And in the end...

Well, Library 2.0 is over and they have awarded a lucky guy with the coveted laptop. I guess this is the end of this endeavor!

Check out my personal blog: The New Librarian (http://newlibrarycard.blogspot.com/)

But you don't have my take my word for it!



I'll see you next time!

Final Countdown

Library 2.0 has been really enjoyable and I always looked forward to opportunities to work on it. It was also fun to see my co-worker's perspectives on their blogs. Speaking of blogs, it's been fun writing my thoughts and knowing that someone was reading it. I enjoyed experimenting with tagging and RSS feeds and now check my Google Reader daily for new updates. I really had fun with the online image generators and map makers. Must time was wasted on those activities. I especially enjoyed LibraryThing and have been using tagging skills and everything! Dabbling with different search engines was interesting, but reconfirmed my preference for Google. I'm starting to appreciate podcasts more and will continue to listen to the ones I found. I really like the "incentives" - Thanks! All in all, this was am invigorating program and I'm kind of sad that it's ending! But, now I have these newly learned tools at my fingertips, so I can use them at my leisure!

I feel like the Library 2.0 covered a vast range of topics and applications - I don't even know what else they could have added! But, in a practical application the library could use some of these tools successfully for their patrons. Tagging would be really neat in the catalog and hosting our own podcasts would be really informative. We could podcast the children's story times as well as book-talks! The world is at our fingertips - we just need to reach out to it.

Net Library

I was excited to try out NetLibrary - but wasn't as impressed with the outcome. Unfortunately, Netlibrary wasn't very user-friendly. I didn't find as many results with the search box - but ended up skimming though the subjects to find results. I was hoping to find some new titles (I'm working on reading Newbery winning titles), but I only found older titles. I did put about 10 titles into my favorite file - including the Anne of Green Gables series and The Hero and the Crown, etc.
So, from what I understand - you can check out a title and then download it to your Mp3 player - but then it expires after a certain time? How does the downloaded book stop working? I'll be curious to see how that all works out.

Podcast - keeping us all informed!

Yeah, I love my new little MP3 player! It's so darn cute (not even 2 inches long) - and it has a radio! Anyway, I'm already have fun using it! Well, I already have a IPod in my possession and I have been utilizing podcasts from ITunes - somewhat. I have been listening to "Tales from Lake Wobegon" from A Prairie Home Companion from American Public Media. Very funny.

So, I went to Podcastalley.com and looked for some podcasts to enjoy. I found some children's book review podcasts and even found one about Harry Potter - "Mugglecast". I added the RSS feed to my Google Reader.

Now, here's the glitch - getting the podcast from Google Reader to my little mp3 player is quite time consuming! Am I doing it right? I guess I'm just spoiled with Itunes - it automatically downloads the newest podcast and them when I plug in my Ipod it also automatically downloads it to my player. With Podcast alley, I just don't have the time or patience to sit and wait for individual downloading, etc etc. Is there an easier way?

"How many lives has been lost on the cutting edge of Discovery?"

Ahh! Gooogle is AMAZING!!! Ok, so I have already spent some valuable time playing with some different programs featured on Google Labs . I already have previously used some of the "graduated" features on the right and have been pleased with the results. It's interesting that Google is constantly creating new and interesting features - I guess it's important to keep on their toes on technology.

So, I went to the Experimental Search and used the time line feature. Wow, this tool is soo neat. You type a person's name, with "view:timeline" and it brings up a little time line chart and then relevant websites that have key events listed about their life. I haven't seen any hang-ups yet - but I was using well known names when I did my searches. I totally think this will be a most helpful tool for searchers - especially those who need biographical information. I hope this will graduate - I'm not seeing how this would not be a helpful tool! Try it out

Hulu and Me!

I have just been playing around on Hulu.com. It's amazing. I'm able to watch some of my favorite shows, with minimal commercials. Also, I can rewatch some television classics - including Silver Spoons and The A-team. Yes, I'm excited to waste hours on this new website! (hehe)
Hulu also has movies, and I'm anxious to see what they offer as well. Here is a short clip about a fellow librarian:

YouTube, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

I really like YouTube for many reasons. I like how you can find rare movie clips. I like how you can listen to songs and watch music videos. I also like some of the amateur stuff, like fan videos. I included a fan video my brother and his friends made - it's pretty funny.

Of course, I don't like the filth which is easily found. I also don't like those who infridge upon copyright and have obviously videotaped their television, etc.

This source could be wonderful on library websites. The children's department could video their storytimes. Librarians could do booktalks. The library could promote library events and activites. It definitely could be an assesst to the library - getting the information out to the people!

I once knew a girl named Pandora...

What did you like or dislike about the tool? What were the site’s useful features?

