tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-143696542024-03-23T12:45:56.072-05:00The Cool LibrarianExploring what it means to be a "cool librarian."jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-8145868410731030742010-03-16T21:45:00.000-05:002010-03-16T21:45:34.276-05:00Almost a year later...I'm still here. This full-time work thing has made blogging all but non-existent in my life - I have no idea how my fellow librarians do it. Most of you have lives fuller than mine in that you have children and work and blogging and a social life and conferences, while I only have a job and a husband and part-time children. By the time I get home most days, I am simply too burned out to devote further thought to library land (or, rather, I think about it plenty, but just do not have the motivation to put thoughts to posts). I have spent the better part of the past year trying to decide if I would continue this blog, with no real conclusion reached as yet.<br />
<br />
HOWEVER-<br />
<br />
My last post was about the teens in my Teen Advisory Group, and their seeming complacency with regard to college-level work, research, and the usefulness/role of libraries in their educational lives. I was frustrated by the failure of the school department to impart on these kids the importance of libraries, and disheartened by the blase attitudes of the kids themselves. None of that has changed.<br />
<br />
So, I was not at all surprised by this Facebook status update, posted tonight by one of the kids (now in college) referenced in my last post:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>"(I) had no idea that trying to navigate her way through bookstacks in a library would be so difficult! Who needs books when you have the internet? The 24 hour mission: write an 8 page research paper and study extensively for an exam. Time starts...NOW!"</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I tried to warn her... </span><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I wonder if she will be able to get through four years of college at a rather prestigious university without actually needing anything more than the internet. If she can, I don't know if I will regard it as a triumph of modern technology (which I love) or a failure of our educational system from start to finish.</span><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></b>jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-38459058454325144652009-04-18T18:50:00.003-05:002009-04-18T20:23:23.114-05:00Some Things I Have Learned about TeensOne of the things I have done at my library is develop a YA program - when I arrived there was small collection of YA books and ZERO YA programming (because when a library is under-funded, and in our case, under-staffed, this is the first area to be neglected). I am happy to say that 9 months later there is a nice collection, twice-monthly teen programs, and a Teen Advisory Group (TAG) with 10 pretty dedicated students. That's the good news.<br /><br />I learned some of the "other news" at this morning's TAG meeting...<br /><br />We were talking about advertising the next teen movie on Facebook - which works well for reaching the high school kids, but is not as effective at reaching the middle school kids - and I asked how I could get more kids to read the Teen page of the (new) library website. The answer: "We don't look at websites. Kids do Facebook, and that's about it. We'll Google if we have to for a school paper, and maybe check out Wikipedia, but, really, don't bother with the teen page."<br /><br />Now, I'm not sure how surprised I was by that. One look at my stats tells me that no one looks at the teen page that I slaved away on for days - in spite of all the PR I have done - but I guess I was surprised to learn that high school students don't seem interested in surfing the web at all (gaming sites not withstanding). Oooookaaayyy....<br /><br />Next up:<br />"So, I was thinking of having a workshop on blogging - would there be any interest in that?"<br />"Nah, we say everything we need to say on Facebook."<br />"Ok, what about Twitter?"<br />"Twitter is for old people. My mom is on Twitter. Which is cool, I guess, because I didn't know she even knew what Twitter is, but really, what's the point of Twitter?"<br />Well, I can't fault this question, since many people find no use for Twitter, and those that do are usually connected to a network of other like-minded adults. But again, I guess I was just surprised by the total lack of interest.<br /><br />Moving on:<br />"I've noticed on some of your Facebook pages a lot of talk and excitemnet about college. Some of you are getting your acceptance letters back, the juniors are making the rounds visiting schools - what about a Get Ready For College workshop?"<br />"What do you mean? Like college work?"<br />"Well, yeah. Um, I noticed just now that you said that you use Google for your research papers. Uh, you can't really get away with that in college."<br />"What do you mean? How else do you find stuff?"<br /><br />From here we discussed what, exactly, happens during their paper writing process: they use Google to find websites. They cite (if they are even required to have a works cited page) the websites. They are often required to have one or two "book" sources. They use Wikipedia. They cite Wikipedia (and sometimes get away with it). They LOVE SparkNotes and copy them profusely. NONE of them had ever heard of a "journal" or used a "database."<br /><br />Back to reality:<br />"OK, so when you go to college in the fall, you will have to use databases and find journal articles and read books in order to do a paper properly. Wouldn't you like to learn some of that ahead of time? I can show you..."<br />"Nah. I mean, if we don't know about all that, we can't be the only ones - we'll figure it out when we get there."<br /><br />Now, I feel I need to make something really clear, here - these kids, the kids in TAG, are the cream of the school's crop. Seriously. Top of the class. Members of band, theater, Student Council. One has been accepted to an Ivy. And not only do they not know what a database is, they have never been required to know.<br /><br />At this point I must have looked stricken because one of the young men looked at me somewhat sadly and said, "This is why we're here - to tell you how it is and what we do. We're trying to help."