Dale Icons Galore

I went a bit crazy with the new icon maker I found online. :-)

The man is just all kinds of wonderful, eh?

Feel free to snag them. All I ask is that you credit ladygarnett if you use them on LJ, your blog, whatever.

Richard Brooke Garnett

145 years ago today, the Battle of Gettysburg culminated in a bloody engagement that has become popularly known as Pickett's Charge. Amidst the courage and cowardice, blood and struggle, triumph and tragedy, lies one story that has become as dear to my heart as it is laden with heartbreak - the death of Confederate General Richard Brooke Garnett, who fell at the head of his brigade as it assaulted the wall at the Angle.

Garnett was born November 21, 1817, the second son (and eldest of twin sons) born to William and Anna Maria Garnett. Deciding early upon a career in the army (perhaps due to the influence of his mother's brother, General George Mercer Brooke, who fought with Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812), Richard desired to attend West Point. However, his father's politics did not endear the family to the local Congressman, so Richard's appointment was eased by Uncle George, who dropped a casual note to his old comrade-in-arms, Jackson, who just happened to be living in the White House. An inconsistent student, Richard struggled at West Point, taking five years to finish the four-year course of study. However, finish he did, unlike nearly 50% of those entering each class. He graduated in 1841, in the middle of his class. He spent the next nearly 20 years in a variety of frontier posts from Florida to Ft. Laramie. He served for 5 years on his uncle's staff, a career decision that did not prove advantageous, as his contemporaries gained battle experience and brevets in Mexico. By 1861, he was serving in Benecia, California. When Virginia seceded from the Union, Garnett reluctantly followed her, resigning his commission on May 17.

After making his way by boat via Cuba back to Virginia, Garnett secured a commission as Lt. Colonel in Cobb's Georgia Legion. However, he served only two months in the post before receiving his general's star on November 14, 1861. As fate would have it, Garnett was assigned to command the Stonewall Brigade, succeeding the brigade's beloved first commander, Thomas J. Jackson. Jackson took an immediate dislike to Garnett, but the men quite liked their new general. He was solicitous of their welfare, and the men called him "The Soldier's Friend."

However, Jackson continued to voice doubts about Garnett's ability and worthiness for command. In March 1862, acting on outdated intelligence from his cavalry commander, Turner Ashby, Jackson decided to attack what he assumed was a Union brigade near Winchester, Virginia. Unfortunately for the Confederates, they were really facing a whole Union division. The attack stalled, and the Stonewall Brigade found itself repeatedly charged by fresh Union troops, risking being outflanked and running out of ammunition. Without orders (he had not been told to hold the position at all hazards), Garnett exercised his command authority. With men already leaving the ranks due to empty cartridge boxes, Garnett ordered the brigade to retreat. He also ordered the 5th VA, which had been placed in reserve, to deploy and cover the retreat of the rest of the brigade. Jackson was infuriated. He felt the men should have stood fast and fought with the bayonet if necessary. The First Battle of Kernstown was Jackson's only defeat and he blamed Garnett, even though Jackson attacked without fresh intelligence, he never used his artillery to support his attack, and once he knew he was vastly outnumbered and in danger of being outflanked, he did nothing to remedy the troops' deployment or provide reinforcements. Instead, despite the support of all of Garnett's colonels, Jackson arrested him and pressed charges.

Feeling the charges "blasted [his] character as both a soldier and a man," Garnett fought to have a court martial convened, knowing he would be exonerated. Although Robert E. Lee tried to get Jackson to drop the charges, Jackson refused. A court martial was held in August 1862, but was suspended after a day and a half of testimony from Jackson and his aide, Sandy Pendleton. It was never reconvened, and Jackson's death in May 1863 meant that Garnett would never receive the justice he felt due him. Despite his treatment at the hands of Jackson, Garnett would sincerely mourn his death and serve as an honorary pall bearer at Jackson's Richmond funeral.

After the aborted court martial, Lee (obviously believing the charges to be without merit), released Garnett from arrest and assigned him to temporary command of George Pickett's brigade, as George had been wounded during the Seven Days' battles in June 1862. He would lead the five Virginia regiments - 8th, 18th, 19th, 28th, 56th - capably though not brilliantly at South Mountain and Sharpsburg (Antietam). Following Pickett's elevation to division command, the brigade formally became Garnett's until his death at Gettysburg.

Garnett and his brigade were spectators at Fredericksburg in December 1862 as his portion of the defense line was not threatened. Along with most of James Longstreet's First Corps, Garnett would spend the spring of 1863 in North Carolina on skirmish duties and gathering supplies and would miss Lee's great victory at Chancellorsville. With all of the Army of Northern Virginia at last reunited, Lee would begin the movement north into Union territory as what would become known as the Gettysburg Campaign began. On the road north, Garnett was kicked by a fractious horse belonging to one of Pickett's aides and his ankle severely injured. According to his last letters, Garnett was unable to ride for a time and even traveled part of the way in an ambulance. As Pickett's division was the last in a long line of Confederate troops, they missed the first two days of the Battle of Gettysburg. However, they were on the field on the morning of July 3, and as the only fresh troops in Lee's army, they would become the centerpiece in Lee's final offensive assault, aimed at the center of the Union line, a line defended by hardened veterans who would not repeat the defeats suffered early in the war and would stand fast and fiercely defend Northern soil.

