When I went to Computers in Libraries in March, I noticed many people at the conference with small laptops, which I found out are often called "notebooks" or "netbooks." I thought, "This could be a killer app for me. If I had a small, lightweight computer, I might really use it! and take it with me out of town!" I went to a session about mobile reference at the Frederick County Public Libraries (they use Samsungs) and got more excited. Then I went to Wiscon (the feminist science fiction convention) in May, and attended their session on netbooks with my computer spouse. Oooh, we wanted them!
Computer spouse did some research, and we decided to get one to try out - if we liked it, we'd get more of the same. He couldn't find what we wanted in a bricks-and-mortar store, so he ordered one online. After several days of trying it out, we were hooked. So the new ones were ordered (a total of one each for me, computer spouse, and daughter.) But so far the first one is the only one he's had time to configure, so I almost have a new computer. Real soon.
At my library, a few of us are thinking about how to let students know what we have in the realm of online reference tools, particularly the specialized dictionaries and encyclopedias. Do students even use that terminology anymore - should we be calling them "background sources?" Reference work in the modern world is anything but dull.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
End of the fiscal year
I'm sad (and surprised) to realize how long it's been since I've blogged. No good excuses, but the reasons include using up vacation time before the end of the fiscal year, reviewing databases that come up for renewal at this time, and summer projects. Today I have to work on another database renewal and my performance review. On the 2.0 front, I can report that a coworker and I are planning this summer to work together on some of the 23 Things.
In a totally different vein, I have to say that lately I've become more thoughtful about my writing style. I recently purchased a book for my daughter called Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly, by Gail Carson Levine. My daughter is a writer, and for her at age 11 this sounded like a good title. She hasn't read it yet, but I have. Among other things, Levine talks about what to include, and not include, in your writing (for example, appealing to the senses - what does the character hear? what does the character touch?) as well as the craft of writing. I find myself doing more tweaking of my sentences, to make them read more clearly. Maybe someday I'll be a writer after all.
In a totally different vein, I have to say that lately I've become more thoughtful about my writing style. I recently purchased a book for my daughter called Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly, by Gail Carson Levine. My daughter is a writer, and for her at age 11 this sounded like a good title. She hasn't read it yet, but I have. Among other things, Levine talks about what to include, and not include, in your writing (for example, appealing to the senses - what does the character hear? what does the character touch?) as well as the craft of writing. I find myself doing more tweaking of my sentences, to make them read more clearly. Maybe someday I'll be a writer after all.
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