Thing 6: Blog Readers

I really like the Blog Reader, the idea of pulling any blogs I am following together in one place. This should make it much easier for me to keep up with them, though I don't have many yet. I think I will be less hesitant to add other blogs knowing that I can congregate them here. I loved being able to star items that I found interesting, so that I can find them again if needed. I keep thinking that I may need this information in the future and want it at my fingertips. I don't think I'm ready to share yet, unless someone pulls together a group of those of us working through North Texas 23 for mutual comments, tips and advice. We see some of that in the comments on each Thing as it is posted. I have found a few of those posts very helpful myself. If one is going to blog extensively, this is the way to do it!

Sending e-cards

Over the weekend I used Poetry Blender on Image Chef to create and send two birthday e-cards. One was to a library volunteer who is celebrating his birthday, and the other to my husband. I had to tell my husband that the post really was from me and that it was okay to open it. Anything sent by e-mail that has to be opened and run may be viewed with suspicion unless the recipient is expecting it, and rightly so. The major e-card companies tend to be recognized as safe, but my husband had not heard of Image Chef, quite naturally.

Libraries ARE spectacular!

I created the image below on Image Chef using Poetry Blender. I selected one of their backgrounds and there were choices for the text color. However, I felt limited--I wanted the slogan to run across the middle of the picture. I can see using this to promote a teen program or a special performance, if I could find a way to put more text on top of the picture. Maybe I don't understand how to use it to mix and remix yet. I tried to save it but was unable to, only do a direct post. I'm going to try a few more in this section. It seems as if I could experiment forever and still not really be able to use these tools effectively. I wish there could be a hands-on workshop in the future with guided instruction. Most of the sites provide little or no real help themselves--I guess other people have loads of time to just play on the computer. There's unlimited potential here, but very limited time. I think we often use the tools we know because we are working under pressure (e.g., in between customers or in a precious hour or two off the floor), rather then trying new "tricks." Well, this granny still has some tricks to learn!

ImageChef.com Poetry Blender

Mashups

I could spend alot of time in this section just playing! But I can't. I spent some time in Big Huge Labs trying framing and making posters. The picture I downloaded from Google Images through Creative Commons and chose to make an inspirational poster was disappointing. It came out fuzzy with some of the picture not visible. It looks like I left my glasses off. But here it is. Perhaps the fuzziness says something in itself. Some days it is easier if the world looks a bit fuzzy..... Big Huge Labs has a puzzle making section that I want to try with my granddaughters. They love puzzles and would enjoy pictures of themselves, their pets and toys.

Mashups and Flickr

I tried Spelling on Flickr and had fun, but couldn't find a way to save or copy it, other than laboriously one letter (or picture) at a time. The html code would not copy to my blog. A suggestion to save the picture and then download it onto my blog post worked very well. I'm sure I will be able to use that technique in the future. I think that Creative Commons will come in very handy in the graphics work that other staff and I do related to publicity, newsletter, website, etc. I noticed that it applies to Google Images and some other sources of photos in addition to Flickr. Hoorah!

A concern that comes to mind whenever I think about using library photos in a photo stream on Flickr or posted in any other way is that of permissions. Our current City policy requires that anyone identifiable in the picture sign a release form, or their face be blurred out to be unrecognizable. Unless planned for ahead of time and forms distributed at the beginning, this becomes difficult to impossible. I think in the case of children, especially, it is a necessary safety precaution in today's world. There are also women running from abusive mates and other reasons to maintain privacy. Once I tried shooting a storytime from the back while the children were engrossed, and of course more than one little face turned around to see what I was up to. I was able to crop them out in one shot, and blur the faces in another.

I'll find time to try 1-2 mashups but am behind and need to move on to things that I feel will be of wider use in the library setting.