Thing 5: Discover Flickr

Podcast # 5

Photo sharing websites have been around since the 90s, but it took a small startup site called Flickr to catapult the idea of “sharing” into a full blown online community. Within the past year, Flickr has become the fastest growing photo sharing site on the web and is known as one of the first websites to use keyword “tags” to create associations and connections between photos and users of the site.

For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a good look at Flickr and discover what this site has to offer. Find out how tags work, what groups are, and all the neat things that people and other libraries (list also here) are using Flickr for:

Discovery Resources:
· Flickr Learn More tour (6 steps)
· Mediamazine Flickr Tutorials
· Flickr: Popular tags Interesting- Last 7 days
· Flickr Services (3rd party applications & mashups) and let’s not forget to look at some other libraries on Flickr

Discovery Exercise:In this discovery exercise, you have two options…

a. Take a good look around Flickr and discover an interesting image that you want to blog about. Be sure to include either a link to the image or, if you create a Flickr account, you can use Flickr's blogging tool to add the image in your post. Another option you have for including images in your post is to use Blogger's photo upload tool.

-- OR --

b. If you're up to an easy challenge ... create a Free account in Flickr and use your location's digital camera to capture a few pictures of something in your branch. Upload these to your Flickr account and tag at least one of the images “L2LCPL” and mark it public. Then create a post in your blog about your photo and experience. Be sure to include the image in your post. Once you have a Flickr account, you have two options for doing this: through Flickr's blogging tool or using Blogger's photo upload feature.

PS: A quick word about photo posting etiquette - When posting identifiable photos of other people (especially minors) is it advisable to get the person's permission before posting their photo in a publicly accessible place like Flickr. Never upload pictures that weren't taken by you (unless you have the photographer's consent) and always give credit when you include photos taken by someone else in your blog.

Thing 4: Register your blog and join the party ...

Podcast #4

If you’ve made it this far, you already have three items or “things” completed of the twenty three that are required to earn the RCA Flash Memory MP3 Player.

But how do you qualify? Good question! By registering your blog and recording your progress on each of the 23 things. For the sake of simplifying this process for LCPL staff involved, you will use the LCPL L2-Log that has been created on the LCPL G Drive.

Starting with Thing #5, you also need to include the URL for the permanent link to each of your blog posts that capture your thoughts, comments or findings about your discovery process. And depending upon the Blogger template that you selected, the permanent link for each individual posts can be found either through the post’s title or through a link in the posts footer area the contains the date.

Example: Here is where you would find the perma link for this sample blog post:

Click on this link to see actual post.

If you click on the permanent link for an individual post, you will be taken to its page. This is the link that you want to use when recording your progress in the L2 Log. And to make recording easy, I would suggest that you make a habit of recording your progress weekly.

Once you are at LCPL G Drive click on the LCPL L2-Log database. Then click on forms, LCPL L2-Log. Once the form has opened hit the Ctrl & F key, type your last name in the find window and press enter. For task 1, 2, and 3 please mark a "X" for each.For task 4 please enter the URL to your blog.

So, here’s to Thing #4 – why not hop on over to now and record your first 4 items on this discovery quest. It’s really that easy and just think, now there’s only 19 more things to go. :)

PS: If you’re not LCPL staff member, you can follow along as well. Just use the list found at 43 Things to record your progress. You'll need to create a 43 Things account first. Alas, I’m sorry that I can’t include any RCA Flash Memory MP3 Player for incentives. For you, I hope just the fun of following along is enough. :)

Thing 3: Grab yourself a blog in 3 steps

Podcast #3

Now that you’ve done some exploring around this website and understand how this program will work, it’s time to setup your very own personal blog to begin recording your thoughts, discoveries and exercises in.

For this program, I am recommending that you use Blogger*, a popular free online blog hosting service that is extremely easy to use.

Creating a blog using Blogger takes just three steps:
1. Create an account (view screenshot)
2. Name your blog (view screenshot)
3. Select your template. (view screenshot)

Once you’ve created your blog here are two important things to know:

· To add posts: The maintenance interface that you will use to add posts, edit or change the step-up your blog is accessed online at http://www.blogger.com/ Be sure to write down your login and password.

· To view your blog: Your blog address is http://(xxxx).blogspot.com, (xxxx)=the unique identifier you entered in Step 2. Be sure to also write down your blog address.

