My Meez (Coming Soon!)

For those of you who know me well, you can guess why it's going to take me forever to create my meez!!! I ADORE this site--it's like playing with paper dolls. Did any of you see the article on Fashion Avatars in Vindy not too long ago? I've got to get back there and look for the two sites recommended. Look for me soon!

Thing 23 -- The Blogging Experience

What a strange and wonderful journey thus far! As an opportunity for lifelong learning, this was the best. I look back to the 7 1/2 Habits and realize I really was on target when I said it was difficult to have fun with work stuff. I took this project way too seriously when I started, but soon realized that it was much easier to do when I approached the discovery exercises as play. Somewhere in the middle of this venture I stopped for quite a while to do the STARS Workshop. It was only after getting back to my blog that I discovered how this project was a terrific way to play at work--both on an individual and a communal basis. I met my goals of becoming familiar with the concepts and applications of Library 2.0, and have set new goals to move beyond the 23 things. Fickr was overwhelming; Technorati was not appealing. Loved Library Thing and have already recommended it to several friends who keep elaborate notes about what they read. Plan to recreate my IE "Favorites" to a Del.icio.us account as soon as I have some breathing space. Learned about many applications to take the STARS program to a new level and can't wait to talk about them at our next Trainers meeting. Thanks to Blog Team--whose blogs were "reference tools" for me during this experience. Thanks also to Debby and Megan, whose blogs I'd turn to when I needed to take a break and look ahead (and for the encouragement to persevere.)

Soon to be....

NetLibrary, here I come!!!!!

Thing 22 -- NetLibrary

I've had a NetLibrary account since 2003. Admittedly, I've done little with it, having created the account to learn about the new materials format our Library began offering then. At that time, Overdrive AudioBooks weren't offered. I seem to remember the ability to download the software to my own staff computer, but it's not possible now. I've explored NetLibrary directly as well as from the PLYMC site--finding a wide range of reading levels and genres. I even found what I think is a typo on Digital Books page. Are not "Children's Fiction," "Fantasy," "General Fiction," "Horror," and "Mystery" fiction, rather than non-fiction? And what's with the blind link for the category of "Humor?" I like both the browsing and searching fuctions of this resource. Read some excerpts from Anderson Cooper's Dispatches from the Edge and look forward to sampling the audiobook when I get my MP3 player. Also think the Publicly-Accessible eBooks from the NetLibrary site are a neat feature. I examined a book entitled Combat Search and Rescue in Desert Storm (only because it was towards the top of the list when I sorted for most recent titles in English--but hey, there's a connection to Anderson Cooper, right?) One of the neatest developments for our Library is the addition of the Gale Virtual Reference Library for remotely accessible reference books. IMHO this is one of the greatest advantages of e-books--that our reference collection (at least for now a small part of it) is available 24/7. Way cool!

Thing 21: Podcasting Blues

For this exercise I chose to explore Podcast.net, Yahoo Podcasts and http://odeo.com/ -- all of which I found easy to use to locate podcasts. Not so with Podcastalley.com, which I thought was confusing in spite of its being touted as the most popular directory. So finding the feeds was no problem, but posting the feeds was extremely frustrating and leads me to suspect something wrong in my computer. I tried adding feeds for Nancy Pearl and the OPLINLIST Podcast to my Bloglines account multiple times last night and this morning, but got absolutely nowhere. Internet Explorer kept shutting down. Must have the tech guys check it out. Finally, I was able to upload the feed for NPR's Splendid Table to my bloglines account. I just recently began listening to this program and love it (thanks, Hannah.) I think there is great potential for creating podcasts to use for training purposes. I recall in late 2005, trying to do a podcast for the KIN presentation at the OLC Conference that year. I remember having the microphone set up in the TRC and creating the sound file. I don't think I ever sent it, though--I can't remember why. I guess it's time to get back to the mike.

