Learning 2.1: Explore ... Discover ... Play

Thing 70: Free (and legal!) MP3 downloads

2009-01-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season wraps up, many of our patrons are bringing in shiny new MP3 players and looking to us to magically fill their MP3 players with music. Not just any music - current and popular music. Oh, and it should be free, of course. Since there is no hope of Santa returning in the near future, we are finding ourselves explaining over and over again that, yes there is free music available, but it may not be the top 40 hits and it may not be legally uploaded to the internet.

To help these patrons filter through all of the music download websites on the internet and find free and legal MP3 downloads, we have compiled a list of free and "almost free" websites. Thanks to the detective work of our staff and one really informative web page ("Keep Rocking: 30+ Sites for Free and Legal Music"), we are able to provide our patrons with a large variety of websites and musical genres to choose from.

Websites that offer inexpensive MP3 downloads:

Rhapsody.com-Must have a credit card. The Rhapsody To Go Plan is $14.99 a month.
Emusic.com-Must have credit card OR paypal account. The cheapest plan on there is $11.99 per month plus a bonus of 50 downloads for free.
Napster.com-The Napster to GO plan is $14.95 a month, must have credit card. The plan includes unlimited transfers to compatible mp3 players.

Websites that offer free MP3s:

Amazon MP3 Store - The vast majority of the music at Amazon is for sale, but they do have a rotation of free tracks available for download.
AmieStreet.com - Focused on promoting new and independent music, their downloads range from free to $0.98 as they grow in popularity.
Archive.org - An enormous collection of public domain music, expired copyright tracks, as well as some free contemporary music.
ArtistServer.com - It started off as a resource for independent electronic musicians, but is now open to all. All tracks can be downloaded for free.
BeSonic.com - Offers over 13,000 free tracks from mostly European acts.
BetterPropaganda.com - A music webzine covering hundreds of music labels, and offering thousands of free & legal songs for you to download.
CCMixter.org - a site dedicated to music that you can download to remix and post your results, all under the Creative Commons license.
Cooltoad.com
Download.com - Most people think CNet’s Download.com is just about software, but they also have tens of thousands of free MP3s you can download from new as well as up and coming bands.
Epitonic.com - A large selection of free tracks from smaller record companies that are free to download with larger releases available for purchase
EZ-Tracks.com - Offers over 30,000 legal downloads that are managed through a partnership with the labels. Starts you off with credit for 101 free upon registering.
FreeAlbums.blogsome.com - A blog that posts reviews of complete albums that are available for free downloads from numerous sources.
GarageBand.com - Independent bands can upload their music, then have it rated by users, as well as downloaded for free.
Imeem.com - Features streaming music from all of the major labels as well as numerous smaller companies, with numerous free downloadable tracks.
ItsFreeDownloads.com - Finding the free downloads on iTunes can be a chore, this site does the work for you and lets you know what’s free each week.
Jamendo.com - Artists upload their albums under Creative Commons, allowing new listeners to discover their work. Although free, there is the opportunity to donate to the performers of your choice.
Last.fm - While most people know Last.fm for its streaming and social aspects, they offer a weekly chart of downloadable free mp3s.
Live Music Archive - Part of Archive.org, features thousands of live performances by smaller bands as well as the likes of the Grateful Dead and Jason Mraz.
MetalHordes.com - A band promotion site focusing on various forms of heavy metal, and allowing bands to upload mp3s users can download for free.
MP3.com - Besides their paid section, MP3.com does offer a large selection of free tracks from acts small and large alike.
MP3.com.au - Focusing on Australian bands, mp3.com.au offers a repository for bands to upload their music for people to download and try for free.
MP34U - Works in conjunction with Muzic.com, this site finds sources of free music & legal music from all over the Web.
MP3Raid.com - Searches multiple sources to bring you approximately a million free song downloads.
Muzic.com - A sister site to MP34U, wherein the artists upload their tracks themselves, and muzic.com helps them promote their work.
Music.download.com—click on “111,000 Free MP3s” at the top of the page
Purevolume.com - Allows independent musicians to set up profiles for themselves, stream their music and gives them the option of enabling their work for free downloads.
Ruckus.com - Ruckus provides free music to people with .edu email addresses, and requires you to renew your licenses for DRM once a year.
SoundClick.com - Offering a mixture of signed and unsigned artists the opportunity to set up profile pages and either stream their music or offer it up for free downloads.
SpiralFrog.com- Major release albums and tracks available for the price of just watching some advertisements.
Stereogum.com - Daily free mp3s from various artists, as well as rotating free albums.
TuneShout.com - A site for independent artists to promote themselves. Artists can upload tracks either for free or at a user cost of $0.89.
We7.com - We7 offers mp3 downloads for free, but they do have advertisements attached to them. If you want them without the ads, they do offer a paid alternative.

Discovery Exercise:
1. Go to one of the websites posted above.
2. Choose a song to download.
3. If you have an MP3 player, transfer that song from the computer to your MP3 player.

Thing 69: Feed My Inbox

2008-11-30T12:02:00.000-08:00

Really Simple Syndication is a key tool in understanding the new architecture of the World Wide Web. So important, that it was one of the original 23 things (Thing Number 8 to be exact.)

Now, as an expert in the Read Write Web, you are showing blogs and websites to folks and telling them that they can subscribe to the feed for the reader and see it either in their browser (iffy at best) or they can use a web based RSS readers such as Google Reader or Bloglines.

But they get don't want to have to learn another program.

Here is the solution: Feed My Inbox.

Simple interface.

Add the feed address/URL. (make sure it is NOT the website address but the RSS address!)

Add your email address.

Then you get an email to confirm the address and you are done.

And there is a link in each feed email that asks if you want to unsubscribe to the email.

Discovery Exercise:
1) Go to one of your favorite websites that updates frequently.
2) Find the RSS feed for that site or section of that site.
3) Copy that URL information.
4) Go to Feed My Inbox.
5) Add your feed and your email address.
6) Wait for a new feed and discuss the content, how it was arraigned and were there links to follow?
7) Write about your experience.

Thing 68: Filtering Flickr

2008-11-05T07:53:00.000-08:00

Flickr has become a great resource for finding images on the web. As you all know, sharing and tagging photos is one of the killer applications of web 2.0. Flickr can also be rather overwhelming when searching for that one right photo.

There are two sites that effectively and visually blow my mind when searching FlickrCC and TagGalaxy are two ways to graphically search flickr.

FlickrCC uses a keyword search to bring up a window of pictures tagged with that search tag. Click on each picture gets you the proper attribution link, editing link and different sizes to move directly into your presentations and websites. All of the images are copyright with Creative Commons licensing, which encourages sharing.

Tag Galaxy lets you visually search Flickr. Yes, visually. You can then filter down through refined tags to get to your desired image. Some images are not shared with Creative Commons licensing, which you should be aware of before using them in your presentations or on your blogs and websites.

Here are both sites searching for the Flickr tag Church:

First FlickrCC:

Now Tag Galaxy:

and tag galaxy refined from they keyword church:

Discovery Exercise:

1) Explore both FlickrCC and Tag Galaxy by searching for the same keywords on each site.
2) Did you find similar or different results? Which method of browsing pictures worked better for you? Did the images you find match your expectations?
3) Write about your experience with both resources. If you are able to use the photos on your blog, website or presentation write about how easy it was to add the image to that blog, website or presentation.

Thing 67: Stress Savers

2008-11-05T06:58:00.000-08:00

The web should help you save time. These three sites will help you use life without stress. Tow of them are "web 1.0" ish tools but very useful.

The Dial A Human site helps you get around those phone trees. It gives you what option you can press at many national service providers to talk to a person.

Custom Guide provides free computer training tipsheets on a variety of programs. If you need some quick help with various Mac, Windows, and Adobe programs this is a great site for some quick assistance.

Where is your Username Registered? is a site which will check multiple sites to see if your preferred username is available at a bunch of readwriteweb sites.

Discovery Exercise.
1) Explore Custom Guide. Are there any places that you call normally that you are now glad to know how to talk directly to a representative.

2) Explore Username Check: Check for your username "brand" on many different sites. If you want, register your name at sites that you want to use in the future. Keep this bookmarked and share with your friends who use the readwriteweb.

3) Write about your experiences with each of these sites.

Thing 66: Directory 2.0

2008-10-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

The world of the new web can be daunting. Sometimes the information overload of the newest, shiniest sites can paralyze even the most veteran web user.

There are two great sites out there that can help you navigate and organize your 2.0 and beyond journey. One of them preselects and organizes sites and one allows you to customize your 2.0 search portal experience.

All My Faves contains a staggering number of icons arraigned by categories of Home, Entertainment, Kids, Shopping, Travel, and Weekly Faves. This site reminds me of Yahoo in the early days. Someone organizes sites for your use. Perfect for the new read write web person and great for grizzled veterans such as myself.

43 Marks also has a list of suggested read write web resources but displays they names not the icons. The biggest difference is that 43 marks wants you to customize the display to meet your needs. You are creating your portal from the suggested list of sites and can add rss feeds from different places, add or delete specific site groups. Very nice interface indeed. If you don't want to just dive in and create your own Bookmarks page, you can view the tutorial which walks you through step by step.

Discovery Exercises:

1) Go to both All My Faves and 43 Marks. Search for your favorite sites and see how they are categorized.
2) Try clicking on two sites you have never visited and see if you agree with the categorization.
3) Sign up for 43 Marks and create your own personal start page. Write about the process.

Maurice Coleman aka Baldgeekinmd : Your October (and November) Learning 2.1 Guide

2008-10-14T23:38:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I am Maurice Coleman and I will be your guide for October 2008. I hope this fall finds you well and ready for more Learning 2.1 activities. You can find me on many social networking sites as user baldgeekinmd *and one or two as just baldgeek.*

These are my usual social networking avatars:

My Shortish Biography:
I am currently the Technical Trainer at Harford County (MD) Public Library located in the North Eastern corner of Maryland. My job is to help staff leverage new and existing tools and technologies in an innovative library system; to provide group and individual training in a variety of areas to library staff; and to foster communication between geeks and non-geeks. Over the last 15 years I have trained people of all ages on technology in the real world, software, organizational development, fundraising, community organizing and presentation skills.

I have presented at National, State and City/County wide conferences on technology and community development issues. I am currently co-creating and producing the Learning 2.1 program for the state of Maryland; organizing/hosting a podcast about training called T is for Training and I actively blogs at The Chronicles of the (almost) Bald Technology Trainer. I am also working with Minnesota Regional Libraries to do a series of technology training workshops all across Minnesota this month (October 2008. ) I have also been selected by the Maryland’s DLDS (State Library) to represent library staff development professionals at the esteemed Learning 2008 conference sponsored by the Maise Institute.

I hope you have fun with the things I am going to show you this month.

See you soon with Thing #66. I still can't believe that there are now that many things.

Thing 65: It's hard to think about anything else

2008-09-30T12:03:00.001-07:00

The current economic crisis in the U.S. market dominates the news right now, justifiably. There's lots of detailed information (from the pink Financial Times, for example), but I'm having trouble finding something I can understand without spending a lifetime studying it, and I'm sure some of our library users are just as hungry for digestible information.

So I've spent this afternoon searching for good resources to help us figure it out, free of political bias (I hope). I'm not sure I've found the magic link yet, but here are some suggestions.

