Productivity 2
I’m out the front of Shirley Library on the Public Computers and therefore have limited time and have to type really fast! There is so much to know about the public computers and the programmes/applications available. I think you should be aware of the programmes available and what they do, but it is impossible to be able to use all of them well. I am pretty confident in a few of them such as word, publisher, openoffice paint, CDBurnerXP . I think there is a minimum you need to know to help customers, but they also have to realise we are not experts in all applications!
Making and Monitoring Connections
Well, I’m back again. I got a bit lost in this module as I had a big break in the middle and forgot a lot of what I had already looked at!
Ialready had an igoogle page so I added a few thing to it including a hangman game, word of the day and a daily recipe -yum!!! Still not sure how much I will use it though. By the time I get home, check my emails and trademe I can’t be bothered doing much else! Oh well time will tell:-)
A very young Connor!
InfoConnect – Discovery Module
Well it has been a while since I have blogged! I have officially finished CCLLearn, but am completing the additional modules as part of my PR&D. I found this module pretty interesting:-) I really like StumbleUpon – the first site I stumbled upo was cooking by numbers - you tick what ingredients are in you fridge and cupboard and it then finds recipes for you! Lot of potential when you haven’t had time to do the groceries! Also created my own SearchBot called ConnorC!
Connor Christmas 2008
Pass It on 1 and 2
I have just completed both my pass it ons with Valerie @ Shirley and that means I have finished CCLLearn – Yay! I am really proud of myself!
My first pass it on was creating a blog with Valerie and the second one was posting her first blog with a link and an image. I thought it might be a bit endeaverous to achieve both these in two 10 minute sessions! However I gave Valerie a bit of homework to prepare for the sessions which included thinking of a name and password which helped speed up the process. Valerie seemed very enthusiastic about the blog experience and is keen to complete CCL Learn herself. She was a very willing and capable guinea pig – thanks Valerie:-) I have already had another colleague ask me to show her how to create a blog which is great.
I think the blogging has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of the programme for me and I am determined to continue blogging (even if no -one reads it – lol).
My final photo of Connor:
Baby Connor
Oh No!
I have just realised that adding the calendar etc to my blog has deleted my blogroll. I seem to remember reading about this or someone mentioning it? I am going to try and add my blogroll back in. Wish me luck…..
Builder Connor! Just like his Dad
Widgets and Gadgets
My lovely pink igoogle
I have had a look at some of the links for this module and like in paticular the University of Texas widgets available to assist with research. This site seems very simple with great instructions and some sensible search widgets. These include a Google Toolbar Button for the University of Texas Libraries which allows you yo add a button to your Google Toolbar for an easy way to search the University of Texas Libaries catalog as well as LibX Firefox Add-on for the University of Texas Libraries
which is a Web browser add-on that gives you direct access to the University of Texas Libraries resources with toolbars, right-click menus, embedded cues, and more.
Well I took note of the note on the CCLLearn Blog about travelling lightly throughout this section if you have a wordpress blog (which I do…..) and added some onsite W&G’s. I now have a calendar which highlights days new blogs are added as well as flickr photos. (only I couldn’t remember my flickr logon etc so they may be a bit random at first……..). I did try to follow the instructions in the blog and copy and paste in HTML mode in w0rdpress to add google widgets unfortunately without success. If you can enlighten me please do!!
In the Clouds Module
I have been very pushed for time this week! We are still moving around books and shelves at Shirley and there is still carpeting and painting etc going on around us. I have had a look at google docs and zoho reader and decided to explore google reader (although I would like to go back and have a better look at Zoho when I get a chance). I found it relatively straightforward to create a document, embellish it, rename it and share it with a couple of colleagues. I also had a look at google calendar and there seem to be some useful functions there. I don’t know if I would use it, but it was interesting to read the article in The National Business Review about all the applications coming. I am following the instructions and am writing this blog post in google docs! That’s all for now. More to come though……..
A few hours later…… I have had a look at library thing (although I first learnt about this at a CCL Reader Advisory course I think) and it seems quite cool. I joined and had a wee look around the site – heaps of info to check out! I would like to investigate further.
Why Connor falls out of bed!
NZ 2.0
I have just started this module and it seems pretty ‘dry’ so far and I can only hope it gets a bit more interesting. I have looked at the e-govt unit site (where they have tried to keep track of government web 2.0 use) and clicked on a link from the national library called ‘Create Readers.’ They describe it as a blog to help create motivated and engaged young readers. This blog is about children’s and YA literature (especially New Zealand), literacy research, and ways to get, and keep, kids reading. I thought this could be really relevant to our line of work and wondered if our CYA librarians use it?
I have had a look at the government initiatives used around the country and you must have a look at the Porirua Emergency Blog - it’s hilarious! I found the few recent blogs I read on it very entertaining. I was disappointed to find out the CCC does not have RSS feeds on their website, but our library does of course:-). It was interesting to learn that some government sites purposely choose not to have .govt as part of their url, but use .com instead.
Looking at other web 2.0 technologies in other areas I really enjoy reading our library blog. A lot of the authors have a great writing style and blog about very interesting and sometimes unusual topics. I have also had a look at the University of Canterbury website and how different it is for university students now than for me back in 1995 at Canterbury! I only used a computer to wordprocess my assignments, now they have access to a wealth of information! The University library website has RSS feeds, blogs, a facebook page and influenza updates to name a few features.
I have had a look at the GLAMs initiatives and quite like nzlive.com (NZ culture online) and really appreciate that you can look at specific areas (such as your local community), e.g. Christchurchand see what is coming up and yes! – they also have RSS feeds you can subscribe to:-) I like matapihi in terms of graphics and colours, but feel it should be much more interactive and therefore more useful to users and authors . It seems quite rudimentary compared to other sites I have visited.
Connor at Aimee's Party
Productivity Module
Well it’s been a bit of a drama getting to a library that has the new free internet computers! I finally made it to Papanui today and managed to complete this module. (Although my computer mouse decided to stop working – as did two others next to me – and I had to log out and log back in to fix it. At least I had just saved my work!) I decided to choose the job seeker option and then the cooking newsletter option as my second choice. I enjoyed the newsletter option as I love mucking around with publisher and creating visual symphonies! I was really proud of myself as I managed to zip the files and email them to Claire:-)
Anyway I had better get back to the disaster that is Shirley Library at the moment! Lots of moving books and shelving, cleaning, transits and returns. It was nice to have a break at Parklands yesterday afternoon.
A young Connor 'helping' in the kitchen.
Wikis 2
Blogging about my wiki experience is the final exercise in this module – yay! I am hurrying to finish it as it has been a busy week and I was away sick yesterday so don’t expect any profound statements! I have added my favourite meal to the CCLlearn Wiki as well as my blog address.
Just thought I would mention I discharged a book earlier this week that was all about blogger. It was called Publishing a Blog with Blogger By Elizabeth Castro. I’m sure it would have been handy when people were creating their blogger accounts etc! We shouldn’t forget the library catalogue when trying to find answers to frustrating questions!
Connor and Mark at Seaworld last year.
