Thursday, August 9, 2007

Summary

I thought that this was an interesting project for everyone to work on. I almost wish that it was mandatory so that everyone could take part in it or if it was a group blog exercise. I did learn a lot but felt like somethings were said over and over again just different versions of what was being talked about week to week. I would participate in another program if offered. I had already known of a few of the items so they were easy. The program was a little long I think. Otherwise I had a good time.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Week #9 You Tube, Podcasts and Downloadable Audio



So here is my you tube of "Pinwheel". You know the old cartoon/puppet show on Nickelodeon. I love using you tube to find stuff like that. You know stuff you thought you made up in your head as a kid because no one has any idea what you are talking about when you explain the concept. Anyway, You tube would be cute for story times or events that people miss.

Podcasts are great things. I enjoy listening to NPR radio, especially Car Talk. I am able to listen to all the new episodes that I miss in the car on my fiance's IPOD. We enjoy listening to "This American Life" also. Whenever we go on long trip he always makes sure we have a couple of each to listen to.

So I am typing this part for second time because there was a glitch and it didnt save. Anyway I tried looking up Harry Potter at the Project Glutenberg sight. I was not able to find any of those books. Most of the top 100 seemed to be reading list materials.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Week# 8 Online Applications and Tools

I absolutely love the idea of Google Docs. I had know about this before from the Technology Team and think it is a great idea. A friend of mine had a problem recently where his Microsoft Word was not working on his laptop and while he was waiting for it to be fixed he has to trot to the library to use their computers. Not that, that is a bad thing. But inconvenient when you are writing college papers. So I told him of Google Docs and he was amazed. It was a great choice for him.

Create a post about your discovery. What did you like or dislike about the tool? What were the site’s useful features? Could you see any applications for its use in a library setting?

I choose to look at www.onesentence.org This was a hilarious site. It was all about saying what you want in one small sentence. Most of the things that everyone said was funny. You can really get to know someone from just those few words. Other than adding your sentence to the blog and reading the other sentences, there is not much more to this sight. But if you want to laugh, this is the sight to go to.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Week #7 - Wikis

Wikis are interesting. They act as if they are a big discussion area that people can add their knowledge and or opinions on the matter. The only problem that I can see with this is one day the information will be different from another day because two people are battling to get their correct answer on the board. I do know that some college professors do not allow Wikipedia to be used as a reference in writing papers.

Wikis would be good as a at home book discussion group, where people can write about their findings on books and others can add their interpretation on the item.

Wikis seem like an easier way to have a discussion than to do it in a blog where someone can delete the comment to never be seen again. At least in Wikis you can go back and see the old data that was replaced.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Week #6 - Tagging, Folksonomies & Technorati

Well let me begin with Del.icio.us. I thought this was a better sight than the Rollyo. It seemed a little easier to use.

Technorati was a cool site because you could look up blogs about certain topics. I choose to look at ones about the Harry Potter spoilers. I looked not closely because I didn't want to see something that I didn't want to see. Most of them ended up being people complaining about Harry Potter and making fun of it. I can't see why people would want their blogs out there for everyone to see but I am also the same person that can't understand how people can blog about their personal lives in the first place.

Library 2.0 - After reading a few people's thoughts on Library 2.0 and what is going to happen to the library. I am agreeing with some saying who knows whats going to happen with libraries. Where will they go? Who will still visit them? What will we offer? But the reason why I am agreeing with this part is because I have a hard time making a decision and I hate telling people they are probably wrong because I happen to agree more to the fact that libraries will always be here. Even with all the new technologies that we are trying to adapt to the library so that we can stay abreast of what people need help with, I believe that we will always be here. People love to get out of the house. People love to spend money. People love to save money even more. If we keep up with all of the new technologies at a free price (if they return them on time)people will want to come here. There are always going to be people who love to save money. And even if the people who would rather spend their money on things that we can provide eventually they will come back here because they would have gone into debt purchasing items that they dont need to. I am trying to keep up with not keeping up with the Jones's. Hopefully more people will go back to living within their means and with that will stay with the libraries.

Monday, July 2, 2007

Week #5

Well, I actually did a Meez Last week because it was one of the extras. This is very cute. I added my person in a wedding dress (doesnt look like the one I am going to wear but it was the closest thing). This activity was one of the funner things to do. I am not sure if I would go back to this over and over again playing with it on the computer but I do on my WII. My fiance and I have not only created ourselves but our entire families and friends. We have enough for 2 full baseball teams.

The library thing was a great tool. My account is http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php

This is a great item to discuss with our patrons because many people ask if we can see in our database at what they have already read. It would be great to have a connection with out database to do the work for them.

I signed up for the Rollyo account. My url is Rollyo. I only set up a couple accounts. I understand the meaning of keeping all of your websites together in one place but isnt that what your favorites is for. I think it is good to be able to search the sites that you trust but I like the idea of finding something that I didn't know was there.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Week#4 - RSS

">I just finished reading about RSS feeds and set up my own account. I have 13 feeds that are coming in from library info to npr radio. I have already done some of this in my own time in the past. I have downloaded NPR's car talk and This American Life to my itunes at home and then added to my fiance's IPOD. We then listen to the latest version of the show on the road.

If Libraries were to have storytimes recorded, they could link them for people to download to listen to later for their kids. They could also record meetings or chats that different groups had at the library.

Here is my link to my bloglines account.
http://www.bloglines.com/public/ARothrock

I tried Feedster. It was interested because you could put in any subject that you wanted and find lots of feeds, even from other countries. I thought these were a good way to find new interesting feeds that you didn't know that was out there but I prefer to go to the items actual web page and get the link from there.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Week #3


Okay, Im late..I admit it. Last week was so crazy that I didnt have time to do this. So here I am. I have used Flicker before. I do not have my own account. I choose not to post pictures of myself or my family on the internet because I am not ready yet to have my pictures for the whole world to see. I am even having problems posting pictures of my pets. You never know who may come and try to kidnap them. But anyway, Flicker is great. I enjoy going from picture to picture to see what I can find. I found a picture of a pug (this is the next pet that I would like to have one day).
I tried some of the different 3rd party items. Alot of them were very cool. Making your own librarian trading card is hilarious but yet again I am not comfortable putting my picture up yet. Looking through the colorful pictures was great if you were choosing to search that way. Alot of these seem to be fun little tidbits to work with but I do not know who would have the time.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Week #2 - Blogging

It is still Thursday and I am already onto week #2. I am feeling better about this and catching up to others (you know who you are).

So here is what I am thinking about the 7.5 learning skills.

A couple of things I am pretty sure of. #1 being "view problems as challenges". I have no problem doing this. When a lot of things fall on my plate, I start worrying about being able to finish them. But "having confidence in myself" allows me to realize that I can and will finish everything that I put my mind too.

I do have a hard time "beginning with the end in mind" because sometimes I can't see where the end is until about halfway through the project or problem.

My favorite part of the learning skills was "play" ( I am sure this is everyone's) because this is what allows me to get through my day. I enjoy having a good time and laughing with others. Working in groups is one of my favorite things to do to get what needs to be done accomplished.

Week #1 Introduction

It's Thursday of week #1 and I am just starting unlike other fellow staff members who have bypassed me already.