Globalization and Education: Shift Happens

This is an interesting PowerPoint that is now almost two years old. It is worth watching. Technology is changing the way we live, work, and interact. A thought provoking presentation:



To see the most up-to-date version, click the screen below. I highly recommend you watch the one above and then the below item as a "part two"

Oh The Places You'll Go!

Two out of three librarians at the Maida Alumni Library are not terribly good with directions. We get lost. Frequently. On the road, in the stacks, just trying to walk across campus. All right, it's not quite that bad, but it's definitely not GOOD. So for a brief moment, let's talk about online maps and tools.

It's a good idea to compare directions between two sites. If you need a map to pass out for an event, some online tools will provide better images than others.

Want a fun map? A unique map? A map for travel or a map that will show you a unique topic...like wineries in California or libraries in England? You have to check out http://www.wayfaring.com Just try it...it's a fun twist on online mapping.

Now for the usual suspects...

http://maps.google.com - Google Maps
Yes, you know this one. The people who brought you satellite imagery plus maps...if you want to see what the roof of your house looks like, this is the site for you. Remember, sometimes the satellite data is months or years behind so the image might not look quite right. This is true of all the sites listed.

http://maps.ask.com/maps - Ask Maps
Ask is the little Search Engine that could. They are slowly and steadily becoming a competitor in all sorts of neat map technology. Try them out - unique feature - WALKING directions!

http://maps.yahoo.com - Yahoo! Maps
Every mapping website has a neat trick. At Yahoo! you can click a box and see current traffic patterns and accidents on major expressways.

http://www.mapblast.com - Microsoft's twist on mapping. Helps you keep track of locations you've looked up in the past.

http://www.mapquest.com/ - MapQuest excels at providing international directions. If you're driving in Europe you'll want to check this out.

Internet Safety

In case you missed it, the Internet Safety class held this last Wednesday was quite fun. Of course, I taught it, so I might be a bit biased. Better ask one of the parents who attended!

The course covered Internet Safety as it applies to Social Networking. In other words, learning how kids express themselves on websites like MySpace and Facebook and how to make sure they use the right privacy settings and take precautions to avoid sharing too much information.

Here are some helpful links to Internet Safety information:

http://www1.myspace.com/misc/safetyTips.html - Safety Tips from MySpace

http://www.facebook.com/help.php?tab=safety - Safety Tips from Facebook

2006 Wall Street Journal Article on the Safest Social Networking Sites

http://www.wiredsafety.org/internet101/blogs.html - Wired Safety - A concise and reliable resource on social networking

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/tech/tec14.pdf - The Federal Trade Commissions Internet Safety Guide

Check out our Google Calendar!

Click the Calendar link to the right to see our Google Calendar. Information about our Book Sale and a presentation by author Tom Grace have been added. More class information to come soon!

October 12-13 - Used Book Sale! Find used books in Polish and English on many topics. Paper Backs: 50 cents, Hard Cover: $1.00. Or pick up a paper grocery bag from one of the librarians and fill it for only $5.00.

October 18 - Tom Grace will join us to describe the facts behind his new book The Secret Cardinal. For more information, visit the official homepage of the book at www.secretcardinalbook.com/.

Times are posted in Google Calendar! October classes to be added soon!

We've got E-Books, YES WE DO! We've got E-Books...How 'Bout YOU???

I was recently asked about E-Books that are available online. Great idea! Though curling up with your computer is not quite like curling up with a good book, it can help your student with research. Students who struggle with reading comprehension will find E-books available in Audio format to be helpful. ESL students will also benefit from reading along with audio books. Also, the ability to access a book via the Internet if you are unable to make it to the library is very handy.

E-Books allow a viewer to see the book exactly as it exists in the "physical" world. Page numbers, colors, cover art...it is all there.

Here are some links to get you started:

Bookshare.org - http://www.bookshare.org/web/Welcome.html
Bookshare has many large print titles and text-to-audio books available. It's a great site because it has POPULAR titles...many other E-Book resources do not.

Free Classic Audio Books - http://freeclassicaudiobooks.com/
Free. Classic Books. Downloadable to your IPod or MP3 player. It's a beautiful thing...what more can I say?

Adobe Digital Editions - http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/library/
A limited collection of free books E-Books available from the folks at Adobe Software Products. You will need to download their E-Book software (for free) but it is worth it for some of the great titles available. Others available for a fee.

International Children's Digital Library - http://www.icdlbooks.org/
Beautiful children's books available in many languages. A must see.