Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Week 13 article
There were articles on the front page of the Post-Gazette and Tribune-Review this morning that relate to our Week 13 readings. Here is the link to the P-G one:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10336/1107637-84.stm
The "Do Not Track" list would be similar to the "Do Not Call" list in that it would prevent companies from tracking your Internet activity. The FTC proposed the tool in a privacy report.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10336/1107637-84.stm
The "Do Not Track" list would be similar to the "Do Not Call" list in that it would prevent companies from tracking your Internet activity. The FTC proposed the tool in a privacy report.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Week 13 notes
1) No place to hide site: http://www.noplacetohide.net/%20
This site was interesting and extremely relevant because we are constantly monitored. I think about that sometimes -- it seems like nothing is private. But on the other hand, when there is a shooting or terrorism plot, it always seems like they had some type of blog or digital trail that would have given clues. (Like the LA Fitness shootings in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2009 -- he has a blog in which he made suspicious comments. Or Richard Poplawski, charged with killing three Pittsburgh police officers in spring 2009 -- he made comments about killing cops on Internet radio.) Why aren't these nipped in the bud earlier if they are so closely monitored? I just think there is so much information, its impossible to mine it all -- making most of it useless.
2) TIA and data mining http://www.epic.org/privacy/profiling/tia/
It would be nice to get an update on this project, as most of the site was five years old or older. But this gave a good introduction and background of TIA. This would address some of my concerns from the above post: That there is so much being monitored, it's hard to determine what is useful in detecting threats. This is aside from the argument of whether it is ethical/moral to monitor so much ("Big Brother!"), which is a different debate. I can tell from this site that they are against much of this monitoring.
3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS8ywG5M_NQ
I got an error message saying this video had been removed because of a copyright claim by Viacom.
Kristen Huth
This site was interesting and extremely relevant because we are constantly monitored. I think about that sometimes -- it seems like nothing is private. But on the other hand, when there is a shooting or terrorism plot, it always seems like they had some type of blog or digital trail that would have given clues. (Like the LA Fitness shootings in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2009 -- he has a blog in which he made suspicious comments. Or Richard Poplawski, charged with killing three Pittsburgh police officers in spring 2009 -- he made comments about killing cops on Internet radio.) Why aren't these nipped in the bud earlier if they are so closely monitored? I just think there is so much information, its impossible to mine it all -- making most of it useless.
2) TIA and data mining http://www.epic.org/privacy/profiling/tia/
It would be nice to get an update on this project, as most of the site was five years old or older. But this gave a good introduction and background of TIA. This would address some of my concerns from the above post: That there is so much being monitored, it's hard to determine what is useful in detecting threats. This is aside from the argument of whether it is ethical/moral to monitor so much ("Big Brother!"), which is a different debate. I can tell from this site that they are against much of this monitoring.
3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS8ywG5M_NQ
I got an error message saying this video had been removed because of a copyright claim by Viacom.
Kristen Huth
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Week 11 muddiest point
I saw that we had some updated assignment grades. Will we be getting updates on our blogs as well?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Assignment 6: My website
Here is the link to my index. You will find links to the other three pages there.
http://www.pitt.edu/~kdh29/
I hope it's working correctly!
http://www.pitt.edu/~kdh29/
I hope it's working correctly!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Week 10 notes
1) Mischo, W. (July/August 2005). Digital Libraries: challenges and influential work. D-Lib Magazine. 11(7/8).http://www.dlib.org/dlib/july05/mischo/07mischo.html
This article gives a background of some of the early digital library projects. It was interesting to read about the DLI-1 and DLI-2 because I had never heard of them. I thought it was interesting, and the article pointed this out, that the Internet was still pretty new when the DLI-1 began. This shows that many organizations were interested in moving libraries forward as the Internet came about. People think of libraries as old-school, dusty old places with books, but now they are increasingly right beside or part of developing these technologies. We just need to market ourselves to change the perception.
It was also interesting to note that many network developments have happened outside of federally/grant-funded ventures. So many see the value in these systems.
2) Paepcke, A. et al. (July/August 2005). Dewey meets Turing: librarians, computer scientists and the digital libraries initiative. D-Lib Magazine. 11(7/8). http://www.dlib.org/dlib/july05/paepcke/07paepcke.html
This article is important because it discusses the relationship/merger between librarians and computer scientists. At the time, most librarians did not know very much about these systems, and they needed computer science to make sure they didn't get "left behind" as information and the world went digital. It was interesting to note the resentment the librarians felt about the computer scientists "hijacking" the money, but computer scientists felt librarians were focusing on the wrong things, like metadata and collection development. The article point out, though, that the "core" of librarianship remains: "The information must be organized, collated, and presented."
3) Lynch, Clifford A. "Institutional Repositories: Essential Infrastructure for Scholarship in the Digital Age" ARL, no. 226 (February 2003): 1-7. http://www.arl.org/resources/pubs/br/br226/br226ir.shtml
This article discusses institutional repositories. I had never heard that term, but once the author defined it, I knew what they were. ("...a university-based institutional repository is a set of services that a university offers to the members of its community for the management and dissemination of digital materials created by the institution and its community members.") The most important thing I drew out of this article is how we organize the exponentially exploding amount of information. In LIS 2000, Dr. Tomer talked about how many people publish scholarly works each year, and how few of those works are read or used by anyone after they are published. (Something like 2% or less.) We have to deal with archiving this, or decide whether it is worth archiving. Who has that power or knowledge, though? Metadata can help us better organize the information, which is probably why we discussed it in this class. I didn't really grasp how important metadata is until reading this article. Without metadata, the information is just loaded into these repositories without a good way to find anything.
This article gives a background of some of the early digital library projects. It was interesting to read about the DLI-1 and DLI-2 because I had never heard of them. I thought it was interesting, and the article pointed this out, that the Internet was still pretty new when the DLI-1 began. This shows that many organizations were interested in moving libraries forward as the Internet came about. People think of libraries as old-school, dusty old places with books, but now they are increasingly right beside or part of developing these technologies. We just need to market ourselves to change the perception.
It was also interesting to note that many network developments have happened outside of federally/grant-funded ventures. So many see the value in these systems.
