Covered Bridges Of Ohio

Beginning to End

2007-08-13T11:59:00.000-04:00

This blogging journey has been fun, aggravating, time consuming but most of all innovative. Some of my favorite assignments include Finding Feeds, Image Generators and LibraryThing. I learned how much I "didn't" know existed on the web and while I wasn't interested in all the assignements, it's still worth knowing was is available.
I would be interested in participating in another discovery program if one were to be offered.

Face-to-Face Space

2007-08-13T11:29:00.000-04:00

It can serve at a networking tool to connect you to people that you otherwise would have never been able to meet. It also can be a way to keep in touch with friends and family from home while your away at college.
It could be a useable tool for professor's to post imformation about a class assignment. It could serve the Library as a means of communication among staff and/or students.
The downside could be having to put so much personal information about yourself, which can be viewed by basically anyone that joins the site.

Podcasts

2007-08-07T09:30:00.000-04:00

I did a search on library technology at Yahoo!Podcasts and found "The library channel" from Arizona State University. Finding free articles through the University was one of the topics discussed. Google Schloar was also discussed and its relevance to finding the most current articles. This is a very informative source for patrons to learn about the library and what resources are available.

YouTube

2007-08-07T08:54:00.000-04:00

I found some nice video clips of covered bridges in Ohio. While I liked most of the clips, some of the commentary was a little annoying. I've added a link to a clip without commentary: http://youtube.com/watch?v=0qdft-D-JYY&mode=related&search=
This could be useful in a library setting perhaps as an instructional tool or even a help guide for patrons unfamiliar with the library.

Web 2.0 tools

2007-08-02T09:45:00.000-04:00

Under the web 2.0 award winners I explored "Lulu", the first place winner for books. Since I am hoping to organize a book on covered bridges, a sight such as lulu will be very helpful in getting the materials organized and arranged. The FAQ option was very insightful in offering answers to questions you may not have thought to ask.

Web-based apps./Google docs and spreadsheets

2007-08-02T09:18:00.000-04:00

After exploring Google's docs and spreadsheets I created a test document which seemed to be easy enough. Being able to create and convert files is very convieint and time effective.
I also explored Google calender which was very easy to create events.

Playing with wikis

2007-07-26T14:15:00.000-04:00

I have added my blog as a "Favorite Blog" to the OULibrariesLearn wiki. It was fairly painless although having to wait for someone else to log off was a little irritating.

What's in a Wiki

2007-07-23T15:15:00.000-04:00

"A Wiki (means quick in Hawaiian) is a quick-to-build, easy-to-edit website on which all information can be edited, changed, or rewritten by the users. It is a useful tool for collaborative writing, pooling knowledge or exchanging ideas, especially on a subject that changes or needs updating frequently."

I searched SJCPL subject guides and selected "Pets" as my subject guide. I found a range of information from recommended pet books, to animal care. It even has information on how to adopt a pet.
This type of shared information could be helpful in a library if you are searching for specific subject matter. It creates a collaberation that could potentially benefit all users. Not only could you find updated information about the subject that others have posted, you could also share your information whether your library staff, a library pation or someone outside of the library.

Library 2.0 and Web 2.0

2007-07-17T15:51:00.000-04:00

I have c&p'd some quotes from the "5 perspectives" that I found to be informative, innovating and interesting. Of the 5, "Into a new world of librarianship" was very insightful.

"We need to focus our efforts not on teaching research skills but on eliminating the barriers that exist between patrons and the information they need, so they can spend as little time as possible wrestling with lousy search interfaces and as much time as possible actually reading and learning. Obviously, we’ll help and educate patrons when we can, and when they want us to, and the more we can integrate our services with local curricula, the better. But if our services can’t be used without training, then it’s the services that need to be fixed—not our patrons."

"In the post-print era, libraries no longer have the monopoly power that they had in the days before the Internet."

"User-centered libraries breakdown barriers and allow users access wherever they are: home, work, commuting, school, or at the library."

"This librarian uses Instant Messaging to meet users in their space online, builds Weblogs and wikis as resources to further the mission of the library, and mashes up content via API (Application Program Interface) to build useful Web sites."

"This librarian understands that the future of libraries will be guided by how users access, consume and create content."

"Library 3.0—Web 3D to Library 3D: Service Carrying Chad and Miller’s argument through this next phase transition, we arrive at virtual collections in the 3D world, where books themselves may have avatars and online personalities. But the avalanche of material available will put a premium on service, on tailoring information to needs, and on developing participatory relationships with customers. So while books may get in your 3D face all by themselves, people will prefer personal introductions—they will want a VR info coach. Who’s the best librarian avatar? How many Amazon stars has your avatar collected from satisfied customers? This could create librarian “superstars” based on buzz and customer ratings. People will collect librarians rather than books—the ability not just to organise, but also to annotate and compare books and other information sources, from a variety of useful perspectives.
With Library 3D, we have strayed far into virtual reality in the flight from bricks and mortar into software. Yet many businesses are demonstrating that storefronts can still draw customers, if they offer a compelling experience: a clearly defined environment that is authentic (true and good); humane (emotional, irrational); experiential (designed, theatrical); impassioned; relevant (understandable, timely); and participatory (open, lived, shared).4 What would Library 4.0 be like? It will completely connect the digital and the sensual, moving from virtual reality (VR) to augmented reality (AR): all the services of Library 3D projected over our immediate surroundings."

