Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Vizu Poll Results

The poll results....

What is your favorite part of your job working at a library?
57.1 - access to materials
42.9 - working with people/kids
28.6 - multitasking
14.7 - creativity
14.7 - designing programs

Thing #41 Mashup Your Life

First I tried SuprGlu...the application failed. Next....TabUp. I tried it out....nothing impressive - much rather using my iGoogle page.

Profilactic appears to be more useful. I was able to add my Delicious and Twitter account. But, when I tried to add my GoogleReader and Facebook it wouldn't let me - it required that I look up account id information to post it. Blah. Who has the time to do that? Especially when I tend to be behind in the use of both of those services.

I have seriously reached the point of social tools overload. I've taken to Twitter and then neglect another. Every single app that I sign up for now is just clutter to me. Seriously, if I can't put it on my iGoogle page forget it! Has anyone else reached this point?

Where's the usefulness in a service when you find that you have to find time to remember to use it and then USE it? If I can't see the point of it in my life at this point then I don't want it.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Thing # 40 Mashup The Web


I tried the Wheel of Food. Fun but incomplete. :o)

I liked Pandora.FM

And a favorite of mine will always be BigHugeLabs. There is always something there! A great site, loads of fun, useful and easy apps.

I tried Bubblr But it wouldn't pull up my Flickr photos. Not sure why.

I generally don't use mashups that often but they are fun and I like how they customize everything. It's amazing.

LibWorm is very cool and I'll be sending the link out to my coworkers.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Thing # 43 - Online TV & Video

This is a Thing that I have been doing a lot of looking into before Things on a Stick. I am SICK of my cable (and high speed) company - I have a package with them. Their customer service stinks so we've been looking into how can we drop the cable without feeling the pinch too much. With Netflix and library dvds we have home movie night covered...but what about Grey's Anotomy (which I watch religiously). I don't want to be stuck in front of the computer screen instead of our tv.

I wonder if anyone else uses HDMI cords to hookup their tv and computer so that computer content can be displayed on the tv?

Hulu is awesome. I've gotten sucked into watching old tv shows...and just surfing for them for old-time's sake.

I think having so much of tv content available on the web may provide some much needed competition for the cable companies. The fact that you can watch shows on demand without a TiVo or other DVR setup also makes it very attractive.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Thing # 45 Cloud Computing

I am a user of GoogleDocs. I started using it at work when I discovered that one of the computers I sometimes worked at wouldn't read my thumbdrive. So, I used it to access text docs I was working on. Later, I started to use it for personal uses as well . . . I have my novel I am working on on GoogleDocs (wish I would have done this previously - since I have a 65 page novel stuck on a hard drive that is waiting to be resuscitated).



The main benefit of joining a web os is also it's drawback - your information is accessible anywhere. Of course you have to know the id and password....but there is always some tech evil genius out there...so I don't know how safe I'd feel having such unlimited access to all my information if they are able to hack the cloud.

GoogleDocs is really the best solution for me at this time. I use Google. It's not like some of the services I've signed up for and then absolutely forget that I signed up for it because I never use it beyond the trial period.


Thing #44 - The Economy

I really liked Wisebread and Mint. Wisebread offered some great freebies - and I love freebies. (Who doesn't? - Today it listed a link to get a free copy of Sophey Kinsella's Shopaholic book) I liked that it also searched other bargain sites and listed the top five from each site. The articles were well written as well. Fat Wallet wasn't so hot. . .

While I like the concept of financial tools...I really HATE putting my financial information Out There. I have a friend who's dealt with identity theft and frankly it's really easy to forget that you signed up for something and who knows how safe something really is? I certainly have no idea and I hate having to give a second thought to it. SIGH. I currently use Quicken (software I had to pay for) - having these free online tools really opens up financial planning when you would rather save the money instead of paying for the software.

On the topic of gardening . . . here's a nifty site that was shared with me recently. The U of M Extension site was informative. (Did you know that raw kidney beans are toxic? I didn't!)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Thing # 36 (Generators)



Don't watch Shaun of the Dead after a really long day at work. Sometimes it reminds me of birds who fly into windows. . .watching people trying to pull the doors open when they are locked and the lights are off. . .





Wordle: Things I NeedThings I need...
And from the Excuse-o-Mat - handy for when I need it:
I won't hide the extent of my sin -- I messed up, disappointing my co-workers, clients, and even my lawyer. No one can wallow in more dejected self-loathing than I, though I emphasize that my intentions were honorable. All I can do is take it one day at a time, and fall upon the mercy of the court.

Thing # 36 One of my Things (ToonDoo)


Here's one of the comics I like...
It's by poseygalore who's posted a few other's on library theme. Enjoy!

Thing # 36 My ToonDoo (Part of a Thing)

Here's my ToonDoo cartoon.
It's Library Fear Factor...


Saturday, April 18, 2009

Thing #35 Books 2.0

I really liked LitLover - lots of interesting suggestions and one of my co-workers who co-runs one of the bookclubs was happy that I shared the link.

Also...I liked the idea of Which Book but it really didn't seem to give me suggestions relevant to the books I have read. Perhaps as more people join and enter titles it will become "smarter."


BookStumper was a neat idea. Liked it. Who hasn't had that one request for a story where the details were so VAGUE but you just knew someone else would know what it was? Very cool.


A co-worker recently shared http://www.fantasticfiction.com/ with me. Very handy as well. I like it for looking up series and to see when my favorite authors will next publish.

What I've observed about reading at my library...it seems that there are more people who are rediscovering the joys of reading (that I've noticed). I've had conversations with people in the last two weeks who have said now that the kids are in school...or moved out...they have time again to read. I guess it is probably cyclical for some people but I can't imagine being without it. Myself, I enjoy the tactile qualities of a book and hate depending on technology (and batteries) to read so I don't imagine myself leaving books as a medium. However, I one of my co-workers swears by Kindle and how it has brought books more into her life because it is so accessible.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Thing #34

YahooAnswers . . . is perhaps one of the lamest Q&A sites I have found. I think this specifically because when I have looked up things myself I also find someone asking the same question (YES!) and then visit the YahooAnswers site and find that no one has replied and the question is over a year old. Who wants to send a question out into a cyberspace black hole? Not me! How annoying.

I have found some useful content at Mahalo . . . It seems to have a bit more of a developed network than some of the other sites - it is definitely more attractive than AllExperts. (I know, I shouldn't base my opinion on looks but I can't help it when it comes to website content. Sad.)

Anonymity and convenience are the biggest pulls for online reference sources. It's handy to be able to send out a question anytime you have it and check back later when you have time. Also, something someone might do is refer the question to multiple sources to see what kind of quality answers they get so that they can decide which service to use in the future. (I know I've done that with online travel tools to see what's cheapest.)

And...anonymity can be nice when you live in a small town and don't want to ask your local librarian for information on a disease or be seen checking out a book on that topic. Sometimes questions just want to be kept private - not because they are risque in nature but because of the situation.

One of the biggest line learning/reference resources I've ever used frequently is YahooGroups. I've been on one when I was learning how to make handmade lye-based soap. Some things are better learned from someone who's done the work - no matter how good the book reference is it's still a wonderful thing to get information from a pro. Same goes for fixing things. Books and reference desks don't play well into the how to PLUS and WHAT IFs.

I haven't participated in the Slam the Boards event but plant to next month on the 10th.