Week 3: #7 Photo Editing Tools

Very few of us are able to take a perfect picture, whether it is of a library Harry Potter party or your annual family reunion. Now there are a variety of free online photo editing tools available to crop and lighten and resize digital photos (some will even add special effects!).

Or create a lolcat (or dog) like the one on the right.

Discovery Resources:

• Pixer - Very easy to use online photo editor.
  
• Snipshot - A bit more sophisticated, but still easy to use.
• Picnik - Requires registration, but will work with your Flickr account.

Discovery Exercise:

Edit a photo using one of the tools listed above and post it to your blog.

Week 3: #6 More Flickr Fun

Like many web 2.0 sites, Flickr has encouraged others to build their own online applications using images found on the site. Through the use of APIs (application programming interfaces), many people have created third party tools and mashups that use Flickr images. Here are just a few samples...

• Trippermap - allows you to graph a trip on a map with tagged photos.
• Colorpicker - lets you find public photos in Flickr that match a specific color.
• Trip planner - lets you build a travel itinerary and photo site.

Discover more Flickr mashups, webapps, and tools.

Discovery Exercise:

As each of us becomes more comfortable with using Flickr, we can make better use of it for our library photos. Your discovery exercise for this "thing" is to:

1. Explore some of the fun Flickr mashups and 3rd party tools that are out there. (You are not limited to the three listed above.)
2. Create a blog post about one that intrigues you.

One of the most popular tools is FDToys trading card maker. You can create your own library trading card, just like these librarians did.

So, have some fun discovering and exploring some neat little apps.

Week 3: #5 Discover Flickr

If you aren't able to view the embedded video, click here.

Library Pirates
Originally uploaded by lcaroleb

Photo sharing websites have been around since the 90s, but it took a site called Flickr to catapult the idea of "sharing" into a full blown online community. Within the past year, Flickr has become the fastest growing photo sharing site on the web and is known as one of the first websites to use keyword "tags" to create associations and connections between photos and users of the site.

Discovery Resources

• Flickr tour


• HCPL tutorial


• Tagging - Popular Flickr tags

Discovery Exercises

Since the library is now using Flickr to store branch photos, learning to use this site can be beneficial for work as well as for sharing personal photos with family and friends. This exercise should get you started:

• Create a free account in Flickr and upload a photo into your Flickr account, then post it to your blog. Make sure to tag any photos want to share for use in this exercise with "iHCPL" and mark them public.

Be careful when titling or describing personal photos on Flickr, don't use real names or personal information or make them viewable only to family and friends.

Week 2: #4 Online Safety and Sharing

Participating in online communities and sharing requires understanding different expectations about privacy and safety. If you write a blog post about "The Most Humiliating Experience of my Life," please be aware that you are sharing this story with anyone who has an Internet connection. You must also be careful with sharing photos and personal or financial information.

Some things to think about when creating content and using online services include:

• Am I sharing appropriate details about my work or personal life?
• Do I have permission to post someone else's photo?
• Am I sharing financial information with an unprotected source?
• Is the person I'm communicating with who I think they are?
  

This is in no way meant to alarm anyone! Please just take a minute to look at a couple of resources that will make you feel more comfortable writing posts for your blog that you feel confident in sharing.

Discovery Resources:

• Think! Before You Post - with illuminating video.
• Guide to online privacy put together by the Center for Democracy & Technology.
• Free Range Librarian's ideas on blogging and work.
• Internet safety for everyone by HCPL.

Discovery Exercise:

• Create a blog post discussing your thoughts on online safety and privacy. How comfortable are you sharing online?

Week 2: #3 Grab Yourself a Blog in 3 Steps

If you aren't able to view the embedded video, click here.

Now that you understand how this program will work, it's time to set up your very own personal blog to begin recording your thoughts, discoveries and exercises. For this program, we recommend that you use Blogger *, a popular free online blog hosting service that is extremely easy to use.

Creating a blog using Blogger takes just three steps:

1. Create an account.
2. Name your blog.
3. Select your template.

Once you've created your blog here are two important things to know:

• To add posts: The maintenance interface that you will use to add posts, edit or change the set-up of your blog is accessed online at http://www.blogger.com/ . Be sure to write down your login and password.
• To view your blog: Your blog address is http://xxxx.blogspot.com/ , (xxxx)=the unique identifier you entered in Step 2. Be sure to also write down your blog address.

