Series 2: Lesson 11 Challenge

I definitely have an online personal learning network, which changes from time to time as my goals, activities, and responsibilities change. A large part of my PLN is online sources, but I often turn to colleagues for ideas and insights as well.

When I was approaching graduation and my main priority was finding a professional librarian job, I followed INALJ, Hiring Librarians, and blogs and websites that were relevant to my areas of interest (Children's and Teen Services). I got interview, cover letter, and resume advice, as well as programming ideas and tips. Another thing I am very glad I did around the time of my job hunt was ask my library supervisor and HR department for help and advice. I was lucky enough to be working in a library while getting my degree, with similar responsibilities to a Library Assistant here in SAPL. The manager of services and collections was kind enough to do a mock interview with me, really focusing on important questions and how I put my answers together, and the Human Resources specialist did a resume review with me. I'm certain that these in-person PLN pieces had a lot to do with my successful job hunt. After I came here and started working as a Teen Services librarian, I focused more heavily on teen-centered and education- and technology-focused resources, like YALSA, Teen Librarian Toolbox, SparkFun, Evil Mad Scientist, and Make:. Through these resources, I've learned about new projects and tools, and I've gotten insights on important questions and issues having to do with teens and advocacy for teens in the library. Having recently moved out to a branch, I have been looking for ways to manage my time more effectively, so that has certainly influenced my PLN recently.

Series 2: Lesson 10 Challenge

Judging by the transit directions provided by Google Maps, it would be quite easy to get from Brook Hollow to a nearby McDonald's on Jones Maltsberger. It would take only 9 minutes by bus (though I know that San Antonio buses can often be behind schedule, so I'd recommend setting out a little early). There is a bus stop right outside of the branch, and one right outside of the McDonald's, and there are no transfers necessary.

Series 2: Lesson 9 Challenge

I used Mozilla's Thimble to create an interactive postcard about summer reading. I think Mozilla's intro Thimble projects have pretty good instructions, though I did flounder about a few times to find exactly where to paste my hex color codes. Once I figured that out, I was able to change the text, fonts, colors, and images. I've included screenshots below, but if you'd like to check it out for yourself, here's the link.

I think Thimble is a great tool for older kids and adults who are curious about code, and I have used it in programs before with some success. There are different levels of complexity, and I like that there are existing projects to "remix" - it can be fun to change code and see how it affects the project. It is not so challenging for people who have some experience with coding, but it might be interesting to recruit teens with experience coding to teach teens who are curious about it with this tool. 

Series 2: Lesson 8 Challenge

OPTION 1 (where you get to be imaginative!):

Imagine two situations where you are interacting with someone via Skype, Google Hangouts, or a Mondopad.

• Situation 1:  You are having a virtual meeting with a colleague at a nearby branch; discussing a potential collaborative program between the two branches.

Our teen patrons want to have a video game tournament with teens from our nearest neighboring branch, utilizing the network capabilities of their gaming systems to remotely compete with teens at the other branch. 

1. One major benefit of having this meeting online is that nobody has to drive an hour to get to the other branch and back. Travel time really increases the impact of an off-site meeting on one's day.

2. Connectivity was an issue for this meeting. My video feed (of my colleague) froze more than once, and some audio was garbled. It was a little hard to figure out what had been missed by both sides. Additionally, my colleague was at her desk in an open staff area, so her coworkers often made comments or said hello as they were walking by and noticed a face on her computer. 

3. I would meet online again if necessary, but would prefer a face-to-face meeting. Maybe Skype would work better than Google Hangouts. 

4. I might meet with other coworkers online, if our schedules were constrained and there was no possible hands-on component to the discussion (like learning to use a tool or system). 

5. Both kinds of meetings can be good - it's just a matter of identifying the objectives of the meeting and the barriers and deciding which one to use. 

• Situation 2: You are conducting a virtual reference interview with a patron; this is your first time meeting this patron, so you have no background information about their interests or likes.

The patron in question is visiting family during the summer vacation and would like to get help accessing the library's digital resources remotely. She has internet access and is comfortable using her iPad to download apps and browse the internet, as well as to Skype with faraway friends and family.

1. This patron would not be able to get to the library, since she is visiting family out of state, so this meeting certainly increases the level of help we can offer. Because she is familiar with Skype, that eliminates the major tech know-how barrier to virtual reference service. 

2. Overall, this interaction went smoothly. I was able to use Skype's screensharing capability to demonstrate how to find SAPL's digital resources and how to access and download material. 

3./4. Although the meeting went well, I don't think this patron will need a second session. Similar sessions with other patrons could be a good idea, though. 

5. In this case, an in-person meeting wouldn't have been possible. I beleive this served just as well, though I generally prefer in-person meetings. 

Series 2: Lesson 7 Challenge

It's not unusual for me to come across a 404 page, whether because I'm clicking old links, my browser autocompletes incorrectly, or I think I remember the exact url but I'm mistaken.

I know I've seen some funny ones, but I can't remember which sites they were.

Series 2: Lesson 6 Challenge

I searched NoveList for "The Story of Owen: Dragonslayer of Trondheim," which is a book I read a while ago but really enjoyed the voice of. Initially, I selected too many appeal factors (or maybe they were just too specific), and my original title was my only result. (I selected witty, fantasy, and teenagers, hoping for YA results.) I ended up finding many more results when I searched for witty and teenagers, though 8 of my first 30 results were Georgia Nicolson books. Next, I'll have to explore ways to exclude appeal factors.

Series 2: Lesson 5 Challenge

Learning Express Library taught me that I don't remember the proper way to multiply and divide fractions.

I tried the Basic Math Tutorial in the Adult Learning Center. It certainly helped me refresh my basic math skills. I don't use fractions much in my daily life! While the content was quality, the tutorial structure wasn't my favorite. The only way I saw to navigate through the tutorial was through the links at the side of the page. When I completed a page, the only option I saw at the bottom was to clear any answers I had entered to diagnostic questions. It seems like an easy fix to add navigational links to the bottom of the page so that the person completing the tutorial doesn't have to scroll up and down over and over again. Or maybe I'm just lazy. (This is a strong possibility.)

I find that Learning Express is one of my top database recommendations for teens, simply because of their test prep resources. I imagine it comes in handy for adult learners, as well.