tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65883646919272148582024-02-21T09:41:36.011-08:00Beware of PapercutsA library assistant's take on the famous "23 Things" and beyond. Follow me, MNLibraryGrrl @ Twitter.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-3185437978623858932014-06-15T20:14:00.000-07:002014-06-15T20:14:00.015-07:00Thing #19 - HobbiesI tried Spotify. It was okay but I still prefer Pandora. The app that I use the most for hobbies....any of my hobbies (cooking, crafting, decorating, gardening...) is Pinterest. I like that Pinterest has everything and lets me browse. I am more of a visual person so usually a picture is enough to get me going.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-22050897949595682902014-06-15T20:01:00.001-07:002014-06-15T20:01:54.460-07:00Thing 23I enjoyed being exposed to so many topics. I would definitely do this again. I have gotten to the point I could do everything I need to on a tablet instead of a laptop. It is amazing what an android can do!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-14105008652239204772014-06-15T20:00:00.000-07:002014-06-15T20:00:00.952-07:00Thing #18 - EducationAdvanced Dictionary - Liked it!<br />
Duolingo - LOVE! I really had fun trying this out. I actually installed it on my phone after using it on my tablet. Hoping this will help me keep my Spanish language skills from completely atrophying.<br />
Itranslate - LOVE<br />
Ted - LOVE<br />
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The ITranslate got me thinking.....and I remembered that Google Translate had added my husband's first language (Nepali) within the last year or so. And so I checked - yep - Google Translate is also an app. Total score! :) Google Translate has over 80 languages...it will boggle your mind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-81904197985612975872014-06-15T19:50:00.000-07:002014-06-15T19:50:01.455-07:00Thing #22 - DiscoverI added Droid of the Day. Admittedly I haven't had enough time with it yet to see if it is a winner in my opinion. I'll post more after a couple days of getting its suggestions.<br />
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One article I liked this year: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393097,00.aspAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-50144231944021687402014-06-15T19:16:00.000-07:002014-06-15T19:16:00.725-07:00Thing #17 - Connecting to CommunityI liked the 511mn app - I was surprised that I hadn't downloaded the app already since I use their website a ton during the winter. I downloaded the MN State Fair app and hope to use it at the fair this year if I make it out there. ExploreMinnesota app crashed and I had to restart my device. It would be nice to have this one working as I really like the website. I was all set to use the MPR app but then read that it is a battery hog. So I'm going to pass on that one for now. All in all...a lot of winners - thanks for the list!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-52251479752342056132014-06-15T19:00:00.000-07:002014-06-15T19:00:00.634-07:00Thing #21 - Free for AllCrackle - You have to include Crackle. Crackle is free. It has movies and tv episodes....but even better? Episodes of Seinfeld. Crackle is typically a bit cheesy with its movie repertoire but there is usually a few solid movies on there....<br />
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SparkPeople - If you are trying to eat healthy, exercise more or watch certain nutrient intake (salt/sugar) then SparkPeople is a must. Or FitnessPal. Both are free.<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-49165466593136113702014-06-15T18:45:00.000-07:002014-06-15T18:45:00.407-07:00Thing #20 - GamesMove over Candy Crush....I know have BubbleMania. Once in a while I like a nice little game when I am relaxing and waiting for my brain to shut off. I am also a fan of Words with Friends. It's a fun way to interact and I always have a couple games going with my best friend and a cousin in Washington state. I like that there is that social aspect with Words with Friends. (If you are not a fan of Scrabble you can try the Hanging with Friends - which is Hangman.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-50336055708386043842014-06-15T18:13:00.000-07:002014-06-15T18:13:00.088-07:00Thing #16 - iPadioI tried out iPadio. iPadio was user-friendly and did what it said it would. :) I was reading its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipadio" target="_blank">background story</a> and see that it was first used for nonprofits and corporations. Interestingly enough, several of its most interesting users are <a href="http://www.ipadio.com/phlogs/SarahOuten/2011/5/22/Sarah-Outen--8th-phonecast?utm_content=api&utm_medium=ipad.io-other&utm_source=facebook.com" target="_blank">explorers/adventurers</a> because of its ability to be so immediate. It would be a fun way to broadcast interviews and talks that guest authors give at our annual Friends event (if permission was granted). Personally, it would be a lot of fun to use when visiting with relatives and getting family stories to share with other relatives. It also has a function where a person can record a phone call...hmm.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-9884864081983703842014-06-15T13:59:00.000-07:002014-06-15T13:59:52.417-07:00Thing #15 - InfographicsFirst, I just wanted to share a website I have really liked that I have recently used in the last couple months to create some infographics: <a href="http://piktochart.com/" target="_blank">Piktochart</a>. I downloaded and tried Infographics Hub since iVisual Info Touch Lite appears to be gone (for now). I liked that I could favorite infographics on Infographics Hub but really, infographics just don't seem to be a medium I want to be making and looking at on a device smaller than a desktop or larger laptop computer. It's a bit tedious. I'd rather Google my phrase or look on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/SherryPhili/school-library-infographics/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> for interesting collections.<br />