If you run into problems or would like more information about blogs and using Blogger here are some discovery resources you can use:

• Blogger tour
• Video Blogger tutorial

OK --- Now, it's your turn...

Discovery Exercise:

Each day at work is a new learning experience, especially in the public library! Use the first post in your new blog to explore what is your own individual learning style.

1. Setup a blog for yourself using Blogger.
2. Add a test post or two. Use one of your posts to write about which learning habits from the tutorial are easiest for you, which are hardest and why.
3. Register your blog and yourself for the program.
   
4. Have fun!!!

Important Note: How you choose to identify yourself on your blog is your choice. You can blog under a screen name, anonymously or as yourself. However, in order to qualify for training hours, you need to register using the iHCPL registration form located on Harriet.

* Use of Blogger is only a recommendation. If there is another blog hosting site that you are more comfortable with, please feel free to use it.

Week 1: #2 Lifelong Learning - Motivate Yourself

Among libraries, lifelong learning is one of those core values we shelve our books by.

So, it makes sense that before we embark on this new online learning and discovery journey that we should take a few minutes to view this motivational slideshow.

This short presentation will give you some tools to help you get moving and organized.

Discovery Exercise:

iHCPL Motivation

View more presentations from harriscountypubliclibrary.

If you aren't able to view the slide show, click here or view it on Harriet.

For the first exercise, view this tutorial (see the full version with animation and sound on Harriet) and write down which learning habits are easiest for you and which are hardest. Make a contract with yourself about your learning habits. You will use your personal blog (which you will set up next) to post your thoughts about lifelong learning.

Have fun! If you haven't jumped on board yet, it's never too late to become a lifelong learner.

Next Week: Creating your blog so you can begin tracking your journey.

Week 1: #1 Discovery has never been so much fun...

Welcome to iHCPL's learning program and blog. Chances are if you've found your way here you're either:

• a member of HCPL's staff who's participating in the iHCPL program.
• interested in learning about and playing around (yes, playing is allowed in libraries) with some new Web 2.0 tools that will help you expand your information literacy toolbox.

Either way...Welcome!

iHCPL is an online learning program that encourages staff to learn more about emerging technologies on the web that are changing the way people, society and libraries access information and communicate with each other.

Over the course of the next nine weeks, this website will highlight different discovery exercises to help staff become familiar with blogging, RSS news feeds, tagging, wikis, podcasting, online applications, and video and image hosting sites.

To familiarize yourself with this project, be sure to read our About page. The FAQs should answer most of your questions about this program. Participants who complete this program will receive ten hours of training credit and "bling" for each week of work. If you have completed your training requirement for the year, five hours can be transferred to meet next year's requirement.

So, fasten your seat belts, grab your mouse and get ready for a discovery adventure...and remember, its OK to play in the library and have fun!

Stay tuned for the next item up for discovery...or better yet, subscribe to the RSS feed.

List of Participants

Listed below are the registered participants for the iHCPL program. For the purposes of this program, only the blog's names will be listed here. Staff may choose to reveal or conceal their identity themselves as they wish through their blogs.

Note: Forced date to move down below current exercises on 9/18/07.
Note: This list is updated manually by iStar. Your blog will be posted here as soon as possible!
Update 11/27: Participants who have completed the program are noted with a * next to their blog. This is updated on Mondays or Tuesdays after bling is sent out.

1. Class is Now In Session *
2. I Know I'm Crazy *
3. My 23 Things *
4. Grace Notes *
5. Tales of an InfoMage *
6. HCPL-JL *
7. iHCPL Assignments
8. Librarian Look-a-Like *
9. mlis *
10. My Opinion *
11. libraries are cool *
12. Libraries are fun *
13. In a green bay *
14. Beatles Fan Forever *
15. Houston Star
16. Serendipity *
17. BF77008 *
18. New Challenges *
19. iStar, you Star, we all Star *
20. newworld *
21. iHcpl Homework *
22. Librarian Warrior Princess *
23. Kathy's Blog *
24. Librarians Rule *
25. Learning 23 Things *
26. IHCPL Journey *
27. waiting for brianne *
28. fred333 *
29. readerwritergirl *
30. Peggysis *
31. flipfloplibrarian *
32. Mystery Lady *
33. Librariansrkool *
34. hikinglady *
35. Cornerstone *
36. LibrarySiren *
37. Brownie Points *
38. 23 things *
39. 23 Things Worth Writing About *
40. fourdogmom *
41. Where's My Parade? *
42. gwendolyn chronicle *
43. manic elegies *
44. ancatexanca *
45. Assistant cataloger 1 *
46. whatrureallythinking *
47. iTeens *
48. my ihcpl *
49. Angel Links *
50. barefoot blogger *
51. My Blog Journal for iHCPL *
52. iHCPL Learning *
53. seaside *
54. Secret Asian Girl *
55. Aunt Clara *
56. ithinkthereforeiblog *
57. whitehorserunshim
58. JennyliciousDishes *
59. i has a karot
60. Art Rules *
61. differentstuff *
62. Show Time! *
63. zorbathegreek
64. CC Childrens *
65. Learning Stars *
66. Bloggin Buckeye
67. harleygirl *
68. BlueDiamond *
69. iHCPL *
70. iHCPL 23 Things Training *
71. 6catwoman *
72. paddlinglibrarian *
73. Library Zen *
74. gr8guyt *
75. hat lady *
76. if i were a blog what would i be? *
77. LibrarianSleuth *
78. claireblog *
79. yanana *
80. Staying ahead of the wheel *
81. Persphone's ihcpl blog *
82. sharyn's blog *
83. Jason's Mom *
84. my blog *
85. Party Colored Cat *
86. Rabbits are fun *
87. Library Lioness Den *
88. Grumpy Maxine *
89. Mary in Houston *
90. Victoria Starr *
91. susan's stuff *
92. sharyn's blog
93. My ihcpl learning journal *
94. library alchemy *
95. One dog and four cats *
96. Inside the Tortoise Shell *
97. 23 What? *
98. whymustweblog *
99. Sports Mom *
100. brown sugar's world *
101. istarfan *
102. Whitty and Reason *
103. iamcuriouspurple *
104. Serene *
105. Cabbages and Kings *
106. Whyohwhy *
107. oxyJENic *
108. i am happy *
109. kero @ the library *
110. Kountry gal *
111. Dinosaur Tracks *
112. bubo scandiacus *
113. iamamom44 *
114. Tech Doctor *
115. Living with the Real Word in the Real World *
116. Tinkerbell's iHCPL Blog *
117. gmaj's kind words
118. Native Reader *
119. Dream On Little Dreamer *
120. Scraps *
121. Itsy Bits
122. sitandlearn-blogging *
123. The Universe and All There Is *
124. Teaching an old dog new tricks *
125. ABC of Learning *
126. txlibrarian *
127. Dragon Lady *
128. Irais on line
129. UsefulTechLearning *
130. iHcpl for me *
131. FMEHunt *
132. Petey & Dixie
133. Bella Girl *
134. Squidward Kindred *
135. Libearian *
136. MeSavageLady *
137. YA Librarian: Taming the Beasts & Other Tall Tale *
138. Freelancer Thoughts *
139. In the Deep Heart's Core *
140. 4U2ReadfromTX *
141. Libraryland! *
142. Exercisechic *
143. one hears rumors about librarians *
144. The Circulation Samurai *
145. Library Blog *
146. My Nothings *
147. Dave's iHCPL Blog
     
