Week 9, Thing 23
I've completed the program and I'm giving myself a pat on the back. There were times that I thought I wouldn't be able to finish, but I found a person in both my branches who was willing to help with questions. When they didn't work on days I did, however, I managed to struggle through by myself.
There were two things that interested me (actually there were many more but I will just discuss the two here). One was the wiki pages. I think that they could be very useful in posting program ideas for the library and scanning program ideas from projects years ago (before we used electronic documents). Having everything in one place could save librarians having to look for info. The other thing was for a personal reason. For one of the exercises, I posted a story I had written for my memoir writing class about an experience in the library. I had cut and pasted the story into my blog and the team member who commented on it couldn't find it at first. Then today a co-worker showed me how to add a link to my blog entry that led directly to my story. I think that if I continue with this blog, I will add links to the right side of my blog and have the links lead to different stories that I have written. That way I will be able to share them more easily.
I also had an interesting time reading comments on webpages as I was doing the lessons. I found that there will always be someone who thinks the opposite of everyone else. Someone who criticizes something after 99 people have praised it. I guess it takes all kinds.
This series of lessons has made me aware of many activities on the web. I know there are a lot of features on it but I never tried to learn them. They were always for webmasters or teens. They are a lot easier now and I'm glad I have gotten a taste of them. Now if I only had more time to examine them more closely!
Someone commented on my blog and I wanted to respond back, so I actually commented on her blog. My first!
I think some of the problems I had with some of the lessons deal with the wording of the sites, not the lessons themselves (in saying click on something but it actually had a different name), so I don't know how to suggest on improvements. Maybe correct that link to the World eBook Fair in lesson 22!
If another discovery lesson were offered, I would participate. I have enjoyed the opportunity to participate in this one and thanks for starting me off in new directions!
Monday, March 26, 2007
Week 9, Thing 22
I had signed up for an e-book account when we first got them and looked at it then so I could tell customers about it, but I never used it myself so I had forgotten my password.
This time I looked at the netlibrary and the others. Most of the titles I checked were not in the collections (maybe they were too new) and when I did find one that looked interesting, it was in use. I was interested that they offered "similar items" to view instead. I also liked that it gave you a printed sample of what was in the book.
I tried the World eBook Fair and couldn't figure out what it was. Later I realized it was the wrong site. I clicked on Project Gutenberg and that link made more sense. It looks like it has a lot of classics that might help students on that last-minute assignment after the libraries are closed for the evening.
I had signed up for an e-book account when we first got them and looked at it then so I could tell customers about it, but I never used it myself so I had forgotten my password.
This time I looked at the netlibrary and the others. Most of the titles I checked were not in the collections (maybe they were too new) and when I did find one that looked interesting, it was in use. I was interested that they offered "similar items" to view instead. I also liked that it gave you a printed sample of what was in the book.
I tried the World eBook Fair and couldn't figure out what it was. Later I realized it was the wrong site. I clicked on Project Gutenberg and that link made more sense. It looks like it has a lot of classics that might help students on that last-minute assignment after the libraries are closed for the evening.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Podcasts
Week 9, Thing 21
It's a good thing you don't need to have an iPod for this lesson because I don't have one. I went to an out-of-the-way computer at work and looked up the lesson and listened (I managed to figure out how to turn up the sound!) to a couple of podcasts. I found the "NPR Story of the Day" which excited me because I used to like listening to these when I was driving. I found a story about dogs who were used to protect penguins. It had been a couple of weeks since I worked with my bloglines and I wasn't sure whether to start in my bloglines or at the podcast, but I managed to cut and paste the URL into my bloglines and now I have NPR for my listening pleasure.
It's a good thing you don't need to have an iPod for this lesson because I don't have one. I went to an out-of-the-way computer at work and looked up the lesson and listened (I managed to figure out how to turn up the sound!) to a couple of podcasts. I found the "NPR Story of the Day" which excited me because I used to like listening to these when I was driving. I found a story about dogs who were used to protect penguins. It had been a couple of weeks since I worked with my bloglines and I wasn't sure whether to start in my bloglines or at the podcast, but I managed to cut and paste the URL into my bloglines and now I have NPR for my listening pleasure.
