# 15 and # 18 (again)

This is a blogpost I tried to create using Google Doc. I created it, but couldn't publish it my blog. Don't know why. The computer kept "hanging up" everytime I hit publish!
Argh!!!!! I've spent 45 minutes trying to get this to work, and it won't!
When I used Zoho Writer, it worked just fine! So I just "copied" and "pasted" this time!

Checked out Library and Web 2.0 and the perspectives on the future. I've only been a librarian for a year...I had no idea there were so many things to think about. But many of the perspectives make perfect sense. Libraries should be accessible and usable to everyone, not just our traditional customers that read books. Libraries are places for gaining knowledge and accessing information. Adding Internet access and expanding its capabilities within our system is great. Currently, our system has had to block those sites with streaming video until we complete a Bandwith upgrade. Yes, without My Space, the place has been a lot quieter, but without My Space those young people aren't coming to the library anymore. They're not checking out books at this point, but they might....
I LOVE the idea Worldcat for anyone to use! Before I became a librarian, I felt uncomfortable asking the Librarian to find books for me from other libraries. As a Librarian I can do it myself now, but what about everyone else? Unless we tell them about World Cat, how will they know????
Year One as a Librarian...I still have a lot to learn, but I guess some of it will be learned alongside a lot more experienced Librarians!

# 21 Podcasts

I took a look at the Podcast site and decided to try to listen to some things while at home. I went to the Yahoo site and did a search on "cooking". I found a Podcast that looked interesting. It was from a Vegan cooking Site and was a recipe for Onion Leek Tart. Since I have Dial up at home I was able to play a game or two of spider solitaire while the buffering was completed. It was interesting "listening" to the demonstration. But I guess I'd rather watch. Another reason to get high speed and all the little add ons....

# 9 Merlin and library bloggers

I guess I skipped this initially and went right on to RSS feeds. I checked out some of the blogs on Merlin and then added it to my RSS feed. A couple of interesting blogs to note: "the shifted librarian" focusing on our need to be able to shift our focus at the library since so many things are tecnology related. I've only been a Librarian for a year, but I can see the need for this. I can still remember card catalogues (the real thing, not a computer) and librarians stamping the due date on the card in the back cover. I even remember using the internet for the very first time in the Library, at least 10 years ago. Google wasn't around....

I read another blog about the changing faces of our customers. Yes, this is a tough one. How do we keep the library as a library for our more "traditional" customers, while also creating a welcoming environment for our less traditional customers....the technology crowd. When the kids are in the library in the afternoon waiting for the computer, I can't distract them with a good book. All they want is the computer, and they're not very quiet. On the other hand, they're the future. I teach teens in my other job, and while they can be challenging, they are also amazing human beings. I agree with the blogger--We need more ways to make the library their space too.

However, i didn't agree with the blog suggesting that we rethink the dewey decimal system! No way! Its standard stuff! I can walk into any library and find my way around. How could we change it?

# 6 more Flickr and 3rd party

I created a magazine cover at the flickr 3rd party site. I've tried to upload it to my blog, but it won't work. I thik the blog is having issues because my "customize" page was a little weird looking. I like the magazine cover. I could use photo paper and create magazine covers as gifts. Pretty cool!

# 22 and 23 Gutenberg Overdrive, netLibrary

Downloadable audio booksare a great resource! For High School students doing summer reading--- they're all so "techno savy' and rather than having to wait for a book quick or hold or buy the book, they can download it! Especially when they wait until the last minute to do their reading and all of the books are gone...

I had a customer with her daughter come in a few weeks ago. Her daughter is vision impaired and we have very few books in LT for juveniles. Our audio selection is a bit limited as well, since her daughter loves reading and or listening to books. I was able to direct her to these sites and she was so excited. Kind of opens up her world. I have another customer who comes in specifically to find audio books for her husband who is vision impaired. He has rather eclectic tastes, so I also told her about audio books. Her husband is fortunatly one of those lifelong learners...maybe by necessity, and he knows how to do all of the downloads! He knows how to use an MP3 player too! She was quite happy, since we're usually only able to locate 50% of his requests.

