First Mayan Book (on the bottom of the picture) or shall I say first comics? And modern library in Mexico...

Wonders of Mexico for your enjoyment!

“Never discourage anyone... who continually makes progress, no matter how slow” - Plato

Week 5. Facebook

1) Why do you think social networking sites are so popular? What are the main appeal factors?

At least two clue words answer the question: networking and social. Now days, in our busy life it’s convenient to contact your colleagues, relatives and friends through Facebook, Classmates, etc. There is a possibility to send one to all messages that reaches its participants right away. Pictures, video inserting is another appeal factor for Facebook fans.

2) For you, is Facebook useful or a time-waster?

I joined Facebook before this training, and became more and more comfortable using it on an every day basis. It gives me the opportunity to keep connected with the Russian community, especially overseas friends, and inform them about any important news in my life as well as to find about theirs.

Quick access from this site to different links definitely saves time and makes the resource user friendly.

I like being a part of Calgary Public Library group where I can find information about events at Central and other branches.

Recently, I’ve joined a new group I’ll Bet I Can Find 1,000,000 People Who Think Libraries Are Important. It’s very interesting to read about library and books impact on people all over the world.

And, last but not least, as a Facebook member I am able to place advertisement about the events of the Organization “Slavyansky Cultural Club”. This is an example of the latest one.

Musical Play Mama
Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010
Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: Ukrainian Cultural Centre
Street: 3316 - 28 Avenue SW
City/Town: Calgary, AB
Details on web-site http://sccalgary.com

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty” ~Henry Ford

Week 4. Wikipedia

1) How easy or difficult was it to find articles that needed editing? Were the errors you found factual or grammar / spelling?

I use Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, a lot when I need to find a quick answer on a certain subject. It was interesting to find out more about how this particular resource is working, thanks to our training!

I think that the articles are written very well because they have been created and corrected by many Internet users, some of them are real experts in their field of interest and knowledge. At least, we believe so.
I’ve tried to check out information in Russian and found only one minor grammar mistake in one of the articles. Not bad!


2) Were you able to find a topic obscure enough that Wikipedia doesn’t cover it? If so, congratulations! If you managed to publish an article, comment on the process.

I don’t feel that I can be an expert for any of the articles, even though when I tried to find one topic that interests me, I couldn’t get it. Back to Google!

>"We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself" ~Lloyd Alexander

Week 3. Delicious

1) What are the advantages of storing, sharing, and tagging web content this way? What are the disadvantages?

Advantages are:
Access from any computer at any time- very handy
Organizing and keeping bookmarks by using tags
Combining sources under tag bundles
Sharing with anyone on the Web
Quick and systemized search and browse
Having favorite, most popular bookmarks for CPL

After all, somebody has done the work for you!

Disadvantages are:
There is no material written in Russian!
Tags are personal choices. They could be varied, and inaccurate or difficult to figure out

2) How comfortable are you using Best Websites, after this practice? Do you have any tips for using Best Websites on Delicious?

This bookmarking web service is new to me, so I’d like to practice it more to become more comfortable. After talking to my colleagues Melanie and Maureen, to whom I am very grateful for their help, I realized that this is a good tool for Reference Assistance but I don’t see how it could be used by Circulation staff in our busy branch other than to recommend for curious customers.

Yes, the founder Joshua Schachter with his 20,000 links had to come up with something innovative like this to organize the chaos. For me personally, I am going to stay loyal to Google for searching, especially information in Russian, but will try Delicious for expanding and organizing my search as well.

“Learning is a lifetime process, but there comes a time when we must stop adding and start updating” ~Robert Brault

Week 2. Blogs.

1) What do you hope to learn from CPL 2.0?
I’d like to learn how new technologies could be applied to Customer Service at the Library

2) Which aspect of Web 2.0 are you the most intrigued (or scared) by?
A typical conversation between concerned parents and their high school students might, theoretically, begin with a casual inquiry about homework.
“Get off Facebook,” the concerned parent might ask. “Do your homework first.”
“Okay, fine,” comes the reply. “I’m just saying Bye.”
Ten minutes passes. The furious typing continues. The backpack remains unopened.
“I thought you were getting off Facebook to start the homework?”
“I am! I’m just saying ‘Bye!”
“Why does that take so long?”
“Because there is more than one person on – everyone is on!”
Everyone is on it… Internet, iPod, Laptop, the latest version of cell phone, Wii- my teenager has got them all! And she is good at it! Sometimes I feel that I am a “dinosaur”, tech- savvy “digital immigrant”… Even though, I am at the computer every day checking E-mail, editing posts on my Non Profit web-site http://sccalagry.com, visiting friends’ personal blogs, chatting on social networks, etc. I still feel left behind… How to make up to our computer advanced children? How far shall we go? Are the old fashioned books going to be replaced by machines eventually? These thoughts are pretty scary.

My Library (poem by Varda One)
It' only a room with shelves and books,
But it's far more magical than it looks.
It'a a jet on which I soar
to lands that exist no more.
Or a key with which I find
answers to questions crowding my mind.
Building my habit of learning and growing,
asking and researchig till I reach knowing...