After a long bombardment that Lee hoped would soften and demoralize the Union troops (it did not have the decisive effect Lee hoped), Confederate attackers rose from their advanced positions and formed for the assault. Heat and the shot and shell of return Federal fire had already taken some toll on the men. Despite orders for officers not to ride in the charge, Garnett, partly because of his injury and partly due to the need to be able to oversee and maneuver his brigade, as his was the brigade of direction for Pickett's division, Garnett (along with Generals Pickett, Kemper, Pettigrew and Trimble, as well as several colonels and members of the generals' staffs) ignored the order and went into the charge mounted.

Advancing through the maelstrom of shot and shell, the brigade covered the distance to the fence at the Emmitsburg Road, losing men with every step. Garnett and his aides maneuvered the brigade in obliques to close with the right of Pettigrew's command just as the troops reached the road. Although some men were so shattered by the hell of battle that they lost all ability to move forward and remained in the small shelter of the road, most continued over the two fences and through the gaps to begin the final assault. Now, 400 yards from the Union line, Federal forces behind a low stone wall opened with musket fire that joined with the terrible roar of canister from the big guns. Kemper's troops, on the right of Pickett's division, were being flanked by a Vermont brigade and were moving to their left into Garnett's men, who by this time had lost their initial formations and were becoming intermingled. The 8th and 18th VA, on Garnett's right, were faced with an unbroken line of Union troops and took cover in some rough ground to pour musket fire into the blue lines. The few Union troops in front of the other regiments, including Cushing's battery, fired their last rounds and the survivors moved up the slope to join the troops at the crest. For a brief moment, no blue soldiers were directly in their front. A few of Garnett's men crossed the stone wall, but orders from Garnett, who had seen the troops on the crest, brought them back again. As Garnett awaited Armistead's brigade to close behind him, a musket ball crashed into the General's head, killing him instantly. Armistead's command advanced to the stone wall, and approximately 250-300 men followed the general over the barrier, where Armistead was mortally wounded. The breach in the Union line was short-lived as Federal troops poured into the Angle, combat becoming close, brutal, and deadly. A few Confederates made it back over the wall and began the long retreat back to their lines. The others were killed, wounded, and captured. Other Confederate commands were equally thrown back. All had been done that blood and bone, flesh and courage could do. The Confederate assault, and the Battle of Gettysburg was over, although further Cavalry action would take place on the flank.

Years after the war, Captain Henry T. Owen, 18th VA, would write his account of the battle for a Philadelphia newspaper: "Garnett galloped along the line saying: 'Steady, men! Steady! Don't double quick. Save your wind and your ammunition for the final charge!' and then went down among the dead, and his clarion voice was no more heard above the roar of battle."

As history would reveal, this would be the last Confederate advance into Northern territory, and although nearly two more years of battle remained and thousands of men would yet give their lives, the course of the war had changed irrevocably and ultimate victory would belong to the Union.

For Richard Brooke Garnett, however, along with so many others, the war was over. Union soldiers were the masters of the field, and in time-honored tradition began the task of looting the enemy of anything valuable or interesting. Garnett, stripped of his rank, sword, and any identifying markings, would appear to be just another dead Confederate. He would remain unidentified, and would be buried on the field with his men, a place Robert E. Lee once stated was a place of honor. Indeed, Richard Garnett would be the only general, on either side, killed during the war, not to be found, identified, and returned to his family for burial. Presumably, his remains were gathered up when Confederate bodies were returned to the South some years after the battle, and now rest co-mingled with those who fought beside him in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery. A memorial stone was dedicated to his memory a few years ago.

Years after the war, his sword was found in a Baltimore pawn shop by former Confederate General George Steuart, who purchased and kept it. After Steuart's death, it was returned to Garnett's niece, who later donated it to the Museum of the Confederacy, where it is today. I have had the incredible honor to see the sword, draw it from its scabbard, and hold it reverently. It is inscribed: "R. B. Garnett USA"

The illustration below, is a painting by renowned Civil War artist Dale Gallon, depicting Garnett leading his brigade up to the Angle, moments before his death. I have had the joy of visiting the Gettysburg Battlefield annually (often 2-3 times per year) since 1996. In that time I have been privileged to meet many of the ranger-historians at the Gettysburg National Military Park and the Licensed Battlefield Guides. One in particular, LBG Wayne Motts, now Director of the Adams County Historical Society, has become a special friend. At the time Mr. Gallon painted "Confederate Glory," I helped collect some research materials on Garnett for Wayne, who was working as Mr. Gallon's historical expert. Some of this background material helped Wayne in crafting the essay which accompanied the print. For this tiny assist, I was privileged to be given a copy of the print, which now hangs above my bed. When it arrived, and I poured over the enclosed essay, I was astounded to read that Wayne had included me in his acknowledgments as "a Garnett expert" who had helped "at every turn." It was, perhaps, one of the most memorable days in my life. That such a fine historian and gentleman should so refer to me moved me beyond words.


Richard Brooke Garnett is a man who "tread so lightly upon history, that he left few footprints behind." At the time of this writing, there are no biographies, no repositories of letters (although his last two known letters are held at Duke University), no memoirs or personal accounts. His name is mentioned only generally in many of the numerous books on Gettysburg, others receiving far more attention from historians. I was enormously delighted that since he once again is barely mentioned at the new Gettysburg Museum, that a quote from Garnett is displayed prominently on the wall leading into the gallery for July 3. "This is a desperate thing to attempt" - Garnett's assessment of the task before him and all those who made that doomed, but brave assault.

Richard Brooke Garnett was not a great general, but a soldier who did his duty as he saw it, and made the ultimate sacrifice of his life in service to his country and his cause. He may not have lived an extraordinary life, but I have come to regard him with great respect and affection.

Like many others, I have been "heart-drawn" to Gettysburg, to "this deathless field...to ponder and to dream," in the words of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. On each visit there, I make the same prayer, for all those who fought and struggled on the now serene landscape to rest in peace and honor. For Richard Brooke Garnett, I vow that he will be remembered.



