I very much liked this tool that we learned in this thing. I can definitely see the potential for research assistance. Not only can you record websites that are found at home, work, or school for you own records but you can also link the websites and provide more effective networking on a topic. I, for one, have been in the situation many times where I find an excellent website but write the address incorrectly or save it to the bookmarks on the wrong computer. The website is then lost and I am unable to find the information again or to use the information that I found because I cannot cite the source. Not only does Del.icio.us allow a place to store this information but it also allows you to tag the site with keywords. This is an awesome feature. Instead of spending hours searching for obscure or out of the mainstream websites, I can just go to Del.icio.us and click on different keywords to see all the websites that others have tagged to them.
I looked at the library Del.icio.us websites and I must say that I am impressed. I think that this is a great tool for libraries as well as for personal use. Using it for a library allows us to put any websites that we may think customers will be interested in as well as commonly requested information. Not only would we be able to put various website link on the page but we can also tag them with keywords that patrons can click on if they would like more information on a particular subject.
I really liked this task and I think that I will use this one on a regular basis.
29 May 2008
28 May 2008
Thing 10: Wikis
I think that the Wiki concept is a great time and space saving creation. Instead of emailing and cc-ing people onto the emails, the wikis allow people to edit and add to any information already existing. I think that any groups or clubs within a library or on their own would greatly benefit from using Wikis. It would allow members of these groups to easily communicate any information or questions and concerns that they may have. I also think that it allows groups in an academic setting to exchange any information that they may deem useful and appropriate to their peers. I change see where the teachers and faculty can perceive Wikipedia as an unusable source. I think that depending on what sort of project that you are working with, this is true. Because of the ability of anyone to edit or add information to a wiki, there is no proof to determine whether or not the information is correct. For younger students, they are unable to distinguish the validity of the information. By having teachers and faculty straight out ban the information, it helps to get rid of any confusion there may be. Although I can see why they are banning Wikipedia, I can also see the opposition in allowing students to use Wikipedia. Really if you break it down, most books are just someone writing their opinion about a certain topic. Just because it is not on a wiki does not make it true. This is an agrument that you really can never get a straight answer...its all opinions.
I chose to edit the 23things Wiki. It was fairly easy to understand and to navigate. I would recommend using wikis if the situation needs it.
I chose to edit the 23things Wiki. It was fairly easy to understand and to navigate. I would recommend using wikis if the situation needs it.
Thing 9: Online Collaboration Tools
I had a hard time with this thing. It was all very confusing and I decided to only check out the Google Docs program. I had heard through the grapevine that Zoho Writer was very hard to work with and I didn't want to set up another account.
I thought that Google Docs was easy to use and navigate but in the context of the document that we were all collaborating on, it seemed messy. I think that this would be useful perhaps if you were working on a school project with many different people working on one document. But I think that even then, it can end up being messy and unorganized.
I think that our Founding Fathers would be over joyed at the participation that we as citizens of this country are taking. On the other hand, I think that it may make them a little bit mad to see us messing with a document that they worked so hard and long on.
I thought that Google Docs was easy to use and navigate but in the context of the document that we were all collaborating on, it seemed messy. I think that this would be useful perhaps if you were working on a school project with many different people working on one document. But I think that even then, it can end up being messy and unorganized.
I think that our Founding Fathers would be over joyed at the participation that we as citizens of this country are taking. On the other hand, I think that it may make them a little bit mad to see us messing with a document that they worked so hard and long on.
27 May 2008
Thing 8: Share your creations
I chose to look into the Databases and to start my own database with the Lazybase program. I thought that it was very easy to use and understand. Without much knowledge of how to create my own database, I was able to navigate and create, without any trouble, a database about Fargo Restaurants. I can see the relevancy and why the would be useful for both library and personal use. The slideshows are good for sharing your own photos with friends and family as well as sharing pictures of library events on a library website or blog. Or even to attach a database of various books on a library or book club website. It would allow people to know what other people are reading and what they think of the books. I would recommend the Lazybase website for its ease of use and clarity. I haven't looked into the other tools much but I would recommend the slideshow tool for presentations. I have had a lot of experience with Powerpoint and from the little bit that I read about how to use them, they seemed very similar to one another apart from the mobility of the web presentations. I do not have much experience with other tools that allow sharing of creations over the internet.
21 May 2008
Thing 7: Web 2.0 Tools
Email: I read the information about different ways of organizing your emails. I guess that I could see the relevancy and how it could help some people especially in situations in which for work they are on the computer all day. On a normal weekday I usually only check my email once a day or once every two days. On weekends, I check it maybe once or twice a day. None of my friends and family are on the computer all day so there really is no need. For a lot of people the internet and email is their main source or communication and I think that without some sort or organizing (ie templates or groups) things could potentially get a little out of hand.
