Getting Ready for the "Sale for London"

I intend to be the Thing-LESS Monkey...The sale will be the weekend of July 25 - for a couple of days. Today I set boxes - empty - all around the house and we started to fill them up. We have some sweet stuff - but it is just that - stuff - nothing wrong with it and I do hope someone else will want to have it for a while...

Anokaberry 2009 Short List

Beanball by Gene Fehler
Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Chicken Foot Farm by Anne Estevis
Cicada Summer by Andrea Beaty
Comeback Season by Jennifer E. Smith
Deep Down Popular by Phoebe Stone
The Dragon's Child by Laurence Yep
Facttracker by Jason Carter Eaton
Ghost Letters by Stephen Alter
Go Big or Go Home by Will Hobbs
Greetings from Nowhere by Barbara O'Connor
Grow by Juanita Havill
Honeybee: Poems and Short Prose by Naomi Shibab Nye
I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields
Jeremy Cabbage and the Living Museum of Human Oddballs and Quadruped Delights
by David Elliott
Kaline Klattermaster's Tree House by Haven Kimmel
Keeping Score by Linda Sue Park
Lulu Atlantis and the Quest for True Blue Love by Patricia Martin
Magic Half by Annie Barrows
Mr. Karp's Last Glass by Cary Fagan
Penderwick's on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall
Porcupine by Meg Tilly
The Red-Headed Princess: A Novel by Ann Rinaldi
Rex Zero, King of Nothing by Tim Wynne-Jones
Ringside, 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial by Jen Bryant
Seer of Shadows by Avi
Six Innings by James Preller
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor
When the Sergeant Came Marching Home by Don Lemna
Where the Steps Where by Andrea Cheng
The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

Last Day of May Thoughts

The routine of posting for Anokaberry has become habit at this point. I chose about 40 other blogs with similar areas of interest to inform me both as an advocate of children's literature and a blogger in general. I use Google Reader for those feeds. It is apparent everyday that an understanding of what I am doing and why is essential to the strength of Anokaberry. It is, after all, an online book-talk and presentation. It presents summaries of books published in the current year (2008) and invites and displays comments. It can be searched by title and a sidebar lists posts (TITLES) as well as labels of age appropriateness. I do not have a VOICE on Anokaberry - I do have a brief note from "Nan" and the choices of layout and content are mine but I do not comment or chatter. Most of the other blogs in this subject area that I read have personality -- The other two or three "mock newberys" are somewhat dull in comparison. What I wish the template could include? A separate set of "labels" or "tags" for subjects. Another column or "aside" for whatever - I have put links to authors' websites in some of the posts. The concept of "enriching the post" rather than cluttering up the sidebars...

between reading and blogging and blogging about reading

I have 57 requests currently at Hennepin County Library and about 5 holds waiting for me. Thank you Hennepin County for your tax support of libraries that enables the library to purchase newly published books for children and youth. Here in Anoka County we seem to run out of money just keeping up with the series and trilogies... I am continuing to thrive doing the Anokaberry. I am reading reading reading and learning hugely as I compare and contrast and read reviews and work on this project. Be right back I have a patron waiting...

progress report

The thing about learning -- well a thing about learning -- is that it opens the doors and windows you know? So once the door is open - or maybe I learn how to open the doors and the windows - and maybe that's what the teacher really does - teach how to open the doors and windows or even names those things doors and windows -- anyway, once I see the door and open it and then the real -- personal, self-driven -- learning begins. Specific to Things, I am learning and seeing and opening everyday. The blog "Anokaberry" is thriving. As of this post, there are over 50 books noted and many comments received. The concept changes as it becomes itself. I used Blogger for its home, I use Google Reader to keep track of and read other similar blogs. I use LibraryThing to list all the eligible books, write reviews, rate and write private comments and communicate with other members of LibraryThing about shared titles. I use photos from Flickr and use ImageChef and other photo manipulators to add interest to Anokaberry's sidebars.

you know what they say

Anokaberry continues...

The blog has a life of its own now. The first post was February 24, 2008, since then almost 50 posts and over 500 visitors. I have received emails from authors and readers commenting on the blog and the books. I have read almost 40 books, commenting and reviewing on LibraryThing and posting summaries on Anokaberry. I am learning all this right out in public and having success and making plenty of mistakes as I go. The encouragement of many 23 Thingers has been so wonderful. I took the blog and the program idea to my library and presented it as a small step into the world of 2.0 ------

time for anokaberry

Anokaberry begins!

Thing 23.3 Final Thoughts -------- Mind the Path

Thing 23.2 Final Thoughts Sweeping Up

"Traditionally we've locked up our resources behind passwords and barcodes, keeping things in catalogs and databases no one else can access except by using our sites...while we were busying burying and hiding our content and resources, the rest of the world decided to share -- openly. As a result, libraries are not in that mix and we are not where the users are."
Jenny Levine "What is New about Library 2.0"

"Interactivity is another design feature of Web 2.0. The intent is to give users a rich experience within the system, allowing them to explore on their own and providing many pathways to the end results."
David Tyckoson "That Thing You Do"

"I believe that this program is worthy of our notice. Please feel free to experiment with this site on work time, as the pressure of other work allows."
Marlene Moulton Janssen, Director, Anoka County Library, Email to staff, Subject: 23 Things on a Stick

"In simplest terms, 2.0 is a new way of thinking about libraries. First and foremost, it follows one underlying golden rule: to dynamically interact with and listen to your users to create more user-centered services, both physical and technology-related. Fundamentally, 2.0 is the willingess to enhance library services through collaboration."
"Young adults ask for sites they can use to interact with other teens and library staff, take quizzes, submit reviews, play games, look up information, chat with library staff for assistance, post messages and comments....."
Kimberly Bolan, Meg Canada, Rob Cullin "Web, Library, and Teen Services 2.0"

