Odds and Ends - Miscellaneous edition
Monday, May 21, 2007 at 07:06PM It's time to clean out the digital closet. A few odds and ends here...
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Coming soon to a theater near you... The Hollywood Librarian. Premiering at ALA this summer. (YouTube trailer). I suppose if they can make an Al Gore PowerPoint interesting....
I grumbled on hearing this, asking the person who sent me the information, "I wonder how many school librarians are represented in the film?" I mean after all school librarians do represent the glamorous side of the profession. He got the director to write me back and this is her response:
It's an excellent question and I am proud to say there IS a school librarian in Act 1 of the film. I was clear with myself from the beginning this film had to have a diversity of librarian positions in it, *especially* a school librarian, the most overlooked piece of an overlooked profession, in my opinion.
She comes onscreen at about minute 31 and says, "My name is Marilyn Martin, and I'm a Library Media Specialist in the Denver Public Schools. And I'm in the best job in the world!" [That can be heard in the trailer - she's the one wearing purple.]
Ann asks that I send folks to her blog at: http://hollywoodlibrarian.wordpress.comShe is just lovely and smart, and it's an interesting, heartwarming interview. I also show a current student (a boy about 6 years old) and a former student, now in high school, who talks about Mrs. Martin being a loving presence in her life. Also, there is her principal talking about how indispensable she is, and how well she knows children emotionally and psychologically. I think school librarians are going to be very pleased with this segment.
Best,
~ann
Ann M. Seidl
O V E R D U E * P R O D U C T I O N S
The Hollywood Librarian, a documentary film
www.hollywoodlibrarian.com
I'm looking forward to seeing movie.
But it will need to be good to live up to the other librarian documentary, "March of the Librarians."
Good luck, Ann, and thanks!
I finished David Weinberger's book Everything is Miscellaneous this weekend. While I found the book very interesting and most readable, I had this sort of "so what" feeling at the end. I couldn't think of one thing I will do differently as a result of having read Mr Weinberger's thoughts. I am disappointed since it was his message at NECC that got me interested in the whole Web 2.0 - information as conversation - thing. Maybe my expectations were too high.
Did I miss something?
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An insightful comment by Josh205 on Is there a problem here?:
I am a college student, looking to graduate in 2009 with an ED degree. Just recently I have been grasping the importance that technology has in the classroom and the effect it has on student learning. I know that tools like blogs, MySpace, and Facebook are overwhelmingly used by K-12 and college students. The statistic you gave at the beginning of your post is shocking, yet understandable. Teachers know what the future holds for education and the path by which it will follow, but are scared, I think, of accepting it and using social networking technologies to their advantage. There is an odd pause that takes place between students and teachers in this area, similar to two people standing on an elevator: each one knows the other is there but they do their best to not make eye contact and, of course, never move in the other person’s direction.
Most teachers and students view these new trends as "non-school" activities. Students don't expect their teachers to be looking at their blog postings and teachers don’t really care about what is being said on the postings. I'm taking an online course right now titled “Computers In Education” and am amazed at how effective technology can be in education. I see it as being really powerful. But yet, there remains a large, large gap between the online society and education. It is a shame. Worse yet, I'm not sure how to close that gap. The truth still stands that technology (including teacher aid technology) is increasingly going to have an affect on the way students learn and the way teachers teach. I’m interested to see how it all unfolds.
Thoughtful writer. I hope he applies to the Mankato Schools for a job.
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And you thought Second Life was only for sinners... From the infoisland blog:
May 19th marked the official opening of Peace Park on InfoIsland. A 3D religious resource area, it is a place where people on Second Life can come to learn about all religions, to meet and talk with others, or a place to quietly reflect. Several other uses were mentioned for the area at the opening and we hope to implement these soon, they include discussions of religious publications and interfaith discussions of today’s real life religious issues.
The variety of Second Life continues to amaze me. Can I buy a halo for my avatar?
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Always up to something, Miguel Guhlin asks Blog the Resume?
