My findings on this exercise with the free titles available was that there seemed to be a big-ish selection, but not really to my current taste. Either that or I’ve already read it.
Having said that I’m not keen on the audio book (yet) as my only place of opportunity to listen to them is when I’m on the road, and even, I’m concentrating on the traffic.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Skipping for now
Ok, so I’m skipping a few exercises but I promise I’ll come back to them! I’m just trying to get through the less time consuming exercises for the moment. When it’s just my laptop and I, they shall be revisited!
#17 Playing around with PBWiki
My experience?
Easy. I just had to remember my Library 2.0 program email and voila! Back in business.
I especially liked the options of changing fonts etc. Wikis have great potential, but they just aren’t my main objective right now but I can definitely see their usefulness. That opinion may change however in the next couple of weeks as my current workplace is now incorporating a Reference Wiki into our staff resources!
Easy. I just had to remember my Library 2.0 program email and voila! Back in business.
I especially liked the options of changing fonts etc. Wikis have great potential, but they just aren’t my main objective right now but I can definitely see their usefulness. That opinion may change however in the next couple of weeks as my current workplace is now incorporating a Reference Wiki into our staff resources!
#16 So what’s in a Wiki?
What do I like about them you ask?
Anyone can add to them. They’re great for small or rare information-available topics, but not so great when too popular a controversial topic. Lack of editorial control can lead to technological editorial deleting-and-reprinting wars.
They’re great for the workplace as they can enhance collaboration, training, ownership, and enthusiasm from professional satisfaction of achievement even if on a small scale to say “I helped with that”. Also they are great for producing manuals and enhancing knowledge within the organization – even when the organisational walking-encyclopaedia-info-rich staff member leaves the organization for other pastures. They may leave, but the information and knowledge they possessed continues to help others.
Anyone can add to them. They’re great for small or rare information-available topics, but not so great when too popular a controversial topic. Lack of editorial control can lead to technological editorial deleting-and-reprinting wars.
They’re great for the workplace as they can enhance collaboration, training, ownership, and enthusiasm from professional satisfaction of achievement even if on a small scale to say “I helped with that”. Also they are great for producing manuals and enhancing knowledge within the organization – even when the organisational walking-encyclopaedia-info-rich staff member leaves the organization for other pastures. They may leave, but the information and knowledge they possessed continues to help others.
#15 On Library 2.0 & Web 2.0
Access
Improved or not? Well that depends. If you’re riding with the technological wave then yes, it’s a great thing. There are so many resources available to us now, not just as librarians, but as members of the community, that with such fantastic innovations, its definitely a challenge to keep up with them all. But if time, economic standing, or geography as an aid to access aren’t on your side then at the rate that these innovations are being developed, the technological divide occurs with equal relativity. A matter of breaking down boundaries or broadening the gap. I guess each of us just need to find our own particular groove and interest in the vast array of resources now available to us and try to keep up with the flow.
On-going training & personal development
Library 2.0 is not a stagnant thing. It’s a growing creature-like entity, with new versions up and coming (if not already here). It’s vitally important to keep up with the latest and to do this you need time. Which brings me to my next point. For those in the workforce and who would find these resources useful, I think it’s important these workplaces support their staff by allowing their staff time to explore these new widgets/gadgets/wikis/blogs and the list goes on… It’s not just a matter of saying yes we support you but here’s a truckload of tasks we want you to do first, it’s about showing support, creating groups and making it fun so that all staff can be in it together and learn to collaborate, share and support each other. This helps new and evolving skills not to mention team-building. Of course we all have a personal responsibility to our own development, but with ‘life’, as it stands, finding an hour or so everyday with commitments or families or whatever else we have taken on, isn’t always easy. However a little support from the workplace and a lot of personal development from the home, make a good recipe for keeping your knowledge and skills ready and at-the-go.
