And in the End...

I discovered a new world on the internet. A world filled with blogs, wikis, nings and tweets. I connected, linked and mashed. I feel like I climbed a mountain and now I get to enjoy the view. I hope everyone who started this journey finishes too.

My journey is complete.

Lights, Camera, Screencast!

This is a very useful tool and I see a very bright future for usage in libraries.
Please view my Screencast-O-matic Production.
(Acknowledgment: I wish to thank HCL for allowing me to use their website for this video. I hope they consider it a complement.)

My Mosiac

I enjoyed trying all the different photo tools. Oh, the ideas this gives me for projects with kids.

A New Hobby

I fell in love today. I love scrapbooking online. Scrapbooking and stamping have been hobbies for me since the kids were born but with the invention of the digital camera I was always downloading and printing pictures. NOW I can download and scrapbook. My biggest problem right now is that our home computer does not seem to like the scrap blog website. I have to use the public computers at the library. Hopefully, we can correct this issue.

I want my MTV

I like my MTV on a stick. I know I could become addicted to watching old sitcoms and cartoons on the computer. I prefer HULU to Joost. I've used HULU before so I am more familiar with it. I wonder if free TV is too good to be true. How long before I have to pay or get stuck watching ads before I view the show. I'm sure this is affecting TV stations. Just like email has affected the postal system. The main difference will be that TV stations will adapt and change inorder to remain competitive.

clouds

Cloud computing is the future. I have some concerns about data privacy and security, especially medical records, but I'm sure future upgrades will take care of this issue. I know website go out of business quickly and when they do access to your information ends without notice. I think this is an issue that will ultimately become regulated. A 14-30 day notice will have to be given to users by any web based service before that service can close down an account.

Personally, I use alot of cloud computing. I have plans to purchase a little cloud computer for use.
I'm sure in the future my kids will talk about the "old days" when you had to have a hard drive.

hear the music

Wow, my own music station. Great! No more commercials or songs I don't like. Definitely a sign of things to come. I will be mixin it up via Pandora.
Personalized music, TV, videos, photos, games these are all sites that I think will grow and enhance internet usage. Even on the internet individuality will matter.

money, $, money

"Every time you make a dollar there are two places it can go. In your pocket or someone elses." said my father. This was my first lesson in money management. I find that it holds true today and I have passed this lesson onto my children. Managing your finances isn't difficult it just requires thinking. Keep It Simply, Stupid.
Everybody wants money. Everybody needs money. I liked the goverment sites. The credit card calculator is a good tool. I also liked the learning information available for kids and college students.
I am weary of the online money management sites basically because most banks will offer similar options via their online banking sites. I think libraries should avoid helping people with their personal finances. Too many people would start to blame us for their financial mishaps if we started offering connections to money management sites. Plus a public library means everyone can see your personal information on public computers.
I do use the GasBuddies , the rideshare sites and the thrift store locator. I found the U of M garden site a good site but still under development. When it is finished I think it will be a great site.

webjunction

I signed up for webjunction. I hope to find some course to take for self training. I think Minnesota should search the course options and bookmark courses which would benefit library employees. Perhaps they could turn the Library certification into an online program via WebjunctionMn. Then employees from around the state could sign on, train, and receive certification without having to travel or take time off from work or find a sub. Consistancy in education and training would occur too.

mashing, simply mashing

I really liked the video explaining mashups. This definitely made it alot easier to understand what I'm doing when I mix and match items. I think mashups will increase in popularity because they do allow the user to make the internet their own place. I love trying new combinations. I have become more aware of copyrights and sharing.

I think there is an unlimited number of ways libraries could use mashups for their websites. I believe anything which connects people to books is great.

http://phreetings.com/41qjteq0

photos

A picture is worth a thousand words. It is amazing all the editing you can do with the internet. I really enjoy the creativity which comes with these websites. I would love to host a comic strip workshop for kids grades 5-8. I think they would have a lot of fun. We could make our own comic books. Turning an english writing assignment into a blurb would be another great workshop. I love the idea of tapping into kids natural creativity to connect them with books and learning.

library 2.0

I get so excited when I read about all the new ways to view books. I think the published word will always win out over ebooks. The social network which can occur around a book or a collection is wonderful. Cataloging your own collection, sharing this with friends, searching other collections, discussing books with the world. The numerous ways you can relate books to a child, Oh how wonderful.
A personalized library will be the library of the future.

libraries: Back to the future

I think we will always need libraries and librarians. The more information available the more the need for help sifting through it and find the right info. Only a Librarian will be able to do that.
The only thing constant in life is change and libraries and librarians will have to change to remain prominent to the public. I find this to be the biggest hurdle in libraries. WE all have to learn how to connect or reconnect with our patrons.

