Summary-23 things

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?

I am writing and posting blogs,viewing YouTube videos, receiving RSS feeds daily, downloading audio files and inserting photographs into my blog.
I don't have a favorite but I find myself spending time searching YouTube lately.(Maybe too much time).

How has the program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?

It has been a dynamic,stretching experience,and a beneficial preparation in attaining new technological knowledge and skills and in keeping up with the changing times.

Were there any take aways or unexpected outcomes from the program that surprised you?

I was happy to learn these new skills and this program was a gadfly enabling me to do so.

What could we do differently to improve upon this program's format or concept?

Perhaps it would be a little easier to do if the program was stretched over an 11 week period instead of 9 weeks, allocating two learning sessions per week instead of the sometimes, three exercises that had been assigned.

If we offered another discovery program like this in the future would you again chose to participate?

Yes, it has been an enlightening, interesting program. I never knew what to expect to learn and I looked forward to each week's exercise. At times, I did "struggle" through and felt a little overwhelmed. However, I would like to have more of these discovery programs in the near future and would be willing to continue the effort to learn more and participate in them. It was well worth all the work and very much appreciated!
Thank you 23 Things Team. You did a great job.

Audio books and the Digital Collection

I am now listening to an audio of "The Magic Years", a biography of Steve Martin's youthful years that I just downloaded from the audio collection.
I can't listen to this audio book while I walk, which I prefer to do because I don't have an MP3 player. So, instead, I am tied down to my computer. sitting here wishing I could get away from being pinned to this spot.
This biography is told through the memory and eyes of his best friend. Steve Martin is a funny guy and must have been wonderful to have as a comrade. Think of all those laughs they must have had.
When his teacher asked the question " Class, what happened 434 years ago? I shall leave the room now. When I return I would like to have the answer to my question".Steve, in her absence, organized the whole class to sing "Happy Birthday" when she opened the classroom door.
I still like to listen to audio tapes best and miss them,
(very few of them in the library these days and I like them better than compact discs) but that's me...However, since I am forced through technological innovation and planned obsolescence... I will finally have to purchase an MP3 player to download an audio book (Unfortunately, I can't use my IPod to download) .
Makes me wonder what new invention is coming next? My new mantra: "Gotta Keep Up!"

Podcasts

http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/podcasts/mp3/arraras.mp3

The above link is a podcast from the Library of Congress Book Festival. This is only one of many podcast choices that can be found on the internet.
There are a variety of topics and many podcasts to choose from.
Google is a good searching tool for podcasts.
I used NPR podcast Directory and searched for book reviews. I then subscribed to a book podcast that interested me:
Alan Farley talks with authors about their work and their lives, with their latest book as the starting point.
http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=510047

YouTube

I selected videos by entering my term in the search box. Among many homemade and amateurish videos (they were fun to see too), there were were some "gems" that I liked:
Home movies that were converted to the YouTube format. Some of those films were at least forty years old. I viewed videos of Brooklyn and my old neighborhood. It was a delightful and nostalgic experience.
When I searched for poets, I discovered a wide variety of poetry readings. For example: A cowboy poet, who read his poem to grazing horses while music played harmoniously in the background.
I didn't finish viewing the dreary, garbled poetry readings though, (too painful) however, I did find a few Poet Laureates reading their poetry and that was wonderful to listen to and see.

"Can you see any features or components of YouTube that might be useful if placed on the PBCLS web site?"

Yes, I think it could work well for employee training, patron instruction, general communication, etc., if the quality of these broadcasts do not take the "Big Brother is Watching You," direction and be properly and tastefully used for our employees as well as our patrons.
I selected this video as an example to illustrate a training film that is used in libraries: Not especially selecting or rating it one way or the other..
(this film is over 20 minutes long).

Google Docs, & StumbleUpon,Pandora (Web 2.0)

Today I wrote a poem in Google Docs; then sent it to other poets to add their poetry:

Something
This is something
Isn't it?
What is something?
well, it's this.
Some thing(s) cannot
be put into words.

Lorrainebow 6/08

Words are something too.
They should not be ignored.
If you use a word like something,
it might be confused as something else,
but it's not.
Being something is sure better than
not being anything.