Connecting with the community
There are so many ‘sharing’ types of resources out ‘there’, it’s phenomenal. Some may have thought they were the only person with an interest in topic X, but a click and search here and there, connects them to other like-minded individuals, which can lead onto groups an inturn, onto a whole lot more. Big spaces with avenues diverging into smaller and physically accessible other spaces. In a library, which I think of more as central hubs, you hear each week things like, “Be on at 6:30pm and I’ll send you those links/connect with this/talk to you then” – and all references to online communication. The world is not so large anymore.
Fun
Library 2.0 is fun. If it’s not, then move onto another ‘library thing’. Like anything else, it may just not be for you. Not all things are, but at least by giving it a go, you don’t have to look so blank when you hear someone else talking about ‘it’. You can converse, learn and offer differing opinions!
Improved or not? Well that depends. If you’re riding with the technological wave then yes, it’s a great thing. There are so many resources available to us now, not just as librarians, but as members of the community, that with such fantastic innovations, its definitely a challenge to keep up with them all. But if time, economic standing, or geography as an aid to access aren’t on your side then at the rate that these innovations are being developed, the technological divide occurs with equal relativity. A matter of breaking down boundaries or broadening the gap. I guess each of us just need to find our own particular groove and interest in the vast array of resources now available to us and try to keep up with the flow.
On-going training & personal development
Library 2.0 is not a stagnant thing. It’s a growing creature-like entity, with new versions up and coming (if not already here). It’s vitally important to keep up with the latest and to do this you need time. Which brings me to my next point. For those in the workforce and who would find these resources useful, I think it’s important these workplaces support their staff by allowing their staff time to explore these new widgets/gadgets/wikis/blogs and the list goes on… It’s not just a matter of saying yes we support you but here’s a truckload of tasks we want you to do first, it’s about showing support, creating groups and making it fun so that all staff can be in it together and learn to collaborate, share and support each other. This helps new and evolving skills not to mention team-building. Of course we all have a personal responsibility to our own development, but with ‘life’, as it stands, finding an hour or so everyday with commitments or families or whatever else we have taken on, isn’t always easy. However a little support from the workplace and a lot of personal development from the home, make a good recipe for keeping your knowledge and skills ready and at-the-go.
Connecting with the community
There are so many ‘sharing’ types of resources out ‘there’, it’s phenomenal. Some may have thought they were the only person with an interest in topic X, but a click and search here and there, connects them to other like-minded individuals, which can lead onto groups an inturn, onto a whole lot more. Big spaces with avenues diverging into smaller and physically accessible other spaces. In a library, which I think of more as central hubs, you hear each week things like, “Be on at 6:30pm and I’ll send you those links/connect with this/talk to you then” – and all references to online communication. The world is not so large anymore.
Fun
Library 2.0 is fun. If it’s not, then move onto another ‘library thing’. Like anything else, it may just not be for you. Not all things are, but at least by giving it a go, you don’t have to look so blank when you hear someone else talking about ‘it’. You can converse, learn and offer differing opinions!
Back on the techno-wagon
Ok, so I got a little side tracked (probably talking to myself considering the program finished last year, but hey, I have my standards and still want to finish).
Christmas happened.
I was transfered at work (new location and all), subsequently had to settle in as expected.
I got married.
I went on a honeymoon.
And now I'm back. And want to finish what I started. So here goes...
Christmas happened.
I was transfered at work (new location and all), subsequently had to settle in as expected.
I got married.
I went on a honeymoon.
And now I'm back. And want to finish what I started. So here goes...
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
#14 Getting not-so-technical with Technorati
Technorati - sounded like a secret society when I first heard the term! Then I remembered, ah, yes, this is the thing I didn't like very much weeks ago and vowed to come back and try to make friends with it.
So now friends we are... and I have found it quite useful too. I searched under blogs, posts and received different results as you would expect.
I like the watchlist feature although this could do with some advanced searching options to rule out irrelavant results.
