Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction : Libraries and Technology
I chose this website because it includes the latest trends in library technology from PLA and ALA, including tips and manuals focusing on technology competencies. Listed Sections include links to information on:
Library Technology
Digital Libraries and E-Books
Libraries the internet and the web
Networking Issues
Technology Publications and Technology News
The quote from the website says:
"This page has references to a variety of sites related, in some manner, to library technology. While covering many aspects of the subject, there is somewhat more emphasis on technology use and issues in public libraries. Sites in the Networking section are more broadly inclusive to include intellectual freedom issues, especially in how IF relates to technology. Sites referenced on this page do not imply any type of endorsement. " -- website
Website found through the Google Search Engine using the search terms "future of public libraries".
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Competency - Multimedia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjoJd_uN-7M
Videos are one of the best visual modes of information. That is why I chose this video. This video puts into perspective the future of libraries. The video deals with how the rapid change information search has altered our library habits. The library of the future may be a place that is unrecognizably different from what we have today.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Competency: Databases
I will use four different searches to conduct these search strategies in four different databases for this competency.
The Building Block Approach
For this method I will use the Worldcat database.
There were three search boxes in WorldCat.
In the Search Term fields I used "Information Technology AND digital media AND Photoshop" keyword search.
This yielded 3 total results.
The most relevant was the book "Digital imaging for photographers"
I then decided to use the search terms seperatley.
The first term "Information Technology" found 236,075 hits. This was way too many hits to be uselful. One of the hits was :
Negroponte, N. (1995). Being digital. New York: Knopf.
I know decide that I should try to use similar terms to substitute for "Digital Media". I will use the terms "Computer Graphics"; this gave 76,570 hits.
The term was too broad and mostly showed results of computer software guides.
How can I narrow this down dramatically? I think I should try similar terms to replace "Computer Graphics" and "Information Technology."
I will use the terms "3d rendering" and "animation".
This displayed 43 hits and the first hit was the most relevant but outdated.
Baker, M. P., & Hearn, D. (1994). Computer graphics. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall.
Fennessy, P., ScienceDirect (Online service), & Davies, A. (2001). Digital imaging for photographers. Oxford: Focal Press.
Thoughts:
It seems that the building block approach gives the most results but has very few good hits in the WorldCat database. It requires a user to be familiar with a subject to have the ability to use synonyms. It may be easier, but it gives less relevant information in the end.
The Snowballing Approach
I used the Snowballing approach in Academic Search Complete to search for " information technology".
This yielded 84746 hits.
The Subject Thesaurus Term Suggested the terms "IMAGE processing--Digital Techniques"
This yielded 60 hits.
There was another suggested subject for "watermarking"
The results of the keywords "information technology + image processing --Digital Techniques + Watermarking" yielded two results. The second document was chosen.
Dong, Z., Sha, W., & Jiying, Z. (2009). RST Invariant Image Watermarking Algorithm With Mathematical Modeling and Analysis of the Watermarking Processes. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 18(5), 1055-1068. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Thoughts:
Snowballing is a very directed search. I can greatly focus the results in a database, but lacks flexibility when choosing search terms. The search can be focused too much in one area, and generally can exclude more relevant results in the process. It may be more useful when researching a certain subject in a field of study.
The Successive Fraction Approach
I will apply the Successive Fraction Approach to the ERIC database using the terms "library technology"
This yielded 220 results.
In searching the subject tags I then added the terms "not web sites"
This yielded 216 results. I still thought it was too many results so I narrowed it down even further with "not school", "not vendors", "not distance education", "not costs".
I figured that adding this many exclusive terms would not narrow it down as fast as I needed so I added the "AND public" operator.
This really narrowed down the results to 37. This was a more manageable amount of results.
I went ahead and added "AND adults" and dropped this down to an astonishing 2 results.
The second result was most relevant.
Huntington, B., Swanson, C., & Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, M. (2002). Adults with Special Needs. A Resource and Planning Guide for Wisconsin's Public Libraries. Retrieved from ERIC database.
Thoughts:
This approach I found to be the most useful. I could limit the search by any terms and widen it with boolean operators. I wonder how the database interprets the words "not, and, with" without including them as keywords. I can only assume it translates them into limiters even though the database does not state as such. This reminds me of Google that has boolean searches also but uses the symbols such as + and - instead of the word operators.
The Most Specific Facet First Approach
I will apply this technique to the Project Muse database.
I will use the terms "Information Technology AND Digital Media AND Photoshop".
