Learning Express

Moved to a new site

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:08:00 +0000

I've moved everything over to a new site: LibraryTrainer.com. Hope you'll come check it out!

Test

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 03:38:00 +0000

testing permalinks
new site

Who wants to play Libraryopoly?

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:47:00 +0000

This is how we spend our days at PLCMC! LOL!

Social Bookmarking in Plain English

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:59:00 +0000

Last year I developed a low-tech way to demonstrate commenting and tagging during a follow-up class on Learning 2.0. We found some funny pictures, taped them to a few flip charts, and gave everyone in the class some post it notes to write down their comments and labels for the pictures. On one of the flip charts we left the post it notes up for everyone to see (Web 2.0). On another flip chart we removed the post it notes as soon as they were posted (Web 1.0).

It was fun and useful in a few ways. It was an easy way to get the concept across to the learners. It also gave everyone a chance to get up and move around--which is always good in after lunch training session.

Today I came across this clip on YouTube that explains tagging. This is so well-done using just some scraps of paper that have been cut out! The first thing I thought was, "Why didn't I think of that!" They've actually done a lot of clips like this, so it is worth checking out and seems like it would be a good way to introduce folks to some of the more intimidating 2.0 stuff.

I'm Back

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:34:00 +0000

After being gone for nine months (wow was it really that long) I'm back. I came back to work on Monday. So let me introduce the newest addition to our family...Cameron Elizabeth was born June 27 and weighed in at 8 lbs. 13 oz.

Her big brother Ian is so excited to have a little sister. I never expected to be out that long so I have a lot of catching up to do! And let me just say that I could have never survived six months of bed rest without the Internet and NetFlix! Even with cable there was not much to watch on TV during the day.

Live and Online

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:34:00 +0000

In the past few days I've noticed a few posts come in my news reader about the quality of online classes from colleges and universities. Posts like this and this seem to echo my experiences.

Up until last year online college courses were my only experience with elearning, online learning, or distance learning. Then PLCMC was invited to participate in WebJunction's beta program for online learning for libraries.

In addition to learning how to design and create self-paced training modules, we also had the opportunity to be trained in and experience synchronous training or elearning that is live and online. If your experience with elearning has consisted of WebEx conferences or Blackboard take a look at what is being done by Jennifer Hoffman and her staff at InSync Training. Using a synchronous training platform such as Live Meeting, Jennifer is able to reproduce a live classroom experience for learners that are located around the world. These classes are designed to completely engage the learners and during some of the classes I have taken, I became so involved that I actually forgot I was sitting in front of my computer.

This is the future of elearning!

Last year I completed my Synchronous Facilitation Certification and this year I am hoping to complete the Synchronous Design Certification as well. Later this year I am planning to teach an online class on baby sign language so stay tuned for details.

WebJunction and InSynch Training are partnering up again this year to offer the Synchronous Learning Expert Certification to library staff at a discounted rate. If you have the opportunity to attend, I highly recommend this training to anyone who wants to deliver quality and engaging training to library staff (and patrons)!

If you just want to try out a synchronous class to see what it's all about, sign up for a free Learn to Learn Online class offered every week by InSync Training.

First Test

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 04:19:00 +0000

This was the email in my inbox earlier today:

Hello everybody,

Just a reminder that your first test lesson 6 is coming up Friday Jan 26 and Saturday Jan. 27. Make sure all your activities and labs are done before you take test. please if you have any questions call me or send me an email.

good luck!

So my first test is this week, and I am a bit nervous because while I have completed nearly all the assignments I haven't learned or retained very much. It's hard taking a second Spanish class nearly a decade after I took the first class. The technology and design put into this online class are impressive. As far as sound instructional design principles this is the best class I've taken so far. But the class was developed by Quia, not the professors at my school. What does that say about our colleges and universities? What really gets me is that these schools offer degrees in instructional design. Why then, do they not use their own instructional designers?

Where's Lori?

