Crafts & Hobbies #61: Craftspiration!

Now that summer is approaching, it might be of interest to take up a craft of some sort and strengthen those creative skills of yours. Not sure where to start or need a little push in the right direction? This summer is a potluck assortment of craft posts. Each post will be worth between .5 and 1 training hours. You'll have until August 31 to complete the craft posts for training credit.

This post is to give a brief introduction of the various online sources that are ready for you to indulge in at any time of day for however long it may take to fill your creative fancy! This post is worth .5 training hours.

Before you delve into source types, please view this little quirky video by Leslie and her entourage. Known for her gem sweaters, this video is to get you inspired and see how easy it is to just start crafting.



Blogs

Since you are doing iHCPL, you should have some sort of blogroll set up, correct? Blogs are a great source for inspirations and tips about crafting, materials, and much more! Here are a few worth mentioning:

© 2009 Jupiterimages Corporation

Pimpstitch: This blog features free pattern downloads and tutorials for those who like to sew and embroider.

Repurposeful: A blog about "being resourceful, creative, frugal and environmentally sound." Not only does this blog have posts on crafts from recyclables, it also give tips on reusing a number of objects that you may collect (perhaps, detergent containers). You can review the tag list and just search posts dealing with crafts or any other topic.

One Hour Craft: This blog is most ideal for the time sensitive individual. Crafts demonstrated on this site take about an hour to complete.

Online Communities, Forums and Websites

The online craft community loves sharing information (like libraries) and experimenting with materials. Most forums are free but some require registration. Forums usually have categories, online discussion boards, and photo albums of completed projects.

Craftster: a forum for the less than traditional craftster, this site allows you to browse their community for a variety of crafts such as sewing, knitting, jewelry making and more.

© 2009 Jupiterimages Corporation

Etsy Community: The very popular Etsy (and online store front for artsy business types) has a forum for a number of topics. The Techniques & Materials specifically offers tips and tricks to making things.

Instructables: This site peruses crafts that are more constructive and friendly for both men and women who like to build things with their hands and enjoy DIY (do-it-yourself) projects. Projects are split into categories which include art, craft, food, games and other general topics.

Craftzine: Brought to you by the makers of Make (an electronic DIY magazine), the Craft site has podcast, tutorials and forums on a number of craft topics.

Multi-Media

Did you think you could only read about crafts? Of course not! For the more visual learner (and audial), craftspiring sources are available in multipe formats!

Videos: some websites have embedded videos that show tutorials and there are YouTube channels that focus on crafting and DIY project.

Etsy's YouTube channel has interviews with crafters and also has "How Tuesdays" which are tutorials that are posted on...Tuesday!

TheCraftsChannel is your "online masterclass for crafting techniques." Videos include tutorials of crafts that can be done in 5 minutes or less.

Podcasts: If you are more of an audio person, try out a podcast. Most craft sites have their own links to podcasts so be sure to browse sites for all of their resources.

Photos: Do you remember Flickr? And you thought you wouldn't have to learn about photos again...sheesh. The great thing about Flickr is that people tag their photos or submit them to "pools" that make it easier for the general public (such as yourself) to peruse their photo stock. Check out the Craft pools.

Exercises

1) Check out some of the craft sites listed above. Do you see some fun craft ideas you'd like to try? Pick one to talk about on your blog.

2) Browse around one or two of the sites in the multimedia section above. Do you think you would enjoy learning a craft technique or hobby by watching a video, or do you prefer some form of written instructions?

3) Write a blog post with your thoughts on the above questions.

HCPL Staff: Have you completed this exercise? Then Submit your Registration of Completion

This post was brought to you by Veronica Garza.

Recession Busters # 60: Food, Fun & Frugality

As a follow-up to last month's Money & Finance module, this month's single post focuses on cheap food, fun and frugality. This post/exercise is worth .5 training hours of credit and is available for credit through June 30, 2009.

What exactly is a recession? How is it different from a depression? If you have ever thought about questions similar to these, economist Mike Moffatt has written an article on About.com titled What is a Recession? . Moffatt’s article provides concise answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding this current topic, along with links that offer you more in depth information on this topic.

