Susan's Musings

Disney’s Rapunzel: Five Concept Art Images | /Film

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Make sure you tell everyone you know about this event - I want a rocking Battle of the Bands!!!!

Time to try something new - I have wanted to use a three column layout for a while and I thought this was just adorable - I do need to tweak it and make it my own - so will be playing with it soon. Now I need to make a new avatar to go with the site - hmmm.

OMG - I should have saved the $10 bucks and watched this - it was better than the movie!

SF Gadgets Examiner: Nintendo release may drastically change Wii

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Ooooooohhhhh - new Wolvie clip - can I say I am looking forward to this film!!!

Yep go to Library Thing and make your own widget - lots of nice choices - I think this one will replace the one on the bottom of the blog - but I am posting it here to see if I like it before I commit.


- Now at the bottom of the blog -

Ahhhh - Finished - Survey in and I am done - please make sure you all check out Thing 16 post if you haven't - it is a nice finishing touch. Should have maybe used that video for Library 1.0 :-)

Time is always the issue when it comes to using these technologies - perhaps it is because so much of my work time is in front of the computer and since I don't have free work time to play with this stuff - it tends to get back burnered. I have found the blogging experience interesting - it and Facebook will be things I will keep up with, albeit not every day. Heck I haven't even had the chance to share Red Sox Spring Training and blog about the baseball season. I didn't want to mess up the pristine Things list (yes out comes the librarian in me)- but I am actually looking forward to blogging about other stuff.

Yea I love tech, I love all the widgets and gadgets - but after using them, and reading about them I often don't have a lot to say about them. That is the beauty of the Web 2.0 and on technology, it is easy and you don't have to be a coding genius - in fact often I don't care how it works just that it does. If I want to know I can usually find out.

Have added the WeReads widget to my Facebook profile to join the Visual Bookshelf widget and the OCLC WorldCat Widget that were already there.


I was interested in the Kindle debate - I still don't think it works for the library setting -
yet - too much possibility to legally run afoul with Amazon and the DRM for downloaded content could be nightmareish. I do like to see progress made on this front - but me - I'm holding out for e paper - someday soon to be in a market near you.

Project calculators - these were interesting and I can see the use of these for school projects and the UM calcultor looks fabulous for written assignments. I would love to see other project based calculators similar to Microsoft Project - in fact I am going to go look for something similar. Part two when I get back, let yah know what I find

Social Networks - I seemed to have joined more than I have ever planned to. MySpace - joined to see what it was like - really didn't like it - so deleted my account there. I joined Ning over two years ago to join the Library 2.0 group that formed there - mainly my groups and networks there are library related but I have joined a couple of Ning based 3D art groups, Meshbox and Content Creators Guild.

some other social networks that I belong to are LinkedIn and one called Tastespotting - Tastespotting is such a beautiful site to look at - just don't go there when you are hungry.

I also belong to several digital art websites that are/have social network components - Artzone, Deviant Art & CG Society

Facebook - joined a little while ago - but still getting into checking it on a regular basis - sorry everyone, I don't check it every day! Flair is quite addictive - I have joined a couple of Library groups and of course my beloved Red Sox - so friend me if you would like - Susan Reynolds in the Ocala area - if you need my email - comment me, email me or IM me and I will send it to you.

Fheeewww - caught up some of the Facebook fun that was waiting for me - boy it can take a little while

Added an RSS feed for some podcast/videocast feeds - the one I chose to put on my page is from the local Orange County Public Library System - it looks like they update the feed often - this is a plus and why I added it to my blog feed, nothing worse than a feed that is a year old.

Yep - had to - somebody had to - enjoy!

Rollyo search box added to the site and custom search created - check it out - that's how we roll-yo

These are a few of my favorite things - when I iGoogle, when I MyYahoo! when I use my calendars - I simply get reminded of events in my life - and then I don't feel sooo bad.

OK - I use iGoogle all the time - I have had a My Yahoo page for much longer (I have had a Yahoo mail account for decades at this point) but the personalization and features in iGoogle are much nicer - My Yahoo would break or drop the stuff I really liked - like the auto maintenance tracker, etc. I did have a bone to pick with Google when they recently changed the top tabbed interface - that was much nicer since I setup tabs for separate topics - still don't like the side folded navigation - more steps for clicking content this way - but the tabs don't fall off the main page either - am getting used to it anyway.

What I really like about the whole Google setup - Mail, iGoogle, Finance, Picasa, Blogger - is that it is one sign-in, easy to navigate and easy easy set-up. Same with calendar and the Google docs - it is all there easily and unobtrusively linked.

Zamzar has saved me so many headaches - I found this site a few months ago and it is a library lifesaver. Highly recommend!!!

I am now off to play with some of the other mentions - knew about the PDF convertors, but the sticky notes are calling my name - still am mad that the old PostIt note software went to pay - maybe this will fill the need - I love To Do lists - perhaps some day I can actually clear one without starting over. Also going to play with the countdown widget - hmmm - how many days till my vacation or the must see movie?

