Jennie

My Adventures in Learning and Playing

2008-11-25T08:27:00.000-08:00

Learning and playing, I've discovered, is not easy. Both require time and opportunity to really get the hang of it. And I think there is just never enough time to learn and play. When I've had the chance to sit down and do the Learn and Play Discovery Exercises, it has been under time constraints and I feel I haven't learned as much as I'd liked. That being said, there are aspects I've enjoyed about Learn and Play. I liked creating a blog and using the image generator. Also YouTube was interesting. Creating the blog I think was my favorite thing to do because I do like to write. And actually creating the blog has renewed in me my enjoyment of writing. It has opened up an avenue I thought was closed for a long time.

I'd probably change the name

2008-11-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

When I first heard that we needed to explore MOLDI (Mid-Ohio Library Digital Initiative) , I thought that a better name could have been picked. It wasn't the type of name that screamed exploration.......... but nevertheless I did check out MOLDI and I was pleasantly surprised. I can see how this would be extremely useful for libraries and individuals. It is cool that you can download books, movies, and music onto a PC or an IPod, free of charge. I looked up the book "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate Dicamillo and found it easily. It is nice to have the option of checking it out via MOLDI if the item is checked out at the library. MOLDI, despite it's name, could be useful and definitely enhance the learning experience for the user.

Sometimes

2008-11-03T16:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it seems I can.
I can muster the courage...
I can see the beauty within.
I can see the truth,
And I can know, really know
that it takes the soul
to reach the depths of brokeness
to make it whole again.

-Jennie Wilson

Podcasts Schmodcasts!

2008-10-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

Checking out the different podcast sites was interesting but I didn't really feel like it was that easy to find podcasts on subjects that interest me. I did some searches using the different podcast directories but I felt like all I got was a hodgepodge of information. I searched in Music and Travel and looked up book reviews but I didn't find a podcast interesting enough to want to subscribe to the feed. But for work purposes I added a feed about a year long audio broadcast of the Bible.

Yay for YouTube!

2008-10-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

YouTube was lots of fun! At first I had trouble deciding what I really wanted to sample in the videos on YouTube, but then I decided to see if their were any videos about a place I lived for a semester in college: Salamanca, Spain. And there were lots of videos to choose from. Seeing the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca brought back lots of memories. I can definitely see how YouTube would be beneficial for anyone who likes to travel because you can get footage of places you've been or places you want to go to. YouTube would be a great learning tool for anyone because there are videos about just about any topic. YouTube would be beneficial for libraries because it could enhance the learning experiences of library users. Take a look at the video of the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca.........maybe you'll want to travel there too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMyxwi2BjV0

Fragility

2008-10-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

I want to be strong
and act like it doesn't bother me.
But as usual I'm reminded
of my fragility.
Will I get up and get on
or will I resign myself to not?
To not cherish the beauty
that resides in me.......
To not owning that I do have worth....
It would by a tragedy to crumble under
the pressure that I can get through.
But yet being strong is a struggle
that daily I face and have to defeat.......
There are days though when it defeats me,
it breaks me,
reminding me of my fragility.

Jennie Wilson

Do You Have The Tools You Need To Learn?

2008-10-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

While exploring the "toolbox" of information, I found several "tools" very interesting...........it definitely left me wanting to explore more. In particular, I liked Creative Commons, a site that lets you license/copyright your creative work for free............and Stumbled Upon, a site that lets you learn more about your particular interests whether it be music, books, health, whatever. World Cat is a site that I can see libraries using alot. It would certainly add a new dimension to InterLibrary Loans. To be able to see a online library catalog for the world would open up the possibilities of obtaining information for library users, thus enhancing the library experience for the community as a whole. World Cat would open up a world of possibilities for the future of the library.
Another useful tool to library users would be the link to the library catalog right in the browser. It would be very timesaving to be able to look up items in the catalog directly from the browser. And to have the library toolbar in the browser would be timesaver as well as it allows one to check his/her library account quickly, and keep track of events in a more efficient manner. Tools such as these seem very practical for library users, making their library experience an even more positive one.

And the Award Goes To..........