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Here's a good one: <a href="http://earlylearningcouncil.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/read20aloud20house20infographic.jpg" target="_blank">Read Aloud 15 Minutes Per Day</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-73387339307392138032014-06-15T09:30:00.000-07:002014-06-15T13:16:13.640-07:00Thing #14 - VideosOne of my co-workers has been sharing grandbaby pics she gets from her daughter via Vine. So I figured I'd go with Vine. Vine's short and easy format kept the videos casual. None of my videos were masterpieces but I liked that I was forced to keep it short and sweet. I was even able to convince one of my girlfriends to sign up and swap videos with me. Cat videos. That's right I said it. Cat videos. Can't wait to get a video of one of my cats snoring...because I know who I will share it with. :)<br />
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In the meantime from elsewhere:<br />
http://www.funnyvinevideos.com/vines/494/Snoring-CatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-82962026371868305892014-06-11T14:48:00.002-07:002014-06-11T14:48:54.126-07:00Thing #13 - PresentationsLensoo was a nifty app....I can see a few different ways to use it both in my professional and personal life. It worked very well on my device. Before downloading the app, I was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of maker feedback on the reviews. It seems that a lot of apps go up without any customer-service feedback. (That's one of the main reasons I chose Lensoo over Deck Slideshow Presentations.) So hopefully this app will continue to improve.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-39262761799643414052014-06-11T14:27:00.002-07:002014-06-11T14:27:53.209-07:00Thing #12 - Books, Book & More BooksI tried out Wattpad and also surfed the website - just to see how the content differed. The Wattpad app more readily offers up content for reading while the website makes its social aspects more apparent. I think a lot of the appeal of Wattpad is that it lets everyone be an author. There are community forums for proofreading, suggestions and just hanging out. It is also a nice way to access many of the Project Gutenberg texts. And if you like reading<a href="http://www.wattpad.com/stories/fanfiction" target="_blank"> fanfiction </a>this is a fantastic place to be.<br />
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Wattpad has also helped launch many writing careers that had stalled out in the traditional publishing world and has connected new, young writers with audiences (and eventually agents). Interesting!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-85443401056976839522014-06-10T13:39:00.002-07:002014-06-10T13:39:15.418-07:00Thing #11 - Library & ReferenceI enjoy the OverDrive app. It was the first thing that was ever really easy with OverDrive. (Thank goodness!) Our patrons are able to use it with relative ease which is great. (Just downloaded an audiobook of poetry by Billy Collins - I first heard his poetry on <a href="http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/2009/08/15/scripts/collins.shtml" target="_blank">Prairie Home Companion when he was doing a reading of his poem "Hangover."</a> He is hilarious.) <div>
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I wish our library had Zinio. My spouse has a library account with a library that has Zinio and I love it. I can't think of anything better than magazines on demand when you are sitting someplace with time on your hands and you're not in the mood for a book. And....when reading magazines with Zinio on my tablet - I love to use the scrapbooker function that is on my Samsung Note tablet. I can easily copy bits of content to refer to later. </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-36792204162072266962014-06-09T13:58:00.001-07:002014-06-09T13:58:21.234-07:00Thing #10 Sharing PhotosI gave SnapChat a try. (I've used Instagram before.) I can see the allure that it has for teens. And I can see all of the ways that it could be used that wasn't its original intent:<br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">SnapChat was developed by Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy, two Stanford University students who were convinced that emoticons were not enough to transmit the emotion that a person might be wishing could be sent with a text message. But they were also nervous that a quick snap of a cellphone camera showing a particular emotion might end up being inappropriate for a social media site where the picture could be posted for all the world to see. So the concept of a time-limited photo sharing application was born. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">http://fatherhood.about.com/od/fathers-social-media/p/Snapchat.htm</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></i>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Anyone with kids will want to check this out: </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">http://www.connectsafely.org/wp-content/uploads/snapchat_guide.pdf</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Frankly, I think I might prefer SnapChat to some of the ways that I have shared photos on Facebook in the past. I very rarely share anything on Facebook because of privacy reasons (even though I have my settings set to what is supposed to be limiting.) SnapChat appeals to me in the way that I couldn't have anything drifting about and SnapChat seems to lack the personal data mining that Facebook does.