Digital Storytelling (MToaS 39)

Another fun one. I can definitely see how this would be applicable to library work. I loved the history pages about Laura Wilson on escrapbooking. What a great way to make history come alive and feel accessible to kids! Hooray! 

Just yesterday I was talking with my supervisor about how exciting the non-fiction publishing world is right now. More and more, non-fiction writers are jumping clear of the restraints of academia and bringing the layperson fun, intriguing, exasperating, amazing and generally fantastic stories about what has brought us ~ as people, communities, societies ~ to this crazy place we are today. I think these tools (MToaS 38, 39, etc) can be part of that trend. Very, very cool.

For many of us, I suspect that the biggest obstacle to embracing these tools in the workplace will be getting our respective organizations ~ schools, public and private libraries, etc. ~ on board. It's not as simple as getting a great idea about how we, as individuals with a techy-geeky bent (okay, maybe I'm just speaking for myself) could utilize Web 2.0 tools to advertise/celebrate programs and the work we're doing, it's also a matter of having our respective administrations jump on board and say "Yes! Go for it!" Even if they want to encourage us, there may be a whole gamut of obstacles that need to be overcome first, as well as issues of politics/funding/staffing/etc. that may take priority for their attention.

I ended up using Scrapblog [note: the link on MToaS page doesn't work]. It was ridiculously easy to figure out. I used a video that I made a while ago on my sweet iMac. It was already uploaded on YouTube, so a very simple matter to go grab it, add some funness and then easy-peasy posting onto Blogger. The way these tools are integrating makes it very easy to manipulate data of whatever format and spend the precious brain cells on creativity rather than figuring out the logistics of specific programs. Nice.

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Oh, and lastly: I'm really enjoying Skitch. (My apologies to the Windows users out there.) I took a pic of a robin who's built a nest on the gutters just outside our porch window. She's gotten used to us gazing at her. Doesn't even do more than glare when Rosie starts chattering at her. (We do pull a curtain across the window to give her more privacy.) We can't wait to see the little robin-lings that will hopefully be coming.

Thing 18 - You Tube

Viewing You Tube videos is one of the few ways that I actually "play" on my computer. I can waste a significant amount of time perusing videos, though I don't think I'm the "typical" you-tube viewer. I love looking for new videos from places in Europe and Africa where I've lived/traveled. I also like looking at mashups put together by Browncoats (those freakishly devoted to the Firefly series and the movie Serenity) and Discworld aficionados (those freakishly fanatical about the stories by Terry Pratchett).

However, what I have never found You Tube to be particularly good at was helping me find practical information. I'm sure it's out there, and a percentage is probably well made. But generally speaking, it hasn't been useful in that way. I looked for a video on weeding a library collection... nothing found. At least nothing relevant. I was thinking that it would be good to add such a beasty into the GRRL weeding manual wiki (which I'm currently updating). Guess we'll have to make it ourselves.

Anyway, here's a short video clip of the market in Kpalime, Togo, about 15 k from where I lived a lifetime and a half ago (okay, from 1990 to 93). I've spent many a day perusing the aisles here, looking at beads and fabric, mostly. If my memory serves, there was some excellent street food to be found there as well.