Thing 23!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really enjoyed the Learn & Play program!  I've learned valuable information on all that Web/Library 2.0 has to offer and how I can apply it to my everyday life.  I especially enjoyed the mash-ups, third-party sites, online productivity tools, and the various sites from the Web 2.0 Awards List. 

Of the 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners, I think I feel a lot better about my ability to acquire new knowledge, especially when it comes to technology!  Since beginning this program, I've become even more of a computer geek!

I think the format and concept of the Learn & Play program is great and so far, I can't think of anything that needs a little tweaking. 

I would love to do this program again!

Digital Media

I use multiple forms of digital media daily, especially music and sometimes TV shows. 

I've also used MOLDI before to download digital books, and the selection isn't bad at all.  However, I am no longer able to download anything due to a problem with Adobe Digital Editions and my laptop.  Grrr!!!  It used to work just fine!  I can't figure out what's wrong!  I've uninstalled it and reinstalled it without any luck.

I haven't downloaded music, movie, or audio books yet.  The music and movie selection is limited, but the audio book selection is pretty good.  I prefer to watch movies on my TV and copy CDs to iTunes.

Anyway, I found the MOLDI site very easy to navigate.  I think it would be useful if there were more detailed troubleshooting information on Adobe Digital Editions.

My first YouTube Video Uploads!

Here they are:

Podcasts

I found several interesting podcasts pertaining to libraries on Podfeed and PodcastAlley, which I added to my Bloglines account.  An interesting one is The Mr. Nice Guy Show.  Check it out!

I also found a podcasts by Mississippi State University, who podcast on a regular basis.  I'm sure there are others, I just haven't found them yet.  It would be interesting learn what they podcast about!

CML could use podcasts to promote new and popular books and other materials as well as various events.  Podcasts could also be used for book, movie, and music reviews.

YouTube

I love YouTube!  I've had an account for about two years or so, and have found it an excellent source for videos of all kinds.  Some of my favorites are the Fred and those Kevin Kurgis spoofs, because they make me laugh.  I also like, for old times sake, Sesame Street, 3-2-1 Contact, and the Electric Company.

Library websites could post videos of library events and TV news stories.  It would also be useful to have videos pertaining to movies and music the library has so that customers can get ideas for items they'd like to check out.

Below are some of my favorite videos:

Splashup

I was flipping through PC Magazine yesterday where I learned about a website called Splashup, an image editing site.  You can edit photos in a web browser like you would using desktop image-editing software.  Although it doesn't have as many options as Photoshop, it's still pretty cool!

Here's a photo I edited with Splashup:

However, when you try to save it, it sometimes locks up.  At least that's what keeps happening to me!  Grr!!  I had to do a screen capture and then I saved it using Paint.

Discovering Web 2.0 tools

I explored several of the Web 2.0 Award winners, and I've already learned about many of the tools throughout my Learn & Play experience.  Others such as Google Maps and Yahoo Answers, I've been using for quite some time now.

One of the sites I really like is yourminis.  There's a widget for just about anything you can think of!

On the right-hand column under "About Me" is a widget I made to count down my trip to Europe this summer.  I check it daily!

I also really like .Docstoc.  You can search for all sorts of documents on many different subjects. 

Last.fm is another great website.  I just learned that "Right now, all over the world…2,274 people are listening to Muse – Starlight". (That's what it said at the top of the page.)  I love that song!

So far, the ones I looked at seem pretty easy to use. 

Web-based apps

Here's a link to my very first Google doc!

Google Docs


Google Docs definitely deserves the 1st place Web 2.0 Award! It's very similar to Word and so easy to use! Because it's a web-based application, you don't have to worry about saving it to a flash drive. All you need is Internet access. However, if the Internet is down or you don't have Internet service, you couldn't access Google Docs. But anyway, I think that using both Word and Google Docs is pretty handy! Just now, I noticed that it automatically saves my work every few minutes or so. That's good, because as often as my server crashes (Okay, so I'm exaggerating!), I need to save my work often!

One difference I noted though, is that Google Docs doesn't underline spelling or grammatical errors like Word does. But if you click on the spell check button, it highlights the error for you.

I also like how easy it is to publish your documents as HTML and save as PDF, RTF, etc.

Inserting pictures is also very easy!

I also tried Zoho, but so far, I still prefer Google...

CML's Tool Box

I'm already familiar with some of the Web 2.0 tools in the tool box, especially Gmail.  I use my gmail account for accounts such as Blogger and Delicious and also for junk mail.  I don't use it very often, so I'm not too familiar with it, but it's pretty easy to use.  I've had my Yahoo account for nearly 10 years now, so I use it more often than Gmail.  However, I get frustrated with it sometimes, because it can be slow!  Like Gmail, Yahoo also has a chat interface with no downloading required.

