Archive for the ‘lib hub’ Category

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July 1, 2006

of my classes I wanted to feature teen online spaces. I was listening to Stephen Abrahms at ALA, and I realized that librarians may not understand the preferences of teens who use their web pages. If you aren’t familiar with Stephen Abrams check out his article in Library Journal Born with a Chip

Compare your teen page (or library website if you don’t have a teen page) with these examples of well designed teen pages, and comerial cites popular with teens.

Library Pages

Minuteman Library Network

Watertown Public library Teen Page

Springfield Public LIbrary teen Page

North State Cooperative Library System Teen Page

New York Public Library Teen Page

My Own Cafe

Denver Public Library’s Myspace Page

Library Loft

Seattle Public Library’s Teen Page

Haverhill Public Library’s Teen Page

Teen Spaces

Deviant Art

MTV

Yahoo Music

VH1

Myspace

Live Journal

Facebook

Flickr

World of Warcraft

NeoPets

YouTube

How does your library compare?

Reflection

May 16, 2006

I feel alone now, for all the beautiful and wonderful things people say about me, I feel alone.

If you know me you know how unhappy I am at my school. I’m taking a class now on YA literature, and I’m supposed to be writing a Reflection. I can’t. Not really.

I read YA book for class, and I”m supposed to talk about personal connections, but I don’t trust my teacher. She is going to grade me on how deep I connect right, or how personal. She will want to know how much it hurt to keep reading. How much I just want to cry thinking back on my experience with hard times. How can I trust her to not push away my feelings and only grade on grammar, and content as if a checklist. Doesn’t that just encourage me to lie to her, just to have her check off the correct elements and move on.

I hate telling general people what happened to me, because then people feel sorry for me. In many ways I want so much to be a child again. To relive life, and make new choices. In my undergrad my professors genuinely cared about me, and thus I could open up to them. They helped me move on, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, it just means I have my own way of dealing with it.(Working to have a safe place for teens to be accepted) I can’t fit that into two double spaced pages. It seems so artificial, so fake.

My school says one ideal, then turns around and in practice does something different. Many days I feel like I’m all the way back in high school again fighting against the walls that try to hold me in. My escape has always been writing, but I can’t bring myself to do that right now, I feel too much pain some days, that I have to just keep moving on. Sometimes I think that Grad school is what’s wrong. I’m not cut out to be at this level yet. In someways that’s right. I do have no command for grammar, and struggle with hypocrites. The workload is heavy, but I have always taken on a lot. It keeps me from dealing with the problems. Only I was never asked to be personal before. In fact here I get counted off for being too personal/informal.

I know have people who tell me all the time that I’m great, and a valuable assist to their projects. I have friends who worry about me, and want me to make sure I don’t burnout. Everyone outside of school praises me, and inside I feel like every step I take is wrong. Half of me wants to lie to them to get it over with and move one, while the other half wants to believe things can be different.

I want to trust this teacher, to allow wounds to be open without fear she is going to make them worse. Why is there no room in grading scales for kids who have suffered emotional stress? Why are teachers so blind most of the time to the lives of their students? They want to think that students show up for class and automatically will find no problems with an assignment that is asked. I guess on one side its right, treat all students equally. Don’t bend the rules for anyone. That is why there is rules. But what about compassion? Wouldn’t it at least make the student’s problems easier if they had someone who did care?

One day I will write a book about my life. I promised myself I would, but the more people admire me, the more nervous I get. I don’t want to people to say things about me or about my past. I don’t want my ideas to be set aside because people can’t get past who I am. It has taken years for me to think positively about myself, and I still can’t handle being boxed in by other peoples rules, no matter how fair. I guess I won’t fit in at many libraries :) .

People ask me where I want to work, and well my answer will always be, where I am supported and encouraged. Right now I am on my own. Everything I say and do are on my guidelines and part of me is nervous about this, because there are NO guidelines, and no one I know to tell me I’m on the wrong track, or saying the wrong thing before I do something stupid.

Somehow this makes me feel better to write here. I know how a teen feels that doesn’t have anywhere else to put their thoughts. In someways its nice writing here, because I know some people can read it, and if a future employer does find this post, then they may understand me better. I’m tired of living in fear I’m doing something wrong. I hope that feeling ends when I graduate in December.

I think my prediction is accurate

March 29, 2006

I have a theory that video games will display the qualities of technology ten years into the future.

My teacher is now talking about croquet. Hum the future of the web is to be more like the video games from ten years ago. I may be on to something here. :)

What does it mean when a teacher starts lecturing on a theory you have had for months? Does that mean you really need a life, or that you really need to get out of school?

