The Daring Librarian

I think I've mentioned before in a previous blog post called MentorMob & the Secrets of the Remix Mash-Up YouTube Generation   that I came to MentorMob about a year after hearing of it from the amazing Dr. Joyce Valenza . I mention it only again because I don't want *anyone* to feel self-induced "tech guilt" for not trying a new tool right away! Sometimes you need to muse, meditate, and contemplate something new before jumping in with both feet. Sometimes you're just too darn busy!  LOL  Either way, however you get to a new tool, talent, or challenge - do it when YOU are ready! Long story medium, I am SO glad I did finally play with and master MentorMob last fall & it was so easy and the learning curve so gentle I felt I "had it" in less than an hour! UPDATE: Follow MentorMobEDU for all the latest education features & to connect with other Playlisters! Much different than the Learning Curve of 3 weeks for Second Life, 3 days for...

Only 3 weeks until the ISTE11 conference kickoff with Mario Armstrong! OhEmGee, I am SO excited! Besides being super busy with with ISTE Board service, meetings, poster sessions, Blogger cafe hanging, and playgrounds - I'll be presenting twice on two exciting (but very different!) panels! !! Game Show Learning! Learning Tools Family Feud: Crowdsourced Edition with Geek Tribe pals my dear mentor the amazing Joyce Valenza, super cool & smart Shannon M. Miller, slick Chad Lehman, hilarious & high-energy Nick "The Nerdy Teacher" Provenzano, and the wonderously sweet & funny Matthew Winner! With our special game show host the AWEsome Steve Dembo! Survey Says! This is gonna be GROOVY! We're gonna re-visit the favourite 70's Game Show with a Twist! We've crowdsourced the survey with over 100 of our PLN answering questions using a Google Form and will be going head-to-head boys against the girls to see if we can guess what the top learning tools wi...

Shamelessly I will report on this - Why S hameless ? (capitol S) Because, of course, this is the answer to my every fevered redheaded dream to be nominated for a special Superhero lunchbox ! So just even reporting it makes me feel all squirmy & excited & dreaming of it! And of course if any of my dear gentle good readers think ...no..even I can't go that far! (let's try subliminal persuasion) Librarian League of Superheros I do fervently believe - like the Justice League - there are MANY Superhero Librarians out there! We are a Tribe! And some of them have even blogged about this exciting contest! I have been a superhero fan (Go Marvel & Stan Lee!) since I was a kid! And Beyond! Who are Your Librarian Superheroes? My Librarian Superheroes are part of the Big Red Machine ©iansinger ie: Joyce Valenza & Shannon Miller ! Two librarians who are my compatriot at arms, my right and left hand chickies and perpetual inspirations....two librarians who invigorate the...

Last year I blogged about EduCon from my couch whilst the snow piled up outside around me and I vicariously enjoyed & participated in this innovative concept for an exchange of ideas. This year I'm not only going but I'm honored to be involved with two different conversations. More about that below! You may ask what is EduCon, an unconference, and why a conversation? A Conversation NOT a Presentation: Viva la Unconference! My gorgeous mentor Joyce Valenza has written a must-read SLJ article about the EduCon unconference experience: "It's networking at its best," says Valenza. "It's critical, especially, that librarians network. It's clear to me that nobody knows who we are. I don't think we've gotten the word out. But we can't be in our buildings alone anymore." Dare to be Out There! More than ever we need to be "out there" not only in our school, local districts but on the state & national level. If you have ...

QR Codes are popping up everywhere! On the back of my Sephora catalog, windows of shops, and in my library! They're already big in Japan - and now in New York & LA. Calvin Klein Jeans recently put up three billboards - 2 in NYC and 1 in LA - to promote the brand’s upcoming campaign for Winter 2010. Rather than a racy montage of scantily clad models, but with a bright red QR code - all the rage in Japan - under the words “Get It Uncensored.” The code allows you to use your smartphone to scan the image, being lead to an exclusive 40-second sexy commercial - "It’s often difficult to measure engagement with billboards, and QR codes help advertisers better measure their impact." The commercial might be sexy but I think the QR code is even HOTTER! -Mashable Source: Lauren Indvik They look cool, matrixy, and very graphic... but what heck ARE they? A Quick Response (QR) code is a two-dimensional or 2D bar code which can be interpreted by any mobile phone with camera ca...