This is also something I will continue to use - although not on a daily basis.
So now friends we are... and I have found it quite useful too. I searched under blogs, posts and received different results as you would expect.
I like the watchlist feature although this could do with some advanced searching options to rule out irrelavant results.
This is also something I will continue to use - although not on a daily basis.
#13 Tagging, folksonomies & social bookmarking in Del.icio.us
At first glance Del.icio.us created a blank look of cluelessness, but after looking at it and then looking at it some more, clicking here and there, tilting head to side, scrunching up face, the light bulb then started to shine.
I created an account, exported and uploaded all my bookmarks from home and work and started to get very excited :) No longer I thought would I have to save individual shortcut files on my USB that travels between the two locations on a daily basis. My bookmarks would be available to me no matter where I was in the world and I could share them with friends and colleagues.
I liked the comments feature too. This is helpful for some bookmarks, although most are pretty self explanatory.
After uploading both home and work I then worked towards unifying my categories into uniform tags that would make this account much more manageable.
Installing the Del.icio.us buttons to my browser on my own PC was useful too as researching throughout the day, I'd be sure not to miss any useful finds through my web travels.
This is definitely a service I will be using on a daily basis. Very relevant!
I created an account, exported and uploaded all my bookmarks from home and work and started to get very excited :) No longer I thought would I have to save individual shortcut files on my USB that travels between the two locations on a daily basis. My bookmarks would be available to me no matter where I was in the world and I could share them with friends and colleagues.
I liked the comments feature too. This is helpful for some bookmarks, although most are pretty self explanatory.
After uploading both home and work I then worked towards unifying my categories into uniform tags that would make this account much more manageable.
Installing the Del.icio.us buttons to my browser on my own PC was useful too as researching throughout the day, I'd be sure not to miss any useful finds through my web travels.
This is definitely a service I will be using on a daily basis. Very relevant!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
#12 Roll your own search engine with Rollyo
Oooooh! I can't tell you how handy this one is at the moment!
As I am planning a wedding and doing a lot of online searching, Rollyo has just made my life much easier! All of the great wedding planning sites I have come across have now been rolled into one online wedding search tool particular to Melbourne! Nice one! A huge time-saver :)
And it's on this blog :) Yaye!
It was really easy to set up too. I set it all up without reading the instructions and did just fine!
Who would have thought I'd be doing all my online searching for my wedding from my own blog?
I love it!
As I am planning a wedding and doing a lot of online searching, Rollyo has just made my life much easier! All of the great wedding planning sites I have come across have now been rolled into one online wedding search tool particular to Melbourne! Nice one! A huge time-saver :)
And it's on this blog :) Yaye!
It was really easy to set up too. I set it all up without reading the instructions and did just fine!
Who would have thought I'd be doing all my online searching for my wedding from my own blog?
I love it!
#11 All about LibraryThing
LibraryThing was made for me!!! I love it. My excel spreadsheet of all my fave reading and want-to-read may have to take the back bench for a while.
Creating the account was super easy :)
Adding books to my own library was simple and logical :)
And what I really love about it...drumroll please...is I can change the covers of the books to reflect my edition! How awesome is that? Very I say!
I like that I can see my own books on my virtual shelf from my blog too :) I'm feeling abit techno geeky and I'm liking it ;)
This exercise was particularly fun because I discovered how to add widgets and sidebar thingys all on my own! Yeehah!
Also a great feature, is that LibraryThing connects you with like-minded people which you can blog and discuss with which is great when reading the heavy philosohical texts or thought provoking books. This is a really enjoyable feature. It's a pity you can only add 200 for free - but I guess that's a rule they have implemented to tackle people like me! I looked at my bookcase at home and my eyes lit up! Dorky I know - but very cool!
And recommendations - another great feature if I do say so myself. Based on what is in my library I can be given other recommended reads when I am having a clueless moment. Great if I'm going through a phase but maybe not so helpful if I want to dive into something completely new.