More on YouTube

The first video I ever watched on YouTube was Spiders On Drugs and I still find it really funny. Didn't think that was exactly appropriate for posting, but if you haven't seen it, give it a look-see. I think YouTube is pretty neat and I see library applications for creating many customer service training videos to supplement our STARS program.

Thing 20: YouTube

Here is the "Official" Thing 19 from Yourminis.com

Does This Count for Thing 19?

create your own visited states map

Thing 18: Life Is a Beach at Zoho.com

Life is a Beach, or Are We Having Fun Yet?

That is the question I've been asking myself as I work my way through these lessons. Remember that my most difficult habit from Thing 2 was having fun (as a learning habit, that is.) I must admit that I didn't start out having much fun with this project, but I am now--at least I was before I began using this WP application. I thought I understood Zoho, and I love, love, love the toolbar, but I can't insert a picture into this document and it is making me crazy!!! So right now I am wishing I was at the beach, as I try to save this blasted document one more time! Hey, this time it worked!! Go figure!! Anyway, here I was at one of my favorite beaches a couple of months ago.

This document was created on Zoho Writer, thus Thing 18 has now been accomplished!

Thing 17: Playing in the Sandbox

Create PBWiki Account. Log on to PLCMC Learning 2.0 Wiki. Add D.I.B Blog to Favorite Blogs under the YMCPL wikis. Add a favorite to another category (how about Favorite Music? how about Annie Lennox's Songs of Mass Destruction?)

DONE!!!!

Thing 16: Wikimania

Had some familiarity with wikis from the Wick Avenue Wiki and the PLYMC Database Wiki. I think this is an important L2.0 application for our library--especially after spending some time with Library Success There are three other library related wikis that I thought were rather good--Library 2.0 in 15 minutes a day, LibraryInstruction.Com and Library Technology Training Wiki and will spend more time with them post Thing 23. As for possible applications to our work, I'd like the IS Department to try developing a wiki for our Internet Links and some subject pathfinders for our patrons; I'd like to develop a STARS Trainers Wiki for us to collaborate on role-playing scenarios and scripts, and I'd like the STARS Trainers to create a STARS Customer Service Wiki to be integrated into a L2.0 approach to YPL's customer service program that takes advantage of podcasts, videocasts, blogs, etc. But first I have to finish my things! Aloha, wikis, for now!

Thing 15: Blogging about Web 2.0

I found the article "Web 2.0: Where will the next generation of the web it take libraries?" very interesting reading and while each respondent had important things to say, for me, the image of rowing away from the icebergs is a very powerful one. I don't want to be the Bookwoman who perishes on the Titanic! Thankfully, I see this dynamic learning project (L2.0) as a way to the lifeboats, so to speak. The three icebergs Rick Anderson points out (the "just in case" collection, the reliance on user education, and the "come to us" model of library service") are the three big threats to those of us who began our careers here 25 or more years ago while the Marc record was a glimmer in someone's eye. We developed finely-honed skills of collection developement to have the most comprehensive collection to serve the needs of patrons who came to us. And when they came to us, we forced them to learn how to use the resources! If we're waiting for patrons to walk through our doors, we are in big trouble! Anderson's points reiterate some of the ideas presented by Joan Frye Williams (former librarian and now library consultant) at at NEO-RLS workshop last spring--the major one being that services must become user-centric. The hand-clapper statement of Anderson's article is "But if our services can't be used without training, then it's the services that need to be fixed--not our patrons." Williams said the same thing--we'd better embrace the technologies and applications that are already a part of our patrons' lives if we want to keep them as library customers. If we can do this, Bonaria Biancu's L2.0 Meme map (shown above and readable from my Del.icio.us Favorites) can become a paradigm for all libraries--ours included.

Thing 14 -- Not so technical Technorati

By spending a little more time with Technorati, I discovered through the exercise that searching for topics in tags only or in the Blog Directory is a much more focused approach and limits the number of results. I also claimed my blog and added a widget so that it can be "favorited" by others. BergerBlogger, captain of our L2.0 team, said I spent enough time on Technorati already, so I'm movin' on. Thanks for the dispensation!

