Posted for while

I have not posted for a while so thought I would continue. Probably will not be as interesting but need to keep up the new learned skills.

I have been sick for last couple weeks so have not gotten much done at work and nothing at home. I have been on Librarything but that really has been it.

It is snowing here right now - April 25 and snowing. I really need warm weather!! This is not helping my sinus' at all.

Thing 22

I have found many useful tools that will help me at work. I have many websites added to my RSS page that will help keep me up to date. I will just have to take time everyday to look at the new adds to each on my google reader page. I did enjoy learning all the new things and adding to my web knowledge. The trick is to keep up with it. I hope not get so caught up in everyday work and keep adding to my new skills.
Hopefully I can connect to other librarians on blogs - that makes me feel more connected as I am a rural librarian and sometime unless I am at a meeting I am out here just doing everything and forget to reach out to other librarians that can be of help to me.

Thing 21

Well I left one message with a DL librarian but will spend some more time in 23 things network to see if I know any of the other librarians that have gotten that far. I really did not look any farther than myspace and facebook. Of course not many my age on there but do talk to my kids. Nice to find a network that would have someone with my same interests. LOL I do use WebJuntion but not as much as I should. Need to put it on my Google reader.
I did link to my page so check out my photo slide show - which I have never put on myspace so yahoo for me. I did not spend as much time creating my page as I have on myspace but will work on that too. I do like to create attractive pages. Even if I am the only one that goes to it.
I looked at some of the other socialnetworks that were provided. Will look farther into a movie, besides my boys basketball, we do go to many movies. I really don't have any other hobbies right now but basketball will be done some day. Maybe gardening will be the next area for me to find a network for. I am sure they are out there.
I went back last night and found another librarian that is in the picture at the bottom taken in Washington DC. Fun to talk to someone that I have not talked to for while. Hopefully we can keep in touch. She has some great ideas and is in another system so maybe some new ideas for me!! Missed her.

Thing 20

I already had personal accounts on myspace and facebook. Mostly I use it to stay in touch with my kids and some of my kids parents accounts too. But not very many much like IM I use it to talk to my kids and sometimes my sister but none of my friends IM. Too bad too - I really like all of these. But not very my folks my age have the desire to even look into these.

Facebook I join Library 2.0 Interest Group and NextGen Librarians both sounded interesting and hopefully I will be able to learn more from both of these groups.

I knew that Hennepin teen library had a Myspace and I have looked at it before but I asked to be a friend. That way when they have something new it will show up on my page. Denver looked very interesting also so I asked to be friend here too. Maybe I will get some ideas for my teen programming from them.

Both places I noticed had new books on them, teen programming, let the teens have input and some ownership. Plus if you have them as a friend other people that are your friend will see that and then maybe take an interest in them too. Then they will find out what is cool and happening at the library.
One of my teen patrons was impressed that I blog and asked if they library had a blog!! Something to think about! What could I write about -

Thing 19

I listened to SHP#25 - Magical Maintenance Harry Potter podcast. I found both podcast.com and podcast.net easy to use. I had heard lots of things about podcasts but only had really listened to one because it was a class that I was taking.
I think they are great and also did like -http://hzapps.hclib.org/teens/Podcasts/GetXML.cfm because I think Hennepin Library is very progressive with their teen library services.
But for right now I have no desire to do any podcasting. I would have to have a reason like something for class to do a podcast.

Thing 17

This was one of the more difficult things for me to complete. I was barely familiar with all of these except NetLibrary for downloading eaudio books and ProQuest for research. And in ProQuest I have only showed patrons how to email the articles they would like to take a closer look at to themselves. I don’t think that the directions were very clear for these things. But here is what I got.

The search alert is a great way to follow a subject that anyone is researching. I had a hard time using the RSS but was able to email.
I did not find EBSCO page composer user friendly, and could not see the changes I made until previewing the webpage. I found it to be a bit difficult. I completed two web pages but I never did get the image to work here.
ProQuest is a great research tool. I am more familiar with this site. I usually direct patrons to this one. I did the work and emailed the page to myself and will forward to my supervisor.
NetLibrary is the future of reading. I have downloaded eAudio books to my mp3 player before. I think it is great to be able to type in a word and to search for it in an entire book in a matter of seconds and it allows you to write notes online that I was not aware of before this training.