<br /><br />I feel really really old, and completely "uncool."jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-75442462879149559582009-02-11T21:26:00.002-05:002009-02-11T21:51:09.488-05:00So, I guess I won't be staying late at work...Tonight, one of the the reference librarians and I were chatting in the staff area before heading out, when we heard a door close out in the main part of the library. We were closed, and the rest of the staff had been gone for at least 30 minutes. We went out to take a look around, and aside from the motion-activated lights being on in the children's room, we found nothing and no one. We stood there looking at each other.<br /><br />I said, "You heard that, right?"<br />"Yep."<br />"And it sounded like a door closing, right?"<br />"It sounded exactly like a door closing, yes."<br />"And there's no one here, and no sign of anyone outside, correct?"<br />"Yep." He got a huge smile on his face, raised his fist in the air, and said, "Cool! Library ghost!"<br /><br />Um, no, not cool. OK, maybe it is cool, but I am there alone several times a week, so I am, quite frankly, creeped out. And I don't know if I would be more or less creeped out if the building were old and historic rather than brand new with an open floor plan.<br /><br />Yes, I guess it's possible that someone was in the building and we didn't know it and they took the opportunity to leave, but the weird thing is that the door we heard did NOT sound like the exterior doors - it sounded like one of the office doors. There are only two offices - mine, which we were sitting within view of, and the genealogy office, out in the main part of the building. We did find that office door unlocked - and it shouldn't have been - but there is no way we wouldn't have seen someone leaving the building from that area. And the exterior doors - which we never heard - were closed and locked, and someone sneaking out would not have been able to do that without making more noise. To make matters more creepy, something or someone had to have tripped the children's room lights, but I was the last one in there, the room is wide open (no places to hide), and the last patron in there had kids with them, and I saw them leave.<br /><br />Huh.<br /><br />We checked the whole building (just one floor) and found no one. And if anyone tried to leave after we did, they would have tripped the security alarm motion sensors, and apparently that never happened, as I would have gotten a security call.<br /><br />Huh.<br /><br />Guess I'll be re-thinking any after dark, all alone work I might have been planning....jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-75645517584987867732008-12-19T22:03:00.002-05:002008-12-19T22:17:27.237-05:00Happy Holidays!No, I haven't died.<br /><br />Well, the past 6 months have been crazy. I moved and started my new job, and, oh yeah, I got married! When I make a "life change" I really make a life change.<br /><br />Dan and I spent the summer getting used to our new jobs and new surroundings. It seems like the days just fly by, and as a result, blogging just hasn't been at the top of the priority list. But I hope that with the new year, I will be able to get back to posting here on a somewhat regular basis. I need to do a total re-vamp on this site, and since I am about to embark on designing a new website for the library, I am hoping to be inspired.<br /><br />Happy Holidays to all my friends in Library Land - see you next year!jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-48666074177327868002008-05-27T17:51:00.004-05:002008-05-27T18:14:09.604-05:00In which I beg for help....I am swallowing any pride I may have had, and sending up an S.O.S. flare.<br /><br />Long story short - the joy of my new, up-coming job is being overshadowed by the fact that living on $16,000 a year for the past 4 years has left me with no savings and not-so-great credit (student loans). I am having a tough time finding a place to live without adequate first, last, and security funds. An old car and gas prices make commuting almost two hours each way nearly impossible. I'm running out of time to find a place, and I'm starting to panic.<br /><br />Anyway, you get the picture.<br /><br />Needless to say, after a few weeks of work, I will be on my feet. At that point, I will re-donate the total (with your names attached) to the <a href="http://www.prisonbooks.org/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Prison Books Project</span></a>.<br /><br />If you think you'd like to help a cool librarian out, click the button below.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br /><a href='http://www.pledgie.com/campaigns/990'><img alt='Click here to lend your support to: Help the Cool Librarian Move! and make a donation at www.pledgie.com !' src='http://www.pledgie.com/campaigns/990.png?skin_name=chrome' border='0' /></a>jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-82658635875179489902008-05-02T15:46:00.003-05:002008-06-09T17:23:32.921-05:00I Can Haz a Job?Yez! I haz a job!<br /><br />In five weeks I will be the new Director of a gorgeous public library on Cape Cod!<br /><br />The relief I feel is overwhelming - it's been one long, hard road here in terms of employment. Naturally, I'm also excited and scared to death. This is a brand new gig - and life - for me.<br /><br />My regular readers and internet library friends know that this blog's been quiet for a while. Quite frankly, I was tired of complaining about the abysmal employment situation here, and tired of saying, "That would have been the perfect job for me, but I am underqualified/overqualified/the job didn't actually exist anymore/etc." And my current job has been a nightmare - the kind of nightmare that you can't wake up from, and no one believes. Since I've been so good about keeping my yap shut on that (a feat, I tell you!), I'll simply sum up by saying that when I gave my notice, the Director said, "Good. We won't be replacing you, because reference is a non-essential service." I know, right!? Um, buh-bye.<br /><br />My personal life has been chaos as well. Since the beginning of December, I've met the man of my dreams, ended a difficult four-year relationship, and moved in with said man of my dreams (Dan). Now we are uprooting our lives, relocating together to the Cape, and if all goes as we plan, I will be the eventual "step-mom" to FOUR children (two young teens, and a set of toddler TWINS - good God). And oh, I also turned 40. I need to lie down....<br /><br />So, directors, former directors, managers - please - direct me to all the helpful goods! Books, articles, sage words of advice - I need it all. HALP!