iPods Download Audiobooks (And So Can You!)

“But it doesn’t work on iPods,” has been our refrain ever since we introduced Downloadable Audiobooks. Traditionally, iPod devices have not worked with our Netlibrary or Overdrive services because they use the Apple copy-protection format .AAC instead of the Windows codec, .WMA.

Now, both services have introduced books that are compatible with iPod, but each works differently.

MP3 files have no copy-protection, so they are compatible with any MP3 player (Creative, Archos, SanDisk, etc.), including iPods. Many MP3 audiobooks are now available from both Overdrive and Netlibrary.

In addition, Overdrive now allows some of the WMA books to be converted to the iPod-friendly AAC format.

To access this feature, you must download the latest version of Overdrive Media Console 3.2 from the library web site:

www.library.nashville.org » Books Movies Music » Audiobook Help » OverDrive Media Console

Tips:

• Check the icon chart to see if your book is compatible (see images above for examples).
• Plug in your iPod to your PC before you download the book.
• iPod-friendly WMA books do not work with Overdrive on the Mac OS, only Windows XP or Vista.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: 1. Use NetLibrary or OverDrive to find an iPod-friendly audiobook. 2. Download the book to your computer. Or, if you’ve already downloaded audiobooks, find a colleague who needs help. If you have any problems, ask for help in the comments.

Gale Hires Robot Readers (PowerSearch 2.0)

The good people and robots over at Gale have been busy reading and sorting their magazine collection into new Princeton files. As a result of this spring cleaning, Tennessee Electronic Library’s PowerSearch will become PowerSearch 2.0 on Wednesday. PowerSearch 2.0 adds some great new options to the robust periodical search.

PowerSearch 2.0 allows you to search across fourteen TEL databases including OneFile, General Business, and Health. The default search now offers most popular limiter options: Full-text, Peer-reviewed, or documents with images only. Also, the default search is keyword; this will only match terms in title, author, subject, or abstract. For a more comprehensive search, remember to use entire document.

Powersearch2.0 still breaks down the results into a series of tabs for magazines, journals, books, newspapers, and multimedia. Magazines will appear first, but don’t stop there. Along the left side you will see more results from images and podcasts. Next time you want to watch some old news, head over to PowerSearch’s extensive video collection including videos from NBC Newscasts (Today, Meet the Press) and PBS (Jim Lehrer News Hour, Frontline, Nature). Plus, find matches under podcasts – including NPR’s extensive audio archive. Keep scrolling down your result list to get image results from the UPI photo archive.

Once you hit article level, you can do just about anything short of republishing it. Within each entry you can now listen to a robot read you each article. Hey, these cyborgs are good readers! If you’re running short on time, download all the audio files for your marked articles, then have the robots read to you on your iPod. ¿No habla ingles? Let Gale’s protocol droids translate your article into Spanish or ten other languages. The robots will even reformat the citation so you can cut & paste it into your report.

The most improved part of 2.0 is the Publication Search, which had not seen an update since the nineties. The title lists are now infinitely sortable by format or subject. For example, you can quickly pull up all the full-text magazines that cover “Cooking.” As you mouse-over the titles, you get the important coverage details: full-text and dates of run. Select a title and you can get an RSS feed that will alert you when new issues are available to read in PowerSearch. RSS feeds are also available for any PowerSearch you run.

Check out Tennessee Electronic Library on the database page this Wednesday, July 1st.

Search Defaults: Take Back from Bing

If you use the handy in-browser search box in Internet Explorer this month, you may have noticed  something new. The search results you used to get from Google are gone and now you see results from something called Bing.

What is Bing?

Unless you lost your TV transmission during the digital switch, you’ve probably seen a Bing commercial. They’re weird. They’re everywhere. But have you tried Bing? It’s a search engine, like Yahoo!. The results look similar, but there are some additions.

1. Expanded Description
   When you mouse over the orange dot to the right of each result, you’ll get a box with an expanded description and some links on the page.
2. Search from Results
   Sometimes you even get a search box in the results list. Search for Nashville Public Library and you’ll see a search box for searching the library catalog within the result.  Search for Amazon and you’ll see a list of results with the Amazon search box.
3. More Options
   Search results are listed in the center,  and you’ll see links for related searches or ways to narrow your search along the left side. A search for the band Green Day lets me narrow to Images, Songs, Lyrics, Downloads, Fan Club, etc.

I tried Bing. I want Google/Yahoo! back in my search engine box!

The first time I got results from Bing, I was surprised. Microsoft had changed my search engine without telling me. The second time I got results from Bing, I was mad. I wanted to take back my browser power.

Internet Explorer 6

• Click on the SEARCH BUTTON in the Toolbar.
• At bottom of ‘What are you looking for’ panel, select CHANGE PREFERENCES.
• Under ‘How do you want to search companion?’ choose CHANGE INTERNET SEARCH BEHAVIOR
• Next, select SELECT DEFAULT SEARCH and OK.
• Choose your favorite search engine (c. 1997) and select OK.
• This should change the results from this search box and search terms typed in the address bar.