Kiplinger.com: 15 Things You Need to Know about the Panic of 2008.
The Subprime Primer from BusinessPundit.com has a pretty simplified view, but I think the overall message is sound. Warning: Language not for the faint of heart.
How the credit problems might impact you, from Time.com.
This timeline from MSNBC might help.
Judy Woodruff interviewed George Soros back in April (published in the New York Review of Books), but what they talked about makes a lot of sense now.
HowStuffWorks offers How can mortgage-backed securities bring down the U.S. economy?
The Slate Explainer hasn't exactly addressed the entire issue yet, but there are good bits and pieces here.
Of course, there are a few Wikipedia pieces: Subprime mortgage crisis and Proposed bailout of United States financial system.
NPR.org's Planet Money offers Understanding the Crisis, especially useful if you want something to listen to.
Also in audio, and featuring the same speakers, This American Life has show number 365: Another Frightening Show about the Economy. (Not actually broadcast yet, but promises to be quite informative. Available Friday, Oct. 3.)
Questions, answers and postings about the bailout and why it's come to this at Metafilter, a go-to group of laypeople who usually have some very insightful disagreements and discussions.

Discovery Exercise:

Visit these sites to see what you can learn. I sincerely hope it helps!
If you find other useful sources, please share them with the rest of us via your blog or by posting them to the comments.

There, now do we all feel a little better after our cute break?

Thing 64: One-hit wonders

2008-09-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

It's September, so we're back in our places with bright, shining faces, right? Or maybe we're just exhausted after a long, hot summer. Well, those of us in North America, anyway.

I always liked it best when the first few days of school were easy days - no homework, not too much to wrap my head around, just basic stuff I'd rely on all year. In that spirit, here's a list of websites I discovered to be really useful this summer. I hope you'll find one or two of them helpful.

Site: CopyPasteCharacter.com

Why it's so great: You never knew how much you needed this. Say you're writing about the Norwegian city Amoy. Except that's not really the name ... how do I make that A with the single dot again, much less the o with the slash? Find the character you need at CopyPasteCharacter.com, and, well, copy and paste it. (It's Åmøy, BTW.)

Site: Kuku Klok

Why it's so great: It's an online alarm clock that promises to work even if your internet connection goes down. Set the clock (using military time), click "Set," and choose from one of 4 alarm sounds. Done. The alarm will go off until you flip back to that page and make it stop.

Site: Stormpulse

Why it's so great: Tracks Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes and their projected tracks, a virtual obsession in the PLCMC part of the world this time of year. Clear graphic interface, but loads quickly.

Site: Pixadus

Why it's so great: Social-ranking for pictures. Post a photo; other users rank it, and the ones given the best ranking show up on the front page. The top pictures are usually astounding.

Site: Fake Name Generator

Why it's so great: There's lots of times you need a fake ID on the internet, when you think about it. Maybe it's the thirteenth time you've signed up for a Yahoo! email account because they keep changing the process and you need to be able to explain the new way to patrons. Maybe you just want to hide your real self. No matter what your reason, Fake Name Generator sets you up with a fake name, complete with details like postal address, mother's maiden name, a disposable email address, and so forth, from pretty much any country you'd like. (I'm Rebecca W. Hewitt of Heronsgate, born in 1961, BTW.)

Site: PicApp

Why it's so great: Search for photos (artsy or news-related) to use in your blog posts, all perfectly legal. You can create an account, but there's no need to unless you want to create a lightbox to save your favorites into. (PicApp is the source of the vintage classroom photo above and the picture of Steve Jobs introducing the new iPod Nano below, which I'm posting only a few hours after the photograph was actually taken.)

Discovery Exercise

Visit each of the sites listed in this post. Which ones will be useful for you?
Use the comments section of this blog to share your newly-discovered useful sites.
Use Regator (this might be a good place to start) or any other news reader to find one or two more potentially useful websites. Visit and evaluate them in your blog. (It's okay if you decide they aren't worth it; just let us know why.)

Summer vacation

2008-08-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

Okay, so consider the lack of July postings a nice summer break - or winter break if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, I suppose. While we're at it, let's take August off too! But watch out, because I'm busy collecting all kinds of goodies for you to enjoy learning about come September.

In the meantime, go get back to your roots and read a book! (Preferably on a beach somewhere.)

Thing 63: PDF Form-Topia: PDF Form Filler Freeware

2008-06-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

FoxIT Reader is a wonderful free tool to add to your PDF arsenal. Click the Play button to view a video that introduces you to FoxIT Reader and describes its wonderful features. We especially love the feature that enables us to type text in a non-editable form.

I downloaded and installed it to my flash drive so that I would not leave home without it! Would you like to have your very own copy? Log onto: http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

Click the DOWNLOADS link. Click Download Foxit Reader 2.3 (Installer: .exe, 2.55 MB). Click the RUN button to run the insatallation program from the FoxIt Software website. Or click the SAVE button to save the file to your computer, and run the installation program from your computer. I chose to run the installation program from the Fox It Software website. The installation process was quick and easy!

Then I opened the Post office application file I saved during THING 62. To recap: Log onto http://www.usps.com/. Click Forms. Click Employment Forms. Click PS Form 2591(PDF).

Click Tools; Typewriter Tools; Typewriter. Click in the text box you want fill in and begin to type. If the cursor doesn't land exactly where you want it to, you can click the Move cross, and drag the text box to wherever you want to place it. Then you can type to your heart's content. It is so easy!

There is one caveat, however. If you save the completed form FoxIt Reader adds a red evaluation mark to the completed form. If you buy the FoxIt Reader Pro Pack for $39.00, you can save a completed form without an evaluation mark.

You can PRINT the form without having evaluation marks added. That's what I did. It works beautifully!

I'm so glad we've had this time together. Until next time, Happy Computing!

-Mary

Thing 62: PDF Form-Topia: PDFEscape.com

2008-06-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to fill out a non-editable PDF form? Frustrating, isn't it. Especially if the PDF form is an employment application and you've waited until the last day to submit it. Of course, YOU would never do such a thing. ;>) This post is to provide you with some tools you can use to fill in a non-editable form.

Let's say you've decided to work at the post office. Although you can now search and apply for post office positions online, you decide that you prefer to do it the old-fashioned way - with a paper application form. Log onto http://www.usps.com/. Click Forms. Click Employment Forms. Click PS Form 2591(PDF). In the Name box, type your first name. What's the matter? Allow me to introduce you to what is known as a non-editable PDF Form. In order to complete this form, you will have to print it, and write it out by hand or typewriter. If you can find a typewriter, that is. It's no secret that human resource types prefer not to have to decipher a job applicant's handwriting. What are the odds that your handwritten application will be read by a human? Especially if you have poor handwriting? What's a job applicant to do?

The following website offers a solution to this problem.

PDFescape.com is a free online pdf reader, editor, form filler and designer. You can open and edit pdf files from a URL or saved to a disk. The great thing about this site is that it will let you use it without registering first. Or is it great? More about that later.

To test it, I chose the Unregistered User option and opened Form 2591 from the website: http://www.usps.com/forms/_pdf/ps2591.pdf. I clicked on the Form Field tool; created the text box; moved the text box to the Name field on the form; doubled-clicked on the text box; and typed my name.

I found it simple to use, and easy to navigate. The text box reponded effortlessly to my resizing it to fit the Name field. It was so easy, and I was having so much fun, I decided to fill in a few more fields. There is even a check mark tool which makes it easy to check boxes on the application. Wow!

When I tried to save the form as a pdf file, a message box appeared informing me that a small logo and link for PDFescape would be added to the free PDF created. If I wanted to avoid having the logo and link added I would have to pay for one premium credit. Premium credits are sold on the website at $4.99 for 5 credits; $8.99 for 10 credits; $16.99 for 20 credits; $29.99 for 50 credits; and $49.99 for 100 credits.

So I thought to myself, maybe I should save it and see how it looks. When I opened the saved file, the following was emblazoned across the top of the form:

"This file was created, modified, or form filled with PDFescape. This marking will not be placed on files saved using the premium option in PDFescape."

Also, the following was emblazoned across the bottom of the form:

" PDFescape is an online web service that enables its users to create, open, edit, and fill in PDF form files. The basic service is free, however this small tag is added to files which use the service free of charge. This marking will not be placed on files saved using the premium option. For more information see www.pdfescape.com"

Then I thought to myself, maybe I should just print it out. When I tried to print it, I was informed that a small logo and link for PDFescape would be added to the free PDF printed. If I wanted to avoid having the logo and link added I would have to pay for one premium credit.

So I dedcided to just print it and see how egregious the logo and link looked on hard copy. Across the top of the form the following was printed in large letters: "Printed Using PDFescape (www.pdfescape.com)". Across the bottom was printed the full URL for the document. The addition of the logo and url on the printed application made the application unsuitable for submission to a prospective employer.

Bright idea! Why not become a Registered User and then fill out the PDF form? Suffice it to say: Registration has its privileges. When you register with PDFescape.com, you receive 2 premium credits as a welcome gift. So armed with a precious premium credit, I was able to save and print my completed form with no logos, tags or PDFescape messages. Success was mine, and can be yours, too if you save yourself some time and just register at the outset.

If you've enjoyed this post, take a look at the next chapter of Thing 63: PDF Form-Topia: PDF Form Filler Freeware. (What a tongue twister! I betcha can't say that three times fast!)

-Mary

Your June learning guide ...

2008-06-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

is one of the most enthusiastic technology trainers that I know. Mary Wright, who works with me in Virtual Village, actively recruits people for her classes and has 'em eating out of her hands once they're there. Even people who don't take her classes ask for her by name. Bottom line, Mary knows her stuff, and I'm sure she has some wonderful, useful things to share with us this month.

-- Jamie

Thing 61: Library Apps on and for FB

2008-05-31T22:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's Facebook again on the very last day of the month. If it hadn't been such a hectic month for me I might have introduced you to Ma.gnolia or the like, but instead I wish to give you just a little something more to do with Facebook. Some people love the site instantly while others take a little more to warm up to it. Certainly, the Annoyed Library is skeptical. Others, like the fantastic Helen Blowers find it an important networking tool. So if you are a hesitant librarian, why should you get involved?

If you work with the public and computers, your patrons are using it or something like it.
It really is a great networking tool to connect with other librarians, via chat, messaging, or groups – it's more casual than e-mail if you just want to be aware of potentially interesting projects, and it provides another means for you to be contacted.
It is a launch pad to all sorts of 2.0 applications: the WorldCat search app, LibraryThing, along with an abundance of book applications that let you track your friends' reads and keep track of your own.
The chance to give your library one more face to the world by creating your own applications or library profile.

This last reason is one of the least developed, especially here at PLCMC. Searching our initials currently brings up a hand-full of library staffers and one completely unrelated group. A better example is the "Places" profile for Davis Library on the UNC campus. The library's profile gives an image of the building, address, phone numbers, and hours of operation. The page even gives visitors the ability to talk to a reference librarian through an IM application from meebo. The British Library lists a link to their web page, a direct link to their current cultural exhibition page, and they advertise special programs by listing them as events – as does the Seattle Public Library. Discussion boards and wall posts allow user interaction. The Whitby Public Library in Ontario even writes notes (facebook blog posts), and includes the WorldCat app and a map application for patron's trying to find the library.

Discovery Exercise:

Search the word "library" in Facebook, explore some of the results, and blog about what you find.

Optional:

Add the Explore ... Discover... Play app and brain-storm some ways that it could be more interesting and informative. Add these ideas to the comments section of this post.

