027.6 Definition of a Library: The "My Space" Version

That never-stops Joyce Valenza of Neverending Search has provided us with a video to use as food for thought once again. She had her students tell us about their library / the space as they see it!

My personal favorite--the very first description...especially where the narrator speaks with such reverence and adoration about the magnificent collection of American History "classics." Be still my heart! I recognized almost EVERY title and cover on every shelf. I can close my eyes and almost drink in the fragrance of wonderful friends and fond memories of the many hours spent with those books and the children who experienced them. Such fine times!

I think the students spent quality time talking about both their print and technology-related experiences, as well as the enjoyment they got out of the library for both scholastic and personal pursuits!

One tiny sad thought for a brief moment...several wonderful descriptions/tours are given with virtually empty "spaces"..but in the end, it became the lively place I knew it must be.

If we saw a narrated tour of your library, would we recognize it as a happening place like these kids do?

Enjoy!


Find more videos like this on TeacherLibrarianNetwork (hope this shows in district)

P.S. We gotta get some of those flippy cameras going in my circle of influence and see what kind of good stuff can come out of them!

P.P.S. Need to explore the ning as a source for parking space for videos and other large files! I forget about it. Can it be used thatway?

006.7 The Ying & Yang of Blogging

Been away for awhile for a variety of reasons. FINALLY felt I had some things to say...and the TIME to say them.

Write the first post...BANG...my blog has been declared a spam blog! Ugh? The results of such a dubious honor? You have to type in those ridiculous "drunk" nonsense arrangements of letters EVERY time you edit, save, or publish. Sure, I'm used to doing that when I comment. No problem. Want to do my part to keep spammers away.

HOWEVER, when it has to do with original posts, those crazy letters are on steroids...they are bigger, thicker, skinnier and more of them. It takes me about 4-5 attempts to get through EVERY time I edit, save, or publish. One time, I was having so much trouble "reading" the letters, I used the handicap sound out the letters option!

On top of that I had to contact the powers-that-be and declare (beg) that I am not a spammer, but instead a modest little librarian blogger from Texas. I had to wait four days to be absolved of my sins (although I have NO idea what I did to bring on this suspended state of free-flowing communication form.)

NOT fun!

But THEN...

One of the education world's premier bloggers (and one of the world's most generous commentors) COMMENTED on MY blog...he thanked me for some nice thing I said about some of his ideas...

But THEN...

He admitted that he too has human frailties in that virtual world known as Second Life. He can't land ("gracefully"...read-- crashes?) I can't sit. He can't land. I feel...so...much...better!

I think I might just have to do that happy feet thing again!

Gosh, I love blogging. You have the most interesting adventures...and never spend a dime (or a bucketful of dimes) for gasoline.

363.7 Space Junk: Outta This World Pollution

Saw this on Posey Galore, a new visitor to my blog.

Part of me is totally fascinated by the picture. Part of me is sad because of what it shows.

On one hand, I feel better about the state of my work area, and even my dining room table. On the other hand, I feel guilty that I am as much of a slob in my world as we all appear to be in our world.

x

What is it? All the junk we (as in anyone who travels in space, sends things to space) have dumped in space! For the last 50+ years...since Sputnik. The photo originally came from the site European Space Agency (ESA). Please go to the site...there are several groups of photos that break down the "junk."

Some statistics from the explanation:

Since the launch of Sputnik on 4 October 1957, more than 4,600 launches
have placed some 6000 satellites into orbit. Currently about 800 satellites are
used operationally for science and other applications. Space debris comprise
the ever-increasing amount of inactive space hardware in orbit around the
Earth as well as fragments of spacecraft that have broken up, exploded or
otherwise become abandoned. The debris field comprises burnt-out launch
vehicle upper stages, dead or inactive spacecraft and other objects ranging
in size from as big as an automobile to microscopic dust.

Some books I found on the subject of space debris in our collection

Junk in space. Maurer, Richard. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, c1989
Pollution in space. Asimov, Isaac. G. Stevens Pub, 1995.
Space garbage. Asimov, Isaac. Dell, 1991, c1989.
Space junk. Asimov, Isaac. Gareth Stevens Pub, c2006.
Space junk : pollution beyond the earth. Donnelly, Judy. Morrow Junior Books, c1990.

Some more online info
Space Junk
ABC Science & Society Space Junk presentation including an animation (large file!)
BBC Science & Nature Space Junk See full animation (106K)
National Geographic Space Junk Cleanup Needed
Podcast: Space Junk

Ok, now to find the box of trash bags and the file boxes I have bought over the last several months!

793.932 Another Second Life Adventure

Because of my membership in ISTE due to my planned attendance at NECC this summer, I got an email from one of my favorite bloggers, Blue Skunk Doug Johnson about a talk he was going to give this evening on ISTE Island in Second Life. (nope not open in district)

It was going to start in 15 minutes. Plenty of time I thought...and an opportunity to "hear" someone I had been reading for some time now! I also needed a reason to get back into Second Life and experience it again.

Ha! 45 minutes later I got in and only caught the last part of the talk.