The most specific term here is "Photoshop" as that program is only used in photo alterations.
The first term "Information Technology" yielded 68 results.
The first term "Digital Media" yielded 57 results.
Photoshop is the most specific term here yet it received the most hits.
The first term "Photoshop" yielded 111 results.
I decided to use all three terms together and they yielded 48 total results with the 25th result being the most relevant.
Turim, Maureen C. (1999). Artisanal Prefigurations of the Digital: Animating Realities, Collage Effects, and Theories of Image Manipulation. 21(1), 49-62. Retrieved from the Project Muse Database.
Thoughts:
In this particular database most of the results were a little broad. I may have been the size of the database, but I can see these numbers increasing exponentially in a different database. I thought that the term "Photoshop" would show the least results, because it was specific enought to narrow down the search. The reverse happened and it displayed the most results for that keyword.
The Building Block Approach
For this method I will use the Worldcat database.
There were three search boxes in WorldCat.
In the Search Term fields I used "Information Technology AND digital media AND Photoshop" keyword search.
This yielded 3 total results.
The most relevant was the book "Digital imaging for photographers"
I then decided to use the search terms seperatley.
The first term "Information Technology" found 236,075 hits. This was way too many hits to be uselful. One of the hits was :
Negroponte, N. (1995). Being digital. New York: Knopf.
I know decide that I should try to use similar terms to substitute for "Digital Media". I will use the terms "Computer Graphics"; this gave 76,570 hits.
The term was too broad and mostly showed results of computer software guides.
How can I narrow this down dramatically? I think I should try similar terms to replace "Computer Graphics" and "Information Technology."
I will use the terms "3d rendering" and "animation".
This displayed 43 hits and the first hit was the most relevant but outdated.
Baker, M. P., & Hearn, D. (1994). Computer graphics. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall.
Fennessy, P., ScienceDirect (Online service), & Davies, A. (2001). Digital imaging for photographers. Oxford: Focal Press.
Thoughts:
It seems that the building block approach gives the most results but has very few good hits in the WorldCat database. It requires a user to be familiar with a subject to have the ability to use synonyms. It may be easier, but it gives less relevant information in the end.
The Snowballing Approach
I used the Snowballing approach in Academic Search Complete to search for " information technology".
This yielded 84746 hits.
The Subject Thesaurus Term Suggested the terms "IMAGE processing--Digital Techniques"
This yielded 60 hits.
There was another suggested subject for "watermarking"
The results of the keywords "information technology + image processing --Digital Techniques + Watermarking" yielded two results. The second document was chosen.
Dong, Z., Sha, W., & Jiying, Z. (2009). RST Invariant Image Watermarking Algorithm With Mathematical Modeling and Analysis of the Watermarking Processes. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 18(5), 1055-1068. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Thoughts:
Snowballing is a very directed search. I can greatly focus the results in a database, but lacks flexibility when choosing search terms. The search can be focused too much in one area, and generally can exclude more relevant results in the process. It may be more useful when researching a certain subject in a field of study.
The Successive Fraction Approach
I will apply the Successive Fraction Approach to the ERIC database using the terms "library technology"
This yielded 220 results.
In searching the subject tags I then added the terms "not web sites"
This yielded 216 results. I still thought it was too many results so I narrowed it down even further with "not school", "not vendors", "not distance education", "not costs".
I figured that adding this many exclusive terms would not narrow it down as fast as I needed so I added the "AND public" operator.
This really narrowed down the results to 37. This was a more manageable amount of results.
I went ahead and added "AND adults" and dropped this down to an astonishing 2 results.
The second result was most relevant.
Huntington, B., Swanson, C., & Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, M. (2002). Adults with Special Needs. A Resource and Planning Guide for Wisconsin's Public Libraries. Retrieved from ERIC database.
Thoughts:
This approach I found to be the most useful. I could limit the search by any terms and widen it with boolean operators. I wonder how the database interprets the words "not, and, with" without including them as keywords. I can only assume it translates them into limiters even though the database does not state as such. This reminds me of Google that has boolean searches also but uses the symbols such as + and - instead of the word operators.
The Most Specific Facet First Approach
I will apply this technique to the Project Muse database.
I will use the terms "Information Technology AND Digital Media AND Photoshop".
The most specific term here is "Photoshop" as that program is only used in photo alterations.
The first term "Information Technology" yielded 68 results.
The first term "Digital Media" yielded 57 results.
Photoshop is the most specific term here yet it received the most hits.
