I've played with Audacity and recording voice and music. As usual, much trial and error. However, it wasn't that bad (one more confidence point!). I now have a file that I am happy with. I just have to figure out how to put it in this blog.
Okay, I just found that there is no way to way to put an audio file on this blog unless you store it with some other web hosting service. I could put it on my web site, but I really don't want to do that for two reasons: 1) I am not going to pay a fee to Freeplay Music, and 2) My website is an example of a page promoting a lapsit program. My podcast is for a teen poetry reading. I don't want anyone to see that even by accident.
So, there will be no link here, but I will just submit it through Blackboard. It's been fun!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Podcasting
The technical side:
Notes: Audacity, which we will be using for this project, is a cross-platform digital audio editor. We will be making MP3 files. It is a free software app.
MP3 file: a type of digital audio encoding format. It is not high fidelity, but rather lossy, allowing for reduction of the amount of data stored. It is close enough, for say, a 30 second commericial. The file is about 1/10th the size of an original CD file. A LAME encoder is necessary to is needed to import or export.
LAME encoder: Also a free app., it encodes audio into an MP3 format.
This is my first attempt. I just timed it and it was EXACTLY 30 seconds. I may have to trim if I need to slow down.
"Have you heard? The youth of Hastings definitely have a way with words. In fact, they've been working for over a year with writer Kim Bradley. Come hear them read from their newly published book, Juice Up the True Say. That's right, they're published, they're talented and they'll be presenting their works in person. Join us at the Hastings Branch Library for Juice Up the True Say on Tuesday, May 26th at 4:00 P.M."
Okay. I've downloaded Audacity and LAME. Now on to the tutorials: I have looked at the written tutorials from Audacity, and I'm afraid it might take a whole semester to acquire the skills that way.
YouTube: Wonderful. I get a visual, sound, AND someone who speaks slowly. (Note to self: speak slowly!
Notes: Audacity, which we will be using for this project, is a cross-platform digital audio editor. We will be making MP3 files. It is a free software app.
MP3 file: a type of digital audio encoding format. It is not high fidelity, but rather lossy, allowing for reduction of the amount of data stored. It is close enough, for say, a 30 second commericial. The file is about 1/10th the size of an original CD file. A LAME encoder is necessary to is needed to import or export.
LAME encoder: Also a free app., it encodes audio into an MP3 format.
This is my first attempt. I just timed it and it was EXACTLY 30 seconds. I may have to trim if I need to slow down.
"Have you heard? The youth of Hastings definitely have a way with words. In fact, they've been working for over a year with writer Kim Bradley. Come hear them read from their newly published book, Juice Up the True Say. That's right, they're published, they're talented and they'll be presenting their works in person. Join us at the Hastings Branch Library for Juice Up the True Say on Tuesday, May 26th at 4:00 P.M."
Okay. I've downloaded Audacity and LAME. Now on to the tutorials: I have looked at the written tutorials from Audacity, and I'm afraid it might take a whole semester to acquire the skills that way.
YouTube: Wonderful. I get a visual, sound, AND someone who speaks slowly. (Note to self: speak slowly!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thing 23: The End!
The requirement for Thing 23 was to fill out a survey on the program. I was overall very pleased with it. Even if I don't remember every detail of every Thing at this point, I have much more confidence in my ability to search and to try. My practice at problem solving has helped me, too. I am not as panicked when something doesn't work immediately.
I think that I have mentioned before in my blog that I would perhaps been more enthralled by the social networking aspect when I was younger. Now I am so busy, and would rather not have the world reading my opinions. However, I see how other people are doing it, and that will help me in assisting patrons and in incorportating new technology as it comes along.
I think the Things that will help me most in my own life are the Backpack and certain Google apps. I am more interested in the timesavers and organizational tools. The things that will make me waste time (relax?) are silly gossip blogs/sites, and YouTube.
This was a time consuming project. I feel a sense of accomplishment.
I think that I have mentioned before in my blog that I would perhaps been more enthralled by the social networking aspect when I was younger. Now I am so busy, and would rather not have the world reading my opinions. However, I see how other people are doing it, and that will help me in assisting patrons and in incorportating new technology as it comes along.
I think the Things that will help me most in my own life are the Backpack and certain Google apps. I am more interested in the timesavers and organizational tools. The things that will make me waste time (relax?) are silly gossip blogs/sites, and YouTube.
This was a time consuming project. I feel a sense of accomplishment.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Thing 22: Staying Current
I have come a long way when I think of where I was when I even started using this blog tool. I have become much more confident in my problem solving skills, especially in trying multiple avenues to fix a problem. I tend to think of technology and its tools as this mysterious, difficult thing that only people with special powers can use. I'm finally starting to feel like it's not. You just have to become familiar with it. That's all! Keep trying and work through feeling discouraged. There is probably a solution.
I vow to incorporate the most useful tools into my everyday life and to keep learning. Also, I am going to try not to use the less useful tools as a way to procrastinate!
I vow to incorporate the most useful tools into my everyday life and to keep learning. Also, I am going to try not to use the less useful tools as a way to procrastinate!
Thing 21: Student 2.0 Tools
Assignment Calculator: http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/
Wow! Everything is here to help you do an assignment, and I mean everything. I made up an assignment and received a guide to the 12 steps for completing it. The links under those steps are so helpful. Examples: QuickStudies in finding articles, books, and web sites, links to sources for writing help at the University, and citing sources. There is so much here, in fact, that I think incoming freshemen should have to take a required tutorial on it. It could be enormously helpful, but not something you should try to use at the last minute.
I can see a library doing a summer program on research skills for freshmen, or anyone, going to college. It would only scratch the surface and you would have to carefully select the areas you wanted to cover. It might overwhelm.
Research Project Calculator: http://rpc.elm4you.org/ This is clean looking and seems to contain all of the necessary info. I would almost rather start with this tool for college freshmen. The site lists 4 steps to a research project with links under each heading. Yes, this is much more managable. Under Step 4, Communicate, there are even steps on how to make a documentary video. I've pretty much got the research writing steps down, but if I were going to do a multimedia presentation, this timeline would be a good guide.
Teacher Guide to the Research Project Calculator: http://rpc.elm4you.org/support_materials.php Everything is here to guide the educator and media specialist. There is even a section to teach students how to gather information by listening to podcasts.
If the librarian worked in conjuction with a teacher, she could have handouts at the library and be familiar with what the students are trying to do. This makes me think: What can I do to help teachers??
Wow! Everything is here to help you do an assignment, and I mean everything. I made up an assignment and received a guide to the 12 steps for completing it. The links under those steps are so helpful. Examples: QuickStudies in finding articles, books, and web sites, links to sources for writing help at the University, and citing sources. There is so much here, in fact, that I think incoming freshemen should have to take a required tutorial on it. It could be enormously helpful, but not something you should try to use at the last minute.
I can see a library doing a summer program on research skills for freshmen, or anyone, going to college. It would only scratch the surface and you would have to carefully select the areas you wanted to cover. It might overwhelm.
Research Project Calculator: http://rpc.elm4you.org/ This is clean looking and seems to contain all of the necessary info. I would almost rather start with this tool for college freshmen. The site lists 4 steps to a research project with links under each heading. Yes, this is much more managable. Under Step 4, Communicate, there are even steps on how to make a documentary video. I've pretty much got the research writing steps down, but if I were going to do a multimedia presentation, this timeline would be a good guide.
Teacher Guide to the Research Project Calculator: http://rpc.elm4you.org/support_materials.php Everything is here to guide the educator and media specialist. There is even a section to teach students how to gather information by listening to podcasts.
If the librarian worked in conjuction with a teacher, she could have handouts at the library and be familiar with what the students are trying to do. This makes me think: What can I do to help teachers??
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Thing 20: Books 2.0
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/books/27reading.html?pagewanted=4&_r=1&ref=books This is a link the the article about literacy and young people in the New York Times.
Some things that struck me: Of course the skills required by online searching and reading are different from those required for sustained reading. Both types of skills are important. On line navigation, reading, and critical evaluation are necessary today, esp. in the work force. On the other hand, sustained reading of "good" literature can lead to insight and growth in the same way that other art forms can.
I was happy to read that struggling readers are aided from graphical cues when reading on-line, and thus might read more.
I disheartened to read that reading for pleasure by young people (of literature) is down. Then I think back to when I was a teenager. I read for pleasure in the summer and on vacations and before homework took over my life. But when school and other activites kept me very busy, I only read what was required. If I had any free time, I would watch re-runs of the Brady Bunch. That's not very productive or educational. Usually I was with my friends, though. It seems that a lot of the time teens spend on-line is social in nature. That just goes with the territory.
What really gets me mad is when parents forego reading to or interacting with their child because they want to go online. That's my pet peeve.
How Libraries Can Survive in a New Media Ecosystem: I wish there was a way to make the PowerPoint bigger and I wish I could hear the speaker. I'm having to do a lot of guessing. But enough complaining.
One of the slides contains a quote of Henry Jenkins and David Weinberger that includes the idea of collective intelligence asserting itself through collaboration. That's fine, but it makes me think of how important it is to have critical reading and thinking skills in order to evaluate your sources. Even when you have those skills, it's hard to know if the person speaking has anything to back up what he's talking about.
One slide says, "Be findable. Be available." Absolutely. Interesting perspective suggested by Rainie: think of yourself as an information hub, node, or link.
Future of the Book: I have to admit, thinking of this makes me antsy. Books seem almost peripheral to what we do every day in the library, especially when it comes to young adults. So much reading for pleasure is online. I wonder if one day, reading books will be considered quaint and eccentric.
Exploring Tools:
*DailyLit: I like the free "poem a day" feature. Personally, I would not want to read a book on a mobile device given to me in installments. Even if I had a daily train ride to work every day, I wouldn't want it. Give me the book any time. Maybe that will change as digital natives replace people like me.
*What Should I Read Next? Excellent! For the patron who has read everything and you don't know what to do, try this! Unfortunately, an error message came back after my second search.
What's Next? Keep this in your book marks, both for yourself and your patrons!