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 03:39:00 +0000

Last fall my husband and I discovered that we are expecting our second child, due on July 4th! We have a three-year-old son. Since about November I've had severe ~~morning~~ ALL DAY sickness. Around Christmas it got worse and a few weeks ago it got so bad that I became dehydrated and could not function. So I am on leave from work until this gets better.

I'm at home hooked up to IVs and a nurse comes every few days to check on me. It's actually quite amazing what they can do for you at home so that you don't have to go in the hospital.

In the meantime I am reclined in my favorite chair with my laptop, new toy, and many hours to pass! Know of any good books?

Distance Learning

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 03:13:00 +0000

When you think about e-learning or online training what comes to mind? For me it's college experiences using Blackboard which can sometimes amount to nothing more than a correspondence course.

Don't get me wrong. I love the fact that colleges are offering online classes. I am the perfect demographic for these programs...working mom with a two-year-old and another on the way. How else could I do it all!

My first online course was about 10 years ago. I took a telecourse for Cultural Anthropology. This was an effective way to learn the material. Watching videos of different cultures really added to the experience. I took a Public Speaking class that was taught the same way. Again watching good and bad examples of public speaking is a great way to learn.

Since then I've taken close to a dozen online classes and while it seems to be taking forever for me to complete my degree, it has been interesting to see the progression of online learning over the years. This semester I am taking my second level Spanish class. I don't have a great success rate with learning languages. I have dropped this course three times when taking it in a classroom because I am very intimidated in a classroom setting where no English is allowed to be spoken. I was happy to see that a local college was offering this entirely online, but I wondered how a foreign language could be taught online given my past experiences. I have to admit so far I am impressed.

The textbook is online and completely interactive. Click a word and the word is pronounced for you. There are graded activities as well. But how does the instructor know if you are really learning the material? Recordings. Each chapter has assigned exercises that you must record and submit online to the instructor.

What a great idea! Online learning has come a long way since the telecourses I took long, long ago. But the true measure of success will be can I get through this class!

How prepared are you?

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 17:48:00 +0000

If you've been watching any of the major news channels lately you might think the world is about to end. There are predictions of a major terrorist attack later this year, more category 5 hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and then there are always the small disasters to be concerned about.

How timely that the American Red Cross put on a program at one of our libraries yesterday called, When Disaster Strikes - Disaster Preparedness. The program covered the basics of preparing for a disaster and we even received some free bags to keep emergency supplies in.

The program really got me thinking though, so here are some questions for you to ponder.

If on your way home from work you discovered that for whatever reason the roads were impassible would you be able to get home? What kind of shoes do you wear? Do you keep a pair of walking shoes in your car? Do you have a map with alternate routes? Do you have a flashlight and batteries? What about water? Does this scenario seem improbable? It's happened to me. Twice! I've had to leave my car and walk several miles home--once due to a flood and once due to snow and ice. Both days started out as ordinary days with no inclination that bad weather was looming. So just keep in mind it's these "small disasters" that you really have to prepare for.

Do you always carry your keys with you? If you are in a meeting or the restroom at work and are told to evacuate the building you may not be able to go back to your office to get your keys, wallet, money, ID. (This one has happened to me too!)

If you got home to find out that your water supply has been contaminated, do you have enough bottled water to sustain your family for at least three days? Do you have any bottled water?

Do you always have at least twenty dollars cash on hand? When the power goes out so do ATMs and credit card machines.

This is just a start but it is something we all need to think about. You can learn more by looking at the American Red Cross Disaster Services Web site.

Flickr Group for NC Libraries

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 13:51:00 +0000

A new Flickr group has been created for North Carolina Libraries. If you have any photos of NC Libraries add the tag "NC Libraries" and they will show up in the group. You can also join the group by clicking the "Join Group" link on the bottom right corner of the screen once you are logged in and viewing the group.

YouTube for Training

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:58:00 +0000

Michael Stephens at Tame the Web posted a link to a great training video put together by Allen County Public Library on using their new phone system.

