Week 9, Thing 21: Podcasts

I spent a really long time looking at lots of podcasts on so many subjects that I had trouble deciding what to add to my blog. I finally decided to add one about Harry Potter and there were sooooo many of those. Finally, I selected and it was really long but interesting. I still can't believe the variety of podcasts there are!

Week 7, Thing 17: Sandbox Wiki

With a little trial and error, I was able to add my blog to the Maryland Libraries Sandbox. I have posted a comment in the sandbox, then began reading others. Since I am a new dog owner, I was interested in reading what people had to say about their dogs. I posted my thoughts in one on the topic of: Purebreds vs. Mutts.

Wee 9, #23: I DID IT!!!!

I can't believe it!! I really did it! I was really, really reluctant to even try this whole exercise but my supervisor encouraged me to give it a try. I was sure that failure was in my future because technology is not intuitive for me (as it appears to be for everyone else). My brain usually just doesn't get it. However, my co-workers have been very helpful and patient as they have guided me through the learning process. So what have I learned? I'm a lot more comfortable with the whole process of registering on sites, exploring them and moving stuff to my blog. Creating my avatar was fun and I really enjoyed exploring the winning websites on Web 2.0. I'm still investigating those on a daily basis. I wish I had known, in the beginning, about all the multiple registering and sign-in I would have to do so I would have made sure to use the same password. Some exercises were more difficult then others and were very time-consuming. I skipped around a little rather than going straight thru the lessons but I went back and completed each one. I would definitely try another program in the future but would like a little more guidance. All in all, this has been a great learning experience for me. I guess "you CAN teach an old dog new tricks."

Week 9, #22: Downloadable Audiobooks

Well, I am almost done! First, I tried out Project Gutenburg because I was curious about it. I was a little disappointed when I couldn't find the classic: Grapes of Wrath. However, there were many other fine selections to choose from. I also looked at Overdrive and the many selections available. I was amazed by the vast choices in the nonfiction categories in particular. There were certainly lots of choices there!!! I now have a better understanding of how downloadable books work and will be more prepared to assist customers in the future.

Week 8, #18: Online Productivity Tools

I created accounts with both Zoho and 30 Boxes. I also registered with Google Docs. I created some test documents using Zoho and Google Docs and can see where they would be useful when sharing your documents with others. On 30 Boxes, I created a calendar with my family member's birthdays. That was kind of a fun tool to use.

Week 8, #19: Web 2.0 Awards List

I looked at two different sites (www.meebo.com) and (http:// upcoming.yahoo.com). Meebo groups 4 instant messaging sites in one location. First you sign on to Meebo and then it groups your buddy lists together. I asked one of our college aged staff members what she thought of it and she loves it for the convenience. I then went to: upcoming.yahoo.com which appeared in the "Events" category on Web 2.0. This site sorts events that are happening by location, date and category. For example, you can select a city you might be visiting, select the dates you will be there and then select a category of interest, ie sports, theater, festivals, etc. It's easy to use and fun! The date selection allows you to also select a past date which is helpful when customers want us to find information about a past event they attended. This has real application for both a library setting and for personal use. I had so much fun looking at these two sites that I look foward to investigating the other award-winners.

Dog and Baby-girl

This is really hilarious!! Enjoy!