PHEW!!

I am happy to say I have finally completed the compulsory "things" in the Playground. I don't really know what has taken me so long, and I am sorry I can't say I have completed everything! But I have learned quite a bit along the way & hope to go back when time allows and attempt some of the exercises I bypassed.

Thing #20 - AskAway

I tried AskAway for the first time today and I was amazed to receive an almost instantaneous response to my question. Not only did I receive the link to a website which provided the information I requested, but the website also opened up on the screen. What an amazing service!

Thing #19 - NVDPL's Reference & Information Databases

I hadn't looked at the list of online databases recently and was pleasantly surprised to see so many new ones. I have used several of the online magazine/newspaper databases quite a lot in the past so I had a look at a few I wasn't as familiar with. I poked around in the Auto Repair Centre & found the manual for my car. I also checked out the Oxford Reference Online database and discovered some online dictionaries I didn't know were available through NVDPL's website. And for fun, I also played around with the Library to go E-Audio database. So now, if I feel the urge to bleed my brakes, learn how to say "sheep" in Welsh, or find a good e-book I know exactly where to look!

Thing #18 - Office 2007

Having used previous versions of Microsoft Office for many years, I have to admit it took a little while to get used to the new "ribbon" look! Although I had already managed to figure out how to navigate the programs (particularly Word) by trial and error, I picked up some very useful tricks in these tutorials which will make using Word 2007 and other Office 2007 programs a lot easier in the future.

Thing #17 - Shared Calendars

I have now explored the Playgound exercises re: shared calendars & meeting bookings and have also taken a look at the Library LV Boardroom shared calendar. I have used shared calendars in the past and recognize how important they can be in coordinating schedules and arranging meetings. In our department we now have a shared calendar on our wiki which I consult regularly and have entered appointments, absences, etc.

Fast-forward to Thing #16

Well, I will finally attempt to finish the compulsory Playground exercises! I have completed the Email Etiquette readings, which were a review for the most part. A couple of my pet peeves were discussed, especially the poor grammar, spelling & punctuation seen in many emails!! I completed the Phishing IQ test & managed a score of 9/10.

Thing #4

Nellie's back! Have a look at a few of my photos on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nelliesnatterings