tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65948566380234381542024-03-14T03:33:14.875-07:00iHCPL: The Next GenerationiSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-74876516258119319242010-05-24T08:37:00.000-07:002011-09-15T14:19:52.795-07:00You Oughta Be in Pictures #91: Fun with PhotosSometimes a simple edit doesn't enhance your photos. Have no fear, image generators and fun online editing tools are here to the rescue!<br />
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There are many sites you can use to spiff up your photos. A new favorite of mine is <a href="http://www.befunky.com/">BeFunky</a>. Like other editing sites, BeFunky has basic and premium options. Although the basic features are not as extensive as a paid account, the free finishes are definitely worth checking out and give your photos a new life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iteEFmSfWCQnUiz3_ows5Syy9xGt2Hc1qozRDvDMc0B9gA_VjisD5jqjIRDJCOHSdqqHRtD8UfQMHTFgRWEDz0kxQLqToNktw3K_OBglmAby6UIXu85BOs0h66v7g5B12p7-BQtP3qRZ/s1600/SM_original_LomoArt_5.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470843735276194850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iteEFmSfWCQnUiz3_ows5Syy9xGt2Hc1qozRDvDMc0B9gA_VjisD5jqjIRDJCOHSdqqHRtD8UfQMHTFgRWEDz0kxQLqToNktw3K_OBglmAby6UIXu85BOs0h66v7g5B12p7-BQtP3qRZ/s400/SM_original_LomoArt_5.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 185px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 221px;" /></a></div>
A couple of personal favorites are the Cartoonizer and Lomo. BeFunky also offers Goodies. You can add frames, stickers, speech bubbles and more to your photos. The one drawback of BeFunky is that the free account automatically adds its logo to your image. This may cause a distraction for your photo but if you are okay with that, try it out and see what you can come up with. You can always go to another site and crop out the URL.<br />
<a href="http://bighugelabs.com/"><br />BigHugeLabs</a> is another fun site with a variety of ways to present your photos. It was originally known as FDToys and was mentioned in the <a href="http://ihcpl.blogspot.com/">original iHCPL</a> but its so great, its worth mentioning again! If you have a collection of photos, you can make photo strips and collages. For single photos, you can transform them to motivational posters, "warholize" them, or customize it<span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> a </span>la </span>David Hockney!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyOQrEjX0mKB0icqbl0EMgC8nIHcz7EXYhhYSvLwO_YwRAkROQ7KV3jzwkrJWZmxopi9bJ8J9soWUMed9-i0qA2APKkH7miPIVXL7hLzQmXKNze50cspe9WpUd7Nl-VgDk2l8JkqkUkas/s1600/SM_Hockney.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470849185501991202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyOQrEjX0mKB0icqbl0EMgC8nIHcz7EXYhhYSvLwO_YwRAkROQ7KV3jzwkrJWZmxopi9bJ8J9soWUMed9-i0qA2APKkH7miPIVXL7hLzQmXKNze50cspe9WpUd7Nl-VgDk2l8JkqkUkas/s400/SM_Hockney.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 287px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 229px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Image Generators</span><br />
Apart from adding finishes to your photos, you can plug your image into a scenario to add humor. Most often image generators use your face to plug into an image (using a celebrity body or even an art piece) but you can use the keyword search to find other scenarios. Some use GIF animation which allow your image to move.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuzqQIO8GN1h__bIYHjS8d_pJXRDqp2N995LRFD6AGwFeLONA_RX2tpArA2e5PwoQt2ksX4xmb2JjZhlXA4TbaJEZj0jv1fhWOugjDhvPTtoewN1rsqu0Ea7UM6qU5qtIDW3vOwQw1Asx/s1600/FaceInWildThings.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472635328796361570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuzqQIO8GN1h__bIYHjS8d_pJXRDqp2N995LRFD6AGwFeLONA_RX2tpArA2e5PwoQt2ksX4xmb2JjZhlXA4TbaJEZj0jv1fhWOugjDhvPTtoewN1rsqu0Ea7UM6qU5qtIDW3vOwQw1Asx/s400/FaceInWildThings.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 203px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 155px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.faceinhole.com/">FaceInHole</a> and <a href="http://funny.pho.to/">Pho.to</a> offer a variety of scenarios and GIF animations. FaceInHole allows you to search scenarios by number of faces you want to include or by keyword search.<br />
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We didn't forget about you pet lovers either. Build your own LOLcat (or any animal or celebrity!) <a href="http://cheezburger.com/lolbuilder.aspx?v=1">here</a>. You can use a photo from <a href="http://cheezburger.com/sites">Cheezburger</a>'s bank or upload your own. Whatever image you choose to use, have fun with it!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span><br />
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<li><a href="http://fotoflexer.com/">FotoFlexer</a>, mentioned in the <a href="http://ihcplnextgen.blogspot.com/2010/05/you-oughta-be-in-pictures-89-basic.html">first post</a>, has effects similar to <a href="http://www.befunky.com/">BeFunky</a> and <a href="http://bighugelabs.com/">BigHugeLabs</a>. Choose a photo to edit in FotoFlexer and either BeFunky or BigHugeLabs (Cartoonizer, Warholizer, etc). Compare the two. Were the results the same? Do you have a preference?</li>
<li>Use one of the image generators to spiff up a profile picture. You can search <a href="http://funny.pho.to/">Pho.to</a> or <a href="http://www.faceinhole.com/us/">FaceInHole</a> for different scenarios - be creative with your search! Share your newly generated image on your blog.</li>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">HCPL Staff</span>: Have you completed posts 89, 90, & 91? Don't forget to submit your <a href="http://harriet.hcpl.net/index.php?q=content/ihcpl-next-generation-registration" linkindex="87">Registration of Completion</a>.<br />
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This module brought to you by Linda Stevens, Grace Lillevig and Veronica Garza.iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-20182000433246422462010-05-19T12:30:00.001-07:002010-05-19T12:30:43.828-07:00You Oughta Be in Pictures #90: Sharing PhotosOnce you have your beautifully <a href="http://ihcplnextgen.blogspot.com/2010/05/you-oughta-be-in-pictures-89-basic.html">edited </a>photos, you'll want to share them with people, or at least put them online as a backup. We have looked at <a href="http://ihcpl.blogspot.com/2007/09/week-3-5-discover-flickr.html">Flickr </a>before, but there are other options for sharing as well. Most sites have some kind of free option and many link to social networks like Facebook and MySpace. Sharing is easy through links or codes you can use to embed the image in Blogger or other sites.<br /><br />Features to look for:<br /><ul><li>Free and Pro options: Depending on your needs, you may want to opt for a paid option at some point</li><li>Photo editing</li><li>Customizable privacy settings</li><li>Easy sharing on social networks or via email</li><li>Printing options if you want photo prints or products<br /></li></ul>TopTenReviews provides a brief overview of photosharing sites in this short <a href="http://photo-sharing-services-review.toptenreviews.com/photo-sharing-services-c133-video-1.html">video</a>. In addition, they provide a <a href="http://photo-sharing-services-review.toptenreviews.com/">comparison </a>of 10 popular services. We'll take a brief look at a couple of the most popular options.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Flickr</span></a><br /><br />This is what we use to store and share <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hcplebranch/">HCPL's photos</a>. Flickr's free option limits the number of photos you can upload each month and only shows the 200 most recently uploaded images. However, your images will not disappear from a blog even if they don't show on your Flickr photostream. A pro option with unlimited storage is also available.<br /><br />Unique features:<br /><ul><li>Images are permanently stored on the site<br /></li><li>Integrated editing with Picnik</li><li>Customizable creative commons licenses<br /></li><li>Take the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/tour/">Flickr Tour</a> to explore the major features.</li></ul>The below image is embedded directly from Flickr.<br /><br /><a title="Jake-bluebonnets by hoosgracie, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoosgracie/4531809458/"><img style="width: 390px; height: 293px;" alt="Jake-bluebonnets" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2241/4531809458_cc9f7c48e7.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://photobucket.com/">Photobucket</a><br /><br />The free option on Photobucket allows for unlimited uploads of photos and videos. The limits are 500 MB of storage and 10 GB of bandwidth (this is when the content is viewed on another site you've shared your content on). This can be an issue if you have a lot of photos and share them. Photobucket does have a paid pro option with unlimited storage and bandwidth.<br /><br />Unique features:<br /><ul><li>Create a slide show or build a scrapbook</li><li>For details, see the <a href="http://photobucket.com/about">About Us</a> section.<br /></li></ul><a href="http://picasa.google.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Picasa</span></a><br /><br />Unlike the other options, Picasa is free downloadable software that helps you organize your photos on your computer. It has built in image editing software to improve your photos. Once you're ready to share you can upload your albums to <a href="https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?hl=en_US&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Flh%2Flogin%3Fcontinue%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fpicasaweb.google.com%252Fhome&service=lh2&ltmpl=gp&passive=true">Picasa Web Albums</a>. Information on Picasa <a href="http://picasa.google.com/features.html">features</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Facebook</span></a><br /><br />Have a Facebook account? So do nearly 1/2 a billion other folks. Facebook has become a major player in the photo sharing world. If most of your friends and family are on Facebook, it's a simple matter of uploading your photos to share them. When you create or edit an album on Facebook, you can "Edit Info" and set privacy levels. You can share your albums with non-Facebookers using public links.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span><br /><ol><li>Watch the <a href="http://photo-sharing-services-review.toptenreviews.com/photo-sharing-services-c133-video-1.html">video</a> for an overview of photosharing.<br /></li><li>If you aren't familiar with any of these sites, browse through the public areas and their features or tours.</li><li>What features are important to you when sharing your photos? Are privacy or copyright/creative commons options important to you? Which site do you prefer?<br /></li></ol>This module brought to you by Linda Stevens, Grace Lillevig and Veronica Garza.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Image: used with permission from Grace Lillevig</span>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-87928448993865621602010-05-11T08:11:00.001-07:002011-09-20T07:31:38.760-07:00You Oughta Be In Pictures #89: Basic Photo EditingWith this module, will examine images on the web. We will take a basic look at photo editing, find ways to share your photos online, and tour a variety of fun image related sites. <strong>Completing all three posts in this module is worth 2 training hours. This module is available through July 31, 2010.</strong><br />
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<blockquote>
<em><span style="font-size: 85%;">Buying a Nikon doesn't make you a photographer. It makes you a Nikon owner. ~Anonymous</span></em></blockquote>
It doesn't matter if you are an excellent photographer or you chop off everyone's head in each picture that you take -- photo editing tools can help enhance or correct any photo. They can help you do anything from adding captions to correcting red-eyes, from cropping to adding special effects. Luckily, there are now a wide variety of free options that are very easy to use.<br />
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<a href="http://www.picnik.com/">Picnik</a><br />
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I find Picnik to be very intuitive and it has a wide variety of tools available for free. You don't even have to register, though you receive more benefits if you do. You can also choose the "premium" service to get even more options.<br />
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Let's start with Red Eye. The photo being edited is of my dog, Buster. He's looking at me with a heart full of love and the flaming eyes of a demon. Picnik has a quick fix for this. Upload my photo, go to edit, select Touch-up, <a href="http://www.picnik.com/app#/edit">select Red Eye</a>, and choose "Furball." It also works for non-furry individuals.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeAE5Atqm03sP5fkGJnldMCOnysnbTS7OZ8l9aqoJp-8jhZOUEf6hJWHGLqnRv3YI94xooYEfpYEmAPf6L97_znfkCZT0Zhlrw3U3kDnz1ijZlIUBCFDNvz_i7WLrV6jfnFS8xiRuRNw/s1600/Buster+Red+Eye+Edit+-+new.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeAE5Atqm03sP5fkGJnldMCOnysnbTS7OZ8l9aqoJp-8jhZOUEf6hJWHGLqnRv3YI94xooYEfpYEmAPf6L97_znfkCZT0Zhlrw3U3kDnz1ijZlIUBCFDNvz_i7WLrV6jfnFS8xiRuRNw/s400/Buster+Red+Eye+Edit+-+new.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Now, we'll move on to <a href="http://www.picnik.com/app#/edit">cropping</a>. I like the picture of Buster, but I'd like to take out the part where you can see the dust bunnies on my floor. [Cropping is available under Basic Edits.] You can also crop to get rid of the date imprinted on your picture, if you forgot to turn that camera feature off.</div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470028858864900706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BMRcN2dTB3SxUoDWhElXA8-j3obGzZIKCyIk7NhTGaIgJaN14TLpVBVEWSAlQgz-kmpQkb2BSoSUZhcGfUW_04V9F2PO1E-Rt-LyXsm-r06zWliUJRwZaSMHgnxvzvM_q4RfR5ofMGFo/s400/crop2.png" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 148px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
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Now, to everyone's favorite part: photo bedazzling. We'll change from the "edit" tab to the "create" tab to see what kind of effects are available. You can add <a href="http://www.picnik.com/app#/create/effects">visual effects</a>, like sepia or neon, <a href="http://www.picnik.com/app#/create/text">insert</a><a href="http://www.picnik.com/app#/create/text"> text</a>, <a href="http://www.picnik.com/app#/create/touchup">fix</a> the subject's skin problems (yes, from acne to wrinkles!) or even <a href="http://www.picnik.com/app#/create/seasonal">decorate</a> your photos for a particular holiday. Remember, anything labeled "premium" will require a membership, but I think you'll find plenty to work with free of charge. </div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470029278060504962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5XlBpSnkUVW_8bHS5_L-tsfqjkzfD0jjn1K2vDiMhRXLOUF-jA9wjMPYVlmpU_a5UXkR_u6reFIEoumRJqVdHSI0rJ9GkFZ5klXmBehVR_cjsrGknzg3Fk4rr7BS3xmvDJgJTcrEHSJZ/s400/Buster+bedazzled.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 316px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
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We've looked at these effects using Picnik, but there are other quality free photo editing sites out there, it's all a matter of preference.<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.photoshop.com/">Photoshop</a> - The free online version of Photoshop has a huge variety of tools and effects (fun effect: Pop Color), but I find it a bit more difficult to use than other sites. Registration is required.</li>
<li><a href="http://fotoflexer.com/">Fotoflexer</a> - Similar to Picnik, but without the many inaccessible premium parts. Very straightforward with nice effects (fun effect: Cartoon).</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXQKI6ZiYvKrXRo2VdrQ48nG9wRma70e3jw71BhZ_uqkFUBgl4hoI7MmDgJuEwyBuTNtj9OfPqKM3-ESTP8RxWeaN42XHgkbnJatcW-AY-3Fh3arCWCO7gNr-YvUwTjJVasLORnQ_z0gl/s200/istar-tip.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXQKI6ZiYvKrXRo2VdrQ48nG9wRma70e3jw71BhZ_uqkFUBgl4hoI7MmDgJuEwyBuTNtj9OfPqKM3-ESTP8RxWeaN42XHgkbnJatcW-AY-3Fh3arCWCO7gNr-YvUwTjJVasLORnQ_z0gl/s200/istar-tip.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 94px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 140px;" /></a>Tip: To resize photos (file size) for use on the web, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Office_Picture_Manager">Microsoft Office Picture Manager</a> (available as one of your Office programs) is quick and easy to use.<br />