Free Gravestone Maker

Happy Birthday, Darlin'!!

Dale

Wishing you the best of everything now and always!

Happy Birthday, Darlin'!!

Tall, Dark and Awesome

As this blog moves from the professional arena to the personal, it is only fitting that I begin posting about my favorite actor, who is the inspiration for my nom de plume - the one and only Dale Midkiff.

As you can see, Dale is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. He is tall (6'3") and lanky with legs that just go on forever. His eyes are dark blue and his voice, which ranges from a rich baritone to a caressing near-whisper, is like fine whiskey covered in dark chocolate. He has a sweet half-smile that delights my heart and a full-on grin that lights up the world.

His early career roles included Elvis in the mini series "Elvis and Me" and the big screen adaptation of a Steven King novel, "Pet Semetary."

Since then, he has appeared in thrillers, action-adventures, romantic comedies, and "chick flicks," as well as guest starring in a number of television series.

My first glimpse of him was in the TV series "The Magnificent Seven," adapted from the big screen movie, about seven complex, hard men who band together to defend first an Indian village and then a Western town and in the process become companions in arms, friends, brothers.

This is Buck Wilmington, Ladies Man, scoundrel, rogue, tough gunhand.

He has a heart of gold as big as the West and a love of all things life brings his way. He adores women, all women, and flirts shamelessly. He is handsome and charming and easily secures a parade of lovelies into his bed. But there is more to Buck than wine, women and song. He is a good man to have at your side when danger threatens, he is fiercely loyal, and he is the best friend a man could wish for.

Buck is both tough and tender, a strong man who is not afraid to show his emotions, to be vulnerable.

When I first saw the series, this was the look that captured my heart. Yes, Tall, Dark and Awesome had me at the opening credits.

My other favorite roles Dale has played are:

Darien Lambert in "Time Trax." Darien is a dedicated cop from 2193, who returns to our time to locate criminals, fugitives from justice who have escaped to the past, and return them to face their fate. He travels only with a computer nicknamed Selma, who is disguised as a credit card and who is both helper and friend. Darien is a full-out, straight-laced hero and at the same time a man who has left all he knows behind to seek justice. He displays both humor and naivite along with strength, judgement, heart, and determination.

Clark Davis in "Love Comes Softly" and its sequels.

Marty Claridge is a young woman reluctantly headed west with her husband, Aaron to start a new life. A runaway horse kills Aaron suddenly, leaving Marty far from home and in a sea of strangers. Adrift in her tragedy, Marty has no means of caring for herself until Clark offers to marry her and care for her until she can return to the East. Clark needs a mother for his ten-year-old daughter, who is determined to foil all of Marty’s attempts at kindness. In a place where all hope seems lost, Marty discovers love is found in the most unlikely of places. Love doesn't always come with fireworks. Sometimes, love just comes softly.

Clark is a man of quiet, unshakeable faith, whose gentleness, sincerity, and strength lead Marty to a new life, a new love, a new family.

Gus Martin in "Back to You and Me." Successful doctor Syd Ludwig receives an invitation to her twentieth high school reunion. But that means returning to the petty squabbles of her rural hometown roots, reacquainting herself with Gus Martin, the fondly remembered childhood sweetheart she left behind, and reuniting with her estranged mother Helen. When the prodigal success arrives in Bloomfield, she’s surprised to find her family home turned into a B&B run by her mother. Syd’s also taken aback by her still deep feelings for Gus, now a widower with a six-year-old son. As a weekend of personal and professional revelations unfold, and as unexpected romance blossoms, Syd discovers more about herself, her past, and the possibilities of the heart than she ever imagined.

Gus is handsome and sensitive and is raising his son alone. Despite often being ill with a condition doctors are unable to diagnose, Jake is sweet, smart, and his father's delight. Having given up on love, Gus is amazed at the good fortune that has brought Syd back into his life.

Robert Lee in "Debating Robert Lee." Robert Lee is a tough, no nonsense debate teacher, schooled at the Georgia Military Academy, who comes into a classroom of high school misfits and proceeds to challenge and inspire them.

But though Robert long ago steered through and past the dangerous straits of adolescence, he harbors a secret pain he's never fully come to terms with - but he must, finally, now.

The outcome challenges the public lives of both students and teacher, and draw forth their private selves. Each finds in himself, herself, a new voice, one that compels us to listen.

Robert is at once both strong individual and conflicted son. He has never been able to confront is father with the fact that he is gay. This gulf between father and son is made more poignant by the fact that the elder Lee is ill with cancer. Dale's bringing to life this unique, damaged, hopeful, complex man is perhaps his finest acting performance, though I admittedly find it almost impossible to choose among such rich portrayals.

Well, there he is. Dale. Tall, Dark, and Awesome indeed.

What's in a Name?

When I first started the Challenge, like many of you, I thought to remain anonymous. So, what would be my new identity? While pondering this question, I thought about my favorite actor (hard not to do that since there are photos of him all over my office!). I didn't want to use his name, so I thought about my two favorites of the characters he has played - Buck (Magnificent Seven) and Darien (Time Trax.) I love alliteration, so I first came up with BucksBabes. Ah, perhaps not terribly appropriate and also there is a Yahoo Group that I belong to with that name. Sooo, I tried several alliterative Darien combinations and suddenly, I thought of DariensDarlin (Darlin' being one of Buck's favorite words) Hey, I got both of the characters in there! :-) Thus my email account was created, and my nom-de-plume, Darien.

