Liberry Lady

Final Task #10

2011-12-28T09:31:00.001-07:00

Wow! What a difference.

I like the organization-it's much easier to find things in a number of different places: tabs on the top, the icons and footer topics. I think once patrons get used to the new look, they'll be happier with navigating the site. The "New Titles" scrolling bar is terrific (may eliminate a part of my libguide!), the ASK button is prominent and I especially like the clear calendar with upcoming events. Much easier to see a lot of information at one time.

Cari, you and your team have done a terrific job with this.

Universal Class: Something for Everyone!

2011-11-28T13:59:00.002-07:00

I'm actually really excited about this database and have been talking it up to people outside of the library. The variety is amazing! I recommended the Floral Arranging 101 class to the people who came to our Fall Floral Arranging program, and suggested 11 Key Principles for Good Health, Lifetime Wellness 101 and Stress Management 101 for the people who came to the acupuncture and acutonics programs.

I am enrolled in a class to test it out, and am impressed with the fact that-at least for this class-lessons are presented both in print and on video for those with different learning styles.

This could be a terrific resource for our patrons if we work at getting the word out!

Spanish LibGuide #8

2011-10-19T10:02:00.005-06:00

No real reason for this photo other than it looks like a cool place to be!

It's always a good idea to TAKE a quiz before giving it to others. That's one of the things I learned-especially when I created it. It's amazing how things can "slip" by. Luckily, Cari's here, and she quickly took care of the two oddities on the original quiz. No excuses for missing any of the questions now!

What I tried to emphasize in training is the fact that there is SO MUCH information here, you DON'T need to know Spanish to use it, and much of the information is repeated in several places so that access is easier. I was most impressed with the ability of Google Translate to easily and effectively translated the entire libguide from Spanish to English.

"Behind every cloud is another cloud." Judy Garland #7

2011-09-27T14:32:00.008-06:00

I don't actually use either Dropbox or Google Docs, but could see using them both. I edit a weekly gardening article and have emails from the author as well as the finished articles I send off. Either Dropbox or Google Docs would be a terrific place to "store" it all so that I would have access anywhere, anytime.

I just bought a new computer and the old one was SO OLD, that many of my files didn't transfer over; had I put them on Dropbox, there'd be no problem. Likewise NONE of my albums transferred. All the photos are there, but there's no organization (kind of like my old shoeboxes full of photos).

Don't let this happen to you!

Patrons often want to type up letters, information, resumes but don't have, or want, to store them on a device; these would be terrific places for them to save their work, have access to it, and be able to revise and print off whatever they needed without paying for anything! We're all about access, here's another way to share it!

Task #6

2011-08-09T15:30:00.003-06:00

Great questions! Easy quiz! I like that.

My multiple choice question:

A patron wants to find another author like Janet Evanovich; she's read them all and isn't sure what to try next.

A. Try to find a coworker who reads that kind of stuff.
B. You've read Janet Evanovich, have found similar authors and share them with the patron.
C. Show the patron how to access the Author Read-alike section on Novelist from the library website.
D. Both B & C.

A Google A Day...

2011-08-03T09:37:00.003-06:00

is a good way to keep one's mind sharp!

I discovered, however, that I was trying to make it more complicated than it actually was. Checked out the Minuteman Bike trail and found lots of interesting tours, then checked on the actual mileage and then looked up the average MPH on a bicycle which can vary greatly depending upon your skill level. Got close, but no cigar.

Please enter my extra credit entry into the $100 downtown GC. Thank you!

I DID get today's answer to the following question:
If your doorknob is made with this alloy of copper and zinc, it naturally disinfects itself. How many hours does it take to sanitize?

Library Renewal

2011-07-26T08:14:00.002-06:00

Check out this video-it's what we're working on here in our library!

Task 5-Chiltons Database

2011-07-06T10:21:00.005-06:00

This one's a keeper!!!!! I use this several times a week and patrons are usually blown away by the fact that they can use it from home. Once they know how to access it, it's pretty easy to choose year, make and model and then focus upon whatever part of the vehicle needs their attention. Most diagrams are clear and easily printed too.

I looked for any bulletins/recalls on our 1997 Nissan Sentra and was relieved to see nothing since 1998, so we're good to go!

Was also impressed with the very thorough maintenance schedule, though I usually just leave that to Mark.

Another Blog?!

2011-06-22T08:29:00.002-06:00

Yes, I decided that it would be wise to learn how to use WordPress, so I've started a second blog. It's more of a Readers' Advisory blog with reviews and library commentary.

Task #4-Downloading eBooks

2011-06-06T11:20:00.003-06:00

The Nook is #1 in my book!

Found a cover story from December, 2010 which rates eReaders: "E-Book Readers, They've Never Been Better or Cheaper." Having used the Nook more than any of the others, I feel comfortable with it; it would be my choice were I to purchase one. Reasons I'm impressed with it: easy to read in the sun (as they all are, I believe), the touch screen is very responsive and easy to use, and it fits comfortably in my hands like a trade paperback. Of course, it's also compatible with Overdrive and since I purchase ebooks for the library, I would want to be sure that my device could take advantage of that!