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<strong>Exercises</strong><br />
<ol>
<li>Upload a photo to <a href="http://www.picnik.com/">Picnik</a>, <a href="http://www.photoshop.com/">Photoshop</a> or <a href="http://www.fotoflexer.com/">Fotoflexer</a>. Use at least one editing feature (red-eye fix, cropping, sharpening, resizing, etc.) and one creating feature (framing, adding text, touching up, captions, etc.). Post the edited photo on your blog.</li>
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<li>Which photo editing features are important for your use? Which of the listed sites would best meet your photographic needs? Post your answer in your blog.</li>
</ol>
This module brought to you by Linda Stevens, Grace Lillevig and Veronica Garza.</div>
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iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-22787997479790024982010-04-27T08:48:00.000-07:002010-04-27T08:50:00.310-07:00The Web According to Google #88: Wave, Buzz, and Mobile<a style="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisReLcWrIUu_-XrmtLKqNif9KBACBYW77rbIyS7jOLY5YO2Tg5ng-_Wn4sFmLw6-yLrVdmzSQZhmFvkzJJkxtasI_AC8TC-sbRQZlc2srk7_dXcKVaitM2UNOpvOz7zke0PBfpk1arLQC2/s1600/3185410319_f7b64e017d_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 91px; height: 91px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisReLcWrIUu_-XrmtLKqNif9KBACBYW77rbIyS7jOLY5YO2Tg5ng-_Wn4sFmLw6-yLrVdmzSQZhmFvkzJJkxtasI_AC8TC-sbRQZlc2srk7_dXcKVaitM2UNOpvOz7zke0PBfpk1arLQC2/s200/3185410319_f7b64e017d_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464569878356028082" border="0" /></a>In this final post we're going to look at two collaborative applications that Google is testing as well as how to take Google with you.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://wave.google.com/about.html">Google Wave</a>, which is currently in preview, is a way for people to collaborate. Waves include:<br /><ul><li>Discussions</li><li>Task Tracking</li><li>Meetings</li><li>Documents</li><li>Brainstorms.<br /></li></ul>This brief video gives a nice introduction to Google Wave and how to use it.<br /><br /><object height="295" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p6pgxLaDdQw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p6pgxLaDdQw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="295" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/author/willkelly/">Will Kelly</a> describes some possible uses for Wave such as document collaboration, team chats, sending feedback, web conferencing, event planning and much more in his article <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/01/14/google-wave-whats-it-for/">Google Wave: What's It For?</a>.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.google.com/buzz">Google Buzz</a> lets you follow people and people can follow you through an option in your <a href="http://mail.google.com/">Gmail</a> account. For instance, when you share an item from <a href="http://ihcplnextgen.blogspot.com/2010/04/web-according-to-google-87-google.html">Google Reader</a>, your Buzz followers will see the items you share. Watch this video for an overview of Buzz and how you can share items with your friends.<br /><br /><object height="295" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yi50KlsCBio&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yi50KlsCBio&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="295" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br />So many people are using mobile technology today, so companies like Google are looking for ways to take advantage of that. <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.google.com/mobile/">Google Mobile</a> allows you to access many of Google’s cool features right from your mobile phone! If you have a web enabled phone, you can go to m.google.com to access mobile phone apps for search, maps, Gmail, and more. <a href="http://www.google.com/mobile/search/">Google Search</a> allows you to search Google right from your phone, and includes all of the useful search features you can access with a web browser. Search the web, find images, news, products and more.<br /><br />Some other Google products you can use on your phone include:<br /><ul><li>Google Calendar</li><li>Google Reader</li><li>Google Earth</li><li>YouTube</li><li>Picasa Web Albums</li></ul><a href="http://www.google.com/support/mobile/">Google Mobile Help</a> has additional information about these and other Google Mobile products.<br /><br />As we discussed in the <a href="http://www.google.com/support/mobile/">first post</a>, Google is always trying out new technologies, especially through <a href="http://www.googlelabs.com/">Google Labs</a>. Several of the application we've looked at during this module came out of Labs, so keep an eye on it for the next big thing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises:</span><br /><ol><li>How do you think you could use Google Wave or Buzz for collaboration? Do you currently use any online collaboration tools?</li><li>Read a little about one or two of the Google Mobile apps available for mobile phones. Which ones do you think you would use the most and how?</li><li>Make a post in your blog with your answers.<br /></li></ol><span style="font-weight: bold;">HCPL Staff</span>: Have you completed posts 85, 86, 87, & 88? Don't forget to submit your <a linkindex="87" href="http://harriet.hcpl.net/index.php?q=content/ihcpl-next-generation-registration">Registration of Completion</a>.<br /><br />This post is brought to you by Grace Lillevig (ADM) & Abigail Buchold (ADM).<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />Image: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en">Flickr CC</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigerpixel/3185410319/">New Google Favicon High Resolution</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigerpixel/">Tiger Pixel</a></span>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-14026432412713553182010-04-20T14:55:00.000-07:002010-04-20T14:59:23.477-07:00The Web According to Google #87: Google Reader<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3fTcLyXq75sV0CTW9uQmSeq3y-_fEMkq5VBFhd-SROODlX5Qjky8d4tXohexA1lMd0UiTd3zEu6jiuBUm4gs1h_AkNne2hcHelpsgM-btsMduviByM1XmaqkWIH9RD8-tPmT1_KGkk0O/s1600/1449868160_d560bbfeac_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3fTcLyXq75sV0CTW9uQmSeq3y-_fEMkq5VBFhd-SROODlX5Qjky8d4tXohexA1lMd0UiTd3zEu6jiuBUm4gs1h_AkNne2hcHelpsgM-btsMduviByM1XmaqkWIH9RD8-tPmT1_KGkk0O/s320/1449868160_d560bbfeac_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460794300539930002" border="0" /></a>Back in <a href="http://ihcpl.blogspot.com/">iHCPL: A learning Experience</a>, we looked at <a href="http://www.bloglines.com/">Bloglines </a>in <a href="http://ihcpl.blogspot.com/2007/10/week-4-8-make-life-really-simple-with.html">Thing 8</a> as a way to subscribe to and read RSS feeds. In this post, we're going to look at <a href="http://www.google.com/reader">Google Reader</a> as a better feed reader.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_r54TEYuKao-3Cd75BEyGDeWnyz4OTNTjKtW-YApCk2xajwcSDv7DkcPeZvItO4ULewgMwHpf50ZHpcJ_GutoDnBGRHULO-YqOprg2XjQkDJ06e6deZ4JV-u_bYGI7wdQwFesivYs4cw/s200/rssicon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 55px; height: 55px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_r54TEYuKao-3Cd75BEyGDeWnyz4OTNTjKtW-YApCk2xajwcSDv7DkcPeZvItO4ULewgMwHpf50ZHpcJ_GutoDnBGRHULO-YqOprg2XjQkDJ06e6deZ4JV-u_bYGI7wdQwFesivYs4cw/s200/rssicon.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>As a refresher, RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and is used to deliver updated information to a feed reader or aggregator. You can usually spot websites that have RSS feeds by the orange icon on the right, or a variation thereof. In Internet Explorer the icon shows up just above the screen and Mozilla Firefox the icon shows up in the address bar if a feed exists. You can click on the icon to subscribe to the feed, or copy the link and add it in your reader.<br /><br />Why subscribe to feeds? Instead of having to go check your favorite sites or blogs to see if there's an update, the updates come to you. There are thousands of blogs out there as well as newspapers, magazines, and other media that have feeds on just about any topic you can imagine. Using a reader, you'll know instantly when there's something new.<br /><br />Beyond Bloglines, there are a number of options to read feeds including from within Internet Explorer and using <a href="http://my.yahoo.com/">My Yahoo</a>. So why use <span style="font-weight: bold;">Google Reader</span>? There are several reasons:<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Two options for viewing feeds</span>. The Expanded view shows the complete content of each post. The List view is an overview by blog name, post title and date - if you want a quick view to see if there's anything of interest.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">More Sharing Options</span>. At the bottom of each Expanded post, there are multiple ways to share a post.<br /></li><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Email </span>lets you share by email and if you have a <a href="http://mail.google.com/">Gmail </a>account you can access your address book.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Send </span>to offers posting directly to social sites; set-up where you post through settings. Options include <a href="http://www.twitter.com/">Twitter </a>and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook </a>.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Share </span>and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Share with Note</span> adds the post to your <a href="http://www.google.com/support/reader/bin/answer.py?answer=70656">shared page</a> to which friends can view or subscribe - you decide through settings what is public.<br /></li></ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Like</span>. When you click Like, it adds a note to the post that you liked it. If other users have liked a post, it will show you that as well. You can see who liked it - and they can see you, so do be aware of this. This feature is being used in the <a href="http://www.google.com/reader">Google Play</a>, currently being tested in <a href="http://www.googlelabs.com/">Google Labs</a>. Google Play shows you items of intereste based on what you like.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mobile</span>. You can read Google Reader on a smart phone at <a href="http://reader.google.com/">reader.google.com</a>.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Import/Export</span>. In Settings-Reader, you can import feeds from another aggregator, so if you want to switch from Bloglines, for example, export your feeds from there and then import them to Google Reader.<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span>:<br /><ol><li>Take the <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/googlereader/tour.html">tour</a> or sign-up and try the service out. Do you currently use a feed reader? If so which one do you use? Would you switch to Google Reader if you don't already use it? Why or why not?<br /></li><li>Take a look at some of your favorite sites. Do they have feeds? If they do, subscribe to one of the feeds. Hint: Our <a href="http://www.hcpl.net/">website </a>has feeds.</li></ol>This post is brought to you by Grace Lillevig (ADM) & Abigail Buchold (ADM).<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Image:</span> <span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en">Flickr CC</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/yodelanecdotal/1449868160/">The duckies invade Google</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/yodelanecdotal/">Yodel Anecdotal</a></span>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-81489717886087584202010-04-12T10:02:00.001-07:002010-04-12T10:04:24.513-07:00The Web According to Google #86: Calendar and Documents<a style="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHHODnQmKqDgy4ElXx-MLRlSXspcFqyDNdttmiqFqCy4xvDIdd-zlx-EAzPu-uOlfZ6QSeGzin5J6xuKcljNWxhAHpMaGFD4IrTdLax0866neN25lGJymc-Uy4zVorwZMAGo6JrBoT9mV/s1600/googlelogo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHHODnQmKqDgy4ElXx-MLRlSXspcFqyDNdttmiqFqCy4xvDIdd-zlx-EAzPu-uOlfZ6QSeGzin5J6xuKcljNWxhAHpMaGFD4IrTdLax0866neN25lGJymc-Uy4zVorwZMAGo6JrBoT9mV/s320/googlelogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457881996863003906" border="0" /></a>Web-based office applications have been around for a while now, and more and more people are using these convenient tools to boost their productivity. Not only do they behave just like many of the desktop office tools we all know so well, but you can access them from home, work, school, the library, a coffee shop, anywhere you can get on the Internet!<br /><br />This post is about two very useful web-based apps: <a href="http://calendar.google.com/">Google Calendar</a> and <a href="http://docs.google.com/">Google Docs</a>. Google Calendar is a versatile tool for keeping track of where you need to be and when, plus you can share your calendar with family and friends! You can create multiple calendars that allow you to place color-coded events all in the same view—that way your entire day, week or month is easily viewable. If you so choose, you can receive email reminders when an event is coming up. You can also add tasks for yourself—they’ll appear on the calendar and in a task list for you to check off as you complete them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2A_Z0fyp1TuTkSIIFdCf2ep8GBfOwXbc-YkjYHgeOfL9hv-WeetRnsNWsySc4pSQkSDi2g9YZoPG0JSTRYbnuho11Bgm8z2bNMULTz6UybkUo39199m_Hw68dI4S0mO9GGco5HRb4AdI/s1600/googlecal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2A_Z0fyp1TuTkSIIFdCf2ep8GBfOwXbc-YkjYHgeOfL9hv-WeetRnsNWsySc4pSQkSDi2g9YZoPG0JSTRYbnuho11Bgm8z2bNMULTz6UybkUo39199m_Hw68dI4S0mO9GGco5HRb4AdI/s320/googlecal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458248669831896738" border="0" /></a>One very useful feature of Google Calendar is sharing. You can connect with your friends’ calendars and view their schedules along with your own calendar events. This is very useful for coordinating branch schedules, family schedules, gatherings with friends, and more. To share a calendar:<br /><ul><li>Find the one you want to share in the My Calendars list on the left hand side.<br /></li><li>Click the down arrow button next to the calendar, then click “Share this calendar.”<br /></li><li>Type in the address of the friend(s) you would like to share with.<br /></li><li>Then, select a level of permissions under Permissions Settings and click Add.<br /></li></ul>Now your friend can see your calendar!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Don’t have time to check your email or your calendar? Not to worry--you can also have reminders sent to your mobile phone as text messages. Never forget another appointment!<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5lBuQgO2PgsbSce2v1EjbBw5hamD8COCCfW6MWfqvXo_4RmznxfrPL_jdMtKh-DiWjASetUNySjFl4q1m88gm-jSoWwNCbuwJLdv1ZekoagX3OA25duJnuWkMhBhicn9Ll5a29gIReaQ/s1600/docsmenu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5lBuQgO2PgsbSce2v1EjbBw5hamD8COCCfW6MWfqvXo_4RmznxfrPL_jdMtKh-DiWjASetUNySjFl4q1m88gm-jSoWwNCbuwJLdv1ZekoagX3OA25duJnuWkMhBhicn9Ll5a29gIReaQ/s320/docsmenu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458249365453723618" border="0" /></a>Google Documents is basically web-based version of the desktop suites most of us are familiar with, except you can access it from any computer with an Internet connection! You can create documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and web forms from a template or from scratch. You can keep your documents private or share them with friends or coworkers.<br /><br />Also, Google Documents works well as online storage for your files! You can store any file type on Google Docs, with one caveat. Certain types of files can be converted to the Google Docs formats—this allows you to edit them later in Docs if you choose. Some file types cannot be converted, only stored. However, it is still a great way to store and organize PDF files, photos, and more for private use or sharing with friends. To upload a file<br /><ul><li>Click the Upload button on the left side.<br /></li><li>Click "Select files to upload"and choose the file you would to upload to Google Docs.<br /></li><li>Once you've chosen one, you can add more by clicking "Select more files" and adding new ones until you are finished.<br /></li><li>You can then select a folder in which to upload the files (optional)</li><li>Click "Start upload."