Which Book? Do you have the patron who says, "I only want something 'clean.' Nothing racy!" Or (and this really happened last week): "I want a book with a happy beginning, a happy middle, and a happy ending." Go to this site! There are little sliders that you can move back and forth in a range, for example, between "sex" and "no sex" or "optimistic" and "bleak."
Online Book Communities:
BooksVideos.tv Good, but there aren't that many of them.
*Booksprouts What a find. I am trying to start a teen book club, but last week only one member showed up. Another teen wanted very much to come and had even chosed the title, but had another commitment. It would be great if we could have looked her up on this site and at least looked at her comments.
Book Reviews:
*BookBrowse Okay to browse, but how could M.T. Anderson not be in there?
Book Rental:
BookSwim Plans range from $19.98 to $39.94 per month. If this is based on the NetFlix model, it could spell trouble for booksellers, but I don't think it'll affect library use as much (I hope!) College text books for rent is a great idea, but you won't be able to write in them.
Apps for Facebook:
WeRead (Books iRead) Sort of like LibraryThing. I'll stick with the latter.
I think these tools will enhance, not hamper, the reader's experience. In fact, this thing has given me a lot that I can use on the job!
Some things that struck me: Of course the skills required by online searching and reading are different from those required for sustained reading. Both types of skills are important. On line navigation, reading, and critical evaluation are necessary today, esp. in the work force. On the other hand, sustained reading of "good" literature can lead to insight and growth in the same way that other art forms can.
I was happy to read that struggling readers are aided from graphical cues when reading on-line, and thus might read more.
I disheartened to read that reading for pleasure by young people (of literature) is down. Then I think back to when I was a teenager. I read for pleasure in the summer and on vacations and before homework took over my life. But when school and other activites kept me very busy, I only read what was required. If I had any free time, I would watch re-runs of the Brady Bunch. That's not very productive or educational. Usually I was with my friends, though. It seems that a lot of the time teens spend on-line is social in nature. That just goes with the territory.
What really gets me mad is when parents forego reading to or interacting with their child because they want to go online. That's my pet peeve.
How Libraries Can Survive in a New Media Ecosystem: I wish there was a way to make the PowerPoint bigger and I wish I could hear the speaker. I'm having to do a lot of guessing. But enough complaining.
One of the slides contains a quote of Henry Jenkins and David Weinberger that includes the idea of collective intelligence asserting itself through collaboration. That's fine, but it makes me think of how important it is to have critical reading and thinking skills in order to evaluate your sources. Even when you have those skills, it's hard to know if the person speaking has anything to back up what he's talking about.
One slide says, "Be findable. Be available." Absolutely. Interesting perspective suggested by Rainie: think of yourself as an information hub, node, or link.
Future of the Book: I have to admit, thinking of this makes me antsy. Books seem almost peripheral to what we do every day in the library, especially when it comes to young adults. So much reading for pleasure is online. I wonder if one day, reading books will be considered quaint and eccentric.
Exploring Tools:
*DailyLit: I like the free "poem a day" feature. Personally, I would not want to read a book on a mobile device given to me in installments. Even if I had a daily train ride to work every day, I wouldn't want it. Give me the book any time. Maybe that will change as digital natives replace people like me.
*What Should I Read Next? Excellent! For the patron who has read everything and you don't know what to do, try this! Unfortunately, an error message came back after my second search.
What's Next? Keep this in your book marks, both for yourself and your patrons!
Which Book? Do you have the patron who says, "I only want something 'clean.' Nothing racy!" Or (and this really happened last week): "I want a book with a happy beginning, a happy middle, and a happy ending." Go to this site! There are little sliders that you can move back and forth in a range, for example, between "sex" and "no sex" or "optimistic" and "bleak."
Online Book Communities:
BooksVideos.tv Good, but there aren't that many of them.
*Booksprouts What a find. I am trying to start a teen book club, but last week only one member showed up. Another teen wanted very much to come and had even chosed the title, but had another commitment. It would be great if we could have looked her up on this site and at least looked at her comments.
Book Reviews:
*BookBrowse Okay to browse, but how could M.T. Anderson not be in there?
Book Rental:
BookSwim Plans range from $19.98 to $39.94 per month. If this is based on the NetFlix model, it could spell trouble for booksellers, but I don't think it'll affect library use as much (I hope!) College text books for rent is a great idea, but you won't be able to write in them.
Apps for Facebook:
WeRead (Books iRead) Sort of like LibraryThing. I'll stick with the latter.
I think these tools will enhance, not hamper, the reader's experience. In fact, this thing has given me a lot that I can use on the job!
Thing 19: Other Social Networks
WebJunction: What more could you ask for if you need to implement tech. plans or evaluate and brush up on skills? I looked at the webinar archive and found topics divided into Learning, Rural, Spanish Lang. Outreach, Community, TechAtlas, and MaintainIT.
I went to the Rural section, downloaded Wimba Classroom, and was able to get into a webinar about programming developed by the Chelsea District Library. This library was voted Best Rural Library in America, 2008.
Ning: A social network based around people with similar interests.
Gather: describes itself as the “leading social networking and media site for adults, with some of the highest quality user-generated content on the internet.” The format is mostly in debate format. American Public Media is highly involved. This is listed as a site for NPR listeners. When you go to sign up, the graphic is of a couple of well-dressed people at a dinner table. The headline says, "This Ain't Your Kids Social Network". It's for the "over 30" crowd.
LinkedIn: A social website for professionals that allows you build connections with clients, service providers, and subject experts. You can share files and work collectively. I would rather use this site than Facebook as a professional, although Facebook might reach a wider audience. As long as your connections were reliable, this would be a good place to go for specific, business related services.
Articles: MySpace for Books http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6290501.html
An article on Gather.com. It's a site that allows you to publish content and rate the content of others. It looks like a gathering place for readers and writers. Funded by American Public Media group. The site's publicist thinks Gather will do for books what MySpace has done for music. Houghton Mifflin is the first publisher to take part in the site. The site is now hosting a short story contest. It'll be interesting to see if it takes off.
http://www.webjunction.org/marketing/articles/content/451181 From Web Junction: Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library.
This article gives a vivid example of how an author visit could involve patrons in social networking through comments and podcasts. Promotion of the technology could go hand-in-hand with advertising of the event. That way, reluctant and potential users of the technology would be motivated by connecting with their favorite work and author.
Social web workshops sound like a good idea, too. I can see this going over well with the over 50 crowd.
Social Networking sites that interest me: FilmCrave. I love documentaries and I am always looking for good titles. A few years ago, I saw Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed about Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman to run for president. I was so struck by her conviction and honesty. No one has posted about this one yet.
Finally, I found the top 50 documemtary list. Our library does not have The End of America, but this site did remind me of one that I had wanted to see called, My Kid Could Paint That. I just ordered it.
I went to the Rural section, downloaded Wimba Classroom, and was able to get into a webinar about programming developed by the Chelsea District Library. This library was voted Best Rural Library in America, 2008.
Ning: A social network based around people with similar interests.
Gather: describes itself as the “leading social networking and media site for adults, with some of the highest quality user-generated content on the internet.” The format is mostly in debate format. American Public Media is highly involved. This is listed as a site for NPR listeners. When you go to sign up, the graphic is of a couple of well-dressed people at a dinner table. The headline says, "This Ain't Your Kids Social Network". It's for the "over 30" crowd.
LinkedIn: A social website for professionals that allows you build connections with clients, service providers, and subject experts. You can share files and work collectively. I would rather use this site than Facebook as a professional, although Facebook might reach a wider audience. As long as your connections were reliable, this would be a good place to go for specific, business related services.
Articles: MySpace for Books http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6290501.html
An article on Gather.com. It's a site that allows you to publish content and rate the content of others. It looks like a gathering place for readers and writers. Funded by American Public Media group. The site's publicist thinks Gather will do for books what MySpace has done for music. Houghton Mifflin is the first publisher to take part in the site. The site is now hosting a short story contest. It'll be interesting to see if it takes off.
http://www.webjunction.org/marketing/articles/content/451181 From Web Junction: Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library.
This article gives a vivid example of how an author visit could involve patrons in social networking through comments and podcasts. Promotion of the technology could go hand-in-hand with advertising of the event. That way, reluctant and potential users of the technology would be motivated by connecting with their favorite work and author.
Social web workshops sound like a good idea, too. I can see this going over well with the over 50 crowd.
Social Networking sites that interest me: FilmCrave. I love documentaries and I am always looking for good titles. A few years ago, I saw Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed about Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman to run for president. I was so struck by her conviction and honesty. No one has posted about this one yet.
Finally, I found the top 50 documemtary list. Our library does not have The End of America, but this site did remind me of one that I had wanted to see called, My Kid Could Paint That. I just ordered it.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Thing 18: Facebook and MySpace
I am going to visit MySpace and various libary MySpace pages. I just tried to sign up, but I haven't received the link in my email yet. In the meantime, this is what some libraries are doing:
Alachua County: In January, they had an African American Read-In with leaders in the community performing readings. What a good idea.
One of their videos shows there digital book mobile. Wow. In another, homeschooled children show how they use on line library resources like databases and Ask-A-Librarian while outside on their farm. They also show the kids doing farm chores while listening to downloaded books. What a great promotional tool. In the teen area, they have a Shelfari, a bookshelf that allows you to click on the book displayed and see a synopsis and reviews.
ACLD teen scene has 55 friends. One of them is Teen Ink. Teens can click on their link and upload art there that they want to show. Pretty cool.
Jacksonville Public Library: The Teen Department has some cool programs. One that I like is the Call of the Wild book discussion and movie with Klondike bars.
Their disclaimer pretty much covers everything.
The winner of their Ask-A-Librarian You Tube contest did an incredible job with animation.
The movie trailer for Inkheart looks great.
On the randomized Friend Space, one teen was called himself Juan Badd Azz and one Friend had a photo of her giving the finger. I imagine that monitoring and removing inappropriate things would be one of the drawbacks of having a MySpace page. It could get tricky.
Pasco Libraries: Here is an example of a MySpace page being used to rally support the library in hard economic times. A large headline proclaims that, due to dwindling funds, this might be the last year for Battle of the Bands. They ask for help from sponsors and someone comments that he will be starting a petiton to keep it going. Participants are talking to each other about music and who's playing.
