...and now for something completely different!

Fermented Librarian was created to post comments about my experiences with 23 Things Kansas-- a statewide effort to introduce library types to new technology. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot of new things, but it's time to repurpose FL to blog about something else near and dear to my heart: Davenport Vineyard and Winery, created, owned and operated since 1997 by me and my vintage spouse. I'll still use Twitter for quickie winery updates, and Facebook for similar and/or more lengthy comments, and FL will allow me to get wordier (is that even a word?).

So. Grape harvest (vendange if you're in France) finished up about 2 weeks ago. Time to sit back and relax, oui? Mais non! Take a breath, and begin again. Do a final mowing for the season. Hill up dirt around the trunks of the grafted French grape varieties so the winter won't kill them. Sharpen up pruning equipment and wait for the first hard freeze. When we're certain the vines are asleep for the winter, pruning begins and carries on through April/May. Cellar work is ongoing. Most fermentations are complete; the juvenile wines will be left to settle in stainless steel tanks. They'll be racked (pumped) off the lees (dead yeast) and transfered to other tanks, or to oak barrels if they are destined to become oak aged dry reds. The wines are worked year round, clarified and bottled as they reach their individual maturation points. Some of this is scientific and controlled, but a lot of it is up to Mother Nature. We try not to tick her off.

23 Things, Week 16 Wrap-Up (sniff)

...and 23 Things Kansas rides off into the sunset. Not hardly. I participated in the April 28 wrap up webinar and now am writing this last post to describe my experience. I've invested a lot of time and effort in this project, and it's been fun and intellectually profitable. I'll make a stab at 23 things I've learned (in no particular order): 1. Be patient when learning about new technology. 2. Be fearless when learning about new technology. 3. Be forgiving when learning about new technology. 4. Don't let your laptop battery run out of juice when you're almost finished with a project. 5. There are lots of colleagues who are willing to help. 6. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 7. I love Animoto. 8. I like Facebook a lot more than I thought I would. 8. Screencasting will be a great teaching tool for us. 9. IM can be useful, but I'm not quite ready to use it yet. 10. Twitter is great for quick and dirty marketing. 11. Sony digital cameras have proprietary video file formats (and re-read #4). 12. I already do a lot of computing in the clouds and it doesn't scare me. 13. I'm going to be spending a lot of time on Shelfari cataloging my personal wine library. 14. I can't keep up with my Google Reader RSS feeds. 15. I just love "attending" webinars. 16. It's not who you know, but how you contact them. 17. Bob Dylan is right (the times, they are a changin'). 18. Hang on tight. 19. A broken wiki can be fixed. 20. But a broken flash drive generally can't be. 21. We have started using Google docs at work for interdepartmental communication. 22. I'm sorry it's the end of 23 Things. 23. The 23 Things mentors were AWESOME! Thanks, guys.

23 Things, Week 15

I have a small amount of experience using wikis. My department uses a PBWorks wiki to document departmental procedures and record useful links to work related sources, but it's absolutely bare bones. For the first part of this assignment, I ventured into Wikipedia, created an account, and edited the Eudora, Kansas page by adding a link to the Eudora Public Library under the "External Links" section. I chose Wikipedia because the 23 Things blurb said you didn't need an account to edit pages, but I was not able to add that link until I had created one.

I just completed part two by creating and linking my page on the 23 Things Kansas wiki. I also took a few moments to read other participants' pages to see what others had enjoyed most about 23 Things. What a fun bunch of folks we are!

23 Things, Week 14

Coming down the home stretch. Shelfari is my choice for sharing my bibliophile self. It seemed really easy to use, plays well with Blogger, and with Amazon's backing, will have tons of cover art to pretty up my shelf. I've found a glitch or two that I need to solve-- "From Vines to Wines" actually shows that I have 2 editions. I only have one, but wanted to use the cover art from another ed. and now Shelfari thinks I have 2. For my copy of "The Grape in Kansas" (1901), I made my own record for it because I couldn't find that edition on Shelfari. I hope to go back and fill in a little more information about it later on and add scanned cover art, but it's fine for now. I have TONS more books to add and am looking forward to doing so. I've added a Shelfari profile photo and put a widget on my blog. Here's my official Shelfari page: http://www.shelfari.com/charleeg

23 Things, Week 13

I had a great time with this assignment! My subject is one of my favorite "people" and I wanted to illustrate her favorite leisure activity. I used Animoto to create this slide show. It was extremely easy to use and produces some very cool effects. I did use Adobe Photoshop Elements to reduce the size of the images to the 1024 x 768 size recommended, but otherwise it was easy easy easy, like falling off a log easy. Hope you have as much fun watching as I did making!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

