Just another Classes.tametheweb.com Blogs weblog

Library 101 is the brainchild of Michael Porter and David Lee King, launched last week (Oct. 28). The site urges librarians to keep current with emerging technology in order to remain relevant. The site includes a (very long) music video starring Michael and David, with lyrics such as:

Now for generations libraries have been at freedom’s core.
But now technology is making huge leaps and we must do more.
There’s a cry for emerging tools that help us evolve.
And without that we might die, man this must be solved!

Library 101 Music Video

It also includes 23 essays on Library 101 by some of the most well known people in Libraryland.
The biggest thing, though, is their link filled list of 101 RTK (Resources and Things to Know). Included in the list are skills that have been vital to librarians since long before the Internet, like creativity, a love of lifelong learning, and people skills.

Next the list covers present day libraries, with necessary skills such as time management and long range planning, along with a long list of computer skills and Web 2.0 tools. The authors emphasize that everybody working in the library should be able to perform basic computer troubleshooting, help patrons connect to the library’s wi-fi, and perform simple functions on both PCs and Macs.

Librarians should also know how to use Facebook, Twitter, IM, and Google Docs, as well as Skype, Hulu, and Brightkite. We must know how to decipher text messages, record podcasts, make videos, write blogs, and create dynamic presentations. We’re also expected to be experts on the privacy policies of social networking sites, and help patrons debunk myths and avoid online scams. And of course, we have to look to the future, and be ready for new technologies and changing markets.

What? You mean you don’t know how to create a mashup with Google maps? Never downloaded an app to an iPhone? No idea what ‘cu@ da bar 4 pza 2nite’ means? That’s okay. Every one of the resources and things to know on the list includes a link to a site with more information.

I thought that the provided list was excellent, and while I’m familiar with many of the 101, I hope to work my way through the rest of the list. There are a few things missing, however. There are no resources on copyright, for one. Given how frequently the topic arises, it’d be nice to see information about current copyright law, fair use guidelines, and creative commons licenses, as well as DRM and why most audiobook downloads won’t work on an iPod.

I also would have liked to see a greater emphasis on marketing libraries and library services. I think it’s wonderful to encourage librarians to learn to use all of the tools and resources on this list, but there’s not much point in it if people don’t know they can go to the library for help. All in all, though, Library 101 provides a fantastic selection of resources and a strong argument for keeping current with technological trends.

Cloud computing is a relatively new phenomenon that allows users to store and use data online – in the cloud – rather than on their own hardware. There are hundreds and hundreds of web applications that can replace the vast majority of software installed on individual machines. Cloud computing creates a more centralized system of data storage and retrieval, which allows the same operations to be performed on less powerful – but more portable – devices than ever before. As always, there are certain risks to putting any personal information online, and consideration must be given to the privacy, security, and accessibility of data in cloud computing.

Source: www.boston.com

Cloud Computing Applications

With cloud computing, users are now able to perform nearly all of their regular tasks online. Word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations can be done online using Google Docs, Buzzword, Zoho, or OpenGoo. Webmail has become ubiquitous, and Meebo lets you IM all your contacts from nearly every IM client through one web page. Del.icio.us is just one of many online bookmark managers. Yahoo, Google, and many others provide online interactive calendars and to-do lists. Pandora and Last.fm provide personalized streaming music. Photo sharing sites like Flickr, Picasa Web Albums, and Photobucket let you store your digital pictures rather than on your hard drive, and you can share them with friends, or keep them private if you prefer. Image editing can be done through Picnik, Aviary Phoenix, or Adobe Photoshop Express. They may not be quite as powerful as Photoshop, but they’re more than sufficient for the average user.

Source: http://aviary.com/tools/phoenix

Video can be recorded from a webcam straight to YouTube, or can be edited with JayCut, or GorillaSpot. There are also a myriad of online productivity tools, and specialized web applications for everything from monitoring ovulation cycles to tracking your sleeping habits. There is, of course, the much-anticipated online collaboration tool, Google Wave. There are also web desktops (or webtops) that simulate an operating system from within a browser.  A few examples are eyeOS and Cloudo.

eyeOS

Cloudo

Potential Uses

While the sheer number of web applications, productivity suites, and even simulated operating systems accessible from a standard web browser can be overwhelming, it also opens up tremendous opportunities. For many years consumers have been demanding better, and faster computers with more storage and faster processing speed. But as Clive Thompson pointed out in an article in Wired magazine: “Our most common tasks—email, Web surfing, watching streamed videos—require very little processing power. Only a few people, like graphic designers and hardcore gamers, actually need heavy-duty hardware.” A shift to cloud computing means that people can do just about everything they need to from their browser, and can use a much less powerful computer to do so. If most of your data is stored online, there’s no need for a huge hard drive; and if all your applications can be accessed through your web browser, do you really need the latest and greatest processor? We’ve already witnessed a shift from bulky desktop computers to laptops, and now we’re beginning to see the proliferation of netbooks and smart phones. I believe that within the next few years most data storage and computing power is going take place on large servers, while personal computers are going to become less powerful but much more portable.

