My Library-Thing #11

My Library(at Librarything)

I enjoyed learning about LibraryThing. I added a couple of widgets and with my reading interests reflected by LibraryThing widgets, I was able to eliminate my "Recently Read" list that Blogger provided. I will say that I think that one could easily get too carried away with widgets, buttons and elements and one's blog could become cluttered. But I guess with the size of the screen and formatted correctly or well, you could add things without getting cluttered. But still how much do people want to scroll down...AS IF...too many people are reading this to begin with. If someone blogs in the forest...

I don't think I will go overboard and tag or catalog my library list, unless it gets too large and I may want to organize it more. I also use the my library feature on Amazon and Worldcat.org, though I tend to use them for work related searches that I want to save. Both Amazon and Worldcat have features to print out your library list. If you have not checked out Worldcat.org, it has many useful features, including find the books in libraries, buy the book and import your library list to bibliography generators. Sample list from Worldcat.org.

I have not yet explored thoughly everything that LibraryThing has to offer, but it does appear to be a "Facebook" like environment for readers, with the groups that you can join. Another reader themed community website is Overbooked.

New Face-Thing #10

You may notice I have a new Logo! Yes I used the Image Generator exercise to create a new banner, see above. :) I had always wanted a "spiffy" logo banner for my NYC Librarian, and with this exercise I was able to create one. One "problem" was deciding which one to use. I was looking for something that would say NYC. I guess concrete and subway yellow says it pretty well. Not so insinuate that all on NYC is concrete and subways, but we do have our share of it. But we also have lots of beauty. I was also thinking of perhaps a skyline logo, but could not find an image generator of a skyline, I will keep looking. I also may rotate images and create a Central park like logo, since that is one of the most beautiful places in NYC.

I was amazed to find so many Image Generators out there. I did find the most at Custom sign generator.com.

fredflare.com on EYEWITNESS NEWS!

RSS-Redux-Thing #9

#9...#9 (Beatles, get it...see if you hear what Charles Manson heard)

Okay on second thought RSS is a useful thing. What changed my mind is IE-7, which I downloaded to my laptop at home. With IE7 you can add RSS Feed directly from the toolbar and your feed is then available at anytime with one click. IE7 detects availability of RSS feed and when available the RSS symbol lights up on your tool bar, then thru a couple of steps you can subscribe to the feed. It is much easier than Bloglines. Now I may have to merge all my Blogline feeds to my IE7 feeds, but that should be easy.

I did take a look at Topix.net, Syndic8.com and Technorati: I was very impressed with the number of topics that were available to subscribe to feed. I was also impressed and can see a use for the "poll" information at Topix.net. Debate students or just students writing papers could find a wealth of information at Topix.net. Many school districts "adopt" a state wide topic for debate competitions, using RSS feed searches, I think students could find statistics, current laws, proposed laws, and polling information on thier topic.

Again as mentioned in other posts, I think libraries and any organization could also make use of RSS feed alert subscriptions to "track" mentions of their library in media and blogs.

While searching for library and librarian blogs with Bloglines, I subscribed to about 12 different sites making use of "related feeds". I see this as a useful tool again for students and researchers, once they find one site, they can then find related sites that would be valuable.

I also used the feed searches to find some "design" websites and subscribed to two:

Design Sponge
Fredflare (actually I take it back Fredflare does not have feed they have a blog and a podcast, I found them while surfing on Design sponge.)

Both sites gave me some Christmas gift ideas. So if you have time check them out.

RSS-Simple?

Does RSS make things simple? I think the concept is good, but you still have to go to THAT website whether it is Bloglines or Newsgator to get your news. I think as the web continue to evolve RSS will just be a seamless part of the web, perhaps say as IE adds RSS features to the browser your RSS choices would just load up as "bookmarks". I also use Google Mypage options and you can add RSS like features to your home page so that when you are signed in, whatever sites you have set load up with "new" items. I then set (on at least my home pc) Google as my home page and my "RSS" is right there. I don't see my self going to a RSS reader on a daily basis to check my news. I can see how using to keep up with a group project, like Learning 2.0 to see updates on participants blogs is very useful. You (Hood and Hat) can see all updates on Blogs at one time/one place, without having to go to each blog. I can also see that libraries could use the "alert" feature to see if the library is mentioned in Blogs or other websites. Another use for libraries would be to make information on their websites available thru RSS feed. Personally, I would just have to make my newsreader a habit before it was very useful to me. And maybe that is the same with lots of the 23 1/2 things we are learning about, making it a habit to go to the websites and make use of the things takes practice and repetition to make it part of your everyday online life. While surfing the web I can tell that some people go to the same site everyday to post comments, etc. I can only think of one or two websites that I go to EVERYDAY! And they are mostly news or search engines. As much as I think I "live" on the net, I think there are people who spend much much more time on the net and it does become their "Second Life". So to come full circle, IF I spent even more time on the net and organized that time, I may find that RSS is a more useful thing. We'll see. :)

Kindle-Amazon Reader-links

Newsweek cover story-Future of reading: Quote: "Computers may have taken over every other stage of the process—the tools of research, composition and production—but that final mile of the process, where the reader mind-melds with the author in an exquisite asynchronous tango, would always be sacrosanct, said the holdouts. In 1994, for instance, fiction writer Annie Proulx was quoted as saying, "Nobody is going to sit down and read a novel on a twitchy little screen. Ever."

