Well it has been an interesting journey and not always a fun one. To be honest some of the stuff I really disliked like the RSS feeds. That was a right pain. The image generators while fun I was thinking " so what's the point" if someone wants to fiddle with that rubbish they can do it themselves.
I did learn and retain some things like uploading photos and creating hyperlinks in my blogs. I thought the program was quite long 23 things is a lot to do and accomplish by a deadline when you have other pesky things to do as well like serving customers and putting books away etc.
There was also the frustration of having to try and get a computer in the Learn.net to actually do a lot of the lessons as the bits and pieces we needed were actually blocked on staff terminals.
However I carried on plugging away and finally I have reached the end and I am so pleased. Yay this is the last of dazed and confused kiwi. I am finished.
Monday, September 8, 2008
E Books
Well Project Gutenberg seems to be well set out and easily searchable but I wasn't a big fan of it.
I like the way there are at least 50 books available in most foreign languages. 50 is better than none.
There don't seem to be many if any at all contemporary best selling authors. A lot of what is available would be termed as proper literature by literary snobs who don't neccessarily approve of best selling literature like Catherine Coulter or Nora Roberts as an example.
I din't find anything that I wanted to download mainly because I couldn't really find authors that I like enough to listen to. If I am going to listen to an e-book I want a story that will keep me entertained but not give me a headache hence an author like Nora Roberts or J D Robb etc.
Great idea but broaden the genres and availability if copyright doesn't prevent them from doing so and then I may find one I like.
I like the way there are at least 50 books available in most foreign languages. 50 is better than none.
There don't seem to be many if any at all contemporary best selling authors. A lot of what is available would be termed as proper literature by literary snobs who don't neccessarily approve of best selling literature like Catherine Coulter or Nora Roberts as an example.
I din't find anything that I wanted to download mainly because I couldn't really find authors that I like enough to listen to. If I am going to listen to an e-book I want a story that will keep me entertained but not give me a headache hence an author like Nora Roberts or J D Robb etc.
Great idea but broaden the genres and availability if copyright doesn't prevent them from doing so and then I may find one I like.
Podcasts
Well I looked at both suggested Podcast directories. Both were pretty pathetic but given the choice Podcastalley was a bit better.
I subscribed to two podcasts one on Ice Hockey (NHL) and one on Major League Baseball.
Very quick and easy to add to Bloglines but was a bt slow on the baseball as two of the sites that interested me were blocked.
I think from my own experience Itunes has a much better selection of Podcasts available to choose from if that is your thing and they are all free to subscribe to.. Yes you need the itunes software but that is free to download from the net anyway. So go Itunes
I subscribed to two podcasts one on Ice Hockey (NHL) and one on Major League Baseball.
Very quick and easy to add to Bloglines but was a bt slow on the baseball as two of the sites that interested me were blocked.
I think from my own experience Itunes has a much better selection of Podcasts available to choose from if that is your thing and they are all free to subscribe to.. Yes you need the itunes software but that is free to download from the net anyway. So go Itunes
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Youtube
I love Youtube and it's a great way to spend your lunchbreak if you can get on a terminal in the Learn.net
I looked up my favourite group The Ten Tenors and was spoilt for choice. I decided on one of my favourites which was The Boxer. Again it was frustrating trying to link this as we can't right click to copy and paste which of course is how most of us were taught.
However Youtube was very easy to get around and all I did was to put The Ten Tenors in the search box and I got a whole list of choices. The quality of the video in most cases isn't bad. Some aren't clear as but really they aren't too bad. Sometimes sound is an issue but as I said I love Youtube. They even have heaps of vids by one of my favourite male singers Mario Frangoulis.
You could always post Library events on Youtube and there may even be people crazy enough to watch them.
I looked up my favourite group The Ten Tenors and was spoilt for choice. I decided on one of my favourites which was The Boxer. Again it was frustrating trying to link this as we can't right click to copy and paste which of course is how most of us were taught.
