Week 9 ~ Thing 23!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summarizing thoughts...

It's hard to believe that I've made it -- and while my blog is far from the most exciting one out there it is nonetheless something I am proud of and something I would never have attempted otherwise. Even my kids are impressed, so there. Below are some thoughts on this experience.

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
I created my own blog - that was a biggie. Also, I liked Flickr and tinkering with the RSS feeds. I can also see myself and my customers using a tool such as Zoho writer.

How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
This program has reaffirmed my belief that lifelong learning is something you do if you want to continue to grow - even when the challenges seem too steep. At the onset of Maryland 23 I had my doubts as to whether I would be able to figure out some of the techie stuff. Yes, there were times when I had trouble getting it. I told myself that even if I didn't finish I would give it a good run, and I did finish.

Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
Well, the takeaway, if you will, is that it all comes down, once again, to experience and trying something new and getting better the more you do it. Yeah, it's hard in the beginning, but it gets easier. I found myself becoming more adept at navigating Maryland 23 the more I signed on.

What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept? And last but not least…
If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again choose to participate?
This program gobbled up more of my free time than I initially expected it to. I wasn't always able to accomplish a "thing" in a half hour off the desk. Instead, I found myself coming in early and signing in at home in order to catch up. The fact that I am finishing well into November indicates the time I needed to put into it, but it was well worth it. I would definitely participate again. I guess the time constraints are something I would take into consideration in the future.

How would you describe your learning experience in a few words or a few sentences, so we can share our successes and promote this program?
I will definitely be using some of the "things" I have learned, like bloglines, RSS feeds, Flickr, and Zoho writer. Others, maybe not so much. For instance, I got bogged down with Technorati, tagging, etc. but I see their value. The image generator drove me crazy, but at least I now know how to do it in case anyone inquiries. Cheers, and thanks!

Week 9 ~ Thing 22 Audiobooks

Even though downloadable audiobooks are here to stay I can't say that I am enamored with him. I know how to download a book, and I've shown customers how to download. While it will never take the place of having a book in your lap I can see the practicality of audiobooks. But I don't own a MP3 player, so there. Audiobooks are only as good as their availability, too. I have found when helping a customer that more often than not the item is not available. However, I am sure that this is a necessary service that will only continue to grow and improve.
I had not been familiar with Project Gutenberg. Unfortunately most of the titles I tried were unavailable.

Week 9 ~ Thing 21 Podcasting

OK, I must be getting a little punchy as I approach the finish line with this Maryland 23 project because I have not been too impressed with these podcast directories. I thought they were a little too cumbersome to navigate. I keep saying that I don't like a lot of clicking. So, I went sniffing around on my own and found one I like from NPR. It contains book reviews, news and author interviews; best of Morning Edition, All Things Considered and more. Initially I had difficulty adding it to my bloglines account and I couldn't get it to do anything. Finally, I realized I had to add it to my playlist - duh...I was pretty darn happy when I clicked and it worked. Amazing and so cool!

I'm not so sure about the usefulness of podcasts for libraries. I mean, there is a plethora of information available out there and the sky's the limit in terms of what you want to do - entertain, educate, train, etc. How to channel all of this in a productive fashion is what I am struggling with. Cheers.

Week 9 ~ Thing 20 YouTube

I am familiar with YouTube, but I was not familiar with adding the video to my blog. That took some figuring out. Thanks again to Chickensamuck for her help!
I chose the video I did because I am a horsewoman and I love horse racing. Ruffian, the great filly owned by Marylander Stuart Janney, captured everyone's imagination when she took to the track in the famous match race again Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure in 1972.
I have to think more about how practical streaming video would be in terms of library applications. Instructional use, perhaps?

Week 8 ~ Thing 19 Exploring Web 2.0 Awards

I selected my site from the 2007 Web 2.0 Award Winners list and chose www.onesentence.org to explore. This site earned 2nd place in the Fun Stuff category.
I liked this site immediately. Basically, it is a tool to create one-sentence stories - "true stories, told in one sentence," is how it's described. I found myself sitting there laughing at many of the entries. I also thought that some were very poignant, such as this one:
"Answering the door to trick-or-treaters in all her hairless chemo glory, my mother has inspired me more than she could ever imagine."
I could have spent a long time browsing through these little gems.
Regarding use in a library setting, I could see a site such as this used for scanty book review listings that would be just one sentence, making it quite a challenge. It would be fun.

Week 8 ~ Thing 18

I like Zoho Writer. I created my account and went exploring the site. I see uses for this in the library, such as when a customer is using the public computer but doesn't have a flash drive or disk. This would be another viable option - a portable microsoft office if you will. Voila!

Week 7 ~ Thing 17

Learning 2.0 Sandbox Wiki...

I created a login account, so that I could successfully add my blog to the Sandbox Wiki. I also successfully posted an entry about my favoritethings2007.

Cheers.