Podcast - Will Kimbrough

http://www.willkimbrough.com/podcasts.php

Will Kimbrough is a very talented guitarist, song writer and performer. Saw him with Rodney Crowell last year in Annapolis. He's a little over the top sometimes, but he's an amazing performer and I enjoyed listening to him play.

No Cookies in the Library - Classic Sesame Street

I love this video!

#23 Summarize - Here it goes:


1. what were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?

• I would have to say my favorite discoveries were downloading books (I know I should have done this before); what other libraries are doing with technology; RSS Feeds; MySpace; YouTube and the LibraryThing.

2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?

• This program has certainly introduced me to some really cool things and will help me understand what everyone around is talking about when it comes to Web 2.0. I like being in the know and this will help me progress towards always knowing stuff!

3. Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

• Yes, I found out about widgets (I do have that weather thing now) and how to add them to a blog and I really liked that. I also discovered that although I don't enjoy journal writing, once I get going I can put a few words to screen.
• Also, I learned about on-line document publishing, and although it sounds great, in reality, I thought it cumbersome and not nearly as efficient as using Word, Excel, etc.

4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program's format or concept?

• Maybe the order of the "Things" could be changed a bit, so that everyone creates a blog first thing and understands that you don't have to print that tracking log!

5. If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again chose to participate?

• Yes.

6. How would you describe your learning experience in a few words or a few sentences, so we can share our successes and promote this program?

• I had fun. I do have to say that it took longer than I thought and that could be that I started getting a bit off track. When you find one cool thing, that just leads you to another cool thing..... Well, it's time for that next cool thing!
  

I have added the weather to my blog. A widget, imagine that?

Downloaded an audio book!

Pretty cool. I've never done this, even though we've had this collection for a while, now. I'm looking forward to listening to this book and then downloading books to an MP3 player, so I can hear them at home! Very good.

I also looked a Project Guttenberg, which I had seen many years ago. They've added stuff and it's neat to know that people can volunteer to help them with all those public domain titles.

I like this, a lot. I also like getting my hands on music to listen to....so I should be in Library Heaven. (Oh, yeah, we live in Library Heaven!!)

While looking for podcasts....

....I found this library website.

http://www.wpl.lib.oh.us/

I think it's in Westerville, OH.

I'm not sure if I like the website but thought it was interesting that the Director has a blog, as do adult and teen services and the Summer Reading program. There are podcasts and lots of other things. So many of the things we are becoming acquainted with here in 23 things are being used at Westerville. Good for them. I think it would be neat to have podcasts on a library website, so people could play them at home, when they want to put on a story for their little one, or maybe hear a book review. We could also put on our hours and locations...kind of like on the phone message. I also feel that you need to let folks know how long a podcast is - just a courtesy, especially if you're telling a story.

It was good to have a websites that point to podcasts, because if I really want to listen to a podcast, well by golly, I Want to Listen to a Podcast, not have to dig through all the other google stuff.

More Podcasts

Found another cool podcast. There's a bunch with Broadway show music, these last an hour or so.

Colonial Podcast

I added an RSS feed to Bloglines from Colonial Williamsburg. It's a nice thing to hear someone read the Declaration of Independence like it's on the radio. They have a lot of podcasts on different subjects at CW.

I found this by looking for podcasts on Google. There's a lot out there. I want to figure out more ways to find music.

Youtube...and a box of cookies, please...

It's been a long time since I saw this classic Sesame Street piece. Imagine, a frazzled librarian!!! Never seen one of those!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJlkplvYdgA

On the serious side. YouTube has lots of great things and not so great things to watch. I found Chevy transformer truck commercials, videos of Eric Clapton and John Mayer and personal videos from people, who I guess just want to be famous.

Libraries want to be famous, right? And, some of them are doing videos and placing them on YouTube - is this a way we could make short little tutorials on using our catalog and other services?

Just ramblings.....

Web 2.0 - Pandora's Box is now Open.....

What a list. Lots to look at. I looked at colorbender.com and created a blend of colors that resembles the colors in my living room. That was a lot of fun. I also looked www.thebroth.com and checked out online art - some of that was just fascinating. I liked that a lot, since the computer is so visual, this seems like a great use of a screen, and a chance to look at original stuff without going to a gallery. I liked it a lot.

Pandora - what can I say? Thanks to my CC coworker for letting me in on this secret. Because of Pandora - I discovered Nick Garrie-Hamilton. Very weird, cool and just different. Here's a link to his myspace page:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=74379600

I even bought the CD. Although the song that plays when you open the myspace page is new and not on it. I've enjoyed listening to this guy and keeping up with him.

Stevie

Google Docs

http://http://docs.google.com/Edit?tab=edit&dr=true&docid=ddx7hfx8_0gr22n2

I created the above document in google docs. I was able to save it as a Word document.
I liked that I can create documents in google docs and save them as pdfs. Al in all, very interesting to explore and if I can remember, it will give me some new options.

