Library Thing

Library Thing has proved to be useful for students looking for books to read when they are unsure about their choice. They can read other people's reviews, and look through the tags to get ideas on what the books are about. Our library manager has been promoting the site by suggesting it. Maybe we could also put up a sign by the popular reading collection, for example : Read About the Popular Reading Collection in Library Thing at www.librarything.com/catalog/CSSlibrary. I just spoke with my co-worker, and he said he is planning to put up a sign in the near future.
This is very exciting! When I go to my own Library Thing web page after following the link from Library Thing on our Web Page, it also tells me what books I share with the Popular Reading Library Thing. It does save time because I can look for books without having to go to our library catalog to search by subject, title or author. The book cover icons also add much to the mood of the story.

Library Thing

I was very surprised to read the news that our library has decided to put our Popular Reading collection on Library Thing. When I suggested this idea to a coworker last July, I was told that it wouldn't work. I was told there was a charge for placing over a certain number of books in Library Thing, among other reasons for this not working. I said I thought Library Thing was great, and would be a good addition to our Library Website. I did not hear another word about it until reading the email announcement in December that this coworker had decided to place the Popular Reading collection on Library Thing. I guess it was a good idea after all.

I'm back to old reading habits and loving it. I started reading the Twilight series last month, and I am in the second book called New Moon by Stephanie Meyer. The kind of book that you don't want to put down consisting of vampires and werewolves, good and evil, Native American culture, first love, and anything else that can be imagined. A nice escape for these cold winter days and nights.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Reading in New Doorways

After reading the Dante Club,which is a book I would not have chosen in the past because it was very detailed and slow moving, I chose I book by Toni Morrison. I am enjoying this book called Tar Baby, and becoming drawn into it more and more even though it would not have appealed to me, because it is a language doorway. In between these two books that I usually would not have picked, I read a book by Janet Evanovich. That book didn't seem as enjoyable as her books have been in the past. Have I changed? I have a book by Louise Erdich that I plan to read next. I'm starting to think that I may have been using the wrong doorway in the past, and reading books that were given to me instead of thinking about the quality of the story. Many of the books were very predictable with characters showing very little depth. I am so glad that I attended the workshop with Linda Pearl.

I thought I would mention the new technology I discovered while waiting in the hospital for my husband's back surgery to be completed. The family waiting room now has a computer screen that shows the progress of the patient from presurgery through the assignment of a room after the surgery is complete. I was given a number by a volunteer, then was told to follow the progress on the screen. Each area was color-coded to make it easier to follow. For instance, it was pink for the presurgery section, then white for the operating room.(six hours for my husband). Next, it was purple for the after surgery care, then finally another color for the room in intensive care following the surgery. Apart from a few telephone updates from surgery, the computer screen made it easy to track the progress. I felt that was a good way to pass on information, giving the volunteer time for other duties and keeping us posted after she had left for the day.

I attended a fun workshop about new technologies. We were able to actually try out a Sony eReader. Our group downloaded a free electronic book from the Web after setting up the eReader and finding the site (Gutenberg). Later we described the experience to the rest of the class, relating what we liked and did not like. The only reason I could think of to use the device, would be for travel. You could order books to download from Sony for a charge or use the free book site. I could not see any advantage of the device over a book, since the ebooks were almost the same price as a paperback book. I did research on the Kindle reader from Amazon, and would like to try that out. It had more to it, such as a web browser and keyboard.
The rest of the class demonstrated how to use a GPS device, a digital camera, a camcorder, an iPod and the Wii system. Everyone seemed to enjoy trying out these new devices and telling us about them. It would have been better if we would have had time to try each device, but we ran out of time after six hours. What a great way to find out about new technologies.

I have been able to use my iGoogle Web site to keep up with the events of the past month or so dealing with the mortgage crisis and politics. I am thankful for my 23 Things on a Stick experience which made me aware of these sources of information. The information is constantly updated, and available from many sources, so I hear both sides of the issues. I feel that I am better informed than I have been in past elections or financial crises. Actually, this has led me to make decisions based on this information and to become more involved in these areas of my life.