Two Schools will win $10K for their library

Two schools will win $10K for their school library. Donate 5 points and your school receives and entry between March 15, 2011 and April 30, 2011.  The regular Rewards for Schools program is available also, so you can find your school and view the wish list submitted by the school coordinator.

You can donate your Coke Reward points to a registered school to Refresh Your School's Library Sweepstakes between March 15, 2011 and April 30, 2011. I would donate to my daughter's alma mater...but after 5 years of email and F2F requests no one has registered Butler High School in Augusta, GA. 

I received and email stating that local schools in my area need support, so they will receive my donation. Check the site for more details but some of the basics (eligibility, prizes, contest timeline) are listed below.

Eligibility:  The My Coke Rewards for Schools Refresh Your School Library Sweepstakes (the "Sweepstakes") is open only to schools that are registered and in good standing in the My Coke Rewards for Schools program both at the time the Sweepstakes ends and when the drawing is conducted ("Schools"). The program is located at www.mycokerewards.com/schools (the "Website"). Schools that are not registered may visit www.mycokerewards.com/schools for registration directions; registering is free. For Schools to be eligible for the My Coke for Schools program, they must be academic institutions servicing kindergarten through 12th grade which are: (i) located within the 50 United States (or the District of Columbia), (ii) listed on the Market Data Research database ("MDR Database") at the time of enrollment, and (iii) also listed at www.mycokerewards.com/schools. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited by law.

Sponsor: The Sweepstakes is sponsored by Coca-Cola North America, a division of The Coca-Cola Company, One Coca-Cola Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30313. Administrator: ePrize, LLC, One ePrize Drive, Pleasant Ridge, MI 48069. 

Prizes: 2 Grand Prizes: $10,000 to be used for the School's library collection, fulfilled as a gift card, terms and conditions apply. Approximate Retail Value ("ARV"): $10,000. 

Coke Reward for Schools post 8/10.2010

What else are you doing with Google Books?

On July 17, 2009, I blogged about using Google Books for a variety of groups whether you are an educator, student, parent, employer, virtual book club participant, or an individual wanting to consolidate books they have read, wanted to read, or associate books with your digital profile.

As an adult student, I started building My Library in Google Books with required textbooks and some other books on my physical bookshelf. You can add notes and tags, and annotate if you loan out the book or if you find online supplements to your books.

Of the 3 textbooks required for my current course, Research Methods & Designs, one book has a partial preview in Google Books and the other two have no preview of the book available. In all the textbooks I have checked out from libraries, rented, borrowed, or purchased...somewhere in the front matter of the book is some type of data about online supplemental information. For the textbooks required for RSH9102E, all three textbooks have some type of online supplemental information, so I just added the links to the Notes section in each of the textbooks. Long after the course is over and after I graduate, my notes will be available to me or other individuals who review My Library.

While Google Books provides access to a virtual library of a multitude of books and magazine along with previews of books that agree to display content, if there is a book you want and the preview of the content is not available, links are provided to locate the book in a library or if you want to purchase the book. The link to Find in a Library provides many additional opportunities.

Selecting the Find in a Library option opens up a WorldCat link that displays libraries that have the book based on a designated (your choice) or an associated zip code (based on your Google profile). From there you can cite the book, email or share the link along with additional features of the book from reviews, local libraries, table of contents with links to the Library of Congress, and many other features.

You can follow Google Books on Twitter @googlebooks, subscribe to the Google Books blog, check out the Google Books history, read Google Books Facts and Fiction, or the Google Books Library Project.

What is the difference in the views of Google Books? Full, limited, snippet, or no preview available.

What are you doing with Google Books? Have you built your own library in Google Books? Share the link to your Google Books library or post a comment about your Google Books experience. As always comments are welcome.

A full circle event-generational digital knowledge sharing

Today, I took my mother to the library. The lady who took introduced me to reading and libraries throughout my young life. She is still an avid printed book reader although she is reading more digitally because it was part of the deal. Part of the deal when she moved in with us. She was going to have to incorporate digital gadgets or sit on the curb.

A few months ago, my mother moved in with me, which put me in the Sandwich generation. People who have a student/child still at home and take in an aging parent for whatever reason. I am somewhat lucky in that my mother still works, full time at that and life has been full of learning and teachable moments for all of us.

I introduced her to the library director, some of the students who participated in the scholarship and Google workshops at the library, and she checked out 6 books, computer and some recreational reading. Computer workshops are full for November and December, so she opted for January.

I am extremely glad that my mother has the desire and ability to adapt, implement, and overcome. Sometimes...my Drill Sergeant / US Army side comes out, but in a positive way. Set the standards/parameters, be the guide on the side, and at times let the children, or even grandchildren be the teachers. OK...sometimes pushups encourage a learning point...LOL

I can say that I am proud of my mother for adapting to the digital lifestyle, one chunk at a time. Since she has been here, she has learned to text on her cell phone, subscribes to blogs and news using an RSS reader, played with at least one new Google product each week, downloaded from iTunesU, listens to podcasts, uses the Wii Fit, and keeps in touch with grandchildren and other family members through MySpace.

So wish us luck as she "Skype"s with her grandson this weekend.