The Sandbox

Okay - this Wiki worked very similar to what we use at CCPL. But, I have never added a link to any of our CCPL wikis, so that was a new experience - it reminded me of editing html, which I did on a very limited basis a long time ago. But, fun. I also added a favorite author's website to the favorite books page.

See - I think wikis (with monitoring) could be a good tool to use with our customers.

Wikis the thing..wherein we'll catch the conscience of the patron?

Maybe....this is could be a tool to help us capture what our patrons are thinking about books, movies, music, etc. that we have on our shelves. Bull Run Library had a wiki produced by a patron. Of course this could be something we would have to monitor in some fashion. But it might be nice to get our patrons to put their reviews out there, just like on amazon.com. We could start the ball rolling with our staff picks and then encourage our users to add their thoughts. Just thinking while I'm typing.

Perpetually Beta

I really liked that one.... I think we are at the top of the hill for perpetually beta... O

Other words from these articles that I liked: just in case collection (video games? - they're downloadable, now), libraries as social places - virtual and in-person, gather knowledge, create content, techno-worship and trendspotter.

Thing 14 Technorati

I watched Technorati's video from last summer. It is way cool. I think it's nice that it has sign-in and sign-out versions and a Discover feature.

Delicious Thing 13

This is getting kind of complicated. I understand tagging and I understand putting blogs, etc. into Delicious and tagging them, but I probably don't do enough indepth digging for this to help me. But, I'll keep trying.

Rollyo

http://www.rollyo.com/editroll.html?sid=297318

Let me know how this is.

My Library

Here is a link to My Library Thing account. I think this is fascinating, it could be a way our library could share Readers' Advisories with our customers.

I love mysteries!

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/stevieshappy23books

Meez

Okay, here is my Meez.

RSS Feeds, continuing

Okay, this is pretty cool. I always like to keep an eye out for upcoming DVD releases, I now know what's coming out and what will keep the household glued to the TV!

I'll be back with the next Thing!!! (Dr. Seuss would be so proud.)

RSS Fees - Veeeeerrrrrryyyy In-te-resting!

Bloglines

http://www.bloglines.com/public/Stephs23HappyRSS

Okay - take a look at this list - not terribly long, but I'll know what new DVDs are coming out and lots of other things! I also signed up for updates from Library Journal and the Library of Congress. I borrowed the link from a coworker's bloglines for the BBC.

This is very interesting - I'll let you know what I think in about a week.

Technology Bytes

Hmmmm...bytes....

Digital Cameras -
Anyway - the photo of me (also featured on my Flickr magazine cover) was taken with a digital camera at a recent gathering of work friends at a local pub. I really like this camera - it hasn't required me to learn all the techie words of the techie world and I have enjoyed using it for work and at home.
iTunes -
It's like buying 45s all over again!
Pumps -
Huh? Yeah, insulin pumps - the latest way to control diabetes. You eat, you dial up some insulin. It looks like a pager on your belt. I hear the next thing really will be an insulin nasal spray, cause you still gotta stick yourself with the pump.

Til later.....

Magazine at Flickr

http://flickr.com/photos/8743770@N07/544175981/

Check out this magazine cover. (For partiers everywhere!!)

Steph

Cafe Chair

Really liked this chair.

More furniture

Just visited the Wegman's grocery store near Binghamton, NY. The market cafe is a WiFi spot. I spotted a chair in the cafe, that I thought might look real nice in our new library's cafe.

I think it's interesting when people come into a public place and use WiFi to connect to the Internet. It's such a personal thing to use your own PC (even if it is a laptop) but be in an area with a lot of people.

I will add the photo tomorrow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8743770@N07/535001834/

Check out this great library furniture!

Visited Flickr - Maryland Learning in the Summertime

I visited the Flickr site and created an account. There's a lot there to see. I really like the idea of making CD covers, etc. This will be fun. I just chose a photo that was on my computer. It's a pretty photo of a wreath and heck it's almost summertime. So I'm in a beach kind of mood. I'll try to get a photo of stuff going at HQ next time. I will add a link .....

Steph

This is me, enjoying an ice tea at a local restaurant. (Yes, it was ice tea!)

Hard for me

I find it difficult to think about beginning to learn something with an end in mind. Although at work it is easier - at leisure - I put that end pretty much out of my head! I just bought a new guitar - it's small and easy for me to get myself around - my other guitar is pretty big and I had trouble with my short fingers reaching some chords. I have always wanted to learn to play a guitar, never took a guitar lesson (had other music lessons as a kid), but I find it very relaxing to sit with it on my lap play chords, and just mess around. There's no end in mind - just enjoying. At work - it's generally, the opposite!

Steph S. CCPL HQ