</span></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-59061621732983975762014-06-09T12:14:00.001-07:002014-06-09T12:14:18.173-07:00Thing #9 - Taking & Editing PhotosI really enjoyed Color Splurge. I wouldn't have found this app without 23 Things. There are so many out there, that unless you know what you are looking for you sometimes miss out on fun, useful ones. And it's ones like CamMe that make me envious of Apple products. (I'll have to tell me husband about this one.)<br />
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I often use Pixlr.com on my desktop. I do also like the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pixlr.OMatic" target="_blank">Pixlr-O-Matic</a> for fun, styled photos.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-63905151569581256812014-06-03T13:07:00.000-07:002014-06-03T13:07:33.056-07:00Things #7 - Content Saving & SharingAh, Pinterest. I have been on Pinterest for a long time. And I love it. For my personal interests, I have pinboards for funny things, things to cook, a wishlist....I probably have about 20 plus boards of collected pins. If I have five minutes to kill and no book that I am eager to read, I likely go to Pinterest. I have also browsed Pinterest this year looking for Summer Reading Program ideas that have to do with science experiments with kids.<br />
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Do a Google search "pinterest fizz boom read" and you'll see many boards to look at and follow.<br />
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Pinterest appeals to that part of you that likes to collect pretty and curious bits and pieces. I have also seen collections of<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/sheilabagwell/interesting-historical-photographs/" target="_blank"> historical photos that blow your mind</a>.<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-50423396648318184002014-06-03T12:52:00.002-07:002014-06-03T12:52:54.576-07:00Thing #6 - Creating & Editing DocsI love CloudOn. I had no idea it existed. It's great to be able to open up a Microsoft doc without having it go through all sorts of contortions to be viewed and edited.<br />
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Slowly at work I've been migrating many of my documents that I work with each year from my thumbdrive to DropBox and making backups on my GoogleDrive. Because someday, my thumbdrive is either going to croak or disappear. (I've had a patron disconnect and take a mouse off of the reference desk when I was away from the desk. She used it on her laptop. I thought I had lost my mind when I cam back to a desk with a missing mouse.) The security of knowing that there are backups of my likely 80-plus SRP docs (posters, handouts, ads, web content, etc.) gives me some peace of mind. I am really looking forward to when one of these apps plays nice with Microsoft Publisher.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-9551633735729685862014-06-02T16:21:00.002-07:002014-06-02T16:21:22.141-07:00Thing #5 - NotetakingI love Remember the Milk. I've been using it since the last 23 Things. My grocery list, to do list, all those lists are there. But it's limited - it's only for those lists that you are organized enough to turn into bullet lists.<br />
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What I really use at work is www.padlet.com. Padlet allows me to post website links, notes, pictures, files and put them up visually in a shared space. It's like sticky notes on steroids. I gave up on physical note taking a long time ago as I have a tendency to lose items in the shuffle. The scrap paper at work is great for jotting something important down - but I can guarantee I'll lose it.<br />
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Springpad....I like it. But...still preferring Padlet.com for now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-8193136023746201422014-06-02T16:14:00.001-07:002014-06-02T16:14:38.898-07:00Thing #4 - Keeping UpWell, after my Google Reader bit the dust - and I lost all my subscriptions because I failed to catch on to the fact that they'd go the way of the dodo bird - I found that I couldn't recall several of the names of blogs that I loved to read. These would have come in handy.<br />
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I like Flipboard because you get to populate the information. I like that I can add content from Twitter (and Etsy - love Etsy)....it's getting harder to keep information corralled nowadays as I seem to get it from so many different types of sources and remembering to take a peek at stuff regularly is important lest I feel so behind that I feel like not even bothering.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-15788940770461965532014-03-12T16:42:00.002-07:002014-03-12T16:42:40.363-07:00Do You, Too, Lose Your Notes?I write notes. I get notes handed to me. I have piles of notes. And then inevitably I lose one. Or two. Because they are written on library scratch paper that too often is also used to write notes that you need just for a second that look like trash. Pieces of paper that flutter to the ground, only to be picked up and tossed in the recycling. I have often felt like I should just pin a note to my shirt should I receive one. Enter Padlet.
