thing #12

I loved, loved loved Library Thing. I created an account, entered several of my personal books and even went in to edit a few of them with ratings and tags (would have done more, but editing was slow).

I would love to get my cataloger at our library up to speed on this so we can start putting all our collection into this format!

thing #13

Twitter might be of use to someone who is tied all day to a computer in a cubicle in the corporate world, but doesn't do much for me. I've just signed up for an account and will follow Michael, but I agree with one other person who made the comment that she couldn't see people's needs to follow the most minute details of each other's lives.

One area where I can see this as being useful is in the library commission's twitter. The little posts are like "news flashes" of different things that might be relevant to other libraries.

Here in a small town, we have our own twitter. When the neighbors see that UPS has delivered a large box to me, they know there will shortly be new books at the library ... their twitter is much faster than anything I could do to get the news out in any other way.

Thing #11

I feel that what you are giving us in this class is a small taste of everything, and that from there, when the class is over, it is up to us to pick and choose which "Things" will be relevant and useful to us. Even I will probably not use everything learned, it is good to at least be aware that each of these functions exist; easy to get behind out here in the backwaters.

I personally plan to keep this class bookmarked after the class is completed so I can go refresh myself at my leisure, or when I find a relevant use for some function I remembered seeing. I can even see using some of the applications (like playing with the comic book generators) as a means to get more middle school kids into the library, using the generator as a class.

In these small communities, homes with computers are still in the minority ... this is how our library will have to stay relevant.

Thing #10

Okay, this one didn't excite me as much as 8 and 9 ... although I'm sure I could use some of these ideas in creating things for a children's reading program. I did manage to create a little piece that is an insult to Einstein. Check it out at www.hetemeel.com/einstein/318546.jpg

Thing #9

Again, I love good artistic photography, so I almost got lost in a place called www.flickriver.com. Some of the concepts used in composing some of these works of art really give me ideas for my future picture taking. Really, really enjoyable!

Thing #8

I like this ... will have to copy over all my photos from my trip to Germany this past May ... that is, after I get past the holidays, do our bibliostat, start the new erate cycle and finish with our library move .... don't you just love small libraries where you have to do everything, including sweeping the floor.

Anyhow, I found an absolutely gorgeous photo that you can find at www.flickr.com/photos/f_m/3066238956/ . My father was a very good art photographer in the style of Ansel Adams. This photo reminds me less of the intense realism of black and white and more of a watercolor of a dream. The softness seems to have been lovingly created with a brush by an old Dutch master of the 1600's rather than by a lens.

Things #6 and #7

I have opened the reader account and have subscribed to 3 of my compatriot's blogs, as well as some news websites. RSS will be very helpful to me, as it will take the middle step of what I do anyhow, in reading various news sites daily. I am wondering, though, if there is some way to sort how they appear? It looks as if they just come up as they come up, and if I subscribe to too many sites the entire reader inbox will be a big unorganized "thing". Any suggestions?

I really got use out of this step!