Playing With Paint Program

This morning I experimented with AppleWorks Paint to celebrate the end of February. We're leaping from cold, snowy February to sunny and, I hope, warmer March.

Thing #9 Collaboration

Thing #9: Using Google Docs to Post to this blog: A Library Story

I still remember when I got my first library card. The children’s section in my hometown library was called “The Magic Carpet Room.” Choosing my own books was a step to growing up. Other childhood library memories include silent games of tag my brothers and I tried to get away with, scrambling up and down the metal steps, over the glass-floored, tall stacks in the adult library. Someone always shushed us, of course. And the bad times when my mother said we could not go to the library until one of us found the long overdue book, a black mark on the whole family!
People still worry about lost library books, even after extreme situations like floods. Last September at the Rushford Public Library, I watched as woman brought in several books and asked about any others that her family might have borrowed. Their house had flooded, she said, and they’d probably lost some books. Librarian Sue Hart assured her not to worry about lost books or fines. The Rushford Public Library, always a key information-center, became a place of comfort and security amid disaster. Soon, library groups from other towns even helped pay for the many books ruined in flooded homes.

Flickr Badge Worked! Thing #8

The Flickr Badge worked, since I finally copied the entire code. Thank you, Donavon.

23 Things at Rushford Public Library

After School at Rushford Public Library
Originally uploaded by gschd

As you can see, Rushford Public Library is a very crowded place right now. We're working on plans for a new library, very much needed in a community working its way back to normal after August's devastating flood.
Big Huge Labs worked better for me than the Flickr Badge site. I like the intro video, as well as some of the other offerings like Big Huge Labs Writer, an "internet typewriter," with a thesaurus and writer's block (story starters) section.

Almost 23 Socks on a Flickr Badge!

The various photo-sharing options in "Thing #8" are amazing and can be very useful in promoting libraries and books. I especially like the one with 50 ways of telling a story. Today I created a badge of my hand-knit socks and hope I can figure out how to display it.

Email, IM, Text Messaging, Webinairs

The email productivity tips like writing less and using mail templates are helpful, even for my daily home use. The Rushford Public Library Board communicates through email fairly effectively, as does the SELCO Board and Executive Committee. There are certainly times when IM can be more effective, also.
I have used IM only a bit through Gizmo. Much quicker than email. (I have watched students trying to hide their IM'ing during classes, diversions I have not appreciated.)
After reading the articles and watching the UTube video, I now understand how these tools can work for libraries, and once staff gain training, publicizing them locally is important.
After listening to Tom Peters' Webinair, I downloaded a WebJunction podcast from Texas introducing the "Moyers on America Citizens Class," a conversation on how librarians could use the series and its many associated materials and website.

Garden Mosaic

It took me awhile to get the image here, rather than the code. It might be fun to photos of the library staff, patrons at special programs, and book groupings -- for posters and / or the web page.
I can see having a mosaic of authors' faces or story-element pictures for an English class's unit intro-sheet, review, and/or quiz. Many possibilities.

Thing #5 More Flickr

Today I made a panel of garden photos, which worked ok. In looking at other 23 Things blogs I see lots of other people's clever uses of the Flickr tools, including my favorite so far, Blonde Librarian's photo cube of a Chicago trip.
I have used Flickr to record progress on my handknit socks, and then uploaded them to Ravelry, a site I use lots.
I can see many ways Flickr could be used in the classroom, by both students and teachers.

Thing #4: "Beach - 9 Feb"

Beach - 9 Feb
Originally uploaded by Welsh Totty

This photo by Totty Welsh of sunset on a beach in Wales caught my attention. A sunny beach has been calling to me on this snowy Feb. Valentine's Day. The photo also caught the eyes of many others who commented on Flickr. The date and description fill in story behind the photograph. Blogging directly from Flickr proved convenient.

I enjoyed browsing through the Library of Congress photos on Flickr -- a wide variety of historical photos.

Also, the Clemens and Alcuin Libraries of the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University's "best books" shelves with "add a note" Flickr feature are sure a creative way to display books people like. I like the feature that links each book with their libraries as well as Amazon. Vivid, direct display.

Another short and sweet Common Craft video, this time about Flickr. I've successfully shared vacation, garden, and knitting photos with friends using Flickr.

Thing #3 Done for now . . .

OK -- I've subscribed to The Writer's Almanac, NPR's "You Must Read This," Reader's Club's General Fiction Section, and Journal Girl's Blog. I see that some blogs I read do not have a "subscribe" feature, so I'll list them as links.

At this point I may list Google Reader as a link also, so I can get to it from here, a shortcut to checking some favorite blogs. Even retired people need time savers!

Thing #3 How to?!

I've been stumped on Thing #3 for awhile. Opening a Google Reader account and 2 added subscriptions went fine. However, how do I get the "Google Reader" icon onto this blog? I see that some other SELS 23 Things on a Stick bloggers are in the same predicament. Suggestions welcome here! (Yikes! lotsa time on this one!)

For a diversion, I added a link to my Ravelry page. Ravelry is a site for knitters and crocheters to catalog & share their projects and yarn stashes. Adding the link was easy, thank goodness.

Thing #2 The Future . . .

It seems that teachers are asked to do one more thing, and then one more, and so on, and where do you get the time? Librarians, too, I see. The author of "The Ongoing Web Revolution" says services need to be usable without people being taught or shown how to use each thing. Participation is the key.
Very appropriate photo of Dr. Wendy Schultz with binoculars, trying to look into the future of Library 2.0

Thing #2: "Unintended Consequences"

Stephen Abram suggests that participants in 23 Things On a Stick may see unintended consequences from their learning experience. People show enthusiasm when they are engaged in learning, he says, and that enthusiasm reflects in their libraries.
He caught my attention when he called technology and the web "minor changes." What a challenge we've got ahead.
I'm old fashioned, I guess, in still enjoying browsing library shelves. A little of the old + a little of the new . . . .

Ah! an Avatar . . . .

Today I found and put onto this blog a somewhat appropriate avatar. Thanks for the clear directions at the 23 Things On a Stick Blog . Of course the gardener has on a winter scarf.
The photo shows my snow-covered garden.

Getting Started: Thing #1

Today I took up the challenge to create a blog and come up with a name. Getting going so far has gone smoothly. I spent time getting a photo on my Blogger profile and now see that's separate from an avatar. I'm looking forward to using the 23 internet tools.