Thing 3 - Splitting out the Quartz (RSS Feeds)

Part of my initial reaction when I started using Google Reader about a month ago, was why in the world didn’t I bother to configure this sooner? I’d already been using another site to read my friend’s journals, as well as other sites that offered compatible syndication for two years, but my excuse for not setting up a feed reader was that I didn’t follow any other blogs or feeds dedicatedly. Well – that was the past. Some of my favorites now include:

Library Related
iLibrarian
The Shifted Librarian
Librarian in Black

Cooking Related
French Laundry at Home
101 Cookbooks

General Tech
43 Folders
Cool Tools
The How-to Geek

Just for Fun
XKCD
A Softer World

The primary motivator behind my taking the plunge into the delight of daily readings was to keep tabs on technology trends within the library world – a place from which I feel somewhat isolated. Yet when I read these blogs or Library Hi Tech, I see so many opportunities to apply tidbits and new applications within my current work and also to tag them for future use.

Thing 2 - This I Believe about Transforming Libraries

Recently in class, the video below was presented to a classroom filled with future of MLIS graduates, of varying age groups, skill levels and backgrounds. Surprisingly, the initial response from numerous class members was neutral to extremely negative. The range of concerns were many... the books disappearing, the cost, the overlap with existing structures such as museums and science centers. The positives were almost cast aside in hesitance to consider a different way.

I reacted with a great deal of positive experience - excited for opportunties to collaborate with the community, nuture creativity, allow exposure to new concepts and simply bring knowledge out into the world.

I feel quite similarily about Library 2.0 - I see all these potential positive benefits and cannot understand some of the deep seated reluctance. On the other hand, I am aware of good reason for caution, especially with features that must be purchased. And yet, why not explore, browse, consider and begin to invent! After watching Stephen Abram's video, I immediately began exploring the new applications and websites, making notes of what might be useful and I also found myself sharing tidbits with friends and co-workers.

I realize that my intutition to play with technology and start applying it to my daily life is an outcome from having grown up during a time of technological innovation. As Sarah Perez explains in her article "Why Gen Y is Going to Change the Web," Gen Y is adept with technology and expects to apply to their worklife, because it is productive and fun.

When I look at a library, filled to its doors with knowledge contained within a variety of mediums - I believe technology will offer ways to extract, share and enhance the role of this institution.

Library 2.0 in Action

One amazing example of testing out Library 2.0 and other interactive experiences and presentations...

TAL! (not a thing)

In a salute to This American Life (TAL), I've added their Widget to the bottom of my blog. I have been watching their newest season on Showtime and am an extremely dedicated listener to the podcast. Over the last 3 years, I've listened to the ten years of weekly radio shows, mostly as background while I work but also during long drives or while cooking meals.

If you have not experienced the refreshing goodness of TAL, please take a moment to bask in the glow of smart storytelling about this diverse country and its people.

Here's a link to their favorite programs.

Later, I'll also post links to a few of my favourites.

Thing 1 - Obsessing Over Details

For a little background, I am a self-proclaimed techy geek, who is particiating in this intiative to document and quanitfy my abilities with web tools.

Having previously created and customized journals, I quickly delved into the features and was immediately impressed by the simplicity of customizing the blog's features, format and add-ons. I modified my header image using GIMP the GNU Image Manipulation Program.

First off, GIMP rocks! Having used Adobe Photoshop in college, I was accustom to a very user friendly, straightforward set of tools. GIMP's tools gave me some trouble, but after a few attempts with various images, I've accomplished what I needed and learned how to complete the most common requirements - cropping, filling colors & touching up random blips.

Then, I ventured over to the Yahoo Avatar and was less than impressed with some areas of selection but I ended up with a cute approximation of myself. Due to my concerns regarding privacy and safety on the web, I appreciate the availability of tools like this one. The export tool was simple, as expected.

Finally, I modified the width of the posting space within the layout HTML tool. HTML and web programming languges are two areas where I definitely need to improve my skills. I can basically find my way through code and modify it on a trial and error basis, which is exactly how I managed to make today's changes.

I'm excited to be particpating in 23 Things on a Stick... let the tech and quirkiness to be further cultivated and if anyone in the program happens upon this and wants to share tips & tricks - I'll be happy to help.

PS - Last night, I checked out a few highly customized templates being offered for download on other websites, and I was not saavy enough to remove outside links from the header so I ditched those. Luckily, I'd backed up my template (another nice feature) and was able to reinstate it with a few clicks.