AskaLibrarian: Has links to LitFinder, Florida on Florida, and Net Library. You can find out about many other libraries by clicking on on of thier 1,972 friends.
Though I am not very interested in using MySpace for myself, I can see what a great marketing tool it appears to be for libraries. How much traffic there is, I don't know, but I got excited looking at all the programming. For someone who hasn't been to the library in a while, this is a great way to see how libraries have really changed.
Helpful Resource: http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/07/24/12-ways-to-use-facebook-professionally/ 12 Ways to Use Facebook Professionally
A colleague of mine suggested we do a workshop on polishing up resumes, cover letters, inteveiwing skills, etc. This advice might come in handy:
The first tip is to think of your Facebook page as your desk at work. You wouln't put inappropriate pictures there; you shouldn't on Facebook.
Second tip: Look for old coworkers and connections.
Third: Choose a limited profile, edit it down, and choose friends selectively.
Fourth: Be selective with apps. Don't choose time wasters.
Fifth: Fine Tune your feed preferences: Again, only use those that are useful, such as common connections.
Sixth: Edit your profile/security settings. Make adjustments to each link in the privacy area.
Seven: Incorporate tools you are already using, like Twitter
Eight: Join groups related to your business interest. Look for groups your friends are joining.
Nine: Don't get sucked in to wasting time: Use the Facebook tool for Firefox for notifications. Use your mobile phone to check things when you're waiting in line.
Ten: Be philanthropic. Join causes.
Eleven: Use the Ask Questions app.
Twelve: Look for business networking events. Add Upcoming.org to your profile.
Some comments about the article said that they preferred LinkedIn because there are no pictures.
Alachua County: In January, they had an African American Read-In with leaders in the community performing readings. What a good idea.
One of their videos shows there digital book mobile. Wow. In another, homeschooled children show how they use on line library resources like databases and Ask-A-Librarian while outside on their farm. They also show the kids doing farm chores while listening to downloaded books. What a great promotional tool. In the teen area, they have a Shelfari, a bookshelf that allows you to click on the book displayed and see a synopsis and reviews.
ACLD teen scene has 55 friends. One of them is Teen Ink. Teens can click on their link and upload art there that they want to show. Pretty cool.
Jacksonville Public Library: The Teen Department has some cool programs. One that I like is the Call of the Wild book discussion and movie with Klondike bars.
Their disclaimer pretty much covers everything.
The winner of their Ask-A-Librarian You Tube contest did an incredible job with animation.
The movie trailer for Inkheart looks great.
On the randomized Friend Space, one teen was called himself Juan Badd Azz and one Friend had a photo of her giving the finger. I imagine that monitoring and removing inappropriate things would be one of the drawbacks of having a MySpace page. It could get tricky.
Pasco Libraries: Here is an example of a MySpace page being used to rally support the library in hard economic times. A large headline proclaims that, due to dwindling funds, this might be the last year for Battle of the Bands. They ask for help from sponsors and someone comments that he will be starting a petiton to keep it going. Participants are talking to each other about music and who's playing.
AskaLibrarian: Has links to LitFinder, Florida on Florida, and Net Library. You can find out about many other libraries by clicking on on of thier 1,972 friends.
Though I am not very interested in using MySpace for myself, I can see what a great marketing tool it appears to be for libraries. How much traffic there is, I don't know, but I got excited looking at all the programming. For someone who hasn't been to the library in a while, this is a great way to see how libraries have really changed.
Helpful Resource: http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/07/24/12-ways-to-use-facebook-professionally/ 12 Ways to Use Facebook Professionally
A colleague of mine suggested we do a workshop on polishing up resumes, cover letters, inteveiwing skills, etc. This advice might come in handy:
The first tip is to think of your Facebook page as your desk at work. You wouln't put inappropriate pictures there; you shouldn't on Facebook.
Second tip: Look for old coworkers and connections.
Third: Choose a limited profile, edit it down, and choose friends selectively.
Fourth: Be selective with apps. Don't choose time wasters.
Fifth: Fine Tune your feed preferences: Again, only use those that are useful, such as common connections.
Sixth: Edit your profile/security settings. Make adjustments to each link in the privacy area.
Seven: Incorporate tools you are already using, like Twitter
Eight: Join groups related to your business interest. Look for groups your friends are joining.
Nine: Don't get sucked in to wasting time: Use the Facebook tool for Firefox for notifications. Use your mobile phone to check things when you're waiting in line.
Ten: Be philanthropic. Join causes.
Eleven: Use the Ask Questions app.
Twelve: Look for business networking events. Add Upcoming.org to your profile.
Some comments about the article said that they preferred LinkedIn because there are no pictures.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Module 3: Publications (cont.)
One of the things that I really want to improve on my job is my ability to publicize events. One aspect of that involves making posters and handouts. Too often, I wait until way too close to the event to publicize it in the library. Perhaps I would make the posters sooner if I had more skills and confidence in using Publisher.
After this excercise, I am a little bit closer to my goal. I used Photoshop again, and, though I continue to struggle with it, I am learning bit by bit with each use. Also, I am becoming less frustrated and angry each time I use it, which is always a plus.
First, a little background about the event I am publicizing: For the past year, the youth of Hastings have been working on poetry with a teacher from Flagler College. The project was done through the O.U.R. Center, a non-profit organization that works under the umbrella of Communities in Schools, and the Hastings Recreation Center. Another teacher at Flagler obtained a grant to get the poetry published. The book, called Juice Up the True Say, came out last month, and I have arranged with the teacher to have the kids do a monthly reading. Our first reading was last month.
I wanted to use a dynamic graphic, and the hand holding the mic in the air seemed good. However, I didn't like the avocado green that was in the clip art. I wanted something brighter, more vibrant. I went back, with some dread, to Photoshop. After much trial and error, I remembered how to remove a background using the polygonal lasso tool. After more trial and error, I managed to get two separate layers going, one for the mic, and one for the new background I wanted to put in.
I played around with the brush tool and found one that made little stars. My first draft used yellow stars on a white background. It was okay, but I wanted to get rid of the white and put some color in. I started with a new, orange/yellow background and made the stars a little darker orange. I also made sure the color was most saturated on the edges of the hand and mic.
I chose a playful font, Jokerman, for the title of the poster, and Times New Roman for the information about when and where. Finally, I put an orange frame on the edges. One strange thing that I noticed when I was almost done was that there was one orange star in the middle of the grahic of the hand. How that got there, I don't know, but I had to get rid of it. I re-familiarized myself with the clone stamp tool and covered it with black.
One thing that I learned was quite easy was to make a flyer in Publisher and then to copy and paste to make the flyer into a poster. Now I have something that people can see, the poster, as they walk up to the library, and something that they can take with them. In the future, I know that if I am tired of the same old clip art, I can change it.
After this excercise, I am a little bit closer to my goal. I used Photoshop again, and, though I continue to struggle with it, I am learning bit by bit with each use. Also, I am becoming less frustrated and angry each time I use it, which is always a plus.
First, a little background about the event I am publicizing: For the past year, the youth of Hastings have been working on poetry with a teacher from Flagler College. The project was done through the O.U.R. Center, a non-profit organization that works under the umbrella of Communities in Schools, and the Hastings Recreation Center. Another teacher at Flagler obtained a grant to get the poetry published. The book, called Juice Up the True Say, came out last month, and I have arranged with the teacher to have the kids do a monthly reading. Our first reading was last month.
I wanted to use a dynamic graphic, and the hand holding the mic in the air seemed good. However, I didn't like the avocado green that was in the clip art. I wanted something brighter, more vibrant. I went back, with some dread, to Photoshop. After much trial and error, I remembered how to remove a background using the polygonal lasso tool. After more trial and error, I managed to get two separate layers going, one for the mic, and one for the new background I wanted to put in.
I played around with the brush tool and found one that made little stars. My first draft used yellow stars on a white background. It was okay, but I wanted to get rid of the white and put some color in. I started with a new, orange/yellow background and made the stars a little darker orange. I also made sure the color was most saturated on the edges of the hand and mic.
I chose a playful font, Jokerman, for the title of the poster, and Times New Roman for the information about when and where. Finally, I put an orange frame on the edges. One strange thing that I noticed when I was almost done was that there was one orange star in the middle of the grahic of the hand. How that got there, I don't know, but I had to get rid of it. I re-familiarized myself with the clone stamp tool and covered it with black.
One thing that I learned was quite easy was to make a flyer in Publisher and then to copy and paste to make the flyer into a poster. Now I have something that people can see, the poster, as they walk up to the library, and something that they can take with them. In the future, I know that if I am tired of the same old clip art, I can change it.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Module 3: Publications
I have worked in Publisher using trial and error, but have never taken any tutorials. I really need to do that because I have not felt very good about what I've produced so far.
Yesterday, I looked at a few video tutorials for this class and found them very helpful. I have learned how to group objects align, and center them. I have also learned about the concept of a master sheet.
Onward I go . . .
I am having trouble getting my text to wrap properly. I'll have to wait until my husband wakes up for help with that one.
I have now learned about templates.
Yesterday, I looked at a few video tutorials for this class and found them very helpful. I have learned how to group objects align, and center them. I have also learned about the concept of a master sheet.
Onward I go . . .
I am having trouble getting my text to wrap properly. I'll have to wait until my husband wakes up for help with that one.
I have now learned about templates.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Module 2: Presentations
I have been working on my presentation, and it is so refreshing to work in something less complicated than web design. I am finding the slides relatively easy to make. The time-consuming part is finding the graphics to go with the slides.
My planned audience is one of teens and young adults at our library. A little background: Our library serves a very poor, rural community of about 610. Teens here lack the resources that many of us have come to take for granted. Several young adults who frequent the library have dropped out of school. Others are struggling financially.
One of our library Friends suggested offering an etiquette class for teens so that they could practice conducting themselves in more formal situations. I think this is a great idea, but how would I ever get them to attend? Then a colleague suggested holding workshops on how to do resumes, cover letters, and to present yourself at an interview. Etiquette would fit in nicely during the interviewing practice part.
My PowerPoint is designed to get teens thinking about setting and apporpriate behaviors in different settings. My intent is to stimulate discussion and to educate. While the first slide is serious, the pictures in the body of the presentation are quite silly. I want to inject a little humor for this somewhat reluctant audience.
