Library Gaming Day is April 18th

I just read that it is library gaming day today. Also it being National Library Week. It is supposed to start at 6 PM (Central) on the game "Ticket to Ride". It will be interesting to see how people will respond to it.

"Designed by Alan R. Moon, and published by Days of Wonder, "Ticket to Ride" is an excellent example of the new generation of board games.
The goals of this event are to:
Raise awareness about the use of games as a library program
Expose people to a new type of board game
Establish connections between local board game groups and the library"

They would like you to go to : gaming.ala.org/resources/ to report on your experiences.

I thought that this was very interesting to know.

Shelf Elf

Thing 23: Final Thing..

I finally finished it. Hooorah. Lol :o)

I look back over what I have have done in the past couple of months, shake my head. I can't believe that it is over. I have found that I learned alot with LIbrary 2.0 tools. Some I may use and some I will be willing to give them up with no problems. I truly liked the image generators (and the name generators as a side benefit), the flickr account, the blogging itself, and other things. I read a few other blogs not just from Metronet but from round the state. I wish that this was something that would have lasted a bit longer. Not ending right after tax season, I do wish that work allowed a bit more working on this. I am truly surprised how easy most of this was. I am taking away from this experience more of an understanding of the online tools available and not just that, that I can do homework. I feel like I can go back to school again. I hope that I will be able do so in the future. I thnk that I would be interested in doing another/additional classes again. I enjoyed this. I talked to some others that are taking the MN Vol. Cert classes and they liked doing this also.

The one word that I would use to discribe this experience would be: interesting.

I want to say thank you to the 23 Things On A Stick staff, it has been very "Interesting" and I do hope that in the future there will be more of a similar classes. I do appreciate it.

Thank you,
Shelf Elf

Thing 22: What did I learn today?

What had I learned today? ... along with the other days that I have done this?

So many things... but also that I am able to do something that I put my mind to it. TO be able to set aside time to do this. I actually enjoyed it alot. My kids have been impressed that I could do things that they find easy to do.

I resolve to find time to work with these "things" that I have started and find 15 minutes a day or so to work on some them at a time. I know that some will benefit the family but all will work with in my classes for the MN Vol Cert project.

I plan to work on my classes on a weekly process now that my life has calmed down for a moment. Also this has help me to focus on something other than my health and my father's passing. I will be working on my classes within WebJunction more this summer and not to lose my focus. But I just have to remember that I can get caught up in things and get overloaded. So I will have to make sure to take things one at a time. (well, most, I am still a mom... eyes in the back of my head...yadda yadda yadda.)

I found that I just slow down and make my self think it out and just do it. But also tell people that I have to do it and not let them bog me down with other things, what am I doing..talking or them wanting me do something for them that they are able to do for themselves. I just have to take it step by step.

Shelf Elf

Thing 21: Other Social Networking

View my page on Shelf Elf

I belong to the WebJunction already. I was not able to access one of the articles on the list for the 23 Things on a Stick. I joined the Ning very quickly and easily. I just had a panic moment in trying to find one of my id's for one of the places that I had joined. Sigh...

Anyhow I have my own social network now under Shelf Elf.

I also uploaded some photos, it took awhile to et everything set up but now it should go quickly. And I just added a badge.

I have joined so many things lately that I know that they have some of the similar things. Even the internet we have at home has stuff like this. Personally I can see the use more for within libraries (school or public, if large enough) for the employees to interact together. It would be one way for them if they are in a variety of locations.

THe Ning was very easy to work in. For personal use for families that are far away to connect together.

Shelf Elf

Thing 20: My Space & Facebook

I started this once and then my connection was lost. D*** it.

