#23 - The End? Nooooo...I don't want to stop!!!!

Well, I must say, this has been an experience...My position at the library does not leave much time for me to keep up with every one of the 23 things...

But I finally caught up!!!

I have been using most of these tools for years not...but I have to say I did learn a thing or two while going through these lessons. Tools like RSS feeds, which I am not a big fan of. Podcasts...I've used them for a long time but didn't know what was behind the making or using of them...

But for people who don't use the Internet on a regular basis this is a great tool...I will start advertising iHCPL2 for patrons...as a matter of fact I started doing this about a month ago in all my Internet Basics classes...

GoodBye......mmmmm....I should say "Welcome to the Online World"

MAP OF THE INTERNET

Find yourself...

#22 - Downloadable Media

Downloadable media has been around for years seems to me...But when our system decided to add it to our online catalog I was both thrilled, and somewhat doubtful.

Doubtful that our patros were not going to catch on to the general idea of downloading eBooks. Doubtful that our staff was going to take on the challenge of learning this new Web 2.o tool. But I was mistaken...ever since we first started "advertising" our Overdrive Catalog, patrons have been asking about it and even attending our "Download Library Audio to your PC" class...

This was a great idea, hats off to our Admn Dept....very easy to use, you might just have to download some software to your computer for it to work...but hey...you have to download software for everything to work on your computer...so get over it...take advantage of it...if you don't know how to use it...learn it...

#21 - Podcasts

I am big user of Podcasts....they're like my audio DVR....We live a busy life and most of the time you miss out on important radio shows, interviews, local newscasts...many many good uses for this superb tool...

Being a big soccer fan some of my favorite podcasts come from the soccer news world...I just add RSS feeds to my Bloglines.com account from places like ESPNSoccernet.com, MLSnet.com, thesoccerhour.com and there it is...If I miss an important stream, I can always go back and download it to my computer to hear it later...Great Tool...I might even start podcasting myself.. :)

#20 - You Tube.com

You Tube was Time Magazine's 2006 Invention of the Year...What else can you say? The slogan itself summarize's what this site has done for humanity...Yes for humanity...

We've always wanted a place where we can "Broadcast" ourselves...a place where we do and say things we just won't say face to face...That place could be your closet...or it could be Youtube.com. I'd rather go with YouTube...

Videos have taken over the internet...that's why our computers have more memory, more storage...we've finally taken advantage of our digital cameras and camcorders and put them to use...Do yourself a favor and try You Tube...you might have not liked some of the iHcpl exercises but this is one you will love...

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO OF MY DAD THINKING HE'S STILL 20 YRS OLD AND CAN STILL BOX...HEHEHEHEHE

#19 - Online Productivity Tools (Google Docs)

Hey...I love this...I did not know Google had this type of tool...I guess I should have been listening when I attended our "Google Class"...This is pretty neat...I am typing this up in in the Google Word Processor...then I can save it, travel to Australia tonight and open it back up tomorrow morning (or would it be tonight?)...mmmmm...I am going to start recommending this to family and friends...I knew someone would eventually come up with this...it was just matter of time...Goodbye USB Flash Drive...
Just kidding...I still love my Flash Drive...

#18 - Social Networking - Myspace.com

Ohhh social networking...I got hooked a couple of years ago...started using Myspace.com just like all my friends did...all of it sudden I realized that I didn't even talk to my friends in person or on the phone anymore...we sent messages instead...posted comments, bulletins, pictures, videos...

Myspace became a way of life...and it still is for many people...businesses caught on and started advertising there too...no wonder the Myspace founders became millionares...

It also has its cons, I've now deleted my profile, just because I don't want to be keeping up with it...but many people used this site to stalk, abuse, and lie through this site...oh well...Web 2.o gives us the tools and we can always use them to our benefit or just decide we're not interested...

#17 - About technology

Technology -

It's just amazing how far we've come, I still remember the days when I first heard of the term "The Internet". I didn't know what it was, what it could do...I wasn't very interested...If I go even further back into my life, I still remember working with "B.A.S.I.C." language...

Im sure not a lot of people remember that...but that's just the tip of the iceberg of course...we've acomplished so much in the last 100 years of our existence, that in a sense it "scares" me to think where we're going...

Technology, should be used to advance and hopefully everyone gets it...not sure we will...

#15 - Web 2.0 & Library 2.0

Some people (including me) were hesitant to even find out about the whole Web 2.0 mistery...We were scared, in a way...but after going through with this iHCPL training I've found out that I've been using these tools for a couple of years now. I just didn't know they were labeled as Web 2.o tools....

I searched for Library 2.0 comments and found this statement which opened my eyes towards the advantages of using it in our branches...

"Imagine a student comes to the reference desk and mentions that her class is working on a project and has to look for resources about 'x.' X may not be a good search term, and the catalog certainly won't return any results for that class (pretend it's 'en3610'), but after blogging about it (which should happen with all reference questions), the reference librarian could tag them, including a tag for the course number. Or perhaps the URL could be formatted in such a way that the search hits are tracked. Either way, the record becomes more relevant for a search that is just now important." - ALA Techsource

#7 - Online Photo Editing

I am not a big fan of online photo editing, but I can see where many people can take advantage of this if they don't have editing software in their PC...

here's a picture I edited with Snipshot...simple but I liked the outcome...I do all my editing in Adobe PhotoShop, Illustrator, and PaintShop Pro8...