Thing 18

Ok I skipped thing 17 but I am at home and that one I will go back to it. But wanted to work some more on this.
I have been on youTube before but not very much. I did post my favorite tagged "library"video on here. Also the Minnesota Librarian was Maryann Vancura - Hi Maryann!! Maryann is also on the picture at the bottom of my page - taken in Washington DC. Noticed it was not me on the video - I believe myself and 3 other rural librarians were there too.
I really don't see how this ties into library other than knowing how to navigate in them and be able to maybe answer questions when patrons are trying to find something. I had youTube top viewed already on my google reader but added the google video too they do cross over now but some of the videos were different on home pages. And usually I only have time to look at the home page to see what is new. I really did not like web 2.0 player but that is mostly because I am used to youTube home page.
Check the funny librarian exercise video I posted below!!

Thing 16

This thing is very interesting but probably would be of more help in an academic library. I work in a very small public library. I will keep both of these sites on my del.icio.us site just in case I do have a student or parent ask me about how to do any of these steps or they tell me the student or themselves are having any problems with these. I will have access to them and not have to say – OH we did learn about this but where to find it now!! So still using the new technology that I have learned to keep something at my fingertips if needed.
I did look around in them. The handouts would be better again for an academic library but to have them just in case.

Thing 15

I chose Second Life - my name is Shaw Acosta. I looked at this one because I don’t normally play games on the computer and this seems like less of a game. I have heard of Second Life many times at many different conference sessions I have attended. But this is the first time I created an avatar and took a look around.
Uses in libraries – well I could see it as a tool for youth that really are into computer and this would be a way to get them into a library so to speak besides just the computer room and maybe it might spark interest for them, knowing that libraries are also on games!!

Talking about gaming in libraries I ran into this:

Found this web site while on my Googlereader page in library news - http://www.library.cmu.edu/Libraries/etc/index.html - I’ll Get It and Within Range are games for kids at this library site – research help and putting books on shelf or where to look for the books. I thought they were fun.
The Library Arcade features games designed to help students develop research skills through entertaining and easy-to-repeat activities. At this stage, we are testing each game to work through any technical glitches and prepare the games for a final version.

Thing 14

Thing 14 was Librarything which I am really loving. I have always saying I should write down what I have read! Well how perfect. Lets me write it down - gives me the covers. Lets me get in contact with other like-minded readers easily and will give me recommendations. I am having great time but first time to set up takes a while if you want to put most of your books from the last couple years. I know right now I am even missing some titles but will keep adding as I go. What fun. Maybe because I am a librarian that I like this one sooo much.
See my random list below and link to my librarything page.

Thing 13

Which start page did you choose? Why did that one appeal to you? Will you make it your permanent home page?
I choose igoogle page. Liked the banner across the top. I made it a home page tab at home but will not be able to make it a home page at work. We are limited to what we can do to the library at work.

Did you find a tool that has some uses for you at the library or at home? Which tool(s) would you recommend to others?
I will be using one of the list makers for work just not sure which one right now but I alway have a to do list going. Will have too see which one works best for me. Also already use the sticky notes to the desk top at work. As the newst upgrade our it dept put it on my new computer. And we love it!!
How can the online calendars be useful to you?
I am not sure how much of a time saver this would be as I already have calendar on my Q and then the big desk calendar for staff.
What about the to-do lists—helpful, too much work…?

Thing 12

How do you think you can use these tools in your library or at home?
For either home or the library the news is coming right to me. Using any of the listed choices - I liked Newsvine and Mixx - you can glance at what is new and what is interesting to other readers. Taking a look at these each day would at least keep me up to speed as I don't usually have time to read the newspapers.

Do these tools seem to be a productivity enhancer or a productivity detractor?
They could be both an enhancer and a detractor as many of these 23 things on a stick can be. Need to be used to save us time. I can see how many of these could be addicting and too much time spend on them.

Thing 11

I watched the video and added http://del.icio.us/minn23 to my google reader. I have the del.icio.us icon on computer at work so will play around with that my next chance at work.

