I'm writing this post via Google Docs on my son's computer in Virginia. I became aware of web-based applications via Google Calendar and the browser bar at the top of the screen. Since I regularly use three different computers in the course of my day, and I work on both windows and mac platforms, I need both transportability and platform transparency. The suite of applications that Google now offers meets my need for both.
My use of web-based tools began with Google Calendar (discussed earlier in this blog) and increased when my son-in-law posted Christmas shopping lists on Google Docs. Finally, I broke down and signed-up for a Gmail account because its spam blocker was better than the free one used by my ISP. I suppose my next investigation should be of Google Scholar for journal articles and other documents posted on the web.
Anyway, I find the word processor in Google Docs easy to use, resembling the familiar MS Word interface. I like its spell checker, and now to find out how well it posts to my blog . . .
As a full-feature word processor Google Docs isn't robust enough, but for everyday use it's just fine. I guess if I were creating a document that needed robust features I wouldn't house it online anyway.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
pbWiki - Thing #17
Wow, I've been away for a month. Not that December' is busy for anyone ;-).
I started working on the wiki things (16 & 17) during November, and soon recognized that it would take some concentration to really understand how they worked and to learn to edit material well. So, I postponed my learning activity until the holiday break. Today (12/30) I'm sitting at my son's computer in Virginia, waiting for them to return from Texas, and taking the time to play with thing #17.
It was easy enough to establish an account on pbWiki, and to find the list of favorite pages. I entered my blog in the favorite blog (general) list. I don't know why my entry looks different from the others. I think I followed the model. Ah, the wonders of html.
I added an entry to the favorite wine page. I love an Italian white wine made from the Cortese grape in the Piedmont region called Gavi. My favorite label is Princepessa Gavi which sells for around $14.00. It's great with seafood and for drinking on those hot summer evenings when its green apple and citrus palette slakes one's thirst.
OK, I think I'm over my slight roadblock and can continue with the remaining things.
Happy new year everyone! May 2009 be prosperous for all!
I started working on the wiki things (16 & 17) during November, and soon recognized that it would take some concentration to really understand how they worked and to learn to edit material well. So, I postponed my learning activity until the holiday break. Today (12/30) I'm sitting at my son's computer in Virginia, waiting for them to return from Texas, and taking the time to play with thing #17.
It was easy enough to establish an account on pbWiki, and to find the list of favorite pages. I entered my blog in the favorite blog (general) list. I don't know why my entry looks different from the others. I think I followed the model. Ah, the wonders of html.
I added an entry to the favorite wine page. I love an Italian white wine made from the Cortese grape in the Piedmont region called Gavi. My favorite label is Princepessa Gavi which sells for around $14.00. It's great with seafood and for drinking on those hot summer evenings when its green apple and citrus palette slakes one's thirst.
OK, I think I'm over my slight roadblock and can continue with the remaining things.
Happy new year everyone! May 2009 be prosperous for all!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Dylan Robert Hall
Enjoy some photos of the newest member of our family. Dylan Robert Hall was born on Tuesday, November 26, 2008, to Michael and Lara Hall. Dylan is the couple's first baby, and Bill & Shelly Hall's 5th grandchild. After a shaky start, Dylan's health has improved dramatically and he is no longer in intensive care. Thanks to all who prayed for his healing, and Blessings to our wonderful Lord and King for His grace!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
ANTHRAX SCARE AT MICHIGAN
Received this in an email this morning. Don't know the source, but given the season it seemed appropriate.
ANTHRAX SCARE AT MICHIGAN
Michigan football practice was delayed nearly two hours late this morning after a player reported finding an unknown white powdery substance on the practice field. Head coach Rich Rodriguez immediately suspended practice while police and federal agents were called to investigate.
After a complete analysis, FBI forensic experts determined that the white substance, unknown to the players, was the goal line. Practice was resumed this afternoon after special agents decided the team was unlikely to encounter the substance again.
Enjoy! Go Bucks!
ANTHRAX SCARE AT MICHIGAN
Michigan football practice was delayed nearly two hours late this morning after a player reported finding an unknown white powdery substance on the practice field. Head coach Rich Rodriguez immediately suspended practice while police and federal agents were called to investigate.
After a complete analysis, FBI forensic experts determined that the white substance, unknown to the players, was the goal line. Practice was resumed this afternoon after special agents decided the team was unlikely to encounter the substance again.
Enjoy! Go Bucks!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
A Trio of Titles
A Trio of Titles from Carnivalesque Films
http://www.carnivalesquefilms.com
Documentary filmmakers David Redmon and Ashley Sabin portray the survival challenges faced by disaster victims and the working poor. They combine video, 8mm and 16mm film footage into raw and unedited collages, and present them to the viewer in a kaleidoscopic, mashed together style. Redmon and Sabin present unforgettable and moving images through their approach to verité.
Mardi Gras: Made in China is an award-winning documentary that explores the relationship between the gaily-colored strings of beads awarded for provocative behavior in New Orleans, and the young migrant Chinese workers who manufacture them. The young men and women work at least 12 hours every day running machines and hand painting figurines while living at the factory compound and away from their families. The documentary contains interview footage of workers, bosses, owners, and Mardi gras revelers incorporated as a collage to relate the stressful lives of the young workers and to express the attitudes of both labor and management. The DVD contains feature length (73 minutes) and educational (PG) versions (52 min.), deleted scenes, and special features including interviews with principal workers. The Mardi gras scenes contain some sexual exposure.
