Fun Site

You have probably figured out that I work with children. So, I would like to recommend a fun site. I have used many of the posted ideas in my weekly storytime.

Enjoy.

http://www.kidscraftweekly.com/index.html

Flower Power

Flower Power
Originally uploaded by mr_la_rue

Something that made me smile.

Flickr & My Computer

I have been working on my Flickr account to upload photos. This has taught me that I need to update my computer. It takes forever!!!

Starlight Star Bright

D300 Tests
Originally uploaded by mawa_73527

Star Light Star bright,
The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.





Photo: D300 Tests
Uploaded by mawa_73527
on 30 Nov 07, 12:55 pm PST

A Hero

John Wood is a person who I would consider a hero.

If you would like to read more about his life I would recommend his book. It is available at the Harris County Public Library for check out.

"Leaving Microsoft to Change the World : an entrepreneur's odyssey to educate the world's children," by Wood, John, 1964 Jan. 29-
Call No.: 370.913 Woo
ISBN: 006112107X

I believe that the title of the book speaks volumes. However, the organization which he developed, Room to Read is amazing! In only 7 years, Room to Read has established over 3,6000 libraries in the developing world. John Wood has made the world a better place, and I thank him for that.

http://www.roomtoread.org/

Children's Illustrators Site

I love children's book illustrations! I appreciate each illustration for it's artistic value. However, when the creative work of an illustrator is collectively placed into a book, the art takes on a magical power that transports the reader to another world. What a wonderful talent these individuals have.

Therefore, I was delighted to find this new site. This unique online community currently counts 680 illustrators, 16 agents showcasing 15571 illustrations and 1313 published books! There is even a newsletter...Sounds like fun to me.


http://www2.childrensillustrators.com/content.cgi/index

Reflection experiment 1

Reflection experiment 1
Originally uploaded by play4smee

Photo For the day: Reflection experiment 1
Uploaded by play4smee on 30 Nov 07, 12.35AM PST.

"This is a reflection in one of the ornaments hanging on the huge Christmas tree in Brisbane Square. It shows the Queen Street Mall - shopaholics paradise!"

My Pick

Snowflakes are created by Children's book illustrators to help fight cancer. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000.

Unfortunately, Robert Mercer lost his fight with cancer this last Fall. However, his wife Dana and the foundation continue his dream.

Robert's Snow: for Cancer's Cure November through December 2007

Gingerbread Christmas Tree

Gingerbread Christmas Tree
Originally uploaded by Mad Baker

This is my favorite picture for the day.
Happy Holidays everyone!

Gingerbread Christmas Tree
Uploaded by Mad Baker on 2 Dec 07, 3.11AM PST.

Flickr: Tell a story in 5 frames (Visual story telling)

http://www.flickr.com/groups/visualstory/

This group pool is for Flickr members only. It is simular to a wordless picture book. Individuals create a story within 5 frames. The work often repersents a fragment of time in someone's life or of the world around us.


searching the family
http://www.flickr.com/groups/visualstory/discuss/72157603288761158/

Lookybooky

My friend and colleague showed me a great website this week. It allows individuals to view children's picture books online. This will be a great resouce for parents and teachers alike. I personally like the fact that I can view the illustrations of a specific item.

I will be looking for Christmas gifts this weekend, and I might just use this site to help with my search.

http://www.lookybook.com/
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6500725.html?nid=2788

Full Circle

Photo: porzioni di cielo
Uploaded on October 5, 2007by ibiscus27

I Don't Always Follow The Given Path...In fact, most the time I do things differently than other people. Therefore, I have decided to continue my blog even though the ihpl program has ended for me personally. I have completed all the steps and have earned my (10) training hours.

I could create a new blog which would be different from this one. It is possible that I may do this at a future date. However, I believe that it's important to evaluate one's personal growth. This blog is my first. Therefore, I am going to think outside of the box and continue my own program. I plan to make it as simple as a personal journal. Along the way, I might learn something new and interesting. If I do, I will share it. I am not sure if my blog will ever be read by anyone, and I am o.k. with that. In fact, I really don't care.