Internet Explorer 7:

• Beside the Search Box there is a magnifying glass icon. Next to the icon is a tiny grey triangle – select it with mouse.
• You should see a list of the search engines currently loaded to your browser. At the bottom of this list, select the option called CHANGE SEARCH DEFAULTS.
• Select the search engine you use most often and click ‘SELEECT DEFAULT, then ‘OK’.

Internet Explorer 8:

• Next to the Search Box there is a magnifying glass icon. Next to the icon is a tiny grey triangle – select it with mouse.
• You should see a list of the search engines currently loaded to your browser. At the bottom of this list, select the option called MANAGE SEARCH PROVIDERS.
• Select the search engine you use most often and click ‘Set as Default’, then ‘Close’.

I use Chrome / Firefox. How do I change my default search engine?

Google Chrome 2.0

• Right-click on the Address Bar.
• Select EDIT SEARCH ENGINES…
• Select your preferred Search Engine from the list.
• Then click ‘Make Default’ button.

Firefox 2, 3:

• Next to the search box is a logo for the selected search engine.
• Click on this logo to select from other loaded search engines. This selection should remain through future sessions until changed.
• If Google (or preferred engine) is not in this list, use “Manage Search Engines” to add it to the list.

Wireless Printing Not Working?

Are you online?

You can work in the library, create files, listen to music, without going online. Check that you have connected to the Internet by opening a browser and visiting a web page. Wireless Printing will not function when a computer is not connected.

If you are not connected…

View the computer’s available networks (Control Panel) and enable the wireless network card. You will need to select the Library’s wireless network from the list of available networks. Open the web browser. Then, you will need to agree to the Internet policy when it appears in the browser.

Have you installed the Wireless Printing Software?

Check the printers listed in the software’s Printing utility (File – Print). If you do not see the library’s network printers listed under Name:, then you have not successfully installed the software. Return to the Wireless Computers home page, the first page that is loaded after accepting the terms. Follow the instructions for loading the software. Remember, the software is erased after the computer is restarted, and must be re-installed for each session.

Are you Running Windows Vista?

Our print software sends up about a dozen red flags on the Vista security checklist. In order to get Vista to install the software, you need to keep hitting ‘Agree’, ‘Allow’, and so forth to every warning message that appears. Be sure to read each warning to be sure you are comfortable with each step of the installation.

LPT will still not install?

If the computer refuses to install the wireless printing software, contact Tech Support for troubleshooting help. You will need to do this while the error is in front of you, so they can troubleshoot the issue with you.

Do you have any tips for troubleshooting Wi-Fi printing? Please share with everyone in the Comments.

Using the Library Catalog: Preferred Searches

Have you ever used the Suggest a Title form on the library web site? It lets you ask the library to buy an item that is not owned. This is very useful, but how do you know if or when the library will buy it?

Maybe you have a favorite author/actor and you want to know when the library adds a new book/movie by them? Maybe you’re sick of being number 472 in line for a best-seller? Or maybe you just want to know when the new World Almanac is out? (Really?)

Preferred Searches let you see when new items you are interested have been added at the library. You can set up Email alerts to notify you when new items match your search. You can make Preferred Searches for any Title, Author, Subject, or anything else you look up in the catalog!

These instructions have been added to the suggest a title pages on the library website. Please spread the word about this service!

Here’s how to set up a Preferred Search:

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: 1. Watch the slideshow. 2. Set up a Preferred Search in the catalog. If you have any problems, ask for help in the comments. Extra: Do you already use Preferred Search?

Google Chrome

We’re all used to Internet Explorer. A lot of us have started using Firefox. Why on earth do we need another Internet browser? What’s the big deal about Google Chrome?

When I first downloaded Chrome, I used it for a few hours and thought “What’s the big deal? It looks like all the other browsers out there.”

And that’s true, at first glance. But look  a little closer and you’ll notice a few differences. Then, if you open the hood and look at the guts of the browser, you’ll notice a lot of differences.

First Glance Features:

Home page defaults to your nine most visited pages
Say you get online every morning and immediately check the Tennessean, the weather, the day’s comics, CNN, and your email. Let’s say you visit those sites a lot during the day. Chrome will remember that and show you quick links to your most visited sites each time you open a new browser window.

No Title Bar – No Menu Bar
Chrome gives you tabs right at the top of the page. Next is the address bar. That’s it. Because why waste room that you could use to view the web page you’re looking at?

No search box in the upper right corner
While other browsers are making an integrated search box standard (like Firefox),  Google chose to eliminate that feature. Instead, they made the address bar function as both address bar and search box – they call it the Omnibar. If you type a web address, you’ll go to a web page. If you type keywords, you’ll get Google search results.

A lot of what’s special about Chrome is what you can’t see.

