One more Thing

Suggestions for additional Things (these mostly involve going beyond consuming the media out there and learning how to contribute as well):

• how to record a video and upload it to YouTube
• how to record a podcast and embed it in a blog
• how to create a widget
  
• how to create an RSS feed (that's probably too advanced, but still interesting!)
• annotating an OPAC.

Thanks again, Learning 2.0 Team and everyone else (it's a sizable list!) who made this happen.

Reflection on my 27 Things experience

I'm feeling ambitious, so I will attempt to answer all the suggested questions....

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

My lifelong learning goal is to, uh...continue learning throughout my life. How's that for circular redundancy? Seriously, I do get bored unless I'm constantly learning new things (in moderation), and I was thrilled to be able to become more familiar with 2.0 tools through this program.

What were your favorite Learning 2.0 discoveries or exercises?

I liked exploring the online document tools--those seemed the most obviously useful for school as well as perhaps the workplace, and something practical to point out to patrons.

I also liked embedding a YouTube video in my blog.

I just appreciated the approach of this program--to get a taste of the variety of tools, and simply expand our awareness. It's much less intimidating when we are encouraged to take little steps and play around with things so that they're in the back of our minds.

Did anything surprise you?

I'm not sure what the official count is, but I thought that more staff would participate in this program because it's such a great opportunity...I mean, there's the mp3 player and all, but being able to discover technology that may be of use, and just plain FUN...why would one pass on that? Puzzled I am.

Was there enough help available when you needed it?

Yes, I had enthusiastic advocates at my workplace, and of course the Learning 2.0 team was ultra quick in responding to any Q's or other general issues.

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

Maybe highlight more of the library applications of the tools we explored...although the team did a good job in connecting where apps exist.

Also make the blog posts a little briefer, split them up because sometimes I felt overwhelmed by all the text to read and the links to click and stuff to do.

But it was fantastic overall, and I liked how the teaching was delivered in the formats we were exploring (blog, podcast, etc.).

Would you like to see similar training opportunities as new library-relevant technologies emerge?

YES oh yes oh yes! I think it's important for all staff to be encouraged to keep learning, and to have a general pulse of what's going on in the tech world. Let's not fall prey to technolust, but let's also be known for being more savvy than scared or ignorant!

And, last one, if you could go back in time and tell yourself to either participate in the program or skip it, what would you do?

Do it...and persuade more co-workers to get involved too!

Snoodle's 1st and last annual comment-er awards

I must give thanks to the kind folks who responded to my last post, which was an unabashed plea for more comments.

Dearest Kikiduck, you have been a faithful comment-er and I give you the highest award I can bestow: a BlogWogDood! Never mind that it has really no value except that maybe you'll be slightly boosted in a Technorati search because I linked to you...well, it also looks good on any resume. :D

Yorick, I don't know who you are, but I appreciate your valiant commenting so I must mention you also. I must also say, clever to put a number before your blog title so that you'd be one of the first to appear on the staff blogroll! :P

And KCLS Learning 2.0--you have been there for me from the beginning (of 27 Things). In fact, I (Snoodle of Blogger) wouldn't exist without you!

Softly Sniffling

It looks like there is a total of 0 comments on my last five posts. So, dear reader, if you see me weeping in front of my computer monitor, you'll know why....

eAudio books

The KCLS eCollection is impressive! I knew that we had these resources available, and even checked out the eAudio book The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis and borrowed a regular eBook, but I'm not a regular user and so most of this catalog is new to me. There's so much to explore! It's actually a little overwhelming, and I'd love it if there was an orientation video on the home page of the eCollection.

I love the Books 24X7 service that lets you read the latest technology books online. I'm a little sad to not have the paper version to hold in my hands, but I see how quickly these books get dated, and it makes sense to store them online.

I'm sure lots of patrons don't even know these fabulous resources are available! How can we let them know? Also, they are fairly easy to use, but if there are a lot of people like me, they might appreciate a more personal orientation and then become enthusiastic teachers who spread the word....

paper PDA

At first, I thought this was a joke, but The PocketMod might actually be a cheap and useful tool. I have a PDA that I use out of guilt (it was a gift), but I still prefer paper for the most part (except for entering recurring appointments and sorting tasks by date or priority--that's what the electronic stuff does well).

You can customize your own mini 8-page pocket organizer with calendars (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly), notepaper (lines, grids, blank), lists (shopping, finance, even a food diary!), and reference tables (for tips and conversions).

Pod

Podcasting is probably the tool I'm least excited about, just because I'm such a visual (and sometimes kinesthetic) learner. I have a hard time focusing on spoken words. If someone gives me important instructions verbally, I have to write it down or else I'll puzzle over what was said.

I signed up for the SirsiDynix Institute's podcasting rss feed because they seem to be offering cool seminars.

U-Tube

I like YouTube. At first I thought it was hokey like MySpace, but there's some really neat stuff here. A lot of library bloggers like to post videos from here. I've seen the Betty Glover workout video, The March of the Librarians (at Midwinter Seattle), and--my favorite--Cookie Monster in the library.

For library application, it's nice to be able to record moments like the opening of the library that the 27 Things blog highlighted, or storytimes. It could be helpful for internal communication--maybe the Billboard could be transformed into a video blog. Nice to show the community progress on building projects too.

And there's less danger of accidentally recording over precious memories, like my dad did when he taped a basketball game over our family vacation....

Here's a video I found just browsing. It features clips from The Lord of the Rings films, remembering Frodo and Sam's friendship, set to Josh Groban's "You Lift Me Up."