Randomness

So, I was going through my RSS feeds, and on a knitting blog someone mentions that they went to a random generator to pick their next color to add to an afghan they were working on.

Random generator? Ooooh, something new to look at! So I went to http://www.random.org/ . While not for the faint-hearted, it is definitely interesting! Coin-flipping without the bother of a coin, dice thrower, fractal generator - it's all there for the taking!

Take a look - add some randomness to your life!

Social Networking and Libraries

I am giving a presentation on social networking for libraries next week (right before my last e-rate workshop, actually). I am to focus on the positives, and make social networking a less-scary, more friendly atmosphere. This is a 2-3 hour presentation for folks on every level of technology knowledge - from the accomplished techno-librarian to the not-so-confident.

I know I will cover basics, like MySpace, Flickr, and YouTube (since I have accounts on all - and they seem to be the most scary to folks), along with just the basics, like "what is social networking" and "how can I make this useful for the library."

I want to keep this light, and not bog them down with a lot of jargon, so anyone have any suggestions on other sites (I am thinking about SecondLife - but I have a vertigo issue with 3-D renditions moving around)? I am considering wikis, rss feeds and blogs, but I am not sure that would not push them over the edge. I will probably also review TSLA Learning 2.0 and CMCPL learning 2.0 and 2.1 for ideas.

Looking forward to hearing comments and suggestions!

Pictures, Pictures everywhere!

Well, in my continual quest for new web gadgets in the 2.0 world, I have found picnik. Oh my. Available at http://www.picnik.com , it is a free photo tool that allows you to do all kinds of fun things with your digital photos. Crop, straighten, make them less dark, add text, there's a lot you can to do a simple photo.

Love it! Now let's see what they look like when they're developed.

Reading for the lazy

I have discovered, the wonderful world of reading for the lazy. I, personally, don't mind the number of pages when I read. 100, 1000, doesn't matter to me, as long as the story is good.

Well, for some people, this seems to be an issue, hence the inception of LazyLibrary. Accessible at http://lazylibrary.com/, it is a site devoted to finding books on Amazon under 200 pages on the topic of your choice.

So, if you need a quick fix, just look for it at LazyLibrary!

Oh, and thanks Polly for the post-Learning 2.0 fix!

What now?

Now that I have been finished with Learning 2.0 for a couple of weeks, I find myself wanting there to be a week 9! I suppose I'll just have to go discover for myself some interesting technologies on the Internet, and report back!

But that's soooo much work! (yes, I am whining - I'm allowed to on my blog)

Learning 2.0 completed

And so, with this last "official" blog, I end my Learning 2.0 experience. I went through Weeks 1-8 in less than 8 weeks (I just can't stand not to work ahead!), had a lot of fun, and found a lot of new sites.

Of course now I have 20 bazillion logins to remember, but hey, that's the price of technology.

Now a great web 2.0 tool would be a site where you can log in and instantly be logged into all the sites that you input. I'm going to look forward to that one.

I think that this was a great learning tool, and I hope that lots of people finish, or at least learn something they didn't know before.

Yay, let's do it again!

Web 2.0 awards

In looking for a web 2.0 tool to play with from the Web 2.0 award winners, I chose the first place winner in the Fun Stuff category: Cocktail builder.

So what does Cocktail builder do, you ask? Well, your alcoholic needs will be met on this site, since it is a site devoted to various cocktails that you can assemble yourself! There is even a place where you can type in the adult beverage that you have at home, and it will give you a list of what cocktails you can make with it.

Don't even bother looking for actual food recipes on this site, they won't be there. They have a single-minded determination in their devotion to the adult beverage.

For example, if you have Jack Daniels languishing in your cupboard, all you need is some Bailey's Irish Creme for a woodfather. Have a bottle of Vodka? Well, you're almost ready to serve a Pink Polar Bear with the addition of grenadine. Salut!

I did really like that as you type in the poison you have on hand, it automatically helps you below the search bar with items in its database.

What a fun little tool on the web!

Fun for all! Or at least fun for all above 21!

Zoho

Since this is for my blog, here's another published document from Zoho.

 

 - my favorite emoticon so far!

 

With 19 fonts to choose from, that will work for most people, but for me, the font queen (I have over 1000), I'd probably be more apt to import in documents. 