2) Paepcke, A. et al. (July/August 2005). Dewey meets Turing: librarians, computer scientists and the digital libraries initiative. D-Lib Magazine. 11(7/8). http://www.dlib.org/dlib/july05/paepcke/07paepcke.html
This article is important because it discusses the relationship/merger between librarians and computer scientists. At the time, most librarians did not know very much about these systems, and they needed computer science to make sure they didn't get "left behind" as information and the world went digital. It was interesting to note the resentment the librarians felt about the computer scientists "hijacking" the money, but computer scientists felt librarians were focusing on the wrong things, like metadata and collection development. The article point out, though, that the "core" of librarianship remains: "The information must be organized, collated, and presented."
3) Lynch, Clifford A. "Institutional Repositories: Essential Infrastructure for Scholarship in the Digital Age" ARL, no. 226 (February 2003): 1-7. http://www.arl.org/resources/pubs/br/br226/br226ir.shtml
This article discusses institutional repositories. I had never heard that term, but once the author defined it, I knew what they were. ("...a university-based institutional repository is a set of services that a university offers to the members of its community for the management and dissemination of digital materials created by the institution and its community members.") The most important thing I drew out of this article is how we organize the exponentially exploding amount of information. In LIS 2000, Dr. Tomer talked about how many people publish scholarly works each year, and how few of those works are read or used by anyone after they are published. (Something like 2% or less.) We have to deal with archiving this, or decide whether it is worth archiving. Who has that power or knowledge, though? Metadata can help us better organize the information, which is probably why we discussed it in this class. I didn't really grasp how important metadata is until reading this article. Without metadata, the information is just loaded into these repositories without a good way to find anything.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Week 9 muddiest point
In the Assignment 6 instructions, it says: "You can use any available Website editor." I Googled this, and was bombarded with a lot of sites, some looking better than others. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on which website editor was best. What would be a good one for me to try?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Unit 9 notes
1) Martin Bryan. Introducing the Extensible Markup Language (XML)http://burks.bton.ac.uk/burks/internet/web/xmlintro.htm
This exact page could not be found and I was redirected to the BURKS page. It explained that BURKS is a collection of resources for computing students who don't have access to the Internet. This sounds like a good idea except 1. I don't know any student that has absolutely no access to the Internet (campus, library, etc.) and 2. How could you get a computing degree if you never really get to do things online? Just some thoughts.
2) Uche Ogbuji. A survey of XML standards: Part 1. January 2004.http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-stand1.html
Honestly, I didn't have much of a clue about XML, so I started with Wikipedia for a basic overview before moving on to this site. That gave me somewhat of an idea, although I'm still a bit murky because I have almost no technical computer background. The IBM site above seems like a great go-to site for all kinds of XML resources. It had some great tutorials; I especially liked this one: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/tutorials/xmlintro/?S_TACT=104AHW06 The address example of why XML is needed over HTML (page 2) was excellent and suddenly made its purpose so much clearer. It mentioned that XML ("with the right tools") can even make text into voice.
3) Extending your Markup: a XML tutorial by Andre Bergholz PDF
This had some great examples with the explanation of XML, especially the bibliographies. It explained XLinks, XPaths, XPointers, etc., which I previously had no knowledge on.
4) XML Schema Tutorial http://www.w3schools.com/Schema/default.asp
Like the other W3 Schools tutorials we have used, this one was great. It laid out basically everything you need to know. Although it was good, I thought some of the IBM tutorials were more straightforward and in clearer language. This one went in baby steps, though, which is good for someone slowly learning XML (me!).
This exact page could not be found and I was redirected to the BURKS page. It explained that BURKS is a collection of resources for computing students who don't have access to the Internet. This sounds like a good idea except 1. I don't know any student that has absolutely no access to the Internet (campus, library, etc.) and 2. How could you get a computing degree if you never really get to do things online? Just some thoughts.
2) Uche Ogbuji. A survey of XML standards: Part 1. January 2004.http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-stand1.html
Honestly, I didn't have much of a clue about XML, so I started with Wikipedia for a basic overview before moving on to this site. That gave me somewhat of an idea, although I'm still a bit murky because I have almost no technical computer background. The IBM site above seems like a great go-to site for all kinds of XML resources. It had some great tutorials; I especially liked this one: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/tutorials/xmlintro/?S_TACT=104AHW06 The address example of why XML is needed over HTML (page 2) was excellent and suddenly made its purpose so much clearer. It mentioned that XML ("with the right tools") can even make text into voice.
3) Extending your Markup: a XML tutorial by Andre Bergholz PDF
This had some great examples with the explanation of XML, especially the bibliographies. It explained XLinks, XPaths, XPointers, etc., which I previously had no knowledge on.
4) XML Schema Tutorial http://www.w3schools.com/Schema/default.asp
Like the other W3 Schools tutorials we have used, this one was great. It laid out basically everything you need to know. Although it was good, I thought some of the IBM tutorials were more straightforward and in clearer language. This one went in baby steps, though, which is good for someone slowly learning XML (me!).
Lecture 8 muddiest point
I am feeling very apprehensive about Assignment 6. I have never done anything with html, so I'm not sure where to start. Where is a good place to build it? Do you have any good examples of what our final product should look like (maybe from past semesters)?
Also, Assignment 6 isn't listed under "assignments" in Courseweb. It would be nice if we had a step-by-step instruction like we have for the past projects.
Thank you!
Also, Assignment 6 isn't listed under "assignments" in Courseweb. It would be nice if we had a step-by-step instruction like we have for the past projects.
Thank you!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Assignment 5: Koha
My collection contains books about booktalking. Here is the link to my Koha collection:
http://upitt01-staff.kwc.kohalibrary.com/cgi-bin/koha/virtualshelves/shelves.pl?viewshelf=63
My login is KDH29. The name of the list is "Huth_2600_Booktalking."
http://upitt01-staff.kwc.kohalibrary.com/cgi-bin/koha/virtualshelves/shelves.pl?viewshelf=63
My login is KDH29. The name of the list is "Huth_2600_Booktalking."
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Week 8 notes
1) W3schools HTML Tutorial: http://www.w3schools.com/HTML/
This was awesome to play around with! I know next to nothing about HTML, so pairing this with the cheatsheet below, I was able to play around and get a little more comfortable with it. I still couldn't figure out a number of things, such as how to make a table. But I think I have the basics. I have used W3 Schools to look up some other things about using computers, and I've always found the site helpful.
