BCL 23 Things I learned in 2010 and 2011

I enjoyed doing most of the 23 Things.  Some I was already using, some I am still using, and some I don't think I'll ever use....

Facebook is my favorite application for the computer because I personally use it every day to keep in touch with friends and family near and far.  I communicate with some relatives I haven't seen in over 30 years and actually got together for lunch with one a few months ago.

I have enjoyed using Google Reader to keep up with some blogs and read articles in Booklist and American Libraries magazines.  Regretsy is my "guilty pleasure".  I had not used this sort of application before and found it to be helpful.

I gave up on Twitter after  a month or so and cancelled my account.  It was just too trivial, and I don't have a smartphone.

I can't imagine wasting time with virtual worlds such as "Second Life", and am a bit wary of cloud computing after Amazon's big meltdown last month.

I'll keep using Florida Electronic Library, but hope that the BCL webpage for data bases is updated to me more usable by patrons and staff.

The major problem I had with 23 Things is that it took at least an hour per thing.  With the time constraints at work - there are just not enough people to do everything that needs to be done in a regular day - I could not find time to work on it on the job and did all my work on 23 Things at home.  This was possible because I only work 20 hours a week at the library.

23 Things was a useful exercise and wil help many of us dinosaur librarians come up to speed in the 21st Century.  Unfortunately, many of the most computer phobic would not even attempt it.  I recommend that a similar long-term training be offered online every year or so.  It is so difficult to schedule training away from the library.

Thing #23 Florida Electornic Library

Finally the twenty-third thing. 

I enjoy using the Florida Electronic Library resources, and only hope that the Brevard County Website will get updated on its data bases page and have the inactive ones removed, and the active, Florida Electronic Library one highlighted.

I first used the Florida Electronic Library sites when acting as the Ask A Librarian on duty.  I find the websites easy to use and full of lots of good information.  I especially like the magazine databases, though at times, it is hard to convince the patrons that these are the actual magazine articles and not just Internet information.  I did take two webinars on using these resources, the Business one, and the Books and Authors one.  The Business one was especially helpful as I am not very good with this sort of information.  I found out that Demographics Now has all sorts of Florida demographic information and you can compare different locations in Florida.  The Small Business database is also helpful for peoople want ing to start a business as it has business plans, and other information. 

The Books and Authors site is useful and somewhat like Library Thing in #22.  It has lots of features you can use to customize it to your library.

For this exercise, I perused the Florida Photographic collection on the Florida Electronic Library.  It was interesting to see historical photos of my town from the olden days - back before paved roads!  I could also see photos from the heydays of the Space Program when everything in Cocoa Beach was go, go, go! I remember lots of the motels, and when Ron Jon Surf Shop was little (but still the world's largest!)

Ron Jon before it really grew...

This was the twon hardware store.  I think the building is still there.

A1A in the '60s - motel after motel.  The Ko Ko motel had a dragon with fire in it's nose.



Thing # 22 Library Extras

For my next-to-last of the 23 Things, I created an account on Library Thing. 

I found this enjoyable, since I read a lot and will find this helpful in new book recommendations.  I had already used the book website, Visual Bookshelf, which is linked to my Facebook account.  This site is very similar to Library Thing.

I see that you could spend a lot of time on Library Thing, if you wanted to rate or review every book you read.  Since I read a lot, this could be pretty time-consuming. 

I have found it useul to use the Discovery Catalog on the BCL website to add tags and reviews after I read a book I especially enjoy.  I know that this will enhance our local catalog, and make it more helpful for our library patrons.

One more "Thing to go!"

BCL 23 Things Thing #21 Virtual Worlds

Okay, I'll admit I hate games and think online games are a huge waste of time.  I've read about people, even librarians, who get all caught up in their virtual lives, to which I say, "Get a real life!"  Did you notice that all the girls on the online Second Life tutorials were buxom Barbie dolls in one form or another?  There's a reason my keyboard keeps typing "Second Lie" for "Second Life".  I have way too much stuf to do in real life, to get caught up with virtual people and projects on the internet.

It was kinda' fun to create avatars, though:

Here's one I made using DoppelMe:

She looks a bit demented...

Here's a nicer looking one I made in FaceYour Manga...

