What the heck is "Cloud Computing?"-November

Welcome back! We took a bit of a break in October so that everyone could, hopefully, get caught up on Webolution tasks and posting. This month's task asks you to investigate just what the heck is cloud computing? Perhaps you've attended a library workshop where the term "cloud computing" as been bandied about. Or maybe you've seen the term pop up while reading news articles but haven't quite been able to grasp what it all means. This month's Webolution task encourages you to explore the concept of cloud computing and to think about what it means for libraries.

In simple terms cloud computing refers to Internet-based technologies that allow for the storage, sharing, and access of information from any computer with Internet capabilities and access. Google Docs is a good example of such a cloud computing application.

Earlier this year, Forbes magazine published an article about the various aspects of cloud computing and what it means for businesses. Forbes examined such questions as just how secure is that information you or your company is storing in the cloud and how to determine which cloud company is best suited for your needs.

Check out this 3 minute video by Common Craft, a company that makes short "plain English" videos designed to explain a wide variety of concepts. Their video "Cloud Computing in Plain English" offers a simple yet thorough explanation of the concept.

So what can cloud computing mean for libraries? A number of library leaders have blogged about or shared presentations on how cloud computing can effect libraries. Is a cloud-hosted ILS in our future? Could our patrons someday be able to access their entire iTunes library from a web browser? Will we drop Microsoft Office someday and use Google Docs for our word processing needs?


Task:
1. Watch "Cloud Computing in Plain English" video
2. Blog about the ways in which you already participate in the cloud.
3. Blog about how cloud computing could improve the library's services or bottom line.

Election LibGuide-September Task

Hello again and Happy Autumn-

While autumn brings with it the delights of cooler temperatures, golden aspens, and fantasy football, it also brings the dreaded election season cycle with all its finger-pointing ads and confusing ballot measures. To help navigate the information overload of election season, the reference team (namely, Linda Ciavonne!) has developed a LibGuide specifically intended to help you, and our patrons, navigate the murky election waters.

If you attended this month's staff computer training, we highlighted a number of LibGuides such as Genealogy, Business, Legal Information and Reader's Cafe. If you haven't already spent time familiarizing yourself with those important guides, please do so. They are intended to be a reference portal for some of our most daunting research subjects.

The Election LibGuide contains links to all local Colorado candidates, provides information about ballot measures, compiles voter information, and includes non-partisan election resources.


Task:

1. Access the Election LibGuide and review the information located on all 5 tabs.

2. Find the Colorado Blue Book. This is often the resource patrons are looking for to research the pros/cons of a particular ballot issue. It is available in English and Spanish

3. Using the Election LibGuide, take this short QUIZ and post your score on your Webolution blog
http://myquizcreator.com/take/3121

4. Along with your score, briefly explain how you might utilize this LibGuide in your work at the library.

Election LibGuide

Question #1: When is the General Election?

October 4 November 4 November 2 October 29


Question #2: Who is Tom Tancredo's running mate?

Joseph Garcia Pat Miller Dan Maes Victoria Adams


Question #3: Referred Measure 1A is about?

Personhood Banning Medical Marijuana Clinics Bingo/Raffle Regulation Property Taxes


Question #4: Which is NOT one of the 3 methods available to vote?

By Mail Early Day Election Day By Email


Question #5: Which issue does League of Women Voters take NO position on? (hint: find their website)

Amendment P Amendment 60 Prop 101 Prop 102


Question #6: Find and download Mesa Co sample ballot. How many people are running for US Senator?

2 6 7 4

August - Helpful Links

Whoops! August almost got away from us, but we made it just in the nick of time to share some helpful links with you.

Critical Past is an amazing collection of historical images and video, mainly from U.S. government agency sources, ranging in date from 1890-1990.  Watch tunnels being built in Colorado in the 1930's, testing of the atomic bomb in the 1940's, kids playing in the snow in 1800's New York City...there is SO much on this website, it's hard to break away.  This would be a very useful resource for students especially, but is great for anyone interested in history.

Considering the current egg salmonella outbreak going on, foodsafety.gov is a good website to have at hand for patron questions (or personal use).  The website includes info on food recalls, general food safety info, and links to local agencies.

Tasks:
1. Visit Cricital Past and look up what has happened on your birthday (see yellow arrow, first picture in this post).  Post about your findings and anything other thoughts about this resource.