Thing 60: Facebook

2008-05-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

I have been quite remiss in my discovery guide duties for May, but Jaime hasn't gotten around to introducing me yet so perhaps I can be forgiven. I am Kjersti, one of the evening aides in Virtual Village. Long-time PLCMC insiders frequently recognize me as the daughter of tech-diva Mary Kyle, now working at Tech Central in ImaginOn.

In honor of all this forwardness of self-introductions I bring you Facebook!

Facebook started as something like a college-only alternative to Friendster and MySpace, allowing users to create a profile, join a college network, and interact with their friends. The social site has since opened up to anyone, but is still heavily favored by college students. It also offers one advantage over other social networking sites: verified identity. In order to join a university network the user must have a valid e-mail account with the institution. Some employers also have Facebook networks, among them is National Public Radio.

Facebook began allowing outside programmers to create applications for the Facebook site about a year ago. Now users can include elements on their profile page from other social networking applications like last.fm and twitter, play games with their friends (and display their scrabble prowess), or recommend a good book. If you are fluent in a foreign language you can even get involved in translating Facebook for non-English speakers. And if you are too impatient to send messages or wall posts back and forth, you can even chat with friends online when you are.

Discovery Exerise:

Sign up for a free Facebook account and create a profile.
Search for friends already using Facebook:

By name using the search box in the upper left corner.
Using "Find Friends" under the Friends menu at the top of the page.

Poke someone you know or write a message on their wall.
Blog about the experience.

Optional:

Create a limited profile to keep some personal information private from acquaintances while still having it available on your profile to close friends.
Add interesting applications to your profile (maybe Slideshare, which you might have signed up for as a previous Learning 2.1 Thing).

Thing 59: Authors On the Web

2008-04-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

One final day of the month, one final post. Don't worry, it's a quick one.

I highly recommend AuthorsOnTheWeb.com - It's one of the first book sites I found and I refer to it daily. It has something for everyone. I recommend this site for people looking for the next book by their favorite author or someone looking for new authors. It has a “Coming Attractions” feature that lists the new and upcoming books by month, and dates of paperback publication. You can also link to the AuthorYellowPages to get the web address of almost any author you can think of.

AuthorsOnTheWeb.com and AuthorYellowPages are put together by TheBookReportNetwork.com, which also created ReadingGroupGuides.com, an online community for reading groups, and Bookreporter.com, a great place to get to know more about your favorite authors, as well as several other reading-related sites.

Discovery Exercise:

Visit AuthorsOnTheWeb.com and some of the other TheBookReportNetwork sites.
Blog about your visit. (Told you it would be quick this time!)

- Jamie, posting for Sandra Nicholls

Thing 58: Being Green

2008-04-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22 – tomorrow, if you’re reading this the day I wrote it. Maybe all libraries should adopt the motto “Save a tree – Borrow a book.”

One site of interest in Going Green Matters, a blog full of eco-friendly news, events and tips. They have everything from Ecosmart Reflection Laptop cases to information on how to reduce your pet’s carbon footprint! Going Green Matters doesn't scream or preach, and it's not a lot of scientific news that can be a struggle to read. Instead, it's nice, friendly, and enjoyable.

I’m always looking for program ideas – maybe I'll have a “green camp” this summer to share ideas! You can sign up to receive the latest green tips from Going Green Matters via email or RSS, so you’ll get some of those ideas delivered directly to you. Just remember, don't print them!

Other earth-friendly sites

Time Magazine lists 15 top environmental websites here.

Discovery Exercise:

Look around Going Green Matters and/or some of the other sites.
Blog about your favorite “green” idea, and share some of your favorite green tips.
If you know of another great ecology-minded resource, share it with us!

— Jamie, posting for Sandy

Thing 57: Tastespotting — Yum!

2008-04-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

Tastespotting is a delicious and yummy site full of links to food blogs. What sets it apart from other bookmarking sites? If you go to Delicious or Digg or even Google search results, what do you see? Words, lots of lots of words.

Not at Tastespotting. At Tastespotting, you get lots and lots of hyper-linked pictures. Absolutely gorgeous pictures of inspiring, crave-worthy food and kitchen items. They’re added to Tastespotting by members who come across their lusciousness while cruising the Internet or reading RSS feeds. Click the image itself to link to the original blog post, or the small number at the bottom of the image box for a permalink to the Tastespotting post. Most point to recipes, although some are cookware or other inspiring goodies.

Food blogs are an interesting aspect of Web 2.0. They come from a whole spectrum of writers, from personal cooks to food companies. I would love to have a family recipe blog. Growing up, I enjoyed many of my grandma and great-grandma’s dishes, but several recipes were lost along the way – alas! I wish I’d written those recipes down for safekeeping, and a blog would have been a good way to do it.

I have tried several brownie recipes from Tastespotting, and they were great. If we had kitchen facilities at my branch I would certainly have a cooking adventure with my little ones who attend my programs. I have one word of caution – do not visit this site if you are really, really hungry.

P.S.: Tastespotting has a great widget to add to your own blog site so they are just a click away.

Discovery Exercise:

Visit Tastespotting.com.
Find interesting posts, either using the search function or by browsing photos.
Mark a few as favorites, using the star in the bottom right corner of the photo box.
Optional: Add a favorite recipe. (First, find an online recipe with a great photograph, then think about some great, short advertising copy to go with it. Then click the fork beneath the Tastespotting logo. You will have to register, but registration is quick and easy.) Tastespotting is a curated site, so the Powers That Be must approve your post, and it may be up to 24 hours before you see it on the site. Not every post makes it to the front page! The most great posts you submit, the faster your subsequent posts will be approved and the more prominently they will be featured.
Blog about your experience at Tastespotting.

— Jamie, posting for Sandra

Thing 56: Smile in a box?

2008-04-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

Smilebox is an easy-to-use application that lets you use photos and videos to keep in touch and share your memories. Best of all, it's free! (You can upgrade for a small charge, which allows you to view your Smilebox without ads and print your creations.)

As I work with lots and lots of children, I have shared Smilebox with many parents. A lot of my parents have relocated to Charlotte and use Smilebox to keep in touch with family and friends.

It is very easy to use and I’ve had great positive feedback. I can think of several library uses, especially in promoting our upcoming summer reading program.

From the Smilebox website:

What is Smilebox?
Smilebox is a fun and engaging service that connects you with family and friends using your photos and videos. It's free, easy to use, and the results are amazing.
What can I make with Smilebox?

With Smilebox, you can create animated scrapbooks, photobooks, slideshows, postcards, and ecards for any occasion, and email them to anyone.

And a Smilebox screenshot:

Jamie's note: Here a Smilebox photobook I created.

Discovery Exercise

Check out smilebox.com
Need ideas? Read one or more of Smilebox's newsletters or the Smilebox blog for a better idea of what's possible.
Blog about this site.

Optional

Download and install the Smilebox application.
Create a Smilebox project and email it to yourself using the program.
Share the URL for your masterpiece in a blog entry. (You'll find it at the bottom of the email you receive.)

-- Jamie, posting for Sandra

Introducing April's discovery guide

2008-04-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

Our discovery guide for April will be the wonderful Sandra Nicholls, who describes herself as the "childrens, teen and just-about-everything person" at PLCMC's Carmel Branch. Sandy has been following Learning 2.1 right from the start, and has been an active participant on our Ning network. (She sends me great sites to investigate all the time, so I know we're in for some terrific discoveries!)

Thing 55. Slideshare – Presentations online!

2008-03-30T17:47:00.000-07:00

SlideShare is an online community for sharing presentations.

It lets you upload Powerpoint or Open office presentations and share them online through a Youtube style interface.

Some of the things you can do on SlideShare

Embed slideshows into your own blog or website.
Share slideshows publicly or privately. There are several ways to share privately.
Synch audio to your slides.
Market your event on slideshare.
Join groups to connect with SlideShare members who share your interests
Download the original PowerPoint / Pdf file

Like other social networking services, you can add tags to your presentations, and/or comment on others’ presentations.

Users who upload presentations can choose to make them available to be downloaded.

Slideshare supports Creative Commons.

After you have uploaded a slideshow, you can go to the 'edit your slideshows' page and either keep 'All Rights Reserved' or choose from one of the Creative Commons licenses.

Discovery Exercise

1. Set up a free account with SlideShare

2. Search for slideshows on Learning 2.0, or Web 2.1 or anything else that interests you.

3. Embed a slideshow in your blog.

4. Blog about the experience and what use you could find for slideshare

Optional

Install Slideshare on your blog or Facebook profile so that you (and others) have access there.

Thing 54: Bookjetty - your books, your libraries!

2008-03-26T00:52:00.000-07:00

Back in Learning 2.0 you looked at LibraryThing at Task 11. While LibraryThing is going from strength to strength, these days there are other similar sites that you can use to catalogue your own library, list books you want to own or read or review books. Such sites include Booktagger, Shelfari and Goodreads. Several applications are also available on Facebook, such as iread and Visual Bookshelf. It seems that everyone wants to help people with their books.

In Thing 54, we are going to focus on a book site with a difference! Bookjetty is a Singapore-based site where people can catalogue their own books and list things they are reading, have read or want. You can review books, tag them, rate them and add a widget to your blog. But here’s the difference: if you want an item, you can be linked to Amazon to purchase it AND you can search library catalogues! There are links to over 300 library catalogues worldwide. The search there gives you the call number, and a quick click on that takes you to the library catalogue where you can see if the item is available and reserve it! How cool is that!

You can see Polyxena’s Bookjetty books here and check out the Bookjetty widget on the blog Hecuba’s story here as well as Polyxena's page on the Boroondara Learning 2.1 ning. You can also search our catalogue, the City of Boroondara Library Service catalogue, on Bookjetty if you select that library.

Discovery exercise

1. Set up a free account with Bookjetty and look around on the site

2. Identify and set up local libraries that you would like to search

3. Catalogue a minimum of six books making some of them books wanted, some books read

4. Install the Bookjetty widget on your blog so that you (and others) have access there.

5. Blog about the experience and how you found the tool.

Thing 53. LitLovers - a well read online community

2008-03-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

One of the hardest parts of being involved in a book club is deciding what books to read and finding the resources to back up the choices.

Well, Litlovers makes those decisions a bit easier.

Litlovers is an online community dedicated to books and book clubs.

Here’s how they describe themselves:

"An online community dedicated to books and book clubs—because both enrich our lives. We've got great resources to enhance your book club experience. Whether you're selecting books, or thinking & talking about them, LitLovers is the place to come.What can you do on LitLovers? What can't you do! Find a book. Find a review. Find a discussion guide. Take a course. Whip up a recipe (to match your book, of course)! There's so much to do—and so much fun—you won't want to leave"

The site is divided into four main areas:

LitClub

LitCourse

LitShop

LitFun

and there is also an online forum, LitTalk, where you can discuss all things book related.

Discovery exercise

1. Explore the Litlovers site.

2. Think of a book that would be a good one to discuss in a book club. Check out the litlovers site for resources about the title.

3. Check out LitCourses and enrol in one that appeals to you.

4. Blog about how you and/or your library could use Litlovers.

Thing 52: Clip the highlights with Clipmarks!

2008-03-03T13:05:00.000-08:00

Ever wished you could just stash away, in an organized and retrievable manner, various bits and pieces that you had been scanning or reading? Well, Clipmarks is the tool for you. It is my current favourite Web 2.0 tool ;>) and makes me feel more in control of all the stuff that comes onto my computer!

