Wow. It's now May 2018, 10 years since I did 23 Things on a Stick, and started this blog! A lot has happened in my career since I started it. I was a library specialist at Maple Grove until fall 2014, when all the library specialists were promoted to associate librarians, without having to interview. I did meet all the requirements for Associate Librarian anyway. Then I was transferred to the Ridgedale Library in early 2015.  I got lots of experience doing information work there, and I learned a lot. I got to move back to the Maple Grove Library two years later, February 2017,  in anticipation of the closing of Ridgedale for the huge remodel. It's been almost a year, and still no word about when they will reopen. I do miss some things about working at Ridgedale. It will be completely different when it reopens, though.

Almost 2 years since the last post

I finally looked at my blog, almost 2 years since I last posted something! It's been a very busy 2 years. I interviewed for a Library Specialist job at the new Maple Grove library the same month as my last post, and I got the job the following month! I started learning a lot of new things when I started the job in July. I do online customer service, and work the information services side of the desk some of the time now.

Intro to Cataloging

I have completely ignored my blog for a year! Bad me.
Well, I am just finishing a class called Introduction to Cataloging, and it has been pretty interesting. I have learned a huge amount of things. I learned the basics of how Dewey numbers are formed, authorities, access points, and the exciting new things called RDA, FRBR, and metadata. I think that figuring out the abstract ideas of FRBR is much more interesting than looking at Dewey numbers or something. I have subscribed to a site that sends me new information and I look forward to see the developments.

Thing 27- Twitter

I read about Twitter and I'm not convinced that I need it or want it at this time. I'm not aware of a group of people in my life who would want to keep up with everything I'm doing and thinking instantaneously, nor do I want to do the same. Maybe if I get a new job as a spy...or a traveling manager...or my kids all go to Europe at the same time...

Thing 26- Join the 23 Things Ning

I already joined the Ning as part of the first 23 things. I haven't done much with it, though, because I'm on Facebook. That's kept me busy enough.

Thing 25- Your Blog

I had decided that I was going to do Things at work more, and I seldom have time, but I actually had some time while at the service desk to start looking at the stuff in the Blogger's toolkit. I didn't have any luck with them, though. I thought it might be cool to use the star rating system that Outbrain offers in my blog, so I added it. Unfortunately, along with the stars came a lot of unwanted messages that looked like ads, so I just as quickly deleted Outbrain. I decided to give Feevy a try, so I opened an account and put three blogs in it. It didn't work, though. I was supposed to be able to put the blogs in the sidebar of my blog with a tag that they gave me. I tried several times, but I couldn't get the blogs to appear in my blog. I don't know what I did wrong. I also did the Myers-Briggs type thing that analyzed my blog, but I didn't agree with the results. They called me an extroverted, playful person and I have always thought I was introverted.

Thing 24- Refresh Your Blog

Actually I refreshed my blog back in late February, but the post had the wrong number. Besides that, I didn't like the other newer posts, so I decided to start over.
I looked at other templates for my blog, but I still liked this one so I kept it. I did redo my avatar to give my blog a more Minnesotan look.

Thing 23- One Last Thing

Yay, I did it this time!!!
I learned a lot. I'm glad I stuck with it, even though I had to do almost all the work at home. In my current online class there was a survey to see how much we knew about 2.0 tools, and because of this course I knew about all of the mentioned tools. If I hadn't done this, I think I only would have been familiar with Facebook.
I really enjoyed some of the Things, especially YouTube. I think I will continue to use, or at least look at, most of the Things. I don't currently have the kind of job where I would use them much, but I'm sure I can find other ways to use them.

Thing 22- Staying Current

After all the time I've already spent on this blog, I'd better add something occasionally! I just wanted to add one thing to keep me up-to-date, and I like Web Junction Minnesota. I had seen information about that site already at work. I tried to put a feed for it in my aggregator but it didn't seem to have one, so I put the link for the site in this blog.
It looks like I'll be using some of the 2.0 tools in the class I'm taking now, so I can practice them that way at this time, and when the class is over I'll have to use more initiative.

Thing 21- Other Networks

Well, I joined the 23 things on a Stick ning, and I put a link to it in this blog. I also joined another network called Linked In, which is supposed to help with my career. I like the idea of being part of a network that has a common interest.

Thing 20- Facebook

Well, I've been on Facebook for about 4 months already, so I didn't have any homework to do this time! I've seen other people's MySpace pages, and I just like Facebook better, and I like how people can't see my profile unless I add them as a friend. I have also heard that MySpace is more difficult to use.
Why is Facebook such a fast-growing social network? Probably because it's fun. It's fun to add a new friend, look at other people's photos, read about what they're doing and thinking, and send messages, gifts, and gestures to them.
Facebook is "free", but not really. Every time I look at it, there are little ads that I never succumb to. I remember a while ago when I tried to get the results of an IQ test that I took on Facebook. I was hurtled through dozens of online offers, and I finally quit before I ever saw my IQ. The biggest deterrent for me was how I started receiving unsavory emails and ads all the time since the IQ test experience. It was becoming maddening, but I started using Thunderbird email, and it's wonderful.
It gets rid of the junk!