23 Things, Week 12

This screencasting assignment took me almost as long to complete as the Week 10 video project and was almost as nerve-wracking. Writing the screencast script was a lot like doing technical writing-- clarity, brevity, de-jargoning, and not assuming the viewer has any existing knowledge about the topic are all important. My script kept taking tangents I hadn't counted on and I had to keep pulling it back or my screencast would have been very long! After a few rehearsals, I was ready to record. Or thought I was. First I noticed my voice got funny. Then I found I couldn't see as much of the screen on my Acer netbook as I'd like, so I ditched the browser toolbars (F11) to expand the browser window. Several recording attempts later, I realized I was so nervous I couldn't make the glide pad work right, so I attached a mouse to my Acer. One annoying thing I couldn't fix was my mouse pointer: it kept jumping/flashing/pulsing while I was recording. Happily, it did not come through on the finished product:

I can think of all kinds of uses for screencasting for staff and public: tutorials, procedural docu-casting, reader's advisory tips, "ads" for upcoming programs that could be embedded on the library's Facebook page. It's great that the tools for making screencasts keep getting easier to use, and the price is certainly right.

23 Things, Week 11

Break! Whew! Only not really, since I'm so far behind! ACK!!

23 Things, Week 10, Part Dos

I am experiencing technical difficulties-- if/when I can find a video cam that works with Windows Movie Maker, I'll fill in the rest of this blog entry.
(tempus fugit...)
OK, I'm back. It took me a really long time to get this video together. I'll probably think it was fun in a week or two, but right now I'm feeling lingering frustration. I had this really neat idea that almost did me in because nothing seemed to work right. Initially I thought I'd use my Acer webcam to shoot the video and edit it in Windows Movie Maker. It quickly became apparent I wasn't going to be able to hold the Acer still enough and aim it accurately. So I checked my Sony Power Shot digital camera, and hooray! it had the capability to make movie clips! I made several, then tried to load them to Movie Maker. No dice. Sony is sooooooo proprietary and Movie Maker hated the file format. Scratch Sony. The library owns a Flipcam and I borrowed it. It was very simple to use and has reasonable sound and picture quality. I filmed all my clips, then tried to import those to Movie Maker. Ooops, I didn't have the right codec. Sigh. Tried downloading the magic codec to no avail. Finally had to install the software included on the Flipcam to my laptop to make Movie Maker "see" the files in all their glory. Did some editing and adding of titles and credits, et viola:

23 Things, Week 10, Part Uno

This is one of the funniest library videos I've ever seen, but then I'm a big Mr. Bean fan, right down to owning a yellow Mini. Look! A Card catalog! Books! and White-Out!!

23 Things, Week 9

I have mixed feelings about IM. It can be a very efficient way to keep in touch and a quick and dirty way to conduct business. Or it can reduce conversations to truncated silliness with too many LOLs and OMGs. My chat experience to date is with Facebook, Google Talk, various webcasts, and all those "live help" windows on websites that I order from. I believe IM is most effective if a person takes time to learn a little of the standard texting lingo and then keeps comments concise. I sometimes feel like I'm interrupting people in their work when I knock on their chat door. And when the IM gets fast and furious, the conversation can get a little chopped up and confusing. However, if I become more conversant with the technology, and assume that others will make use of their status indicators, my comfort level should increase.

I set up a Meebo account and imported my Facebook friends as buddies. I've also tried adding a few buddies who have Google accounts, but they keep disappearing from my buddy list for some reason. I have sent several Meebo IMs and am awating replies. I did visit the #23thingsks IRC channel and had a fun short "talk" with wizzyrea et al. IM hasn't changed my life or the way I work yet, but I'll give it some time and see what happens.

23 Things, Week 8

Cloud computing-- how cool is that? As stated in the 23 Things: Cloud Computing blog, we've all been cloud hopping to some extent. Recently I set up web based credit card processing for our family business: updates are automatic and statements and customer information are stored on the service provider's servers. Nothing physically "lives" onsite, so I don't have to worry about server maintenance or security issues (unless the provider gets hacked!). I can access all that information no matter where I am.

For this assignment I chose to work with Google docs because my work email is Google based. I've never created a Google doc, but I have used a form someone else created. I decided to try out presentations-- found the interface straightforward if somewhat stripped down compared to PowerPoint, but it does have the basics. So I created a very short presentation and sent out invites to several people to collaborate on my Google docs presentation about "What I've Learned From 23 Things." That didn't go as smoothly as I'd expected. It seems that Google docs disputed my right to share my presentation with others who were not of the @lawrence.lib.ks.us domain. So I shared with a couple of LPL staff and copied to myself, then forwarded that email to 2 other 23 Things participants. Let's see if I get any nibbles. Back in a few ... (tempus fugit) ... Discovery? I believe that even though my work email @lawrence.lib.ks.us is Google based mail, it is not "pure" Google (i.e., not @gmail.com) and therefore won't let me share docs with outsiders. Or maybe it's a firewall issue. I downloaded my presentation to my desktop, then uploaded to my personal gmail account, and am resharing with the people who couldn't share previously. I was allowed to share directly from Google docs this time. On the plus side, 3 co-workers have collaboratively edited my presentation. Woooohoooo!