Ironically in our 24th Thing workshops this week the tool most suggested by staff for implementation by PLCMC was YouTube! Ideas from participants included posting training videos for staff and patrons, story times, programs, speakers, etc.

Here's a library that's already done it and did a great job too!

Got Game? Now I Do!

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 15:07:00 +0000

My husband is a gamer. I was a gamer back in the days of Pac Man, Space Invaders, and Mario Brothers. The new games just don't do it for me. Maybe it's because I have not found the right kind of game. Or maybe it's because the gaming market has not reached out to my demographic.

That's about to change!

Those desperate housewives from Wisteria Lane are coming to a PC near you.

According to IGN.com the game will be "lifestyle simulation putting players in the role of a new housewife who has just moved onto Wisteria Lane where scandal abounds beneath its bucolic surface."

The game was released in early October and has gotten great reviews from fans of the show.

How could libraries use this? Why not have this as something for moms to do while their kids are at game night or while their kids are in a program. Not only does this give parents something else to do at the library but it gives them another way to connect and relate to their kids.

And the winner is...

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 23:27:00 +0000

Wow it's been a long journey and after reading over 200 blogs every day for Learning 2.0, I can breathe a sigh of relief and hopefully clear up my Bloglines account!

So at the end of the journey 222 staff completed the 23 things and many more are following along around the world.

Want to see who won the laptop. Watch and see...

Congratulations! I wish I could have been there to see the surprise!

11 Days Left

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 17:15:00 +0000

There are 11 days left for PLCMC staff to complete Learning 2.0 and the 23 things and earn their reward of an MP3 player. However, learning does not really ever end.

To those staff who will not, for whatever reason, be able to complete all 23 things by October 31st, I hope that you will complete the activity anyway at your own pace.

Do you need some motivation to get back on track? Here are some tips for Learning 2.0:

Read all of Helene's blog posts and tutorials and listen to the podcasts. It might be helpful to print them out one at a time so that you can read them when you don't have access to a computer. Each post will give you the basics of what you need to complete the task.
Don't try to over do it. Sure other people have gone above and beyond but that does not mean that you have to. Just do what is required for each post and you can go back later to play with the things you like the best.
Remember that this is a self-discovery process and that the journey is just as important as the final reward. There is a reason why there were no official classes or cheat sheets for this program. Each and every person has the ability to complete all of these activities. Don't believe me? Ask Rosemary Lands! Believe in yourself and believe that you can do this. I hope that after Learning 2.o we will see a big shift in the way we think about training.
If you need help, ask! You are not alone. Over 100 staff have already completed this journey. Feel free to call, e-mail me, or if you are at Main Library stop by my desk. I've been surprised at how few people have asked me for help, but I am so proud to see other staff stepping up to the plate and helping other staff.
Support and encourage each other! Many departments that have already completed Learning 2.0 have said the biggest reward is the sense of community that has been established. Use this community to your advantage.
Have fun! If you are not having fun you are missing the point. Life is too short to not have fun!

MP3

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 20:15:00 +0000

Helene personally delivered my MP3 player today. Luckily it came with instructions. I am not one who likes to read instructions, but I couldn't have figured out how to work the player without them.

The first thing I did was download an audiobook. I have been chained by headphones to a computer for too long and the old MP3 player that I have at home does not have enough memory for even a short audiobook. Thank goodness this player has 1 GB of memory! Thank you Helene!

Some things to note for those who are going to download audiobooks from NetLibrary:

After you set up your NetLibrary account via the Online Resources page, log out, and from now on go directly to netlibrary.com to log in. If you access NetLibrary via the Online Resources page you are going to be routed through a proxy server at Main Library. If this happens your connection will be so slow that you will have little patience in waiting for a download--not to mention unnecessarily tying up our bandwidth!
Go to the AudioBooks page on PLCMC. There is a link to Downloading an Audiobook to a Portable Player that will show you how to get the audiobook from Windows Media Player to the MP3 player. I had a hard time finding the book because it downloaded to a temporary file, but once I found it and moved it to the Desktop everything went smoothly.