Is Around the Corner a worthy resume or should I scrap it?
Were I giving a career climber advice, I might very well suggest that s/he NOT blog at all. I only say this based on knowing that I've hesitated hiring people in part because of letters to the editor they'd written to the local paper. I suppose it all depends on the job, but how much does any public, conservative organization really want to hire a boat-rocker or even a person who is willing to publicly state strong opinions? (Of course you may not want to work for a public, conservative organization like mine. Check out the local charter schools.) Don't we advise our students that their MySpace account content may someday be seen as a negative by employers?
Miguel, please don't stop writing your provocative comments. Just make sure your vitae also has a list of solid accomplishments to go along with your cover letter.
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OK, this falls under "Blogging the Cat" but here goes. I am extremely excited about going to Orlando this fall to speak at the FAME conference. And while I've always enjoyed working with Florida school library folks, one thing that makes this trip especially exciting is that I am taking my six-year-old grandson Paul and his mom with me for a Disney World experience. And I get to go play when the conference is over.
I have to admit I am a real Disney World fan. While every moment I am there feels like a giant mouse is holding me upside down by the ankles, vigorously shaking every last nickel out of my pockets, I still love the place. I took Paul's mom there in 1984, not long after EPCOT opened, and have taken my son a couple times more recently. Yes it is artificial, expensive and crowded. But the smile never leaves my face while I'm there.
What I have learned is that one needs a strategy and the best ones come from a book (and now website) called The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. The book includes these little plans that say things like "Get to the park 1/2 hour before opening. Head directly to Space Mountain. Ride three times. Go directly to Big Thunder Mountain. Ride. Go to the Dumbo ride. " You get the idea. It's a studied means to minimize time in lines by hitting the most popular rides when the park is least busy. The book is also objective about rating hotels, restaurants and rides.
See you at It's a Small World.
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The publishers have my number. It seems nearly all my "guilty pleasure" authors are coming out with new novels soon. These include"
- John (Sonchai Jitpleecheep) Burdett, Bangkok Haunts.
- Lee (Jack Reacher) Child, Bad Luck and Trouble.
- Michael (Harry Bosch) Connelly, The Overlook.
- Stephen (Earl and Bob Ray Swagger) Hunter, The Master Sniper.
- Daniel (Gabriel Allon) Silva, The Secret Servant.
- Martin (Arkady Renkno) Cruz Smith, Stalin's Ghost.
Hmmm, six titles, $20 each. $120 for a summer's worth of entertainment. Plus I can give a couple to my brother for Christmas if I don't spill anything on them...
Any authors that I forgot? Remember, I like my mysteries with violence and intelligence. A tough combination to find.
Reader Comments (7)
The message I get from your post is that you wouldn't hire a blogger because of his blog, but you would hire him if his resume showed other redeeming qualities. In other words, scrap the blog.
With appreciation,
Miguel
I would say (more clearly and succinctly, I hope):
1. The blog alone is not enough.
2. The blog could work against you as easily as work for you.
Doug
I am reading your posts late in the evening lately, as my district has blocked your blog site again. I have requested that it be unblocked, but apparently the person responsible for doing that was promoted and the position hasn't been filled yet. Maybe next year.
So I have to send myself emails with links and things I want to work on during the day after being inspired by your posts. I could use a proxy site, but since the students aren't supposed to do that, I try to refrain myself.
Anyway, I wanted to recommend a couple of authors who write in and about Florida. Randy Wayne White has a series of novels with a character who seems to me like an updated Travis McGee. Tim Dorsey is closer in style to Carl Hiaasen with somewhat outlandish characters and situations, but plenty of violence.
I don't know whether to recommend these authors for summer reading or to save them for the Minnesota winter. The Florida settings will warm you up!
Regards,
Susan
Tech Support, Florida public high school
Who's the provocateur now? hehe
Miguel
I am guessing it is blogs in general and not just the Blue Skunk you district block, (despite what Miguel thinks!
Thanks again for the tips.
See you at NECC.