"Instead of trying to build the best destination, build the best network. The kind of network I'm refering to is a web of interconnections -- links between content and people...The goal: to make your Web site a network hub that connects content and conversations."
Rich Gordan "Get Smart About Your Readers: Ideas & Insights"

Thing 23.1 Final Thoughts

There are so many questions posed in this final thing. Yes! I would participate in another program like this. Unexpected outcomes? Well, I really did get wrapped up in the whole thing - the rest of the family had a hard time getting computer time. I had a blast meeting up with old friends on Facebook and writing on young friends' walls. I resolved a couple of years ago to say things to young people when I have the opportunity - to let them know they have a friend. I've been able to do that on Facebook. That has been pure good. Improvements? -- I only noticed two little glitches and I commented on them. I do miss the personal contact with the "teacher" but I know you are there. Not everyone is as enthusiastic as they could be - some are downright negative. Well, I guess there is always a negative voice -- or maybe we are all negative from time to time. OK I am going for one more random post. I have this stack of articles with highlighted quotes -- I will throw them down in Thing 23.2

Thing 23. Final Thoughts

I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment right now. When I first read about this challenge I was so excited and I have thrived on each and every thing. Remember thriving is a substantial word. I took the online survey before writing up this final post. I had a bit of the old "test anxiety" but got through. What has changed? Me, of course. I have been places and learned stuff. I am an enriched librarian. I am so fortunate to have this for my daily work. So fortunate. And the present is so good and the fact that everything is changing is so good. There is no denying this evolution/revolution... There is no virtue in doing anything a certain way just for traditions sake. Let us respectfully speak and discuss and dare to try. Respect for others has been a component of this class. Respect for the developers of these sites and methods. Respect for the leadership of libraries. The bonds that have formed and strengthen between co-workers in our building as we have laughed and shared about a thing has been a powerful experience. Thank you to the leaders that opened this door for us. Now we all have to deal with the fact that the door has been opened and there is no going back.

Thing 22.2 What Did I Learn Today?

It was inevitable that the thing monkey would appear one last time in the 23 Things on a Stick. I am accountable to her so she knows about the resolution and will keep me honest. Thanks Thing Monkey. I will continue to read the blogs that I have set up on Bloglines. I will probably even offer comments of my own. I will respond to the journal alerts read the wealth of articles and discussions that are taking place. I will participant heartily in discussions in my home workplace with my co-workers and colleagues. I recommend these paths to others. I will remember that I cannot possibly read it all.

Thing 22.1 What Did I Learn Today?

Here are my responses to the specific questions: I do resolve to maintain my blog -- the avatar has got to go however and a few other razzle-dazzle. So it will "evolve" as well. Perhaps it will be more candid. Hmmm. I will ask myself "What did I learn today?" and record some of the answers. I always have more questions than answers -- more curiosity than conclusions.

Thing 22. What Did I Learn Today?

What a big question. What did I learn today? That my profession is like everything else -- always changing. The rate of change and the components that are impacting and driving the changes are many. Some routines go on in a timeless way other routines fall away. All change changes us. Sometimes I am so ready other times resistant and reluctant. In one of my early blogs (Thing 2.1) I wondered about definitions and Library 2.0 --Evolution? Revolution? Transformation? Mutation? Now at Thing 22 I can say all of those are true. Start a conversation about Library 2.0 Or Web 2.0 -- or any of the buzzwords I've read over and over again in this seminar and the conversation will veer to all of those descriptions. The 23 Things lesson uses "evolve". It's hard to argue with "evolve". For me anyway. I've seen it happening -- growth toward potential -- progress.

Thing 21.2 BMSOSN Blog Prompts

Here's to the richness of the mix. I have joined more groups in the last month than I have in the 57 years preceding... Some I am sure I will revisit and work out a place to inhabit, others I will revisit long enough to delete my account. All the traveling has been worth it. I am hoping that the network building will enrich us all and strengthen our libraries - personally, professionally and for the public.

Thing 21.1 Beyond MySpace:Other Social Networks

FYI -- I think this is the MySpace for Books in Publisher's Weekly article. The link was not functional when I tried in the 23 Things instructions. I posted a comment on the Thing 21 page.
Gather is described in this article dated 12/12/05 (the date could be a problem - over 2 years is a LONG time ago in techtime) as a "mix between a lifestyle portal and a content aggregator...". This is a good description I think. Both Gather and Ning are multitasking sites that offer groups, blogs, photoshare, tagging... They add another layer to the opportunities the web offers. In the article "Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library" the statement is made that the social web "represents a cultural shift towards expression, collaboration and interaction...users are not satisfied with simply reading web pages. They are beginning to expect the opportunity to interact online with...(why not?) their library." This is another of the topics that opens boxes for people who think and talk about librarians of tomorrow. Clearly all aspects of social networking are available to the library --- but which ones are useful? From user/patron/open tagging to collection direction and selection -- some of these areas are still considered sacred by many in the profession. Folksonomy can be a very controversial topic. Collaborating has always required studied awareness of dynamics mixed with grace and tact. Think committees. Campion's article suggests three steps toward becoming interactive libraries: education, application, endorsement. The advocates of Library 2.0 agree that this direction is progress, the detractors have many arguments against. Some of the conversation stoppers use words like "fad" and "hype". So here we are at a Step 1: education=23 Things on a Stick. These 23 Things have, I'm sure, set ideas spinning through the our heads. Will we be able to move on to application? Will our supervisors and directors - after opening these doors and windows to us be able to collaborate with us toward the library of the future?

