Now this is an AWESOME tool!
I created an account in LibraryThing and posted some of my favorite reads, and I was happy to see that my tastes in books are not that weird after all!!! :)
The best part in the whole site for me, was the suggestion area. Type the title of a book you liked and "ta da!" you end up with several other titles recommended by other users who liked the original book mentioned as well... I think I will be using this tool a LOT!!! :)
The link to my LibraryThing catalog is: http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=christeldt
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Del.icio.us and technorati
I went through Del.icio.us and technocrati today and I can't say I was too impressed! Del.icio.us wasn't bad but I honestly don't think I will use it a lot. I can see how it could be useful professionally as a quick source of reference and an alternate "search engine" on specific topics but I do not think I will have a lot of use for it.
Technorati, on the other hand, I did not like at all. I found it confusing and disorganized. I went through the exercises and was appalled at the results...
When searching for Learning 2.0 in Blog Posts, I ended up with 29.633 results... When processing the same search in tags and in Blog Directory, I ended up with 241 posts (in addition to video and pics results) and 315 blogs respectively. Who has time to go through each individual result to locate what they are looking for????
When searching for KCLS27things, the results were fewer but still too numerous to go through for a simple search... Blog Posts: 47 blogs / Tags: 43 tags / Blog Directory: 4 results.
It seems to me that blog spots look for key words when blog directory looks for whole sentences... Either way, I think you end up with too many results to go through in order to find what you are looking for. Technorati is a tool I will not be using!
Technorati, on the other hand, I did not like at all. I found it confusing and disorganized. I went through the exercises and was appalled at the results...
When searching for Learning 2.0 in Blog Posts, I ended up with 29.633 results... When processing the same search in tags and in Blog Directory, I ended up with 241 posts (in addition to video and pics results) and 315 blogs respectively. Who has time to go through each individual result to locate what they are looking for????
When searching for KCLS27things, the results were fewer but still too numerous to go through for a simple search... Blog Posts: 47 blogs / Tags: 43 tags / Blog Directory: 4 results.
It seems to me that blog spots look for key words when blog directory looks for whole sentences... Either way, I think you end up with too many results to go through in order to find what you are looking for. Technorati is a tool I will not be using!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
MySpace and Libraries
Libraries accounts on MySpace? I think it is a wonderful idea! MySpace is a very popular site where people of all ages spend at least 1 hour a week chating with friends or browsing in search of topics that interest them... Wouldn't it be awesome if even 1/4th of the MySpace members spend an extra 20 minutes or so looking at what is happening in their local libraries? MySpace would allow local libraries additional contact time with their patrons or soon to become patrons. It would assist in reaching out to the population that is not regularly seen in libraries.
Advertising events, classes, new books, new music and videos to the less active library patron would encourage a rise in attendance and circulation.
Libraries consist of contact with people and sharing knowledge. MySpace and the web are ways to reach out and fulfill this value of libraries on a different level.
Advertising events, classes, new books, new music and videos to the less active library patron would encourage a rise in attendance and circulation.
Libraries consist of contact with people and sharing knowledge. MySpace and the web are ways to reach out and fulfill this value of libraries on a different level.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
RSS Feeds: part 2!
Today I went on and tried a couple of the Search Tools displayed on the 27things post. I first tried Feedster and I found it rather tough to use... It wasn't obvious to me how to search the site by topic and some of the results returned for some of my keyword searches were a little odd to say the least! Getting slightly frustrated with this site, I went on and tried Topix. I found this site easier to use since it provides a easy to find compiled list of topics to choose from. To illustrate, I was able to add French Cooking as a theme with Topix and get a wider reach of sites offering articles or recipes on the topic, but when looking up French Cooking as keywords on Feedster, I ended up with recipes and cooking news/tips (what I was looking for) along with cooking classes and vacation adds, including aromatherapy recipes and casino listings!
All in all, I believe going to your favorite sites and adding them to bloglines is easier if seeking a particular pin-pointed subject. On the other hand, if one is interested in a broader perspective on a topic (i.e. news or new movie listings) searching via a RSS search site might be easier since it will compile most of the options available on a given topic.
As far as library-themed blogs go, I added The Shifted Librarian, Stephen's Lighthouse and Librarians' Internet Index: New This Week, along with a couple book review sites.
All in all, I believe going to your favorite sites and adding them to bloglines is easier if seeking a particular pin-pointed subject. On the other hand, if one is interested in a broader perspective on a topic (i.e. news or new movie listings) searching via a RSS search site might be easier since it will compile most of the options available on a given topic.
As far as library-themed blogs go, I added The Shifted Librarian, Stephen's Lighthouse and Librarians' Internet Index: New This Week, along with a couple book review sites.