Kamp Katrina depicts life in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans residents Dave and Ms. Pearl open their backyard to the displaced, converting their garden into a tent city. The award-winning documentary follows the lives of the residents of Kamp Katrina through the next six months as they attempt to rebuild their lives following the devastation. Living life on the basest of levels is raw and stressful, but the personalities who make up the backyard community become indelibly etched into the heart. Scenes of the post Katrina destruction are incredibly gripping. There are both feature length (75 minutes) and educational versions (48 min.) of the film. There is considerable profanity throughout.
Intimidad introduces 21-year-olds Camilo and Cecy, a young Mexican couple trying to establish their home. They struggle to earn a living working low wage factory jobs and while living apart from their two-year old daughter, Loida. The stress placed upon their marriage climaxes while on a Christmas visit to see their daughter, when Cecy decides to remain with her family and not return to the couple’s home in Reynosa. Finally, love wins out as Cecy and Loida join Camilo, buy land, and build a small house. (72 minutes).
reviews by William Hall for the Nebraska Library Association Journal
http://www.carnivalesquefilms.com
Documentary filmmakers David Redmon and Ashley Sabin portray the survival challenges faced by disaster victims and the working poor. They combine video, 8mm and 16mm film footage into raw and unedited collages, and present them to the viewer in a kaleidoscopic, mashed together style. Redmon and Sabin present unforgettable and moving images through their approach to verité.
Mardi Gras: Made in China is an award-winning documentary that explores the relationship between the gaily-colored strings of beads awarded for provocative behavior in New Orleans, and the young migrant Chinese workers who manufacture them. The young men and women work at least 12 hours every day running machines and hand painting figurines while living at the factory compound and away from their families. The documentary contains interview footage of workers, bosses, owners, and Mardi gras revelers incorporated as a collage to relate the stressful lives of the young workers and to express the attitudes of both labor and management. The DVD contains feature length (73 minutes) and educational (PG) versions (52 min.), deleted scenes, and special features including interviews with principal workers. The Mardi gras scenes contain some sexual exposure.
Kamp Katrina depicts life in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans residents Dave and Ms. Pearl open their backyard to the displaced, converting their garden into a tent city. The award-winning documentary follows the lives of the residents of Kamp Katrina through the next six months as they attempt to rebuild their lives following the devastation. Living life on the basest of levels is raw and stressful, but the personalities who make up the backyard community become indelibly etched into the heart. Scenes of the post Katrina destruction are incredibly gripping. There are both feature length (75 minutes) and educational versions (48 min.) of the film. There is considerable profanity throughout.
Intimidad introduces 21-year-olds Camilo and Cecy, a young Mexican couple trying to establish their home. They struggle to earn a living working low wage factory jobs and while living apart from their two-year old daughter, Loida. The stress placed upon their marriage climaxes while on a Christmas visit to see their daughter, when Cecy decides to remain with her family and not return to the couple’s home in Reynosa. Finally, love wins out as Cecy and Loida join Camilo, buy land, and build a small house. (72 minutes).
reviews by William Hall for the Nebraska Library Association Journal
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Creativity – the Fast-track to Your New Life
Recently I read three seminal books on the 21st Century, the characteristics of the new American worker, and the future of the American job market. I first gained understanding of the business forces that provide a leveling effect on world commerce by reading Thomas L. Friedman’s The World is Flat (2006). Friedman points to the growing and competing economies in China and India where engineers can design and implement technology as good as the United States, and for a cheaper price. In order to compete and to serve the consumer American corporations are forced to utilize foreign workers to lower their production costs. Of course, foreign competition is a major reason for corporation downsizing and the loss of repetitive and lower skilled jobs.
Friedman then argues that the American economy can only remain competitive by supplying jobs skills that no one else can replicate. He and Daniel Pink believe that the creative skill of synthesis, or symphony as Pink puts it, is what allows for new product development and new and better approaches to job tasking (Pink, 2006, p. 130). Both authors believe that this skill cannot be downsized or outsourced to foreign countries. Friedman states that the job market is changing so quickly that today’s undergraduates will have to prepare for jobs that don’t even yet exist.
The next book that impressed me was Richard Florida’s The Rise of the Creative Class (2002). Florida observes the changing American job market and notices the rapid increase in what he terms “creative class” jobs, and the decline of older service industry jobs. Florida also notices where the people who work in creative class industries reside, and lists communities around the country that are supporting creative individuals’ lifestyles. He believes that creative people are drawn to these areas as places to be inspired, to be engaged, and to live, and that they then search for jobs that will allow them to exercise their creativity. That’s a 180-degree change from the older idea of moving to where the job is located. Among the markers of communities that attract creative class people are: Technology, Talent, and Tolerance of diversity (Florida, 2002, p. 249).
What Daniel Pink accomplishes in A Whole New Mind (2006) is to define the skills that identify Florida’s “creative class.” These are the kinds of skills that will allow today’s undergraduates to be successful in the new job market. Truty (2006) stated: “Pink . . . posits that happiness and professional success require mastery of the "six senses" ("design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning"), all of which emerge from the right hemisphere of the brain.” In order to prepare their graduates to be leaders in the new economy some of the nation’s leading colleges, like Carleton College, in Northfield, MN, are seeking ways of infusing right-brain creativity into every class. Carleton even hired a Dean of the Arts to advise other professors how to design creativity-based curricula for their students.
What effect will right-brained “creative class” patrons and emerging technologies have on libraries? Thomas Frey (2008), Executive Director of the DaVinci Institute, a futuristic think tank, argued that for libraries to remain relevant they must adapt to the experience culture [“creative class” and right-brainers] by providing experiential opportunities. He suggested exercise rooms so that people can read or listen while staying in shape, multi-sensory mini-theaters, recording studios for creating pod and video casts, soundproof rooms for music practice, drama studios for patrons to role play stories they are reading, and art studios with one-way mirrors so that patrons can either create, or perhaps more importantly, can view and experience the act of creating.