Also, the content covers very basic issues regarding presenting and promoting one's self. From what I have observed, this is the place to start. The slides are intending to be a jumping-off point for discussion. I do not want to be lecturing, but getting the kids to think. Therefore, the slides are quite simple and not chock-full of information; rather, they invite the audience to ponder.
A little about bells and whistles: I personally cannot stand animated graphics. I find them distracting and annoying. I want my audience to be engaged in discussion rather than mesmorized by something jumping on the screen. This is just a personal preference.
Transitions and design: Again, I prefer simplicity. These kids are stimulated enough by technological gadgetry and it's effects. I want them to focus on ideas.
I did pick silly images, though, as I mentioned above, to keep them interested. Nothing is worse than those tired old Microsoft clip art graphics.
I am, surprisingly, quite happy with my product.
My planned audience is one of teens and young adults at our library. A little background: Our library serves a very poor, rural community of about 610. Teens here lack the resources that many of us have come to take for granted. Several young adults who frequent the library have dropped out of school. Others are struggling financially.
One of our library Friends suggested offering an etiquette class for teens so that they could practice conducting themselves in more formal situations. I think this is a great idea, but how would I ever get them to attend? Then a colleague suggested holding workshops on how to do resumes, cover letters, and to present yourself at an interview. Etiquette would fit in nicely during the interviewing practice part.
My PowerPoint is designed to get teens thinking about setting and apporpriate behaviors in different settings. My intent is to stimulate discussion and to educate. While the first slide is serious, the pictures in the body of the presentation are quite silly. I want to inject a little humor for this somewhat reluctant audience.
Also, the content covers very basic issues regarding presenting and promoting one's self. From what I have observed, this is the place to start. The slides are intending to be a jumping-off point for discussion. I do not want to be lecturing, but getting the kids to think. Therefore, the slides are quite simple and not chock-full of information; rather, they invite the audience to ponder.
A little about bells and whistles: I personally cannot stand animated graphics. I find them distracting and annoying. I want my audience to be engaged in discussion rather than mesmorized by something jumping on the screen. This is just a personal preference.
Transitions and design: Again, I prefer simplicity. These kids are stimulated enough by technological gadgetry and it's effects. I want them to focus on ideas.
I did pick silly images, though, as I mentioned above, to keep them interested. Nothing is worse than those tired old Microsoft clip art graphics.
I am, surprisingly, quite happy with my product.
Thing 17: Podcasts
Something I did not know: Podcasts are different from other forms of digital media in that they can be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded when new content is added.
You need a "podcatcher" to capture the shows. itunes is one example.
http://podcast.com/: You can look up podcasts by subject. I started listening to a few: one from the Economist, one from Bloomberg news, one from the Onion, and a few from Entertainment.
http://podcastalley.com/ doesn't really appeal. Not so user friendly.
Yahoo Search: Mostly music here. Why am I having a hard time finding what I want?
Here is a very interesting news story I heard yesterday: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102243287
I think I prefer www.podcast.com in terms of searching. However, I just tried to sign up, then went to sign in, and was unable to do so. Errrg. I have spent too much time on it. In addition, "webpage cannot be displayed" keeps coming up in the middle of everything. I am going to put it to bed for now.
Back agian (the next day). I am going to have to leave podcast.com behind. Though I've signed up, I can't sign in. I get a message that this acct. is not active at this time. When I try to sign up using the same email, the system won't let me. I tried using a different email. I hit submit and nothing happens. I downloaded the newest Flash. Still nothing happened. ERRRRGGGHHH. I'm going to podcast alley.
I'm going back to podcast.com because the podcast I want isn't available, at least I can't find it on podcast alley.
My Yahoo mail is still down, but I set up an acct. using my work mail. I got in there and finally activated it.
I tried signing up AGAIN. This time the only thing I did differently was to say I had a certain kind of cell phone. It let me in!!! ??? Oh no. It is again saying my acct. is not active. I don't see where to go to remedy this. I left a comment.
Back to podcast alley. I signed up, but now my Yahoo mail page won't open so that I can activate my acct. This is by far the most frustrating Thing.
My Yahoo mail is still down, but I set up an acct. using my work mail. I got in there and finally activated my www.podcast.com acct. FINALLY. Here is my link!
Despite the frustration I've had with this, I am very enthusiastic about doing podcasts with the teens in our library. Specifically, I would like to use it with our book club and with a poetry group that is starting up.
You need a "podcatcher" to capture the shows. itunes is one example.
http://podcast.com/: You can look up podcasts by subject. I started listening to a few: one from the Economist, one from Bloomberg news, one from the Onion, and a few from Entertainment.
http://podcastalley.com/ doesn't really appeal. Not so user friendly.
Yahoo Search: Mostly music here. Why am I having a hard time finding what I want?
Here is a very interesting news story I heard yesterday: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102243287
I think I prefer www.podcast.com in terms of searching. However, I just tried to sign up, then went to sign in, and was unable to do so. Errrg. I have spent too much time on it. In addition, "webpage cannot be displayed" keeps coming up in the middle of everything. I am going to put it to bed for now.
Back agian (the next day). I am going to have to leave podcast.com behind. Though I've signed up, I can't sign in. I get a message that this acct. is not active at this time. When I try to sign up using the same email, the system won't let me. I tried using a different email. I hit submit and nothing happens. I downloaded the newest Flash. Still nothing happened. ERRRRGGGHHH. I'm going to podcast alley.
I'm going back to podcast.com because the podcast I want isn't available, at least I can't find it on podcast alley.
My Yahoo mail is still down, but I set up an acct. using my work mail. I got in there and finally activated it.
I tried signing up AGAIN. This time the only thing I did differently was to say I had a certain kind of cell phone. It let me in!!! ??? Oh no. It is again saying my acct. is not active. I don't see where to go to remedy this. I left a comment.
Back to podcast alley. I signed up, but now my Yahoo mail page won't open so that I can activate my acct. This is by far the most frustrating Thing.
My Yahoo mail is still down, but I set up an acct. using my work mail. I got in there and finally activated my www.podcast.com acct. FINALLY. Here is my link!
Despite the frustration I've had with this, I am very enthusiastic about doing podcasts with the teens in our library. Specifically, I would like to use it with our book club and with a poetry group that is starting up.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Thing 16: YouTube
I am no stranger to YouTube. It is one of my procrastination tools. But, for the first time, I will embed a video. This is a 1989 claymation by Nick Park. He interviewed people around Enlgand about their living conditions and then had their voices come out of these clay zoo animals. It's hilarious. I found a lot of knock-offs, but this one is best.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Thing 15: Rollyo
Lets you roll together various search engines. Examples of some that have been created:
Public Domain e-Books Search, Quick Quotes, Rare Book Library Search
I tried Rollyo. I honestly don't have much use for this Thing right now. I practiced making one called Michelle's News. I only put three websites in it. Here's the link.
http://rollyo.com/index.html
I didn't find the site all that easy to use.
For someone who is online all the time and has to keep track of many sites on different subjects, this could be helpful. I'm not that person. For me, it is helpful, though, to look at sites that others have grouped together. Maybe I could learn more about sites that might interest me by looking at those.
I could see a group of people in a library using this collectively. If I'm an expert on home repair, someone else on law, someone else on dog breeding, we could all consult each other's rolls when a patron has a question. Patrons, too, could create their own rolls for each other.
Public Domain e-Books Search, Quick Quotes, Rare Book Library Search
I tried Rollyo. I honestly don't have much use for this Thing right now. I practiced making one called Michelle's News. I only put three websites in it. Here's the link.
http://rollyo.com/index.html
I didn't find the site all that easy to use.
For someone who is online all the time and has to keep track of many sites on different subjects, this could be helpful. I'm not that person. For me, it is helpful, though, to look at sites that others have grouped together. Maybe I could learn more about sites that might interest me by looking at those.
I could see a group of people in a library using this collectively. If I'm an expert on home repair, someone else on law, someone else on dog breeding, we could all consult each other's rolls when a patron has a question. Patrons, too, could create their own rolls for each other.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Finished with the Web Page!
Removing my old stuff and putting on the new worked. I had to call the help line because I forgot to save the page as "index.html." Now it's fixed. Hurray! Here's the link:
http://mkiley.myweb.usf.edu/
http://mkiley.myweb.usf.edu/
Web Page: Approaching the End
I decided that the logo was too blurry as part of the background. The octopus is acceptable, though. I went back to photoshop and made a new background with just the yellow and the octopus. Then I found a quality image of the logo and inserted it. After finagling around for a while, I put the text in tables.
Sometimes Kompozer does things I don't understand, e.g. won't let me change the text color on my links, but I got along much better with it this time than I did last semester. I decided not to use Seamonkey since I was already a little familiar with Kompozer.
My final problem is getting my new page to show up on my old website from last semester. I have not been able to add it with a link; it just won't show up for some reason. Since I am not being graded on what I did last semester and I've tried everything, this is my last option: Take down last semester's project and replace it with the new one. I will provide screen shots here of my older pages.
Truth be told, I prefer the look of last semester's page. I am not disappointed, though, because I did what I set out to do. I learned more skills on Photoshop Elements, such as cutting out an image, placing it on a new background, and removing an element from the image itself. Mission accomplished. My only other gripe is that the octopus image I picked out has since been used over and over on the Internet to make fun of the Octomom!
Here are images of my old site (the screen shots don't capture the whole page):
Sometimes Kompozer does things I don't understand, e.g. won't let me change the text color on my links, but I got along much better with it this time than I did last semester. I decided not to use Seamonkey since I was already a little familiar with Kompozer.
My final problem is getting my new page to show up on my old website from last semester. I have not been able to add it with a link; it just won't show up for some reason. Since I am not being graded on what I did last semester and I've tried everything, this is my last option: Take down last semester's project and replace it with the new one. I will provide screen shots here of my older pages.
Truth be told, I prefer the look of last semester's page. I am not disappointed, though, because I did what I set out to do. I learned more skills on Photoshop Elements, such as cutting out an image, placing it on a new background, and removing an element from the image itself. Mission accomplished. My only other gripe is that the octopus image I picked out has since been used over and over on the Internet to make fun of the Octomom!