Thing 21. Beyond MySpace: Other Social Networks

I am walking around in Gather. It is user-friendly and straightforward. I joined so I could look at everything I wanted to see. After about 45 minutes there, I headed over to WebJunction and joined up there. This format is easier on the eyes; the ads in Gather were distracting and alien for me. I found my way to the Minnesota content and the 23 Things on a Stick page, then wandered into the PLA 2008 Virtual Conference which led me over to the ALA site. Yikes, it's a maze and a time sucker. This site is one I'll put on my favorites, the resources will expand my knowledge of my profession. Now over to Ning. I'm a member of Ning and the 23 Things on a Stick group. I uploaded by profile picture. This is my page. I commented on another librarian's post about 23 Things and invited a co-worker/23Thinger to contact me when she gets to #21. I created a group -- Mock Newbery. Adding the widget took some looking around for me -- I got a bit frustrated but finally found it! Look for it in the right hand column. I realize this was Question 2 of "For this Thing" so the next post will discuss the articles in Question 1.

Thing 20.1 Libraries and Social Networks

After the last tangent post I'll start a new one to stick to the assignment. I joined MySpace and hung around for about an hour exploring, then deleted my account. Too many ads and junk everywhere for me. Maybe that is an age thing. I'll stay on Facebook. I have friends there now and have been a participant for about a month. I have family and work friends. I've written on walls and my wall has been written on, I've even received gifts! I am a fan of Hennepin County Library. I joined a group CCS Blaine -- the school where I worked before the library. Wrote notes to many of my former students. It will be fun to hear back. Finding that group was fun for me - to see their grownup photos and remember them from six+ years ago. I am also a member of the "Library 2.0 Interest Group" and "Librarians and Facebook". The HCL Facebook page offers catalog search, fan photos and chat with a librarian.

Thing 20. Libraries and Social Networks

I opened this post with a hot cup of coffee and this photo of a child looking at the face of another child... Now it is 9:30 and I am nearly done with the assignment and it is time to blog my experience and conclusions...
Since I had set up a Facebook membership a couple of weeks ago in preparation for 23 Things I thought this thing would be a fast one. However, the first stop was the enormous Teens and Social Media Report from the PEW/Internet & American Life Project. I read through most of the 44 pages and printed out the Summary of Findings (pages 1-6) for my file. (Yes, I have a file for 23 Things.) The insights and statistics for the appeal of social networks is a revisiting of human development. The Maslow Hierarchy of Needs is a blueprint for the how and why of this appeal. The social need for belonging/love/affection/acceptance=groups,
the need for esteem/confidence/achievement/respect=offering and receiving friendship, the need for self-actualization/making and presenting the self/spontaneity/creativity=posting, sharing photos, exposure. This is life -- today made visible in social networks -- moments of understanding and happpiness alone and yet part of the world. These social networks, for all their quirks, are a sign of the culture's positive mental health.

Thing 19 Podcasts

I added a podcast to my blog a while ago. It is down the right hand side - it is Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac. Also look for Comedy Clip of the Week Podcast, down a little bit farther.

Review and Relect---------5 Things to Go

5 chairs. 5 Things to go. I was a Luddite for a long time. I got a computer so that the children in my house would be able to function with the technology that was defining the world around us. We don't own a television and haven't had one for almost 20 years. I don't own a cell phone and really don't know how to place a call using one; I've talked on one, I don't know how to hang it up. Some days I am pretty excited about this technology and the boggling aspects of it. But, well, I have a computer in my house, with a DSL modem. And English is my first language and I know how to read. I have had many educational opportunities -- as a librarian and teacher -- information literacy is familiar territory for me. But, I see the patrons who come in everyday to use the computers at the library. There is way more demand than there is supply... To offer this enriched content without the hardware to use it? We have to have enough computers in the buildings and be open enough hours to give patrons time to explore... We have this obligation. Speaking of obligation, I am obliged and honored to thank the Creative Commons artists who have shared their photographs with me for use in this blog. Thank You all.

Thing 18.1 YouTube ETC Blog Prompts

I've gotten pretty obsessed/preoccupied with these things. I work for hours, trying things out, failing, reworking, reading the instructions, researching, responding to prods and prompts. Now here on 18 I see a little light ahead -- the end? the beginning? I think it is time to sit in the reflection chair...First I'll finish this YouTube exploration. Truthfully, I can handle very little of YouTube. I can enjoy one now and again but I feel frittered away by watching one after another. The way I viewed them in Thing 18. Flickr is easier. The pace might be the key. Of course there are possibilities for the library web site. I have some idea sort of floating around about making a video about the library as an activity for teen summer programming -- the old standby, the bookmark, could use a little lively competition. I don't know exactly how I feel about that.

talking about a revolution (tracy chapman)

Thing 18. YouTube & Other Online Video

Our youngest son told me about this one the other day and it brings back such memories of having little boys around the house...Charlie bit me! He said it was on YouTube so I searched for it on Google Video and sure enough it was there too. I watched all the other videos in the lesson. I did not see any one I knew in March of the Librarians. I enjoyed the "library dominos" -- The "Library Musical" was pretty funny. I have mixed feelings actually. Here's a video of ours that I uploaded. It's Casey and Joe dancing - yes, there is sound.

Thing 17 ELM Productivity Tools Blog Prompts

A good working knowlege of the databases is an essential aspect of my work in children's reference. There is such a wealth of good information available in the databases. To be able to guide the patron to it or, better yet, put a stack in their hands is certainly the best use of these resources. Many patrons are completely unaware of what is available and/or overwhelmed at the prospect of extracting it themselves.

Thing 17.4 ELM Productivity Tools NetLibrary

I checked both Anoka and Hennepin County for the suggested eBook 101 Ways to Promote Your Web Site -- I could not find it. If you found it there, let me know how... I went to Amazon and read several excerpts there. Quite interesting, I would read more if it was in NetLibrary. Instead I selected another title Internet World TM Guide to One-to-One Web Marketing and searched the eContent for "branding". I read several pages, clicked on the "notes" tab and created notes. This all works quite well and is convenient to have it all there in front of you on the desktop. I went back a few minutes later and went directly to "Favorites & Notes" to view my work. Then I went back to Amazon to read the rest of the available content online.

