Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Woo-Hoo! Crossing the Finish Line!


I did it! The 27 Things have eaten up a lot of my free time in the past few weeks and more than once left me gritting my teeth in frustration. Still, I've learned a lot, and writing a blog has actually been fun. I feel more able now to help patrons in their Web 2.0 explorations. Today, speaking with a woman who was checking out a set of CD's for learning Spanish, I showed her how to use Mango and told her about my recent positive experience with it. Then shortly afterward. a fellow asked about SPL's digital library, and I was able to guide him through the steps of checking out an e-book.

Another thing I liked about the 27 Things was that it brought a lot of SPL staff at different branches together in a common activity. That almost never happens. Even at the big annual meeting in October, people tend to sit with their friends rather than talking to other library staff they don't know. And sometimes we even helped each other figure things out! There was a bit of camaraderie. And I learned some surprising personal things about other staff -- who's hilarious, who likes birdwatching, who's into science fiction, who's building a new house, etc.

The one suggestion I would make is that it would have been nice to have one place we could all go to post our questions or problems with the technical stuff. It was rather hit-or-miss to have to post our desperate pleas for help as comments on someone else's blog, hoping they or another reader might answer.

Should the SPL 27 Things Challenge be repeated? Maybe for any SPL patrons who are interested -- why not? But it should be advertised widely first.

Okay, now I'll kick back with a glass of ice-cold lemonade or maybe a margarita and root for others who are nearing the end of this great techie adventure. Go! Go!

7 comments:

  1. Hi - I'm so sorry to hear about your cat - you have my deepest sympathies. I have cats, so I understand. Also just wanted to say I enjoyed reading your blog, and I agreee with what you said about the blogs being a way for SPL staff to know more about each other.

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  2. Good suggestion about a problem posting q &a site- maybe a wiki!

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  3. Yes, let's Wikify the Help Line for 27 Things! I really enjoy reading your blog---note the present tense; perhaps you'll feel a burning desire to add more (or maybe not). Congratulations!

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  4. So awesome! Thank you for having fun and learning new things!!! And, yes, we are definitely thinking about doing the 27 Things thing for the public; maybe sometime in the fall.

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  5. Great satisfaction in completing your goal, eh? But please keep writing this blog. I love following your ideas in this way.

    Love, Ally

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  6. Congratulations on reaching the finish line! I enjoyed seeing you and others decorate your blogs with "things" as you worked through the exercises. Thanks for participating!

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  7. I am so sorry about your cat. I spoke to Alberta today and she passed the news on. I have been checking your blog but missed that.

    Please keep blogging - for all of us. You are amazing at it and already have a following! Beautiful pictures. You are a person of many, many talents. Barb

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