Even though this a new beginning I feel that my path has come full circle. At this point, I'm on my own journey. I am not doing this for any other reason but for myself. Thus, I am simply going to enjoy the process for what it is.

Man's mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimension.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Week 10: Is This Really The End?

Within the compass of my life, books and libraries have been held in the highest regard for their worth of furthering oneself. I believe in life long learning .

ihcpl was a new experience that permitted me to expand my horizons and knowledge base. I was amazed by not only what I learned but how I was learning it. I am thrilled that I was able to undergo this assignment with my colleagues (friends). It has been fun. Together we were able to tackle any difficulties, and in the end triumphed over our frustrations.

I have received more out of this type of training than most training programs. I hope that HCPL will continue online training. I adored Beth's videos! I also liked the fact that I could work from my computer when I had time available. I hope that this is not the END. I urge HCPL to continue with this program. No matter what happens I will use many of the skills I have learned.

Week 9: #22 Downloadable Media

Discovery Exercise:
Visit HCPL's digital site and explore the different types of materials available.
Create a blog post about your findings. Did you locate a title that you might want to check out? Were there any differences between the library site and the free sites?
Try downloading a title from the library's collection. You don't have to have a portable player, you can also listen/read/watch on a computer.

Discovery Resources:
Digital Media Guided Tour - Tutorial that offers step-by-step instructions for checking out and downloading digital media.

The HCPL digital media site is a great resource for eAudio Books, eBooks, Music and Videos. Wow! I think that this is amazing. However, this site is NOT compatible with iPods or MACs. I own an iPod and I don't plan on giving it up.

I did find several things that I would enjoy if I could use this site!
Here are just a couple:

• Spanish Guitar, by Enrique Granados
• Boy by Roald Dahl
• Clapton, The Autobiography by Eric Clapton Simon Vance
• Julie and Julia 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen
  by Julie Powell

I looked at the other two suggested sites and liked http://librivox.org/. I will need to look into this when I have more time.

Week 9: #21 Podcasts

Once found, you can easily pull the RSS feed into your Bloglines account as well, so that when new casts become available you'll be automatically notified of their existence.
Discovery Resources:
Wikipedia explains the history of the podcast.
There are many, many podcast directories and finding tools out there. Here are just three of the more popular ones that, unlike iTunes, don't require a software download: Podcast.net, Podcastalley.com, and Yahoo podcasts.
What? You want to learn how to be a podcaster too? (Optional resources for those who want to learn to create podcasts)
Publish a podcast on Blogger
Odeo's online recording studio
Tutorial on how to podcast

Discovery Exercise:
Take a look at one or two of the podcast directories listed and see if you can find a podcast that interests you. See if you can find some interesting library related podcasts here like book review podcasts or library news.
Add the RSS feed for a podcast to your Bloglines account.
Create a blog post about your discovery process. Did you find anything useful here?



I asked my husband for an ipod for Christmas several years ago. At first, I thought that I would use it only for music. Then I began to learning about all the neat applications it was able to do. I first learned of podcasting on the SirsiDynix Institute Event Archive. http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/podcast.php

Since then, I have been to my iTunes account and have discovered a new world.

I idolize NPR for the free thinking environment that they provide. Therefore, it is on of my top recommendations for sites to search. http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php
I was not awarethat there are video podcasts. Pretty cool! There seem to be several sites. Here is an example of one. http://www.imakethings.com/

The Little Prince - Chapter 1 and 2

Roald Dahl virtual tour

Week 9 # 20 Discover YouTube & Other sites

YouTube

Discovery Exercise:
Explore YouTube and find a video worth noting as an entry in your blog.
Create a blog post about your experience. What did you like or dislike about the site and why did you choose the video that you did? Can you see any features or components of the site that might be interesting if they were applied to library websites?

Optional: Try placing the video inside your blog using the copy and past code for the "Embeddable Player." Note: you'll need to use Blogger's Edit HTML tab when pasting this code. (optional)

I have placed two video bars from YouTube on the sidebar. I love music as much as a adore books! However, it was difficult to pick which artist I would highlight. In the end, I picked Bob Dylan and Nick Drake because they are two individuals whose music have invoked the human spirit.