Thing 17.3 ELM Productivity ProQuest

I sincerely hope there is not a written test over the 23 Things....
#3 ProQuest -- This one actually went quite well. I think the simple instructions were the key. The instructions followed the sequence of the options so that made sense. I could not, however, find a "radio button" but clicked on something else that led to suggested topics. And then on "view" web sites and social networks. I clicked 2007, full-text, and Washington Post. Then right straight on through the rest of the instructions. I emailed the resulting webpage to my colleague Sheila and to me. I am going to followup now with the Challenge for another practice...

Thing 17.2 ELM Productivity Tools EBSCO

This is such a great Thing. The Challenges are a slow brain-battering struggle (coffee is cold again...) but I am having some success. I made a folder and clicked on "web pages" and then on to "page composer". I made an extremely simple page, included an EBSCO search box, previewed it and saved the file. Then I couldn't find it! I searched using the general search and found several savings -- OK, I tried the save/save as several times... I found the list, moved it to a file on my desktop where it resides now. But where is it really? I found it later at work when I logged in to EBSCO. So it lives there. I guess. I also emailed it to myself -- the page arrives as an attachment which opens into a functioning page. Still in EBSCO I created a search alert and a journal alert.

Thing 17.1 ELM Productivity Tools

Anoka County does not offer InfoTrac Student Edition on its list of databases. I went (online) to Hennepin County and located it there. My card is registered there so I attempted to access it but had difficulty. I returned to an earlier page and IM-ed with an online librarian for help. That was a first and was very successful! I then search the database for "youth smoking" and saved several articles. There is an option for email but I could not find a RSS feed for tracking. I clicked on Collections on the bottom left of the Student Edition page and went to the Gale/Cengage list page and chose Student Resource Center Gold. There was information there about Managing the Information You Find -- using a tool they call InfoMark and another managing tool called "breadcrumb trail" but it also did not include setting up an RSS feed. Next I navigated into the EBSCO database and created a personal folder/account. I saw an RSS feed option there and attempted it but consistently got this message from Bloglines when I pasted the URL in. No feeds were found. Please verify that the website publishes an RSS feed. I am going to reheat my coffee and back-up a little bit.

Thing 17. ELM Productivity Tools

I never saw this ELM Portal before. I chose the MasterFile Premier and used the research term Library 2.0. Here's one of the articles I found. When I read the sentence "Every Minnesotan is entitled access to these resources" -- I thought about how many library patrons have no idea that those resources are there. So very many times I have helped people looking for information and they have asked how to find articles on their topic and they had no clue about these databases. Seems like almost a one-to-one description and introduction is necessary to make this resources real to patrons.

Thing 16 Student 2.0 Tools

If there is one thing I know about students that come into the library with work to do it is this : They are in a hurry! Usually the parents are in a hurry too. Or we see the parent or grandparent here to get materials for the child's project. How can we best help? We can ask the right questions, understand the scope of the assignment and put the right materials in the patron's hand. Understanding how assignments are structured, what research is expected, and the given timeline is very helpful to guide us to filling the patron's request. This assignment calculator is amazing in its depth and helpfulness but it is definately a planning tool for planners. This isn't going to help a second grader with two days left to do a report on an insect found only in the Belize rainforest. Hmmm. When I worked as a K-8 Media Specialist I had a special place in my heart for the Big Six. It has K-2, 3-6 and 7-12 strategies for almost any kind of a task -- from how to buy a present for someone to doing a research paper. It asks questions that all ages of student understand -- parents too, it can really be helpful to ask questions in such a way that we assist in the process of learning. These planners empower the learner and organize the process and the materials. Do not underestimate the empathy and helpfulness we exhibit to students simply by understanding their questions and giving them materials that will be most helpful to them. In this way we encourage and support learning. In this way we will give patron's satisfactory service.

Thing 15.3 Online Games and Libraries

See how the monkey's mouth is closed? Nothing more to say about Online Games and Libraries. OK, here's the plan. This weekend I'll ask the youngest son, age 15, to help me on Second Life and Pirate Puzzle. What else can I do? Now the monkey is thinking about GAMES and the Library. HMMMM. When television was new, did all the libraries put in TV lounges? Or when PONG hit the culture did all the libraries put in machines for playing PONG? GameBoys in the children's room? Something to think about...

Thing 15.2 Online Games and Libraries

"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it." - James M. Barrie

Here is Library Journal's review of Second Life: The Official Guide

Although not a game in the strictest sense of the word, the increasingly popular virtual world of Second Life shares many commonalities with online gaming environments. Libraries interested in Second Life Library 2.0 (http://infoisland.org/) and those serving populations active in virtual environments should pick up a copy of this official, thorough full-color guide. The book walks beginners through getting started in Second Life and customizing their avatars; tells them where to go, what to see, and how to define their virtual existence; and ends with a discussion of the future and impact of Second Life. Its CD contains textures, templates, Avimator animation software, sample animations, videos, and a code for exclusive in-world content. Recommended. (Library Journal, January 15, 2007)

Thing 15.1 Online Games and Libraries

This morning I am thinking, again, of the richness community offers -- in this instance -- the "classroom" of learners along for the Things. I am reading and pondering others' musings about Second Life. I do not personally (in This Life) know anyone who plays/lives in Second Life so I am asking online. There are many blogs and articles to read. Speaking of the community/classroom of learners working on 23 Things -- the small group at my workplace, Northtown Library, Anoka County, are enthusiastic about our assignments and sharing questions and discoveries daily. We read each other's blogs and discuss our frustrations as well as the many possible applications for our particular system. We are finding that we all have strenghs and weaknesses as we tackle each Thing -- some Things are easier than others, some are inspirational for all, others are confusing.