IE and FF are built of the original browser tech from the nineties – designed only for viewing HTML web pages. as new tech was introduced, these had to be added on later – the browser itself did not do any of the new tech. Google chrome is the first browser designed from the ground-up with today’s technology in mind

What’s special about Chrome is what you can’t see

IE and FF are built of the original browser technology from the nineties – back when browsers were just used to view HTML web pages. As new technology was introduced (like JavaScript and Flash – for all our blinking, video heavy pages), it had to be added on.

Google Chrome was built from scratch. It is the first browser designed from the ground-up with today’s technology in mind. Why is that important?

Chrome is fast
Chrome was built to handle complex Internet tasks, like uploading photos, online editing, and all the web applications we’ve covered on Staff in the Know. It was built with current Internet use in mind, so web applications work very fast.

Chrome runs each tab separately
If you’ve ever used Firefox on Internet Explorer 7, you have probably used tabs. And you’ve probably had one tab freeze up. With Firefox and IE, when one tab freezes, they all freeze. Chrome runs each tab as a separate process. So, if one tab freezes, it doesn’t affect the other tabs.

Chrome has Application Shortcuts
Web apps are programs that live on the Internet – they are not saved on your computer. Because apps live on the Internet, it can take a while to get to one: you have to open a browser and type a web address. Not difficult, but definitely more than one double-click. Chrome incorporates “Application Shortcuts” to make it easier to get to web applications.

Here’s how to create an Application Shortcut:

You can create a shortcut using IE or Firefox, but it is a far more involved process that is not readily available from within the browser itself. Plus, when you click on a normal desktop shortcut, it’s just a shortcut to the website – with the title bar and menu bar and address bar. Chrome’s Application Shortcuts only give you the program with none of the internet tools in the way.

Browsers of the Future

You may not be curious enough to use Chrome, but rest assured that the same browser technology will soon be copied by Firefox and Internet Explorer. The Internet has changed – you can do so much more than just view web pages. Look out for more advances coming soon to the browser of your choice.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: Download and install Google Chrome. Upload a picture to Picnik using Internet Explorer. Then upload a picture to Picnik using Chrome. Can you see the difference? If you have any problems, ask for help in the comments. Extra: Do you have a favorite browser?

NetLibrary Media Center: how-to

Last week we had a refresher course on using NetLibrary with Windows Media Center. This week, we’re going to learn how to use a different software program to find and download NetLibrary audiobooks.

NetLibrary Media Center is free software that will allow you to browse, download and transfer NetLibrary audiobooks all in one program. Once you’ve downloaded the software, you do not have to visit netlibrary.com again.

Here’s how it works:

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: 1. Download and install NetLibrary Media Center. If you are unable to complete this, please contact ITS. 2. Use NetLibrary Media Center to find an audiobook. 3. Download an audiobook. If you have an mp3 player, transfer the book to your player. 4. If you have any problems, ask for help in the comments.

NetLibrary & Windows Media Player: how-to

Maybe you’ve successfully downloaded an audiobook from NetLibrary. Maybe using NetLibrary drives you mad. If it makes you feel any better, your friendly web-team members fall into both camps. Some days it is a breeze and other days you want to bang your head on the wall.

NetLibrary has made some changes recently, so this week is a refresher course on downloading audiobooks. Here’s the skinny:

NetLibrary offers WMA and MP3 audiobooks.

• WMA means they cannot be played on an iPod.
• MP3 books can be played on an iPod.

You will need software to use NetLibrary.

• Windows Media Player
• NetLibrary Media Center

You must register for an account with NetLibrary before you can check out a book.

NetLibrary how-to: step by step

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: 1. Download a NetLibrary audiobook. 2. If you have an mp3 player, transfer the book to your player. 3. If you have any problems, ask for help in the comments.

Unemployment Benefits Form

The Unemployment Office has been busier than usual. Now that this process is online, many library visitors are taking advantage of the library’s free public access computers to apply for and certify benefits. A few items to keep in mind about Tennessee’s online unemployment form:

Before Filing

• Do not file the same week you were laid off. Wait until the Sunday following the week you last worked to file.
• The form may time-out, so have all information (including employer names, addresses, and dates) handy before you start.
• Read the latest dateline.pdf from the Labor website. It will answer current questions about Unemployment benefits.
• Collect details on the past 18 months of work history. Dates of employment need not be exact, use the closest month and approximate date.
• You can file if you live out of state. You will file in the state where work was performed – benefits are not determined by where you live.

Tips for Filing Online

• Online form is linked from Public Computer start pages under ‘Find A Job’.
• DO NOT use your browser’s back or refresh buttons.
• Use the TAB key to move to next blank, use the space bar to toggle YES/NO buttons.
• Avoid using any punctuation in the form blanks.
• Do not fill in blanks without an asterisk. Do not add “n/a” or answer any question that does not apply to you.
• Withhold the 10% tax with each check; this can always be altered later.

Job availability notices

Are you going to be “called back”?

Only answer YES if you have been given a specific date by your former employer. Otherwise, answer NO, even if you believe you will be called back soon.

