Cheeky as

I have recently returned from the Public Library Conference in Tamworth with renewed vigor to complete the Web 2.0 training, not sure exactly when but soon. I thoroughly enjoyed the conference with great speakers who not only had great content to impart, but also great delivery. The Conference dinner was fantastic fun with most participants getting into the theme 'Jazz in the Jungle'.

I am also resuming my studies after a short hiatus. I am going to add another photo of 'Zoli', he now weighs 23kgs. He will be a big boy. I get to take him to his first show on 29th August, luckily it is local and, as it is my first time in the ring I am glad I don't have to worry about the travel as well.

Zoli is a sweetheart, cheeky as, and stubborn to boot. He loves everyone and is very friendly.

Zoli is home

Finally we have our baby home. His name is 'Zoli' named in tribute to Robert Zoller who was one person responsible for saving the Alaskan Malamute breed from being lost in the late 1940's and 50's. His DOB is 22/3/08 and he currently weighs 12.5kgs.

It was a hectic and tiring weekend trip to Newcastle to pick him up from his breeder Penny Seldon of Kotuko Kennels. He was the last of his litter to leave his mum.

As you can see he is very cute, we have only had him home for 24 hours and he is settling in well. Our girls are a little wary of him taking the attention away from them. He has done a little crying but that is to be expected.

I bought him some toys today and a new lead, he will end up as spoilt as the girls.
Anika seems the most put out because she was left at home over the weekend, while Shayla got to come with us to visit Penny, who also bred her.

One more treat

I must add this message about our new baby, we haven't picked him up yet and I can't wait to get to Newcastle to collect him. As you can see by his pix @6 weeks old, he is adorable.

Week 11

It's been awhile. So much to do, so little time. Gee, I hate to rush and this last year it's all I seem to do. I have just had a look at Week 11 Online applications and tools. I created a document in Google Docs (used an old one - need to rush you see)that was fun. These tools have so much scope to speed collaboration along. I could really relate to the version, on version of email attachments discussed in the Google Docs intro.

We may not get to use these new (to us) gadjets straight away, however it is great great to know they exist. The Library Web 2.0 Learning has gone a long way to helping all our staff be aware of the free tools available to us to help with our ever increasing workloads.

Thank you to everyone involved at State Library for presenting, teaching and commenting on our efforts to improve our knowledge. I know for me, it has made me feel more connected to my colleagues around the state.

Hollywood theme, Trivia night

Well I just had to do it. A group of us from work went to a local fundraising trivia night last friday. The theme was Hollywood, it was decided that we would go Bollywood. It was a fun night and Alison, Cathy, Jessie, Alan, Carolyn, Marion and I had a great time. Much planning went into decorating our table, with some additional Indian garb borrowed from a colleague. Well we didn't win but who cares. There was some great dressing up done on the night, several Marilyn Monroe's, a great Braveheart with war paint and kilt. It was a great team building experience, and we all had lots of laughs.

Question time

Do you think you'll be able to use podcasts in future for oral histories?

This question was left for me on my last post from Mylee. I do have thoughts on that. Yes, there is wonderful scope for oral histories. Coffs Harbour Library did the 'Voice of Time' project which was officially launched in September 2007. This project was the digitisation of recordings made in 1988 as a Bicentenary project, that was of course recorded on audio tapes. During the time it took for the digitisation project to be completed it became clear that no Indigenous Australians had participated in the original collection.

With this time of Reconciliation being formalised by our Federal Government, it would be a wonderful thing to have Aboriginal Australians in the Coffs Harbour Region speak their histories and memories. This would complete the picture of history for our region.

Slowing down

Well, I have been pretty busy these last few weeks and have not been able to do much Web 2.0 learning. I have browsed weeks 8 & 9. I feel I am a bit stuck with it. I see that there would be great scope for using Podcasts, Audio and the other sites to enhance our services. We have been struggling to have our IT section agree to let us have access to the sites needed for Web 2.0. So that staff can more easily do the work at their desks, instead of having to come in early and use our public access machines. One step forward, two back. I am still encouraged by having the option to learn more, as this is helping me in my every day tasks.