Thing 15 Online Games and Libraries

Big Zero for me here. Both Puzzle Pirates and Second Life were completely baffling to me. I did not comprehend anything beyond starting the downloads and then refusing to shut everything down for Pirates and signing up and choosing a name and an avatar (you can change it later!!) for Second Life. I struggled along for about 2 hours and decided to write this post admitting my failure. There goes my grade in 23 Things on a Stick...... I suspected it might be like this. Even though I have four children I have never comprehended games on the computer. I do have a helicopter (CRASHING !) game that I can do for a few seconds and there have been a few others that I've had very limited success plus those avatars are creepy! I mean it. Creepy.

All Things....

Here are two of my favorite patrons, Jessica and Brandon, at home. No, they are not my grandchildren but I do love them as if they were...

Thing 14.1 LibraryThing Blog Prompts

LibraryThing is basic, like bread and books. Stay alive and read. And connect. If you have access to the internet and are a reader -- this is a fit. Simple and grand. This is the booklist we've all tried to share forever. LibraryThing makes it easy. Invite patrons to join. Share the wealth. Bon Appetit!!

Thing 14 LibraryThing

I signed up for LibraryThing /LibraryThing/Quick Start almost a year ago, February 24, 2007. Jim Hendricks, our head reference librarian at Northtown Library, suggested staff check it out. I've listed many of the ourstanding books I've read/reread since then. For me, it is a wonderful tool to aid my memory. I use it for my own Reader's Advisory and find it invaluable. I use for patron Reader's Advisory when I feel I have a stronger feel for my own tags (folksonomy) than our catalog tags or subject headings. Beyond the listing of books the site is deep and rich and invites exploration. There is also a Early Reviewer's sign-up and I have snagged an Early Review copy. My name in Library Thing is nanhoekstra, just as it is here in 23 Things. I am in the Librarians Who Library Thing group forum as well. Today I finished reading Sonja Harnett's Thursday's Child and added it to my books. LibraryThing has unique and powerful ideas for uses by public libraries. This site is familiar to me now and I am always finding something new. The innovations are worthwhile and widely applicable. See Common Knowledge for wikitype application. I find new books to read and often connect with fellow LibraryThingers. I believe that the personal tags and LibraryThing's list are among the finest sources available for readers. See sidebar for one of several available widgets.

Thing 13.3 Online Productivity Tools What is the Intent of a Tool User?

After many hours with Thing 13, I am thinking and focusing on the meaning of productivity and tools. Both are outcomes of chosen actions toward a purpose. For me it is essential to move intentionally forward in these Things.
The dictionary (phrasing mine) helps again:
Tool: a device used to carry out a particular function, a thing used in an occupation or pursuit, software that creates...anything used as a means of accomplishing a task or purpose,
machinery designed for performing a particular job
So as I finish Thing 13 I have two library 2.0 applications alongside me on the desk -- ways that I can personally contribute to the mission and daily routine of the successful 2.0 library. At home I am enjoying the change of my homepage from the MSN default to my own iGoogle.

Thing 13.2 Online Productivity Tools

"To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else."
Emily Dickinson

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."
Annie Dillard

Thing 13.1 Online Productivity Tools

The immediate task of investigating the productivity tools seemed - at moments - to be the opposite of productivity. The monkey mind thrives on this kind of exploration! I remind myself that this is the reading portion of the syllabus -- the textbook for the course as it were. The assignment is the blog -- the readings and research are these guided/unguided forays.... The meaning for today and tomorrow at the job site with the community is what is chosen for its practical use and planning possibilities. So far I am using Bloglines, Del.icio.us, iGoogle, Flickr (inspiration!) StumbleUpon -- just to mention a few. I have three blogs going on Blogger. I have two definite applications in mind for my home library. I had philosophical issues with the Countdown tool/gadget. I used a countdown gadget I found on iGoogle -- I could only bear to countdown to tomorrow, yesterday and today -- that is my capacity now. The now. The intentional now. I told you it was philosophical... Not that I don't keep a calendar. I have TWO, at home. On paper. The online possibilities are excellent but not for me right now. I made a Ta da list. There's another list on my iGoogle. I made an account in Backpack too.

Thing 13 Online Productivity Tools

productivity
I looked it up from my new iGoogle home page where I placed a gadget from Dictionary.com. Edited blips follow -- these words and phrases made cogent the 2 hours --so far -- that I have invested in Thing 13. Italics indicate Dictionary.com. Bold is my emphasis for Thing 13.
pro·duc·tive
-- having the power of producing; generative; creative: a productive effort.
-- producing readily or abundantly; fertile.
-- Economics. producing or tending to produce goods and services having exchange value.
pro·duc·tiv·i·ty
—Synonyms 2. fecund. Productive, fertile, fruitful, prolific apply to the generative aspect of something. Productive refers to a generative source of continuing activity: productive soil; a productive influence. Fertile applies to that in which seeds, literal or figurative, take root: fertile soil; a fertile imagination. Fruitful refers to that which has already produced and is capable of further production: fruitful soil, discovery, theory. Prolific means highly productive: a prolific farm, writer.
—Antonyms 2. sterile.

Thing 12.3 Do You Digg? StumbleUpon

For the Challenge I created an account in StumbleUpon and -- oops, gotta go
--- wabi sabi (had to take the 15 year-old to his performance thing)
Home again I downloaded a toolbar and then -- finally -- up came the glory of StumbleUpon and this is the first page it brought me! My heart was won. I took a breath and went on.
How about this one?
Now this StumbleUpon has amazing soothing and stimulating power. Yeah for Library 2.0 !