Minimum starting wage?

Enter the absolute minimum hourly wage you can live on – this will make you visible to more employers, does not assign you that wage. Current minimum wage: $6.55 (May, 2009)

After You file…

Print the confirmation screen for your records. Keep any mail notices you receive. Register at a Tennessee Career Center within one month of applying.

We have experienced some connection difficulties using this form on public access computers, please report any interruptions.

Twitter Search

Say as you were returning from lunch you overhear someone mention a plane landing in the Hudson River. When you return to your computer, you might check several news websites to get a story. Or you could try a Twitter Search.

If you had done a Twitter Search in January, on the day the plane landed in the Hudson River, you would have seen a tweet by Janis Krums. He is the rescuer who posted the first picture of the accident from a cell phone on a nearby ferry boat.

Twitter Search for Breaking News

Have you ever seen four fire engines head down Broadway, then an hour later Google “fire Broadway Nashville,”  only to find that nothing? Local news sites also coming up empty? What was going on? Why can’t I find it on Google? Does this sounds familiar?

Retrieving current information on local occurrences can be challenging. Yet with so many Tweeters now reporting from their cell phones, there is a good chance that an eyewitness mentioned it on their Twitter. Twitter Search offers a way to find real-time updates on just about anything. Type in a topic and search will turn up any recent tweets with those words included.

Twitter Search helps businesses too

We saw how friends might use Twitter to make casual comments to a group. Unlike the office water cooler, Twitter comments are very public – meaning all these casual conversations can be found. Why is this useful?

Businesses can use Twitter Search to find out what people are saying about their company. Say someone tweets to their pals about the Olive Garden restaurant. Olive Garden’s management could search twitter.

• i love olive garden now that i figured out i can get soup and not that gross salad
• I like that Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden myself
• Is there really a Culinary Institute of Tuscany, like in those Olive Garden commercials?
• Heading out to Olive Garden tonight

Some tweets give honest opinions on company issues, like menu choices or commercials. Others may be less direct, but  Olive Garden can still see who dines there. Companies would normally pay marketing firms to identify customer preferences, now Twitter offers the same data free.

Want to see what people think about your branch library? Check it out on Twitter Search. You’ll see some compliments that will make you smile. But you’ll also see some comments about what we could do better. Anything that gives such candid feedback is a good thing to watch.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: 1. Do a Twitter Search for: Nashville Public Library AND Your branch library 2. Did you find anything? Let us know in the comments.

Why Twitter? Communicate the Everyday Things

@Peabody Twitter for emergencies. Got it. But I still don’t see why a friend would care if I’m at Bongo Java.

@Stella I watched the UConn game at a sports bar last week. No one cared when UConn was down, but I could commiserate with friends on Twitter.

@Peabody Instead of just sending eight separate text messages to eight friends, you sent one tweet to all your friends with Twitter?

@Stella Right. And my friends tweeted back – 8 friends talking on Twitter. And my buddy Dan came to watch the 2nd half because of my tweet.

Twitter is a good way to keep up with friends

Last week we talked about how Twitter could be used during an emergency. But Twitter is also useful for casually keeping up with your friends and family.

For instance, you wouldn’t email all your friends just to say you’re watching basketball. And you’d feel foolish emailing all of your friends to tell them you’ll be in Kentucky for the weekend. But your friends might like to hear about the little things that are going on in your life. These little things help us feel connected in between times when we can talk to each another.

So, my brother might tweet “Headed down to Bongo Java for some coffee and cake.” That’s not really worth a phone call or email to 30 people, but it is a fine thing to mention in passing. And who knows, maybe a friend is up for some cake. Because of Twitter you could have an impromptu meet-up, much like we used to stop in when we saw someone out on their front porch.

Twitter is a great way to spread the word

Twitter is a way to know what’s going on outside your own circle. Say you’re on the bus headed for work and you overhear someone talking about the rumored Keith Urban video shooting downtown. You might know one person who’s a Keith Urban fan, so you could email your friend. Or you could tweet the news to your circle of friends on Twitter. Now, anyone you know who has a friend who likes Keith Urban can spread the word to their friends. Without Twitter, the news may have spread much slower in your circle.

With emails, blogs, or texts, we message people we know – our audience is limited. Twitter lets to spread the word to an entire circle of people who can then spread the word to their circle of friends.

Twitter is great for businesses and organizations

If you’re wondering how a business might use Twitter, Comcast is one of the the best examples we have seen. Visit the ComcastCares Twitter page and you’ll see what we mean. You’ll see dozens and dozens of @ replies where the Director of Digital Care it talking to customers who have tweeted to @ComcastCares. If you’ve got a problem with your Comcast service, just tweet a message to @ComcastCares and the Digital Care rep will tweet back and try to help. It is simple, direct and personal.

Starbucks also reaches out to customers through Twitter. Wondering if you should store your coffee in the freezer?  Curious to know a coffee similar to the seasonal Christmas Blend? If you have a coffee question, tweet it to @Starbucks and Brad will get back to you.