Ah, Pink’s design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning set in motion.
Reference List
Florida, R. (2004). The rise of the creative class: . . . And how it’s transforming work, leisure, community, & everyday life. New York: Basic Books.
Frey, T. (2006). The future of libraries: Beginning the great transformation. Retrieved on October 24, 2008 from http://www.davinciinstitute.com/page.php?ID=120.
Friedman, T. L. (2006). The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Pink, D. L. (2006). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future. New York: Penguin.
Truty, D. (2006, March 1). [Review of the book A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future]. Choice. Retrieved October 24, 2008, from Bowker’s Books in Print Database.
Friedman then argues that the American economy can only remain competitive by supplying jobs skills that no one else can replicate. He and Daniel Pink believe that the creative skill of synthesis, or symphony as Pink puts it, is what allows for new product development and new and better approaches to job tasking (Pink, 2006, p. 130). Both authors believe that this skill cannot be downsized or outsourced to foreign countries. Friedman states that the job market is changing so quickly that today’s undergraduates will have to prepare for jobs that don’t even yet exist.
The next book that impressed me was Richard Florida’s The Rise of the Creative Class (2002). Florida observes the changing American job market and notices the rapid increase in what he terms “creative class” jobs, and the decline of older service industry jobs. Florida also notices where the people who work in creative class industries reside, and lists communities around the country that are supporting creative individuals’ lifestyles. He believes that creative people are drawn to these areas as places to be inspired, to be engaged, and to live, and that they then search for jobs that will allow them to exercise their creativity. That’s a 180-degree change from the older idea of moving to where the job is located. Among the markers of communities that attract creative class people are: Technology, Talent, and Tolerance of diversity (Florida, 2002, p. 249).
What Daniel Pink accomplishes in A Whole New Mind (2006) is to define the skills that identify Florida’s “creative class.” These are the kinds of skills that will allow today’s undergraduates to be successful in the new job market. Truty (2006) stated: “Pink . . . posits that happiness and professional success require mastery of the "six senses" ("design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning"), all of which emerge from the right hemisphere of the brain.” In order to prepare their graduates to be leaders in the new economy some of the nation’s leading colleges, like Carleton College, in Northfield, MN, are seeking ways of infusing right-brain creativity into every class. Carleton even hired a Dean of the Arts to advise other professors how to design creativity-based curricula for their students.
What effect will right-brained “creative class” patrons and emerging technologies have on libraries? Thomas Frey (2008), Executive Director of the DaVinci Institute, a futuristic think tank, argued that for libraries to remain relevant they must adapt to the experience culture [“creative class” and right-brainers] by providing experiential opportunities. He suggested exercise rooms so that people can read or listen while staying in shape, multi-sensory mini-theaters, recording studios for creating pod and video casts, soundproof rooms for music practice, drama studios for patrons to role play stories they are reading, and art studios with one-way mirrors so that patrons can either create, or perhaps more importantly, can view and experience the act of creating.
Ah, Pink’s design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning set in motion.
Reference List
Florida, R. (2004). The rise of the creative class: . . . And how it’s transforming work, leisure, community, & everyday life. New York: Basic Books.
Frey, T. (2006). The future of libraries: Beginning the great transformation. Retrieved on October 24, 2008 from http://www.davinciinstitute.com/page.php?ID=120.
Friedman, T. L. (2006). The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Pink, D. L. (2006). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future. New York: Penguin.
Truty, D. (2006, March 1). [Review of the book A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future]. Choice. Retrieved October 24, 2008, from Bowker’s Books in Print Database.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Thing #15: Web/Library 2.0
Tom Storey’s (2006) definition of Web 2.0 is the best I’ve seen to date.
“In Web 2.0, the Web becomes the center of a new digital lifestyle that changes our culture and touches every aspect of our lives. The Web moves from simply being sites and search engines to a shared network space that drives work, research, education, entertainment and social activities—essentially everything people do. You and your mobile and non-mobile devices—PDA, MP3, laptop, cell phone, camera, PC, TV, etc.—are always online, connected to one another and to the Web.” http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/1.htm
In the next paragraph Storey says that the Web itself becomes the operating platform rather than our PCs. One of the benefits of a web-based platform is the transparency of the software to accommodate different browsers and operating systems. As a Mac user living in a Windows world I certainly welcome platform transparency. Another benefit, of course, is the availability of our content no matter where we are, and no matter on what machine we’re accessing the web. On this blog I’ve already documented my experiences with using Del.icio.us as a web 2.0 bookmarking application.
I believe that Michael Casey and Laura Savastinuk (2006) have hit the nail on the head when they write:
“In the current library world—particularly in public institutions—we are accustomed to focusing our services on those customers we already reach. . . . Libraries are in the habit of providing the same services and the same programs to the same groups. We grow comfortable with our provisions and we fail to change.” http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6365200.html.
Not only do we keep dipping into the same well, we, ourselves, as librarians grow too comfortable with already developed skills, and are reluctant to learn new ones. Perhaps it’s the fear of technology, but we have to push beyond that. Our patrons are becoming more and more technologically savvy, even the preschoolers. Michael Stephens writes:
“If we learn to learn, it doesn’t matter that this week’s hot technology is Twitter and next week’s even shinier tool is something else. We can still figure it out, use our foundational knowledge to make sense of it and decide if it works in our situation.” http://tametheweb.com/
In addition, the patrons that aren’t tech savvy are looking to us to help them become so. While working as a PSA at the Millard Branch patrons would daily come to my station asking for help in establishing an email account, searching for jobs on the web, and writing resumes. I’m sure that this is a common occurrence at other branches as well. It’s heartrending to see 50 year old workers who have never learned to type trying to negotiate online applications. They have no other choice as many employers no longer accept paper, phone calls or walk-in applications. A large part of our profession is service, and as our patrons needs change, so must our service skills.
