Friday, March 21, 2008
Mashups/Trading Cards
Okay, for this "assignment," I pulled one of the few pix I have on my flashdrive memory stick and made a trading card. I was able to add icons, but didn't like them, so took 'em back off. And since I didn't have card stock, I just saved the "card" back to the memory stick and printed off a few copies. One for me and one for the person in the photo. I could see how this could be really fun if you were working with, say, a kids' sports team. Make trading cards for everyone to hand out, etc. Or...for cutesy pix of grandbabies. Hmmm. I have photos of THEM on the home computer....(HG wanders off, thinking of creative ideas to attempt from home.)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Hmmm. I think I messed up. I don't have to write anything this time, do I? Just put in the url to my new exciting Facebook account somewhere...Okay, I'll try that.
Oh, and if anyone wants to "be my friend" on facebook--well, check in and say hello. Unlikely I'll check it lots...but it COULD happen.
Oh, and if anyone wants to "be my friend" on facebook--well, check in and say hello. Unlikely I'll check it lots...but it COULD happen.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
MySpace/FaceBook
Interesting. Not being a teenager and not having anything to sell, I haven't made the venture into either of these social networking worlds. So after reading all the required/suggested materials, I decided to check out FVRL's MySpace account. Congratulations, Jen! This is great. I'm not so far removed from those years (though some would argue with me) that I don't remember what it felt like to be that age. I'd think any kid who wondered into the site would have a good time and would (we hope!) be further pulled into the library world and activities of FVRL.
Right now, this is the kind of use I can see libraraies making of such things as MySpace and FaceBook. Traditionally, I've been kind of "old school" in terms of library use--"what's wrong with BOOKS, anyway???" But I can see the value in keeping cutting-edge in the world we live in. If the library isn't going to stay on top of those things, who is? I'm still concerned that we could turn into an internet cafe, but as long as we keep our priorities straight(!) and don't forget about BOOKS, I think we'll do okay.
Right now, this is the kind of use I can see libraraies making of such things as MySpace and FaceBook. Traditionally, I've been kind of "old school" in terms of library use--"what's wrong with BOOKS, anyway???" But I can see the value in keeping cutting-edge in the world we live in. If the library isn't going to stay on top of those things, who is? I'm still concerned that we could turn into an internet cafe, but as long as we keep our priorities straight(!) and don't forget about BOOKS, I think we'll do okay.
Instant Messaging
This is one area of technology I have experience with, so I wish I could say this part was easy. Well, most of it was, but the directions, again, were less-than-helpful. Anyway, I guess if I want to comment on that, I should post elsewhere. This page is supposed to be about how this technology could be helpful in a library envirnoment.
From what I understand, we already have access to IM at FVRL, but I don't know how much it is used. I'm not sure if it's available to patrons to Tel Info or if that's email only.
I can see the Rooms feature of Meebo being useful to librarians or other "communities," but don't know about the value of leaving the room open continually unless people have decided to be available continually.
I compare it with my bank that has an online chat feature. It was a good idea and has been helpful once or twice, but the other times, the person who was supposed to be manning the help line wasn't there...and they didn't bother to say they weren't there. No one answered my question, I just got messages every moment or two saying that someone would be right there. Ten or fifteen minutes into it, I gave up. From what I've heard about how the IM feature has been used here, I think that's happened here, too. If both parties are glued to their seats, IM can be helpful. (I HAVE IM'd IT from time to time with computer problems from the branches, and that helped...but IT types are the most likely to be close to computers when you need them, too.
IOW (see, I've learned SOME new technology!) I'm ambivalent, as usual. It could work but it still seems like more work than it's worth. I'll probably wait til the tech gurus work out the bugs, then try again.
From what I understand, we already have access to IM at FVRL, but I don't know how much it is used. I'm not sure if it's available to patrons to Tel Info or if that's email only.
I can see the Rooms feature of Meebo being useful to librarians or other "communities," but don't know about the value of leaving the room open continually unless people have decided to be available continually.