<br /></li></ul>Your files will then be saved to your account!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span><br /><br />Answer the following on your blog:<br /><ol><li>Create a calendar in Google Calendar and try adding some events or tasks to it. How do you think you would use Google Calendar in the workplace or at home? Do you think you would find it helpful to share calendars with coworkers, friends, or family?</li><li>Try creating a file Google Docs and uploading one from your computer. Can you see yourself using Google Docs in addition to or instead of a desktop office application? Why or why not?</li></ol><br />This post brought to you by Grace Lillevig (ADM) & Abigail Buchold (ADM).<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Image: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">Flickr CC</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/6smarketing/3795041811/">Google World Logo</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/6smarketing/">6S</a></span>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-66557319592946243692010-04-05T08:51:00.000-07:002010-04-05T08:52:26.090-07:00The Web According to Google #85: Resistance is Futile<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBE-e2UEheW_2nouBG-X8QuT4tceOmULniNCgvjVtH0kW10ZADTfWejpDp3lA489KzGtLEYxSh9saEy1rosVgXYpatyLWxhzqEp6xklj2QLZGKQVfnDN5hkTmh0kcj9i4p-d4Jhwg9qBU/s1600/2226178289_3f9556c08f_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBE-e2UEheW_2nouBG-X8QuT4tceOmULniNCgvjVtH0kW10ZADTfWejpDp3lA489KzGtLEYxSh9saEy1rosVgXYpatyLWxhzqEp6xklj2QLZGKQVfnDN5hkTmh0kcj9i4p-d4Jhwg9qBU/s320/2226178289_3f9556c08f_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455263710658610898" border="0" /></a>In 1996-1997 two Stanford University students started a little project that became <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a>. In the 14 or so years since its launch it has added numerous other <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/options/">products</a>, starting with the <a href="http://www.google.com/toolbar/">toolbar </a>in 2000. A major milestone in the creation of new products was the release of <a href="http://www.googlelabs.com/">Google Labs</a> in 2002. Google Labs is a place where Google tries out beta technologies <a href="http://www.googlelabs.com/?status=graduated">some of which</a> have gone into production. Because Google has become such an integral part of many people's lives, we're going to take a look at several of the more popular applications over four posts. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Completing all four posts is worth 2 training hours. This module is available through June 30, 2010.</span><br /><br />Google has a variety of <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/options/">products </a>available. We've previously covered <a href="http://ihcpl.blogspot.com/2007/09/week-2-3-grab-yourself-blog-in-3-steps.html">Blogger </a>and <a href="http://ihcpl.blogspot.com/2007/11/week-9-20-discover-youtube-and-other.html">YouTube</a> in the original <a href="http://ihcpl.blogspot.com/">iHCPL</a>. Blogger and YouTube were developed independently and later purchased by Google. Several other applications to be aware of are:<br /><ul><li>Google Mail or <a href="http://gmail.google.com/">Gmail</a>, the popular email client</li><li><a href="http://books.google.com/books?hl=en">Google Books</a> - Search the full text of books. Allows the user to either search or browse by subject. With a Google Account, you can create your own bookshelf with favorites, which you can <a href="http://books.google.com/books?uid=12747515401162607700&as_coll=1001&source=gbs_lp_bookshelf_list">share with the world</a>. Back issues of some magazines are also available (<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=PvUDAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_slider_thumb#v=onepage&q=&f=false">Weekly World News</a> anyone?) Keep in mind that not all books have full text available due to copyright.</li><li><a href="http://www.google.com/ig">iGoogle</a> - Acts as a launch pad for wide-variety of widgets that you can install. You can also customize the look with a variety of themes. Depending on the widgets you install, you can view and launch <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/">Gmail</a>, <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/">your Google calendar</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube </a>(owned by Google), <a href="http://www.google.com/reader/view/">Google Reader</a>, and get news and weather. iGoogle is an application that came out of Google Labs.<br /></li></ul> In the past several years, Google has developed several products that require a download rather than being strictly web-based. These include:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://earth.google.com/">Google Earth</a> - A program that lets you explore the earth in detail</li><li><a href="http://www.google.com/chrome?hl=en&brand=CHMI">Google Chrome</a> - Google's browser that competes with <a href="http://www.google.com/chrome?hl=en&brand=CHMI">Internet Explorer</a> and <a href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/">Mozilla Firefox</a></li><li><a href="http://picasa.google.com/intl/en/">Picasa </a>- Photo editing software.</li></ul>In upcoming posts we'll be covering Calendar and Docs, Google Reader, and the newer apps such as Buzz and Wave in depth.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span>:<br />In your blog, respond to the following:<br /><ol><li>What Google <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/options/">products </a>do you use on a regular basis? Why do you use them and what makes them better than a competing product?<br /></li><li>Check out <a href="http://www.googlelabs.com/">Google Labs</a>. Did you see any new products that you want to try?</li><li>Search or browse <a href="http://books.google.com/books?hl=en">Google Books</a>. Do they have the book or magazine you looked for? Did you find any gems? How can this be used in the library?</li></ol>This post brought to you by Grace Lillevig (ADM) & Abigail Buchold (ADM).<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Image: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en">Flickr CC</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/manfrys/2226178289/">Google Logo 50th Anniversary Inspiration</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/manfrys/">manfry</a></span>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-8110739174512730672010-03-23T10:20:00.000-07:002011-09-15T14:22:42.168-07:00Publishing Evolution #84: Writer Communities & Author Websites<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR57FHlybnNSKdZHhW-fAnYUewbYV8b4Ub122voklw9Bh6Re1U5c1rfJXYNiri9h5t5IjX_H4VpbNrFDJG67vhNDgE2HiLPAqJmsoxKJidORehASla8rsllZmm4tKq0-MWYogIIFH_6j8/s1600-h/writer.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451881740892718994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR57FHlybnNSKdZHhW-fAnYUewbYV8b4Ub122voklw9Bh6Re1U5c1rfJXYNiri9h5t5IjX_H4VpbNrFDJG67vhNDgE2HiLPAqJmsoxKJidORehASla8rsllZmm4tKq0-MWYogIIFH_6j8/s320/writer.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 166px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 240px;" /></a>Writing was once a very solitary experience: the author and a typewriter or computer. If that writer was lucky there was a writers group nearby. Now there’s <a href="http://www.writing.com/">Writing.com</a>, <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a> (National Novel Writing Month in November), <a href="http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/">Script Frenzy</a> (April), and many others. The community has connected, sharing their advice. Agents blog, publishers and agencies update their submission guidelines instantly. On top of that, people connect with authors, get feedback on the books, and learn of the authors’ everyday lives. The mystique of the writer is being slowly eaten away. The dream of being published is closer than ever before, but the struggle of success is the same.<br />
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<a href="http://www.authonomy.com/">Authonomy</a>, a project promoted and supported by HarperCollins, is the American Idol of the publishing world. Present your work, have it read, critiqued, and voted on by others, and perhaps your work will be noticed by the editors of HarperCollins. Is this the wave of the publishing future?<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span><br />
<ol>
<li>Have you contacted your favorite authors or gone to their websites? Do you like knowing more or less about them? Search for your favorite author; do they have a website or blog? Can you interact with them via web?</li>
<li>Does the idea of a book being published based on popular vote give you more or less faith in the material?</li>
</ol>
HCPL Staff: Have you completed posts 82, 83 & 84? Don't forget to submit your <a href="http://harriet.hcpl.net/index.php?q=content/ihcpl-next-generation-registration">Registration of Completion</a>.<br />
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This module is brought to you by Beth Krippel (ATA)<br />
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Image: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en">Flickr CC</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikstabile/3891461331/">typing by candle light</a>: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikstabile/">Mr. Stabile</a></span>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-12267186148219341872010-03-12T08:11:00.000-08:002011-09-15T14:24:30.379-07:00Publishing Evolution #83: Paper to Pixels (or e-ink)<a href="http://www.eink.com/technology/images/epd_side_bar_image.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.eink.com/technology/images/epd_side_bar_image.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 92px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 131px;" /></a>Another mode of self publishing is pure digital: blogs, personal web pages, writing sites. Most of these items never see a bound paper format. This material, like vanity press, skips editors and publishers and goes straight to the reader. Pixel and <a href="http://www.eink.com/history.html">e-ink</a> formats used by popular reading devices like the Kindle, Nook, and iPad are not limited to the mainstream publishing houses. Authors can have their stories processed directly for these devices.<br />
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There are also website projects like <a href="http://www.aburt.com/ifiction/stories/">iFiction</a> that have an iTunes setup. It allows people to read a portion of a story and decide if they want to pay for the rest. With this business model, the author controls the amount of material made free and the cost for the rest of the material. Readers have more control over what books earn their money.<br />
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Speaking of money, <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/447619-Winter_Institute_How_Digitization_is_Impacting_the_Industry.php">recent publishing news</a> examined pricing for digital books. Amazon.com set a price at (highest) $9.99, and in doing so took a loss on many of their offered e-books. However, they also established the Kindle as the e-reader with the least expensive e-books. Publisher MacMillan wanted to control the prices set, and after some interesting digital punches, won out. Now digital books are sold based on prices set by the publisher.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span><br />
<ol>
<li>Do you prefer paper or pixels? Is getting the material faster on the computer or is reading in a paper form more important to you? Why?</li>
<li>Does price influence how you get your books or is it availability? Would you pay the same price for a digital book as you would for a paper copy?</li>
<li>Visit <a href="http://www.aburt.com/ifiction/stories/">iFiction</a> and look at what it offers. Do you like the idea of preview and then pay?</li>
</ol>
iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-15300085651932134272010-03-02T09:38:00.000-08:002010-03-02T11:53:07.330-08:00Publishing Evolution #82: Print on DemandThis module on the evolution of publishing will have three posts. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Completing all three posts is worth 2 training hours.</span> The module is available through April 30, 2010.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7Fd88dSALqS57Z7i-LpA0PDq7xyfqgbDMlIJ8NtPibDga0R_peZPDnoVh22Lru2jHv5ll4xyMqyWI6klsjKxoI75a1wApGFikt02N10_Ni_njAWvtcaWglvautrVnBg0y1uuywUGWm1a/s1600-h/writing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7Fd88dSALqS57Z7i-LpA0PDq7xyfqgbDMlIJ8NtPibDga0R_peZPDnoVh22Lru2jHv5ll4xyMqyWI6klsjKxoI75a1wApGFikt02N10_Ni_njAWvtcaWglvautrVnBg0y1uuywUGWm1a/s200/writing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439335662553957186" border="0" /></a>Web 2.0 has made the web a social extravaganza. Its impact on the world has transformed local town heroes into major phenomena through <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube </a>and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/">Twitter</a>. News travels faster than mainstream TV. And like all the major media industries, publishing has been altered exponentially. Now, any person can blog, write stories, and publish without the requirement of finding an agent or publishing house. The electronic readers have improved and access to their materials increases.<p face="times new roman"></p><p face="times new roman">In this module, we will be looking at the changes in publishing, from online to self pub services.</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Print on Demand</span><br /></p> <p>The stigma of self publishing slowly diminishes (but is not gone). Depending on each authors’ goals, there are several methods to transfer writing from words on a computer into a bound book. When the money to publish is invested by the author, it is called vanity press or self-publishing. With the progress of the Internet, vanity press also incorporates print-on-demand (POD). There’s no stock and no storage, but because printing happens when a book is requested, prices per copy tend to be higher. Yet, with the web technology, now every writer with a dream can be published. Learn more about print on demand from <a href="http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/pod/">Writer Beware</a> sponsored by Science Fiction Writers of America.<br /></p><p>Some companies have been focused on self-publishing for years; the major players come down to <a href="http://www.lulu.com/">Lulu</a>, <a href="http://www2.xlibris.com/">Xlibris</a>, <a href="http://www.authorhouse.com/">Author House</a>, <a href="http://www.iuniverse.com/">iUniverse</a>, and <a href="https://www.createspace.com/">Createspace</a> (Amazon.com). Even Harris County Public Library carries self published materials through iUniverse, Author House, and Xlibris.</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span><br /></p><ol><li>Visit each of the websites listed above and see what they offer. Is it higher or the same as traditionally published books? Look at some of their published books. Have you read any of them? Would you?</li><li>What do you think of self publishing? As a reader, do you prefer books that have gone through the traditional route and have the confidence of a company’s financial backing, or do you not care how the book got printed, you’re just glad it did?</li></ol>This module is brought to you by Beth Krippel (ATA)iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-62336075634167787152010-02-23T07:50:00.000-08:002010-03-02T09:00:08.480-08:00The Future of Media #81: Get Out Your Crystal Ball<strong>Remember When?</strong><br /><br />Technology changes rapidly, but not every new development in media format ends up catching on and making the difference that might have been expected. The <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/blu-ray-guide/">Blu-Ray</a> format beat <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_DVD">HD DVD</a> in the format war, but has it made a huge difference to most of us? In the audio format, most of us never cared to have a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Audio_CD">Super Audio CD</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3BIPOc_J1rmRXHB6nNmarQ1SgRMI1Z3DWskTng6jQMthJzFKnhll5QpQx2H7mMx0ATNSW0hcF1cFC9I0PsHGR_jK5qwmBdkhP8gT-fx891uF5jnoYvmsW8IS-VzjQlSg0MsiG3L_1_2z/s1600-h/kreskin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px; float: right; height: 133px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441188427053940210" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3BIPOc_J1rmRXHB6nNmarQ1SgRMI1Z3DWskTng6jQMthJzFKnhll5QpQx2H7mMx0ATNSW0hcF1cFC9I0PsHGR_jK5qwmBdkhP8gT-fx891uF5jnoYvmsW8IS-VzjQlSg0MsiG3L_1_2z/s200/kreskin.jpg" border="0" /></a>Then there were the changes that had great influence. It might seem hard to believe now, but the personal computer first outsold the TV set in the United States in 1994. DVDs were introduced in 1997 (<a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a> started the same year) and became officially more popular than VHS in 2001. Recordable CD technology became part of computer systems in 1999. <a href="http://www.napster.com/index.html?darwin_ttl=1266876940&darwin=s0210C">Napster</a> was created in 2000, changing music distribution and causing the music industry to experience it's first decline in annual sales. The iPod debuted in 2001, followed by iTunes in 2003. The home entertainment industry has been revolutionized in a variety of ways in less than 20 years.