Now that's funny...

Finally, something fun. I love online image generators. I think there are so many things you can do with them. This is a great way for people and kids to express themselves and be creative. I introduced them to kids at school and they think it's great. I went from being a boring grownup to a cool grownup. Now I have kids asking me about books on drawing and comics. I found a passage way I can use to introduce them to books.

Travel 2.0

I really like Travel 2.0. The Travel or (914-918) section of the library genre is one of the most heavily used sections. I can definitely see a strong connection between online maps and travel blogs with libraries. Many libraries already have links to maps to help patrons locate their library. I'm sure linking patrons to online websites which help them plan their vacations or share their stories will be the next step.

maps

One of the great conveniences of technology is being able to say "Google IT." Especially when it comes to driving directions. Let's face it nobody knows where they live or how to get there. And now they don't have too. The satellite view is great.

I will never be lost again. I doubt that I can say the same for my husband. No matter how many maps, mash ups, atlases or GPS systems made the man will still not ask for directions.

No more Twitter

I have come to the conclusion that I am not a Twitter person. I do not care what everyone in the world is doing. Twitter reminds me of the old Telephone Party Lines. I can remember as a child watching my grandmother slip the receiver off the hook, covering the mouth piece and very quietly listening in on the conversations. When she heard something she didn't like she would slam the receiver down to make sure it was known someone was listening. Any wonder why people signed up for private lines.

I do not like signing my rights to privacy away either. Nor do I care to have big business or big brother tracking my every move. Leave me alone.

Delicious

Delicious is tasty. At First I was not pleased to have this program download onto my computer and takeover my system. I felt invaded. I do think you should warn people about this occuring. Especially since some libraries have firewalls which could block it or perhaps people work on general staff computers where really should not be customized.

I am getting us to using Delicious and now must RSS block. There are some sites which are very helpful but most are junk. I wish there was a program which automatically blocked everything until you added it.

Google tools

I'm hesitant about google tools. My main concern is invasion of privacy. Becoming web social should not include me giving up my right to privacy. I think the main reason google or any company wishes to know this much about me is for marketing purposes. I seriously doubt that they are that interested in my personal web experience other than how can they use my habits to sell me more internet. I have mixed feelings about which google tools are useful. I think when is comes to research Google news would be helpful. I did find a link to WikiaSearch which I think is useful. Overall, I feel this Thing was a good selling tool for Google.

Home Page

today I customized my Yahoo HOmepage. I chose yahoo because I already have my other accounts set up thru them. I do find this service adequate for me and my needs. I will modify the contents as time allows. I think having a home page provides warmth or a sense of belonging to the network world when I sign in. This is what I am enjoying the most about the additional training. I feel like I am now actually using my computer and understanding it.

Twitter

Now I twitter too. I doubt that I will be a big twitter person. I guess my life just isn't exciting enough for me to tweet my every move. I can totally understand how teens would love this network. Especially since you can connect it to your cell phone and text. When I was a teen we just sat on the phone and talked until our parents kicked us off. I am looking forward to the next Thing, the personal page. My biggest problem is passwords. I just can't remember who I am all the time!

Ning your IT!

I love the Ning network. I should have paid more attention to this Thing during the first 23. I guess I was just to busy trying to learn it all. I do think a refresher course or linkback to thing 3 should be included with thing 26. I felt like a little lost and had to click my way through the network. Especially when it came to adding the Ning badge to my blog.

All in all. It was still fun and I hope for a good response.

25th thing

I enjoy adding gadgets to my blog but I have decided that I do not want my blog to be only gadgets.
I do not care to sign up for all the extra widgets. I have enough websites and passwords to remember I really do not care to add anymore. I often wonder what will our generation do when we get older and develop Alzheimer's. We will need to "Add a Gadget" to our brain.
Overall, this is a fun program.

General Blogger

So today I added snow to my blog. I think that is only appropriate since I live in Minnesota. I have always loved "FarSide" the cartoon. Best humor I ever read. I wish it would come back. Life is too short not to laugh. This is why I collect jokes and cartoons.

Start-A-New

Well, what do you know there are actually more things I can learn on a stick. Widgits and Gadgets galore. This time I am going to put myself out there and interact with other bloggers. I am signed in, logged in and ready!