With Furl and Bloglines, you can save the urls, but with Clipmarks you can save the actual article or the clips you want. Once you have signed up to Clipmarks, you install a button on your browser (IE or Firefox are enabled), and then simply clip any website or blog article. You can then send the clip to your blog, email it, or print it and save it into one of your ClipCasts (aka subject folders). You can save the clips for public or private viewing. You can also set up Clipmarks so that your Clipmarks are accessible through your Facebook profile, MySpace, Blogger and others. You can see mine here on Facebook.

And all of this only relates to YOUR clips. You also have access to everyone else’s clips (just in cases you wanted more stuff)!

Discovery exercise

1. Set up a free account with Clipmarks

2. Set up at least two Clipcasts for your account

3. Clip and save a couple of clips from blogs or websites to the two Clipcasts, making some clips private and some public

4. Blog about the experience and what use you could find for the tool. If you use them, compare and contrast the functionality with Bloglines, and Furl. What works best for you, what doesn't work?

Optional

Install Clipmarks on your blog or Facebook profile so that you (and others) have access there.

March is Out of Oz Month!

2008-03-02T16:21:00.000-08:00

March 2008 is a special month for Learning 2.1. For the first time your guide is coming from outside the USA! Your guide for the month of March is the City of Boroondara Library Service in Melbourne, Australia. The City of Boroondara Library Service is a public library in the inner east of Melbourne, Victoria. A wide range of collections, services and programmes are provided from five libraries at Ashburton, Balwyn, Camberwell, Hawthorn and Kew. You can find more information about the City of Boroondara Library Service on our website, on our Facebook page and on the staff ning.

In 2007, City of Boroondara Library Service staff were amongst the 1000 Victorian Public staff who participated in the state-wide Learning 2.0 program. Boroondara library staff who completed this program are now participating in the Boroondara Learning 2.1 program conducted through our Boroondara Learning 2.1 ning.

Specifically this month, your guides will be Boroondara staff Anne Holmes and Fiona Malcolm.

Anne(aka Polyxena, Annabel and other ids you don’t need to know about) has worked in public libraries for over 30 years. She remembers batch circulation and cataloguing systems and Sunday nights spent loading tapes for system saves and system restores. Anne completed the Learning 2.0 program in 2007 and has been hooked on Web 2.0 since (if she wasn’t before). But she does tend to live in the past also – a fascination with local, family and public history facilitates this, as does Web 2.0's applications for this! You can find out more about Anne at her Web 2.0 blog Hecuba’s story and her Facebook profile as well as from her profiles on the Explore, Discover, Play ning, the Boroondara staff ning and the Boroondara Learning 2.1 ning.

Fiona(aka fi, fifi, tapsister, batgirl_the_librarian) refuses to think about how many years she has spent working in public libraries. When not working or Web 2.0ing, she spends far too much time and money on musical theatre, reads too many crime novels, dabbles in family history and tries to live up to her personal motto of “If only I used my power for good instead of evil”. Check out Fiona’s blogs at Ministry of funny looks, or fi2008.

Thing 51: Libraries and the social web a hot topic

2008-02-22T13:28:00.000-08:00

Learning 2.0 started investigating ways libraries and librarians could use the "new" Internet in the fall of 2006; even if you joined us later on, you've surely given the subject a good deal of thought and attention.

In the past few weeks, some of the other people and organizations thinking about libraries and the social web have been popping up with information and ideas that bear thinking about.

A few I've noticed:

CollegeDegree.com posted a list of 25 social networking tools libraries should think about (which I found via an entry at Stephen Abram's blog, which Chris Bates pointed me to)
Mary Madden of the Pew Internet & American Life Project gave a presentation, "The Internet and Libraries: Snapshots from a new media landscape," and posted her slideshow.
In a less theoretical move, the (U.S.) Library of Congress decided to find out how people would react to their historical photos on the social web by putting some on Flickr. Their stated aims:

To share photographs from the Library’s collections with people who enjoy images but might not visit the Library’s own Web site.
To gain a better understanding of how social tagging and community input could benefit both the Library and users of the collections.
To gain experience participating in Web communities that are interested in the kinds of materials in the Library’s collections.

response

Discovery Exercise

Take a look at the latest developments concerning libraries and the social web, either through these links or by doing you own investigation. (Don't forget to share your discoveries with the rest of us, either by responding to this post or on the Ning network!)
You've probably also gotten some practical experience either interacting with library patrons through social media or helping them use other components of "Web 2.0." And you might be using MySpace or Facebook for personal reasons. Think (and blog!) about what you've found out from both sources. Are things progressing the way you expected them to? Has anything surprised you?

Thing 50: I'm Cooked!

2008-02-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

It's like YouTube for cooks!

Here is a great site for all you chef's, aspiring chef's, and food burners. Imcooked.com is a web community for sharing your favorite recipe's. Got a killer meatloaf recipe? Record yourself preparing it and upload it to the site for users to see and follow along with. Want to see how people prepare a particular food or drink? Click on the Channels tab for seafood, desserts, and lots more. My favorite video by far has to be How to Clone a Big Mac by Todd Wilbur from topsecretrecipes.com fame.

But wait! Thats not all. Imcooked.com also has celebrities preparing their favorite foods. Watch Sir Paul McCartney make mashed 'taters and Christopher Walken roast a chicken.

Discovery Exercise:

Go to Imcooked.com (creating an account is optional) and do a search on your favorite dish/drink.
Didn't see what you were looking for? Click on the Videos tap and explore the Top Favorites.
Blog about what you thought about the site. Is there a recipe you can't wait to try?

The new guide, same as the old guide(s)

2008-02-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

February's Discovery Guide will be ... your previous guides! Yes, you read that right. Instead of one guide for the entire month, you can expect a post or two from the guides you've already gotten to know.

As it turns out, all of us had some great sites we were just dying to let everyone know about, but not enough to fill up an entire month unless we worked together. So that's what we're going to do.

If you've got one or two sites you'd like to write up, let me know, and we'll work you into the loop. Or maybe you'd like to be a Discovery Guide for an entire month? Just say so!

Thing 49: So Many Great Music Sites, So Little Time!

2008-01-24T10:36:00.000-08:00

Since this is my last post and I couldn't decide which site to choose, I will share them both!

The first is www.soundsnap.com. This is a free library of over 30,000 sounds and more are being added every day. This site allows you to download sound effects and loops or upload your own sounds to the site. All sounds are available to download in .mp3 and .wav format. Creator Tasos Frantzolas is a sound designer and producer from Greece who says he wanted just such a service for himself. The goal of this site is to provide “high-quality” sounds, categorized by use, with everything from music loops to sound effects. You can search using tags, categories or keywords.

This is a fun website just to play with and an amazing resource for electronic music geeks. You could also use these sounds to spice up a library website or program. Be sure to check out the Ant Stereo sample of “a mic stuck into an anthill.” (To find it, enter “anthill” in the search bar.)

The second is www.musigy.com. Using this (free!) music conferencing platform, musicians can sign up, download Musigy Maker to plug in and play music over the Internet with anyone, anywhere. This technology enabled the world's first remote real-time jazz festival with musicians playing together while 3,000 miles apart. “Imagine: remote, real-time performances, rehearsals, auditions or lessons. It’s as if you were in the same room!”

You could use this website to schedule and coordinate online “jam sessions” through your library website. What excellent partnership opportunities for libraries! Musicians visiting local universities or performance groups (symphony, jazz ensemble, etc.) could schedule an online “jam session” in which library patrons would have an opportunity to perform with that artist.

Oh, one more thing! Well, not a "thing" thing, but anyway.... I have been keeping my eye on a site called Dancejam.com. This site was created by MC Hammer (yes, that MC Hammer!) to be a sort of Youtube for dance moves. How fun is that! The twelve year old girl in me can't wait for this site to be up and running. (It is expected to be up in January/February.)

Discovery Exercise:

1. Go to Soundsnap.com. (I have found that this site is sometimes slow to load)
2. Find a sound that you like and download the MP3.
3. In your blog, discuss how you could use these sounds. Are they just for musicians? How could librarians use them? Do any of you tech-savvy folks see a way to enhance your library's website with these sounds?

Thing 48 - Is there any free AND legal music out there?

2008-01-16T12:36:00.000-08:00

music.download.com

As a library employee who works in the computer lab, I am often assisting patrons who want me to help them burn a CD or put songs on their mp3 player, but they have brought in no music. They are often infrequent computer users and think that there is all this free music out there to download from the internet. Here is the only site I found that has fairly easy to find, legal and free song downloads. Below I have listed the steps to get songs they might want to listen to (more popular/top 40 stuff.) If a patron wants free and legal MP3s to download and burn onto a CD or add to their mp3 players, this is an option. This only works if they don’t have a certain artist/song that they want.

Go to http: music.download.com
Click on the yellow “110,462” in the green bar. It reads “110,462 Free MP3s” (The number might have changed if new songs were added or removed.)
Sort by “total listens” to get more popular artists listed first.
Click on the blue “see all free tracks” line.
If a song is available to download you will see“Download Free MP3” next to the song title. Not all songs will have this option.
Click on "Download Free MP3" download the song.

Discovery exercise:
1. Follow the steps above.
2. Download the song of your chosing and save it to your desktop or mp3 player.
3. Write a blog post about this website. Did you find it easy to use? Do you think it would be easy for patrons to use? Do you know of any other websites that might be useful for this purpose?

Thing 47: For the Musically Inclined, or Not!

2008-01-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

I'm not musically inclined by any stretch of the imagination, but I know lots of people who are. Therefore, I know that when it comes to music, most musicians can' t get enough. There are many fun 2.0 sites that musicians and even non-musicians like myself can use and enjoy. The great thing about many of the sites that I found was that you don't have to know much about music to use them. You can even create your own songs without knowing how to play an instrument.

In this and my future posts, I will explore some of these websites and how they can be fun even useful to libraries.

The first site I would like to highlight is Jamstudio.

This "online music factory" allows you to create and share songs on the web. Use the "Help" tab to guide you through the first process, although it’s pretty easy to figure out. Create your song. Once you join, using only your email address and a password, you can save your song on the site and share your song through email. When you email a song to someone, it sends them a link to the website and they can then edit your song and email it back to you. This is a fun site to play with even if you aren’t a musician.

Discovery exercise:

Go to http://www.jamstudio.com/ and join.
Create a song and email it to a friend and yourself.
Write an entry in your blog about your experience. Copy and paste the link from your email to your blog.

Welcome, Jennifer, our January guide!

2008-01-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

As impossible as it seems, we're well and truly into the month of January. Okay, so the highs are in the 70s - sorry, Helene, I guess it's probably snowing up there where you are, huh? - but I checked every calendar I can think of, and they all agree that it is indeed 2008.

Which means it's time for a new Discovery Guide. Our January Discovery Guide is (drum roll, please) Jennifer Wishart, the newest staff member in Virtual Village. (She's the, umm, human one on the left.) In case you missed her in the October Emerging Technology Newsletter, Jennifer is pursuing her MLIS at UNCG, but still finds time to run, read, cook and enjoy music and movies. She has great plans for us. She even has a theme to unite all her posts, but I'll let her explain that. I've had a little preview, and it's going to be lots of fun!

