When I first joined facebook about 2 years ago, it was just so I could contact an old friend who was on there. Now I have made contact with almost 100 old friends. Some things on Facebook are still annoying to me, but again it was set up for younger people. Other things are cool or just fun way to say hi to someone without having to go into a whole email. Just throw a snowball or food or something and they know your thinking of them and they will throw stuff back. If more needs to be said just send a message. It also has some gadgets that let you do stuff with or to each other, sort of like when you were in school with them and had study groups or theatre or something to do while hanging out.
Facebook is different than myspace in the way it is more for social connections. Myspace was created as a way of promoting a band or something and is now trying to catch up with facebook on the social aspects. But just being able to connect with old friends or make new ones from groups facebook can be a fun place to waste a few hours.
Friday, November 28, 2008
overdrive
I don't usually read ebooks or listen to any audiobooks so this was a bit of a new experience since all I ever done before was explain how it works to others. I found it a bit hard to move around, and search found nothing when I limited it to formats but found the books in a general browse. Placing a hold on a item was easier to do than if I wanted to place a hold for a book in the collection. All I had to do was type in my library card, where as if I wanted a book from our collection I would have had to type in my library card, last name and phone number.
I did download an audiobook and had to update the overdrive and windows media player, which I was surprised was very easy once I understood what to do. I could see where someone not as techaware as I am would be a bit confused but if they read the screen and click on what it says it becomes very clear. The bookmark feature was neat, now if they could do that for all media types.
I know this is the way of the future in reading and listening, just not that into right now. I do see some electronic readers I would like to try but haven't gotten to that point yet. I could see in the future, if not now, a reader that plays both ebooks and e-audiobooks.
I did download an audiobook and had to update the overdrive and windows media player, which I was surprised was very easy once I understood what to do. I could see where someone not as techaware as I am would be a bit confused but if they read the screen and click on what it says it becomes very clear. The bookmark feature was neat, now if they could do that for all media types.
I know this is the way of the future in reading and listening, just not that into right now. I do see some electronic readers I would like to try but haven't gotten to that point yet. I could see in the future, if not now, a reader that plays both ebooks and e-audiobooks.
podcasts
I found it of interest that certain libraries had the own podcast talking about events and going ons at the library. I subscribed to the Salt Lake City Library podcast since it not only did events but also had podcasts talking about how a book gets processed into the system. It is like the system understands that it's users might like to know and that this information educates the users on how the library works.
This is yet another tool that will help a library get it's information out to the users. And anything about getting information out to users is something a library should use if no other reason than to show the users the library can get information out to those that need or want it.
The Podcast sites are useful, I been on itunes and find it easy as well to search. But much like the blog sites, too much changes too quickly to make them all inclusive. thus limiting what you find.
This is yet another tool that will help a library get it's information out to the users. And anything about getting information out to users is something a library should use if no other reason than to show the users the library can get information out to those that need or want it.
The Podcast sites are useful, I been on itunes and find it easy as well to search. But much like the blog sites, too much changes too quickly to make them all inclusive. thus limiting what you find.
youtube
having been playing on youtube for awhile, mainly checking out friends video posts, most of what youtube has to offer i know. Saying that I should also say I am not as much of a fan of youtube as you would think. Much like Flickr, Youtube is more a problem due to that lack of moderation of post until after the fact.
As for the website itself it is easy to use and you can find just about any type of video since people will post just about anything they can videotape. Which is why I chose the video I did, ice melting in a wine glass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUvd44xLAeA
I was surprised as much as they are associated with google they didn't allow you to post right to blogger.
As for library use it is a community and any community website could have great benifits to library and it's users.
As for the website itself it is easy to use and you can find just about any type of video since people will post just about anything they can videotape. Which is why I chose the video I did, ice melting in a wine glass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUvd44xLAeA
I was surprised as much as they are associated with google they didn't allow you to post right to blogger.
As for library use it is a community and any community website could have great benifits to library and it's users.
web 2.0 site iStats
I was intrigued by a site that let you post your workout results and did reports for you. Giving you access to your workout stats on the internet and letting you compare or work with others accross the country, is a good benifit to people. I know for me, I have a friend that is a personal trainer and this would allow him to keep up with my workout and tell me what adjustments to make, without me having to email all the info and then having him to look at and make up his own reports. And for those that travel all the time they wouldn't have to keep up with a notebook to write everything down in, just put it in online and access at the next city.
