Thursday, December 17, 2009
Method 5 Extra Credit
While I enjoy the social capabilities of Picasa, and am especially impressed by the editing functions in this client, as I stated before I am going to choose Flickr because it allows for my photos to be hosted entirely on the web which is much more preferable for me.
Method 5
I have been looking for a good cloud computing option for my pictures. This exercise gave me the opportunity to look at several options in detail. I think Flickr will be the best option for my personal needs. It allows me to store images entirely online eliminating the need to keep them on my computer (which will free up some memory on my computer). I am personally not concerned about losing these images because I have hard copies of all my photos, but if I didn't I might for something like Picasa instead.
In addition, I am happy with all the different community options, such as tagging, leaving notes on the photo, commenting, groups, etc. It seems like a great opportunity to get feedback, keep up with friends' photos, and/or meet people with similar interests as mine.
I think social photo sites such as Flickr would be an excellent option for libraries given the reasons I mentioned above. However, I think libraries should apply a specific strategy when using Flickr as a marketing tool. If a library just throws up a bunch of random pictures and tags them all as "such and such library" only people really interested in that library will come across them. But if the library takes a more directed approach (i.e. a creative photography approach in the library, or an event centered approach) and tags it appropriately, it could direct new users to the library.
In addition, Flickr could serve as a great communal tool for fellow librarians to keep track of what other libraries are doing and maybe even get to know some new colleagues.
In addition, I am happy with all the different community options, such as tagging, leaving notes on the photo, commenting, groups, etc. It seems like a great opportunity to get feedback, keep up with friends' photos, and/or meet people with similar interests as mine.
I think social photo sites such as Flickr would be an excellent option for libraries given the reasons I mentioned above. However, I think libraries should apply a specific strategy when using Flickr as a marketing tool. If a library just throws up a bunch of random pictures and tags them all as "such and such library" only people really interested in that library will come across them. But if the library takes a more directed approach (i.e. a creative photography approach in the library, or an event centered approach) and tags it appropriately, it could direct new users to the library.
In addition, Flickr could serve as a great communal tool for fellow librarians to keep track of what other libraries are doing and maybe even get to know some new colleagues.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Method 4
I am a big fan of RSS feeds. The three feeds I have posted are an example of the three areas I had and continue to use RSS feeds for.
My 3 feeds:
New York Times Theatre - http://feeds.nytimes.com/nyt/rss/Theater
I am a big fan of theatre. Before becoming a librarian I was active as an actor and director and even received a master's degree in theatre history and theory. I use a variety of RSS feeds to keep me posted on what is happening in the industry.
iLibrarian - http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/feed/
This has been my most active collection lately. I have a variety of feeds, like this one that I keep for my own professional development as a librarian. This feed is one of my favorites, because it keeps me apprised of the newest developments in social computing and how librarians may take advantage of them.
ALA Job Listings - http://joblist.ala.org/news/index.cfm?rsstitle=Latest%20ALA%20Job%20Listings
As a recent MLIS graduate my collection of job feeds were invaluable in my job search, especially in the tough economic climate we are currently facing. I strongly believe that these feeds were essential in helping me obtain my current position.
The job feeds are an excellent example of why RSS can be such a useful tool. During my job search I had subscribed to seven different feeds, all posting job openings related to library science. While there were some double postings, every feed also had items that I could not find in any other feed (whether because they were region specific, industry specific, or some other reason). If I were to search these individual websites everyday, it would easily take an hour or more. With RSS feeds, I can go to one site everyday and within minutes, go through any new postings. RSS feeds also allowed me to further specify my search. For example, in addition to the general ALA job feed, I also subscribed to feeds specific to four states that I was most interested in working in.
While I primarily use RSS for the above purposes, there are countless ways users can utilize RSS feeds, and I could not recommend it strongly enough for anyone who uses specific sites on a regular basis for information.
My 3 feeds:
New York Times Theatre - http://feeds.nytimes.com/nyt/rss/Theater
I am a big fan of theatre. Before becoming a librarian I was active as an actor and director and even received a master's degree in theatre history and theory. I use a variety of RSS feeds to keep me posted on what is happening in the industry.
iLibrarian - http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/feed/
This has been my most active collection lately. I have a variety of feeds, like this one that I keep for my own professional development as a librarian. This feed is one of my favorites, because it keeps me apprised of the newest developments in social computing and how librarians may take advantage of them.
