The Leisurely Librarian

In Soviet Russia, we sometimes own your city. Sometimes not.

2008-01-11T16:18:00.000-05:00

This week seems to be the culmination of my formal department training, though I know other mini-trainings are to come concerning my work assignments when I'm not on a public desk. Although I had backup on all of my shifts this week, most folks seemed content to just let me handle everything, only stepping in if we got a sudden rush of questions. This makes me feel pretty good about how quickly I've gotten the hang of the system.

(And now I've probably cursed myself to numerous stumpers next week, when I'm flying solo. Ah well.)

Adjusting to a more sedate work pace has been a major adjustment for me -- so much so that I went home one night this week and said to my husband, "I must be the only fully employed person in America who wants more work!" I've had a lot of down time on the job -- mostly because our department is in a bit of upheaval while the Bigger Powers That Be shift around some of our responsibilities to other departments. I understand the reasons behind the delay, but I'm not good at sitting still. Somewhere between where I am now and how crazed I was on the day-to-day in my former career, the truth lies -- probably closer to now. I hope I find it soon.

Now on to what you've been waiting for. And it's a doozy this time around!

WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK

* "How was the ocean created?" I can't even begin to summarize the answer, so I'll let the good folks at Encyclopedia Britannica take this one.

* The Hollywood Erotic Museum closed its doors in May 2006.

* The price of gold on Monday was US$862.00 per Troy ounce.

* Barack Obama attends the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

* Vilinus is the capital and largest city of Lithuania. According to World Book, it was founded around 1323 by Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas. The city has a crazy 20th century history: It was controlled by Russia from 1795 to 1918; independent for two years; then controlled by Poland from 1920 to 1939. The city returned to Lithuania in 1939, but Lithuania was seized by the Soviet Union in 1940 until 1991 when Lithuania again declared its independence. Whoa.

* The Slavic Languages family includes: Sorbian (Lusatian), Pomeranian, Kashubian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Serbo-Croatian (Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian), Belarusian, Ukranian, Russian, Macedonian and Bulgarian.

* Oregon reported the nation's second-lowest foreclosure and delinquency rates in the country in the second quarter of 2007.

In other news, my Leo horoscope (courtesy of Holiday Mathis) for Tuesday told me: "Establish a trend of exchanging information with those around you."

How appropriate!

Friday, Friday

2008-01-04T17:07:00.000-05:00

Another good week of training, though it seems that these Tuesday holidays are throwing folks off a bit ("It's Friday? Really? I thought it was Wednesday..."). No complaints about the paid holidays, of course!

After reading so many public library horror stories of scary, rude, weird, what-have-you customers, I feel I must report that most everyone I have dealt with -- by phone or in-person -- has been at least polite, if not downright nice and very appreciative of our help. As with any customer service job, I know there will be difficulties down the road, but sometimes it seems that all the library patron stories out there are about the dregs of society. I'd like to reassure any new public librarians to take the hype with a massive grain of salt and to reserve judgment until they're sitting at the desk.

And now, for our Friday Feature!

WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK

* 2007 Federal tax forms are currently available online, but hard copies are still being printed and distributed due to the last minute changes in Federal tax code and the Alternative Minimum Tax. If you're looking for them, you'll have better luck in a few weeks.

* The U.S. Attorney General is (currently!) Michael B. Mukasey.

* The American Dental Association (ADA) hasn't published a hard copy version of the American Dental Directory since 1998.

* Literary translator Eliot Weinberger, best known for translating the works of Octavio Paz into English (as well as other Hispanic works) also translates Chinese poetry.

* Remember those poems you wrote in elementary school where the first letter of each line spelled out a word that was the theme of the poem? Those are called acrostics.

* If you mistype the word "thinking," it conveniently spells out to "think gin."

And with that, it's cocktail time. Happy weekend!

I said hey...what's going on?

2007-12-30T23:32:00.000-05:00

When last we met, I was anxiously awaiting my assignment at my new job. I'm pleased to report that I've been placed in Information Services (a.k.a. reference and/or "Ask-A-Librarian"). This was a bit of a shock at first as I had interviewed for an adult services position within a branch; however, after a day or two in the department, I realized that (as ever) everything happens for a reason. I could not ask for a better place for total librarian immersion as we truly do a bit of just about everything, including filling in on various desks throughout the Central Library. My research skills -- already at a fairly decent level, I believe -- should be off the charts within a year. It's very exciting.