Amazing!
Creating the account was super easy :)
Adding books to my own library was simple and logical :)
And what I really love about it...drumroll please...is I can change the covers of the books to reflect my edition! How awesome is that? Very I say!
I like that I can see my own books on my virtual shelf from my blog too :) I'm feeling abit techno geeky and I'm liking it ;)
This exercise was particularly fun because I discovered how to add widgets and sidebar thingys all on my own! Yeehah!
Also a great feature, is that LibraryThing connects you with like-minded people which you can blog and discuss with which is great when reading the heavy philosohical texts or thought provoking books. This is a really enjoyable feature. It's a pity you can only add 200 for free - but I guess that's a rule they have implemented to tackle people like me! I looked at my bookcase at home and my eyes lit up! Dorky I know - but very cool!
And recommendations - another great feature if I do say so myself. Based on what is in my library I can be given other recommended reads when I am having a clueless moment. Great if I'm going through a phase but maybe not so helpful if I want to dive into something completely new.
Amazing!
Friday, November 9, 2007
#10 Play around with image generators
Now this is my kind of thing. I love creating new stuff, especially if a giggle can be resulted from it! I used Captioner which I must say I have been hanging out to use. Well use it I did and I found that you really do need to have a full size digital photo so that it can fit the caption inside it (that's why I had to pick a new photo than the original one I was going to use). This photo is one of a dog I took in Santorini recently. It was a very hot day and this dog which was almost the size of a horse (I swear I could have ridden it), just lay there as customers walked over and around it. The poor thing was not phased in the least and seemed too hot to budge! It was definitely photoworthy.
#6 More Flickr fun
Fun fun fun! had a few giggles along the way when I created my own magazine cover and then had to remind myself to get a grip when the imagination went a little overboard. And so much to choose from! There are many other 3rd party and other mashup services I will be checking out, but this Magazine one is very fun. If you havent had a go already - do! *Fingers twiddling in excitement Smithers style!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
#9 Finding feeds
Ok, it may have something to do with the fact that its 3pm on a Saturday and I’m working on a 29 degree day (although I see clouds now, so that's making me feel better), or I have been so ‘questioned-out’ on the RA desk that I don’t know what to look for in finding a feed that actually interests me. I mean, I can't say I’m interested in Britney’s problems, or why a would-be-robber got stuck in an airshaft, karma I say, but really, care-factor?
So here are my thoughts on finding feeds:
Feedster: Kermit the frog anyone? WOW, after being blinded by fluoro green, it wasn’t too bad. Just had to narrow the search terms well, because really I’m not going to look through more than 15 results let alone 11,503.
Topix.net: In my current state – probably the most useful because of its directory. I quite liked this. It showed me just how many topics are available in blog and feed land. Still heaps to choose from though. And quite frankly, any directory listing Brendan Fraser has got to be good :)
Google Blog Search: - easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy :)
Technorati: What the? Even in my dislike for this one, I will come back and try to make friends it.
So here are my thoughts on finding feeds:
Feedster: Kermit the frog anyone? WOW, after being blinded by fluoro green, it wasn’t too bad. Just had to narrow the search terms well, because really I’m not going to look through more than 15 results let alone 11,503.
Topix.net: In my current state – probably the most useful because of its directory. I quite liked this. It showed me just how many topics are available in blog and feed land. Still heaps to choose from though. And quite frankly, any directory listing Brendan Fraser has got to be good :)
Google Blog Search: - easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy :)
Technorati: What the? Even in my dislike for this one, I will come back and try to make friends it.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
#7 Spiel about anything technology related
Being an avid traveller who loves to sing and groove to an array of tunes and be organised (my accountant loves me for it) I would definitely have to say I love the gadgets below for the following reasons:
Laptop with wireless connection: is my personal organiser; juke box – as it is the central intelligence agency hub for my iTunes! ; it is also a paper-saver; portable DVD player (list goes on as it fades into the distance ;)
iPod: keeper of all my music and photos with stupendously massive 80GB memory. I think my laptop is secretly jealous.
