#23--Just Beginning

There is so much that I need to revisit if I'm going to apply it, so I really am just beginning. I have really enjoyed sharing this Learning 2.0 experience with my co-workers. Reading others' blogs has made the learning so much fun. Wasn't play the most important tool? That's how I remember it. Anyway, as tentatively as I began, I have enjoyed blogging about the experience, too.

Library Thing is probably my favorite discovery. I'm trying to pace myself so that I don't have to join a 12-step group for compulsive book catalogers. I hope to learn how to add my own images for my books that lack images in Amazon.com.

YouTube is irresistible, which surprised me. I've played on it almost every day since I found the Star Wars cockatiels. I'm pretty sure I'll be listening to pod casts and digital books on a regular basis from now on, too.

I would welcome another discovery program like this. Working on and completing Learning 2.0 has increased my confidence a hundredfold that I can competently learn and use new technology. That is very exciting.

Thanks to everyone who added a comment to my blog. You encouraged me to keep on going, especially when I was stuck.


Tiki is reminding me that it is neck-rubbing time, so that's all for now.

Audiobooks

Overdrive is really great. I love audiobooks. Being read to feels like a real luxury to me. I was only vaguely aware of digital books before this lesson.

There is so much to tempt me in the Greater Phoenix Digital Library. The instructions for this lesson were among the clearest. I "checked out" two Hebrew courses. If only I could sync them into my ipod! Next it's either Cyberchase: A Tikiville Turkey Day or Parrot Tricks. I really want Tiki to learn the Tap Your Foot dance. She may have other ideas.

I'm not really understanding why only one person at a time can "check out" digital material. Anyway, I love this technology and wonder how long it'll be before I NEED a portable, compatible player.

Almost done!

Podcasts!

This is something that I will really use. I've been lookin forward to this lesson. I subscribed to NPR's book-related podcasts both on my bloglines and itunes account just to see if I could. I also found Parrot Chat. It was very easy. I have a lot of exploring yet to do. There is so much to learn, and I notice that as I age I'm becoming more and more an auditory learner. What a great tool!


Now, how do I add to the hours I have to listen?

Let's All YouTube

YouTube is just plain fun. Yeah, there's a lot of junk, but I can usually find something along the lines I'm looking for. Libraries can use YouTube for all kinds of things--limited only by imagination.

What a hard decision of what video to embed! I was tempted to use the 70 minute academic library 2.0 presentation, but my laptop shut down in the process. I took that as a cosmic sign that there was something else out there for me.

It was obvious to include two excellent videos produced by our former page Jake Morgan. And, of course, I found a little cockatiel something I couldn't resist even though embedding had been disabled on it. It's well worth the look!





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

Library Thing is the Winner for Me

What's not to like about Library Thing? Library customers are sure to love this. Who wouldn't want to network with others who like to read the same things you do? I've already added dozens of books I want to read from seeing other people's libraries.

I'm still confused about how to add a picture of a book that is not on Amazon.com. Once I solve that mystery, I will be completely hooked. Until then, here's a link with an image for one of "my" books: http://www.singularitypress.biz/northsight.html

Web-based Apps

Wow, this is really interesting. I played around in Google Docs. I found it really easy. That's saying something. What a great way to coordinate with a team or be able to access your own documents wherever you have access to the internet! I really liked the calendar. I'll use this again.

PBwiki

This is interesting. I added my blog. I tried to add my favorite blog, but sometimes, like today, my links don't work. OK, so I forget how to do it, and remember later. I'll be back when my memory returns.

Wikis

Wikis are a great place to start when researching. There are so many things libraries can do with them. I like the ideas of subject guides, a community information hub, a book lovers wiki with booklists, recommendations and reviews. An Amazon.com-like feature "people who bought this, also bought this" would be a great resource for our customers.

Maybe I like wikis because I've actually used them before this class, which can't be said of much else. :)

You know I have to include a Tiki wiki, right? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiki

Library 2.0

Rick Anderson of the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries has some interesting things to say about libraries remaining relevant in the 21st century. Among his sacred cows are the "just in case" collection, reliance on user education, and the "come to us" model of library service. Community libraries are challenged with balancing service to a wide range of customers--those who are current with cutting-edge technology to those who would be more comfortable with a card catalog (if we had one) and everyone in between.