Now came the problem of a blog name. Still lovin' the alliteration, I tried all sorts of Buck and Darien combos, all to no avail. Basically, they all stunk.

Suddenly, the word scoundrel popped into my head. Buck is often described as a scoundrel in fanfiction, which I read lots of. He's not a scoundrel, of course, but I thought that perhaps I could be considered so. Once I had scoundrel, scribblings just seemed a perfect fit.

Voila! A Scoundrel's Scribblings was born and I was now a blogger!

My story is not terribly philosophical or literate (except for the alliteration bit), it has no redeeming social value, and is of interest probably only to me. However, it is very personal.

So, I have bared all (so to speak) and given the reasoning behind my blog name. Who's next?

Week 12 - Final Reflections

It is hard to believe that the 2.0 Challenge is over. It has been so much a part of my life for the last 5 months that it will be hard to let it go. And yet, all things must come to an end, so I also find that I am ready to move on.

What was the most important thing that you learned? Why?
Do I have to limit myself to one thing? First, I learned that this staff is an incredibly creative and insightful group (see my previous post) Professionally, I learned that there is an unbelievably rich and varied number of 2.0 tools out in there in cyberspace and that we have barely scratched the surface. I need to be much more involved on a daily basis, because it is easy to fall very far behind very quickly. Personally, I found out that I could be less resistant to change (at least some change) and more willing to just throw myself into a tool or site and play. Play is a great way to learn.

What was the most challenging exercise? Why?
None of the exercises was particularly difficult, though many were time consuming (and a few outright addictive.) Multimedia was challenging because there was so much to do, so I am glad we decided to extend the time frame by an extra week. MySpace was probably the worst. I just hated the site, found it annoying and confusing to use, and needed a bit of help to get through it.

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises?
RSS was a revelation to me. Now I cannot live without my Bloglines account. I am also using Google Reader as well for professional feeds. I was already addicted to YouTube, so I enjoyed that exploration tremendously. After at first dismissing GoogleDocs, I just may have found a personal use for it. Now I just have to find the time. And actually, I enjoyed and/or learned something from almost everything we did.

How can the Arcadia Public Library use these technologies to deliver or improve library services?
I feel strongly that there are many web 2.0 tools we could use for both public and staff benefit. Our catalog and website can both be improved by adding a variety of content. Some apps are easily implemented, however others require monetary outlay and staff time. In some cases a lot of staff time. With both money and staff already tightly stretched, priorities need to be determined and some current projects, services, etc. let go in favor of new and potentially better ones. And, we need to recognize that just because we can do something, it doesn't mean we should.

Here are some of my previous suggestions:

Blogging: We could have a Director's blog that would give the public the big picture viewpoint. Adult and Children's Services could blog about new acquisitions, databases, websites, story time themes, authors, National Whatever Week, etc. YA services could be another blog. We could have blogs on technology, ESL, gov docs (hey, David's already done this!), local history, the Museum, etc. We could have a volunteer blog highlighting accomplishments of current volunteers, projects, volunteer opportunities. We could have book reviews or a "what the staff is reading" blog. We could have a Friends blog which could include projects, fund-raising opportunities, programs, newsletter. How about a Book Discussion blog to take the experience online and open it up to more people?

Most importantly, we need to open our blogs to comments. The community would feel much more invested in the library if they could participate. In fact, user driven content is the entire basis for web 2.0.

RSS Feeds: Adding RSS feeds is, to my mind, one of the most valuable web 2.0 tools of all. Currently, we cannot achieve this due to problems with our content manager. I'm still not sure if this is money or technology driven, but it should be a #1 priority to solve. It would be invaluable to patrons who would not have to check back again and again to see if there was something new. If our blog (or blogs :-) ) were set up as RSS feeds, patrons could subscribe to those they found most interesting or helpful - new books, what the staff is reading, etc. Perhaps the most valuable might be program/event feeds. Patrons could then subscribe to Kids and Tweens, Teen, or Adult Programming feeds. Or, perhaps Friends or Museum events. The possibilities are almost endless. Staff can also utilize RSS feeds to keep in touch with professional journals, blogs, news, technology information. Again limitless possibilities.

Tagging/Deli.cio.us: Staff members can create their own lists of sites useful in their own work tasks. These can be accessible whether at their own work stations or at the public desks; in effect, all staff working at the Children's Desk, for example, can have access to their own favorites. Public services staff can put their favorite sites on del.icio.us and make them available for the public to take advantage of the research expertise of information professionals.

Wikis: The Library policy manual and section procedure manuals could be utilized as wikis.

Images: Jackie is already doing a fabulous job creating and maintaining the Library's Flickr account. Perhaps there is a way to get our teens involved in posting photos to a Teen Flicker account. Maybe we could organize a photo project in which patrons could post photos of the library, their favorite books (including the photos taken at the upcoming Library Week photo shoot), favorite places to read, etc.

Online Productivity Tools: Internal uses - Monthly Statistical Report, Volunteer Database, Incident Report, Section Documents (i.e. SRP documents) For the public, recommending GoogleDocs as an alternative to Word.

YouTube: We could have vids of concerts, Friends' programs, events, story times, etc. Perhaps even a video tour of the Library. Using YouTube, they could be embedded on our website, in blogs, etc.

Podcasts: Some possibilities for podcasts include: Book Discussion groups for anyone who was unable to attend, staff and teen book reviews, Friends' programs.

LibraryThing: LibraryThing (or other third party products such as Aquabrowser) would offer added dimension, information, and functionality to our catalog and provide an experience similar to many websites with which patrons are very familiar, including IMDB, Amazon, etc. It might be fun to have a staff LibraryThing group. Just like the favorites wiki, it is another way to learn a bit more about your fellow staff members and might be a bit of a morale booster to share interests with each other.