I have been playing with Library Thing for a little while - but I still need to catalog more items from my library. There is a Library Thing widget on the bottom of this blog - scroll all the way down to get a peek at my library. I became interested in Library Thing for Libraries and it prompted me to revisit my Library Thing account and start posting items to my account. I do like that Library Thing for Libraries is allowing enriched content to be used in library OPACs. I have played around a little in Good Reads and a couple other similar "bookshelf" type apps but haven't had time to put as much in as I have with Library Thing. It is also incredibly easy to add items to your Library Thing collection, add in ISBN and away you go.

Wiki - Wiki - Wiki

Have used PB Wiki a lot - NEFLIN groups such as the Technology Users Interest Group have been using PB Wiki for a while.

I think wikis work wonderfully as internally driven FAQ pages - common knowledge sites for staff. I think wikis can also work wonderfully as pages to collect commomly shared web site links. While there are certainly many tagging sites like delicious, digg, etc. a wiki is nice because you can easily make it open for group collaboration.

We have decided to take the wiki idea further - thanks to a colleague we are now using a wiki to collaborate on programming ideas.

Can you Digg it, can you Digg it, can you Digg it? Have to say I am not really digging it. It seems so much like the up-down thumb, check mark, buzz, etc. already prominent in so many pages - I do understand the concept - what people like right now, what they found newsworthy - but I saw a lotta old news on the Digg main page and I have to say that I wasn't greatly impressed by the options available.

I do see possibilities for this type of application though - I think it would be great to use as an add for an OPAC along with user reviews - it would be fabulous to implement on a library page for the news/events and features page (are people reading the message - did they like the event, etc.)

So I don't dig Digg - but I will look at some other sites. I already have Twine and Newsvine accounts, but it has been awhile since I popped in there - I get back with more in part deux.

Ooohh - Delicious - I love tagging - why? Because tagging makes sense to the average user. I love the LC Subject headings - but Cookery? Come on.

LC is also so slow to change or to adapt to common everyday terminology it is frustrating.Tagging can solve that issue - it isn't about indexing or cataloguing something perfectly, but just good enough. I really like the way that Solinet instructor Russell Palmer makes use of Delicious bookmarks - he provides a grouping of links for each of his sessions so that people can easily access them after the online sessions - here is a link to his main Delicious page. He has some great links there.

I think you are going to see a huge amount of research into the concept of online language, semiotics and sociolinguistics as it applies to the online environment.

Sharing - I love sharing - never reinvent the wheel - borrow (Creative Commons Licensing is a fabulous thing) and or retool - but don't reinvent. Do you have a great presentation? Share it! I have a widget from SlideShare on my blog and I have seen some great presentations on Library 2.0 applications, cataloguing and even some presentations on open source applications. It is a great place to get a quick overview of a concept. Staff training using presentations is also easier, considering budget cuts and travel for training is often cut first. Staff can view presentations at their own pace. I will be uploading a couple of presentations and classes that I have created to Slideshare - I'll let you know how that goes.

I still need to remember to bring in my camera and take pictures of the library to load to my Flickr account - after I do I am intrigued by the idea of creating a database and or slideshow of the photos - probably a widget will have to come off the blog to make room for it - look for it in the near future. Anyone try Picture Trail? I like the idea of linking for the blog - I am currently using Picasa Web for my online photos and other family is using DropShots

Ahhh communication in the webverse - good times to be had. OK I feel dyslexic about IM technologies - I love IM have used it from the good old days - MSN, Yahoo, trillion, now Google and Meebo - love them all - even liked Web conferencing - but I really really hate phone texting - I guess I just don't get the point - instead of talking on the phone - hmmm, typing; and not typing to look something up (i.e. web surfing) but typing to communicate - I guess I just don't get it - why bluetooth and handsfree when everyone is so hands-on?

So I am going to imbed a Meebo widget - don't expect people will use it much - but what the heck. I noticed a Vermont colleage has a Twitter account so I think I will sign up and follow his exploits - it seems you can Twitter from a computer - that I can do - cell phone not likely - but stranger things have happened - I'll let you know how it goes.


Part 2

Success? Have done a Meebo widget and now have a Twitter account - "following" some people who were in my email address book - have to say it feels a little bit like a web stalker. Found David Pogues Twitter feed - OMG - how many 'twits' (?)can that man do in a day?

Part 2a

We have had IM enabled for our staff for several years - some people use it, others don't - I like it, I like to know if someone is available to talk or if I can send an email and expect a response.

I thought this was a great little site - Banner Generator http://www.lintukoto.net/english/demonstration/index.php This could have some great web app possibilities - I think using these as small web buttons/links might be nice as well.

Quick piece of 3D art setup as a test render

Ahhh - the Blogosphere. I have to say I don't often look or search for particular blogs - I just kinda happen onto them. That's why I love aggregators and readers so much - just throw the blog into the mix and if you find a catchy topic off you go.

I have used Technorati before, but as I said, I don't often search for blogs so it is not a site that I frequent often. It suffers in many ways from Yahoo!'s syndrome - a lot going on on that page - but I like that the 'happening' stuff is on the main page and that with a quick glance I can see what people are blogging about. This is in contrast with Google's blog search (which like their search rankings seems to rely on a popularity/frequency algorithm).