To boot, my department colleagues could not be better. Every single one has been friendly, warm, welcoming, and simply wonderful. They clearly love what they do and can't wait to share it with someone else. I know there will be difficult -- perhaps even frustrating -- days, but I know these folks already have my back and for that I'm grateful to the Fates for delivering me to yet another safe harbor.

Right now, I'm in training/shadowing mode, which isn't terribly exciting even though I'm learning a lot very quickly. Until I have something more riveting to post, I've decided to start a regular weekly post, reflecting the vast myriad of questions we're asked on a daily basis.

WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK

* If you wish to study Actuarial Science, you can get a bachelor's degree at five universities in New York City. If you want a master's degree, however, you have to look outside New York State.

* The nursing home up the street from my apartment has a five-star rating.

* There aren't any forensic psychologists in Westbury, NY.

* Working papers are required in New York State for anyone under 18 years old who wants to work or volunteer, even part-time. Most kids can get them from their school, though there is an alternative for those who have dropped out (age 16-17).

* According to USA Hockey rules, a hockey team is made up of six players. Up to 20 separate players can play in each game. If the number of players on the ice are less than four, the team forfeits the game.

My pal Jennie (also a librarian) predicts I will be incredible at Trivial Pursuit in a few months. I hope she's right.

To work tomorrow, then New Year's Day off. Which is probably a good thing as my husband and I have plans involving fancy nibblies and at least two bottles of champagne.

I should also note that my 2008 is already happy as I became an honorary Auntie this week. At long last, my sweet Alice has joined the world and I can't think of a better resolution than to try and be the best aunt (and librarian) I can possibly be.

Here's to the New Year!

Learning 2.0: Assignment #23

2007-12-16T15:42:00.000-05:00

Woo hoo! The last assignment to complete 23 1/2 Things! We are supposed to "reflect on our learning journey" and I will do just that once I post somewhat of a disclaimer.

Anyone reading my assignments, especially the good folks running the program, will note that most of them were completed over the course of very few days. To my credit, I will note that I had a lot of free time on my hands those days and really took the time to think about each assignment thoroughly. For example, I completed Assignments #6 through #14 over the course of approximately nine hours. Aside from a short dinner break, I worked on this program straight through that entire time, which works out to just shy of an hour per assignment. Obviously, most people don't have that sort of luxury -- I certainly won't once I'm back at work tomorrow -- however, I chose to do the program this way for three important reasons:

* Getting back into the game. To be frank, I've been on a voluntary work hiatus for ten months. I've been very lucky to do so, but concentrating on other areas of my life for the better part of 2007 meant the work portion of my brain was a bit rusty. I wanted to do something proactive to make sure I was fully ready to embark on this exciting new career that I've been working toward for the last four years.

* Setting a baseline. At this point, I know I'm looking at the library world from a dangerous position -- with enough knowledge to know the players, the concerns and the theory, but not enough practical experience to really know how it all comes together. To boot, I'm coming from a corporate career background focused on communications, creative thinking, and exceptional customer service. I worked hard to become a vice president in a top PR firm and earn my clients' trust when I gave counsel. I supervised various teams and trained a lot of junior staff, many of whom I'm thrilled to see flourish in their own management careers. Now, I'm back at the beginning, but with that training and thought pattern under my belt. I know what I know and I'd like to think my opinions are informed, but I also know they will probably change as I actually sit behind the librarian desk. Six months from now, I'd like to come back and see if any of my thoughts on Library 2.0 have changed. I'm sure they will.

* Momentum. Once I get going, I get going. I also wanted to think about how each tool works (or doesn't) within the context of the other tools.

Would I recommend completing the program this way? Perhaps not, as it requires a lot of undivided attention and doesn't allow for extra exploration. I also didn't really have the time to post in many of my fellow program participants' journals, nor was I allowed to join QL Chat since I don't have a QL employee ID; therefore, I couldn't really enjoy the collaborative intent of the program. In the end, however, I'm glad I did it this way for the very unique reasons I just mentioned.

With that out of the way, what have I learned?

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?

Selfishly, probably the ones that appealed to my personal interests. I loved LibraryThing, exploring podcasts, and discovering the digital media center.

How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?

I think the program has shown me that keeping up with Internet technology is important for any information professional. I'll probably never be one to really dive in deep, get super involved, or use a lot of web tools; however, I do feel it's important that I know what's out there and the pros/cons. As is my work style, it's also good to know people who really groove on tech so I can collaborate with them and get informed opinions/real-life field trial information.

Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

In short, the fact that I came out of this program somewhat jazzed about some of the tools. I'm not a pessimistic person, but I thought this program would be more a slog than interesting and involving. Quite the opposite happened -- in fact, I often found myself (*gasp!*) having fun.

What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?

Not much, except to maybe test the links and/or which sites can be accessed from the library itself. I didn't encounter any problems, but it seemed that some folks who were following the program from work couldn't get to some of the suggested resources. I don't know the ins and outs of the system (yet!), but perhaps more collaboration with the IT department would help alleviate those problems.

And last but not least…if we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again chose to participate?

Most likely, yes. I think it's a wonderful way to gently expose yourself to new concepts. Getting to know your colleagues, especially in a system as widespread as Queens Library, can also only be a good thing.

Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this program happen, especially Hood and Hat who so eagerly and kindly shared her new baby with me -- a perfect stranger from a librarian listserv! -- way back when I was only in the interviewing stage. What a way to start my new career!

Stay tuned for more from The Leisurely Librarian. I hope to chronicle my first work year on this journal and hope that you'll keep reading. Cheers!

Learning 2.0: Assignment #22

2007-12-16T14:15:00.000-05:00

In our second-to-last assignment (hooray!), we've been asked to look at Queens Library's Digital Media Center. In doing so, I must admit I'm generally very impressed with the depth of the audiobook, music and video collection available to patrons -- and the fact that they can be accessed from anywhere, so long as the patron has a library card, brief Internet access, and the correct computer.

Here is one of two major drawbacks: the correct computer. I suppose decisions have to be made to protect digital copyright, but Overdrive is only of use to folks with a Windows-based computer. Some of this is Apple vs. Microsoft (what can you do), but it doesn't seem right to me that a sizable amount of patrons are excluded from this service, nor that a vendor would be selected that allows such (for lack of a better term) discrimination.

Yes, I'm a Mac/iPod user and I am miffed!

The other concern I have is that Overdrive can only be accessed by computers outside of the libraries. Again, we're dealing with access issues and digital divide problems. In theory, if a patron doesn't have a computer at home but, perhaps, has a much less expensive MP3 player, what does it hurt to allow them to download titles to the player while at the library? Obviously there are other issues such as other folks waiting for computers, etc., but on the surface I don't understand this rule.

These issues aside, I think offering this service is wonderful and another concrete, tangible way to show that libraries are growing with patrons' needs.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #21

2007-12-15T23:47:00.000-05:00

I've always loved radio. Some of my best memories have a radio accompaniment -- music or otherwise. I remember listening to old-time radio shows on an AM station during late night roadtrips with my family; singing along with friends' parents to 70s and 80s hits during car pools; and, to this day, my dad's made-up lyrics and singing on any given night's travels are an experience to behold. I love radio so much that one of my proudest accomplishments was spending 3.5 years as a DJ/producer on one of the largest college radio stations in the U.S. That was years ago, but I still wish I could be on the air, a mixing board under my hands, FCC license firmly tucked into my wallet.

All of this is to say that I think podcasts are a wonderful thing. The idea that anyone, in theory, could create their own show and share it with listeners is fantastic. In the library world, podcasts such as LibVibe are useful for professional news updates, or perhaps sharing continuing education/conference programs with a broader audience. Similarly, podcasting can allow public libraries to record book talks or special programs, then share them with patrons (near and far) who couldn't make it to the live session.

I think I get giddy about podcasting because it's somehow tangible. I can relate to the advancement and broadening of a known concept. Add to this that podcasts are non-intrusive -- you listen (or not) at your leisure, about topics that specifically interest you. How civilized!

I admit I haven't learned how to create my own podcast yet, but that is something I plan to remedy shortly. I can't wait.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #20

2007-12-15T00:26:00.000-05:00

YouTube! I love YouTube! Besides funny videos and sports highlights, I also adore YouTube because it allows my British husband and me to better explain elements of our childhood. After all, I would never have fully appreciated Parsley the Lion, nor would he have understood my loyalty to The Electric Company if it weren't for YouTube.

As far as libraries, my immediate thought was to use YouTube for booktalks or short monthly "what's up at the library" highlight reels. The trick being, of course, to keep each "episode" brief and lively. Would people subscribe or watch such videos? It depends on the patrons (as ever), but might be worth a trial run if the participants are creative and the necessary equipment is to hand.