<br /><br />I'm so excited! (As if all of the silly !!!!! points weren't clue enough.)jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-62574442707644428702008-04-08T16:59:00.002-05:002008-04-08T17:08:25.778-05:00Interview with a LibrarianYep, I'm still on "break," dealing with my chaotic personal life. I'm not dead.<br /><br />And, apparently, someone noticed that I'm not dead and asked me for an interview! Nancy Matson writes <a href="http://www.nancymatson.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Workin' It</span></a>, a blog about the world of work. She contacted me and asked if I'd answer some questions about being a librarian, and I said, "sure!" You can check out the Q&A <a href="http://nancymatson.blogspot.com/2008/04/interview-with-librarian.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a> - and take a look around, there's some interesting stories there.<br /><br />Thanks, Nancy!jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-49249008807616185592008-02-02T19:56:00.000-05:002008-02-02T19:58:22.052-05:00Now THIS would improve my job!If we had <a href="http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2008/01/hawaii_chair.php"><span style="font-weight: bold;">one of these chairs</span></a> at the reference desk, life would be a lot more interesting!jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-13447283964630223522008-01-05T17:05:00.000-05:002008-01-05T17:23:34.100-05:00LifeYes, I have been a big slacker for quite some time. My personal life is FULL of upheaval right now, and I just haven't felt a lot of energy for blogging here. So many people blog about library stuff on a much more pertinent and consistent level than I do, that sometimes I wonder if I have anything at all to add. No, I haven't decided to retire Cool Librarian, but I guess right now it's just not a priority.<br /><br />Aside from my crazy personal life, the situation at work has also made blogging about my job more difficult. It's not a happy time at my library, but because I am job-hunting, I don't feel free to talk much about work. This is beyond frustrating for me - first of all, I like blogging about my job, and I miss doing that. Secondly, I would love to be able to let the world know about the insanity going on there, but I can't be the one to do that, unless I want to spend the next few months living in a cardboard box. Suffice it to say, it ain't good.<br /><br />In spite of all this, I actually have high hopes for 2008. I have a new love, and dare I say that he may be "the one." At my age, I figured that boat had sailed, and I was destined to be that caricature - you know, the spinster librarian with all the cats (cuz I do love me some cats). Professionally, well, let's just say this - if the library job market doesn't open up here soon, I may have to seriously consider another line of work. Since I love school more than just about anything (DORK), getting yet another degree wouldn't be the worst way to spend a few months.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-87147735990197683392007-12-23T23:10:00.000-05:002007-12-23T23:25:53.648-05:00Happy Holidays!As the year draws to a close, I feel that changes are finally afoot in my life. This has been a trying year, especially in terms of work. I rarely post about my job now, and that's mostly because my beloved library is falling apart. But, in spite of that, there have been some successes - a new slate of tech classes that I am teaching, a couple of additional YA programs, and at least a personal sense of accomplishment from time-to-time.<br /><br />The job market here is horrendous, and that's been a constant struggle for me. I was even prepared to make a major move (for me, at least) for a dream job, but it was a long-shot that didn't pan out. But there's something else on the horizon, and I am keeping my fingers crossed.<br /><br />Personally, BIG changes are definitely in store - both good and sad (isn't that usually the way?). While I relish change in the workplace, in my personal life - not so much. But in the end, I think that moving on from some negative situations can only mean more happiness.<br /><br />So, no matter what life has handed you this past year, here's hoping that the good stays good, and the not so great improves in the coming year.<br /><br />Wishing you peace and joy this holiday season!jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-4820999383765163252007-12-06T14:10:00.000-05:002007-12-06T14:41:02.737-05:00Back that Blog UpFor the last few months I have been using one of the coolest online tools that you may not know about - <a href="https://www.blogbackuponline.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">BlogBackup Online</span></a>.<br /><br />I signed up for it and, quite frankly, forgot all about it. When I remembered it a few weeks ago, I checked in to find that yes, all of my blog posts have indeed been backed up on a daily basis. And then yesterday, I had the opportunity to really put it to the test; one of my other blogs was having major issues, so I decided to see if I could "restore" all of the backed posts to a new blog (on the same platform, but a brand-new blog). And, it worked! The only snafu was that the comments were not saved in a comments file, but were rather republished on the posts themselves (and you have the option of NOT restoring comments), but in my opinion, that's a small price to pay for recovering all my blog posts.<br /><br />BlogBackup Online is, at the moment, in BETA and is FREE. It has an easy, intuitive interface, a very good help file, and works with all the major blog platforms. It seems far easier to use than some other backup tools and code-schemes I have seen. Even if you use WordPress and/or publish to your own server, I think it's still worth a look - when you work hard on a blog, you can't have it saved in too many places. And if you use a blog platform's free hosting, I think this tool could be a life-saver - not only in terms of archiving the content, but then being able to restore it EASILY. Check it out.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-51041195121824993822007-12-03T12:30:00.000-05:002007-12-03T13:32:17.907-05:00Cleaning HouseIt's time for some end-of-the-year housekeeping at Cool Librarian.