Libraries are like snowflakes! Each one is so different.

We have been talking a lot about websites in our Social Media & Web Technology class. With the Holiday fast approaching I have been thinking a lot about what to give and make people on my list for gifts. I also think a lot about celebrating the Solstice and not so much the religiously commercial part of Christmas.  I always start cruising the crafty websites of www.pinterest.com or www.etsy.com to get ideas of things I can make for my closest family members or friends. This time of year there are TONS of ideas. Finding the time and motivation between work and school is a challenge to get projects done in time to celebrate the Winter Solstice.  Everyone has their own op opinion of the season. With Santa Claus, Hanukkah, the birth of Jesus and the longest night of the year in Solstice, there are many options for people to celebrate. Getting together with loved ones and celebrating in your own way is the true reason to bring joy to our hearts. It's interesting to learn of dif...

Designing or planning a website can be a daunting task! Staying focused and knowing what you would like the end result to be like can be a good way to complete the task without feeling overwhelmed. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when starting the planning process.   Be aware of the visual hierarchy. In other words, get straight to the most important point your viewer will see when they find your website page. Rank the most important elements you want to include on your website in order of importance and visually display them in this ranking order. By visually arranging and organizing your website elements, your visitors will naturally gravitate toward these important elements first.  Another good tip to keep in mind is following the conventional website layout. This will give your viewers the confidence to navigate your website. Wild and wacky website designs can be confusing and distracting for prospective viewers. Having an easy to use navigation bar is key to keep...

HTML was the subject of the week. I had no idea what HTML was until this week. HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. It's a standardized system for tagging text files to achieve font, color, graphic and hyperlink effects on the World Wide Web pages. This still seems like Greek to me but I was able to crutch myself through this week's assignments.  I feel as a library director, you have "people" that will do this for you. Computer tech people that are hired in the library system do this as their job. It was interesting to get a feel for what they do and I definitely have more respect for their computer brains. 

Did you know the world is bigger than YouTube? I too, am guilty of running straight to YouTube when I need to learn a new crochet stitch or am wondering what's new at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.  Working in a library I am always looking for ways to educate kids and older patrons on different things happening in the library.  This week in my Social Media & Web class, we learned about a handful of other search options.  While browsing schooltube, I found the cutest video about spreading the news of World Book Day. The video: https://schooltube.com/happy-world-book-day would be a great video to play on our public TV, advertising World Book Day.  Follow the link here:   Happy World Book Day! Another great website to use is teachertube. This website is more informal with more adult/teacher based videos. I found a fun video where a sock monkey tells us about the Dewey Decimal System. This also would be a fun video to play to patrons while they are...

For this blog I was assigned to find two personal blogs and provide the URL, explanation of the blog content and my impression of the blog and information given. Here are my results!  Pick #1 - https://www.ecpubliclibrary.info/the-witching-book-season/ This is a blog written by Ashley at Circulation Services at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Library. I chose this blog because the title stood out to me, "I  Put a Spell on You: What to Read This Season". I love anything Hocus Pocus and I love reading spooky books about the autumn season. This blog is about Ashley's favorite parts of the autumn season and her fall book choices. I think this a fun blog and very dear to my witchy heart. I think Ashley did a great job representing the season and they types of books that are popular this time of year.  Pick #2 -  https://www.disneytouristblog.com/ This blog is written by Tom Bricker. He is a Walt Disney World blogger. He focuses on new attractions and new or changed situat...

So much technology! So many different websites and apps to use to show your creativity! Do you ever feel overwhelmed?!? When working in a library you have many responsibilities which include promoting library events in a professional, creative way. Using online programs that can help you make this task easier can be a life saver!  This week I learned how to use iPiccy.com. It's a great online tool to edit and manipulate pictures. You can also make collages in a fun, simple format while making it look creative and fun to the eye. Once you become more familiar with creating advertisements, website banners and flyers for library events, it's almost as if you are becoming a library media artist.

I love calendars! Staying organized and knowing exactly where I need to be and when. This totally must be an adult thing! When I was younger I could totally remember appointments and meetings without writing them down. As I have gotten older, and life has gotten busy and busier, I have to write EVERYTHING down. Including work schedules, appointments and family obligations. There are many different useful calendars to keep you on task. Our family used to use the Cozi online calendar, until we switched to a family Google calendar. I like the fact that everyone has access to the same calendar and any of us can add dates and we all can see the changes.  Using the Microsoft Outlook calendar this week for class came naturally to me. All online calendars are pretty much created equal with a few special features here and there. Knowing how to use a professional calendar in a large library setting would be very useful. The library I work at only has 4 aides and one director. We have one sta...