<br /><br />How do you know what is next on the horizon that will make a difference? Keep informed and guess.<br /><br /><strong>The Future Starts Now</strong><br /><br />I'm sure you've <a href="http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2009/05/14/taking-americas-pulse-on-the-death-of-the-newspaper-industry.html">seen statistics</a> or <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/03/31/080331fa_fact_alterman">read articles</a> about the death of the newspaper industry. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-analysts-begin-to-realize-that-theres-no-way-to-save-television-2009-6">Some business analysts</a> predict that the traditional TV business is set up for the same kind of fall. Basically, since Internet-based distribution doesn't generate the profits TV companies are used to, are they prepared to support themselves when the television and the computer screen are merged? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_X._Cringely#cite_note-2">Robert Cringely</a> blogs in <a href="http://www.cringely.com/2009/05/the-future-of-television-part-ii/">this post</a> that network television will go away, cable operators will become ISPs, and content will endure. How will current content change? Will "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/magazine/21FOB-medium-t.html">midtails</a>" bring the best of traditional television and the Internet?<br />A <a href="http://ihcplnextgen.blogspot.com/2010/02/future-of-media-80-movies.html">previous post in this module</a> discussed streaming movies through different gaming systems. Companies like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Video-On-Demand/b/ref=sa_menu_atv1?ie=UTF8&node=16261631">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a> also offer high quality movie streaming. Will we always want a format you can hold in your hand AND the convenience of computer access? Or will the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/technology/23video.html?src=tptw">recent announcement</a> that the giant Wal-Mart is buying <a href="http://www.vudu.com/aboutus_background.html">Vudu</a> accelerate the end of the DVD?<a href="http://ihcplnextgen.blogspot.com/2010/02/future-of-media-80-movies.html"><br /></a><br /><strong>The Look of the Future</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />One of the most current debates concerns the future look of movies, TV and games. Some of you might have heard of a little movie called <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/">Avatar</a>, claimed by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000116/">it's director</a> to be a movie that <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/21/avatar.day.james.cameron/index.html">will change the way we watch movies</a> through the development of 3D technology. He is not alone -- <a href="http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/06/is_3d_the_future_of_film.php">others are comparing 3D to the switch to color</a>. Now, 3D is poised to come to the TV. <a href="http://news.cnet.com/3d-tv-faq/">What will that mean for the consumer?</a> <a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/3d-tv-is-the-world-really-ready-to-upgrade/">Will it catch on?</a> <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4342437.html">Or is it really suited for gaming?</a><br /><br />There are a great many questions you could try to "futurecast" regarding home entertainment and media. <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-12/the-movie-theater-of-the-future/">Will we still go to movie theaters in ten years</a>? Will everything be <a href="http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_14406966">"on demand?"</a> <a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1659533/what_the_future_of_500channel_cable.html">Will I still get my HBO shows at the nursing home? </a>What do you think?<br /><br /><strong>Exercises</strong><br /><br /><ol><li>Which of the developments listed above do you think will have the most influence? Is there a new technology you have been following that you think will have more effect? Discuss it in your post.</li><li>Are you an early adopter of every gadget or do you have fond memories of technologies from the past? What is your favorite media gadget or which outdated format do you miss the most? Describe it in your post.</li></ol>HCPL Staff: Have you completed this exercise? Dont' forget to submit your <a href="http://harriet.hcpl.net/index.php?q=content/ihcpl-next-generation-registration">Registration of Completion</a>.<p></p>This module brought to you by Linda Stevens (ADM), Grace Lillevig (ADM), Abigail Buchold (ADM), & Mark Haywood (ALD).iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-13012532463409719192010-02-15T14:00:00.001-08:002011-09-15T14:25:33.004-07:00The Future of Media #80: Movies<table align="left" style="height: 229px; width: 145px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrZZQlMaKXHhhee5EzCmsyNpZKUTdVfDZUzoTShUzAIhn3nR4QejoNy5e4rl2FIwZyyDBa9vbg86Vrl1icmnPdzmp4RaWfhjQ1BQxDVFBl7a_rGMIR_LqiFjj8UH5uo-opTeHEL9JkkFj/s1600-h/filmreels.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438592271881523010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrZZQlMaKXHhhee5EzCmsyNpZKUTdVfDZUzoTShUzAIhn3nR4QejoNy5e4rl2FIwZyyDBa9vbg86Vrl1icmnPdzmp4RaWfhjQ1BQxDVFBl7a_rGMIR_LqiFjj8UH5uo-opTeHEL9JkkFj/s200/filmreels.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 130px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 78%;">© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Watching movies at home doesn’t always mean a trip to the video store anymore! These days the Internet offers a variety of ways to watch your favorite movies without even leaving home.<br />
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The popular site <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a> allows you to choose films from their huge collection of titles—for a monthly fee they send DVDs through US Mail right to your front door! In the past year they have also added “Instant” titles that you can stream from their site and watch on your home computer. Not all titles are available for streaming, but the number is growing.<br />
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Have an xBox 360 or Playstation 3? Netflix allows you to stream movies through these gaming systems at no extra charge. Recently, Netflix also announced its plan to <a href="http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2010/01/13/netflix-to-stream-movies-on-nintendo-wii/">provide streaming movies through the Nintendo Wii</a>! Streaming content through the Wii should be available by Spring of 2010.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blockbuster.com/download">Blockbuster</a> is now offering streaming movies in addition to their storefront rentals. Fees are paid per rental. You can get DVDs delivered through the mail and download “On Demand” titles from their website. Blockbuster also offers downloads for purchase.<br />
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You may have heard of <a href="http://www.hulu.com/movies"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Hulu</span></a>, a site that provides free access to full-length network TV shows. Hulu also has an extensive library of feature films you can watch on your computer. There are thousands of free titles. The site highlights popular films, recently added movies, and films from various genres.<br />
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Are you into foreign movies and art films? Check out <a href="http://mubi.com/">Mubi</a>. <br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9z4DG1CctY5SEQpm-OQsNMJsIk-V-lTvTgEzl3UYe1WTmKCGzOoD8Euv9dqtYp4XgFZQuILcFcOjzyhF60YgVHhtqFq_bNMGt1nTr-Fze3XdRAT4-ZGR2j0gWQ6NbvOQJHAaf7OosIzi/s1600-h/cinemagoers.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438592708893156626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9z4DG1CctY5SEQpm-OQsNMJsIk-V-lTvTgEzl3UYe1WTmKCGzOoD8Euv9dqtYp4XgFZQuILcFcOjzyhF60YgVHhtqFq_bNMGt1nTr-Fze3XdRAT4-ZGR2j0gWQ6NbvOQJHAaf7OosIzi/s200/cinemagoers.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 133px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 78%;">© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation</span></td></tr>
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Mubi “is a web site making great films from prominent festivals around the world accessible to anyone through high-definition video streaming.”<br />
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You may have seen the <a href="http://www.redbox.com/">Redbox</a> kiosks in a fast food restaurant, in front of a pharmacy, or in the grocery store. Redbox allows you to rent movies vending machine-style with just the swipe of a credit card. Well, now you can reserve movies through Redbox online before you visit the kiosk. You just choose the movies you want, choose a pickup location, pick up your movies and enjoy. Fees are charged per night, and you can return them to any Redbox kiosk.<br />
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Movie trailers have been available online for quite some time. You can find them all over the web, but some of the better quality high definition trailers are available on specific sites. <a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/">Apple Trailers</a>, for example offers a database of movie trailers for films currently in theaters and for upcoming films. You can watch them online and they are available in HD, as well as on the iPod and iPhone. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/">Internet Movie Database</a> (IMDB) is a well known database of film, actor, director, and production information. IMDB offers movie trailers for many films, both current, upcoming, and from the past. There are also some full-length films to choose from. Hulu, the streaming site mentioned above, also has trailers available.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span><br />
<ol>
<li>Use one of the film sites above to find a free full-length film (you’ll probably have the best luck with Hulu, The Auteurs, or IMDB). Watch a little of it. Would you watch an entire film on your computer or do you still prefer watching DVDs on your TV?</li>
<li>Find a trailer for an upcoming film. Would you use these sites to keep up on current film information?</li>
<li>Write a blog post about the experience. Would you consider using any of the fee-based services to get the movies you want at home? If so, which one would work better for you and why?</li>
</ol>
iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-28127610984866749232010-02-08T10:45:00.001-08:002010-02-23T07:26:53.257-08:00The Future of Media #79: TelevisionThis module on the future of media consists of three posts: television, movies, and the future of both. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Completing all three posts is worth 2 training hours.</span> The module is available through March 31, 2010.<br /><br /><a style="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqY_I_PA2cMsJI5_ZuO-R5RdR6DMJlSIfolOhw4wJArShN1Qzy0XSrJd1E53bNAhvmdlcMI9-DZxZRp5SpEfIZH_Jm8U9ldlIy_QsetwX61orQR3q236vXgsGYasJpUF8nl_RcnaKYB3F/s1600-h/23344743.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqY_I_PA2cMsJI5_ZuO-R5RdR6DMJlSIfolOhw4wJArShN1Qzy0XSrJd1E53bNAhvmdlcMI9-DZxZRp5SpEfIZH_Jm8U9ldlIy_QsetwX61orQR3q236vXgsGYasJpUF8nl_RcnaKYB3F/s200/23344743.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431550241878969058" border="0" /></a>When television was in it's infancy at the end of the 1940s and beginning of the 1950s, I don't think anyone could have imagined that people would be able to record shows, watch TV shows on demand, or even watch a show on the Internet.<br /><br />Today, changes in the public's viewing habits and the increase in the number of channels and options has forced the television industry to look at other options to reach it's viewing public. One effect is the growing use of <a href="http://money.howstuffworks.com/product-placement.htm">product placement</a> in TV shows as viewers increasingly skip over commercials with their DVRs. Another effect is the increase in the number of episodes available on the web for people to watch.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJNS1gVh6d6paMLFmdx7BhtU1jQTKo1tTaOiMkmfZe2BIKwJndbi9KQb0cbz6GqlgmEzQsTw84xGsdVGdpZ87IsgjEVyQGbLNDRF-miy7Jy0QLCfH8Rxk2KyiPRarfk-_Nkr2wdg1JF1S/s1600-h/63561113.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJNS1gVh6d6paMLFmdx7BhtU1jQTKo1tTaOiMkmfZe2BIKwJndbi9KQb0cbz6GqlgmEzQsTw84xGsdVGdpZ87IsgjEVyQGbLNDRF-miy7Jy0QLCfH8Rxk2KyiPRarfk-_Nkr2wdg1JF1S/s200/63561113.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435933923549295650" border="0" /></a>Most of the major networks have some kind of online presence for viewers to find their favorite shows. Availability of episodes varies both by network, site, and show. The major options are:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.hulu.com/">Hulu.com</a> - Offers recent episodes of popular shows such as Lost, 24, The Office, and Family Guy primarily from NBC and Fox. It also has "classic" shows such as The Facts of Life, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and What's Happening. The number of episodes varies by show and each does include commercials.</li><li><a href="http://www.tv.com/">tv.com</a> - A one stop shop for CBS shows, either airing on CBS or in some way produced by them. Popular shows include NCIS, CSI, South Park, and Survivor. Classic shows such as Bonanza are also available.</li><li><a href="http://www.joost.com/">Joost </a>- Has quite a bit of animation in addition to similar offerings to Hulu and tv.com.</li><li><a href="http://www.viewmy.tv/">viewmy.tv</a> - Watch news from around the world.<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.casttv.com/shows">CastTV </a>- The site's goal is to index every video, and thus TV show, on the web.<br /></li><li>Major Network websites - <a href="http://abc.go.com/watch">ABC</a>, <a href="http://www.cbs.com/video/">CBS</a>, <a href="http://www.fox.com/fod/">FOX</a>, <a href="http://www.nbc.com/">NBC</a>, and <a href="http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/">The CW</a> all offer at least some episodes of their current TV shows online. In addition to current shows, NBC also has a selection of classic shows as well as original online-only shows.</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Going Mobile</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZO6hbAHZ2ttsNFGa_JRVC8ZpaYu-cyz0nd9Om_soXDDH9G_m0zHNBpXX2Vwsmbk2PIr3qHZKUpohaD6SWCOKjk45JyJ0SR2IkWQ9T2_CAPZSqvh7phdmnzmZLrQ_LsTElb3fXBIdQlvU/s1600-h/36409009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZO6hbAHZ2ttsNFGa_JRVC8ZpaYu-cyz0nd9Om_soXDDH9G_m0zHNBpXX2Vwsmbk2PIr3qHZKUpohaD6SWCOKjk45JyJ0SR2IkWQ9T2_CAPZSqvh7phdmnzmZLrQ_LsTElb3fXBIdQlvU/s200/36409009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435942966794214002" border="0" /></a>With the advent of web based mobile phones, especially the iPhone, watching TV on the go is becoming easier and more popular. There are several free or low cost options for taking your favorite programs with you.<br /><ul><li>The major phone providers including <a href="http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/messaging-internet/mobile-tv/">AT&T</a>, <a href="http://www.nextel.com/en/services/power_vision/sprint_tv.shtml">Sprint</a>, and <a href="http://products.verizonwireless.com/index.aspx?id=fnd_mobileTV">Verizon </a>all have some kind of Mobile TV option. Charges may apply.<br /></li><li>The major networks all have mobile websites: <a href="http://m.abc.com/">ABC</a>, <a href="http://m.cbs.com/">CBS</a>, <a href="http://m.fox.com/">FOX</a>, <a href="http://m.nbc.com/">NBC</a>, and <a href="http://m.cwtv.com/">The CW</a>. Not all the sites are accessible over a regular internet browser as they are designed for use on smart phones.