<br /><br />First, I'd like ask any of my newer readers who regularly check in via an aggregator (Bloglines, etc) to stop by the actual blog and take a look around. The CL blog is not just a single page, but several pages that archive (by subject, somewhat) the topics and tools that I have posted. So, the blog actually functions as the front page to a whole site, if you will. If you haven't done so recently, come check it out; I'm getting ready to make some changes and updates.<br /><a href="http://coollibrarian.com/blog/librarylinks.html"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Library Links</span></a> - Along those lines, if you are unaware of Library Links, please take a peek at that page. This is one collaborative project that's actually worked out quite well. We'd love to have you join us.<br /><br /><a href="http://coollibrarian.com/blog/infoshare.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Info Share</span></a> - After three years of begging people to participate in this, I'm thinking of scrapping it altogether. I still think it's a cool idea that would lend some value and uniqueness to Cool Librarian, but if people don't want to contribute, it's kinda pointless. So, before I throw in the towel, does anyone have any comments? Should I accept that people just "aren't into into it," and fold it up? Would you be interested if something was done differently? Did you have no idea it existed? Would you do it if you had total control over the posting of your projects - for instance, if I changed the format to a wiki? If I get some positive feedback and decide to keep at it, would you be willing to mention it on your blog? Please, help me out here - if you have yet to comment on this blog, now's the time.<br /><a href="http://librarytalk.coollibrarian.com/"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Library Talk</span></a> - I mentioned on that blog some time ago that I was most likely going to jettison it. I got responses from the usual suspects, but nothing more. So, again, if you didn't know it existed, check it out. To be honest, I'm more ready to let go of Library Talk than I am Info Share, so if it isn't useful to people, it's probably going bye-bye.<br /><br />Potential Additions - Is there anything you'd like to see here (in terms of pages or sidebar content, not just blog posts) that isn't here? Have you had an idea in your head that you don't have time to implement?<br /><br />I guess that's my list for now....jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-74781948368131040292007-11-14T18:32:00.000-05:002007-11-14T18:42:37.566-05:00Help! I'm Trapped......in <a href="http://www.freerice.com/index.php"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Rice</span></a>!<br /><br />Free Rice is not only cool for the it's purpose - to give away rice through the United Nations World Food Program, it's also an addictive vocabulary game. Huh?<br /><br />From the FAQ:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >How does the FreeRice vocabulary program work?</span><br />FreeRice has a custom database containing thousands of words at varying degrees of difficulty. There are words appropriate for people just learning English and words that will challenge the most scholarly professors. In between are thousands of words for students, business people, homemakers, doctors, truck drivers, retired people… everyone! <p>FreeRice automatically adjusts to your level of vocabulary. It starts by giving you words at different levels of difficulty and then, based on how you do, assigns you an approximate starting level. You then determine a more exact level for yourself as you play. When you get a word wrong, you go to an easier level. When you get three words in a row right, you go to a harder level. This one-to-three ratio is best for keeping you at the “outer fringe” of your vocabulary, where learning can take place. </p> <p>There are 50 levels in all, but it is rare for people to get above level 48.</p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><br />If FreeRice has the rice to give, why not give it all away right now?</span><br />FreeRice is not sitting on a pile of rice―you are earning it 10 grains at a time. Here is how it works. When you play the game, advertisements appear on the bottom of your screen. The money generated by these advertisements is then used to buy the rice. So by playing, you generate the money that pays for the rice donated to hungry people.<br /></blockquote><br />If you are a "wordie," or simply find the free rice part to be an interesting concept, take a look. So far I have donated 600 grains of rice!jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-72666665320957268202007-11-07T17:30:00.000-05:002007-11-07T18:42:53.508-05:00Making ContactEven though I know how to create forms in HTML, I have always considered them a pain in the butt. I was never overly thrilled with the way my hand-coded forms worked with my email client, and it rarely seemed worth the effort when I was trying to create forms for the various and sundry blogs I write or administer. I tried a number of third party forms, but they were either riddled with advertising, clunky, or ugly - until now.<br /><br />I used <a href="http://wufoo.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wufoo</span></a> for the contact form on this blog. You get up to three forms for free on Wufoo, and the forms are pretty customizable in term of look and purpose. You can add fields, change colors, add your logo, create surveys, invitations, conference and program registrations, job applications - you name it. It takes a bit of playing with at the start, but so far my forms built with Wufoo work great and look the way I want them to. Thumbs up.<br /><br /><a href="http://reachby.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Reachby</span></a> is another option I am employing at the new <a href="http://rilibraryassociation.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rhode Island Library Association blog</span></a>. Reachby is about as simple as it gets. It's a plain form with no real customization options. But if you are looking for a form that protects your email address, sets up in seconds, and just simply works, Reachby does the trick. It's free, and you can have one form per email address.<br /><br />If you use WordPress, you have several form widgets to choose from. If you administer a multi-page site, you probably will take the time to create a form using whatever web tool you use. But if you have a blog or simple webpage created with any of the gazillion online blogging platforms and webpage tools, both of these options offer a very easy way to get a form up and running. And, even if you run a fully interactive library site, using Wufoo for a "temporary" form, like a program registration, might save loads of time.