Thing 1: Creating word clouds with Wordle

We’ll start our exploration by having a bit of fun creating word clouds with Wordle.

Once you have created a Wordle you will notice them on posters, greeting cards and in adverts.

Wordle is a tool for generating word clouds from text you provide. If certain words appear more frequently in the text, they will appear more prominent in the word cloud. You can change your cloud(s) with different colours, fonts, and layouts.

               

1. Go to http://www.wordle.net/
2. Click on "Create" on the top menu bar.
3. Add text from something you wrote or found on the Internet  eg you could create a list of all your holiday destinations (type your favourite destinations in twice to give them more prominence in your Wordle) or use some text from one of your library or hospital web pages 
4. Copying and pasting text from a web page:  Open a new tab and  find the web page you are going to use. Place your mouse at the beginning of the text you want to copy –hold down the left hand button of the mouse and drag the mouse over the text you want to use  -it will appear highlighted, right click the mouse and select Copy. On the Wordle Create web page right click your mouse in the “Paste in a bunch of text box” and click on Paste.
5.  Click “go”.
6. You can now change the colour, font, layout, etc. for your Wordle using the menu bar above the Wordle.
7. Click on the “Print button” at the bottom of the screen to print your Wordle

Saving your Wordle

If you are using Wordle on a pc with Windows 2010 you may have access to a snipping tool which allows you to save your Wordle as a jpeg file, making it easier to use in posters and blogs.

1. Click on the Windows “Start” menu and type “snipping tool” into the “Search program and files” section
2. Once "snipping tool" is open, click and drag the mouse over the area the Wordle covers and once the mouse is released it will generate a screenshot.
3. Under the File menu   select "Save as" and save as a Jpeg file (This is the same format you use to save your digital photos.) The Wordle is now ready to be uploaded to a poster or copied onto your blog.

If you don't have the snipping tool on your pc you will need to use the Print screen key to save your wordle screen to a word document and then use the cropping tool to save your Wordle  

HELP

As you help library readers by pointing out links on webpages or help them understand words on unfamiliar Library webpages, be prepared to ask colleagues for their help in seeing links and interpreting instructions that aren’t obvious to you.

OR

Email tvwlibrarians@gmail.com  if you have any queries or problems about using Wordle  or…. if you want to share some tips for using it better! (You will be able to post your queries on the Blog when you have set up your own blog )