Some Delicious discoveries

In exploring Del.icio.us, I found it to be a most useful bookmarking tool. It allows you to view how others have bookmarked similar web pages. It also allows you to search for web pages you want by using several tags. I found several useful tutorials for Microsoft Powerpoint online. One very useful website I found using Delicious is http://inpics.net/word03.html Here you can find free tutorials for Microsoft Access, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and much more. A great resource if you need to brush up on some skills or would like to learn a new program. Happy exploring everyone!

Pod cast gems

In exploring PodCast Alley, I discovered the cutest travel podcast. It is called SchleppCast, and it details the adventures of a teddy bear who gets into quite a few travel adventures. The description is as follows:

"Childrens tales of a world-roving Teddy bear from Seal Rock, Oregon who was sent to New Mexico and now travels the globe working for the UN and the IAEA plus the occasional vacation to cool places. Follow his adventures as he travels the world over to keep the bad guys from getting the big, bad bomb."

http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=13283

The companion website is:
http://www.travelschlepp.com/

I think its' a great way to get kids interested in geography and in learning about other cultures.

Have a great week everyone!

PBCLS Wiki

It is amazing how many people have posted their input into the PBCLS Wiki. I did add the URL to my blog to the Wiki. The video tutorials presented on the PBCLS Wike were very helpdul. Also, I see that I'm not the only one who loves Mel Brooks movies. They say anytime you laugh, it makes you healthier and happier. So let's here it for comic relief!

Some final thoughts for this project

Well, it has been a fascinating and fun ride through the 23 Things Project. It has provided me with many new tools for future use in library outreach. I even saw new facets of the sites and techonologies I thought I knew. It is difficult to pick a favorite part of this project. I sincerely hope that similar programs are offered here in Palm Beach County Library System. What a wonderful way to discover the tools out there for us to use. I hope everyone continues to explore these possibilites, and have fun!

Digital Media discoveries

Even though I was unable to download the program to listen to any of these audiobooks, the selection of new and popular authors was quite extensive. In addition, there were many classic titles available. Since I tend towards historical fiction, some of the neat titles I found were:
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. The following is the description taken from the digital media website:
DescriptionFrom the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March, this is the journey of a rare illuminated manuscript through centuries of exile and war.

In 1996, Hanna Heath, an Australian rare-book expert, is offered the job of a lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued from Serb shelling during the Bosnian war. Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with images. When Hanna, a caustic loner with a passion for her work, discovers a series of tiny artifacts in its ancient binding—an insect-wing fragment, wine stains, salt crystals, a white hair—she begins to unlock the book’s mysteries. The listener is ushered into an exquisitely detailed and atmospheric past, tracing the book’s journey from its salvation back to its creation.

Inspired by a true story, People of the Book is a novel of both sweeping historical grandeur and intimate emotional intensity and is an ambitious, electrifying work by an acclaimed and beloved author.

If you need a lighter read, you may want to check out Janet Evanovich's novels. One of her later novels, Lean Mean Thirteen, is available online. The description provided is as follows:
DescriptionFrom coast to coast and around the world, Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels continue to make bestselling history each summer. Her legions of fans catapult her books to the top of every list, from the New York Times, to USA Today; from the Wall Street Journal, to Entertainment Weekly, and Publishers Weekly. In the thirteenth book in the series, the stakes are raised even higher as Stephanie Plum finds herself in her most dangerous, hilarious and hottest chase yet. With her lovably offbeat family along for the ride (as well as a few new faces), there's no doubt that the Stephanie Plum novels put the "fun" in dysfunctional, and it's clear to see why they're called "Hot Stuff" by the New York Times and why Evanovich herself is called "the master."

Happy reading everyone!

Discoveries from YouTube

There are a number of sites that offer video clips and the possiblity to share them with others. The most famous, of course, is YouTube. You can find videos on a myriad of topics, from the artistic to the truly odd. I was in more in the artisitic mood today, and found two very relaxing videos to share with you (not too long I promise). One is a video of a harp player in the Barrio Gotico in Barcelona. If you need a mini-vacation/stress relief, this is a good start:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drnu45t4xh0

In addition, there is a video of the Day of San Jordi, where all of the sidewalks of the main throughfares in the city are lined with stalls of booksellers and flower arrangers. It is tradition that on that day you present your loved ones with a rose and a book. Although the narration is in Spanish, it is still pretty neat to view:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpSBRT07WV4

Flowers and books...what a wonderful combination! Have a wonderful week everyone.

Some Award-winning Websites to discover

I have been exploring some new websites and tools, and have come across a few that particularly caught my attention. One is called Mangolanguages, which allows you to listen to learn languages by listening to native speakers. Since many people come in asking for language instruction books and CDs, this tool seems to be very useful. In learning French, I recall that one of my biggest obstacles was not the grammar but rather acclimating my ear to the new sound of the language. A perfect site to help with that problem! But whatever language you choose, keep exploring! Have a wonderful week.

Zoho Writer- or tools for the person on the go

In exploring Zoho productivity tools, I found that the word processing tool was very user friendly. Most of the common tools you would need are accessible simply by a single left click on a button along the top. Some of the tools such as "Toggle HTML source" may be confusing for users who are beginners in using computers. However, it provides excellent portability for users who need to write papers and other longer documents and do not have a computer at home. I will definitely be sharing this resource with patrons. One option that I find very useful, especially for students, is that there is a clearly visible button that allows you to enter end notes. You can also send the document out in various formats, should you so choose. Check it out at the following link:
www.zohowriter.com

Why Wikis are Wonderful

Wikis allow users to include comments and links to helpful websites, and even links to other people's blogs. In one of the blogs that was a link from the ALA conference wiki, I found an article that supports my previous point in my own blog. In discussing an article from Wired magazine from April of this year, the blogger writes the following as part of his summary of the article:
" ...the human touch is still needed, if not necessary, to understand and location information that now exists." With the possibility of online chats with librarians, and the availability of wiki resources, this is getting easier to incorporate with new technology."