Downloading to a Nook:
1. Turn on and wake up the Nook
2. Plug the Nook into the computer
3. Open Adobe Digial Editions

Task #3 MasterFILE Premier

2011-05-09T09:27:00.004-06:00

Find the most recent 'best' review article for smartphones, and post the date and title of the article in your blog post

"Find the Best Fit" January 1,2011 ("Best Phones and Plans" is in the same issue)

EXTRA CREDIT:
Rolling Stones Magazine 1/9/1992
"Michael Jackson: The making of 'the king of pop.'"

Please put my extra credit entry into the Sony Reader drawing.

2011 Task #1 & #2

2011-04-20T09:00:00.002-06:00

Great to be back to Webolution!

My blog is established, so that's task #1; nothing's changed there.

My preference for a prize: $100 GC.

Task #2 Got 100%, but learned from one mistake Wynell and I made in the lab. I did not know Question #5: On the Downloadable Media guide, which library do we link to for help with error messages? Now, of course, I do.

:)

Cloud Computing via "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"

2010-12-27T14:48:00.003-07:00

Found this while reading the ALA e-newsletter and just had to share it!
Sing along everyone!
:)

Cloud Computing

2010-12-08T11:55:00.005-07:00

Just what I needed: something to justify "having my head in the clouds!"

We already use this with our Google calendars in Info. Services, and I'm guessing it's something along those lines that allows us to access our shared files. I'd love to see those on a cloud. Every so often I'm at home when inspiration hits and I want access to one of my files to add to it, expand upon something or write a list of ideas to pursue on paid time.

Great for retrieving photos, music, saved research, etc. I think it'll soon be an expected service; folks with smartphones and other devices want access to their info wherever they are and it would be nice as public library members to help them get to it!

The Bad Three

2010-10-08T16:36:00.001-06:00

If you live in Colorado and plan to vote, this video is a MUST SEE!

Get out there and VOTE!

2010-10-01T10:10:00.002-06:00

Terrific amount of information on this Libguide (Thank you Linda!) and so well organized. It makes me happy because it's an easy one-stop shop for all things electoral-much easier than trying to navigate a number of independent sites.

My dyslexia foiled me again as I thought I had chosen Nov 2nd as the election date, but apparently I chose Nov 4th. Consequently I have a lowly score of 83%. So sad.

Critical Past and Food Safety

2010-08-25T14:29:00.003-06:00

I can see that this would be a great place to refer patrons wanting actual footage of historical events such as clips from Vietnam. Found a very politically incorrect black and white video of the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain that made me laugh. I was surprised to note a clip about Brooke Shields visiting the Coast Guard in Bahrain during the Gulf War. Being able to search clips by decade and year is a great tool.

The minimum cooking temperature for fresh pork is 160 degrees. (So now I guess I need a meat thermometer?) I like the recalls and alerts section.

New OPAC

2010-07-20T17:46:00.003-06:00

I've been working with the new OPAC for a while and noticed several things that I passed on to "the powers that be." Originally when I looked up Lewis, CS a list came up with all kinds of Lewis's, but CS was down the page a ways. When I clicked on CS Lewis at the top under Suggested Topics, it took me to a page-long biography that I had to scroll down before finding his titles. If, however, I searched CS Lewis, I went directly to his titles. I see that it has now been fixed!

Browsing was also problematic. I chose to browse by author and then alphabetically, but discovered that what came up was a list of authors organized by the number of titles they had and not necessarily alphabetically. I found that confusing and unhelpful. I see that has NOT been fixed: Dickens, Dixon, Dahl are the first 3 listed under the D's.

Nancy is also aware that there is no Spanish option for the OPAC at this point and I'm sure they will be addressing that as soon as they are able.

Today I put The Memory Keeper's Daughter on hold from Clifton. Like that very much; the ability to see what is where and choose (we had only the audio here). This will be a MAJOR improvement when all the kinks are worked out.

I will very much enjoy the Cart Feature both personally and professionally when it's up and running!

Survey is completed!

Library of the Future in Plain English

2010-07-16T08:20:00.003-06:00

What impressed me is that we're already doing a lot of this!

Presentation by Mal Booth, Sophie McDonald and Belinda Tiffen, UTS Library. Ideas and concept for the video format were borrowed from the Common Craft website at www.commoncraft.com

Newseum Museum

2010-06-26T08:30:00.003-06:00

Great resource for getting the daily headlines.

I checked out El Nuevo Dia from San Juan, Puerto Rico and murder was the major headline. What I found odd was there was very little print on their front page; mostly photos with brief captions.

Moved on to Portugal and Spain which both had the World Cup splashed across all their newspapers: El Pais, Granada Hoy and Diario de Sevilla

I could see using this just to follow "What's up" in headlines around the world. It's also nice to see what's going on within Colorado; patrons often read something from another Colorado paper and kind of expect us to be aware of "local" happenings.

Free e-books

2010-06-24T09:11:00.005-06:00

Lots to learn here.

I used ManyBooks to download The Secret Adversary in LP, which sounded like a great idea, yet didn't look any different than the regular sized print. I could zoom in, but was able to do that with any title. Not sure what the differentiation was there.

Had used Project Gutenberg for school, so skipped over it this time.

Was interested to see the offering of magazines on Google Books; checked out Cruise Travel (I can dream, can't I?).