• Dylan Lives Here...Listen! (Bob Dylan)
• Nick Gone Too Soon. (Nick Drake)

The above posts are related to children's book authors or their work.

1. Roald Dahl
2. "The Little Prince" (Chapter 1 and 2) by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Both authors are truly amazing!

Week 8: # 19 Web-based Apps

http://ihcpl.blogspot.com/

Discovery Resources:
A short list of web-based productivity applications put together by Helene Blowers in Zoho Writer and exported as HTML.

Discovery Exercise:
Create a free account for yourself in Zoho Writer.
Explore the site and create a few test documents.
Try out Zoho Writer's features and create a blog post about your discoveries

This is the first time that I've tried Zoho. It has some neat applications. For example, I do like the organizer. Nonetheless, I tend to like the simplicity of Microsoft office. However, I feel that it's important to try new things so I will give Zoho another chance to win my heart.

BTW: Here's a document put together by Helene Blowers listing beneficial features of Zoho.

Week 8: #18 Social Networking

MySpace is a popular social hub, Facebook was created for college students and still has that feel, Yahoo users can log in to Yahoo!360, LinkedIn is aimed at professionals and Xanga is a haven for bloggers. These are just a few of the general social networking sites out there.
Discovery Exercise
Take a look around several of the social networking sites and make note of your likes and dislikes.
Post your thoughts about social networking in a blog post. Were there any particular sites that appealed to you?
MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/
Ning - http://www.ning.com/
Yahoo!360 - http://360.yahoo.com/
LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/
Xanga - http://www.xanga.com/
Rate My Space - http://ratemyspace.hgtv.com/
Threadless - http://threadless.com
Infield Parking - http://www.infieldparking.com/
Dogster, Catster - http://www.dogster.com/ , http://www.catster.com/

Previously, I thought that social networking was mainly for teens and/or people who are single. After looking at a few of these sites a new light has been shed on this subject. I now see that there is a sense purpose and depth to some of the groups. I liked Ning. The content was well-chosen, but I also liked it's visual apeal which gave it a feeling of organization and clarity. On the other hand, I liked Threadless. Quite simply for it's appeal to my fun and creative side.

Nick Drake - 1972 CD Pink Moon

Check out my favorite Nick Drake Cd
Pink Moon, 1972

Week 7 #17 Technology

Image of Nick Drake in Paris
by Jef Aerosol, Flickr

For this thing, simply blog about anything technology related. Yes, it can be anything that relates to technology! You just need to share a few thoughts.
Be sure to add at least one comment to any post on another participant's blog. That's what online communities are all about -- connecting and communication.

I would not want to live in a world without technology. There are so many amazing things! Most people don't think how technology effects their daily lives. However, the fact is that technology greatly impacts how we live and the decisions we make. Without it our world would not be the same.


Recently, we had a system failure at my work . "Failure" is an interesting word choice. Overall, I would say that the staff was successful! We worked as a team to best serve the families in our community. However, it will take time to fix the damaged. I believe this stresses the importance of keeping up with the most up to date technology. Otherwise, technology can and will leave you behind.

On the flip side of life, technology can be fun. The photo that I have posted is a graffiti image of Nick Drake. The artwork was created in Paris. I don't know if I'll ever have a chance to visit Paris. However, I adore Nick Drake's music, and I think that the graffiti artitst is very cool! So, it's pretty amazing that I found a photograph of something that I may never see but I truly admire.

Week 7 # 16 So what's Up With this Wiki?

Winking Cookie!
Uploaded on December 18, 2006by Sare-Bear

Wonderful Wiki's

I have found some really cool wiki's just for fun!

http://mycookieswebby.wetpaint.com/page/Lovely+Cookies

http://cooking.betterrecipes.com/?wpcmp=cp1&t=anon


Discovery Resources:
Wiki, wiki, wiki - from PLCMC's Core Competency blog
Beginner's look at Wikis from Meredith Farkas
What is a wiki? - Library Success wiki presentation
Using wikis to create online communities



Discovery Exercise:
For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a look at some library wikis and blog about your finding.