The site was a bit awkward in the demos with the volumn all the way up on the video and on my computer still couldn't hear the voice and the video didn't show much other than the screen they were talking about. But the site seems pretty straight forward, type in your numbers under the correct category and excersize.
I don't see this site being much use in a library. But maybe something like it that let you take note of what you read, how long it took to read it and how often you read. I know some patrons want books that they can read in a night or if they are going on a trip something that will take most if not all the time away to read.
The site was a bit awkward in the demos with the volumn all the way up on the video and on my computer still couldn't hear the voice and the video didn't show much other than the screen they were talking about. But the site seems pretty straight forward, type in your numbers under the correct category and excersize.
I don't see this site being much use in a library. But maybe something like it that let you take note of what you read, how long it took to read it and how often you read. I know some patrons want books that they can read in a night or if they are going on a trip something that will take most if not all the time away to read.
online productivity
I have used these online tools for almost a year and find them very helpful. Zoho seems to be a good all in one site for office production. Allowing for meetings and sharing of documents really makes the office more virtual than before. I think some of the resouces Zoho offers for a charge may be done free on other websites, but then you might not get all the stuff Zoho offers.
This area of internet use seems to be growing in the last year, with Google and Microsoft now offering their own versions. Each has it own benifits and drawbacks. For a library system like BCL this would be a great way to conduct meetings and get information out and refined. I know I tried to get the library I work at to use tools like this to do schedules and distribute the schedules.
I do find the Microsoft site a bit harder to use since it takes so long to load and can freeze up the computer, but it does offer the best service since most of BCL is using Microsoft products on their desktops.
Maybe we can start looking into some form of online productivity site for doing the Forums, which would take less time out of the day for those attending and make for better use of time.
This area of internet use seems to be growing in the last year, with Google and Microsoft now offering their own versions. Each has it own benifits and drawbacks. For a library system like BCL this would be a great way to conduct meetings and get information out and refined. I know I tried to get the library I work at to use tools like this to do schedules and distribute the schedules.
I do find the Microsoft site a bit harder to use since it takes so long to load and can freeze up the computer, but it does offer the best service since most of BCL is using Microsoft products on their desktops.
Maybe we can start looking into some form of online productivity site for doing the Forums, which would take less time out of the day for those attending and make for better use of time.
sandbox
It was a bit confusing at first, but then realized how easy it was to post. I know these are simple posts but since all the posting would be done the same no matter how much information is being added.
Sandbox would allow for more user added comments and being that it is meant for fun and the users know this can allows for more personal comments and bantering amoung users.
Sandbox would allow for more user added comments and being that it is meant for fun and the users know this can allows for more personal comments and bantering amoung users.
wikis
Wikis are a very useful tool on the internet, allowing the sharing of ideas and thoughts easily and within context. I like Library Success wiki, and how it is a way of helping librarians by categorizing different areas of library work and allowing people to post their thoughts/blogs.
I can see a library using this to help guide users to specific areas of their website, or promote events. Attaching a rss feed would really keep users updated on the website.
If used correctly and not allowed to be abused it could also allow the users to recommend books and authors. Allow for comments about programs and events. But it could also become a place for people to vandilize and slander others or the library.
Wikis really would make the users feel like they were a part of the library, while at the same time letting the library show how they fit into the community.
I can see a library using this to help guide users to specific areas of their website, or promote events. Attaching a rss feed would really keep users updated on the website.
If used correctly and not allowed to be abused it could also allow the users to recommend books and authors. Allow for comments about programs and events. But it could also become a place for people to vandilize and slander others or the library.
Wikis really would make the users feel like they were a part of the library, while at the same time letting the library show how they fit into the community.
rollyo
It is an interesting tool, but also very limiting. Someone that knows how to search would be able to use a much larger search engine to search for information. But I can see where this would be handy in searching a limited number of websites. I just don't see where limited the resources you search would be of any benifit to anyone, specially since most websites come with it's own search box.
