Picapp - stereotyping the profession

Update... Sadly Picapp has closed down the free image service it offered and this service is not currently available. My options are now MorgueFile, Flickr, Stock.Xchang, Image Base, Open Photo or Free photo, all of which offer services to support bloggers. Yeeeehahhh! It is true that images of cranky librarians are readily available and Picapp provided much merriment as I scrolled through mugshots of participants in this illustrious profession. Picapp was extremely easy to use - decide on a topic, scroll through the selections make a choice, copy and embed the code in your blog and "Bob's your uncle" or Auntie if that is your preference. In our teeny, tiny town where the IT guardians (or boffins who shackle our readiness to have a crack at anything that begins with "Thou shalt not..." would very likely ban access to this resource, just in case we try to add it to our image downloads on the work computer - heaven forbid such promiscuity! I could have enormous fun using Picapp to include in our branding publicity...the world could become my oyster (until IT realises my folly. This site is an absolute doddle to use.

Up and at'em : Box.net or Pandora's Box

Opening up a Box.net account was surprisingly easy and relatively painless. I had no difficulties in uploading rwo files on to box.net and creating a trial invitation to a friend to share the box.net information. I was intrigued to see that Box.net allowed me to feed information directly through my facebook page and blog and that it allowed direct access to Zoho writer editing
This is another interesting means of sharing information with people and each individual will decide whether or not this is an option that they might enjoy using. I would certainly tell people to go have a play with box.net if they were at all curious about web based activities and solutions. However, even Pukeko's do not resort to strong arm tactics on a regular basis.

Off the cuff : Zemanta experiment

Having completed my Web 2.0 part 2 training I thought I would see what other blog support options are out in big, bad cyber world and discovered Zemanta, a blogging tool that provides writing assistance for those who need it. Having had a wee play with it I felt that it was a tool that may be useful for bloggers who do not have a lot of experience in written language. It offers suggestions for scripts, links to images, tags and related content. Quite fun to play with but seemed a lazy option that can be used when you do not want to make the effort to do something on your own. Whatever happened to discovery opportunities and self learning?

Web 2.0 Final Post (or Last Hurrah?)

Perhaps this is not the final whistle!
What do I make of my Web 2.0 experience?
I guess I can identify with the phrase "You've come a long way baby!" Certainly it is many years since I hatched and there has been a lot of water under the feathers since then.
When this training started a couple of years ago I realised how much I did not know but needed to, if I was to stay afloat. It has not been an easy journey as there have been a number of times when the very obvious stared me in the face but I could not get to grips with what I had to do. Web 2.0 Parts 1 and 2 did allow me to learn at my speed. It was never intended to be a race, more an opportunity for me to absorb as much as I could, personally, from each exercise. I have certainly achieved that and I would encourage anyone to take the plunge with this training. I am really proud that I did not have anyone do the work for me, although I happily asked people to share their knowledge so that I could walk through the mine field without losing all my feathers. I have learned so much through simple trial and error, admittedly more error than trial but what better way to learn! I am hugely grateful to Danielle Carter for her infinite patience throughout phase 1 of the original Web 2.0 learning that helped set me on the right track. Mr Marlowe and Daniel...I think I can see your assistance in a number of blogs that are familiar to me! You are unsung heroes. I have really enjoyed the "start at the beginning" approach for everyone where we all stepped off the lowest bank together. The training has seen a number of colleagues working so well together and actually HAVING FUN! The workroom has echoed with laughter that probably made many of our customers think "I'll have some of what they are having, please".
I have discovered some great blogs on public library sites [see http://bhplnjbookgroup.blogspot.com/ Berkley Heights Public Library]which was lighthearted and fun. Loved their link to awful library books! Managed to find a couple of great reads from the list on their blog, so I guess that validates the purpose of good blogs... readability, effectiveness and inclusiveness.
Like every resource, people have their favourites, so if we all enjoy something different just imagine how much collective resource we have to share with our communities.
While I remain anti "Twitter" because it seems such a superficial means of communication (how well can you really get to know someone on twitter?) Who really gives a FRA what some fleeting screen personality thinks at one particular moment in time - I suspect that their tweets will not alter the course of mankind! I have found Facebook very easy to use and have caught up with a number of past acquaintances who have joined Facebook. Zamzar was very interesting and I would use some of its options again if the occasion arose. Downloading free music did not appeal to me in the slightest. While it was certainly possible the type of music available did not set my nest on fire.
GoodReads was another resource that I will stash in my kete. While I did not enjoy using it as much as LibraryThing it may be useful as a recommendation for other people.
So "Hats off" to all the crew who have had a go and given their all to complete this training. You rippers!

