Blog 9 from outer space

comps countdown

blog9fromouterspace — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 03:52:57 +0000

I haven’t been posting everyday after all. I have been exhausted, overwhelmed, and migraine stricken. Today I typed some flashcards of the bill of rights, code of ethics, and core values. I think these will help as I can carry them with me to review when I have a minute, and the act of typing will help commit them to memory. I am so freaked out about comps, but I am so busy with work, kids, internship, etc that I don’t have time to worry too much.

46 days until comps

blog9fromouterspace — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:38:46 +0000

I have been reading comps wikis, blogs, articles, websites, etc. to help prepare for comps. I have decided to try to post something about my prep work daily to keep me accountable. Today has been about forming a plan of attack. I have also created a countdown which is on my links page.

Privacy Matters

blog9fromouterspace — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:18:23 +0000

Web 2.0 strikes again! I mentioned in an earlier blog post that I had hesitated to join Facebook because of privacy concerns. I reluctantly joined, and I have enjoyed communicating with old friends that live all over the country. I made my profile available to friends only, and I felt ok about it. Well, the other day, one of my clients from my day job at the food stamp office sent me a message on Facebook asking about her case. I did not realize that someone not added as a friend could send me a message. I have since reread the privacy settings and I increased my security settings.

I have a very intense job, and it is very stressful especially in these difficult economic times. My caseload is at 500 families, and it is growing steadily. It is not a 24/7 job, though, and I do my best to leave work at work. Clients are supposed to contact us during work hours only by work phone, office contact, and work email. I do not have a company cell phone. My client had no concept that contacting me via Facebook was inappropriate and an invasion of my privacy. It was no different than calling my home number, which thankfully has never happened to me, as I have an unlisted number.

I read an article today in Information Today. The sidebar of the article mentioned that attitudes toward privacy are changing in this country as result of Web 2.0 technologies. That is probably true, but not necessarily for the better.

Seemingly Random Order

blog9fromouterspace — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:49:56 +0000

I think I approached these tasks in a unique way for various reasons. I was eager to try some of the tasks, and anxious to avoid some of the tasks when I first read over the 23 things. At the end of the project, I tackled challenging or time consuming topics first, and saved easier topics like YouTube for the end. I guess that is just how my brain works.

While I complete many tasks that are linear like cooking, reading a novel, knitting, or other things that require starting at the beginning, completing the steps, and finishing at the end, I also like to perform tasks that can be done outside the box. (That phrase is getting so old, but it still works.) Working on a project out of order can be liberating, as you have some creative control to approach the problem globally, but it can be confusing if you are not careful.

Things 22 and 23 What did I learn?

blog9fromouterspace — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:30:26 +0000

Overall, I think this was a positive experience for me, and I would recommend it to others that need a quick course on Library 2.o. It was frustrating at times because some of the links are old, and some of the technologies were difficult for me to master, which may have been why I never tried them before. It was a good opportunity for me to exit my comfort zone, which is essential when trying something new.

As for keeping my blog, I am not sure. I have enjoyed it this time, but time is a consideration for me. It may be something I come back to after graduation.

I do vow to continue to try new things as they come about instead of waiting for them to be old hat. If I could complete the survey, my only “complaint” might be that there needs to be a less public option for some users. I had the option to write a one page statement instead of blogging, but I chose the blog because it is very difficult to write anything meaningful in just one page.

Thing 17 ELM

blog9fromouterspace — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:18:25 +0000

This thing intrigued me. I really like the idea that all citizens of the state of Minnesota have access to these resources. I am not sure if Oklahoma has a similar resource, but I hope it does. The best part of these resources is that they are all together in one place.

Thing 19 Podcasts

blog9fromouterspace — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:11:40 +0000

I am very well acquainted with podcasts as we have listened to them in many of my classes. I think they are a good way to accommodate users with different learning styles. I think they would be very appropriate in a library setting as information and entertainment, (the dreaded infotainment!) I think an interview with a popular author would be a welcome addition to a reader’s advisory page. These podcasts would be another way that libraries could work together in order to share resources.

Podcasts are also a great asset to online courses, as they add an additional component to the online environment. Courses that have a mixture of components are more enjoyable, and they accomodate a variety of users.

Thing 18 You Tube

blog9fromouterspace — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:47:38 +0000

You Tube is one of the reasons that many people have negative perceptions about Web 2.0, particularly Library 2.0 technologies. We have all seen the dancing babies, lip synching kids, funny animals, etc., but many people have never seen the quality educational materials like the Creative Commons videos, one of the most enjoyable parts of this exercise. There are so many positive aspects to this technology. It really does not deserve the negative reputation that proceeds it. That being said, here is an incredibly cute kid that has seen the movie Miracle way too many times!

Thing 16 Student 2.0 tools

blog9fromouterspace — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:24:06 +0000

All I can say is I wish I had this during my high school, undergrad, and early SLIS years. What a great tool, especially for projects that require a lot of planning and focus. I have a problem with procrastination (no, really!), so something like this would work well to make me accountable to myself. I think this would be especially nice for a group project with the email reminders and project timeline. I think these tools have a place in school, academic, and public libraries. When I was in high school, I rode the bus, so I could not stay after school to work in the library. I did most of my research at the public library, and if a librarian had shown me a tool like this, it may have changed the way I work for the better. (Hint, point out this guide at the beginning of the semester!)

I think this would work great for planning a program or event, writing individual components of manuals, or any other large project that could be broken down into smaller components.

How might the RPC and the Teacher Guide help you help students plan and manage research projects?
Can you think of any uses for library projects—could you use it to help manage a timeline for a project of your own?

Thing 6, Online Image Generator

blog9fromouterspace — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:58:19 +0000

This was fun, and I think it could be very useful in a library setting. I like the trading cards for kids, as that format is very accessible and fun for kids. I could see libraries using this for staff development, employee recognition, etc. The trading card application was easy, and my husband is now the proud owner of a Captain Oktoberfest trading card. Mild mannered civil servant by day, super hero battling injustice, one German beer at a time by night.

I did not work with any of the other applications, but the pop artist poster would be a great way to recognize an employee of the month, quarter, etc. This application does have the potential for being another time zapper though because it was just too much fun.