Social Networking Sites: Remember what I said about just because we could do something, it doesn't mean that we should?

How successful was the “self-directed” learning model? Is this a useful way of encouraging staff development?

From my perspective it was hugely successful. Setting aside time for meetings and workshops is very difficult considering our schedules. A "self-directed" learning program allows staff to work at their own pace and at the times that fir their schedules. This is definitely something we should continue.

What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?

I think this program was the very best we could make it. However, if we decide to do something similar in the future, I would like to try a 4-week program and explore just two types of tools, using 2 weeks for each. Then, I would take 2 months off and do another 4-week program. I think everyone was tired by the end of 12 weeks. Although it may be possible to streamline the support materials or exercises, I strongly believe it is important to really get a feel for the tool, not just stop in, look around quickly, and move on. I also think it is important to reflect on what you discovered and experienced. Although I sometimes wanted to never write another reflection again, the process helps to reinforce what you learned and gives the opportunity for suggestions for use (or not) of the tool in a library setting.

If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again choose to participate?

Are you kidding? Shiny! Sign me up.

There. That's it. Done. Last post.

Well, maybe not.........

Airport Security

I had to share this as I have just been through airport security. *snerfle*

Reflections from "The Vision Place of Souls"

I arrived last night in Gettysburg, and as I do every evening I am not involved in an event or the weather is inclement, I visited a few favorite places on "this deathless field" to "ponder and to dream" in the words of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. I usually end by visiting Little Round Top to watch the sun hit South Mountain in the distance and then the Angle, near where my General Garnett was killed, to watch the sunset. No sunset tonight as the sky was overcast, but it is a place ripe for reflection, so I find it particularly appropriate to begin this post here.

When I was approached about the Library 2.0 Challenge, my first thought was: How exciting! I had been using several web 2.0 tools for months for personal use - YouTube, Photobucket. I had even attended a workshop, though I hadn't gone back to any of the sites I had joined *my bad*, but I had not explored many of the new tools popping up almost daily and had little understanding how they might be used in a library setting. My second thought was: This is going to be a lot of work!

And so it was. Both exciting and a lot of work. :-)

Just prior to the launch of the Challenge, I spoke with another organizer and we speculated on whether or not staff would be willing to engage in this challenge to discover, explore, reflect, even play. We hoped for maybe 10-15 participants. I was so amazed and delighted that we had over 30 staff members create blogs. We have lost a few along the way for a variety of reasons, but many of you have struggled and carried on. I can unequivocally state that I am so very, very proud of everyone. I have marveled at your creativity, your humor, your forthrightness, and your hard work. I have been tickled, excited, frustrated, tired, enthusiastic, thoughtful, miffed, determined. I have learned a bit more about my co-workers from the favorites wiki, your personal photos, and your insights. I learned a lot about myself *go me!* I learned about many web 2.0 tools I had little or no experience with and also about how much there still is to learn. I learned there are some I loved and now can't do without. I learned that some I had initially dismissed I now think I may wind up using after all. I also learned there were some I hated and want to have nothing more to do with. :-) And I am more willing to jump in and explore something new. I have learned to be less confrontational about change *who knew?* And I played - a lot!

I truly believe in the quote I shared from the introduction to the Challenge blog: "Nothing is a waste of time if it adds to the person you are." I hope this experience added to the people you all are.

I hope that from this shared journey, we don't lose what we have begun. I hope some of you keep your blogs (I would hate for all that creativity, wit, and insight to disappear) and continue to share your thoughts and experiences with each other. I hope that perhaps, whatever 2.0 tools we use in the professional sense (and boy, did you all have some great suggestions - and cautions!), that we use some tools just for us. That we perhaps create a staff blog to discuss real life work experiences. That we maybe create a staff LibraryThing group to share our own reading suggestions, etc. That we perhaps create a group to encourage each other in getting and/or keeping fit (I loved that suggestion. I'm in. I need all the encouragement and pushing I can get. I need to get back to my gym 'cause I have let my fitness lapse completely. Boy, you know you are in trouble when your former PT actually calls you and asks where the heck you have been!)

This isn't truly a Final Reflections post. I will actually answer the questions in Part 2. But I wanted to thank you all for going on this journey. It has been amazing.

Week Eleven - Explore and Play

Since this is the week to really just have fun, I thought I would play with a couple of image generators, as I am fascinated what can be done with images.

I started off with Easystreet, which allows you to create your own street signs. There are three sizes, five languages, and even MySpace and Live Journal codes so that you can insert your signs into those sites. Or, you can do as I did - simply create your sign, save it to your computer, and then upload it to your blog.

Not earth shattering, perhaps, but I found it fun. After all, who wouldn't want their very own street?

I then moved on to Trading Card Maker, one of Big Huge Labs large stable of image generators. On this site, you can create trading cards of your favorite TV casts, motion pictures, pets, friends, even library staff! What fun.

So, I made one for me:

And one for a friend:

After playing with images for a while, I decided perhaps I had better look at something library-related. So, naturally, being a reader and a cataloger, I headed straight for LibraryThing.

LibraryThing is a website where you can "catalog" the books in your own library and connect with others who share the same interests. Here is my LibraryThing Bookshelf

What are some of the features you particularly liked?
I liked being able to "see" my books as a "catalog"; as a cataloguer, this is not surprising, eh? I can now search and inventory what I have. However, there is a limit of 200 books on a free account. I have way more than 200 books, and I am not going to pay for an account, so already I see little use in continuing with LibraryThing.