Thing 13 -- Comments about Del.icio.us

What an application to combat my frustration every time our departmental bookmarks are updated and I have to re-create my personal bookmarks! The convenience of bookmark accessibility is a really great feature of Del.icio.us. While I created bookmarks around the theme of music for an easy way to get through the Discovery Exercise on this topic, I could see the potential for research assistance--for staying updated on topics of personal and professional interest. I had a lightbulb moment (hopefully one of many during this project!) doing this exercise as I realized I could tag favorite sites that deal with customer service and create an RSS feed for my Bloglines. This is definitely an L2.o application I'll revisit.

Thing 12 -- Rollyo

Select...Amer Hist HomeworkDigital Immigrant BookwomanLibrary VisitMath Homework HelpScience HomeworkSearch The Web

Thing 10 -- Image Generators

http://www.txt2pic.com/toons/

A Final Word about Things 5-6-7

Posted a comment on Hannah's Web Haven in reaction to her observation about computer classes. With that, I can officially say that Things 5, 6 and 7--although out of sequence--are finally (in the immortal word we know and love)...

DONE!!!

Thing 7: Blogging about Technology

The OPLIN 4Cast has become a favorite website of mine because of its digest approach to technology issues on the forefront. I used to get it delivered to my email and although I knew what RSS was, it wasn't until I ran through Things 8 & 9 that I realized I could now get the list as a newsfeed. Of course I added it immediately. A recent article, "Top 25 Librarian Bloggers by the Numbers" was interesting because it ranked the most popular librarian blogs based on data from
— Google PageRank
— Alexa Rank
— Technorati Authority
— Bloglines Subscribers
Happy to see that "The Shifted Librarian" is number two. Another interesting article found in the 4Cast #75 on that latest stats for bibiliobloggers. Librarians can quantify everthing!

Flickr Spell -- Thing 6

Go Penguins con't

Thing 9: Finding Feeds

I explored Technorati, which I found the easiest for identifying blogs. I was searching for my cousin David's blog, which is one I've been following for several years now and is one of my all time favorite web sites. Found it and my own blog. I thought Topix was pretty easy to use for identifying newsfeeds--I was searching for news stories about the python that appeared in a toilet. I thought for sure it had to be an urban legend, but discovered several newsfeeds about it by using Topix. Really happened in Brooklyn--no urban legend there! Couldn't make sense of Syndic8. What I liked about Feedster was the sponsored links, because no matter what topic I searched, I was overwhelmed by all the personal blog pages that showed up.

Farewell Flickr (for now) & Hello Bloglines!

Flickr is not an intuitively easy experience for me. All those photos! All of those different applications and mashups! Can't handle it right now. Images and graphics have always given me trouble, so I shouldn't have expected Things 5-6-7 to be easy. I've decided to move on and come back to them and finish those up later. So I've moved on to Thing 8. Now here's a techie thing with some meaning. I like--no, LOVE--RSS feeds simply for the elimination of spam and for the ability to target updated information in areas of one's specific interests. The Discovery Resources were clear and easy to follow. I set up my Bloglines account and subscribed to 13 newsfeeds that I found through various ways. Initially I used the Bloglines Directory to find several feeds--including 3 library feeds. I subscribed to two feeds from the publicly shared bloglines feeds of two colleagues. I researched RSS feeds dealing with reference services and used the RSS/XML icon on those sites to add them to my feeds. It's easy to see how this technology can be used in one's personal life to streamline access to the Internet sites one visits every day--the news sites, the weather, joke or word of the day. Same goes for one's professional work. For those of us in the library world this would be a way to target the most relevant newsfeeds about technology or reference work or whatever area of library work with which we are involved. Taking advantage of this technology for our library work with the public is a little harder to see. If we were to allow RSS linking from our website, our patrons could zero in on what's happening at the Library. They could see what new materials are added and get notices of new items that match their reading preferences. If we generated a podcast or a webcast of how to use a reference database, they could add those to their feeds, right? Ok, so the last part of Thing 8 is to link to my public bloglines account so I can prove I did it. Check my feeds out at:
http://www.bloglines.com/public/dvicarel

Grandma's Passport Revisted

Here is the photo I originally wanted to post, but adding it now is ok, because it's what's inside the cover of the previous photo. My mother emigrated to the United States under my Grandmother's passport. The little girl in the passport photo next to Grandma Pasqualina Bellapianta Zaza is my mother, Martha Josephine Zaza, who was 3 yrs old when she came over.