Oh, and this is a double-duty post. Here's the second update on our Learning 2.0 sites. Please do take a look; there have been major changes to quite a few, especially online productivity and online videos. I'll sneak the Learning 2.1 site updates online in the next few weeks.

Thing 46: Updates!

2007-12-27T14:19:00.001-08:00

Like sands through the hourglass ... so are the sites of our lives?

A lot has changed since we officially started our Learning 2.0 journey on August 3, 2006. We've all learned a lot, and one of the things I've learned is that anything on the internet can change overnight.

With that in mind, I thought it might be time for an update on the sites we've visited in Learning 2.0 (our original 23 things) and Learning 2.1. Just to check, you know, and make sure they're still around. I'll be doing it in stages - here's the first set.

Feel free to leave any comments, either on this blog or on the Zoho Notebook pages, if you know of other significant changes to these sites, or have a new favorite that does the same thing. (Let me know what you think of the update format too; I haven't used Zoho Notebook before, so I'm not sure what looks best.)

For your Discovery Exercise, check up on your favorites sites and see if there have been any changes. Then, you know, blog about it.

The adventure continues...

2007-12-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

With an upcoming change in my future, it's time to turn the steering wheel for this learning endeavor permanently over to Jamie Christenbury, Training Specialist at PLCMC's Virtual Village.

Personally, I can't think of better individual to help guide the future of this discovery learning site for library staff. And given that Jamie is also the talent behind the L2.1 Ning group, I know that she'll do an amazing job in helping to steer the direction of this learning adventure.

Please help me in welcoming Jamie as the new administrator for Learning 2.1.

Oh & btw, if you're also interested in becoming a Discovery Guide for a month -- Psst .. it's not only fun, but it's a great resume builder too -- just let Jamie know ;)

Helene Blowers

PS: Don't worry I'll still be hanging around here at L2.1 and checking things out. Over the past few months, I've learned so much from all the guest bloggers who've offered up great discoveries, that I'm addicted myself to Learning 2.1. :)

Thing 45: Go With The Flow

2007-11-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

Who's a freak for flowcharts? I know I love 'em. They can make concepts easy to grasp and solutions easy to find. When describing complex relationships or presenting a variety of choices and outcomes, they're wonderful at keeping important points from getting lost in translation.

Mind maps (an offshoot of the same idea) are similarly useful, though I think they work better for the creator than the reader. They're good at uncovering the relationships between multiple ideas and are not restricted to linear concepts like time and work flow.

So, here are some web-based tools that I've used for projects in the past (I just hate installing stuff):

Gliffy (flowchart)

Bubbl.us (mind map)

Flowchart.com (flowchart, duh)

mindmeister (mind map)

Discovery Exercise:

Choose at least two of the above (one flowchart, one mind map) and set up an account.

Note that flowchart.com will have you request an invitation which should arrive within the day (mine took 15 minutes).

Explore the differences between mind maps and flowcharts, and consider using (or at least testing) one of these tools with a real project that you may have coming up.

Enjoy, and leave a comment here with your thoughts on these or other similar tools.

-Russ

Thing 44: Nag Yourself

2007-11-06T06:23:00.000-08:00

Wow, I've really enjoyed reading this blog so far, and what great finds!! I'm still having fun exploring retroland.com, so I feel compelled to share my (other) new favorite blog: Mustaches of the Nineteeth Century! Not for everybody, but if you suffered through 1900 House on PBS, have a look.

Well, onto the point. Jott.com. If you need to send yourself a message & can't get to pen/paper/keyboard, just speed-dial the Jott phone number, speak a message, & it will store that message online, email your message back to you (and anybody else you like), and it will even transcribe it into text for email or text messaging - again, to anybody you like, and all without pressing a single button!

It's better to set this up on your cell phone as Jott will only know you by the number you call from, but you can set up multiple numbers as well. It can be a really powerful tool (see the video below), but keep in mind that if you want your messages transcribed to text you'll need to talk a bit slower and more clearly than this example:

Video

[Hear a real example] This is a test message I did from my cell phone. Click the play button below the message to hear the recording. It transcribed it perfectly.

Discovery Exercise:

Go set up a Jott account (free beta).
Call in a reminder to yourself to check out the Learning 2.1 blog next Monday.
(Here are the instructions for setting up a reminder)
Then explore the following features:
(Here's the link to the How To page)

Create To Do lists
Send email and text to other people, even groups
Jott your blog posts (don't worry, this one was typed!)
Set up and Jott to different folders
Jott The Vote (you'll just have to see this for yourself)
Jott to Twitter, 30 Boxes or other web tools

Have fun!!!

-Russ

Welcome Russ

2007-11-05T17:28:00.000-08:00

Sorry that I’m little late in welcoming November’s Discovery Guide. But,it seems that the month of October just flew by and was over before I knew it.

Anyway, please join me in welcoming Russ Reed as I once again pass the baton. When I asked Russ to share with me a small bio for his introduction, what I received was so perfect, that I thought I'd just post it exactly as I received it. :)

“I work in the Technology Education department at ImaginOn where I hold classes for kids and teens on anything from digital photography to online gaming, and many things in between.

A degree in Mass Communication and a strong interest in music provide the background I need to teach video and music production in ImaginOn's Studio i.

I love exploring new toys, tools, and technologies, and am constantly on the lookout for something new to share with the young people at ImaginOn.

My wife Lori works at PLCMC's Main branch as a staff technology trainer, and we are raising two wonderful children”

Welcome Russ! I can’t wait to see what discoveries you have in store.

Thing 43: Midi Files

2007-10-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

In my humble opinion, one of the coolest things available on the Net is Midi files.

MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface and was first standardized back in the early ‘80s. Even as old as they are Midi files are wondrous things, especially for musicians. Midis are small files (20-50k) that tell a sequencer how to play a particular song. The thing that’s so cool is that you can change virtually everything in the song. The tempo, the key, even the instruments playing the individual parts can be changed and then saved. I use midis to give my aspiring rock star 12 year old a back-up band and to hear how, for instance, a bass line is played.

Here’s the Wikipedia article on Midis

The first thing you need is a sequencer and there's a good free one called the Jazzware Jazz++ Midi Sequencer. Just scroll down a bit to find it. You'll need to install it.

Now you’ll need an actual midi file. Just stick the name of a tune along with the word midi into Google and you should find a bunch. Alternatively, go here and download the old ‘60s hit Rhythm of the Rain. Left click to hear it and right click SAVE TARGET AS… to download it. Don’t blink as it’ll only take a second.

Discovery Exercise

Open the midi in the sequencer

1. Play it with the arrow at the top and then
2. Change tempos (r or l click on speed)
3. Mute or solo instruments (click on P)
4. Change instruments (click on the instrument)

Also, of all the things you can find easily on the net, one thing that’s difficult to find is sheet music. Here’s how to get some. Go to the midi converters for Windows part of hitsquad.com and download MidiNotate Player v1.1.1 I’m sure there must be others but I found this one pretty easily.

Install it and pop in a midi file and presto-printable sheet music.

Finally, if you can’t find a midi for some song but you have the chords, here’s a $10 program that allows you to quickly turn those chords into an accompaniment. I use it. It works great. It’s called Band Minus One.

- By R.A. Meyer

Thing 42: Google Groups/Usenet

2007-10-05T06:04:00.000-07:00

Back when the Internet was just getting going, access to the WWW was $8/hour, at least around here. But for $10/month you could get email and something many of us thought was pretty cool called Newsgroups or the Usenet. These electronic bulletin boards on virtually anything were great for getting expert information or finding people of like interests. I set up a job exchange to England using the Usenet and it’s had a soft place in my heart ever since. Here’s the Wikipedia article on Usenet.

Anyway, I thought the Usenet had gone the way of the Dodo but no, it’s alive and well and accessible through Google Groups. Google bought the archive resource for the Usenet brilliantly named DejaNews back in 2001 and has expanded the whole operation.

Now you don’t have to use Google to get to the Usenet. In fact it’s more fun if you don’t. Here’s a complete tutorial and almost everything you’ll want to know.

One thing’s for sure, if you’re going for a merit badge in Geekology, using the Usenet is one way to help you get it. And oh! Librarians, here’s a good newsgroup just for you!!

Discovery Exercise:

Go to the Google Groups site Society.libraries.talk
Click on the About this group link on the right hand side.
Note the usage for this site as the www has taken over.
Click on the Google Groups link above.
Search for something your interested in like the Minnesota Vikings, or Reincarnation, or maybe Dr Demento.
Check out some postings.

Have Fun!

- by RA Meyer

October takes L 2.1 to Guam

2007-10-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

One the best things about Learning 2.1 is that anyone can take the reins at being a Discovery Guide.

Up until this point, we've learned a lot from several staff here at PLCMC. But this month it gives me pleasure to not only introduce our first Discovery Guide from outside our library, he’s also our first international guest blogger.

As a self proclaimed “professional bum at the top of (his) profession”, Ralph A. Meyer not only has a sense of humor, he also has an amazing blog - Which BTW IMHO has taken the idea of learning new “things” everyday to a whole new level. :)

When R.A.'s not busy discovering and sharing how the Internet Can Changed Your Life (BTW: that’s the name of his blog) he’s Reference Librarian at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and after learning a little bit about his background, it’s not surprising to learn that his interest in librarianship leans heavily towards education. Before his 3 years at Anderson AFB, he worked for 20 years with Guam's Dept of Ed as a Librarian, Math and PE teacher and before this he has also taught Istanbul, Turkey and Maracaibo, Venezuela. He met his wet my wife Layla in Kazan while in Russia in 1991 and has two great kids.

Please join me welcoming R.A. Meyer as Learning 2.1’s first international Discovery Guide. I’ve already had the pleasure of getting a sneak peak of some the discoveries that R.A. has lined up for this month and from what I can see, it’s going to be great fun.

BTW: If you’re interested in also taking a turn at being a DG (Discovery Guide), just send us an email. We loved to have you join the party!

Thing 41: Live Mocha

2007-09-27T16:28:00.001-07:00

Learn a new language and make friends along the way!

Live Mocha is a language site+social networking site rolled into one. On Live Mocha you can pick a language you'd like to learn (they have tons of languages from Spanish, Thai, Hindi, ect) and select the level you'd like to begin with. But, what sets Live Mocha apart from other language learning sites is you can have your speaking and writing submissions reviewed by native speakers who will give you tips on how to improve. You can also connect with users on the same level as you and buddy up in the chatrooms or through video. This site is great for people who don't have time to take a language course but still want that "group" atmosphere and also for those who are brushing up their language skills. I'm currently taking a Spanish course on Live Mocha now and it will definitely come in handy when conversing with Spanish speaking library patrons.

Live Mocha just went live September 24th of this year and their still in beta mode. Right now all the language courses are free.

¡El mocha vivo es impresionante!

Discovery Exercise

Create an account on Live Mocha.
Select a language you're interested in and take a course.
Was there anything you liked or didn't like on Live Mocha? Blog about your experience.

Thing 40: Retroland

2007-09-17T04:36:00.001-07:00

Reminisce about the good old days.

I have a new favorite site and it's Retroland.com. Retroland is a social networking site where members can reconnect with the things they loved "back in the days" and interact with people who share the same fond memories. One of the features I like the most on Retroland is it's Retropedia. From the 1990s all the way back to the 1900s you can see a time line of things like music, fashion and school memories that defined (and embarrassed) the decades. If you see something that you remember fondly you can simply add it to your favorites and also add a memory post. When you add a memory post you can upload a picture to go with what you are talking about and what you remember about the subject. If someone likes your memory post they can give you a gold star (just like in grade school) and your posts ratings will increase. Check out the memories users had of the Slinky. You can also get to know other members by clicking on Retrotalk and posting on their forums which are all pretty active. My favorite would have to be the food forum.