Thing 12.2 Do You Digg? Blog Prompts

I joined Digg and Mixx. And spent a couple of hours checking both out. The 23 Things instructions for this Thing suggests that libraries might be affected by this kind of social media site in the areas of reference questions and requests for further information. That doesn't ring true in my thinking. Just my opinion. These are browsing places. As for these type of site assisting us in "being in the know"? Again, I don't think so. This is all so broad, wide not deep. 23 Things asks "Do these tools seem to be a productivity enhancer or a productivity detractor?" I have a headache like I've been in the waiting room with a stack of magazines that had little content and less substance. For me. I'd love to hear something more positive about this Thing. Just my window -- let me know what I missed.

Thing 12.1 Do You Digg?

So it seems like a internet version -- user driven -- of USA Today? Social media - the popular stuff -- common to many of us -- the front page (sorted by sections - if you want) of papers everywhere. Sort of the way the strip mall is common to almost all American towns? Am I getting a better understanding of it? Following are their definitions of what they do.

Digg surfaces the best stuff as voted on by our users

Reddit: User-generated news links. Votes promote stories to the front page.

Updated continuously by citizens like you, Newsvine is an instant reflection of what the world is talking about at any given moment.

Mixx is your link to the web content that really matters. You find it; we'll Mixx it.

Use YourMixx to tailor the content categories, tags, specific users and groups, and we'll deliver the top-rated content as chosen by you and people who share your passions. So go ahead and whip up your own version of the web. Just tell us how you like it Mixxed and we'll deliver the best the web has to offer.

Thing 12 Do You Digg?

I remember this toy -- it was installed in the sand pit at several of the parks I went to when I had three little boys. It always looked like fun but in fact it was clumsier and less satisfying than it first appeared. You had to push and pull and manuever at the same time. I felt this way at the Digg site. I wondered what are these stories and headlines and what I am doing here when I didn't select them and I'm really not interested in just looking around? You know, like the stack of magazines at a waiting room? Pick, shuffle shuffle, put down, pick up another, flip, shuffle page shuffle page... It made more sense (not much more -- just personal opinion here -- when I went to Slate and browsed and got the connection that I could Digg something. Hmmmm. I am not sure what is the point. Yet. Remember the wabi-sabi unfinished thing? That's where I am now. Back to reading and clicking...

All Things....

View Upload your own

This is an incredible review and overview. I thought about saving it for the next Review and Reflect but I appreciated its value to me so much that I stuck it in right here where I could watch it and invite others to take a moment with it. I know there are quite a few slides but it is amazing. Thank You, Meredith Farkas!

Thing 11.2 Tagging and Del.icio.us Blog Prompts

I added Minn23 to my network on Del.icio.us. There are good resources on that list. More to explore as time goes on. Connecting from my blog to my favorites in Del.icio.us is useful and time-saving. If we had a library blog or some individual staff blog for the public to browse this would be a way to deepen that as a resource. It is genuinely a relief to not have to duplicate favorites on every computer. Or try to carry some of them around in my head just in case... This was a very informative and stimulating Thing.

Thing 11.1 Tagging and Del.icio.us

The THING is the connecting! Everything is connected and everyone. From one subject and tag to another, one person to another and another. All these perspectives and contributions! Shared writing, shared questions and answers -- inviting community and comment. The invitation to enter and respond is boggling. Or is that blog-ling?

Thing 11. Tagging and Del.icio.us

This is great. It is so folk-ier than keywords and cataloguing! I tagged with the first description that came to mind and then went back later to refine and clean it up. My tag clouds helped me see the ways I see and think about the topic or thing. I did tag a few photos in Flickr, but not very confidently. I tagged a few of my posts, I'll go back and pick up the rest later. I finally figured out the genius of Del.icio.us -- first to have many of my favorites, for now, mostly the ones attached to L2, online for me -- anytime. And then to be able to CONNECT with others with the same tags and glean more from their resources. Bloglines finally made sense too. Beyond HOW it works, WHY it is so cool. I am comfortable in ThingMonkey now and at ease with what I've used so far. Ready to go deeper and check out more possibilities.

Review and Reflect

Ten Things done. Relecting on those three words is a tension. Here's what I mean. They are most definately NOT done. I've worked through the assignments, yes. I've kicked at the templates and searched for the buttons. I've started projects. Here's the THING - it's that wabi-sabi thing.

"Wabi-sabi is a Japanese expression that roughly translates to the "beauty of
things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete". It is the beauty of
things modest and humble. It is the beauty of things unconventional.
Observe a ceramic cup for a tea ceremony, for example. It might have rough
edges, an irregular shape, and glazing that covers only half of the cup."
Woods and Thoeny in Wikis for Dummies

As I review especially Things 5-10 as am thinking about my efforts and responses as imperfect and imcomplete. And I am thankful for the continuing truth of impermanence. The "public-ness" of this learning is daunting. Here are my blog posts, my "creations", by attempts to execute applications -- out here for all to see. There is support and guidance from the community in the building. Comments and questions fly. I want to raise my hand sometimes and ask the teacher, or feel a stronger sense of mastery of each thing. When I go back to an application I do have a familiar "I've been here before" sense. I take that as progress. The monkey mind buzzes and whirls but I am seeing obvious possibilities and potential for use in the library of everything we've studied so far. On to Thing 11.

Thing 10.1 Wikis

Things are clearer now that I've visited some library wikis. All the fumbling and striving makes what I am seeing on these wikis more understandable. For instance, the Library Bloggers Wiki and the pathfinder wiki from the St. Joseph County Public Library systems shows APPLICATION of this tool. Aha! That's the key. How does this tool work AND what are some applications for the public library? The more tools I understand, the more able I am to think of them as solutions for a library situation. YES! I accessed the 23 Things on a Stick PBwiki and added a comment.