<br /><br />Need a form? Check 'em out.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-88553308474137833432007-10-31T08:32:00.000-05:002008-12-10T15:05:17.475-05:00HA(th)!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuwGFJ4rmLDxtKqNVAhjxdXvU1JNjH3yBMONxUSrUYDc2zrmiaMGCunz_DUwOPIo_D9bgxZSI461oZ9jvYgk71-lUWIjbNOtAnubv_WBkjW5-gDjJERMp3URemStOF6VeKNT7/s1600-h/LOLMILLER.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuwGFJ4rmLDxtKqNVAhjxdXvU1JNjH3yBMONxUSrUYDc2zrmiaMGCunz_DUwOPIo_D9bgxZSI461oZ9jvYgk71-lUWIjbNOtAnubv_WBkjW5-gDjJERMp3URemStOF6VeKNT7/s400/LOLMILLER.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127498139340266850" border="0" /></a><br />OK, this may only appeal to the srsly dorky (I did indeed read the Canterbury Tales in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_English">Middle English</a>), but I about spit my coffee all over my monitor. Do chekke out <a href="http://houseoffame.blogspot.com/2007/05/i-can-hath-cheezburger.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">the rest of the pictures</span></a> at <a href="http://houseoffame.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Geoffrey Chaucer Hath a Blog</span></a>.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-43688682290353350262007-10-27T11:58:00.000-05:002007-10-27T19:28:15.831-05:00Desk SetSome time ago, <a href="http://coollibrarianblog.blogspot.com/search?q=desktop+on+demand"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I copied Michael Casey and talked a bit about Desktop on Demand</span></a>. Since then, I've been playing around quite a bit with a similar application - <a href="http://www.goowy.com"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Goowy</span></a>. Goowy and <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="https://desktopondemand.com/">DoD</a> both operate as a home-away-from-home desktop environment, but there are a few differences.<br /><br />Goowy does not run its own browser (rather it just runs in yours), does not provide anonymous IP addresses, and it doesn't come with a word processor. But what it does do is work. Goowy is easy to get started with, it's quick, and it does what it says it's going to do. It provides email integration, IM integration (with Yahoo, Gtalk, and other Goowy users), calendar, contacts (importable and exportable), favorites, an Mp3 player, and my favorite part, online file saving/sharing. The file saving is powered by <a href="http://www.box.net"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Box.net</span></a> - but the funny part is that it's actually easier to use through Goowy, and you get a free 1Gb vs. having to pay for 5 Gb when going directly through Box.net's site.<br /><br />I admit that I have my "online life" pretty well set-up from both home and work and don't have too much call to use Goowy, but since I do work from home occasionally, I use the online file saving feature to make life easier.<br /><br />However, I would love to offer a class on Goowy to patrons. Many of our patrons use the computers at more than one library, and I think Goowy would be a boon to some of these people. Also, I have found that the IM feature works on our computers - and even Meebo doesn't work on our computers, since we have chat clients blocked. Gasp! Am I suggesting a work-around to our system? Yes, yes I am. While I hope that someday we will unblock at least Meebo, in the meantime Goowy would provide a chat/IM option that doesn't interfere with our network and doesn't require a download.<br /><br />A patron could also check all of their email accounts from the same place (we don't offer a tabbed browser), and even play their own music without having to have their iPod (or whatever) with them, as the music files are stored - and played from - the patron's online files. There's even a "minis" feature, which uses a number of widgets and sets up very much like iGoogle or Pageflakes. All from one window.<br /><br />Desktop on Demand may have been one of the first to this particular party, but I have found Goowy to be infinitely more usable - especially on a public computer.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-4908848820110927442007-10-16T10:40:00.000-05:002007-10-16T11:56:36.650-05:00NELA, again.If you are interested in the two sessions I blogged, you can find them <a href="http://nelib.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/social-software-intellectual-freedom/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a>, and <a href="http://nelib.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/the-joy-of-cookbooks/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a>. I attended two other sessions and took notes, but they were also blogged by other people <a href="http://nelib.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/librarything-and-social-cataloging/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a>, and <a href="http://nelib.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/technology-gone-wild-planning-to-tame-technology/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a>. To be honest, I had nothing new to add, and in the case of Brian's post, his notes were much better than mine. Blogging a conference was more difficult - or maybe more time-consuming is the right term - than I thought it would be. If I do it again, I will probably attempt to take notes on the computer rather than by hand.<br /><br />Overall, I thought the sessions I attended were informative, interesting, and generally well-done. People seem to know their stuff and have a genuine affinity for presenting it. Presenting is a lot of work.<br /><br />I was, however, surprised at the number of presenters that did not offer handouts, and did not have some way to access their presentations online for later review. A listener has a lot of information to absorb in a short amount of time, and I think it's a really good idea to either have handouts available hitting the high points, or to make the presentation available online. That way people can go back to things they may have missed. Even if the slides are simply pictures, it may be helpful - or entertaining - to see them again.