ALA Job Listings - http://joblist.ala.org/news/index.cfm?rsstitle=Latest%20ALA%20Job%20Listings
As a recent MLIS graduate my collection of job feeds were invaluable in my job search, especially in the tough economic climate we are currently facing. I strongly believe that these feeds were essential in helping me obtain my current position.
The job feeds are an excellent example of why RSS can be such a useful tool. During my job search I had subscribed to seven different feeds, all posting job openings related to library science. While there were some double postings, every feed also had items that I could not find in any other feed (whether because they were region specific, industry specific, or some other reason). If I were to search these individual websites everyday, it would easily take an hour or more. With RSS feeds, I can go to one site everyday and within minutes, go through any new postings. RSS feeds also allowed me to further specify my search. For example, in addition to the general ALA job feed, I also subscribed to feeds specific to four states that I was most interested in working in.
While I primarily use RSS for the above purposes, there are countless ways users can utilize RSS feeds, and I could not recommend it strongly enough for anyone who uses specific sites on a regular basis for information.
Method 3
The collaborative potential online productivity tools provide should prove heavily influential in the future of work and research projects. Where historically group research/work activities had to occur with all or most members present and usually the work was all done at the same time, the ability to have documents, spreadsheets and other office tools available in the cloud, eliminates the need for proximity between collaborators and even the need to schedule work activities at the same time. Users from across the globe can now collaborate with one another and work on their own schedule. The items they work on then go into the cloud and can be picked up by another collaborator at a later time. While this is a relatively new technology, I think as educational institutions adapt to it, these tools will have a profound influence on how we think of research. The ease with which different parties can work on a document and trace the various changes and edits occurring throughout its development, could pose a challenge to the traditionally hierarchical view of scholarship. Rather than a solitary professor or researcher working on a project, these tools facilitate the ability of multiple scholars from all levels of academia (professor, adjunct, student, independent researcher, etc.) to play a role. As these technologies progress with new tools like Google Wave, the ease of collaboration will increase, and the traditionalist approach will become less and less necessary.
While the potential of cloud computing is very exciting, librarians should exercise caution when using it and instructing others in their use. There does remain some valid concerns about the privacy and longevity of items put into the cloud. Some questions that have not been adequately addressed include: Who can see or distribute the information put in the cloud? Who or what is responsible for protecting the privacy of the user publishing to the cloud? How long can one reasonably expect an item to exist in virtual space? In addition to learning how to operate these tools, librarians should examine these questions in order to help patrons make informed decisions on how they utilize cloud computing.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Methods 1 and 2
Web 2.0 is largely a paradigm shift in how information is controlled and distributed. It indicates a shift from a delivery oriented method to a more process and collaborative orientation in the construction of information. Rather than moving (albeit quickly) to a variety of static web pages, users in a web 2.0 world now have greater autonomy in constructing a unique and personalize digital experience. This necessitates a breakdown in the dominant way of viewing media transactions. The producers of new media relinquish some control to the users, by allowing users to comment, review, personalize, and/or contribute content. In exchange for this, media producers benefit with items that gain greater personal resonance for its users and can potentially be improved upon through user contributions. While it may be an uncomfortable transition for many who have grown accustomed to the old method of operating the adoption of web 2.0 methodologies is not only worth the apparent risk, but a necessary move in order to remain relevant in the new media world.
For libraries, the movement to a library 2.0 model is equally both necessary and beneficial. These new social technologies enable libraries to perform much more effectively at what should be one of their core values, providing superior service to their community. By offering features such as reviews, comments or even digital discussions on the library (that members can contribute in through blogs), libraries provide many more venues to learn the needs of their users and to better meet those needs. By opening up the process of information description and dissemination, through tagging or other methods, libraries can not only provide a mode of resource description that is of the greatest value to its users but also learn much about how patrons use and view information resources.
In addition to these opportunities, it is essential for libraries to move into this new paradigm of Library 2.0 because it is where the majority of the users will be in a few short years (if they aren’t there already). The 2.0 movement has become so ubiquitous that is rapidly approaching the level of expectation. Institutions that do not offer these features will be overlooked for other more technologically relevant organizations. In order to continue serving their communities and remain a viable center of information preservation and discovery, libraries and librarians need to not only offer 2.0 technologies but also be comfortable and knowledgeable of the existing technologies so that they may both make informed decisions for adapting within their institution and take a leadership role within their community on these newest information discovery tools.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
IRLS 571 Assignment 5
Hello -
My name is Michael Saar and this is my 5th assignment for IRLS 571. Here I will review four different technologies and briefly discuss their application to libraries.
