MARVELous Maine Invitational - Week 1

Week 1

While I have read many blogs, and subscribe to a couple, this is my first experience with creating blogs. I am creating this in response to the MARVELous Maine Invitational, an opportunity to explore Maine's Virtual Library. While I am somewhat familiar with MARVEL, I would like to be more proficient with this resource so that I can better assist our patrons.

I watched the video, Blogs in Plain English, provided by Common Craft. While I do use social media, such as Face Book, Twitter and Linked In, I tend to be a private person, and have never felt the need to have news from my personal life reach a large audience. While I love to learn, blogging about my experience will be a challenge for me during this ten week opportunity!

I chose to set up my blog using Blogger instead of Word Press. I already have an active Google account, and use the Google Mail and Calendar. I have experimented with Google Groups, so it seemed like a logical progression to create a blog using Google's Blogger.

I have watched the Blogger Tour provided by Blogger/Google. I may need to go go back and review the mobile applications. I have limited experience with mobile devices.

I watched the Introduction to MARVEL!, Navigating in MARVEL!, and Searching MARVEL! tutorials.

Introduction to MARVEL! contains useful information to assist patrons in setting up an account for MARVEL. Not only is this resource free for all people in Maine, but there are clear concise instructions for creating an account. I especially enjoyed the text which accompanied slide number four. It really lets patrons know what to expect when setting up an account, and puts their mind at ease as to why vendors require certain information, and that they can be confident that their personal information will not be shared with others. 
I also learned that some data bases, like “Learning Express” are limited to public library users thus showing the value of obtaining a library card  from your local library. 

Navigating in MARVEL! briefly reviews the Introduction to MARVEL,then goes on to explain the 
useful tools available on the MARVEL home page. While I am familiar with most of these features, I was reminded to use the 'About' feature in front of each data base. I also learned that the 'One Search' feature not only includes MARVEL resources, but those of 100 Maine Library catalogs, and the Maine Memory Network! This is amazing to have all of these resources right at our finger tips! 

Searching MARVEL! shows how to select a broad topic on the left of the home page, then using the 'About' tab, determine which data base is most appropriate for the age level or area of expertise you are seeking. The 'OneSearch' option is likened to the Google search engine, only it is specific to MARVEL data only. You will get multiple results, which you may need to limit with advanced searching tools. There is a link to a 'OneSearch' video, directly under the 'OneSearch' box. I could not get the video link to work properly, but the Video Transcript seems to work just fine.

I entered the search term 'Maine Tourism' as suggested in the Video Transcript. I limited the 'content type' to 'image' and discovered a delightful array of vintage postcards on the Maine Memory Network. Thus showing one way that resource ties in with MARVEL! One of the cards was of the Kittery Toll Booth. I learned that after Pennsylvania, Maine had the second toll highway in the country, and it was the first to be paved with asphalt, not concrete. It was called the 'Mile a Minute' highway, as most drivers had not driven 60 miles an hour before! Now  I have a piece of trivia . . .  not sure when I will use it though! 

I placed this item in my 'suitcase' file and emailed it to myself. I have never done that before. 

I do believe I have completed my first week assignment. The rest of the week I will drop in and visit other blogs.