Week 6 : Facebook (Did I play nicely with others?)

Now there's a challenge feathered ones! What if I did not want to play nicely? The odd pike with a bullrush never did anyone harm...and while I would like to tag walls our neighbourhood has "big brothers" watching your every move and graffiti art is so yesterday!
Facebook was an interesting exercise. What a lot of people want to claim you as their friend. Are they lonely, desperate or actually interested in you, for the right reason???? Seriously, I can see that it has a certain appeal. I was intrigued to learn that it was developed by a Harvard student as a means of student communication and it is fascinating to notice that intellectual snobbery is alive and well in virtual circles. (Facebook versus MySpace...who would have guessed?)
It is interesting that YouTube and Facebook seem to be the popular sites for many of our customers, however the content that I see on the screens as I stalk by indicates that many users are not as pure as the driven snow and their values are significantly different to mine.
Facebook has some appeal for me as a means of keeping in touch with friends, but I can also do that through "old friends" which has better levels of security. I did find it easy to use but the down side was the number of anonymous people who wished to be my friend. Whoa, there are some creepy pond dwellers out there folks!
From Manukau Libraries perspective...I would promote the Library's Facebook to others because I think the work that Manukau Libraries does throughout its communities is awesome! Perhaps the phrase "any publicity is good publicity" gives us the right to promote our libraries through any means that we can. So I will twitter, facbook, chirp and trill as much as I have to! After all, there is more than one way to skin a cat...

Week 5 : Music Files and mp3s

Oh woe is me! This exercise has been a somewhat expensive venture into the world of virus opportunities via music downloads. The resident PC techie started to quiver and shake, eyes rolling frantically around his head as he reached for the mouse, rapidly booted up the virus check and engaged a higher level of fire wall protection. Left with the impression that I had just pressed the button for the final 20 second countdown of a nuclear device I quietly left the study and disappeared into the recesses of the family room.
Some time later I heard the shut down tones of windows vista, closely followed by the thunk of the computer chair hitting the PC table, purposeful footsteps heading in my direction and the words "What the @#$%!&+* did you do that for? Any halfwit knows you do NOT GO ON TO THOSE FREE SITES TO DOWNLOAD MUSIC!!!!!"
Experiment over! From my brief observations, the free music was so remotely removed from my "appeal" zone that it simply endorsed my preference for "pay as I download" where I am able to find music that I enjoy and selectively download the pieces I want. It is very easy to do on my home PC which clearly walks PC dummies such as myself through all procedures relating to music downloading. I am sure that there are squillions of people who love getting stuff for free but the words "there is no such thing as a free lunch" should echo loudly in one's ears as they take advantage of other people's work without paying for the priviledge! Free downloads are a little like swine flu...get up close and personal and be prepared to suffer the consequences...could be that you have a mild infection OR could be that you head for a miserable end. It's really all up to you and your values!!! I can see that the free sites would be a great medium for "would be's if they could be's to be discovered or may appeal more to people who really enjoy local music that does not receive much publicity or air time in mainstream marketing areas but I remain somewhat disconnected from the virtues of free downloading. I also think that some of our clients would struggle to download music in our libraries without some intensive assistance from staff. From past experience, many of our clients simply cannot do this on their own without staff assistance on every occasion. Speaks volumes, huh??? That said, I am not adverse to browsing YouTube to hear snippets of music that I may enjoy, then subsequently pay to download.
Being the crusty old Pukeko that I am, I still get a real buzz going into Marbecks and browsing through their classical CDs for a Smetana, Mozart, Sibelius or Vivaldi, finding a treasure then heading off home with a good cheese, a glass of wine and no interruptions - ahhh heaven!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zuCPYxnqH4