I'd use her on websites and Facebook as an avatar.  You'll notice that I avoided the glasses on both!

It was kind of fun making Avatars, similar to paper dolls.

Marilyn Johnson writes about modern librarianship in the book, This Book is Overdue, and spends several chapters on her work with Second Life.

Thing #20 Security and Technology Threats Online

Okay This topic always makes me a bit paranoid.... Are my passwords strong enough? Are there viruses on my computer? Should I answer this e-mail? 

I try to be security-conscious and have virus protection software on my computer.  I try to be vigilant about downloading suspicious things and am annoyed when people send me thing with viruses in them.

I found the information on password protection sites such as Roboform or Keepass very interesting and would consider using them.  This would also be useful in the case of your demise, if your loved ones had your password to this sort of system, they could get into all your accounts.  I recently read an article about this problem, now that many people are paying bills online and have many other online accounts. After Death - Protecting your Digital Afterlife - a book by Evan Carroll and John Romano  addresses this topic. http://www.npr.org/2011/01/10/132617124/after-death-protecting-your-digital-afterlife.

In the future I'll try to be safe, but not paranoid....

Thing #19 Search Engines

As most people do, during my daily searches for esoteric information on the web, I just go to that little Google box in the upper right of my Internet Explorer screen.  It's easy to type in just about anything and get way more results than anyone needs.

For this my 23 Things ecercise, I was to use 2 search engines and one Meta Search engine to look up a topic on the internet. 

Because I am thinking about opening an ETSY shop for my collection of vintage aprons that have been languishing in a trunk since I moved to Florida three years ago, I searched for Vintage Apron images on Google, Yahoo and Metacrawler.  I wanted to look at ways people displayed their aprons in order to present them at their best.

I found that Google had 1,390,000 results - not all were really aprons.  Yahoo had 33,000 images, but when I used Metacrawler I found that all the images they gave said "Exclusively at Yahoo". 

Here are some of the aprons:

So many options!  I guess I'll wait until my daughter visits and helps me in setting up "Nancy's Aprons" as a shop on ETSY.  Meanwhile, if you need aprons, I've got 'em.

As far as the search engines go, The Meta engine would be good if you had a very esoteric or hard-to-find topic.  Using the Metacrawler did lead me to searching my name and wonder just what someone would get if they did the $49.95 background check on me.

Thing # 17 SlideShare/ Information and Document Sharing

Just a bit of catching up as we discuss Slideshare.

I don't really like Power Point presentations.  Many times they are so badly done, with too much information on each page, and deadly dull.  Sllideshare presents Power Point from  all over the world, and most that I vewed were in the dull and badly done categories.  I think the Death by Powerpoint one was amusing and very apt.

I can see some possibilites for this application: If you're a teacher or instructor, you can load your class presentations on the site for your students to use at home.  Most Colleges and Universities have a similar program in Blackboard.

I'm wondering if this would work in libraries for an easy tutorial in using the Library's databases.  Usually they have so many steps that users need instructions.

Thing #18 Google Products Panoramio and Google Translate

I'm skipping Thing #17 for now as the slide program won't open on my Internet.

My Goodness! Google has so many products that it's hard to choose just two more....

The first product I choose is Panoramio - it's a photo product, but the photos are linked to Google Earth.  I found it easy to search for places using the map or search box.  There aren't a whole lot of photos added yet, but I did find some nice ones of Space Shuttle launches from the Cape and views of Kuwait City where I lived at one time.  It's somewhat like Flick-R but more devoted to places than personal photos.  You can also share travel itineraries with others and link your photos geographicaly to Google Maps.

The other Google product I investigated is Google Translate.  It's fascinating!  You type in the word on the left in your language or another and on the right it appears in a second language.  Many of them can be spoken aloud by a voice, some realistic and some machine-made.  They have lots of obscure and not so obscure languages.  I'm sure kids would have fun typing in bad words or phrases to see what would come out.  And yes, it does work to a degree.  There were even multiple alternative choices in German for "Bastard" so you could call someone all sorts of bad things.  The voice sounds so cheery, though, you just don't get the correct inflection....

In a more serious application this could be used in a pinch to communicate with patrons who speak a language you don't.  It waould also be great on a smartphone while you are traveling. Here's "I need to print out my boarding pass" in Finnish, "Minun täytyy tulostaa minun lippuni."