Mitchell Liebowitz 6/08

Something
Something is not "nothing"
It is an "I don't know what"
An I don't know what it is
It is a "je ne sais quoi"
It is a what, a which and a who
Or even a why
But it is there and you believe in it
because it is a something that is ultra special.

Amusetta 6/2008

I sent the poem that I wrote to other poets who collaborated with me by adding their poem to mine.
I was able to accomplish this by using Google Docs and inviting others to edit my poem..

How can Google Docs be used in a library setting?
Students can possibly collaborate with their research assignments.
Any document that needs comment or multiple input can utilize this tool.
Bookmarking:
StumbleUpon won second place in the bookmarking awards category.
It is a "surfer!" With this tool, it is possible to serendipitiously
stumble upon all sorts wonderful, interesting things according to your own preference. There are great photographs, essays, politics, etc. that appear on your screen.
When you click on "I like it" (thumbs up) or the other "I don't like it" (thumbs down) Stumble generates more or less. By clicking thumbs up,you can increase the information flow in that particular subject.
It is neat and cool and fun. You can bookmark what you need or want to see again. Another feature is that you can email these sites to friends and share..
Pandora- Won second place in the music awards category: I love Pandora Music. Romantic Piano music is my peaceful,pleasant, background music when I explore StumbleUpon. Try it!
F.Y.I. &
P.S.
(I made some minor corrections, but didn't go back to Google Docs after I sent this poem et al. to this blog. to correct). They are still in this post. If you see them, and it is bothersome, please let me know through comments & I will change.. Thank you.

First time ZoHo writer Web 2.0

I am writing this paragraph on ZoHo writer for the first time. I have just switched to the 10 point from 14 point Verdana. I would like to switch to Courier new. I am now typing in Courier new 10 pt.I wil create a heading, but first will switch to arial black:

Heading 1

I was automatically switched back to Verdana -10 point. The screen is moving up and down.
I would like to underline the Heading 1: I will do so:
The next sentence will be italicized. This is an italized sentence.

I just saved -oops, i'm still italized and the screen is (and I don't know where this bold lettering came from) moving ,moving and not steady. (could be the thunderstorm that is happening now)
I'm getting dizzy..I guess I should switch to offline but since this is a brief paragraph, I will stay.
But switched to Courier 12 pt... Yay! The screen stopped moving up and down. My comment about ZoHo writer is
it is a good tool. One would have to master it and feel free to write with it and be comfortable to know that hackers cannot get at it, read your writings or alter them. I think it could be very useful to a student who needs to write papers and actually anyone else. It is a good tool.Thumbs up!

PBCLS Wikis

I tried to post onto the pbcls wiki, I think I did, but instead, I know that I botched someone's posting."My favorite TV show,"The Honeymooners". I'll apologize here.Sorry.
I thought that I was being creative by adding an image. A large purple flower splashed itself on the page. Then my experimental quotation marks that I thought too was necessary, landed itself haphazzardly onto the accidental,irrelevant flower image and appeared onto the petal of the accidental flower. I attempted to take the flower off that page but couldn't.(no mentor around) Then, while searching for some way to write or send a message or create a tab I think I again botched another page.
I long since stopped bursting into tears of frustration, so instead, went to the refrigerator, found some grapes and wondered if there was a refrigerator wiki community and if would be interesting to read.
I can now truly appreciate the work, effort and cooperation involved in producing a Wikipedia.

Wikis

It was interesting to learn that Wikis are used in Universities, school settings, libraries,etc.
There are many types of libraries and librarians; A library wiki community may be useful to coordinate library meetings, programs, material selection and resources for example, when communication or collaboration is necessary to the staff. Wikis significant to a specific community that share resources and services can help staff and patrons work together, assuming they work within guidelines and etiquette significant to the wiki community.
Sometimes, I kick-start research with Wikipedia. I do not exclusively rely upon it for information needs because of user input content so I don't trust it completely. However, it is extremely useful to shed light on a topic, and often can be as good as an encyclopedia.