Some gems that I found in exploring the wiki resources:

http://www.libraryinstruction.com/ This site asks for people to contribute articles and lesson plans on how to teach patrons about using the library and has a myriad of articles for different grade levels on the same topics. If you have many younger patrons, this is definitely a site to check out.

http://library.nsuok.edu/tutorials/orie1001/orie1001_12google.html A good resource for a google.com tutorial.

http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/instruction/tutorials/
A great tutorial for doing research. This tutorial is appropriate for students of any age, and leads you through the research process using concrete examples. It also has an ask a librarian feature so that you can chat with someone if you need additional help.

Web 2.0 and libraries

In reading about the various perspectives regarding Web 2.0, I would say that I am most in agreement with Chip Nilges. In his article, the main focus was on how this technology could be used to make information more easily accessible to everyone. He also emphasizes encouraging patrons to add their own knowledge, expertise, and perspectives to enrich the library experience for all. The new tools available have opened up amazing new possibilities. Yet we must also not forget the digital divide that does unfortunately exist in our society. We must focus on making all of these tools and services as user friendly as possible. By providing more classes and training we can assist is closing that divide. Above all, whether referring to "Library 2.0" or "Library 1.0"-(see Wendy Schults's article: "To a temporary place in time..." located at the following link: http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/6.htm)- inclusion, warmth, and knowledge should blend together to welcome each patron.

Searching the blogosphere: Technorati

I was amazed to find how may people found our online mousing tutorial useful. Both the english language version and the spanish language version were included as links on many blogs. In addition, many people ssemed to like the links we featured on our website for Groundhog Day. I was not aware so many people were even aware of hwat day it was on, and had enough interest to include it in thier blogs. It is fascinationg to discover so many people's perpectives.

In exploring the search feature further, I discovered a blog about making libraries more user friendly for seniors. It offered valuable recommendations for outreach and programing ideas. If interested, you can find this blog at:

http://seniorfriendlylibraries.blogspot.com/

Remember, life is an adventure...so enjoy the journey!

RSS Feeds- Bringing the world to your screen

In this age of every evolving technology, new ways are found to get information to you quicker and in easy to access formats. The RSS feed is one such methodolgy utilized by such sites as CNN.com, and bbc.co.uk. At the BBC, you can choose between a regular text, graphics RSS feed and a video RSS feed. They even have it broken down by category so that you can choose the area(s) you wish to view. If you want to prove that you are the most dedicated sports fan-you can always visit the Marlins website and get up to date details on upcoming games and events. Check out your favorite websites for the orange RSS symbol. Have fun out there everyone!

Finding the wonderful and whimisical

If you want to brighten your blog with some neat graphic, or maybe create your own coat of arms, there are some really neat tools that you can use. One utility that I look forward to examining in more detail is the Captioner utility provided at the following link: http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/captioner.php This gives a perfect way to capture the spirit of the moment the picture was taken or too add some comic relief.

If you are into heraldry, you will want to check out the following link:
http://www.makeyourcoatofarms.com/ I found this link on a The Generator Blog located at http://generatorblog.blogspot.com/ There are many other fantastic links on the page...so...check it out!

The magic of music

At the moment, I would like to learn about how to convert my old records into a format that I may listen to. I have this wonderful collection of the 9 symphonies by Ludwig von Beethoven, and would like to get these converted into CD format. I am also doing research into what MP3 player will give the best quality for the price. Of all the audio formats that are out there, it seems that this format takes up less space (according to smartcomputing.com, 1/12 the space of its' "Original CD form"), and is much easier to work with. After all, through life is an adventure...and needs a good soundtrack. Just some random thoughts for the day.

Source quoted: http://www.smartcomputing.com/Editorial/daily/dailycontent.asp?guid=48E7947DACB646E5B8CE4E5A67E78B71&did=2900612

Parc Guell, Barcelona, Spain

Parc Guell, Barcelona, Spain
Originally uploaded by jared

Barcelona is a city where the modern and the historical blend together in a beautiful symphony. Here is a wonderful panoramic view of the city from the Parc Guell. It was designed by Antonio Gaudi in 1889.

This beautiful image is courtesy of the following:
http://www.flickr.com/blog.gne

Blogging and libraries- a wonderful outreach oppprtunity

Creating a blog for a library gives the staff a perfect opportunity to reach out to the community. Staff can present information on upcoming programs, links to additional information that they have found useful in their tasks. It also allows the staff to present this information in a slightly less formal setting. It also allows feedback from the patrons, and provides many opportunities for the exchange of ideas.

Thoughts on the 7 1/2 Habits

I like the idea that it is never too late to learn new skills. In the hands-on mousing class we offer here at West Atlantic Library, I had a very nice patron tell me she was 95 and was determined to learn about computers. I feel this was a perfect example of a life long learner. In addition it reminded me to make sure that every day I expand my horizons and learn. The challenge for me will be to determine what tools to use in order for me to achieve the goals that I have set for myself. One of the ideas I find particularly useful is the idea of the learning contract. This should be an interesting journey.