Testing x3, posted with vodpod
October 15, 2010
October 15, 2010
April 5, 2010
Wow! In a year of massive budget cuts and increased library usage, thanks for still offering such a great class! It certainly has done a wonderful job of introducing me to resources on the internet, many that I knew about but never really had much reason to play around with. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed developing my blog and quite honestly, it has changed my view of blogs, even to the point of talking about developing one or two for work! The Nightline video that I wrote about earlier (and that I borrowed from the Library) helped me to expand my view of blogs beyond viewing them as unmonitored publishing podiums for the time-wealthy self-absorbed (ok, so initially, I was a bit opinionated). I use to just roll my eyes when my husband would tell me he’s reading his Pakistani news blogs.. I now see how blogs are a growing source of information, developing an interactive community online. I found blogging (and reading others blogs) to be more fulfilling than other social media sources, like Facebook, as blogs seem to get more into the “meat” of life rather than predominated by status updates and witty quips. I enjoyed finding blogs for personal interests, like healthy eating/cooking and international adoption.
The format of the class allowed me to work at my own pace and at hours that suited me (and yes, some nights the assignments were a bit addictive and hence sleep, what sleep?) I loved that I could work this class into a busy work travel schedule, falling behind some weeks and making it up the next. I appreciated having the ability to look at other classmates blogs so I could see how other newbies were finding these new resources. I think I also appreciated the assignments as perhaps justification to play around with some of these internet resources (especially YouTube and the image doctoring websites).
I would happily recommend this class to anyone… both major newbies and the more tech savvy. One recommendation: If time would permit, I would have loved a comment or two during the class on my blog, especially as blog entries reflected thoughts or ponderings about the new resources we were playing around with… Perhaps, this could be part of one of the 23 Things for next time. Classmates could be encouraged to make at least one comment per week on another student’s blog.
Thank you for developing this class… I look forward to others like it… and watch out world, I’m ready to put blogs into action! 
On that note, I end with a little YouTube late night research.. I call it… using YouTube to go down my favorites throughout the years…. oh, the memories!
April 5, 2010
Well, I explored Ephrata Library’s two emedia sources, NetLibrary and OverDrive Media. I found both fairly easy to use but I think I like OverDrive Media the best. I found it easiest to search… and had more books that I wanted to either read or listen to than I found on NetLibrary. Both sources, however, were a nice addition to the collection of books I can have at my fingertips through the Ephrata Library…. I can’t say it again how much I LOVE looking through the card catalog online and requesting books from other libraries ONLINE at any hour of the day or night and from anywhere I might be traveling! So cool! Thanks!
March 28, 2010
Embedding Video for Other Non-YouTube Sites
Posted by jennileister under Blogging, RugsLeave a Comment
This morning when I finally woke up (since I had stayed up until 5 a.m. working on the 23 Things.. it’s addictive!), I got a Google Alert about one of our Oriental Rug Events getting some great press in Louisville, KY. On the news source’s site, it had a video of the interview and will seemingly allow me to embed it here…. ok, a few moments have now passed and I can’t embed it here.. Only link to it .. the embedding seems to need flash… Penny, is that my problem? I’d love your response on this Penny….
Here’s the embedding info: <object height=”288″ width=”470″><param name=”movie” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” value=”http://www.whas11.com/v/?i=88837147” /><param name=”allowScriptAccess” value=”always” /><param name=”wmode” value=”transparent” /><param name=”AllowFullScreen” value=”true” /><embed type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” src=”http://www.whas11.com/v/?i=88837147” AllowFullScreen=”true” allowScriptAccess=”always” height=”288″ wmode=”transparent” width=”470″></embed></object>
Interesting…. Now, if this works, I wonder if I can do the same with the Rugs 101 Intro Video on the rugs.tenthousandvillages.com site? Again, after a few minutes, I remember…. no, we set it up so that folks couldn’t be pasting it here and there and everywhere but rather link to it… Should we be rethinking this? Hmmmm…..
March 28, 2010
Found this great site on Kazakhstan tonight…. aboutkazakhstan.com … Glad we’re probably going in summer.. winter looks a bit cold!
March 27, 2010
Finally, a clear understanding of exactly what a podcast is thanks to the link from the 23 Things Blog.
A podcast is different from a regular downloaded audio recording or streaming audio, however, in that the content-distribution is automatically done through RSS (really simple syndication / rich site summary). For instance, a regular podcast subscriber would expect the audio recording to be automatically transferred to his computer (and portable media player, if available) once there is a new edition or episode of his subscribed programmes available.
