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