Thing 10

Wikis - as I mentioned in thing 9 - I have used wiki before. Great tool for also policies & procedures updating.

Thing 9

This thing was online editing. I could see this being helpful when I was on the technology group for the strategic plan. We could not always get together so we were working on updating documents. We did use wiki - which do work also.

Thing 8

This was easy but the one I choose to try - Zohoshow 2.0 was not really easy to work in. Could be my computer - I am working from home on an older lap top. But I have worked in power point and that seemed easier to work on each slide and seemed to have more options. Maybe one of the other ones is better. Someone let me know what they think. Or which one they liked.

For Library use - I made a slideshow for my MS word class. Would work for class presentations. But I am having trouble getting the url to transfer into blog for my slideshow - huh!

http://show.zoho.com/public/shawsimonsen/Introduction%20to%20MS%20Word
This is the slideshow address

Thing 7

Communication on the web -

I am very familar with email, IM and texting as I have teenages. So I have personally used all of theses but lately the kids seem to text more than anything I have found as IM has slowed down, at least within my kids groups.

For the library - we have used email for several years for late notices and requests. I have some patrons that will email me reference questions. But that is few. I would love to see email used more. IM would work in a limited capacity at small libraries. As most IM users want an answer now but we are not open 24/7 and that would frustrate some users. Some how the hours would have to be posted. Texting would work but then all libraries would need cell phones and costs could get in the way with this. Our community is long distance to other communities around us to many in our community have cell phones and no landlines now. So cell phones are more and more popular - I even have many young customers coming in with cell phones. Holds and late fees could be sent out as a text to them on cell phones along with promotions if they signe up for them. Cell phones will be the way to get ahold of people soon and texting will be used for marketing. Is happening in larger markets now.

Thing 6

Here too this one could very well be addictive. I had some fun with it but as wanted to move on hopefully will have time to look at this in depth later. See animated sand writing.

As for library use here again since we have a pio office this would have to be used by me as a teaching tool. Our PIO office does the web page - where I could see this one - image generator being used mostly.

Thing 5

This was really too much fun. I created some really cool images Big Huge Lab's Flickr. There was just so much to try. Hope to have more time when I get more of my photos loaded into my Flickr account.

Uses for the library - could create some cool posters. Also I would love to offer classes to the kids to show them what they could do - movie posters, magazine covers, trading cards, calendars and jigsaw puzzles. Not to mention the spell with flickr images and warholizer I found so much fun.

This could be so much fun showing the youth what they could create with Flickr

Thing 4

I have used Flickr when looking for images and pictures. I have showed it to patrons that were using Google images. They seemed to like it. But I did not have any photos there. So I did put a few of my photos on there joined a couple of the library groups. And marked some favorites photots of places I have been but did not take a picture. I don't usually take to many pictures. Don't have a really good camera and not really good at taking them but found some really nice photo that other people have taken. I could spend a lot of time with just looking at the images here.
As for the library use. Telling patrons it is available and how to use it is always helpful when we can show our patrons something useful for them.

Thing 3

I have heard about RSS several times at different conferences and workshops, but have never fully understood what they were about until now!

I have started a RSS “Really Simple Syndication” - who knew that is what it stood for! I am having great fun with this but it could also be very addictive! I have got some of my favorite NBA sites on there, some fun sites and even some fellow 23 on stick bloggers, now need to look into some library sites too. I really do see the use of this one. Everything in one place – ya.

I was reading someone’s blog the web, they were saying they had up to 300 feeds. I can not image that many but we will see!!!!

This is fun. Learning something new all the time.

Thing 2

I just completed Thing 2 – it was really a lot of reading. But the video by Stephen Abrams was very interesting and I am a visual person so seeing and listening to the video was very helpful in understanding.

I'm very excited to continue on with the Things - some of them I am familiar with, and some I have barely even heard of. It's great to explore, and fun to be able to play and learn about things that could end up being utilized in some form in the library, and make things more user-friendly for the patrons.

First time blogging

This is my first time blogging. My oldest blogs all the time and the kids at my other boys school tell me that I should be doing it. I have never found anything that I really feel the need to write down for the whole world to see. But if 23 things on a stick helps me to learn more about all the new technology - I am ready to learn it.