I had originally planned on doing a podcast for this assignment, but I ultimately chose a blog because
1) I did not have a microphone, and it was hard to get a decent sound recording from the computer mic
2) I did not feel like shaving
However I will not let these setbacks stop me from discussing the technology as the first of my four technologies!
A. PODCASTS
Podcasts is typically short, serialized, audio or video content created by individuals or organizations for broader distribution. It was designed as a technology to allow amateurs and organizations with little or no money to produce their own multimedia clips and publish them on the internet. These clips would be created and then other people could download them to their computer or personal media device (ie iPod). Typically creators of this content serialize their podcasts by releasing an RSS feed that allows others to subscribe to their show and receive new episodes automatically as they are posted. Aside from the democratic potential of bringing audio and video production to the masses, the Podcast's biggest benefit is asynchronicity. Users can download the content and play it back at their leisure, without losing the important audio/visual clues that could not be conveyed by a transcript or summary of a live lecture for example.
Podcasts have really only recently begun to become a staple part of many libraries but there are already a large amount of ways libraries are utilizing podcasts. Some of these ways are:
- Programming
- Information Literacy and other Education opportunities
- Tours of the libraries or special collections
- Book reviews and overviews of new materials
- And internal communications
Athough at its heart the concept is simple, there is enormous potential for this technology. Its social impact for library users lies in its adaptability to users' information seeking behaviors. This is especially potent in information literacy opportunities. As an asynchronous medium users can download a podcast instructing them how to access a database or use refworks and view the tutorial whenever it is convenient for them (such as when they are wrapping up a paper in the middile of the night). This also points to a greater ease of access. Information can be available at any time because it is downloaded to their computer. Additionally the podcast allows the opportunity for Computer Supported Collaborative Work. Right now this is most clear in the internal communication side (allowing staff members to share updates on projects with each other, despite their schedules), but if libraries began hosting podcasts for its patrons, it could definitely increase collaboration on projects for its users.
WEB FILTERS
Filterin internet content began almost immediately after the internet became a household phenomenon. Filtering basically involves an attempt to block objectional material from users who are not mature enough to view the content or who otherwise would like to avoid seeing the content. It may also be used to block sites that may compromise the security or work productivity of an organization. There are two conventional ways of filtering content:
- Blocking individual words or phrases - sites containing these terms would be blocked
- Or targeting specific websites and blocking them
There are some problems with filtering
- It is subjective - what one person deems inapporopriate may not be viewed that way by others
- Overblocking - websites that contain no offensive content may accidentally be blocked
- Underblocking - websites that DO contain offensive content may slip by the filters, or be deliberately constructed to avoid filters.
While filtering was a web-wide phenomenon early on, it is especially an issue for libraries today. Two laws passed during the Clinton administration have made web filtering a common issue in federally funded libraries:
- The Neighborhood Protection Act - necessitate that all libraries have a internet safety policy and make it publicly available
- CIPA (Childhood Internet Protection Act) - states that any government funded library must use web filtering in order to receive its funding
The social impact on this is obvious. It creates great restrictions on users access to information. This is primarly due to the three problems listed above. While libraries are allowed to designate certain computers as "filter-free" or turn off filters upon a patron's request, the negative connotations of such a request often result in people being to embarassed to request this action. This is not to say filtering does not have benefits: it can offer protection to minors from objectionable content for example, but one of the biggest controversies is how this effects patron's access to information and their individual liberties.
OPEN URL
Unlike Podcasts and Web Filters, Open URL technology grew out of library science. It is a tool that allows users to directly access library resources through the library's OPAC. Before its inception, searching for electronic resources was a hassle to say the least. Libraries had a plethora of different licensed databases and content suppliers and accessing this material could be very confusing to the user. Open URL's allows the permission requesting and problem of locating appropriate copy to occur (for the most part) "behind the scenes." This is all done without the users interaction and instead the user is presented with a clickable link that will take him/her directly to the resource.
Its use in the library began with electronic journal articles but it continues to expand everyday. Now Open URL can be utilized to access just about any digital library resource. As it expands into the commercial sector (e.g. e-commerce), this may also expand the library's application of the technology allowing patrons to purchase items that they want to own for example. The only barrier to this progress is the lack of wide spread standards outside the library community.
More than any other technology in library science this may be the greatest example of disintermediation at work for the user. Rather than going through a series of links, entering user id's, choosing databases, etc, the user now can potentially type in a few keywords and click on the link for a full text article on the topic they are interested in. This greatly affects the users access to information by working in conjunction with their information seeking behaviors.