Anyhow here it goes for the 2nd time. I joined both of them. (To the horror of my kids. lol)
I am listed as Shelf Elf, (hopefully) and I am finding that it is harder to work with the MySpace then the Facebook. I was able to joined a few library groups in the Facebook but in the MySpace is a bit harder to find them. I must not be searching for them correctly. I like some of the features that the MySpace has over the Facebook. I can see the more mature using the Facebook vs the MySpace. It seems like it is a step in between the younger kids who did the MySpace in school and then graduated up to the Facebook when they went to college.
I also can see most of the young populace using both. But like my older sibling has told me, that future employers are looking for these type of pages of future employees to see what they represent. If you think about it, with kids posting pic's of them selves online doing things that they really don't want their employers/even their families to see, they don't see that this could pose a preventable thing. But as a social networking thing it is good. If it is just used for that. Some use it for the love hunting, it takes something away from the fist contact that you make when you first meet someone.
Sorry, again it is hard not to think about this when I see all different things happening in my job.
To go back to me having the pages, I was able to poke a few people in Facebook. I had a harder time of it in MySpace, I must not be searching correctly for the library things. It is taking alot of time to do that. I can see the use in the Facebook, it is cleaner looking and alot less "busy" looking. In MySpace, I was able to find a favorite band (as I had read in some other blogs). I can see it being fun for the teen, young adults. But I can see it more for the schools versus the public libraries.

In all I have enjoyed it.
Shelf Elf

Thing 19: Podcasts

I have listened to podcasts when i was intorduced to them last summer during one of my workshops for MN Vol. Cert. program. I also have listened to them in some of the online classes that I have been taking thru WebJunction Minnesota and thru Minitex and also thru the North Texas Online learning classes. They have been really helpful for me, I have listened to archieved items and to real live classes. I am not set up at work to try it out.

I can see the benefits for the employees being in multiple locations and then you can have everyone tune in at the same time to attend the class.

I like it.

Shelf Elf

Thing 18: YouTube & Other Online Video

I liked this You Tube video. I really like Mr. Bean.

My daughters and husband introduced this to me last year. What a gas it can be. I can also see the use in self - promoting the libraries by posting some of the things that we have done in the past for events. I could see then having a link to the catalog or to event calendar so that people could see previous things that the libraries have done.

There are many things that are neat about this and not so good things, one thing being copyrights of items used such as cartoons or music.

I think that this would be a nieat way for some of the younger people to express them selves, also I would like to see maybe a teens version of a library promotion YouTube video competition- have teens make something that would draw in teens to the library.

Shelf Elf

Thing 17: ELM Productivity Tools

We have used this as a part of our library services for the public. So it has been very helpful to us with the public coming in for research. I have used it for searching for a patron who was researching a project on fast foods. So I have gone into on a bi- weekly basis in my job, not as much as my co-workers, because it is not encouraged for them to do so. I like the fact that you can search for so many various things. They have been very helpful for both the public and for us in the libraries. I have attended workshops on this. They have been very helpful with having a hands on experience to be able to explain it to others.

Shelf Elf

Thing 16: Student 2.0 tools

I looked at the Research Project Calculator and at the Assignment Calculator, I had heard about them at an previous MN Voluntary Certification program. I attended a demo about these things. And actually had recommended to one of my regular patrons who is working on a final report for her schooling. So I see the vast resourcefulness of the ise of these items in a school setting more than a public library setting.

A good thing...

Shelf Elf

Thing 15 Online Gaming

I looked at both the Puzzle Pirates and Second Life. I can see the appeal to the younger ages, and some what for me. But I don't know if I could actually spend money on purchasing land in cyber space versus really wanting to do it in real life. It would be nice to create an alter ego, but I can see how it would be a very easy thing to get so caught up in it and lose reality. I am at the age where my real life is complicated enough. ( Then again it would be fun just to go and lose your self in a fantasy setting and not worry about life too. Again to easy to lose your perspective in life.) I know as a parent of a students that they spend way too much time on the internet as it is, that we feel that can be not too healthy and this type of situation would lead to some unhealthy. Aren't they always saying that kids spend way too much time inside, doing the gaming , be it online or at the game consoles. It is hard to teach them that it can be too much.

Sorry about that. I liked the Puzzle Pirates. It appealed to me at first. It was fun, it always seems very busy. I tried it for a bit and lost track of time. LOL I played a few different games and had alot of fun doing it. And met some really funny charcters along the way that helped me with some things.

