I'm pleased that Suzanne Christman was the winner of the laptop @ KRL2.0 party. She works as a page at the Poulsbo branch and is the only person I know who doesn't have a computer at home. Just ask her children, while trying to get their school reports done with their 1 hr. time limit at the branch. Also, she completed the entire KRL2.0 course from the work computers using her 1/2 allotted time per week. A feat which I personally would not have undertaken.
Congratulations to us all for completing the course and to Suzanne, a totally perfect person to win the very generous gift of a laptop.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Sites 4 Students
There are some pretty good sites in this unit. But "Zoho" seemed to combine the most useful features with its "suite of applications". So I signed up with Zoho. A couple of the things I liked in the word processing section was the writer templates and the little button that inserts Html. Many of the features offered were more complicated than I would personally use. I may revisit a few of the other sites, like cheap school books. Several people in my household go to Amazon to buy their used textbooks. Maybe there's something better out there.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
"Twitter" or "I Don't give a Twit!"
Today I explored "Twitter" articles, links, pros and cons. Also visited KRLtwitter site and read a few mini-blogs. Posted one of my own! What was I doing? Not much. Immersing myself in this new technology and wondering what in the world to do with it. I also signed up for an account but the "find follow" link wasn't working. So I might try it again later.
I can see how this website would be irresistible to the younger generation. Those who self-esteem is derived from their social cyber-connections. It reminds me of Jr. High and seeing how many signatures you can get in your Yearbook. Not because all of those people are your friends, but because a well signatured yearbook would obviously mean you are popular and well liked. A goal even older people desire, but by different means.
I have dabbled in chat rooms with a few good friends, but that was to avoid long-distance phone charges. The conversations with friends were a little deeper than 140 characters long. I don't have many contacts in my life that need a blow by blow account of "What are you doing?" So I've concluded that "Twitter" might not be the best vehicle for me to communicate with my friends.
I'm trying to envision uses of "Twitter" for KRL. It seems to be more on the "fun" side of things instead of a useful working tool. Hey, I have fun, I'm a fun person! My blogs seem to be a little on the negative side. "Resistance is Futile" but can't I drag my feet instead of embracing every new thing that comes along? A little aside, my son just Instant Messaged me from another city, he says "Twitter" is good for people working on group projects from a distance and for people with too much free time and no real friends.
I can see how this website would be irresistible to the younger generation. Those who self-esteem is derived from their social cyber-connections. It reminds me of Jr. High and seeing how many signatures you can get in your Yearbook. Not because all of those people are your friends, but because a well signatured yearbook would obviously mean you are popular and well liked. A goal even older people desire, but by different means.
I have dabbled in chat rooms with a few good friends, but that was to avoid long-distance phone charges. The conversations with friends were a little deeper than 140 characters long. I don't have many contacts in my life that need a blow by blow account of "What are you doing?" So I've concluded that "Twitter" might not be the best vehicle for me to communicate with my friends.
I'm trying to envision uses of "Twitter" for KRL. It seems to be more on the "fun" side of things instead of a useful working tool. Hey, I have fun, I'm a fun person! My blogs seem to be a little on the negative side. "Resistance is Futile" but can't I drag my feet instead of embracing every new thing that comes along? A little aside, my son just Instant Messaged me from another city, he says "Twitter" is good for people working on group projects from a distance and for people with too much free time and no real friends.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
My kids have "Myspace" accounts, so I have a little knowledge about social networking in reguards to looking over their shoulders at what they feel is appropriate to throw out there in cyberspace. I'm appalled at blabbing to the world your inner thoughts, private photos, confessions, secrets, and opinions.
Facebook seems to multiply all my fears of social networking. The realm of electronic communication is not and cannot be private. I read recently that e-mails deleted by President Regan could still be retrived. Privacy aside, lets talk about the "social" side of this issue.
"Facebook" is a social networking site. What part of socializing does the Library intend to do?
Do we want to be your friend? Or are we looking for another vehicle to insert ourselves into young people's stomping grounds. By the way, anyone savy enough to navigate "Facebook" is competent enough to reach any library resourses they desire.
Now I can get off my soapbox and comment on Facebook in terms of offering one site for all internet social activites. It's like the "Walmart" of the internet, one stop shopping. It works well but is not for me. I'll have to decline on the optional activities of joining Facebook.
Facebook seems to multiply all my fears of social networking. The realm of electronic communication is not and cannot be private. I read recently that e-mails deleted by President Regan could still be retrived. Privacy aside, lets talk about the "social" side of this issue.
"Facebook" is a social networking site. What part of socializing does the Library intend to do?
Do we want to be your friend? Or are we looking for another vehicle to insert ourselves into young people's stomping grounds. By the way, anyone savy enough to navigate "Facebook" is competent enough to reach any library resourses they desire.
Now I can get off my soapbox and comment on Facebook in terms of offering one site for all internet social activites. It's like the "Walmart" of the internet, one stop shopping. It works well but is not for me. I'll have to decline on the optional activities of joining Facebook.
Wiki II
Playing around with the Branch's Wiki was sorta fun. I was uncomfortable adding my two-bits as the Wiki was already quite attractive, and who I'm I to think I could improve on it. So, fitting for a branch Wiki, I added a link to "Wikipedia".
I don't think I'll be using Wiki's outside of this project. But it was great to learn a little about the building and editing of a page and also adding to my Web2.0 vocabulary. I'm ready to move on!
I don't think I'll be using Wiki's outside of this project. But it was great to learn a little about the building and editing of a page and also adding to my Web2.0 vocabulary. I'm ready to move on!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Wiki Intro
Wiki... What can I say? It took 3 visits to this assignment, trying to get up some enthusiasm to plunge ahead. I followed the links, visited the suggested "Wiki" sites and even visited all the KRL branch wiki's. (Bookmobile, I loved your music). I'm trying to think of an appropiate application for KRL. How about "suggestions" from our customers. Ideas that would be posted, not written on a little suggestion card and deposited into the circular file. That would enable us to really keep the pulse of the public.
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