12.10.08

Learn and Play #17 b


On my first attempt to create a document and publish it to my blog, you couldn't see the text to read it. So, here I am attempting to do it again to see what I can change to make it readable.

By the way, there was a warning about accidentally sharing sensative information in this publication;  

                                                        


Thursday, August 28, 2008



https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddghbm6j_14g23gsbg4&hl=en

Thing #19: Explore CML’s own Tool Box of great Web 2.0 tools


Discovery Exercise:

This Discovery Exercise is easy! As you look through the Power Tools Page, try out some of the links in the Tool Box that we haven’t covered in Learn & Play. If you’re at home, try downloading the Library Toolbar or the Catalog Plugin. Or, read the blog, Tooling Around, and leave a comment. Create a blog post about whatever element of the page you discovered and then enter that post’s URL in the Tracking Log.
I downloaded the CML tool bar. Very cool and so convenient to check my items to return.
Then I got into "MAKE" and surfed around a little. Make is great for finding instructions on how to create all sorts of things and as you can see at the top of this post, Halloween is the feature now (no da). Here's a project;

The google search box is customized to Make so that you get more accurate results. I like making paper snowflakes and Make featured this really cool one at http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/12/how_to_make_a_3_1.html

Make is just so much fun stuff to do all online complete with instructions and videos. It's just fantastic....even for earthlings.

Thing #18: Discovering Web 2.0 tools


Discovery Exercise:

Select any site/tool from the list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees.
Explore the site you selected.
Create a blog post about your discovery. What did you like or dislike about the tool? What were the site’s useful features? Could you see any applications for its use in a library setting?

Obviously, there are sooo many to choose from that it's next to impossible to settle on just one, but myminis was the one that I spent the most time surfing, er excuse me, is it yourminis (http://www.yourminis.com/)? @*%$minis are widgets of all sorts that you can put on your blog. Yourminis won a Webware100 award besides being on the go 2.0 award list.



I have several widgets in my sidebar, but they are mostly from widgetbox.

Thing #17 Google Docs

1. Create a free account for yourself in Google Docs.
2. Explore Google Docs,experiment, and create a test document or two. http://drawu2.blogspot.com/2008/10/on-my-first-attempt-to-create-document.html
3.
After you’ve created some test documents, select one and then choose
“More Actions.” You can publish, or save your document as a PDF or other version.
4. Create a blog post answering these questions:

How could online applications such as Google Docs help you in your day-to-day work?
Working on a document from any computer is great since we are always moving around AND being able to put them on a blog facilitates sharing them without the extra steps of downloading as an attachment.

How could libraries incorporate and ultimately benefit from these tools? Not sure just now. This is mainly because while I was attempting to create a document, I had a few issues with how it showed up on the blog. Still, that is not the only way to use Google docs. I was able to insert a picture and generally do what I do where documents are concerned, though, and then post it. That link is in #2of this post.
I really LOVE the presentation feature. It really went smoothly.
OPTIONAL: Share one of your test documents either on your blog or by linking to it online. :)