Getting not-so-technical with Technorati

2007-07-16T15:15:00.000-04:00

Searching Technorati in the EXACT phrase box gives much different results than doing so in the Blog Directory seach. The Tag search gives less of the same results as an EXACT search.
By exploring "100 top favorited blogs" from the most popular page, It seems many of the blogs are related to a multitude of technologies.
I also did an EXACT phrase search for Ohio covered bridges and found a nice link to bridges in Ashtabula county.

Tagging

2007-07-16T14:39:00.000-04:00

"del.icio.us" is a place where you can store your bookmarks allowing you to collect favorite links, articles, etc. and access them from the web. Once your bookmarks are stored online they can be accessed from any pc with internet access.
It allows you to use "tags" (one-word descriptors that you can assign to your bookmarks) to organize your bookmarks.
It also allows you to share your bookmarks so your friends and co-workers can view them for reference, and you can view theirs as well. This would serve as a helpful tool for research since it allows you to share information back and forth with other users.

Roll your own search engine with Rollyo

2007-07-10T12:14:00.000-04:00

By searching covered bridges in Athens county,Ohio on Rollyo, I found the following link of scenic attractions: http://www.athensohio.com/whattodo/index.php?page=82 Click on the covered bridges featured and view the photos of our three remaining bridges.

A thing about LibraryThing

2007-07-10T10:20:00.000-04:00

I have created my LibraryThing account and added titles to my collection. A single title search will reveal multiple titles about your selected topic. The following link will take you to my catalog. http://www.librarything.com/catalog/cmrist

Playing around with image generators

2007-07-10T08:40:00.000-04:00

I went to the following link: http://www.imagegenerator.org/ and selected "Famous People Message Generators". There are many fun options to choose from so go check it out.

Finding feeds

2007-07-02T11:32:00.000-04:00

I found this post regarding covered bridges on "Technorati" :http://www.smithmountainlakenews.com/2007/07/covered-bridges.html
I also found by typing in Athens,Ohio on "Topix", you can get up to date local news coverage.http://www.topix.net/
I found a very intereting post on Ohio covered bridges on blogline's search tool :http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/06/30/mj063007bridges.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=16

Bloglines- make life "Really Simple" with RSS & a newsreader

2007-07-02T10:26:00.000-04:00

I have signed up for my feed reader and added several newsfeeds. This is so convenient to be able to get all my newsfeeds from one source without the hassel of going to multiple sites and having to browse through the information to find what I want. http://bloglines.com/

Blog about technology

2007-06-25T12:23:00.000-04:00

I am going to give a shout out to Google in this post. Google has made finding basically anything online readily available free of charge. It is so convenient to be able to use one site for so many things. Has Google become the Wal-mart of websites? Will it continue to scan information from prominant libraries across the nation and then decide to start charging? My plea to Google is this, don't get greedy!

More Flickr Fun: mashups/3rd party tools

2007-06-25T08:54:00.000-04:00

I was intrigued by the "Delivr Digital Postcards" option. This allows you to create free photo greeting cards just by selecting an image that is displayed on the home page. I have added a link to show an example. http://flickr.com/photos/ricmcarthur/552567620/

Discover Flickr

2007-06-25T08:06:00.000-04:00

I have explored flickr and learned that by applying "tags" to your photo, you can find multiple photos with a common theme.

Also, if you join a"group" and would like to share a photo with everyone in your group pool, simply select your photo, then select the "send to group" option, choose which group you want to share your photo with and send. Seems simple enough.

Libraries are utilizing flickr for things such as posting pictures of events that occured in the library, artworks displayed in the library, or just pictures and information about the library itself.

I have found several nice photos of covered bridges on Flickr and have added a link to a very unique flat roofed-bridge. http://flickr.com/photos/aplseed/536430746/

Seven and a Half Habits

2007-06-20T09:02:00.000-04:00

The easieist habit for me would be to "use technology to your advantage" because I feel it's important to keep up on the latest technology.

I guess the hardest would be to "begin with the end in mind" because I often like to create along the way rather than have a specific end in mind.

Welcome

2007-06-18T12:40:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my freshly painted blog. I have added a link to all the bridges I have photographed under "favorite links." Many thanks to Mingli for all your help on this project.