As far as a YouTube video to post, I can't resist sharing a video made of my wedding parade this past May. We walked from the synagogue to the reception -- about half a mile -- accompanied by a jug band. Consider it our love letter to both New Orleans and NYC. Enjoy!

Learning 2.0: Assignment #19

2007-12-15T00:08:00.000-05:00

I have to admit feeling a bit Web 2.0-ed out at the moment. Lots of cool tools -- some useful, some not -- but too much clutter to dig out the gems. I was pleasantly surprised, therefore, by The Web 2.0 Awards Short List and how simple it was to click on a category and find that someone had done the searching work for me. Particularly when it comes to topics I don't personally find interesting, I think this list will be very helpful on the reference desk or when completing other work-oriented tasks. At the very least, it's a start in the right direction.

In keeping with my healthcare subject specialty, I explored Healia, a health-specific search engine. A couple of years ago, I checked out Healia in its early stages and found it promising. What I love about it now is that you can type in your query, then narrow it to a specific audience or need. In particular, my heart went a-flutter when I saw the "HONcode Sites" option as it eliminates semi-questionable sites that lack peer review (e.g., about.com).

I'm still partial to MedlinePlus as a first portal for health information, but Healia looks like it might be a close second.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #18

2007-12-14T23:48:00.000-05:00

Now we get to something I can get behind -- online office documents! It's no secret that, for years, Microsoft has had a monopoly on creating and sharing word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and other work documents. Going back to my theory that sharing information should be democratic, I believe the development of web-based programs that do the same thing as Microsoft Office is a wonderful thing. And so handy!

I was introduced to Google Docs a couple of months ago when planning my neighbors' baby shower. How great was it that they could put together the address list, grant access to me, and update it as need be without shifting the file back and forth between our (possibly incompatible) computers. Additionally, as with most things Google, I like the intuitiveness and simplicity of Google Docs. It does what it does and no more.

The major reason I can see web-based office documents not taking off is due to confidentiality. I think of my former job and its clients and can't imagine them trusting a third party with the storage of their classified information, no matter how much reassurance is offered. I'm sure that's not a unique situation -- one that Microsoft will most likely use to its advantage as new Office suites are released.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #17 1/2

2007-12-14T22:42:00.000-05:00

Considering Facebook and its associated applications, I'm not sure I see a lot of added value. I admit I'm a bit biased when it comes to "social networking" applications in the sense that I think they are, by and large, popularity contests rather than usable tools. The rare exception, I find, is LinkedIn, which has truly helped me maintain/reestablish contact with a variety of professional pals.

That said, if a librarian has a Facebook account and knows his/her patrons also use Facebook frequently, it could be another way to encourage use of library resources. For example, I could see YA librarians having some success with Facebook (provided their patrons have access to a computer at home or school).

I do have a Facebook account, but only set it up in order to get details for a friend's party months ago. I accept friends' invitations when they send them to me, but don't see myself getting any more involved than I am now. As noted on this assignment, we have so many accounts open now -- when does it become overkill and/or redundant?

Learning 2.0: Assignment #17

2007-12-14T22:06:00.000-05:00

I must admit, this is the first time I've edited a wiki. It was both fun and a little strange. Fun, because I got to add my two cents to a topic close to my heart. Strange, because it's possible that people will take my opinions/knowledge as absolute fact. Personally, I tried very hard to be accurate and to also be careful and unbiased in my word choice -- but was I? Is everyone else as careful or concerned?

After more thought, I think completely public wikis are best for opinion-based topics, such as travel. That's not to say wikis are entirely opinion-oriented; just that there need to be stronger parameters for wikis that offer factual information.

That said, I enjoyed looking at WikiTravel. So much so that I added my thoughts to the Kansas wiki. See if you can guess which parts I wrote (and the places where I tried to tidy up the grammar/spelling don't count).

Learning 2.0: Assignment #16

2007-12-14T18:38:00.000-05:00

Wiki wiki wiki. Whenever I hear the...word?...term?...I think of Buck Rogers. Or Hawai'i. Or Buck Rogers in Hawai'i! Now that would be a sight!

I find the concept of wikis fascinating, but often difficult in real use. Going back to my foundation belief that information democracy is a primary ideal, wikis are wonderful because it allows folks to share and collaborate on any topic. Certainly, gems can be found thanks to the hive mind, so in that way wikis are wonderful.