The first term "Photoshop" yielded 111 results.
I decided to use all three terms together and they yielded 48 total results with the 25th result being the most relevant.
Turim, Maureen C. (1999). Artisanal Prefigurations of the Digital: Animating Realities, Collage Effects, and Theories of Image Manipulation. 21(1), 49-62. Retrieved from the Project Muse Database.
Thoughts:
In this particular database most of the results were a little broad. I may have been the size of the database, but I can see these numbers increasing exponentially in a different database. I thought that the term "Photoshop" would show the least results, because it was specific enought to narrow down the search. The reverse happened and it displayed the most results for that keyword.
Competency:Tagging/Indexing/Cataloging
As user "angelmew" I added the tags boolean, and hyperstructure to the following book.
Information Representation and Retrieval in the Digital Age (Asist Monograph Series) by Heting, Chu.
http://www.librarything.com/work/4014541/book/62392827
I added these tags to this book because this is our textbook.
This is part of the tag cloud associated with this book:
Competency: RSS Feeds
I have two RSS feeds included on a widget to the left of my blog.
The first RSS feed is the "Disruptive Library Technology Jester" blog. Because I am interested in the future of our libraries, I chose to go with a blog that provided interesting insight into this subject with a theoretical sometimes conceptual perspective. Because you can only theorize about the future of information technology, it is a good idea to be exposed to many different ideas no matter how fraudulent they may seem. Although this blog may contain some conceptual ideas, it also has a lot insightful postings on current web 2.0 technologies such as twitter and other things like developments in Information technologies.
The feed url is : http://feeds.dltj.org/DisruptiveLibraryTechnologyJester
The second blog "Agnostic, Maybe": http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/feed/
This blog is written by a librarian that believes that a healthy discussion on all subject is integral to a deeper meaning and understanding about a subject. This blog points out the latest happenings in our community libraries today with a honest librarian's opinion.
The first RSS feed is the "Disruptive Library Technology Jester" blog. Because I am interested in the future of our libraries, I chose to go with a blog that provided interesting insight into this subject with a theoretical sometimes conceptual perspective. Because you can only theorize about the future of information technology, it is a good idea to be exposed to many different ideas no matter how fraudulent they may seem. Although this blog may contain some conceptual ideas, it also has a lot insightful postings on current web 2.0 technologies such as twitter and other things like developments in Information technologies.
The feed url is : http://feeds.dltj.org/DisruptiveLibraryTechnologyJester
The second blog "Agnostic, Maybe": http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/feed/
This blog is written by a librarian that believes that a healthy discussion on all subject is integral to a deeper meaning and understanding about a subject. This blog points out the latest happenings in our community libraries today with a honest librarian's opinion.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Competency: Podcast
Podcast: Longshots #230: Is the Netflix Model the New Library Model?
Search Engine used: GoogleApril 28, 2010
Sarah talks with Sean Reinhart, director of the Hayward (CA) Public Library, about the launch of Hayward's Fines-Free Library Loan program. Based on the Netflix model, for a low monthly fee, library users have the benefit of unlimited loan periods and no fines. Reinhart believes that like the private sector, libraries must be responsive to changing expectations to ensure continued use and customer satisfaction. With the danger of layoffs and budget cuts we must look into a new model of procuring budget funds for libraries. In this podcast, it gives valuable insight how we can change our current practices to evolve with our communities expectations.
Details:
The Hayward Public Library does a study where they realize 20% of their users accrue late fines high enough to limit their library usage (about an estimated 20,000 persons). The subscription method they implemented saves money on overall work costs. The subscription fee they implement is similar to Netflix's in where they charge a set fee for a set amount of items. The fees are 2.99 for three items out at any given time, 5 items for 4.99, 10 items for 8.99 a month. The Hayward Public Library is trying to gravitate to a more customer service friendly system that major retail sectors have already implemented. Sean Reinhart wants the library to take on a more competitive model and encourage library usage by lessening the impact of fines on their patrons. The system is still in testing at this library.
This podcast was found through Google because of its broad search capabilities. Other search engines provided lesser results and made this type of topic difficult to search for. This particular podcast was chosen for insight into different models of library service that have yet to be tested thoroughly but could potentially change the way we use our public libraries.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Competency: Related Blog
Kindle does poorly on college campuses
Blog : Resource Shelf
Search engine used : Technorati
A daily newsletter with resources of interest to information professionals, educators and journalists.