A search on the term earthquake produced vastly different results - Google pulling from USGS multiple blog listings - Technorati pulling from many different blog sources. What I do like about the Technorati results was the recommendation to search a specific blog channel and the fact that it offered links to video pulled from my search query.

Still will probably stumble upon my blogs of interest - I tend to find them as results of Internet searches in topics that I have an interest in. I don't see myself deliberately searching for blogs unless it is necessary - if I do search blogs I would probably use both tools - but I do like the options of Technorati better - it just feels better.

RSS and Newsreaders

There are so many ways to use RSS - did you know that if you use IE7 you have a feed or newsreader built in to your browser? If you are using Firefox there are all kind of wonderful aggregate tools - you can use Live Bookmarks which is built into the browser or you can use some wonderful add on tools. Firefox literally has dozens of plugins to enhance your RSS or Newsfeed experience - I particularly like infoRSS and use it as my RSS ticker for Firefox on my home systems.

Another option besides using Google Reader - if you have an iGoogle page you can set RSS feeds to preview in your iGoogle page. This is really nice to use if you are using other Google services like email since all your Google content can show up in one personalized page. Yahoo has recently incorporated the same ability into your My Yahoo page - so whether you have Yahoo or Gmail try to personalize your page and set your favorite feeds to go there - it saves time and it is handy to go to one place for email and newsfeeds. It is the convenience of the old school newsgroups (which you usually read in your email client) but fancied up with Web 2.0 loveliness (graphics, active links, etc.)

O.K. - playing with Web 2.0 technology is never a problem - writing about it - ah there is the rub. I have finally decided to just make all 23 Thing blog entries and edit them with content as I can. Hopefully I will be so disgusted with myself that I actually write about these 'Things' - so don't get too excited if you suddenly see 20 someodd new post topics pop up on your radar.

So how do I feel about Web/Library 2.0?

Will and can a library today do without Library 2.0? I am sure they can, and they will continue to serve the same bricks and mortar population that they always have. What about the population that doesn't go to the physical library - that wants content to be pushed to them? Wants to know without having to search what new library events, or materials are available? What about the aging senior that can't make it to the library as often as they would like - wouldn't it be great to go online and see the latest author visit hosted on a web page? Working parents who are trying to help with their childs school project know they can IM a librarian for help. The absolutely fantastic thing about most of these new Web/Library 2.0 tools is the fact that they are minimal cost to implement, they are easy, fast and fun - and make no mistake about it - our members are already using these tools. The great thing about these concepts and tools is that in some ways they are ephemeral - if it doesn't work for you or a mistake is made it is easy to change it - you don't have to wade through tons of script and coding to change something that didn't work - so try it.

To those who doubt this as a passing fad - it might be - but then again some bemoan the death of the physical card catalog - technology and change happen - they exist. I leave you with this wonderful link to a blog post by Karen Schneider the Free Range Librarian - The User is Not Broken

Hope there aren't too many hard core Trekers out there - if you are one you might want to turn away - yes you - go - just don't say I didn't warn you

I have had this blog for a couple of years - I think I created it for a NEFLIN class but I never had an overwhelming desire to post a bunch of stuff on the Web. I was instructing a class on blogging and found that blogging is not a hard thing to do. So I have been playing with adding some extra widgets and gadgets and general fun "stuff". Will be setting up a feed burner and sitemeter soon. I checked out livejournal and wordpress but I really don't want to register for a new site to check out more of the features available. I do think all blog sites should have the ability to have an RSS feed, embed video and images, and basic formatting options.

The title is all you need to say - have fun with this one. I feel a class project coming on.


Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

Enjoy the trailer - looking forward to the reboot, hope JJ Abrams gets it right - coming at yah in early May

Sorry I haven't posted much last couple of days - I am currently beta testing a new 3D product, when the NDA (Non disclosure agreement) is released I will post some of the coolness I have been playing with, probably in a few weeks.

Today kicks off NEFLINs 23 Things - join in and have some fun learning about 23 Things that will make your library life happier.

Nostalgic for those good old days - or just want to scream in horror?! Here it is "You want to be a librarian" a very moldy-dusty oldy. Beware this video is 10 minutes long but it had me chuckling out load several times. Tune in again for the next post where we will discuss Library/Libraian 2.0

So what is Web 2.0? Here is the rather long but quite concise definition from Webopedia "

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is the term given to describe a second generation of the World Wide Web that is focused on the ability for people to collaborate and share information online. Web 2.0 basically refers to the transition from static HTML Web pages to a more dynamic Web that is more organized and is based on serving Web applications to users. Other improved functionality of Web 2.0 includes open communication with an emphasis on Web-based communities of users, and more open sharing of information. Over time Web 2.0 has been used more as a marketing term than a computer-science-based term. Blogs, wikis, and Web services are all seen as components of Web 2.0.

While that is a quite nice definition and I could ponder the depths and intricacies of the meaning for hours - just spend 4 minutes looking at this very fine video on YouTube and 'see' what Web 2.0 is all about.