Memoware kind of confused me. I checked out a mystery: Bicycle Shop Murder and liked the sidebar with related e-books, but when I clicked on something there, it took me to a confusing page with no apparent connection to the titles I chose. I also found titles "for sale" though it was not immediately clear that these were not freebies.

Online Books Page looked more academic to me. Primarily nonfiction-I didn't see much "light" reading here. And, after all the reading I've done for school, I'm much more into the light stuff right now!

Librarians do Gaga

2010-06-23T11:51:00.002-06:00

You can tell they had fun doing this; wonder how many of their patrons actually saw it?

Video: Librarians Do Gaga

Optimal Resume

2010-05-11T09:42:00.003-06:00

What great timing to have this and our job series too! These are terrific resources for job searchers with clear examples. I checked out resumes and letters and was impressed at the scope of the letters. Someone recently asked me to right a referral and I thought it was interesting to check out what Optimal Resume had for the different levels of one's career. This should be a valuable resource for our community!

Print-Friendly Tools

2010-04-03T15:04:00.003-06:00

I can see using this a lot! I already knew about the print preview and tell patrons about it each week. I really like Print Friendly because it is SO easy to use. I checked out the St. Petersburg, FL Newspaper and had no trouble editing photos and paragraphs I didn't want.

Learn-a-Test

2010-02-26T11:05:00.003-07:00

I do recommend this to many people since we're limited in the number and variety of testing books we have in OM. I did NOT know that the ASVAB test was also included under ebooks (is that part new?) and found more resources of which I was unaware. Tried the Praxis test and was disappointed that when I clicked on "Finish Later" I received an error notice so would have to start over again.

I didn't see anywhere how to delete the test from My Center if I didn't want to continue it or had made a mistake (not in FAQs, may have missed that information elsewhere). Tried the Test Help Page, but it appeared to be blank (or did I need to be in the test at the time?).

Overall, I am impressed with this database and know it will be helpful for a number of patrons.

January E-Books

2010-02-05T09:41:00.002-07:00

This was the easiest time I've had downloading anything! The most difficult part was finding a book that was available. I finally found Of Mice and Men. The directions were clear and easy to follow. I'll be happy to recommend this to our patrons.

Survey says....Weboltion was a success! #23 FINISHED!

2009-11-19T13:51:00.002-07:00

I do enjoy these exercises. I think they're very helpful and necessary in order to be more aware of the opportunities the web gives us for being even better at finding and sharing information.

Lots of creativity among coworkers and some very distinctive voices too!

Thank you, ladies, for expanding our web horizons.

Un hombre en Baja, Mexcio

2009-11-19T12:02:00.003-07:00

Well, Mark's off to work a checkpoint at the Baja 1,000. This year he's just helping, but next year he'll race it himself-and I'll be there helping. If you've ever had a desire to check out Baja, here's your chance: we're looking for pit crew members!

Blogs we like #22 Completed

2009-11-17T13:34:00.003-07:00

Nancy and Cari, thanks for sharing a few of your favorites. I can see myself using both Tablespotting (maybe just to drool over since I'm not much on cooking) and Makeuseof.

I don't follow these regularly, but have found a few that appeal to my interests:

Knitting:
Yarn Harlot

Life in Mexico:
The Mija Chronicles
Mexican Trailrunner

Yoga:
Daily Cup of Yoga

Photo Editing with Picnik #21 Completed

2009-11-14T13:47:00.004-07:00

Found this Colorado Sunset photo and thought I'd brighten the rainbow and try to sharpen the mountains:

This is actually the original which, in this case, might be the better of the two:

Government Websites #20 Completed

2009-11-10T14:39:00.006-07:00

As ominous as the title sounds, these were actually very helpful and, for the most part, well organized sites.

After trying several times to view my home on the assessors site, I saw the note about "reviewing the data entry standards" (when in doubt, read the directions!). It's amazing what correct data entry can yield. Saw the aeriel view, what the property is worth and my assessed taxes for the year (ouch!).

I checked out the Department List/Motor Vehicles/Branch Locations because an OM resident told me there was a DMV branch at the fairgrounds, and he was right! That's convenient and something that I am frequently asked about.

On the state site I looked at the Unemployment Insurance Benefits; something that many people seem to be checking on these days. I could see using the Find a Driver License Office too.

I didn't know about Ben's Guide to the Government for kids and think that could be very helpful for basic information.

Trying Zamzar Again #18 Truly Completed!

2009-10-31T11:30:00.006-06:00

If this works, you should see some video of my husband racing. He first gets out of the way of a Trophy Truck which can go up to 120 mph in the desert. Check out seconds .42-1:10 to see Mark's VW Racing Bug: Tortuga.

Wiki Scavenger Hunt #19 Completed

2009-10-31T11:08:00.001-06:00

Total score of 100%! The clues were helpful, thanks!

Tiny URL/ Zamzar #18 Completed (as much as I was able)

2009-10-29T14:13:00.007-06:00

Winter's coming, but I'm still gardening in my soul. Consequently I looked up the perennials at Bookcliff Gardens and got this URL:

(http://www.bookcliffgardens.com/catalog1.htm#perennials)

Plugging it into Tiny URL resulted in this:
http://tinyurl.com/ygawovz.