Discovery Exercise

Create an account on Retroland.
Explore the Retropedia.
Did you see a tv show, toy, or fashion accessory that you had long forgotten about? Blog about your experience.

Thing 39: Animoto

2007-09-06T13:48:00.001-07:00

Make video clips like the pros!

You don't have to be Steven Spielburg to create professional video clips online. Animoto is a web application that produces professional videos using their own patent-pending technology. Animoto is the brain child of producers from ABC, Comedy Central and MTV who definitely know their stuff. Animoto analyzes your images and the music you use and pieces everything together to where it all flows perfectly in sync. If you don't like how your video turns out you can click the Remix this Video button and have Animoto automatically change it up for you or tweak it yourself. No two video clips come out the same which makes for hours of fun, as I found out today. Here is an example of one I did earlier using some images from a Myrtle Beach trip.

Animoto is still in beta mode which means they are still testing things out and adding new features. One feature it doesn't offer yet is the option to link to your Photobucket account. But rest assured, I contacted the Animoto guys and it should be available in the upcoming weeks. Also, if you want a clip longer than 30 seconds it will cost. But, you can make as many 30 second clips as you want for free.

Discovery Exercise:

Create an account on Animoto.
Create a 30 second clip or Animoto Short, by uploading at least ten pictures. Still got the Flickr account from Learning 2.0? Animoto can link directly to it.
Choose from one of the songs in Animoto's music library or upload your own music file to go with your clip.
Embed your new 30 second clip onto your blog. There is a special code just for Blogger that you can use.
Blog about your experience using Animoto.

Welcome Serena - September's Discovery Guide

2007-09-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

Well it's September and that means it's time for Serena to take the helm as our Discovery Guide. Serena Morrow is a seasoned "floating" senior library assistant here at PLCMC, which (in addition to meaning that she "walks on water") means that she is seasoned enough to cover everything from the Circulation Desk to technology training in the Virtual Village.

When prepping for this introduction I asked Serena to share some of her interests with me. Here's what she had to say: "I love to discover new sites (especially social networking sites) and share them with coworkers and library patrons. Last year I participated in Learning 2.0 and had a blast which you can read about here. Whenever I'm online I'm usually on Flickr, MySpace, or blogging on Vox.com

Welcome Serena. It's great to have you on board!

Thing 38: Comic Relief

2007-08-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

This week we will have some fun with our work and play around at making comic strips. I've discovered there are a lot of online comic strip makers and some you can even upload your own pictures to play with. I'll list all of them at the end but will focus on ToonDoo from Jambav which is where I like to play. When I mentioned this to Helene B the other day she told me about Shelf Check, a series of Library comics available on ToonDoo. Here's the latest Shelf Check latest post, just position your mouse over it and move to control the image, no clicking needed:

The website runs in Flash so be sure you have the latest version to get the full options. If you are a bit out of date you can create using their images but to uplaod your own to your gallery you need the latest versions of your web browser and Flash player.

After talking to Helene I started searching for Library related comic strips and there are a lot of them in ToonDoo, including a couple of my own. What I was very pleased to see is a few that seemed to be geared to the public. this one looks like someone wanted a unique welcome sign.

However, I had fun letting my cats play using one photo from the Picnik play a couple weeks ago.

Other online comic makers are:
Make Beliefs - targeted to kids
Read Write Think - Kids again
Comeeko - loves MySpace
Stripgenerator - made for blogs
Strip Creator

So for this week's Discovery exercise.
1. Go to ToonDoo or one of the other strip makers listed above
2. Find a couple library related comics you like.
3. email, create a del.icio.us bookmark, or embed it in your blog
4. Sign up and create your own comic on whatever you want
5. Don't forget to write about your experience in your blog.

Thing 37: Music to our ears

2007-08-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

Not everyone likes the same music and sometimes we get tired of the same old stuff all the time. So let's look at a few online ways to open a few musical doors and find some new tunes. Most of our users have introduced us to Launchcast which functions somewhat like a traditional radio station or like a big online jukebox, playing most songs you request, if they can get the rights to it.

I've found us 2 services for expanding our musical horizons. Both are online radio stations but we influence the programing by telling them what we like. They are Pandora and LastFM. With both you can input your favorite music and listen to something like it but different. Depending on what you like you could find a lot of new tunes and artists or possibly none. Both also incorporate a social aspect so you could meet new friends who share your musical tastes.

Pandora - Really just an Internet Radio but with a slight twist. Uses a set of musical attributes, called the Music Genome Project, to pair your favorites with similar groups and tunes for your listening pleasure. Put in a musician or song title and they will build a station and start playing tunes, if you don't like a song tell them and they will offer something different. They will also track your ratings to fine tune your station. If you really like one you hear they provide links to Amazon or iTunes to go buy the Disc or just the song. Warning you could find yourself tempted to go buy a lot of new music. You will want to register so you can help them focus your station to your tastes. I could find a few bands but not a lot of new similar bands that I didn't already know however, but then I have kind of different taste in music from most. Pandora is very popular so it must work for many people quite well.

LastFM - LastFM is a bit more of a Web 2.0 product. They also have a much wider range of music available so people with a broader taste will find more. Again they give you a link to Amazon, though not iTunes, to buy the disc if you are interested. I really liked the fact I could embed a station I like in my web page. I also appreciate that it doesn't autoplay when someone visits the page. They can chose to check out my taste in music or not but they won't be driven away from visiting again if they don't share my musical taste. Another way to use this is that if you download their client it will share the titles and bands in your music library in something they call "Scrobbling". Basically, when you listen to something they count that toward the popularity of bands. Since I don't have much music on my computer I'm not a great candidate for Scrobbling but I was interested to see that some of the new bands I found are getting Scrobbled a lot. Don't confuse Scrobbling with sharing your music, here you only share the titles and artist names. If Last.fm has the tune they can easily hear them if not they might have a harder time hecking the tune out. Also you can find upcoming concerts in your area or where your favorite band is playing and when.

Here's one Last FM station I created for the band Lunasa, not my fav but not bad either. They are a traditional celtic group.

With both online stations you can find new bands, check out new tunes and tune into another kind of social network. You might even find someone who shares your taste in music. And you will certainly find some new music.

So this week's Discovery Exercise:

1. Go to either online station and plug in your favorite band, or song.

2. Listen and see if you find any new bands you might have not heard of but like the way they sound.

3. Of course write about it in your blog!

Thing 36: Dressing up your photos

2007-08-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

It seems that everyone has a digital camera, if not a high resolution one, then at least one on their cell phone. Everyday library computer labs have more people coming in wanting to edit their masterpiece images. If we don't have Photoshop or at least Picasa, what can we do? Last year we played with Flickr and it's a great online photo album and even has some toys to play around with the photos but what if you want to fix red eye or crop the photos before you post? After this exercise you can fix them online with just a computer with an internet connection.

I use Picnik the most but I discovered it first and I like it's flexibility. There are others but let's start here. You do need to register but your photos can come from Flickr, Picasa, and Facebook; or you can upload from your computer. Fixes the most common issues, cropping, image size, exposure, red eye, and many more. You can also apply a few creative filters using the Create tab. When you are done save it back where you got it or someplace new. You will need to login to Flickr, Facebook, or Picasa to open from or save to there. The interface is fairly clean and they add a few cute bits to entertain you if a process is a bit slow to load.

Here are a few more to try:

Fauxto - No registration, upload, edit, and save. Mostly I'll say, I'm impressed. I'm used to Photoshop and wow, this one gives them some free, to the user, competition. Layers, Filters, even looks like a software window on the screen. Some effects are a bit slow to happen but they do eventually.

I suspect Fauxto is why Adobe has announced the launch of a free online version of their popular Photoshop software. Rumor says to look for it in November.

Pixenate - reads from and to Flickr or disk. No registration. Simple tools, can't handle high resolutions but if you don't have a high resolution camera this is fine. Window isn't as clear as I'd like though.

Snapfish - product of HP and there are strings attached. You do have to register and editing is limited. Free unlimited online storage! Well, not so free if you want to download or print your images. I only mention it as someone may ask you about it.

I found a few more but had issues with uploading images, may be a browser or flash version conflict.

Pixer.us - cute name, wish it worked
CellSea - Created for Cell Camera Phone users.
ImageEditor - Associated with Google Photo Organizer, which is confusing since they also own Picasa another online photo storage and organizer site.

Discovery exercise:
1. Pick one of the above mentioned Photo editors, or locate one of your own.
2. Edit a few pictures and save them.
3. Write about your experience in your blog and include either a link to or embed one of the pictures you edited. Maybe even a before and after images?

Enjoy!

BTW, the photo at the top is my kitty edited with Picnik. Cropped, rotated, brightness and contrast adjusted, and added a vignette to focus the eye on her.

Thing 35: Mini or Micro Blogging

2007-08-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not really starting something new here but rather bringing a feature of our Ning Network into focus today. If you are also following there you may have noticed a feature on the left column, where quotes from books are turning up. Jamie has been giving us a bit of mini, micro, or nano blogging for several weeks now.

What is Mini Blogging? Where can I set one up? Why would I?

Mini blogs are limited to short messages (frequently 140 characters), they began as cell phone text messages limited to a geographic region that could be used to find your friends, find out what's going on in the area that night, or to invite your friends to all go to the latest Harry Potter movie on opening night together. The original miniblog, Dodgeball, has all but disappeared and isn't available in Charlotte. However, several others have appeared and brought it to the web, though they still have the option to send and receive the messages on your cell phone. I don't advise getting that unless you have unlimited text messages in your phone plan though.

The new mini-blogs are:
Twitter - your posts are called Tweets

Jaiku - allows you to set up groups and has easy search

Hictu - mostly popular in France, Italy, and England
Frazr - French and German
Pownce - allows the biggest posts and also can be used for file transfer (up to 10MB in the free version, sounds more like email) since an invite is required I can't find out much more about it.

Jamie is using Jaiku. My Finnish expert tells me it is pronounced yai-coo to rhyme with haiku but the j is pronounced as a y.

Jaiku is perhaps my favorite as I find it easier to find people I'd like to follow. Twitter doesn't have a built in search but refers you to another site to find people. I found the people I follow by going to Jaiku and following them back to Twitter, which is kind of backwards. When you set up an account you will then want to find your Friends and "follow" what they are doing or saying. As time goes on you will find other people are following you much like we have people from all over the world following this Learning 2.1 blog and the Ning Network. There are still people using their mini-blog to arrange meetings at restaurants or movies but there really isn't a limit to how you use it. It has been used for mini-emails between colleagues, as Jamie did to share a quote a day, or to put out a call for info for a news article. Twitter does have a few good features mostly due to being open for people to modify it however they would like. Both allow you to create "badges" so you can have your feed from Twitter and/or Jaiku show up in your blog or social network page on Ning, MySpace, or other websites. You can even set them up to show up on each other. This is another example of the interconnectedness of Web 2.0 services that we've seen over the last year with many of the "Things" we have explored.