Another issue facing our libraries is that of accessing materials not owned by our systems. Fortunately, we have ebooks, audiobooks, and movie streaming (although not for Mac users!). We have downloadable journal articles via full-text online databases. So, the main issue is acquiring books for our patrons from other sources. Yes, we have ILL, and yes WorldCat is making it easier to request an item, but we still have to deal with time delay. If the item is a research document we may have no other choice since there are few copies available. But if it is a readily available book, but not in our collection, Amazon and others can supply the text in a matter of a couple of days. Sometimes these books can even be downloaded. How will we answer this challenge?
I’m excited about the newly developed and developing tools available via Web 2.0, and I am eager to see the transformation of our libraries into the infocommunities of the future.
References
Casey, M. E. and Savastanuk, L. C. (2006, September 1). Library 2.0: Service for the next-generation library. Library Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2008 from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6365200.html.
Stephens, M. (2008. October 24). SLA IT Bulletin: Digital Focus: Michael Stephens. Tame the Web. Retreived October 29, 2008 from http://tametheweb.com/.
Storey, T. (2006). Web 2.0: Where will the next generation web take libraries? Web 2.0 Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/1.htm.
“In Web 2.0, the Web becomes the center of a new digital lifestyle that changes our culture and touches every aspect of our lives. The Web moves from simply being sites and search engines to a shared network space that drives work, research, education, entertainment and social activities—essentially everything people do. You and your mobile and non-mobile devices—PDA, MP3, laptop, cell phone, camera, PC, TV, etc.—are always online, connected to one another and to the Web.” http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/1.htm
In the next paragraph Storey says that the Web itself becomes the operating platform rather than our PCs. One of the benefits of a web-based platform is the transparency of the software to accommodate different browsers and operating systems. As a Mac user living in a Windows world I certainly welcome platform transparency. Another benefit, of course, is the availability of our content no matter where we are, and no matter on what machine we’re accessing the web. On this blog I’ve already documented my experiences with using Del.icio.us as a web 2.0 bookmarking application.
I believe that Michael Casey and Laura Savastinuk (2006) have hit the nail on the head when they write:
“In the current library world—particularly in public institutions—we are accustomed to focusing our services on those customers we already reach. . . . Libraries are in the habit of providing the same services and the same programs to the same groups. We grow comfortable with our provisions and we fail to change.” http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6365200.html.
Not only do we keep dipping into the same well, we, ourselves, as librarians grow too comfortable with already developed skills, and are reluctant to learn new ones. Perhaps it’s the fear of technology, but we have to push beyond that. Our patrons are becoming more and more technologically savvy, even the preschoolers. Michael Stephens writes:
“If we learn to learn, it doesn’t matter that this week’s hot technology is Twitter and next week’s even shinier tool is something else. We can still figure it out, use our foundational knowledge to make sense of it and decide if it works in our situation.” http://tametheweb.com/
In addition, the patrons that aren’t tech savvy are looking to us to help them become so. While working as a PSA at the Millard Branch patrons would daily come to my station asking for help in establishing an email account, searching for jobs on the web, and writing resumes. I’m sure that this is a common occurrence at other branches as well. It’s heartrending to see 50 year old workers who have never learned to type trying to negotiate online applications. They have no other choice as many employers no longer accept paper, phone calls or walk-in applications. A large part of our profession is service, and as our patrons needs change, so must our service skills.
Another issue facing our libraries is that of accessing materials not owned by our systems. Fortunately, we have ebooks, audiobooks, and movie streaming (although not for Mac users!). We have downloadable journal articles via full-text online databases. So, the main issue is acquiring books for our patrons from other sources. Yes, we have ILL, and yes WorldCat is making it easier to request an item, but we still have to deal with time delay. If the item is a research document we may have no other choice since there are few copies available. But if it is a readily available book, but not in our collection, Amazon and others can supply the text in a matter of a couple of days. Sometimes these books can even be downloaded. How will we answer this challenge?
I’m excited about the newly developed and developing tools available via Web 2.0, and I am eager to see the transformation of our libraries into the infocommunities of the future.
References
Casey, M. E. and Savastanuk, L. C. (2006, September 1). Library 2.0: Service for the next-generation library. Library Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2008 from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6365200.html.
Stephens, M. (2008. October 24). SLA IT Bulletin: Digital Focus: Michael Stephens. Tame the Web. Retreived October 29, 2008 from http://tametheweb.com/.
Storey, T. (2006). Web 2.0: Where will the next generation web take libraries? Web 2.0 Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/1.htm.
#14 Technorati
Hey! What a cool tool! I had fun watching the video on Technorati and signing-up for an account. I "claimed" my blog and tried to search for some friends blogs - including O! What a Geek. Couldn't find any of them, but only spent about 5 minutes looking, though. Next I added a "favorite me" widget to my blog home page. So you all can add me! Hah!
I'm really enjoying learning about web 2.0 apps and adding them to my arsenal.
I'm really enjoying learning about web 2.0 apps and adding them to my arsenal.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Thing # 13 - del.icio.us
i LOVE delicious! (on the web as well as on my plate). I was getting frustrated this Spring working on three different computers and having to bookmark the same pages in every browser. Then I saw delicious on a coworker's browser and decided to investigate. This was the answer to my need, and I must say that it has opened the door for me to add other web-based applications. A few years ago I used a laptop almost exclusively, but I no longer have one, and must rely on desktop PCs for my computing. Having portability in bookmarks and applications makes much more sense.
