QR Codes, E-Reader Policies & Procedures, & Creative Commons

Photo: Kindle Kat by daniel spills-Creative Commons License: some rights reserved

Sound: cat2 by NoiseCollector-Creative Commons License: Sampling+

One of my pages that I am monitoring through Delicious is Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki. One recent change of the page was of the nature of QR Codes. Here is the link for those interested: http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=QR_Codes. QR Codes are quick reference codes and are utilized by smart-phones. The phone scans a 2-dimensional bar-code that directs them to a website or application with the code's data. I can imagine that this would be quite helpful with special delivery services. There is no use of a wand which would simplify matters. There are suggestive readings for those interested.

The other website that I have chosen to follow is WebJunction. They are taking policies and procedures submissions for discussion and comparison. Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.webjunction.org/mobile-devices/-/articles/content/120643671. As an owner of a Kindle, I am highly interested in this subject matter. I am looking forward to Amazon coming out with the Lending Library that will enable Kindle users to check out library materials.

I also enjoyed our Creative Commons assignment. It was difficult at first and I did experience some browser issues. However, after consulting with Ms. Griffith, we managed to figure it out. I enjoyed visiting everyone's pages. Frank's patriotism, Sandra's sober naturalism, Joshua's haunting, Jessica's Requiem, and Rachel's computer cat all demonstrated how sound can augment photo's and bring the reader deeper into one's blog. This is why I selected to continue in my studies here at Ivy Tech and it is worth the effort!

Amish Country

This summer I performed my practicum at the Delphi Public Library. This library serves a large religious population as there are Amish, Mennonite, and German Baptists among the community. The community has a respect for this culture and it is evident in the library's collection. There is a very good religious fiction section that many partake of whether they are among the religious community or secular. This respect filtered into the book club as one of the chosen books was Mennonite in the Little Black Dress. I enjoyed my practicum immensely and pray that everyone's experience is as wonderful as mine was.

Photo is titled Amish buggy By Wm Jas and holds a Creative Commons License of Some rights reserved-Attribution and ShareALike

The sound is titled Horsecart Ride By Aaron Ximm and holds a Creative Commons License with Attribution Rights

RSS Feeds

I just love the Google Reader. Now I can read quick glimpses of everyone's blog within seconds. I do not have to click back and forth on the Discussion Board which was a hassle and I did not take the time to read as many as I would have liked to have done. I had previously had a Google Reader account, though I never used it. Now I know what I have been missing. I have to say that the reason that I never used it was that the interface was blah and boring. Maybe I can find a way to alter the background as some applications permit. I do want to discover how to make an RSS feed to one's own website. This would be very helpful.

Cloud Computing

I am rather amazed at the concept of cloud computing and am yet unsure as to the specifics of what exactly qualifies for such a term. At first I presumed that cloud computing essentially included only mobile devices. These accessories are not anchored down and directly connected. Therefore, I believed that the word cloud computing resided only with them. I think, perhaps, this is how the term may have begun. However, after reading further this week that it also includes blogging and shopping on Amazon, then it leaves me a bit perplexed. I think the concept that makes things a bit more clear is that others can interact within an application. This interaction becomes "cloud communication"? Anyway, this is what I did to place a picture in my mind to better enable me to remember to include these formats within this terminological process. I think that the video above sounds absolutely dreamy; however, I do think that before we give up our disk drive, we need to remember the continual spiraling effect and the proclamation of irretrievable material. For my project I have selected to pursue making a user guide. I chose this because it is a project that I am most comfortable with; though, also because we have just started a new program and I think a user's guide would be very appropriate.

Social Media & Delicious

This week's session was centered around social media. I have to say that after keeping countless links organized I have finally found the answer. I am so happy to actually discover what social media is all about. I am in the habbit of storing links involving seamstressing. What I think is wonderful is that many sources that I enjoy are from the United Kingdom. With social media and Delicious at work, I can soon be enjoying many of the links in one location and participate in sharing sources with others of the same interest from across the ocean. One hobby that I love to enjoy is ribbon embroidery. I think that it is such a beautiful art and nearly a lost one at that. I can find others interacting with obscur information that is remote in my area. It is wonderful to join people of like minds together on one thought. Keeping up-to-date with library information will also be much easier knowing where to look in the future. I have read the section on the difference between a category and a tag. This is very interesting to me and I look forward to learning more on how to more fully enjoy and utilize social media to organize information in today's world.
For those interested my Delicious url is: http://www.delicious.com/Tamara_Libr1. I have bookmarked my sites selected from chapter two for following. One of the sites chosen is Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki I like the organization that it exhibits on the right hand column for topical information. It will make researching much easier. It is divided into 4 sections: Introduction, Join the Community, Categories, and Need Help. There are 14 categories with the 12th category having 3 subcategories listed. It will be a nice change to perform research from tags instead of search engines.

Technology & Wiki Orientation

One of the key points in class this week was the focus on technology’s impact on students as individuals. The contemplation of how technology has closely been associated in one’s own public library, its effects on the library’s service and its patrons and staff, along with personal application has been a worthy consideration to place in the forefront of one’s mind. Questions to contemplate would be “Where has the library been?”, “Where is it going?”, and “Where will it be in the future?” are all good questions to place before one not only to be considered for one’s career goals; though, it is also good to know in order to make predictions and be prepared for technological advances that may be yet to come. Having a basic understanding of library history aids one in understanding the basic processes involved in library service to patrons. With this basic understanding, flexibility can arise, putting the possessor in a position to be transitioned into a new world of technology. This is of benefit to any within the library field.



One such technology of advancement that we have observed this week is the Wiki. Within the Wiki Orientation, I observed the Wikis in Plain English by the CommonCraft Show. Being new to Wikis, this put me at ease with them. It made using wikis look so simplicity and easy to use, that surely any could utilize them as long as one was open to the possibility of such. Next, I read through CIO’s How to Build Your Own Wikipedia by Martha Locher. This explained how to ensure that there was purpose behind starting a wiki before one actually instituted it. Without this purpose, a wiki is doomed to failure. This resource gave me understanding of the structure needed to put into place. Lastly, I began the Wiki assignments. I actually put into practice what I had learned and it really was not that bad. I think the only think that made me a little nervous was the potential to erase good work already presented. I know that it was stated that everything good be set straight; however, who wants to look incompetent? One just needs to be careful making amendments or additions to postings. One tactic that I took note of was not to leave the edit on while processing one’s work. I think this is a call for havoc. Only selecting edit when one is prepared to actually make changes will ensure that errors occur less frequently. Overall, I am happy to explore this new application and am eager to see its fullest potential! Oh, is there a term for the verb of performing wikis? I think that there is though I am not recalling it. Have a happy time at wikis and collaboration!

Picture found at:

http://www.govtech.com/education/Public-Libraries-Developing-Technology-Benchmarking-Standards-.html

Video found at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-dnL00TdmLY