Thing 2 (CPD23)

The post title remains the same, but the project is new.

Having recently completed a “10 Things” project with our local 3Rs in upstate New York, Thing 1 for the 23 Things project was easy, I have a blog. I hadn’t really planned on starting a blog before embarking on that project, but I must admit, it was very easy, painless and enjoyable. I hadn’t wanted it to end, hence the decision to start the 23 Things project.

Part of Thing 2 is to check out the blogs of some of the other librarians who are also involved in the project. With so many people taking part, it isn’t easy to decide where to start.   Working in a public library and reading a number of blogs by librarians in the United States, I decided to read a few from those in other types of libraries.

Natalie’s CPD23 seemed like a good place to start: http://nataliescpd23.blogspot.com/ and I find that I agree with her on some of the social networking tools though I am a convert to RSS feeds. 

Bear Bachoochie http://www.bearbahoochie.co.uk/ has combined Things 1-3 into one post. That’s an efficient way to do it and would allow me to play catch-up much more quickly. One on the other hand, the more you blog, the more often people will come to your site to see what’s new.

On the public library front, there is http://thefalseprotagonist.blogspot.com/. I love the title of this blog and like the author, enjoy reading blogs with a sense of humor (or should I say humour for the Brits and Canadians out there). Having grown up in Canada, I sometimes manage to combine US and Canadian spelling on words and then Word really doesn’t know what I’m trying to write!

As part of the “Googlization” of the world, I found out that I could add blogs, twitter feeds and any URL to my Google Reader. I remember quite a few years ago when “push” technology was the newest bell/whistle and you wouldn’t have to go to websites, the information would be pushed to you to review at your leisure. Google Reader allows me to add a link to any website and see when it has been updated, without having to go around to a large number of sites at the same time. This is a much more efficient use of time. I use the Google Reader for both personal and professional sites, and once I joined the dark side and started using it, it made it much easier to track and categorize sites.  One-stop shopping as they say.   In fact, I decided to jump further into Google and joined Google Plus recently. I have resisted joining Facebook, but since my husband, also a librarian, invited me to join Google Plus, I took the plunge. Within minutes people had found me. Interesting and scary at the same time.

Thing 9: eBooks

We've offered eBooks at our library, through Overdrive, for over a year and the demand is increasing on a daily basis.  I've tried the Nook, Kobo and several iDevices with the iPad being the most recent. 

The search capabilities are not the best in the world, even with the Advanced search option where you can limit your search to only those titles with copies available.  Not being able to checkout any of the eBook titles that we own and having to go on a waiting list are more difficult to explain to patrons.  Likewise, explaining HarperCollins decision to limit each copy of their eBooks to 26 checkouts makes no sense to librarians- though I'm sure that it does to the accountants for HC. 

Not all titles that are available in "regular" print are available as eBooks either, with publishers Simon and Schuster and Macmillan (including St. Martin's Press, Minotaur, TOR and Forge) not making any of their titles available to libraries.  Like all parts of our collection, we are adding to our eBooks as demand and budget allow. 

The eReaders themselves vary greatly in "how they work" so I work with patrons, one on one, to help them use their reader.  We saw a huge demand for assistance with these devices after Black Friday, Christmas and Mother's Day.  I've been using my iPad to checkout titles, and the search screen on the App could use improvement (to say the least!) but this is a great way to find some of the classics and the Project Gutenberg titles are a great help.

I've added some handouts on "Getting Started" with the most popular eReaders to our website.  Maybe it will be helpful for you.  http://www.cphlibrary.org/services/downloadable-media.shtml

Thing 8: Video

I'm not sure if this week's activity is more "I'm ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille" or "Video killed the Radio Star".

There are some great "enhanced content" websites available online which allow you to learn more about a topic.  Our Library and the head of Adult Services were recently featured in the "Ask the Expert" section of the Community News paper and on their website.
One of the great things about up-to-the-minute websites is that we can get news in real-time, as it happens.  No more waiting until the local or national news programs in the evening.  With a constant need to update content, there is always something new to see on news providers' websites.  One of the drawbacks to this constant updating, is that you cannot be sure that a video or article that you saw on a website today, will be there tomorrow.  In the case of "Ask the Expert", the video is still on the Community News' website in the video section, but you have to click on "View Next 30 clips" twice to find that interview as it was posted on the site on March 27, 2011.

In addition to experts, we have a new library mascot, Tad, the big blue frog.  If you'd like to meet Tad, and have a lovely song to sing along with,

The Youth Services librarians have also posted their Summer Reading Club videos on our library's Youtube channel and they are able to take it "on the road" to local schools to promote Summer Reading.   Check out last year's scuba diver!

Thing 7: Productivity and Collaboration Tools

I like to think of myself as being a fairly organized person, so this week's Thing  is a fun exercise.  One blog that I follow through Google Reader is The Unclutterer where Erin Doland gives you ideas on how to de-clutter your house/life/work and get more time back to do the things that you want to do. 

Clutter is in the eye of the beholder, so your idea of clutter might not be the same as hers.  One of the fun things that she does each week is post "Unitasker Wednesday" where she finds (or is sent links) to items that only have one purpose and therefore would help add to your clutter.  Recent examples include: Woozie (a cover for the base of your wine glass), Pizza saver plastic bags (shaped like slices of pizza) and a Tea-Boy Penguin Tea Timer (it will take your tea bag out of the cup once it's ready).

For the tools that we are reviewing this week, I know that my very tech-savvy husband is a fan of Tweet Deck though I think he finds it less user-friendly on the iPad.  He is also a very, very big fan of Google Calendar.  It works for both our personal and professional lives and allows us to share other calendars that we have created on one all encompassing calendar, color-coded by which calendar it refers to (personal, work schedule, appointments, activivities, etc.)  It works well, provided that you have wireless access and remember to update it!

I like the idea behind Awesome Screenshot as you can build handouts for websites or classes so that even if you have Internet connectivity issues, you won't be reduced to shadow puppets for your class on Google or library databases!

Thing 5: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

I remember watching the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer when I was little.  My dad woke me up early (as requested) so that I could see the whole thing live on a lovely Wednesday morning.  This morning was a similarly beautiful day and thanks to the Internet and Social networking sites, a bit more intimate and global all at the same time. 

I've been following @Clarence House  (for the Prince of Wales' Press Office) to get updates for the past few weeks, as I think I mentioned in my last post.  Apparently Westminister Abbey has also gone 21st Century as someone was live tweeting the wedding at @Wabbey .

One of my new favorite blogs is Madhattery which covers the hats and fascinators (such a lovely word for a cross between a hair comb and a hat) of Royal Families around the world, with a very witty commentary.  Not surprisingly, the traffic to the site caused a crash this morning, but if you want to see the hat that Zara Phillips or HRH Princess Beatrice (the one that looked like a beige clock) wore - this is the site for you. 

With the Official Programme released yesterday, I was able to download it to my iPad 2 and follow the service line by line.  Small and intimate and around the world all at the same time!

Going along with tradition, HM the Queen bestowed a new title on HRH Prince William and Miss Middleton received her first title.  They will now be known at the TRH the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.