I had the CML toolbar, but I uninstalled it because it, like many other add-ons, slowed my computer down.  As an alternative, I prefer to keep it simple and use the Favorites tool on IE.  I have links to the CML website and to some of my other favorite sites at the top of my favorites list.

The other tools listed are a great way to learn more about and keep up with all of the latest Web 2.0 news.

Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and the Future of Libraries

Next Space: The OCLC Newsletter, No. 2, 2006

To me, Library 2.0 is a way of using technology (e.g. the Internet) to enrich and share knowledge. I especially agree with Michael Stephens' point of view.  He lists six traits of a "Librarian 2.0" that I think all library staff should possess!

In short, Library 2.0 embraces Web 2.0 tools in a way that creates more opportunities for meaningful and active learning and collaboration between library staff and patrons.  Library patrons also have valuable information to offer!

What is the future of libraries?  In my opinion, the future for libraries looks great!  Web 2.0 allows libraries to expand beyond the confines of the physical library to people at home on their computers.  It also promotes teaching and learning with the use of "collective intelligence" where people work together to share their knowledge with others.

Online Image Generators

When I looked up "online image generators" and "Flickr mashups and third-party sites", I got a little confused!  They appear to be very similar! 

Anyway, I typed "free online image generators" into the Yahoo search bar and found this site: http://www.dailyseoblog.com/2007/10/free-online-image-and-text-generators-for-blogging-purposes/.  It has a huge list of free online image and text generators.

I created a "Walk of Fame Star" with my name using ImageChef:











And a button too!

RedKid is another fun image generator site.  I made this using their sign generator:

Bethany's Bloglines

Had I been paying attention to the Discovery Exercises, I would have realized that there was more to blog about! So in addition to my first blog for Thing 8 (http://bethanylynn3077.blogspot.com/2008/09/bloglines.html), here's some more!

I've made my Bloglines account public! http://www.bloglines.com/public/bethany3077

However, there isn't a "Share" tab at the top of the page like there is on CML's WordPress blog! Grrr!!! :)

Anyway, I added some feeds from the Columbus Dispatch as well as the Learn & Play @CML Blog and Unshelved feeds.

I found this exercise to be quite informative! As I said in a previous blog, you can select feeds/blogs that are particularly interesting to you.

In addition, I can use this technology to enrich learning in the classroom by having students subscribe to feeds pertaining to the French language and/or culture. They can then report on what they learned, en français bien sûr!

Libraries can use RSS to keep up with all of the other emerging technologies, new and coming-soon books, and to learn from what other libraries are doing.

Below are some of my the feeds I've subscribed to:

Flickr: A Great Source for Photos!

I found this beautiful photo of a view of the Eiffel Tower from the Pont Alexandre III in Paris, France. I'll see it again this summer! I can't wait!


Here's the link: http://www.flickr.com/places/France/%25C3%258Ele-de-France/Paris

I walked across this bridge several times during my séjour in France. It's considered one of the most ornate and extravagant bridges in Paris.

Here's some info I got from Wikipedia:

"The bridge, with its exuberant Art Nouveau lamps, cherubs, nymphs and winged horses at either end, was built between 1896 and 1900. It was named after Tsar Alexander III who had concluded the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1892. It was Alexander's son Nicholas II who laid the foundation stone in October 1896. The style of the bridge reflects that of the Grand Palais, to which it leads on the right bank.
The construction of the bridge is a marvel of 19th century engineering, consisting of a 6m high single span steel arch. The design, by the architects Joseph Cassien-Bernard and Gaston Cousin, was subject to strict controls that prevented the bridge from obscuring the view of the Champs-Élysées or the Invalides.
The bridge was built by the engineers Jean Résal and Amédée d'Alby and inaugurated in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition (as were the nearby Grand Palais and Petit Palais). The Pont Alexandre III is classified as a historical monument."


My picture-taking skills aren't that good...yet! I have a Nikon Cool Pix camera I'll take on my trip to Europe in June!


Anyway, I love browsing and looking for pictures on Flickr! It's also a great teaching tool. For example, if I didn't have the appropriate photo for a PowerPoint presentation, I'd look for it on Flickr.


I finally uploaded some photos to Flickr! Here's the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bethany3077/













However, instead of posting most of my photos on Flickr, I have a Shutterfly website where I've posted the thousands of photos I've taken with my new camera so far! Check it out!

http://community.shutterfly.com/gallery/aboutme/start.sfly?alias=Bethany3077

7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners

Well, I'm definitely a lifelong learner and am somewhat successful. I've been in school for most of my life so far. I love learning so much that I decided to become a teacher. In order to achieve that goal, I went to OSU to earn an M.Ed. in Foreign Language Education. It was tough, but I did it! Most of the 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners came naturally to me, except for habits 3 and 4. I tend to view challenges as crises and I sometimes lack confidence in my own ability to acquire new information. However, I can't be perfect!