During these difficult economic times saving money is an essential step in the health of your finances. Since holding on to every penny makes such a difference, here are some great ways to hold on to your money.

Food

There are several ways to save money when it comes to food sources. If you like to cook but find the high price of groceries to be a deterrent, Depression Cooking With Clara is exactly what you’re looking for. Clara Cannucciari is a 93 year-old grandmother living in New York that prepares affordable meals. She was recently featured on Good Morning America.

If cooking is not for you, check out the Houston Cheap Eats Examiner. Mike Riccetti, author of “Houston Dining on the Cheap” writes up-to-date articles on local eateries that are easy on the pocketbook. $timulus Dining Deal$ in Houston also has information on the discounts offered by local restaurants. Many local restaurants have been featured on Houston news channels offering specials to bring in more customers, so it’s worth asking your favorite restaurants if they’re offering any special discounts. If you’re a twitter fan, you can now receive Recession Recipes through Twitter.

Fun

There are plenty of free or relatively inexpensive activities offered in the surrounding Houston area. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of these great deals.

• Miller Outdoor Theater offers professional entertainment performances free of charge.
• Many museums in Houston offer free admission at special times. These museums include: Children’s Museum of Houston(Thursday 5-8pm), Houston Museum of Natural Science (exhibit halls only /Tuesday 2-8pm), The Health Museum (Thursday 2-5pm), Museum of Fine Arts (Thursdays 10am-9pm), and Buffalo Soldier National Museum (Mondays 10am-5pm). Click on the links provided for further information on each of the museums listed.
• The following museums are always free of charge: Lawndale Art Center, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Rice University Art Museum, Holocaust Museum, Houston Center for Photography and The Menil Collection . The Menil Collection museum features the art collection of John and Dominique de Menil and has been recognized in Patricia Schultz’s book “1000 Places To See Before You Die”.
• For those that enjoy nature the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center and the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge are both free outdoor activities. The Houston Zoo has free admission on several national holidays throughout the year along with other discounts such as the Houston City Pass. The Port of Houston offers free Boat Tours.
• Meetup groups are an informal meetings of people with shared interests, Houston Meetup Groups lists groups that meet locally. Meetup groups are an affordable way to spend time participating in activities that you enjoy.
• HCPL owns several books on planning inexpensive day trips from the Houston area. One such book is Shifra Stein's Day Trips from Houston, a great resource when planning a quick get-away.
• With summer quickly approaching, you can get some planning ideas from ABC News’ Recession Guide to Cheap Summer Fun.

Frugality

• About.com – Frugal Living includes information on frugal topics such as household savings, beauty/heath care, clothing, transportation, and do-it-yourself projects.
• Houston on the Cheap - Houston is one of the 40 cities around the U.S. participating in informing Houstonians about “discounts, deals, and freebies on entertainment, restaurants, and family-friendly fun”.
• Consumer Reports’ Smart Moves for Tough Times is packed full with useful tips on how consumers can save money.
• Local warehouses and outlets (Sears, Mattress Firm, Stretchers, Sealy, Pier 1) are a great place to find big savings on some of your favorite brand name items.
• The NACO Free Prescription Discount Card is available at many HCPL locations and can save an individual an average of 20% off on prescription drugs.
• Harris County Employees get discounts through several wireless companies (T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon). Gym membership discounts are offered through Fitness 19. Half Price Books offers librarians and educators a 10% discount card to use for purchases year round. Insured employees and their dependents are eligible to participate in Aetna’s Employee Assistance Program (EPA) at no additional cost. This program is designed to provide employees with confidential assistance on a wide range of topics such as legal/financial, mental health, and well-being.
• Looking for more ways to save or more information on recessions? Check out these informative sites: 101 Ways to Save Money, The Simple Dollar, Surviving a Recession and Your 2009 Recession Survival Guide.

How will Houston weather the Recession? Forbe’s Joel Kotlin says it best, “Houstonians long have displayed remarkable grit and creativity in the face of tough times… Houston is still among the best bets to survive these tough times and come out, in the end, a strong winner”.