YouTube
Week 9, Thing 20
I explored YouTube and tried loading the sample "Rock 'n' Roll Library" but it wouldn't load. Maybe it was just too busy. Then I found a funny video from Sesame Street called "No Cookies in the Library" and wanted to add it to my blog. I clicked on "sign in" before I opened an account with YouTube and then when I tried to open an account it said that my name was already taken (it turns out it was me). I got that straightened out and thought I added it. Then I tried to find a YouTube video that I had seen a couple of weeks ago but I couldn't remember the name of it. It was a commercial about how sometimes books find the answer faster than a computer. While I was looking for it, I found a video about a 10-year-old boy who started a town library and now has 10,000 books in it. I added that one to my blog. The note in the instructions said that I would need to use Blogger's Edit HTML tab when pasting this code, but I seemed to load it to my blog without using that. I went back and checked my blog and the 10-year-old boy was on it, but not the Sesame Street video. Since I remembered the name of the first video, I was able to find it in the search bar at the top right and added it easily.
One confusing part was when YouTube asked me what type of blog I had and the two most likely choices were Blogger and Blogger Beta. I thought I didn't have the beta version, but it wouldn't go through until I chose Blogger Beta.
I found that the loading of the video was easier than the directions led me to believe. Finally, something that was easier than I thought!
I explored YouTube and tried loading the sample "Rock 'n' Roll Library" but it wouldn't load. Maybe it was just too busy. Then I found a funny video from Sesame Street called "No Cookies in the Library" and wanted to add it to my blog. I clicked on "sign in" before I opened an account with YouTube and then when I tried to open an account it said that my name was already taken (it turns out it was me). I got that straightened out and thought I added it. Then I tried to find a YouTube video that I had seen a couple of weeks ago but I couldn't remember the name of it. It was a commercial about how sometimes books find the answer faster than a computer. While I was looking for it, I found a video about a 10-year-old boy who started a town library and now has 10,000 books in it. I added that one to my blog. The note in the instructions said that I would need to use Blogger's Edit HTML tab when pasting this code, but I seemed to load it to my blog without using that. I went back and checked my blog and the 10-year-old boy was on it, but not the Sesame Street video. Since I remembered the name of the first video, I was able to find it in the search bar at the top right and added it easily.
One confusing part was when YouTube asked me what type of blog I had and the two most likely choices were Blogger and Blogger Beta. I thought I didn't have the beta version, but it wouldn't go through until I chose Blogger Beta.
I found that the loading of the video was easier than the directions led me to believe. Finally, something that was easier than I thought!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
LibraryThing
Week 8, Thing 19
I just created a LibraryThing account. I added 8 titles that I collected yesterday of true stories about pets. I typed them in and it was really easy because the LibraryThing did all the work for me. I then tried to link it to my blog. That was where I got stuck because I copied like I thought I was supposed to and then tried to go to layout in my blog. When I tried to add it to the HTML, however, I couldn't figure out how to do it. I ran out of time before I had to help at the desk. Then later I tried again and the link went through. I don't know what I did the second time that I didn't do the first time.
Only 5 titles show at a time of the 8 I entered, but I guess that is what they mean by "random titles" on my blog. I clicked on a few and found that some of them were only listed by one other person and some were listed by a thousand or so. I looked at some of the discussions and I might go back and look at more later.
I just created a LibraryThing account. I added 8 titles that I collected yesterday of true stories about pets. I typed them in and it was really easy because the LibraryThing did all the work for me. I then tried to link it to my blog. That was where I got stuck because I copied like I thought I was supposed to and then tried to go to layout in my blog. When I tried to add it to the HTML, however, I couldn't figure out how to do it. I ran out of time before I had to help at the desk. Then later I tried again and the link went through. I don't know what I did the second time that I didn't do the first time.
Only 5 titles show at a time of the 8 I entered, but I guess that is what they mean by "random titles" on my blog. I clicked on a few and found that some of them were only listed by one other person and some were listed by a thousand or so. I looked at some of the discussions and I might go back and look at more later.
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