There is so much that I still want to learn such as German and how to get the most out of new technologies. As a teacher, I exhibit most of the 7 1/2 habits, especially habits 5,6, and 7, and I believe that it is important for my students to have these habits as well!

I have a PBwiki!

Here is the link to my PBwiki:

http://bethany3077.pbwiki.com/

For now, the only page I have is my Front Page, but keep checking back for more!

Learn & Play @CML Wiki Sandbox

I like the idea of a website that is only used for play and having fun!

I added my blog to the "Favorite Blogs" page and had a blast adding my favorites!  It's interesting to see what I have in common with other CML staff memebers!  It's also very addicting!

Here's a quote I added to the "Favorite Quotes" page: "Reality exists so we can speculate about it." 

Wikis, Podcasts and Blogs, Oh My!

Wikis, Podcasts, and Blogs, Oh My! highlights blogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds, social networking websites, and video sharing websites. It also shows how libraries across the country are using these technologies to reach out to new customers and improve their services. Helene Blowers, Director of Digital Services for Columbus Metropolitan Library, is interviewed in the program and she discusses why libraries need to become familiar with and use these new technologies.The program also shows — a library that is using MySpace to reach out to teens, ways to use wikis to improve your staff’s productivity, how to create an effective podcast, and many other uses of Web 2.0 technologies.

http://www.lvn.org/pc-83-9-wikis-podcasts-and-blogs-oh-my.aspx

This book sounds fascinating!

Library Wikis

The mission of the Columbus Metropolitan Library is "to promote reading and guide learning in the pursuit of information, knowledge, and wisdom." Wikis, or "collective intelligence" are a good way to further this mission by allowing both patrons and staff to contribute a wealth of "information, knowledge, and wisdom".

According to the Young Adult Library Services Association, "blogs and wikis give libraries new ways to market and deliver their services, and to incorporate user feedback and participation." YALSA also states that

Libraries use blogs as newsy "house organs" (like newsletters), to host

programming and teaching activities (e.g., book discussions), or even in lieu of

traditional websites.

Libraries use wikis for any project in which more

heads are better than one. Wikis can be used to host student-created pathfinders

and projects, teen-written book reviews, library documentation or policies, and

guides to ... whatever!

http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Blogs,_Wikis,_and_RSS

 

I couldn't agree more with YALSA! The possibilties are endless!

 

I also explored the wikis mentioned in the discovery exercise for Thing 15:

• SJCPL Subject Guides– a pathfinder wiki developed by the St. Joseph County Public Library system
• Book Lovers Wiki- developed by the Princeton Public Library
• Library Success: A best practices wiki
• The Bull Run Public Library wiki- another public library wiki
• Other library wiki examples

All of the above wikis are quite interesting and contain links to useful and valuable information. 

The SJCPL wiki has a link to their homepage and online catalog.  Users can even click on a link to ask a librian a question.  Although only librarians are permitted to edit the wiki, you can click on the "discussion" tab where there is a link to e-mail the Reference and Information Services and another link to IM someone from the Reference Desk!  The SJCPL wiki is kind of like a virtual information desk at the library!  In other words, you can find links to most of the information a librarian would give you at the info desk!

I also like the idea of book reviews on library wikis.  PPL's Book Lovers Wiki contains reviews submitted by who I assume to be library patrons.  People could contribute their thoughts on an array of books and other library materials to share with others.

I like how the Front Page of the Bull Run Library wiki has library info, a calendar of events, and a link to WorldCat. There are also links to Gnod, and What's Next, where you can search for a good book to read!  Their sidebar contains more usefuls links such as various library resources and even great ideas from other libraries!  Check it out!

If I were to help create a wiki for CML, I would use a combination of the ideas I gathered from the above-mentioned wikis!

del.icio.us

Delicious is easy to navigate.  I've already bookmarked some of my favorite websites from scrapbooking to standardized tests and beyond! It's a great way to share your favorite sites and see what you have in common with others.

Here's what I have so far:

http://delicious.com/bethany3077

On the LearnandPlayCML Bloglines page, I noticed that Flickr, Twitter, Bloglines, and I Can Has Cheezburger? are some of the most bookmarked sites, which I have also bookmarked. 

I also explored the bookmarks of  a few of CML's divisions.  For example, I saw that the Online Etymology Dictionary has been bookmarked 5,594 times!  I think that etymology is fascinating, so of courseI bookmarked it!

The tags and comments help determine what a website is about.  So, on my comment for the Online Etymology Dictionary, I put: "This website offers the etymology, or word origin, of...WORDS!"  My tags are: word origins, etymology, linguistics, and words.

Delicious has the potential to be a valuable tool for research assistance.  I can't tell you how many hours I spent online researching information for my Capstone project at OSU!  Had I known about Bloglines, I could have better organized all the various websites I found using tags and comments. 