RFID
RFID, or radio frequency identification began decades ago as a military technology but has recently found use in other fields including libraries. RFID consists of implanting a computer chip into a chosen device. This "tag" can then be read by a radio transmitter which sends a signal that activate the chip. It is similar to a barcode scanner in this way although it is not as restricted as bar code scanners are in its readability. It can read many items at once, from many orientations and from greater distances than an optical scanner.
This technology has had great applications in library circulation. For the reasons listed above, it has been a popular option. Users can check in/out materials at a much quicker pace. Theoretically, an RFID that could read both resources and library cards could allow the patron to check books in/out just by walking by the reader. This not only helps patrons but also curbs theft. It is additionally beneficial in its potential as an inventory device. The reader allows librarians to keep much more efficient track on materials. Since any item could be read, it makes it difficult to lose a resource due to misshelving.
Like the Open URL the biggest social impact of this technology is in its disintermediation. The patron no longer has to wait in line to check in or out books. The process could potentially become immediate.
B. Because of its potential for inventory tracking, RFID will most improve libraries for librarians. Three brief examples will illustrate this point:
- A patron "accidentally walks out" with a resource. The reader automatically reads it as he/she exits and lists the item as checked out under her account. So the library knows exactly where that missing resource went.
- Similarly a book is misshelved by a patron. When a librarian does a periodic inventory, rather than spending hours pouring through the stacks, the reader tells the librarian in a few seconds that a book is on the shelf that shouldn't be, AND exactly which book it is, AND its current location on the shelf.
- A patron takes a book off the shelf to read and then puts it back in its proper place. This long standing problem of recording these types of transactions are solved because the reader can now log in every time a book is removed from the shelf, which book is removed, and for how long it was removed.
While RFID will benefit librarians the most, Open URL technology will improve libraries for patrons the most. Not only will it greatly increase the speed which individual can access resources, it will make it much more intuitive for the user. Open URL is much more similar to conventional web browsing than the older access alternative was. In addition, the speed and simplicity with which resources are available will allow users the time to select and choose a greater variety of resources if they desire. It exponentially increases the users' access to information.
My name is Michael Saar and this is my 5th assignment for IRLS 571. Here I will review four different technologies and briefly discuss their application to libraries.
I had originally planned on doing a podcast for this assignment, but I ultimately chose a blog because
1) I did not have a microphone, and it was hard to get a decent sound recording from the computer mic
2) I did not feel like shaving
However I will not let these setbacks stop me from discussing the technology as the first of my four technologies!
A. PODCASTS
Podcasts is typically short, serialized, audio or video content created by individuals or organizations for broader distribution. It was designed as a technology to allow amateurs and organizations with little or no money to produce their own multimedia clips and publish them on the internet. These clips would be created and then other people could download them to their computer or personal media device (ie iPod). Typically creators of this content serialize their podcasts by releasing an RSS feed that allows others to subscribe to their show and receive new episodes automatically as they are posted. Aside from the democratic potential of bringing audio and video production to the masses, the Podcast's biggest benefit is asynchronicity. Users can download the content and play it back at their leisure, without losing the important audio/visual clues that could not be conveyed by a transcript or summary of a live lecture for example.
Podcasts have really only recently begun to become a staple part of many libraries but there are already a large amount of ways libraries are utilizing podcasts. Some of these ways are:
- Programming
- Information Literacy and other Education opportunities
- Tours of the libraries or special collections
- Book reviews and overviews of new materials
- And internal communications
Athough at its heart the concept is simple, there is enormous potential for this technology. Its social impact for library users lies in its adaptability to users' information seeking behaviors. This is especially potent in information literacy opportunities. As an asynchronous medium users can download a podcast instructing them how to access a database or use refworks and view the tutorial whenever it is convenient for them (such as when they are wrapping up a paper in the middile of the night). This also points to a greater ease of access. Information can be available at any time because it is downloaded to their computer. Additionally the podcast allows the opportunity for Computer Supported Collaborative Work. Right now this is most clear in the internal communication side (allowing staff members to share updates on projects with each other, despite their schedules), but if libraries began hosting podcasts for its patrons, it could definitely increase collaboration on projects for its users.