2) HTML Cheatsheet http://www.webmonkey.com/reference/HTML_Cheatsheet/
I didn't know there were so many HTML codes! This was helpful for when I was on he W3 school site. I kept referring to it the whole time. If I had to do any kind of HTML project, I would print this out and put it beside my computer for easy reference. It makes me wonder if anyone knows every single code, like a language. I guess if you build websites for a living you would. Did anyone see "The Social Network"? The people in that movie were coding like maniacs; they probably didn't need a cheat sheet. But I do!
3) W3 School Cascading Style Sheet Tutorial: http://www.w3schools.com/css/
This got more confusing that straightforward HTML, but if you really knew how it worked, it would save a ton of time. It makes me wonder if anyone uses just HTML to make websites anymore, or if pretty much everything is CSS. When would be a time you wouldn't want to use CSS? This article went way too in-depth for someone like me, who has only a basic knowledge of CSS, but I can tell it would be an excellent source if you wanted to learn CSS (as most of the W3 school sites are).
4) Goans, D., Leach, G., & Vogel, T. M. (2006). Beyond HTML: Developing and re-imagining library web guides in a content management system. Library Hi Tech, 24(1), 29-53.
Much of the language in this article was over my head, but it was interesting. It sounds like it was a huge project involving many people. It sounds like it was a big step up from the original FrontPage that had one "network coordinator" librarian in charge of it, and then the more than 100 guides -- what a searching nightmare. It was interesting reading about the reasoning behind adopting CMS technology. It also went through the process of implementing such a system, which is helpful for anyone looking to do so.
Kristen Huth
This was awesome to play around with! I know next to nothing about HTML, so pairing this with the cheatsheet below, I was able to play around and get a little more comfortable with it. I still couldn't figure out a number of things, such as how to make a table. But I think I have the basics. I have used W3 Schools to look up some other things about using computers, and I've always found the site helpful.
2) HTML Cheatsheet http://www.webmonkey.com/reference/HTML_Cheatsheet/
I didn't know there were so many HTML codes! This was helpful for when I was on he W3 school site. I kept referring to it the whole time. If I had to do any kind of HTML project, I would print this out and put it beside my computer for easy reference. It makes me wonder if anyone knows every single code, like a language. I guess if you build websites for a living you would. Did anyone see "The Social Network"? The people in that movie were coding like maniacs; they probably didn't need a cheat sheet. But I do!
3) W3 School Cascading Style Sheet Tutorial: http://www.w3schools.com/css/
This got more confusing that straightforward HTML, but if you really knew how it worked, it would save a ton of time. It makes me wonder if anyone uses just HTML to make websites anymore, or if pretty much everything is CSS. When would be a time you wouldn't want to use CSS? This article went way too in-depth for someone like me, who has only a basic knowledge of CSS, but I can tell it would be an excellent source if you wanted to learn CSS (as most of the W3 school sites are).
4) Goans, D., Leach, G., & Vogel, T. M. (2006). Beyond HTML: Developing and re-imagining library web guides in a content management system. Library Hi Tech, 24(1), 29-53.
Much of the language in this article was over my head, but it was interesting. It sounds like it was a huge project involving many people. It sounds like it was a big step up from the original FrontPage that had one "network coordinator" librarian in charge of it, and then the more than 100 guides -- what a searching nightmare. It was interesting reading about the reasoning behind adopting CMS technology. It also went through the process of implementing such a system, which is helpful for anyone looking to do so.
Kristen Huth
Week 7 muddiest point
Do we know how many libraries use Koha? It seems like a standard ILS system, and it's free. I went to their website and they had updates about site that recently chose Koha, but I was wondering just how prevalent it is. What types of libraries would find it most useful?
Monday, October 18, 2010
Assignment 4: Zotero and CiteULike
Here is my CiteULike library. My three collections in Zotero were Intellectual Freedom, Newspaper Archives and Weeding as they relate to libraries.
http://www.citeulike.org/user/kdhuth
http://www.citeulike.org/user/kdhuth
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Week 7 notes
1) Tyson, Jeff. http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet-infrastructure.htm/printable
It is strange that we think of the Internet as a single thing, but it really is a lot of small connections. I never thought about how every computer online connects to every other.
I liked reading about routers because obviously I own one but I never really thought about its purpose. I knew it send the information where it needs to go, but I didn't know it made sure that information didn't go where it's not needed. I guess that is really important when there is such a large amount of information (as we saw illustrated in the Google video below).
I did know what an IP address and URL were (which was a relief, because a lot of the acronyms we read about for this class are new to me!). But this was a good review. I am continually, happily surprised at how concise and helpful the readings are for this class.
2) Andrew K. Pace (2004). Dismantling Integrated Library Systems. Library Journal, 129(2), p.34-36.
This article was a little bit technical for me, but I thought the CEO made an interesting comment: When building a new system, you should use the "same intellectual logic" from the original. I think that's a good rule of thumb; you can constantly tweak systems to meet the current technological needs, but the purpose and logic still have to be there.
I thought the "better costs more" part was interesting, too. Libraries do need to realize that these systems cost a ton if they expect them to do all these things. You get what you pay for! Unfortunately, libraries are dealing with a crunch on their budgets just as these technologies become more important.
3) Sergey Brin and Larry Page: Inside the Google machine.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/sergey_brin_and_larry_page_on_google.html
The world graphic at the beginning of the video was awesome. It also showed the awesome reach of Google. Only Africa was mostly dark. He said that even the international space station would have a dot if it were in the map. Then the map showed the links of where in the world information was traveling -- all over. And the flash of one second of Google traffic showed the amount and variety of searches.
I think it's awesome that when one of their developers wants to do something, Google "pretty much lets them do it." You never know what the next big thing will be, and Google is making a smart move in letting its workers explore. It also keeps them happy. They "try things out for fun and see where it goes." Larry Page said something like many useful things come out of hobbies. I didn't know Google News came about that way. (I use it almost daily.)
Also, as an aside -- Brin and Page are funny! I guess I should have expected that from the guys behind Google, which is such an innovative company.
It is strange that we think of the Internet as a single thing, but it really is a lot of small connections. I never thought about how every computer online connects to every other.