#6 - Flickr (Flappr) - Mashups

I have to agree with everyone... Flappr is the greatest...I was able to find many local photographs which I loved, you can save your searches, and just have tons of fun with this Web2.0 tool....Gotta Love it!!! Search "Houston Dynamo" and enjoy.. :) heheheh

#5 - Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14662653@N08/2075510301/,
originally uploaded by mvillase2007.

I had tried Flickr before, I believe it's part of Yahoo, therefore, I can log in with my yahoo account. This is used mainly by people wanting to share photos with the world...very Web 2.0!!!

Flickr's not the only place where you can store/tag images for online use..there are many other websites like this one...just do a Google search for "Online photo hosting" and you'll see how many are available...Try it!!!!

here's a picture I uploaded to Flickr and I am not posting here for you...(one of the many features available there)

#11 - Library Thing

LibraryThing is a very informative site where people can see, catalog, review, tag and recommend books they've read and are interested in...You have to get an account and it can be considered a "My Space" for book readers...Enjoy!!!

#16 Wikis

Wikis are a wonderful way of finding, sharing, posting and researching on the web....Great tool, I have to go with Wikipedia.org as the best one...but you still have to be careful and do your homework...

In the library wikis become a superb tool while helping out patrons....

#13 & 14 Tagging / Technorati

I love tags...very easy way to find specific topics while browsing for blogs, pictures, news...

I just started posting our Computer Classes on http://www.chron.com/ , our local newspaper here in Houston...and started adding tags to those posts so that people in the Clear Lake are can find our classes while searching through the newspaper site..

Very cool...other places where tagging is available: Technorati, even places like Youtube.com...

Try it and have fun... :)

#10 Online Image Generators - Avatars

Avatars...well, well...I had seen some avatars before, but never imagined that these were actually made by actual users. I always thought they were just premade "little people" off of some computer geek's mind...

But you actually start from scratch or on some like WeeWorld, you actually start naked...well almost naked...there's a little leaf covering private parts of course :-)

Take a look at one I created with WeeWorld it's to the right of this post...

Here's one I created with Yahoo Avatars


Pretty cool websites I'd say, I'd never played dress-up before, and I must say it was fun.

You can even do signatures for your email...check mine out down here...

Try it!!! You'll have fun...I guarantee it...

#12 - Library Elf

Well I haven't had the time to post anything for a couple of weeks; I've been very busy. Finally, I got around to see what I had been missing and ran into this Library Elf deal. I am one of those people who always forgets to turn in items, even though I work here.

With Library Elf, it's very easy to track items. I usually get a notice from our library anyway, but getting two emails instead is always better.

So come on, get an account if you're a forgetful patron/staff member like me and enjoy the elf-help. :)

#8 & #9 - RSS Feeds

Well I'm supposed to keep up w/new technology and all that but honestly...Who's got the time? I'll be honest, I'm always up for a new challenge but this RSS deal had me wondering if I was getting too old and that all technology was passing me up.

I was wrong. RSS feeds were very easy to use. It's like your favorites on your browser but even better. YOU get to choose which pages are your favorite ones...AAAAANNNNDDDD...if that page/blog has an RSS feed option...add it, and voila!

Everytime that page/blog updates you get a feed in your account...I opened an account with Bloglines.com:

So don't be scared, try it out...If you need help, just post a comment on this blog.

PS: Here are some of my current RSS Feeds...I love them:

#4 About Internet Safety

Well...What can I say? I've been using the Internet for over 10 years now...since I was 18...Wow...That makes me feel old.

Anyway, the Internet has totally changed nowadays...I remember when I was 20 years old, I used to get on different chat rooms (not going to list names), and was able to meet many interesting people through there. I found lots of great friends via chat rooms and instant messaging. That was 10 years ago. Today you can't go to any chat room w/out seeing the typical "Wanna see my naked photos - Click Here!". I swear, the Internet was not invented for this. All the junk that we used to only see out in the real world, is now on the web.

It was bound to happen, the Internet has become another "world" in its own kind of way. We come out here and for some reason our true persona is filtered through the keyboard. I love it, and hate it at the same time.

My motto on net safety has always been "What can't get me in trouble in the real world won't get me in trouble online". With that said, don't go to any places where you're going to find trouble. Use common sense, if someone walked up to your door and asked your for your social security number, would you just give it to them? Of course not, you would try to find out who this person was, who they worked for, how was the information going to be used, etc. Use the same judgment online. Simple as that.

# 3 - Welcome to my blog

Well people, our attendance is starting to get better here at Freeman. I'm guessing the summer heat, Cabo vacations, fishing trips, and just total laziness is finally all gone once our kids are back to school.

When do you have your best attendance rate?

Fall, Winter, Spring, or the HOT HOUSTON SUMMERTIME!!!