It appears unlikely that the Amazon Kindle DX will be making a comeback in most college and graduate school classrooms this fall. Over the past few months, results from the pilot programs have trickled in, with most schools reporting that students were dissatisfied with the device as a classroom tool, and that many students had abandoned the Kindle just a few weeks into the experiment. At some schools, more than half the students surveyed said they wouldn’t recommend the e-reader to friends for use in the classroom, citing the device’s lack of flexibility, slow navigation within readings, and an inadequate file management system.
Thoughts:
One major concern in a library setting is if technology will make books obsolete. This is a good example of the potential limitations of e-books. We often feel the pressure in our libraries to upgrade and push the latest technology without careful consideration of what our main goals currently are. If anything is to replace books, it would have to be made with careful forethought on the user base along with pricing. Most of the drawbacks of the Kindle mentioned here were things that could be fixed in the future versions of Kindle. It may have not been successful in this instance because of usability. I am not making conclusions yet on what format will win in the end. For now, it seems, that books are easier for college students to use.
I included this post as an example of what can happen in an academic or public library that tries to include the latest technology. There are still drawbacks to digital books. Where as you can keep a copy of a book for years on the shelf, some books that are downloaded on an e-reader can be deleted without your consent by the owning company. These initial pilot programs test usability of e-books, but they do not test the long term costs, or effects of using these devices.
Blog : Resource Shelf
Search engine used : Technorati
A daily newsletter with resources of interest to information professionals, educators and journalists.
It appears unlikely that the Amazon Kindle DX will be making a comeback in most college and graduate school classrooms this fall. Over the past few months, results from the pilot programs have trickled in, with most schools reporting that students were dissatisfied with the device as a classroom tool, and that many students had abandoned the Kindle just a few weeks into the experiment. At some schools, more than half the students surveyed said they wouldn’t recommend the e-reader to friends for use in the classroom, citing the device’s lack of flexibility, slow navigation within readings, and an inadequate file management system.
Thoughts:
One major concern in a library setting is if technology will make books obsolete. This is a good example of the potential limitations of e-books. We often feel the pressure in our libraries to upgrade and push the latest technology without careful consideration of what our main goals currently are. If anything is to replace books, it would have to be made with careful forethought on the user base along with pricing. Most of the drawbacks of the Kindle mentioned here were things that could be fixed in the future versions of Kindle. It may have not been successful in this instance because of usability. I am not making conclusions yet on what format will win in the end. For now, it seems, that books are easier for college students to use.
I included this post as an example of what can happen in an academic or public library that tries to include the latest technology. There are still drawbacks to digital books. Where as you can keep a copy of a book for years on the shelf, some books that are downloaded on an e-reader can be deleted without your consent by the owning company. These initial pilot programs test usability of e-books, but they do not test the long term costs, or effects of using these devices.
Introduction to my Blog
The purpose of this blog is to record and display my collection of competencies in Information Organization through a series of exercises that will cover many different types of databases, social networking sites, podcasts, and RSS feeds. This blog will be turned in at the end of Summer term for final grading.
Although, this isn't my first attempt at blogging, I still have this idea in my head that blogs are like diaries. It is no surprise to me that more women are bloggers than men. Some of the blogs out there border on news reports, but the main difference between a blog and a diary is that you can't put a little padlock on it, admire your own handwriting, or decorate it with crazy stickers. The bonuses include not having to lug your blog around with you like a diary, or worry about losing it in a freak fire accident.
This brings me to this blogs topic. The future of Public Libraries and information storage.
Is a blog merely an over-hyped electronic version of a diary or memoir?
What does this conversion from paper to computer data hold for the future of Public libraries? I will attempt to identify major trends on this issue, and in the process I will theorize on the direction our public libraries are going based on technological, societal, and cultural factors.
Although, this isn't my first attempt at blogging, I still have this idea in my head that blogs are like diaries. It is no surprise to me that more women are bloggers than men. Some of the blogs out there border on news reports, but the main difference between a blog and a diary is that you can't put a little padlock on it, admire your own handwriting, or decorate it with crazy stickers. The bonuses include not having to lug your blog around with you like a diary, or worry about losing it in a freak fire accident.
This brings me to this blogs topic. The future of Public Libraries and information storage.
Is a blog merely an over-hyped electronic version of a diary or memoir?
What does this conversion from paper to computer data hold for the future of Public libraries? I will attempt to identify major trends on this issue, and in the process I will theorize on the direction our public libraries are going based on technological, societal, and cultural factors.
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