So this week go to either Twitter or Jaiku and set up an account. Post a message, find a few friends to "follow." If you have unlimited text messaging you can go that route but be warned you could find yourself having your phone ring all day long. Alternatively just enjoy Jamie's quotes of the day on Ning. Don't forget to write a blog post about your experience.

August's Discovery Guide

2007-08-01T06:18:00.001-07:00

Wow, it's August 1st already. The summer truly seems to be slipping by. But as I look at all the new discoveries that Julia has led us to this past month (BTW: I love Mr. Picasso Head) I'm getting even more excited to see what Mary Kyle has in store for us this month.

Mary is a MacBook lover, but also plays a lot with Windows too. She is a Technology Assistant at ImaginOn's Tech Central and has hobbies and interests that "run to the enviroment and technology." According to Mary, what she likes "most about Web 2.0 is that it bridges the gap between the two operating systems since it runs in a web browser."

Please join me in welcoming Mary as August's Discovery Guide. I can't wait to see what she has in store.

PS: The image is Mary's Meez avartar. Want one of your own? Check out Meez.com

Thing 34: Using the Web for Better Health

2007-07-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

For some of us losing weight is never easy. Fortunately, there are nifty online tools available to help you along the way. I've found two that I recommend - FitDay and Nutridiary. They have similar features, and both are helpful. Set a target weight and track the calories consumed and calories burned. You can do this daily or, if that's too much of a time commitment, use these tools to occasionally look up the nutritional content of last night's dinner or find the approximate number of calories you burned working in the yard.

Here's how it works. You enter basic information about yourself (height, weight, age, lifestyle level). Using this information, the website calculates an approximate value for daily basal (metabolic) calories burned and lifestyle calories burned. For any given day, you can enter calories burned from activity, which ranges from biking to household chores to yard work. The sum of these three categories equals the total calories burned per day. Then you can enter the foods consumed on any given day. From this information, the website calculates total calories consumed, as well as where these calories come from and how they are distributed. It also creates a chart of all of the necessary vitamins and minerals and records how much of each you are getting, highlighting any that you are not getting enough of.

The only significant difference that I can find between the two services is that Nutridiary is also a social network. If you diet better with "community" support, perhaps Nutridiary would be a better choice for you.

Discovery Exercise

Create an account at Nutridiary or FitDay
Fill in the food chart and the activity chart for a typical day. Find out how the number of calories consumed compares to the number of calories burned.
Find out whether you are meeting recommended nutrient requirements. Are there any nutrients for which you aren't getting the recommended amount?
Evaluate the site in your Learning 2.1 blog.

Thing 33: Express Yourself Through Online Art

2007-07-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Since the previous two entries were so darned useful, it seemed entirely appropriate to make this one equally useless. Indeed, the Internet provides endless opportunities to waste time. Here are a few sites where you can be creative, have fun, and, yes, waste time - but hopefully not too much time.

Have an urge to express yourself artistically? Try Mr. Picassohead. It's a drawing program with Picasso-like pieces that you can drag and drop onto a “canvass.” Each piece can be enlarged or reduced, rotated, or colored. When finished, you can add your work of art to their gallery or send the link to family and friends.

More time to kill? Then click over to String Spin to create string art or try your hand at snowflake making.
Then for more fun and fascination, try one of the Falling Sand games. Is this art or is it a game? You decide. Here's the general idea. You are given materials (sand, oil, salt, water, seeds, etc.). You can use these materials to draw on a board (game field?). These elements interact with each other. For example, you draw a plant. You also have the option of drawing fire which will burn the plant. Or you can draw water which will put out the fire and also make the plant grow. There's absolutely no purpose to any of these sites except just idle fun. So if you’re feeling a little creative and would like to kill some time, check one or more of them out.

Discovery Exercise:

1. Explore one of the following:

Falling Sand

Mr. Picassohead

Snowflake Maker

Sting Spin

2. Blog about your experience.

Thing 32: Online File Storage with Omnidrive

2007-07-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

Online file storage sites are not new. However, some of the services have added features that make them hard to resist. I've discovered two that I particularly like: Box.net and Omnidrive. Both allow you 1 gigabyte of storage space, and both are absolutely free (and I REALLY like free). In addition, they both allow you to share your files with others which makes for an optimum opportunity for people to collaborate from different locations. Hmmm ... I can think of a lot of PLCMC teams that might need to collaborate from different locations.

I really love Omnidrive. They have combined forces with Zoho so that you can create new documents or edit ones you've uploaded using Zoho Writer or Zoho Sheet - all right from inside your account. In fact, I created this blog from inside Omnidrive using Zoho Writer.

Maybe I'm easy to impress, but I'm impressed. In the first place, I really like the idea of having a web-based storage site. I often find that I'm at home and want to see a file stored on my computer at work. I can just upload those files, then whether I'm at home or on my next trip to Paris, Rome or London (oh, how I wish), I can view them wherever and whenever I choose.

Then there's the sharing feature of Omnidrive. Want to collaborate on a file? If so Omnidrive sends an email to the people you want to share the file with. You determine the level of access. Files can be read-only or editable by the people you share them with.

Photos are another reason to use Omnidrive. SnipShot is another one of their affiliates. You can upload images, then edit them in SnipShot. You can crop, resize, adjust for brightness/contrast and rotate - in short do most of the things you'd ever want to do to an image and all from inside. There's even a option to view your images as a slideshow. Clever.

Another nice feature of Omnidrive is that they let you create a 'Live Folder' that will fill up with files from an RSS feed of your choice.

I've found lots of reasons to like Omnidrive. I'd like to hear what you think.

Discovery Exercise

Open an account at Omnidrive.
Upload a text document, then edit it online using Zoho Writer.
Upload an image, then edit it online using SnipShot
Blog about your experiences using Omnidrive.

Thing 31: Get Organized with Plaxo

2007-07-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

There are a number of websites that allow users to set up organizational calendars and task lists for free. Among these are Remember the Milk, Jotlet, and Plaxo.

My personal favorite is Plaxo, which seems to have all of the best components of the others with its own special features. For starters, it can sync data with other programs such as Outlook, AOL, and various Web based email services including Yahoo, Hotmail and Gmail. It will automatically pull your contacts and events from any of the programs that you choose, which definitely saves a lot of time and trouble. You can add feeds from Flickr, blogs, and Amazon, which automatically update. You can also subscribe to schedules for sports teams, bands, television shows, etc. using iCal. A great thing about Plaxo is that you can share all or part of your calendar with your contacts, or you can publish it and make it public. Then, of course, there's always the option of just leaving it private and allowing no one else access.

Discovery Exercise

Sign up for Plaxo Basic (or if you're willing to spend the money, Plaxo Premium).
Add a couple of events to your calendar and be sure to mark recurring events.
Try creating separate categories for your calendar (such as home and work), and edit your events into these categories. Make sure you're able to view calendars for each category separately and that you can overlay them onto one another.
Make a countdown of important birthdates and anniversaries.
Create a task list, and be sure to check things off as you complete them.
Pick a band, tv show, or sport of interest and, using icalshare.com, subscribe to it on Plaxo.
And finally, be sure to create a blog post about your discovery experience. While you're at it, think of ways you and your coworkers could use Plaxo (or Jotlet or Remember the Milk) during library hours.

Introducing July's Discovery Guide

2007-07-01T06:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know about where you are, but it's hot here and it makes sense ... after all it is July! A huge thank you to Jamie who did a super job guiding us through four new discoveries over the last few weeks. This month, our Discovery Guide leader is Julia Hanson.

Julia's a terrific gal and a very seasoned technology trainer who works in the Main Library's Virtual Village. Although she's not one to tout her own accomplishments (& I'm sure she'll blush when she reads this), I do have to share with you one other little tidbit about Julia... she's also a 2005 NYTimes Librarian Award winner.

Anyway, please join me in welcoming Julia as July's Discovery Guide. I hope you're as excited as I am to see what adventures she has in store.

Thing 30: I'm in UR Libary, Readin UR b00ks

2007-06-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

One more thing from me, before the month is up ...

Oh, those wacky cats and their bad grammar! When will they ever learn? When will we every stop laughing?

As a web trend, LOLCats are about 12-18 months old, but they're still going strong. They're totally silly fun, but they make me laugh even when I'm working on Saturday, and there should always be a place for that!

Great LOLCats sites:

LOLCats.com
I Can Has Cheezburger, a nice large repository of LOLCats
LOLCats on Flickr
Create your own LOLCat at LolCat Builder (But be warned, this site suffers from too much web traffic! There are other LOLCat creation places, but this is the only one I've found where you don't have to provide your own cat picture.)
LOLCat on Wikipedia
If you're interested in an analysis of LOLCats, check out what Anil Dash has to say

Discovery Exercise:

Cruise the LOLCat sites.
Blog about your favorite LOLCat, and include a link to it!

Thing 29: Scrapblog - I'm in Love

2007-06-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

Remember all those images representing your favorite books that you gathered up in Thing 27, Photobucket? We're going to use them to create a fantabulous scrapbook slideshow at Scrapblog.

I came across Scrapblog last summer and enjoyed using the service, but it was a beta product with limitations and frustrations. Early this year, the service formally launched, and the wait was worth it. I recently used Scrapblog to create a presentation for my grandfather's 90th birthday, and despite a few hair-pulling moments I was very impressed. (I should note that I'm pretty sure the hair-pulling was because of things I did, not faults inherent in Scrapblog.)

One of the best things about Scrapblog? Little creativity is required! When you begin to create a Scrapblog, just choose to work from a template to start with several nicely-designed pages just waiting for you to add your own pictures. (Drag a photo from your sidebar over an image in the template, and it will pop into place.) You can add blank pages anytime you want, and arrange photos, stickers and text any way you'd like.

If you use programs like Photoshop or Publisher often, you'll find many familiar features available in Scrapblog. If you don't, you'll still be able to have a really good time!

Discovery Exercise:

Create a new Scrapblog about your favorite book or books. Make sure you have at least two pages, and use at least one photo and a few stickers. (Here's my sample.)
Publish your Scrapblog, then use the Share/Post to Flickr option. Give it the tag "scrapblogbooks".
Blog about your experience with Scrapblog and potential ways you might use the service.

P.S. See our Explore ... Discover ... Play at Ning for Scrapblog hints and tips. It's also a great place to ask questions about the service!

Thing 28: Well we're big rock singers…

2007-06-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

--> NOTE: Although Jamie is officially June's L2.1 Learning Guide, I just had to add this one 'thing' for my contribution for the month - Helene <--

"…we've got golden fingers
And we're loved everywhere we go
We sing about beauty and we sing about truth
At ten thousand dollars a show
We take all kind of pills to give us all kind of thrills
But the thrill we've never known
Is the thrill that'll get you when you get your picture
On the cover of the Rolling Stone."

I don’t know how many of you recognize these lyrics from Dr. Hook’s 1973 hit, On the Cover of the Rolling Stone. But if you've ever dreamed about being featured on a magazine cover, these image generators will give you that chance. (Note: Some magazine image generators may not adhere to library collection management.)

Discovery Exercise: (This one is purely for fun)

Select an image generator of your choice, upload a photo and create your magazine cover.
Save your creation by using your mouse’s right click and select “save image as”
Create a blog post and upload your cover to either your blog or ning profile.

Optional: Upload your magazine cover image to Flickr and tag it “LibMagCovers”

Think about how you could use these image generators to create unique signs for your library? Or offer a creative class for library users on magazine cover fun?