I've been playing with Pandora for a while now and I think it's really fun. I impute my favorite songs and artists and then it spits out other songs and artists that have a similar sound. I have already found some new favorites. If you finda new song you like, it will link you to Itunes to purchase. Sometimes it pulls up stuff that isn't so great - but you can vote if you don't like and it won't play it again. A downside is that if you're only allowed so many "skips" in a session. They want to just sit and listen - which would be great if you liked all the songs! All in all, it's pretty fun and you can listen to good tunes while you're on the computer!

Could you see any applications for its use in a library setting?

Yeah, this could be a fun feature - especially in a teen section. What would be neat if there could be a computer, with speaker, dedicated to Pandora. A patron could type in a favorite song and then could get other fun songs to listen to. Well, this could also be a reference tool as well - if you wanted to wait for a bit for the results!

Recess Is Over

Recently I was wanting to work on my Resume, but didn't have the most recent copy in my work folders. I was thinking, in hindsight, that I should have used Google documents and could have worked on my resume anytime - anywhere. Well, now I know what to do! I'm starting to really like this feature - especially since it does the automatic save feature that I love on Gmail - no more lost work! I rememeber when I was going to school at Snow College and the town of Ephraim frequently experienced short blackouts. I learned fast to keep saving my work as I completed assignments! Is there a size limit of how much space we can use on this sort of program? Now I have no excuses for not getting things done. I'm already thinking of ways to keep documents at my fingertips -thanks Google documents!

Search Engines and Hair Pieces

Keeping on the Star Trek theme - Paul and I had a discussion about William Shatner and the issue of his potential hair piece. I think Shatner is sporting one - Paul disagrees. Well, I decided to use that topic as my search while testing out these different search engines. We'll see what the results conclude!

Keywords: william shatner hair piece

Exalead:

I liked how it has little screen shots of the websites. It has a similiar look and feel of Google - and the options of searching for images and even in Wikipedia! It brought up more than 5,000 websites with my keyword search. The first website was a discussion board with this topic at hand. Hair Loss Help Forums - William Shatner's Hair. Here are great pictures I gleaned from the site:

The majority is saying that he has had a hairpiece since Star Trek - maybe even during.

Clusty:

Once I typed in my search terms, I was little confused with the layout of the results. I then caught on with the purpose of the sidebar and the the included tags. Then I realized - it's a "cluster"! Well, unfortunately it brought up some junky websites for results. I did see a similar website: Emmy Nominee William Shatner Supporting Actor "Boston Legal"

William Shatner is nominated for 2005's Most Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series for his work as Denny Crane on ABC's "Boston Legal."

Seriously?

This was interesting:

"It's a question that I find like asking somebody, 'Did you have a breast implant?' or 'When did you get your lobotomy?'" -William Shatner when asked if he wore a hair piece.

So...does that mean yes?

Kartoo

This search engine was similar to Mooter and I'm not sure how I feel about it. They have these topic clusters - but what I liked about Kartoo was that it showed the connections of the search terms with little lines and when you scrolled over a link it would show a screen shot of site.

I found this great site: First Church of Shatnerology. Ok, it's not that great it actually really silly and hopefully not real - but it had some intriguing poetry about Shatner and his hair.

Take it off and turn around
Don't let it fall to the ground.
I worship you all the way down

I kiss the head on which you crown The sweet fragrance of your "hair" Do I dare? I want to kiss the head Of which I have no dread I see it there and want to die This in no lie! What is this wonderful thing for this which bells do ring? This for what my homage does pay Is none other than Shatner's toupee!

Ok, so after searching in these different search engines I haven't found a replacement for Google. I like how it's straight forward and user-friendly. Well, it's good to be more informed of what's available for our searching needs!

Should've been a librarian

Captain Kirk wishes he had decided to become a librarian in the TAS episode "Bem". Spock, as always, responds by speaking the truth.

The Final Frontier

Library 2.0

The final frontier

These are the voyages of the Salt Lake City Public Library

Its 5 month mission

To explore strange new worlds

To seek out new life and new civilizations

To boldly go where no man has gone before

The Web moves from simply being sites and search engines to a shared network space that drives work, research, education, entertainment and social activities—essentially everything people do. You and your mobile and nonmobile devices—PDA, MP3, laptop, cell phone, camera, PC, TV, etc.—are always online, connected to one another and to the Web.
http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/1.htm

This is so true. How did we ever survive without computers? (Sarcasm added) I have a friend who always wears his blue-tooth everywhere and all the time. Does he have a job that requires him to be on-call? No. Why does he constantly wear it? I don't know. Putting that aside, it's amazing seeing how we can all be connected to information - here and now.

As a Web 2.0 reality continues to emerge and develop, our patrons will expect access to everything – digital collections of journals, books, blogs, podcasts, etc. You think they can’t have everything? Think again. This may be our great opportunity.