Exercises:

1. Watch one of Clara’s videos or search online for one recession recipe and post the recipe or video onto your blog.
2. Share a few recession busters that you have heard or seen about in the media over the last few weeks, either on the local or national level.
3. List any tips you may have recently discovered or have been using for some time regarding saving money during difficult economic times.

This module brought to you by Rhiannon Perry (LAP).

HCPL Staff: Have you completed this exercise? Then Submit your Registration of Completion

All Images (c) Jupiterimages

Money & Finance #59: Credit, Money Management, and Saving

Now that we've covered banking and budgeting, we'll take a look at credit reports, money management, and your HCPL retirement in the second and final post of the Money & Finance Module. You have until June 15 to complete the module (post 58 & 59) for 2 hours of training credit.

Credit Reports & Scores:

When organizing your finances an essential step in the process is reviewing your credit report and credit score. Your credit report is a document that contains all of your credit history. In this report you and your creditors can view all credit transactions that have occurred under your name, how much credit you’re allowed, and any other relevant credit related information.

In your report, you’ll find a three digit credit score, which is a numerical summary of your entire credit report. There is no set scale regarding credit scores, since each credit bureau has differing credit scoring systems. This credit score does not stay static. When any changes involving your credit occur, this number will adjust to the changes taking place. Credit scores serve the purpose of allowing creditors to better predict if the borrower can repay the loan amount based on their payment history. According to Experian, “paying your bills on time is generally the single most important contributor to a good credit score”.

In December of 2003, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a consumer provision into the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act's (FACTA) law that allows individuals the right to free credit reports. Under this law a person is allowed to obtain a free copy of their credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Trans Union and Experian) once every 12 months. Use caution when obtaining a free copy of your credit report through an online or televised source. Many of these companies offer this service with a hidden catch. The FTC endorses AnnualCreditReport.com site as an authorized source for obtaining reports, but it is unclear if a credit score will also be provided. This site allows you the option to receive a report from all three bureaus at one time or spread the reports into three (one from each company) throughout the year. Also, check with your bank and credit card company to learn if you can access your credit report and/or score free of charge or for a nominal fee.

If you wish to learn more about how to repair a bad credit report, About.com has an informative article. About.com also has an article that aids users through the steps to follow when disputing credit report information. For additional information and to view some interesting examples, read the article Your Credit Scores.

Money Management

Money Grab
Originally uploaded by Steve Wampler

Another great way to keep your finances organized is by fine tuning the art of managing your money. The most difficult part of this process is simply getting started. The US government created the site MyMoney as a resource designed to assist individuals with the basics of financial education. This site provides a wealth of financial information, with features such as finding an FDIC bank, how to read though the trading ads, and the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK). MyMoney also provides a link to access the information found on the site in Español, making this a good resource for Spanish speaking patrons as well. Another comprehensive resource, CNN Money, has a detailed step-by-step guide to aid individuals in gaining control of their personal finances. The page is divided into 23 separate lessons on key topics. These lessons range from setting your priorities to estate planning and every financial topic in between.

Spending plans are a popular first step strategy especially for beginners. The University of Florida created a page designed to educate individuals on the steps needed to create a spending plan. If you’re pressed for time About.com’s Frugal Living Section has a spending plan that only requires one hour of your time to complete.

There are many popular experts in the field of financial advice. It is important to note that each expert has their own particular style and that the names listed below are just a few chosen as examples for this module. These links to Suze Orman, Robert Kiyosaki, David Bach, Jean Chatzky, and Dave Ramsey can be used to access a wealth of free resources, but be aware that most of these experts’ sites are commercial and may try to sell you their merchandise. Many of these experts have authored books on the subject, and most are available through the HCPL Catalog.

The BankRate site has an interesting article in which eight experts were asked to recall the best personal financial advice they have learned. There are many other sites found on the Web that offer financial advice, such as: Yahoo! Finance, MSN Money, Money Week Houston, Oprah, and Iowa State University.