This is my rollyo for baseball, only three sites listed to search.
http://rollyo.com/mcswain72/baseball/
This is my rollyo for baseball, only three sites listed to search.
http://rollyo.com/mcswain72/baseball/
Monday, November 17, 2008
Library thing
This would be a great tool for book discussions. They can list the books they have read, add comments and keep a list for those that like to go back or share with others. also could help them find other books like those they have read.
I buy alot of books, but don't think I would worry about using this for myself, but do see the usefullness to others.
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/mcswain72
I buy alot of books, but don't think I would worry about using this for myself, but do see the usefullness to others.
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/mcswain72
image generator
these were fun and allow you to do several different things to your photos. But for library use I don't see a use since a library should be focused on providing facts and photo generators can be used to change facts.
the one photo generator I liked was http://pizap.com. it allowed for making alot of fun type images and was easy to use. Other generators allowed for more advanced stuff, but this one was very easy to use.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Library 2.0
After reading the articles and a few others over the course of working in libraries, I find that so many librarians feel they need to change what a librarian is just for web 2.0. I don't think we are changing the role of the librarian, but just the resources that a librarian uses to provide information to the patron.
Instead of relying on posters or fliers to promote library programs and events, a librarian can use a social network page, or rss feeds to get the information out to the patron. Or interacting with a patron over IMs or a messageboard instead of talking face to face or on the phone. There is not fundamental difference in how a librarian does their job, just what they use to do that job.
Sometimes I wonder if they had this much discussion when the telephone was invented. Or when the printing press made books more available. Neither of these inventions change the fundamentals of being a librarian just what was used to do that job.
Web 2.0 does open up several new lines of communication with patrons. It also opens up new lines of miscommunication. With the ability to send information out quicker means a much more deliberate need to make sure that information is correct and clearly understood. But shouldn't put fear in the librarians for using this new technology to do their jobs.
I was once told that a librarian was the gatekeeper to information. I never agreed with that idea. Librarians are more the guide/scout to information. It is our jobs to navigate where the information is and find what is needed and take the patron to that point. Web 2.0 will allow us to do this quicker and more efficiently than before.
Instead of relying on posters or fliers to promote library programs and events, a librarian can use a social network page, or rss feeds to get the information out to the patron. Or interacting with a patron over IMs or a messageboard instead of talking face to face or on the phone. There is not fundamental difference in how a librarian does their job, just what they use to do that job.
Sometimes I wonder if they had this much discussion when the telephone was invented. Or when the printing press made books more available. Neither of these inventions change the fundamentals of being a librarian just what was used to do that job.
Web 2.0 does open up several new lines of communication with patrons. It also opens up new lines of miscommunication. With the ability to send information out quicker means a much more deliberate need to make sure that information is correct and clearly understood. But shouldn't put fear in the librarians for using this new technology to do their jobs.
I was once told that a librarian was the gatekeeper to information. I never agreed with that idea. Librarians are more the guide/scout to information. It is our jobs to navigate where the information is and find what is needed and take the patron to that point. Web 2.0 will allow us to do this quicker and more efficiently than before.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Growing up in Cardinal country as a Braves fan
For generations my family has been Cardinal fans, mostly due to living in Missouri. I grew up in Missouri surrounded by Cardinal fans during one of the high points in that franchises history, the 1980s. The Cardinals went to 3 World Series in 5 years. The whole time I was a Braves fan. Now most people think of the Braves as a very successful franchise, but at that time they were the worst. Granted they did play the Cardinals in the League Championship series in 1982, but soon after they were losing 100 games a year.
Needless to say I was the focus of a lot of jokes about being a Braves fan while the Cardinals were winning. This didn't bother me since I knew/hoped one year the Brave would win it all. As I got older I noticed alot of people respected me for staying with the Braves and not jumping over to a more successful franchise. They still joked about it with me but it was more about a rivaly and less making fun of me about it.
It taught me a good lesson about life, people respect you if you stick by your decisions or change only after having more information. My being a Braves fan is till a topic between me and my friends and family and I am a better person because of it.
Needless to say I was the focus of a lot of jokes about being a Braves fan while the Cardinals were winning. This didn't bother me since I knew/hoped one year the Brave would win it all. As I got older I noticed alot of people respected me for staying with the Braves and not jumping over to a more successful franchise. They still joked about it with me but it was more about a rivaly and less making fun of me about it.