I liked reading about routers because obviously I own one but I never really thought about its purpose. I knew it send the information where it needs to go, but I didn't know it made sure that information didn't go where it's not needed. I guess that is really important when there is such a large amount of information (as we saw illustrated in the Google video below).
I did know what an IP address and URL were (which was a relief, because a lot of the acronyms we read about for this class are new to me!). But this was a good review. I am continually, happily surprised at how concise and helpful the readings are for this class.
2) Andrew K. Pace (2004). Dismantling Integrated Library Systems. Library Journal, 129(2), p.34-36.
This article was a little bit technical for me, but I thought the CEO made an interesting comment: When building a new system, you should use the "same intellectual logic" from the original. I think that's a good rule of thumb; you can constantly tweak systems to meet the current technological needs, but the purpose and logic still have to be there.
I thought the "better costs more" part was interesting, too. Libraries do need to realize that these systems cost a ton if they expect them to do all these things. You get what you pay for! Unfortunately, libraries are dealing with a crunch on their budgets just as these technologies become more important.
3) Sergey Brin and Larry Page: Inside the Google machine.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/sergey_brin_and_larry_page_on_google.html
The world graphic at the beginning of the video was awesome. It also showed the awesome reach of Google. Only Africa was mostly dark. He said that even the international space station would have a dot if it were in the map. Then the map showed the links of where in the world information was traveling -- all over. And the flash of one second of Google traffic showed the amount and variety of searches.
I think it's awesome that when one of their developers wants to do something, Google "pretty much lets them do it." You never know what the next big thing will be, and Google is making a smart move in letting its workers explore. It also keeps them happy. They "try things out for fun and see where it goes." Larry Page said something like many useful things come out of hobbies. I didn't know Google News came about that way. (I use it almost daily.)
Also, as an aside -- Brin and Page are funny! I guess I should have expected that from the guys behind Google, which is such an innovative company.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Week 6 notes
1) Local Area Network: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Area_Network
I am sure we have all worked on LANs. I know I have in schools and work. This article was very brief, so I was glad to get a broader overview with the next article ...
2) Computer network http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network
This article showed the differences in many kinds of networks. Now I will be able to differentiate what kind of network I'm using at school, work and home. I am glad it went into intranets, because I've used those at jobs I've had but never quite knew how they worked. I also liked seeing the Internet described as a network: global!
3) Common types of computer networks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dpgqDdfUjQ
I didn't know that many LAN connections can now do what wide area networks used to do; things have become that advanced. I also liked how he mentioned "MANs," or metropolitan area networks. This is an interesting but useful configuration. Some small cities have tried this, and a lot of residents are probably happy. When I was getting my undergraduate at Penn State, the State College borough council discussed doing this in the downtown area. I'm not sure how far they've gotten with that plan, but I know a lot of students would appreciate it.
The video links provided so far for this class have been great: short and straightforward. I look forward to more like them!
4) Coyle, K. (2005). Management of RFID in libraries. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 31(5), 486-489.
The intro to this article was helpful for explaining exactly what RFID is. I knew what it did, but I didn't know how. (I also watched the video under the RFID discussion board, which helped, too.) The author brings up a good point about even if libraries don't embrace RFID right away, we can't ignore it. We have to educate ourselves, especially because RFID may promise a way to speed up operations. (They don't have to be scanned individually, like barcodes -- you can do stacks at a time! And I really liked the idea that the book drop can check in books automatically.) Libraries converted to barcodes eventually, and RFID adds a security measure that barcodes don't have.
I mentioned what I thought some uses might be in my discussion board post, and she hit on some of them, such as advantages in the stacks and shelving. Incorrectly shelved books may no longer we the same as losing a book.
Her problems are valid as well. Obviously privacy is an issue, but so is cost. And if not all items are deemed worthy of that cost -- like flimsy magazines -- it will be a hassle to keep the other barcode method in place.
I am sure we have all worked on LANs. I know I have in schools and work. This article was very brief, so I was glad to get a broader overview with the next article ...
2) Computer network http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network
This article showed the differences in many kinds of networks. Now I will be able to differentiate what kind of network I'm using at school, work and home. I am glad it went into intranets, because I've used those at jobs I've had but never quite knew how they worked. I also liked seeing the Internet described as a network: global!
3) Common types of computer networks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dpgqDdfUjQ
I didn't know that many LAN connections can now do what wide area networks used to do; things have become that advanced. I also liked how he mentioned "MANs," or metropolitan area networks. This is an interesting but useful configuration. Some small cities have tried this, and a lot of residents are probably happy. When I was getting my undergraduate at Penn State, the State College borough council discussed doing this in the downtown area. I'm not sure how far they've gotten with that plan, but I know a lot of students would appreciate it.
The video links provided so far for this class have been great: short and straightforward. I look forward to more like them!
4) Coyle, K. (2005). Management of RFID in libraries. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 31(5), 486-489.
The intro to this article was helpful for explaining exactly what RFID is. I knew what it did, but I didn't know how. (I also watched the video under the RFID discussion board, which helped, too.) The author brings up a good point about even if libraries don't embrace RFID right away, we can't ignore it. We have to educate ourselves, especially because RFID may promise a way to speed up operations. (They don't have to be scanned individually, like barcodes -- you can do stacks at a time! And I really liked the idea that the book drop can check in books automatically.) Libraries converted to barcodes eventually, and RFID adds a security measure that barcodes don't have.
I mentioned what I thought some uses might be in my discussion board post, and she hit on some of them, such as advantages in the stacks and shelving. Incorrectly shelved books may no longer we the same as losing a book.
Her problems are valid as well. Obviously privacy is an issue, but so is cost. And if not all items are deemed worthy of that cost -- like flimsy magazines -- it will be a hassle to keep the other barcode method in place.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Week 5 muddiest point
Thanks for answering my question in class, Jiepu!
I was going to ask a question about getting updates on our blog grades, but you answered that, too. So I have no muddiest point for this week. Thanks!
I was going to ask a question about getting updates on our blog grades, but you answered that, too. So I have no muddiest point for this week. Thanks!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Assignment 3: Jing
I did a tutorial on how to order a book from the library.