<br /></li><li>For iPhone/iPod Touch users, some of the sites have available apps: <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=305094711&mt=8">tv.com</a> (CBS), <a href="http://www.cwtv.com/thecw/apps">The CW</a>, and <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/page?id=6481871">ABC</a>. There are also a number of mobile TV apps for the iPhone. <a href="http://mashable.com/2009/08/08/iphone-live-tv/">Mashable </a>has a list with reviews. Note that some apps have a small fee.<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Be Your Own TV Star</span><br /><br />Why let the networks or cable channels have all the fun? You can be the star of your own program online. There are a number of sites that let you post your own videos, or in the case of USTREAM and Justin.tv, post a live feed. For more on making videos, see the <a href="http://ihcplnextgen.blogspot.com/2008/10/45-making-video-overview.html">video module</a> from October 2008.<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">USTREAM </a>- This site host to the popular <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Shiba-Inu-Puppy-Cam">Shiba Inu Puppy Cam</a>, lets users post streaming video. People can chat about your stream live.<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" id="utv236490" height="280" width="350"><param name="flashvars" value="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=317016"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/live/1/317016"><embed flashvars="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=317016" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" id="utv236490" name="utv_n_87639" src="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/live/1/317016" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="280" width="350"></embed></object><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/" style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; width: 350px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; display: block; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV</a></li><li><a href="http://www.justin.tv/">Justin.tv</a> - Like USTREAM, users can post live feeds.<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a>, <a href="http://video.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Video</a>, and <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a> all have options for uploading videos to their sites and sharing your creativity with the world. Many users have "channels" that you can subscribe to, in effect creating their own online broadcast network.<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span>:<br /><br />Post your replies on your blog.<br /><ol><li>Visit <a href="http://www.hulu.com/">Hulu</a>, <a href="http://www.tv.com/">tv.com</a>, or one of the other TV sites. Search or browse the site to see if your favorite show is listed. Are you able to watch full episodes online? What coverage is available?</li><li>Have you ever watched a TV show on your cell phone? If so, did you like it? If not, are you interested? Why or why not?</li><li>Are there any streaming programs or user "channels" that you watch? Have you ever posted videos to a site on a regular basis?</li></ol>This module brought to you by Linda Stevens (ADM), Grace Lillevig (ADM), Abigail Buchold (ADM), & Mark Haywood (ALD).<br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Images © 2010 JupiterImages</span><br /></div>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-86280876519378692662010-01-22T06:37:00.000-08:002010-01-25T14:16:46.481-08:00Searching #78: Video<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0menRkD-cihu3sfRdMxQr_dG_zPrvTLUXowqgUgbvsmlI8GOc9LvWUgqLQpNPwYqC4YoCG1keTpN_u7LsFVabP6PXXDmy8zFEoFag-k-dH7EZV9KvLdSAN2m-cdnP3lT4jFd4hhHgkEX/s1600-h/digital+video.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 141px; float: left; height: 200px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415582346788689970" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0menRkD-cihu3sfRdMxQr_dG_zPrvTLUXowqgUgbvsmlI8GOc9LvWUgqLQpNPwYqC4YoCG1keTpN_u7LsFVabP6PXXDmy8zFEoFag-k-dH7EZV9KvLdSAN2m-cdnP3lT4jFd4hhHgkEX/s200/digital+video.jpg" border="0" /></a>Video content on the web is ubiquitous these days. Innumerable methods and tool<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHql1NQHKZXvuVuN8ySdiuWxlMoXcXvY9TyR59aB4sB5tL1xVvxxnchceQLEkPg7PTwFXoMVUC-cSOgqwB1ulhcb1D0C5-WjQNrAn4kgggVxFSjvlVcyuDZcSLYfK_cJ2K5e4BH5n2srl/s1600-h/digital+video.jpg"></a>s exist for editing, uploading and sharing it. Moreover, the most compact and inexpensive of digital cameras now have video recording capability, making amateur moviemakers of us all. Not only is it easy create your own clips, it’s just as easy to find others out there thanks to search engines devoted solely to searching for video content.<br /><br />In 2006, <a href="http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,20061225,00.html">Time Magazine</a> named as its annual Person of the Year not, as is customary, a world leader, scientist, or celebrity but instead selected “You,” the broad base of users of the World Wide Web. This was due in no small part to a then-relatively young site known as “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a>.” Though it’s likely the most popular video site on the Internet, YouTube is different from other video search engines for the fact that 1) it is primarily a video-sharing site, allowing users to upload their own content for public or private viewing after <a href="http://www.youtube.com/create_account?next=None">creating a free account</a>, and 2) it searches only its own user-generated and uploaded content rather than any video out there on the Internet.<br /><br />Another well-known video search engine is <a href="http://www.truveo.com/">Truveo</a>. Like <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a>, <a href="http://www.truveo.com/">Truveo</a> utilizes a simple, user-friendly design that disguises depth and a thoroughness about locating Internet content. The no-frills homepage greets the user with a text box for keyword searching and five of the most popular categories beneath for browsing: <a href="http://www.truveo.com/category/news">News</a>, <a href="http://www.truveo.com/category/sports">Sports</a>, <a href="http://www.truveo.com/tvshows.php">TV Shows</a>, <a href="http://www.truveo.com/category/music#category%3A%22music%22%20">Music</a>, and <a href="http://www.truveo.com/most-twittered-videos.php">Most Twittered</a>. <a href="http://www.truveo.com/about.php">According to its website</a>, some of the most trafficked online presences, notably those owned by AOL and Microsoft, employ Truveo as their video search engine of choice.<br /><br />Despite also being very capable and comprehensive, <a href="http://www.blinkx.com/">Blinkx</a>’s professed uniqueness lies not solely in presentation or in search options as in how it evaluates video content for accurate retrieval. <a href="http://www.blinkx.com/about">According to its own description</a>, <a href="http://www.blinkx.com/">Blinkx</a>, unlike many search engines, looks not only at the text around a particular form of media to determine what it’s about -- a common method that can sometimes retrieve inaccurate results. Instead, <a href="http://www.blinkx.com/">Blinkx</a> employs “<a href="http://www.blinkx.com/about">speech recognition and video analysis software</a>” that does not only scan text surrounding media to acquire a description but also, in a sense, listens and watches content itself to get a better idea about a video or other form of media, thus providing you with a hit that’s potentially closer to your target.<br /><br />There are, of course, other great video search engines on the web. For comparison or curiosity’s sake, you could also check out <a href="http://video.google.com/">Google Video</a>, <a href="http://www.clipblast.com/">Clipblast</a>, <a href="http://video.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Video</a>, or <a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/browse?FORM=Z9LH5">Bing</a>, just to name a few. So, play around and see what entertaining, fun, or interesting content you can find. Just be careful – there’s so much out there that it might be difficult to pull yourself away!<br /><br />Exercises:<br />1. Search for a particular video using both <a href="http://www.truveo.com/">Truveo</a> and <a href="http://www.blinkx.com/">Blinkx</a>. Look for any similarities or differences in the results, and write about them in your blog.<br />2. Go to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/harriscountypl">HCPL’s YouTube channel</a> and take a look around. Discuss in your blog ideas for how your own branch video could add to the mix of searchable video content on the Internet.<br /><br />HCPL Staff: Have you completed this exercise? Dont' forget to submit your <a href="http://harriet.hcpl.net/index.php?q=content/ihcpl-next-generation-registration">Registration of Completion</a>.<br /><br />Image copyright JupiterimagesiSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-20631596596663159342010-01-15T13:36:00.000-08:002010-01-15T13:38:58.288-08:00Searching #77: Images<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkBlh2qGiz_8v8mnEZOCh8nXqa6qKDy4x7XiqinymzRQO_pHnFp-wcp_umwxsdZGA_LtMGzLQPBQhTiJ6TyDW22RBznpfKYjruob-3u0cBKznUa2M980f3_cka5_Xez-Qz9OgP_IUN3jf/s1600/lupines.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 152px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410057751144880754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkBlh2qGiz_8v8mnEZOCh8nXqa6qKDy4x7XiqinymzRQO_pHnFp-wcp_umwxsdZGA_LtMGzLQPBQhTiJ6TyDW22RBznpfKYjruob-3u0cBKznUa2M980f3_cka5_Xez-Qz9OgP_IUN3jf/s200/lupines.jpg" /></a> “What does a lupine look like? I need a picture of the El Salvador’s state seal. Where can I find a picture of Davy Crockett?"<br /><br />We’ve all heard questions like these and can usually find pictures for our use or our customers to use. But how to find one that is free to download and use? Every major search engine has its own image search that is relatively easy to use: – <a href="http://images.google.com/">Google</a>, <a href="http://www.bing.com/images">Bing</a>, <a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/images">Yahoo</a>, and <a href="http://www.ask.com/">Ask</a>.<br />But how to determine if you can use these images?<br /><br />What’s the difference between free and royalty free? A "royalty free" image means that the price of the image is the same whatever the time of use and the number of prints. You will still need to buy that image under a royalty free license but then you can use this image without limit of time and without limit of number of uses. There are numerous sites to buy photos from – <a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/index.php">iStockPhoto</a> or <a href="http://www.fotolia.com/">Fotolia</a> to name a couple. "Free" means free - we like our stuff free!<br /><br />Most of our customers feel the same way. There is a search engine just for pictures called <a href="http://www.picsearch.com/">Picsearch</a>. When I searched on “lupine” I got 23,582 hits. Typing in “lupine free” gave me only 32 hits. Further exploration showed that these photos are available for use in “non-commercial website/projects only”. They would like for their website to be acknowledged. The photo used is from © BlossomSwap.com.<br /><br />Then there is Clip Art – art work that can be used to spiff up any poster. I needed a Santa for our Christmas Blog and got several interesting choices. I tried Microsoft Clip Art (available with the Microsoft Office package), <a href="http://www.iclipart.com/">iClipArt</a>, and <a href="http://www.allfree-clipart.com/">AllFreeClipArt</a>. I had varying degrees of success with the clip art programs. Harris County Public Library subscribes to a clip art program, called <a href="http://schools.clipart.com/index">Schools.Clipart</a> for library staff use when making posters, flyers, etc. Each clip from this site must be credited with “@jupiterimages” when used.<br /><br />Exercises:<br /><br />1. Using <a href="http://allfree-clipart.com/">AllFreeClipArt</a>, how many clicks did it take to get to a color Santa that doesn’t look like a troll?<br />2. Read “<a href="http://www.searchenginejournal.com/10-places-to-find-free-images-online-and-make-your-content-more-linkable/5979/">10 Places to Find Free Images Online</a>”. Blog about 2 of the sites listed.<br />3. Try logging in to the clip art program for HCPL use. Each branch has their own login and password you can get from your branch librarian. Find an illustration that could be used for a program at your branch and add it to your blog. Be sure to credit that piece.<br /><br />Image Credit: <a href="http://www.blossomswap.com/picture/purple_lupines.html">www.blossomswap.com/picture/purple_lupines.html</a>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-64308817406272131342010-01-08T06:36:00.000-08:002010-02-09T09:04:34.473-08:00Searching #76: Sound Effects<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL67uqNpNeJxKu4HEMf0LnJIwv2S6DG3t-mQWnalh0VxyNqluUMp2Fmt8BtU2s_gBldKaBagFPvQxqoPfc-v-LYnMwF-5FZP1q9ol5zhHPsQkaFYzHPxi2SBMyD-Sil2RRO7HDtzdbmGif/s1600-h/alarm+clock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 117px; float: left; height: 128px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403336265887954706" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL67uqNpNeJxKu4HEMf0LnJIwv2S6DG3t-mQWnalh0VxyNqluUMp2Fmt8BtU2s_gBldKaBagFPvQxqoPfc-v-LYnMwF-5FZP1q9ol5zhHPsQkaFYzHPxi2SBMyD-Sil2RRO7HDtzdbmGif/s200/alarm+clock.jpg" border="0" /></a><div><div><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div></div><div></div><div>Ever thought about spicing up your blog with sound effects? Turn up the volume on your speakers, or plug in your headphones, and consider this scenario that uses Windows Media Player to play the sounds:</div><div><br /><em>The </em><a href="http://gerryradim.sweb.cz/budik.wav"><em><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">alarm clock rings</span></em></a><em>. You </em><a href="http://www-personal.k-state.edu/%7Ecgriffin/yawn.wav"><em><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">wake up</span></em></a><em> and head to the kitchen for breakfast. You </em><a href="http://mk5.dhis.org/sounds/wav/misc/eggbrk.wav"><em><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">crack some eggs</span></em></a><em> into a pan and </em><a href="http://www.pacdv.com/sounds/domestic_sound_effects/toaster_2.wav"><em><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">make some toast</span></em></a><em>. You have a </em><a href="http://www.ilovewavs.com/Effects/Home/Sound%20Effect%20-%20Coffee%20Pour%20and%20Stir.wav"><em><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">cup of coffee</span></em></a><em>. You </em><a href="http://www.ilovewavs.com/Effects/Home/Sound%20Effect%20-%20Brush%20Teeth,%20Gargle,%20Spit.wav"><em><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">brush your teeth</span></em></a><em>, and head out the </em><a href="http://sid.ethz.ch/debian/files/sounds/canopy-close2.wav"><em><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">door</span></em></a><em><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">.</span> You </em><a href="http://www.notam02.no/DSP/lyder/bil.wav"><em><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">jump into the car</span></em></a><em> to head off to work.</em><br /><br />There are lots of ways to search for sounds. One useful site is <a href="http://www.findsounds.com/ISAPI/search.dll">FindSounds</a>, a site that has processed over 35 million sound searches to date. This site also provides <a href="http://www.comparisonics.com/SearchingForSounds.html#web">tips for searching for sounds </a>on the web.</div><br /><div>Sound files come in lots of formats. Examples are Microsoft WAV (.wav; a common audio file for Windows); MIDI (.mid; musical instrument digital interface); MP3 (.mp3; compresses music files without loss of quality to make them more easily used by computers); and RealAudio (.ra; sized to support streaming audio). The <a href="http://simplythebest.net/sounds/">Simply the Best Sounds</a> site is another good place to search for sounds. It has a <a href="http://simplythebest.net/sounds/sound_formats.html">list of formats</a>, together with more detailed descriptions.</div><div></div><br /><div>Like any web content, sound files may contain copyrighted material. It is the user's obligation to obtain copyright clearance if it is required for the intended use.