And now I have lots of NPR Car Talks downloaded to my computer… plus some podcasts that should help with the adoption: Sesame Street episodes and Kazakh and Russian language lesson podcasts! And since I’m subscribed to the podcasts below, I get them “delivered” to my computer. How cool… I sort of feel like I just climbed out from underneath a rock and now it’s the 21st Century.
Oriental Rug Room Podcast Coverage
* WILL-AM NPR Interview 2010 March
* WBEZ Chicago NPR Worldview Interview 2009 September
And so in essence, podcasts allow the average person to have a broadcasting web presence that gets automatically delivered to subscribers… no printing, no costly distribution…. We’ve had many customers ask us when we’re going to start podcasts in the Oriental Rug Room…. the wheels are now turning up in the old noggin.
March 27, 2010
Now that we’re over 2/3′s of the way thru this class, I’m now looking at other blogs and marveling at some of the goodies that folks work into their blogs. I wanted to include a video from a blog I’m following: Becky and Jeremy’s Exciting Adoption Adventure. This family is adopting a young child from Kazakhstan and is blog-journelling their experiences. As someone who will soon be adopting from Kazakhstan as well, this blog has been INCREDIBLE for giving my husband and I a peek into what we can expect. I am thankful for the time they are taking to both blog for family and friends and for all of us that they have never met but for whom they are paving the road! Thanks Becky and Jeremy for spending the time and sharing your experiences!
They have included numerous videos of their new son; this is my personal favorite:
This blog is also great blog learning experience. In addition to embedding YouTube videos, they have posted photos, sounds and pulled images from various websites. I would strongly encourage you to check out this site. It’s a fantastic read: Becky and Jeremy’s Exciting Adoption Adventure
March 27, 2010
I remember walking down to the “old” Ephrata Library on Fulton Street as a child. I loved to check books out of the library and always remember carrying a full bag of books home after each trip (I guess my need of carrying big bags started young!) I had my favorite children’s books and I loved just walking thru the aisles, sitting on the floor going thru the shelves. I spent hours there… and also “donated” a good amount of my allowance to the Ephrata Library since I believe my procrastination also started early in life; I always had overdue books and was always paying overdue fines.
Now, over 30 years, I’m amazed how the Library has expanded… yes physically but more importantly virtually! It now reaches customers in their own homes and at any hour of the day or night! I have been so tickled with so many of the online library offerings that I’m thrilled that Thing #18 is the Online Library Catalog. Let me tell you about some of my favorites:
1. Looking up books online… and requesting them as necessary.
Lately, I’ve been traveling around a lot, looking in bookstores and finding books I’d love to read but don’t necessarily want to buy. I write down the book info and then go to the Ephrata Library’s Online Card Catalog. The search results report where the book is located in the Lancaster Library system. If the book is not at Ephrata or is already checked out, I can put a reserve on the book. When the book becomes available, it can be transferred to the Ephrata Library. Library staff then give you a call and you pick up the book. It’s that easy and in most cases, it doesn’t take that long! That’s how I first got my copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day… and now I’m making incredible homemade bread all of the time!
2. Downloading Free Audio Books
From the Online Catalog, you can also link to download free audio books. I love books by Michael Pollan, author of Omnivore’s Dilemma. I was able to download Pollan’s book Botany of Desire.. it’s was easy, quick and free!
3. Renewing Books Online, complete with Email Reminders and Online Fine Payments
By filling out simple patron information, you can renew books online and pay fines online. In addition, you get nifty email reminders a few days before you have items due. I LOVE that! Thanks Ephrata Library!
March 27, 2010
Well, we don’t dilly dally around at the Oriental Rug Room at Ten Thousand Villages Ephrata. We’ve been using Google Docs to organize many of our staff functions for quite a while now… and since we have our domain registered with google (and hence our staff emails look official, aka @rugs.tenthousandvillages.com, and our email system runs on google power, allowing us to access email with a simple google interface). With Google Docs, we can easily share documents between all of staff… some staff can edit the docs.. others just read.
As you can see, our staff are always flying around someplace.. to rug events across the US and Canada.. and well, just sometimes having fun… but either way, we need to stay connected.
For a practical example, in Dec/Jan, we started several To Do Lists in Google Docs. Staff add things to my to do list… I can easily go and check this at any time… it’s always highlighted in bold if something new has been added. So far, this has worked a bit better than the little scraps of paper sitting on my desk from a variety of folks… or the emails here and there that also get lost.
Dede (again of Dede’s Childhood Memories 23 Things Blog fame) uses Google spreadsheets to keep track of all the details surrounding a rug event, from event dates and times, to managers’ names, hotel arrangements, seminar times, etc. Again, it’s been incredible for staff to stay up-to-date on all changes regardless of where they are flying to next!