Thing 10 Wikis

Thing 10 is the most confusing one so far. Have I said that about things before this? Maybe. I think this is why. I have never edited a wiki or even thought about editing a wiki so that whole process was in the mystery realm. Not unsolvable -- I just hadn't tried it. I read, of course, and clicked and experimented...a lot. The little Common Craft video on wikis made it look very easy. Hmmmm. The first blip was being unable to access 23 Things on a Stick wiki because I didn't have the invite key. I logged in to Google Groups and asked that question and got an affirming reply with the key -- multitype -- and a "thanks" from our fearless leaders for finding an omission. (You are welcome. SmileyFace.) I explored around the lesson a little more and got so excited that I decided to jump right in. Turns out that jumping right in is actually the CHALLENGE part of Thing 10. Hours later I came up for air. I did open a wiki on PB Wiki and I am going to make another one on Wikispaces just to compare the two.

Thing 9.2 Online Collaboration Tools

This photo appeared in one of my favorite blogs 37 Days.
Taming the Monkey Mind
It's been called the monkey mind - the endless chattering in your head as you jump in your mind from thought to thought while you daydream, analyze your relationships, work on 23 Things on a Stick (nan's editorial addition...), or worry over the future. Eventually, you start to feel like your thoughts are spinning in circles and you're left totally confused. One way to tame this wild creature in your head is through meditation - although the paradox is that when you clear your mind for meditation you actually invite the monkey in your mind to play. This is when you are given the opportunity to tame this mental beast by moving beyond thought - to become aware of a thought rather than thinking a thought. The difference is subtle, but significant. When you are aware of your thoughts, you can let your thoughts rise and float away without letting them pull you in different directions. Being able to concentrate is one of the tools that allows you to slow down your thought process and focus on observing your thoughts. To develop your concentration, you may want to start by focusing on the breath while you meditate. Whenever your monkey mind starts acting up, observe your thoughts and then return your focus to your breath.

Thing 9.1 Online Collaboration Tools

The invitation in the previous post is an attempt to experiment with online instant collaboration as offered at ZOHO Writer. The project document with be a compilation of quotes of interest to the participants in 23 Things. I am hoping to discover the ease of use and usefulness of a document collaborated on in this way. The word processing capabilities of ZHW certainly are more sophisficated than the simple posting entry on blogger. I have lots of questions at this point. I was able to investigate the site but not able to collaborate without a project and a group. I appreciated how it could send it on over to my blog although I had to clean it up. The tables, templates and other abilities make it an alternative to many of the ways we do things now (email attachments etc.).

Thing 9. Online Collaboration Tools

Invitation to Collaborate

Are you interested in collaborating

on an easy project using ZOHO Writer?

The project will be a compilation of quotes about Library 2.0.

Email me at nancy.hoekstra@anoka.lib.mn.us
with your email address.

Please write ZOHO in the subject line.

I will add your email to the list of collaborators at ZOHO Writer and we will see if we can make this thing work.

Thing 8.3 Share Your Creations. End of Thing 8.

Thing 8 was challenging and worthwhile. The "monkey mind" was overstimulated by the options. After exploration and investigation I just picked several and worked the assignment. The results are in the previous posts. I used Picture Trail, Zoho Show, Big Huge Lab, Mosaic Maker and Flickr. The Lazybase link did not function at work or at home. eFolio Minnesota looks great for resumes. I put the 50 Web 2.0 Ways to Tell a Story on my Favorites for resource. I was disappointed that Lazybase was nonfunctioning, I would like to find a free online database builder. This would be useful for booklists. I will check out LibraryThing as a database builder possibility. All the tools were user-friendly and time-consuming. For me, it is important to keep the goals of this project clearly in mind so that the "monkey mind" does not get out of control. These tools would definately enliven a library home page and youth pages! Summer reading activities would make wonderful slideshows. I will be using the presentation tools regularly.

All Things...Objections and Comments

Thing 8.2 Library Limbo

Take a break and enjoy this YouTube video!

Thing 8.1 Mosaic Maker

Thing 8. Share Your Creations

This is a slideshow of some of my quilts.

Thing 7. Web 2.0 Communication Tools

From Library 2.0 immersion into a unit on Web 2.0... The goal of "reaching users where they are in their preferred means of communication". No argument there. It's all about communication. The telephone isn't, after all, the easiest way to communicate many days in the Children's room. One (or more) loud criers or, just as frequent these days, patrons on their own phones, make listening and answering a telephoned library question difficult. It makes sense to have other avenues available. Instant or text messaging would be useful alternatives. The email productivity article made good points about the distraction and abuse of email as a communication tool, especially within the library organization. The point, I gather, is to take care when we write and take care when we respond and don't gum up the works with non-library stuff or waste our colleagues time with email duplication and unnecessary chatter/memos/news. I have instant messaging personally in both AOL and MSN but use it very seldom. Email seems more convenient and more considerate. The 15-year-old thrives on IMing with AOL - definitely a "preferred means of communication"!
I had never listened to a Web Conference before. I went to OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries) and searched the archive. I chose "Virtual Worlds for Kids, Tweens and Teens" with Tom Peters. I especially enjoyed the information about "Whyville". There are dozens of articles, blogs and websites discussing virtual worlds for kids. For the Challenges, I joined the 23 Things on a Stick Google Group -- I am member # 2. Hmmm...I emailed the "owner" to introduce myself... I also joined Twitter and found an old friend teaching at Stanford. If any other 23ers are reading this blog, I hope you join me soon at some of these virtual places.

Thing 6. Online Image Generators

OK, I have to admit I had no idea that such things as this existed. I made a couple of different things before I decided to publish this one. This was made at Big Huge Labs. I just followed the directions to select "Trading Card" from the drop down list so I did most of my exploring there. I did have some frustration with the icons so I just started over a couple of times and didn't insert those into the posting.