However Youtube was very easy to get around and all I did was to put The Ten Tenors in the search box and I got a whole list of choices. The quality of the video in most cases isn't bad. Some aren't clear as but really they aren't too bad. Sometimes sound is an issue but as I said I love Youtube. They even have heaps of vids by one of my favourite male singers Mario Frangoulis.
You could always post Library events on Youtube and there may even be people crazy enough to watch them.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Web 2.0 tools
Well this week I had to look at Web 2.0 tools and see whether any of them were any good or for that matter had any practical applications within a Library framework.
There was a lot of choice to look at and I chose to look at the music tools.
The one I liked a lot was the site that won for music which was Last. FM. At first appearance it looked like it only covered alternative type music but I found appearances were deceiving. I entered a variety of artists from many different genres and found that they were listed.
There could be good revenue making opportunities for Libraries if they were to promote sites like this. People would consider paying to use our computers to listen to the music they like especially if they don't have a computer of their own at home.
Perhaps libraries could even take it one step further and work on finding a way that people could access legal music subcription services through the Library and get the music they want rather than just listening online.
There was a lot of choice to look at and I chose to look at the music tools.
The one I liked a lot was the site that won for music which was Last. FM. At first appearance it looked like it only covered alternative type music but I found appearances were deceiving. I entered a variety of artists from many different genres and found that they were listed.
There could be good revenue making opportunities for Libraries if they were to promote sites like this. People would consider paying to use our computers to listen to the music they like especially if they don't have a computer of their own at home.
Perhaps libraries could even take it one step further and work on finding a way that people could access legal music subcription services through the Library and get the music they want rather than just listening online.
Zoho Writer
Well it was simple enough to join up to use it. Zoho Writer seems to be well set out and easy to use but I did have connection issues.
I got a lot of messages that Internet Explorer had encountered a problem and needed to close. This was very frustrating when you were trying to get something done in not a lot of time.
I think that Zoho Writer had some good practical uses but still a bit of a hassle. If you want to type a document why not just use word? Google Docs is okay too but these applications are only useful if you want other people to see your stuff or you don't have a computer and therefore need the functionality of Public storage space like Google Docs or Zoho.
Quite useful and some good ideas behind what you can do in Zoho but personally not my thing. For others however it may be the answer to all their needs.
I got a lot of messages that Internet Explorer had encountered a problem and needed to close. This was very frustrating when you were trying to get something done in not a lot of time.
I think that Zoho Writer had some good practical uses but still a bit of a hassle. If you want to type a document why not just use word? Google Docs is okay too but these applications are only useful if you want other people to see your stuff or you don't have a computer and therefore need the functionality of Public storage space like Google Docs or Zoho.
Quite useful and some good ideas behind what you can do in Zoho but personally not my thing. For others however it may be the answer to all their needs.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Thing 17
Well being stubborn I chose to send a friend request to Catatonia's Bebo Page. However when Catatonia and I tried the hyperlink on our express terminals it didn't work because right click has been disabled but she assures me I have the correct link.
When I went on to Myspace nearly every search I tried was blocked by Webmarshall for inapropriate content when I was looking up absolutely harmless music that I like which is by no means inapropriate in any way. However I found a picture of a singer I like who is a New Zealander and formed the group Amici. Geoff has now gone solo and his first album is very good he has a great voice
If people have to search Myspace for this exercise then I suggest our Library techs take a look at relaxing some of the blocks on this site.
Well next I went to Facebook and found my buddy Catatonia so have added her as a friend not that I intend to use my Facebook profile I had to create just to complete this exercise. In adding her as a friend it sends a request to her to add me thus doing what you are supposed to get through this drama.
I went on to Hennepin County Library site on Facebook and it's not too bad. It gives you relevant information like their URL for their web page. You get contact details for where they are. Most important of all I like that you can search their catalogue from Facebook which is a really good and useful service.
Well that's enough Social Networking for me I now have to go and update our Olympic Games Displays and medal table. Go the Kiwis
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