Beyond Method # 12

I'm sad to be at the end of this program. I loved it so much! I started it back in April 2011, but due to time limitations (graduate school and a hectic summer reading program) I just now had the opportunity to finish the steps. I was amazed how intimidated I was at the beginning of each step and yet due to the resources and explanations that were available found the technologies easy to learn and use. I am very interested in the digital storytelling, but had the most trouble trying to figure out how to create an original story. We just purchased a flip camera so I'm hoping to use it and grow in this area. I am especially thrilled to know how to create screen captures for the purpose of tutorials. I've been wanting to try this with our catalog for over a year and now I have the skills to do it.

I am always thrilled to have the opportunity to add new technology skills to my basket of tricks! I'm grateful that these training opportunities exist and am eager to see what is coming up next.

Since the original Two Step our library now has three blogs (storytime, reader's advisory, and the summer reading blog which averages 1000 hits each summer), a Facebook page, twitter, and flickr photos. It will be exciting to see what we can add next.

My goal working at the Bee Cave Public Library is to be an asset to both my patrons and also my supervisors and co-workers. I feel that programs like A Dozen Ways to Two Step and Beyond Two Step, provide me with the professional training necessary to help me meet my professional goals.

Beyond Method # 11

And the survey says..... Surveys are a great way to get feedback from patrons as to the effectiveness of programming, materials and services provided by the library. The various tools that are available remove any obstacle from a library adopting this real time feedback resource. We were just discussing this last week that we wanted to put up a survey to get feedback concerning the various events we held during our 2011 summer reading program. Now I have the tools to create the survey and the ability to place it on our blog, website, or facebook page. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

For my survey I used survey monkey. It was very easy to use. I decided against linking it and went with the embedded option instead. It is my belief that the most steps required of a user the less likely they are to take those steps. By having the survey there in front of the user, hopefully they will take the extra time to run through the questions and provide their valued opinion.

At this time we have comment cards for our patrons to use, but they are seldom used. We also get emails from patrons expressing their opinions. A survey regarding a particular area of programming, service or material would provide a focused response and therefore help us to better know where we are succeeding and where there is more room for improved services.

I would also LOVE to have this tool to help with registration for events and summer reading. This year alone we had over 1000 children sign up for our Summer Reading Program. This resulted in a lot of forms where the information had to be transferred to a spreadsheet. It would be nice if there was a way to have patrons register online then download that information into an excel spreadsheet.

My survey:

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Beyond Method # 10

I'm so grateful for web conferencing. I have attended several webinars and am amazed how included I feel even though I'm far away. I am also a distant learning student in the UNT MLIS Program. We have a live classroom software, Wimba, which allows for live classroom events. Recently in a storytelling course each member of the class presented a story via a web cam. We were able to receive immediate feedback and also put faces with our classmates' names.

My sister and I now Skype to stay in touch. I love it! I wish we had used it before now. While on a recent call with her I was also able to see and speak with my nephews! Technology is wonderful. It really is making the world a smaller place which is important since it is the only planet we have. We must be more thoughtful about how each of our choices impacts the rest of the world. We cannot control how others operate but by modeling considerate, responsible behavior, perhaps we can lead the way to saving this planet.

I had no idea that authors were Skyping. I can see where this would be a wonderful resource for book clubs and events. Library budgets being limited it is an affordable way to bring the authors to the readers without breaking the bank. It is also a great way for other libraries to connect, share ideas, and brainstorm about programming.

Without the ability to share in web conferencing, I would not be able to work on my Master's degree through UNT. I would not have important training opportunities such as those provided by Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Web conferencing is especially helpful to rural libraries who generally find their funds more limited as well as their access to training resources.

Skype is easy to use and very intuitive. Built in web cams and microphones have come a long way over the last few years making it possible to point and click our way into the global community!

Beyond Method #9

I found the resources available for exploration very interesting and valuable. I know given our limited budget our library is always looking for free graphics and images we can use to promote our programming. I loved the Open Image site It had some great video footage that would be fun and interesting to add to a project. I also took a look at the Creative Commons section of Flickr. I found the Creative Commons search site confusing. I need to spend more time figuring out how to locate images and how to ensure they are licensed for common use.

I just finished a storytelling course as a part of my ongoing MLS coursework. We actually spent a week on digital storytelling. I love face to face performances but the ability to preserve personal and community histories is an invaluable gift. I have a cassette tape (old technology) with my great grandmother's voice recorded on it. It is a treasure. The sound of her voice sends me back to her side, listening to the many stories she shared with me.

As our society grows in expectation and media sophistication, it is important that we find ways to communicate information in new and dynamic ways.

I chose to use Animoto solely based on its own site's promise to be amazingly easy. It was! I had a great time playing with images, listening to available scores I could choose from and then watching the finished product. It is my hope that as we finish up our summer reading program that I can use this same technology to create a dynamic slideshow of the summer's events.

My video is below. I attempted to access the Techsoup winners but none were available for viewing.