On the flip side, just about anyone can spout "facts" on a wiki, no matter if they've studied the topic for a day or a decade. Vandalism, of course, is also a problem. So how do you maintain the ideal of public collaboration while keeping out those who are damaging to the usefulness of the wiki -- intentionally or not? I have no answer for this, nor do I know of a truly fair solution.

All that said, collaboration can be wonderful -- especially for those with different backgrounds, patronage and points-of-view. Certainly, there would be a lot for me to learn from a librarian based in, say, rural Kentucky or a military base in Guam. Library Success aims for this ideal and seems to be off to a great start if the participants stay involved. Perhaps the creators have already considered this, but it would be nice to have them reach out to experts on certain topics (e.g., the "Services for the Poor and Homeless" section is very sparse) and ask them to get the ball rolling for the group as a whole. Listing these experts as participants would also help in getting the word out in an effective manner on listservs, etc.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #15

2007-12-14T18:08:00.000-05:00

So now we come to, as I see it, one of the big questions facing librarians today. How do you feel about Library 2.0? I hate to make any grand proclamations until I have more work experience under my belt, especially since I think the answer varies depending on what type of librarian you are. Speaking from the perspective of someone about to start as an adult services public librarian, however, I have to say that the concept makes me uneasy -- if only because I (currently) believe librarians are latching on to 2.0 concepts without truly thinking of their end users first.

Many of my theories were summed up nicely in practice by The Cool Librarian. Bottom line, are we trying to thrust ideas and tools on folks who simply don't have the wherewithal or interest to take advantage of them? This is not to say that, as information professionals, we shouldn't try to keep up with trends to see what is useful/expected by our patrons. In reality, however, I feel your average adult patron barely knows that he/she can use instant messenger to ask reference questions, reserve books online, or even access many research databases from the comfort of home. Why, then, would we expect folks to sign up for blogs or Twitter? Why would we expect them to care about frills when we haven't even taken the time to market the day-to-day useful tools that already exist?

Much of my stance goes back to my years of working in public relations, counseling clients on what will break through the clutter and what won't. Effective marketing is sorely lacking for most library systems and, to be frank, our association isn't much more successful. Libraries are not, by their nature, cool or hip; they are a necessary practicality to a democratic society. Think of it this way: Would you consider City Hall and local government cool? No. Hip? No. Important? Of course. I truly feel that by emphasizing this societal importance -- and publically showcasing the programs and services we provide (some of which, occasionally, are quite cool) -- we will attract more patrons and cement our importance in an ever-changing, ever-more-technological world. Not the other way around.

Will this change? Perhaps, as Internet tools sort themselves and we separate what is truly useful to a wide swath of patrons -- which, of course, takes time. We should do our best to keep up and constantly consider ways to make our services of increased use to patrons. At the end of the day, however, we are serving our patrons -- not ourselves. If we're grasping at straws to discover an identity in the 21st century, perhaps we need to reexamine our patronage to figure out what's missing, not create a mold that doesn't fit those we serve.

Holiday Gift Idea!

2007-12-14T02:26:00.000-05:00

I have no idea how I just found it, but I submit the following for your approval.

Behold! The Mildly Attractive Men of SLIS, University of South Carolina" 2008 calendar.

Only $13 (including shipping) and the proceeds go to sending students to a conference. I think this might fall firmly into the category whence my husband rolls his eyes and sighs "Librarian Humor." That said, you don't even want to know what engineers find amusing.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #14

2007-12-14T01:35:00.000-05:00

Back we go to Technorati, though this time I did pause long enough to register and Claim My Blog. Only you have the power to pull me out of the 4,601,744th spot, so get to clicking on the little Technorati link down there on the right side of the page!

In all seriousness, I still find Technorati a bit...cluttered, I guess. I'm one for simple, clear web design when it comes to usable tools. I don't like ads, I don't like flashing things, and I don't like so much information that it becomes overwhelming. I'd rather have a site do one small thing really well (or at least have the appearance of it -- dinner table conversation tonight revolved around this being the precise reason why Google has been so wildly successful) than ten things that all try to compete for your attention and space.

Why is it that so many tools want you to become so involved with their sites? Yes, I know, the more investment you have, the more likely you'll return and tell your friends, which equals increased business. But who has the time to be tagging everything and authorizing 50 websites on 12 different tools? When does technology stop being helpful and start becoming obsessive and, in itself, the end goal/product?