2008-10-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Learning about the Web 2.0 Awards was very informative. This was my kind of site.............lots of information all at my fingertips. Searching by subject I found it very productive............simply click on the subject you want to search and you get a list of the award nominees for sites for that subject. Then all you need to do is click on the site you want to search and presto.......lots of information. I found this site quick and easy to navigate.
Clicking on Geneology, I found the listing of the award nominees. I searched MyHeritage.com and I could see many wonderful possibilities. I have lots of relatives who live in a different country and I'd like to research some of those names. It is a good way to connect with your heritage..........and it is free. Sites such as MyHeritage.com would be useful for libraries as there are many library users who have an interest in Geneology.
The Web 2.0 Award nominees contain a wealth of information for anyone, no matter what you want to learn about..........so go learn and play!

What's Up Doc?.......Google Doc. That Is!

2008-10-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

After learning about Google Docs, I can see how it would be very useful. To be able to create a document for word processing purposes, or a spreadsheet, or a presentation and then instantly share it with others or publish it to the web could be very practical and time saving. And particularly those people who need to present spreadsheets and power point presentations as a part of their occupation would find Google Docs beneficial.
In addition, libraries could use Google Docs as a way of dispersing information on various topics, authors, community info., community employment opportunities, and they can even get feedback on such subjects. It would be a good way to connect with the community and thus share information, creating more learning experiences for library users.

Not As Strong

2008-10-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

A wave of grief sweeps over me
from time to time to time,
catching me offguard,
jarring me into the knowledge
that though I try hard,
I'm not as strong as I thought.

-Jennie Wilson

Learn and Play: Ya Gotta Feed It To Me!

2008-10-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

After playing with some RSS feeds and learning about how to subscribe to different website feeds, I think the way I would use the most is to go directly to the site and then subscribe from there. It is cool to be able to follow different sites by just subscribing........to be able to get updates through feeds could be very time saving.

It's Learn and Play Wiki Style!

2008-10-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

Learning about Wikis was interesting, although it took me awhile to be able to add my blog to the Favorite Blog list. For some reason, I was having some technical difficulties but finally I was able to add my blog. It is cool to be able to look at the list of other favorites, ie: Favorite Vacation Spots, Favorite Books etc., and to be able to see what other staff consider their favorites..............

Hurt and Hope

2008-09-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

Whatever hurt and pain I have been through in life can, if I'm willing, help me to move forward into the future with hope. It has helped me realize a strength I never knew I had. And it makes me see a beauty in myself that I had trouble seeing before.

Jennie Wilson

Kind of Like Home

2008-09-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

Growing up I always loved going to the library. Picking out books, magazines etc. was always a highlight of my week............and I would read those items cover to cover so quickly so that I could go back to the library sooner rather than later. It is interesting how public libraries have changed over the years..............gone are the days when you had to be ultra quiet for fear that the librarian would shoot dagger eyes at you. Now it is common to have loud storytimes with children laughing in joy, and people on their cell phones, and many people catching up with neighbors in a not so quiet voice. Computers have become a main feature of the library and a big draw in terms of bringing people in the doors. Libraries are friendlier now, more accessible to everyone.
Don't get me wrong.........I loved the quiet of libraries growing up, and the introvert in me felt at home. At home in a building that housed so much information at my fingertips. I guess I've always loved learning........the process of learning and the growth one can attain from it. But just as we change and grow so must the place in which we are taught. If libraries don't change with the community, well then the community would really have outgrown the library...........the library would not be needed anymore.
The library I work at, Columbus Metropolitan Library (Hilliard Branch), is a very alive place. It makes me happy to see kids loving to come to storytimes and see Ryan, the singing, guitar playing, storytime doing, childrens' librarian. Not to mention all the other talented librarians in whom it is so apparent that they love what they do. Customer service is so important in making going to the library a positive experience for everyone. And to know that a customer has left the building feeling heard and supported whether it is through something as simple as finding a book they had been looking for or being able to find a much needed job via the internet, is very encouraging. The public library should feel kind of like home to the community. After all, home should be a place where you can learn and grow.

Silent Yet Present

2008-09-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes silence can be exactly what one needs. To not hear unwanted advice can be more helpful than someone's unsolicited advice, albeit well intentioned. I know when I've gone through times of grief and loss, advice does not really help............rather a listening ear is more supportive........the mere presence of a friend can mean more than words. Actions can speak louder than words.

I Don't Really Understand

2008-09-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

I checked out the different Wiki sites for libraries...........and I guess some of it is useful. Such as the information on employment through the Prince William County site and the information on Biz Wiki through Ohio University. But overall I felt like I would not use this function very much at all. I think it would be easier to do a google search for information like that. Otherwise I find that searching the Wiki sites is too time consuming because you just get a hodge podge of information.