I loved my storytelling course and look forward to exploring how I take advantage of these resources to enhance my storytelling.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Beyond # 8

Screencasting! I love screencasting. I've been wanting to learn how to do this for a long time. We have so many application where this would be helpful. Being a small library we don't always have the time to teach our patrons how to optimize the search capabilities of our online catalog. We don't have the time to walk patrons through the process of opening a search engine on our public computers, learning create an email or a facebook account. A screencast provides a visual tutorial for users. Most people are visual learners to some degree so walking a person through thttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhe process lowers anxiety and provides the ability for them to watch the processes numerous times until they are able to get through the procedure from start to finish. They can repeat the cast as many times as necessary. By inserting notes using Screencast-o-matic it can bookmark points in the screencast to help them readily locate the information they are interested in hearing and seeing once more.

I chose to use Screencast-o-matic to create a brief tutorial on how patrons can set limits within our online search catalog in order to increase the precision and recall of their search.

Beyond Method #7

I love the new options for creating presentations. I know at our library one of our staff creates wonderful slides using Power Point. These slides play continuously during the day in the Bee Cave City Hall. It would be amazing if these slides could contain movies or live feeds, like in Sliderocket! I was blown away by the different options. I loved the moving, dynamic white board of Prezi. I thought Sliderocket had a simple and wonderful interface. I was amazed that live feeds and movies were so easily inserted. I was sold on 280 Slides when I realized how easy it was to embed the presentation into a social media
outlet.

I chose to use 280 Slides. I felt it was really easy to use. I think that all the tools are amazing and I think they would work very well for tutorials for using our search catalog, a tour of the library facilities, as well as marketing regular and special events. They would also be a great way to generate interest in our Friend's Group. I know that students are now expected to create presentations and perhaps having these tools would be useful to them as well in learning how to create presentations by holding instructional workshops focusing on both presentation software technology and design.

Beyond Method #6

Our library will be introducing Overdrive this Fall. We have many requests from our patrons for E-books. We also have MP3 books that patrons may load onto their computers then move to a MP3 player if they desire. The process is hardly streamlined like Overdrive, but it can be done. I think the simpler the process the less intimidating the technology. Unfortunately, many times when individuals try something new and have a frustrating experience, they then are less likely to give it another try later on. The process is getting more user friendly which is very reassuring and exciting.

I had never visited Project Gutenberg. I thought it was very easy to identify which file as associated with a specific reader. I did locate Great Expectation in its HTML format.

I am glad to know that Project Gutenberg exists and that it is available to our patrons. Due to budget cuts we have been without any e-books, so knowing we have the ability to point them to a number of e-books for free (minus perhaps a small donation) is a wonderful service to provide. I do think that after spending a little time searching their catalog that I could be of assistance is helping them use the HTML source. I didn't have the opportunity to play with any e-reader, but I feel certain with time that I would be able to help them download the material to their e-reader as well.

Beyond Method # 5

I have fallen in love with Goodreads! We have so many patrons that come into our library asking which books they have checked out. Of course we don't maintain that information in order to protect their privacy. Goodreads is a wonderful way for patrons to keep up with the books they have read, connect with other readers and discover new authors. Growing up with my nose buried in a book I was labeled a bit anti-social, Goodreads allows for a bookish social being which is long overdue and greatly appreciated!


The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I loved this book! I thought the style the author used was beautiful and add meaning to the material. It felt very much like reading a story as a child, full of lessons as well as forming a personal relationship with the material! I really enoyed it!



View all my reviews

I also loved Booklamp. I am always looking for new resources that will help me suggest reading material to my patrons. I think reader's advisory is the hardest part of my job. I also found it both interesting and disturbing that Shelfari is linked as a part of Amazon. The monster continues to eat!

Beyond Method # 4

I am so grateful for the many resources that are available to job seekers! I know we have so many that come in and many do not have the computer skills necessary to apply. So many employers now do not accept paper applications. They require all of their applicants to apply online. This is a huge issue since so many people still do not have access to the internet and do not have the computer skills to navigate through an application process.

One library in our area does provide some computer skill training but at this time our library does not have the staff to provide this service to patrons. The Goodwill Community Foundation training site that we were directed to in this step is a wonderful resource! I have had so many patrons in the past that needed this sort of basic information. I love that it provides information on not only what an email account is but also how to set up a facebook account. It also has information on how to use Open Office which is the open source software our library has available for our patrons use.

I had already had a lot of experience using the various job search sites, but plan to work on my own online version of my resume. Great resources that I plan to continue to explore so that I can share them with others!

Beyond Method #3

What a great new tool! I'm excited about learning this. I can see where it would be very valuable to libraries especially when there are multiple branches. I love that you can also add information about your library such as hours of operation. I have a lot more to learn but this alone is very cool!



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Beyond Method #2

I loved the two library pages that had been established using Netvibe. What a wonderful tool to give to patrons using public computers. I know on our public computers the first page that our patrons see if our library's website which is helpful but many times we have patrons who are confused as to how to reach a search engine from this page. It would be wonderful to set up a welcome screen that condenses our library website, catalog access, social media sites as well as helpful resource sites all on one screen. We could have one for adults and one for children.

I confess I was clueless as to how these libraries managed to create their netvibe pages. I spent time trying to figure it out, but will need a lot more time in order to master customization. I had no idea that this was available and I'm very grateful that it is!