<br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exercises</span>:<br /></div><div> </div><div></div><div><ol><li>Use <a href="http://www.findsounds.com/ISAPI/search.dll">FindSounds</a> to search for and post links to at least three animal sound effects in your blog. Finding out whether or not these are in the public domain is not easy. Try clicking on "Show Page" to see the site where the sound originated. You may have to go back to the "Home" page of the website for more detail. Or you can try deleting part of the right-hand side of the web address (URL) to work your way back to a page with more information about the rights governing the use of the sounds. A website that is very concerned with copyright will usually have this posted in a pretty obvious manner.</li><li>It is much easier on the <a href="http://simplythebest.net/sounds/">Simply the Best Sounds </a>site to find what sounds are included in the public domain. Search for three such sounds, and post links to them in your blog. If you can't identify the direct link to the sound, just name the sound and give the link to the page on which it appears.<br /></li></ol></div><div> </div><div><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Image</span> <span style="font-size:78%;">@jupiterimages</span></div></div></div>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-37629537211516453282009-12-31T08:42:00.000-08:002009-12-31T08:47:19.248-08:00Searching #75: Google and Beyond<strong>This module on Searching will consist of four parts: general search engines; searching for sound effects; searching for images; and searching for videos. Together they are worth two training hour credits.</strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wTpC7XR2FzQsRwcdVpWOULlwKs0shyIvULxIi2yFB1dDTqOL-4yAmFHOzkgqWIsbZ_rP1f3RvTiS7by7mUhFbqdalL3TCMn9_P_EVHIfA3jODNae0Vwb9nzWXJxRtnd-iJ8JTi6O-cxu/s1600-h/search.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 184px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403062649113710146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wTpC7XR2FzQsRwcdVpWOULlwKs0shyIvULxIi2yFB1dDTqOL-4yAmFHOzkgqWIsbZ_rP1f3RvTiS7by7mUhFbqdalL3TCMn9_P_EVHIfA3jODNae0Vwb9nzWXJxRtnd-iJ8JTi6O-cxu/s200/search.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Are you in a rut when you search the Internet? Maybe you suspect that your bias for a particular way to search could be limiting your results. If so, it’s time to try <a href="http://blindsearch.fejus.com/">BlindSearch</a> , developed by <a href="http://delicategeniusblog.com/?p=839">Michael Kordahi</a> and described as a “search engine taste test.” The goal of this site is simple: What happens when you remove the branding from the top 3 search engines? How differently will you perceive the results?<br /><br />Beyond <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a>, <a href="http://www.yahoo.com/">Yahoo</a>!, and the newer <a href="http://www.bing.com/">Bing</a> (from Microsoft), there are lots of other search engines out there. Which is #1 with users? Check out the stats on <a href="http://www.hitwise.com/us/datacenter/main/dashboard-10133.html">Hitwise,</a> which monitors and updates both the volume of traffic on search engines, and the number of visits to each.<br /><br />Looking under the surface, what really is it that makes a search engine work? The Berkeley Library took a look at the detailed <a href="http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/SrchEngCriteria.pdf">criteria that make a search engine perform well</a>. This includes factors such as: How big is the database that is searched? How current? How fast is the search? In what ways can you limit searches? How are the results displayed? How are they ranked?<br /><br />Exercises:<br />1) Type in at least three queries in <a href="http://blindsearch.fejus.com/">Blindsearch</a>, hit search, and then vote for the column which you believe best matches what you were seeking. The columns are randomized with each search. How did your favorite search engine rate in the three tries? Do you think this will affect how you search in the future?<br /><br />2) What search engine was #1 on <a href="http://www.hitwise.com/us/datacenter/main/dashboard-10133.html">Hitwise</a> the week that you searched? How did it compare to its closest competitor? Do the usage statistics match your own personal choice of a favorite?<br /><br />3) Marketing of search engines requires that they continually add new features that they hope will appeal to you. Explore the features of one of the major search engines (<a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/features.html">Google</a>, <a href="http://tools.search.yahoo.com/searchtour.html">Yahoo</a>!, or <a href="http://www.discoverbing.com/tour/">Bing</a>). What new things did you discover that you would find useful?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Image Credit: Jupiterimages</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">This module is brought to you by Nancy Agafitei (CC), Christi Whittington (KW), and Jim Johnson (KW).</span>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-28267270966007271182009-11-09T08:30:00.000-08:002009-11-09T08:45:21.103-08:00Parade of PetsIt seems HCPL staff households are filled with adorable pets, but here are the official HCPL Cutest Pet award winners:<br /><br /><div><embed style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 320px" name="flashticker" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" src="http://widget-60.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=576460752351751520&site=widget-60.slide.com"></embed> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; WIDTH: 400px"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=576460752351751520&map=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-60.slide.com/p1/576460752351751520/bb_t028_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=576460752351751520&map=2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-60.slide.com/p2/576460752351751520/bb_t028_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=576460752351751520&map=F" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-60.slide.com/p4/576460752351751520/bb_t028_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" /></a></div></div><br /><p>Here they all are in a Parade of Pets:</p><p></p><br /><div><embed style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 320px" name="flashticker" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" src="http://widget-71.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=576460752351730545&site=widget-71.slide.com"></embed> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; WIDTH: 400px"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=576460752351730545&map=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-71.slide.com/p1/576460752351730545/bb_t028_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=576460752351730545&map=2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-71.slide.com/p2/576460752351730545/bb_t028_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=576460752351730545&map=F" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-71.slide.com/p4/576460752351730545/bb_t028_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" /></a></div></div>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-22697129108486467622009-10-23T09:43:00.000-07:002009-10-23T09:44:31.555-07:00Pets #74: Social PetworkingDo you want to tell everyone you meet all about your adorable four-legged friend? Do you carry pictures of your pet in your wallet or have them framed around your desk? Do you drive home from work during your lunch break just to let your puppies go “potty,” even if it means you’ll only have 10 minutes to eat? OK. Maybe the last one only applies to me. But if you love to share your pet’s greatness with the world, you might be interested in a few of these websites. You can sign up for a few depending on what type of pet you have.<br /><br /><strong>Make a profile for your pet<br /></strong>Go ahead; give your furry friends an online presence. There are many pets that have their own blogs. They’ve managed to get their humans typing and uploading their pictures for them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpCZVvlU9id-AG8keESu8xPJ8A1E8E9sWsZlLLAEzXVDN_hobCtl1cNXfh-J1Fj2qkEmdWJuU76I33K_8Wg7Yvsf1o6tNIeRMi293LBO7RUCzXS7RH0TBVMmin_dRTRxcdPf6ISnhT_ry/s1600-h/screenshot.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 233px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392957319372046674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpCZVvlU9id-AG8keESu8xPJ8A1E8E9sWsZlLLAEzXVDN_hobCtl1cNXfh-J1Fj2qkEmdWJuU76I33K_8Wg7Yvsf1o6tNIeRMi293LBO7RUCzXS7RH0TBVMmin_dRTRxcdPf6ISnhT_ry/s320/screenshot.JPG" /></a><a href="http://www.dogster.com/">Do</a><a href="http://www.dogster.com/">g</a><a href="http://www.dogster.com/">ster.com</a> is a social networking site for dogs (or <a href="http://www.catster.com/">Catster.com</a> for cats). These blogs or “doggie diaries” are written as if the pets themselves are writing them. Their profiles include information about the dogs as you would see on human social networking sites. Dogster also has a <a href="http://www.dogster.com/answers/">pet Q & A section</a> available, and you may also find information about <a href="http://www.dogster.com/breeds/">your baby’s specific bre</a><a href="http://www.dogster.com/breeds/">ed.</a> Don’t miss the section full of <a href="http://pet-coupon-deals.com/?utm_source=the%2Bvet%2Bblog&utm_medium=navbar&utm_content=blog%2Bcoupon%20deals&utm_campaign=blog%2Bglobal%20nav">great deals</a> for pet products. Their <a href="http://blogs.dogster.com/vet_blog_information_advice/">Vet Blog</a> has lots of useful information for cat and dog owners, as well. And, of course, you can’t have a site dedicated to dogs without a <a href="http://www.dogster.com/photoviewer/gallery/Puppy">photo gallery</a>. Even if you don’t create an account you can browse through themed photo galleries.<br /><br />There are many options out there when it comes to creating profile for your pet. Depending on your type of pet, you can try <a href="http://www.cuteashell.com/">CuteasHell.com</a>, <a href="http://www.doggyspace.com/">Doggyspace.com</a>, <a href="http://www.petster.com/">Petster.com</a>, <a href="http://www.hamsterster.com/">Hamsterster.com</a>, <a href="http://www.hamsterer.com/"></a><a href="http://www.mydogspace.com/">myDogspace.com</a>, <a href="http://www.petbrags.com/">PetBrags.com</a>, or <a href="http://www.petpop.com/">PetPop.com</a>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfeBo3QRoagmoWCU3M2NkRfqL3X9lZm5m-2fd8hrleVrISOBbC1DaxkG3Vstr3IVrbf5hjUzoQbmX75NLFoP4VQDzgFVrCb5deLkMeFjt3K6M7FSETTgmocyG1z8vB_-6FieGn9RMGSPg/s1600-h/socialpet.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 114px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 193px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395449868489531426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfeBo3QRoagmoWCU3M2NkRfqL3X9lZm5m-2fd8hrleVrISOBbC1DaxkG3Vstr3IVrbf5hjUzoQbmX75NLFoP4VQDzgFVrCb5deLkMeFjt3K6M7FSETTgmocyG1z8vB_-6FieGn9RMGSPg/s200/socialpet.gif" /></a><br /><strong>Social Networking for Pet Lovers </strong><br /><strong><br /></strong>So now that Sparky has his own profile, you should look into creating one for yourself. The great thing about these sites is that you will be meeting other pet lovers -- people who can relate to a lunch break that's 85% pet care and 15% eating.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.animalattraction.com/">Animalattraction.com</a> donates $1 to the Petfinder.com Foundation for every person that creates an account on their site. They donate more money for every day you log in to your account. You can find <a href="http://www.animalattraction.com/breeds/">breed specific information </a>on their site and <a href="http://www.animalattraction.com/Search">find pet lovers’ profiles in your area</a>. <a href="http://www.petside.com/">Petside.com</a> and <a href="http://www.petdoc.com/">Petdoc.com</a> are great places to join if you want something with a focus on your pet’s wellness. Other sites include <a href="http://www.leashesandlovers.com/fetchafriend/home">FetchaFriend.com</a>, <a href="http://www.petcrash.com/">Petcrash.com</a>, <a href="http://www.youpet.com/">YouPet.com</a>, <a href="http://www.wuffstuff.com/">Wuffstuff.com</a>, or <a href="http://www.yeepet.com/">Yeepet.com</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Exercise </strong><br /><strong><br /></strong>Take a look at a few of the sites and choose one that interests you. If you have a pet, create a profile and blog about the registration process and site features. If you don't have a pet, blog about the different tools available on that social petworking site.iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-28066669670310431412009-10-19T10:14:00.000-07:002009-10-19T10:16:46.738-07:00Pets #73: Losing a Friend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3523341459_71b9a4bbca.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 206px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 154px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3523341459_71b9a4bbca.jpg" /></a>For many pet owners, their pet is a major part of the family. As such, the loss of that pet can have a very deep impact. However, so few feel justified in feeling that loss. Some find it difficult to express their grief with those who are not pet owners. Perhaps afraid they will hear “it was only a pet,” few share the emotional impact their furry, feathered, or scaled family member's passing. Websites like the <a href="http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/coping_with_the_death_of_your_pet/">Humane Society of the United States </a>have a page to assist pet parents with the loss of a pet, which can be a lonely experience.<br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br />Even more difficult, adult pet owners are often faced with making the ultimate decision for a pet because of illness or loss of quality of life. Twice I have been required to make the decision about a pet, and it has been an agonizing struggle. The ASCPA has a <a href="http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-loss/pet-loss-questions.html">FAQ about pet loss </a>as well as facing the choice of euthanasia and recommended reading to help assist in these choices.<br /><br />As the Internet has with so many things, there are communities and websites to help connect people with similar experiences in pet loss. One of the most extensive websites on pet loss, offering resources in grievance counseling, is the <a href="http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=307">Delta Society</a>. While the organization itself is located on the east coast and its focus is on improving people’s health and well being via interaction with animals, it provides valuable information on pet loss and grieving.<br /><br />Through the years, people have found ways to help them grieve the loss of their pet. The popular <a href="http://www.imom.org/loss/poems/rainbow-bridge.htm">story of Rainbow Bridge </a>has proven a comfort for many people, and is often referred to on many websites that are pet related.<br /><br />If you, or someone you know, have had to face or is facing such a difficult time in their role as a pet owner, visit these sites for options and assistance in grieving. Also, general searches on Pet Loss and Grieving can bring up a variety of memorial webpages and references to assist.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Exercises:</span> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br />1. Do a search on pet loss and grieving and pick a few of the websites. Tell about two or three that you found most helpful (i.e. information, ease of use, supportive). Was it a well known organization? Would you recommend it to others?<br />2. If you have experienced the loss of a pet, please feel welcome to post a memoriam in the comments below or on your blog. </div>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-64852532145292960352009-10-12T09:29:00.001-07:002009-10-12T09:29:49.446-07:00Pets #72: Pet Health Online<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEhF4ZW1Td6KWu7GA6vElJDpptkIaAid0wIcC_dT55nnVzGqQUlYzKjYa-hkzB5oE1d7qNkIiDKMpYqXrRvk67qPl76VsD_A2qcyLRSjVY3FiiQ8Yc6-w8uU-is8oBzAqJjqGv0TXxxzF/s1600-h/kitten+in+cast.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 153px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390692710449903266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEhF4ZW1Td6KWu7GA6vElJDpptkIaAid0wIcC_dT55nnVzGqQUlYzKjYa-hkzB5oE1d7qNkIiDKMpYqXrRvk67qPl76VsD_A2qcyLRSjVY3FiiQ8Yc6-w8uU-is8oBzAqJjqGv0TXxxzF/s200/kitten+in+cast.jpg" /></a> I am pretty sure that my dogs receive better health care than I do. It's certainly more expensive. A little background knowledge and quick sources for pet health research are essential tools to provide the best health care for your pet without turning you into a penniless nervous wreck.