...And Photoshop Didn't Crash!

So I've been dealing with converting text to outlines and such to finalize the file to send the poster to the printer today. So many fun things to learn!

We've finalized the 11x17 poster design, and now I'm working on half-sheet sized handouts (in lieu of bookmarks, which are more expensive to print). Then it's on to the large, 22x30 posters--one general design and one specific to the Denton ISD schools.

We're Going to be National News!

It looks like NPR has picked up a shorter version of the KERA CyberCemetery story, and will air it on Weekend Edition this Saturday or Sunday (will be available on npr.org afterward).

Hooray!

My Mock-ups Are Mocking Me

Imagine my surprise yesterday when I heard NPR's Marketplace deliver a segment about the U.S. Patent Office using wikis. How cool is that? NPR + GovDocs + Library 2.0 = one interested geek.

Marketplace also mentioned Archie McPhee, the company the creates the Librarian action figure. And then mentioned typo squatters. Man, I love NPR.



On the graphic design front.... there must be some kind of cosmic rule that if the image doesn't crash Photoshop, you must not be adequately using the program's innate coolness. Try these mock-ups for the Denton Reads poster on for size:

• Watermarked Logo Background
• Color Halftone Background
• Photo Background
• Gradient Background* my fave
  
• Blueberry-Flavored Gradient Background

And that's about it for today. I've had computer crashes, legal reference questions, web content updates, a webinar, and the usual email detritus. I think that since I got here twelve hours ago... it's just about time to head home.

SirsiDynix Webinar: Mashups

Here are the notes I just took on the presentation this morning, on my wiki:

SirsiDynix Institute:
"Mashups: A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That"
presented by Darlene Fichter (read her blog!)

It was a great presentation on what mashups are, ways to create them, requirements, and how to think more about what to use them for. I just wish we hadn't run out of time!!

On a side note: Today I'm wearing my ThinkGeek "I'm Blogging This" shirt... but it should more appropriately read "I'm Wiki-ing This" today!

My Facebook Badge

The Wonderful World of Wikis / The "How" of Wikis

Yes, folks, the archived version of our presentation is already up!!! You've got many different flavors of access to it:

• streaming audio, text chat, and presentation slides (playback time: 55 minutes)

• native WMA audiorecording (8.4 MB file; playback time of 55 minutes)

• converted MP3 audiorecording (22.2 MB file; playback time of 55 minutes)

• Chad's Powerpoint slides

• My Powerpoint slides

• text chat transcript

My gracious thanks to my talented co-presenter Chad, and to Meredith, Amanda, Tom, and the OPAL folks for this great opportunity!

Some Idle Chatter

I'm currently logged into the OPAL room for my presentation on wikis with Chad Boeninger, and am just waiting around for it to start... in half an hour. I've got some time to kill, for once.

Today was the last class in the five-week Human Resources course on Supervisory Skills, and I got a nifty certificate. The handbook for that class has already come in handy; it's a great resource. One of the main HR trainers, Melissa Ozuna, presented most of the course. I've had her before, and she's always fun and informative. I'd like to form those kinds of presentation skills.

Things on my to-do list:

• fill out travel forms for April (TLA and DLC)
• check calendar for LITA and DLC fall dates
  
• more updates for the Denton Reads website
• meet with printer about Denton Reads poster
• look at the A-Z Digitization documentation to consider writing an article
• get total uploaded CRS Reports to 10,000 by June (ALA!)
• start getting material together for my first performance review

That's of course just the tip of the iceberg that is my To-Do List, but it will do for a start.

In the good news category, two of my dear librarian friends recently found positions that they're perfect for. I wish them all the best in their new positions... even though they're both now several states away. (Meet up in DC in June, anyone?)