The term "Library 2.0" makes me think of technology--using it to the best advantage to serve our customers. I like the idea that we remain open, listen to and find innovative ways to help those who may be less technology savy to come along with us in using all the great new tools avaible to us.

Technorati

Well, I don't qualify for the Illuminati part of Technorati. The diversity of hits with the library 2.0 search was surprising to me.

Wow, I had no idea how many blogs there are out there! I did manage to claim my blog. I did not have much luck finding many of the blogs I regularly read. Who knew, a couple of months ago that I'd be reading any blogs regularly?! I did find the Barefoot Librarian and Upstream--Stream of Consciousness, so I wasn't a total failure.

I also found one Tiki video. I thought my Tiki's hut took a beating with all her chewing. These bunnies have an advantage--teeth!

File this under "Come Back Later and Explore Some More."

De.licio.us

Wow, this is cool. I'm going to be using this. Setting up a delicious account was easy (even for me).
There's something brilliantly creative about the way the human mind makes associations and catalogs information. Sharing how we do that is awesome!
A library that makes use of this kind of technology will be ahead of the curve in customer-friendliness. At least that's what I think.
We'll see whether it's Delicious or Library Thing that I become most addicted to.

Facebook

OK, I admit it. I'm old. I don't get the whole Facebook thing. Well, I get it in theory. I just don't find myself caring...at all. Signing up made me feel more paranoid than usual. I'm a pretty private person. File this under NOT FOR ME, at least for now.

Finding people was a problem for me as well. I did find a friends' granddaughter. I also found some very nice cockatiels who are looking to hook up on-line. Now it occurs to me that I should have signed Tiki up for Facebook. She does have the face for it.

I'm glad to know what it is, how it works. If people can network based on schools, interests, etc., why not libraries?

Library Thing!

Uh-oh. This is going to be my newest addiction. I can see it coming. If only I could read and play on Library Thing at the same time!

I already have multiple booklists in notebooks, in my computer in the dark recesses of my mind. Library Thing is going to keep it all for me if I ever get it all typed in there.

It's very exciting to look at what other people like or are reading who have similar tastes to me. Um, gotta go. Library Thing is calling to me.

Image Generators

Move over RSS. Image generators are fun! Isn't that the most important learning habit--PLAY?! Here's the box I created on http://www.3d-pack.com//.
http://www.3d-pack.com/complete/bb9363e83719cb096e5dfd0c09d10cf3.jpg

Okay, virtual donuts are NOT completely satisfying. I was hoping to have a dozen delivered to my door, not just to my email. Anyway, here are the donuts I "baked" on http://www.honeydewdonuts.com/bakery/bakery.html
http://www.honeydewdonuts.com/bakery/bakery.html?d=cbbbba

The nightingale song translater was cute. http://www.nightingale-song.com/

It's amazing how educational these sites are. I learned that my diva pro-wresting name is Sultry Witch. Oddly enough, library customers call me that all the time. I wonder how they know. It's a lot of fun to plug in your co-workers' names. :) Try it! http://www.wrestlingname.com/diva/

I need a little more practice to master, "Are you completely satisfied?" in R2D2. I say we all learn it. http://www.r2d2translator.com/

I could get in trouble on http://www.artmyway.com/. That's really all I can say.

From now on when I'm stuck on a step, I'm going to stop and play with image generators!

MORE FUN with Cockatiel Empire Striking Back

youtube.com

#9 Glad to be DONE with RSS

...for now. :) I usually need some "sinking in" time when learning something new. I was never the student in class who had immediate questions. Everything needs to percolate for a while before I really feel like I have a grasp on something new and can begin to know what further questions I have.

As for the searching tools, I had the most success with the bloglines search, topix and technorati. Looking forward to something more fun!

RSS

I wish I could say that I found RSS "really simple." The busier the screen, the more choices, etc., the more my head hurts. Top 1000? TMI! Thanks to Becky I finally was able to subscribe to feeds and searches.

I have to admit I listened to the tutorial podcast again after subscribing to feeds, just to help me understand what I had done. Does that make any sense? It's starting to sink in.

Now that I know how to do it, it does seem relatively simple and who knows, this may be one of the technologies I can't live without in a month or so. I can see how it would save time.

I'll go back and learn about subscribing to podcasts later. I think that could really be fun.

