The Web According to Google #86: Calendar and Documents

1. I have used Google Calendar in the past for certain situations. It could definitely be used in the workplace. As a team leader, it is necessary to coordinate my calendar with the other team leaders on a weekly basis in order to make daily scheduling go smoothly. I've never used Google Calendar for home use but I'm sure it would be beneficial in certain circumstances. It's certainly useful to share calendars within in the workplace. I'm not sure about friends and family.

2.We use Google Docs at the library for each department's daily schedule. This document is kept up on several computers throughout the library so staff is aware of the service desk they are assigned to. By using this, we are a little more "green" because we are not using as much paper for the daily schedules. It's easy to edit the document when changes are necessary. We are using the excel application in the document we've created. It's very similar to microsoft excel but there are definitely some differences. I use the Microsoft Excet for most other projects I have.

The Web According to Google #85: Resistance is Futile

1. I have never resisted Google. I use many of their products including but not limited to Google docs, maps, images, blogger (of course), and YouTube. I use each of these programs for different reasons. I use the docs and calendar for daily work schedules and events. Anytime I have to research I use maps and images. I don't use YouTube as much as some but it's still handy.

2. Google Labs is very interesting. I am interested in the city tours experiment. However, when I put in Seattle it kept coming back with an error. The Google fast flip experiment was also very interesting as it pulled many different sources for one subject very quickly.

3. I checked out Google Books but honestly it was not so user friendly in my opinion. The books in the cooking section were somewhat interesting. I think part of my problem is that I really prefer to have an actual book in my hand. Google Books might be a good tool to use in the material selection department. I'm not sure how useful it would be in other areas of the library.

Publishing Evolution #84: Writer Communities & Author Websites

1. I have never contacted any of my favorite authors but I have visited their websites to get info on the next book in a series or what they are working on. Because I enjoy reading regional fiction, I'm always interested in where an author lives. It's not important for me to know the details of their personal lives like family, etc. Okay, I checked out Susan Wigg's website and I'm really really jealous. She lives in my most favorite place in the world, the San Juan Islands in Washington state. There's some photos of her house and it's gorgeous along with unbelievable views. I'm depressed now - I want to go there really bad. She does have a blog so I'm sure you can email her if you want to.

2. I think the idea of a book being published based on popular vote is a very interesting idea. I don't think a book coming into existence in this way would necessarily give me less faith in the material. I think it would really depend on the content of the book.

Publishing Evolution #83: Paper to Pixels (or e-ink)

1. I have never read an ebook. Having said this, I prefer the old time book in the hand type of reading. Because I do not purchase books - I check them out at my local library, I am not interested in purchasing a Kindle, Nook or IPad. I'm too cheap - my local library does not pay me enough!

2. As I stated I do not purchase books. I don't mind getting in line for the new books. I would not be willing to pay the same price for a digital book as a paper copy.

3.I checked out iFiction and it looks like most of the entries are either science fiction or fantasy. I'm more of a fiction, romance or mystery person so I didn't see anything I was interested in. The idea of previewing a book for free sounds like a good idea. However, I go back to my original statement - since I check out all the books I read at the library, I can preview them for free that way.

Bottom line - WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME TO THE LIBRARY AND GET BOOKS TO READ AND STOP BUYING THEM AT THE BOOKSTORES! SORRY BARNES & NOBLE.....

Publishing Evolution #82: Print on Demand

1. I checked out all of the self-publishing companies listed. They are seem very similar - some's cost are higher than others. Createspace by Amazon.com seems to be the more navigatible site. That probably is because Amazon has been in the business for a longer period of time. I can certainly see how using one of these sites would be beneficial for some artists because it would mean less overhead on their part. I didn't see any books that I've read. That could be because most of the books I read are well-known fiction writers that are published through the major publishing houses. I certainly would not be opposed to reading an author if the content looked interesting.

2. I think self-publishing is a great idea. I would think that having this outlet could give the author or artist an opportunity to have their work put in print when maybe the larger publishing houses or record companies have turned them down.

The Future of Media #81: Get Out Your Crystal Ball

1. I think the idea of streaming movies and tv shows through hand held devices and computers will have a very large impact on how we watch shows in the future. Our younger generations (12 and up) are already keyed into watching videos on the ipods and connecting to the internet while their in the car to watch whatever they want. Myself, I prefer the old tried and true television connected to the satellite dish to catch up on my shows. We have had Direct TV for one year now and I must admit I do watch fewer shows on the major networks. I rarely watch the live, I prefer to dvr them and watch them at my convenience. I'm not sure if I understand how this would work - if we would still have access to many of the shows we get on cable now if we weren't connected by satellite. As far as any new technology, I do real well to keep up with the current trends. I don't own an ipod, iphone or anything else "i."

2. I am definitely not an early adopter of new gadgets. I think my generation is less interested in these areas than the younger generations. My favorite gadget is my cell phone - if only I could keep a charge....I also love the dvr so I can record all my favorite shows like "The Young and the Restless," "Lost," "Brothers and Sisters," "Survivor," and many more. My only problem is finding time to watch all of these things in addition to dreaming about winning the HGTV Free Home and figuring out how to increase my "curb appeal."

