Tuesday, June 27, 2006

A Library System Director's view on MySpace

Bev Obert, system director of Rolling Prairie Library System was quoted in a recent newspaper article in the Decatur Herald-Review and their library policies on MySpace. One of the best features of this article was that Chris Sweet, a reference librarian at the Decatur Public Library is now going to do training (as we all should) to educate our students (&/or their parents) about appropriate use of the site since they will be using it anyway, it is our job to use this as a "teachable moment!"

I asked my son and his girlfiend, both college students, and they offered their opinions on the MySpace controversy. They think FaceBook is a better site in that the ability to refuse or deny to contact someone
is built into the site. They thought that should be part of MySpace (as a cefault) as it would offer more protection to those teens who do not always want to indicate that they are under 16. So, that was my small survey of young adults ages 19 and 21.



Friday, June 23, 2006

Web 2.0 and Library U

Seems like everyone is getting on this Web 2.0 bandwagon, so if you want more info, this is the place to be! I got this notice from NSLS

NEW LIBRARYU MODULE
LibraryU, the hugely popular Web-based training initiative has a new module entitled, "The Internet and Teens: Social Networking Safety". How many times have you heard a young person talk about "blogging" or "myspace" and wondered what language they were speaking? If you've ever been concerned about the amount of time that your child spends on the Internet, or wondered what they were doing, this module will help you to understand more about blogging, what role it plays in the lives of teens especially, and how you can help them to use this communication tool in a safe and positive environment. You can sign up for the module at <http://www.libraryu.org>. On July 26, LibraryU will host a live online presentation with module author Bill Erbes, the Assistant Director of the Bensenville Community Public Library District. Erbes will give an interactive presentation, discussion and dialog on this important topic. The presentation is free, but you must register by going to http://www.libraryu.org.
Whether you are a parent, teacher, librarian, or interested in the trends in teen Internet usage, this event will be engaging and informative.

The Amazing Internet

The most amazing feature of the Internet to me is to be able to chat on camera to my son-in-law in Iraq. We can see him, he can see us, and here are no long distance charges! The fact that my cell phone and PDA can access the Internet is a little overwhelming. In fact, I had to get my mom’s Internet on her cell phone disabled since at 86, she cannot see when she accidentally presses the wrong button and is connected to the web indefinitely and we are charged for the time.

Invisible Web is also a tem that is confusing to many people. These web pages are there, but not found by the usual search engines. I went to a workshop on that topic at an
Illinois School Library Media Association conference. Teachers at my school often think everything is accessible on the Internet with a Google search. I understand that, but RSS & podcasting are mysteries I have yet to experience. That is where this class comes in.

One of the big concerns about the Internet and our network at my school district is with the use of streaming video and the bandwidth that it consumes. We cannot download or stream video during the school day or it crashes our network. So, it seems as if schools are always scrambling to keep up.

Another big concern of mine is the digital divide. While most of my students have Internet access at home, there are many of our at risk students who do not have computers at home, much less, Internet access available to them. That is a big reason why our school library is open an hour after school each day, as that helps “even the playing field,” as they say for those students.

Internet, but first a little computer history -#1

It is hard for me to think about the history of the Internet without thinking of my history with computers. Undergraduate days were spent typing papers. In graduate school at Concordia, we also typed papers by hand, but in my research class, we had to run a statistical computer program. We went to the computer “room” where the mainframe was located and punched the @#$% cards as a group. If anyone incorrectly pressed the letter l instead of a number 1, the program would not run and would spit the cards out all over the room. We have come a very long way since that time in the mid-1970’s.
My first experience with personal computers was with the early Apple computers when I taught in Palatine, District 15. My students practiced their math facts on the computer and it proved to be much more fun than the old flash cards. Then later I used computers as a volunteer “computer mom” at my children’s’ elementary school. I also helped automate their school library by locating the records for books on a CD-ROM and downloading them. In the 1990’s, I had to telnet into the library at NIU and that was all kinds of fun! Our first home computer was a Mac LC (I forget the number) and soon after, we began to use the Internet on the noisy dial-up modems. I seem to remember that sometime in the 90’s we started using a graphical interface that made “surfing” a much more enjoyable experience.
It was amazing to read in an article from Encyclopedia Britannica that SABRE (airline reservations) and AUTODIN (a defense system) were operational in the late 50’s and 60’s. WOW! I did not realize those networks went back that far. I knew about Mosaic, which became Netscape since we used that in my classes at Northern Illinois in the mid-1990’s. Has there ever been any other technological advance that has grown at “100 per cent, per year?” (EB)

Monday, June 12, 2006

Guacamole en Molcajete from the Adobo Grill

After the trip to Chipolte, I remembered that I had this fabulous recipe and said I would post it to the blog. Well, here it is as I do not know yet how to attach a pdf file. The chef appeared on NBC5 and the recipe was on their website for a short time for Cinco de Mayo.

From The Adobo Grill in Wicker Park & Old Town, also in Indianapolis
Guacamole en Molcajete (the lava bowl they make it in)
Ingredients:
1 diced avocado
1 1/2 Tablespoon chopped white onion
1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon (for mild) finely chopped serrano peppers
1 1/2 teaspoon (for hot)

2 tablespoons diced plum tomatoes, seeded
1 1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 Teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions: 1. Add garlic, Serrano peppers, onion and salt into Mocajete (these can be purchased at the Adobo Grill) or use your favorite bowl
2. Using a wooden spoon or pestle, mash the garlic, Serrano peppers, onion and salt to release their juices.
3. Add diced avocado to molcajete and mix.
4. Add tomatoes, cilantro and lime.
5. Stir in all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy! We had this at the Adobo Grill and it was wonderful!


Sunday, June 11, 2006

Librarian Trading Card -#2


This photo is from the Model United Nations conference in Chicago in February, 2006. I went with my husband, Steve, and his group of students. We ate at the Berghoff before they closed.

Welcome to my new blog!

My name is Betty Buenning and I am curently a student in the Dominican Univeristy Summer LIS753 class. In my other life, I am a middle school librarian. I want to start a blog for my 8th grade book club so this is my chance to learn about this.