Instant Messaging: When I was in college, im-ing was a very common and easy way to ask a question or to chat with friends that had moved away. It a very good resource and quite simple to use. Although when I used to use it, there weren't nearly as many shortened words and now I have no idea what most of them mean. I have heard of other libraries using im as a tool for reference. I think that this is a very good solution. Many customers are quite shy or at home working on their computers and im-ing gives them a no-nonsense and no-pressure situation. But I do see it as a drawback for libraries that don't necessarily have a reference desk. In order for this system to work, someone would have to be sitting at a computer all day. It has its pros and cons but overall I see it is very helpful.
Text Messaging: I use text messaging on a regular basis and I highly recommend it. I think that it an effective way to get an answer to a question or a message to someone. It is available even when they are not able to talk on the phone and it saves time without the small talk that usually accompanies a phone call. Just as the video shows, it is also a good resource to use for a library. It is a quick and easy way to get an answer.
Web Conferencing: I chose to read the WebJunction article on web conferencing. I have seen this in action in the workforce and seen how great of a tool it is. I have personally never actually been in a conference myself but I can see where it would be an asset. The ability to have a visual meeting with people all over the world is outstanding. I think that it would be fairly easy to use and understand.
Instant Messaging: When I was in college, im-ing was a very common and easy way to ask a question or to chat with friends that had moved away. It a very good resource and quite simple to use. Although when I used to use it, there weren't nearly as many shortened words and now I have no idea what most of them mean. I have heard of other libraries using im as a tool for reference. I think that this is a very good solution. Many customers are quite shy or at home working on their computers and im-ing gives them a no-nonsense and no-pressure situation. But I do see it as a drawback for libraries that don't necessarily have a reference desk. In order for this system to work, someone would have to be sitting at a computer all day. It has its pros and cons but overall I see it is very helpful.
Text Messaging: I use text messaging on a regular basis and I highly recommend it. I think that it an effective way to get an answer to a question or a message to someone. It is available even when they are not able to talk on the phone and it saves time without the small talk that usually accompanies a phone call. Just as the video shows, it is also a good resource to use for a library. It is a quick and easy way to get an answer.
Web Conferencing: I chose to read the WebJunction article on web conferencing. I have seen this in action in the workforce and seen how great of a tool it is. I have personally never actually been in a conference myself but I can see where it would be an asset. The ability to have a visual meeting with people all over the world is outstanding. I think that it would be fairly easy to use and understand.
Thing 6: Image Generators
ImageChef.com Flower Text
I played around with a few different image generators. Above are a few of my creations. I must say that I lost track of time a bit looking at all the different things that you can make. I enjoyed the tip from one of the comments on the 23 things site that said to look at the generator blog and there are a number of different interesting things to discover. A lot of them are just names that get generated but there were a few that I really liked.
I thought that the trading cards created by the Carleton College library was a really cool idea. I could definitely see making trading cards or such to help younger patrons use the library. For instance you could put a picture of the book drop and on the back a description of how you use it. That example seems kind of menial but I think that it gives a picture of what I am trying to get at.
Thing 5: More Flickr
Well, as you can see above, I tried out the spell with Flickr site. I found this to be very fun and I liked the option that it let you click on the letter and choose a different one if you wanted. I may have taken advantage of this feature, it seemed like it never picked a good one right off the bat.
I also explored the Big Huge Labs site and I found a site that you upload a photo and it creates a David Hockney style collage with your photo. I used the same photos that I had previously found on the Flicker website and here are some of the creations that I was able to make:
I played around with some other sites and I did a mash-up of a mash-up. I used the jigsaw puzzle feature to create a jigsaw puzzle of a David Hockney-esque collage that I had made with a photo that I got off of Flickr. 
I really enjoyed discovering all the fun mash-ups that you can do on the different sites. I was kinda wishing that I had some of my own photos to play around with but it was fun nonetheless. Thing 4: Flickr
I have heard of Flickr before but i had never used or seen any of it before. I chose the option of looking at pictures and exploring what other people have already added to the site. I always try to bring my camera with me and intend to take some pictures but I always forget about taking them. I was pretty excited and almost got lost in all the beautiful sights that I saw.
I enjoyed looking at the Clemens and Alcuin libraries sites. I thought that it was a good idea to showcase what they are doing and what their patrons are doing. If gave some inspiration for what we can do at our library. I especially liked the edible book gallery that they had. I loved seeing what everyone came up with and their creativity was amazing. I could see this as being benefical to show the community what is going on at their local library and perhaps draw in more people to use the resources available.
I do not use another photosharing site although I do have a variety of photos on my facebook page. It is simply because I am lazy and some of my most prized photos are i
n print not digital form. I think that if I took the time to take more photos than Flickr or something like it could be of great use to me.I searched using various methods while I was perusing the site. I looked photos up by dates and of course searched my birthday and I came across this gem of the chalk cliffs by penwren.
