#23 Summary

The structure and format of Learning 2.0 has produced an effective learning tool. It has challenged me to broaden my exposure to technological innovations and intriguing developments with potential applications for work and personal use.
I plan to use the National Public Radio podcast directory, LibraryThing and Del.icio.us.

I do question whether there has been sufficient recognition of the value and importance of this program system-wide at SPPL, with corresponding support of time available for all staff to explore the discovery resources and fully participate in the program.

#22 Web 2.0 awards

The 1st place winner in the travel category, Farecast, is useful in comparing international airfares. The link to compare fares on discount sites is a helpful feature. The time grid and narrow results options are also useful. I haven't yet identified any negative aspects of this site. Library application would be for customer search on travel from SPPL web links. It may already be a link which I have not yet discovered!

#21 Web-based apps

The best feature of Zoho Writer is the ability to access a document from any computer. Also, the color ranges are wonderful!

#20 Playing around with PBWiki

Sandbox is an appropriate term; it's great to play with the wiki. It still is amazing to me that there is the ability to edit a web page without high level tech training.
It was fun to not only add my blog but also add favorites to a couple of other pages.

#19 Wikis

The creativity and flexibility of creating new wiki pages and editing are intriguing. I'm interested in further exploring wikis to see the community in action and see how self-monitoring is effective.
The SJCPL Subject Guides
is a terrific resource!
One of the resources on the Library Instruction Wiki notes that the wiki is no longer being updated due to spam control problems. The ALA 2006 New Orleans wiki illustrates the application for a specific event in order to provide comprehensive information.

#18 On Library 2.0 & Web 2.0

Library 2.0 means "collective intelligence", participation, change, responsiveness, creativity, challenge, cooperation, and most of all: opportunity.
I appreciated the observation of Dr. Schultz that librarians are "not just inventory management biobots". Her view of Library 4.0 is exciting to consider.

#17 Tag!

No doubt, tagging and folksonomies are here to stay! This is a fascinating area to watch evolve. While "real people" access to categorizing information may achieve broader access to that information by some, the dilution of a controlled vocabulary and inclusion of "lowest-common-denominator classifications" may also produce confusing or distorted results in retrieving information.

The discovery resources are helpful and thought-provoking.

#16 Del.icio.us

Del.icio.us is possibly one of the most useful tools developed for efficient information retrieval. It eliminates the constraint of accessing the vital information we all store in favorites only on a single computer.

#15 Rollyo

Rollyo appears to be a useful organizational tool. As with many of these tools, one needs to find the time to initially enter the data, and then keep updated for it to be a timely resource.

http://www.rollyo.com/learnernow/cookeryupdate/

#14 LibraryThing

LibraryThing is the best thing! I felt that way about many of the things we've explored, and then I try a new one, and believe it is the best.

This site is definitely user-friendly. Without too much trial and error, I was able to search a title, and use the option to add a cover from Amazon. It is a useful site to explore by tags for interesting titles.


http://www.librarything.com/catalog/mercmn

#13 image generators

The Generator Blog brainscanner is the best. I did find the image button and did the copy & paste, but my amusing brain scan does not appear. Hmmm....
http://brainscannr.com/index.php?name=alastair

FD toys really IS fun. I created a wonderful poster. One can feel almost artistic!

Thing #12 Finding feeds

It was interesting, and not surprising, that each of the three listed search tools in this exercise generated some of the same results but also widely different results. The Bloglines' Search tool was the easiest to use, in terms of saving the RSS feed.

One great result of this exercise has been learning what the RSS feed icon is and how these sources are useful.

Thing #11 RSS feeds

It is great to pull together up-to-date information in a single place. This is also a good organizational tool. Only problem: it doesn't create additional hours in a day so that there is ever enough time to read it all!

NetLibrary again

After numerous attempts, requiring a new account and computer settings changes, I transferred an audiobook from a flash drive to my computer, acquired a license and listened to it on media player. A lengthy process, very time consuming, but I know it will be less laborious and frustrating the next time I do it.

Now it is time to acknowledge the incredible assistance of a coworker with this task: amazing knowledge, patience and teaching skills!

Thing #10 NetLibrary

The eAudiobook details section has useful options: add to favorites and email the information. Subject browse is also a helpful feature. I was surprised that the SPPL has only 112 titles. Did I miss a link to additional titles?

I listened to a preview which is a great option. At times a specific reader of an audiobook may either enhance or detract from the book.

I was frustrated when I selected a title and attempted unsuccessfully to download. The screen advised: Unable to check out this eContent. Please try again later. What? Why?

Thing #9 podcasts

The National Public Radio Podcast Directory is a terrific resource. It lists nearly 600 podcasts. I did not realize that I previously have listened to podcasts! I found the Writers' Almanac and listened to it by going to the podcast's website. KQED The Writers' Block is also interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhsg7Xhuo5o

Thing #8 YouTube

YouTube of Dream of Grand Teton National Park is fun! Mountains, sound of water, audio track of Mama Cass, fade techniques are amazing to see, but who has time to create this??

Friends have sent me videos from this site, always humorous. I notice in the Teton video that the image is grainy. It is interesting for the general concept rather than expecting a high quality technical image.

About Technology

The uses for this new technology at times seem limitless. It is exciting to see the widespread application for people of all ages and backgrounds. Technology enhances early learning in children and life-long learning in us all.

Flickr Color Fields Colr Pickr

After I experimented with color choices and intensity, I found a green set which is beautiful. I assumed that I would be able to select an image and view it. A click, and nothing happened.

Then I read further on this site and learned, it is a toy! Incredible! It is just for fun. A great reminder to play.

http://www.krazydad.com/colrpickr/

Flickr photo - Mountains and water

http://www.flickr.com/photos/charliebrown8989/288437596/

nature07

I am impressed with the creativity of my co-workers!

Are any of the habits really easy?
The easiest for me is habit 1, beginning with the end in mind. The most difficult is to remember habit 7.5, play.