 

The first document I tried to import was a flier that I completed this morning on our next in-service here at the region.  Most of the text came out, but the images didn't at all.  I suppose that they have to be uploaded into Zoho first.

 

I don't know that this will be something that I will use that much, but at least I know it's out there!

Contact Information

So here's my document from Zoho Writer. I imported one of my handouts for my e-rate workshops to see how it went, and made some changes. It's definitely interesting!

Contact Information

Any E-rate Information

Jennifer Cowan-Henderson

State E-Rate Coordinator for Public Libraries in Tennessee

Upper Cumberland Regional Library

208 East Minnear Street

Cookeville, TN 38501

phone 931-526-4016

fax 931-528-3311

jennifer.cowan-henderson@state.tn.us

Basic E-Rate Information

http://state.tn.us/tsla/regional/UCRL/erate.htm

Tech Plan List

http://state.tn.us/tsla/regional/UCRL/techplans.htm

Schools and Libraries Division

Help Line

888-203-8100

E-Mail Assistance

http://www.slforms.universalservice.org/EMailResponse/EMail_Intro.aspx

Website

http://www.universalservice.org/sl/

Eligible Services List ^{will need to change once the 2008 doc is out}

http://www.universalservice.org/_res/documents/sl/pdf/els_archive/2007-eligible-services-list.pdf

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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/

Just a bloggin'

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

Yay! A slew of blogs

Yay! Today was the day that everyone here created their blogs. Here's the list:

me: http://libraryoddity.blogspot.com
Raye Ann: http://crazyaboutflowers.blogspot.com/
Peggy: http://peggypoo-boohoo.blogspot.com/
Gina: http://librarygal-adventuresinlearningonline.blogspot.com/
Misty: http://mstmarie.blogspot.com/
William: http://sweetwilliesblog.blogspot.com/
Angel: http://angelisapayne.blogspot.com/
Linda: http://1libralinda.blogspot.com/
Jennifer: http://mspeachy.blogspot.com/

What have we started?

TeVA

So, here's the picture from TeVA that I like:


Ok, so I like more than the picture - I love the title!

"I'm Livin' In Hopes of Gettin' a Man, a Real Man"


Makes you wonder what she had found before, a hamster in a suit?

3rd party tools and mashups

What I have discovered in my dip into the world of 3rd party tools and mashups is that I like the mashups better - that and I really don't like any of the pictures that I am in. I really like the Colr Pickr; that's so neat!

I did make a librarian trading card, but as the sight of myself looking back at me was scary, I didn't save it.

Flickr

So, I created my first Flickr account. I have lots of friends who have an account, and share their pictures of various things, and I thought that I didn't need one. Who'd want to see my pictures? Imagine my surprise when, once I uploaded my first picture, I was mentally configuing how many pictures that I could stuff in there.

Why, oh why do I do this to myself. I know I love this kind of thing (yes, I am a geek, thank you very much). Oh, yes, I remember why now; this is part of Learning 2.0!

For those of you who want to take a peek, my Flickr site is http://www.flickr.com/photos/libraryoddity/

Surprises from TEL

I'm used to using TEL, so I wasn't expecting many surprises. However, I had never looked up something of personal interest (the searches I usually do are work-related). Wow, you can get knitting patterns on TEL! I'm so excited! A new knitting resource can be had using TEL: book reviews, articles, and even knitting patterns.

Yay!

7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners

Ok, so here are the 7 1/2 habits in brief:

1. Determine your goal
2. Be active
3. View problems as challenges
4. Be confident
5. Create your own toolbox
6. Use technology to your advantage
7. Teach or mentor others

and 7.5 Play!

Ok, I've got 7.5 down pat for sure. Considering that I have a rubber band gun in my desk drawer and a water-squirting shark on top of my desk, I've got 7.5 in the bag.

My biggest hurdle in these is viewing problems as challenges. In my world problems are thing to overcome and move on from. Yes, you can learn from them, but you certainly don't go seeking them out. I know, no one does, but you have to admit, it does take a different mindset to be positive about problems in your live, or in your learning of a new thing.

This mindset reminds me of the Fish! program.

Wow, a new blog!

Well, lookee here! There's a new blog in town! Oh what, oh what will I do with myself now that I not only always have an opinion, but my own place to post it!

I'm doing this in part because of the Learning 2.0, but also because I know so many others with online blogs, and now I'm part of the pack!

Maybe I'll actually find something of interest to blog about!