I can haz blog?

OH HAI!!!

I realized this week that it’s been forever and a day since I updated this blog. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t been playing around with technology, just that I’ve been too busy to write about it. Some highlights:

-Last year I went to the Computers in Libraries conference and got all jazzed about the idea of using screencasting software to supplement database training. (Not sure what screencasting is? Check out Ohio U’s Chad Boeninger’s Biz Wiki for some great examples.) Since I try to use free options whenever possible, I have been playing around with wink. It’s not that hard to use, but I still needed to beg, borrow or *gasp* buy a microphone and set aside the time to get really good at it before creating any screencasts for public consumption.

THEN, last month I went to a presentation by UK’s Teaching and Support Center (TASC) to UK library staff, during which they casually mentioned that they had some Camtasia software licenses and a couple of recording studios set up for faculty and staff to use. Huzzah! This planned project went from “maybe some day” to “I’m recording our Wexis trainings at the end of the month.” A neat feature of Camtasia is that I’ll have the opportunity to “publish” our screencasts in a variety of formats, including iTunes compatible. There’s a plan for UK to get an account with iTunesU, and I’ll probably try to get hooked in on that, as well as putting .wmv files of the trainings on my libraries webpage, blog, and Facebook.  Maybe,YouTube, but who knows?

-Speaking of Facebook, beginning this week we’re starting to actively publicize our Facebook page to the students.  We’ve been mentioning it in our Wexis training sessions (which also started this week) and by putting the following flyer around the library and on our electronic bullentin boards.

libraryfacebook.ppt

I wish I could take credit for it, but one of my co-workers came up with the design.  I think its hilarious, though.  We’ll see if it gets our “fan” numbers up.  Not that I’m sure if that’ s really important.   Also, our Facebook page got mentioned in the most recent issue of the ALL-SIS Newsletter, so that was kinda exciting.

And finally on the Facebook front, I’ll be doing a presentation on it at SEALL at the end of March.  As my colleague Stacey Greenwell noted, it’s hard to write about Facebook because it changes so fast.  I’m finding that talking about it presents the same challenges.  I mean, when I proposed  this session, Fan Pages didn’t exist.  So I’m thinking starting March 1 I’ll start really planning exactly what I’m going say and start getting screenshots.  Apologies in advance in case I start acting like a raving lunatic.

-I got a Zune for Christmas.  Yay!  And, like seemingly everything else in my life lately, there’s actually a social networking aspect to it.  (Click here to check out my taste in music, and hopefully my most recent listen will be something respectable like Charlie Parker and not  showing my weakness for early 90s party rap.)  I have to admit, sometimes I start to feel a little over-exposed.

-UK’s Blue 2.0 Learning Program is chugging along nicely.  People seem to be really enjoying it and actually learning stuff, so yay.  Thus far I haven’t had to do too much except comment on blogs and offer the occasional tip.  Next week, however, it’s my turn to be program coordinator so I’m trying to get as much accomplished this week so next week I can give it my full attention.   We’re covering Folksonomies/tagging and Online Applications.  I’ll pop a link to the assignment went it goes live on Sunday.