I have a feeling that no one really reads this so no one is going to hear what I have to say, but still. SOmethings wrong if my teacher is preaching what I already figured out.

Bookmarks

March 7, 2006
Ok I just finished the YALSA Online class. I can’t get my head into the three assignments due this week. Instead I will reward you with my list of bookmarks. Anytime I find something interesting I book mark it. Enjoy. I keep they all organized on My Yahoo.

About wineanswers.com
Audio scrobbler
Bible
Blockbuster
Broadway
Clowes Hall
Ebay
FACE spay/neuter clinic
Half
Last (Internet Radio)
netLibrary – Online Reader
PalmOne
paul’s Magi Generator
SBC Phonebooks

Comics

1 Dominic Deegan Oracle For Hire

Best WebComic in Town
1 Shortpacked! A webcomic about toys by David Will
2 Count Your Sheep
Regular Read
2 It’s Walky! — WIIGII!
Where Pauly went to school
2 Penny and Aggie
2 Queen of Wands
Addicting Games
Applegeeks
Aspyr
Comedity
Comixpedia
Fallen Angels Used Books – Thursday, December 4, 2003
Last read point?
Game Informer
JoyceandWalky0508 August
JoyceandWalky0509 September
JoyceandWalky0510 October
JoyceandWalky0511 November
JoyceandWalky0512 December
JoyceandWalky0601 January
JoyceandWalky0602 February
JoyceandWalky0603 March
Mac Hall Comics
MegaTokyo – relax, we understand j00
Newgrounds
Nintendo Parents Page
Pbs Kids
Penny Arcade!
SORE THUMBS
SuperFlashBrothers
Some Movies I want to watch
The Web Cartoonist’s Choice Awards
w w w . n o w h e r e g i r l . c o m
zHow to make flashy icons
Zortic

Games

A theory of Fun in Game Design
Academic Co Lab – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Ann Arbor District Library
Bloomington Public Libraryís Game Fest
Card Games
Chicago Library integrates Lending Games
Civilization Watch: Brain Training
Classic Gamer
Constance
Culture Shock: You Decide: Video Game Violence
Dr. Henry Jenkins: Video Games and Education
Dr. Pac-Man? Smart & Healthy Video Games
Educators Turn to Games for Help
Everything I learned about usability…
Game Fly (Paul’s Rentals)
Game Informer
Game On Exhibit Chicago
Game On Syllabus
Game Research . com
GameFest
Gamers Quarterly
Games + Learning + Society
Gaming Gospel-Eli Specs
Gaming in Libraries
Gamming Addiction
Gen Con Indy ‘05 Registration
Gen-Con
Innovate Online
Insiider Discussion Forums
Insiider
Jame Gee Letter to Harvard
Joystick 101
Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Super
Kurt Squire
Library Filling a Niche
Manga, MP3’s, MMORPGS
Marc Prensky
Marc Prensky
Nintendo
OCLC Symposium: Gaming and the Significance for In
PBS Video Game Revolution
Pokemon — Online Pokedex
Professor James Paul Gee Shows the World the Impor
Research papers in Game Design
Simulations and the Future of Learning. Accelerati
The Effect of Violent Video Game Habits on Adolesc
The Escapist
The Gamer Generation
The Psychiatric Effects of Media Violence
The Stanford Study: Less TV=Less Violence
The Video Game Librarian: Book ëEm. Gaming Target
Thinking Inside the Box: Games, Teens and Libraria
Uber Woot
Video Game Librarian
Video Games Lure Youth to the Library
Video game articles
Violent Video Games: The Myths, the Facts, and Una

Indiana

History
Central Indiana News
Department of Education Famous hoosiers
Personal websites and Movie database
Developmentally appropriate Indiana Information
Famous Hoosier Journalists
Famous Hoosier List from IHS
Famous Hoosier List
Not complete
Famous Hoosier Table
Broken Links, Not best site available
George Rogers Clark National Historic Park
Hoosier Heritage
INCOLSA Site linking resources from libraries
HoosierWood
Famous Indiana Actors and Actresses
Indiana Basebal Hall of Fame
Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
Indiana Historical Bureau
Hoosier Historians, and other resources
Indiana Historical Society
Photographs, Notobale Hoosier list and more
Indiana Humanities Links Page
Indiana Information from Monroe County Library
Indiana Online
Indiana author’s and illustrators index
Indiana’s Historic Landmarks
History of Indiana buildings
Indianapolis Star Famous Hoosiers
People with more recent impact
Lincoln’s Boyhood Memorial
A Indiana National Park
Marion County Public Library-Famous Hoosier
bibliography of books
Robert Indiana Online
Some Indiana Hoosiers
Site is poor, no academic websites

