The end? I don't think so

This program has been a great opportunity to explore a number of communication and multimedia tools available on the net. The nature of communication adn entertainment is changing rapidly and unless we want to be left behind, libraries have to change their thoughts on this technology as well.

Adding podcasts, YouTube presentations to library websites make them more interactive and a bit more human than to those trying work out how to use catalogues and online databases without someone there to guide them. Wikis provide an opportunity to add booklists that are capable of easy change, as well as provide an interactve community noticeboard to users. At the moment, my mind is fairly spinning with ideas and possible applications for a lot of what this training course has shown me. Meaning that"Learn Thru Play" has been a very successful experience for me, and I do mean to explore any opportunity to use what I have learnt over the last few weeks.

I love Audiobooks!

I've always liked audiobooks. They're great when I'm doing something mundane like the housework or any dull, repetitive project as they provide a little welcome distraction. I'm currently listening to "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" (and it's a hard hearted person who says they don't like this story). Netlibrary and Overdrive are fabulous ideas. Having a subscription to and audio service would certainly boost any library's audiobook collection.

Podcasts are cool!

I like podcasts, but like everyone else got them confused with mp3 file and music streaming. I did play around, somethings I could play - others I could not because my computer didn't have the right software. In the end I ended up adding the Triple J New Music podcast to my Bloglines accountas my partner is always accusing me of only ever wanting to listen to the same music, the same band yada yada yada....so I'm going to expand my knowledge of the new music scene.

Happy...............

I did want to post "Q Magazine's" list of memorable YouTube moments, but thought that Whitney Houston's encounter with Serge Gainsborough on a French chat show may not be deemed appropriate!

This "The Happy Song" by The Aliens. This band is made up of some members of the Beta Band, who used to be a it of a favourite with me. I just like it because these are 3 guys who certainly don't look like musos and are definitely having some fun.

It wasn't hard to find this clip, nor to attach it to my blog.

I guess the best use YouTube would have for libraries is for presenting training videos. Some of the YouTube presentations in this training course have been excellent.

Web 2.0 Award Winners

There's a lot! I guess I liked playing around with YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/) and Last.fm (http://www.last.fm/) being a bit of a media and music fan. YouTube's great for a bit of fun and could possibly be put to some professional use in terms of "How to" presentations for library users and training videos for librarians.

Last.fm is really a bit of fun. I guess it could be best described as a reader development guide for music fans in that you can type in what you're listening to at the moment and it makes suggestions about other bands you may enjoy listening to as well. It then provides podcasts of the bands music to listen to.

Zoho Writer

Well, that was a headache and make no mistake. Did anyone know that Zoho doesn't like commas in blog titles? For half an hour I was puzzling over why zoho kept saying my blog was unavailable. Because it kept presenting it as two seperate blogs, I finally hit upon the idea that the comma might be he problem. Go into blogger - remove comma and voila! no more annoying little message saying "blog unavailable"! Anyway the "Dragons Booklist" below is part of a fantasy series I've been working on. I like the idea of being able to work on any document anywhere without being tied to the one computer. It means I don't need to run to my computer when inspiration hits for some project I'm working on.

Dragons booklist

Title:    Here there be Dragons…………………

 

The Hobbit

 

Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home. Then one day, the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive and enlist his services on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon. Bilbo's life is never to be the same again.

 

The Discovery of Dragons

 

Was Bjorn of Bromme one of the greatest explorers of the Viking Age or just a simple-minded, lice-infested Barbarian with a passion for beach volleyball? Could Soong Mei Ying really have discovered every Asiatic Dragon known to Serpentology, or was she just a thirteenth-century teenage who wanted to travel and meet people? Did Dr E. F. Liebermann perish after discovering the Common Green Draak, also known as the 'Awful Gurgler', or was he suffering from a severe bout of jungle madness? The answers to these questions and more will not be found within the pages of this book - but a lot of great big Dragons will .

 

Dragon’s Blood

 

Training a dragon to be a fighting champion is the only way to freedom for fifteen-year-old Jakkin……….

 

Secret Country Trilogy

(Book 1 The Secret Country)

 

Ben has been saving for weeks to buy the Mongolian fighting fish he's seen in the local pet shop. But on entering Mr Dodds' Pet Emporium, a small cat hooks his claws into Ben's jumper and begs to be bought. The cat tells Ben that Mr Dodds is importing rare magical beasts into this world and he needs his help to save them

 

Merlin Dreams

 

Stories of blood, magic, and fabulous creatures told in a series of dreams coming to the enchanted wizard Merlin as he lies imprisoned under a great stone.

 

 

 

The Dragon’s Hoard

 

"Wake up, Sir Knight! Wake up!" My eyes snapped open, and I sprang to my feet, drawing my sword as I did so. There was the merchant, the whites of his terrified eyes glinting in the firelight. He was raving. "It's out there!" he cried. "It's out there!" "What's out there?" I asked, placing a hand on his shoulder to steady him. The merchant gripped my arm with both hands and drew his face close to mine. His forehead was drenched with sweat, his eyes were wide, his voice a little more than a whisper. "The dragon, of course," he croaked….

 

Dragon’s Nest

 

The evil Shadow Lord has been banished but famine still stalks Deltora and only monsters thrive. Four vile sisters of sorcery are hidden in the land, slowly killing it while the Shadow Lord gloats, awaiting his triumphant return. Leif, Barda and Jasmine have one clue in their quest - the fragment of the ancient map. ………

 

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles

(Book 1: Dealing with Dragons)

 

Cimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart. . . . and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for.