23 Things, Week 7

I created a Twitter account (davenportwinery) for my family business about 6 months ago and have used it to post changes in store hours, upcoming events, and availability of our various products to our followers. We are a small "stealth" winery and generally do not use paid advertising, preferring instead to rely on the occasional newspaper/TV piece and word of mouth. Twitter seems to fit this model very well as it allows our customers to choose whether to follow us. We have a link to our Twitter page on our website, and our following has been steadily, if slowly, growing. We tend not to tweet as often as we probably should, but I follow a couple of individuals who tweet about every 20 minutes, and frankly, it wears me out. I hope not to have that effect on others.

I have posted vineyard and winery related pictures on Twitpic and posted them to our Twitter page—very handy and very similar to what I can do on Facebook. I am looking forward to making our tweets display on our Facebook page in the same way that my blog posts do: one go-to spot for everything!

For the 23ThingsKs assignment, I began following qtbooboo (a co-worker), davidleeking (I have continuing interest in all things tech), lybrarian (I like the way she spelled "librarian"), and the 23thingsks group (to help keep me updated on 23ThingsKs). I haven’t really followed long enough to know if their posts are helpful, but they’re certainly entertaining!

Microblogging is an excellent way to deliver small format info quickly, so it’s great for our business. For personal use, since I’m already on Facebook, that will suffice for now.

23 Things, Week 6

I’ve heard about Delicious for some time, just never had the inclination to investigate what it was about. Now that I’ve set up an account (fermentedlibrarian) and played with it a bit, I can see the value of using it, if only for organizing private bookmarks. I sometimes use a different browser (Firefox instead of IE), and it sure will simplify trying to keep my bookmarks synched between the two. It’s also easier to figure out what some of those bookmarks are, since I’m able to include notes about each one. The tagging option provides a myriad of ways to arrange and rearrange lists of bookmarks – something not possible with IE Favorites. Lists that I refer to most often can then be bundled.

The option to send individual bookmarks to others is great, as it the ability to share public bookmarks and bundles. I’m still looking for a way to send a bundle other than emailing the URL—is that possible? And one other thing I want to try out is using a cloud format tag roll on my own website.

23 Things, Week 5

Since I already have a Google account, I decided to use Google Reader for my RSS feeds. I have previously used RSS feeds, back in the “olden days” when they weren’t nearly so easy to set up. Google Reader is very similar in appearance to other Google products and I expected my learning curve wouldn’t be too steep, but I found it a little confusing relating Andy Wibbels’ “How to Use Google Reader” to my experience. That may have been because Wibbels was using the Firefox browser and the Beta version of Google Reader. With a little exploration, I was able to locate everything I needed to subscribe to a few feeds. The feeds I chose: 23 Things Kansas blog (of course!), blogs of 2 other 23 Things participants, local news source Lawrence Journal World, CNN.com, and The Daily Beast. One thing I appreciate about Google Reader is the “Posts per week” guesstimate that displays when I’m considering adding a new subscription. It gives me an idea of my time cost involved in following a feed. Subscribing to and reading more than a very few news feeds can really eat up your day!

23 Things, Week 4

I spent quite a bit of time browsing through images on Flickr. Originally I began searching for library related images, then I strayed a little to other topics (cats, cars, etc.). I wanted to find something library-ish that was edgy or out of the ordinary. I clicked past the Nancy Pearl shushing figurine, the cat-who'd-broken-a-librarian-toy, the librarian tattoos and the erotic librarian bookjacket (sheesh). Still not happy with what I'd found, I added a new search term: zombie librarian. Just the ticket! I found this lovely shot by Matthew Stewart* of a clever makeup/costume job for the 2009 Zombie Walk in Brisbane. Can't imagine how the book stayed in place for any length of time. I believe libraries could attract a whole new audience if this manner of dress became the norm. (Tongue firmly in cheek, folks.) This is the first time I've used Flickr and didn't really know what to expect. It was fun to see how many oddball images there are. I'll definitely be a return visitor.
*See more of his work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/aramisfirefly/

Rock technology, not chairs

71 year old wins $10,000 iTunes gift card-- this is a very sweet piece.

EW talks to the Georgia grandfather who bought the 10 billionth song on itunes: 'I've never won anything!'

