And so the journey ends... (Week 10: #23)

...but where one journey ends, another begins.

Overall it has been an entertaining and educational walk through cyberspace. I discovered things of which I was not fully aware, things like Zoho and Picnik. It also inspired me to learn new things like HTML. I have put it off for quite some time now, but feeling so restricted with the creative side of Blogger, I have decided to once and for all learn the language. Maybe I am a bit of a control freak but not having the power to place an image wherever I wanted to or text anywhere I chose to drove me crazy. I learned a few tricks by manipulating the HTML, but it just wasn't enough.

I discovered some things about people, some positive and some not so positive. I imagine a study has been done somewhere on the topic of behavioral changes associated with hidden identities (and if so I hope to find it (haven't looked yet)) which I think would be fascinating. Strange how people can become so catty as long as no one knows who they are. In a sense, it is an opportunity to express an idea or an opinion which would not be expressed so easily in most settings. It gives people courage. This can be positive, but it seems to give some people the courage to express a darker side.

Of course, it was rewarding to see so many people eager to learn how to use these tools that are right at our fingertips on a daily basis. Tools like Bloglines will allow more of us to keep up with current events which in turn will help us communicate better with our customers. Knowing that things like Library Elf and our own Overdrive are out there and knowing how they work will give us an opportunity and the confidence to suggest such wonderful applications to our customers.

As for the future, who knows? Technology now dominates our lives. We depend upon it. We don't have to look far to see the effects of our dependence (Black Wednesday). Technology brings change to our world so rapidly that I fear a suggestion now will only seem antiquated in a few months, but I would like to see more online applications as well as some tools with regards to research. The more we learn about technology, the better our library system will be. Any establishment is only as good as the people who support the very foundation of that establishment. An establishment such as the library which promotes knowledge needs its employees to be knowledgeable. We are the direct representation of HCPL, especially those on the front lines who daily stand face to face with our customers and know customers on a first name basis. When they think of the library, it is not a star that comes to mind or even HCPL. It is that local building where they are greeted by someone like you and me, a warm smile, and a helpful hand, a place where they can find the answers to their questions. This is our library.

In conclusion, this has been a rewarding experience. It was a wonderful opportunity for an entire staff (county wide) to work together. I hope everyone has enjoyed it as much as I have.

Downloadable Media (Week 9: #22)

I downloaded an audiobook of poetry from Overdrive. I also looked at Wowio. Although there seems to be much content it was often difficult to find specific titles addressing my topics of interest in both Overdrive and Wowio. Still, this is a nice tool especially since it is FREE!

Podcasts (Week 9: #21)

The Writer's Almanac is always such a pleasant segment on NPR that I decided to add this to my blog as an example of podcasting. It is located on the right towards the bottom.