Blog posting

I would like to introduce you to my cooking blog.  Access that blog by clicking here.

Planning a trip to the North Shore

Here we are again, planning another trip with our friends, Julie and Mark and Nancy and Larry. First step is a map for us to join them at Grand Marais with stops to visit Craig and family in Omaha and cousins along the way. Here's the map.

Nebraska Learns 2.0: Endings and Beginnings

I decided that I had to complete the final "thing" since I had been been in since the beginning of the "23 Things."  I looked back through my blog and my first post was on October 13, 2008.  In fact, that wasn't really the beginning; I had worked on the "23 things" from another organization after that program was referenced online or at a conference;  I can't remember which it was now.

On to the questions:

• What were your favorite discoveries or exercises? Which didn’t you find useful at all?
• Which Things have you continued using?
• How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
• Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

Favorites:  I liked the challenge to utilize online tools and social media.    Learning to embed videos and links to Flickr accounts on my blog was really useful as was working with QR codes.  I think overall just learning to not be afraid of trying new things was the most help.  I haven't used RSS feeds very much as I run out of time even using those.  Sigh...

Still Using:  Facebook has been my go to social media instead of Twitter for the most part.  I do slip onto Twitter once in a while.  I loved reading Michael Sauer's tech related tweets for quite awhile.

Lifelong learning: I really like to share what I've learned with my library patrons.  What I have learned in pursuing the library things has helped me troubleshoot for people using our computers or coming in with their mobile devices.  I love to explore new things when I have time.  And yes, I get some satisfaction when I can solve a tech issue for a 20-something patron.  

Take-aways: Gaining the confidence to tackle new tech projects has got me involved more with our library social media and our WordPress blog.  I've also carried these skills into other organizations that I work with.  

Thanks for offering this program.  When I looked back at my last blog post from the 23 things, I had stated that it would be great to have monthly topics and thought it was cool that you decided to do that.  I haven't always posted since I wasn't in the need of C.E. credits but have often done some of the topics on my own.  

QR Codes: Trying before Understanding Thing #89

First of all, I want to thank the organizers of Nebraska Learns 2.0 for picking QR codes as a topic.  I could have used this a year ago!  Let me share my story:

I was elected vice-president of a churchwomen's organization.  Of course, since I work in our library's computer center, all of the organization's web duties ended up on my plate.  A year ago, I get this call; a meeting organizer wanted to eliminate printing handouts for the meeting so would I upload all of the handouts and provide her with a QR code so attendees could link to the documents on our synod website.    A pastor told her it would be easy and after all, most women have their tablets or phones at events.  I was skeptical that this was ideal for our meetings-did I mention that the average age of attendee borders on 55+?

The organization uses WordPress so I created a post with links to the documents needed and other items already on the website.  Next I googled creating a free QR code and found a free generator, saved the result and she printed it out to share at the meeting.   I didn't know about making the URL shorter so this code looks much cleaner than the one last year.    I downloaded QR droid on my phone to check it.  I saved it this time as a PNG picture and inserted it here.

For current practice, I tried QR code generator on our library foundation's blogpost on our upcoming book sale.  This time I copied the link to embed it.  As you can see, the image size is big but it connected.  YAY!!


Then I watched the video again and followed the instructions for using Google.  The result is pasted below:

 I think I like that method best.  I haven't participated formally for awhile so I am out of practice using Blogger after using WordPress more recently.

Terri Johnson

Photo book of past trip to Arizona

Click here to view this photo book larger

Turn your favorite photos into a photo book at Shutterfly.com.

Marketing the library in a Web 2.0 World: Thing #38

I debated whether to do this month's thing because I would prefer to implement a plan, rather than just write about it.  I don't have the authority to do that at our library. Our library does have a blog but that is maintained by another staff person.  I have suggested a Facebook page or Twitter account for the library but so far, the decision has been to stick with one thing other than our library web page, and that is the blog,.  So far the blog hasn't seen much traffic, partially because new posts are few and far between. 

I did enjoy reading Darlene Fichter's Seven Strategies for Marketing in a Web 2.0 World.  Her comments made lots of sense.  I think the key thing that makes this form of marketing successful is the interaction.  I have a personal Facebook account and without friends adding new updates or photographs, the motivation for me to check my account would decline quickly.  I think that pertains to marketing the library on Facebook as well.

If I was given permission to set up a page for our library on Facebook, I would like to initially start in September when we are starting up our programs again-August has no events or programs.  To get people interested in checking out the page, we would need to give "mini-commercials" at our programs to let our audience know the page exists.  I would make sure that our page would have links to our blog and website and to our Google calendar.   Regular program weekly themes could be shared and special events could be shared and also be event invitations.  I could also envision sharing interesting book titles from our new book display.  I'm not sure I would necessarily do popular authors' new books since those disappear from the shelf so quickly unless I could encourage people to add their names to the request lists.  I think this would be a good start for a Facebook page.

I do use my personal Twitter account to share information about special library events.  I "followed" our county's tourism tweets and responding to one of them that did mention the library.  Now they follow me and have retweeted some of my tweets about library events. 

I have hope that since the local television station has come to the library twice for stories on Facebook, we will have a page in the near future. 

Getting her diploma!

Getting her diploma!
Originally uploaded by cranefarm

It was such a special moment to see Karissa crossing the stage. I was surprised when he sounded out the "i" in her name as "e" so the camera jerked a little. Of course, I was holding the camera but watching the ceremony rather than seeing it through the camera lens. We couldn't get a good still shot so this was a great way to preserve the moment. Now we are the proud parents of Dr. Johnson!!!