The Future of Media #80: Movies

1. I signed up for a free account on HULU. I viewed a small part of a movie about skiers preparing for the Olympics in Vancouver. Since you're able to view the movie full screen it was enjoyable. Having said that, I still prefer to watch movies on bigger screens without having to sit through advertisements, etc.

2. I used iTunes Movie Trailers and watched an upcoming movie trailer. I've noticed some trailers tend to give out all of the good parts of a movie so when you actually see the movie, you're a little disappointed. It's nice to know these sites exist so you can actually check the movie out before spending mega bucks to see it.

3. I would consider using HULU at home. The only problem is I still have dial-up so if I were to be successful in getting the movie loaded, it would take forever to watch it. Until we get a faster internet service, I will probably not be using any of the free based sites. It's nice to know they are available.

The Future of Media #79: Television

1. I logged onto Hulu and tv.com looking for the television series "Lost." Each site allowed me to watch part of the shows. I was more impressed with Hulu because there is a full screen option with limited commercials. I also am interested in catching up with the Showtime channel's "The Tudors." Unfortunately, I was not able to watch full episodes there. I guess that's because Showtime is not a free network. Too bad!!!

2. I have never watched a TV show on my cell phone. I barely even text on my cell phone - I really only use it to talk on the telephone. I really don't think I would enjoy watching any type of video on small screens. I'm thinking I would probably not be interested at this time to watch television shows on cell phones.

3. I really do not spend anytime watching streaming videos or "user" channels. However, I must admit watching the Shibu Inu Puppy Cam was actually kind of fun. Those are the cutest little pups I've ever seen. It's amazing how they all pile on top of each other to sleep. We raised piglets once a long time ago and they did the same thing - very cute!!!!!

Searching #78: Video

1. I searched both Truveo and Blinkx for "Lost the Final Season." I found Blinkx to be easier to use. The small clips of the videos were streaming which made the site more appealing. I do not search the web for videos so I'm looking forward to doing more of this. Truveo was little slower to use with the small clips of the videos lined up in rows. It's search screen is a little too busy.

2. I think it would be interesting to do a short video showing the Tomball Library staff in their greeting mode. Because the Tomball Library is a joint venture library with the Lonestar College System, most people coming in our front door assume it's the entrance to the college. The circulation staff has to field many different questions - ones related to the library as well as related to the college. Greeting is an essential role at Tomball!!!!

Searching #77: Images

1. I tried using AllFreeClipArt with very little success. I did a search for santa claus with several hits but they were not on the All Free Clip Art site. I probably would not use this site for clipart.

2.SXC.hu is a very interesting site. They have some quality photos incompassing almost every subject. I will spend more time browsing their site. It's also one of the Getty images sites.

MorqueFile.com is another site that looks very interesting. There are some well done images on there. Again, I will revisit that site when I have time.

3.
DODGER BARR - THE BEST DOG EVER!!

http://schools-demo.clipart.com/search/index

Searching #76: Sound Effects

After receiving help from one of our staff members, this was alot of fun. I love all of these relaxing sounds. Thank you unknown staff member!!!!!

whale

wolf

dove

Simply the best:

snoring

jungle

river

Searching #75: Google and Beyond

Exercise # 1

I voted on my 3 queries in Blindsearch. Each search engine got one vote. I usually use Google and will probably continue to use it. I don't care for Yahoo - Bing is interesting.

Exercise # 2

Google was the top search engine with Facebook a close second. As I primarily use Google as my search engine, this stat holds true.

Exercise # 3

I must say I enjoyed the newer options in Bing especially the Travel button. I might have to consider using Bing for awhile and see if I get faster and better results.

Money & Finance #59: Credit, Money Management, and Saving

After reading the article How Credit Scores Work, I am more aware of the importance of credit scores. Honestly, I do not even know what my credit score is. The next thing on my list is to go to one of the free sites and get my score. I wasn't aware that your credit score could effect insurance quotes.

I have a very loose spending budget. After looking over the links, I plan on thoroughly reading the University of Florida's info. I hope to be able to look at my finances and see how using this model might help me save money. The first thing I plan to do is to keep better records (on a weekly basis) of my expenditures. I'll try not to be surprised when I see that Starbucks is in there several times!

I am eligible for retirement but my financial situation does not allow me to retire. So hopefully some of the steps mentioned above will get me closer to day! The retirement plan through TCDRS has always been very impressive to me. The fact that you are guaranteed a 7% return on your savings is phenomenal-especially during our current economic situation where some individuals are losing 20-30% of the investments through mutual funds. Also that your savings will be matched @225% upon retiring is unheard of. I haven't taken the time to signup online - I've always just waited for the yearly report we get. I think I'll take the time to signup soon.

