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