Archive for July, 2008

Google on…..

July 21, 2008 at 10:01 pm · Filed under Library 10 Things ·Tagged ,

I’ve realized three uses so far for Google Docs…..and had a couple other thoughts….

Uses:
1) I’ll reiterate the benefit given by whoever is the MyWeb 2.0 Leader this week – customers being able to print word docs that they bring in on a USB from the Internet computer. I haven’t actually done it yet with anyone – but definitely see the usefulness.

2) Committee work – anyone who works on a committee knows that it can get confusing sometimes – where to save the documents you’re currently working on with other members – the Sdrive? Staffnet? Back and forth in personal folders – and be sure to keep track of which version is most recent! When working behind the scenes to create documents or to collaborate on What Needs to be Done lists, etc. – use Google docs, invite the appropriate people to collaborate.

3) My own To Do Lists — my mind is always, always, always going and I love to make lists so those many thoughts and ideas make it with me to the appropriate time and place for them to be useful! I’m also trying to cut down on the number of notebooks I buy and the amount of waste I create making these myriad lists. Recently, I’ve begun turning my computer on at home while getting ready in the morning, opening a New email message, keeping it open as I get ready and making a list to capture all the things I want to address at work. When I’m at work, I make a similar list in my organizer of all the things I want to do that day in my personal life. My plan now is to create a To Do list every morning in Google Docs that I can access from home and from work and have one list (one big list, I’m sure) every day to keep an eye on!

Thoughts:
I was hoping this would be a good way to share publicity flyers with people in the library and outside, particularly flyers created in Publisher. We only have 2 computers with Publisher in our library and many staff end up using Word to create flyers because the competition for the Publisher computers is high. Also, I/we get and send Publisher documents via email for someone to review, but they can’t even be opened to be looked at unless at one of the Publisher comupters. Unfortunately, it doesn’t accept Publisher docs for upload yet. Maybe in the future??

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My family is on the run….

July 17, 2008 at 3:06 am · Filed under Personal ·Tagged , , , ,

….in a good way!!

[Full disclosure - this post is in no way library-related.  If you wish to stop reading now, I won't hold it against you!]

I am currently training to run the Nike Half-Marathon in San Francisco on October 19th.  My aunt, Alice, is also training to run the Nike Half-Marathon.  My brother, Chris, is showing us both up by training to run the full Nike Marathon (that’s 26.2 miles folks!).  I’m not affiliated with any group – just doing this one on my own – but Alice & Chris are both running with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training.

We’re all running, and they’re fundraising, in honor of my parents, Mick & Gloria Gick, both of whom have struggled with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  While my mom has been in remission and doing well for quite some time (thank goodness), my dad died this April after a valiant nine-year battle with the cancer.   Raising money to help LLS is one of the things we felt we could do to help find treatments and cures so others won’t have to face the same loss in the future.

I’ve run with Team in Training before – they’re a terrific organization and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is simply fantastic.  But this time around I’m taking the easy route (trust me, the running is much easier than  the fundraising) and I thought the least I could do to help  Chris in his efforts was to post his TnT website here.  If anyone feels so inclined (and please don’t feel in any way obligated), donations to his fundraising efforts would be gratefully accepted.

Chris Gick’s TnT Website

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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I’m bookmarked….

July 15, 2008 at 4:45 pm · Filed under Library 10 Things ·Tagged

Welcome to my del.icio.us bookmarks…

This was another of the – “already have an account but don’t really do anything with it” cases for me! So – I’ve added a few. I’ve always been a bookmarker – I have a bunch on my browser at work, I have a bunch on my browser at home. Now I just need to put them all together in this one place! Brilliant!

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R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

July 8, 2008 at 11:16 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Last week I viewed an archived InfoPeople webcast called Setting Boundaries with Library Patrons.. It was a pretty good overview of some of the best ways to deal with the public, both in challenging or difficult situations, and in those situations where your customer wants to be your good friend and hang out for awhile!

Perhaps I’ll go into more detail about some of the other things that I came away with in another post, but there is one point that has been rattling around in my head since I watched the webcast.

The presenter was talking about approaching customers with Respect and said that he often asks in his classes how people show respect to others. Many answer “making eye contact,” “acknowledging a person’s presence,” and I must admit that I’d probably fall in line with those answers. However, he argues, these actions are merely good manners (and should always be employed!), but that to really show someone respect is to have high expectations of them!

By always expecting the most of a person, whether they’re a customer, a co-worker, a volunteer, a friend, we’re showing that we hold them in high esteem and that we believe that they’re capable of performing at the top of the game – whatever that game may be (work performance, behavior, etc.).

I have high expectations for my staff. I have high expectations for myself. I’ve never thought that expecting the best was something out of the ordinary. I never really even thought of it as a tactic for motivation. Its simply the way it is. But what about working with the public – do I always approach interactions with the public in the same way? Do I enter into every interaction with respect for the person? Or do I sometimes come into it with a preconceived notion about what’s going on, what the behavior is, where the person is coming from?

I expect anyone I have an interaction with to assume the best and hold me to the highest level until or unless I prove otherwise. Why not do the same for them? Co-worker, volunteer, or customer – we all deserve to have high expectations placed on us – we all deserve to be approached with respect.

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WikiREADia

July 7, 2008 at 11:54 pm · Filed under What I found while playing ·Tagged , ,

I ran across this in one of my favorite blogs to read…..Librarian in Black.

WikiREADia - a wiki devoted to Reading! Not to books, not to authors, but to the art and the act of reading – how to celebrate reading, how to promote reading, etc. A website of good practices, resources, inspiration for anyone who works to support reading.

The wiki was created in the UK as part of their 2008 National Year of Reading, so some of the info is UK-specific, but just digging into a couple of the different areas, it looks like a great resource. And perhaps a great place for us to share our experiences as a Reading Organization – what we do, how we do it, as well. More to follow as I explore the site, but I’d love to hear from others what they think of it!

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Gicks on Flickr

July 7, 2008 at 6:34 pm · Filed under Library 10 Things

Cute, eh……so far, that’s whats there on my Flickr account - just a few family photos.

I forgot that I actually had a Flickr account already, so this Thing was pretty easy! At home, I use Flock as a web browser, which pretty much prompts you to create accounts in all sorts of web 2.0, social networking applications – some of which I set up when I started using Flock and have forgotten about – like Flickr! I usually use Picasa for my photos, and you can use that app to share online as well, which made accessing a few photos from work to add to my Flickr account pretty easy!

I’m becoming one of those hyperconnected people you read about. And I’m loving it!

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Wiki away…..

July 2, 2008 at 10:24 pm · Filed under Library 10 Things ·Tagged , ,

Ooooh……this is going to be fun! I knew in theory that I could post a Staff Picks on our wiki and now I know that I actually can do it! I admit this one made me nervous – I was afraid I’d delete someone else’s review, but patience, a few deep breaths, and I got through it.

Here’s my review of the children’s book Time at the Top by Edward Ormondroyd (for ages 9-12ish) – a book I read as a child that stuck with me for years (and years and years). I found it again a couple months ago and re-read it, to my absolute delight.

Alright 2.0…..what else ya got for me?!?!?!

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