Thing #8: My Creation from Picture Trail

Thing #8: Experimenting with Picture Trail

I chose Picture Trail to experiment with for this "Thing 8: Share Your Creations." I found Picture Trail very easy to use- very user friendly for beginners like me. It was easy to upload photos and to play with the different ways to display my photos. I chose the "cube" style.What uses might this have for personal or library use? I think the possibilities are endless. Big Huge Labs, for example, offers posters, trading cards, and other features that especially our younger patrons would love. I was reading how other librarians have used the trading cards to motivate young readers. Lazybase (or other tools like this) could be useful to librarians- where other librarians have access (or can edit also) to a list of books, for example. That might be something we could create for our reference librarians in our librarian system- to help us in reader's advisory, for example.

Thing # 7.4: Web Conferencing

It was interesting to listen to Tom Peters talk about the use of web-conferencing by librarians and in libraries. He pointed out that basically this is a way for people to meet online in lieu of an "in-person" meeting. Libraries can use web-conferencing for meetings, workshops and even for public programming for patrons. This is an interesting idea: providing mini "webinars" for patrons interested in learning to use various library services and/or resources. I can see that being a well-used service in our busy metropolitan branch, with our patrons being very computer-savvy and interested in learning to use our databases, MNLINK database for ILL requests, and other resources. Web-conferencing and workshops might be a good way to meet the needs of our home-bound patrons who want to participate in our programs, but have difficulty getting to the library.

Thing #7.3: Text Messaging (SMS—Short Message Service)

I've often asked friends and family who are avid texters, "why text?" I never really understood what the advantages were to texting (over e-mail or even phoning!) After reading the material in this section, I have a better understanding of what texting, or SMS is. I can see that it is a more private, less disruptive and less time-consuming than a phone call and a more efficient, to the point way of communicating.

The article on using SMS in libraries was interesting to me. I think it's a great idea that patrons would have the option to be notified that their items are in - via texting. Also, providing reference services via texting is a great idea. Again, it might be a challenge to come up with enough staff to provide these services like SMS reference and IM. But with the rise in texting (and perhaps the fading away of traditional e-mail), we librarians will need to be open to meeting the needs of customers who prefer to communicate with us in these newer ways.

Thing #7.2.c Setting up an AIM Account

I just set up an AIM account with AOL. I tried it out with my tech-savvy niece and it was fun! I am looking forward to trying it out with my co-workers when they set up their instant messaging accounts.

The one aspect about IM that is strange to me is it's "live-ness" - it's like a real conversation. When I think about what it would be like doing the IM reference I've read about in this "thing", the nature of it would be more like a face-to-face reference interview. Definitely different than e-mail reference.

Thing #7: Commincation Tools

The e-mail productivity tips were helpful. I see now that I probably do spend way too much time on e-mail - composing longer responses when I could respond in a shorter, more-to-the-point reply.




Instant messaging- this is something I see my kids/nieces do all of the time. I didn't see how we would have the need to incorporate this into our librarian workday, (as other communication tools seem more practical for us)- until I read the Library Journal article "IM Me". Some libraries are using IM Reference- a sped-up version of e-mail reference. It seems to me that you would have to have a librarian assigned to IM reference at all times, in order to catch all the IM requests in a timely manner and respond "live." Our library branch responded to e-mail reference questions for years (now another branch handles it) and so I can see how this could be incorporated, if we had enough staff. I also found it interesting that some library systems are using IM as a main way of communicating between librarians (instead of/in addition to phone calls and e-mail).




It is good to be aware of how instant messaging works, because many (most) of our young patrons who come in to use the internet use this. This may be the form of communication that these young users will prefer to have with us in the future, as they become adults. Something to think about.

Success!

With the help of my 19-year-old niece, I finally successfully imported a slideshow of my photos from Splashr to my blog!!! (Click on "My Presentation" below). I'm so excited! In the process of trying to figure all this out, I found out that there are tons of "gadgets" to add to my blog and I'm looking forward to finding out more about them.

Vik

My Presentation

Thing #6: Online Image Generator

My creation
Originally uploaded by lizzygonzalez1

My Creation!

I'm on to working on Thing # 6 and I have successfully "Hockneyized" one of my photos (while working on Big Huge Labs). While looking at Big Huge Labs (an online image generator), I played around with other features such as Warholizer, mosaic maker and trading card maker. I created a trading card of my son-very cool! I can see the potential for using these tools for special effects on a library webpage and/or the library's facebook or myspace accounts. The images created on Big Huge Labs could also be printed out and used for displays and bulliten boards in the library.

Thing #5 : More Flickr Fun: Using Splashr!

I actually had fun with this "Thing". I chose to experiment with Splashr, one of the Flickr "mashups." I can see how this tool could be used as a fun and creative way to display photos of library events on the library's website, Facebook or MySpace account. I experimented with my own pictures of a recent family reunion. I played around with the different options on Splashr and chose the "desktop" display for the photos. Having a little difficulty uploading it to my blog. But I should be able to figure it out. I've decided to make a collage of family pictures on my home computer desktop, using Splashr. Very cool.

Thing #4: Flickr

After hearing my co-worker's fabulous presentation on Flickr at a staff meeting, I have the confidence to give this a whirl! I successfully created a Flickr account and imported a photo from Flickr to my blog. I can now see the benefits of using Flickr: it is a way to save photos online, without having to worry about losing them. This is much more efficient and safer than storing them in boxes at home or in your home computer.