I have often received URLs from others (even in library emails) that were too long and not always apparent; using Tiny URLs would curtail that problem!

Zamzar
Unfortunately, I'm not having much success with Zamzar and there's no one here to ask about it. I did successfully download a video to my email address, but got an error message twice after waiting 10 minutes or so for it to download to my blog. Not sure exactly where I went wrong, but am bummed. Wanted to share a few seconds of my husband's race that is actually included as part of a full-length video that a friend of ours shot professionally.

Library Professional Sites #17 Completed

2009-10-22T14:44:00.004-06:00

WOW! What a great collection. While I was familiar with many of them (PLA, WebJunction, Library Job Postings, 100 Best and CLiC), others were entirely new. Lots to explore here. I did delve into the 100 Best which reminded me that I'd better try to remember the password for the Blogger account I set up; many of these blogs are on my account that I've not kept up with in a LONG time.

I enjoyed exploring the Resource Shelf, which had everything from library legal issues to a few more eclectic topics: 100 Hilarious College Courses that Really Exist and A New Online Guide to Hearing Aids.

Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki was organized similar to our staff Wiki, so I found it easy to navigate, but was disappointed with the Programming (esp. for kids & teens) section which had only one success story and no real "new" ideas. The Readers' Advisory area did contain a lot of helpful information not only about starting a book club, but also how to chose books, talk about them and Writing Reviews for Open WorldCat! I will probably use both of these sites (in addition to a few others) in the future.

Open Source & Open Office #16 Completed

2009-10-22T14:18:00.003-06:00

I had not used Open Office before although I was aware of it and other open source software. It seems very MS Word savvy; the only thing I found different was that I couldn't insert photos from a clip art source like MS Word.

As for what I think of how the use and/or promotion of open source software aligns with core tenets of the library profession-it seems directly related as it is available to EVERYONE (with computer access) WITHOUT CHARGE. It is free access--One of the best things (and great "selling points") about the library!

Clipmarks is Confusing! #15 Attempted

2009-10-13T14:42:00.004-06:00

Okay, I must be missing something. After watching the super short video, signing up for an account and clipping a few things on a site, I gave it a heading, previewed it and accepted it. NADA has appeared on my blog. Tried a second site, clipped one photo only, signed in to my Google account and then got an entirely blank screen. While the video made this seem "oh-so-easy," I'll agree with the Lieberrycop that this was not so straightforward.

As I do not have time to delve into this any further, I will have to check with others tomorrow (if time permits) and find out what vital step I have overlooked.

Great idea if I can only get it to work!

NetLibrary #14 Completed

2009-10-13T14:19:00.003-06:00

Checked out both OverDrive and NetLibrary. Downloaded the NetLibrary Media Center and browsed Mystery and Suspense. Chose Mistletoe Man by Susan Albert Wittig and thought I downloaded it to the computer. It did start to play but then I got an odd message saying that there was an unexpected error. Will try again at home with my ipod later.

It did seem much easier to use than before and were it not for the mysterious unexpected error, it would have been a very smooth transition.

Free and Legal Downloadable Music #13 Completed

2009-10-06T10:53:00.004-06:00

I was impressed with the variety each of these sites offer.

Soundsnap was fun:
Water lapping on an ocean in Mexico (sigh!)
Thunderclap
Cartoon "boing" or spring jumper (great for invalid items!)
Wood gate creaking (creepy Halloween sound)

I think having distinctive sounds for different circulation functions might make checking items in and out easier. Perhaps something different for invalid items and/or notes about what a particular item contains.

Amie St I liked that you could import pandora and lastfm lists. Listened to Headlights and Chiaroscuro.

Artist Server I didn't like much. Thought it was overwhelming with clutter and not intuitive. Chose Classical/Woodwinds and ended up with vocal music in a foreign tongue (nice, but not what I thought I would get).

CC Mixter was probably my favorite. I checked out the podcasts: Mixin' in the Kitchen 7 featured songs about breath such as Hold your Breath. I especially liked their A Cappellas option. Listened to Day by Day by mykle anthony. Will probably spend more time here.

NoveList-My Constant Companion #12 Completed

2009-09-16T08:30:00.003-06:00

I sing NoveList's praises almost on a daily basis. This is probably the database that most surprises patrons who bring in lists of authors and titles but don't know "which came first" or those who have just discovered a new author and wonder what else they may have written. Searching by series has also been a popular request and with authors such as Karen Kingsbury, NoveList's arrangements by series is a major time saver. Patrons are impressed when I print them a list from which we can order titles and many actually keep them and bring them in the next time they visit so we can keep track of what they've read, what's on order and what's next.

One patron loves Stephen King and after exhausting all my ideas, we went to NoveList's Author Read-alikes where we came up with Neil Gaiman with whom I was not familiar. This is a terrific resource and I frequently encourage patrons to explore it!

Author Resources-Something to Bookmark! #11 Completed

2009-09-16T08:12:00.004-06:00

I had not heard of the Book Report Network before, and believe that I'll use this frequently when helping patrons. Great biographies of authors, and the Books into Movies is good for letting people know what's coming up/out when.

Faithful Reader seemed misleading to me as I expected it to be a place for Inspirational titles, but most that I looked at were Historical Romances.

