Libr 523 - Reflecting back

Lib 523 - Open question

Lib 523 - Closed question

Week Nine - Thoughts about Programme

This has been a very enjoyable learning experience for me. I said in my first blog that I was out of my comfort zone but was determined to see it through to the end - and I have! I'm constantly amazed by the tools that are available for computer users, and what we have learnt here is probably only the tip of the iceberg.

Some things I might have forgotten already (I won't know until I try again), but others I do very easily, like adding photos to my blog and editing drafts. I've occassionally checked out what other colleagues are doing and have been fascinated by the varying range of interests, colour preferences and design styles. I now feel pleased when I hear reference to Flickr or image generators or even just blogs in general, that I know and understand what they are talking about. My teenage daughter laughs when I say 'look at my blog', but I think she is secretly impressed.

Thank you to the people at ACL responsible for making this information available to us and for your help and encouragement along the way.

Week Nine - Ebooks

After watching the video introduction I found the account easy to create and was then able to access Netlibrary.com. I like nonfiction so was quite impressed with the titles available.

I saw several books that I liked and added them to my favourites list. One in particular caught my eye and my first instinct was to check our catalogue to see if it was available. I will need to have a huge shift in attitude to go from holding a book to reading the pages on a computer screen. I still prefer a nicely bound book and being able to flick through the pages randomly, instead of waiting for a computer to download them. My impatience gets me every time! However, having said that there is something appealing about being able to go on holiday with a laptop computer and the possibliltes that would allow.

I remember a year or two ago describing something like the "Kindle" to a work colleage. I thought then that it would just be a matter of time before there was something similar. Maybe one day it will be another taken for granted product. University students might be expected to have them and course notes will be read that way instead of the usual photocopied sheets.

Podcasts

This exercise wasn't going smoothly when I first started and I was getting impatient. However I persevered and eventually it came together. I found a reading of Harry Potter that people had commented on after listening to it (helpful for anyone wondering if it was worth their while) and an interesting lecture by Lisa Hussey about the factors that influence the choice of library studies as a future career.

Once I got started I realised how wonderful this service is. It could be an alternative way to train people - much easier sending out the message without having to type and I'm sure some people learn better by sound rather than sight.

Next day as I was listening to National Radio they said 'listen to the podcasts on our website' and then I realised I've been doing this for a while, without knowing the name of the product I was using. Maybe one day I will want to learn how to be a podcaster. I would have said 'no way' if you'd asked me two months ago but I have learnt so much about what it is possible to do with computers that now I know anything is possible.

Here's the link for National Radio podcasts

http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/fnr/fnun1ational/fnr/fnun1

Week Nine

I've added a video of Van Morrison singing live (at beginning of my blog). I like his music and it was the name that popped into my head at the time I was thinking of a subject to search.

I've been enjoying Youtube for some time now. It started when I heard on the radio about a man in Sydney who was giving 'free hugs'. The video made about him had become a hit around the world and the local Australian band who were backing it were given a huge boost in record sales. It's not something I'd spend hours doing, but in the process of doing these exercises it's been interesting to see what is available. My teenage daughter watches with interest, using the home computer is her domain and she doesn't want me getting too attached.

What I dislike about the site: What I find really annoying is when trying to watch a video and it doesn't load fast enough and does that stop/start thing that makes me want to give up. At one point I got so frustrated I phoned Telecom and upgraded our monthly plan!

Features and components of the site that might be interesting if applied to library websites: I find videos are a good learning tool so would be useful for staff training within libraries to teach staff new processes. On our public website we could have links to relevant videos, in the same way that we link to other websites. After speaker events at the library video recordings could be available for patrons who were unable to attend on the day.