In sum, to answer one of the questions posed in this exercise, it is not in the least surprising that most of the top ten blogs on Technorati are tech- or gadget-focused. And this is the frightening part about listening to blogs too much: by default, we are generally only listening to one subsect of the population. This scares me.

What thrills me, however, is that LOLcats are ranked #11 and rising. Srsly!

Learning 2.0: Assignment #13

2007-12-14T00:58:00.001-05:00

As a librarian, public tagging is a bit of a concern to me. In the broadest sense, everyone organizes information slightly differently when left to their own devices. This is precisely when, despite its flaws, systems like Library of Congress Subject Headings are so important.

Visit any popular community on Livejournal and you will see how disastrous tags can be when hundreds of people are creating their own tags. At least del.icio.us tries to contain the madness a bit by suggesting popular tags, a feature I hope users take advantage of more often than not (though I realize that hope may be overly optimistic).

I created my own del.icio.us page a few months ago and got very into it for about two days (as is my wont). I think the site is incredibly useful as a mobile bookmark system; certainly the community tags and suggestions can also lead the user to other interesting sites. That said, public del.icio.us groups can also lead to slight chaos, as exhibited by the QL.Things page -- and then how useful is it, really?

Feel free to peruse my del.icio.us page, even though I haven't updated it in forever. You'll see it became a bit of a catch-all for web-based recipes, plus a few extras -- including this gem, which I still consider one of the best things the Internet has ever created.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #12

2007-12-13T23:54:00.000-05:00

What a frustrating half hour it's been trying to figure out Rollyo. In fact, I think this experience sums up exactly why I get so easily frustrated with web "tools."

Before I get into that, I will say that -- once I figured it out -- Rollyo does seem to have quite a few interesting possibilities for librarians, especially those on the reference desk. If you'll indulge me for a moment: my personal subject speciality is healthcare as I worked in the industry for over 10 years before becoming a librarian. The best part of the job was helping patients, caregivers and professionals communicate more effectively and obtain the information they needed for any given event. Health literacy is a huge topic of interest for me; I think we can all agree that Americans of all backgrounds and education levels sorely lack the information they need to make good healthcare decisions that are so vitally important to navigating the system. I hope to expand this interest into my new librarian position, and what better way to start than creating my own "Health Answers" Rollyo*.

Briefly, back to my Rollyo frustrations. Quite simply, the site is not user-friendly! I hate having to search entire sites for something as simple as, oh, a direct link to the Rollyo I just created. I was also frustrated by the fact that, if I briefly navigated off the site, Rollyo forgot all the data I had placed into its fields. Perhaps its just me, but I feel that a lot of the tech folks who create these tools forget that the average person thinks and organizes information differently than they do. This is why site testing is so vital -- and why creators should listen to the feedback, good and bad.

* = Please note that this Rollyo is in no way comprehensive yet -- it's what I could throw together in 20 minutes based upon the websites and I know and trust. In general, the best one-stop-shop you can visit to get reliable healthcare information is MedlinePlus. Your tax dollars going to a useful cause!

Learning 2.0: Assignment #11

2007-12-13T23:14:00.000-05:00

I have a crush. A serious, new surprising crush. And it is on LibraryThing.

As with many of the tools being explored as part of this program, I'd heard of LibraryThing but didn't see much point in joining. How wrong I was -- it's books we're talking about here, and if more people are talking about books, that can only be a good thing!

(Remind me to offer my diatribe against the popular belief that books and all things hard copy print are dying. Another day.)

Populating your library isn't the only fun...urrrm...thing about LibraryThing. Looking at other folks' reviews, using the Book Suggestor (and UnSuggestor!) are super fun as well. I know I've barely scratched the iceberg on this website, which is terribly exciting. To boot, I think it will be fabulously useful for me when answering readers' advisory queries.

Here is a link to my catalog. Very heavy on the cookbooks right now, but those were the volumes I had to immediate hand. Well, that and I'm more than a bit mad about food and cooking...one must keep up the girlish figure somehow!

Learning 2.0: Assignment #10

2007-12-13T20:01:00.001-05:00

Image courtesy of ASCII Poster.

I don't know about you, but when I play with image generators I often feel I'm kind of stealing. So many of them are out there so you can order products with the resulting image -- is it fair to take the freebie without purchasing? All the more so since we, as librarians, are so concerned with copyright protection...

