Thing #16

I loved the wikis so much I couldn't wait to find out if they are blocked by our district. I contacted our ITF and she said that she was in a meeting discussing using Diigo and PB works at that very moment! Apparently our training is coming soon.

I loved the wikis and can immediately think of several uses. The first possibility is creating book lists. I spend a lot of time recommending books for teachers to use in instruction--particularly in writing. Right now I have paper files, electronic files, and books/websites that I use. I would love to organize all of this (with links) to a common wiki. District librarians can add to the list--or even teachers.

We do a "Colonial Trading Card" research project where students create a digital trading card of a historical figure. In the past, we've printed out these cards and allowed the students to trade them. It would be fun to post them to a wiki to be shared there.

Also, it would be interesting to try a wiki book club. The students could read a book and comment on a wiki space--lots of fun!

It will be nice to have this technology at school, as well as home. I'm looking forward to the possibilities!

Thing #15

I think that the "Vision of Students Today" video was very thought provoking. Our society is changing so rapidly--the experience of today's students is so very different than mine...and it hasn't been THAT long since I was in college (well, maybe a touch long!). As our society changes it is natural that our institutions will change. I do not think this is something new--I think it is something that we have been adapting to for a very long time (even before the advent of the chalkboard!).

How does this affect libraries--particularly school libraries? I think libraries are profoundly affected by these changes because information comes in so many different formats. It is the responsibility of our librarians to keep up with all of this (as best as we can) so that we can continue to be relevant. I think we need to know how our children are getting their information so that we can guide them. We need to teach them how to locate reliable information, and (perhaps more importantly) identify incorrect information. I liked how one article referred to librarians as "tour guides"--in so many ways we are. We spend so much of our time steering students (and teachers and parents) towards the materials that they need and want--in the format that they desire. Sometimes they aren't sure what they want (or think they want), and we address that, as well.

However, with all of this technology I think it is crucial that we don't forget what sets us apart from these powerful search engines and sophisticated databases--that we are human. People can provide compassion, understanding, and sensitivity that all of the technology in the world can't. I enjoyed Dr. Wendy Schultz's description of the library of the future, "a WiFREE space, a retreat from technohustle, with comfortable chairs, quiet, good light, coffee and single malt. You know, the library." That part of the job is equally important.

Thing #14

I had no idea of the popularity of the blogging world--a world which has only come to my attention fairly recently. I can definitely see why tagging would help others locate your blog (if you are the writer) or to find a blog of interest (if you are the reader). I think that tagging blogs--or photos or websites (like cataloging books in a library) makes information accessible. I especially appreciate tagging my Del.ici.ous site and photos! I now know how to search Technorati for blogs of interest. However, I haven't yet created tags for my own blog. Perhaps someday...

Thing #13

I think that this social bookmarking activity may be the best discovery of this summer! I have heard about del.ici.ous before, but have not had the time to explore it. I feel like this site will make my life a whole lot easier--particularly if it is not blocked by our district! I use the "favorites" buttons lots of times, but my "favorites" list is becoming a bit clogged. Also, my "favorites" list is limited to the computer I am using (and when school computers are reimaged over the summer, all is lost if it has not been saved separately). Now I can bookmark my sites and find them from any computer--the possibilities! I have already started bookmarking my favorites from memory. Now I can go through some old e-mails that I have been afraid to delete because they have precious links! I think that my favorite part about the system is the ability to "catalog" my sites. The librarian in me loves that!

I also love the idea that I can share my del.ici.ous sites with others. Now I can make lists of useful websites for research for both students and teachers--providing (of course) that my district has not blocked this site, as well. I'm not even going to allow my mind to go there. I'm too busy imagining all of the possibilities!

Thing #12

I think commenting on blogs is tough for me--I'm a natural lurker. Cool Cat mentions that it is important to comment, as long as it the comments are worthwhile. Often my thoughts on blog topics are simple responses or opinions--not necessarily "worthwhile" contributions. I think if everyone contributed responses, blogs would look more like Facebook accounts. For that reason, I keep comments to a minimum.

ProBlogger mentions that responding to comments and asking questions will help increase traffic to your blog. I think it is interesting to respond to comments because it creates conversation. I can see that keeping up with all of these threads would be time-consuming. There was some good advice on managing threads listed in these articles.

I posted comments to some Library2Play participants and checked out blogs from some authors. I enjoy reading author blogs, particularly when we have a scheduled author visit or if we are doing a book club.

Thing #11

One of my volunteers first told me about Library Thing earlier this year. She owns over 40,000 books--more than our school library! She is working on cataloging her collection through Library Thing.

It comes as no surprise that many Library Thing users are librarians. What an easy way to catalog books! I cataloged a few in my personal children's collection--and wished it were so easy at school! I don't know if I will catalog more because my home collection is rather fluid--books coming and going all of the time. I simply don't have the storage to continue purchasing books (which I love to do) and keep the old ones, as well. The librarian in me doesn't mind sharing books with others!

Although I may not use it for my personal collection, I know I'll return to the website. I wonder how the search engine will work when traditional methods fail? Perhaps non-librarian users might enter an "unauthorized" search term that will help me find a "mystery" title!

I thought the "chat groups" were interesting, too. It might be a good place to find out about new books and upcoming local events.

Thing #10

The online image generator seems like something that can be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, my home computer blocked some of the sites (McAfee Security Center) because it said that they had tracking devices. If my home computer is blocking it, I know our school computer will do the same.

However, it would be fun to find some image generators that are not blocked and use them as story starters. Students can use a digital camera to take pictures and modify these photos--or they can create images without a photo using the available graphics. They can write about their own image, or trade images with a friend. The students can all write about the same image and compare stories. They can also use the image generator to illustrate a graphic novel.

I created my husband's college football jersey--just for fun!