Thing #72: Take a poll

I did the assignment and created a poll with all three services. Straw Poll is super easy set up, but is lacking in features. It would be better if you could embed the poll to a blog/website, but if it isn't necessary, then Straw Poll is an easy way to get the job done. Here is my Straw Poll sample

Easypolls was also easy to set up and offered some nice additional features. It does allow you to embed it, which I am going to attempt. I really liked how you could rearrange your answers and how you have some different color choices. I couldn't figure out what you were talking about with changing labels though. What I didn't like about Easypolls is that you have to create an account or log in with your Google or Facebook account. I usually don't like to share account/sign in information, but I am trying to ease up a bit after last month Michael. Since I didn't want to create one just to check it out, I signed in with my Google account. I did post it to Facebook, but I didn't have anyone actually take my poll from there. Here is the link to my poll just in case embedding it does not work 
Easypoll Sample

Poll Code was my favorite of the three because it was again easy to create a poll, had nice more customizable features, and didn't require any kind of log in/account. The downside I found out, was that I could not go back and change any of those features once I created my poll. I could do that with Easypolls. Just like Easypolls, I posted to Facebook and had the exact same experience, no one took my poll. Here is the link to my poll, and I will try embedding it as well  Poll Code sample

So overall I thought this assignment was interesting. You could ask your library patrons all sorts of things and use a poll on the website. You could poll about hours, budget, materials, programs just to name a few. I always take a quick survey after my technology classes. I love the feedback, but don't need more paper hanging around my desk. I think I will try using one of these next time and see how it works for me.

Thing #71: Flickr Your Photos

I set up a Flickr account years ago for a project, but never really used it after that. It had been so long, I had to dig around just to find my account log in. It has been so long, I don't really remember many of the features that "Old Flickr" offered. All that being said, I was able to get in and play around-though I'm not sure how some of those pictures wound up on Flickr in the first place. After signing on, the first thing I did was to get the Flickr app. That made it super easy to upload the pictures I had on my phone. After I did that, I tried playing around with some of the features in Flickr. I edited a few photos using Aviary. It has some nice options, but there is a little delay making the experience kind of awkward. I've been using Picasa for photo editing and I like that much better. I took the photos I uploaded and created a set titled NE 2.0. I can see how this would help to organize photos-Vacation, Graduation, Camping, etc... I went to try and share a photo on Facebook, but really did NOT like that I had to agree to let Flickr have access to my public profile, my friend list, and my news feed. As far as I'm concerned, that is none of Flickr's business-so I did not do it! Too bad because that is a feature I would use often. I did e-mail a photo and that worked well. I would say it is much easier to share in Flickr than it is in Picasa. I found where you could order prints from Snapfish right from Flickr, which is very handy. I shared a photo from Flickr to my blog, but now I need to go and find out where it shows up. Overall I would say that there are good and bad features in both Flickr and Picasa-but neither one is a good fit for my needs, so I probably need to keep looking. I am terrible with organizing pictures. All of my print pictures are in shoeboxes and I am just starting to organize them because I can't remember which baby is which anymore-it's so fun getting old! My cousin is excellent keeping her photos organized online, with captions, in monthly folders. She shares them with family so we can watch her kids grow, important events in their lives, and tag along on vacations. She lives in Chicago so sharing regularly helps her family to feel a little more connected. I wish I was more like her! As far as how libraries can use photo sharing???? I am interested in learning some creative ways others are using it. Our library just shares some historic pictures, pictures of events, pictures of our art exhibit. That is the way I would think to use it, but like I said, I am not very original. That is why I really enjoy the Tech Talks that Michael Sauers gives. He shares so many interesting ways that libraries can use these new technologies- ways that I NEVER would have thought of!

New Hairdo, a photo by mhoffma on Flickr.

