Linking to file from another website

For your final projects, many of you will need to link your final project file. Our Blogger.com has some limitations for security purposes on which type of files it will allow you to upload, in this case just images and video files. So, if you are interested in linking to a powerpoint presentation, or a word document, or pdf -- then you will need to create a LINK.

You can email me your document and I can put it on the web and give you a website URL to include on your blog. Please email me your final document before the due date.

Here is the help page for how to CREATE A LINK in your blog post. I'm going to do one here:

How to Create a Link -- follow the instructions included on that link.

or... my simple instructions is to type what you want the link to say and then highlight that text, click on the little link icon in the toolbar above (next to the text color) and enter your website url to the link. Try it out!!

Good luck. Remember, email me if you get stuck!

Library 204: Blog as Library Tool?

Greetings students!

I've been enjoying reading all the blogs this week. Some of you seem to be new bloggers and some of you seem to be experienced ones -- a good mix -- and while some of you may be scratching your head wondering why I would possibly want you to blog, I assure you that at the end of the class you will see some value in it. (If you don't feel free to express that to me in an upcoming blog response!).

The major idea of a blog is a personal publishing system with a very important component - the ability for the general public (or restricted users in some cases) to post comments. Feedback! Contribution!

Contribution is a major backbone of the Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 experience. The ability to communicate about and provide content.

Let's take a look at Amazon.com (one of my favorite web pleasures although my bank account doesn't agree with me). When I am searching for a new book to purchase on a favorite topic, I generally browse a specific subject that I find in a keyword search. I narrow down my choices by type of materials (this case a book), and at the bottom of every product page is a list of CATEGORIES that the product belongs to. This is all very similar to a library catalog (OPAC). I can click through the different subjects. I can see other titles that are similar to the one I'm searching for. And, for someone like me who loves reading feedback, I can read REVIEWS! I want to know what other people who have read the book I am considering spending $30 on thinks about it. Was it valuable to them? Wouldn't it also be nice to have a feature in the library OPAC that connected REVIEWS to the item you are searching for?

I do the same thing with hotels. Let's look at my choices. 10 years ago I could go to the Internet and search for hotels on expedia.com, find out information about the property, etc. It is a good possibility that I could even find a webpage for the specific hotel with photos, maybe reservation information, and description of amenities. Today however I can go to TripAdvisor.com and find out other people's opinions on hotels, restaurants, museums, places to visit, etc. In the past two years, feedback in the form of reviews are popping up everywhere! Even on websites like Walmart.com! One of my favorite places to visit is Seattle, Washington. Take a look at the TripAdvisor page for Seattle. Some of these hotels have hundreds of reviews. I can do my own research from opinions and advice from real people, instead of from a book which may or may not be outdated or accurate. Another good example that I use often to find local restaurants, parks, and other places is Yelp.com.

Okay, some might argue that it's gone too far. We have Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Some die-hards update their status on these websites every 15 mins, providing information that many of us don't care to know. Yes, it can get overwhelming but it is also pretty amazing how much life has changed just in two years.

For instance, yesterday there were Tornado warnings in the Long Beach area. I heard something that a tornado had touched down and was curious where that might have been. So... I went to twitter and searched for tornado and there were already 1000 tweets talking about the weather in Southern California. Some places say that Twitter has become the new "emergency notification system." If you aren't familiar with Twitter, don't worry - we will be talking about it this semester.

Basically the Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 sums up to: People SHARE information with other people, with us.

Blogs are just another way to do that, to provide a platform for someone to share about a specific topic and for others to put in their $.02. In a library environment, it gives the library a human aspect, opens up ideas about new services and really tries to connect the library and the community. Kinda like what I'm trying to do in this class. Hmm...

Something to think about!

Some of my favorite library related blogs are:
LibrarianInBlack.net
TameTheWeb.com
TheShiftedLibrarian.com
LibrariansMatter.com
TheUbiquitousLibrarian

Here are some examples of how Universities use blogs in their libraries:
Ohio Universities Libraries News
Yale University Library News
Hunter Library News

Example of Teen Services Blogs in Public Libraries
WorthingTeens

Know of any you would like to share?

Thank you!

Thanks to everyone who have sent me messages of congratulations for the new addition to my family -- I figured since many of you have asked to see a picture, that I'd post one here.

I had my son, Logan, on July 4th! He weighed 6 pds 4 ozs and was 20 inches long. He is a complete joy and such a wonderful blessing in my life.

Now, back to grading!! Thanks to all of you for your patience. I wasn't expected to have my son until the class was over, so it was a bit surprising to have him so early.

Blog URLs are posted!

This week everyone should already have their blog set up and should be starting to post their reflections and project 1's to it. I'm looking forward to reading your work and reading your comments from other students.

For those of you who are not as familiar with the concept of blogging, let's discuss a few things that might be helpful.

1) Write with the reader in mind - you are writing for others to read, share your opinion, share your thoughts, etc. Stay on topic - don't write about something that has nothing to do with the assigned task or subject matter. The blogs should be specifically about your class experience, your library experience, how you felt doing assignments, or blogging, or posting to discussion forums.. things like that. Feel free to incorporate your own life into the post, we definitely want that, but tie it in somehow to the purpose of the assignment.

2) You don't have to write a novel but a few sentences is NOT ENOUGH. A good blog post is about 250 words -- or a few well developed paragraphs. Try to stick to that. When you are asked to reflect on the course, please don't just write a post something like "I like the class but it is harder than I thought." Really talk about your experience, you won't be graded on your opinions -- you will however be graded on providing a thoughtful response!

3) Use links where possible -- posting to blogs is a great way to share things you've seen on the Internet that you'd like to talk about. If you come across a cool blog that you would like to share with the class, by all means do so!

4) Update your profile -- post a picture of yourself or something that interests you. Tell everyone a little about yourself. It's a great way for your blog readers (aka classmates) to get to know you.

5) Comment, comment, comment! Let people know you've read their blog. Say hi. Leave a small comment. Blogging is a form of communication.

For more helpful tips, see Tips to Writing Blog Entries.

Okay, those are my thoughts for today! Happy Blogging everyone!

Summer 2009 starts now!

Well, here we are with another summer LIB 3 class... I'm very excited because LIB 3 is my favorite class to teach and I only teach it once a year. We do lots of fun activities and it seems that we really get to know one another.

My summer schedule is pretty limited at the LAC library - I will be working on campus only the first few weeks of June, and mostly in the evenings. If you need to contact me, the best way will be through email or instant messaging.

Looking forward to the class!

Update on my Father

Thanks to all of you for your support this past year -- many of you were aware of the fight my father was having with Lung Cancer. He was diagnosed in Feb/Mar and had several rounds of radiation and chemotherapy. Thankfully he had a good summer and was able to be quite independent and enjoy himself. But sadly, in September of this year he took a turn for the worse. After whole brain radiation in October, he was not able to walk or care for himself independently.

He put up a good fight and continued to be his charming, generous, entertaining self throughout. He taught his home-care worker how to cook Italian food... mentoring someone in even his last few weeks of life. He encouraged the young adults in his life to be the best that they could be. He will be missed greatly.

http://obit.desmondfuneralhome.com/obitdisplay.html?id=618435

Have you voted!?

Get out and vote today!

Here's the Google Logo for the day -- I love when they do these things! Isn't it cute!



Let's hope this election goes the way I want it to :)