The ear buds were a little awkward at first and I thought they were going to fall out of my ears, but as long as I don't pull on the wires they stay in.

So there are 19 days left for PLCMC staff to earn an MP3 player. For those who have not jumped on board yet, what are you waiting for? You have over 200 staff who have completed all 23 things that can help you! Come on in the water is just fine!

Week 9 Thing 23: The end and the beginning

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 17:19:00 +0000

Wow have 9 weeks gone by already?

I knew this was a great idea from the moment Helene told me about it. I am also surprised at how many other libraries have picked up the idea and caught on. Every time I talk to someone from another library system the first thing I hear is, "Oh you guys are the ones that started the Learning 2.0 thing..."

Like Salad Days mentions it was really great to see a shift in the attitudes of some co-workers. I know of one person in particular (you know who you are) who I never thought would come to love technology.

I would say that the program was a huge success. What worked:

The fact that the entire program was created and participants used only free Web 2.0 tools that are readily available to anyone. I think this is a huge benefit and one of the things that has made other libraries so interested in following along with this program.
Little instruction. There were no classes and only two tutorials. This was truly an exercise in self-learning and discovery. Staff relied on each other for help and hopefully gained more confidence in themselves and in other staff as both learners and instructors. I heard some comments that the instructions were too vague, but I think that if they were more specific it might have defeated the purpose of the activities.
Creative scheduling at branches. I was so impressed when I heard that reference staff from Mint Hill were covering the desk for circulation staff so that circulation staff had time to blog. Way to go Mint Hill!

What could be improved:

Accommodations for staff who were not ready for this level of Web 2.0. I can see clearly now that if you learn a skill you must continue to use it or you will forget. Whose responsibility is it to make sure that learners continue to practice skills that they learn? The trainer? The learner? The supervisor? In Core Competencies training last year all staff learned the basics of using the Internet, but some staff never used the Internet past the Core Competencies training. In the beginning they were very excited and enthusiastic about Learning 2.0 but quickly became frustrated when they realized they did not have the basic skills needed to participate. I wish that I would have had more time to work with these people one on one to help them more. Now that Learning 2.0 is wrapping up, how will we keep staff interested in Web 2.0?

Other thoughts:

I've heard a lot of buzz and excitement around the incentives for this program. I think it is great that we are able to offer these, but I also hope that more staff come away from this feeling that the learning and experience was enough of an incentive to participate, and that they will participate in more self-directed learning in the future. Jersey Girl expressed this really well in her final post:
I have to admit that in the beginning an MP3 player was the end in my mind. But along the way I learned that that was not all I was going to achieve when I finished this program. I learned about myself and what I can accomplish and I learned about my coworkers and what interests them in and outside of work. I also got to meet some people at other branches, through their blogs, that I might not have met otherwise. I learned that you can start out on one path expecting one thing and meander along to find the end is not what you expected, but that it is still okay. That to me is a great ending.
We will soon be offering opportunities for staff to participate in live online training. I hope that the experiences with Learning 2.0 have helped to prepare and make staff feel more comfortable in trying out another new learning environment.

A short rant about airport security

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 19:05:00 +0000

I love travelling but I hate to fly. There is just something about being thousands of feet up in the sky and not being in control.

Security at the Seattle airport was a nightmare!

I must have picked the wrong line because it took over an hour to get through. A large group in front of me had the maximum number of carry-ons and they were all spot checked.

A young girl in line in front of me set off the metal detector with her barrettes. She quickly got through after a few frightened tears but was then taken away with her mother for another spot search.

The whole time I am thinking, why don't the airports just require that all items be checked and allow no carry-ons. I'm willing to give up the convenience to save time and to be safer. I'd even check my laptop if the airlines promised not to throw it.