The other main component of LibraryThing is to connect with others sharing your interests via tags (you have already read enough of my feelings on tagging) and groups. I did join Librarians Who LibraryThing, checked out some messages, and really didn't see anything I felt like discussing or contributing to. I looked at several other groups on SF, Fantasy, Tolkien, Harry Potter, and history. Once again, nothing I particularly cared about joining. I have other ways to connect with like-minded folks, so this just seems superfluous. I notice that this post is turning into another negative one, rather than describing features I liked. Sorry. Part of the problem is that I already have an active life on the web and all these social networks are fine for those who don't or who are looking for ways to connect with others. I am already connected, so many of these sites are just time-wasters for me. Obviously, I don't have the right mind-set for the social side of Web 2.0. :-(

Did you find it difficult to use?
Not at all. LibraryThing was very easy to use. I catalogued 23 books for my library, added a user pic, and joined a group all without any problem at all.

What LibraryThing features would work well in the library's catalog?
I am not certain that any particular features would work with our catalog. However, there is a version called LibraryThing for Libraries that might be useful. After checking out several libraries who use this third party product, LibraryThing for Libraries would utilize the database created by "LibraryThingers" to provide a tag cloud (enough with the tags!) and suggestions for similar book titles a patron might like. There are other third party products, such as Aquabrowser that would do something similar. These products would offer added dimension, information, and functionality to our catalog and provide an experience similar to many websites with which patrons are very familiar, including IMDB, Amazon, etc.

Are there other ways the library could use LibraryThing?

It might be fun to have a staff LibraryThing account, with staff able to add their favorites from their own libraries. Just like the favorites wiki, it is another way to learn a bit more about your fellow staff members and might be a bit of a morale booster to share interests with each other, though the 200 book limit would be a bit of a problem.

Any Lostaholics Out There?

Now that I have acquired a new skill, (embedding vids in my blog), *go me!* I thought I would share this one for those of you who are Lost fans.

We all know that Sawyer rarely calls anyone by their name. Instead, he tosses out pop culture nicknames like they were confetti. I often wonder what Josh Holloway's reaction upon seeing a new script might be ("I've got to say what??")

I would be totally surprised if this videographer had missed any nickname in the first three seasons of Lost. It's fluff, there's no redeeming social value, but it's just freakin' funny!

Week 9 - YouTube and Podcasts

I have to tell y'all that I am completely addicted to YouTube. I have had an account for over a year, and I have 18 playlists and over 175 videos favorited. Yeah, addicted, totally.

For the purposes of the challenge, I visited the other video hosting sites listed in the task as well as checked out the MySpace vids (since I was stuck there) and I have to say that none of them is on the same planet as YouTube. For one thing, their vids are miniscule in number, and none of them have all of the features that YouTube does. Only Google was slightly different in that Google is really a search engine and lists vids from other hosting services including YouTube, although you can restrict the search to Google vids only.

Since the other video hosting services are really not worth the bother, I decided to try some additional stuff with my YouTube account. I made comments on several favorite videos and even exchanged a few messages with someone who had served as a sound engineer on a movie I liked and had posted some behind-the-scenes footage. I also contacted a videographer about a favorited video that wasn't working and she reloaded it. Go me!

Post your YouTube username on your blog.
My YouTube user name is ladygarnett

What did you like or dislike about the site?
Likes: I love the fan vids. These are videos created from clips of movies or TV shows and set to various pieces of music and are often very, very creative. I also enjoy seeing clips from actual movies, TV shows, DVDs, etc. One feature I really appreciate is that you can search on a tag and then sort the results by date, which makes it easier to find new vids. I like the display lists of similar vids, because you can often find something you like that you might not otherwise have seen, and I like the subscription feature, though I have yet to take advantage of it. You can also share videos with your friends. A co-worker and I enjoy some of the same types of vids, but we usually search on different tags. We are always finding something we think the other will like and sharing it via email. I also share vids with other friends who share similiar interests.
Dislikes: Well, not to put too fine a point on it, there is just lots and lots of crap on YouTube. And I really hate the adverts. They clutter the screen and are just bloody annoying. I also lament the fact that I have saved vids that are later taken down for a variety of reasons. Then, just as with many other social networking sites, my usual problem with the lack of uniformity in tags is also a nuisance. Occasionally, I find vids just by lucky accident rather than by searching because the tags have been mispelled or poorly chosen. *sigh*

Why do you think YouTube is so popular?
YouTube offers opportunities to be creative, be entertained, be the star of your own film. It enables people to see moments they might have missed, participate in social and political processes and be a part of pop culture. You can post and share with family, friends, the world your creative efforts or your vacation videos. You can interact with others who share your interests. In today's world of constant contact and technological sharing of everything with everyone, what's not to like?

Post the URL of the video you chose. Why did you select that video?
The Librarian Song I chose it because it was both library-related, and just silly fun.

Here is my attempt to embed a video. I chose just one of my personal faves:


If you explored any other video hosting sites, how did they compare to YouTube? What was your favorite and why?
See my intro above. And I really did not like any of them at all. YouTube is definitely "king of the world" in terms of video hosting sites.

What was the most interesting thing you learned?
The most interesting thing about YouTube is the sheer volume and variety of the videos. You can be entertained by something freaking hysterical one minute and be caught up by something of social or political importance the next.

Can you see any features or components of YouTube that might be interesting if they were applied to Arcadia Public Library’s website? Are there any other ways our library might use YouTube?
I was surprised to see that there is already a video of kids reading to Bernie of the Barks and Books program. However, I think the best use of YouTube would be as a means to post the vids and then embed them in the Library's website, blog, etc. We could have vids of concerts, Friends' programs, events, storytimes, etc. Perhaps even a video tour of the Library. Concerns would include copyright, permissions, and staff time.

