Extra Credit #2--Google a day

This was a hoot! Of course, I could't answer any of the questions, but it was still fun. I only tried three, and quit after the gold sphere question. Who wants to do math late in the afternoon? Aaaaargh! It does help with searching skills, so it would be good to visit several times a week, time willing.

Of course, I want the Sony Reader!

Task #5--Chiltons

Okay, I have a husband and two sons who work on vehicles (one is actually working as an engineer for a company that designs carburetor parts), so this one is pretty much a no-brainer for me. All three guys have used the site--more than once. I also show patrons asking for our repair manuals the site and its easy access from home. I thnk this is one of our better databases. The guys love it. I've even had guys sign up for a card so they can access it at home. One even remarked, "I can take my laptop out to the garage and look at Chilton's while I'm working on my truck."

As for ease of use, the site is visitor friendly. It's also nice to have recall notices for vehicles.

I looked up my car (Pontiac Grand Am 2000) and found instructions for removal & installation of struts and HVAC blower motor. The pictures are great and print out very clear. Believe I'll leave the mechanicking part up to my guys.

Task #4--e-Readers

So, the Kindle gets top marks, but doesn't play well with OverDrive. Thank goodness the Sony reader, which I intend to WIN, ranks fairly close to the Kindle, and actually rates as high or higher in some features that I would consider important, such as navigation, versatility, and response time. The rating was actually only 3 points apart for the higher end Sony and 7 points for the less expensive one, which is the one I would buy--if I were going to buy one. Winning one is soooo much better. The Sony Touch edition weighs the same as the Kindle, has only a slightly bigger screen (which, at my age, I'd prefer), and is comparable in price. So, I'm looking forward to winning the Sony and getting some books downloaded. YES!

Cari's instructions for downloading to the Nook and Sony readers is very clear and concise. The first three steps are crucial for first-time users.

1. Go to the websie and click on "Downloadable Media" under "Books and More."

2. Click on the "OverDrive" image; click on "get Adobe Digital Editions."

3. Click on "Install" and follow the instructions. (I know--step 4.)

Happy reading!!

Task #3--Masterfile Premier

There are several Consumer Reports articles listing smartphones in the subject area, but the first several articles concentrate on cell phone plans and cell phones, too. So, I'm assuming the article you want is Sept. 2010, volume 75, issue 9, pgs. 24-27. The title of the article is: "Smart Phones." However, the very first article, although it's not just about smart phones, also rates smart phones, so you might be looking for Jan. 2011, Vol. 76, Issue 1, pgs. 30-38, titled "Find the Best Fit." You pick. I guess you can compare the two smart phone charts and see how they've changed in one year. Or if they have.

From "Rolling Stone" 1/9/1992--"Izzy quits Guns n' Roses." How sad.

And yes, please enter my extra credit in the Sony Reader drawing!

Discovery Task #2--Scavenger Hunt

100%!!!!!! A good many of the questions I knew without having to look them up, including the first one. I did learn that we have 4 mobile resources--okay, I'm living in the dark ages...don't text, don't have internet on my phone, just the bare bones. I can call for help if I need to. I also learned that we connect to the Hover Public Library if an error message comes up when downloading ebooks. Do I feel smarter? Well, yes. At least a tiny little bit.

Discovery Task #1

Yaaaay!!!!! I have this part already done. WhooHoo!! And of course, I'd like the Sony reader. What a perfect way to get more adept at ebooks downloading.

Cloud computing

Cloud computing is, in some ways, a bit foggy at the moment, but maybe that's because I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. If I'm understanding it right, it's the ability to use computer programs/storage off-site. In a sense, that's what MARMOT does for us. Because we have MARMOT we don't have to hire our own IT person, as we pay the MARMOT folks to do that. I'm also guessing that some of our databases are cloud computing. As libraries grow and information grows, "clouding" could beneficial to libraries. By not having to hire IT people, significant money could be saved and used toward collection development. I participate in Facebook, which I'm guessing is cloud computing. Also, my delicious account could be considered the same thing. I don't have it stored on my computer. I can see where this type of service might be helpful to me to have a safe and secure place to store my writing, so that if my computer at home died, and my flash drive self-destructed, then I would still have access to what I have written. The drawback would be how secure the information might be. With the ability of hackers, I suppose nothing is completely secure.

BTW--How did they get Wes to narrate the video?