Chapter 12--The Grand Finale

I've enjoyed the 23 things experience quite a lot. It has exposed me to tools and technologies some of which I had been unfamiliar. And it went beyond mere exposure to include actually using and getting comfortable with them. At the outset, the program explained that it was intended to build a toolbox for a librarian to use and I think it has done that.

The program has also had a collateral impact on my thinking. Specifically, I had conceived a librarian's role in knowledge building as maintaining a gateway to published materials so that members of the community could use it to promote their own lifelong learning. I still believe that, but I now sense that the librarian may be able to do something beyond that--namely, to show the members of the library community how to be better readers. It seems to me that many of the tools in the 23 things can have considerable impact on the social side of the learning community, whereby members can coach each other by sharing insights and the like. That sharing will, in turn, enrich the reading experience group members have.

I was sufficiently impressed with the 23 things program that I went to the article and website on which it was based. This is a really cool approach to self development starting with the simple concept of putting goals on a list and tracking progress. You can also see how others are doing and get terrific ideas for new things to try and explore. Check it out.

Chapter 11--Podcasts and Netlibrary

Podcasts--I will admit it--I love podcasts. They are on every conceivable topic. They can be audio or video. And for the most part, they are free, Of all the podcast directories that are out there, two are the best for those people who to be lifelong learners. The first is Itunes U and its companion "Beyond the Campus." Itunes U has an unbelievable number of lectures, courses, occasional talks from a continually expanding group of schools. Many of the schools have companion websites for those courses where they present course outlines, bibliographies and other supplementary materials. "Beyond the campus" features educational podcasts from organizations like the Library of Congress, WGBH and similar groups. My second favorite directory is at learnoutloud.com. That organization sends me a daily email highlighting a usually free introduction to a course or a complete audiobook. Sometimes the originating website charges for the content but it is often worth it and, for the most part, you can sample it for free.

Netlibrary--I used to thoroughly love Netlibrary. I could download both audiobooks and ebooks. Unfortunately, the Netlibrary content that you can access is controlled by your home library. Consequently, when I belonged to the Basking Ridge Public Library I was able to access both ebooks and audiobooks from Netlibrary. But then Basking Ridge changed and restricted the Netlibrary content to just ebooks. For audiobooks they shifted to Overdrive Media. I was never able to get my Basking Ridge ID to work with Overdrive. I then paid a $100 fee for an out of state membership in the New York Public Library. It also uses Overdrive Media but it has from 5 to 10 times more content than Basking Ridge has on the same system and considerably more than Netlibrary does. Getting these systems right is crucial for a library. The future belongs to audiobooks and ebooks.

Chapter 10--Part II

Here's me cheering her on, and there's the superstar. I love when people reach their goals! It's the best!

Chapter 10--You Tube

I've always been a huge fan of you tube. It seems that if I miss one of my favorite shows, I can always look to you tube to catch the repeat. There's nothing I particularly dislike about the site. If there is something that particularly offends me, I simply won't watch or search for it. For this exercise I looked up the NYC Marathon from November 1st. My sister reached her goal of losing 100 pounds and ran the marathon for the first time on Sunday. Gotta be proud!"