<br /><br />In fact, at the end of one presentation, someone asked if the PowerPoint was available online - and the answer was, "um, no." It was clear that the presenter didn't know this was an option - or perhaps didn't know how to go about getting it online - and it was also clear that the technical difficulties during the program (not the presenter's fault) lent to people wanting to be able to access the program at a later date. I commented that if the presenters were interested in posting their slides online - pretty much whenever they had a spare minute - they could do so at slideshare, tag them NELA, and we could find them. Everyone in the room looked at me like I was a freak, and not a librarian trying to be helpful and get people what they wanted, which was access to this presentation - but - sigh - whatever.<br /><br />And speaking of tech problems, that was another issues that reared its head on Monday - the wifi at the conference center SUCKED, and pretty much didn't work at all Monday morning. This left a few presenters up a creek that they didn't expect to have to paddle (no, the rooms were not equipped with hard-lined access [?]). Should a presenter have a reasonable expectation that the technology that is supposed to be provided will actually work? Of course. And they have every right to be pissed if it doesn't. But, if you have a presentation that relies heavily on being connected to the internet, I think it's a good idea to have a Plan B for instances such as this. Yeah, that's a pain, and means extra work, but you may thank yourself later if you end up having to rely on that back-up presentation you put together using handouts or screen caps.<br /><br />So, if you are presenting, think handouts, think online access for attendees (and, those not fortunate enough to be able to attend your talk!), and think Plan B for possible tech issues. If you are not familiar with posting your presentations online, you might find <a href="http://coollibrarianblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/presenting.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">this post</span></a> useful.<br /><br />I came away with some cool information, and a raging desire to have Library Thing integrated with our catalog (ha!).jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-32129216596177474282007-10-13T21:35:00.000-05:002007-10-14T08:05:41.799-05:00NELAI'll be <a href="http://nelib.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">blogging</span></a> some of the goings on at <a href="http://www.nelib.org/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">NELA</span></a> over the next couple of days. If you are going, look for me!jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-81863894107747539482007-10-11T19:55:00.000-05:002007-10-11T19:05:34.689-05:00Continually SurprisedWhen I was a kid, long before I considered becoming a librarian, I always associated librarians with (school) teachers in my head. They seemed to have so much in common: books, a love of reading, the desire to help you learn stuff, and so on. So I am always surprised when I find the teachers in my area to be completely disinterested in the public library and what we may be able to do to help them, and vice versa.<br /><br />One of the biggest frustrations I encounter when helping middle and high school students with projects and papers is the fact that their teachers seem to have very little idea of what their local library has to offer - and, more importantly sometimes - what we don't. My library has a good print reference collection for a smaller library, and we have a good serials database, but we certainly don't have everything. We can access the local university collections, but most students (or their parents) don't know that, and also don't realize that that takes time in terms of getting the books in hand. So when I get the bulk of a class in looking for the same or similar materials, and everything's either out already or we simply don't have it, many kids leave empty-handed. And I hate that.<br /><br />Since this is nothing new, I have over the years printed up a few guides for teachers concerning our collection and what we offer, a special note on "primary source material" (which is harder to come by on the fly), an offer to make up special handouts, bookmarks, and displays, and the fact that if a class is working on one subject, a heads up will allow me to secure some additional materials from other sources. I send these out every year, and from what I can tell, they are completely ignored (not once has a teacher called me to request services or ask questions).<br /><br />Add to that the trend of middle-school teachers requiring that the students use ONLY book sources, and, well, I get a lot of migraines. While I understand that teachers do not want their students writing their papers completely from what could be inaccurate websites, it doesn't seem like there's any instruction on what "good" websites might be for a given topic - they're just banned from using websites. And, worse still, there is often no mention of online databases - and because they are accessed via the computer, many students are afraid , or not allowed, to use them even though they are sometimes the best research option for a chosen topic. I have the distinct impression that a good number of these teachers do not know what a database is, or how it works. And again, if anyone bothered to ask me to do a show-and-tell at the library, then everyone would know the basics.<br /><br />And then there are the summer reading lists - the horrible, unchanging, summer reading lists. After looking at the same sad-ass reading lists for two years, I compiled a HUGE package of "the best" and various award-winners lists from a variety of sources, and sent them out. Nada. Same lists again, and in some cases, the schools gave up entirely. This year, I updated, expanded, and recompiled, posted the list to the blog, linked each title to Amazon, provided other helpful links, and then emailed the department heads. Not so much as a "Gee, thanks, that's helpful."<br /><br />Finally, I asked a high school teacher why no one seemed interested in the library. His response was, "We don't have time read stuff like that. We're inundated with junk constantly. We're too busy trying to teach to the state standards." Alllllriiighty then.<br /><br />I suppose this just falls under "you can lead a horse to water..." and all that, but man is it frustrating.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-12215276212246306942007-09-30T17:49:00.000-05:002007-09-30T18:06:02.289-05:00It's been one of those weeks.<a href="http://effinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2007/09/our-library-campaign.