Week 9, Thing 23: Summarize

Exposure can be a good thing. That is the big discovery that I am taking away from the 23 Things Experience. There were many sites I would never have visited if it hadn’t been for this. However, having at least heard about some of these sites has been good. While looking for some information about a local apartment complex for instance, I came across a posting which referred to Technorati. Earlier this summer I wouldn’t have know what this was.

You never know when you are going to use some of this technology. On a recent trip my daughter took, she posted pictures daily which could be picked up with an RSS feed. She had a brand new computer and she wanted to play with some of the new bells and whistles. It was fun to see what they had done and where they had gone that day. However, depending of which brand of RSS feed you used, you got different pictures. Using Bloglines, I never saw the last 60 pictures. Maybe there was a limit on the number of picture they would post but I never found that information. What had started out to be an exciting experience and a chance to use new knowledge ended up being very frustrating for me.

Although clutter in my life doesn’t bother me too much, I really don’t like making all the accounts and having so many logins and passwords. I’m not sure how to avoid this but sometimes I wonder if it is really worth digging out the login and password to go to a particular site.

If another program like this were offered, I would sign up. As I said, exposure can be a good thing!

Just back from the groundbreaking for Finksburg. It really has started!

This is looking from the road up hill (more than I thought) toward the top of the property where the library will be. I think the construction trailers are behind where the building is going to be.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to load any of the other pictures but the groundbreaking did happen!.

Week 9, Thing 22; Learn About Audiobooks

Overdrive has some interesting titles. I might try out one of the nature videos. Again, I was surprised since I thought that the material was in audio format and I discovered a small collection of videos. For a person who listens to BOCs, this might be a handy additional source for material.

Wizard western style

http://podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=37219

I think this will work for the Wizard of Oz.

Week 9, Thing 21; Discovering Some Useful Tools for Locating Podcasts

While looking for Library News in Podcastalley, I came across the Salt Lake County site. They have a wonderful and clever story about the circulating the Wizard of Oz. I was very surprised that this was a video since I has assumed that podcasts were audio only. Some of the others on their site are audio only. I tried to download the link to The Wizard but it is not loading well. If I can get it, I will post in in another entry. If they do another I'll let you know since I have this in Bloglines.

Week 9, Thing 20: Discover YouTube and a Few Sites That Allow You to Upload Video

After looking at some unusual videos including one on how not to use power tools while quilting, I came across this one on backwards knitting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT-u3MBGFtI

This was a technique I had heard of and found very easy to follow while watching the video clip. I'll try it soon.

YouTube is a place where you could get sucked in. As you watch one video, you are shown other related ones and it would be very easy to just do one more and one more... Because of the variety of clips, they certainly could be for entertainment or, as in the case of the one I have included, instruction.

In a library, the large display of clips on each page might lead patrons or librarians to areas they would be uncomfortable viewing in the library. Having short clips about very specific items could be very useful (like the new New Staff Orientation) but I'm not sure that YouTube is the format to collect and display them.

Week 8; Thing 19: Discover Any Site From the Web 2.0 Awards List

For my site I chose the Mapping winner, Google Maps. I tried to use it to map a route for a trip I am taking. Unfortunately, it did not connect to my destination. I did a search for the destination. Although there was a Map It option, I could not get it to produce a map from my home to the destination.

On the other hand, it was easy and fun to look at the hybrid maps or the satellite maps of interesting areas.

I could see using with patrons to help them with directions and then be able to show them the aerial picture of their route and, if they were lucky, the street level of it too.