Thing 22 - Staying Current

I can't believe I'm finally at the end of my journey. It has been a great experience learning about all of the Web 2.0 tools. I did procrastinate at first, but I am glad I stuck with it and I plan to go back spend more time with the things. I feel like a whole new world is out there on the internet and it is full of information and resources. When someone talks about things like twitter, Ning, and other tools out there, I have an idea of what they are talking about. Our pastor used a "Common Craft" video to describe something in his sermon and I was all excited. I have watched them on my 23 Things journey and liked how they make things simple to understand. I want to thank Brad for giving me the extra time to work on my 23 Things and for giving me that extra push when I needed it. After learning about the assignment calculator at the end....I thought this would have been a good one to start off with. I could have used it to keep me on track.

Thing 21 - The Assignment Calculator

The Assignment Calculator and Research Project Calculators are such great tools. These are great for time management. I wish they were around when I attended school. These are great for parents to help get their kids set up to use early on so they can be more responsible. With these tools, students don't have an excuse for not keeping up with their work or projects. One more great idea that the internet is providing.

Thing 20- Future of Books

Today I learned about how the Internet and the Web 2.0 are allowing the library community and users to connect using a host of sites and tools below.

Book Group Resources

Book Reviews

Online Book Communities

Books on your phone – I’m not sure I would like this. I need to have larger print.

Kindle and Sony Reader – These may be good for textbooks, or it would be convenient when you go on a trip and don’t have a lot of luggage space for packing books.

I looked at several of the Book Group Resources and I really liked the “What Should I Read Next?” I had some fun looking up some of my favorite books and finding other books from the same author. I also called my mother and looked up some of her favorite authors.

I personally like the idea of reading a book or newspaper, or magazine. I find that more relaxing. I don’t think the Kindle and Sony Reader are for me, but I can see how the younger generation would be attracted to them. They have been using computers, cell phones, video games, etc. all of their lives and they are comfortable with all of the new gadgets.

I liked the PowerPoint by Lee Rainie. He said that for “Libraries to survive the new Media Ecosystem “ they should “Think of yourself as an information hub—an aggregator and linker to others who have useful, interesting material. Links are the currency of the internet, partnerships/affiliates relations are the norm. That’s how you build social capital.”

Thing 19- 4-5-10

Thing 19 – 5/5/10

I learned about other social networks today. I was surprised to see how many opportunities are out there on the internet for people to connect with groups that have similar interests.

I am familiar with Web Junction. It is a great online community for library staff to get resources and training to use in their jobs. I also checked out Ning and searched for several topics and found lists of groups out there.

I am not a member of any online community other that Facebook. I did check out Bake Space, Open Source Food, and Crafts. Wow! I didn’t realize how many places to go for information. If I had more time to spend searching the internet……I probably wouldn’t get anything else done.

Thing 18 - 4-28-10

Today I learned about social media sites. I have been using Facebook for almost a year and it has been a learning experience for me. I am very cautious about sharing information with people that I don’t know. I do like being connected to my family and close friends through the site. I can view new photos and keep up with what is going on in their lives. I have been able to connect with a few old friends, but it seems like most of my friends aren’t into technology. I did find that my sister, that is 5 years older than me, has many friends on Facebook. Facebook is a good way to connect with family and friends, but it is very important to set-up your privacy settings so that you are comfortable with the information being shared.

Thing 17 - 4-28-10

Thing 17 – 4-28-10

I learned about Podcasts today. I have heard a lot about them, but I haven’t listened to one before. Podcasts are another way to share information using the internet. You can download to an iPod or MP3 player. You can also view on your PC. I went to my church website and tried to find a sermon to download and I couldn’t find one on the page. I went to FBC- Jacksonville, and I found the list of sermons available. I found one and it was very easy to listen to on my PC. I think this is a great way to get messages out there to people. Now that I know a little more about Podcasts, I will plan to check out more topics that I am interested in.

Thing 16 - 4-28-10

I am learning about YouTube today. I am amazed at how the internet has created a whole new world out there to share information. This is a great way to get ideas from other people or even get a good laugh. I am going to post one of my favories on this blog. The steps seem to be quite simple, so here goes: