Final posting

23 things-- I enjoyed having a schedule for learning new items. I would not consider myself very technology literate but the posts were clear and the directions were very clear. The Lafevre videos were wonderful. Help was only a question away!
What did I learn--I can't begin to enumerate --each application had its advantages and disadvantages. At least, I can say I have heard of them now! There were times I was frustrated and wondered why I ever started 23 things Kansas but my spirit was uplifted to know there were other librarians in the same boat! Overall, it was a wonderful experience that we could complete in our own time and place. I am very glad I participated.
I also learned a bit about passwords--not to have too many of them or to keep them in one place. I started off with 1 or 2 user id's and passwords, but then I ran into some sites that required numbers or a certain number of digits. So now I have a hard copy file! Should transfer this to a computer!
I was finally able to listen to the archived webinar yesterday. After 2 weeks of trying to figure out why I did not receive sound on my home computer, I tried the school computer. Bingo. Even though I had some interruptions, I loved listening to everyones' ideas. There is just no end to how to use technology. ! We are constant learners!

Week 15--Wiki's

This was a new tool for me even though I have heard of them. For the 1st activity, I did not feel comfortable editing so I explore the wiki's from the link he provided. I was amazed at how many are out there that pertain to library practices. The tip of the iceberg is all that I did this time, but I do get the general gist of the process.
For activity 2, I followed his directions and added my page to the 23 Things Kansas Participants. Our thoughts should be of interest to all the other people who have been following 23 Things.
It was an excellent summary activity.
http://23thingskansas.wetpaint.com/page/Shirley+Douglas

Week 14--Library Thing,etc.

I signed up for an account on Shelfari. I was amazed at the possibilities. I did add a book to my bookshelf that I want to read and one that I am reading. Wow--easy! Hopefully, I will have time to explore more of Shelfari's offerings this summer. Library Thing sounds interesting also. Being a school librarian I am always interested in what other librarians have to say about the William Allen White award list and what problems and solutions they encounter in the school system. These two sites give direct ,electronic access to ideas and thoughts about books.
http://www.shelfari.com/o1518020455

Week 13 Slidesharing

This was an interesting experience. Like Google docs, Zoho is free and easy. I really was surpised that this was one of my easiest lessons. Thanks, Cindi.
My top priority was to create a simple slideshow to introduce my students to the new William Allen White nominees. I cannnot use this until after this years winners are announced and I request other professionals who access my blog to restrain from using it until after they are announced also.

Week 12 Screencasting

Perhaps all of us are getting behind as school gets closer and closer to the end. I will try to catch up. We don't have many lessons to go. As professional development chair in my district, I needed a way to illustrate how to fill out the point request forms. The following is a tutorial for pdptoolbox.org.

My screencast-- -concerns the electronic forms for new staff members to fill out when they request professional development points. They can access the website and view the form and then I can answer questions if necessary.

Week 10-Video on the Web.

Wow! This was so much easier than I thought it would be. Thanks for all the simple instructions. I chose to embed a video that a colleague had shared with a list serve that I subscribe to. It shows the creativedness of students when given an opportunity to experiment with video. Same person singing different parts and then digtally putting it together.

Week 9-Instant Messaging

Wow! So many ways to communicate with people! I used Meebo and then pulled in my Facebook friends.It worked! I also found a comment on the IM lesson from someone who used the same services as myself , so I contacted her.
I also can see using this with my para instead of emails that take forever to go and come!
I don't know if anyone else is over whelmed with information, but I have to do it in sections. I am learning.
Signing onto the 23thingskansas channel was unique--I could only do it on Saturday morning and no one else was online. But I can see where that would be helpful. Sort of like the KASL listserve where you could ask for help. I don't know what I am doing here, but I could not get my page to link. I could get the link to Meebo but not to my page.

Week 8 Cloud computing

I have to admit, this is a concept which I had not thought of nor put a name to. Setting up a g mail account was easy but finding someone to help took time. Today, I have a fellow librarian and a fellow colleague to collaborate on my spreadsheet I created to help me keep track of the number of books my readers read for William Allen White. Hopefully, once they accept the invitation, we can proceed from there.
I can see this application being useful between my para and myself instead of sending attachments back and forth. Thanks, 23 things.
This lesson came at a good time. I had to write minutes for my District meeting. I "googledoc" them to the past co directors for proof reading and verification.https://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&shva=1#

Week 7, Microblogging

This weeks lesson was a challenging one. It started with me already having a twitter account and forgetting about. Therefore, tying anything to my email address did not work as it was already taken.This took most of one evening. The next day I emailed for help. Thanks to Heather who straightened me out.

I am following the Library of Congress, my husband, 23 things Kansas and google books. I found another person,, but when I clicked on follow, the site never came up on my page. Maybe tomorrow I will try again.

It will take me awhile to "learn the language" of tweeting! I believe that once I learn to "read" the tweets I might come up with some uses for micoblogging. So much information! It is like pieces of info coming toward you at high rates of speed from everywhere!
Since typing the above I have made some changes to who I follow, etc. It is hard too limit the incoming info!
http://twitter.com/sdd51

Week 6, Social Bookmarking and Tagging

What detail there is on this weeks lesson. I like the premise of everyone having access to resources and like everything else, it will require time to learn to use. I envision deliciouso as a way to save my web sites for my library lessons. At least it would move it out of email and enable me to organize the overwhelming amount of information that we recieve from various people.
It would help if I did not forget to check the following link to my bookmarking! http://delicious.com/sdouglas462

Week 5, RSS feeds

The first item of interest is that this weeks topic and assignment were easier than I thought. When I first read about 23 things kansas week 5, I was really confused. I waited almost a week to come back to it. Anyway, I am glad I did.
Second, thanks to the team for including the Lefever videos. They do explain things well
I chose Bloglines as my reader because I did not want anything going into my inbox and I use Blogspot for my blog. Might help the memory! I found steps fairly simple to follow. I added 2 feeds concerning Librarians and then one from a local photography. Yea!
My Bloglines feeds page

Week 4, Flicker

Yellow Sunflower. Blue Sky.
Originally uploaded by wabberjocky [Anthony Thomas]

Here we go again

Here is my link to Flickr

Here is the Kansas sunflower. This flower always makes me smile. They come in all sizes, just like smiles. Yellow is my favorite color so it captured my heart first off. I see them wild everywhere but have not have much success growing them in the garden. Will keep trying though!I am amazed at the options on Flickr. I can see why people are fascinated by it. Between being sick and not being able to concentrate, it was a hard lesson for me. However, we shall persevere!

The Edit posts button is the one most used on my keyboard! Still don't have the inserting pictures down, but will keep trying.

Week 3-Online Meetings

The technology for online meetings has come a long way. When I first tried to participate in an online meeting, nothing went right and we missed the whole meeting! Now, the instructions are simple.
I accessed an archived meeting from the California State Library entitled Effectively Managing Your Email by Andrew Sanderback. This was an interesting meeting with slides, handouts and much food for thought. The strategies for effectively managing your email are attainable with time spent getting your mail boxes and folders in order. This was an organized and thorough presentation and I will put some of the hints to work.

Alexandria is the automation system in the libraries where I work. Because they have a major update for everyone, Companion Corp has been offering 4 training sessions concerning the update. I have participated in 3--Circulation, Patrons and Items, Reports and Utilities. I will do the Researcher section after it is archived.For those of you you use Alexandria. have you downloaded 6.0.2 or you still using 5.5.6 (as I am). I have heard both good and bad about the update. Let me know if you have some tips for me.

I have never used a meeting myself to contact other people--perhaps it is time to learn how.

Week 2-0nline Communities

What a week online! I have to confess I am astonished at the amount of information which is available through my Facebook page. When I created my account, several of my high school classmates popped up--which I have not seen for 40 years. Whoa!
I am also overwhelmed my the technology and the choices for everything. I know I will have to visit Facebook every day to really understand and use it properly. For instance, how do you find and write on friend's walls and where is mine?
We will not be using it at school as all social networking sites are blocked. However, I may have an ability to do so on certain computer
Link to Facebook.

Blog-Week 1- NuMana

On Saturday, Jan 16, I had the privilege of riding to El Dorado with 15 ladies from my area to pack food for the hungry in Haiti. Arriving at the Civic Center, we registered, then moved forward to don bonnets and aprons.. Then onto the packing area! What organization! There were 12 of us at a table, with 12-15 tables in the room. At one end, we started with vegetable protein , rice, dried vegetables and vitamins funneled into a plastic bag. Then they were weighed, sealed and flattened. Finally, they were boxed for shipment to Haiti. During each 45 minute shift we worked, 8 boxes were completed. Each bag contained 6 meals and with all the volunteers on Friday and Saturday, 647,000 meals were shipped. What an effort by Numana and all of the volunteers. Next Saturday and Sunday there will be another packing at the Coliseum in Wichita. Want to help--just show up and you will be shown what to do. Watch the local news and numanainc.org for details. For once,everyone, from 5-85 were working together for a common goal of feeding the hungry. On Saturday, I am planning to take my 2 oldest grandchildren (8) to show them what volunteers can do!

Week 1--Blogging

I created my blog last night--just had to see if it worked this morning and if I could create a new post.
I have 2 buildings with 1 aide to work with. We have a 4 day week which is good someways and not so good others. In addition to being the District LMS, I am also the PDC Chairman, Scholar Bowl sponsor for high school and middle school, and chairman of the QPA reading committee. So, as we all are, I am very busy.
My husband and I have 3 daughters and 8 grandchildren under the age of 8. My husband has blogged for several years and so I need to catch up.

Week 1-Blogging

Hello, I am LooseCanon (aka Shirley Douglas), a k-12 librarian in south east kansas. I am looking forward to learning about the many electronic tools out in cyber space; however, I am anxious about all the new skills I will need. Doing the learning with the 4-H motto of "to make the best better" with a group of fellow librarians gives the the courage needed to go forward 23 things Kansas.