My bloglines url doesn't seem to work, so I'll have to figure out what my user name is. I'm getting all the user names and passwords confused. From now on all my passwords will start with "Huh?"!

Could it really be true that this is the hardest step? Now I just need to learn how to back up my itunes library. :)

Technology

I have some ambivalence about technology. I hate to feel dumb. I really hate it. I miss the days of big, heavy, complete instructions manuals. I can follow clear directions. Really, I can. I have more trouble with the point and click and see what happens method, crossing my fingers that it'll be what I intended. Who came up with icons? They don't look like anything to me. Couldn't they have a word next to them, so I'd know what they were for? Please! I'm constantly asking a more intuitive friend, "What does this picture mean?" On my computer, in my car, on my cell phone. I'm not the only one who has no idea what they mean! There's some comfort in that.

I am grateful for the huge progress we've made...especially once I "get" it, even a little bit. No longer are my computer files corrupted by static electricity or a bit of dust on a monthly basis. I was really conscientious about backing up files back then, even to several different restore points--just in case. I don't miss those days. Once I break down and try the new-to-me technology, I soon feel naked without it. I love my cell phone and my ipod. I could use a couple more ipods. I love being able to research online, even though I'm never sure about the source. Still, when I have those nagging questions in the middle of the night, it's nice to have some input. I'm falling in love with the mobility of a laptop. Only a month ago my head was splitting from trying to set up a router and figure out why the laptop wouldn't access the internet.

Little by little I'll venture into the 21st century. Yeah, I do prefer my laptop to a slab of stone and a chisel.

More Flickr Fun

I had fun with fd's Flickr Toys. The Mosaic Maker was pretty easy to use. I'd like to be able to pick out exactly which pictures to include. If that's an option, I haven't found it yet. I also made a slideshow, but somehow "lost" it. I have no idea where it went. I'll have to try it again.

Here's my mosaic of Tiki and Teddy. A few people have suggested that I have feathers in my brain. I think they're right!

Image to Blog About

Well, this cute little guy reminds me of my late Teddy, who loved to play "Teddy tent" under some kind of cover. It took me a while to realize it was a mating game and I was his mate. :) He would whistle the Andy Griffith Song and his love song, say "hello, pretty Teddy bird" and dance around in a circle. Who wouldn't be smitten?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24984201@N00/1337283113/in/set-72157594326929670/

I really liked this. I'm going to learn how to do this with pictures of Tiki and Teddy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/netla/244440855/

I found the instructions for this step really unclear. What helped the most was looking at someone else's blog and doing the same thing. I don't want to admit that it took me a couple of hours to do this! Well, I did go off on a couple of tangents. :)

Same Pattern, Different Day

Well, the pattern seems to be holding true with me. I'm still overloaded and overwhelmed with technological information I can't quite process yet. Hopefully in a day or two, flickr will make at least enough sense to me to want to learn the next thing. It's funny how low my self-confidence dips when I'm in the confused part of the learning curve. How quickly I forget the many times I have learned something new that left me clueless in the beginning!

Viewing problems as challenges and having confidence in myself as a learner really will be key to my success in learning Web 2.0, as well as anything else, I suspect. It also seems to be important to keep the continuity going--to work on this as often as possible, before I can forget too much. :)

Lifelong Learning

I'm finding my reactions to this learning process interesting. Usually I like to learn new things. It's nourishing--makes me feel alive. Yesterday I had virtually no self-confidence approaching the new-to-me technology. I was sure I was the hardest head around trying to understand blogging.

The easiest habits will be PLAY (!) and taking responsibility for my own learning. Playing is fun. Who else will take responsibility for my learning?

As I continue, I think the hardest habits for me are going to be having confidence in myself as a competent, effective learner and viewing problems as challenges. I was surprised at how quickly I felt completely overwhelmed and wanted to give up. Now I want to learn something else!

Here's Tiki!

See, this is not so impossibly hard. I added Tiki's picture. Every Tiki needs a hut, so here she is in her glory on top of her hut. Any bird could sit IN the hut.

Don't Know What I'm Doing

Okay, here I am not knowing what I'm doing...again. Why am I trying this again? Oh, yes, to learn something new.

It's amazing to me how intimidating a new technology is. I feel OLD, obsolete, but here I am blogging anyway.

Now let's see if I can add a picture.