148. Frustration
149. iluvmydogz *
150. Clara's corner *
151. dewey demon *
152. Ruminations *
153. usedtocamp *
154. bugNcup *
155. CyberDabbler *
156. Who made you do it? *
157. HispAsIAN hEre!
158. Carizma's Charisma *
159. TuxVic *
160. The Pughuahua Page *
161. whitebunnyrabbit *
162. studyblog *
163. Traipsing On
164. The Life and Times of Shelvers
165. Pie Maker *
166. Blacksheep of the Family *
167. Basketball
168. Indygirl *
169. little van gouh
170. India Ink *
171. jibes by Janet *
172. Just Do It! *
173. Learning at HCPL *
174. gamemaster *
175. ctechnonot *
176. eboneegurl *
177. adayinthelife *
178. librarians whisper *
179. awna *
180. exum *
181. gaminewave *
182. weekerryme
183. Christie's blog
184. Bubble Gum Rattler *
185. upelluri52 *
186. primodivo
187. What matters to me *
188. Kafka @ the Mall *
189. Tweety's Chirps *
190. Goodnight Book *
191. Postits *
192. Will Teach for Food *
193. Galatian5 *
194. Speed of Light-LoneStarLibrarian *
195. ToucheTurtle *
196. maryf-mary *
197. brownstudy
198. luv2learn71 *
199. Bookwoman
200. Sophia *
201. scrappydoo *
202. EvolvingLibrarian *
203. geministar *
204. out to parking lot *
205. carolynsihcpl *
206. Scott-Tropolis *
207. newnetter
208. Princess D *
209. Learning with iHCPL *
210. My blog *
211. love never fail *
212. big blog *
213. Ferretnews *
214. busymomof4 *
215. Brain0351 *
216. Rants and Raves
217. joshmommy *
218. Tejana Girl *
219. motheroftwo *
220. E39 BMW *
221. Maxed Out With Books *
222. The Constant Learner *
223. Prairie Doggerel
224. booklady *
225. Molly *
226. bookietime
227. Cheerfulcass *
228. Jaspers *
229. My First Blog *
230. the Memiors of a Pregnant Woman
231. Your librarian, a Hippie? *
232. Miss Miracles *
233. froggy
234. iHCPL to Learn
235. Conan The Librarian
236. beebop
237. TheDeciderInTS *
238. Misplaced But Not Lost *
239. Yada Yada, Blog Blog *
240. The 23 Chronicles *
241. Uditha's blog *
242. Fair Winds *
243. bonsai glory
244. Literature Girl *
245. macandcheesemaniac *
246. BloggleMyMind *
247. downright problematic *
248. crawbaby *
249. virginiaboy *
250. A day in the life
251. Aimless Jabber *
252. My New Journey *
253. Adventure Girl
254. Not Nosy, Just Caring *
255. LibrayAiry Muses *
256. Dynamo Fan 2007 *
257. iLook *
258. Number Five Child
259. Funny Site *
260. Out to Lunch *
261. First Day of Fall *
262. willn2blog *
263. Paperclips
264. Here goes nothing
     
265. good girl *
266. capri
267. Circ de Cyfair
268. Jax's World
269. Twice Burned Turkey *
270. Monteysoma
271. you just never stop learning *
272. tomballerz
273. wendy schneider
274. 3-little-pigs
275. Kim's iHCPL Experience *
276. Peggysue
277. Calla Lily
278. hottiaragirl *
279. learning is fun *
280. Badminton at Night or the Search for Something *
281. Library Hostess *
282. BrowKnee
283. Bluebonnetsinbloom *
284. bandisbest
285. thelibrarychair *
286. Esoteric Avenger
287. blog-paddington
288. Acquisitions Librarian
289. Lioness
290. Hope & Love *
291. Artist on the Run *
292. katskorner *
293. Lost in Space *
294. Learning4Fun
295. tanuathcpl *
296. Story World Border *
297. Little One
298. 23thingstraining *
299. kirlie
300. a1mizz
301. Jose's Blog *
302. Me and My Shadows *
303. josiedolores
304. libra *
305. GP LIB
306. testing testing test 123 *
307. New to the GP family!
308. Biblioblog
309. in the beginning *
310. Incognita
311. 4eileenj
312. iHCPL -- Busy Bee *
313. Over the Hill *
314. LearningBlog
315. Anitap-2Kids *
316. pandorapilar
317. Hornet's Buzz
318. Bookworm's Blog
319. Love 2 Learn *
320. i need money
     
321. Miss Grimm *
322. Pugmom *
323. Frustration
324. That Library Lady *
325. Ask Angus
326. You're Never too Old to Learn
327. Netski
328. jawoski
329. Dog Lover
330. The Toddler *
331. Scoutmom *
332. storybook-dreams *

February 18-May 16 2008

1. iHCPL
2. deeussy
   
3. Help, I think I'm learning!?!
4. Lizard13
5. Powerusblog
6. Teacup
7. Library Chatter
8. Our Public Library
9. Enter at Your Own Risk *
   
10. iHCPL *

September 1 - November 21, 2008

1. Buecherfrau
2. Glorious Discovery *
   
3. mph123
4. Rosehill Ramblings
5. BibliBlogger

February 2 - May 29, 2009

1. jen@work
2. Green Girl
3. 23 Things
4. Love My Dog
5. Bedlam's Bard
6. I Would Rather Be Gaming
7. Green Girl