Video:
http://www.screencast.com/t/ODZkMjQ1NWIt
Annotated, screenshot instructions (the entire set is here):
1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044745302/in/set-72157624954942899/
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044754224/in/set-72157624954942899/
3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044134843/in/set-72157624954942899/
4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044138139/in/set-72157624954942899/
5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044768894/in/set-72157624954942899/
Video:
http://www.screencast.com/t/ODZkMjQ1NWIt
Annotated, screenshot instructions (the entire set is here):
1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044745302/in/set-72157624954942899/
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044754224/in/set-72157624954942899/
3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044134843/in/set-72157624954942899/
4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044138139/in/set-72157624954942899/
5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/5044768894/in/set-72157624954942899/
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Week 5 comments
http://lostscribe459.blogspot.com/2010/09/week-4-reading-notes.html?showComment=1285111213259#c3674941758992592305
http://megrentschler.blogspot.com/2010/09/week-5-reading-notes-10410.html?showComment=1285889888396#c8647755381716609991
http://megrentschler.blogspot.com/2010/09/week-5-reading-notes-10410.html?showComment=1285889888396#c8647755381716609991
Week 5 notes
1) Database. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database
This article is a great overview of the inner workings of databases. I use them frequently for class research, but I have only a basic grasp of how they operate and are built. Some of this article went too far into depth (mostly in the sections that seemed like alphabet soup), but the types of databases are well explained. I never thought about how many types there are; they seems pretty similar on the surface. A database brings to mind what I access through PittCAT, but in reality there are so many more kinds. I never thought of the Internet as a database, but it is classified as a hypermedia database. This makes sense because search engines help organize the information. I also found the replication and security sections interesting. I could guess that the more replication there is, the greater the risk is for breaking security/confidentiality.
2) Anne J. Gilliland. Introduction to Metadata, pathways to Digital Information: 1: Setting the Stage
http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/standards/intrometadata/setting.html
Metadata boggles my mind in the same way metacognition (thinking about thinking) does. It’s hard to comprehend such minute, specific things. The “big picture” in this article spelled out metadata pretty clearly: “the sum total of what one can say about any information object at any level of aggregation.” The “content, context, structure” model breaks it down clearly as well.
The paragraph “But there is more to metadata than description and resource discovery. ...” got me thinking. I like the idea of incorporating activities/uses with information. This could be especially helpful in libraries and museums for programming. This emphasizes the importance of the information.
Also, user-created metadata is interesting. Users can organize and tag information in ways that they find useful, so it makes their experience better. But this can also make the tangle of information even more complex.
3) Eric J. Miller. An Overview of the Dublin Core Data Model
http://dublincore.org/1999/06/06-overview/
I had never heard of the Dublin Core Data Model before reading this article, but once I read a description of what it is, it made sense. Why not have a standard model for metadata? With the overload of information, this could make organizing and retrieving much easier. Yes, some resources will need more metadata, but this seems like it would work for the majority of resources.
This article is a great overview of the inner workings of databases. I use them frequently for class research, but I have only a basic grasp of how they operate and are built. Some of this article went too far into depth (mostly in the sections that seemed like alphabet soup), but the types of databases are well explained. I never thought about how many types there are; they seems pretty similar on the surface. A database brings to mind what I access through PittCAT, but in reality there are so many more kinds. I never thought of the Internet as a database, but it is classified as a hypermedia database. This makes sense because search engines help organize the information. I also found the replication and security sections interesting. I could guess that the more replication there is, the greater the risk is for breaking security/confidentiality.
2) Anne J. Gilliland. Introduction to Metadata, pathways to Digital Information: 1: Setting the Stage
http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/standards/intrometadata/setting.html
Metadata boggles my mind in the same way metacognition (thinking about thinking) does. It’s hard to comprehend such minute, specific things. The “big picture” in this article spelled out metadata pretty clearly: “the sum total of what one can say about any information object at any level of aggregation.” The “content, context, structure” model breaks it down clearly as well.
The paragraph “But there is more to metadata than description and resource discovery. ...” got me thinking. I like the idea of incorporating activities/uses with information. This could be especially helpful in libraries and museums for programming. This emphasizes the importance of the information.
Also, user-created metadata is interesting. Users can organize and tag information in ways that they find useful, so it makes their experience better. But this can also make the tangle of information even more complex.
3) Eric J. Miller. An Overview of the Dublin Core Data Model
http://dublincore.org/1999/06/06-overview/
I had never heard of the Dublin Core Data Model before reading this article, but once I read a description of what it is, it made sense. Why not have a standard model for metadata? With the overload of information, this could make organizing and retrieving much easier. Yes, some resources will need more metadata, but this seems like it would work for the majority of resources.
Week 4 Muddiest Point
My muddiest point for this week concerns FastTrack:
What should we do if we have a conflict with another class? I have two scheduled for Friday night.
Since this one will be videotaped, could we watch it online and go to the other class? We could at least come sign in so you know we are present ...
Just not sure what the best way to handle it would be!
What should we do if we have a conflict with another class? I have two scheduled for Friday night.
Since this one will be videotaped, could we watch it online and go to the other class? We could at least come sign in so you know we are present ...
Just not sure what the best way to handle it would be!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Assignment 2: Empire State of Mind
These are ten photos of a recent trip to New York City. The screen display images are 1024 x 768, and the thumbnails are 150 x 113. I used Pixlr, which I loved, to size my images. I have used Photoshop at work for many years but never bought it because it's so expensive. Now I know there is a free alternative.
URL to my Flickr set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/sets/72157624895814799/with/5018962360/
URL to my Flickr set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdhuth/sets/72157624895814799/with/5018962360/
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Week 4 notes
1) Data Compression. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_compression
I don’t know anything about encoding, but this article explained it well, especially in relation to any communication: The sender and the receiver have to understand the encoding. Because information is increasing at an explosive pace, compression is vital. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have the resources to handle the information. The example of lossless vs. lossy was effective for understanding as well, showing that lossless maintains more accuracy, but lossy has a smaller file.
2) Data compression basics (long documents, but covers all basics and beyond): http://dvd-hq.info/data_compression_1.php
This article seemed to repeat a lot from the Wikipedia article, with a similiar example of lossless vs. lossy, using letters instead of numbers. It then went into different “families =” of coding, debating the pros and cons of each. The text was a bit confusing because of the technical terms, but the charts at the bottom illustrated the difference in families for images. After reading this article, I think that it would be a lot harder if not impossible to share information without compression, because as technology increases, so has the file size. I’m not sure which family is “best”; I think it depends on the type of file you want to transfer.