Netbook

Risks

Obviously there are always inherent risks when putting any personal data online. For one thing, your privacy is limited only to the terms of the application you are using. Some applications, such as Facebook, will continue to store your information, status updates, and photos even after you have deleted them from your profile. Also, it is much easier for law enforcement officials to obtain your data from a third party’s server than from your personal computer. Another concern is security. While most cloud computing applications have pretty decent security, the threat is still there, and users would be wise to use strong passwords, and never put any potentially damaging information online. Another, less obvious, concern is accessibility. Many cloud computing applications have restrictions on users retrieving their own data. Flickr only lets users see the last 200 photos they uploaded, unless they pay for the pro account, and Twitter only allows users to export 3200 updates. Projects such as Google’s Data Liberation Front are trying to change this, but the fact remains that when using cloud computer users are dependent on a third party’s policies for retrieving their data. Even if a web application doesn’t restrict users from removing or retrieving their information, servers can crash or become unavailable, making it impossible to get access to your data when you need it.

Data Liberation Front

Despite the risks, cloud computing continues to be a powerful force. The overwhelming number of applications – with more cropping up daily – almost guarantees that whatever you need to do, you can do online.

Sources:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-great-alternatives-to-google-docs-you-should-consider/

http://lifehacker.com/5307419/five-best-online-image-editors

http://speckyboy.com/2008/06/22/132/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_desktop

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing

http://www.wired.com/gadgets/wireless/magazine/17-03/mf_netbooks

http://lifehacker.com/5325169/the-hidden-risks-of-cloud-computing

http://download.cnet.com/webware-apps/?tag=hdr;snav

http://www.dataliberation.org/

Should Your Library Have a Social Media Policy?

I thought this article made some good points regarding the line between one’s personal and public lives, and how social networking sites can blur that line. The story about James Andrew’s twitter fiasco is somewhat disturbing, but probably not at all uncommon.

It makes me question how much control an organization should be allowed to exert over an employee’s use of social networking. Being a diehard first amendment supporter, my gut instinct is to say that as long as they’re not doing it on company time, a person should be able to write whatever they want on Facebook, Twitter, or their personal blog. After all, their time outside of work is their own. The problem, of course, comes from the melding of private and public arenas.

If I want to write about how much I hate my job in a personal journal, or complain about my library director to a friend over the phone, I absolutely have the right to do so. But do I have the right to put up flyers all over town, or take out an ad in the local paper expressing those same complaints? Technically, I’d like to think so. But if those comments reflect poorly on my employer, what rights do they have to protect their image?

source: School Library Journal

It’s a tough call. How far does the first amendment extend, and what are employer’s rights? Should my organization be able to fire me because after a rough day I post a comment on Facebook saying I hate my job? What if one of my tweets suggests an inappropriate relationship between my company’s CEO and a barnyard animal?

I think the guidelines in this article are a good place to start. First of all, users should make it clear that their opinions are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their organization. Comments should be kept respectful. Before putting anything online users should ask themselves: “If I knew my boss would be reading this, would I still post it?” “If a potential employer looked at my Twitter feed, would they still hire me?” If the answer is no, don’t post it. Secondly, confidentiality should always be respected. To me, that’s one area where a company absolutely has the right to defend themselves. Information about clients, finances, security, and company secrets has no place on social networks.

If users think twice about what they’re putting out there for the world to see, and act responsibly and respectfully, there should be no need for an organization to regulate their off-hours use of social networking sites.

Imagine a library with no books, but with three enormous flat screen televisions in their place.

It sounds like something out of Fahrenheit 451, but according to a Boston Globe article, it is soon to be a reality at Cushing Academy, a New England prep school 90 minutes west of Boston.

source: http://www.boston.com/news/

source: http://www.audioeditions.com/covers/

The school’s headmaster, James Tracy, views books as an outdated technology and has decided to get rid of the library’s 20,000 volumes to create a virtual learning center. It will be complete with flat screen TV’s, laptop friendly study carrels, and a $50,000 coffee shop – including a $12,000 cappuccino machine – where the reference desk once stood. But students who actually want to read need not worry. The school will be providing a whopping 18 electronic readers preloaded with selected works to meet the literary needs of an entire student body!

Who could ask for anything more?

Now I’m no luddite. I can’t remember the last time I sent a letter via snail mail, I haven’t had a landline telephone connection since moving out of my parents’ house, and I consider my high speed internet connection to be as necessary a utility as electric and water. But I cannot imagine a library without books.

Sure the new electronic readers offer some great features. They are smaller and more portable than many books. You can carry 1500 novels with you everywhere. You can download literary works almost anywhere you go.

But what happens when you spill coffee (from the $12,000 cappuccino machine perhaps) on your $300 kindle? Or you accidentally leave it on the train? What if you want to read in the bathtub? And what happens when the battery dies?

In many ways printed books have tremendous advantages over electronic readers. They’ve been around for over a thousand years and have stood the test of time. They can be shared, resold, purchased used, or loaned to a friend. They don’t come with DRM software imbedded and there are no terms of service agreements required. Books can also be dropped, stained, lost, or crushed, and are often still readable afterward. If not, an individual book is easily replaced. But a library full of books is irreplaceable.

My name is Stacy Taylor and this is my third semester in the GSLIS program.

I currently work at Follett Library Resources as a cataloging paraprofessional, and I haven’t yet decided what field of librarianship I want to go into after graduation. I enjoy cataloging, but I’m not sure how long I want to continue in that field. I’m currently leaning towards either academic or something less traditional.

I’m really interested in technology and I’ve been looking forward to taking this class. I’m glad to have all my core classes out of the way so I can enjoy my electives.