Here's a few examples to get you started:
iHCPL Sandbox wiki
SJCPL Subject Guides - a pathfinder wiki developed by the St. Joseph County Public Library system
Book Lovers Wiki - developed by the Princeton Public Library
Library Success: a best practices wiki
ALA 2007 Annual Conference wiki - an example of a wiki created to support a specific event

Access the iHCPL wiki and create a login account for yourself.
Either add your blog to the favorite blogs page on the iHCPL wiki or add a favorite or two to other pages on the wiki.

Now that you are more familiar with wikis, create a blog post about your findings. What did you find interesting? What types of applications within libraries might work well with a wiki?
So, what's in a wiki? Find out by doing some exploring on your own.Added: The wiki password is HCPL.

Wikipedia, is the most famous wiki, and it was the first one that I knew of years ago. Since the information can be changed by anyone it is not always a reliable resource. However, I do find the concept of a wiki interesting. The thought of so many people working together to better the community is an amazing and wonderful thing.

I have used a wiki for a collaborative project, and also to complete a training program. Both experiences have been positive. Although, there are times that I miss the human contact of meetings or samll groups. Somehow, a computer format makes it more difficult to be creative.

Week 6 #14 The Future (Library 2.0 / Web 2.0 )

Discovery Resources:OCLC Next Space Newsletter -- Web 2.0: Where will the next generation of the web take libraries?Five Perspectives:
Away from Icebergs
Into a new world of librarianship
To more powerful ways to cooperate
To better bibliographic services
To a temporary place in time
Wikipedia - Article on Library 2.0 with great references
A Librarian's 2.0 Manifesto
Discovery Exercise:
Read two or three of the perspectives on Library 2.0 from the list above.
Create a blog post about your thoughts on any one of these. Library 2.0 - it's many things to many people. What does it mean to you?

I read through all of the perspectives on Library 2.0. The one thing that I know to be true in life is that things change. The only way that we can be successful is to learn about the tools and technology of the future, and use them to benefit our system. Just think what libraries be like today if we did not embrace computers?

Week 6: # 13 Sharing

Tagging , Technorati, Del.icio.us ...What does it all mean? Organizing, Information and Sharing.

Discovery Exercise:
View the 8 minute Del.icio.us tutorial to get a good overview of its features.
I tried to view this tutorial but it would not open. Too bad, I would have like to have seen it.

Take a look around Del.icio.us using the iHCPL account that was created for this exercise. Note: In this account you will find lots of resources that have been highlighted or used throughout the course of the Learning 2.0 program. Explore the site options and try clicking on a bookmark that has also been bookmarked by a lot of other users. Can you see the comments they added about this bookmark or the tags that they used to categorize this reference?

Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool. Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance? Or just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed anywhere?

I was impressed with both Technorati, and Del.icio.us as ways to search information. I can foresee several different application of these tools. I love del.icio.us because I can reach my bookmarks from any computer.

In addition to the listed sites, I would recommend watching the video posted on the del.icio.us / blog posted September 21, 2007. It does an excellent job explaining how tags and social bookmaking are an effective way to organize and share information.

Dylan (Week # 5: # 10 Image Generators)

Elves and the Shoemaker

Originally uploaded
by big_bucket_girl

A Library Elf...Yuck!

Week 5: #12 The "Library" Elf will remind you!
Discovery Exercise: Register your library card (or cards) with Library Elf and track your items and requests. Post on your blog what you think about this service.

No thanks, and I'm not impressed. Sure maybe there are people out there that like this kind of thing, but it's not me. Personally, if I need a reminder I'll be using my e-mail account. Thank for offering, but I want to limit the number of accounts that I need to manage.

However, it would be nice if the HCPL website was setup this way. I do like the fact that account information can be viewed all at once. In addition, Library Elf provides a servie that could be helpful to families. For, I can't imagine having to keep up with multiple library cards.

Nonetheless,, in my world, elves belong to the dreamers of children's fairytales, and great authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien.

That THING you do...

