Virtual Library Branch - Thing #10

I've used NetLibrary in a former life. Titles listed there are older. Have used North Suburban Library Consortium more often, more recently - site itself is more appealing somehow. Have downloaded audio books to an mp3 player and downloaded ebooks to my computer. I must confess I don't listen to audio books, so it's not something I do everyday. I'm much more inclined to listen to music. I''m hoping this technology will soon be outdated since it still seems that there are too many steps in these programs. But the fact that you can burn some of the audio books to your own CDs is pretty amazing.

The libray's website is wonderful....keeps growing and growing, which is good, but can also be a drawback because I'm not sure every patron is aware of all we have to offer. Some of the services/possibilities are hidden and only known to the staff. It's a great direction we're going in to make more and more community members able to contribute to things such as SkokieTalk, etc. I anticipate the IM chat will be implemented in more areas and be displayed more prominently on the webpage. It seems book discussions would really lend themselves to some kind of online participation.

In general, I enjoyed learning about the 10 Things and appreciate the opportunity to spend time utilizing them. I feel the whole project will serve as a reference point of departure for using these skills all the time. I am now addicted to the feeds and podcasts and will use google tools.

Thanks to the 10Things Team for developing this program and being so graciously helpful throughout the process.

Thing #9 Online Productivity

I played around with google docs and created just a text document with a friend and we both edited and revised it. That collaboration was fun.....can see it being very useful in a work environment as well as a community environment, such as SkokieTalk. May try out some other tools, but not ready to go mobile. Don't want to use my cell phone any more than I have to!

Thing #8 Wikis

I've been using wikis with discretion for a long time. They're good for a first stopping place and over the years they come up no matter what topic you're searching for in google. I thought about the "radical trust" definition and have read some of the recent articles in The New Yorker about this global body of knowledge that's being created. It's mind boggling to contemplate.
I posted to the vacation spot list, added my blog, and looked at "eventful" - wasn't aware of this site.

Thing #7 Podcasts

This was fun.
I subscribed to Great Speeches in History from Learn Out Loud. How many times has someone come in asking for a speech and you scamble to find a compilation audio or cd with a speech on it and it's missing or checked out. Now, you can find it immediately on this site.
I also signed up for two from Podcast Alley: a BBC radio news feed and for fun and/or being on top of things at the AV desk - NextBigThing, for a tour of music you don't hear on the radio, etc.

Thing #6 Social Bookmarking

I've seen delicious before and can see how it will be useful both personally and professionally. I posted a quotation website to the staffpicks, thinking how many zillions of quotation sites there are. So, yes, it would be nice to have something like the most comprehensive quotation sites culled in one place.

Thing #5 Flickr

I'm no photographer, but I enjoyed the process and can see myself doing more of this.

Biblio Blogarama 'Mobile

Biblio Blogarama 'Mobile,
originally uploaded by theskokieten.

The crazy car I tool around in. Although a patron told me it's time for a new car, I have many more miles to go.

Thing #4 Social Networking

I signed up with Eons --- seemed so-so. Then I signed up with Facebook based on Gudrun's comments and after having read an article about it in The Atlantic, Oct. 2007 http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200710/facebook. I think I need more "friends" to explore it more thoroughly. So far, so good. I have looked at both LibraryThing and GoodReads.

Thing #3 Instant Messaging

This morning Pat Gaines and I had a lot of fun chatting back and forth with each other. The reference IM was also up and Toby and Bruce sent their greetings to us. It helps having a buddy to bounce things off with. I set up my own Meebo account, but don't know if I'll be spending all that much time IMing, but you never know. I never thought I'd use my cell phone in ways that I do either.

Comments About RSS and Feeders

O.K., I'm more or less done with Thing #2. I say more or less because in my mind I want to go back and re-do some things, but feel I have to get to the next thing. This is my own time constraint which I know I should try and ignore.
Anyway, things are getting fun and I feel more accomplished and like I've learned a lot.
I definitely can see how having the feeds on my reader will save time.
I wanted one for IMDB- celebrity news--- but I didn't see the logo; did I miss it?

Update on the Blog Experience

This is different for me because I have read many, many blogs of other people and basically am more of a lurker. Now I have to give it up, so to speak, and submit my own comments and thoughts. But sharing is good for you, right? So far, so good.

First Post - Hello to Fellow Skokie Bloggers

I'm sitting in the Youth Computer Lab creating my blog. I was under great pressure to come up with a name since the original one I had chosen was taken. I'm not happy with the present one, but I guess it's more important to just dive in and begin.