# 24 So, where's the chocolate frog?

I finished thing #23 this morning - I've been waiting here patiently for my reward all day....

#23 Is this really the end? Or just the beginning ...

"And now, the end is near...."

I was already familiar with some of the technologies / tools we visited on this program, but not with others. some, indeed, like YouTube, I had a prejudice (warranted?) against.

So being given the time and so to speak "instructed" to look at these things was very valuable.

I have new knowledge of useful tools like Zoho Writer which I can recommend to library users wanting an online wordprocesser, I have a familiarity with Wikis and blogs, which I see as having great potential for use as procedure manual / awareness tools withing the library.

I've had a lot of fun with image generators, and, yes, even looking at YouTube.

There were some exercises I enjoyed less than others - I can live without Rollyo! - but most I found interesting and well presented.

I've also enjoyed the conversations and unofficial mentoring that has happened with other colleagues doing the program - a brief chat on the desk about one exercise or another, and the handing on of tips and hints.

If the program were extended or added to in the future, I'd put my hand up to participate.

So here's Frank....

and if you're interested in the Sid Vicious version, I won't embed it, but here's a link

#22 Audiobooks (or "The end is in sight ")

Obviously audio books are important for people with an inability to read print for one reason or another, but I've never been particularly keen on them for "recreational" use myself.
I had a look at the WorldeBookFair.com - but there wasn't much available of interest for free it seemed. I had a listen to a couple of things - human voiced - can't stand those computer generated voices!

#21 Podcasts, Smodcasts!

I have to admit I didn't know there were such things as podcast directories - so that's something I've learned today.
I searched podcast.net, podcastalley.com (the Secret Library Workers Union looked interesting) and Yahoo podcasts (listened to LibVibe: the library news podcast - (Vancouver province library workers on strike!) .
I found a number of library related podcasts, as well as other things of interest - I noted quite a number of "learning a language" podcasts - a great resource.
I added a feed- Radio Book lounge to my Bloglines account.
There are obviously library uses for podcasts - some of the speakers at the Family History Feast held at SLV just this month can be heard here.

#20 You too can YouTube

We all know YouTube is for YOUNG peple, right? And it's full of supposedly humorous US beer commercials and music videos? Well, mostly it is, but there is some serious stuff in there too, the 2007 libray unconference for example.
I can see it would be a useful tool to have on a library front page to present "bites" of library events and presentations, and I'll think a bit more about that when I finish watching classic clips from Eastenders and Coronation Street.......
But here's a little light entertainment for a Friday afternoon:

#19 Discovering Web 2.0 tools

Just for a change, I had a look at the nominees in the Photos and Digital Images section of the Web 2.0 Awards - I chose Picnik to play with - and I love it! It seems more intuitive than the Corel image software I use at home - I found my way around it easily, and happily manipulated a few images. Useful in the library? Not really I suppose.
I have also to confess to spending a bit of time at Etsy.....again, no library relevance whatsoever!

#18 Web-based Apps: They're not just for desktops

I created a Zoho Writer account for myself - and it works!
I managed to do some work on the ref. desk, save it, and open it up at my own desk later - just what I needed.
I have suggested this site to users before when they have inquired about word processing on library PCs, but now I've tried it myself I can feel a little more confident in recommending it.
I'm planning to try out some of the other Zoho tools, and look at Google tools as well.

#17 Playing around with PBWiki

I enjoyed the PBWiki tour and tips - will be going back for another look when I have a little more time.
I added my blog to the favourite blog list, and added entires to the favourite movie and favourite website pages.

#16 So what’s in a wiki?

I'm reasonably familiar with wikis, but it was still interesting to look at some of the library wikis around. The idea of using a wiki in a desk-manual / ready reference / trouble shooting role has been raised a few times at SLV.
I liked the University of Connecticut Libraries' Staff Wiki as an example of this kind of use.
There are lots of useful pages, the usual hardware / software guides, troubleshooting etc - and I liked the idea of using the wiki to track roster swaps as well.

#15 On Library 2.0 & Web 2.0 ...

I read these perspectives on Web 2.0 / Library 2.0 with interest. John Riemer's article To better bibliographic services gave a good overview of this aspect of Library 2.0, and I enjoyed Wendy Schultz' To a temporary place in time. Library 4.0 sounded appealing - at least the "WiFREE space, a retreat from technohustle, with comfortable chairs, quiet, good light..." did - nostalgia creeping in there....



I've attended a couple of SLV 2.0 workshops recently, which gave staff the oportunity to hear about dvelopments and raise issues. Presentations can be see here

#14 Getting not-so-technical with Technorati

So many blogs....so many tags...so little time.....

I dida keyword search for “Learning 2.0” in Blog posts-

6,805 results for "library 2.0"

in tags -
this produced like results, BUT grouped them by format - i.e. posts / blogs / videos / photos

and in the Blog Directory-

356 blogs about library 2.0

The blog directory search seemed the most useful, I found a number of relevant and authoritative sources heading the list

It is interesting that one of the top "favorited" blogs is:

1. Make Money Online - ProBlogger Blog Tips

   2,028 members have made this a Favorite

Triumph of hope over experience perhaps, or.....

