! The future takes a lot of time, and the future is expensive! Laptops, mp3 players, gaming machines, digital cameras. There weren’t so many things to BUY, “back in the day.” So you drew me in with your carrots, especially the chance at that laptop. Fingers crossed.

Note- the exercises were probably more time consuming than the promised hour per week. I worked on mine from home, from hotel rooms, during the weekends, etc. For staff who don’t have computers at their desks, or computers at home, I think the project was probably quite a challenge. Would I do it (or similar) again? Yes.

All done! Time to celebrate!

Emotion A.7.2.b

Overdrive-

I already had the overdrive media console on my computer. I downloaded Steve Martin: The Magic Years. I also listened to an excerpt from Jon Stewart's America (The Book). The John Stewart book was the only hit that came up when I did a search on keyword: humor, subjects: all subjects. When I did a search on keyword: humor, subject: fiction, nothing came up. I discovered there are pre-set subjects Humor (fiction) and Humor (nonfiction). So, searching is a bit tricky. However, listening to excerpts, downloading titles, and listening to titles from my computer were all very easy.

Emotion A.7.3

So I figured out how to get back into my bloglines account. Luckily I must have checked a box to "remember me" on this computer, so all I had to do was go to the website, and it remembered me. Just in case, I checked on my account information to remember what my log-in information was. Realized I had used standard stuff.

I added two rss feeds to my bloglines account: The Library of Congress 2007 National Book Festival podcast, and something called Nobody Likes Onions, which is supposed to be funny I think (at least that's why I added it- discovered there's about 2 minutes of ads and intro before you actually get to listen to the jist of the podcast).

Did I discover anything I want to share with others? Well, Nobody Likes Onions sounds like a standard morning radio show. Couple of goofy guys saying goofy stuff. Not that there's anything wrong with that- I am a fan of goofy guys on morning radio shows. The Library of Congress podcasts include author interviews, which I mentioned in a previous post might be something we could get from youtube, as well. Good for a library website.

Youtube and podcast technology would be useful for library instruction, tours, and news about events.

Emotion B.6.28

"Discover Youtube." Go ahead, twist my arm, make me use youtube. Towards the bottom of the blog, you should see the embedded youtube that has on the blog from day one. Youtube is a great way to keep up with music and comedy. And not just current stuff, either.

I have also seen useful and educational youtube content regarding library issues such as Web 2.0. Author interviews would be great links for a library website.

Now, if you don't want to get a dachshund after viewing the attached video, well, then you're just not human.

Emotion A.6.24.b

Whew! Times are tough. The Palm Beach County Library System implemented its Business Reference Service back in the late 1980's/early 1990's during the last blip in the economy. At the time, we were assisting patrons with job searches, starting small businesses, finding training programs. Now there are Web 2.0 tools like CareerBuilder to find job postings, post resumes, sign up for job alerts based on pre-selected criteria. Add free tools like this to subscription databases such as our Small Business Resource Center, and the assistance that we can provide to our patrons is leaps and bounds above what we were able to offer a mere 15 years ago. Not to mention that you can search for library jobs on CareerBuilder as well!

(Not that I'm looking or anything, you understand)

Emotion B.6.24.d.zoho

It took me a few years, and then I felt pretty comfortable with Word Perfect.  Then we started using Word and after a few years I'm feeling pretty comfortable with that.  Not as comfortable as I was with Word Perfect, mind you, but not bad.  Now here's Zoho Writer.  Give me a few years, and I'll get back to you.... 

 

I took to the Zoho presentation software right away.  That seemed more "like" Powerpoint.

(See Below....)