3) Edward A. Galloway, “Imaging Pittsburgh: Creating a shared gateway to digital image collections of the Pittsburgh region” First Monday 9:5 2004 http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_5/galloway/index.html
I visited the Historic Pittsburgh website after reading this article, and it has obviously grown substantially since the paper was written. The paper focused mainly on photographs, but the website now includes maps, videos, texts, census records and more. I found the portion of the paper on Dublin Core relevant because the week 5 readings were confusing to me, and this gave it a real-life application. (Sidenote: I didn’t realize the week topics had been switched, so I read Week 5 readings before this week’s.) But seeing the discourse of deciding what type of scheme to use was interesting, especially because they chose eight categories. I think it shows that metadata schemes need to be uniquely tailored to the resource.
4) Paula L. Webb, YouTube and libraries: It could be a beautiful relationship C&RL News, June 2007 Vol. 68, No. 6
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/crlnews/2007/jun/youtube.cfm
I found this article especially relevant to my situation: I am in a high school library completing my practicum, and the kids are always trying to get on YouTube. But the district’s policy prohibits them from visiting it. So I was glad to read about some positive uses for YouTube. I know there is a lot of terrible stuff on there, but I think libraries can make use of the site. People are already on there, and if they subscribe to the library, they can easily find out what’s going on. I wish the article had mentioned TeacherTube, which is a school-friendly version of YouTube. That might alleviate some of the fears that come with YouTube, which has few restrictions. But YouTube would be good for reaching a wider audience of the general, adult population.
I don’t know anything about encoding, but this article explained it well, especially in relation to any communication: The sender and the receiver have to understand the encoding. Because information is increasing at an explosive pace, compression is vital. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have the resources to handle the information. The example of lossless vs. lossy was effective for understanding as well, showing that lossless maintains more accuracy, but lossy has a smaller file.
2) Data compression basics (long documents, but covers all basics and beyond): http://dvd-hq.info/data_compression_1.php
This article seemed to repeat a lot from the Wikipedia article, with a similiar example of lossless vs. lossy, using letters instead of numbers. It then went into different “families =” of coding, debating the pros and cons of each. The text was a bit confusing because of the technical terms, but the charts at the bottom illustrated the difference in families for images. After reading this article, I think that it would be a lot harder if not impossible to share information without compression, because as technology increases, so has the file size. I’m not sure which family is “best”; I think it depends on the type of file you want to transfer.
3) Edward A. Galloway, “Imaging Pittsburgh: Creating a shared gateway to digital image collections of the Pittsburgh region” First Monday 9:5 2004 http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_5/galloway/index.html
I visited the Historic Pittsburgh website after reading this article, and it has obviously grown substantially since the paper was written. The paper focused mainly on photographs, but the website now includes maps, videos, texts, census records and more. I found the portion of the paper on Dublin Core relevant because the week 5 readings were confusing to me, and this gave it a real-life application. (Sidenote: I didn’t realize the week topics had been switched, so I read Week 5 readings before this week’s.) But seeing the discourse of deciding what type of scheme to use was interesting, especially because they chose eight categories. I think it shows that metadata schemes need to be uniquely tailored to the resource.
4) Paula L. Webb, YouTube and libraries: It could be a beautiful relationship C&RL News, June 2007 Vol. 68, No. 6
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/crlnews/2007/jun/youtube.cfm
I found this article especially relevant to my situation: I am in a high school library completing my practicum, and the kids are always trying to get on YouTube. But the district’s policy prohibits them from visiting it. So I was glad to read about some positive uses for YouTube. I know there is a lot of terrible stuff on there, but I think libraries can make use of the site. People are already on there, and if they subscribe to the library, they can easily find out what’s going on. I wish the article had mentioned TeacherTube, which is a school-friendly version of YouTube. That might alleviate some of the fears that come with YouTube, which has few restrictions. But YouTube would be good for reaching a wider audience of the general, adult population.
Week 3 Muddiest Point
My muddiest point is more seeking opinions. Open source software seems amazing, and it's free, and sometimes it's almost just like the commercial version. For example, I starting playing around with Pixlr for Assignment 2, and it seems very similar to Adobe Photoshop. So why would people pay several hundred dollars for something they can pretty much get for free? I used Photoshop for years at my old job as a designer, but never purchased a copy for my home PC because it's so pricey. I guess my question is: What would it take for open source software to become more popular and take a large chuck of business from traditional software companies? Feel free to post a comment.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Week 3 notes
Week 3
1) Machtelt Garrels. “Introduction to Linux: A Hands on Guide”
http://tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/html/
(only need to read section 1, but you are welcome to read the whole document)
Before reading this, I had only heard of Linux. I knew it was an alternative operating system, but I didn’t know it was used on many smartphones and even watches. After reading about it, I think it’s good that users have a choice for an operating system beyong MacOS and Windows. The article pointed out that Linux has become easier for beginners to use, and the screen shots from the links seem startlingly similar to Windows. Linuz may be making a comeback because it’s based in Open Source technology, and that has been becoming increasingly popular. Because Linux is FREE, it may gain even more popularity.
2) http://www.kernelthread.com/mac/osx/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X
I was hesitant of Apple computers for a long time because I wasn’t familiar with OS, but after I began using Macs, I realized they weren’t difficult -- I just needed to learn how. We use Macs in my office, and my family recently purchased one. So I was glad to read these articles and clarify something I use daily. Reading about all of the features, they all sound great. It would be interesting to see a chart that compares each feature to similar ones in Windows and Linux. Otherwise, it’s hard to judge which is better by just reading about them, unless you’ve used all the systems. I didn’t know there were so many versions of Mac OS X (they are are 10.6, or “snow leopard).
3) Paul Thurott “An Update on the Windows Roadmap”
http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2008/06/27/an-update-on-the-windows-roadmap.aspx
Windows got a bad reputation in the past few years because of bugs and kinks in its system, so it was enlightening to read this e-mail. It was heavy on PR, but it acknowledged what the company is facing. There were high expectations for the latest version, and I think it placated some users. I liked reading about the resume time, which went from 30 seconds to 2. This is a huge difference, especially for people who are impatient when booting.