When I opened Second Life, I was notified that I need to download an update or I would not be able to use the site. My possessed computer took FOREVER connecting to the download and then I had to wait for it to do its thing.

Ok, ok..only 10 minutes into the program. I clicked the transport address from the email and landed on the right island...with absolutely NO clue what to do next. I looked around and around and saw no one. Then I started hearing voices...barely. Dug up my headphones. Eureka, I was at least hearing the talk.

And as always, someone showed up and asked if he could help. Sorry, I did not get his name...but I think he is a "docent" for the island. He was great at explaining what I needed to do and was VERY PATIENT when I explained I moved slowly! BTW...he had a cool vehicle...forgot to "screen shot" it. Anyway, I walked carefully, managed to stay out from UNDER any buildings thistime, flew a little and crashed only once.
So I finally show up at the location...the screen is full of Blue Skunk's cartoons and they are talking away...and there is not one single person in the audience, but I see all kinds of names on the screen. There was 25 minutes left of the program so I just quietly listened and watched the typed comments on the screen.

Some points from the talk:
1. Human vs. machine
content filtering done by a machine cancels out the human's ability to discriminate what is appropriate for what situation...not a good practice, but "we" all do it!

2. Self-empowered or self-discovery type staff development...a good thing! Score one for my circle! We are doing that again this summer with our 23 Things...opportunity for educators to learn on their own with help/support, but the self-discovery of knowledge is a key component of the experience!

3. Blue Skunk reminded us of one of his favorite statements...# of kids in the library is in reverse proportion to the importance of the next visitor. Boy, that has been the truth for me in SO many cases!

4. Sometimes technology can be over used. If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything becomes a nail! His analogy...going online and finally finding the population of Bolivia from a 1995 CIA Fact Book vs. thumbing thru the current World Almanac that is probably sitting relatively close to the computer. not sure I know a lot of libraries that have a current World Almanac anymore, but I definitely understood his message. The right tool for the right job at the the right time!

Gosh, I wish I had heard the whole thing.
O, also ...You can download his book Machines are the Easy Part, People are the Hard Part: technology in the Schools for free here.

P.S. I loved his voice (my first time to hear him)...sounded just like what I had imagined from reading his posts!

And I KNOW inquiring minds are waiting...........................

patiently............................................

NO............................................

I did not sit down because I could not remember how!

For the uninformed...it's ok. You hadda be there to understand!
Just know that this Second Life thing is never gonna be a strong suit for me...I will keep trying, I know I will...it will just be continue to be pitiful. I just know it will.

371.2 Some More Thoughts on Change in Education

From David Warlick's 2¢ Worth blog is another video titled Learning to Change with a group talking about education and the need for changes for a variety of reasons.
It was a YouTube video in his blog and I went ahead and put it through the ZamZar process so it could be viewed in district. (changed it fro flv to mov that could be uploaded into this blog)



Points to ponder:
1. U.S. Dept of Commerce ranked education 55 out of 55 for its level of IT.
2. Kids could be rich content developers using 2.0 tools...if given opportunity!
3. Technology is not really a choice anymore...it is an environment.
4. Classroom system vs the need for a community system.
5. Using a formula based on factories of a hundred years ago instead of embracing 21st century ways.
6. Children live in "nearly-now."
7. School is only one place kids learn
8. Give teachers global connections if you want students to make global connections
9. Right-answer vending machine testing does not match the skills needed in the 21st work force

Listen for the 21st century list of literacies!

It's worth 5 minutes of your time.

333.7 It's Isn't Easy Going Green...

...or using technology inside our district many days! A presentation I was part of today to a very influential group of educators in my circle turned into a nerve-wracking mess because the internet, the intranet, the network, the tides, the sunspots, the WHATEVER that affected everything decided to have a major meltdown...it was SO F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G! And mostly because we had such GREAT stuff to show to folks who are hungry for great...quick...fun, yet important school stuff technology-wise!

For those of you in the know...Read: 23 things-type fun with educational purpose and value! As Lucy in Peanuts often says...arrrggghhhh!!!!!

So...because the intended audience did not get to see the timely Earth Day Animoto that I had prepared in order to demo the simple process of creation and the fun of the results...I will share it with you, my loyal and fun-loving blog readers! Found the great pictures on Flickr Creative Commons (another thing we were going to share--a copyright-friendly photo source.)

I was thinking back to the first Earth Day...38 years ago! My senior year in high school and the environment and all the issues related to it were in the news and on people's minds WAY BACK when! I try to do the best I can to save, reuse, reclaim, and not waste...growing up in the desert you understand the need to turn the water off when brushing teeth and how to conserve it as best you can elsewhere!

So with only a few hours of the special day (did you check out the Google artwork) left, I hope it was a good one for you...green or not! And I promise to let the technology "mess" go and live to "fight" another day!

031 Encyclopedia Britannica Freebies

Encyclopedia Britannica has decided to make a subscription free to some bloggers and other web publishers. You must register/apply to be considered for the service. It will last one year. I saw this announcement over at Joyce Valenza's Neverending Search so you can see more details there. She got some information about it from Tech Crunch as well, including a little discussion about whether this is a good thing or not.