Thing 19- Podcasts

I found this Thing to be interesting and useful. I haven't checked all the Podcast directories yet, but I thought that some of the Minnesota Public Radio podcasts looked intriguing. I can especially use their political podcasts, since I am not up-to-date with what'shappening there like I should be.
I put two RSS feeds from such podcasts into my bloglines account.

Thing 18- You Tube

I really enjoyed learning about this Thing. I thought that many of the library-related videos were pretty amusing. For putting into my blog, I chose a site that starts out with a "funny library commercial", because I like the idea of getting silly about libraries sometimes. We library employees work hard and we can use some stress relievers. I had a lot of trouble getting the video into my blog, though, because the instructions in the Things site didn't work.

Thing 17- ELM Productivity Tools

This Thing appeared to be useful, since I do use Academic Search Premier a lot. I created a personal account in there and looked in my folder. However, I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do with a web page after I had created it. What's the web page for?

Thing 16- Assignment and Project Calculators

I'm support staff in a public library now, and I'm not in the position of advising students about their work, so I won't be using these tools at work in that way at this time. I might use the project one for myself at work, if I have a project that's lengthy enough. I take classes, so I might use the tools to help me with my classes. So I'm saving the links in case I need them.

http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/

http://rpc.elm4you.org/

Thing 15- Gaming in Libraries

Well, I am a female who isn't a gamer yet, but I really tried to keep an open mind as I read about this topic and looked at Pirates and Second Life. I thought it was interesting that the game The Sims was meant to attract more females to game playing. Both of my daughters enjoy playing Sim games. If I was going to play games, it would be Sims, not Second Life. The pirate game didn't interest me at all. Second Life seems kind of eerie to me, with the realistic-looking characters flying around in the dreamlike world. I'm more comfortable with Sims because it just seems more obviously silly, like a game, with goofy characters.
I suppose gaming in the libraries has its place. If libraries have often provided board games, then the idea of providing the type of game that's currently popular makes some sense to me. There's one big difference, though. It's in the B word, budget. Having games like this available all the time must cost a lot more than keeping some old board games around.
I did think that the idea of using Second Life for educational purposes really had some possibilities. I thought that was the most appropriate use of the game in a library.

Thing 14- Library Thing

I found Library Thing to be pretty interesting, although confusing. I'm sure the confusion would lessen if I used it more. I think that this would be especially helpful for librarians who select material and are asked to recommend reading to people. I recently read two new books and I put them in my library. The other readers had rated them a little more highly than I did. I also joined a couple of groups and that was kind of fun.

Thing 13- Online Productivity Tools

Before I get started writing about Thing 13, I want to comment that I really like an earlier Thing, using Del.ici.ous. It is efficient! I tried using it last week when I was sitting with my husband's laptop in a hotel room. Yes, I did forget my password, but it wasn't too difficult to access my email from a Web email site and fix things.
On to Thing 13. Well, sorry guys, I looked at nearly all the sites that were presented, and I am just not interested. I don't want a "customized home page." When I bring up my home computer, I immediately get a weather forecast, and I wouldn't waste time by looking at all those other things that a home page has, and this is even more true for me at work.
I don't want a Calendar or a List tool. At home, I have a calendar a few feet away from my compter, and I would use Outlook at work if I wanted to use a calendar, since my email is already there. As for making lists, I like the old-fashioned jotting down on paper method. At least that way I can grab my list and throw it in my purse.

Thing 12- Social Media Sites

Hmm, interesting. Digg, Newsvine, Mixx, Reddit...I haven't heard of these sites before. I looked at each one and I liked the appearance of Newsvine the best. I liked how many of the news items were organized by topic. I didn't want to have an account in it at this time, but I put the link in my blog. I'm not sure how I would use Newsvine at work or home except maybe to have stimulating conversations with people.

Thing 11- Del.icio.us and Tagging

I think the idea of storing my bookmarks in one place so I can access them from any computer is great, except for one thing. What if I'm using an unfamiliar computer, go to the del.icio.us site, and I forget the password for my account? I added the link to my other web links at work so at least I would be okay there.
I looked at the bookmarks that were presented, and I haven't seen any that I wanted to add to my small collection yet. I can see how sharing bookmarks on a library site might be fun, though.
I think I grasp the concept of tagging, but I haven't seen the need to tag my tiny bookmark collection yet.