Monday, August 27, 2007

Archive-It

In looking at Archive-It, I discovered the Institute of Egpytian Art and Archaeology. What an interesting site! It is housed at the University of Memphis, and has all kinds of artifacts and information. If you are interested, just go to: http://academic.memphis.edu/egypt/

Enjoy!

Internet Archive

It's amazing the things you find in the public domain! Getting to see "Betty Boop: Minnie the Moocher" has always been one of my favorite Betty Boop cartoons - plus you get a really great song! Cab Calloway knew how to swing it with style (I've even got this song on my MP3 player).

I also watched Private SNAFU in Booby Traps. It's interesting to see the non-edited version, that's for sure! Swearing, slightly sexual situations and innuendo, all the things necessary for a military training video!

The Internet Archive is a definite wealth of information on all manners of media, from film, to audio, to text. I did find that the site loaded really slowly, but once the page did load, it ran pretty quickly. I will definitly have to look into the Internet Archive more closely to see what other gems I can find.

Wikis

Ah the wiki-world! I really like wikis. They are a great way of transmitting information and ideas in a format that everyone can look at. The regional libaries have a great wiki! Wikis seem to be popping up everywhere; we are even working on one for our region.

The only thing that I have to keep in mind is that as with everything on the Internet, check your sources!

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Yippee!

And there are people who say that YouTube is filled with nothing but dirty videos!

I decided to try a new knitting pattern called "My So Called Scarf." Now, I am not an expert knitter (or much of an intermediate one either). I tend to stick with what I know - knit and pearl stitches. Well, I thought, let's try something new - this pattern looks interesting, and not too hard for a novice knitter like me!

Oh my.

I couldn't figure out the pattern! Oh I could read it, but I couldn't make it come out right. I pulled out that first row a dozen times at the least! Fine, I'll try again tomorrow. So, tomorrow came, and dagnabbit but I couldn't do it any better then than I could the day before! I need to see it, this tricky little stitch that is quickly becoming the bane of my existence! I have still pictures of the stitch, but they weren't helping.

So, I look up the pattern name on the Internet. Yay and yippee! There is a YouTube video on this exact pattern and this exact stitch (and the cooresponding one on the other side, too)! I get it! I understand!

So now, I am well on my way through this pattern! Now that I get it, it's not hard at all!

I have saved the YouTube link (along with dozens of pattern links) to my del.icio.us faves. Whoo hoo! Thanks, Learning 2.0, now I don't have to save it on just one computer, I can have it wherever I go! Yay!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Library 2.0

Hmmm. What does the term "Library 2.0" mean to me? To me, it means the new technologies surrounding web 2.0 and how they are implemented in the library world. I really didn't agree with the perspective that collections on hand will be replaced by the 2.0 world. That may be the case in acedemia, but in the public sphere, it is definitely not.

When you have people from all ages, from all walks of life, all with different wants and needs, providing information in a variety of formats is the key. Paper to screen, audio to video, for the average user, the format isn't what is important, it's the information.

So while you may have those users who prefer everything online, you'll still have those who want to be able to hold it in their hands, or listen to it on a portable device.

Oops, I got off topic. Library 2.0 to me is an information atmosphere, one where information delivery is key. An environment where librarians and staff are well trained in all formats, print and online, and are informed about trends and changes on the horizon. Adaptability is a way of life in the Library 2.0 realm.

Libraries to me are still about people (no matter how much of a techno-geek I may be) and their skills in retrieving information for their patrons (I still don't like the term "customers"). For to me, library users are patrons, those who not only use the library, but also those who give back to the library.

My heavens, what a soapbox I am standing on! Thank goodness it's collapsible, and with that I'll put it back under my desk for now.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Technorati

Ah, week 6. And I used to think that tagging was only for graffiti artists! Now I'm back in Technorati looking up "Learning 2.0", and I have to say that I still find Technorati difficult. I think it's because of their searching software, though. I like to be able to search for phrases, and while you can in some places in Technorati, you can't in others. Ah well!

I've decided that since I'm not really fond of what I've seen in Technorati that I won't register for an account there. I've got enough to remember so far!