Another new thing that could prove to be interesting is the widgets of information that EB is making available. Here is the current list of topics. I have added one about presidents so you can see what is available. Might be good additions to a web page or wiki where you are building resources for a project or research needs?



Guess we will need to see how this all shakes out as far as how people feel about it being a good thing or not. Me--for now, it is access to information and that is never a bad thing, I don't think.
The widget info is pretty basic...might prove to be nothing more than a gimmick, but if it makes one more learner take a look....what is the harm?
Will be glad to hear how others feel as the news spreads and the idea develops.

020.Views of TLA Librarians/Information Specialists & Their Conference

As promised a few days ago (wow, how time flies when you are absorbed!) here are some sights from the conference in Dallas. Not as many as I had hoped because 1. the camera battery conked out on me most of one day & 2. I was just too darn immersed to remember to take a shot or two of who or what I was immersed in! Sorry!

A whole room full of...catalogers! And not scary at all! Everyone there was just trying to learn and, more importantly understand RDA & FRBR & the implications on our way of doing things...especially in the cataloging world. Shawne Miksa did a fair job of making it understandable. And then Scott Piepenburg (for which there is no photo -- good or bad because that is when the battery went dead) assured me that I did know what I was doing...it is always to check in with yourself.

Along with a colleague, I am "in love" with Alan November now! Always on the fringes of my reading and learning, I am now going thru some of his stuff more carefully and in greater detail because I want to capture even a small degree of his passion for learning and understanding AND helping kids to learn and understand the world as it is now...where technology is considered a critical part of the success and not something to be scared of and worried over. A great way part of his message was done was simply by having the other participant, Kathy Schrock, on board thru Skype! It was fun"seeing" her long-distance.

And then two action-packed & insanely intense sessions with Joyce Valenza. The picture is terrible I know, but even if I had been closer, I'm not sure I could have done much better because it is hard to capture a speeding bullet and I was worried the energy coming from this terrific woman would blow me over like a tornado's wind! She is incredible in what she knows, what she does, and how much she wants to share it all with anyone within earshot!

I have to admit that the cataloging portion of TLA was more of a "have-to" than a "want-to," but the time was well-spent. The technology sessions I attended were more "fun," but really tied me in knots trying to keep up and understand everything they were demonstrating. I will go into more details as time permits.

But then there were the REALLY fun moments of conference...when opportunities just happened! Take a look!

025.56 TLA Wednesday: Library 2.0, All Kinds of Resources

Wednesday was Resources day here at the conference for me. I attended Joyce Valenza's (of NeverEndingSearch fame) session on everything 2.0 I knew and more. Thank goodness for 23 Things...I was able to keep up with what she was talking about...barely.

She is SO into wikis with her students for ALL kinds of things and I couldn't agree more. I just can't figure out where she gets the gazillion extra hours a day to do it all. Here is one of her newest things...a Global Studies Ning. I see lots of potential here in high school...World Geography, advance studies courses, AP this & that, but even 6th grade World Cultures could find a place I think!

She is truly amazing at what she has put together...and wants all of us to use as well...don't re-invent the wheel...go to her things and adapt. I will go back and get all the particulars later, but if you have not read her blog..start there...put it in your reader...move it to the Top 5 of your list. You want be sorry...if you really want a taste of what can be done in 2.0 with students and for students. I am going back to hear her again on Thursday.

I also heard Walt Crawford...a long time agent of change and a "study-er" of trends like blogs....interesting info there...lots of his work has been with public libraries and academia, but his thoughts have filtered down into the school libraries as well. His presentation evolved into some nice discussion amongst attendees. It was worth my time.

I also got here all about the changes coming to TeachingBooks...you are going to like them...next Wednesday the 23rd watch for the new look and then next fall you will also see some new things...lots to do with what we & teachers can do with the material.

And my day ended very nicely with an EBSCO talk about what is coming there. Pretty much a one-on-four exchange of what changes they are bringing and what things we like and still need to see. I have totally forgotten the timeline of the changes....I will find out!

A good day...

Hope to get some pictures posted today of some fun stuff that has been happening...so keep watching!

025.3 Cataloging "Day" at Conference

I wore my cataloger's hat all day pre-conference Tuesday. All-in-all it was a pretty good day (ok, quit rolling your eyes) although a bit intense at times.

I attended the official pre-conference event on RDA & FRBR. It was not as scary s I thought it might be. In a nutshell, nothing is ready...no changes will be made that we need to be concerned about any time soon.

There IS some vocabulary that we all need to learn and be comfortable with. A little tease for now is Work - Expression - Manifestation - Item. There are other words we need to learn as well, but these are the beginning. I will explain them later. RDA (Resource Description & Access) is replacing AACR2...but not tomorrow! So no worries right now.

There are some websites and other information I will share later. I had several great conversations with some phenomenal librarians who also happen to spend a lot of their day cataloging...and got to spend time with one of the first (and one of my favorite) bloggers that I started to follow as well. That was a special treat. Thanks David!

But time is pressing for me to move on to today's activities...a Web 2.0 day...o, boy should be fun.
so I will flesh out the RDA experience later.

More later!