F.Y.I. A spot check of the accuracy of Wikipedia is discussed in the following blog:
"a Wikipedia Quality Check
Wikipedia vs. Britannica Smackdown
September 7th, 2004 by Ed Felten"
http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/?p

Web 2.0

What does library 2.0 mean to me?
The classification and organization of knowlege via the Dewey Decimal System had been adequate for libraries in the past. It worked and has worked well for library patrons and librarians. If the future service(s) provided to library patrons is to be helpful and inviting, it shouldn't be complicated and require patrons to possess edgy technological knowlege.
There are library users who can use a computer but there are still many patrons who think the mouse is cat's prey. Some people are happy to come into a library, browse a bookcase,select a book and that is the library experience for them. However, the cognoscenti, those patrons with an adequate technological background will benefit and be pleased with the future changes predicted.
Of course, there are cultural and language barriers to tailor and overcome if public libraries truly prepare,accomodate and educate patrons for the up and coming new technology. I would be happy if the patrons could use the electronic catalog.

technorati

I love my remote control. Sometimes, I wish that I could apply its functions to real life..(I thought of that before I saw the movie,"Click"). Imagine having the ability to fast forward yourself out of a bad situation.

Oh well, while exploring technorati; how to technorati this blog and technorati your favorite link info and generate a tag,I thought of my love affair with my remote control and again, saw the possibility of the Universal Conversation button and widget.
Imagine a technorati conversation widget that functions to tag conversations at a party, so you can join any group that interests you, or drag somebody over to a discussion of choice. This way we could listen and talk to whom and exactly what we want to talk about. The "c" widget(conversation widget. This functioning gadget would free up so much personal discerning interviewing time that we have to do in course of the natural and ordinary conversations that take place, therefore,the "c" widget could possibly enable us to link to the conversing window of our free expressive selves and join the ideal scintillating conversation of our dreams, however fleeting that may be.
I would carry that miracle widget with me all the time because my dream conversing widget prints all the conversations to me before I go to the party. This way I can bone up on any subject and be the most brilliant conversationalist there.That is, if you love to go to parties (They called Edison nuts too.)

Social Bookmarking

It seems that, every day, in every way, I'm learning something useful and new with PBCLS23things.
The social bookmarking site, Del.icio.us made me aware of the fact that my own bookmarks and discoveries could be shared with others. I was surprised to find that there were kindred spirits whose interests were similar to mine.

I would like to share a little story to illustrate how entertainment and communication has changed in my lifetime:

When I was a kid, I used to listen to the radio often and had my own favorite programs that I turned on as soon as I got home from school. Many years later, after TV came to town,and radio saw its heyday, I still missed my favorite programs. (Ahh, those were the good old days) Yet, I discovered by seeing an ad in a magazine, that there were people out there who collected radio programs and shared them or made a business by putting those old programs onto cassettes. I sent away for these "old friends", (favorite programs) that I thought were lost to the world and me forever. I was suddenly able to hear them again and they were not lost!
When, in my solitude, I listened to an oldie but goodie wonderful radio program on my tape recorder I thought,"Ha,I'll bet that I'm the only one in Brooklyn, New York and in the United States,that is listening to this old radio program".
That deja vu feeling returned to me today, (only in reverse)when I realized that the wonderful improvements technology has provided;The internet: bookmarks,tags and blogs,tv,etc.,Websites that are readily available via the internet. The Media. yes, the media;all these are becoming valuable assets and tools to erase our isolation. The additional internet tools enable us to share our interests and make it easier for us to communicate in this now changing global world. (For the good, I hope).
Here is the URL to a favorite bookmark of mine:

http://www.radiolovers.com/pages/allshows.html

Now, I can bookmark this url and tag it and share it.


Can bookmarking tagging be useful in the library? I think so, A blog that is created, for example, that reviews materials in our audio/video collection, containing specific tags would be useful to point to those reviews in a specific subject of interest.
This bookmarking application can be applied to education, business, hobbies, internet etc. Now, I understand how it is done. And Thank you PBCLS23things.

Webfeat

I tried Webfeat several times. My search was: Immigrants and Brooklyn and United States. I choose dates from 1900 to 1940.
I was a little disappointed not to get more information. I think that I have to experiment further because the few searches that I did were not successful. The idea of combining searches is good though. I think it needs a little fine tuning. Or, maybe it's me.

My Library Things

Here is the link to my Librarything catalog: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/liebowi

So far, there are 5 books on my list. I hope to add more titles.http://pbcls23things.blogspot.com/2008/02/week-5-librarything.html