What do you think of E-readers?

(More to come)

Comments on Comments

"PS; Also be sure to add at least one comment to another participant's blog." I will with pleasure. I get a kick out of people leaving comments, and out of leaving comments. It is a sign that someone is taking the time to read, or at least skim, what I have written. So please feel free to comment on my comments on your comments. Okay enough of that.

These are a few of my favorite things. Thing 7-Techie

Writing about one thing that interests me in new technology is hard, because there are lots of things that interest me.

Just today I picked up the TIME magazine issue of November 12, 2007. The cover story, in case you have not seen it, is Best inventions of 2007. They choose the Iphone is the best, but then went on to spotlight many other inventions in 12 categories, Cars & Buses, Aircraft, Space, Robots, Entertainment, Law and Order, Living, Environment, Architecture, Fashion, Computers, and Health. Here are three of my favorites:

• ATM for Books: this could have a major impact on bookstores and libraries. How about the ability for a customer to print out and buy a Civil Service Test guide. Ondemandbooks.com




• Good Morning Sunshine: I am not a morning person, and don't like to be awakened by jarring noises. This invention is a pillow with built in lights that create a natural sunrise to wake you up. NICE! Prototype.




• The $150 Laptop: At that price we could buy one for every customer and pass them out at the door. Not the most powerful computer, but governments are buying them in bulk for kids in developing countries. Laptop.org.

I also recently read an article in New Yorker that I think we all should read: Future Reading Digitization and its discontents. by Anthony Grafton November 5, 2007. It is basically a summary of some of Google's plans to digitalize all the books in the world (not really) and how some people think it will not happen or to the extent that some think it will. And if it does, what does that mean for old dusty libraries? I end with this from the article: " But these streams of data, rich as they are, will illuminate, rather than eliminate, books and prints and manuscripts that only the library can put in front of you. The narrow path still leads, as it must, to crowded public rooms where the sunlight gleams on varnished tables, and knowledge is embodied in millions of dusty, crumbling, smelly, irreplaceable documents and books."♦

Mashup's-Chance to show off my grandaughter.

originally uploaded by Libraryman1956.

Isn't she cute??

What's not to love?? This is my first granddaughter, Lucy Elizabeth. I took this picture the day after her 1st birthday. She is reaching for some little treat from my daughter Lia. I used the Mashup Motivator from BigHugeLab. I can see where applications like this would be great for library programs, mother's or father's day gifts, and just having fun creating things. I plan on sending this image around the world. :). It amazes me how much there is out there in the way of creativity, given the freedom that Flickr and other sites present to share and use the software applications, I think the user's imagination is the only limitation on what one can do with all of this. Bighugelabs.com also has calendars, "Press Passes", Name badges, and more. You can order prints of your creations, and of course share on your blog, upload to Flickr or save to your hard drive. I am anxious to see what everyone else has created with their mashups.

Detail Central Library-Public art

Detail Central Library relief,
originally uploaded by Libraryman1956.

Look familiar? It should for everyone that works at Central Library. This is detail of the public art on the front of the library. I have a passion or interest in Public Art. And what a great city to live in NYC. There is always some new or old Public Art to be discovered.

How many people saw The Gates? What a beautiful sight! I was all over Central Park that winter. The starkness of Central Park in the winter. The white snow, and the ! Orange ! If you did not get to see it, check out these Flickr pics. It was something to see.

Does anyone know about Tom Otterness? I will save him for a future posting.

Okay on to the next big thing!

Flickr-Thing 5

Okay so I am playing catch up. I have actually been using Flickr for a while now, just have not had a chance to blog about it. I love the community elements of Flickr. As varied as the Internet is, so is Flickr. I would imagine there is a photo group for just about every hobby, profession, town, city, country, animal, mineral, plant, or person, out there...well you get the idea. I also like the creative side of Flickr. If with Blogging everyone can be a writer, with Flickr everyone can be an artist or photojournalist.

I spent one entire Sunday afternoon organizing all of my digital photos into files and sub files on my hard drive, and I did upload a few to my Flickr account. I somehow ended up with two accounts, here is the other one. I have also added a Flickr badge in the lower right hand corner of my blog. So check out my pics. I love to take photos all around NYC and also from my road trips.