Week 4 : Books and Social Networking "What fresh hell is this?" [Quote from Dorothy Parker]

What a tutu around Good Reads. Fascinated by some of the information it contains, however I must confess that I really prefer "Library Thing" for ease of access.
I have set up a very small bookshelf with one recommendation and one book that I have read, which I enjoyed tremendously. I would probably suggest Good Reads as an option for some folk...like the dude who wanted a book on sustainable living that he had borrowed (maybe) some several months ago. He could trawl this site for hours and be able to identify from its cover. Guess I should be grateful that I was not asked to find a "book with a purple cover, about...oh, so big..."!!!! as is the usual enquiry!!!!
There were elements of Good Reads that I liked - searching was very quick - however the search options are a little sloppy for my liking. Being the lazy Pukeko that I am I do not want to waste my energy typing in a full title! Gee, big mistake as it brought up everything and its egg. When I searched for the book "The wish list" by Melanie La'Brooy it linked to a wish list of books to read! @#$%&*!*@#, then it did not seem to be aware that the book had ever been published. trolled the La'Brooy titles to see if had been published under another title, but no, not so! This only reinforced my preference for Library Thing.

Stephanie's bookshelf: read


More of Stephanie's books »

Week 3 : Twitter

For a considerable time I have stood back amused as people extoll the virues of Twitter. In my mind "Twitter" is something that birds do. In my capacity as a pond dweller I hear birds twittering all around me. There are times when I reach for my shanghai in order to remove the twitter and get a bit of peace. Those darned sparrows, blackbirds and larks...But that's another story.
Recently, I had cause to co-erce the fabulous Tosca to put some photos on Twitter, in a rush of blood to my head and a deep desire to gratuitously promote the pond in which I swim!
Having now launched myself off the reed bank on the side of the pond and "played" with twitter I am pleased I have had a go but twitter will not be listed as one of my "Must do" experiences before I go to Pukeko heaven. (Judging by the amount of Pukeko roadkill in my neighbourhood, the chances of that happening are pretty high, but I digress!)
Twitter does not give me the enjoyment "fix" that I gain from real social interaction with other Pukeko soulmates. It seems to be a very superficial means of passing on, often, banal conversation about nothing in particular! Spending my days in front of my computer rather than getting out in the fresh air, moving around and talking to others, would make my white tail feathers droop in despair before finally falling out as I drop sideways off my chair!
I suspect that it may be a medium for passing on the odd informative message provided one did not spend huge amounts of time manufacturing drivel that simply adds to the visual clutter in my life. I would also question whether such utterances change the course of the world, reduce poverty, result in life changing breakthroughs... God forbid that I would choose to spend my days tweeting - that's for the birds!

Week 2 : Zamzar

Well my feathered friends, what a wonderful gadget Zamzar is. How I wished I had known about it, recently, when I needed to ask some boffins to convert an e-mailed file to a format that my hallowed organisation allowed. What a performance...after blood tests, a battery of psychological intimidation, several tea parties and the involvement of the Video Ref I managed to read the document concerned. The two day delay before the final information arrived could have caused mayhem. Having discovered Zamzar I now realise that all this excitement could have been avoided. The steps to use Zamzar were really easy and the whole experience was considerably shorter and soooooooo easy. Zamzar has been BOOKMARKED in my Favourites.
Having seen Learn.net customers struggle with opening and reading documents that are not supported by the Learn.net applications I would very happily suggest the Zamzar option to such individuals. Obviously such customers would need to have an e-mail account and there are small costs associated with e-mail use, at this stage, I think that the benefit outweighs the cost!