H&R Block used Twitter to respond to tax questions. Amazon and Dell often post special deals on Twitter. These are just a few of the ways companies can reach out to customers through Twitter.

You’ll even find the library experimenting with Twitter. If you haven’t checked it out yet, visit the Nashville Public Library Twitter page. You’ll see tweets about upcoming events and even questions about the very first Online Book Club pick. Who knows where it will go from there?

What do you think of all this Twittering?

Do you tweet? Do you follow anyone on Twitter? There’s no activity on this one, so just share your thoughts in the comments.

Twitter: Spread the word #mboro

Twitter can help you broadcast important news

Last Friday afternoon, hundreds of people used Twitter to report on the severe storm in Middle Tennessee:

#mboro – tornado touchdown on broad at 840. take cover.

Reported Tornado Touchdown in Murfreesboro, TNhttp://tinyurl.com/cewbso

Emergency services are responding to reports that people are trapped in Murfreesboro, Tenn. after tornado hits; homes destroyed.

The Carpenter’s House church in Murfreesboro is open as a shelter for those affected by the storm.

Thompson lane and Murfreesboro road area is shut down to all traffic

Yeah, there’s a LOT of damage in Murfreesboro, where i live…massive tornadoes here…but me and my family are safe

If you are in or around Murfreesboro, please stay off cell phones. Cell towers taken out and police need the lines.

My dad says his house in Murfreesboro is ok! Thank goodness.

Heard about the tornados in Tennessee. Are you safe?

Yep. I’m good.

Just heard from in-laws who live in Murfreesboro that it looks like they came through the storms without damage.

Glad to hear all my #murfreesboro bandmates and friends are ok after the #tornado

In emergency situations, getting the word out quickly is paramount. After the storm, the first concern is letting everyone know that you’re safe. Cellphones make this an easy task, but you have to make calls to a lot of people. Meanwhile, your friends and family are all frantically dialing all the same people. This is not ideal for keeping emergency communications channels open for rescue workers.

Twitter, makes spreading the news much quicker. One tweet from your cell phone can let all of your friends know if you’re okay. In turn, your friends can retweet your news to further spread the word among your peers. This frees up the communication channels and allows you to reach more people with one text.

Another unique thing happened: Twitter connected the online community to the event as it occurred. Eyewitnesses, local residents, media, and weather agencies, were tweeting information, pictures, and links. Twitter satisfies your curiosity to know what is happening. And it allows you to leverage the power of many people to find the information you need during and after an emergency.

What do you think? Do you see a future with this kind of communication?

March Apps Mania 2009 Finalists

We’ve only had voting open a week, but since tonight is the finals for REAL madness, we thought we’d post our finalists.

Here’s the bracket as it stands now:

Twitter really did get the highest number of votes – this isn’t just some stunt to introduce our Twitter Month. Really.

If you haven’t seen it already, check out the Twitter How-to. And stay tuned for more Twitter all April-long!

* * * * * * * *

Let’s Tweet (64)

@Peabody What’s Twitter?

@Stella Twitter lets you to send short messages, called tweets, to your friends, family, or anyone who is interested.

@Peabody Why would I want to do that? How is that different from email?

@Stella Read this post. Maybe it will help clear up what Twitter is.

Twitter is most like a Blog

Your posts (or tweets) appear on your Twitter web page. Anyone can visit and read your updates.

Unlike a blog, your twitter doesn’t have to stick to one topic. The posts are much shorter. They include any comments you make to others, so the conversation is not limited to a single page.

Twitter is sort of like Text Messaging

Text messages are short, private notes sent from one cell phone to another. Twitter also lets you send messages from your cell phone, but tweets are public messages shared with many people using phones or the web.

With text messaging you must know the phone number of the person you are contacting. With Twitter, all of your contacts will see your tweet, as well as anyone who visits your Twitter page.

Twitter is even a little like email

You can also use Twitter to send a private message to someone else on the service. These messages are delivered to a special Twitter inbox. Unlike email, you don’t have to know an email address or add a descriptive subject line.

Here’s how it works:

Stay tuned!

Wondering why anyone would bother with Twitter? You’re not alone. We will share some practical uses for Twitter over the next few weeks.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: 1. Watch the “how-to” slideshow (above). 2. If you go to TLA, sign up for Twitter and tweet something (idea you like, comment, or just a shout out) to @TNLA. or Check out the TNLA Twitter page and keep up with the conference.

March Apps Mania 2009 – Bubble Apps and the Bracket

Sometimes there are apps that turn your head, but you can’t quite decide if they’re useful. Yet you still want to share.

These note-taking/note-saving apps fall into that category for us. They’re our bubble apps and they didn’t quite make the bracket.

What do you think? Did they deserve to make the big game? Read on and make your case in the comments.