I would have to say that for myself, I'd be most likely to use the Reading Group Guides both for book clubs and for booksellers and librarians. I'm just a book club kinda gal.

Looking at the Biography Resource Center, I decided to check out a new writer I'm reading: Dorothea Benton Frank whose novels are set in South Carolina's lowcountry; a place my sister has visited on many vacations. Having grown up along the east coast "shore," I enjoy the descriptions of the beaches and the homes and lives lives along the water. Something that surprised me about this author is that she was "A one-time fashion buyer who traveled the globe in search of haute couture."

A Major Dose of Reality!

2009-09-12T13:51:00.005-06:00

I have decided to work on my webolution as a means of trying to ignore what is happening in my home.....

After a wonderful vacation, I am now dealing with a flooded kitchen and living room. The carpet is torn up, 3 industrial fans are going ALL WEEKEND, baseboards have been removed and holes drilled into the wall in hopes of drying it out, the refrigerator is in the middle of the kitchen and the entertainment center is in the middle of the family room. Water is still seeping out from under the tile and has finally dried where it seeped through our foundation and down the driveway. I am waiting to hear back from someone who MAY be able to disassemble and remove our wood burning stove under which there is sopping wet carpet no one can yet get to, and STILL have not had anyone from the insurance company come out to look at the damage.

Mark is away so it was I who shopvacced all the water up before anyone came and used my steam cleaner to mop up as much as I could from the carpeting. Why do these things seem to happen when he's gone?

The upside is, I could have been gone with him and then it would have been 3 DAYS instead of overnight that the water ran.

I am no longer a happy camper.

Anyone for Coldstone Creamery???

EBSCO: I use it all the time! #10 Completed

2009-09-12T13:42:00.004-06:00

Health conscious friends have been telling me I need a Vita-Mix blender after I just bought a WalMart cheap one a few months ago and have already had one broken part. Consequently, I thought this a grand opportunity to check out Consumer Reports on Blenders. While Vita-Mix had the highest rating at 85%, there was a Braun blender that was touted as the "best buy." At $400+, the jury's still out as to whether or not I'll be a Vita-Mix groupie.

Checked on Samuel Clemens after looking at the Book Lush's photo (which reminded me of SC). Interestingly enough, nothing came up under Clemens, Samuel but only when I changed to Mark Twain. Found some fun tidbits: (Penny might know this) He got his pilot's license in 1859. Was also challenged to a duel by a rival newspaper man and escaped to San Francisco rather than illegally participating in the duel.

There were 12 Biographies, and 246 Magazine and News articles on Mark Twain.

Weebly Wobbles (but it don't fall down)! #9

2009-09-12T13:10:00.005-06:00

Okay, I'm sharing this one with reluctance. Had no idea what to do with a website; have no use for one at this point. But I played around and had some fun with it. I started with Google since I already had an account, but decided I liked the templates at Weebly better (besides I don't want Google to think they've got a monopoly going).

And, yes, I know my grammar isn't correct in the title. Some of us will get the reference and understand!

Creative Commons is Cool! #8 Completed

2009-08-26T09:52:00.005-06:00

Wow! This is a terrific site. Great for library workers-no risk of copyright infringement. I'm likin' this a lot!

I wasn't very creative in my searches, but tried Google images and Flickr looking for photos of flowers and beaches. Then tried Blip.TV with the generic search of Music Videos and got interrupted. Searched jamendo for "light rock" and came up with an interesting variety. I liked Kaliedoscope's "Strange Lights" which was classified as: pop folk strange spiritual lights!

Put in audio books and was pleased to see a reference to LibriVox a site with 1,500 public domain titles that I was introduced to while studying. I can see this being a valuable site to know and will have to play with it a bit more to get comfortable using it.

Readers Rock! #7 Completed

2009-08-26T09:29:00.004-06:00

I'd already explored LibraryThing and Shelfari for school, so was pretty familiar with them. Had also used LitLovers when looking for discussion questions for Kiva book club, but hadn't taken a close look at it until now. Goodreads and AllReaders were both new to me. These strike me as "fun" sites to keep track of my reading (and that of others) when I have extra time but not something I'm likely to keep up with.

LitLovers appeals most to me. I like the LitCourses they offer,the reading guides, discussion tips (how to lead a book club), and the book club menus! We've often prepared foods that mirror what we're reading in my personal book club, so this is a helpful resource. This is a site I'll really use both professionally and personally.

I'd like to see something like Boulder's GoodReads page accompany our own blog and yes, I would be willing to contribute!

Libraries are for Users! #6 Completed

2009-08-26T08:18:00.005-06:00

Without them, we're out of business!

I found the "sure signs that you work in a public library" on the Ohio site to be spot on. Information from the 2008 Digital Future Project Report was not surprising, but rather provided confirmation of what we already know: patrons use computers and many come to the library to use computers/stay connected with their communities (family, friends, business)!

They also mentioned that: "Public libraries have been known to offer toys, tools, or art for circulation..." I have heard of libraries loaning cake pans. What if we loaned some of the board games we have?

I find that it's both easy and difficult giving patrons what they want. Easy if they TELL you (which they often do!), but often they just kind of "expect" the library to come up with events and programs. It's then a challenge to find the right day/time combination that will get them to attend!

