Thing #17 - Web-based applications: not just for desktops anymore!

I created an account in Zoho Writer and created a document highlighting one of the neatest areas we saw on our summer trip to Canada last year - Singer Castle. I found it difficult to import the picture into the document as it brought it in looking way too large. Now that I have seen it on its web page, perhaps it was all right to begin with. I will need to try it again and see how it turns out. Putting in the text was as easy as typing in a word document so that was nice. When I tried to send the document to my blog, the site would not accept my blog information. I never did figure out what I was doing wrong on that even after going to Blogger to make sure I was typing in all the correct information. So I am evidentally not up to that challenge. Mary and Debbie, do you make house calls (this is a B-day)? Finally I saved it as a public document and gave others the right to add or edit comments. It will be interesting to see what happens with that. By doing this I am able to put the document's link in this blog post and share my creation. This will be a great way to create and share documents because it bypasses the inevitable problem of various computers having different versions of the software you use to create it. It is also a great way for libraries to share information about their events and programs. I'm sure I can figure out some way to use it with Pirates Read!

Thing #16 - Add an entry to the Sandbox wiki

I read through the sites and wikis seem to be a wonderful way to share ideas, thoughts, web sites, with people from all over the world. I set up my PBwiki account, sent back the confirmation email, but when I tried to add my comment, I was asked for a wiki-wide password, even though I was already logged in. Therefore, I was unable to add my comment. Luckily for this assignment, Mary and Debbie dropped by the room where we were working and pointed out that the password was at the top of the assignment page. Now my face is really red, but armed with the password, I was able to put my comment - Idea #5 - on (in) the Sandbox. Thanks Mary. One thing I really like about wikis is how easy it is to add or edit your information--much like using a word document for either copying and pasting or just typing in your ideas. This makes it possible for anyone who wants to participate in a discussion online to do it easily without html skills.

Thing #15 - Wikis and how libraries are using them

Looking through the links that are provided on Wikis points out seemingly numberless ways to use this technology in a high school library. Avoiding vandals and spam or editing wars seem to be the most pressing problems in setting up a wiki where absolutely anyone can add or edit information. Naturally, my first inclination is to try it with Pirates Read! to see if they will discuss the book we are reading this month on a wiki (since obviously using a blog isn't working very well). It may promote the interest that edublogs is lacking for us. I also would like to start a book review wiki for the faculty to give them a chance to recommend books to everyone. I know there are readers on the faculty who would like to share information on good books that they have found, and I think they would enjoy reading what others like. Some of the assignments that teachers are researching in the library would lend themselves to a wiki where only class members are allowed to participate. Finally, developing a pathfinder wiki with teachers should make information more readily to the entire class as well as allow them to share research findings and sites with each other. I was impressed with Donna's wiki and I think it has great possibilities for all the schools in MISD.

Thing #14 - Read some perspectives on web 2.0 and the future of libraries

Library 2.0 is certainly far from the traditional library, but libraries are going to have to adapt to the quickly changing technology in today's world. Rick Anderson's "just in case collection" iceberg is already a challenge. It is difficult to keep that collection current and up to date with a changing faculty's needs. Just about the time you get a good collection built up focusing on one teacher's research needs, the teacher moves to another school or changes the assignment completely. Now we have such a large collection of online databases covering nearly every research need and this collection is always being updated with the latest information. We no longer have to have the latest book to cover every topic. Students keep up with all the latest technology and libraries need to do the same to meet them at their point of need and to relate to them with the technology that they respect and understand. Right now I am overwhelmed by trying to figure out how to incorporate all these new things into the PHS library system, but I think that it will be increasingly necessary. Sharing information through blogs, wikis, social networking, and cooperative tagging will become increasingly necessary in this time of huge quantities of rapidly changing information. It makes sense for people to work together in all of these areas.

Thing #13 - Tagging & social bookmarking with Del.icio.us

I like the idea of using social bookmarking sites in the library. Since students are able to use most of the library's resources away from school, they should also be able to access the bookmarks that have been chosen as relevant to the assignment. Social bookmarking sites make this possible. It will also be much easier to construct than by going to each computer in the library to bookmark the relevant sites for each class--and can easily be added to the Pathfinder for an assignment. It also allows teachers to set up a web based list that is available to their students on any Internet computer, as well letting them know what others think of sites they have chosen and letting others suggest sites through their lists. The web world is so large and overwhelming now that it is always nice to have help finding the sites you need and Del.icio.us will be helpful in building a site list. I also liked the fact that Furl will let you post a certain part of a site to your list without having the entire site in the way. Sometimes it is difficult to find the certain piece of information if you are looking at a large, complicated site made up of many parts. This should make it easier for teacher's to pinpoint the exact part that they want their students to consider. (I would feel more comfortable in using all this new technology if we had more workshop training sessions to work on the assighments.)

Thing #12 - Explore social networking

I was glad to have an opportunity to explore the networks that people (expecially students) are always talking about. As always, my first thoughts run to Pirates Read! and ways to use it to promote the book club and the various books we are reading. I explored MySpace, Facebook, and the Mesquite Ning - joining MySpace and the Mesquite Ning. (My cousin, a UT Austin student, uses Facebook for assignments in all her classes.) I looked up the political candidates and found searching somewhat easier in My Space. It's interesting what the candidates put on their page for voters to see. They have jumped right in to make use of this new way of reaching people. It's also interesting to look at libraries pages and see the uses they are making of this tool. I can see why students are so fascinated with this type of networking. And, I can see why they refuse to use other blogs, like the one established for Pirates Read! since MySpace is like a one stop place for all their networking needs. With limited time, students want one thing to check and checking a second blog is entirely too time consuming when MySpace is their first (and only) stop. Once they spend all the time it takes to get it set up just like you want it and finding and inviting friends, they are not inclined to go anywhere else. I will be glad when MISD relaxes its My Space policy so we can make use of this tool to network with all students, not just book club. It seems to be a great way to let students know about new books in the library and giving them information on both books and other library programs. Also, this assignment was quite frustrating to work on at school since we are blocked by MISD. I was unable to get into some things at school even with my login and password.

Thing# 11 - Check Out Library Thing

I enjoyed setting up my library from my personal collection of books using Library Thing. Many of the books in my list represent the first book in a series that I collect so if something interests you, try the rest of the series. It was so interesting to see how many others have the same books. My collection ranges from 53 - Blood Red Horse - to over 25,000 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - and many numbers in between. I am planning to use a Library Thing account to spotlight books recommended by members of Pirates Read! and add it to our web page. I found Library Thing is easy to use (not frustrating).