1) Machtelt Garrels. “Introduction to Linux: A Hands on Guide”
http://tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/html/
(only need to read section 1, but you are welcome to read the whole document)
Before reading this, I had only heard of Linux. I knew it was an alternative operating system, but I didn’t know it was used on many smartphones and even watches. After reading about it, I think it’s good that users have a choice for an operating system beyong MacOS and Windows. The article pointed out that Linux has become easier for beginners to use, and the screen shots from the links seem startlingly similar to Windows. Linuz may be making a comeback because it’s based in Open Source technology, and that has been becoming increasingly popular. Because Linux is FREE, it may gain even more popularity.
2) http://www.kernelthread.com/mac/osx/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X
I was hesitant of Apple computers for a long time because I wasn’t familiar with OS, but after I began using Macs, I realized they weren’t difficult -- I just needed to learn how. We use Macs in my office, and my family recently purchased one. So I was glad to read these articles and clarify something I use daily. Reading about all of the features, they all sound great. It would be interesting to see a chart that compares each feature to similar ones in Windows and Linux. Otherwise, it’s hard to judge which is better by just reading about them, unless you’ve used all the systems. I didn’t know there were so many versions of Mac OS X (they are are 10.6, or “snow leopard).
3) Paul Thurott “An Update on the Windows Roadmap”
http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2008/06/27/an-update-on-the-windows-roadmap.aspx
Windows got a bad reputation in the past few years because of bugs and kinks in its system, so it was enlightening to read this e-mail. It was heavy on PR, but it acknowledged what the company is facing. There were high expectations for the latest version, and I think it placated some users. I liked reading about the resume time, which went from 30 seconds to 2. This is a huge difference, especially for people who are impatient when booting.
Week 2 muddiest point
I thought learning about how a CD works is interesting. We use them all the time without thinking about the mechanics. I was wondering about damage and how it affects CDs. I know scratches do, but what about heat? Is there any way to extract info from a part of a CD is only a portion is damaged?
Kristen
Kristen
Week 1 and 2 comments
I didn't realize until I watched the Panopto for this week that we had to post the comments for other people on our own blogs as well. I couldn't remember who all I commented on for weeks 1 and 2, except for these ones:
http://nrampsblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/reading-notes-week-1.html?showComment=1283535207076#c8771520314989494754
http://lis2600fall2010priyashenoy.blogspot.com/2010/09/lis-2600-wk-1.html?showComment=1283535510250#c8182641674238483141
I will post them here as well from now on.
Kristen
http://nrampsblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/reading-notes-week-1.html?showComment=1283535207076#c8771520314989494754
http://lis2600fall2010priyashenoy.blogspot.com/2010/09/lis-2600-wk-1.html?showComment=1283535510250#c8182641674238483141
I will post them here as well from now on.
Kristen
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Week 2 notes
1) Computer Hardware: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_hardware
This break down of parts of a computer was helpful, especially because of the diagram. Clifford Lynch's article from last week, in which he described the levels of technology literacy, made me realize that while I consider myself technologically proficient, it mostly ends at using a computer. I don't really know how it works. This article at least gives me an idea. Now I could at least point out the parts of a computer and explain their basic functions.
2) Moore’s Law: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law
also the video http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-moores-law
Basically, Moore's law states that the number of transistors that can be put on a circuit doubles every few years. This is expected to continue for the next decade or so. This seemed perfectly reasonable to me, given the technology inventions I can think of over the past ten years. (Remember how big cell phones used to be?) But the video introduced me to how mind-boggling this is. The woman in the video compared Moore's law in computers to the auto industry. By now, we should be driving cars that go a million miles an hour, get 1,000 miles to the gallon, that cost about a quarter. Wow! That was a wake-up call that made me evaluate what I had read about Moore's law.
It's interesting to note that when Moore wrote about this theory in 1965, he predicted the trend would continue "for at least ten years." More than 40 years later, it's still true. And now we are predicting at least another ten years. It makes me wonder if the span of Moore's law will continue to be expanded. It also makes me realize that it's hard to predict technological trends (something I thought about while reading this week's digitization articles, too).
I didn't realize that Moore's law has many aspects beyond transistors. It also applies to power consumption (it doubles every 18 months), pixels per dollar (the value of a digital camera), etc.
Also, the article raised the question: Had the theory proven itself true as a self-fulfilling prophecy? Perhaps the industry sees Moore's law as a goal to achieve. It's hard to say.
3) Computer History Museum. http://www.computerhistory.org/
I had never heard of this museum, but now I want to take a field trip there! (Even though it's in California. Which makes sense, that it would be in Silicon Valley.) Looking at the schedule, it is closed frequently for construction. I think the website has a lot to offer, though, and it could be used as a virtual field trip for students. You can even search the museum's entire catalog (72,756 records)!
I especially liked the Timeline feature, where you can click on years to see the developments. You can also filter events by company, people, networking, graphics, etc. I also like the "This Day in History" feature. Today's is the first discovered computer bug (1945): It was an actual moth caught in the hardware. So now I know where the term comes from!
This break down of parts of a computer was helpful, especially because of the diagram. Clifford Lynch's article from last week, in which he described the levels of technology literacy, made me realize that while I consider myself technologically proficient, it mostly ends at using a computer. I don't really know how it works. This article at least gives me an idea. Now I could at least point out the parts of a computer and explain their basic functions.
2) Moore’s Law: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law
also the video http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-moores-law
Basically, Moore's law states that the number of transistors that can be put on a circuit doubles every few years. This is expected to continue for the next decade or so. This seemed perfectly reasonable to me, given the technology inventions I can think of over the past ten years. (Remember how big cell phones used to be?) But the video introduced me to how mind-boggling this is. The woman in the video compared Moore's law in computers to the auto industry. By now, we should be driving cars that go a million miles an hour, get 1,000 miles to the gallon, that cost about a quarter. Wow! That was a wake-up call that made me evaluate what I had read about Moore's law.
It's interesting to note that when Moore wrote about this theory in 1965, he predicted the trend would continue "for at least ten years." More than 40 years later, it's still true. And now we are predicting at least another ten years. It makes me wonder if the span of Moore's law will continue to be expanded. It also makes me realize that it's hard to predict technological trends (something I thought about while reading this week's digitization articles, too).