I found these to be a great place to "review" how best to serve our patrons and how to listen to what they want.

I liked that the orientation started with talking about the library's mission and its overall importance to everything the library does and is. MCPLD has been very aware of this while working on our strategic plan, but I think every library needs to keep that at the forefront of all they are doing in their communities. I took my title from the "users" section which so very much reminds us that without our library users we have no purpose.

Customer Service 123 did a good job of defining the customer and what they want. Both sites also mentioned the statistics of "happy" vs "disappointed" customers and how devastating it can be to libraries who have unhappy patrons.

These are helpful sites to review!

Spontaneity: a video

2009-08-22T11:01:00.006-06:00

Listening to Sue Hanson yesterday brought this to mind.

I came across this video a few weeks ago and while the action is not spontaneous, it APPEARS so to those who "experience" it. I thought it a good example of "having fun." Watch people's reactions...I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (I couldn't get the video to download onto my blog, but hopefully the link will work!)

Libraries are for Users! #6 Completed!

2009-08-20T12:40:00.003-06:00

OPAC Holds #5 Completed

2009-08-17T14:17:00.003-06:00

I tried both methods from home although I hadn't used the Book Bag method for holds before. With practice, I imagine that would be just as easy to use. If you normally pick up all your materials at one location, I feel the first option is fine. Did not know about the "View" and "Public Display" option that Betsey mentioned and had fun playing around with that too.

Let's face it-like it or not, Facebook is BIG! #4 Completed

2009-08-15T14:57:00.006-06:00

Explored Coca Cola and while I like a nice cold bottle (or can) of coke, I'm not likely to visit their site again; a waste of time if ever there was one. I have checked out CAL, ALA and PLA and found good information there (voted on the pins for next year's Summer Library Program). I do think it's important to know about Facebook, My Space and LinkedIn since so many of our patrons use these networks; they expect us to have some familiarity with them.

I also see the value in connecting with family and friends, sharing photos and whatnot, but cannot see having friends numbering in the hundreds....too much chattering for me. Nice to keep in touch with friends out of the state and in other countries (though China is now blocking Facebook).

A Treasure Trove! #3 Completed@100%

2009-08-15T14:49:00.003-06:00

Fairly easy to find all the information, however I thought it might be appropriate for the book store hours to be listed under "For Readers" too. I was embarrassed that I didn't know we were now offering IM Chat with Meebo, but glad to see it.

Pandora and Last FM #2 Completed

2009-08-15T14:26:00.004-06:00

Pandora I've known about for a long time and have several playlists. I like the variety of their choices and the layout of their page. I'm also a big Greek Mythology fan, so find the name very appropriate.

I'd not heard of Last FM, so had fun playing around here. Did find some glitches. I typed in Accapella and while it did come up with a group by that name, it was not acknowledged as a type of music. I was impressed that it did find Kitaro and from there found other musicians/groups (such as Karunesh) of whom I was unaware. I particularly liked Zen Breakfast. If you like Celtic music, check out Medwyn Goodall.

And the beat goes on...#1 Completed

2009-08-13T16:17:00.005-06:00

Nice to be blogging again! It was interesting trying to guess who everyone was. Here's to more technological exploring with Webolution 3.0!

P.S. Can anyone name the artist associated with the title above?

My Champion Racin' Man!

2008-05-01T15:54:00.012-06:00

Not that I think anyone's still reading these, but I wanted to show off my husband's new website. Check it out! He won his class for the 2007 season, and fulfilled a dream of his this year when he raced the MINT 400 finishing second in his class!

Sorry to see it end!

2007-09-18T20:21:00.000-06:00

As I contemplate the end of the Webolution, my first thought was: Wow, this has been a terrific way to learn; not only about Web 2.0 (which has been very enlightening) but also about one another. We have incredibly literate, talented, amusing (too many positive adjectives to continue on here) staff at this library! I have looked forward to other's postings and will miss wondering "what's next" from them and the projects Nancy put together for us.

Favorite discoveries: Inserting pictures, hyperlinks, sound and video clips.
Most practical: Wikis and Del.icio.us which I use almost daily in ATS and my RSS feeds which I consult usually on a weekly basis (lots of good information for school there too!)
Disliked/Struggled with: Downloadable Audio books-I am hoping to spend my Best Buy GC on a MP3 player similar to the ones we practiced with (in ATS) so that I can confidently and honestly explain the process to patrons who are as confused as I have been.

Perseverance Pays (w/Podcast)!

2007-09-18T20:08:00.000-06:00

I did it!!!!

After discovering that the reason I had so much trouble was because the particular podcast I wanted was no longer viable, it was much easier. Therefore, let me apologize profusely to those other bloggers on whose sites I made impassioned pleas for help (you know who you are!).

I won't,however, share with you what I decided to download as it is for my spiritual betterment and probably of no interest to anyone else!

I will be using this service again. So much to explore!

...and SNAP! The job's a game....

2007-08-14T18:35:00.000-06:00

Tasks #20 & #21

In ev'ry job that must be done
There is an element of fun
you find the fun and snap!
The job's a game
from: A Spoonful of Sugar (Mary Poppins)

This is what downloadable books do for me; I usually listen as I'm weeding or cleaning house!