Padlet.com is web-based free tool that lets you create pages and then fill them with little sticky notes - notes that can contain links, videos, documents - often showing you the contents with one easy glance regardless of the format.
If you are looking for an easy way to contain your bits and pieces of important (and not-so-important) ideas this may be your life raft that will save you from the flotsam and jetsam<a href="http://www.padlet.com"></a> of notes written of scrap paper that you can access from any internet-connected computer.
Let me know if you try it - or if you have any other sites/or tools you like similar to this. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-47379601118134087042014-03-11T08:41:00.003-07:002014-03-11T08:41:40.020-07:00Thing # 3Google Goggles was neat - but I really didn't get to use it in the way I really want to - with landmarks and art. I'm looking forward to trying it on a trip to Washington DC this spring. :) The same goes for Wi-Fi Finder. That will be handy when I travel. Right now? Not so much. LOL<br />
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Internet Browsers: I am a big fan of having multiple browsers handy in case one quits working or doesn't display well with the content. But when it comes to preferences, I love Chrome. It's clean and seems to be the most compatible with up-to-date websites. I also use a lot of other Google tools and it's a good match.<br />
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Another app that others might find useful: <a href="http://www.soundhound.com/" target="_blank">SoundHound</a>. Users can have it "listen" to a song on the radio or even hum the melody to identify it.<br />
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<img height="195" src="http://img.talkandroid.com/uploads/2013/09/SoundHound_Splash_Banner.jpg" width="400" /><br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-77220224495657304842014-02-25T10:35:00.000-08:002014-03-11T08:42:04.877-07:00Thing # 2 Mobile Device TipsFor the 23 Things, I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. The help videos are a must as this tablet is pushing the boundaries....enabling the user to not just be a consumer but a creator as well. It comes with an "S pen" and the S pen functions that have been built into other Samsung Galaxy devices.<br />
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What has made me go "Wow!"<br />
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<li>it can read my handwriting and <i>translate</i> it into text</li>
<li>I can take notes with my own writing...which lends it a more personal feeling to the user</li>
<li>the large screen size and pressure-sensitive stylus make this a winner for anyone in graphic design or who enjoys drawing (try <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.adsk.sketchbookhd&hl=en">SketchBook Pro</a> if you are serious about drawing - it's worth the $5 ... otherwise for one of the many free apps out there)</li>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-8919321798399741502014-02-13T07:14:00.000-08:002014-03-11T08:41:54.443-07:00Thing # 1I hope to be able to find some tools that will be helpful (and fun) for myself and the patrons I serve. Although I currently use several apps on my phone, I am definately looking forward to this. :)<br />
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<em>On a personal note...I resisted getting a smart phone forever as it's a pet peeve of mine - how some people use technology so much as to be oblivious to the people around them. But, I've found that I have managed to keep my device as a tool instead of an extension of self. I do enjoy playing Candy Crush and Words for Friends.</em>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-70952954491868822862013-03-05T09:48:00.001-08:002013-03-05T09:48:27.407-08:00SymbalooLibrary staff know about resources. We have tons of resources - and many of the best are internet hosted. But how to organize them?<br />
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I learned about a neat website that basically helps a person have easy access to their favorite websites from one page - it's called Symbaloo <a href="http://www.symbaloo.com/">www.symbaloo.com</a> . You can set up an account, put together your favorites and then use your symbaloo page as your favorites page and then everything is at your fingertips. This looks very promising.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588364691927214858.post-56375865285664724332009-06-15T13:30:00.000-07:002009-06-15T12:14:35.398-07:00Thing # 47 EvaluationI really enjoyed a lot of the graphics tools (Scrapblog, Animoto, etc.) and it reminded me that new generators/tools and websites are going up ALL. THE. TIME. That if I find something I like I need to not forget to research again later for something else because it is evolving constantly. (That is one of the challenges and joys of the internet...maddening and great.)<br /><br />I lost some of my spunk somewhere in the middle of these Things but it came back. There was less exploration of new concepts for me this round (as it should be). A lot of the tools I had already been aware of and been using. But that was alright. I would have liked to have seen more out there things....but maybe we're running out of those? <br /><br />One thing I think people could have benefited from would have been some scheduled chat nights at a chatroom or some such. I think that would have been a new experience for a lot of people and it would have given us a chance to "meet" online.<br /><br />It was beneficial - if there is ever a 3rd Things I'll keep participating as it's always worth it and I really appreciate that this experience was possible. Thanks!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0