Statcounter......

Just for fun, I have added a page counter from this site....just waiting to see how many visitors I get from exotic locations...ha!
I've made the stats open for all to see
Update:
AND ONLY A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER I'VE HAD A VISITOR FROM THE US! - WHY ON EARTH, I WONDER.....

#13 Del.icio.us (Barbie dress crocheted from old cassette tapes)

I've played around with del.icio.us in the past - found some interesting stuff, and some somewhat weird stuff like this
The idea of transportable bookmarks appealed to me in principle - I'm a hoarder of bookmarks as I am of many many other things - so I did set up a del.icio.us account.
I rarely use it to access my bookmarks though, usually just falling back on Google.

#12 Roll your own search engine with Rollyo

Been there. Done that. Rolled my own.
My ROLLYO searchbar is at the top of my blog - I created a fairly limited searchroll titled Buy it now! - you can search it through the searchbar.
I had a look at a few of the suggested searchrolls, spent a bit of time exploring here
and added a few searchrolls to my Rollyo just to see how that worked.
I'm probably lacking in imagination, but I can't really see a practical use for it for me at the moment.

#11 challenging LibraryThing & WINNING!

I've looked at LibraryThing before, but hadn't created an account until now.
It's a neat site, but I have more books than I will ever READ in my allotted three score years and ten, let alone having time to catalogue them.
So I decided to take LibraryThing on, to bring it to its knees, to make it beg for mercy.... well, actually, I decided to add 5 books from my bookshelves THAT NOBODY ELSE HAD EVER PUT ON LIBRARYTHING - and I did it. Easily. Admittedly the books were from the most inaccessible and least visited bookcase in the house, but still....
My catalogue is here....

#10 Play around with Image Generators

OK, now I COULD do this for hours...

LetterJames was fun, if rather limited....


My Simpsons avatar was too frightening to reveal to an unsuspecting world, so I'll spare you that....









The Disease Generator diagnosed me with this....
Pretty much spot on, actually.

DYSPHORIC ANTISOCIAL SPEAKING DYSFUNCTION (DASD)

is defined as the presence of sub-euphoric mental symptoms compromised by an unhealthy urge to avoid being near human beings during verbal expression.

Source: Page 187 of the DSM-IV-FE

and nice to see the Catalogue Card Generator which I had already discovered elsewhere....

#9 Finding Feeds

It is relatively painless to search for feeds on Bloglines using the "search for feeds" or "Search for posts" options - so I have tended to stick with that.
Feedster looks easy enough to use (that green screen is a bit off putting though) - I did a few searches, but didn't turn up anything startling I hadn't found on Bloglines, and the sponsored links at the top and bottom of the results list are somewhat annoying. The ability to search by format, e.g. to search for podcasts or news feeds could be useful.

I hadn't realized Ebsco had the cabapility to provide RSS feeds - for individual searches as well as publications - " You will be able to create an Alert directly from the Result List, Search History, or the Publication list. Create instant RSS feed Alerts by clicking on the orange RSS Feed icons." - tried it, and it works!

# 8 Make life "really simple" with RSS & a newsreader

I've had a Bloglines account since late last year, so I'm reasonably familiar with it.
I've added some AID Learning 2.0 participants blogs lately, and also a couple more libray related feeds.
For what it's worth, the URL address to my public bloglines account is here

#7 blog about technology....

Blog about anything technology related that interests me this week...

I heard Helene Blowers speak on Monday - for those who didn't, her blog has slides of her presentation, so there's no point in me rehashing it here.
I also found the presentation on the Darebin Historical Encyclopedia fascinating - so much work involved, but what a great resource for users and staff.
I have to say, the Second Life (join here if you like!) item, while well and enthusiastically presented, did not inspire me at all. I guess I'm just not a flying avatar type of person (I don't think much of Harry Potter either...)

On a more personal note, my readers may be surprised to discover that I have a "slight" ebay addiction... so AuctionCloud looks like a site where I might spend a little of own, non-work time.






#6 more flickr

Had a look at some flickr mashups and tools.
Retrievr [http://labs.systemone.at/retrievr/] amused me for a few minutes - it seems to pick images on colour though, rather than by shape.
Mappr and Montagr look vaguely interesting.
Looked at Fd's Flickr Toys - not much I'd want to use there, but I did create a trading card just for fun

#5 flickr

I've had a bit of a play with flickr - I'm not a photographer, so don't want to create my own account, but I've done various searches to see what's out there. Frankly, I think there's TOO MUCH! Some good images, but a lot of junk as well.
This appealed to me though -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kensingtonvictoria/543150579
They don't look like this when I get on them......

A hipper crowd of shushers.....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/fashion/08librarian.html?ex=1341460800&en=e47a5b7e5c4ae125&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Well, blog created...or is it?