Thing 6. Online Image Generators

How could we use this? Trading cards, license plate bookmarks, displays, logos, crafts for story hours, promotional materials, icons for webpages and reading lists, introducing staff, creating and promoting new programs and databases...and so much more.

It would take some promotion and education on our part to start having our patrons look for us on Flickr and Facebook and YouTube, etc, but I think it is such a creative and up-to-date way to reach patrons comfortable with the internet. We need to grow and change. These are proven sites - with staying power. The time invested in setting up up these pages and creating the neat things that can be done I think is time well spent. Setting aside some of my free time to do these Things as been an easy decision...finding work time would be nearly impossible. It might be worth training well-supervised volunteers, or training each staff member to take on a part.

cool plate

Thing 5. More Flickr Fun

Ok, I spent WAY too much time on this thing and had WAY too much fun!!!

I really enjoyed exploring the top ten list, but hit the big time with Big Huge Lab's Flickr toys. I think that would be the site that would have the best use for library posters, bookmarks and other promo stuff. I really enjoy playing with things like this. It would take a great effort of will on my part not to spend hours and hours working on creating one thing. BUT, some of these tools allowed me to create things in minutes that would have taken hours "by hand".

I added HESED to my blog - a cool word I learned in church this morning meaning "steadfast love".

Everybody loves to read at the Park Rapids Area Library!

Everybody loves to read at the Park Rapids Area Library!
Originally uploaded by becky_walpole

These are friends from our Children's Area. Visitors will often grab a friend to read with them. Shrek is a special favorite!

Thing 4. Photosharing with Flickr

I had created a Flickr account in October to show others that if I could do it, so could they. It was fun to create, but had not visited it since. Creating an account is one thing, but using it is another. I'm glad this Thing let me re-visit my first effort. I was very concerned about using people in my pictures, even with permission, but in looking at my page, I think it would look like a more inviting place if there were people in it! Is written permission advisible? I would think so. It could create quite a thick folder of permission slips eventually, though. It seems to me you would have to keep them forever because even if you delete the picture from your site, there is no telling how many others have used the Blog This feature.

I used the tagging feature for the first time and enoyed playing with it. Selecting a word like "read" comes up with some mighty varried results!

I had created that first account to show off the library where I work. I think I'll create another one for family stuff and keep those private. I'm glad they put the warnings not to post pictures of others without permission.

Exploring Thing 4 - a better link to the CommonCraft video

I did not get the right video when I clicked on the link in the instructions. Try this one instead:


http://www.commoncraft.com/photosharing

Have fun!!

B

Thing 3. Set Up an RSS Account & Add Feeds

This was so easy and fun!! After reading some of the other postings, I was a bit afraid to try this one, but I'm so glad I did!

I had subscribed to several email updates from different sites, but this will be great. It will be nice to have them all in one place and not clogging up my email. I was amazed by the number of feeds out there. The Google blogsearch tool worked well for me. Who knew there were blogs out there for hardanger embroidery, preschool crafts, Antiques Roadshow (yeah, I know I'm a nerd) and so many oter things I enjoy. There are several sites where I go to download podcasts when I have time. Now they'll all be waiting for me and easily available. What a great way to conect. What a time saver.

I went to several of my most visited sites and was surprised to see the rss feed link on many of them. The Feeds link on the Explorer toolbar lights up when there is a link available on the page. That makes it so easy to find them.

So I don't forget...

This was a cool link I didn't want to lose track of..

http://www.readersclub.org/rss.asp

I'm loving Thing 3!!!!!!

Thing 2 - What is Web 2.0 and Why Should I Care

I was in the last class in my high school who was not taught basic computer skills. It was not even an option (I was also not allowed to take Shop...girls took ome Ec.) I am younger than you think. I will celebrate my 27th class reunion this summer. The computer, the internet, email, Google and Yahoo, IM, blogs, social networking...it began kind of slowly and now seems to be snowballing. I felt good about picking up skills in college and beyond, but now find myself, as a library worker, in a position were I had better know what's available and how to use it. I don't want to be left behind, nor do I want my community to be left out.

Stephen Abram said 15 minutes...this particular Thing took forever because there were so many interesting things to link to! I am probably the last person on earth to see The Machine is Us/ing Us (Final Version) on Youtube, but if you haven't yet, take a peek.

One of the links gave statistics about who uses the internet and - no surprise - the younger you are the more likely you are and the easier it is for you to participate online. I feel troubled by the decreasing options available for those who do not use the internet - so many forms, and accounts must be accomplished online. I want to be able to efectively ease the non-user into the it-must-be-done-online age. I want to be able to speak intelligently with savvy users of blogs, Flickr, Secondlife and the like and to be able to give basic assistance to those wishing to enter those realms. I want to understand what my teenagers are encountering and to celebrate with them when they make connections with teenagers in China and Australia and other wonderful places. I want to talk with other librarians from around the nation and around the world and share stories, problems and solutions. I don't want to be left behind.

I hope to complete the 23 things and share what I learn with the rest of the staff at my small library. I am hoping to pass on my excitement and feeling that this is really improtant stuff. I'm hoping that I will become fluent enough to pass on the hows and whys. I think the Things will make our jobs easier and richer in ther services we are able to provide. Sometimes change is hard. Things are changing fast. I don't want to be left beind.