Thing #18 Open Access to Documents

I have previously explored Googledocs and found many advantages to using it over Microsoft Office.  I plan to use Open Office more this year and compare them over time.  The biggest advantage of using Googledocs and Open Office is the accessibility.  I work on my home computer and on my laptop.  Instead of saving documents to my computer and then emailing them to myself, or saving to a flashdrive that I have to be able to locate, I can access my documents from any computer.  I have encouraged my students to use it at home, so they do not have to worry about accessing their email from school in order to print out a document.  Googledocs, though not as familiar and comfortable as Microsoft Office, provides access.  In today's world, ease of access can make the difference in meeting a deadline or having needed information prepared for a meeting.  Most of the time, I use Microsoft Office, but the more I work at home, the more advantages I find to using Googledocs.  Familiarity or access: you decide which you need the most.

Thing #17 Research Roll

I thought I had progressed when I was able to create hotlinks for students to follow on their research quest, but now I see that I had only just begun to learn.  I have created a Rollyo for the research my students are currently doing on the Salem Witch Trials.  Next time we begin research, I will use the Rollyo to guide students to reliable databases.  I already use the library resources page, but Rollyo can guide students to the specific sites I want them to access for a particular topic. 
As a librarian, I would be able to help teachers create Rollyos for their students, so students could have guidance even without the teacher in the library with them.  Often students are overwhelmed with the choices and need help knowing where to start.  A Rollyo can provide that help. 
My Rollyo is titled Salem Witch Trials.

Wonderful Wikis!

I have to blog about my experience creating a class wiki.  I decided I was ready to take the plunge and create a wiki for the first time.  I created a wiki for the students' research, and I asked them to post good articles they are finding and the citation information and hotlink.  It has been exciting this week to see the students learning how to join the wiki and submit posts.  They have even learned how to reply back to one another about the article information posted.  Not only are the students learning good research skills by using databases, they are learning the importance of citation information.  They are motivated to find good articles so they can submit a post.  Students are looking at recommended articles instead of complaining that they cannot find anything on their topic. Research this week has been so much more efficient, and I believe it is because of the wonderful world of wikis.
My class wiki is Crucibleresearch.

Thing #16 Wikis of Wisdom

The more familiar I am with blogging, the more comfortable I feel about contributing to wikis. I can see many applications for libraries.  Librarians could start wikis of wisdom educating students about plagiarism and citing sources.  Teachers and students could add their experiences and tips to the wiki.  Book talks could be shared on a wiki with a variety of readers discussing books and giving their reviews and ratings. Librarians could also set up a wiki as a collaborative tool to work on plans with teachers. Wikis provide another means of communicating.  As librarians and collaborators, communication is essential to building relationships with students, parents, teachers, and administrators. 

Thing #15 Library: Past, Present, and Future

Rick Anderson in "Away from the Icebergs," refers to the bygone information age, potential disasters, and significant threats. One of these "threats" he refers to is the "just in case" print collection.  I think that he speaks too harshly of the library's past.  The library's present of 2.0 has been built on the past: on rich print collections and personal trips to the library. Dr. Wendy Schultz presents a more positive view of the library's past.  She refers to the "treasured past" and "adventure of the future." She says that libraries are not just collections, but also conversations, communities, and a place that "preserves and promotes memories." 
I believe we should feel excited about the emerging world of 2.0 and beyond, but as we embrace the future, let's remember to appreciate the past.  As I imagine becoming a librarian, I see stacks filled with books that students are anxious to read; I see reading areas where one can sit and read that irresistible novel; I hear myself talking to other readers about characters, plots, and themes.  Yes, I also see cutting edge technology and computer access.  But, a library that is technology rich does not have to be print poor.  I have expressed this idea before, and I repeat it again: Keep the books!  Embrace technology, but keep the books!  The present is full of change, so let us future librarians make wise choices. The library of the future has room for its past.

Thing #14 Technorati Tags

What a surprise when I found The Huffington Post as #1 on Technorati's Top 100 Blogs.  I subscribed to the RSS feed recently for this blog.  I checked out a couple of other "Tops" that looked interesting.  The Daily Dish, #11, featured some political cartoons.  Political cartoons generate interesting quick-writes and discussions in the classroom.  A thought-provoking cartoon posted on a library web page or enewsletter could draw the reader's attention to an important idea.  Libraries should probably stay away from political cartoons, though.  #12 was Read, Write, Web which featured an interesting article on posting book reviews with correct format and tags in order to be a good citizen and make money on the book review.  It suggested using a structured format such as ePub.  I had never heard of this web help.  This article gave me an example of the importance of tagging an item appropriately.  As I am linking articles in Diigo, I have the option of tagging.  I have not put much thought into the tags I assign, but I have learned that the tags can be valuable as I save more articles and return to them searching for a particular nugget to glean. 
I am learning more about adding and removing widgets to my blog.  It's fun to personalize my blog while organizing its information.  Technorati and tags had much to offer as I continue to explore my technical side.

Thing #13 Delightful Diigo and Delicious

I was delighted with my experiences with Diigo and Delicious.  I bookmarked favorite sites on Delicious including Flickr photostreams and School Library sites.  I like that you can bookmark different kinds of sites.  I was directed to Diigo when I clicked on Furl, and it was a happy accident.  I like the features that allow you to highlight text and add sticky notes.  I began researching articles for my professional reference list and was able to highlight important points that I want to go back and re-read.  When I start putting together my reference list, I will be able to go back to my saved articles.  This bookmark feature is going to make my research so much easier.  I will not have to save files to my computer.  I can access my bookmarks from any computer.  I also will not have to remember links and webpages.  Oh, my happy brain!  Bookmarking sites will greatly aid my personal research as a student and consequently, my research as a librarian.