I also found the helps for searching in Google to be interesting and I learned a few things reading it.

 

Thing #16 BCL 23 Things - Online Applications and The Cloud

It's been a while since I had a chance to update my Blog.  Life gets in the way, sometimes.  Thanks, Susan for the reminder of where I was in my 23 Things.

For Thing #16 I explored Google Docs.  It's a really cool application that is free software for creating documents, presentations and spreadsheets online and having others on your team edit them.  It's totally free and just like using Microsoft products which cost big bucks.  I really liked the ability to collaborate and get things updated by others on a team and I see how this could be useful in the office and learning environments. 

I was also interested in the information on cloud computing.  There was an interesting article on it recently in Bloomberg Businessweek (March 7 issue) Called "The Power of the Cloud" which addressed cloud computing, what it is, and the battle between the major providers of these applications.  It's BIG business.

See you in the cloud....

Thing #15 Online Productivity Tools

For this task in my 23 Things, I set up a Google calendar and an iGoogle page.  I was able to change the header and the gadgets to those which would work for me.  The iGoogle was easy to do, but I had a few problems with the Google calendar when I went back later to add things.
The other productivity tools would be helpful, especially if I were a "listmaker".  But then, if I was this organized I would probably already have a system set up.
The mindmapping was interesting as I have used this in planning events and also when teaching Girl Scouts how to plan for the year.  Usually a big piece of paper and markers is sufficient for me, though.

Thing #14 E Books

E-Books are a fun thing that have just started to take off, now that the Amazon Kindle is priced at a level many people can afford.

I first started investigating e-books many years ago when something called the "Rocket Book" came out.  I think it was just a way to read books on your computer, but that was rather uncomfortable and didn't replace the joy of turning the page on a real book. As readers came out, they were bulky and very expensive.  I bided my time, just investigating them, and feeling like I would be a sort of "library traitor" if I got one.
Lo and behold, one arrived for me under the tree last year, complete with a hot pink (my favorite color) soft case.

My Kindle was very easy to set up and easier even to spend money on with the click of a button.  I enjoy reading books on it.  It's only downside is that I like large print, (It's adjustable) so I end up turning the pages often.  I also won't be able to use it with the Overdrive library program if it ever becomes available in our system, but with free books, special discounts, and self-restraint, I shouldn't end up spending thousands in Amazon each year!

For Thing #14 I used the Hathi Trust site to look up an old book as part of my research on my Great Aunt May, the first librarian in the family.  I was able to find out her name was actually Mary C. Sherrard and one of the libraries she set up during World War I was at Ft. McPherson Georgia.  The site was easy to use, searchable and easy to print from.  This would make it easier for researchers to use old materials, especially since libraries are not doing Interlibrary Loan as much as they used to.

An Army Camp Library in Texas like the ones my Aunt May set up.

Thing #13 Podcasts

Podcasts, aren't they the actors from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers?"

No?

Although I'm a regular NPR listener and love their talk shows, I find that I cannot listen to talk without doing something else.  That is probably why I usually only listen when driving. Podcasts, though, are a good way to catch up on shows that you missed or had to stop listening to because you reached your destination. (Called "driveway moments" during Public Radio Pledge Week, because those are shows you had to stay in your car to listen until the end.)

I was disappointed to find that my favorite NPR show, Prarie Home Companion doesn't offer Podcasts except for the Lake Woebegon monolog, because of licensing requirements.  I can usually only catch the whole show when on a long weekend car trip, with some pleading because my husband hates NPR.

For Thing #13 I browsed the New York Times podcasts and listened to some book reviews. They were well done and professionally made with a good reader. 

One place I can see podcasts being useful is for people with vision problems.  They could keep up with the latest news and features on their own computer at their own time.

Although I don't see myself using podcasts as a resource - mainly because I can't figure out how to get them on my off-brand MPP-3 player.  I can see where they would be great for a commuter as well.

It's Thursday!

It's amazing - I finally got my husband to join Facebook. (He still thinks it's stupid, though.)  I like it because I keep up with my kids who live across the country and my many friends who live across the world.