Regardless, here is a generated image from a generator I found that seems to be out there for no other reason than fun. Wouldn't you know it would resort to ASCII, which I always find is underrated in these days of Flash and such.

Oh, all right. If my good instructors can do it, so can I. Happy holidays, y'all!

Image courtesy of FunHouse Collectibles.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #9

2007-12-13T19:38:00.000-05:00

I must admit that, although I've know about Technorati for a while and find the concept really interesting, I've rarely used the site. I can see how it would be very useful in the library, to assist a patron looking for information on a certain topic or to suggest additional resources.

Similarly, Topix.net is fun to run through, and perhaps a bit more user-friendly in its design to my eyes. Syndic8.com offered a refreshing change of pace and seemed more like a search engine than the other sites, which I appreciated. I could see using all three sites at work as needs arise.

For me, however, I prefer to find sites on my own and subscribe to the RSS feeds one by one. That not to say these search tools couldn't be personally useful; it's just not my normal M.O. Besides, there are only so many feeds I can personally handle before I feel overwhelmed -- no matter how simple my feed reader may be!

Learning 2.0: Assignment #8

2007-12-13T19:12:00.000-05:00

RSS feeds are an interesting thing. In one sense, they're terribly useful -- especially for someone like me who flits about from interest to interest and has difficulty keeping up with del.icio.us or even simple bookmarks in my browser. Feed readers allow me to peruse journals, news and so forth at my own pace, when I feel like looking at them. Or I can simply think "I can't handle this today" and sweep all the entries away with a mere click. Very satisfying to my "throw it all away" method of clutter control.

That said, I do sometimes miss the design of the original sites, or the ability to follow additional links on the home site that are generally missing from feeds. I also wonder what RSS feeds will do to those who rely on Google ads or similar as a source of income. Hmmm.

As far as Bloglines, it's interesting to use, but I think I prefer the simplicity of Google Reader. I'll play with both and see who wins in the next few weeks. After all, I was a Yahoo! mail devotee until I stuck with Gmail for a while...

Confessions of a Luddite, or What's Up With These Doohickeys, Anyway?

2007-12-13T17:05:00.000-05:00

Update: Who knew?! This was actually Assignment #7. Psychic, or simply timely? You decide!

A bit of a break in the Learning 2.0 for a bit of a personal confession, or at least a few things that have been rolling in my head the last few weeks as I approach the Embarkation Date of My New Career.

As you may have guessed from previous posts (and most likely will as I progress through the 23 Things), I'm not a massive fan of Internet-based technology. Don't get me wrong -- I think some technology is a wonderful thing; after all, e-mail and text messaging has most likely preserved several of my cherished friendships that may have drifted to the wind due to distance and time. I'm all for the democratization of information that the Internet offers, though the accuracy, bias and/or usefulness of much of it can be debated (this is why librarians are still indispensable in my mind -- but that's another post entirely). Certainly, Internet-based databases make my job much easier, as well as the lives of patrons who take the time to learn the basics of accessing them.

HOWEVER.

I feel there's too much clutter out there to really find the gems. What's useful and/or nifty one minute is (almost literally) outdated and declasse the next. Quite frankly, I can't keep up, nor do I want to expend the energy to do so. This goes beyond any claims to leisure foremost and, honestly, into pure frustration and anger as to why this is at all important.

Which leads me to my largest concern about everyone tap-tapping away at computers or tech-based instruments constantly. Have we lost our ability to be face-to-face social creatures? Are we sacrificing humanity and basic intercourse to the convenience of "talking" through isolation? It makes me sad that my e-mail box and text message spaces are full to the brim, but my phone rarely rings anymore. I dislike the feeling that making a phone call -- for business or social reasons -- feels like an intrusion these days. And heaven forfend anyone put away their cell phone and/or Blackberry when you do actually meet up in person!

When my husband and I were in my hometown over Thanksgiving, it was a sheer delight to be in a household where the phone rings several times a day with family, friends or neighbors checking in and/or making plans. My parents have and use e-mail, but usually check it only once or twice a day. When we were out and about, no one pulled out a cell phone during drinks or dinner. Best of all, I took a purposeful 10-day break from the computer and found -- golly! -- you can live without being permanently plugged in.

Beyond this, don't get me started on the destruction of the English language thanks to text-speak, forum posts and such. What started as "Wow -- e-mail is like sending old-fashioned letters again, only faster. How wonderful!" is turning into a communication (and civility) disaster of potentially epic proportions. And I say that as someone who believes English is a fluid, constantly evolving tongue!