<br /><br />How do you know what regular medicines and vaccinations your animal should have? What symptoms make it necessary to take a trip to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Hospital on a holiday weekend? Is it okay to share my chocolate sundae with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labradoodle">labradoodle</a>? Why was Bob Barker always so fired up about spaying and neutering? Let's take a look!<br /><br /><strong>General Health Sites</strong><br /><br />The pet care section on the <a href="http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/?gclid=CO3uz9mgsJ0CFSWlagodOAgSiA">ASPCA site</a> gives an excellent overview of different health care topics for a variety of animals and is very easy to navigate. <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pethealth.html">MedlinePlus</a>, the authoritative human site, has a wide variety of articles related to pet health from very reputable sources. <a href="http://www.petmd.com/">PetMD</a> also features a great deal of general information, including travelling needs and first aid by pet type. If your pet is a cat or a dog, you can determine their "real age" through <a href="http://www.dogage.com/">DogAge</a> or <a href="http://www.catage.com/">CatAge</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Spaying and Neutering</strong><br /><br />From a <a href="http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/why_you_should_spay_or_neuter_your_pet.html">humane perspective</a>, a <a href="http://www.avma.org/animal_health/brochures/spay_neuter/spay_neuter_brochure.asp">medical perspective</a>, or a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sophia-yin/does-spaying-or-neutering_b_272030.html">behavioral perspective</a>, there are many good reasons to spay or neuter your pet (not just cats and dogs). If cost is an issue, the <a href="http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/spayneuter/">ASPCA Free and Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Database</a> will help you find an affordable clinic in your area.<br /><br /><strong>What to Eat...and Not to Eat</strong><br /><br />We're all guilty of giving in to a pleading look and sharing our human food with our pets, but some of the things we eat are harmful to animals. Cats are particularly <a href="http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/ask-the-expert/ask-the-expert-pet-nutrition/how-bad-is-garlic-for-cats.html">sensitive to garlic.</a> Dogs can develop kidney failure from <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24544541/">grapes or raisins</a>. <a href="http://www.healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?ID=118">Chocolate</a> is dangerous, even though it smells attractive to pets. Attention should also be paid to what animals are able to eat when unsupervised. <a href="http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/protect_your_pet_from_common_household_dangers/common_poisonous_plants.html">Many common plants</a> can prove to be poisonous to animals, as well as <a href="http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/protect_your_pet_from_common_household_dangers/">household items</a>, like potpourri.<br /><br />For basic pet food nutrition, many of the major pet food brands offer informative web sites. Of course their products are listed as the best, like the <a href="http://www.iams.com/">Iams</a>, <a href="http://www.eukanuba.com/">Eukanuba</a> or <a href="http://www.purina.com/">Purina</a> sites. Hill's Pet Nutrition and the American Veterinary Medical Association sponsor a <a href="http://www.petfit.com/">site to help make your pet more fit</a> and avoid the dangers associated with obesity. Many tools are available to help with exercising your <a href="http://www.dogplay.com/index.html">dog</a>, <a href="http://www.drcarol.com/Cat-Exercises-Fitness-a/222.htm">cat</a>, <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_4832040_exercise-pet-rabbit.html">rabbit</a>, <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2364004_exercise-hamster.html">hamster</a>, <a href="http://www.exoticpetvet.net/reptile/exercise.html">reptile</a> or <a href="http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=11+2069&aid=568">ferret</a>.<br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VRE3i6vgtS8feon31sNEU7gngq1Khl4a8xzShyphenhyphenVxOnscLO-Qh_Q2wq5RPgbeU8uR5jUAwYv5Cx3Im1kBmGmsZpkn0OTZw1E8F08OgSme1GR2wWMFHbBvuabK0gO7R6GwNF-1CawJDuBo/s1600-h/hamster_wheel.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 167px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391740986042158434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VRE3i6vgtS8feon31sNEU7gngq1Khl4a8xzShyphenhyphenVxOnscLO-Qh_Q2wq5RPgbeU8uR5jUAwYv5Cx3Im1kBmGmsZpkn0OTZw1E8F08OgSme1GR2wWMFHbBvuabK0gO7R6GwNF-1CawJDuBo/s200/hamster_wheel.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /><strong>Exercise</strong> </p><ol><li>Find out your pet's Real Age through <a href="http://www.dogage.com/">DogAge</a> or <a href="http://www.catage.com/">CatAge</a> and post about it in your blog.</li></ol><div align="center"><strong>OR</strong></div><br /><ol start="2"><li>Blog about your pet's fitness routine or something you saw on <a href="http://www.petfit.com/">Petfit</a> you would like to try.</li></ol><br />This month's module brought to you by Kathleen Green, Linda Stevens, Beth Krippel and Daisy Torres.iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-25527629299390497562009-10-05T07:03:00.000-07:002009-10-05T07:05:31.662-07:00Pets #71: Finding a Pet<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHAqU1L9udzwnGYCwsWzwL3USbwtzPN6MNEE1Ws9xREDC-qU1CtneFvWQ25OJ1n2_JRBNoj7stGhh5Au2DAikm3g-atgIzDf-PnxBHFxlJXpbna9PXfGUV_CpvxbHs_jdbk63JqQmmF3V/s1600-h/dog+walking.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387294243875480642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHAqU1L9udzwnGYCwsWzwL3USbwtzPN6MNEE1Ws9xREDC-qU1CtneFvWQ25OJ1n2_JRBNoj7stGhh5Au2DAikm3g-atgIzDf-PnxBHFxlJXpbna9PXfGUV_CpvxbHs_jdbk63JqQmmF3V/s200/dog+walking.jpg" /></a> <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Adopting a pet can be a rewarding experience that adds love and companionship to your life. But before you adopt a pet you need to make sure you are ready for the responsibility and that you pick the right pet for you and your lifestyle. You may think your sister's Labrador is fun when you visit them at their house with the big fenced in yard. But if you live in an apartment and have to walk <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwz9DtD9lcKnOHddnU-yASdJSRRcod0AYaCDsKbdsfCrxuBDBE44RcbH8Dpx6BBc939wcpLQLcpwBv_wTzzHecbtylKBNzlMeHEcBNeAi5-Wc_9-fVhtWaMz4nMs2w5LdfKD9_lT4_Ef7/s1600-h/cat.jpg"></a>the dog several times a day (picking up his Labrador-sized poop as you go) it might not seem fun at all.<br /><br />Take this quiz to find out what kind of pet might be right for you:<br /><a href="http://animal.discovery.com/pet-planet/pet-picker/">Pet Picker Quiz</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDues_GKM5Shnjz5b3r8DjxUfVjCmZevdL1-TKFaywuAHKaZHFJOjhcToSMrXLIdowOKQOHZ2vPq1jiLJkoNTX72ZaSKMjtJksQSejKpSWiWV1TT-vKvUojz28rOwhZXSmgZ-7Pmi75Z9/s1600-h/cat.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 144px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387329916167237714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDues_GKM5Shnjz5b3r8DjxUfVjCmZevdL1-TKFaywuAHKaZHFJOjhcToSMrXLIdowOKQOHZ2vPq1jiLJkoNTX72ZaSKMjtJksQSejKpSWiWV1TT-vKvUojz28rOwhZXSmgZ-7Pmi75Z9/s200/cat.jpg" /></a><br />If you have children in your home there will be other concerns to address before adding a pet to your family. The <a href="http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/selecting_the_right_pet_for_your_family_and_making_the_introduction.html">Humane Society </a>has an excellent article about things to consider when selecting a pet and introducing it into a home with children. </div><br /><div><div><div>So where do you find this creature who is going to make your home or family complete? There are two wonderful resources that allow you to search for pets by zip code, type and breed. <a href="http://www.petharbor.com/WelcomeFrameSet.htm">Pet Harbor</a> searches shelters for the type of pet you select. First you select the type and breed of animal and then you select which shelters you want to search. <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/index.html">Petfinder </a>also allows you to search by type and breed and will list the results by distance from the zip code you type in. Listings from <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/index.html">Animal Rescue organizations </a>can be found in Petfinder. <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/index.html">Petfinder</a> also offers a wonderful section on pet care for a variety of pets as well as pet health and training. Other places to find pets are <a href="http://www.houstonspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage_new">ASPCA</a>, <a href="http://www.cap4pets.org/">Citizens for Animal Protection (CAPS)</a>, and <a href="http://www.hcphes.org/vph/whatsnew_files/whatsnew.htm">Harris County Animal Control</a>. </div><div><br />Adopting a pet from a shelter or pound is usually easy involving only an application and small fee. Adopting a pet from a rescue organization is a little more involved and will usually cost more AND will have a home visit with interview to make sure you and the pet are a good fit. You will also sign a contract promising to keep the pet or return it to that rescue agency--no giving it away to someone else! Many pet rescue organizations are breed specific and often use <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/index.html">Petfinder</a> for their pet listings. Some local animal rescues are <a href="http://www.jugglingcats.com/rescue/Houston_cat_rescue.htm">Houston Cat Rescue</a>, <a href="http://www.dachshundrescueofhouston.org/">Dachshund Rescue of Houston</a>, and <a href="http://www.houstonbostonrescue.org/main.php">Boston Terrier Rescue of Houston</a>.<br /><br />Before bringing your pet home you will need get things ready for his/her safety and comfort. Pet Proofing is easy if the pet is contained in a cage but is more involved for pets allowed to roam. The ASPCA offers some suggestions for <a href="http://www.aspca.org/adoption/adoption-tips/preparing-your-home.html">preparing your home for your new pet</a>.<br /><br />Exercises:<br /><br />1. Take the <a href="http://animal.discovery.com/pet-planet/pet-picker/">Pet Picker Quiz </a>to find out what type of pet might be right for you.<br />2. Do a pet search in <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/index.html">Petfinder</a> or <a href="http://www.petharbor.com/">Pet Harbor </a>and discover some animals that need a family and a home like yours. </div><div>3. Write about the results in your blog.</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387330220006061410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjye_jgMzjtYXqBTlA_ejgZHt4HHO1HC3D4ADew0O6ItH07E3C8ANXsxcTUFHyfWtUMz3yg-R4tLJiGE7TabqofvaN9bLXtJyr5c7L3UEKf47Zdb_gRxRKWRm07G-SQfhW4v5DvjS3G92F1/s200/lizard.jpg" /> <div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-70827603464989777272009-10-01T11:53:00.000-07:002009-10-01T12:26:22.411-07:00October's iHCPL: We'll Make Your Pet a Star!This month's module is one for the animal lovers. We'll start the month with submitting entries for the HCPL Cutest Pet contest, then look at finding a pet online, pet health, dealing with the loss of a pet, and end with social petworking. <strong>Completion of all four posts in this module will earn 2 hours of training credit for library staff.</strong> <div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUs8NsdVhwtWrDuJ9iMZg_8n1UTsPGTduJiw0lUZupnQnMCWUmCKvS97xPqR3HgismIDuI6WZsECW2r_3IjIx_hnAf2S34AuEZFZpBlxmFFIV8bT2o27Kl7gfykqiAHSG4FTIzUEwLL1O/s1600-h/westies.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387284029145453794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUs8NsdVhwtWrDuJ9iMZg_8n1UTsPGTduJiw0lUZupnQnMCWUmCKvS97xPqR3HgismIDuI6WZsECW2r_3IjIx_hnAf2S34AuEZFZpBlxmFFIV8bT2o27Kl7gfykqiAHSG4FTIzUEwLL1O/s200/westies.jpg" /></a></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">With the proliferation of cute animal sites available now, you no longer have to wait for Aunt Betty to send you the latest batch of pictures of dogs dressed up in Halloween costumes for your "awww..." fix. You can visit <a href="http://cuteoverload.com/">Cute Overload</a> for the motherload of cuteness from the entire animal kingdom, complete with funny captions. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LOL">LOL</a> people can go to <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/">I Can Has Cheezburger?</a> for cats or <a href="http://ihasahotdog.com/">I Has a Hotdog!</a> for dogs. Baby animals are always popular, and so are <a href="http://www.dailypuppy.com/">The Daily Puppy</a> and <a href="http://kittenwar.com/">Kittenwar</a>. But, wait, where do we go for local cuteness?</div><div><br /></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReDEYEe6cj_uxSOolAfdI2QZ5Nh3Fr3RV3IpYfoTLxfwxI8QjoRnTTb3VPxtYOlNw-5iusgpATfIKR1FFmhpoK9omAqF6oNvzobExmM6-JnDW3e7i6j6wK8Fz7PpUQcXXtRA4azwYU7VD/s1600-h/kittens.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387284268222476946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReDEYEe6cj_uxSOolAfdI2QZ5Nh3Fr3RV3IpYfoTLxfwxI8QjoRnTTb3VPxtYOlNw-5iusgpATfIKR1FFmhpoK9omAqF6oNvzobExmM6-JnDW3e7i6j6wK8Fz7PpUQcXXtRA4azwYU7VD/s200/kittens.jpg" /></a>Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who's the cutest pet of all?</strong></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>We know there are many adorable pets in HCPL families and each one of us thinks that ours is the cutest. Just for fun this month, let's put it to a vote! Anyone who would like to participate should put a picture of their pet(s) in the iHCPL Pet Parade folder on the S: drive by October 16th. Please name your file with your pet's name-your name (example: Charlie-Linda Stevens). If you have more than one pet, you can submit more than one entry or you can put them all together in one photo for a big bang of cute. Voting will take place on Harriet from October 19th through the 30th and a winner will be announced at the end of the month. If the number of entries is large, we'll split the voting by type of pet. If not, dogs, cats, birds, fish, lizards, rabbits and hamsters will all compete against each other for the coveted title of "HCPL's Cutest Pet."</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>The pet contest is for fun, so you can participate without doing the rest of the module and exercises, or you can get credit for the Pets module and exercises without entering the contest.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Please contact <a href="mailto:lstevens@hcpl.net">Linda Stevens</a> with any questions and check back on Monday for an actual learning post, "Finding a Pet Online." </div><div> </div><div>This month's posts are brought to you by Linda Stevens, Kathleen Green, Beth Krippel and Daisy Torres.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photos copyright JupiterImages.com</span> </div></div></div>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-20189306668213761342009-09-28T06:46:00.000-07:002009-09-30T09:22:37.349-07:00Genealogy #70: Genealogy 2.0<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yLN4xg36PzEN0QwUmrC6d6535iyQnkwoEgqsmjQTBEJFCz51fh_vmGuwBgcQKDKMK6VoZIvAbUrlPlNQ-3PC2DP85mu11A3MDUi25d6Gm4IHra2c59_-967LgXYCrWiCTG1oCSq8LU8o/s1600-h/social+network.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 122px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384761494990104466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yLN4xg36PzEN0QwUmrC6d6535iyQnkwoEgqsmjQTBEJFCz51fh_vmGuwBgcQKDKMK6VoZIvAbUrlPlNQ-3PC2DP85mu11A3MDUi25d6Gm4IHra2c59_-967LgXYCrWiCTG1oCSq8LU8o/s200/social+network.