Cl1p

Want to jot down some notes and have them available at another computer? Just go to http://cl1p.net and start typing. Give your page a name and you’re done. All you do is type the web address of the page you made into the address bar and there are your notes! No sign-up, no password (unless you want to set one, which you can do by clicking “options”), no hassle.

Cl1p is for quick notes, so your page will expire after a set time – from one week to 9 months.

I’m thinking of this for those last minute notes when I don’t want to open up my email or Google Docs. I could use a slip of paper, but I tend to lose those. The only catch here is remembering the web address you create – but you can give the cl1p a name so remembering is easy!

Here’s the one I made: http://cl1p.net/woodworkingDVDs

I can come back and edit it at any time just by going to the web address. You’ll notice, I did not set a password, so you can add to my Cl1p too.

Clipmarks

Clipmarks is similar to Cl1p, but instead of writing notes, I’m copying sections of a webpage (text, photo, video) and saving it or emailing it to myself. I could also print it, which makes it a lot like Print What You Like.

The downside to Clipmarks is that you do have to register. The upside is that it is a good way to take notes on things you find on the web without cluttering up your inbox. And it is more precise than just bookmarking a site.

I like the idea and doing the actual “clipping” was easy. Finding the things I “clip” – well, I’m still working on that.

Remember the Milk

Remember the Milk (RTM) is a powerful to-do list organizer that will keep all your projects in order. But it is also a simple, but powerful, database you can use as personalized notes manager.

Once you sign up, you’ll see a page with several tabs: Inbox, Personal, Study, and Work. New items  you add to RTM go in the Inbox, then you can sort them into the other tabs. You can have as many customized tabs as you want. 

You can create a simple list or each item has room for additional notes.  So, if you were making a list of books, you could add  comments within each entry. 

You can add items directly from the web, phone or email. Plus, RTM is compatible with any Web-enabled mobile device, so you can update your “what-to-read” list from anywhere.

Evernote

Evernote compiles all your notes – from web sites, email, your computer, scanner, or even your phone – in a free web application. Simply drag and drop from the web or send yourself an Evernote email. Don’t even write it down, just leave a voice mail on your Evernote account!

Here’s what my Evernote notebook looks like. I emailed myself the titles of a book and a movie I’d like to watch. Evernote provides a custom email for you to use to send yourself notes. Why is this better then emailing yourself? It gets all your notes in one place! Email is for email. Evernote is for notes and lists and everything that isn’t an email.

The Bracket

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:  1. Take the survey and tell us your favorite apps from each group AND your favorite app of them all.    2. Is there a web app we missed that everyone should know about? Tell us in the comments!

March Apps Mania 2009 – Microblogging

Do you ever find yourself thinking that you might like to start a blog?

If your answer is “I don’t have enough time to write wonderful blog entries all the time,” you should check out microblogging!

Microblogging is blogging, but much smaller. We think of blog entries as having several paragraphs. But not all updates need to be the length of a Tolstoy novel. What about just a few sentences every few hours or days?

Plus, microblogs let you add new posts from your mobile phone. You can blog at the bus stop, in the grocery store checkout line, or during intermission at the theater.

Check out these great apps that let you keep folks in the loop without signing over all of your free time.

Maybe you’ve heard of a little thing called Twitter?

Twitter is a microblogging service that allows updates up to 140 characters in length. Updates are called “tweets.” It sounds a lot like texting but it is different – texting is person-to-person. Twitter is like a blog – anyone can read your tweets.

Here’s how Twitter works:

Create an account. Tell you friends so they can “follow you” if they want to. Follow just means that they’ll get any of the things that you write in your microblog. Your friends can comment on the things that you write.

My favorite Twitter account is the National History Whale. You know, the whale that hangs from the ceiling of the American Museum of National History in New York? He tweets.

Twitter isn’t just about telling everyone your moment-to-moment activities – it’s about communication. Imagine being able to ask all of your colleagues a question with one tweet! That’s what the folks at Skokie Public Library are doing.

Check out this quick video explanation of Twitter:

Like Twitter but more visual: Plurk

Plurk is similar to Twitter in that members post messages that are no longer than 140 characters. But it feels very different from Twitter, from the design to the social network terminology.

Plurk is meant to be a cross between a blog and a social network. If you’ve ever looked at a Twitter page, the design differnce will be obvious. Plurk displays updates in a timeline.

After using Plurk, you’ll find the other design difference: all the plurks that are part of a conversation are grouped together. If you want to follow a conversation on Twitter, you have to dig around for all the related tweeks.

Plurk certainly looks more fun, with the pretty colors and the headless whatever-that-is in the pictures. If you’re intriegued, check out this comparison of Twitter and Plurk.

Easiset to set up and use: Posterous

Send Posterous an email and they’ll send you a microblog. No registration needed. You’ll get a confirmation email – click on the link and you can create your own Posterous web address. I like that you get to use the service without signing up. But if you want to set a password after your first post, it is really easy to do.

