MARS

No, not the planet. The Machine-Assisted Reference Section of ALA. Every year, MARS releases a list of the best free reference web sites of the year. There's also a combined index. Past (and even present) winners are not checked for continued existence, free-ness, etc., so that's something to keep in mind when using it. The combined index dates back to 1999 and, unlike the current year's list, is not annotated. So, here's 2009 and the combined index. All in all, a useful resource.

Learning 2.0 Wrap Up

So, my thoughts on Learning 2.0. I used lots of stuff I probably would never have even looked at otherwise -- Google Docs, Flickr, and Bloglines, to name a few. Some I'll keep using, like Flickr and Bloglines. Even more than doing this myself, I enjoyed helping others. Do I think it was worthwhile for me to do? Yes. Despite my tech rep, I really am afraid of some of this stuff. This has helped with that. It's also been nice to show other people that I don't know everything. All in all, I think it was worthwhile.

Downloading Audiobooks with Overdrive

This was pretty easy for me. I've done it before, but went through the whole process again just for the practice. I was able to do the Windows Media Player security update with no problem, following the instructions. I wasn't sure I'd be able to, since that kid in the library the other day couldn't. He did everything right, just wasn't able to get to it. The error message did give a website to go to, and he was able to download from the site. Still, it was frustrating for all four of us -- the kid, his mom, the first librarian to help him, and me. (He had a laptop, it wasn't one of our computers.) I even transferred a book to my iPod. It was easy using the transfer wizard (or whatever it's called). I left the default setting for downloading, so it took longer than if I'd followed the suggestion to change the setting. Still, like I said, easy. For me.

Facebook

My mom is on Facebook. We're Facebook friends. She joined because her friend in American Eskimo Dog rescue asked her to. It had nothing to do with me, or my brother, or our cousins who are all on Facebook (and who are now her Facebook friends). Until the Eskie lady asked her to join, she "didn't want to put a bunch of personal information out there" and it was "too hard." (It's still hard, but she makes up for it by being able to drive a standard transmission. More than two pedals, and I'm in the passenger seat.) Like a lot of people, she joined because of a particular cause or group or interest. In her case, Eskie rescue. In some other people's case, a political cause, or social action, or Learning 2.0. Facebook lets people connect with others who have similar interests, share a hobby, went to the same school, like the same TV show, or think their Attorney General has wittier press releases than other state's AGs. (The group Our State's Attorney General is Funnier than Your State's Attorney General has 88 members as of this writing.) Then there are the fun apps (applications) like bowling and pieces of flair. Can people get in trouble on Facebook? Sure. It's easy, really. But just remember, never put anything on Facebook you wouldn't want a potential employer to see. Or your Mom.