Here are images of my old site (the screen shots don't capture the whole page):
The pictures are a little small, but you get the picture. Now I will take these off and put up the new one. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Thing 14: Online Productivity Tools
This Thing is about customizing your homepage with your own widgets or gadgets.
Google Calendar is incredibly easy to use. There is no excuse for forgetting with this! I put it on my desk top and days with activities are higlighted. You can take notes, list events, and even share your calendar with others.
My homepage currently has my calendar, the moonphase, and time widgets.
Ta-da lists: Lets you create all kinds of to-do lists.
Backpack: http://www.backpackit.com/ An intranet tool that rolls many office functions into one and allows you to share. For example, you can keep your to-do list here, along with your calendar and reminders. You can create pages about whatever you like, for example, a client meeting or good hotels in a certain city. You can store files and photos on the pages and drag items to whatever location. Pages can be shared with others. Can color code calendars and keep track of co-workers schedules. Reminders can be emailed or text-messaged to phone. I am most impressed by this so far.
MyStickies: Allows you to mark up webpages with yellow sticky notes. That way, you can remember why you book marked it in the first place. This would be a good tool for someone doing a research project.
File Converters: http://zamzar.com/ Looks incredibly easy. Pick file or URL you want to convert, and an email will be sent to you with the converted file. If you don't have the right software, you can try this.
Google Calendar is incredibly easy to use. There is no excuse for forgetting with this! I put it on my desk top and days with activities are higlighted. You can take notes, list events, and even share your calendar with others.
My homepage currently has my calendar, the moonphase, and time widgets.
Ta-da lists: Lets you create all kinds of to-do lists.
Backpack: http://www.backpackit.com/ An intranet tool that rolls many office functions into one and allows you to share. For example, you can keep your to-do list here, along with your calendar and reminders. You can create pages about whatever you like, for example, a client meeting or good hotels in a certain city. You can store files and photos on the pages and drag items to whatever location. Pages can be shared with others. Can color code calendars and keep track of co-workers schedules. Reminders can be emailed or text-messaged to phone. I am most impressed by this so far.
MyStickies: Allows you to mark up webpages with yellow sticky notes. That way, you can remember why you book marked it in the first place. This would be a good tool for someone doing a research project.
File Converters: http://zamzar.com/ Looks incredibly easy. Pick file or URL you want to convert, and an email will be sent to you with the converted file. If you don't have the right software, you can try this.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Thing 13: Library Thing
Allows you to create an online collection of your favorite books and share with others. You can add widget to your site or blog that shows your collection. This is the widget I added.
Thing 12: Wikis
I look things up constantly on Wikipedia, especially at home when I'm having a conversation with my husband and a question comes up. I just used it today to look up "pig in a poke" and Amherst, MA. It's a wonderful starting point.
Our Youth Services Committee uses a wiki a work, too. I am not very good at checking it regularly. Luckily, we use an email feature which alerts you each time someone adds or changes something.
The St. Joseph County Subject Guides is a pathfinder wiki that is very helpful. Topics include biography, business, information desk, entertainment, and others. It truly is a great way to group everything together. For example, if you click on Biography, you see a page that looks much like Wikipedia. There you can find the definitions of biography, memoir, and journals and diaries. Some of the links look good, but they weren't funcitoning. They include journaling through problems and scrapbook journaling. There are links to related items in the library's collection as well as information on blogging and journaling resources. The Information Desk has tons of very useful info. You can find community organizations and resources, links to local news, legal info. Again, so much in one place.
Book Lovers Wiki: Great to include links to the contributors when possible, e.g. when they have their own blogs. Often when I read an opinion or blog comment, I think, "Who is this person?"
Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki: Wow! Great, but overwhelming! I feel so behind in all things library! I found this, though: a link to a blog called EZ Library Programs for all ages. You have four categories with which to search: Topic, Audience, Program Type, and Cost. I chose "food," "teens," "instructional" and "$21 - $40". I got a result of 3 programs. Two were about microwaving, and one was called, "Sushi with Hostess Cakes and Other Creative Ideas." I never would have thought of that one! This site has everything imaginable having to do with librarianship: This one has been bookmarked on Delicious!
Our Youth Services Committee uses a wiki a work, too. I am not very good at checking it regularly. Luckily, we use an email feature which alerts you each time someone adds or changes something.
The St. Joseph County Subject Guides is a pathfinder wiki that is very helpful. Topics include biography, business, information desk, entertainment, and others. It truly is a great way to group everything together. For example, if you click on Biography, you see a page that looks much like Wikipedia. There you can find the definitions of biography, memoir, and journals and diaries. Some of the links look good, but they weren't funcitoning. They include journaling through problems and scrapbook journaling. There are links to related items in the library's collection as well as information on blogging and journaling resources. The Information Desk has tons of very useful info. You can find community organizations and resources, links to local news, legal info. Again, so much in one place.
Book Lovers Wiki: Great to include links to the contributors when possible, e.g. when they have their own blogs. Often when I read an opinion or blog comment, I think, "Who is this person?"
Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki: Wow! Great, but overwhelming! I feel so behind in all things library! I found this, though: a link to a blog called EZ Library Programs for all ages. You have four categories with which to search: Topic, Audience, Program Type, and Cost. I chose "food," "teens," "instructional" and "$21 - $40". I got a result of 3 programs. Two were about microwaving, and one was called, "Sushi with Hostess Cakes and Other Creative Ideas." I never would have thought of that one! This site has everything imaginable having to do with librarianship: This one has been bookmarked on Delicious!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Thing 11: Social Media
Social media sites allow users to vote on most popular items and recommend content.
Digg: for sharing content on the web. Not touched by editors. I like the choices beneath each article: "share" or "bury." They also have the feature "People who Dugg this also Dugg," much like Amazon. I like that feature. It was interesting to read comments on the article The Fair Use Massacre Continues: Now Warner’s Going After the Babies from EFF. Many were annoyed that the author was using babies to garner sympathy. You can choose from different topics at the top of the home page. They even have a "gaming" category, which could be useful for someone like me. I can use it to keep up on the latest trends. I just added it to my Delicious acct.
Reddit: Resource for new and popular items online. Users can vote on content. I didn't care for this one very much.
Mixx: I looked at one of the most popular stories, Six Reasons the Recession is More Depressing Than You Thought from cracked.com. I have to say I agree with the first comment: the story isn't funny or intersting. The site has top photos, top sites, and popular this week sections. Top contributors are listed.
Newsvine provides stories from established media organizations. This site appeals to me; I like the set-up. Top Movies and Top Wire are in the right column, Most Active is beneath the main story. The category "Odd News" is one to stay away from as I really need to stay focused!
Digg: for sharing content on the web. Not touched by editors. I like the choices beneath each article: "share" or "bury." They also have the feature "People who Dugg this also Dugg," much like Amazon. I like that feature. It was interesting to read comments on the article The Fair Use Massacre Continues: Now Warner’s Going After the Babies from EFF. Many were annoyed that the author was using babies to garner sympathy. You can choose from different topics at the top of the home page. They even have a "gaming" category, which could be useful for someone like me. I can use it to keep up on the latest trends. I just added it to my Delicious acct.
Reddit: Resource for new and popular items online. Users can vote on content. I didn't care for this one very much.
Mixx: I looked at one of the most popular stories, Six Reasons the Recession is More Depressing Than You Thought from cracked.com. I have to say I agree with the first comment: the story isn't funny or intersting. The site has top photos, top sites, and popular this week sections. Top contributors are listed.
Newsvine provides stories from established media organizations. This site appeals to me; I like the set-up. Top Movies and Top Wire are in the right column, Most Active is beneath the main story. The category "Odd News" is one to stay away from as I really need to stay focused!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Module 2: Presentations
I have almost no experience with Power Point, so I will be looking at all of the tutorials and taking notes
Things to remember: transitions between slides, 6 X 6 rule, change to slide sorter view to animate text.
I think the most pleasing transition is "fade through black." As for custom animation, I like "fade" best.
Things to keep in mind: Office Assistant
Web Page Update
I asked Julius for assistance on how to make the background I created in Photoshop appear the right way in Sea Monkey. His solution was to stretch the image as far as it could go so that it wouldn't repeat. It's a little blurrier than the original, but it is better than what I was able to do.
Next problem: Now I am looking for a way to create the octopus and background without logo. The logo just looks too big and blurry when it is stretched. Here comes the really frustrating part: I can't remember or figure out how to get layers to show on the right side in Photoshop. Arrrgggh! That is so basic, yet I've been fiddling with it for at least a half an hour now. I just took another shot at it. No luck! It is too early to call my sister. This is so basic! I'll have to put it to bed right now.
This is like forgeting the first step of how to ride a bicycle. I've been staring at the bicycle now for more than half an hour.
My husband just woke up and told me how to make the layers show up. Just click on the arrows to the left to expand them. DUH!!! I knew it was something simple!
Next problem: Now I am looking for a way to create the octopus and background without logo. The logo just looks too big and blurry when it is stretched. Here comes the really frustrating part: I can't remember or figure out how to get layers to show on the right side in Photoshop. Arrrgggh! That is so basic, yet I've been fiddling with it for at least a half an hour now. I just took another shot at it. No luck! It is too early to call my sister. This is so basic! I'll have to put it to bed right now.
This is like forgeting the first step of how to ride a bicycle. I've been staring at the bicycle now for more than half an hour.
My husband just woke up and told me how to make the layers show up. Just click on the arrows to the left to expand them. DUH!!! I knew it was something simple!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Teaching Blogging
Aaaahhh! Very nervous. I am scheduled to teach a blogging workshop for teens tomorrow evening. I am going to try to arrange it here. The best thing to do would be to go back to Thing 3.
Ask ages, if do any social networking, if have email accts.
Facts: There are over one million blog posts a day (Technorati).
We will be investigating Google Blog Search
Other things to know:
Google Blog Search Pinging Service: People who want their blogs crawled by Google and updated in Google Blog Search Should do this. You should ping as often as your blog changes. You can do that manually or automatically. You must have a site feed and sign up for pinging in order to get your blog listed.
