Monday, November 19, 2007

finale, finally

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
Animoto! I love it...No need to say more. I even wound up buying a longer video.
Zoho!! I love being able to save and access my materials whether or not I have a disk or drive and I have already suggested Zoho to patrons.

How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
Well, I am amazed at how easy some of the stuff was to use. Like downloadable media. I always thought it was somehow harder than that.

Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
Lots of bling!!!!

What ideas do you have for using these technologies at Harris County Public Library?
Teen Review podcasts, Poetry slams via podcasts. Storytime/program YouTubes.

What else do you want to learn about? What other web 2.0 applications are you interested in?
Whatever I don't know about yet and whatever comes down the pike. I like "playing" with all this new stuff and not be afraid to mess it all up...

Kind of sad that this is over. Looking forward to the I-Star bling... but so sad it's all over.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Downloadable Media

I like the idea, but, for me, I just can't do it. I have to have the book in my hand. I love hearing readers read, but sometimes they just don't match the picture painted in my head.

Now, as for the differences between the library catalog and the free online readers, like Audiovox, is the type of materials available. Audiovox has a large selection of public domain books, while the library has more current and bestselling books.

Still, I would love to volunteer to read for Audiovox (I have always wanted to be a reader for audiobooks.).

I might want to check out Anyone But You by Jennifer Cruise one day...hmmmm.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Podcast

No, it's not when your four year old flings his legume housing across the room like a trout fisherman flicking his line across the river. Podcasts are articles read aloud and sent over the 'Net, like old time radio shows. Like videos on YouTube, Podcasts can be about anything anyone feels like talking about.

Librarians should make use of this with booktalks and programming that can be shared around the world.

hmmmm. That makes me wonder

Monday, November 12, 2007

YouTube

Lately, it seems that every one feels compelled to have their fifteen minutes of fame and it is certainly possible to have it on YouTube. Everything from how to tie a tie to videos about a mean little kitty can be shared with the world (or at least anyone interested in a certain subject.

I like the idea, especially for programming and sharing booktalks. The potential for libraries to make usse of this technology is certainly feasible. I still think that one has to be supremely cautious about what information is made available, eithr on purpose or inadvertantly.

One of the funniest things I have seen on YouTube is "Ask a Ninja" so I am going to share him with you...



This is Ask a Ninja's response to the Hollywood Writer's Strike.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Animoto!!!

OMG, I am a video producer!!!!! Hot Diggity! This was so much fun. I was sharing it with people I know and I can't wait to tell my cousin about it (He is in an indie band and what an awseome, easy way to make a music video.). I had some trouble uploading music, but I think I have that part licked (once I asked someone how to do it) and tried remixing the original.

Again, this is so cool. You've got to try it. http://www.animoto.com/ . Do it. It rocks (and so will you). Have mp3 music to upload unless you like hiphop, electronica or indie. (Those are the only options available on the site.)

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Zoho and online apps.

Zoho is kind of cool.  The only thing that I don't like is that the fonts are few and I really like writing with funny fonts.   I am sure that I will play with it and learn it like I did Word.  I really like that I can save and access my files from any computer with i-xs. 

 

 

I like that I can add pix to the document.  In fact, here is one of my dogs, Audrey.  She is a tough little dog and she is interested by the camera that I was holding. (Just to mention, the white spot where her eye is, is in actuality a cataract. The other eye is forming one now.

 

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Facebook!

I already had a myspace page so I decided to add my name to the facebook rolls.  After I had set up my account, I went looking for people I knew.  I looked under my colleges (several) and no one I knew came up.  Then I tried my high school class and wow! people! I foudn three people I remembered from high school, two of whom were pretty good friends.  I am so excited that I found them!  One's in Dallas and the other in Illinois. Go figure!

I like it all right. I started an aquarium, but who's going to send me fish? I have a graveyard, but what's it for?

I like myspace,sometimes, despite its negative reputation as hook-up place and hunting ground for pedophiles. I like it because I have been able to find lots of authors of my favorite books and they have added me to their own pages, so I kind of get a heads up when they have new books. This is sooo cool. Also because some of them put details of their lives and interests on their page and it is neat to see that Lori Foster is into UFC and that Val Kilmer is a songwriter and singer. It's just neat.