The animation of "23 Things on a Stick" was generated at Image Chef. So easy/user friendly. View it at the end of the sidebar. I find the animation distracting so I put it out of first-frame sight

Review and Reflect

5 Things Done. Time for R&R. Review and Reflect.
The buzz at the workplace indicates that others are experiencing the same fun and frustrations. I see possibilities everywhere for use of technology all over the place in the public library. I found this morning getting back to my own blog that I was sidetracked by my own feed connections. This is a good thing! Imagine the library patron looking forward to the Home Page as a source/resource/inspiration -- destination! What new video or podcast author interview might be there? What poll or invitation to tag or photo submission sought? What upcoming event in the summer reading program or online storytime registration? This is nifty to thing about from the patron's point of view. For us working through the "23 Things" there is opportunity upon opportunity to become involved in the projects of today and ready with ideas and concepts for tomorrow's projects. One of the first articles I read along this road was by Meredith Farkas. In her blog Information Wants to Be Free she asked the question: if there were no impossibilities/problems/budgets/naysayers (I paraphrase a bit and embellish) what could/should/would the library be? I love this question. I think about it in terms of Youth Services (children/juvenile/YA). WOW. I have a blank paper before me and I begin to draw the room(s).... This is what Library 2.0 has done for me.
On the specific THINGS: I have learned that blogging is very similar to journaling with pen and paper. This "personal/professional" kind of blog is the most common according to Brad Hill in Blogging for Dummies. I have had mixed success with journaling in my life but each time I did it there was a specific reason, a desire/need to meet myself and talk it through. So there is definately an imprint of Nan Hoekstra here. Hill's chapter 13 "Hooking into RSS Feeds" really cleared up by questions and difficulties with Thing 3. I'm a "try-it-first-and-then-read-the-instructions" learner basically so I was in deep there for a while. This morning I went on back to Bloglines and it was way clearer. Thanks, Brad. Flickr time was sweet. Now it's on to Thing 6.

Thing 5. More Flickr Fun

I loved the spell with flickr and it really got me looking around the house for letters. I just couldn't wait to do a quick one. The THING MONKEY tile photo at the end of the blog is also done with spell with flickr.

Thing 4.2 Photosharing with Flickr

Flickr is easy to use and very useful website. The possibilities are plenty for use in the public library. Enriching blogs and storing photos for viewing by patrons and staff, photo contests, additions to catalogs, previews of activities, even scavenger hunt clues...wherever a photo can be used...think Flickr (or something like it). I experimented with tags --even tagged 2 of my own photos with "23thingsonastick"), joined a couple of groups, asked permission to join another. I even started a group that includes a discussion; look for it --23 Things on a Stick. The "add a note" feature is very cool, the way that Clemens and Alcuin Libraries use it is cool. It would be perfect for a display of the Maud Hart Lovelace nominees and/or the Anokaberry.

Thing 4.1 Photosharing with Flickr

This banner hangs in the entrance portal at the Northtown Library, Blaine, Minnesota. These are my own photos (I made the wall hanging). I uploaded these photos to Flickr a couple of weeks ago. I used Flickr's photo upload feature, "blog this photo" for the close-up and the "add image" feature here on blogger.

Thing 4. Library 2.0 Photosharing with Flickr

sockmonkeynewie orignally uploaded by j gavin heck

I do enjoy Flickr. It dazzles me. I get lost there. The whole world of digital cameras and Photoshop and on and on is beyond words. Yeah, pictures. This sock monkey face, well, when I'm done with Thing 4 for today, I am going to work at making my first sock monkey. It's in The Daily Bowl.

Thing 3. Set Up and RSS Account & Add Feeds

Just reading through this assignment rattled me. Especially the second paragraph "if you could visit all those blogs and all at the same time... The ALL word refering to something about the internet...hmm...really don't want to even want that. Even the good stuff. Ya know?
I chose Bloglines and went for it. Several hours, many mistakes and ugly postings later, I have a Blogroll element available on Thing Monkey. I chose a feed from Reader's Club, General Fiction, YA. I'll just experiment here for a few days to see if this changes or remains constant. I had a nifty logo icon at one point but I can't find that again. I do realize that this works better for a list of blogs than just a favorites type list, so I will put Bloglines in my Favorites. Doing that will force me to go back when I find additional blogs for this topic and add them. This morning, however, I am not headed back into Bloglines if I can help it. I've done some additional reading and stewing, the Wikipedia entries for RSS and Aggregator are helpful but I am swimming in deeper water in Thing 3 than I like to do alone. I'm going to call this one done for now and revisit later. I'm thinking there would be plenty of ways to use this Thing on a library home page. At this point, I'd be happy to look for great feeds to offer patrons but somebody with a grasp of the how would have to set it up....

Thing 2.2 Library 2.0

Blogging is not a rough draft for a paper. This is what I am learning, I think. See the avatar, think many questions, few answers. The excitement, the momentum, the urge to act and exchange ideas is prompted--driven maybe--by the prospect of having a part in the process, participating in planning. This is NOT a daily given. Working at the library brings so much joy and fulfillment but there can be frustrations, irritations-- these are not formidable but they stir emotions of apathy and clockwatching. Sometimes. The staff is a varied bunch but all are important to the future of the library and, most specifically, to the patron's experience and sense of ownership of the library.
I have a specific idea simmering in my head. Having this idea fuels my enthusiam for the Library 2.0/23 Things on a Stick project. Yes, I am a student at heart. I relish self-guided inquiry and discovery. The construct of this project, the "syllabus", lays out my plan of study but having a specific idea as well as a daily workspot and career informs my reading and comment.

Here's an article I would love to discuss. The author, Walt Crawford, of Research Libraries Group (RLG - RLG has merged with OCLC) wrote this article for Cites & Insights. It is 32 pages of thoughtful and respectful ruminating. He contrasts Library 2.0 and "Library 2.0".

I may have one more post in me yet before I leave Thing 2...