HCPL Retirement

Piggy savings bank
Originally uploaded by alancleaver_2000

If you’ve ever had questions about HCPL’s retirement benefits program the Texas District & Retirement System (TCDRS) site will have many of the answers you’re looking for. The TCDRS Employee page provides information on services, benefits, forms/publications, account access, and additional resources.

Each year TCDRS mails each Harris County employee an annual account summary, but did you know that you can access the information pertaining to your retirement account on the Web? The TCDRS Log-In page allows Harris County employees instant access to view this information.

Coming Soon: a pot-luck post featuring recession busters we can all use to save money!

Exercises:

1. Read the article How Credit Scores Work then take the Credit Score Quiz. Write about any new information you learned regarding credit reports and/or scores.
2. Have you ever made a spending or budget plan? Is so, did you find the process difficult or easy? Also, discuss any additional thoughts you had about the process.
   If you have never made a spending/budget plan, discuss if you are interested in creating one. Also, provide a brief outline of the steps you’d take to begin the process.
3. What did you find most useful on the TCDRS site to help understand your retirement benefits?

This module brought to you by Monica Norem (CYF), Rhiannon Perry (LAP), & Melanie Metzger (CYF).

HCPL Staff: Have you completed this exercise? Then Submit your Registration of Completion

Money & Finance #58: Banking, Budgeting, and Spending

In today’s tough times, everyone is watching their money a little more closely. But did you know you can watch it online and find ways to better organize your finances? There are two posts in the Money & Finance module. Library staff who complete both posts will receive two hours of training credit.

Because financial information is very personal and private, before you consider using online financial sites, please review Online Safety & Sharing from the original iHCPL and Internet Safety. Please note that most banks have secure sites.

Many banks nowadays offer traditional banking services online including balance inquiries, money transfers and even bill paying. It’s a great way to check on your bank accounts daily to keep track of purchases and also helps the planet by eliminating paper statements and bills.

Money
Originally uploaded by Tracy O

Some of the more popular banks that offer online services are:

• Chase
• Bank of America
• Wells Fargo
• Wachovia

There are also several sites out there that allow you to link multiple bank accounts into one service to see collectively where your money goes. One such site created by the guys at The Motley Fool is called Mint. After setting up your account on Mint and adding your banking information, it can help you see where your money goes each month in relation to several categories. Add your credit card information and Mint will also help you find lower interest rates and set up payment schedules to help you pay off your debt quicker. Mint can also help you set up a budget for your household and gives you many tips and techniques on how to better budget your money.

Other sites offering free budget help like Mint are:

• expensr
• Wesabe
• Foonance

Do you have friends and family that you are always lending money to (or borrowing money from)? There are several services that also let you keep track of those IOU’s so you can truly stay on top of where your money goes. Check them out at:

• Buxfer
• Rippleplay
• Spendji
• Scred

Walking on a Coin
Originally uploaded by Darren Hester

Once you figure out where all your money is going to, then you can begin to think of ways to cut back or save money.

Check out the Do You Have a Spending Problem? quiz to see if you’re already a savvy spender.

And then check out Spend Less on Everything from Consumer Reports for ideas on how to cut back on your spending without cutting back on your life.

Exercises:

1) Does your bank offer online banking? Is it free or fee based? If so blog about your experiences with online banking. What features do you like or dislike? If your bank doesn't offer online banking, blog why they should or should not consider adding it. What security safeguards does the bank offer when you use online banking? What safeguards can you use when banking online?

2) Take a look at several of the budgeting tools listed above. Do you see any that you particularly like? Can you see yourself using these? Test them out and blog about your reactions.

3) Read the article on ways to cut back on your spending. Blog about 2 or 3 ideas mentioned that you'd like to incorporate/implement into your financial plan.

This module brought to you by Monica Norem (CYF), Rhiannon Perry (LAP), & Melanie Metzger (CYF).

Pot Luck #57: TXT U L8R - Texting

This module on Texting is required for all staff. It is worth .5 Training hours and will be available through May 31, 2009. For this module only, you do not need a blog. You can do the exercise on the Registration Form.