You can search for entire blogs or individual postings.
SafeSearch can be used to filter out adult materials.
How to find the blogs you want to read: Use a blog search engine (Technorati, Google Blog
Search, Blog Pulse)
Search, Blog Pulse)
Safety/Consideration Tips: You are in charge of who sees your info. It's not always nice to share!
Respect the privacy of others. Don't i.d. people by name.
Do not meet people in person that you've met online. People are not always who they claim to be.
If you wouldn't say it to someone's face, don't text it or post it in any way.
Don't believe everything you read. Make sure you verify "facts."
Technorati:
personal journals to mainstream media
blogosphere is the online community of bloggers and their writings.
Updated frequently, chronological
I had to pull the following out of Wikipedia regarding permalinks http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permalink. I was having trouble understanding it and may need to refer back to it.
"Permalinks frequently consist of a string of characters which represent the date and time of posting, and an identifier which denotes the author who initially authored the item or its subject. Crucially, if an item is changed, renamed, or moved within the internal database, its permalink remains unaltered, as it functions as a magic cookie which references an internal database identifier. If an item is deleted altogether, its permalink can frequently not be reused". I believe this alleviates the problem of constantly changing content by linking to the original post. The person citing the blog can link back to specific posts.
What do you notice when you read a blog vs. other journalism? Note how journalism uses blogs as sources and people in the news use blogs to talk back. Bloggers can be exposed to new media though blogging.
Blogs can incorporate RSS feeds which let you see part of an entire site.
Found this directory of teen blogs in case we want to sample some:
http://dir.blogflux.com/cat/teen.html from the teen blogs Flux Blog Directory
Blogging as a source of income or career enhancer.
Thing 10: Tagging and Delicious
Tagging allows you to categorize bookmarks, webpages, pictures, and posts. It's likened in the 23 Things to "free-form cataloging." Discoveries can be made when you share bookmarks with friends or users that you find interesting. To do this, you must create a "network." Delicious also allows ranks tags by popularity and allows you to search them.
Other details: You can group tags together. This is called "tag bundling." You can also put users into groups (network bundles.) You can add a tag to "subscriptions," and every time someone uses that tag, the site is delivered to your subscriptions page. I added "technology" to my subscription page and immediately had a ton of sites. I added something more obscure and got none.
Above is my badge.
If you don't want to check your subscriptions every day, you can click on the RSS button.
Interesting point from the Educause Learning Initiative article called 7 Things You Should know about Social Networking:
"It may become less important to know and remember where information was found and more important to know how to retrieve it using a framework created by and shared with peers and colleagues."
Other details: You can group tags together. This is called "tag bundling." You can also put users into groups (network bundles.) You can add a tag to "subscriptions," and every time someone uses that tag, the site is delivered to your subscriptions page. I added "technology" to my subscription page and immediately had a ton of sites. I added something more obscure and got none.
Above is my badge.
If you don't want to check your subscriptions every day, you can click on the RSS button.
Interesting point from the Educause Learning Initiative article called 7 Things You Should know about Social Networking:
"It may become less important to know and remember where information was found and more important to know how to retrieve it using a framework created by and shared with peers and colleagues."
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thing 9: slides, photos, databases
Slideshare: Allows you to upload slide presentations, like powerpoint, and sync them to audio. Can connect with people, group presentations, add slide show widgets to blogs or websites, browse by category.
Picturetrail allows you to present your slides in various ways. For example, zoom and fade, grid, revolution, photoshoot, etc.
Databases: Lazybase, a database maker, allows you to create lists and view them in different ways, e.g. on maps or graphs. The examples shown are for a book club, award winning fiction, and area restaurants. The restaurant example was the only one that appealed to me. It would be cool to have a friend with similar tastes create a database with maps so that you could find places you liked. Otherwise, the pages took a long time to load.
Picturetrail allows you to present your slides in various ways. For example, zoom and fade, grid, revolution, photoshoot, etc.
This is my slideshow. I chose size XL for the pictures, but for some reason, they still look tiny.
Databases: Lazybase, a database maker, allows you to create lists and view them in different ways, e.g. on maps or graphs. The examples shown are for a book club, award winning fiction, and area restaurants. The restaurant example was the only one that appealed to me. It would be cool to have a friend with similar tastes create a database with maps so that you could find places you liked. Otherwise, the pages took a long time to load.
Florida Media Quarterly: Copyright
An interesting article about podcasting and copyright, and distance learning.
Using no more than 10% of a work is a guideline, but in some cases it may be possible to use more, in others, less. Only people enrolled in class would have access.
Interesting: The author states that if an image of a book cover and its art are used for educational purposes and put on a restricted website, a case could be made for fair use. Generally, though, prior permission should be sought, esp on open sites. Wow. Does that mean that every time the library shows a book cover on our site, we have to get permission?
If in image of a book cover is used, full credit must be given and, if taken from a website, that should be noted
Using no more than 10% of a work is a guideline, but in some cases it may be possible to use more, in others, less. Only people enrolled in class would have access.
Interesting: The author states that if an image of a book cover and its art are used for educational purposes and put on a restricted website, a case could be made for fair use. Generally, though, prior permission should be sought, esp on open sites. Wow. Does that mean that every time the library shows a book cover on our site, we have to get permission?
If in image of a book cover is used, full credit must be given and, if taken from a website, that should be noted
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Thing 8: Communication Web 2.0 Style
1) Instant Messaging:
Notes: about half the on-line community uses intstant messaging (from Howstuffworks). Users from one service are usually blocked from contacting members of another service.
Windows Live Messenger allows im b/t Xbox 360 players. Some utilities provide a central location for various im capabilities (like Trillian).
Meebo and eBuddy are web-based: they don't require a software download.
New innovations all the time, e.g. wifi capabilities which allow you to see a map and locate people on your buddy lists (I think that's a little creepy, personally.) Meetro is a service that encourages people in the same area to communicate with each other. It never occurred to me that a gadget would try to introduce me to someone I didn't know.
Some popular ones: Google Talk, Yahoo! Instant Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger.
I added the gadget below so that I could start instant messaging.
I'm now reading an article from May, 2005 of the Smart Libraries Newsletter that Innovative Interfaces Inc. is including IM in their Millenium library automation system. Patrons will be IMed when their information is located. Sounds good. It looks as though other vendors and integrating IM into their software as well. I didn't know that Google has an instant messaging service for certain information, either.
Google Talk is not working for me. There's a gadget on my homepage now, but when I try to add an address, it gets stuck on the "loading. . . " screen. I don't know what to do.
2) Web Conferencing: I like the idea of using web conferencing to learn software applications. Part of the reason my computer skills are lacking is that I find it so hard to learn even from a DVD, much less a book. Web conferencing could eliminate all of that frustration. I imagine that the skills of the presenter have to be very good.
Other notes: Meebo is an IM aggregator that allows you to chat with all accts. at once.
Twitter: Called a "micro-blogging" tool. I am amazed at the ways people can use their time with this stuff! Some of it just seems like a waste. The scary part is that people can look up what you've twittered. Employers are using twitter search to check on applicants. I just want my privacy.
Notes: about half the on-line community uses intstant messaging (from Howstuffworks). Users from one service are usually blocked from contacting members of another service.
Windows Live Messenger allows im b/t Xbox 360 players. Some utilities provide a central location for various im capabilities (like Trillian).
Meebo and eBuddy are web-based: they don't require a software download.
New innovations all the time, e.g. wifi capabilities which allow you to see a map and locate people on your buddy lists (I think that's a little creepy, personally.) Meetro is a service that encourages people in the same area to communicate with each other. It never occurred to me that a gadget would try to introduce me to someone I didn't know.
Some popular ones: Google Talk, Yahoo! Instant Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger.
I added the gadget below so that I could start instant messaging.
I'm now reading an article from May, 2005 of the Smart Libraries Newsletter that Innovative Interfaces Inc. is including IM in their Millenium library automation system. Patrons will be IMed when their information is located. Sounds good. It looks as though other vendors and integrating IM into their software as well. I didn't know that Google has an instant messaging service for certain information, either.
Google Talk is not working for me. There's a gadget on my homepage now, but when I try to add an address, it gets stuck on the "loading. . . " screen. I don't know what to do.
2) Web Conferencing: I like the idea of using web conferencing to learn software applications. Part of the reason my computer skills are lacking is that I find it so hard to learn even from a DVD, much less a book. Web conferencing could eliminate all of that frustration. I imagine that the skills of the presenter have to be very good.
Other notes: Meebo is an IM aggregator that allows you to chat with all accts. at once.
Twitter: Called a "micro-blogging" tool. I am amazed at the ways people can use their time with this stuff! Some of it just seems like a waste. The scary part is that people can look up what you've twittered. Employers are using twitter search to check on applicants. I just want my privacy.
Web Page Update
As I said, I've been away from my work for a long time due to illness. I went back to check on the progress of my webpage. I finally did figure out how to cut an image out and put it in a background with Photoshop Elements. I put an image of our library logo, too. I'm imagining my page is going to be part of a site devoted to Hastings Youth. Last semester, I made a site for Instructional Graphics. It was very new and difficult for me, but I managed to produce a rudementary site. However, I wasn't able, with all that new material, to learn how to manipulate images, etc. That is what my next step in learning is going to be. I have now, through tedious trial and error, figured how to cut out an image and put in on a background. This is what I have so far. The page is for a lapsit program. Now I have to figure out how to get that as the basis for 
my page in Sea Monkey. I tried inserting it as a background, but that just made numerous copies of the same image. I just tried saving it as an index.html, but that just came up a gobbledygook. I think I will ask the class.
my page in Sea Monkey. I tried inserting it as a background, but that just made numerous copies of the same image. I just tried saving it as an index.html, but that just came up a gobbledygook. I think I will ask the class.
Back After a Long Absence: Thing 7
A terrible flu has kept me away from my classwork for exactly two weeks. I have never been so taken down by the flu before in my life. It has been so long since I worked on my web page. It's very stressful.