Describe some of the podcasts you found that interested you. Provide links so that others may also listen if they choose.
Podcasts aren't my favorite tool, but I really do like the Lost podcasts and vidcasts. They are generally available the day after the episode is shown. Go here to see and listen: Lost Podcasts

What kinds of podcasts were being used by other libraries? Did you find anything useful here?
Searching through the podcast directories wasn't all that easy. I did find a podcast from the Denver Public Library: Stories for Kids and another from KCET and the Los Angeles Central Library: Explore CA that were interesting.

Can you see any uses for podcasts in our library?
Some possibilities for podcasts include: Book Discussion groups for anyone who was unable to attend, staff and teen book reviews, Friends' programs.

Here is my attempt to publish a Google Docs document to my blog. I must say, that isn't exactly what I had in mind. I wanted to just post it as a link. *sigh* Obviously, I have much to learn. :-)

One additional note that makes Google Docs a web app to consider using is that it is available on the web and at any time. You don't have to have Word, Excel, or any other program installed on your computer, and you can access documents when you are away from your own computer. Shiny!

Having said that, I still don't plan on using Google Docs regularly. However, one probably shouldn't say never, eh?

IDEAS FOR USING GOOGLE DOCS IN THE LIBRARY

Internal Uses

• Monthly Statistical Report
• Volunteer Database
• Incident Report
• Section Documents (i.e. SRP, etc.)

The first possible internal use for Google Docs that occurs to me is the Monthly Statistical Report that all Supervisors must file. Our separate reports are emailed to the Library Services Manager, and then forwarded to Shelly to compile into a single report. Perhaps the template could be set up by Shelly and then each supervisor would contribute their portion. Shelly could then compile the copies for the Board wihtout a lot of further input. Just a thought, anyway.

We currently have the Volunteer Database set up on the network. It might also be possible to use Google Docs for this document.

The Incident Report is another document which is added to and edited by a number of people. This might be another possible use of Google Docs.

Also, perhaps some sections would find it useful for other documents which are used or edited by several people. I can see possibilities for Children's SRP documents.

Week 8 - Social Networking

The Library 2.0 Challenge is all about exploration, discovery, even play, as we visit some of the wonderful, fascinating, and also truly terrible sites out on the web. When we began, I knew that we would one day arrive at Social Networking Sites. The dreaded Social Networking Sites.

Before I go any further, I really need to be upfront about this section of the Challenge. I hate Social Networking Sites. For me, they are among the truly appalling aspects of the web. OK, I know I am being Pauline Pessimist here and not entering into the whole spirit of the Challenge, but I cannot help it. I am sorry to be so negative (what a surprise), but I am not interested in showing my face to the world, being connected to everybody, or looking for scads of new "friends." I have a very active life on the web, but I choose to live it quietly. I am quite happy with Live Journal (yes, I know, it is one of the original social networking sites, but the feeling is totally different)

However the Challenge says we must be social, so social for the moment I shall be. But the minute the Challenge is over, my MySpace account is history.

I set up a very, very minimal MySpace page, since I don't plan on keeping it: Darien's MySpace
I found MySpace (this may not be true for other sites) to be very difficult to use. It was not intuitive or user-friendly at all. I was able to add the Challenge MySpace as a friend (but needed help). I sent off a couple of friends requests, but received no reply. *so sad*
EDIT: I was able to get a friend - a co-worker and I friended each other! :-) However, my gmail account was spammed by two friend requests that turned out to be from a singles site. So not likin' the MySpace!
EDIT THE SEQUEL: Hey, I have 2 more friends! Your co-workers can be your friends in more ways than one. :-) However, I was also friend-requested by two ladies looking for relationships. Denied. *sigh*


What are some of the pros and cons of using a social networking sites?
I suppose the pros would be to meet new people, make new friends, share your life with family and this every widening circle of acquaintances. *sigh* The cons include being inundated with contacts and messages from people who you know little or not at all and being in too much contact with everyone. People really do give away much too much personal information to the world. In the case of MySpace, the plethora of intrusive, animated ads just makes me want to run screaming from the place.

Why do you think social networking sites are so popular?
Today it is all about staying in constant contact with everyone (and his twin brother everybody). Email, mobile phones, IM, texting, twittering (dear Lord!), it's relentless and unending. People walk, drive, and even talk to each other while simultaneously talking to someone else on their cell phones. Texting has spawned a new language and new medical conditions. Kids today are conditioned almost from birth to stay in constant touch. Social networking sites allow you to share every tiny tidbit of your life with everyone else and everyone else shares their tidbits with you. They help fulfill this rampaging need to know everything about everybody.

How can the library make use of social networking sites?

I suppose the only reason is to be where the patrons are. They are, especially teens, on social networking sites. Therefore, we should be there as well. I know other libraries are using MySpace, Facebook (I tried to take look at Facebook, but you had to sign up just to view it and Lord knows, I didn't want another account!) and other sites. Perhaps the best thing to do is to visit lots of other library examples and see what might work for us. I know that our experiment with a Teen MySpace has already been abandoned. Frankly, I am just not sold on the concept.

Week 7 - Online Productivity Tools

This task was to explore Google Docs, one of the many new web apps that can replace traditional software. In this case, Google Docs can be used instead of Word, WordPerfect, or other word processing software.

The advantages are that Google Docs can be shared so that they can be used and edited by several people at the same time. Revisions can be tracked, but there is really only a single copy of the document rather than many copies or versions emailed back and forth.