This is a great opportunity - there is no excuse for anyone to not know what is going on! Ignorance is NOT bliss! We can access anything and everything. Right here. Right now.

Libraries are poorly equipped and insufficiently staffed for teaching.

I find this is a true statement - how often do I have to show patrons how to use a computer? I understand when they need help finding a book, but I don't have the time to show kids how to finds games on the Internet. I'm sorry!

There was a time, not very long ago, when libraries exercised something close to monopoly power in the information marketplace. During the print era, if you wanted access to pricey indexes or a collection of scholarly journals, you had no choice but to make a trip to the library. http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/2.htm

I have no comment - but Paul helped me found this swell picture!

The key principles of Library 2.0 are not just about access to books and information. It is about innovation, about people, and about community building, enabled through the participation that social computing brings. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_2.0

Hear hear!

My Worlds

Visited States

create your own personalized map of the USA or check out our California travel guide

Visited Countries

create your own visited country map or check our Venice travel guide

This is an amusing site and it's fun reminiscing about where and when you visited these places! It makes me want to travel more!

Generating Something

Look what adventures I had on the The Generator Blog:

Take THE **ULTIMATE** HARRY POTTER NAME GENERATOR today!

My new Harry Potter name is Harry Potter!
(try this out, you always get the same name...)

Funny Face Generator
This site is way too entertaining!

And, the LetterJames site was diverting:


Also, FDToys was very interesting - I'll be sure to visit this one again!

Honestly, I don't see how this could benefit libraries. Maybe the YA department could have fun with these features - but I don't see it being of any use. Well, it's good to be aware of such features and fun things t0 refer to them to patrons? I have a friend who is a amateur photographer and he said for any picture to look good you have to do some tweaking with it. And needless to say, my mirror-image face never looked better! (hehe)

On the hunt for most excellent RSS feeds

Explore some of the search tools which can help you locate news feeds.

Which method of finding feeds did you find easiest to use?
While searching for library-related blogs - I found I preferred Google's Reader the best. I liked how it would give me recommended blogs - similar to what I already have and I could also do keyword searches for other blogs.

Which search tool was the most effective? Which was most confusing?
Like I already said, I thought Google Reader was the most helpful and user-friendly. The other sites(Topix and Technorati) were a bit busy - filled with adds and news breaking information. The Syndic8 was the most confusing - and I found most of the sites they listed were "Awaiting Repair". Not too helpful.

What kind of unuseful or unusual feeds did you find?
I found load of unuseful sites - but I did find some fun unusual sites. For example:
Passive Aggressive Notes
The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks
CNN's ridiculous headlines

Which other tools or methods did you find to locate feeds?
Um, word of mouth or recommendations from other sites - that's about it

Google Reading

I've been playing with RSS feeds for a little time now. Mostly I would keep tabs on friend's blogs - and I loved using Google Reader because I don't waste time visiting blogs that aren't up to date. My new favorite blog to check is the Mustaches of the Nineteenth Century - they usually have a daily post that is very entertaining.

Anyway, I've sidetracked here. I really like how it gives your recommendations of other blogs on the same subject - that really helps broaden my circle! I think the RSS readers are a great way to keep informed - and it's quick and easy with all the requested information all in one place. I'm already a fan and a daily user!

I attempted to check out Bloglines - but couldn't view it without a login. It looks very similar to the Google Reader. Hmmm, I'll guess I'll stay with the Google Reader!

Also, I just figured out that I can have RSS feeds on my blog! How cool is that!

Flickr Mash-ups & Gravy

So, I explored some of these mash-up and 3rd party sites. They have a lot fun things! I like the Mappr - but I couldn't figure out how to use it personally. I especially liked the Retievr. I love how you can do a quick doodle and find a picture that has those similar colors.

Too bad I couldn't get my own images on the search - but I guess that is yet to come. These features are interesting because anyone can make a cool calendar or map of their pictures. With digital cameras in every home - it's easy and fun to do these features. Also, this can come in handy with library-related activities. Marketing made easy!

Here is a dandy trading card:

The Pioneers

The pioneers, originally uploaded by ejhopester.

Our fun visit to the Ogden Children's Museum for our staff meeting. Talk about fun! We got a free tour - but played like we were kids. I recommend it!

Check out my other pictures! (Click on the picture for the link)

Geisha - the taste of traditional Japan on Flickr

IMG_3942, originally uploaded by perkunas.

This image just caught my eye. I think this Geisha is so beautiful. I love the lighting and the bright colors and especially the movement. Amazing.

Hopefully I'll get to travel to Japan someday!

No Cookies in the Library - Classic Sesame Street

"me get feeling you only have books "