Digital camera: is an essential gadget to capture all the ridiculous moments when camping with friends and family (and there are many of them) and the gorgeous sites and natural wonders this beautiful earth has to offer
Rechargeable batteries: goes without saying – my digital camera gets a lot of use as do the batteries!
Excel – I can’t say how many things I use excel for at home. I love excel – my reading list is sort-able (I think I just made a new word) a brilliant number of ways – dorky I know, but helps on the RA desk when I recommend books, not to mention it tells me what I have read and still want to read.
Mobile Phone: My personal organiser, alarm clock…and oh yeah – phone!
Wireless iPod car transmitter: I can’t praise this one enough! There is so much more room in my glove box now that it doesn’t hold CDs! One little gadget that hooks up to the cigarette lighter and I have access to I don’t even know how many music albums! Yeah baby!
Mary Poppins may have had an entire household in her bag, but other than lip balm, keys, wallet and my gadgets, that’s about it!
Laptop with wireless connection: is my personal organiser; juke box – as it is the central intelligence agency hub for my iTunes! ; it is also a paper-saver; portable DVD player (list goes on as it fades into the distance ;)
iPod: keeper of all my music and photos with stupendously massive 80GB memory. I think my laptop is secretly jealous.
Digital camera: is an essential gadget to capture all the ridiculous moments when camping with friends and family (and there are many of them) and the gorgeous sites and natural wonders this beautiful earth has to offer
Rechargeable batteries: goes without saying – my digital camera gets a lot of use as do the batteries!
Excel – I can’t say how many things I use excel for at home. I love excel – my reading list is sort-able (I think I just made a new word) a brilliant number of ways – dorky I know, but helps on the RA desk when I recommend books, not to mention it tells me what I have read and still want to read.
Mobile Phone: My personal organiser, alarm clock…and oh yeah – phone!
Wireless iPod car transmitter: I can’t praise this one enough! There is so much more room in my glove box now that it doesn’t hold CDs! One little gadget that hooks up to the cigarette lighter and I have access to I don’t even know how many music albums! Yeah baby!
Mary Poppins may have had an entire household in her bag, but other than lip balm, keys, wallet and my gadgets, that’s about it!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
#8 Make life "really simple" with RSS & a newsreader
Wow!
At first I had no idea what I was doing, but then after going through some of the recommended tutorials, I quickly understood what it was and how it worked.
Bloglines - awesome! I can already see how it will save me time which is terrific. And adding feeds was really easy, a little too easy actually. At one point I looked at the list and told myself to get real, so deleted a few.
I can now predict that I will be more informed as I will no longer avoid the personal research due to the discouraging amount of time it sometimes takes to do. Now Bloglines has become my own personal - "Oi! check this out pronto!" alert. Nice one! Like it, like it a lot :)
Feeling smarter already! Ha! Take that nieces and nephews!
At first I had no idea what I was doing, but then after going through some of the recommended tutorials, I quickly understood what it was and how it worked.
Bloglines - awesome! I can already see how it will save me time which is terrific. And adding feeds was really easy, a little too easy actually. At one point I looked at the list and told myself to get real, so deleted a few.
I can now predict that I will be more informed as I will no longer avoid the personal research due to the discouraging amount of time it sometimes takes to do. Now Bloglines has become my own personal - "Oi! check this out pronto!" alert. Nice one! Like it, like it a lot :)
Feeling smarter already! Ha! Take that nieces and nephews!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
#5 Discover Flickr
This activity was a little tricky for me, but with the help of a colleague, was back on track again - and this time with a new skill and increased blogging knowledge...Yaye!
This blogging thing, is becoming a little less daunting and a little more addictive!