Flickr CC: Pigeons Sending Texts - Metro
Uploaded by: Annie Mole

Text messaging has become extremely popular. When you send a text message from your phone, you use SMS, which stands for Short Message Service. According to a Nielsen Mobile survey, the average adult cell phone user sends and receives about 357 text messages a month; teens on the other hand, can use up to a couple thousand. You can use text messaging to communicate with friends and family, vote for your favorite on American Idol, or get updates from some websites. With the rise in popularity of texting is it any wonder that people think they can do it while they're driving? The New York Times discusses the danger of driving while texting in this article.

Even if you don’t send text messages very often, it is a good idea to know how to send them. There may be situations in which you must preserve the life of your cell phone battery. For example, when Hurricane Ike passed through and left us without electricity, many people were texting instead of making calls from their phones for the simple reason that texting worked. Sending text messages does not drain your battery as much as making a call would. Another problem was that too many people were trying to make calls from their cell phones and couldn’t get through.

Cell phone carriers charge you for every text message that you send and receive, unless you have a text message package. There are some websites that will allow you to send messages to other cell phones for free (for example txt2day.com and Free Text Messaging). Most cell phone carriers allow you to do this from their site if you have an account with them.

Have you ever seen a text message you can’t understand? There are many websites where you can learn text message lingo. On the website Lingo 2 Word, you can translate the message into plain English.

So how do you send a text message?

Cellular & Mobile Phones: How To Text Message

Mobile Phone
Originally uploaded by incurable_hippie

1. Select the menu option on your cell phone.
2. Find and select "messages."
3. Select "text messages"
4. Type in the cell phone number of the person(s) you want to text and click "OK" to confirm
5. Select "write or compose message" or similar from the "messaging Menu"
6. Type your message using the keypad. Text messages are generally limited to 140-160 characters.
7. When done, select "OK" or "SEND"
   

See this step by step guide for more tips. Many cell phones have a traditional phone keypad, which shows numbers and letters. If you press the number 2 you will get an a. If you press it a second time, you will get a b, a third time will get you a c. If you continue you will get the number and capital versions of each letter.

Reading/Receiving a Text Message
When you receive a text message you should have an alert on your phone. It may be in the form of an envelope icon or you may have an alert asking if you want to read the message now or later. To view all messages received:

1. Select the menu option on your cell phone.
2. Find and select "messaging."
   
3. Select "text messages" or "inbox."
   
4. Click on the message to view
5. Select reply to respond to the message.
   

Exercise
Write a blog post about text messaging. Include the following in your post:

• Have you ever sent a text message?
• If you haven't, be sure to watch the video and read through the basics of sending a text message. Using this information, do you think you could send a message in an emergency?
• If you have, was it only in an emergency or are you a regular texter?
• Do you use text lingo? Did Lingo 2 Word help?
• Finally, what are your thoughts on the texting and driving after reading the New York Times article?

This post brought to you by Daisy Torres (FM).

HCPL Staff: When you have completed the module, Submit your iHCPL: Texting Module registration. Remember, you can do the exercise directly on the registration form.

Potluck #56: To Tweet or Not To Tweet...Twitter

This is the second of three individual potluck posts this month. You can do any or all of the posts to get individual credit. This post is avaialble for training credit through April 30 and is worth 1 training hour.



(c) Bill Barnes & Gene Ambaum Unshelved.com. Used with permission.

If you have yet to hear about Twitter, you are not keeping up with Web 2.0.

The "micro-blogging" sensation is at the top with popular social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace. According to Compete.com, Twitter is the 3rd largest social networking site (and rising).

What, you might ask, is micro-blogging? According to Wikipedia, it is "is a form of blogging that allows users to send brief text updates (usually 140 characters or fewer) or [items] such as photos or audio clips and publish them, either to be viewed by anyone or by a restricted group which can be chosen by the user."

Twitterverse
Twitter is used in various ways. Many use it for personal accounts, promotional purposes, or sharing information about special interests. Popular twitter profiles include profiles that follow celebrities, give news and weather updates, and even give information about freebies. Celebrity twitterers are also a prominent voice in the Twitter community. Celebrity Tweet keeps tabs on celebrities.

