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Today I am writing my final blog for the NB 23 challenge.
My overall experience with NB 23 has been positive. Here is my breakdown review of NB 23:

 

· What was your favourite Thing?

My favourite Thing was Thing 11, in Week 4: Images (Part 1).

 

· What was the most useful Thing?

The most useful Thing (for me, anyway) was Thing 11, in Week 4: Images (Part 1); Creative Commons.

 

· What were you surprised to discover?

I was surprised to discover how many different types of Creative Commons licenses there are. I am glad I know this now.

 

· How will you use the Things in your work or personal life?

I won't mention all of them, but I will mention the ones that I truly appreciate: I will keep using www.goodreads.com both at work (particurlary for my Book Club) and in my personal life, as I find it to be a gold mine of suggestions for future reads. I will definitely keep referring to Creative Commons, for publicity at the library and for reference photos in my painting classes and in my own personal projects at home.

 

 

· How did you feel after completing the 23NB program?
I am happy to have discovered some new useful websites that I will keep referring to, both at work and at home.

 

 

· What did you learn about yourself?
I learned that while I find some of these websites very useful, and that I am glad I discovered some of them, I am not a person who likes to share her thoughts to a public audience online (ex.: blogging, commenting on books I've read, Twitter, etc.).  

Apps

I think it is wonderful that OverDrive Media Console has an app available for mobile devices. I had already downloaded the OverDrive app on my smartphone, shortly after I purchased my smartphone, a couple of years ago. I personally prefer audiobooks to eBooks, so instead of downloading an eBook, I downloaded an audiobook. I haven't returned it yet, because I want to listen to the audiobook first (it's a book I have been meaning to read for a while now), and I am already familiar with the process of returning an item before the return date.
I had also already downloaded the BiblioNB app on my phone last fall. Another wonderful app to have on my smartphone! Coincidentally, a library patron asked me to show her how to use the BiblioNB app this morning. I also have the Goodreads app on my smartphone and I really enjoy using it to update my shelves and to view the quote of the day.

Sharing

This week I learned about a new sharing and curation tool called Scoop.it!
I have never used this tool before and I am finding it slightly confusing and not as user-friendly as other sharing sites, such as Pinterest. With a little more practice, I am sure I will eventually familiarize myself with this tool. It seems like a very useful curation tool, once users familiarize themselves with it.

Multimedia

This week, I am learning about online multimedia tools. Below is a video I uploaded from www.youtube.com:

 

 

I also listened to a podcast called "Canada Reads 2014: Wab Kinew and Joseph Boyden on The Orenda" (click on this link to listen to it: http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/listen/index.html). "The Orenda" is the winner of Canada Reads 2014. I am planning to read "The Orenda" by Joseph Boyden with the library's Books by the Sea book club participants, and was therefore intrigued to listen to this podcast. One of my favorite parts of the poadcast was listening to CBC Radio's Wab Kinew's powerful opening argument for the nomination of "The Orenda" by Joseph Boyden; "[...] This is not the myth of a missionary; this is confession for colonization that gives voice to the indigenous so we can have a new conversation. Without that, no truth, no reconciliation. And that's why "The Orenda" is the book to change our nation."

 

 

Images, Part 2 - Pinterest

This week, I played around with the Pinterest website (www.pinterest.com). I already had a Pinterest account, but I had fun finding and following boards from other libraries. I have also played around with the website www.memegenerator.net and created a meme to promote reading (see image below). I posted it on my Pinterest board titled "Reading".

This meme was created via www.memegenerator.net

 

Images and Copyright

CC Image courtesy of Elaine Vigneault via Wikimedia Commons



 

 



This week, I am learning about images and copyright. As easy as it is to just copy and paste images from all over the web, it is important to take the time to read about the laws that protect those images. Every now and then, I will use images I find online to make publicity for activities at the library where I work, or to use as references for the paintings I make and the painting classes I teach. To the right of this text is an adorable picture of a black and white cat "reading" a book titled "Bad Cats". I found on Wikimedia Commons, searching with the keywords "animals reading".

 

 

Another image tool I just discovered is called Wordle (www.wordle.net). I played around with it for a little while today, using keywords relevant to reading. Here is what my Wordle looks like: Wordle - reading theme

Social Reading

Social Reading is simply wonderful. As a library assistant, and the coordinator of the library's two book clubs, I find social reading sites such as goodreads.com and vision.gnb.ca very useful. Many reading suggestions for my book clubs were found on those two sites. I already had a Vision account, but I had never created a list before. I decided to create one for one of my book clubs (specifically, listing books we have read in 2013). It will be practical to create lists for both book clubs so that I can refer to it whenever I am wondering which books my book club participants and I read in a specific year. I already had an account on goodreads.com (since the fall of 2013) and I log in on a daily basis to update the reading progress of books I am currently reading, and to see the reading activity of my friends. I have also signed up for the 2014 Reading Challenge, on GoodReads, challenging myself to read 36 books in 2014. I have already read 5 books since January 1st and am currently halfway through my 6th book. As far as comparing the two sites (Vision vs. GoodReads), I personally find they are fairly similar in the sense that they both offer users options to personalize their reading shelves (read, currently reading, and to-read), they both offer ways to share with others, and they both offer an option to follow other readers' reviews and reading shelves. I always recommend both sites to library patrons.

Discovering Twitter

Twitter was launched in 2006. Nearly 8 years later, I finally create an account on Twitter. I must say it is an interesting social networking service. I am glad that it was part of NB23's Things to do.

Blogging for 23 Things NB

Blogging for 23 Things NB is an interesting experience. This is Week 1. I have no prior blogging experience and I am sure I will learn a lot in the next few months.

Painting like Monet

I am a library assistant and an art teacher. A couple years ago, I decided to offer painting classes at the library where I work. The painting classes are now one of our most popular library programs for adults.


San Giorgio Maggiore by Twilight by Claude Monet