If you run into problems or would like more information about blogs and using Blogger here are some discovery resources you can use:

· Freevlog’s Quicktime Tutorial: Setup a Free Blogger Blog Note: Ignore the opening comments about downloading Firefox if your PC doesn’t have it. This will work in Explorer just fine.

· Blogger’s Quick Tutorial
OK -- Now, it’s your turn... Discovery Exercise:
1. Setup a blog for yourself through Blogger.
2. Add a test post or two. Note: Use one of your test posts to create an entry about which habit among the 7 and 1/2 lifelong learning habits that is easiest and hardest for you & why.
3. Have fun!!!!

IMPORTANT NOTE: How you choose to identity yourself on your blog is your choice. You can blog under a screen name, anonymously, or as yourself. However in order to qualify for the RCA Flash Memory MP3 Player, you will need to email your blog link to Stephanie.hinkleylopez@loudoun.gov.

* Use of Blogger is only a recommendation. If there is another blog hosting site that you are more comfortable with, please feel free to use it.

Thing 2: Lifelong Learning & L2

Podcast # 2

Among libraries, lifelong learning is one of those core values we shelve our books by. So it makes sense that before we embark on this new online learning and discovery journey that we should take a few minutes to review a few habits that can assist in creating lifelong learners.

These habits, which we’ve called the Seven and 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners, will provide you with a refresher on what it means to be a lifelong learner.Discovery Exercise:

1. Make sure you have headphones or speakers attached to your computer.
2. Open up the 7 & 1/2 Habits online tutorial and view the online tutorial.
3. As you watch and listen, write down which habit among the 7 & 1/2 that is easiest for you and which is hardest. You will use your personal blog (which you will set up next) to post your thoughts about lifelong learning.

Have fun! If you haven't jumped on board yet, it's never too late to become a lifelong learner.

Next Step: Creating your blog so you can begin tracking your journey. You can either jump ahead on your own without instruction or wait for the next Thing to post on December 20th.

Thing 1: Discovery has never been so much fun

December 13th is the offical start of LCPL
Learning 2.0 Program!!

Lets get the party started……

Podcast for Thing #1

Welcome to LCPL's Learning 2.0 program & blog. Chances are if you've found your way here you're either:

a. a member of LCPL's staff who's participating in the Learning 2.0 program.
b. interested in learning about and playing around (yes, playing is allowed in libraries) with some new web 2.0 tools that will help you expand your information literacy toolbox.- or -
c. are just interested in earning a cool RCA Flash Memory MP3 Player.

Either way… We are so happy that you have found your way here!! Learning 2.0 is an online learning program that encourages staff to learn more about emerging technologies on the web that are changing the way people, society and libraries access information and communicate with each other. Over the course of the next nine weeks, this website will highlight “23 Things” and discovery exercises to help staff become familiar with blogging, RSS news feeds, tagging, wikis, podcasting, online applications, and video and image hosting sites.

The FAQs should answer most of your questions about this program. If not, then please add your question to the FAQ page as a comment.

So fasten your seat belts, grab your mouse and get ready for a discovery adventure… and remember it's OK to play in the library and have fun! Be sure to tune in Monday, December 18th for the next "thing" or discovery item ... or better yet, subscribe to the RSS feed.

LCPL's Learning 2.0 START UP!

A message from Doug

Welcome to LCPL’s Online Learning 2.0. We hope you and your colleagues will enjoy and gain many new skills along your quest for learning new technology.

Equipment you will need: You will need a computer with a sound card (check 'Mute' is off), speakers, headphones or ear buds (many of the lessons are small podcasts to listen to).

Learning 2.0 will require you to read following 3 Blogs.

1. Learning 2.0 "23 Things" This will be the focal point of the program, listing all 23 things and links you will need to follow. This was developed by Helene Blowers at The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC) for their staff training. This program has been adopted by several libraries across the nation and around the world. As you progress through the 23 things you will see that we have made changes to tailor some of the exercises just for LCPL staff.

2. Learning At LCPL Our Blog on this Project which will chart OUR progress, offer help and advice. It will contain all the links back to 23 Things and Learning 2.0, plus extra links to useful websites including a list of our participants (check out your colleagues Blogs, make comments, offer encouragement, share experiences).

3. Your Blog: Post to it! Read it, edit it, have fun playing with it, Enjoy!