You may not have visited the Twitter site; however, Twitter is becoming the talk of town. Some people wonder if Twitter has a shot at being a long term network. Several sources voice their opinion about Twitter's shelf life and the general consensus is that Twitter is here to stay. For information on Twitter's longevity and popularity, see Entertainment Weekly's The Truth about Twitter, Forbes' Yes, CEOs Should Facebook and Twitter, and Unshelved's Twitter Love.

Twitter is not for everyone. To employ Twitter to its fullest potential, a user should tweet at regularly but not overdo it. For other tips on being an effective user, see 10 Traits of Highly Effective Twitter Users.

Twitter Features, Apps, and Tools
Similar to the features of other social networks, Twitter allows users to:

• Custom design backgrounds with Twitter templates, non-Twitter sources (such as Twitterbacks), or personal uploaded images.


• Mark favorite tweets for easy access and view other users' favorite tweets.


• Make your profile private so that only friends can see your information.


• Share pics via Twitpic.


• Users can perform a keyword search that will search everyone's tweets (EVERYONE!).


• Find people by username or personal name or Twitter will give you suggested twitterers.
  

Also, users can link other sites to their Twitter account by adding a widget or gadget and can share music, pictures, videos, etc. that they like. Applications on sites such as Facebook will allow status updates from their site to be updated on Twitter. There are cell phone applications such as Twitterberry so you can tweet on the go. There are also a number of applications users can download to their desktops to optimize Twitter such as Twhirl and Tweetdeck.

Twitter Related Sites

Twitter Glossary - With the Twitter explosion, new Twitter-specific terms are used. Some examples:
Hash Tag (#): the "#" sign allows Twitters to tag their conversations to make it easier to find. (e.g. #hcpl)
Twaiting: twittering while waiting
Tweeple: Twitter users
Twitterati: Glamorous A-List twitterers everyone wants to follow.

Twellow- An online directory that allows social network users to list themselves and their profile information for sites including del.icio.us, Flickr, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Twitter Elite- Similar to a directory, you can view Twitterati profiles by location that also include their grade or see top cities that have the most users. These ratings provide a small bio as well as a link to follow them.

Twitip- This is kind of like a blog that posts news and information relevant to the Twitter community. This site posts tips on how to be a good twitterer, how to make friends and other guidelines that are useful for Twitter.

Exercises
1) Browse a couple of different Twitter profiles (news, fashion, celebrities) and read through a few updates. Do you think this is something you would adopt for personal use? Is there a particular topic you'd like to tweet about?

2) Use the search feature to find tweets about a topic that interests you. What were the results?

3) Post your thoughts about Twitter to your blog. For help navigating through Twitter, see their support page.


Optional: Create a Twitter account or subscribe to a feed. For help on subscribing to a feed, visit here.




This post brought to you by Veronica Garza (ADM).


HCPL Staff: Have you completed this exercise? Then Submit your Registration of Completion

Pot Luck #55: Getting the Most Out of Facebook

This is the first of three individual pot luck posts this month. You can do any or all of the posts to get individual credit. This post is available for training credit through April 30 and is worth 1 training hour.
Have you heard of Facebook? I'd be surprised if you haven't received at least one invite by a friend to join the fast growing social network. Facebook now has 175 million active users (an increase of 25 million in 5 weeks) and was the second ranked social media site of 2008 by comScore (#1 was Blogger) and now has 175 million active users (a growth of 25 million in one month).

What is Facebook? Facebook is a Social Networking site that was originally created for college students [for an overview of Social Networking in general see Thing 18 in the original iHCPL] and has since expanded to include anyone over the age of 13. It's easy to join - just visit www.facebook.com - and sign up with your name, email address, and a password (you do need to sign-up to do this exercise.

In the original iHCPL, we discussed the importance of online safety. Being aware of privacy issues is important, especially on a social networking site like Facebook, where by definition, you are sharing information about yourself. 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know by Nick O'Neill is a must read as you get started on Facebook. If you're concerned that your coworker will see that photo of you from high school with the bad hairdo, this will tell you how to limit access to that photo.

So, you have an account, now what?