23 Things, Week 3

So, I'm finally tackling Week Three: Online Meetings. I have attended various online offerings in the past, some really great, some not so much. (The not so much ones turned out to be sales pitches disguised as learning opportunities, but even those sessions had a few nuggets of useful info among the chaff.) I think some of the best ones I've attended have been online sessions that were offered to our staff here as a group: we all watched the presentation, participated using microphone or live chat, and -- here's the best part -- after the presentation, we remained in the group and discussed how the presentation might inform what we're doing here at LPL. It allows the online socialization to bleed over into the face to face staff world. Online meetings also allow staff access to resources they would be unable to tap if they had to take time off and travel to some removed geographic destination. Win-win, yes?

The archived meeting I attended was OPAL's "Marketing Your Library on the Web" with Jill Bickford and Marcella Whitelam. I found it very informative, especially the stats re: the numbers of 50+ adults who are now making inroads on Facebook. This is counter to what I think many believe about boomers/seniors, that they don't like technology. Considering that age group may have more disposible income and pay more taxes than teens, it's definitely an audience libraries should be targeting for programming.

I was also intrigued by the Pew stats showing the average social network user is "socializing" 5 days per week/4 hours per day-- an indication that creating a library presence on the same networks would let us meet them where they live.

It's difficult to say how online meeting technology will look in 10 years, but I do believe it will be more pervasive than it is today. Economics, logistical considerations, and The Pace of Life will shape the format and delivery methods. Consider this: Oprah, one of the wealthiest people in the universe, no longer needs to fly people in to be on her show. She uses Skype all the time now. It's priced right (free-- economics), it works (logistical considerations), and it's easy to use (Pace of Life).

Blogging in Week 3 about Week 2's assignment

Better late than never, I say. Up till now I've been blissfully ignorant of most online communities. I do have a Twitter account for my business, but tend to tweet only once every week or two. I chose to launch on Facebook because most everyone I asked was using it. Of course, now that I've signed up, I have LOTS more friends who are constantly, automatically recommended to me. I will need to conquer the feeling that I should respond to absolutely every one of them.

I do like the serendipity of association that Facebook offers. No doubt I will come to appreciate the levels of privacy I can choose to make my "stay" on Facebook more enjoyable. So far I'm using it to friend other people I know who are also participating in 23 Things Kansas. In the future, I hope to build a page for my business.

My library already has a Facebook page and I've become a fan. It's great to see how many other fans we have who can use the page to learn about library events, changes in policies, etc. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go back to friending and writing on walls. You can find me as "Charlee Glinka" on Facebook.

But Wait! There's More: When Technology Bites the Dust

I've always enjoyed tinkering with things. When I was young, I learned how to take things apart. Didn't always get them put back together, but I learned a lot about How Things Work in the process. When I got my first car, a 1963 Morris Minor convertible, my dad gave me a Minor manual and a set of tools and let me figure out how to change the oil, adjust the carb, and fix the head gasket. I learned enough about how the car worked that when the fan belt broke in the boonies, I was able to limp back to civilization without frying the engine (no cell phones in those days, and too young for AAA). Over the years, I've learned how to build model rockets, wire a house, raise chickens, and fix electronic gadgets, among many other things. All it took was a certain fearless curiosity and a healthy respect for sharp objects and live electricity. And rogue chickens.

Sadly, I'm afraid the days of DIY fixits may be coming to an end. Things just aren't designed to be repaired any longer. Example: I got an inexpensive flat screen TV with built in DVD/CD player a couple of years ago. Today, the DVD/CD player suddenly decided it wasn't going to spit out my Celtic Circle CD. The player is completely enclosed in the TV housing, so I got out my screwdriver and took the case apart to see if I could fix the player. I was able to retrieve my CD, but the player is done for. I could try to find a compatible internal DVD/CD drive and retrofit it to the space in the TV housing, but that would take a lot of time. Who knows?-- the TV could die next week.

So, even if it could be fixed, is it worth my time to do it? Or should I just toss it?* And what about the trend in electronics where one device can now perform so many different functions? They're like an electronic Swiss Army Knife. Only when you break a blade on a real Swiss Army Knife, all the rest of it still works. Wonder if the electronic gadget can make that claim?

*BTW, I intend to hook up an old DVD player I have that used to be attached to an analog TV...

Not all well spent time is wasted

Ran across this in a surgical waiting room this morning, and thought it was an interesting take on Facebook.

First comment

I now have a comment on my blog. I have found some very sweet little things to add to my blog (like Fish!)-- I could spend tons o'time playing with this!

Week One: Blogging

My first blog post. My name is Charlee Glinka and I'm the Collection Development Coordinator for Lawrence Public Library. I've been here since before the last ice age, and thought participating in 23 Things would give me an excellent opportunity to spruce up my techie larnin' painlessly. I tweet and "do" a website (sorta), and am interested in upgrading at least my knowledge of, if not my expertise in the new technologies coming down the pike. Greetings, Earthlings!