The best part? When you want to post something to your microblog at Posterous, just send an email to post@posterous.com. It’s that simple – just make sure you use the same email address you used to sign up.

Here’s the one I set up: http://gracie.posterous.com

Design your Microblog: Tumblr

Tumblr is a lot like Posterous. Set up an account and start posting photos, text, audio – whatever you want. You can update your Tumblr by emailing your posts to 10trivoill@tumblr.com or by going directly to your Tumblr page. You can even phone in an audio post!

What makes it different from Posterous is that you can customize the look of your page.

Here’s the one I set up: http://gracemonkey.tumblr.com

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: 1. Take a look at some existing microblogs: Twitter | Plurk | Tumblr | Posterous 2. In the comments, tell us interesting things libraries could do with a microblog. What do you think of Skokie Public Library’s use of Twitter?

March Apps Mania 2009 – Videos without Video Cameras

Every tournament needs a few teams that were counted out, only to rise up again. We liked these apps but they didn’t really fit with the video editing sites. This extra post will give them their moment in the sun.

YouTube and Motionbox are great – if you have some videos to share. But what if don’t have a video camera?

If you want to make a video but you don’t have a video camera, you can make a pretty snazzy video out of your still photos. Just use one of these handy video-making apps!

Animoto

I was kind of skeptical of Animoto at first. You start by uploading photos and music to Animoto (or choose from the stock photos and music). Next you add text and select elements you want to “spotlight”. Click create and Animoto will analyze the photos and music and create a video for you. You don’t have to worry  about timing or transitions or learning new software. It bothered me crazy that I couldn’t control the final look of the video. But after seeing the finished product, I was impressed.

Animoto is free – just register and you can create an unlimited number of 30 second videos. Share your creations on MySpace, on your blog, or embed on a webpage. Check out the one I made for Summer Reading 2009. Pretty cool for two minutes of effort!

Slideroll

Slideroll allows you to make a slideshow/movie out of still photos. You can add music, transitions, and captions.

Unlike Animoto, you have control over what you’re doing, but it isn’t as cool. It gets the job done if you want to quickly create a video-like presentation out of photos.

One True Media

One True Media is just like Slideroll, but with cooler effects. There’s a lot of pay-only content, but there’s plenty of free stuff to play with. You can share what you make on MySpace, Facebook, blogs, and even your own webpage. The biggest downsize to One True Media is that you can get lost in all the special effects and easily spend an entire Saturday afternoon making one slideshow.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: 1. Choose one: Sign up and create a slideshow in Animoto (use stock photos and music if you like). OR You can test Slideroll without signing up! Just use the Flickr pictures they provide. OR Sign up for One True Media and make a slideshow using the stock photos they provide. 2. In the comments, share any ideas for how libraries might use these tools. And share the link to your slideshow!

March Apps Mania 2009 – Video Sharing & Editing

I’m assuming that we’ve all heard of YouTube. I’d even guess that we’ve all watched our fair share of cat videos or Daily Show clips. But if you’re like me, you’ve done a lot of watching and not much sharing. In fact, I just uploaded my first video to YouTube this week!

After using YouTube to share my own videos I realized three things:

1. I want to be able to edit parts of my video – who needs to see my arm reaching up to hit the record button?
2. I want privacy controls that are easy to find and easy to understand – who wants a stranger watching your karaoke performance?.
3. I want to share videos from several video sites – is there an easy way to do that?

There are a lot of video hosting/editing sites on the web, so we’re going to take a look at what’s out there beyond YouTube.

Vimeo

Vimeo is a video sharing service, like YouTube, but with a difference. It was “created by filmmakers and video creators who wanted to share their creative work” so you’re not going to find a lot of footage of teenagers playing Guitar Hero. It’s like fancy YouTube – a great looking site and easy to use. What I like best, though are the privacy settings.

If you want a video to be private in YouTube, but you want to share it with a few people, you have to be friends with those people IN YouTube. Vimeo, on the other hand, lets you set a password for a video. So you can email your sister the link and password for a video and she can watch it with no hassle – the video is private and your sister doesn’t have to sign up for Vimeo and friend you just to watch your video!

Other cool features: Vimeo lets you download your videos. And you can upload HD videos – great for anyone who  has one of the nifty new HD video cameras. You can even create your own channel, just like in YouTube.

It’s a video sharing site, though. No editing.

Viddler

Viddler is another video sharing site, like YouTube and Vimeo. The biggest difference is that you can customize the video player in Viddler. You can change the color of the player and even add your own logo. Another unique feature is that Viddler lets people who view your video to comment on a specific part of the video.

But there’s still no editing on Viddler.

Motionbox

What if you want to share your video, but you just want to trim out the first few seconds? Motionbox is the tool to use.

Motionbox allows you to edit one video or mix together several videos into one. Just click upload, find the video on your computer, and you’re ready to edit. It is the easiest online video editor I’ve used.

You can share your video by email and embed it on a webpage for free. Motionbox also has a download feature, but it is only available with their subscription. Not bad for a free tool. Motionbox also has easier to use privacy controls than YouTube. So you really can pick who you want to see your videos.