It taught me a good lesson about life, people respect you if you stick by your decisions or change only after having more information. My being a Braves fan is till a topic between me and my friends and family and I am a better person because of it.
Delicious
This is a very helpful website allowing a user to quickly get to bookmarks from anywhere. Also allowing you to search the other users and find more websites dealing with what you are looking for. Professionall this type of website might save time and get better answers for reference questions.
I didn't find it all that easy to understand what websites were coming up. And since the users tag their own bookmarks it can be a bit confusing as to why a bookmark came up, but usually they will be relavent to what you are looking for.
Not sure if I will use the website, not because I don't see a need, but more because I don't bookmark that many websites.
I didn't find it all that easy to understand what websites were coming up. And since the users tag their own bookmarks it can be a bit confusing as to why a bookmark came up, but usually they will be relavent to what you are looking for.
Not sure if I will use the website, not because I don't see a need, but more because I don't bookmark that many websites.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
rhapsody and itunes
This just came out today that rhapsody is opening a store to rival itunes. This may be a very big technology event. Rhapsody may change how songs are sold on the internet, it already has a service where you can listen to any song at anytime. Now it is going to sell the songs without you having to join their service. Instead of offering only a 30 second preview of the song it will have the whole song.
I haven't explored everything on the site, but knowing the songs will play on any mp3 player(including ipods) this service my loosen up the strings on the selling of songs and where you can get songs to play on your personal mp3.
Rhapsody has deals with ilike, verizon, and several other services to provide quick links to buying or listening to the songs. You don't need a new program just to access the store it is a website.
This could really make finding, listening and buying songs so much more user friendly.
I haven't explored everything on the site, but knowing the songs will play on any mp3 player(including ipods) this service my loosen up the strings on the selling of songs and where you can get songs to play on your personal mp3.
Rhapsody has deals with ilike, verizon, and several other services to provide quick links to buying or listening to the songs. You don't need a new program just to access the store it is a website.
This could really make finding, listening and buying songs so much more user friendly.
Trip Planner
I found the Flickr trip planner to be interesting. Not only can you see where others have been, but also see where you might want to go. It sort of combines planner and journal so all your friends can keep up with where you been and what is next. I always like to share my trips and adventures with others, but know how boring it is to sit around looking at pictures after the person gets back, this gives you the chance to share as you do and in small doses. The fun of going places is sharing, and this makes it easy.
Nice Boots such Pain
This photo just shows how good the human spirit is, even with all the pain and destruction someone has a sense of humor.
As someone that lived through the 1993 flood I feel for those going through it again this year. I also know the need to keep everything in perspective is important. You see all the water and watch it wash everything you know down the river, it is such an overwhelming concept of reality.
I don't know if the shark fin was set loose on purpose or just came free during the flood, but I am sure it gave several people a good laugh when they needed it most.
As someone that lived through the 1993 flood I feel for those going through it again this year. I also know the need to keep everything in perspective is important. You see all the water and watch it wash everything you know down the river, it is such an overwhelming concept of reality.
I don't know if the shark fin was set loose on purpose or just came free during the flood, but I am sure it gave several people a good laugh when they needed it most.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Locating useful rss
I found this to be difficult since feedster no long is up an running and several others were hard to understand how to use.
I like the Blogger system, it seemed easy to understand and find what I want.
Topix seems more like a news site than an rss feed search, guess it is more like yahoo than google.
Syndic8 is another site that didn't load, either no longer running or just not loading on my computer.
Technorati seems more into the tech side of things and less on the news or other goings on. Would be useful for those needing to stay up on the library tech.
Since so many didn't seem work or seemed less about finding rss feeds I did a search for rss feed finders. Found one call FeedSee that was very easy to use and found several feeds, not all were solely library. But it did find stuff like ALA news feed along with someone rantings on several topics that might have started while they worked in a library.
I would think it would be hard to keep a rss feed finder up and running and current, and figure more will go the way of Feedster as the creator gets busy with other things or gets tired of monitor and updating. But this is a growing pain that web search engines went through also, and that lead to some very good search engines.
I like the Blogger system, it seemed easy to understand and find what I want.
Topix seems more like a news site than an rss feed search, guess it is more like yahoo than google.
Syndic8 is another site that didn't load, either no longer running or just not loading on my computer.