Shelf Elf

Thing 14: Library Thing

I found out about this last summer for one of my classes for MN Vol Certification. I liked the thought of having some like this for my own personal collection of books but for the use in the library, oh yes, I can see this.

I create my account and it was very very easy. I found that I liked this very much. I was able to start listing my books ( and ones I have read, but what should I list the ones I own or all the ones I have and read also???, such decisions to make...) and found that it was very easy to do. The only item that I didn't like and maybe I am doing it wrong is that when I search and find an item in the list to add to my list. Then I have to re-enter in what I was searching for in the first place. That is a bit annoying. Otherwise this is a great resource for me who is a comfirmed "reader". LOL

I am not sure if it would be used for any cataloging my library. But I could see the use for our library groups to see what they have read and what they will be reading in the future. And for other groups to look at also. That would be the only way I could see it being used by the public. I could see it for schools though, and for their clubs also.

It would be nice if there was a book club alternative also.

Two thumbs up.

Shelf Elf

Thing 13: Online Productivity Tools

I chose the iGoogle homepage. It was very easy to get started and work with it. It appealed to me because I already belonged to google so I just had to sign in one time to work with it. I am not sure about keeping it thoug.h, we will have to see. I was able to put a calendar on it and other things also. When I got my laptop it came with Sticky notes available on it and I have used it for writing projects. It is goodhelp, as for having it online I am not sure about it.
Maybe I am more private about these things but I like to have it close at hand then online. I did like the calendars but again I have my personal ones that I carry with along with the one on my cell and then there is the one that is available with my work. So how many does a person really need? I do use it for work and home but not the online ones. I did like the Remember the Milk that was cool and the Back pack. I might recommend it but again how many does a person truly need? Just like having to create a new account with all these locations that I might not use again. At least for my work, maybe for personal or for schooling.

Shelf Elf

Thing 12: Do you Digg?

Lots of snow again, but with rain also. Should make driving interesting tonight.

So do I Digg? No I am into the Newsvine.com. I went into all the social media sites, and the Stumble upon. I joined Newsvine, it seemed that it was easier (one of the high things I look for since time is a major factor) and has more current things that I would be interested in.

The stumbleupon is great, I can get use to it very quickly. A good thing to do on a snowy afternoon. I could pass the time very quickly just looking at the things that stumble upon shows me. It even showed me one that I had pass it along to my kids.

I could the see the use of the media for current events for libraries. It could be enhanced feature for the library but it could cross into becoming to involved with it. No I haven't seen anything written about these sites.

Shelf Elf

Thing 11: Tagging

It's snowing... again. Sigh

I was able to do the tagging, joined Del.icio.us and it was very easy to work with. I learned that it helpful to see similar things when you type in a search term and it came up with everyone elses tags with that term. I was even able to bookmark a couple of websites too. I think that this tool will make working on the web easier for you.

I have tagged my entries from the beginning. So that is easy, but it would be hard not keep using the same words over and over again. I can see us using it in the library to keep track of all the things/web pages/ etc for you so that you can have an easier time of keeping tack of everything. It will make it easier to find an website or articles or such.

I think that this del.icio.us is a good thing for the libraries to use.

Shelf Elf

Thing 10: Online - Wiki

I thought that I would use gold so that I would feel like it is warm, compared to what it is doing outside. We are expecting snow/rain tonight. Yuck

Well, I just saved something to the 23 Things Wiki. It was as simple as the video said it was. Need to give that gentleman "KUDOS" for having those YouTube vidoes.

I looked at the sites listed and I found that I tend to like the look of the Front Page type versus the typical wiki look. As for moving around on it, only a few of them were easy to do so, mostly you had to click on one to go to another to go to another. I liked the thought of having for the staff to use. I also like the use of it for in schools so that the faculty to use. But for the use for students, they tend to take everything at face value and when anyone can put information on it, you have xto stress that it is only an opinion or such.

When I first look at one it seemed very complicated and I could not find the print button at first but after a search I found it. I like the fact that in order to do anything on a Wiki you have to be a member.