Enough of that.  I'm STILL enjoying more than anything, working as a Reference Librarian.  My daughter and her husband are going to spend a lot of money on an aptitude test to find out where their talents lie. (http://www.jocrf.org/.)  I know that I'm born to be a librarian.

I'm actually a third-generation librarian.  My mother was a fine-arts librarian at the Baltimore Public Library before she met my dad.  She still complains that when she went to Drexel for her library degree it was only an Associates.  She was a bit jealous when I got my job. She can't quite understand that at 90, she probably would not be able to work all day.

My Great-Aunt May (who raised my mom) was the first librarian in the family.  She went to library school at the turn of the last century in Albany, New York (also where I went to library school).  One of her professors was Melville Dewey and he was apparently quite a womanizer.  The girls were told to be careful around him.  Aunt May was a librarian for the War Department during World War I and set up libraries at Navy and Army bases around the country.  She went home to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania when my mother's parents died in the 1920's and became a college librarian at Wilson College.

So you can see, it's in my blood or genes.  Ask me a question - I just love to find answers!

Thing#12 YouTube or Time Vampire?

Ah, You Tube such a Time Vampire!

I get on the site thinking, "I'll just look at this cute video of kitties", and two hours later...

My real problem is that I love looking at and listening to Arabic pop music videos.  I lived in the middle east for 6 years, I love to belly dance, and I don't get Arabic t.v. here in the U.S. 

In Kuwait we had satellite T.V. with at least 4 channels which showed music videos exclusively. Arabic music videos are like the ones they used to show in the U.S. long ago.  They usually have a story, the music is catchy, and they aren't raunchy.  Since I don't speak Arabic, I liked that you could get the story even without understanding the words.  Aftr all, haf they time they're saying "habibi" anyway!   A big plus with Youtube is that some enterprising bilingual people have posted my favorite videos with subtitles!

Which ones of my favorites shall I post? Nancy Ajram is one of my favorite singers - both because she is cute, sings well, has good videos, and we share a name.  As the spokesperson for Cocoa Cola and Lebanon's #1 pop star, she is well known all over the Middle East.  Whenever I had to show my i.d. to guards in Kuwait they would look at my name, give me the eye and say, "Ohhh, Nancy!" Sexiness conferred by a name...

Here's a cute video by Nancy - It's all about how her boyfriend keeps looking at other girls.

Here's my favorite - the most romantic video in the world...

As said, it's a Time Vampire.  I've just spent the last 30 minutes looking for the latest Amr Diab video.  Step away from the keyboard, Nancy.

Kindle fun

I'm having fun figuring out my new Kindle (Christmas gift).  It's WAY too easy to buy and download books on this thing.  At least I've found the free ones and have downloaded some classics that I've always wanted to read.

Currently I'm 3/4 of the way through the new Fannie Flagg book, I've Always Dreamed of You (or something like that).  It's very pleasant reading and somewhat humorous, as are all of Fannie's books.  I have had fun changing the font size up and down and using or not using my glassses.  The only problem with the large font is that you have to turn the pages all the time.  You have to do that with large-type books as well, though.  I"m wondering if I will find it easy to remember what the book looks like when I go to recommend it to folks at the library since I have no interaction with the cover.  I think my mind does use the color and picture as a memory device.

I still feel like a bit of a library traitor, but have found that reading the Kindle is very easy on the eyesight.  Next - trying the reading out loud feature...

Nancy

Thing #11

The image manipulation was kind of fun.  I especially liked Letter James.com.  Here is an image I made that might make a sign for a book display or a title or image for a reading list or bookmark.

BCL23Things Thing #10 FlickR

It's the after-New Year's break and I'm trying to catch up on my 23 Things. I've downloaded Christmas and library photos into FlickR and hope my security settings are not too high to share the photos on this blog.

Well, I couldn't figure out how to get the address on FlickR to copy for the photo above, but you could find it there.  The photo is from the Cocoa Beach Library's Staff Parking Lot.  It's probably the only library around with two staff members (both in reference) who both drive electric-blue Mini Cooper S's.
Let's see if I can link to my FlickR site......Nancy's FlickR site.  I think I have the privacy setting high on the family photos, but open for the library photos.  Tell me in the comments if you only see the library photos, or if you see the christmas photos, as well.