I compare it with my bank that has an online chat feature. It was a good idea and has been helpful once or twice, but the other times, the person who was supposed to be manning the help line wasn't there...and they didn't bother to say they weren't there. No one answered my question, I just got messages every moment or two saying that someone would be right there. Ten or fifteen minutes into it, I gave up. From what I've heard about how the IM feature has been used here, I think that's happened here, too. If both parties are glued to their seats, IM can be helpful. (I HAVE IM'd IT from time to time with computer problems from the branches, and that helped...but IT types are the most likely to be close to computers when you need them, too.
IOW (see, I've learned SOME new technology!) I'm ambivalent, as usual. It could work but it still seems like more work than it's worth. I'll probably wait til the tech gurus work out the bugs, then try again.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
RSS Feeds, the agony and the ...
Well, no ecstasy yet. I've found a few blogs, feeds that do sound interesting, so have added them to my list of feeds. I guess what keeps hindering me is that I know I won't take the time to read most of them anyway, so it seems pointless to add them all. But it occurred to me this afternoon, that subscribing to feeds is not like subscribing to a newspaper that I feel guilty not reading everytime I walk by and see the latest issue piled on top of the rest of them. Well, okay, so I DO see that there are 32 postings on the CNN homepage, but I don't HAVE to read them if I don't have time/don't want to/whatever. It's not like another tree is being cut down to pay for the paper. BUT, if I do have a moment, a few clicks--and there the info is.
Something that I am interested in is freelance writing, and there are quite a number of blogs related to that subject. I've subscribed to a few of those and hope to enjoy them.
Something that I am interested in is freelance writing, and there are quite a number of blogs related to that subject. I've subscribed to a few of those and hope to enjoy them.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
RSS and Self-knowledge
RSS feeds--grrr! I'm not a Wall Street investor ("buy, buy, buy!" "Sell, sell, sell!"), or anyone else who lives for the latest. And this activity was particularly painful for some reason. I couldn't find my way between bloglines and the directions on the discover 2.0 page, and then my blog wouldn't let me add a new post. (Til I was giving up in disgust and FINALLY the "New Post" note appeared!) {Sigh} I'm trying to remember the 7 1/2 habits...seeing problems as challenges.
The thing that's really frustrating to me is that even though I finally got through it, it's not likely that I'll remember it next week...much less in six months when someone comes to me at a desk somewhere and wants to know how to do it. Oh, well. Maybe I'll have enough vague recollection that I can at least point them in the right direction. Maybe...
The problem is, of course, that I can't find a personal point of 'buy-in' on this one. I can't imagine how this particular bit of technology can add anything that I want to my life, and therefore, find it difficult to generate the energy to wade through it. Okay, well, that's something, I guess. At least I've figured out why it's so painful.
The thing that's really frustrating to me is that even though I finally got through it, it's not likely that I'll remember it next week...much less in six months when someone comes to me at a desk somewhere and wants to know how to do it. Oh, well. Maybe I'll have enough vague recollection that I can at least point them in the right direction. Maybe...
The problem is, of course, that I can't find a personal point of 'buy-in' on this one. I can't imagine how this particular bit of technology can add anything that I want to my life, and therefore, find it difficult to generate the energy to wade through it. Okay, well, that's something, I guess. At least I've figured out why it's so painful.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Mashups
I hate the on-going use of cliche's but whenever I'm forced further into the world of 2.0, I frequently come away with the phrase--mind-boggling. Who has time to come up with all this stuff? {Sigh} Not me...
Anyway, the trip planner mash-ups--Trip planner, Tripper map, are kinda cool. I actually did go on an awesome trip to Greece a number of years ago, and all these goodies would have been very helpful in sharing that trip with others...but alas, all my photos are hidden away in a real-world scrapbook somewhere.
But the good thing is, these assignments got me to renew my flickr account, and maybe I will start to use it--I've got some awful cute photos now of some awful cute grandbabies...
Anyway, the trip planner mash-ups--Trip planner, Tripper map, are kinda cool. I actually did go on an awesome trip to Greece a number of years ago, and all these goodies would have been very helpful in sharing that trip with others...but alas, all my photos are hidden away in a real-world scrapbook somewhere.
But the good thing is, these assignments got me to renew my flickr account, and maybe I will start to use it--I've got some awful cute photos now of some awful cute grandbabies...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)