I also searched by tag words. I searched tettegouche, the state park that we are going camping at later this summer. I found some very colorful and interesting pictures of mushrooms in this search. The one on the left is from the photographer Yar Matey and the one on the right is from the photographer snowbud7.
20 May 2008
Thing 3: RSS
This was something that is new to me. Before starting this task, I actually had no idea what RSS was. It was interesting to learn about this feature that could really make someone's daily web searching a lot easier. Personally, I don't know how much it will benefit me. The sites that I look at on a daily basis are not an option to add to the feed. It will be helpful with news and such sites but for the most part I just added things that I might check on the occasional basis when I have time. I get the newspaper delivered to my house so I don't really need it much for news but I do like the option of seeing more international or national news rather than local news.
With little spare time, I could see this as a good feature for teachers or media specialists who regularly check various newsletters or online forums. It is a one stop shop for all the information that they may need(provided that it has a feed).
I found the add feature to be the best for finding and adding feeds but of course many of the websites that I tried where not available for feeds. I also asked around about other feeds that people have added. This helped and I found an few interesting sites regarding libraries.
I don't think that I found any sites or feeds that others had not previously found but for the most part, I thought that this was an interesting thing to discover.
With little spare time, I could see this as a good feature for teachers or media specialists who regularly check various newsletters or online forums. It is a one stop shop for all the information that they may need(provided that it has a feed).
I found the add feature to be the best for finding and adding feeds but of course many of the websites that I tried where not available for feeds. I also asked around about other feeds that people have added. This helped and I found an few interesting sites regarding libraries.
I don't think that I found any sites or feeds that others had not previously found but for the most part, I thought that this was an interesting thing to discover.
Thing 2: Library 2.0
At first, I was a bit skeptical of the term Library 2.0 but after reading the articles provided, I have come to see the concept for what it is and not the name of it. I am very excited about learning and discovering this new mediums of interaction and information on the Internet so I do not foresee there being an issue with finding time to complete the tasks. As Stephen implies, I will make time if it is something that I am truly interested in.
I am participating in the 23 things on a stick because I while I am experienced in some of the things on the list, there are others that I am completely lost on. I see this experience as a sort of tutorial in developing experience in different services available. The change in the way that we connect with one another and how we portray information and ourselves has always been fascinating to me. As my senior thesis project in college, I learned a new way of presenting information and knowledge that I had accumulated during my education. I researched the process of making a movie (having no experience in it whatsoever) and as my final presentation, I created a movie about how society is changing but we are still holding on to the traditions of our past. We are adapting what we already know and making it relevant to the future.
Before heading off to college, my Internet usage was very minimal. In college, I was taught the variety and depth of information that can be found on the web. It was a very useful resource for my education and I continue to use it today, years after graduating. Although my use of the Internet has changed slightly since those days. I now use the Internet as more of a resource to stay connected to former classmates and friends that I would not be able to do without such sites as facebook. I still use the Internet as a quick reference for any questions that may pop into my head but for the most part, I have moved on to using it for personal interactions.
I am excited to learn new things through this programs and to see what everyone learns and discovers through it.
I am participating in the 23 things on a stick because I while I am experienced in some of the things on the list, there are others that I am completely lost on. I see this experience as a sort of tutorial in developing experience in different services available. The change in the way that we connect with one another and how we portray information and ourselves has always been fascinating to me. As my senior thesis project in college, I learned a new way of presenting information and knowledge that I had accumulated during my education. I researched the process of making a movie (having no experience in it whatsoever) and as my final presentation, I created a movie about how society is changing but we are still holding on to the traditions of our past. We are adapting what we already know and making it relevant to the future.
Before heading off to college, my Internet usage was very minimal. In college, I was taught the variety and depth of information that can be found on the web. It was a very useful resource for my education and I continue to use it today, years after graduating. Although my use of the Internet has changed slightly since those days. I now use the Internet as more of a resource to stay connected to former classmates and friends that I would not be able to do without such sites as facebook. I still use the Internet as a quick reference for any questions that may pop into my head but for the most part, I have moved on to using it for personal interactions.
I am excited to learn new things through this programs and to see what everyone learns and discovers through it.
Thing 1: Blogs
So I just got my blog and avatar all together and I must say that I had fun doing it. It was neat looking through all the options on the avatar page although I don't think mine looks much like me. I was able to find a cat that looks almost exactly like mine. I choose the background that I did because I wish that I lived in a place like that. So overall, the avatar creating was a good experience. I had a little difficulty deciding on a name for my blog but I am happy with the outcome. I have made a blog before for a class in college but it was nothing fancy, just a place to submit homework. I thought that the instructions that we given were easy to understand and I can't wait to get started on the next exciting thing!
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