Learn and Play Web 2.0/Library 2.0 Style

2008-09-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

So our post now is supposed to be our thoughts on Web 2.0/Library 2.0...........personally the perspectives I agreed with the most were "Into a New World of Librarianship" and "Away from the Icebergs." The other perspectives pretty much lost me at hello. The "Librarianship" post was interesting because it sees to library as human, in the way that it needs to meet the growing social, emotional, or learning needs of the community. The library must change and grow with the changes, growth in society and in the way everyone has equal access to learning. The "Icebergs" post was interesting because it also looked at the library's need to change to meet needs of the community in the way it provides information. But it looked at learning as if there are obstacles, or icebergs, that the library must steer clear of. For instance, libraries can not take a "come to us" attitude in the way that it provides information and learning experiences or it can't just stockpile hardcopy print resources for the "just in case" situation. The library must provide information and learning experiences through the resource that people rely on.....the computer/Web.

The Measure of Friendship

2008-09-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

Life is not always pretty. So the measure of a true friend can often be found not in how they can share in the good times.... but rather in how they are willing to stand with you and help you through the hard times.

Jennie

Magically Delicious!

2008-09-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

Ok so most of you know this blog was created because at work we are being made/asked to participate in learning all the newer technology/computer thingys and keeping a blog is one of those things. We have to complete some computer activities and then blog about what we've learned. So anyway this blog started out as just work related but I'm realizing it is kind of nice to have somewhere to post other thoughts, kind of like a journal but much more edited:)

So our assignment today was to check out Delicious, a tagging and bookmarking site. So I checked it out..............and it was interesting to be able to book mark and tag websites that you want to keep track of and follow. However, I'm not sure I would use this alot because it was too time consuming I thought to login to an account and then create bookmarks/tags. It is easier for me to just remember the URL instead of going to the trouble of tagging and bookmarking it. Besides I don't really follow that many sites regularly anyway. But I can see how it would be handy for someone who followed many sites.

Inferiority

2008-09-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

"No one can make you feel inferior without your permission." How true this quote by Eleanor Roosevelt. I like this quote alot........it is true, meaningful, and important. But despite the fact that I really like this quote, I have to remind myself to constantly believe it. It is kind of like if I remind myself enough eventually it will become second nature...........because inferiority is something that lives and breathes deeply in me. I fight it constantly............and particularly now as I find myself dismantling my life in an effort to seek a way to rebuild it..........I can not build on inferior ground...........As I move forward, I am not giving permission to inferiority.............to do so would be self-defeating............

I loved this assignment!

2008-09-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

Made this "Read" poster for with my son's picture..............cool huh? Using the American Library Association online image generator was fun................I can see how using the image generators would be addictive because there are so many possibilities...............

Twitter?

2008-09-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

Frankly I had never heard of Twitter before I logged onto it...........microblogging is cool though...........I like that it is quick and you can follow other microbloggers quickly as well................

Library Thing

2008-09-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

So this post is supposed to be on reviewing Library Thing............it is cool because it is like a large online book club...............a place where you can hear about newer book reviews and let people know your favorites...............I can see how Library Thing would be useful...........

Bloglines

2008-09-10T08:43:00.001-07:00

Frustrating!

Gettin 'Introspect'ive On Ya

2008-09-06T16:05:00.000-07:00

Ok so if you haven't heard of the local band Introspect, then it is about time that you did:) Introspect is an awesome , talented rock band that has a loyal following and is constantly bringing new fans on board as well. I was introduced to them recently by a friend of mine whose brother happens to be the lead singer............and from gig one I was hooked. Their energy consumes the room, and their talent is undeniable. Singer Aaron Chalcraft's voice is commanding and rivals that of the best lead singers out there. A couple favorite, original songs are Dreams and The Journey. Introspect is Aaron Chalcraft, Mark Cooper, Jon Blechinger, Drew Phillips, and Greg Braun. Get to know their names because I think you'll be hearing them alot. And get to one of their shows.........it is so worth it! Check out their website for a list of show dates (www.introspectrock.com or www.myspace.com/introspectmusic). When you hear them, you'll understand why their fanbase is growing, and I just bet you'll count yourself in that growing number.