One of my favorite web-based apps is Google Calendar. I've created a series of calendars which are hosted on a free web calendar server and then download them to my Google Calendar. My wife and I both have current calendars to compare our schedules, and I don't have to retain all that info in my mind anymore. Having Google Calendar as one of my AAA bookmarks in delicious, it is readily available whenever I need to check a date. I already added OPL Staff Day to the last Friday in April 2009.
One of my favorite web-based apps is Google Calendar. I've created a series of calendars which are hosted on a free web calendar server and then download them to my Google Calendar. My wife and I both have current calendars to compare our schedules, and I don't have to retain all that info in my mind anymore. Having Google Calendar as one of my AAA bookmarks in delicious, it is readily available whenever I need to check a date. I already added OPL Staff Day to the last Friday in April 2009.
The 23 Things - 1 to 12
Some of my OPL colleagues participating in O! What a Geek have documented their progress and experiences with the 23 Things in great detail. I love to view their blogs and learn about other apps that I missed along the way. From them I have discovered Glickr and Trading Cards. From other librarian friends on Twitter I have found avatars like Voki and link listers like Lijit (say that three times fast).
I’ve used my blog for a variety of postings from family to sports to rants about ethics. But, I thought I’d like to document my progress on the 23 Things as well. Being a left-brained person, I’ll use this post to create a list of my experiences, and maybe to comment along the way.
1) Thing #1-Intro
2) Life-long learning
3) Set-up a blog –Here it is!
4) Register the blog with the Geek team – you’re reading it!
5) Flickr – set-up an account and posted photos
6) Flickr Mashups – posted Glickr slide show
7) Technology post – see “Technology R’nt US”
8) RSS feeds – read
9) Signed-up for some RSS feeds.
I found RSS shortly after it came out. My favorite aggregator is NewsFire which I use on my Mac at home. I found that you can be overrun with RSS updates depending on the sites to which you subscribe. Although it’s easy to check “mark as read,” it can be impossible to keep up with the amount of news coming to your desktop.
10) Played with image generators, posted a trading card
11) LibraryThing, I’ve been a member since Spring
I investigated some online Library catalogues such as Shelfari, East 41st St. and LibraryThing. I liked E 41st St.’s ability to search the OPL catalog for books as well as Amazon’s reviews. But, I didn’t like the representation of my library. I found the book cover listing cumbersome and unsearchable, and preferred a text list such as LibraryThing has. I had the same issue with Shelfari. I have also made librarian friends on LT via the groups pages. We now Twitter everyday.
12) Rollyo – I added a rollyo link and search engine to my blog.
I like the concept of rollyo that is creating a search engine from your favorite web sites. No more searching the entire web when you know that the content you want is contained in a few sites that you return to over and over again. I added a Mac search that looks at the major Macintosh sites on the web. The best info on Macs will be found on one of these. I’m still working the kinks out of the search engine.
Well, I’m halfway there. Not a very exciting post, but I just wanted to account for my Geek activity. Now back to my MLS projects.
I’ve used my blog for a variety of postings from family to sports to rants about ethics. But, I thought I’d like to document my progress on the 23 Things as well. Being a left-brained person, I’ll use this post to create a list of my experiences, and maybe to comment along the way.
1) Thing #1-Intro
2) Life-long learning
3) Set-up a blog –Here it is!
4) Register the blog with the Geek team – you’re reading it!
5) Flickr – set-up an account and posted photos
6) Flickr Mashups – posted Glickr slide show
7) Technology post – see “Technology R’nt US”
8) RSS feeds – read
9) Signed-up for some RSS feeds.
I found RSS shortly after it came out. My favorite aggregator is NewsFire which I use on my Mac at home. I found that you can be overrun with RSS updates depending on the sites to which you subscribe. Although it’s easy to check “mark as read,” it can be impossible to keep up with the amount of news coming to your desktop.
10) Played with image generators, posted a trading card
11) LibraryThing, I’ve been a member since Spring
I investigated some online Library catalogues such as Shelfari, East 41st St. and LibraryThing. I liked E 41st St.’s ability to search the OPL catalog for books as well as Amazon’s reviews. But, I didn’t like the representation of my library. I found the book cover listing cumbersome and unsearchable, and preferred a text list such as LibraryThing has. I had the same issue with Shelfari. I have also made librarian friends on LT via the groups pages. We now Twitter everyday.
12) Rollyo – I added a rollyo link and search engine to my blog.
I like the concept of rollyo that is creating a search engine from your favorite web sites. No more searching the entire web when you know that the content you want is contained in a few sites that you return to over and over again. I added a Mac search that looks at the major Macintosh sites on the web. The best info on Macs will be found on one of these. I’m still working the kinks out of the search engine.
Well, I’m halfway there. Not a very exciting post, but I just wanted to account for my Geek activity. Now back to my MLS projects.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Chris Hall Commissioning Ceremony
Photos of Chris Hall's Commissioning Ceremony, Wednesday, 2 October 2008, Marine Barracks, Washington, DC.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Hello from Northern Virginia
I have good news, and I have bad news.
First the good! We have had a wonderful week visiting our son, daughter-in-law, and three great grandkids. On Wednesday our son, Chris, was commissioned a 1st Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He has been a member of the Marine Drum & Bugle Corps for 15 years, and served as mellophone section leader, chief of operations, head of public relations, company gunnery sergeant, temporary assistant drum major, and horn line seciton leader. Can you see why he was chosen to become the next officer of the D&B?
Later this month Chris will begin 6 months officer training at Quantico Marine Base, here in Virginia, and then assume his duties as Executive Officer of the D&B. We're all quite excited for him. This has been his goal for several years, and we've been sitting on pins and needles since February for the actual event to happen.