I didn't realize that Moore's law has many aspects beyond transistors. It also applies to power consumption (it doubles every 18 months), pixels per dollar (the value of a digital camera), etc.
Also, the article raised the question: Had the theory proven itself true as a self-fulfilling prophecy? Perhaps the industry sees Moore's law as a goal to achieve. It's hard to say.
3) Computer History Museum. http://www.computerhistory.org/
I had never heard of this museum, but now I want to take a field trip there! (Even though it's in California. Which makes sense, that it would be in Silicon Valley.) Looking at the schedule, it is closed frequently for construction. I think the website has a lot to offer, though, and it could be used as a virtual field trip for students. You can even search the museum's entire catalog (72,756 records)!
I especially liked the Timeline feature, where you can click on years to see the developments. You can also filter events by company, people, networking, graphics, etc. I also like the "This Day in History" feature. Today's is the first discovered computer bug (1945): It was an actual moth caught in the hardware. So now I know where the term comes from!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Week 1 muddiest point
My muddiest point this week is actually about the muddiest point. You said in class that you instituted the muddiest point because not many people tend to ask questions in class. Is posting muddiest point each week required for participation? Or if there is nothing we are particularly confused about that week, should we just not post one? Or would you like us to just choose one topic for the muddiest point that we think could be elaborated on?
Week 1 notes
1) OCLC report: Information Format Trends: Content, Not Containers (2004). http://www.oclc.org/reports/2004format.htm
The most interesting concept brought up in this article is that people are coming “format agnostic”; that is, they don’t care what medium their information in delivered in. I would argue, though, that they aren’t completely agnostic. Yes, there are many formats to choose from, but people have a preference. Some like to read information, while others like to listen to it. Fortunately, they often have the choice. The news industry has been adapting to this “format agnostic” model in the past 10 years or so; most newspapers offer online content such as videos and podcasts in addition to their print additions. It allows consumers to choose their preferred format.
The implications of self publishing are enormous as well, as we discussed in depth in LIS 2000 (Understanding Information). Anyone can be an author, whether it’s online through a website or blog or in print with a “zine.” Having no gatekeeper such as an editor or publisher is powerful, because although it’s easier for people to get ideas to the masses, it also makes it easier for a lot of bad or wrong information to go out.
I thought the information about phone use was particularly interesting. I read an article recently that predicted that GPS devices and digital cameras will soon fall into obscurity because new smartphones have these capabilities built in in qualities that are just as good as the separate counterparts.
2) Clifford Lynch, “Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy: New Components in the Curriculum for a Digital Culture” http://www.cni.org/staff/cliffpubs/info_and_IT_literacy.pdf
The two levels of information technology literacy were clear-cut. Most people learn how to use technology. But the most successful people learn how that technology works. The comparison to learning to type was effective. Now, if typing is the only skill you have, you won’t get far. Learning how computer systems work make it easier to adapt as technology advances.
3) Vaughan, J. (2005). Lied Library @ four years: technology never stands still. Library Hi Tech, 23(1), 34-49. Athttp://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet;jsessionid=C5A0E976F56F442F9919082BF1F79360?Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/2380230105.html
This article offered many common technology problems among libraries and some solutions. When the UNLV library first opened, the librarians didn’t have to worry about disrupting users’ needs because it was closed. In 2003, when they replaced all the computers, they had to think about how to do it with the least possible interruption. This was important because, as they article said, the computers have a high level of usage; sometimes they are all being used, and there is a waiting time.
I thought designating certain computers, such as the laptops, for student use only was fair. Students pay a high price for tuition, so they should be able to use the school’s facilities with relative ease. The library did have some security problems, though, and I could see how letting students check out laptops would make them an easy target for theft.
The library’s space problem is a common one across the country; this makes digitization an appealing choice. Libraries might be wiser to spend more on computers and digital files than on print materials. It’s more space-effective.
Kristen Huth
The most interesting concept brought up in this article is that people are coming “format agnostic”; that is, they don’t care what medium their information in delivered in. I would argue, though, that they aren’t completely agnostic. Yes, there are many formats to choose from, but people have a preference. Some like to read information, while others like to listen to it. Fortunately, they often have the choice. The news industry has been adapting to this “format agnostic” model in the past 10 years or so; most newspapers offer online content such as videos and podcasts in addition to their print additions. It allows consumers to choose their preferred format.
The implications of self publishing are enormous as well, as we discussed in depth in LIS 2000 (Understanding Information). Anyone can be an author, whether it’s online through a website or blog or in print with a “zine.” Having no gatekeeper such as an editor or publisher is powerful, because although it’s easier for people to get ideas to the masses, it also makes it easier for a lot of bad or wrong information to go out.
I thought the information about phone use was particularly interesting. I read an article recently that predicted that GPS devices and digital cameras will soon fall into obscurity because new smartphones have these capabilities built in in qualities that are just as good as the separate counterparts.
2) Clifford Lynch, “Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy: New Components in the Curriculum for a Digital Culture” http://www.cni.org/staff/cliffpubs/info_and_IT_literacy.pdf
The two levels of information technology literacy were clear-cut. Most people learn how to use technology. But the most successful people learn how that technology works. The comparison to learning to type was effective. Now, if typing is the only skill you have, you won’t get far. Learning how computer systems work make it easier to adapt as technology advances.
3) Vaughan, J. (2005). Lied Library @ four years: technology never stands still. Library Hi Tech, 23(1), 34-49. Athttp://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet;jsessionid=C5A0E976F56F442F9919082BF1F79360?Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/2380230105.html
This article offered many common technology problems among libraries and some solutions. When the UNLV library first opened, the librarians didn’t have to worry about disrupting users’ needs because it was closed. In 2003, when they replaced all the computers, they had to think about how to do it with the least possible interruption. This was important because, as they article said, the computers have a high level of usage; sometimes they are all being used, and there is a waiting time.
I thought designating certain computers, such as the laptops, for student use only was fair. Students pay a high price for tuition, so they should be able to use the school’s facilities with relative ease. The library did have some security problems, though, and I could see how letting students check out laptops would make them an easy target for theft.
The library’s space problem is a common one across the country; this makes digitization an appealing choice. Libraries might be wiser to spend more on computers and digital files than on print materials. It’s more space-effective.
Kristen Huth
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)