Pathfinder

Article about Historic Homes
Barbara Webster Webquest
County History Preservation Society–Adams
Eliot Rosewater–Vonnegut
Facts about Indiana
Famous Hoosier Quiz April 15 2004
Hoosier State Beneath Us
Hoosier in Humanities Pathfinder
Hoosiers Helping Hoosiers
Indiana Find List of Famous Hoosier
Just a list of people
Indiana’s Golden Age Article
Inquiry
Inspire Path Finder
Kasmarti Famous Hoosier
Lew Wallace
Lynn Hodgkin Webquest
Marry H Krout
Miss Daley’s Famous Hoosier
Mrs Montgomery’s Fourth Grade Website
Paths of Famous Hoosier (Enjoy Indiana)
Purdue Webquest
SmartDesktop
Solo Shows-Performances of Riley
Buisness, but can hire to sing poems
Webquest garden

James and Lily Potter FanFic

Beginning to Prophcy
Links to Sites about Kirbee
Newer Stories
Prophocy fuffilled

Library

AIME Home page
ALA Home
American Association of School Librarians
American Public Library Association
Annette Lamb’s Website
Association for Library Service to Children
Butler Library
Citation Style Guide
E Resources Article
Eduscapes
English Blog
Games in Education Survey 2005
Teachers Perceptions of Video Game MMOGs and the Future of Preservice Teacher Education
Humorous YA Titles
INCOLSA
Indiana Library Federation
Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library
Indina Public Libraries
From State Library Website
Innovate
Inspire Indy Links
not on site yet
Internet Public Library
Invisible Web Com
Invisible Web Net
Johnson County Public Library
Lib Success Wiki
LibGaming
Library Spot
Library Support Staff
Marion County iLibrary
Monroe Booklist
Palni
SLIS
Stratigic Planning (Management Ed.)
Teacher Source
Temple University
YALSA-BK Archive
Yalsa Teens and Technolgy
young Adult Library Services Association

Cataloging

Cyber Dewy
Library of Congress Authority
OCLC
100-076-303
OCLC
for problems logging into

Moo

IPL MOO
Lost Moo
MOO Library

Literature

ACHUKA Children’s Books UK
ALA American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
ALA YALSA
Award Winning Books Database
Book Links
Center for Children’s Books
Centro Barahona — Barahona Center
Child Lit Book Review Blog
Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database Login
Children’s Literature
Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC)
Graphic Novels
ALA
Hornbook Blog
KLIATT
Middle Grades Reading Network
NYTimes Children’s Book Review
Passport International Children’s Literature
Picturing Books A Website About Picture Books
reading Rants
School Library Journal
Teen Reads!
The Horn Book, Inc. – Publications about books for children and young adults
VOYA OnLine
WHAT ARE COMIC BOOKS
Young Hoosier

Book Awards

Australian children’s book of the Year
BIBLBY Austrailian Children’s Choice
Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Awards
hans Christian Anderson Book Award
Horn Book Awards
Jane Addams Book Award for Peace
Scott O’ Dell Historical Ficiton

my corner of the world

Private things that embrace who I am
Bloglines
documenting journey
First webpage
L401 page
Movie Rated
My love child

Teacher Resources

Children’s Literature
Technology Integration
Site of the Day for all School Days
WFYI Indianapolis – TeacherLine

Web-Tips and Tricks

Bit Torrent
Download Calculator
Edit Plus-Windows only
Font Freak
HTML CSS Help
JavaScript
Validator
W 3 Schools Homepage
Wayback Machine
Web Pages that Suck
Web Tips and Tricks

Flicker

Color Fields
Faster
Retriever

warning rant

February 13, 2006

Warning Rant

Ignore at personal discretion

One of my hugest pep peeves currently is website validity. I just read this article which made me more upset at Microsoft than before. I am not linking to the actually releases from Microsoft because I assume not many are aware of the different technology incorporated in browser functionality

One of the reasons it is so important to make a browser adhere to the strict W3 standards is that screen readers are being developed to use standard coding. CSS was created mainly to make the web more accessible for the disabled.

Already many web architects create sites that only work in internet explorer (My husband’s online class uses a website that only works on Windows and Internet Explorer). This is a huge problem online, and one of the reasons I’m mad at Microsoft.

Never Underestimate a Teen

February 12, 2006

News just in from Normal, Illinois

Teens have been making science fiction reality. The best part is that they are just normal everyday kids who have been exposed to technology thier whole lives.

