Keeping the promise...

I am keeping the promise. Here I am looking at my blog; wondering if anyone else has looked at my blog... I guess it really doesn't matter. For now, I will just add a note or two see where it goes.
As you know, I work in a library. What a wonderful library! We have this brand new library- just one year old! We will be having a silent celebration; and by that I mean we are NOT doing the marching band, newspaper adds, dog-n-pony stuff. We are just having cookies and punch. Sounds so old lady, doesn't it. I feel as though we are a central hub for our community. We have gotten involved with and are utilized by our community... A silent celebration seems dull. But with budget cuts and savings plans implemented, we have to go with what we have. Having stated that, I am sure that we'll still have a good time because we are good time kind of people. Sure, we have the old ladies, have the old men, too. But we also have a lot of youngsters and young families. Our area is growing, good blend of great people. We have a children's librarian that rocks the programming! She has really developed that area of our library and it is booming! Go Girl!! Maybe we'll see you at our One year anniversary. I will save a cookie or two for you. Oh, and some punch. Just show up with a smile and I'll know it's you...

Thing 22: Staying Current

Thing 22: Staying Current This has to be the easiest Thing yet. I look back at my blog everyday. I enjoy some of the first Things I learned, they were fun. The hard stuff didn't start till Thing 10'ish. I will do my best to keep my blog going; not that anyone is reading it... My gift of empty calories for "your" enjoyment may just be empty words anchored to a radial of the world wide web, dangling over the abyss...
Oh well! On my honor, I will maintain my blog using the tools I now know. I will keep up with new tools and apply them to my library when ever possible. I will gift myself 15 minutes a day to view my beautiful creation-of-a-blog and try to write in it so as to let it know that someone- out there- is reading it; that it's dangling over the abyss is guarded and safe... Even if it is only me... I will continue to follow the blogs of my co-workers and the other lucky blogs I have stumbled upon and I will discuss them in stimulating conversations with colleagues! Oh Web 2.0 and Library 2.0! Come *&@!! or high water, I'll be there! Cause you and I have made a pact; we must bring reading back!! Where there are words, I'll be there!

Thing 21: Student 2.0 Tools

Thing 21: Student 2.0 Tools This Thing is a very good Thing. I will use it when I go back to school. What a wonderful way to work through projects and reports. Students around the globe will benefit from this. Getting the word out about it is probably the best we could do because it is self explanatory; enter the information in the calculator and begin. I love it! The step by step help is great. The teacher guide help is wonderful. Getting the knowledge of this site into the school body seems to be the only difficult task and how hard can that be? Just tell a serious student or two...
Could the library use this tool? I don't know. I would have to think about that and get back to you... As for myself? I not only could, but would and will use this tool.

Thing 20: Books 2.0

Thing 20: Books 2.0 First I must say that if you want to enjoy your empty calories on my blog, you are so welcome. I do tend to write in a straight line and don't encrypt my posts or use pictures in the stead of words, but I'm working on that! I think I was taken-aback when I read that first article on Literacy Debate: Online R U Really Reading? WOW are they for real? Times they are a changin'! OOhhh look out the Fahrenheit is rising! That's a catch22 you know... We aren't exactly burning books but we are finding ways around the published word. Isn't that what we are supposed to do? Save a tree, download a book? What a great bumper sticker slogan! It's great how technology is moving, directing us. And, our language is changing. I don't think the Internet is dumbing us up, quite the opposite! There is a wealth of information out there. Too bad the computer screen is square- ya know the whole- thinking outside the box? The box is loaded! And, you have to read it. Why are they saying our kids aren't reading? You have to read to navigate the net. I know this because my seven year old LOVEs the net. She has such a hard time going anywhere because she doesn't stop to read the screen prompts. The net is more than just clicking!!! It's reading!!! Now, off the soap box...

What I am observing in my library about books and reading is it's better than ever! People come from near and far to read whether it be the morning paper, a best seller, or the Internet. Yes, even the Internet. People come to our library to READ all kinds of materials. I am glad we can offer; really glad they come. In defense of paper books, hey, I work in a library! I know that our library will advance as technology advances. Look where we are now... I think Book 2.0 enhances one's reading experience especially because it's a lot of reading...and clicking... What can I say, the Internet... the "BOX" is loaded! I visited each and every site that would load on my computer. WOW lots of stuff in this Thing! Many are appealing. Most, redundant. Hey, not everyone likes that same thing and variety is the spice and I love to cook so, what's a few more ingredients....? If I had time, I might go looking for sites you don't know about, but I don't. You win the "Know it all" prize. Lastly, libraries aren't going away... Sorry all you Nay-Sayers... We started with just a few books years ago and have evolved to meet the needs. We won't stop. We may have to be creative (Thank you Web 2.0) but we will be there...

Thing 17: Podcasts

Thing 17: Podcasts Well, I had to color my hair between Thing 16 and 17. I have kids; I am a patient person but come on!! The way these Things load, or don't in my case...! I must say that the podcast was way better than the YouTube. Again, sorry YouTube! It's probably my computer and to tell you the truth, viewing these Things is not something I would just sit around and do all day. I like the idea of classes offered in podcast, though. I have been to a few podcast classes and they were great. This Thing could be beneficial for the libraries in that we could do training and not all have to drive the country mile to be there.
Okay, I tried to listen to some podcast music on Yahoo- didn't happen- would not load.
I tried to view some podcast videos on Yahoo and after a few attempts I found the painting horse that not only loaded and played, I put it on my blog for the world to see. I'm not going to subscribe to any podcasts right now but I am thankful for the chance to have learned how to find & listen & look at them.