Technorati seems more into the tech side of things and less on the news or other goings on. Would be useful for those needing to stay up on the library tech.
Since so many didn't seem work or seemed less about finding rss feeds I did a search for rss feed finders. Found one call FeedSee that was very easy to use and found several feeds, not all were solely library. But it did find stuff like ALA news feed along with someone rantings on several topics that might have started while they worked in a library.
I would think it would be hard to keep a rss feed finder up and running and current, and figure more will go the way of Feedster as the creator gets busy with other things or gets tired of monitor and updating. But this is a growing pain that web search engines went through also, and that lead to some very good search engines.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
rss and bloglines
A long time ago, probably 2 years ago, I tried an rss feed all it did was put a scrolling newsfeed on my browser. This was a bit annoying since it was a constant stream of scrolling text usually the same words over and over. Decided that rss feeds might be for some but were useless to me. Thing 5 showed me that rss feeds can be very useful and almost neccessary.
Putting rss feeds into bloglines was very easy, specially with all the different ways. Although I think the tutorial was a bit old since some of the screens didn't look like what was shown on the tutorial.
Rss feeds can let people know quick information about events or releases, such as the bestseller lists. But to be honest I don't see rss feeds replacing going to the websites. Most information is best understood in context and without the rest of the website you lose some of the context. Plus if I want to know the information I will go straight to the website. Who rss feeds help are the users that have alot of things going on and want a one stop shop for all their information.
For all the love I have for new technology and enjoy seeing all the latest ways people have for sharing information, I am still sort of oldfashioned. Give me a good book over a computer screen for a novel, and give me a website over an rss feed if I need or want information.
This may change as I play and get used to the rss feeds.
for those interested my blogline site is http://www.bloglines.com/public/mcswainbcl
Putting rss feeds into bloglines was very easy, specially with all the different ways. Although I think the tutorial was a bit old since some of the screens didn't look like what was shown on the tutorial.
Rss feeds can let people know quick information about events or releases, such as the bestseller lists. But to be honest I don't see rss feeds replacing going to the websites. Most information is best understood in context and without the rest of the website you lose some of the context. Plus if I want to know the information I will go straight to the website. Who rss feeds help are the users that have alot of things going on and want a one stop shop for all their information.
For all the love I have for new technology and enjoy seeing all the latest ways people have for sharing information, I am still sort of oldfashioned. Give me a good book over a computer screen for a novel, and give me a website over an rss feed if I need or want information.
This may change as I play and get used to the rss feeds.
for those interested my blogline site is http://www.bloglines.com/public/mcswainbcl
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
7 1/2 habits
I know it may sound odd but my hardest will be setting goals. I am a happy go lucky type of person, I deal with problems as they come up but settings goals does not come naturally. Goals appear after somethings happens, tire goes flat goal make tire inflated. Why seek an end before something starts, that is like planning death before you live. That has been my approach to life and seems strange to set a goal just so I will do something. If I want to do something I just do it, which makes the toolbox the second hardest since I don't plan how to do something.
How I approach things makes all the rest the easiest. I start playing and trying to figure out what works best, I explain my thoughts and actions to others to see how they view my actions and in the end I hope to solve the problem. If the problem isn't solved then I try again. I see the problem with my approach, but I have fun and enjoy and learn more on the way to reaching the goals placed before me. I have also seen people that get so goal oriented that they fail to learn or enjoy the process of reaching the goal.
I feel that when people have to list ways to do things then they don't truely appreciate the learning process but want to put some sort of quanitative scale to make themselves feel better whether or not they are truely doing anything. But to each their own way of doing things and enjoying their lives and learning.
How I approach things makes all the rest the easiest. I start playing and trying to figure out what works best, I explain my thoughts and actions to others to see how they view my actions and in the end I hope to solve the problem. If the problem isn't solved then I try again. I see the problem with my approach, but I have fun and enjoy and learn more on the way to reaching the goals placed before me. I have also seen people that get so goal oriented that they fail to learn or enjoy the process of reaching the goal.
I feel that when people have to list ways to do things then they don't truely appreciate the learning process but want to put some sort of quanitative scale to make themselves feel better whether or not they are truely doing anything. But to each their own way of doing things and enjoying their lives and learning.
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