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.flickr.com"><span style="font-size:78%;">Flickr</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> image by </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/luc/"><span style="font-size:78%;">luc legay</span></a><br /></div><div align="left"><br />What is Genealogy 2.0? Genealogist <a href="http://genealogy.about.com/od/social_networking/tp/portals.htm">Kimberly Powell </a>explains that “Genealogy 2.0 sites use advanced social computing and networking technologies like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikis">wikis</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rss">RSS</a>, mapping, and online family tree building to help people connect with family members and other researchers”. For those dedicated family researchers, they can either purchase genealogy software or subscribe to a free web-based genealogy program such as <a href="http://www.ancestry.com/">Ancestry</a>, <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/">MyHeritage</a> or <a href="http://www.footnote.com/">Footnote</a>. </div><br /><strong>MYHERITAGE.COM</strong><br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.myheritage.com/">MyHeritage</a> is a free genealogical social networking site. This website allows members to make family pages/sites, share multimedia, maintain a calendar, build family trees, and find relatives/ancestors. The <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/site-center">Family Pages</a> are online profiles for entire families. On these pages, <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/">MyHeritage</a> members can invite other relatives to join and share photos and videos, schedule events, and, like other social networks, connect family members. At this time, a family tree can hold up to 250 people free of charge. More ancestors can be added for a fee. </p><p>One attribute of MyHeritage.com is Family Tree Builder (FTB). <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder">FTB</a> is available in thirty-four different languages at this time. <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder">FTB</a> is software offered by MyHeritage which lets a user put together a family tree, enabling a user to add information about his or her ancestors (i.e. dates – birth, marriage, and death, places lived, professions, and pictures). In addition, <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder">FTB</a> can generate charts showing the relationship between two people. A user can build his or her tree online or offline; offline trees can be published to the family page. <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder">FTB</a> features Smart Matching, which identifies people appearing on more than one family tree. So, if Jane Doe, 1867 – 1944, happens to be on two different trees, the members of the family page receive notices. Smart Matches contribute to the social networking component. People throughout the world can collaborate and research the same family!</p>Like many other social networking sites, <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/">MyHeritage</a> can automatically tag people’s faces in photos when they are uploaded to family pages. If a picture of a person in the family tree is uploaded and tagged, then the <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/">MyHeritage</a> software can also instantly match the two. Photo tagging leads into a fun part of <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/">MyHeritage</a>.<br /><br /><p>One of the MyHeritage’ bells and whistles from is <a href="http://celebrity.myheritage.com/face-recognition">facial recognition technology</a>. Originally designed to help a user spot possible ancestors and/or relatives, the facial recognition technology now enables users to find out what celebrities they look like. By design, this software identifies human faces. An example of such is provided below. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nwJqb9KSTNhG2bUuO0Qu77QUA2yIuhV3QmQFe1_acVvEF2B89rHEQE9qxtC8pIqQD3M5gPnEwUr-ZIKQ8ixocu4K-qYPoO5LpAXD-H4IolfQli8UCfEnFmqmhQaR-H3i5_S8ToKfYMmS/s1600-h/Jorie's+Celebrity+Look-alikes.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 119px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384766734060580658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nwJqb9KSTNhG2bUuO0Qu77QUA2yIuhV3QmQFe1_acVvEF2B89rHEQE9qxtC8pIqQD3M5gPnEwUr-ZIKQ8ixocu4K-qYPoO5LpAXD-H4IolfQli8UCfEnFmqmhQaR-H3i5_S8ToKfYMmS/s200/Jorie's+Celebrity+Look-alikes.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />In addition, users can see whether a child looks more like his/her mother or father when using the look-alike meter. Check out the results below on the right.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1P0UQduK8tP4fiFoTvKgNGEq66fj3UEqHKTI086f0H2EG4zakdMCNcCjG5U1CwnOnHcZG9wZuxH6nqf1gg3ZsneoGcYNYjmWwnoBHuo0bvryfggVPGV3YQH4aqvSMZGIi-mDW8l5-8li/s1600-h/Look-alike+meter.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1P0UQduK8tP4fiFoTvKgNGEq66fj3UEqHKTI086f0H2EG4zakdMCNcCjG5U1CwnOnHcZG9wZuxH6nqf1gg3ZsneoGcYNYjmWwnoBHuo0bvryfggVPGV3YQH4aqvSMZGIi-mDW8l5-8li/s1600-h/Look-alike+meter.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckjeziWg7nqQhCWP_Fy9C10n9HfBV0ApoBFjqmxjAtF8M_6frd6uno92_AAek80gCEOLaAYCVvOm4IIHzflT93_Sii762WEwEu7hH3yVRFeSAkp-yffV9SnR_yslWmwSfD62X1_182JAc/s1600-h/Look-alike+1+Nissen+1982.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 137px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384769226414081618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckjeziWg7nqQhCWP_Fy9C10n9HfBV0ApoBFjqmxjAtF8M_6frd6uno92_AAek80gCEOLaAYCVvOm4IIHzflT93_Sii762WEwEu7hH3yVRFeSAkp-yffV9SnR_yslWmwSfD62X1_182JAc/s200/Look-alike+1+Nissen+1982.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1P0UQduK8tP4fiFoTvKgNGEq66fj3UEqHKTI086f0H2EG4zakdMCNcCjG5U1CwnOnHcZG9wZuxH6nqf1gg3ZsneoGcYNYjmWwnoBHuo0bvryfggVPGV3YQH4aqvSMZGIi-mDW8l5-8li/s1600-h/Look-alike+meter.jpg"></a></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1Qnvcyg_6hGT26BsZhe0Bm4XNQFLYpDB2tH_D4qUby80mzKHm93uohmQop3w9rGeFT6BZ5Cn4tWjF9Y2gyL_kx1CEs8RBlpMQrcHgqeWdAqqMyf8A_xKmOaNyygUJXm29_VxU1-kjBOE/s1600-h/Look-alike+meter.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 185px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384771323851543426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1Qnvcyg_6hGT26BsZhe0Bm4XNQFLYpDB2tH_D4qUby80mzKHm93uohmQop3w9rGeFT6BZ5Cn4tWjF9Y2gyL_kx1CEs8RBlpMQrcHgqeWdAqqMyf8A_xKmOaNyygUJXm29_VxU1-kjBOE/s200/Look-alike+meter.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><p><strong>FOOTNOTE.COM</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.footnote.com/">Footnote</a> takes original documents and mixes it with social networking. This creates collaboration amongst people throughout the world. <a href="http://www.footnote.com/">Footnote</a> has digitized documents dating back to the United States Revolutionary War as well as a place for members to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with the document access granted by <a href="http://www.footnote.com/">Footnote</a>. </p><p><strong>Exercises</strong></p><p></p><ol><li>Have you ever wondered which celebrities you most resemble? Do you look like your mom or your dad? Create a free account with <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/">MyHeritage</a>. Either make a <a href="http://celebrity.myheritage.com/celebrity-collage">Celebrity Collage</a> or use the <a href="http://celebrity.myheritage.com/FP/Company/look-alike-meter.php">Look-alike Meter</a> to find out whose looks you favor. When you finish, use the widget to add the results to your iHCPL blog. </li><li>Go to <a href="http://www.footnote.com/">Footnote</a> and browse the <a href="http://www.footnote.com/discoveries/">Member Discoveries</a>. What did you think of what people are doing on <a href="http://www.footnote.com/">Footnote</a>? </li></ol><p>This module brought to you by Jorie Nissen (FM), Laura Smith (FM) & Rhiannon Perry (LAP).<br /></p><p>HCPL Staff: Have you completed this exercise? Dont' forget to submit your <a href="http://harriet.hcpl.net/index.php?q=content/ihcpl-next-generation-registration">Registration of Completion</a>.</p>iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6594856638023438154.post-38547969258277787302009-09-22T13:39:00.000-07:002009-09-22T14:59:39.416-07:00Genealogy #69: Database Researching<p><strong></strong><strong></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEweFdChb1uHHpsCg8-jQRAzcX-zeJsidnb3NjH1KavEpWF8E3satRsR1imqwuvybyp2EKwmZ2VSx3dADtrIFusC5Cmef0xIiccZqwlLmUoNQHhskUwpRrX7qHrwjyNCONtHFxTonI3Zc/s1600-h/computer+find+genealogy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 185px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384410457132994882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEweFdChb1uHHpsCg8-jQRAzcX-zeJsidnb3NjH1KavEpWF8E3satRsR1imqwuvybyp2EKwmZ2VSx3dADtrIFusC5Cmef0xIiccZqwlLmUoNQHhskUwpRrX7qHrwjyNCONtHFxTonI3Zc/s200/computer+find+genealogy.jpg" /></a> When conducting genealogical research it is necessary to use information found in official records to assist in tracking your ancestors. The records most commonly used for this purpose are <a href="http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/">federal census </a><a href="http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/">records</a> and <a href="http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/vital-records/index.html">vital records</a>. Access to these records is limited by privacy guidelines. For example, even though the federal census is conducted every 10 years, access to those records is not allowed until 72 years later. Currently, the 1930 census records are the most recent that can be accessed for genealogical research. The <a href="http://www.1930census.com/1940_census.php">1940 census records </a>will be made available to the public in 2012.<br /><br />When working with these records, keep in mind:</p><ul><li>Official records are not always completely accurate or available </li><br /><li>Handwriting is often difficult to decipher in the years prior to typed records-this provides challenges for indexers and researchers alike </li><br /><li>Names and/or their spelling can change over the years, or be recorded incorrectly-a reason for the creation of the <a href="http://www.familytreemagazine.com/soundexgenerator/">Soundex</a></li><br /><li>Due to a fire at the National Archives in 1921, except for fragments from certain states, the <a href="http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/1890/1890.html">1890 federal census</a> is unavailable</li><br /><li>Examine all information provided on a record as you never know what might trigger your next great find – a street address on a census form can lead you to finding that ancestor in a city directory </li><br /><li>Questions asked from decade to decade on the census vary, so each time you locate your ancestors you have the potential to learn something new about them; the Minnesota Population Center at the University of Minnesota has created a site that lists the <a href="http://usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/tQuestions.shtml">census questions</a> from 1850-2000 and another that provides the <a href="http://usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/tEnumInstr.shtml">Census Enumerator instructions </a>from each decade to help with deciphering entries </li></ul><p><strong>HCPL Genealogy Databases</strong></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmwDSpK9ixIFbnhQAzvWbRBgh_8y8-6l4dbW-wntLCDfxMWMYCmoJBDS4v2K7yOVY6BUhTWrSQhLpdXRdyVEpQGtWj80ZABmjxf7h29dY0-Bci6eK_wtYmcyZ-5YvVpMO3TSF1mhylhc/s1600-h/database+genealogy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 189px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384407643367230242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmwDSpK9ixIFbnhQAzvWbRBgh_8y8-6l4dbW-wntLCDfxMWMYCmoJBDS4v2K7yOVY6BUhTWrSQhLpdXRdyVEpQGtWj80ZABmjxf7h29dY0-Bci6eK_wtYmcyZ-5YvVpMO3TSF1mhylhc/s200/database+genealogy.jpg" /></a>The records necessary to genealogical research are more accessible today than they have been in the past due to the digitization of records by organizations like <a href="http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index">HeritageQuest</a>, <a href="http://www.familysearch.org/">Family Search</a> and <a href="http://www.ancestry.com/">Ancestry.com</a>. Records which in the past were only accessible via hardcopy or microfilm, often requiring travel and/or expense on the part of the researcher, are now available online and can be accessed for free through public libraries, <a href="http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp">Family History Centers</a>, or a <a href="http://www.archives.gov/locations/">National Archives Research Room</a>. HCPL subscribes to two different genealogy databases – <a href="http://www.hcpl.net/ref/dbsubs.htm#genealogy">Ancestry.com</a> & <a href="http://www.hcpl.net/ref/dbsubs.htm#genealogy">HeritageQuest: Genealogy & Local History</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div align="left"></div><strong>HeritageQuest</strong><br /><br /><div align="left"></div>This database is accessible from home with a library card, an advantage over Ancestry.com which, due to licensing restrictions, is only available for use at the library. The index provided by <a href="http://www.hcpl.net/ref/dbsubs.htm#genealogy">HeritageQuest</a> for the federal census contains only the names of those listed as head of household. However, advanced search features in HeritageQuest allow you to search by series, roll or page number, or by other indexed fields: county, locality, age, sex or birthplace. In addition to federal census records, HeritageQuest contains five other databases that cover: <p></p><ul><li>Records and digitized books or articles concerning people and places as they are mentioned in family, genealogy and local history articles </li><li>Selected records from Revolutionary War era </li><li>Individuals listed in the Freedman’s Bank (1865-1874) </li><li>Select records of the U.S. Congress from the LexisNexis® U.S. Serial Set </li></ul><p>As you find relevant items they can be marked for addition to your “notebook” which can be printed, emailed or downloaded once your search is complete. </p><p><strong>Ancestry.com</strong></p><p></p><p>As mentioned earlier, <a href="http://www.hcpl.net/ref/dbsubs.htm#genealogy">Ancestry.com </a>(Library Edition) is only accessible to users in the library; however it can also be accessed via WiFi for those who bring their personal laptop to the library. As opposed to HeritageQuest’s six searchable databases, Ancestry.com contains over 6,500 databases for searching, some of the most popular of which include: </p><ul><li>Federal, state, and some foreign census records </li><li>Voter registration records </li><li>Military records </li><li>Public directories and member lists </li><li>Court, land, wills and financial records</li><li>Birth, marriage and death records </li><li>Immigration and passenger lists</li></ul><p align="left">Ancestry.com also provides blank copies of many of the <a href="http://www.ancestrylibrary.com/charts/ancchart.aspx">charts</a> and forms used in genealogical research. Records from Ancestry.com can be printed out or saved to a flash drive. For those willing to pay for access to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.ancestry.com">Ancestry.com </a>as opposed to using the free library edition, additional features are accessible: </p><ul><li><div align="left">Create a family tree adding as much or as little detail as you like </div></li><li><div align="left">Store the records that you find in a “shoebox” or attach them to the profile of the person to whom they pertain </div></li><li><div align="left">Include stories about or told by members of your family, and attach photos, audio or video </div></li><li><div align="left">Make your family tree public so that you can make connections with others who might also be searching for the same people as you </div></li><li><div align="left">Access to webinars and reference tools<br /><strong></strong></div></li></ul><p align="left"><strong>Additional Resources</strong></p><p align="left"></p><p><a href="http://www.archives.gov/research/alic/reference/genealogy.html">Archives Library Information Center (ALIC): Genealogy</a> – links put together by the U.S. National Archive and Records Administration for learning how to do genealogical research and how to obtain records<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cyndislist.com/">Cyndi’s List</a> – one of the most comprehensive lists of genealogy sites on the internet<br /><br /><a href="http://www.usgenweb.org/">US GenWeb</a> – collaborative effort by volunteers to list U.S. genealogy websites by state and county </p><p>Photos c2009 JupiterImages</p><p><strong>Exercises</strong></p><ol><li>Conduct a search in <a href="http://www.hcpl.net/ref/dbsubs.htm#genealogy">Ancestry.com</a> or <a href="http://www.hcpl.net/ref/dbsubs.htm#genealogy">HeritageQuest</a> for historical records concerning somebody in your family. Were you successful? If not, what difficulties did you encounter? How could you improve your search results? </li></ol><p></p>This module brought to you by Jorie Nissen (FM), Laura Smith (FM) & Rhiannon Perry (LAP).iSTARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03302667146069370166noreply@blogger.com0