When it was finally my turn I thought I would breeze through. After all I checked everything except my purse and laptop and had nothing but the essentials with me...so I thought.

I made it through the metal detector fine but my laptop case got stopped in x-ray because of "suspicious tubular objects." I was asked for a description of the contents on my case. "Network cables, wireless cards, card reader for my digital camera, that's about it." At this point the line was stopped and an announcement was made for a security guard to come remove suspicious baggage. I'm not sure why the technician could not remove it herself but apparently she couldn't, so we waited and waited and waited for a security guard to come remove my bag from the x-ray machine.

After what seemed like hours of humiliation and glares from the people in line behind me (with their own excessive carry-on luggage) someone finally removed my bag and examined the contents. The suspicious tubular items were found...flip chart markers.

The funny thing is that when I got home, I found that I had travelled with a pocket knife in my purse but that did not raise any flags. Instead it was the deadly flip chart markers. :)

With my rant over I have to say kudos to the airports for taking security seriously but this was my return flight. Why was no one suspicious of the ~~tublular objects~~ markers on my original flight?

After making it through airport security, I stopped at a coffee shop to get some caffeine and saw on the TV breaking news about a plane hijacked in Turkey. I quickly left and decided ignorance was bliss today. I sat down waiting to board the plane with my chai latte and opened up the New York Times to a front page story: Colliding With Death at 37,000 Feet, and Living.

It was clearly not my day to travel. Luckily I made it home safe and will have much to share over the next few weeks about our participation in the e-learning beta program with WebJunction.

Seattle Public Library

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 20:25:00 +0000

Spent Monday at Seattle Public Library. More about the meeting later. Here is my quick tour of SPL and click here to see all the photos.

The building is huge, close to 400,000-square-feet, and reminds me of some of the buildings at Epcot. It has a very industrial feel to it both inside and out.

Upon entering the library I was immediately greeted by a nice woman at an information kiosk who was nice enough to let me take her picture.

The building is 11 floors high and connected by a series of escalators which do not go to all floors and do not necessarily take you back down. So navigating the building was a little confusing but in addition to the prominent escalators there are stairs and elevators and I understand from the staff that they are working on better signs to help people get around.

The inside of the building is very open and makes great use of the natural lighting. Suprisingly the building was also quiet. I noticed very little noise even though the building was full of people using computers and reading. On the 10th floor there are what appear to be pillows in the ceilings to help absorb the sounds.

Speaking of computers there were over 400 public computers located throughout the building. The largest lab contained 148 Internet PCs. SPL uses a similar reservation system with a one-hour time limit that we use at PLCMC. They also offer a one time guest card but there is a $15 fee for the 3 month guest card and $55 for a one year non-resident card.

SPL is not CIPA compliant. They have filters on their childrens' PCs but not on the adult PCs. All adult PCs have a privacy screen to prevent anyone not using the PC from viewing the screen. As a result of not being CIPA compliant, SPL does not receive any federal grant money and they also do not receive any state funding.

The most fascinating feature that I saw was the Library Unbound art project which shows items in real-time as they are being checked out system-wide. The items are grouped into Dewey 100s and appear to be falling as they are checked out.

Beware if you are afraid of heights! Here is a view looking down from the highest point accessible to the public in the library--the 10th floor to the 1st floor.

The one thing that most library staff have asked about is the automated circulation system. It rocks! In 2005 nearly 8 million items circulated. Items are taken by conveyor belt from the book drop and the circulation desk to the circulation workroom on the 2nd floor where they pass through a computer that uses a radio signal to receive the RFID code and check the item in.

Once the items are checked in they are routed to additional conveyor belts to be binned for other branches (separated into bins for requests and transit) or shelved on carts if they are staying at the Central Library.

Staff in the workroom have to move the carts and bins as they fill up.

The offices were all just as beautiful and each desk is set up to be ergonomic for the user. All of the desks have adjustable heights. Here's a view of telephone reference in action.