2. Visit foodsafety.gov and answer the following question:  What is the minimum cooking temperature for fresh pork?

July: New and Improved OPAC

OPAC Redesign
Since the first of the year, Marmot has been working diligently at designing a new and improved OPAC for its member libraries. The new OPAC is based on an open source content management system known as VuFind. While the new OPAC is not yet complete, many great features are up and running. By default, when a patron searches the OPAC, they are searching all Marmot libraries. The default setting is what we know as Marmot Global or, as it’s called in the new OPAC, Western Colorado catalog.

 click image to magnify

This month’s Webolution post is designed to get everyone more familiar with our new OPAC.

click image to magnify

Task:

1. Practice searching the new OPAC by title and author. View an item record by clicking on a title
2. Login to your account
3. Place a hold using the new OPAC
4. Take the survey
5. Blog about your experience with the new OPAC. What did you like? What needs improvement? What's missing?

 *Remember, the OPAC is in beta form and many improvements and/or new features are still being implemented.

June Task - Newseum's Front Pages

Hello Webolutioners!  This month we're covering a fun resource: Today's Front Pages brought to you by the Newseum Museum in Washington D.C.  With 810 front pages from 74 countries, it's a great way to keep up with the world's current events. Not every paper is represented, but as far as the U.S. goes, there are at least two per state shown.  Each headline page also has a convenient link to that newspaper's website.

This month's task:
1. Visit the Newseum's Today's Front Pages section and browse newspaper front pages from anywhere you  like.  You can sort by region (red arrow) or browse the interactive map (above red arrow).
2.  Blog about your experience - is this something you would use and/or recommend to patrons?

May Task-Free e-Books

The recent visit of Overdrive's Digital Bookmobile to the library got me thinking about free sources of e-books that exist on the Web. As you have learned in previous tasks, the library's OverDrive subscription includes e-books which are available in the ePub format. That means that e-readers which support the ePub format are compatible with OverDrive. There are a number of services that offer various types of e-books for free. I've provided a short list below and included a brief explanation of some of the sites

Remember, if you choose the ePub format of e-books you must download the reader first. Click to download Adobe Digital Editions

• Project Gutenberg The copyright on these books has expired and are therefore able to be freely distributed. Project Gutenberg's entire mission is dedicated to the proliferation of free e-books. The site includes over 30,000 titles. I found Wilkie Collin's The Moonstone, a British literature classic I once had to read in college. Very cool. E-books are available in a variety of formats.
• Google Books Google has a large collection of e-books available simply to read via your browser or, in some cases, by downloading as a PDF or ePub book. For example, the "Classics" genre contains free ePub formats. 
• ManyBooks  One of my favorite sites because of its ease of use. Over 27,000 free e-book titles. Browse by genre, author, title, or language.  I located Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and downloaded it via ePub format, although there were a number of different formats available.
• Memoware Registration required before you can download free e-books and/or purchase e-books
• Online Books Page  This site lists and links to over 35,000 free books on the web in a variety of formats. It's essentially a bibliography of other sites which contain free e-books

Task:
1. Visit at least 3 of the sites listed above and download a couple of e-books
2. Blog about how you might use these sites to help serve our patrons. Would these resources be another tool in your reader's advisory toolkit? How might these sources help students who are reading the "Classics?"

April Task: Optimal Resume

Happy Spring, everyone! This month's task focuses on our recently acquired database, Optimal Resume. Optimal Resume is a career management system that allows users to create and store resumes and cover letters, search for jobs via Simply Hired, build a professional website, prepare for interviews, and take a skills assessment test to help determine one's career path.

Those of us who fulfill some sort of public service role within the library know that the number of job seekers visiting the library to use our computers, type resumes, or search for career guidance books has greatly increased during the last year. The library's subscription to Optimal Resume is intended to help better meet the needs of this audience.

Upon the creation of an account, a user can build a resume from scratch or from the resume wizard. All documents are stored in Optimal Resume so users have one secure, web-based place to store their work.

Task:
Go the Research Tools page of the website. Then select either the Business Info or the Academic tab OR go to the Databases A-Z page of the website and find Optimal Resume.
Create an account with Optimal Resume.
Click on the "Document Center" tab and explore the various document options such as the Resume Builder, Cover Letter, Portfolio, and Website.
Each document option includes a brief, 30 second "Getting Started" video. Watch the videos for each option.
Click on the "Search Jobs" tab and conduct an exploratory job search.

Blog about your experience and explain how you will recommend this service to our patrons.