Shelly and I flew to DC Tuesday evening and began a wonderful time with Chris and his family. We were equally blessed to have Courtnie's folks there at the same time. We hadn't seen both of the "in-laws" for a few years, and so we had fun celebrating and visiting. Early Thursday, Courtnie's parents drove to their home in Florida.
Chris, Courntie, Shelly and I made plans to go to the grandkids football games and to watch the Buckeyes battle Wisconsin. This is a particular treat for Chris & me, because we don't often get to share our mutual love for the Bucks in person.
But, on Friday evening we received a frantic phone call from Courtnie's mother. Her father had been found not breathing, and was being rushed to the hospital. As you can imagine everything was in panic mode for the next half hour. There were phone calls among the three sisters and the mom. We ushered the grandkids to their parents' bedroom and bedded them down. Chris tried to steady Courtnie.
About thirty minutes later the phone call that everyone dreaded rang. The doctors were unable to revive Courtnie's father, and the grieving began. How amazing. He had seemed so healthy just two days earlier. He was pretty fit for a recently retired man. He exercised regularly, and wasn't overweight.
Chris and Courtnie decided to drive to Florida that very night. The other daughters live in Illinois and Texas, so Courtnie went to her mother to help comfort and console her. Shelly and I remained in Virginia to watch the kids, and so had to extend our stay. We rescheduled our flight, and thanks to the airline, they did so without charging us a penalty.
Chris, Courtnie and her mom will be returning home later this week. Shelly and I will travel back to Omaha and to our jobs. It has been a blessing to spend the past three days watching our grandkids. It does bring back memories of our three about 25 years ago.
But it gives us pause to reflect, too. Imagine going from the height of celebration to the depths of grief.
For Chris and Courtnie, the past 8 months of waiting have been pretty gruelling. A lot of patience has been worked into their characters over that time. They wondered if they would ever have a chance to get excited and celebrate, and then to only have a couple of days. They deserved more time.
What is the lesson now? How will the family move through the process of grieving the loss of its head, and once again turn eyes to the future and hope?
I pray that the God of comfort, who saw Chris and Courtnie through those 8 gruelling months, will show Himself even more present and strong in the days to follow. I pray that He will bear the family up in His wings, and wipe away all their tears. I pray that He will turn their mourning into dancing.
Life will go on. Death is only one part of the cycle of life. The young are full of love and laughter and will bring joy to their parents' and grandparents' hearts. Hearts will be consoled, and hearts will remember with love him who is no longer with us.
Thanks for reading this post. I hope that you will take a little time to reflect on the blessings of your life and to show appreciation for those around you that you love.
First the good! We have had a wonderful week visiting our son, daughter-in-law, and three great grandkids. On Wednesday our son, Chris, was commissioned a 1st Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He has been a member of the Marine Drum & Bugle Corps for 15 years, and served as mellophone section leader, chief of operations, head of public relations, company gunnery sergeant, temporary assistant drum major, and horn line seciton leader. Can you see why he was chosen to become the next officer of the D&B?
Later this month Chris will begin 6 months officer training at Quantico Marine Base, here in Virginia, and then assume his duties as Executive Officer of the D&B. We're all quite excited for him. This has been his goal for several years, and we've been sitting on pins and needles since February for the actual event to happen.
Shelly and I flew to DC Tuesday evening and began a wonderful time with Chris and his family. We were equally blessed to have Courtnie's folks there at the same time. We hadn't seen both of the "in-laws" for a few years, and so we had fun celebrating and visiting. Early Thursday, Courtnie's parents drove to their home in Florida.
Chris, Courntie, Shelly and I made plans to go to the grandkids football games and to watch the Buckeyes battle Wisconsin. This is a particular treat for Chris & me, because we don't often get to share our mutual love for the Bucks in person.
But, on Friday evening we received a frantic phone call from Courtnie's mother. Her father had been found not breathing, and was being rushed to the hospital. As you can imagine everything was in panic mode for the next half hour. There were phone calls among the three sisters and the mom. We ushered the grandkids to their parents' bedroom and bedded them down. Chris tried to steady Courtnie.
About thirty minutes later the phone call that everyone dreaded rang. The doctors were unable to revive Courtnie's father, and the grieving began. How amazing. He had seemed so healthy just two days earlier. He was pretty fit for a recently retired man. He exercised regularly, and wasn't overweight.
Chris and Courtnie decided to drive to Florida that very night. The other daughters live in Illinois and Texas, so Courtnie went to her mother to help comfort and console her. Shelly and I remained in Virginia to watch the kids, and so had to extend our stay. We rescheduled our flight, and thanks to the airline, they did so without charging us a penalty.
Chris, Courtnie and her mom will be returning home later this week. Shelly and I will travel back to Omaha and to our jobs. It has been a blessing to spend the past three days watching our grandkids. It does bring back memories of our three about 25 years ago.
But it gives us pause to reflect, too. Imagine going from the height of celebration to the depths of grief.
For Chris and Courtnie, the past 8 months of waiting have been pretty gruelling. A lot of patience has been worked into their characters over that time. They wondered if they would ever have a chance to get excited and celebrate, and then to only have a couple of days. They deserved more time.
What is the lesson now? How will the family move through the process of grieving the loss of its head, and once again turn eyes to the future and hope?
I pray that the God of comfort, who saw Chris and Courtnie through those 8 gruelling months, will show Himself even more present and strong in the days to follow. I pray that He will bear the family up in His wings, and wipe away all their tears. I pray that He will turn their mourning into dancing.