I wish I could go back for the ALA conference. I did not get to spend enough time in this great city. Seattle combines all the best of Charlotte and the best of Asheville in one place!

Hello Seattle

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0000

I left Charlotte Sunday at 9am and arrived in Seattle at noon. Had the day to explore. I walked down to the famous Pike Place Market which I learned is one of the oldest open air markets in the US. Yes they do throw fish, but you have to buy one. The funny thing was that there was another fish market there, and people kept asking when they were going to throw the fish. The guy working there must have said every five minutes, "We don't throw fish that's the other fish market."

Tomorrow I am meeting the folks from WebJunction along with some other library staff from around the country at Seattle Public Library which is conveniently located around the corner from my hotel.

You can see more of my photos from this trip here.

Week 9 Thing 22: Net Library

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 17:00:00 +0000

I've used NetLibrary for a few years for both ebooks and audiobooks so what interested me most about this particular Learning 2.0 thing was not really NetLibrary but the tool that Mary Kyle of ImaginOn used to create the tutorial.

It's amazing how many free tools are out there for trainers (and everyone else) to use and so hard to keep up with them all!

Week 9 Thing 21: Podcasts

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 16:42:00 +0000

I've listened to podcasts for a while now, but usually I listen to them on my PC. This semester at school I am taking a music class and our professor has a weekly podcast that we have to subscribe to. I was really impressed by this as most online training through universities is not very engaging.

Week 9 Thing 20: YouTube

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 08:05:00 +0000

I was a little shocked a few months ago when my husband sent me a link to a video of me on YouTube at a recent visit to the zoo. First of all there was the fact that I didn't realize that I was being recorded. Then there was the fact that this video is up on the Internet for anyone to see. A little bizarre. However once you get over the privacy issue it is kind of fun.

Today I heard that there is a new Tickle Me Elmo doll coming out for Christmas. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about and what you get for the $200 + price tag on eBay. So I did a quick search in YouTube and here it is...TMX Elmo:

Week 8 Thing 19: Web 2.0 Tools

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 07:39:00 +0000

I was surprised after looking at this list how many of these tools I have already used: Technorati, Bloglines, Craigslist, Writely, ThinkFree Office, HipCal, Flickr, FaceBook, MySpace, Deliscious, Rollyo, YouTube, PBWiki, JotSpot.

Wow! I did not even realize some of these were "Web 2.0." Of course Web 2.0 is just a name. It seems like more and more of what has become popular on the Internet are ways to connect to people. After years and years of the Internet and computers having the nerd or geek stigma, it is becoming cool to be online and to use computers. When I started college more than a decade ago I never heard the phrases "Facebook me" or "Google it" and I typed all my papers on a typewriter. Now these phrases are a part of the every day language and I can email assignments to my professors. Not only do I not have to print papers out on paper, but for some classes I don't even have to have a book--the materials are all available online.

Back to my point. For years computers and video games were to blame for alienating people. Now these tools are providing channels for people to connect in ways that we never imagined. Through this blog I have "met" a librarian in Australia. Because of the Internet I am able to complete a degree from a university that I have never seen or been to. I am taking a class from a professor who lives in another state. There are students living as far away as Saudi Arabia. My teaching partner for another online class lives in a different time zone. I can use Skype and call anyone in my family at any time of day...for free. The world seems smaller, but the opportunities seem endless!

Week 8 Thing 18: Web-based Applications

reedlori@DELTEgmail.com (Lori Reed) — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 03:03:00 +0000

Web-based productivity applications are great for people who are not always at the same computer: students, library patrons, most library staff. With a user name and password you can create, edit, and save documents, calendars, spreadsheets, and more. Look out Microsoft!

However if you are going to use these tools you must have a reliable Internet connection. As some Blogger users have found, if you take too long to create a post, Blogger times out and you lose your post. I have not had these problems with Writely or Zoho, but I do not use them frequently. The key to using any application on a computer, web-based or not--SAVE your work, save frequently, and save in multiple places and formats.