Del.icio.us weekend

I have much going on at the moment and have not spent alot of time on my blog lately. I have now made my del.icio.us account and am awaiting my confirmation email. I see there is a possibility to use this program to help keep track of internet sites used by staff to assist students with research on topics that get repeatedly asked for (from many branches over several weeks). If we tagged sites under the related topic we would have only one site to visit, to show students or other staff where to find relevant information. I had a quick browse of Technarti and found many interesting sites, the 'nswpln2008' only brought up a few listings, after initally saying it could'nt find anything. I had a lovely day yesterday when a bunch of my colleagues headed to Judy's place for a Body Shop party. We (read me) got us lost on the way. I had a lovely bunch of people with me and they could see the fun of it all. And of course we got to pamper ourselves when we did finally arrive. Thankfully the food hadn't all been eaten either. Time to go and do some work on my studies. Bye for now.

Video added

Well let's hope it works. I have watched some videos on YouTube and Google Video. There is so much stuff there I go blank at what to look at. I checked out the links mentioned on NSWPublicLibrarieLearning2.0 some where very good. Mosman Library wow, they have had some impressive visitor's and it is great that is able to be shared with Libraries less able to have many visitors of note. I have tried embedding a video once and it hasn't worked, I shall of course try again.

Easter Weekend

I have been relaxing at home over this Easter break. I have quickly read through week 5 Wiki's and added some comments to the NSWlearning 2.0 wiki. That was fun and many interesting comments on their as well. It seems we are mostly misunderstood by the public who use us as well as the ones that don't. We may need to look into offering guided tours of our Libraries during operating times for interested parties to learn about us in the work place!!. I have just printed off some material for my Diploma studies which will be kicking into high gear over the next few weeks, which will keep me very busy. I am enjoying the challenge of learning all these interesting Web2.0 gizmo's, trying to fit in the time at work is near impossible, however I love getting together with my colleagues and discussing how we are going and helping them if I can.

I can see great scope for Wiki's in the work place for ease of communication with interest groups, as I am sure we would all agree communicating is a difficult part of keeping staff and other colleagues up to date with projects etc. and a great place for idea sharing. My post would'nt be complete without my adding a pix of my girl Anika. This shot was taken a few years ago on Sawtell headland.

What a week!!

What a week indeed. I have worked on my RSS, and setup some feeds to sites that I will enjoy
catching up with. How much fun not to have to go looking, they come to me. I have set up quite a few with National Geographic, ABC news, Animal Lovers sites included. I have just looked through their latest feeds and found it lovely to see news articles you don't get on TV. I am really enjoying this Web 2.0. I had save this as a draft then had to hunt to find it again, but as you can see I managed it. Does life get any slower???.....(When you die, I here you say). Well I would like it a little slower for a while before that. Several of my colleagues and I tried on Saturday morning and yesterday morning to do some blogging at work, hoever we had a new program installed which locked us out. We have it sorted now, so that those who would like to come to work early can get access to the Web pages required.

New day

I am really tired today, work hectic as usual. I am going to add a photo of my beloved malautes who share my life. I am of course having lots of fun with Flickr and Web 2.0 it is such a great team building process and we are all learning as we go. i will be starting my Diploma soon and this is helping getting into the learning mode.

Malamutes

I have been browsing Flickr. I found my favourite subject 'Alaskan Malamutes' there where some amazing photos which I will revisit again. I am fortunate enough to share my life with a malamute 'Anika' is her name, she is the sweetest baby ever. I also searched the National Library, War memorial photos for my granddad's battalion. How wonderful it is to have access to these images.

Oh, the loggins and passwords.... I was stuck for a while but have got on top of it now. I am really enjoying this learning and looking forward to the weeks to come. I recieved a comment on my previous post. Woo Whoo. I wish I had more time to try these things out at work, however with our council blocking so many of the sites it is difficult to manage. I can't wait to tell a friend of mine I have a blog. She is A Uni lecturer of Multi media and been blogging for years, she will be so proud of me.

Second try

Work has been crazy busy and I had planned to do a message every day. Well all those good plans..... there are 3 of us sitting here blogging away, on our public access PC's. Each trying to remember passwords and where we are up to. I am looking forward to learning more on using these latest gizmo's. I will also enjoy learning about Flickr, as I have a few photo's which I would like to post.

Testing 123

Life long learning is something that has been developing for me for many years. Working in a Library environment allows me to learn every day. I am challenged by the ever changing technologies that I face each day, however I am grateful to have this opportunity to enjoy this Web 2.0 learning with my colleagues. This makes not knowing about the latest buzz words and programs fun.