This blogging thing, is becoming a little less daunting and a little more addictive!So, for those of you who are wondering who this chap is...this is a pic of Neale Donald Walsch, author of Conversations with God (picture taken by Janet7r), which I had the pleasure of meeting earlier this year at a movie and book event at the Astor Theatre.
He is a truly inspirational, witty and funny man who is proof that anything can happen as long as you are open to 'the anything'. I remember my first thoughts - 'he looks like Santa Claus!'. Well this modern day looking Santa has changed the lives of many, and generated many interesting conversations and groups world wide whether liked or not.
For those with youngsters, two great books to read out with amazing illustrations are "The little soul and the sun" and also "The little soul and the earth: I'm somebody!". I liked these two books so much that I thought they were worth owning ....and they also make great presents :)
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
#4 Register Your Blog
Well, obviously I've created the blog and registered it - otherwise you wouldn't be able to see it . Playing around with it is also making it easier to navigate through Blogger's menu as I am now remembering where I have to go to reach the link I'm after. Have to admit, it wasn't as "logical" as I thought it would be, but I'm learning how to get to where I want to go :)
Friday, September 14, 2007
#2 7 1/2 Habits
First of all, this is my first blog, and I'm still getting my head around it. But as the 71/2 habit says - it's all about "Play" which is what I'll be doing to learn more about blogging.
As for the discovery exercise, I'd have to say the easiest habit is #5: creating your life long learning toolbox. I always find it easier to stay motivated and finish what I've begun when I have all the tools around me to support me in the process. Also, when or if I think of piking the idea, I can't allow myself to do it because then all the preparation work would have been in vain, not to mention costly when purchasing books/ CDs/ stationery and enrolling in courses etc. So I just can't justify piking. I call it my "piking safeguard kit" but "creating your life long learning toolbox" works too - a little more diplomatic perhaps.
The hardest habit, is a combo of #6: use technology to your advantage and #7: Play!. Savvy with technology, I've learnt first hand that if you don't keep up with the latest innovations etc, you simply fall behind. Really the important thing here is to allow time in your life to 'play' with the new emerging technologies.
I have now joined the club of people who have children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews who are left thinking "what the?!" when these little techno geniuses reprogram your mobile phone with the latest cut songs for ring tones in just a few clicks; hook up the entire house and garage with a surround sound system from their laptop; and who listen to podcasts and movies on their ipods. I didn't think this would happen quite so soon, but alas it has - and my conclusion...they just have more time to play. But I'll show them! New technologies, bring it on - and by the way, I'm loving my new ipod - although they should have employed a librarian or information management expert to better design access to their menu system!
As for the discovery exercise, I'd have to say the easiest habit is #5: creating your life long learning toolbox. I always find it easier to stay motivated and finish what I've begun when I have all the tools around me to support me in the process. Also, when or if I think of piking the idea, I can't allow myself to do it because then all the preparation work would have been in vain, not to mention costly when purchasing books/ CDs/ stationery and enrolling in courses etc. So I just can't justify piking. I call it my "piking safeguard kit" but "creating your life long learning toolbox" works too - a little more diplomatic perhaps.
The hardest habit, is a combo of #6: use technology to your advantage and #7: Play!. Savvy with technology, I've learnt first hand that if you don't keep up with the latest innovations etc, you simply fall behind. Really the important thing here is to allow time in your life to 'play' with the new emerging technologies.
I have now joined the club of people who have children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews who are left thinking "what the?!" when these little techno geniuses reprogram your mobile phone with the latest cut songs for ring tones in just a few clicks; hook up the entire house and garage with a surround sound system from their laptop; and who listen to podcasts and movies on their ipods. I didn't think this would happen quite so soon, but alas it has - and my conclusion...they just have more time to play. But I'll show them! New technologies, bring it on - and by the way, I'm loving my new ipod - although they should have employed a librarian or information management expert to better design access to their menu system!
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