Attack of the Pod People -- Podcasts and other downloadable media

Finally (!) finished Exercise 6--podcasts and downloadable media. This is one I really wanted to get into the hands of staff members especially now that our library system offers access to downloadable books for iPods and other Apple products. Because we didn't want to clutter up the whole network with like a zillion books being downloaded, our tech people had to come up with a way that people could try it out without doing that. Which they did. Thank heavens. I hope a lot of staff members realize that it's not as difficult as they thought it might be.

As for me, I'm now reading Working Stiff by Tori Carrington, an ARC borrowed from a friend. When it comes out, if you look closely you'll find me (me!) mentioned in the acknowledgements. This was an unexpected treat and I was thrilled. Just started it but so far, so good. I like the character of Sofie Metropolis.

RSS Feeds

Between moving, attending ALA in June, and heading to Oshkosh for the EAA Airventure with a couple hundred thousand of my closest friends, I've spent most of my working hours catching up with what I missed. Thank heavens my library branch has a great staff that can function without too much guidance. Here's a(nother) picture of our plane, N5255N, a 1980 C-182 Skylane at Harry Cleaver Field in New Philadelphia, Ohio. If you look really closely, you can see me in the right seat. We spend a week camping under the wing every year with a group known as the Metro Warbirds. If you're not familiar with the phenomenon and are interested in aviation at all, you should check it out at http://www.airventure.org/.

Then, of course, I spent a day working at the Valley City Frog Jump. Yep, that's an annual festival in Valley City, Ohio where kids of all ages compete to try to make their frog jump highest. Not into catching frogs? No problem, you can rent one. No kidding. Check it out at http://www.valleycity.org/frogs/frogjmp.htm.

Here's a competitor!

So, with all this excitement, can you blame me for maybe not getting around to doing any more 8N08 exercises?

Fortunately, Eric, a colleague, was kind enough to pick up on RSS feeds and develop the exercise for them. I just tried it out--subscribed to loads of romance writing and library feeds. I'm amazed how easy it is! I think it will be a nice way for people to ease into finishing the second half of 8N08.

And my friend Carmen emailed me about a new Web 2.0 application from Amazon that ranks--for lack of a better word--stuff! It's called Unspun. Check it out: https://unspun.amazon.com/

8N08: The Saga Continues

First, if you read historical romance, let me recommend a nice light summer read by a friend of mine. It's getting great reviews and if you do the genre at all, you'll probably enjoy it.Now, back to business. I've been typing my fingers to the bone (to the bone, I tell you!) trying to get my fifth exercise together so our tech department can figure out how to make it happen. I'm trying like mad to get it done before I leave for ALA next week.It's on podcasts and downloadable media and I think staff will really enjoy being able to see what the fuss is all about.
Plus, with the news that some items will soon be available for use on iPods, I think there will be even more interest in using downloadable audiobooks.

Finished The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen. I loved her first book, Garden Spells and just gobbled this one up too. They are magical!
Also, listening to on my MP3, another sophomore effort, Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos. Again, I loved her first, Love Walked In and am engrossed in the second. Love all the movie references, even though I don't get many of them!

Another debut, by Rebecca Flowers, Nice to Come Home To was like taking a walk back through my younger days. She was obviously from around my home town and I was thrilled to find out her mom was the director of a library in the county I work in. Too cool! I have to admit, at first, I didn't like the main character, but I grew to become quite fond of her. The mentions of Springsteen alone would win my heart.

Hope you are all enjoying some fabulous reading too!

Shelfari -- Readers Advisory Gone Wild

Here's a picture of our plane, which was in Illinois this weekend with my husband and daughter while I played soccer, rode my bike 25 miles and moved the kitchen. Needless to say I slept well on Sunday night. It's Tuesday now and I'm still recovering! But, isn't she pretty? Please note the dual nationalities of the flags which flutter in the breeze off the antennas.

Mary B. sent me something about Shelfari. It's a nice RA site that uses Web 2.0 to share your reading with others. Because it uses book covers, it's very visual, making it attractive to view and use. And--very cool--you can add it to your blog as I've done. SRC has been keeping us quite busy here at the library, so I've not had a chance to get any other exercises done and posted. The next one will probably be podcasts and uploading online books. Of course, ALA is coming up, followed by several days vacation, so if I don't get started before then, it will be July before I get any more done.

Here a blog, there a blog, everywhere a blog, blog...

It's really been fun seeing all the 8N08 blogs come in. I've linked mine to quite a few, if anyone wants to have a look.

Now, to find time to work on the remaining four of 08. (Or should that be 4of8N08? Or perhaps 2nd4of8N08?)

I'll get to it--I swear. Just not this week. We are gearing up for SRC (Summer Reading Celebration--a very big deal in the library world) which means school visits. That is, I send library associates and librarians into the netherworlds of the schools to present what's happening at our library this summer and I mind the desk.

A fun, but busy, time.

Exercise 4 -- Play Day: Rollyo, Pandora, Webjunction, Reader's Advisory Online, and Image Generators

Can a person develop an addiction to image generators? I'm becoming a little concerned!

Although, the Reader's Advisory stuff isn't strictly Web 2.0, we're including it because some of the links and newsletters may be new to staff. I think they'll particularly enjoy Pandora and the image generators!

Even Punkers Do It!