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.