I can’t wait to see what they do in their 20’s :)

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February 7, 2006

I love how blogs allow anyone to write for any reason. Its very empowering. When I was younger, the popular thing was writing fan-fics. My first forum was for Harry Potter. An author would write in installments, and fans would hang on the edge of their seats to hear the next paragraph or page. Now we have special pages for fan fic, and its normally submitted as a whole, not in installments. Its sad, because that is how I came to understand writers like Dickens.

Every interest I have has an online community. Board Game Geeks allows me to trade Board Games. Insiider not only offered card trades, but featured news, artwork, online game play, online role playing in MUD format, advertising space, and a place to chat about non magi nation topics.

I also created a Neo pet when it was still very small. I would spend hours feeding it, playing games, searching for the perfect item…. I returned in college when I manned the reference desk. It was just beginning to be commercialized. I loved the worlds, and the ability to access different places. I left when there was more commercial than content. Now my biggest non professional place is the Keenspot forums.

All my past online experience has helped me be comfortable in online classes, listservs, Google groups, and blogs. My husband and I also play many games which helps me stay comfortable with technology. I have always been able to pick something up and use it, using my teen years to program TV messages, make homemade remotes for classroom use, and finding hidden games on school computers. All without a computer at home.

I don’t mean to be rude but I don’t think teens would want or need a class about creating My Space. They could go for tips on the library webpage. If you read the OCLC’s report about Library Perceptions. Most teens are aware of the library’s website, but don’t use it because they find Google better. I think this is one of the biggest things we can do to appeal to “my” generation.

Quality Sources

January 31, 2006

I felt it was about time that I list some of my favorite locations to find information about video game research.

The first is the Academic Co-Lab of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here I have found many professionally written papers, and research from not only the James Gee, but also Constance Steinkuehler, Kurt Squire, and other professors and students from the program.

My second favorite is LibGaming. It is both a Blog, and a Google Group.

Next I would select PEW Internet & American Life Project. The research completed by this group is both valuable and authoritative. PEW is a non profit research center associated with the Metropolitan Library Systems of Illinois.

A similar organization the Entertainment Software Association publishes studies completed about gaming and the people who game. I find this less authoritative, due to its small sample size for all its surveys.

One could not go without linking to the podcasts from MLS or ALA’s Teen and Technology Institute. Also attributed to the game researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is the conference GLS. (but you have to wait to purchase tickets.) In addition to this I also find Wired News, Terra Nova, and Joystiq quite helpful, filled out by some Google Alerts.

Lastly I feel I must mention Game Research .com. I have not explored the site as much as I would like, but feel it will serve me well in the future.

CC Meeting

January 28, 2006

I didn’t overwhelm the CC staff. Instead they want to meet with me Feb 6. Look forward to further announcements.

In other news Beth has invited me to the greatest honor yet-She has accepted me to be a contributor for the LibGaming Blog.
This comes on the heels of my “accidental” sign-up for assisting in creating an ALA gaming event for 2007.

I suggested the program-was asked to help-then became a part. I forgot how easy it is to get involved in something. I did this kind of organizational involvement in high school, but for me this is a million times bigger. Its a good thing that I have been slowly working up to this point by doing little things that needed to be done. I think that’s really the only way to get somewhere though-you start small and just keep doing what you can. If you are persistent it all works out in the end, and you make new friends along the way.

Google releases Chinese censored search engine

January 25, 2006

I received the news that Google is assisting Chinese censorship. At first I will admit I was angry, but I decided to research the facts.

I discovered that this is the only
way that Google will be accessible in China. In 2002, the Chinese
government blocked the website, and at times redirected it to a
government search engine. All search engines that are used in the
country must meet the government’s strict guidelines. I agree that it
does seem awful that Google is conforming to the Chinese standards, but
we must also boycott Microsoft, Yahoo, and most businesses that
compromise values to sell their product to the Chinese people or use
Chinese workers to make parts of products.

China’s government censors not only search keywords, but bloggers. This
article is by Chinese Bloggers illustrates issues with China’s
firewall. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4650158.stm

Doing a parallel search for “keywords” in both www.google.cn and
www.google.com comes with similar results. The biggest impact is the
news page. Comparing a search for Tibet on the different pages, one can
see a depressing difference.

As advocates for information, our real battle is against China’s
Communism and not Google. China’s firewall censors everything Google is blocking. Google is only meeting the Chinese government’s standards.

It would be like Random House or HarperCollins publishing a classic that had words taken out of it. The same classic available with the words crudely marked out with a permanent marker. I would hope that we would not boycott the publishers for providing better quality materials to the readers than what would be available otherwise.