Thing #8

I have added two newscasts--one local and one worldwide. I have added five library-related blogs that were recommended.
I think the RSS feeds are valuable to a librarian because it puts the latest news in one place that can be reviewed the first thing each morning--I use to scan the newspapers each morning to be able to help students with current events--a reader is much more efficient and covers more information than the old method that I use to have to do.
The library-related blogs is an easy way to keep up with advances or techniques used by other librarians. However, at this point, I rely on my librarian list-servs for just that information. Librarians are so busy that I'm not sure that many of us will have time to keep a blog up-to-date. Perhaps, though, I am such a novice at this that I am not aware of all the possibilities and it just seems as if the emails thru the list-servs would be faster.
I think the feeds would be a great asset in a history or geography class to find out what is happening now in the country the class is currently studying.

Thing #7

I enjoyed this level because I have used the Google advanced search before. I used an ancestor who fought at the Alamo for my search term. I had not used James Clinton Neill as a search term before, but it is always fun to find more information about a member of your family.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txnavarr/biographies/n/neill_james_clinton.htm

I have also set up a Google Calendar, but I haven't finished that one for the week. I'm not sure that the Calendar will replace the one on the refrigerator door yet, but it was fun to set one up. Plus, my husband does not like computers so he would never be able to find me if my calendar was on the computer.

I am also setting up an account with Google Notebook to see if this would be a better way to take notes for research papers, and I set up a Google Alert with two terms that I want to track.

Thing #6

I did investigate the trading cards, the mosaic, mappr and looked at some of the other items in the Big Huge Labs section. I think any of those would be fun to use in various classes or the library. These are all new to me so I would really have to select one and work to perfect that technique prior to using it with students--BUT, I am thrilled to know about the possibilities. I have gone back to the Mosaic feature and posted my first attempt with the credits for the pictures listed below.

1. Flower Fairy..., 2. DSC03160, 3. DSC_1570m, 4. DSC03161

Thing #5

I finally located a picture that I wanted to use that would save to my blog. I still do not know why I can save some pictures from Flickr and not others, but maybe that will come later. I love bluebonnets, but I live in an area where they will not come back after our winters. I keep thinking that maybe Texas A&M will work on creating a bluebonnet that will survive in the cold northern part of the state. I also gave credit to Zyada (http://www.flickr.com/photos/zyada/) for the picture when asked at one point, but I can't figure out where that is now. A caption must not be the place to put that type of information; I did notice that some students' blogs that used pictures from the same group that I used show a link to all the pictures belonging to that person so I must have missed a step. (As you can see I just found a way to put a link in the blog that gives credit, but it is still not like many of the other students' credit. HELP!!) As Scarlet said, "tomorrow is another day." This is the first time I have used Flickr and I can certainly see how it could be used for activities with students.

Thing #4

I received word last night that I had registered my blog so I suppose that all is well at this point. WHEE!!!

Thing #3

I think I have set up the blog correctly; it is still scary for an old person like me, but I am trying. At this point, all that I know is that I can see what I have done when I log in.

Thing #2

The easiest thing for me to do is to set a goal; I always know where I want to end up--I may never get there, but I always start with a long-term goal.

Thing #1

I have been in the school business for 44 years and I have always stressed being a life-long learner. As a school librarian I hope that I am doing my job well enough to allow my graduates to transition into the next level of libraries and to become life-long learners, too. I have been out of the loop for so long that this process is really scary for me, but here goes!! I learned about this class on TLC and thought it was a good place to start to bring me up to date in order to help my students. . I think the hardest thing for me will be to set up my toolbox since I am so far behind in the technology area.