Thing 23. I have seen the light

First, thank you. This was well designed, interesting and extremely educational. I learned so much. I was using the iPad just for the internet and reading books before I started 23 Things. As I often stated in my blog I am not too interested in sharing:) I don't post  on Facebook or Twitter. But, I can see how popular it is with so many people and I believe strongly that libraries need to stay current.

I think libraries should post on their Facebook page information about events and new books. Maybe, we could have an incentive for people to "like" us on Facebbook or follow us on Twitter. Since people are spending so much time on social sites we should have a presence there also. We could Instagram pictures of activities and programs.

How about making an Infographic about teen fantasy book (if you liked Divergent then...)?

How about sponsoring a online book club?

I don't think that I have new ideas, But I do think that 23 Things made it clear to me that there is a wide world of communication that libraries need to be involved in. When I visit Facebook I often see posts that someone likes a product or company. I have never seen that someone likes their library.
It is time. It's overdue.

Again, thank you. I would definitely do another round of 23 Things. I learned how to really utilize my iPad.  I can make notes, listen to books, find free books and listen to lectures. I might even give a life.

22. Discovering Apps

I used Quixey  to find TripAdvisor. I also looked up gardening apps and Jane Austen. I was surprised at the number of apps for all three subjects.  I will definitely use it in the future. It was simple and extensive it covered free and not so free apps.

21. Free-for-All

Trip Advisor is a wonderful app that you can use when traveling to find accommodations, restaurants and things to do just about everywhere. It includes reviews and photos and directions. I tried out a few destinations and I was impressed with the range of coverage of the subject. When my husband and I went to Illinois last Fall, I used a variety of sites to get information but often the sites did not cover everything or seemed to be incorrect. I am going to use it when we travel from now on, it just might save a marriage.

20. Games

I was not excited about Games. I have had multiple experiences waiting for people to finish a level before I could get their attention, and not just young people. Knowing that I  am no better than anyone else, I have ignored requests from friends to join them in gaming. I have not asked for or given any lives.
I tried Bubble Mania first, mainly to avoid the devil Candy Crush. It was okay but not addictive and I have already deleted it from my iPad. Then, ignoring the danger, I stepped into the popular world of Candy Crush.  It was fine when I sailed through the levels, but when I got stuck I kept trying over and over. Since I do have other things in life more pressing, I deleted Candy Crush, get behind me Satan

19. Hobbies

Since gardening is my third passion, it was easy to try out My Garden. It is fairly simple. It is a Facebook for gardeners. I added the various types of plants that I have in my gardens. Some of the plant have pictures, descriptions and instructions on how to take care of  them. I am not sure why some of the plants have more info than others. I do not plan to post, but I am going to follow a few of the popular gardeners. Just looking at flowers makes me happy, so I like this app.

18. Education

This Thing is my kind of thing. It was the first time that I had too many choices. I plan to revisit and try more of the apps.

Google Earth is fun. I have the app on my computer but never thought of it on my IPad. I tend to play with it, looking up foreign places mentioned in the news. But I think it is a great educational tool.

I had heard of Ted but never tried it. I listened to a couple of motivational talks that I found interesting and very well presented.  There are a variety of topics and it is is easy to use the tag button to find areas of interest. Of course, I checked out the Library tag.

I also downloaded Khan.Academy. I listened to a great lecture titled the Pattern of  US Cold War Intervention. I found a wide assortment of topics that I would like to listen to. I appreciate that the lectures are short and some of them have great visuals.

17. Connecting to the Community

Now these apps could make a real difference in my life. I selected just two to investigate, but there are more that I will look into. Minnesota 511 is great. I sub in different libraries and during the summer, I am always running into unexpected construction. I love that I can easily find out if my route will be affected.

My personal goal is to visit a variety of Minnesota museums. I love museums. This app is great, I discovered many many museums that I did not know existed. Now I can plan a trip knowing the best route and the hours and cost of the museum visit.

I have only one concern, when will MN Beer go Apple?