Week 5: #11 A Thing about Library Thing

Discovery Exercise:

Take a look around LibraryThing and create an account.
Add at least 5 books to your library.
Blog about your findings and be sure to link to your LibraryThing catalog.

Put a Librarything widget on your blog. (optional)

I have posted widget author cloud on the sidebar and covers of my books above and below. I found Librarything very easy to use. In fact, I am afraid that Librarything may become an addiction.

I was able to find books that are not within the HCPL system, which I have previously requested through ILL. This will be a great way to keep a list of the books that I've read. I also posted a few items that I will want to request in the future.

Probably, the best discovery was when I found a book that I have desired for my personal library. I have been wanting to purchase The Great Wall of China: Photographs by Chen Chanfen (MFAH), by Anne Wilkes Tuker. Originally, this book was rather costly, and I was not able to get it. While searching through Librarything, I found it through Amazon under $30.00. What joy! I saw Chen Chanfen's exhibit at the MFAH and it was amazing. I am thrilled that I will now be able to have this book in my own collection.

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/writtersrightword

Bob Dylan

This wallpaper application was created in Flickr by jberg on 1 Jul 06, 4.49PM PDT.




Using the Generator blog I found a site that allowed me to create. I like Bob Dylan and this one had music on it. However, getting the embed code was a bit difficult to find. http://www.dylanmessaging.com/create

Slideshow
American Musician Bob Dylan Lives in my Blog!
wordweek.blogspot
Listen

I added both this wallpaper and a video bar to tie everything together.

Playing Around @ Work

Week # 5: # 10 Playing Around With Image Generators
For this discovery exercise: please just have fun. Find a few interesting image or text generators to play around with and write a post in your blog about one of your favorites and display the result. Often adding the image you mocked up to your blog is as simple as copying and pasting code that the page provides. If not, you may just need to right click on the image and then save it to your hard drive before using Blogger's image button to add it to your post.

Discovery Resources:
FDToys - try the magazine and movie poster cover generators!

Avatars from Yahoo!

Customize comic strips.

Choose from a variety of image generators.

Meez yourself an avatar.

Discovery Exercise:
Play around with some image generators and find one that you like.
Post the result of your discovery process in your blog. Note: Be sure to include a link to the image generator itself, so other participants can discover it too.
Take some time and have fun with this exercise. And remember to be tasteful, too.
Subscribe to the Generator blog, each post delivering an interesting new Image Generator.
http://generatorblog.blogspot.com/

Newspaper
http://www.addletters.com/makepic.php?f=newspaper-generator
Concert Ticket
http://www.says-it.com/concertticket/
The Blues
http://www2.capitalgold.com/staticweb/EdFeatures/goldblues/
Bob Dylan
http://www.dylanmessaging.com/create

Flickr vs My Photo Files

Mountains in O'ahu, Hawaii

I must be honest, Flickr is fun to "play" with, and it has some really neat applications! Some of the photographs that you can find are truly wonderful.

However, I have mixed feelings because it's also simple to pull a photograph from one of my own files. Also, I feel that sharing my personal photographs is a little like hand writting a joural. There is an essence that is shared and that can not be duplicated. Each photo has it's own story...They create a digital blueprint of my life. Even though I am not sharing the personal memories of these photos, the collection become a mosaic and begins to take on a life of it's own.

Nonetheless, I will be taking the time to apply my photographs to a Flickr account. I can see Flickr being a great way to back up your photo files. My photographs are some of my most valuable possessions, especially those taken of family and friends.

Week 4: #9 Finding Feeds

Old Radio by Night

Originally uploaded by Lymf

(I love NPR and now I can keep up with all my favorite shows)
According to ihcpl there are several ways to look for feeds.

• Look for newsfeed icons that indicate the website provides it. Often a feed icon will be displayed somewhere in the navigation bar of the site.


• Use Bloglines search tool -- Bloglines' search tool lets you search for newsfeeds, posts, citations and the web. Use the "Search for Feeds" option to locate RSS feeds you might find interesting.


• Other search tools that can help you find feeds: Feedster (one of the largest collections of news, blogs and podcasts), Topix (news and media outlet feeds), Syndic8 (open directory of feeds submitted by users) and Technorati (a popular blog finding tool).