WEB FILTERS
Filterin internet content began almost immediately after the internet became a household phenomenon. Filtering basically involves an attempt to block objectional material from users who are not mature enough to view the content or who otherwise would like to avoid seeing the content. It may also be used to block sites that may compromise the security or work productivity of an organization. There are two conventional ways of filtering content:
- Blocking individual words or phrases - sites containing these terms would be blocked
- Or targeting specific websites and blocking them
There are some problems with filtering
- It is subjective - what one person deems inapporopriate may not be viewed that way by others
- Overblocking - websites that contain no offensive content may accidentally be blocked
- Underblocking - websites that DO contain offensive content may slip by the filters, or be deliberately constructed to avoid filters.
While filtering was a web-wide phenomenon early on, it is especially an issue for libraries today. Two laws passed during the Clinton administration have made web filtering a common issue in federally funded libraries:
- The Neighborhood Protection Act - necessitate that all libraries have a internet safety policy and make it publicly available
- CIPA (Childhood Internet Protection Act) - states that any government funded library must use web filtering in order to receive its funding
The social impact on this is obvious. It creates great restrictions on users access to information. This is primarly due to the three problems listed above. While libraries are allowed to designate certain computers as "filter-free" or turn off filters upon a patron's request, the negative connotations of such a request often result in people being to embarassed to request this action. This is not to say filtering does not have benefits: it can offer protection to minors from objectionable content for example, but one of the biggest controversies is how this effects patron's access to information and their individual liberties.
OPEN URL
Unlike Podcasts and Web Filters, Open URL technology grew out of library science. It is a tool that allows users to directly access library resources through the library's OPAC. Before its inception, searching for electronic resources was a hassle to say the least. Libraries had a plethora of different licensed databases and content suppliers and accessing this material could be very confusing to the user. Open URL's allows the permission requesting and problem of locating appropriate copy to occur (for the most part) "behind the scenes." This is all done without the users interaction and instead the user is presented with a clickable link that will take him/her directly to the resource.
Its use in the library began with electronic journal articles but it continues to expand everyday. Now Open URL can be utilized to access just about any digital library resource. As it expands into the commercial sector (e.g. e-commerce), this may also expand the library's application of the technology allowing patrons to purchase items that they want to own for example. The only barrier to this progress is the lack of wide spread standards outside the library community.
More than any other technology in library science this may be the greatest example of disintermediation at work for the user. Rather than going through a series of links, entering user id's, choosing databases, etc, the user now can potentially type in a few keywords and click on the link for a full text article on the topic they are interested in. This greatly affects the users access to information by working in conjunction with their information seeking behaviors.
RFID
RFID, or radio frequency identification began decades ago as a military technology but has recently found use in other fields including libraries. RFID consists of implanting a computer chip into a chosen device. This "tag" can then be read by a radio transmitter which sends a signal that activate the chip. It is similar to a barcode scanner in this way although it is not as restricted as bar code scanners are in its readability. It can read many items at once, from many orientations and from greater distances than an optical scanner.
This technology has had great applications in library circulation. For the reasons listed above, it has been a popular option. Users can check in/out materials at a much quicker pace. Theoretically, an RFID that could read both resources and library cards could allow the patron to check books in/out just by walking by the reader. This not only helps patrons but also curbs theft. It is additionally beneficial in its potential as an inventory device. The reader allows librarians to keep much more efficient track on materials. Since any item could be read, it makes it difficult to lose a resource due to misshelving.
Like the Open URL the biggest social impact of this technology is in its disintermediation. The patron no longer has to wait in line to check in or out books. The process could potentially become immediate.
B. Because of its potential for inventory tracking, RFID will most improve libraries for librarians. Three brief examples will illustrate this point:
- A patron "accidentally walks out" with a resource. The reader automatically reads it as he/she exits and lists the item as checked out under her account. So the library knows exactly where that missing resource went.
- Similarly a book is misshelved by a patron. When a librarian does a periodic inventory, rather than spending hours pouring through the stacks, the reader tells the librarian in a few seconds that a book is on the shelf that shouldn't be, AND exactly which book it is, AND its current location on the shelf.
- A patron takes a book off the shelf to read and then puts it back in its proper place. This long standing problem of recording these types of transactions are solved because the reader can now log in every time a book is removed from the shelf, which book is removed, and for how long it was removed.
While RFID will benefit librarians the most, Open URL technology will improve libraries for patrons the most. Not only will it greatly increase the speed which individual can access resources, it will make it much more intuitive for the user. Open URL is much more similar to conventional web browsing than the older access alternative was. In addition, the speed and simplicity with which resources are available will allow users the time to select and choose a greater variety of resources if they desire. It exponentially increases the users' access to information.
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