23 Mobile Things PH SG: Things 17, 18, 19 - Research & Productivity Tools & File Sharing

I have been terribly busy the past weeks. School ended last May and I'm officially on summer vacation.

But.

So, I am catching up on 23 Mobile Things PH SG.

Things 17, 18 and 19 are all familiar tech tools. I have been using Evernote since 2011 as a way to synchronize files on the school library project I am involved in for Sambat Trust UK, a charity that set ups school libraries. Evernote keeps me on track on reports and updates, feedback and news from the charity's director and field coordinator. Since there's a mobile app, I get news from them real time. It's been pretty efficient.

I've downloaded Workflowy in my iPhone. It's very similar to the productivity tools that came with my iPhone apps when I bought it. But it's good to give it a try. Hootsuite is another productivity tool that I use to campaign for the school library projects of Sambat Trust UK. It saves me a lot of time in posting to all my social media accounts. Sadly, much as I want to try Buffer, I need an iOS7 upgrade in my iPhone. I am not yet ready to upgrade for economic reasons.

When Dianne De Las Casas and I were working on Tales From the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories (my first book published in the US), we synced work through Dropbox. It was amazing. Now, Dropbox comes with an app. I tried downloading it but, like Buffer, it needs to run in iOS7.

I'm not jumping in the bandwagon.

Here's what I'll do: this summer, I'll include a review of useful apps  that can be used by teachers and students. I'll have the list published in the school's newsletter and posted in the school library's web portal. Indeed, the role of librarians have shifted from keepers of information who provide access to users to facilitators of technology to assist users in the responsible and efficient use of tools for thinking.

Promise, I'll post projects I do and learn from 23 Mobile Things PH SG.

And yes, I am on summer vacation.

23 Mobile Things PH SG: Things 15 ,16 & Catching Up on Things 13 & 14

I'm a returning mentor for Thing #16: Ebooks & Ebook Apps this week on 23 Mobile Things PH SG. It's a fun week since there are two things going on in 23 Mobile Things apart from mine. Thing # 15 Adobe ID is also up for reading and discussion.

It's a smart move for Joan Wee and Karryl Sagun to put these two things together in the same week as these two things are connected. Mentor Persues Rex Molina provides a thorough and practical use of Adobe ID to access Adobe Ebooks, while I lend insight and strategies on using ebook apps and setting up an ebook collection in the library. I come from the school library background, while Mr. Molina brings forth his experience in an academic library setting. It's going to be an exciting convo this coming Saturday, May 17 at 10.30AM Manila time, I predict!

To make Thing 16 more exciting and engaging (I hope), I'm giving away copies of my books for the first five librarians who will do and submit any of the three activities I designed.

As for the past Things, particularly 13 and 14, I updated the links in About Me and added apps like Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler and Blogger in my account there. I'm relearning Tumblr all over again. I discovered I have a microblog in Tumblr: In Between Shelves. Now I'm thinking of using it to tell the back stories on my published books, or share success stories on reading, books and my library advocacy. We'll see. I've really no intent in using Tumblr for specific library work, so I suppose I'll optimize it for developing my personal and professional learning network (PLNs).

23 Mobile Things PH & SG: Thing # 6: Videos

I'm still learning from Thing #s 4 and 5 and here comes Thing # 6 -- videos!

I have accounts in YouTube and Instagram and have used its video apps both on laptop and mobile devices a few times. However, I think I should explore using videos to promote and market special events and collections in the library. Now that's a long term plan to put in a year's strategic plan for the library. The technology is just there but the content will take a while to build it.

For this week's Thing, my attention was directed towards Videonot.es.

Tried annotating my video of a read aloud session. 

My work in the library entails guidance in using technology in instruction too. I'll recommend Videonot.es to my co-teachers and at the same time, I'll use it too to better understand the technology. The freeware/app can also be used by students who view and watch educational videos from YouTube. It's the annotation feature that I'm drawn to. 

As for updates on my use of Historypin, I have uploaded some photos of my travels. I've pinned some too. Then, I can create a Channel or a Tour. So far so good, I think.

23 Mobile Things PH & SG

Filipino Librarian Karryl Kim Sagun and Joan Wee of Singapore teamed up for 23 Mobile Things PH & SG, a self paced online course that provides discussion and interaction on 23 mobile things that libraries can use to deliver services. Scheduled to run on a weekly basis for 23 weeks, participants register, log-in and engage with moderators and co-participants in the course from all over the world. Started in 2006 by Helen Blowers, 23 Mobile Things has been replicated by librarians from different countries like Denmark, Australia and New Zealand.

Today, January 17, is the start of the first 23 Mobile Things discussion. Thing #1 is Twitter. Aaron Tay from the National University of Singapore Libraries moderates.

If you have not registered, you can still catch up. Register in 23 Mobile Things. Once you have registered, join in the conversation in Twitter by using #23MThingsPHSG.

I will be moderating Thing #10 and Thing #16. See you online!