While it is a simple way to clip a section off the beginning of one video, Motionbox describes itself as a way to merge several videos together. It is a wonderful tool to use if you want to make a highlight reel of all your favorite videos. So, all those videos you have of your cat/dog/bird/kid…get cracking and mix ‘em together!

JayCut

JayCut is a free online video editor. We’re talking full-featured editing with transitions and fade-outs and all that fancy stuff. I tried it out because my favorite video site, Jumpcut, is not really working anymore. I won’t get into it further because it made me want to throw my computer off the roof.

Embedr

Maybe you don’t want to edit video or share your own video. Maybe you want to make a playlist to share with a friend.

YouTube has a great playlist tool. You can see it in action on the library’s gallery page (scroll all the way to the bottom). The only downside is that you can only use YouTube videos in the player.

Embedr allows you to create a playlist of videos from different video sites. So, we can make a playlist of videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Blip, and more. Check out the short playlist I made.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:   1. Choose one: If you’ve got a video, upload it to Motionbox and give the editor a try. OR Make a playlist with Embedr and link to it in the comments. 2. In the comments, share any ideas for how libraries might use these tools.

March Apps Mania 2009 – VoIP

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It’s a mouthful, but the important part is voice over Internet. VoIP is a way of sending your voice over the Internet to someone else.

There are 3 ways to make a call.

1. You can use an analog telephone adaptor
2. You can use a special WiFi Phone
3. Or you can call computer to computer.

We’re going to talk about how to make a computer to computer VoIP call.

All it takes is a microphone and some free software and you can make free calls using your computer. These are four of the free services you can use:

1. Skype
2. Meebo
3. GoogleTalk
4. YahooIM

Skype is a program that you can download to your computer for free. It allows you to make calls to other people who use Skype.

To make a phone call, just click on the person you want to call and then click the green call button at the bottom.

In the image at right, it shows that the line is ringing. Once David picks up, we can talk to each other using our computer microphones!

Because we’re both using Skype we can talk for free all day long. It doesn’t matter if David is in Huntsville, Alabama or Holland. The call is free.

If you have a web cam connected to your computer, you can also use Skype as a video phone. Finally! I was promised video phones back in 1985. It is about time…

It isn’t just for talking – it allows you to send links and files to people too. So, it is a great way to collaborate on a project or have a meeting when folks aren’t able to travel.

Google Talk is another VoIP program. It is very similar to Skype. To get started, you have to download software and install it on your computer. To make a call, you have to find a friend that also uses Google Talk.

The video isn’t as good as what you get with Skype, but it isn’t bad. And the best part – calls are free, no matter where you are in the world!

Remember when we talked about Meebo?

Meebo allows you to make VoIP calls without installing software. It doesn’t get any easier!

The best part? If you’ve got an account with AIM, Yahoo, or Google Talk, you can sign in to Meebo using your AIM, Yahoo, or Google Talk account.

Have your friends sign in to Meebo too and you can talk over the Internet instead of typing messages back and forth. And it is free – no matter where you are in the world!

I hope you’ll give VoIP a try. My brother has Skype, so I can call and say hello and actually SEE how everyone is doing. It is a great way to keep in touch with family and friends.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:1. Use your existing Yahoo, Google, or AOL account to sign in to Meebo. (If you did the Google Docs lesson you should have a Google account already.) It isn’t super impressive if you don’t have a list of friends to call. If you really want to try out Meebo and VoIP, buddy up with a colleague-friend and give Meebo a try. 2. In the comments, tell us: Have you had any experience using VoIP for meetings or library conferences?

March Apps Mania 2009

Welcome to March Apps Mania 2009!

I feel very out of touch with basketball season this year. So out of touch, in fact, that had completely forgotten about March Madness®. Thank goodness my co-blogger remembered!

We celebrated with our own nerdy version last year and we had so much fun that we’re doing it again.

Allow me to remind you how this works.

We’re going to showcase some cool web apps this month. And at the end, we’ll do our own clunky version of a bracket.

I know, it’s March Madness®, not March Mania, but March Madness® is a registered name. So, we’re having March Apps Mania instead – because why risk the wrath of the NCAA?

For those of you looking for hoops, please visit the official website for madness.

What is a web app?

Web app stands for web application. We’re going with a very broad definition of a web app; it is a program that you use on the Internet.

Why do I have to register with all these websites?

Most web apps require registration. Do you ever bring a VIP card with you to Food Lion? The cashier scans the card to identify you and apply a discount to your groceries. Same deal. Web applications must differentiate you from everyone else to save your work and keep it private.

What’s so cool about web apps?

They can be very useful, like the word processing Google Docs, or fun, like youtube. They’re free, as in library card. They’re social, so you might see your friends there. They’re everywhere; you can use the application or access your data from any computer in the world.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: 1. Take the survey and tell us what Web Apps you use.