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Now, here's a library campaign I can get behind</span></a>!<br /><br />Every manner of disordered, disruptive, annoying, and just plain crazy was in the library this week. Which really doesn't make it any different than any other week, but this week I had stuff I had to actually get done. And it's difficult to get anything done when you have to constantly address pandemonium at the computers. The computers which seem to be falling apart, all-of-a-sudden and at a rapid rate (these are WAY beyond their natural 3-4 year usefulness). But! No worries, because "we have six new computers coming!" which will actually hit the floor sometime near summer of 2008....<br /><br />Yeah, it was one of those weeks.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-87522604259719711012007-09-27T13:21:00.000-05:002008-12-10T15:05:17.561-05:00Newsflash - (Free) Museum Day!I just heard about this-<br /><br />Saturday (September 29) is <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Museum Day</span></a>!<br /><br /><blockquote>Museum Day is a nationwide event taking place on Saturday, September 29, 2007 where participating museums and cultural institutions across the country offer free admission to Smithsonian readers and Smithsonian.com visitors, allowing for one day only, the free-admission policy of Smithsonian's Washington, D.C.-based facilities to be emulated across the country.</blockquote><br />I checked out <a href="http://content.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/?state=MA"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Massachusetts</span></a> and <a href="http://content.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/?state=RI"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rhode Island</span></a>, and both states have some great offerings (including the MFA and Isabella Stewart Gardner).<br /><br />OK, so, yeah, you have to <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/articles/card.php"><span style="font-weight: bold;">fill out a form</span></a> which is meant to build Smithsonian Magazine's mailing list, but I'm still all for it. This is a great opportunity for people who cannot usually afford museum trips (taking a family of four to a museum can run into a lot of money some places), as well as a good reason to visit one of the smaller centers you may have missed in your travels. I plan on putting up a poster in the library about this, and I think Mom and I will go either to the New Bedford Whaling Museum (I grew up going to that museum) or the RISD Museum of Art.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnNjoFU71YSOaC03OZ4R-BMVVEdNKntaPhLO5kB_6UxN_vKHWzICQ5wb7a5IJIC4f2T6KVMnp2dac5zVB3n6l2AAMcRECQuNlG59ByWGKcKZ9dO45fIX26NUBibjDmwMCbZkN/s1600-h/JessYoung.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnNjoFU71YSOaC03OZ4R-BMVVEdNKntaPhLO5kB_6UxN_vKHWzICQ5wb7a5IJIC4f2T6KVMnp2dac5zVB3n6l2AAMcRECQuNlG59ByWGKcKZ9dO45fIX26NUBibjDmwMCbZkN/s400/JessYoung.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114961418800228098" border="0" /></a>Me with my Grandma and little brother on the <a href="http://www.whalingmuseum.org/exhibits/lagoda.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lagoda</span></a>. 1974-ish.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-6770145641497751172007-09-26T09:27:00.000-05:002007-09-26T10:07:57.735-05:00Now, onto something really important!If I hadn't become a librarian, I would have gone to culinary school and become a pastry chef. I may still do that, but in the meantime, I'm tossing together a food/baking blog.<br /><br />Not that this has anything to do with library life, but while looking at the bevy of food blogs out there, I have noticed that the majority of the ones I have seen use either the <a href="http://tartelette.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Minima</span></a> <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://joakitchen.blogspot.com/"></a><a href="http://joakitchen.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">template</span></a> (Blogger) or one of the popular spare, white background templates on <a href="http://cupcakeblog.com/index.php"><span style="font-weight: bold;">WordPress</span></a>. I found this funny because, before even looking around, I was leaning towards the same idea.<br /><br />So, I just wonder why this is. Is there some design sensibility shared by those who love to bake? Is it a matter of copycatting? Did someone send out a memo to food bloggers saying, "If you want to be cool, you need a white background?" I read blogs in many categories, but I don't think I have seen anything like this. Interesting. Thoughts?<br /><br />----------------<br />Now playing: <a href="http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/guster/track/center+of+attention" title="'Guster - Center Of Attention' - open on FoxyTunes Planet">Guster - Center Of Attention</a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153); font-style: italic; font-size: 10px;">via <a style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" href="http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/" title="FoxyTunes - Web of music at your fingertips">FoxyTunes</a></span>jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-56766631308934514322007-09-26T09:13:00.000-05:002007-09-26T09:27:38.568-05:00Flap Flap FlapThis was not a topic that I had planned to devote TWO posts to (I usually can't get it together enough to get one post up about the "controversial" issues), but because, and only because, I've had comments and email asking just "what my problem is" about The Mudflap, I'll sum up thusly:<br /><br />I think the "ideas" behind the campaign were good. And, in terms of the campaign being effective (when was the last time a library campaign, of all things, got this much press?), the campaign is great.<br /><br />I think it was risky (not necessarily bad). I think it's controversial (not necessarily bad). I think lots of people like it, some people don't, and Wyoming Libraries had to weigh that before proceeding (um, right?).<br /><br />They picked a "hot button" image - and maybe they really didn't know that (hard to imagine), but they did. Maybe they had hoped that all the uppity feminists had shaved their armpits, put their bras back on, and called it a day....<br /><br />Personally, I'm still hairy, my bra's still on fire in a trash can out back, and I think this image wasn't used tongue-in-cheek-enough and is better suited to beer commercials. But, as in all things, your mileage may vary.