#70 Online Security Audit

This was an interesting assignment and I did learn a few things. Some of the things, like the ARS Guide to Online Security was pretty technical for a layperson such as myself. I was hoping I could at least understand the section, Keep it Secret, Keep it Safe: A Beginner’s Guide to Web Safety (beginner’s being the key word), but even that was a bit over my head. Other things, like the article, How to Keep Your Passwords Safe, and the tools, How Secure is my Password and Secure Password Generator I found to be very practical and helpful. I am a part time librarian in a large system with an IT department. I don’t know much about our network or security issues; they just take care of it. I do know our computers will not allow people to download programs or save things to the hard drive, to protect the network. I do know that we run the antivirus software Symantec and Malwarebytes when we are infected with malware. At home I use Norton and Malwarebytes and I haven’t had very many issues, but I am pretty careful about where I go and what I do online. I have never seen or heard of any of the programs mentioned in Securing Public Access Workstations, but when I looked at the price I guess that didn’t surprise me. Maybe something like that would work for a smaller library without so many public access computers. We do have passwords, lots of passwords. They like to mix things up, so they are hard to remember, and now they are going to make us change them periodically. I am definitely going to checkout Keepass or Password Safe, both for work and personal use. I have different passwords for sites that require more security, but I have a system, and maybe that isn’t such a good idea. The good thing is that How Secure is my Password said it would take a PC 25,000 years to crack my password though, so at least it is a good one! They do regular updates at work, and I have my computer at home set for automatic updates. The one thing I am not very good at is backing up my computer regularly. I know I need to be better and after reading about the brilliantly evil hackers in How Apple and Amazon Security Flaws Led to my Epic Hacking, I have vowed to do it weekly. The article also made me think about all the procedures we have in place at the library to protect our patron’s accounts, and is it enough? I know about unsecured wi fi networks and how that information could be intercepted with the right know how. I’m not so sure our library users understand that though. I’m not totally sure my information is safe, even using my secure wi fi at home or paying my cell phone bill with my phone. It is just getting so hard for most of us to keep up with all the technology and the methods people find to abuse it and do you harm. So in summary, I am definitely going with an encrypted database to keep my passwords safe. I am going research wi fi security a little more. I am also going to talk to our computer contact at work and ask him some questions about our network and security programs. Thanks for another great lesson!

#69 RSS After Google Reader

I was familiar with RSS readers and had signed up for a Bloglines account years ago, but didn't really have much use for it at the time. I have finally found several blogs that I enjoy reading and following, so recently I went back to Bloglines and updated my feeds. I did not like using it. It felt "old"-kind of awkward and clunky. That brings us to this month's assignment, finding a replacement for Google Reader (which I never used). Maybe I could just find a better RSS reader than Bloglines?? I kept hearing about Feedly, so I had downloaded the app on my IPhone, but it wouldn't work (which I have since read about what the problem is and am just waiting on a fix). I decided to check it out using my computer, and I am glad I did. It was so easy to use! I am a read the instructions/follow the recipe kind of girl, but it was pretty simple and intuitive. I didn't try to import my blogs (wish I had tried that just to see how it works) because I didn't have very many in the first place. I am usually a sequential kind of girl, but I kind of did things backwards this time. I went back and watched the RSS in Plain English video, just for fun and then watched the Feedly video, to try and pick up any tips/tricks. I pretty much had figured it out-yeah for me! What I like about Feedly is how easy it was to find the things I wanted to follow. I would find several feeds connected with a site in Bloglines, but it was difficult to figure out which one I was looking for. Many times I would have to go out and get the URL and bring it back to Bloglines in order to subscribe, but I did not have these problems with Feedly. It was also very easy for me to set up and name my feed categories and keep it all organized. My favorite feature though is the different way to view your feeds. I am very visual and I find that the magazine or card view is very helpful for me to see and scan through articles quickly. My other favorite feature is the app, once I get it working. My IPhone gets quite a bit of use, so this is another way to be able to quickly access my content on the go. I am not that picky, so I feel like Feedly has everything that I need from a RSS feed aggregator. I decided to go back and browse the 10 Google Reader Alternatives that will ease your RSS pain and the list and comparison of feed aggregators. Interesting thing, I did not see Bloglines on either one. Is it really that old school? Maybe no one else liked it either!

Lifelong Learning

I watched this same presentation a few years ago, when I signed up to participate in Nebraska Learns 2.0. That was the only thing I completed! Ugghh....I had trouble with the audio this time, which would have really enhanced portions of the presentation. I would have to say that the hardest habit for me is to view obstacles as challenges, and my biggest obstacle is making time for learning. I have gotten better about this over the years, but I don't think it will ever be natural for me to respond initially to an obstacle with positive enthusiasm. I DO get past this pretty quickly and I think I am pretty good at all the other habits. I really like to learn new things and teach them to other people. I teach computer classes and help people download ebooks at work, and it is fun to watch as they gain confidence in themselves and their new found skills. I am excited about the upcoming lessons-great introduction to new things!