Libraries could use tools such as Bloglines to organize an enormous array of websites to assist patrons in research, whether it's for school or just for personal interest. 

Check out my network badge!

Twitter

I like the concept of Twitter, but I'm just not comfortable posting my cell phone number. Here's my URL:

http://twitter.com/bethany3077


At http://twitterfeed.com/, you can add feeds from your blog. I did!

I'm following Learn & Play @CML as well as some other CML people I found!

In addition to CML people, I typed "high school education" and "French teacher" into the search bar and found some interesting people. For example, I'm following Laura K. Lawless of French About.com. Her Twitter page contains links to her About.com blog with the French word of the day, expressions, common errors, faux amis, etc. I found that other people are using Twitter just to keep other people updated.

So anyway, I think that "microblogging" is fun and addicting!  It's kind of like "IMing"! 

Libraries could use Twitter to keep patrons posted on events, new books, movies, and music, and other library-related information!  So if we get another blizzard this winter, CML can post a tweet informing patrons of closings and delays!

LibraryThing

Here's the my LibraryThing profile page:

http://www.librarything.com/profile.php?view=bethany3077

Here's my LibraryThing Search Widget:

If you're looking for a good book, then this is the site to check out! 

LibraryThing is a great way to organize and share some of your favorite books.  It's very easy to navigate and fun to use!

Library-related feeds and blogs

I looked at http://www.syndic8.com/, http://www.topix.net/, and http://www.technorati.com/ for library-related feeds and blogs. So far, I found some interesting blogs:

• iLibrarian http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian
• Tame the Web http://tametheweb.com/
• Blyberg http://www.blyberg.net/
• PLoS Blog http://www.plos.org/cms
• Hey Jude http://heyjude.wordpress.com/
• Bibliobsession 2.0 http://www.bibliobsession.net/
• What I Learned Today… http://www.web2learning.net/
• The Shifted Librarian http://theshiftedlibrarian.com/
• Librarians in Black http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/
• Library Journal http://www.libraryjournal.com/
• Resource Shelf http://www.resourceshelf.com/
• Educause Connect http://connect.educause.edu/blog
• Library Technology http://www.librarytechnology.org/
• Library Lovers' LiveJournal http://community.livejournal.com/libraries/

I found these blogs by typing library (libraries) and library 2.0 in the search bar on Technorati.

I really like Topix and Technorati, because the way they are organized makes them easy to navigate and look for feeds/blogs pertaining to your personal interests. Syndic8 wasn't very appealing to the eye, but it was also easy to find library-related feeds/blogs.

Flickr Mashups & Third-Party Sites

An interesting Flickr mashup site is http://krazydad.com/colrpickr/, where you can play around with the color wheel.



Another one is http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/

Here, you can create custom mosaics and badges with your own photos and so much more!

I made this using the "Warholizer" from the Big Huge Labs website!

And this using the Palette Generator:

Bloglines

Bloglines is like a newspaper/magazine tailored to your own interests! I've added tons of feeds on books, libraries, movies, music, news, and "wacked". "Wacked" is a category of miscellaneous feeds. I subscribed to Cute Overload, I Can Has Cheezburger?, and a feed called New Urban Legends.


I like this one from the New Urban Legends feed: http://www.snopes.com/humor/lists/metaphor.asp

Why English Teachers Die Young
By snopes@snopes.com
List presents humorously bad analogies and metaphors said to be taken from high school essays.

I highly recommend it! It's hilarious!

Web 2.0

I first learned of Web 2.0 about two years ago in an education class at OSU. We learned about how we could use it to enhance our students' learning. I think it's a great idea! For this class, I created an activity where my students had to post responses (in French of course!) to my blog.

So I think that Web 2.0 has a lot of potential for the world of teaching and learning. It's also fun! I love blogging and the many other social and interactive things you can do on the Internet!

Music and Video on the Internet

I just love being able to watch videos and listen to music on the Internet. Last week I saw a commercial with a very catchy tune for a video game called Mercenaries 2. I don't know anything about the video game, but I love the song! Check it out!


Or click here:
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/918919/

Learn & Play at CML

I just realized that I already had a Blogger account from 2 years ago! That's good, because I can't remember my user name and password for the one I most recently created! Oops! Blogger now requires a Google e-mail account, which I also already have. I set one up for my students while student teaching two years ago.

So if anyone has seen a blog post from me that says something about my first blog for CML, ignore it. It's driving me nuts that I can't remember user name and password! Grrrrrrr!!!!!!!

I glad that CML embraces all the advances in technology! I love using sites such as PhotoBucket, Flickr, and Shutterfly. I use Shutterfly to upload photos from my digital camera and to order prints. People say I'm a bit camera happy. Maybe it's because I carry my camera with me wherever I go! So watch out, you never know when I might snap a picture of you!!!