Exactly two weeks ago today, I spent the whole day working on the 23 Things. I finished Thing 7, On-line Image Generators, but I hadn't put my work in this blog yet. I hope I can retrace my steps and remember where I've been. I found one of the images I put into my blog for work, but I cannot get it into this blog. Even if I am signed into this blog, the image posts to the other. I will have to try something else, like pasting the code. However, I just clicked on the Edit Html tab on top, and it doesn't bring up the html; instead, it just shows a different font. What's going on??
Okay, the html took, even though I can't see the code for the rest of the page. Here is my neon sign. I would like to have a real neon sign like this for the library. Now, let me see if I can insert the other image I generated two weeks ago. 
Here it is on the right. This is from an image generator called the "Warholizer" from Big Huge Labs. (It's my dog, a medium-sized mutt.) On to Thing 8.
Exactly two weeks ago today, I spent the whole day working on the 23 Things. I finished Thing 7, On-line Image Generators, but I hadn't put my work in this blog yet. I hope I can retrace my steps and remember where I've been. I found one of the images I put into my blog for work, but I cannot get it into this blog. Even if I am signed into this blog, the image posts to the other. I will have to try something else, like pasting the code. However, I just clicked on the Edit Html tab on top, and it doesn't bring up the html; instead, it just shows a different font. What's going on??
Okay, the html took, even though I can't see the code for the rest of the page. Here is my neon sign. I would like to have a real neon sign like this for the library. Now, let me see if I can insert the other image I generated two weeks ago. 
Here it is on the right. This is from an image generator called the "Warholizer" from Big Huge Labs. (It's my dog, a medium-sized mutt.) On to Thing 8.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Thing 6: Flickr Mashups
I went back to the mashup I've used before to see if it had improved any. Called retievr, it lets you choose a color and draw a shape. It then matches what you drew with Flickr photos. It is still pretty ineffective.
I went to check out Montager, but there was a warning that it may crash your browser. I'll try something else.
Check out this lush purple. It is by eason at http://www.flickr.com/photos/eason/35585494/sizes/s/in/pool-31917163@N00/. I found it using the color fields color pickr.
If you're into color, go here! There is also a slide bar that allows you to adjust brightness.
But, the great thing is that there is a slew of categories to pick your images from. Th
is one, by funkandjazz http://www.flickr.com/photos/phunk/6173317/sizes/s/in/pool-49503134345@N01/http://www.flickr.com/photos/phunk/6173317/sizes/s/in/pool-49503134345@N01/ , is from graffiti. ( A few Google ads along the side might be useful to those who need graffiti removal services. Ha!)
I just spent WAY TOO MUCH TIME on findr. This site groups together photos by tags. For example, I picked Tokyo and then narrowed it to Tokyo + Harajuku, then narrowed it to Tokyo + Harajuku + portrait. I got some wild photos, but I gave up looking for one that could be shared. This is addicting!
Then there are your truly useless mashups, like clockr. Wait! I take that back! At first the numbers weren't changing, but now they are. Still useless, but cool.
by spell with flickr
I went to check out Montager, but there was a warning that it may crash your browser. I'll try something else.
Check out this lush purple. It is by eason at http://www.flickr.com/photos/eason/35585494/sizes/s/in/pool-31917163@N00/. I found it using the color fields color pickr.
If you're into color, go here! There is also a slide bar that allows you to adjust brightness.
But, the great thing is that there is a slew of categories to pick your images from. Th
is one, by funkandjazz http://www.flickr.com/photos/phunk/6173317/sizes/s/in/pool-49503134345@N01/http://www.flickr.com/photos/phunk/6173317/sizes/s/in/pool-49503134345@N01/ , is from graffiti. ( A few Google ads along the side might be useful to those who need graffiti removal services. Ha!)I just spent WAY TOO MUCH TIME on findr. This site groups together photos by tags. For example, I picked Tokyo and then narrowed it to Tokyo + Harajuku, then narrowed it to Tokyo + Harajuku + portrait. I got some wild photos, but I gave up looking for one that could be shared. This is addicting!
Then there are your truly useless mashups, like clockr. Wait! I take that back! At first the numbers weren't changing, but now they are. Still useless, but cool.
by spell with flickr
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Thing 5: Flickr
Something I didn't know about tags and Flickr: You can let your friends add tags to your photos.
Some numbers: Each item can have up to 75 tags. You may join as many as 10 group pools if you have a regular Flickr account.
Two kinds of groups: Anyone can join and invitation only. Private groups cannot be made public.
When you create a group, you automatically become it's administrator.
I tried yesterday to insert a photo here from my Flickr account, but was unsuccessful. I used the "blog this" button in the top of the photo in Flickr, but it put the picture in a completely new post. I wanted to put it in this one only. I will try again using the image button from this end.
I tried various ways of pulling it directly from Flickr, but was unsuccessful. Instead, I saved it to my desktop and loaded it that way.
This picture (below) was placed here according to the rules of Flickr. The rules say that if you post a Flickr photo on an external website, you must link back to its photo page. I have done that by cutting and pasting html code into this page. I am proud to say that I now know what that means!
However, I clearly don't yet know how to write alongside this picture. I will have to live with that for now.I came across something in this Flickr exploration called "hotlinking." I am trying to get a handle on it. I have read that this happens when you use someone else's server, "stealing bandwidth", to post a picture on your site. I've just read from http://www.simplykristi.com/online_help/webpage_help/webpage_netiquette/stealing_bandwith/ that
that it occurs when you link directly to someone else's web page instead of uploading it to your own. I'm a little confused, because I was under the impression that Flickr wanted me to do that.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Thing 4: RSS and Newsreaders
Real Simple Sindication, it is a file format (on a web server) for delivering updated info on the web. RSS is read by an RSS aggregator. Aggregators are also called readers.
Blogs are a very common source of RSS feeds. So are podcasts. iTunes is a common aggregator for collecting podcasts.
Blogs are a very common source of RSS feeds. So are podcasts. iTunes is a common aggregator for collecting podcasts.
I've never followed blogs or websites consistently, but here goes. I choose Google Reader as an aggregator.
http://www.epnweb.org/ This is the address to the Education Podcast Network which brings together podcasts on education and learning. There was no feed for this one.
I am now following four blogs, all belonging to my co-workers. We are all working on the 23 Things. In addition to those, I am also following a blog called Library Storytime and David King. David King talks about tech in libraries, social networking and such, so that would be a good one to keep an eye on. I also signed up for feeds for the Huffington Post, Google News, and TED.
Monday, February 9, 2009
We Interrupt 23 Things for Photoshop Update
It is so very difficult to learn this stuff without someone sitting next to you to tell you what to do. I can't tell you how many Youtube videos I have consulted. I spent hours again yesterday with the octopus image I am trying to use on my website. I even drove my sister crazy trying to learn it over the phone from her. I ended up running out of gas.
I am probably putting a disproportionate amount of time into this. After all, I could just use a photograph and not worry about changing the background, etc. However, I want to get something new out of this web building experience. I struggled last semester with Instructional Graphics, and I want to keep progressing, even if the pace is slow.
I am happy to report that I finally got the image onto my background and managed to save it! I'm now learning how to work with text in photoshop. I am satisfied with todays work and am going to get back to the 23 Things.
I am probably putting a disproportionate amount of time into this. After all, I could just use a photograph and not worry about changing the background, etc. However, I want to get something new out of this web building experience. I struggled last semester with Instructional Graphics, and I want to keep progressing, even if the pace is slow.
I am happy to report that I finally got the image onto my background and managed to save it! I'm now learning how to work with text in photoshop. I am satisfied with todays work and am going to get back to the 23 Things.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Thing 3: Blog Search Tools
None
1 – 10 of 10
Your Posts: All, Drafts, Scheduled, Imported, Published
All 10 posts on this page are selected. Select all 10 posts
All 10 posts are selected. Clear selection
Edit
Thing 3: Blog Search Tools
Thing 3: Blog Search Tools Though blogging is "firmly entrenched in the mainstream" according to Technorati's State of the Blogosphere, I am pretty much still on the outskirts. I have two blogs of my own now, one for class and this one. As far as contributing to other blogs, I am what they refer to as a "lurker", someone who hangs around looking, but doesn't reveal themselves. Sounds creepy! I am going to record here Technorati's definition of the active blogosphere: "The ecosystem of interconnected communities of bloggers and readers at the convergence of journalism and conversation."“Video will also become increasingly important to convey complex messages that are often lost in text - while audio will continue to fall away to this new medium, save those 'casts with high production values." This quote by Chris Pirillo made an impression on me. I'll be learning how to do podcasts in one of my classes. Maybe I'll see about video, too!Interesting fact: Some people are profiting of their blogs. Mean annual investment is $1,800 and mean annual revenue is $6,000.
Exploring Technorati:
Like I do when I start off so many times with new technological concepts, I went to Wikipedia first. This distills it down to the basics before I look at the whole, huge website.
From Wikipedia: An internet search engine for searching blogs.
From Technorati: Blogs are not just personal diaries.
I started exploring by going to the subject list. I clicked on Real Estate (under Business) and ended up following the advice of a blogger to listen to a radio show featuring Peter Schiff. I looked under celebrity gossip and didn't find anything compelling. Literature didn't suck me in, either.
I tried the videos section, but that didn't grab me. I can watch only so many Christian Bale remixes.
One of the exercises for Thing 3 is to do a seach in Technorati and compare it to a search of another database. I chose Google Blog Search. I looked up chemical injury. I was a little surprised to find that Technorati did not yeild all that much that was relevant. I tried clicking on the box that allows you to choose "most authority," and still got results that seemed "silly" to me. Maybe, because I'm in school, "authority" means something different to me. I believe that the way that authority was defined in Technorati, was the number of links to an external website in a blog. That's a different type of authority than what I am used to thinking of.
Google Blog Search seemed to yield more relevant results. In fact, the Search Engine Journal does give it higher ratings for relevance than it does Technorati. What's the authority of the Search Engine Journal? It is difficult to know which sources to trust.
The Google Blog Search is now not letting me in for some reason, so I'll have to postpone further comparisons.
Technorati allows for sorting of various types. In addition to how much authority you want to choose, you can also choose language, whether you want to search photos, blogs, or videos.