Shelf Elf

Thing 9: Online Collaboration Tools

It is interesting use of online tools. I did have to wait for permission to edit.
But I found the sign up for both is easy. (Aren't they all?) As for the use, I can see the use of it being interesting in my personal thinking. But for use in a library setting, well that would be harder. I have a hard time of thinking of editing the Declaration of Independence, I think that the Founding Fathers would be very confused to think that something that they work on could be edited by any and everyone who has access to a computer which would be confusing to them anyways. LOL

I could see the use of these tools if you have a presentation to the public and it had multiple authors working together on it. I just had have a hard time thinking that the library could use them at this time. But in the future, who knows.

Shelf Elf

PS: I was able to add a line about the good things.

Thing 8: Sharing Slide Shows

I have been working on the Slide Show portion, and I am having a mixed feelings about it. It was easy to use and upload photos from my PC. I decided to use the Picture Trail. And it is easy to work with, that lots of decisions to be made on the design. THe biggest issue that I am having with this is that I can't seem to upload it to my blog. It seems like the feed is wrong. I have been working on this for about 2 1/2hours. It does seem like it does take alot of time to do this. Again, time management is the biggest thing.

I used the Huge Labs for my trading card so that was easy to use and to load.

Side note: I did recommend the use of Flickr to a patron who was trying to load photos to another web page. I just saw him a few days ago, and he mentioned that he did do it. And he thanked me.

Anyhow, I checked out the eFolio, what a great resource. I can see all the applications for students, professionals and such get from using it. Hopefully it will be put a good use by the people who could benefit from it. I will be recommending it to my patrons. Maybe I might be using it my self too.

Shelf Elf

Time is flying...

It is hard to believe that April is here. It is seems to be going fast for me at least. I guess in part it is because I am recovering from an injury and lots of things had to be placed on the backburner while I recover from it. It is one of those injuries that you have a hard time telling people about it but by the time you say something they say that they had has it or they know someone who has had it. I am talking about a fractured tailbone. I fell down the front steps of my house (cement) and hit really really hard on it. I went to the Dr about 10 after it had happened and found out a week later that it was fractured. So now I am trying to recover. This weekend had been the best weekend by far. It had been 4 weeks since I had fallen ( I have fallen and can't get up... just the commercial years back) and I didn't have to work or go somewhere. In Minnesota, I can tell you that it is really painful to have a fractured tailbone when the frost heaves are happening or the potholes are opening up on the road. Since I had this happen, I now have to sit on a ring or aka "donut". A bit embarrassing, especially since we had PLA and one had "popped" (that was a painful drive home from Minneapolis) and I have had a lot of places that I had to go these last few weeks. It is a bit embarrassing to have to take it in to the church, to work, to a restuarant, on a trip with some fellow MN Volunteer Certification students to see Nancy Pearl or even to sit on a chair at home. I was told that this could take 4 - 6 -8 weeks to heal. I can honestly say that this ranks up there with childbirth. I know that this is more than what some people like to read about but it has taken alot of my time in the last few weeks.
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Spring started so early this year that it is hard to think that it is here when we keep having snow, just last week the school here was cancelled for the day. But now it is gone except for the little areas in the shade. I have been seeing robins alot and the poor things were just shivering with all the snow. This past Saturday was great, sunshine and no wind helped to bring spring around but I just wish that these type of days would happen more frequently. It is just teasing us with the warm nice weather then it gets really icky out again for days then it will be nice for a day. Welcome to Minnesota in April. I really like the month of May.
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I was able to attend the PLA conference, I went only to the exhibits but I had a good time. It was really interesting to see what is available for the libraries and for the personnel who work there. I was able to have some books (and even audio) signed by the authors. That was cool. The most interesting demos was the World Book Web demo. I was truly impressed with it. And how much more it is now. I also saw the companies that my library system uses. I also was able to meet some people from around the US ( New York, Ohio and New Orleans). I also had my picture taken with Nancy Pearl. Which is funny because the following week I had a Reader's Advisory class with her as the speaker. She is such an interesting person, becuase of all the books that she has read over the years. READ-A-HOLIC just like I am. Too many books not enough time.
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Well, I had better post this to the blog. I will have to do more this upcoming week with the rest of my posting.

Shelf Elf