Discovery Exercise:
Explore a few of the search tools located above that can help you locate newsfeeds.
Create a blog post about the experience. Don't know what to blog about? Here are some questions to get you started...Which method of finding feeds was the easiest for you to use? Which search tool was the easiest to use and which the most confusing? What kind of useful feeds did you find in your travels? Or what kind of unusual ones did you find? What other tools or ways did you find to locate newsfeeds?

I looked at all of these and they all worked very well. Do I think that I will use them? Actually, I don't.

I found more than enough links, "feeds" on my own. I don't want this project to become something that I am not able to manage. I think that it's important to pick and choose sites wisely. Therefore, it will become a tool that will benefit my life and not a nuance.

How did I find sites? Mainly, I went to websites that I value, but normally do not have time to enjoy. I am hoping that Rss feeds will help me manage my time, and allow me to read the information that interest me.

More Flickr Fun???

I have tried to play with a few of the Flickr mashups and 3rd party tools that are out there. I was able to find images throughTagnautica. I also liked the postcard browser and colorpicker. However, I have yet to understand how to take this information and create things that are mine.

Week 4: # 8 RSS - Bloglines

Discovery Exercise:
Follow the discovery resources above to learn more about RSS and newsreaders.
Create a free online Bloglines account for yourself and to at least ten newsfeeds through your reader. Subscribe to some of the iHCPL participant blog feeds or HCPL Flickr photo feeds. Create a post in your blog about this exercise

I collect photographs and vintage postcards. I adore the above photographs which were taken in Colorado around 1913. I also collect sea shells, vintage buttons, skeleton keys, unique boxes and other things that most people have no interest in. I see Rss feeds as a way to collect and sort information that I want to keep tabs on. I was especially excited when I successfully added a feed from NPR. I am also trying out several other feeds, and I think that I might enjoy this.

Week 3 - Discovering Flickr

mexico 2004 FEB
Originally uploaded by writtersrightword

Ok I finally figured out how to add photographs to my blog from Flickr. However, it took some help from a friend. I must say that it was not easy to see those little icons shaded in grey. I looked at the page several times and never found it. They really should color them!

This photograph was taken on one of our many trips to Mexico. I love history and seeing Tulum was wonderful!

Week 3 - Photo Editing Using Picnik

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
An eternity in an hour. - William Blake

Discovery Exercise:
Edit a photo using one of the tools listed above and post it to your blog.

I used Picnik to edit this photo. I changed the size by cropping it and adjusted the color slightly. I have used photo editing programs before and found this one to work well. Also, as stated throught the ihcpl training, Picnik will work with your Flickr account.

http://www.picnik.com/

http://www.flickr.com/

Week 3 - Adding Photographs

This world is but a canvas to our imagination. Henry David Thoreau

A few years ago, my husband gave me a digital camera as a gift. Now that I am able to post photographs, I look forward to highlighting a few favorites and sharing them with you.

Week 2 - Why Blog?

Boulder, Colorado

Discovery Exercise:
Create a blog post discussing how comfortable are you sharing online?

Previously, books were the only voice of the written word. These words came from a fellowship of authors, who had stories to tell and wisdom to pass along. However, we are no longer bound by the binding of paper and ink, or by a fellowship wordsmiths. A blog allows words to travel to unknown people and places. We each have our own stories and wisdom to share. The question is who will read it?

I am new to the world of blogs. I am creating this blog as work assignment. It is my understanding that some blogs are kept private, but this one will be posted for the world to see. I plan to complete this project, have fun when I can, and learn something new along the way. I may not always follow the given path but I hope that my solutions are creative. Also, I plan to add quotes that inspire me.

Men see things as they are and say why... I dream of things that never were and say why not. George Bernard Shawe

ihcpl work assignment: http://ihcpl.blogspot.com/

Note: Cactus photograph shared by family member.

Learning Habits

This journey has certainly taken longer than I had expected. I must admit that I thought this step would be simple, and it has caused some frustration. Nonetheless, I believe that the knowledge will be useful.

Man's mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimension.Oliver Wendell Holmes