I've also recommended audio books at my other job as well. Some children are "audio" rather than "visual" learners. Some children need to read AND hear. And some have learning disabilities that make reading impossible. Audio books are a great resouce for these children.

I visited the Gutenberg site from home. Looked at the list for the top 100 books. Pretty much anything is available. Even books one wouldn't think of as an audio possibility---such as Illustrated Manuals. I suppose its like listening to a podcast of a cooking show. Even if you can't see the actual demonstration, you can still visualize in your mind what it would look like.

I wish we could try the downloads at the library to see how it works. I've never seen/heard it in action since I have dial up at home and it would take days.... No one in my house has an MP3 player either. Maybe BCPL could offer a demonstration...

Almost finished 23 things...

I thought I was finished! But I'm not. So far, I've certainly added to my techno-speak vocabulary. I'm not certain I could easily re-create some of the steps of 23 things! I'm not sure I can even remember all of my passwords! Still, I've enjoyed it mostly, even with some of the frustrations. Its helped propel me into the 21st century!

Favorite parts? I like the RSS page and the Library Thing.

I've LOVED the aha moments when I was finally successful in completing a particular step. My dog's photo's on my blog and uploading a you tube video were the most rewarding. I also loved my avatar...I'll probably go back and change "my look" frequently.

Least favorite? All of the public sharing. Maybe its my personal paranoia? I don't think I'm comfortable sharing family photos and personal thoughts in a public venue. When I want to communicate, I'm most comfortable using e-mail, snail mail or the telephone. When you post something to the web, even if you later delete it, it still may be public property!

In any case, I now know what the rest of the world is talking about when they discuss blogs, You Tube, etc. Also helps when I watch Law and Order, etc...... Lots of shows dealing with Techno web based crimes these days. Now I know what they're talking about!

# 20 you tube and podcasts

I uploaded a you tube! I can't believe it worked!!! It took forever, but hey--it worked!

Adopt A Black Dog

my special interest

# 18 and #19 Zoho Writer 2.0 Awards and Biblio.com

I created this blog post in Zoho Writer!

I signed up at Biblio.com for one of the 2.0 awards sites. I do LOVE books and there are a couple of out of print selections I'd love to have. However.....I can't afford them! I checked out a couple of out of print titles by Susanna Kearsley and the costs ranged from $79 to $300! i don't love books quite that much! I guess they'll just be added to my wish list...

# 7 Technology related

I'm not certain that I'll ever use most of these electronic/computer tools but it is helpful knowing what they are. Last week I was invited to a special conference for my son's youth group. The group included teen advisors and youth group directors from all over the USA. Most were in there 20's or maybe early 30's. As they were brainstorming on ways to reach more teens, a lot of different ideas were offered as suggestions. I was pleased to realize that I now knew what a blog was, I knew how to flickr, I knew about wikis and many of the other assorted web based ideas discussed at the meeting. I may have been 20 or so years older than most of them, but thanks to 23 things, I was actually able to "speak" the same techno language!

I see there's a BIG future in tecno stuff!

# 17 Sandbox Wiki

I added to the wiki. Only a comment though.... I tried to add a photo of Zisah to the "pet" wiki page but when I uploades the photo, it was ENORMOUS! I couldn't figure out how to make it fit on one page so I delelted it and just added my random comments on "black dogs". I probably just sound like a crazy lady with black dogs....

# 16 wikis

I think we should create a book review wiki for BCPL! I think our customers would enjoy it. I have lots of people ask for help finding something to read, and since I don't reade every genre, a book review wiki would be awesome.

Not that I'm offereing to create it...someone more technical than I am would have to do that. But I'd be happy to add reviews....