Life will go on. Death is only one part of the cycle of life. The young are full of love and laughter and will bring joy to their parents' and grandparents' hearts. Hearts will be consoled, and hearts will remember with love him who is no longer with us.
Thanks for reading this post. I hope that you will take a little time to reflect on the blessings of your life and to show appreciation for those around you that you love.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Librarian Trading Card
Been having fun using Flickr. I uploaded some personal photos and avatars, then I uploaded a set of photos form our Labor Day visit to the Henry Doorly Zoo. Finally I created the above trading card using an image already posted to Flickr.
Technology R'nt Us
I Can Haz Water
Well, I'm am so thrilled to find all of the wonderful Web 2.0 widgets, gadgets, and apps on the web. Who would have ever thought that we can have so much fun creating our own presence, and then share it with everyone.
I first heard about Web 2.0 in March 2008 when I saw the bookmarks for del.icio.us on a co-workers Internet Explorer page. I quickly learned how to add that to my page as well. I realized what a boon web-based bookmarks were over browser-based, and since I use three different PCs in the course of my day, a bookmarking site is very helpful. Those bookmarks are always there.
I also learned the value of a web-based calendar for the same reason. Plus, my wife's schedule can be added to mine, or mine added to hers via the same host. Since I'm a Mac user, I use iCal at home and .ics calendar files to share with others. I found a free calendar hosting site (www.icalx.com) on the web, and then tried Mozilla's Sunbird open source calendar app. Sunbird work's pretty well, but the program has to be installed on each client computer. Someone told me about Google calendars, which can import .ics files. So, I set up an account and formated my calendars. Now, just like my del.icio.us bookmarks I can take my Google calendar everywhere I go.
OK, now for the Technology R'nt Us phase: I noticed a Ligit widget on a friends blog and wanted to add it to mine .You'll see that I have it entered as a blog post. Not where it should be, but I can't figure out how to embed it in the page's html. Likewise, the cool speaking avatar I made on Voki. So, maybe some savvy geek out there can help me learn a little more code so that I can spruce up my blog.
Anyway, I am enjoying this O! What a Geek class, and we are having fun at work talking about our projects. Great idea! Thanks!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Convergence of the Spheres on a Venn Diagram: Ethics, Data and Information
On Saturday our MLS class in Reference Resources discussed various levels of “information.” The levels were listed as: data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. Members of class were asked to list two descriptors under each heading, and we then discussed the significance of each class of “information.” It was clear that data referred to raw alpha/numeric sets and images. To move from data to information required manipulation and interpretation. For instance, how data sets were analyzed by a particular statistic provided a level of interpetation on the part of the researcher. Thus, tables, charts, and graphs all convey a level of interpretation, and therefore bias. It was noted human communication carries bias, and that it was neither good nor bad; we just needed to be aware that it was present.
The class also discussed the obligation of the librarian to provide information that was as neutral as possible and to allow the user to interpret the data. This sentiment was echoed by a panel of professional librarians who answered class questions about library ethics. In one example, a librarian working near Lincoln had been called by prisoners on multiple occasions, and had been asked to supply the address and phone number of particular individuals. Most of the class stiffened a little bit upon hearing that request. There have been stories in the news about prisoners harassing witnesses and plaintiffs from their trials. Can you imagine supplying that kind of information? However, the librarian explained that this information was already public, being printed in phone directories, and no ethical situation was encountered by giving the prisoners free access to this data.
Near the end of the session a student raised a question about Republican vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, who as mayor of a small Alaskan town asked the head librarian if she would consider censoring the town’s library collection. Well, that animated the class! A lively discussion would have ensued had we not run out of time. But, I thought, this was very germane, not only for our discussion on library ethics, but also because I had been reading the republication of press reports on a major library journal’s webpage.
Journalistic ethics, as well as American’s sense of fair play, used to require that reporters verify facts, and not just allegations. And if an allegation were printed, in the effort to inform the public, it would not be repeated without verification of the facts. Now, it seems in the case of Gov. Palin, that the media, who sent hundreds of reporters to Alaska to investigate her, has continued to repeat the allegations in stories, even though they have not been able to learn anything further. Their verifications are: yes, someone has alleged this impropriety; not: yes, this is a fact.
As poor an example of journalistic prudence as the media’s behavior has been, I am absolutely appalled that a major library journal would link to, or republish, these allegations. It should be noted that no further action was taken by Gov. Palin. She asked once, never again raised the subject, never presented a list of books, and let the matter drop. There has been no evidence to suggest that the subsequent resignation of the library director was linked to any harassment on the part of then Mayor Palin. The fact that the press has not been able to learn anything further, in a small town where everyone knows each other’s business, suggests that there is nothing of significance to the story. Thus further dissemination of the unsubstantiated allegations has an obvious aim to harm to Gov. Palin’s candidacy.
Whether or not we prefer a Democratic administration to a Republican one in 2008, we should not be mixing our personal preferences with our professional duty as librarians to disseminate complete and accurate information. Where is the journal editor’s ethical behavior in these decisions? Is this the example our professional leaders would like new librarians to follow? And more so, where are the other professional librarians who should be taking the journal to task for its unethical behavior?
Or, perhaps electing Sen. Obama by any method is more important than maintaining our professional ethics. Do we agree, then, with Machiavelli that “the ends justify the means?”
The class also discussed the obligation of the librarian to provide information that was as neutral as possible and to allow the user to interpret the data. This sentiment was echoed by a panel of professional librarians who answered class questions about library ethics. In one example, a librarian working near Lincoln had been called by prisoners on multiple occasions, and had been asked to supply the address and phone number of particular individuals. Most of the class stiffened a little bit upon hearing that request. There have been stories in the news about prisoners harassing witnesses and plaintiffs from their trials. Can you imagine supplying that kind of information? However, the librarian explained that this information was already public, being printed in phone directories, and no ethical situation was encountered by giving the prisoners free access to this data.