In the meantime, why not join me and put yourself “on the cover of the Rolling Stone.” :)

Thing 27: Photobucket

2007-06-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

In Learning 2.0, we looked at Flickr, an excellent resource for finding photographs of places and things, and an excellent place to post your own photography.

Photobucket competes with Flickr, although they have slightly different target audiences. Like Flickr, Photobucket is a photo sharing website, but it also lets you share other kinds of images (including animations) and video clips. Photobucket dominates the photosharing website game with 40% of the market in April of this year. (No other site has more than 6% of the market; only Yahoo! Photos has over 5%, and Yahoo! Photos is set to be discontinued in favor of Flickr, also a Yahoo!-owned website, before the end of the year.)

In addition to photo and video storage and sharing, Photobucket also lets you save animated clips, create slideshows of images, "remix" videos and create avatars. Oh, and they have lots of pictures of celebs and other newsworthy items. (By the way, Photobucket is being purchased by Fox Interactive Media, the company that owns MySpace. FIM is, in turn, part of NewsCorp.)

You may have noticed a few "things" ago at LetterPop that you could import your images directly from Flickr, without downloading and uploading them to and from your PC as an intervening step; Photobucket has a similar arrangement with many, many websites, notably social networking site MySpace and others. One big difference is that from Flickr you can only use photos you have posted; at Photobucket, add any image or video you like to your album (or further organize your choices into sub-albums), and you can use it, no matter who originally posted it. In other words, anything you add to a public account at Photobucket is fair game for any other Photobucket user to see and use on a blog or profile at any website (as long as it's not for commercial purposes).

Discovery Exercise:

Create a Photobucket account.
Search for images and videos that have something to do with your favorite book or books and save at least two or three of them into an album or sub-album(s). (Why? All will be revealed in Thing 28.)
Use the "Find stuff" tab to browse for items (instead of searching).
Be sure to click the "My album" tab - that's where you'll add your own photos, create slide shows and avatars or remix videos.
Blog about your experience at Photobucket.

Thing 26: Little bits of the Internet, on your desktop

2007-06-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Widget, widget, who's got the widget?

You will, at YourMinis!

Okay, back up. What’s a widget? Well, the Google definition is here.

Clear as mud, right?

Essentially, a widget is a small, interactive program that allows quick access to often-used tools or information. Most – though far from all – widgets are connected to the Internet. Some are very practical; some are just for fun.

Windows Vista and the latest Mac operating systems have widget software built in; widgets show up right on the desktop. (Windows calls them Gadgets.)

So, umm, what's a widget again? The best way to find out is to play with some.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have the latest OS, you can install the Yahoo! Widget Engine on almost any recent PC or Mac, or some USB drives. But because you might not want to (or be able to) install widget software on your computer, try using YourMinis to investigate widgets.

Discovery Exercise:

Go to YourMinis and click Open Startpage.
Click one of the "templates" at the bottom of the right-hand pane to add a tab full of widgets to your pages.
Create a new tab by clicking Add Tab at the top of the page, and use the gray bar on the left to add some widgets to your page. (If you don't see the bar, click Add Content in the upper left corner.) It's easy to drag them around on the page. Mouse over each widget and click the buttons that appear in its top right corner to set options and change widget color, etc. You can also use the small drop-down arrows beside each tab's name to change the tab background color, delete the tab or perform other "maintenance" tasks.
Write about your experience with YourMinis in your blog.

First Torch Pass ...

2007-06-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe it's June already and half the year has nearly gone by. But with dawn of a new month, I'm pleased to begin the torch passing and introduce Jamie Christenbury who will taking the reins for the next 30 days as our Learning Guide.

Jamie's a dynamo trainer at PLCMC's Virtual Village and a social networking diva (she's also responsible for setting the Ning community as well), so I'm really looking forward to following her discovery suggestions and learning a few new things myself.

Anyone can be a Learning Guide for Learning 2.1. All you need to do is to submit a sample post and commit to adding three or four new discoveries during the month. If you're interested, please feel free to drop me an email. The best thing about a learning community is that we all can be teachers and students at the same time. So why not think about it and sign-up to carry the torch for a month. :)

Thing 25: Newsletters in a Pop!

2007-05-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

To create great looking newsletters you no longer need a graphic artist's degree (or even access to MS Publisher templates). Thanks to LetterPop.com, newsletters are now a ~~breeze~~ pop!

LetterPop is a nifty free online website that lets you create great looking newsletters and announcements with a few clicks and drags of your mouse. The site itself is built upon an ajax platform -- I know, this is more info then you needed. But hey, it good to drop a new term into the mix every once in awhile -- that lets you freely drop and drag elements on the screen wherever you want and with over 90 templates (be sure to check out the multiple page layouts available with each template) there’s so much you can do.

Discovery Exercise:

Play around with LetterPop.com and mock up a newsletter or announcement of your own.
Post a link to it from your blog and share your creation and discoveries with others.

PS: Here’s a LetterPop creation that was actually created by a group of participants who recently attended a mouse skills workshop at our library.

What a neat way to say thanks and a useful tool to share with patrons. Try it yourself and see if you don't agree that creating great looking newsletters with this tool is a ... POP!

Thing 24: Got file conversion issues?

2007-05-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

It happens in every library... a user approaches the service desk with a problem -- the PC won't read their file.

File conversion issues have always been around. But until lately, the only solutions available were the those that were locally installed on PCs. But enter Zamzar.com (my new best friend). This website offers on-the-fly conversion of text, image, audio and video file formats without ever installing a download. The best thing about the site is that you don't even need a login to convert. Simply browse for your file, select the new format type and it does the magic and even emails the results to you. A big bonus is the pdf converter- which is one I know I'll use a lot. PDF stands for "portable document format" and is a file type that maintains a document's original look format outside of the program it was created in.

Discovery Exercise:

Take any document you've created in a word-processing program (Word, Open Office, WordPad) and try steps 1 through 4 at Zamzar.com to convert the file to pdf.
You'll need to check your email once it's done for the final product.
Create a post about how this service might be of use to yourself or your library.

Note: Personally I love the option that allows me to convert YouTube videos to mpg. This is especially helpful for including video in PowerPoint presentations when you don't have access to the Internet. Thank you Zamzar

The adventure continues ...

2007-05-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

In the past few months it seems that a week hasn't gone by when someone hasn't asked me what they could do to continue their explorations and discoveries after Learning 2.0. Well, if you're one of those people then you've found the answer here ... Learning 2.1 :)

Learning 2.1 is a continuation of the original online discovery program and combines 21st century skills with lifelong learning. Like the original program, participants are encouraged to follow along with their own blogs. But there are three major changes:

The program is continuous. There is not a finite new list of 23 Things. The program simply encourages participants to play with two or three new things a month. Feel free to explore what you want. The program not only emphasizes discovery and play; it also has a Ning Learning network that you can use to connect with other learners.
Anyone can become a contributor to Learning 2.1. All you need to do to become a guest blogger is submit a sample post and agree to post at least 3 new discoveries within a month. Interested? Contact us.
Sorry, there are no prize incentives. But you, of course, could change this if and when you win the lottery. :) But as many of you said in Learning 2.0, there is still a great reward in learning itself.

So why not renew or start a new blog and follow along? Learning is a journey that is best done with friends. So let's do it together as we Explore ... Discover ... and PLAY!

PS: Looking for a discovery exercise to start you off on this new journey?

Why not start by creating a profile for yourself in the Explore ...Discover .. Play Ning. Of if you prefer to participate a little bit more anonymously, add your blog to the Learning 2.1 wiki.

Learning 2.1: A Master List of Things

2007-04-29T13:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a master list* of discovery explorations for Learning 2.1:

60. Facebook
59. Authors on the Web
58. Being Green: Earth Day
57. Tastespotting
56. Smilebox (an application with possibilities)
55. Slideshare: Presentations online
54. Bookjetty
53. LitLovers
52. Clipmarks
51. Libraries and the social web: Discussion
50. I'm Cooked
49. Soundsnap and Musigy
48. Free and legal music for download?
47. For the Musically Inclined: JamStudio
46. Updates
45. Go With the Flow: Flowcharts & Mindmaps
44. Nag Yourself/Jott.com
43. Midi files
42. Google Groups/Usenet
41. Live Mocha
40. Retroland
39. Animoto
38. Comic Relief (Shelf Check)
37: Music to your ears ( Pandora & LastFM)
36: Dressing up your photos
35: Mini or micro blogging (Twitter, Jiaku & others)
34: USing the web for better health (FitDay & Nutridiary)
33: Express yourself through online art
32: Online file storage with OmniDrive
31: Get organized with Plaxo
30: I'm in UR Libary, Readin UR b00ks (LOLCats)
29: Scrapblog: I'm in love
28: Well we're big rock singers ... (magazine cover fun)
27: Photobucket
26: Little bits of the Internet, on your desktop (Yourminis)
25: Newsletters in a pop! (Letterpop)
24: Got file conversion issues? (Zamzar)

If you're interested in where the first 23 things are, check out Learning 2.0. The Learning 2.1 program is a continuation of this program which is open for anyone to follow and/or help lead the way by being a Discovery Guide.

* The master list is updated semi-monthly. For the newest discovery suggestions be sure to check the most recent entries.

Frequently Asked Questions:

2007-04-11T08:03:00.000-07:00

How do I let you know that I'm participating?

Since this program is totally voluntary, it's your choice whether to let people know you are participating. But to assist those who are interested in connecting with others in the program, here are two avenues that we have set up:

Learning 2.1 Ning Network - Ning is a web 2.0 tool that allows users to build their own social networks. To help participants connect, we've created a Learning 2.1 Ning network.

Add your blog to the Learning 2.1 Wiki - This space has been set up to allow you to locate other participants in the program as well as create & collaborate on any type of Learning that you want. If you're not interested in creating a profile on the Ning network, this is another option for you.

Additionally, if you are a PLCMC staff member and would like to get learning credits for your participation, you can register your progress in the L2.1 Tracking Log on the staff intranet. Learning Credits help demonstrate employee initiative and may be valuable during your annual review process. These learning credits may have other uses as well, but unless you track your progress, you'll never know.

Is there a tracking log for Learning 2.1 program, like the orginal?

Yes, but for PLCMC staff members only. If you are not a PLCMC staff member, your entries on your blog can serve as your tracking log.

If you are a PLCMC staff member and would like to get learning credits for your participation, you can register your progress in the L2.1 Tracking Log on the staff intranet. Learning Credits help demonstrate employee initiative and may be valuable during your annual review process. These learning credits may have other uses as well, but unless you track your progress, you'll never know.

Is there a master list of the "things" that will be covered in the Learning 2.1 program?

No. Learning 2.1 is designed to be an ongoing discovery and exploration program that introduces participants to three or four new things to explore each month. Since new tools and technologies are being introduced constantly, we wanted to use this program to continually guide participants to new "things" they can play with as they expand their knowledge toolbox.

Is there a common "tag" or keyword for the program that participants can use in other web 2.0 tools (Flickr, Technorati, etc) to tag items related to Learning 2.1?

Yes, the tag is "Learning21" Use this keyword in Flickr and other networking tools to connect with other like items from other Learning 2.1 participants. Find out more information on Tagging.

How I can recieve updates on new discovery recommendations when they are added?

Simple. There are two ways:

Subscribe to the RSS feed and recieve updates from your favorite newreaders. Don't know about RSS & news readers, find out more.
Subscribe via email and have new discovery items and posts delivered to your inbox.