Task #10 - New Website

The new website is clean, modern, easy to use, easy to navigate. It makes more of our services more visible. It allows patrons to contact and interact with us better. It's great that folks don't need to know which menu will take them to what they're looking for. It uses natural language people can relate to and understand. I might, a tiny bit, miss a webslide-esque feature that highlights the newest goings-on, but understand why they had to go. I like that all the blogs will feed into the same...I like that folks will be able to register for classes/events directly from the events calendar, evantually. I like a constant "You Are Here" guide across the top, and the consistent info/links on the right-side panel. It just looks like we're part of this century now...hurrah! This brings our website up-to-speed with our new catalog, and now they both seem modern and effecient, more what people expect. Job well done!

Task #9 Universal Class

I really enjoy Universal Class and think it will be incredibly helfpul to a lot of our patrons, or groups in the community. It's easy to sign up and the class list is very extensive. I found applicable topics for mostly all my LibGuides - so things that we used to only have magazines, books, DVD's for - like cooking, nutrition, home repair - now we have really strong online resources for, also. Not only does this take us above and beyond all of our computer class offerings in a single bound, but there are a lot of people who might be intimidated by in-person instuction, but willing to participate in something like this. One day, I will sign on to take something personally fun...(baking pies?)...but for now I have signed up for Project Management. It is not as fun as baking pies...::sigh::. While the topic admittedly makes me sleepy, the format is intuitive. Read the lesson, write a little essay, take a quick quiz, take the next lesson. There's also options for those who want to be more involved - discussion boards, sending messages to other "students." This gives us a lot of great options.

Task #8 - Espanol

I did pretty well on the quiz (an 8...because I can't count, I think.) This is really helpful - I find it pretty easy to follow, even in Spanish, most of the time...but Google translate is helpful, too. I do show this to Spanish-speaking patrons when I have a chance, and they're happy to see it - they often point out which page I should click on so they can review the information there. I also enjoy that Google translate is available on all our LibGuides to transform them into Spanish, meaning a lot of our resources and their availability can be found/understood, which is what we all want.

Task #7 - Cloud Computing

Everything is "in the cloud" these days. It does indeed seem like the future, and of course, it's pretty handy, too. Dropbox seems very useful, though I am not a current user. I have used Google docs/spreadsheets for all types of things. It came most in handy in library school when collaborating with folks from across the nation on group projects. I'm not really a multiple-device-carrying kind of person, but if I WAS...I would probably make more use of this. I would suggest these to patrons, sure. It would be much easier for them to access their things on our computers and their home computers...they could work on a Google doc from either place and keep it saved in the same spot. I'm sure I use the cloud more often than I realize.

Task 6 - Helping Patrons

I passed! Phew. This was a good task though, directly related to Shawna's training meant to remind us of just how much we have to offer. None of the answers "surprised me" per say. I'm glad I am not supposed to offer a patron my salad for lunch, because then I would be hungry.

A patron is dissappointed in our Spanish-learning materials available for checkout at the moment. We could:
a) put something else on hold through the catalog
b) explain Rosetta Stone is available at the library, and Mango Languages is available at home
c) show them that audio materials are available for download through Overdrive
d) all of the above

Google a Day

I like Google a Day. It's fun! It's probably ultra nerdy to think it's fun, but I guess that's okay. I did the Google a Day on 8/3 - the question was about a self-sanitizing cooper and zinc alloy, and how long it takes to disinfect itself. So I found the alloy is brass, and that brass takes up to about 8 hours to self-sanitize. It wasn't a super tough challenge...I guess the kicker is that it requires two searches, one to determine what the alloy is and another to determine the length of time. I like that the purpose is to get you to think about your query, and how much you trust the results...because if you get the wrong answer to your first question, you will get the wrong answer to the second, etc. I'm still aiming for the gift certificate.

Task 5: Chilton Library

I use Chilton's very frequently. Most of the guys looking through the print manuals seem skeptical when I first suggest it, but then they're into it. (I like saying "You know, we have these electronically, too, and sometimes it's just easier to find it there. Let's take a look." Then they're hooked.) Admittedly, I am car inept. So then I ask them to tell me the categories, etc., to navigate. I chuckle inside when they are explaining to me what is wrong and what they need because it's Greek to me. Handing them the mouse works - but in those cases, where their first immediate few guesses don't lead us to what they need - I only wish that the actual search function worked better. I hardly ever have luck with that. The results are messy. But using their "document tree" as suggested is wildly easy and intuitive. Overall, with 1 being not-at-all-helpful and 5 being its-a-lifesaver, I'd give this resource a 4.5.