Near the end of the session a student raised a question about Republican vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, who as mayor of a small Alaskan town asked the head librarian if she would consider censoring the town’s library collection. Well, that animated the class! A lively discussion would have ensued had we not run out of time. But, I thought, this was very germane, not only for our discussion on library ethics, but also because I had been reading the republication of press reports on a major library journal’s webpage.
Journalistic ethics, as well as American’s sense of fair play, used to require that reporters verify facts, and not just allegations. And if an allegation were printed, in the effort to inform the public, it would not be repeated without verification of the facts. Now, it seems in the case of Gov. Palin, that the media, who sent hundreds of reporters to Alaska to investigate her, has continued to repeat the allegations in stories, even though they have not been able to learn anything further. Their verifications are: yes, someone has alleged this impropriety; not: yes, this is a fact.
As poor an example of journalistic prudence as the media’s behavior has been, I am absolutely appalled that a major library journal would link to, or republish, these allegations. It should be noted that no further action was taken by Gov. Palin. She asked once, never again raised the subject, never presented a list of books, and let the matter drop. There has been no evidence to suggest that the subsequent resignation of the library director was linked to any harassment on the part of then Mayor Palin. The fact that the press has not been able to learn anything further, in a small town where everyone knows each other’s business, suggests that there is nothing of significance to the story. Thus further dissemination of the unsubstantiated allegations has an obvious aim to harm to Gov. Palin’s candidacy.
Whether or not we prefer a Democratic administration to a Republican one in 2008, we should not be mixing our personal preferences with our professional duty as librarians to disseminate complete and accurate information. Where is the journal editor’s ethical behavior in these decisions? Is this the example our professional leaders would like new librarians to follow? And more so, where are the other professional librarians who should be taking the journal to task for its unethical behavior?
Or, perhaps electing Sen. Obama by any method is more important than maintaining our professional ethics. Do we agree, then, with Machiavelli that “the ends justify the means?”
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Bald Frog and the Wig
My Random Question: “Hurry! The children are waiting. Please tell them the story about the bald frog and the wig.”
The bald frog wanted to visit the King at his castle, but he couldn't find his wig. No one would dare go to the castle without a proper wig; it just wasn't done. So, the frog thought, "What can I do?" Then it hit him. "I'll visit my cousin in Savannah, GA, and grab some of the Spanish moss hanging from the trees. The color will blend perfectly with my skin, and it will be the curliest wig in the kingdom."
When the frog returned from visiting his cousin, he placed the Spanish moss on his head and proudly strode into the castle. The King was glad to see his favorite frog and invited him to dine with the royal family. Everything went fine until the Queen looked for her salad. She mistook the frog's wig for bean sprouts and promptly pulled the moss from his head, put it on her plate, and poured salad dressing all over the frog's wig.
The King was startled to see one of his subjects dining at his table without wearing a wig. He looked at the frog and saw how embarrassed he was. The frog felt small and naked without his elegant wig of Spanish moss. The King took pity on the poor frog and said, "Mozart and Haydn with their powdered wigs have been dead for over 20 years now. Beethoven doesn't wear a wig, why should I?" With a big SPLAT! the King threw his wig into the soup. Then the King declared that all his subjects were modern beings, after all they lived in the Nineteenth Century. No longer would wigs be required just to visit the King.
The bald frog wanted to visit the King at his castle, but he couldn't find his wig. No one would dare go to the castle without a proper wig; it just wasn't done. So, the frog thought, "What can I do?" Then it hit him. "I'll visit my cousin in Savannah, GA, and grab some of the Spanish moss hanging from the trees. The color will blend perfectly with my skin, and it will be the curliest wig in the kingdom."
When the frog returned from visiting his cousin, he placed the Spanish moss on his head and proudly strode into the castle. The King was glad to see his favorite frog and invited him to dine with the royal family. Everything went fine until the Queen looked for her salad. She mistook the frog's wig for bean sprouts and promptly pulled the moss from his head, put it on her plate, and poured salad dressing all over the frog's wig.
The King was startled to see one of his subjects dining at his table without wearing a wig. He looked at the frog and saw how embarrassed he was. The frog felt small and naked without his elegant wig of Spanish moss. The King took pity on the poor frog and said, "Mozart and Haydn with their powdered wigs have been dead for over 20 years now. Beethoven doesn't wear a wig, why should I?" With a big SPLAT! the King threw his wig into the soup. Then the King declared that all his subjects were modern beings, after all they lived in the Nineteenth Century. No longer would wigs be required just to visit the King.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Welcome!
Welcome to the first post on my new blog. Last week the library where I work, Omaha Public Library, started a web 2.0 - or Library 2.0 training program called O! What a Geek! Part of our experience is to create our own blog.
Actually, I've been considering starting one for awhile. Recently I joined LibraryThing and have been getting involved in some discussion groups. I also started a sports blog on MyESPN. I'm an avid Ohio State fan having graduated from there and having performed in the famous TBDBITL.
This summer I also began working on a Masters degree in Library Science at the University of Missouri, through its Omaha extension program.
So, this new blog will allow me to journal my progress as a professional librarian through on the job training and academic study.
I really enjoy working at OPL. My first 6 months were spent as a Public Service Assistant at the Millard Branch. Now I serve as a Clerk at the Charles B. Washington Branch, which is in North O. I like helping the patrons and learning how to do new things everyday.
So, if there are any friends or fellow library workers who stumble upon my blog, please post a short comment to say "Hi" and let me know you're out there.
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