Okay, Nancy knows I've already traveled down this road a couple of months ago. I was testing out one of the ATS MP3 players and downloaded Ill Wind by Nevada Barr and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. Managed to listen to both of them (mainly while gardening), but had a time of it getting them downloaded and then finding them on the itty bitty MP3 player (I evidently downloaded them into a music file!).

I tried each of the Overdrive tutorials tonight, but (Phyllis is my witness) none of the three would come up! It said they were done loading, but there was a blank screen. I have looked at the FAQs and am vaguely familiar with the compatible devices (my iPod, of course, is NOT one of them!).

Haven't yet tried burning to a CD....and am not sure I will!

MySpace and YouTube

2007-07-21T11:11:00.001-06:00

Task #19

Wow, did I ever have fun with this assignment!

I did notice that several libraries used these sites to do virtual tours or to focus on particular activities they were promoting. Good idea to get "out there" where people are searching!

There were so many videos I would like to share with you! But the winner was.....Mac

In case you're interested, these are the "runners' up:"

YouTube:
Library Blonde

Metacafe:
Fake Toyota

MySpace:
Tattered Cover virtual tour of the Lodo store (one of the two locations where I worked)

Hope you enjoy these as much as I did! I can't wait to see what everyone else finds out there!

Celebrating 100 years of AL

2007-06-30T11:39:00.000-06:00

Found this while reading one of my blogs, and thought you might enjoy it. Be sure to click on it to start it playing. :)

Wandering through Wikis

2007-06-27T09:39:00.000-06:00

Tasks #17 & #18

Looking at all the Wiki links (sounds kind of Hawaiian if you say it fast!) that Nancy provided and navigating our ATS Wiki, I can certainly see the benefits to us here. I found Library Success interesting. Looked at "Reading Group Guides" which had a good list of current titles and "Leading Book Groups" under Reader's Advisory but there wasn't much there. A good place to ADD more information!

Having said that, however, I can't see much use for it on a personal level. When I thought about what on earth I should add (to the wiki) to demonstrate my perusal and consequent understanding of Wikis, I fell back on "liberry stuff."

I'm looking forward to what you "creative types" come up with!

"O teach me how I should forget to think"

2007-06-19T20:31:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately I don't need to learn this!! I can do it quite well on my own thank you very much.

Know the source of the above quote? Be the first to reply and you'll receive a robust round of applause!

If you haven't checked out my link (at right) to the Shakespearean Insult Generator, you're really missing out!

Library 2.0

2007-06-05T18:47:00.000-06:00

This comes from the April 15th Library Journal. Be sure to turn your speakers up as the words to the music reinforce the messages on the screen. Credit is given in the final slide.

Tasks #14, #15, #16

2007-06-05T13:09:00.000-06:00

What a good way to introduce us to new databases! I found an interesting video on "When is a Headache a Migraine?" which detailed the characteristics of a migraine, possible triggers and medicines that may help.

The articles I found in the Colorado Historic Newspaper Collection from the Plateau Voice were FUN! I typed in the keyword "library" (so original) and found two interesting articles:

October 29, 1915
Titled "Our Library," this article discussed the need for more books! The gist of it was if money can be raised for ball teams and such, it shouldn't be difficult to have a fund raiser for the library (some things never change)!!!

May 16, 1924
Titled "Vaudeville Show for Library Benefit," was a hoot! Detailed each of the seven "acts" and mentioned that at the hefty price of .50 each, the house was nearly full and the library would be able to purchase quite a few fiction titles with the proceeds.

I'm wondering if I might include the link to the EBSCO Host tutorial in an email to my classmates (learning to use databases for class)?

Beyond the Conference...

2007-05-29T18:05:00.000-06:00

Tasks #11 & #12

While I was already familiar with most of these sites (they're on our staff web page after all!), I discovered a few things that were personally interesting. I had already blogged about WebJunction (on another site) and how terrific it is (I like all the Spanish resources that are available), but found a few other "tidbits" I could see using sometime in the future.

ALA helped me find the MLS program best suited for me!
The PLA Blog had "Internet Safety Bookmarks" for Teens,
CAL's Interest groups look like a good place to explore (especially Adult Services and Readers' Advisory)
CliC's tutorials and blog have some practical information, and
Colorado State Library surprised me by listing Mesa County Public Libraries as "Metro-Plus" size!

Conferences are great to experience, but our access to them will always be limited. Sites such as these are easy and inexpensive ways to supplement our professional development!

TWO in a Row!!!!

2007-05-22T20:21:00.000-06:00

Okay,
This doesn't have a thing to do with our assignments, but wanted to let everyone know (if you couldn't already guess who writes this) that Mark won racing Tortuga in Caliente, NV last weekend. Not only is this two in a row, but he now leads the points race for his class, which means he's seriously considering another race at the end of next month. Guess we'll have to get serious about finding a permanent co-driver (not me) and some sponsorship!

You're "it!"

2007-05-16T15:38:00.000-06:00

Task #9 and #10: Tagging

I found the Del.icio.us tutorial easy to follow and use. Sharon Morris had loads of interesting sites. I spent some time (at home) looking over what she had and even added one of her interests to my own list. Though my list is limited, it certainly highlights several areas close to my heart!