For this Challenge, I have been using the Challenge Tracking Sheet along with the other Challenge organizers. Also, just for this task, I created a simple spreadsheet, which I am really using as a database, and a very simple document outlining some possible uses for the Library of this tool.

Was it easy to set up?
Yes, both documents were ridiculously easy to set up. However, I kept them very simple, so perhaps it wasn't a true test.

Was it easy to use?
Very easy. Google Docs is far simpler than Word (though I still prefer WordPerfect) or Excel. The tool bar is very clear, and as I have used Gmail for a couple of years, very familiar.

Would you use it on a regular basis?
At the moment, no. I don't see any need for it myself. I really prefer WordPerfect for all of my word processing uses, and I have no need at the moment to share any documents. However, who knows what may come up in the future.

What was your favorite feature?
That documents could be shared, used, and edited among several people at the same time. Such a time and effort saver over emailing copies back and forth a dozen times.

What was your least favorite feature?
Didn't have one, actually. Sorry.

How could the library make use of Google Docs, either internally or for the public?
I really cannot see any possible uses for the public. However, there are several internal uses that might be worth considering: GoogleDocs

Week 6 - Images

I love searching the web for images and would like to develop some skills in creating wallpapers, montages, and icons. I have had a Photobucket account for several years, but I usually only use it to post photos to my LJ. I seem to have found other ways to share my photos with family and friends. However, this was an opportunity to explore something new, so in the spirit of the challenge, I decided to just jump in *aaaaiaiiiiii*

Hmmmmm. Well....... So this is Flickr. Obviously, I just don't have the right mindset. I searched through the popular tags. Uh-huh. Part of the problem for me is that tagging is great if I am doing it. I can create tags that are meaningful to me. However the lack of standards just drives me nuts. Trying to search tags is just an exercise in sadomasichism. Everyone tags things differently. Finally, I just gave up in frustration.

I found no groups of interest. Geez! Obviously, I am not in sync with the rest of the world. I think I will stick to LJ. And sadly, I am not that interested in someone else's vacation or birthday party photos. *sigh*

But, on to the Challenge.....

What was your favorite feature on Flickr?
Aaaaaah. Didn't have one? Just not feeling the Flickr love.

You have uploaded a photo from Flickr to your blog. Why did you choose that photo?
I confess I was unable to upload a photo from Flickr to my blog. *sad, so sad* So, I used an end-around. I saved several photos to my computer and uploaded them from there. Not sure if that's OK, but hey, it worked!

I chose photos from New Zealand, which is one of the places in the world that I hold in my heart. My adventures there have changed my life beyond all imagining. And if you didn't know the identity of this blogger by now, this will certainly give it away! :-)

And here they are: This photo was taken from inside Bag End at Matamata, New Zealand. This was the filming location for the Hobbiton scenes in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. All of the Flickr photos were taken by Diane Rooney (Ironically, a lady I have met at a couple of LOTR cons. Small world, no?)

This is my photo, taken by our tour guide on my February 2005 trip to New Zealand with Red Carpet Tours. The view in both photos is from inside the Bag End hobbit hole looking toward the Party Tree in the background on the right.

This photo is of one of several rivers in New Zealand to portray the River Anduin, down which the Fellowship traveled.

This particular river is spectacular not only for it's sheer beauty, but because located here in Gravity Canyon is one of the most fabulous thrill rides on earth - The Flying Fox.

After hiking up a "wee hill," as our guide called it (translation: "wee hill" means something akin to Mt. Everest and you better have oxygen waiting at the top, 'cause you'll need it!), you are strapped face down in a harness and shot down a slip line for nearly a mile at almost 100 mph!

Certainly not for the faint-hearted. I almost didn't go, but I thought I would never have the chance to do something so daring ever again. Little did I know that this was just the beginning. Between the inspiration of my tour fellowship (some of whom have become the very best of friends) and the daring spirit of New Zealand itself, I would wind up doing things I never, ever even dreamt I could do.

My photos show "the deep breath before the plunge" and the supersonic flight without a plane.

We survived! And I would go again in a heartbeat!

This photograph is of Mount Sunday, which became for the film the Rohan city of Edoras, a hilltop fortress and settlement. It was exactly as Tolkien had described, a mount surrounded by a flat valley encircled by snow-capped mountains. Looking huge in the film, it seems tiny when viewed from a distance.

However, that view is deceptive. It's another "wee hill" to climb, and we had to cross three "streams" (translation: raging rivers that you have to cross together, holding each other up to avoid being swept away)

For sheer grandeur, beauty, and magnificence this was my favorite film location.

My photos show a far view of Edoras and a crossing of one of the "streams."

Well, I have indulged myself for far too long. Back to the Challenge!

Why is tagging so important?

Tagging allows you to both categorize your images and to search out photos posted by others. See my comments about tagging at the beginning of this post.

Did you explore any Flickr mashups? If so, which, and how did it work?

I looked at several, Motivator, DVD Cover (oh, I have plans for this one), and, of course, lolcat. I did make a motivational poster (at least it motivates me!) :-)

What was the most interesting thing you learned?

I loved the mash-ups most of all. Although I am not that interested in using Flickr to share my photos with the world, I am fascinated by all the things one can do with images.

What are some of the ways in which the Arcadia Public Library might use Flickr?

Since the Library already has a Flickr account, we are currently sharing our photos. It may be possible to "advertise" more that we have the account. Perhaps there is a way to get our teens involved in posting photos to a Teen Flicker account. Maybe we could organize a photo project in which patrons could post photos of the library, their favorite books (including the photos taken at the upcoming Library Week photo shoot), favorite places to read, etc.