# 14 Technorati

I read the technorati information and then "googled" Zisah, and sure enough, my blog came up as one of the hits!

This almost makes me a little uncomfortable...not quite sure I like things being so public.

# 13 Delicious stuff

Just finished the Delicious tutorial and did my tagging thing. Again, I'm not quite sure what I've done and if I'll ever use what I've done, but its nice to learn something new....

# 11 and 12 Library thing and Rollyo

Well, I've tried to watch the "delicious" tutorial twice, and both times the site was not working. Its hard to figure out what I need to do through the written explanation. Anyone know when the "delicious " tutorial will be working?

Instead of frustrating myself with the delicious video, I moved on to Library thing and Rollyo.

I LOVE the Library thing. Helps me find other books to read--which is always a plus. Also, some of the members have written reviews as well. Maybe I'll try that???

Rollyo??? Well, I made one. Will I ever use it? Doubt it! As much as I use my computer for work (both of my jobs) I just don't use it enough for everyday living to make Rollyo worthwhile. And Actually, I already have my "favorites" categorized at home when I open the web. Maybe that's a Rollyo and I don't realize it?

# 10 animation on my blog

I have my AVATAR image complet with my black dog. But I I can't figure out how to add an animated graphic to my blog page. The ones that move? Any experts out there willing to help????

# 8 RSS--love it!

I've completed the RSS. That's my favorite techno part of 23 things. I look at it everyday at work. Not at home, since we have dial up and its very, very slow.....

# 2 Lifelong Learning at my age...

Lifelong Learning. Well, as someone who started graduate school at age 36, I think I can say I'm definitely a Lifelong Learner!

I love the list...I've done the list without knowing it. Not necessarily all while at the Library, but definitely at my other job. I returned to school with a definite goal...to becaome a Jewish Educator. I took responsibility for my schoolwork...it took me 5 years to get my Master's degree, but I did it while working part time AND raising my family! I graduated with honors and received the award for excellence in my Major too!

There are always problems and challenges with any job or any goal. One thing I learned from a more experienced Jewish Educator, was not to give up on problems but instead to say to myself and to others "what would it take to...." Approaching goals from this perspective is much more positive.

Confidence? Since my other job is in education at a non-profit, I need to have confidence in my ability. I work for volunteers and for children....thanks and words of praise are not always forthcoming. I also needed confidence to take on an additional career as a Librarian! Can I do both?? We'll see....

My toolbox! I was in college in the stone age pre-internet. I typed papers on a manual typewrite, although I did learn to use word processing by senior year. Doing my grad work with the Internet and e-mail was WONDERFUL! I could do research online, find obscure information and in one case, I was able to e-mail a paper to a professor when my son was sick and I couldn't get to class.

I continue to use technology for both of my jobs. I've found so many resources for teaching online, and love looking things up for customers at the library! I learn from my customers all of the time.

Teaching and mentoring...I'm responsible for hiring the teachers at my other job. A lot of them are young and because of their lifestyle not as techno savy as one would expect. I've had to teach them! I've also shown my students how to do some things online. I took them to the Ellis Island website and showed them how to find documents relating to their great grandparents coming to this country.

Playing...always. I love geneology research. Love cooking and looking for new recipes. I make almost all of my travel plans online. And I won't buy a major appliance with researching online. Not to mention shopping, finding books. I spent hours trying to find some out of print books by a favorite author. Online with the DorothyL listserve, I found someone who sent me her copies of the books to borrow!

Love it!!!

# 5 Flickr and tags...

Well...I have flickered...I have 4 photos of Zisah on Flicker, and I've tagged them as well. I've no idea of what I'm actually doing, but I appear to be doing something.

Oh wow!! I posted a photo of Zisah on my blog page! Yay!

My Blog frustrations....

I tried to post a photo but it didn't work! Also, it took me a while to figure out that my login was my e-mail address! Tis making me a little crazy, but I'll keep at it!

Day one

I have a blog! I can't believe it!