Week 4 #6 RSS

Week 4 #6 Learn about RSS feeds and set up a blog reader account
You’ve heard of RSS?
RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” and is a file format for delivering regularly updated information over the web. Just think about the websites and news information sources you visit everyday. It takes time to visit those sites and scour the ad-filled and image-heavy pages for just the text you want to read, doesn’t it? Read more about RSS here or see this video at BlipTV.Now imagine if you could visit all those information sources and web pages in just one place and all at the same time … without being bombarded with advertising… without having to search for new information on the page you’d already seen or read before… and without having to consume a lot of time visiting each site individually. Would that be valuable to you? Well, it’s available now through a newsreader and RSS. This week’s discovery exercises focus on learning about RSS news feeds and what free tools you can use to do this.Discovery Exercise:1. Follow these discovery exercises to set up your own, personalized RSS feed reader. Learn about the difference between RSS feed readers, Bloglines, and Google Reader. Click here for Bloglines or here for Google Reader2. Create a free "RSS aggregator" account from either Bloglines or Google Reader and subscribe to at least 2 newsfeeds to your reader.

1.BLOGLINES. Here are the steps for creating an account in BLOGLINES. See Using Bloglines Tutorial steps 1-3 for instructions. See also a short video on YouTube on how to add feeds ;

2.GOOGLE READER. You may prefer to set up an RSS aggregator in Google Reader. Tutorials include: Google Reader Tour, video tutorial#1 or #2.]

3. Create a post in your blog about this exercise. Don’t know what to blog about? Think about these questions: What do you like about RSS and newsreaders? How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your school or personal life? How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology? Optional: If you're up to the challenge, you can provide the URL address to your public bloglines account (find where to find this below)

4. Add a comment under this blog entry on HNLibrary.blogspot.com including the name of you blog and anything else about RSS.

WEEK 3 #5 Explore Flickr and learn about this popular image hosting site

WEEK 3 #5 Explore Flickr and learn about this popular image hosting site
Photo sharing websites have been around since the 90s, but it took a small startup site called Flickr (now owned by Yahoo) to catapult the idea of “sharing” into a full blown online community. Flickr uses "tags" or what we would call keywords to help identify and search for photos.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 creating thanks to 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 are up to an easy challenge ... create a Free account in Flickr and use a digital camera to capture a few pictures of something in your library. Upload these to your Flickr account and tag at least one of the images “23things@central” 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. So go ahead, explore the site and have some Flickr photo fun and if you're interested in looking at some photo hosting sites, then check out Picasa Web Albums from Google and another service called Smugmug.PS: A quick word about photo posting etiquette - When posting identifiable photos of other people (especially minors) 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.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 here's another Flickr site that lets you create movie posters, CD covers, magazine covers and so on.· libraries that Flickr or 365 Days of Library Pictures in Flickr.

Then Write a comment about it on this blog.
[Note: Please remember to include WEEK# and THING# in your heading posts.]

Week 2 #3 & #4 Register your Blog

WEEK 2 #3 & #4
Register your blog with ... HNlibrary.blogspot.com

If you’ve made it this far, you already have three items or “things” completed of the ’23 Things.’ We hope you are enjoying the adventure so far and having fun. Remember to share with colleagues any knowledge or experience that may help them out if they get stuck or vice versa!But how do you qualify for special recognition? Good question! You need to do two things. You have to register your blog with 23 things kims@hdc.govt.nz , plus you have to record your progress on each of the ‘23 things’ on your blog. Reminder: Identify each WEEK clearly and each exercise (THING) in your entries. The 23 Things moderator will track and verify your progress in a log.

So, here’s Thing #4 – Add you blog address url as a link in this blog. ”Remember … your blog address is in the format http://insertname.blogspot.com/ "
It’s really that easy and just think, now there are only 19 more things to go. :)

Extra ideas
Idea #1: A blog is an excellent forum for discussion of issues. Create one for the next school, local, state, or national election and discuss the issues of the day. Idea #2: A book discussion blog is a library favourite. Start one today and then branch out into other topics such as pro/con topics of interest, student opinion surveys, or campus activity discussions.

Week 1 #2 Create your own avatar and add it too your blog

WEEK 1 # 2 Create your own Avatar and add it to your blog and write a post about it.

Create an avatar -- a representation of yourself. or upload a photo of yourself. For Avatars go to http://avatars.yahoo.com/ , design an avatar with a library or classroom background. (You will have to set up an account if you don't use Yahoo!) Save your avatar and export to your blog.[HINT: Here's how to export your avatar to your blog. When you are on your Avatar's !Yahoo.com page, go to "home" tab and look to the right column. One of the options is: "EXPORT: Use your avatar in web pages and blogs and more." Click there. Then, in the centre of the page, one option is your avatar's HTML code. Copy the code, go to your blog and sign in. When you first sign in, there is an option to add a post OR manage posts, settings, or layout; go to "LAYOUT." You will see various page elements.) Paste (Control V) the HTML code in the PAGE ELEMENT marked "HTML/Java Script." Then move that PAGE ELEMENT to wherever you want your avatar to appear on your blog.]

These exercises are all about discovery! Have fun … and happy blogging!!
IMPORTANT NOTE: How you choose to identity yourself on your blog is up to you. You can blog under a screen name, anonymously, or with your real name.

Then Write a comment about it on this blog.