With the posting of this photo I've explored several ways to add photos to my blog using Flickr--adding a Flickr photo, adding a photo from my computer and adding a photo from a website. So I think I'm now done with Thing 5?

Grandma's Passport

Still working with Flickr. This time I uploaded some photos from the Internet into My Pictures and tried to post one into my blog. Here's the result--a picture of my grandmother's passport. Not the one I wanted to post, but I'll try again.

Is this the Digital Immigrant Bookwoman?

Victorian style
Originally uploaded by Robert Silverwood

Well, imagine that! As I was exploring Flickr I came across a photo of what could be the Digital Immigrant Bookwoman before she embarked on the Library 2.0 initiative. She's really the g-g-mom of photographer Robert Silverwood, but she is the visual representation of how I feel when changing technology sets my head a-spinning! Will she morph into a different being at the end of the journey? Let's hope so--this lady is far too serious looking, don't you think?

Week 3 Thing 5

Started reading about Flickr...Did the easy online Flickr tutorial and the Mediamazine tutorial....I explored "interestingness" (love doing that as a slideshow) and looked at billions and billions (oops, sorry, that's stars, not pics) more like dozens and dozens of pictures. I created my Flickr account and searched for photos with two themes in mind: I love the wind and love looking at visual representations of it (just for my own fun), and I was searching for a photo that would visually caption my initial blog posting. I found several public photos to represent each, but am stuck figuring out if I have the permission to copy them into my blog. Been reading the "Creative Commons" section, the FAQs and the Help screens, but don't seem to find a clear cut answer. Will have to come back later--right now I must do something old-fashioned like read a chapter from a Victorian mystery, Silent in the Grave!

Backtracking

Wow--did I let a lot of time elapse, or what? August just disappeared off the face of the earth, so I did a little backtracking. Of course I had read the initial introduction, but this time filled in (partially) and signed my my contract. Also listened to the Lifelong Learning Activity again and this time posted my "easiest and hardest." So now I consider myself to have officially completed Things 1-4!

The Habits of Lifelong Learning

I'd have to say that the easiest of the habits for me is Habit 4--having confidence in myself as a competent and effective learner. I know that with perseverance I can learn just about anything. My learning style is a little old-fashioned though. I have to see the big picture; I have to read all about it and then I have to try it--very cautiously! I know, I know--a really plodding way to learn new things, but, hey--that's me. Habit 7 1/2 is my albatross, especially when it comes to work and learning new technologies. While I have a great sense of humor and while I love to laugh my way through the work day, my approach to work is not playful. I am ever conscious of the quantitative and qualitative aspects of work. Undertaking this new learning venture is really going to challenge me!

Getting Started

Like many of my fellow bloggers, picking out the name of my blog was something I fretted over for days. A colleague suggested "Reading Frenzy," which certainly applies to me and a dear, departed friend nicknamed me SuperSleuth--another good possibility. My sister once called me Book Woman, a name I like a lot. In the end, though, as I was reading an article from the OPLIN 4Cast #61 (Information in the World of Digital Natives (YALSA) , I realized that for this venture I had a moniker already coined by the library world. In today's world there are digital natives--the younger generations who have grown up with technology and know it instinctively--and digital immigrants--those Boomers (and older generations) who have had to plug away to learn the new technology. Thus, here I am--a BookWoman at heart, who is a digital immigrant on her way to learning yet another new technology. Andiamo!