Monday, March 12, 2007
RSS Feeds
Today's Learning2.0 lesson was on RSS and newsreaders. To be honest, I am not quite sure what to think about this yet. I like the fact that it centralizes all the newsletters and websites one would normally visit daily... On the other end, I find it a little overwhelming to end up with 30 or more sites waiting for you to look at them. On a personal not: I think this would actually take me longer in the long run since I will end up check more sites daily (all sites being updated often) vs. currently checking one or two sites a day at most and the rest of them occasionally.
I think it might be helpful in keeping in touch with some important news or event, professionally and personally. I do not think it will be a life changing addition to my daily routine, but I can see how it can make things easier for people checking various newssites daily, etc... For myself, not being a huge news fan in the first place, I do not know if I will use it much... Only time will tell! :)
As a library, or as a librarian, I can see how this can be helpful. It will allow to keep in touch with your community (for example in a situation like the one earlier this year with the windstorm) and keep in touch with critics and publishing news on new books and other materials.
I think it might be helpful in keeping in touch with some important news or event, professionally and personally. I do not think it will be a life changing addition to my daily routine, but I can see how it can make things easier for people checking various newssites daily, etc... For myself, not being a huge news fan in the first place, I do not know if I will use it much... Only time will tell! :)
As a library, or as a librarian, I can see how this can be helpful. It will allow to keep in touch with your community (for example in a situation like the one earlier this year with the windstorm) and keep in touch with critics and publishing news on new books and other materials.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Trading Card
I was asked previously by one of my fans (hu!hum!) to post the trading card I made using Trading Card Maker. So here it is!
Happy now, debster?!? :)
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Further Exploration of Flickr
After reading today's post, i decided to play around a bit with Flickr and look at some of the link included on the post.
I cliked on Montager and I just loved it. This is SO fun! You can choose the tag/subject of your choice, and Poof! Automagically you end up with hundreds of images on that subject! This is so cool... You can see different pictures of a place/country, a favorite animal or even a feeling!
Then, seeing how cool the first try was, I decided to try out Spell with Flickr... This is another fun site! You basically chose a word (any word... also works with foreign caracters) and Flickr will spell each letter with a pictures. You don't like the picture chosen for a specific letter? No problem. Just click on it, and you get another!
Now, in my opinion, the best of the best! Curious once again, I checked out Trading Card Maker. Now... This is AWESOME! What a cool way to keep in touch with family and friends. This is so much better than sending ecards... Finally a tool that combine the fun of an ecard with the custom possibilities offered by emails... The only reproach I would have: It would be good to have either a wider choice of possible backgrounds or the possibility to import your own.
I cliked on Montager and I just loved it. This is SO fun! You can choose the tag/subject of your choice, and Poof! Automagically you end up with hundreds of images on that subject! This is so cool... You can see different pictures of a place/country, a favorite animal or even a feeling!
Then, seeing how cool the first try was, I decided to try out Spell with Flickr... This is another fun site! You basically chose a word (any word... also works with foreign caracters) and Flickr will spell each letter with a pictures. You don't like the picture chosen for a specific letter? No problem. Just click on it, and you get another!
Now, in my opinion, the best of the best! Curious once again, I checked out Trading Card Maker. Now... This is AWESOME! What a cool way to keep in touch with family and friends. This is so much better than sending ecards... Finally a tool that combine the fun of an ecard with the custom possibilities offered by emails... The only reproach I would have: It would be good to have either a wider choice of possible backgrounds or the possibility to import your own.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Ile des Embiez - Flickr
After visiting the blogspot today, I decided to go ahead and browse Flickr in search of a picture that I would like in order to complete scenario 1. I typed in a couple tag names, and I was agreably surprise to fall onto a picture of the spot I used to hang out at when I was a kid!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redhead_ju/198719686/
This picture shows the island (named "L'Ile des Embiez") close to my parents' house where I grew up, and we would go there at least every weekend in the summer (sometimes on week nights) to swim and relax. It is about 20 minutes away by boat and it really is a small paradise. Few people, blue sea, shadded areas to rest when it is too hot outside, trails, etc... It was my very favorite place when I grew up, and I was very surprise to find it pictured on Flickr!!! This picture was taken, most likely, at the very top of the small montain on the island, where you can see the whole area at a glance.
Enjoy!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redhead_ju/198719686/
This picture shows the island (named "L'Ile des Embiez") close to my parents' house where I grew up, and we would go there at least every weekend in the summer (sometimes on week nights) to swim and relax. It is about 20 minutes away by boat and it really is a small paradise. Few people, blue sea, shadded areas to rest when it is too hot outside, trails, etc... It was my very favorite place when I grew up, and I was very surprise to find it pictured on Flickr!!! This picture was taken, most likely, at the very top of the small montain on the island, where you can see the whole area at a glance.
Enjoy!
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