Week 6, Thing 14: VBPL wiki

I added the "Fruits Basket" entry and found it very easy to do. Don't have much else to say about this topic!

Week 6, Thing 13: Wikis

I've always been a bit familar with wikis since Wikipedia's coming out days. Great resource if it's correct and accurate. It doesn't really effect me much because I don't think I will be adding anything to any pages, but it's nice that it is an option for the truly knowledgable folks for the subject pending. I think it could help libraries keep their information up to date, but otherwise, I see no extra advantages besides input.

Week 5, Thing 12: IM @ the Library

Well, I cannot share my thoughts on viewing or asking someone at my library about the instant messaging since we currently are not doing this and are unable to do it at this time. Personally, as I stated in my previous blog, I think this is a wonderful idea. As a college student, I would/will use this as an extra step in finding sources and accurate information for assignments. I would recommend this to any busy student who, sometimes, just cannot find the time to come into the library during operating hours.

Moving onto Meebo! I actually learned of Meebo via the library (staff member, I think?) recently! I have recently declined use in instant messaging dramatically, so I have not been up to date on the newest technology, however I've put Meebo into use and just love it! I think it's great that the library has opened many accounts for instant messaging, however most will probably just use the direct link on the libray page rather than go out of their way to add "askvbpl" to their buddy/friends lists. Great feature, good mix!

Week 5, Thing 11: Instant Messaging

Instant messaging is something that I have been using for well over 10 years now. It was the neatest feature I had learned on my own back in the 90's and I've loved it ever since. I don't use it nearly as much now like I did back then, but it so nice to see that businesses are moving over to this phase in technology. In some ways, it's quite handy to have because you no longer have to waste time on hold anymore, however it's hard to use if you have to explain something complicated and the person reading it just doesn't get it, as they may have understood if you were speaking to them. All in all, it's great that libraries are moving over to using instant messaging to answer questions for customers now. It saves the busy American time and gets them the information that they need in a quicker time than imagined.

Week 4, Thing-10: RSS feeds cont.

So my task was to view some of the RSS feed sites and take a look around. I've already mentioned in my previous blog that I am not fond of using these. Interesting, yes they are. Good source, sure for some. But this just isn't for me. I already have a hard time remembering what sites I've registered for, my usernames (though I try to keep them similar), and passwords! This just wouldn't be worth my useage.

So anyways, I've viewed the Technorati. Nice. I see that Amy Winehouse has been arrested and I have to click a few times to get the whole story, and still have not gotten the whole story from what I believe. Not that this is important to my life or anything, but I'd like to just click once and find the whole story. It's nice that it tells you the website it came from, but I'd rather just visit that website and find the info. I'm just not in dire need to find things out right away, the minute they happen. But nice setup for those who need this information.

So now I've visited Topix. This is a nifty site. Of course I have no interest in signing up for yet another site I have to remember passwords and usernames for, but I like how it knows my zipcode and produced the weather and traffic stuff. That's always helpful/useful stuff. Plus top stories going on in the area. Of course, I can go to a local news website and find all this out too, but it's nice that this website has it. This reminds me of yahoo or google (the one you have to register for and personalized). It's a nice site!

Week 4, Thing 9-RSS feeds

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Week 2, Thing 5-Library 2.0 and Web 2.0

Library 2.0 and Web 2.0 are quite similar to me. The only difference is the atmosphere that the 2.0 is set in. Otherwise, to me, it means a unique way to communicate. It’s a great way to stay connected and to network with people that you may have never thought you would have connected with unless you’d travel outside of your own home, city, state, and even country. It also let’s you be creative in your own, unique way for others to see and yet, let’s you save face to finding your own unanswered questions when you felt you should have known the answer all along. It helps to combine work and home environments and keeping them the same with familiarity, and connect you to enormous amounts of knowledge you thought you could only dream about with the many ways of networking.

Week 1, Thing 2- The 7 1/2 Habits

So, watching the video of 7 ½ Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners was quite interesting. Here are the habits to refresh your memory incase you forgot what they are:

Habit 1: Begin with the end in mind
Habit 2: Accept responsibility for your own learning
Habit 3: View problems as challenges
Habit 4: Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner
Habit 5: Create your own learning toolbox
Habit 6: Use technology to your advantage
Habit 7: Teach/mentor others
Habit 7 ½: Play

So when looking at these habits to build, I know they all have their own equal challenge. For me, I feel the easiest habit would be habit #4, to have confidence in myself as a competent, effective learner. This one is quite easy because I will always speak up and ask my friends and co-workers about new technology. I seek out the technology from those who are most knowledgeable in the area and are very willing to learn and be open minded about most new technology that comes my way. To seek it out, helps to build the confidence I need to learn.

So, now that I know what’s easiest for me, I look to see which habit will be the hardest for me. Habit 3, view problems as challenges, would probably be the hardest for me. It’s difficult to view problems as just a challenge, especially when it gets really tough, to the point where you see no solution. I am not much of a problem solver when it comes to certain areas, but am willing to take on challenges as they come forth. So this is a new challenge for me to be more welcoming with problems and converting my view of them to see them more as an invited challenge that I need to take on.