I am highly sceptical of blogs when they don't cite their findings. But, it is fun to see the blogging trends. For example Blogpulse lets you track blogging trends. You can compare, for instance, blogging on auto loans, college loans, and mortgages. Mortgages was by far the most active, spiking in mid Novemeber 2008.
1 – 10 of 10
Your Posts: All, Drafts, Scheduled, Imported, Published
All 10 posts on this page are selected. Select all 10 posts
All 10 posts are selected. Clear selection
Edit
Thing 3: Blog Search Tools
Thing 3: Blog Search Tools Though blogging is "firmly entrenched in the mainstream" according to Technorati's State of the Blogosphere, I am pretty much still on the outskirts. I have two blogs of my own now, one for class and this one. As far as contributing to other blogs, I am what they refer to as a "lurker", someone who hangs around looking, but doesn't reveal themselves. Sounds creepy! I am going to record here Technorati's definition of the active blogosphere: "The ecosystem of interconnected communities of bloggers and readers at the convergence of journalism and conversation."“Video will also become increasingly important to convey complex messages that are often lost in text - while audio will continue to fall away to this new medium, save those 'casts with high production values." This quote by Chris Pirillo made an impression on me. I'll be learning how to do podcasts in one of my classes. Maybe I'll see about video, too!Interesting fact: Some people are profiting of their blogs. Mean annual investment is $1,800 and mean annual revenue is $6,000.
Exploring Technorati:
Like I do when I start off so many times with new technological concepts, I went to Wikipedia first. This distills it down to the basics before I look at the whole, huge website.
From Wikipedia: An internet search engine for searching blogs.
From Technorati: Blogs are not just personal diaries.
I started exploring by going to the subject list. I clicked on Real Estate (under Business) and ended up following the advice of a blogger to listen to a radio show featuring Peter Schiff. I looked under celebrity gossip and didn't find anything compelling. Literature didn't suck me in, either.
I tried the videos section, but that didn't grab me. I can watch only so many Christian Bale remixes.
One of the exercises for Thing 3 is to do a seach in Technorati and compare it to a search of another database. I chose Google Blog Search. I looked up chemical injury. I was a little surprised to find that Technorati did not yeild all that much that was relevant. I tried clicking on the box that allows you to choose "most authority," and still got results that seemed "silly" to me. Maybe, because I'm in school, "authority" means something different to me. I believe that the way that authority was defined in Technorati, was the number of links to an external website in a blog. That's a different type of authority than what I am used to thinking of.
Google Blog Search seemed to yield more relevant results. In fact, the Search Engine Journal does give it higher ratings for relevance than it does Technorati. What's the authority of the Search Engine Journal? It is difficult to know which sources to trust.
The Google Blog Search is now not letting me in for some reason, so I'll have to postpone further comparisons.
Technorati allows for sorting of various types. In addition to how much authority you want to choose, you can also choose language, whether you want to search photos, blogs, or videos.
I am highly sceptical of blogs when they don't cite their findings. But, it is fun to see the blogging trends. For example Blogpulse lets you track blogging trends. You can compare, for instance, blogging on auto loans, college loans, and mortgages. Mortgages was by far the most active, spiking in mid Novemeber 2008.
Thing 2: Library 2.0
The way I understand Library 2.0, based on Web 2.0, is that it involves a shift from static viewing/reading to interactivity. Another idea that often comes upregarding library 2.0 is that it meets users where they are (not necessarily in the library).Two impressions from the Steve Abrams video: 1) in order to learn this stuff, you have to be immersed, actively learning by doing, and 2) you will be most successful if you are engaged.To be fully engaged is a challenge, I find, because we are so very busy. However, as Abrams points out, you have to make a commitment to find those fifteen minutes a day.John Blyberg's blog post: Interesting to me is the "peer-to-peer" ideas that Blyberg speaks of. He says that libraries are going to need to "pool their resources." I wonder how that would work.The Ongoing Web Revolution, article from Library Technology Reports: Director Josie Parker of the Ann Arbor District Library reports that, after two years of blogging and commenting, there was only one case of profanity (by a patron). Wow.
Thing 1: Overdue!
Thing 1: Overdue! Ignore any posts from 2007 when I first started the 23 Things. I am starting over!I have done a blog before for class, but used it just to track progress, not really to interact. I will take it a step further this time and actually comment on others' progess. Feel free to do the same to me!
The 23 Things: Library 2.0
Since one of our modules is on social networking and new technology, I am hoping to cover all of the bases by doing the 23 Things. (This is the program first developed by Helene Blowers to familiarize those working in libraries with Library 2.0 concepts.) I had started this program in 2007, but petered out after a few things. Here I go again, and this time I am going finish it! This is something I am also doing in conjunction with my coworkers, as you will see from some of the comments. Much of the blog postings I will be doing for this class will be different from the postings I'm doing for work. Here, I will be doing a lot of note-taking so that I can go back and refresh and reinforce later. I don't want to bore my co-workers with that. On their side, I will be doing more reaction and commenting (which is what social software is all about).
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Photoshop Elements
I was ready to go yesterday, but the wind gradually got taken out of my sails. I spent hours trying to learn the most basic things about Photoshop elements. All I wanted to do was remove an image from the background and put in on top of a new background. I am sure the process cannot be that difficult, but finding the right teaching tool is so frustrating. I went to Youtube and saw various videos, but there was always something I didn't catch, or the screen was blurry and I couldn't see what they were doing. I wish I had a tutor! I got a book from the library, but that is confusing me, too. Our library has no DVD's on it. I've looked at Help. . . There is just so much and I get pulled in different directions. I have got to be careful about allocating my time in these projects and not getting stuck.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Photoshop Elements: Leave the fear behind!
I am actually going to try to keep track of my topics of learning by (get this!) assigning particular topics to their corresponding postings. Maybe I will be a true librarian some day after all!
My husband bought this (Photoshop Elements 3) years ago, and we still don't know how to use it! I am extracting the things that I am likely to forget from the Help tutorial.
Layers:
adding layers increases file size.
Each layer remains independent until you merge them. Layers may be linked to work on them simultaneously.
Ordinary layers are pixel-based, but you can create type layers and shape layers that are vector-based.
My husband bought this (Photoshop Elements 3) years ago, and we still don't know how to use it! I am extracting the things that I am likely to forget from the Help tutorial.
Layers:
adding layers increases file size.
Each layer remains independent until you merge them. Layers may be linked to work on them simultaneously.
Ordinary layers are pixel-based, but you can create type layers and shape layers that are vector-based.
Understanding Digital Images
I really want to get a handle on how images work. I have bits and pieces of info. swirling around, but nothing fits together in a pattern yet. I went to the library and got a beginner's book on Photoshop Elements 4. My husband has had Photoshop Elements 3 for a while, but we both really need to learn.
I will track my progress and do notetaking here. At some point, I hope it will gel.
Embrace the struggle.
raster: = bitmap images. Dots arranged in a grid pattern. larger file sizes. pixels.
vector: equations rather than pixels. Easily scaled. Download quickly.
Choosing Resolutions:
For Web: 72 pixels/inch.
B & W on regular paper: 150 pixels/inch
Color mag. or brochure: 250 pixels/inch
Monday, January 19, 2009
Personality Type
Your Type is ISFP
Introverted
Sensing
Feeling
Perceiving
Strength of the preferences %
67
12
38
22
Copyright Issues
"Copyright protection subsists from the time the work is created
in fixed form." Does that mean that you automatically have copyright protection, even without applying for a copyright? I think the answer is "yes," but I want to make sure. Oh, I just read ahead, and the answer is "yes." Notice was no longer required after the 1989 Berne Convention.
Something I learned: "A sound recording is not the same as a phonorecord" (the phonorecord being the physical object which contains the sound).
Another thing I learned, something that I won't probably find problematic in the library: pantomimes can be copyrighted.
in fixed form." Does that mean that you automatically have copyright protection, even without applying for a copyright? I think the answer is "yes," but I want to make sure. Oh, I just read ahead, and the answer is "yes." Notice was no longer required after the 1989 Berne Convention.
Something I learned: "A sound recording is not the same as a phonorecord" (the phonorecord being the physical object which contains the sound).
Another thing I learned, something that I won't probably find problematic in the library: pantomimes can be copyrighted.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Notes on Digital Images
JPEG vs. GIF
Remember, GIF for illustratins, clip art, and images with large areas of flat color, JPEG's for photos and images with continuous color.
Images should be RGB 24bit when you begin. 24-bit means millions of colors. 8-bit = 256 colors. How do you get your images to be that way?
Bit-depth is important when creating the smallest GIF possible.
Bit-depth is important when creating the smallest GIF possible.CMYK = cyan, magenta, yellow, and key black. I believe these are how images are created for print, whereas RGB is for web.
DPI = dots pers square inch.
images for print usually have DPI of 300 to 800 dpi. For web, always change to 72 dpi.
Bit Depth is the number of colors your image contains.
When you use JPEG, make sure you keep a copy of the original somewhere. (It's lossy).
Dithering helps to reduces color banding and flatness. Reduces visual artefacts.
GIFS have capabilities that JPEGS don't, like anmiation and transparency.
JPEGS distort edges where there is a sharp contrast in color.
TIFF is one of the largest files. Why and when would you use it?
Image editing software: PICASA
Sunday, January 11, 2009
First Experiences: Preparing Instructinal Media
Vocabulary:
Router: the thing that goes through the phone line. An interpreter of sorts.
URL: Uniform Resource Locator
ftp: file transfer protocol. a file available for downloading or a directory of those files
bitmap image: made of dots.
bot: software program that performs repetitive functions such as indexing info on Internet.
cookie: a file sent to a web browser by a web server that is used to record one's activities on a website.
Network hub: a device for connecting multiple twisted pair or fiberoptic Ethernet devices together, making them act as a single network segment. An unsophisticated broadcast device.
TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Network, often was through coaxial cable. Today, UTP (unshielded twisted pair: see distorted image on left) wiring is used. Hubs talk to each other over fiber optic cable.
LAN= Local Area Network- computer network covering a small physical area (home, office, small group of buildings).
WAN = Wide Area Network
I.P addressed look like this 15.1.50.9
*Idea for Web site: a random poetry generator for new vocabulary. Input word trying to learn, and make a poem.
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