Money & Finance #58: Banking, Budgeting, and Spending

My bank does offer online banking and I use it on a regular basis. My account is a free account since I have automatic payroll deposits. There is a fee for too many checks which I try to avoid. I use it to track my checks and debit charges - checking to see if they've cleared and when. I also use it to verify debit amounts when I'm not sure of the correct amount. I bank with a very large bank that takes exceptional security measures. I've banked with them for over 25 years with no complaints. Several years ago, my debit card was not returned to me at a fast food restaurant. I didn't realize it for a couple of hours. By that time, the card had been used at three different local gas stations. My bank took care of everything within two days after I notified them. I've been told that if you have a debit/credit card, it's better to use the credit and sign for the charge rather than use the debit and pin number method. I regularly check my online account to make sure there has not been any fraudulent or unauthorized use.

I looked over all of the budgeting websites listed. I signed up for Mint, but did not enter any of my account info. Still not feeling to secure about that. I want to look into their security a little closer before trusting them with all of my account info.

I've started using coupons again when I can. Someone at our branch came up with the idea of a coupon donation box in the staff breakroom. Everyone can feel free to contribute or take any coupons they need. I think everyone is enjoying it. I have! We've recently joined Costco. I think in order for it to be a savings place for us, we will need to do some significant research on the items we purchase to make sure they are cheaper than our regular grocery stores. We're driving older cars in our family and are just hoping that they continue to get us where we need to be. If we had to purchase a new car, we would like to consider the Prius. It's expensive but the gas savings might offset some of the car note.

Games and Gaming #38: Console Gaming

I visited the "nostalgic" game site and spent a few minutes playing Pacman. I think it's harder to play using the keyboard than it was when I played it on the console game. It could be that reactions have just gotten slower! I'm not sure I've gained any better skills by playing years ago except for the fact that I'm familiar with the game.

I'm pretty familiar with Wii and Sony Playstation 3. The graphics on the Sony Playstation are excellent, but there are not as many games to play on it. Also the games tend to be for the more mature audience. My family plays the Wii all the time. We have several games and they are all fun and challenging. In my opinion, I think the best console game system would be the Wii because there is more of a variety of games. Also the virtual movement concept sets it apart from the other consoles. As long as people don't sit and play video games all the time, I can't really see that console gaming detracts from learning. If anything, I think it probably increases the hand/eye coordination. There's no doubt in my mind that kids would initially come to the library for the gaming. Having said that, I do feel that there would be those kids who discover the other things to do at the library and return for those things as well. It certainly would be up to the library staff to help the kids in this discovery process.

Games and Gaming #37: Get Your Game On @ The Library

I read the article in THE NEW YORK TIMES about game day at their libraries. I agree that adding games into the library mix is a perfect way to bring the younger generations into the library. Hopefully, while they are at the library, they will discover the adventures just waiting to be read!

I attempted to play both of the games provided through Carnegie Mellon, but was unable to get either one to work.

My question is - when will HCPL add video games to our collection and make them available to check out - talking about raising the circ numbers!!!!!

Games and Gaming #36: The Wide World of Online Role Playing Games

I signed up for Runescape and created a character. My character is a woman with a long dress and huge muscular arms. I attempted to do the tutorial. Honestly I didn't find it very easy to move around. I wasn't even able to make fire even though I did cut the tree down! I'm pretty sure I'm not cut out for playing role games online with a bunch of other people. I prefer the Wii with my family one-on-one!

#35 Games and Gaming: Games? In the Library?

I spent a little amount of time on both FreeRice and Sudoku. FreeRice made me feel pretty dumb, but I think it's a great way to increase one's vocabulary and at the same time, it really made me feel good to donate rice to those in the world who desperately need food. Sudoku was kind of challenging and I didn't even get past the first game. It really makes you think! That's a games I could possibly get addicted to! It was easy to learn the rules for both of the games I played. Both games would be beneficial because they make you think and increase knowledge.

I'm very much in favor of gaming. Gaming in the young child helps with hand/eye coordination and can increase knowledge in several areas. Gaming can be a way to bring a family together - my family plays Wii on rainy cold days and it's alot of fun.

Spring Cleaning #30: Take a Load Off Our Drives

Okay, I read the rules again and again and I've now followed them (because I always follow the rules) by deleting all of my beautiful personal pictures from my "z" drive. I'm very sad though because now I do not have all of those pictures for my screensaver. I'm afraid my mood over the next few weeks will reflect my not having my "quick shot of happiness" when my screensaver pops up and I see Seattle, the beautiful Oregon coast, my terrific family, etc - my kind of "Calgon take me away" moment. So, for those individuals that I might be a little short with, I apologize in advance. BUT, we must follow the rules! By doing so, I've freed up 50% of my drive's capacity and apparently saved the county a great deal of money! Congratulations, Kaye! Job well done!!

Spring Cleaning #29: Email

I treat my email account the same way I treat the rest of my life. I'm not one to keep unnecessary documents, so I'm a big delete person. I have taken this opportunity to go through and delete my delete folder. I have always had special folders for different aspects of my job - these folders allow me to look in just one place for needed information or email.