Find Friends
One of the best things about Facebook - or any social network - is connecting with other people. The more information you enter about yourself, the more opportunities you'll have of finding similar people. For instance, if you enter your high school or college(s) you can then search for people in your class. In the "About You" section, you can click on that book, movie, or hobby to find other people who have the same interest. Join a network (Tip: HCPL has it's own Network) and find people that way.

Just because someone requests that you friend them doesn't mean you have to. If you don't know who they are you can 1. Ignore them (they won't be notified) or 2. send them a message and ask how you know them. The friend request will tell you if you have friends in common, which can be a clue.


Add Stuff
Facebook comes with several built in applications including:

• Status - Tell everyone what you're doing right now. If you Twitter, you can have your Twitter status update your Facebook status automatically (on your profile, click Settings just under your status bar then import activity)
• Photos - Add photos to your account and tag yourself and/or your friends.
• Notes - You can add a note to your account, which is similar to a blog. In fact, you can link your blog to your facebook account. This is where you can post the 25 Things About Me meme that has been going around.
  
• Post Links - Did you find a cool picture on I Can Has Cheezburger or a video on YouTube that you want to share? On your profile, click Post link and paste the copied link to share it with all your friends. Even easier, grab the Share Bookmarklet. (Tip: Through the Settings mentioned above, you can automatically share your delicious bookmarks, Flickr photos, and more.)
  

Add Applications
One of the fun aspects of Facebook is the Applications you can add. Applications can range from games, to connections, to the bizarre, to the plain annoying. Applications that are installed are available from the Applications menu in the lower left corner of the screen. The six applications you use most often are available as icons to the right of the menu.
When you click Applications, the menu opens up, showing your bookmarks. At the top, you can edit your applications (including removing ones you don't want anymore) or Find More.
You may also get invitations from friends to take a quiz, add flair, join a game, or in general use an application. As with Friend Requests, it's OK to ignore a request. Your friend won't know if you ignore the request.
So, what are some applications to try?

Books, movies, TV shows, restaurants...
Share your favorite books, movies, etc. through several applications including Living Social: Visual Bookshelf and it's related applications for movies, TV shows, restaurants, and more. Related applications: GoodReads, Shelfari, and LibraryThing, Movies by Flixster.

Take care of a fairy, pet, plant...
There are a wide variety of virtual items to take care of on Facebook. One of the most popular is (Lil) Green Patch, which lets you grown items and "save the rainforest." You can "adopt" a fairy or dog (the developer has other apps for cats and horses) instead if you don't have a green thumb.

Get some flair
Pieces of Flair lets you add virtual buttons that demonstrate your interests. You can send flair to your friends and display your flair on a virtual bulletin board on on your wall. Related application: Bumper Sticker

Give flowers and poke people
Do you have a friend who's feeling down? Why not send them some flowers or good karma? Or, if you just want to let them know you're thinking about them, Super Poke them. There are a multitude of applications to send things to people for all sorts of interests (Library Gifts anyone?) - search Facebook to find more.

Go Mobile
You can take Facebook with you on your iPhone or Blackberry. The mobile applications will send status updates and more directly to your phone.

These apps are just the tip of the iceberg, and in some cases aren't even the most popular. For some more suggestions, check out the Facebook Application Leaderboard on ALLFacebook.

Exercise:
1. If you haven't already, sign up for a Facebook account.

2. Search for people you may know and add a friend or two. Two options are the Search box,and the People You May Know tool (on the home page).
Tip: you generally need to have a friend or two for the People You May Know tool to work. Click See All for options to search by school, or to import your mail contacts.

3. Add an application from one of the above suggestions or search using Find More - you can always delete it. Play around with the application for at least 5-10 minutes.

4. Write a post to your blog about your experience.

If you're new to Facebook - what are your initial impressions? Was it easy to sign up? Did you find anyone you knew? What application did you try? Do you think you'll stick with Facebook?

If you've been on Facebook for awhile - are you a regular user? Did you discover anything new? What application did you try, or if you already have a bunch, what are your favorites and why?

Final Tip, you can permanently delete your Facebook account.

HCPL Staff: Have you completed this exercise? Then Submit your Registration of Completion