Week 10: #23 Is this really the end? Or just the beginning...

There were several components of this training that I enjoyed. I really liked the library elf and library thing. I think these are two sites that I would continue to use. I also was really happy that I had the opportunity to learn more about photo sharing, because that is something I was interested in learning more about. I also liked that the fact that this was a collaborative effort. Everyone got together and helped each other out, and I think it was a good bonding experience for the staff. It was really interesting to look at other peoples blogs. I came into this whole experience in the middle of it and it was a good way for me to get to know all my new coworkers. I would definetly be interested in continuing this training. I think that this experience was good for everyone because it gave us an opportunity to learn about things that we might never have done without iHCPL. I think the next step now is just to take it to the next level. I would interesting in applying the things I learned and doing more advanced applications. I think that the program was a great success and I am really happy that I completed it.

Week 9: #22 Downloadable Media

I think that compared with the other sites I looked at the HCPL site is really good. I like that we have this available for people that want to use it. As far as I am concerned I really don't see the point of eBooks. I would not check one of these out. When I read a book, I don't want to have to stare at the computer screen for a long time. However, I did like the fact that there are music and movies on the HCPL site, that is really cool. I had actually never looked at the overdrive site before and I am glad I did because I do think it is a good thing, that we have this avaible for our customers. We had a lot of really good items on the site for people to use, so I think it is good. I am just not sure how much I would actually use this sort of thing, especially since I use a Mac at home, and according to the site its not compatible with Macs or iPods. Which I think is definetly a disadvantage because so many people have iPods now.

Week 9: #21 Podcasts, Smodcasts!

I was familiar with podcasts before starting this excercise. I already had the new york times book review in my bloglines account. I subscribed to a podcast about Las Vegas tourism, since I am going there next month. I used podcastalley.com and I thought it was really good. the site allowed you to browse for podcast based on subject, and they had thousands of entries. If you are looking for a podcast and you don't have itunes the I think this is a good site to visit. I think podcasts are very useful, because they are easy to make and anyone with a computer can access them. I think podcasts are going to become more and more popular. I heard alot about colleges used podcasts in classes, which I think is a great option for students. I took several online classes when I was in college, and I think I would have taken advantage of a class that used podcasts, if it had been available to me.

Week 9: #20 Discover YouTube and other video sharing sites

I think YouTube is a really cool website. I like that there is so much content, from anything to TV, politics, and random videos that people post. I enjoy just browsing YouTube and seeing what out there. I think that this could be a good tool for the library. I think it could be a good way to promote upcoming programs and services. YouTube is a really popular site so I think that people would appreciate if the library used it. The video I found is from my favorite TV show The Office. One of the funniest parts of the show are the pranks that Jim on plays on Dwight. I found a video that someone made of the top ten pranks between Dwight and Jim. This video is a good example of why I like YouTube, because anyone who is a fan of the show will enjoy this compilation. I couldn't figure out how to embed the video so here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyO7Fp1PuoM

Week 8: #19 Web-based Apps: They're not just for desktops

I think that Zoho writer is actually pretty cool. Anyone wh0 has used miscrosoft word before will find Zoho writer to be easy to use. I really liked the fact that it was easy to use and it is really convenient if you want to share documents. It was really easy to create a document and it had all the features of microsft word that I like to use, plus some great features that word does not have. I could definetly see how some people would argue that this could lead to the end of microsoft office, but I would argue that it wouldn't be anytime soon. But I think that this is a very useful tool, and I could see myself using it at some point.

Week 8: #18 Social Networking: Making friends in the comfort of your own home

Social networking is something that really does not appeal to me. A lot of my friends are on myspace and facebook, and they always try and get me to join but I am just not interested. Those two sites in particular, seem to me best suited for high school age kids, and I think that is part of the reason it does not appeal to me. I looked at several of the sites and the only one I really found interesting was dogster, I don't think I would actually sign up for it, but it did catch my attention.

Week 7: #17 Blog About Technology

When I think about the impact that technology has on my life, it is kind of scary. Sometimes I cannot believe how much I rely on technology. There is not a day that goes by that I do not use technology. And we really are all addicted to technology. Technology is constantly changing the way we live our lives. It effects the way we live, work, and communicate with each other. I know that my life is made so much easier because I have a cell phone and a computer. I think these are good things, but I think there is something to be said for not getting too attached to technology. It should make our lives easier, not control them.

Week 7: #16 So what's in a wiki?

I think that wikis are interesting, since it allows so much freedom for people to add whatever they want. However, that is also a downside because if no one edits the content then how do you verify the information. I know that with wikis like wikipedia, they verify that the information is correct. However I personally would not feel comfortable using information from a website like that because I don't know if I can really trust it. I don't think that wikis are a bad thing I just think that they have to be monitored.