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-32114137231399762322007-09-21T18:16:00.000-05:002007-09-21T19:19:20.884-05:00Presenting!In spite of the fact that we constantly hear bout the evils of PowerPoint, and slide show presentations in general, there's a whole raft of online presentation tools you can play with. Some allow you to actually create presentations in your browser, and others simply make it possible for you to store, share, and embed your presentations. Here are some that I have actually used or played with:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Slideshare</span></a> is the YouTube of the presentation world. It allows you to upload ppt, pps, odp (open office) and pdf files, present them on the site, share them, allow downloads, and embed shows in webpages and blogs. I used slideshare <a href="http://geocaching.coollibrarian.com"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a>, and I think it's especially useful if you want to embed a presentation in your web page, AND you want random people to see your stuff. I have already had a few requests to use the shows from other people looking to put on geocaching presentations. No creation capability as yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if that is eventually incorporated. Definitely a social tool.<br /><br /><a href="http://show.zoho.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">ZohoShow</span></a> has creation and editing capabilities that Slideshare does not. However, Zoho isn't nearly as easy to navigate, and the social aspect isn't anywhere near as useful as Slideshare. If you take the time to look around and figure things out, need the editing and creation tools, and are not concerned about the social aspect, then give this a try. Quality of uploaded programs is actually a bit better than Slideshare. They also have other tools, much in the same vein as Google Docs.<br /><a href="http://www.thumbstacks.com/"><br /></a><a href="http://preezo.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Preezo</span></a> is a cleaner, more straightforward version of ZohoShow. However, no upload function. But you can create, email, share, and embed. No social interface. For straight creation, I like this better than Zoho.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thumbstacks.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thumbstacks</span></a> is one of the earlier players in online slide creation, and operates on a very spare platform. In fact, it's so spare, there's barely any documentation at all. None of the frills of the aforementioned, but it does work. Share slides via a link - no embedding. Minimalists will love it.<br /><br />Naturally, <a href="http://docs.google.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Google Docs</span></a> has joined the fray as well. Again, very similar to Preezo; not a lot new going on here. But, I can definitely see the benefit to using this tool if you already use the other Google Docs tools, and I do like the idea of having a complete suite online. If library patrons caught on to this, there'd be less need to outfit each computer with MS Office.<br /><br />Now, if you know code, have server space, and do a lot of presentations, you might like the <a href="http://www.librarian.net/stax/1286/presentations-without-powerpoint-how-i-do-it/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">system that Jessamyn uses</span></a>. I have also gone this route, and I love the finished product. If you have zero html/css experience, and don't particularly want any, this probably isn't the way to go. But if you do, once you've done one, doing others is a snap. Also makes it easy to store your presentations on your server and present presentations in link-list format on your web page. Nifty "print" version option as well.<br /><br />OK, go put something together, and come back and show the class.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14369654.post-24547175250046269372007-09-20T18:44:00.000-05:002008-12-10T15:05:17.693-05:00Mud Flap, Anyone?I first read about the <a href="http://www.wyominglibraries.org/campaign.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Mudflap"</span></a> campaign over at <a href="http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/index.php"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Meredith's</span></a> site. To be honest, I wasn't sure how I felt about it. Obviously, I'm a person who likes to push the envelope, and is usually trying to think outside the box when it comes to library services; and if you know me personally at all, you know that the LAST thing I am is a prude. But, I am also a "feminist," and I just wasn't 100% on board with this. And, that made me feel like a prude, and worse yet, a prude without a sense of humor. My thoughts arent, "OMG! That's horrible!" but more along the lines of, "Yeeeaaah, I don't know about that."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/wyolibrarian/1402970591/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWR7qVZd9qwpvSgLx2X3vipl5Hp3mXRs3O4JRTR6CpgfAEszV2mNkcMgTXnKMD6nf60fkvIa3ItzggWawMFJWXcDgHmpeoxJxbLAQIGgzrEN501wuRgdPDjGSe72nuByar8aTL/s320/mudflap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112475521794074274" border="0" /></a><br />Tonight, while reading one of the personal blogs I frequent, I ran into the "flap" again. <a href="http://iasshole.org/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">SJ </span></a>doesn't currently work as a librarian, but she does have an MLS, and keeps up with the goings on in library land. She had a pretty strong response to the campaign, and came up with a "rebuttal" design.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://iasshole.org/oldass/2007/09/wyoming_librari.php#comments"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9b8g-joxywc2k1rBGpNR6IgXZbafTu50m7eGkK_6oo8MeZwyC150crUt0Rfp-_PSFL6jXCTLA5jwXI3OEUFFZknu0mt9ZqRwYWbBQjyIJK3C4Yb1NOOAfowYES3pR__aZRmUX/s320/BUMPER.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112476294888187570" border="0" /></a><br />According to <a href="http://marketing.lisnews.org/marketing/07/09/20/1821255.shtml"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LISNews</span></a>, some of the listservs are all aflutter over it.<br /><br />I can't wait to see what happens next. If anything.jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13422462308023065350noreply@blogger.com8