Web 2.0 - Awaaaaayyyyyyy! Expectations and more

By Golly, this dodgy weather has had the old Pukeko hibernating early. Having had my nest washed away in the last lot of heavy rain I had to scratch about and find some new nest materials. Imagine my discomfort when the a piece of the local newspaper reminded me that this here blog needs to be completed by this Wednesday!
So here I am, spectacles adjusted, power account up to date and finger exercises in full swing as I start the new day!
Having frolicked through the first stage of Web 2, my little water based colleagues, I'm hoping this time around will be a real doddle. Over the past year I have played with lots of exciting things that can be done on-line and have noticed that there are things that I enjoy and things that I find very boring. Worse still, there are things that can cost a Pukeko heaps of money in PC repairs (My beady eyes narrow at this point as the past remembered lessons learned from downloading free music remain vivid in my mind!)
The jury is out as to the usefulness of blogging with some research indicating that a huge percentage of blogs are started and never continued. It's a great playspace but there is always technology "just around the corner" that some say is bigger, better, brighter, smarter, more likely to change the world! Didn't they say that about Rock and Roll, Space travel, fashion, manners...
I intend the approach this learning with a "slightly" open mind.

Web 2.0 : Blogger Discovery Exercise for repeat 2.0-ers

Goodness me, I bet you never thought you would see my white tail feathers again, but hear we are in May 2010 scratching away to make sense of the next stage of Web 2.0. You ask me what my expectations are - "Expect the unexpected", why plan your life out to the furthest corner of the pond? The best things in life are the spontaneous, unpredictable bits that make you ruminate on life afterwards. I expect this to be an experience in that vein. I am sure that there will tiaras, tears and tantrums as the staff of Manukau Libraries sharpen their competitive beaks and jostle each other towards the finishing chute@!
Pour moi... I shall take each lesson as it comes and digest the juice of the worms that feed my feathered puku!
You also ask what customers would get from such blogs...so much depends upon the nature of the interaction that customers wish to have with Manukau Libraries' electronic space options. We will be different things to different people - some may look as such musings as superficial, others may be looking for an "insider's view", yet others may be looking for scandal, gossip and mayhem! Those of you who want to scrutinise my murmurings more deeply will have to watch closely to see the real location of my abode in the pond towards the western shores of Manukau harbour.

Week 8 - Zoho document fun - I have inserted my Zoho page "A Pukeko or New Zealand Swamp Hen"

What is a Pukeko?

The Pukeko, or New Zealand Swamp Hen is a member of the rail family, and is similar to other species found all over the world. It is one of the few New Zealand native birds to have flourished since the arrival of man, and can be found in almost any grassland area, especially in swampy locations. Groups will often be seen foraging for food in road-side areas.

With their bright blue plumage and red beaks, they easily stand out against the New Zealand greenery, particularly when their white tail feathers begin flashing in alarm. Just why they have struck a chord with the Kiwi psyche is hard to say, but you'll find their images on all manner of art and craft works. Ask any visitor to New Zealand what bird they remember most, and they will more than likely answer, "The Pukeko!"

 

Follow the link http://www.pukeko.ws/bird.html for more information about the Pukeko.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Fanfare

This wee Pukeko has completed the lessons required for the Manukau Libraries Web 2 Learning project. It has been an adventure that I started with great trepidation. However, time, patience and enormous support from those with greater nest building skills than mine has made this a journey that has been exhilarating, frustrating on occasions, but hugely worthwhile. I have discovered that I am not a technosaurus and that if I can learn so can other chicks around me.
I will depart leaving you with Imbecile from the Tarot Suite by Mike Batt and Friends which I have borrowed from You Tube. It depicts the joy and dismay that I have felt as I have worked my way through this self discovery exercise.

Addition to Week 6 post for -Library Thing discussing Captain Beaky and his Band

Just for fun I am adding a You Tube version of Captain Beaky and his band so you are able to share the fun of this wonderful story.