I wonder what other folks think about these pros and cons. I wonder how these feelings will translate in my new career -- can I learn enough to be successful and/or will I be the one constantly asking, "Do we really need this, or is it for show?" I'm not sure of the answers and welcome any thoughts on these musings.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #6

2007-12-13T16:52:00.000-05:00

Well! That was quite a long break, wasn't it? It's a good thing this is "Lifelong Learning" -- at this rate, I'll finish when I'm approximately 62. Of course, I have the impetus of starting a new job next week, so perhaps this extended weekend will be a flurry of posting. Such is my way -- all or nothing. Ahh, to live in the happy medium someday.

Anyway! Back to Flickr!

The next assignment asks us to explore Flickr Mashups. Forget most of what I said about Flickr in the last post -- now we're finding things that are USEFUL! Or at least way too fun, such as Color Fields Colr Pickr. I'm not a designer, but I do adore saturated colors, so imagine my delight in finding lots of RED and PURPLE and GREEN and BLUE pictures. Very soothing in an odd way, and somewhere I will return to when my eyes need a rest or refresher -- or when I'm in need of a new desktop image.

MOO MiniCards also enthralls me as a genius idea way overdue. I must admit a weakness for custom calling cards, stationery, and the like and have been wishing for quite some time that they make a style comeback. How thrilling! Perhaps I'll place an order once the paychecks start rolling in again...

(N.B.: I did put together a Librarian Trading Card, as suggested, but the one decent photo I have of myself alone was too pixelated to make it of much use. Ah well. Fun, nonetheless!)

Learning 2.0: Assignment #5

2007-10-07T22:58:00.000-04:00

Ahhh...Flickr. Such a strange relationship I have with you. Not being much of a shutterbug, I view you as I do many online services -- a good tool to know, for when I need to know it. Many close pals of mine, however, use you as a social network (with...interesting results sometimes) and a way to Share Their Art. I'll refrain from further comment, except to say that, in general, I think the advent of digital photography has greatly cheapened what was once a true artistic calling. Do with that what you will.

Regardless, I do love the current photo over yonder in the upper right-hand corner. My title for it is Ma Vie en Fleurs (My Life in Flowers) because it is color-rich, lush, full of light, and slightly off-center. Of course, I did not snap the shot -- the wonderful Karen Wise did, on my wedding day.

Learning 2.0: Assignment #3

2007-10-07T03:52:00.000-04:00

In this assignment, we were asked to view The 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners. Despite my initial balk at the play on business title, I was cheered to know that I've somehow acquired most of these habits over the years. Easy peasy for me, then.

In particular, "viewing problems as challenges" is something that anyone who has spent three weeks in the business world has drilled into their heads, buzzword bingo-style. Personally, I've refined the general idea to a more proactive, simplistic principle that has guided my various careers since Day One: Every Problem Has A Solution. The fun is finding the solution and making it work for everyone involved.

And then, of course, there's the 1/2 habit: Play. If you ask me, Play deserves a full habit rather than a half...but I would say that, wouldn't I?

Come aboard. We're expecting you.

2007-10-07T03:17:00.000-04:00

Welcome to The Leisurely Librarian, where leisure rules and work, though important, is kept in its rightful place.

I have learned over the years (and throughout careers prior to the one I love now) that success is not measured in slogs or hours or being busier than thou. Instead, by encouraging curiosity, creativity, and a solid mental Rolodex of experts, pals and helpful folks, work is more engaging and, therefore, more productive. Not to mention a hell of a lot more amusing, to boot.

My general work/life philosophy? In the immortal words of Mary Poppins: "In every job there's to be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and SNAP! The job's a game!"

(I do consider Mary Poppins -- both the book original and Julie Andrews version -- an important role model. We'll get to the reasons why later, I suspect.)

On the flip side, I despise being bored in my "personal life." And so, leisure is that much more important -- particularly the art of doing nothing in particular when the moment requires.

This journal (despite my choice of server, am I the only one who finds the term "blog" and its associated contractions ugly and non-descript?) will chronicle my life as a burgeoning, fresh-as-a-flower librarian. Some entries will coincide with the Queens Library Learning 2.0 Project and will be marked as such. Most will be my musings, observations, triumphs and travails on this new personal path. With plenty of leisure breaks and smart shortcuts, of course.

And so. Let the games begin!