Ideas for free email marketing...?

We were looking at Constant Contact here as an email marketing resource. Does anyone have any suggestions for a FREE mass email marketing resource?

Thanks!

Podcast up and going!

Alright, I've been hard at work recording children's stories (in the public domain) read by volunteers, editing them and then uploading them to our podcast website.

It has been a fantastic experience - I've learned a lot and am still learning. Some recording issues are unsolvable - like, what do you do in a building where EVERY room has a rattling air condition vent (or several) and if you render them useless you'll end up sweating out the volunteer and yourself?

I've found some great, user friendly tools and set-ups and some that aren't as easy but are necessary.

It took me about four months of research (the kind you do here and there and on weekends) .

It's a wonderfully geeky world with great volunteers. We're getting some favorites and eclectic materials recorded - it's great.

Check out the SELCO page - free classes for MN library staff

WHOA! Check out the SELCO page if you're a Minnesota library staffer - free online courses are being offered. Brush up on skills or learn new ones. A fantastic listing. And did I mention they are FREE? Register within the next two days or cry! (But not for too long - they mentioned that they'll be offering another round of sign ups after the 30th sometime.)

Music & Podcasting

One of the challenges of podcasting is creating a polished work. Music in the intro or to segue can help you accomplish a more sophisticated podcast.

Some websites worth visiting and with great goals are:
www.musopen.com
www.opsound.org
http://www.jamendo.com/en/
http://freemusic.org.ru/

http://www.soundsnap.com/ - Sound effects and loops.

As always, visit the licensing page of the website/artist to find out if and how you are allowed to use their work and what licensing you must make your production.

Have some websites you'd like to share? Please do!

Neat tools to use from your cell phone!

I recently ran across these two tools:

Google 411 - Connect to any business for free from your cell phone

Jott - "Free voice to text service. It's like your own personal assistant." Use your cell phone to call in memos and to do lists etc that are then electronically converted to text. Now, I don't necessarily promote talking on your phone while driving...but it'd be a great way to make a grocery list or whatever when you are safe to use your cellphone and want to multitask.

Let me know if you use these and what you think.