Week 9 You Tube: A Blaze of stardust in the Pukeko Pond

As my blog draws to a close, along with the start of winter, I notice that I am spending longer in my warm nest and cannot read my books once the sun disappears past the western horizon. I have listened to my fellow Pukekos talk about watching videos on You tube to while away the hours. Managed to casually drop by the IT Guru's nest in time to hear him talking about a recent phenomenon he had seen on You Tube. He was so excited about it that he didn't realise he was showing me how to find my way around this extraordinary means of communication. When I went home I started up my PC, went on to the Internet and typed in youtube.com then did a search for the phenomenon he had chirped on about. By typing in Susan Boyle I came up with loads of information on this exciting songstress. Her voice had me transfixed and I played all the videos of her singing various songs that had me rivetted to the screen long after I should have been in bed. Having also tried to download her "I dreamed a dream" from the BBC site and discovering that it took too long to load I can really recommend finding your favourite video through You Tube. In a twinkling of a Pukeko's white tail feathers You Tube delivered what I wanted and I am looking forward to hearing more of this Susan Boyle soon.
Loved access to You Tube, especially because it gave me the opportunity to listen to long time music and comedy favourites that are now not available to purchase.
Unfortunately embedding has been disabled in the video of Susan's performance of "I dreamed a dream" however this is the URL for the full length version of her appearance on "Britain's got talent" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY so I have inserted a clip taken from an appearance Susan Boyle made on Michael Bayymore's show "My kind of people" in 1984.

Week 8 - Online applications and tools Zoho hoho

Whoa Pond dwellers! Zoho writer is a wee gem - an online word document processing opportunity. Had great fun discovering all the possibilities, once I had set up my Zoho account. What an excellent publishing option that is hosted away from your private PC. Cool templates too! CVs would be really helpful for wee Pukekos who use the Library's Learn.net for their job hunting. Seems to have more options than microsoft!!! Can't wait to show the feathered neighbours what I've found!!!

Week 7 - Bebo, My Space, Facebook

At long last I have poked my head out of the nest and taken another look at these new folks on the other side of the pond. The buzz had been that Bebo was the place to be - OK if you're a very naive Pukeko chick still grappling with life's twists and turns. Can't say that my foray into Bebo was at all appealing, though. Seems as though it is for newly hatched chicks who have no social graces and little respect for old feathers like mine. My Space and Facebook were similar although activity seemed to be more promising on both those sites. Good to know that I can retain my dignity and be as private as I like, only letting a few feathered friends contact me on Facebook when they choose to do so.
Took a moment or two to look at Hennepin County Library's website. Nothing on board that really caught the eye of this Pukeko, but those folks sure know how to get things moving and shaking. They've sure covered all their bases, Photos, videos, information AND interaction. Great communication option for all their customers and friends and I bet there are real shy Pukekos like me who are too afraid to ask questions but can squizz at other blogmeisters' questions and answers to find out stuff. Looks easy too, huh?

Week 6 - Web 2.00 and the future of Libraries

Web 2.0 provides an exciting opportunity for libraries and their communities to share virtual space and take knowledge in to another dimension. To encourage communication forums, knowledge sharing and event participation via the click of a mouse. Instant gratification, without the social stigma. Kindred souls communicating on the same wave length, without needing to publish hard copy to have it read and critiqued. Whoever would have thought, when I broke through the egg in the nest, as just a wee chick, I would ever have been communicating in a virtual world. Web 2.0 allows libraries to become a conduit for information access for virtual users, with really good sites attracting more users in a day than seems physically possible, then sharing what they have seen,heard and read with the big wide world! I muse about the future of NZ Post and the Jolly Postman as I write this, wondering whether they will fade away, just like the glass milk bottle, and become something that is described in the annals of web 2.0 under the wiki history links.
Is this the start of the library without hard copy items that we were promised in the 70's?