YPRL week # 2

I started my Google browse by hunting for a little program my friend told me about, which he used to make a 3D scale drwing of the stage set for a play we did at the local theatre group. Its called Google Sketchup. I didn't wait for it to download - took too long.
I've added a couple of planning sheets to GoogleDocs for fun. I couldn't find out how to edit them, but I'll share them with another CL when I do.
I searched Ivanhoe Library on Google Maps. After adding 'Victoria' ( I didn't know there was an Ivanhoe in NSW - have twin libraries) I found that Google Maps thinks we are in Ivanhoe East on Lower Heidelberg Road. So I reported a problem to them. Oops, that's Media. Ishould have told Suzanne.
I check Google Books for a relatively unknown, but documented, figure in history called Wiiliam of Rubroeck. He's there - in some cases you can read the entire text. (Ispent a bit too long browsing, It's a trap)The last time I was looking for him I found a translation of the book he wrote for King Louis of France. I forget which Louis. I think it was the saint because he led a crusade. It just goes to show that I should have written down my sources, same as for book research. I can't find William's book now. I'll have to start again.
I tried out the Translate function on Google with the text of a notice that I have had translated by a native speaker already. The first attempt interpreted the English too literally to make sense. Adjusting the English a bit brought the French to clumsy but understandable version of what I meant. I put in a simpler text and asked for a French, then a Chinese translation. The French didn't seem to deal with basic differences in word order in he languages. The Chinese showed me that the system has Chinese characters available, but Lu wasn't heare to check if it was any good. I maust ask her tomorrow.

# 1 YPRL week one

Well, that was easy. I can use the blog from my last attempt at 23 things. I s'pose I'd better add a photo or something. Make up a whole new librarian that belongs to this century. But later - sorry - it's teatime now and then I have a desk roster.

New start

I'm starting the 23 things all over again with new library service. That'll bring a 20th cent. librarian running fast into the 21st. I need to log in wireless laptops and lots of stuff my boys can do already. I think the tasks are different now. Soon it's internet radio. Next its make your own video.

Me - I'm still looking for a tutorial on online job applications. 'Cos that's the main thing people ask us about when we're on roving reference. (That's not the title, but it's got a nice ring to it.)

L2 unconference #1

If you don' close libraries for a day a week like they did in the old days ( and some still do), how can you get the use of a lovely big space like Thomastown library for a one-day conference?
This one started curiously paper-wise for a meeting on technology and games. The get-to know-you warm-up was making paper planes. Well, my group made a plane. The distance winners were the group that screwed up their paper in a ball and threw it. And here I must raise the question : Why, when my group with only one male in it was asked to choose a 'pilot', did about half the members immediately look at him and one actually pointed? He didn't seem displeased to accept. And why, when all dozen or so pilots came to the front to throw their paper flying creations, were only one or two female in a conference with a gender balance of probably just over half male?

It's called an unconference partly 'cos there's no set program. There's a whiteboard with a grid, and four events with invited presenters. WE're all gathered around the edge of quite a large meeting room, no furniture in the miggle, and several giant pads of post-it note are laid in the center, and we're all invited to write in a topic we would like to have dicussed, with the proviso that if we put in a topic we have to be prepared to lead the discussion if its chosen. So far so good.
Then the sheets are stuck up on the windows, the facilitator reads each suggested topic out to an audience most of whom have lost interest while waiting, and we're asked to choose which topics might fit together i themes for discussion. Few contributed to this. Most could'nt see the sheets, some couldn't hear the facilitator on her portable speaker.

For me, all taht was show-democracy that didn't work an took too long. Why not canvass opinions electronically in the weeks prior the the event? People like e who don't check blogs and register really late gon't get a say. So what?

Games in libraries

First session I went to was led by a guy from Charlotte-Mecklenburg library (CMPLS) in the USA. (More later. Stop for spellcheck. My boss is readin this

in subsequent posts I'll tell what happened in the ones I went to

#5 Flickr

This was an exercise in learning from my son (16 1/2). I got confused with the steps to enable this blog on Flickr until he showed me how to create tabs in Explorer - so simple but I didn't know. So I could keep the instructions on one screen while I followed the steps on another. He was very patient. So far it's all steps and little fun. I'll have to find time to go back and make more posts to enjoy it.

BigAl

State Library of Victoria : North-Westerly View IX

North-Westerly View IX
Originally uploaded by サンドラ

I like this photo because it gives an opposing vision to the corner of a library sticking out of the footpath opposite Melbourne Central station. Don't get me wrong - I love that sculpture because it sends a powerful message we should never forget. The Pompeii exhibition next year wil reinforce that.
But this one shows the State Library's new dome standing proudly in its place among the commercial hub of thge city. The view of the suburbs reminds us of the number of people potentially touched y the library. And the sunset and open sky makes me think of endless possibilities.
Big Al

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.