Del.icio.us

I created an account with del.icio.us this weekend, and I think that this may be one of the things that I keep up with after our Learning 2.0 is over. This could be really useful for workshops and trainings that I do if I don't have my computer with me. I can see this really coming in handy with E-Rate training above anything else!

I did try adding a network badge, but while it accepted the script, it didn't change anything on my page, so I guess I'll just try again later!

so here's my account, for those of you who would like to take a peek. http://del.icio.us/libraryoddity

Right now, it's mainly full of E-Rate and copyright links, but I think I'll add more later.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Participating blogs

I have to admit, I'm having just as much fun going in and looking at the other participants blogs as I am with other parts of Learning 2.0! There is quite a variety of interests within our little organization, that's for sure!

Monday, August 13, 2007

Links

So, in keeping with the Learning 2.0, here are the links to all the places that I now have accounts at:

Obviously: http://libraryoddity.blogspot.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/libraryoddity
BlogLines: well, I can't exactly show you this one, just trust me that it's there!
LibraryThing: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/libraryoddity
Rollyo: I think that this is another that you can't really link to

This, of course doesn't include the things I was already in, like MySpace, Hotmail, etc.

Wow, how many accounts will I have by the time this is over?

At least I've been able to have the same login name in all the places so far. That will help with my meager brain capacity (most of my brain seems to be filled with ... well ... allergy-related material).

LibraryThing, Verso, and Rollyo

Well, week 5 is certainly interesting. I think that the world would stop revolving if I didn't work ahead!

I remember Dr. Gleaves talking about LibraryThing, but I had never really tried it. If I had the time, it might be interesting to catalog my personal book collection in there (I wonder if it would show me any interesting trends in what I have bought over the years?).

I did search with Verso, and have discovered that there is no 1920 census records for Putnam County. I was under the impression that there weren't, but I wanted to make sure. Well, now I know. I wonder what happened? Courthouse fire? Were the census takers run out of the county? Did the general population revolt?

Rollyo could be useful, I just don't know if I would find it so in everyday searching of this and that.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Popgadget

To elaborate on a prior post, I have decided that I absolutely love popgadget! They pick the strangest things to inform the world on, such as the all pink computer kit, which comes in a little pink lunchbox with a pink bluetooth mouse and a pink USB drive.

I have to admit, my favorite gadget so far is the electronic meat smeller. That's right. You read it correctly. Meat smeller. What does it do? It electronically "sniffs" the raw meat to see if is has gone bad yet. And it has a snazzy purple nose to do its sniffing with. If you would like to see (and laugh out loud at the price), just go to: http://www.popgadget.net/2007/08/electronic_meat.php

The price is actually on the Amazon link that they have.

Popgadget is definitely a keeper in my Bloglines!

Monday, August 6, 2007

RSS feed search tools

In my discovery of new technology tools out there in Internet-land, I was led to RSS feed search tools. All I have to say is - oh my.

I found these to be slightly daunting. There's a lot of information out there, and how these search tools go out there and find them... and find more of them... then more... by now I'm considering starting over, bashing my head on the keyboard (you know forehead typing is the in thing), or just walking away.

I kept with it however, and slowly realized that in Technorati I was searching blog posts, not for general blogs themselves. Hooray! I'm not insane, just not a perceptive person this morning!

Once I changed my search settings to blogs, and began searching again, it was much easier, and not as overwhelming.

Out of the ones I looked at, I did like Technorati the best, partially because it didn't have ads at the beginning of each result list like one of the others.

I was surprised at the number of news feeds that you could find just by typing it into Google.

RSS feeds and Bloglines

Ah, my addiction is getting worse. Now I have RSS feeds in my life. Dilbert and Mason-Dixon Knitting are now mine to peruse in the same site!

I also subscribed to Popgadget, being the techno-geek that I am. I wasn't sure if I would like it, since it is geared towards women (what's the difference in gadgets for men and women?, I asked myself). It's ok, it has little gadgets, and they seem obsessed with buying them all from Amazon. Here's the site, if you'd like to take a gander: http://www.popgadget.net/

As far as blogs that interest me, personally, I've always like Mason-Dixon Knitting. I even have the book (that's where the knitted box (from my Flickr) pattern comes from). If you'd like to see their site, it's at: http://www.masondixonknitting.com/

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Just a bloggin'

More and more are now working on their blogs. I hope that this keeps up!