Technology for Country Folk

2007-05-14T11:11:00.000-06:00

While this is probably appropriate for the entire staff, I thought it MOST appropriate for those of us (struggling?) taking on the Webolution challenge. Got a favorite???
It's been pointed out, that this link is not working! SO....I'll try including the URL which you can copy and paste into your browser. Sorry, 'bout that, it worked fine the first time I did it! Check it out and let me know if you have a favorite definition!

http://carcino.gen.nz/images/index.php/4745ed0f/5e36c194

Showdown!

2007-05-14T09:13:00.000-06:00

And it's Liberry Lady vs. Flickr....
Liberry Lady is losing steam as Flickr continues to confound.
But wait! With the help of Wonder Woman Librarian, Library (Cook) Cop, and Ego Genome Man (How many library workers does it take to post a picture?) it looks like Flickr is out numbered. A picture has been found, saved and correctly added to the "About Me" section and once again the power of The Public Library has triumphed.

RSS feeds via Bloglines

2007-05-11T14:13:00.000-06:00

Tasks #7 & #8

Every time I think I'm getting a grip on new technology, I stumble up against something that makes me humble again. In this case, I figured I'd just make a screen shot of my RSS feeds and paste it into this blog. Sounds simple, and I've done screen shots before, but for some reason now I'm missing something. (What, you make ask? Who knows...if YOU do, please let me in on it!)

So instead, here's a link that will show you what I'm looking at these days. The censorship sites came in handy when we were developing our new display policy and I like expanding my vocabulary, hence the "word a day." (Yup, I'm a geek, but I'm okay with that.)

And now it appears, that unless I happen to be logged in to my feeds, you won't be able to see them! Always learning something.....

Flickr Photos

2007-05-10T19:32:00.000-06:00

I haven't tried this before and hope it turns out okay. One disadvantage I'm finding with this technology so far is that each site requires you to "sign up" with them. I had hoped that having a Gmail account would be sufficient for Flickr, but had to set up through Yahoo. I now have two blog sites, email for home, work, and school, AND a Flickr account. Too much to keep track of!

Florida vacation, Racing in Baja, Mr. Spock and Miss Jewel

Tasks #5 & #6

NetLibrary II

2007-05-10T09:48:00.000-06:00

Hey,
Life is good! (Do I need to put some kind of copyright acknowledgment here?) The problems I had with NetLibrary had nothing to do with ME, but with my computer! When the computer guru's did their magical techno thing, all was well with my world and I successfully downloaded and can listen to my book! Try it....if I can do it, you can too!

Webolution blogging

2007-05-09T10:49:00.000-06:00

Tasks #3 & #4

I'm excited at the prospect of learning 23 things at MCPLD. I've read quite a bit about it for one of my MLS classes and am looking forward to integrating what I've learned into our library operations here. Thanks, Nancy, for setting this up and getting us all going on this important Library 2.0 technology!

Super Librarian Comic Book and Video!

2007-05-07T10:29:00.000-06:00

There's a new Super Hero(ine?) that is a force to be reckoned with....

Forget Superman! Forget Spiderman! Here comes Super Librarian!!

Spiderman may be in the movie theaters this weekend, but Super Librarian has been and will be here long after "Spidey" has dropped out of sight.

Take a look at this "Super Librarian" video!

NetLibrary

2007-04-24T18:41:00.000-06:00

Downloading audio books...
How many of you have done this already? I was all set to try it out today when I came in to find an MP3 player at my desk with a note that I'd been chosen as one of the people to test them on our downloadable databases. I conscientiously followed the directions both for downloading the software included with the MP3 player AND downloading the book but although it IS now checked out to me I can't seem to find the file to put it onto the MP3 player! And I wonder why our patrons are frustrated with the system!!! Guess I'll try again tomorrow...
:)

"Cars" a smashing success!

2007-04-20T15:26:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all of you who showed up for our viewing of Disney's "Cars" last night. About 75 came with blankets and others in their favorite PJs (many sporting their favorite "Cars" characters) and all ready to have some fun. If you missed out, keep any eye out here for our next movie.... Hope to see you then!

National Library Week!

2007-04-17T18:44:00.000-06:00

Join us at Texcolla Public Library for National Library Week!

We're celebrating our Patrons, Library Staff and the Library all week with displays, book talks, puppet shows, programs, prizes and refreshments!

Have your picture taken with Clifford the Big Red Dog or the Little Critter! They will be here from 2-4 in the Children's center for story time featuring our Spellbinders.

For a look at Little Critter in action, check out this video.

Teens join our active group for a lively discussion about their library wiki, blog and MySpace accounts. Don't miss our special Gaming night on Tuesdays from 7-9 in the Computer Lab (reserved just for Teens)!

Hourly drawings for new books, Texcolla book bags and mugs, Bookstore Gift Cards and MP3 players!

Book talks and other Exciting Programs:
Tuesday, April 16 12-1:00 pm Marley and Me John Grogan
Wednesday, April 17 3:30-4:30 pm What's New in Graphic Novels?
Thursday, April 18 7-9:00 pm Family Movie Night featuring: Disney's Cars
Friday, April 19 9-10:00 am Social Networking Class (in the Computer Lab)

Hope to see you this week at TPL: The People's Library!