Tuesday, October 30, 2007

YouTube Tuesday

Librarians of Second Life
The second part of the series. You can see the first part here.



52 Book Pick-Up
I wonder who had to reshelve these?


Monday, October 29, 2007

Impress Your Professor: What if there was a library that held every book on the planet?

or, The End of OCLC?

Often when I'm doing research I do a keyword search in the library catalog, a really good boolean search, with AND and OR and w/5, and I get a list of 15 hits or so, scroll down, look at the titles, and wish I had more information than the OPAC record give me before I go hunting in the stacks.

Open Library may be the answer to my problems, and the true Library 2.0. Open Library wants to give every book on the planet a web page that collects all the information known about that book - library records, publisher information and promotional materials, scans, full-text PDFs, reviews, links to buy, borrow, or download each book, and anything else that is relevant. The book pages are "structured wikis." According to the Open Library website, the library catalog and content will be created and curated by anyone who wants to contribute.

The site will store all the different category systems and let people choose what they want - LOC, Dewey, tagging, as well as the different ways to categorize books - ISBN, OCLC.

They want to do a "scan on demand" feature that would be a way to pay for the digitization of out-of-print books.

Aaron Swartz is leading the Open Library team. Most of their funding comes from Internet Archive. Currently they have about 10 million catalog records, mostly from the Library of Congress and the University of North Carolina. Publishers have also been very cooperative in giving records. OCLC has refused to give their records to the project, since they profit from cataloging records. Swartz claims that Open Library is "...an OCLC killer."

I am excited about the possibility of doing a keyword search in the Open Library catalog and coming up with a list of titles linked to reviews, author information, a list of libraries in my area holding a copy...

What will become of OCLC if Open Library takes off? What will become of libraries? Is this the face of the real Library 2.0?

I hope we can talk over all of these things at our wonderful event on November 7 with our distinguished panelists who have just returned from the National ASIS&T Conference. I am sure that each one has a very interesting opinion on this matter. Please join us at 6:30 pm in the May Gallery of the Mullen Library on the campus of The Catholic University of America. If you haven't already registered, please do so by November 6!

Registration ending soon for CUA and PVC ASIS&T Program

Please join the Potomac Valley and Catholic University of America Chapters of ASIS&T for our next exciting program!

"Bringing it Home: Highlights from the ASIS&T National Meeting"

WHEN: Wednesday, November 7, 2007 (Light supper and snacks provided 6pm, the program will run 6:15 - 8:30pm.)

WHERE: May Gallery, John K. Mullen Library, Catholic University of America

Click HERE for registration and more information.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

YouTube Tuesday

Ipod, Powerpoint, and Libraries
Some libraries are allowing students to borrow iPods to take audio tours of the library. Now, with video iPods, PowerPoint shows can be downloaded by students to their own iPods. Here's a quick tutorial on what works and what doesn't on the small video iPod screen.



A (Remade) Oldie But Goodie

Has anyone actually met a librarian named Marian?

Friday, October 19, 2007

Impress Your Professor: Image Indexing...to control or not to control

Images are multiplying by the billions on the internet and it's folks like us who must figure out how it is, exactly, that we are to retrieve all of this information! Images, however, pose a unique challenge of context: cultural, visual, linguistic and otherwise. Dr. Choi, illustrates the complexity of the matter with this picture:



To control or not to control the vocabulary...that is the question.

This summer, the Wall Street Journal featured an article on the subject: Computer Scientists Pull a Tom Sawyer To Finish Grunt Work (June 27, 2007; Page B1). The gist was that computer scientists have come up with a new way to tackle the massive task of classifying images in large databases by making a game of it.

In this game, two random users are shown one image and are asked to type in words to describe it. When their words match they "win" and the word is chosen as a descriptor on the assumption that there is at least a certain level of congruency. This is called free indexing and is based on the Web 2.0 (see Flickr) concept of collaborative tagging.

This method leads to a lowest common denominator situation and the classification will tend to remain relatively basic.

(For instance, it wouldn't really work for images of, say, the medulla oblangata, because who knows what the heck THAT looks like, and we'd all just end up tagging a picture of it as 'brain'. or perhaps 'mushy sponge'.)

Labeling images is not a process so easily resolved by games but the idea is extremely interesting and of course not without its detractors.

In the October/November edition of the ASIS&T Bulletin the debate over how to classify images continues as Elaine Ménard asks Image Indexing: How Can I Find a Nice Pair of Italian Shoes? She makes a case for traditional controlled vocabulary indexing and argues that there is no evidence that there is a "reason to consider collaborative tagging as a replacement solution to traditional indexing with controlled vocabulary". She argues that indexing is best left up to the experts....

and the debate rages on!

On November 7th, in the lovely May Gallery at Mullen Library, come see Dr. Youngok Choi present "Searching for Books and Images in OPAC: Effects of LCSH, TOC and Subject Domains" a study done by Dr. Youngok Choi, Dr. Ingrid Hsieh-Yee and Dr. Bill Kules of SLIS.
Admission if free for students with registration!




Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Registration Now Open!

Registration now open!

"Bringing it Home: Highlights from the ASIS&T National Meeting"

WHEN: Wednesday, November 7, 2007 (Light supper and snacks provided 6pm, the program will run 6:15 - 8:30pm.)

WHERE: May Gallery, John K. Mullen Library, Catholic University of America

THE PROGRAM:

"Bringing it Home: Highlights from the ASIS&T National Meeting"

Come and hear area presenters from the National Meeting discuss their research and contributions to information science! ASIST National President Nancy Roderer will discuss her goals for the upcoming year. Attendees will have a chance to ask questions and
mingle with our presenters and President.

The presentations…

Nancy Roderer - 2007-08 ASIS&T National President, will speak about her goals and vision for the upcoming year. She is currently the Director of the Welch Medical Library and the Division of Health Sciences Informatics, Johns Hopkins University

Youngok Choi - "Searching for Books and Images in OPAC: Effects of LCSH, TOC and Subject Domains"

Ken Fleischman - "Digital Libraries and Human Values: Human-Computer Interaction Meets Social Informatics"

Trudi Bellardo Hahn - "Patterns and Outcomes of Federal Agency Funding for Libraries and Information Science"

Paul Jaeger - "Social Capital and Information Science Research" (SIGS IFP, SI, CRIT, HFIS)

Miriam Matteson - "The Impact of Group Interaction on Shared Cognition: An Analysis of Small Group Communication"

Tiffany Smith - Highlights from the Classification Special Interest Group

Stay tuned, more speakers may be announced

LOCATION: May Gallery, John K. Mullen Library, Catholic University of America
METRO: Brookland/CUA station, red line. (From the metro, walk up the road past the guard station. The Mullen Library is the large white building. Go around the building to front entrance. Tell the attendant you are here for the ASIS&T Event. The May Gallery is directly to the right after passing the attendant. We advise attendees to take the Metro. Limited parking is available in front of the library.)

The Catholic University of America: Getting to Campus
CUA Campus Map Directory (See sectors 14-15)

COST: $ 15 Members, $ 20 Non-Members, Students free with registration

FOOD: Light supper with vegetarian options

THREE WAYS TO REGISTER:
1) Online
2) Fax Registration Form
3) Mail Registration Form

YouTube Tuesday

iBook or iRead?
Is this just another iPod accessory or is this YouTuber actually onto something big?



Dewey Decimal = Laser Vision

I thought there was a rule about there being no capes...

Friday, October 12, 2007

Impress Your Professor: The Fascinating, but Perilous Road to Web 3.0

Considering the medium for this discussion, it’s hardly necessary to point out that many of us are acolytes of the Web 2.0 phenomenon. We’re fascinated by the democratization of the internet and our increasing ability to create, exchange, and most importantly shape online content. One doesn’t have to go far in library-land to hear discussions on social-networking sites, wikis, folksonomies, podcasts, RSS feeds, virtual worlds and blogs. And, the trend is not limited to libraries. The growing participatory nature of the web is creating an explosion of new communities worldwide. People are coming together as never before.

And yet, Web 2.0 is also a divisive force because it encourages social fragmentation by increasing competition in the information market. Given greater choice, people naturally select those information sources that best reflect their own views and interests. In other words, people start separating from larger groups and merging into smaller ones they find more attractive. The problem is that many of these smaller groups are actually quite large. Facebook, for example, has around 34 million active users. Over time, this separation leads to polarization. Through continuous interaction, members of these groups begin to develop their own sets of beliefs, norms, and values. They start to view the world and its problems differently. Falling back on the strength of their groups, people feel less inclined to compromise. Finding a middle ground becomes much harder for society.

This development is part of a larger trend that has serious implications for how human societies function. Moisés Naim, the editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy, emphasizes the growing ability of the “little guys” to take on megaplayers: Wikipedia can compete with Britannica, and Google (formerly a “little guy”) can threaten Microsoft’s dominance. Ambitious and talented people will appreciate this new reality, but Naim warns us that it comes at a price – stability. Central banks have to contend with hedge funds for control of currency markets, and the US has to struggle with ragtag militias for control of Iraq. Some like John Rapley suggest we are entering a new medieval age. Globalization, of which Web 2.0 is one aspect, is allowing for the emergence of multiple, overlapping sovereignties and identities. Knowing who we are and where our ultimate loyalties lie becomes exceedingly complicated.

I bring up these issues because I think we as librarians have a stake in promoting a common discourse. As things stand, the information market is devolving into an information dump. Without the efficient free exchange of ideas human progress will slow or worse retreat. How do we do promote a common discourse? I’m not sure. But I do think this is something we need to be figuring out, especially considering that our world is about to get far more complex.

Businesses, seeing a potential for profit in the merger of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) information and the internet, are spending billions of dollars investing in digital maps and GPS technologies. According to Peter Morville, they believe “people will want to share their whereabouts and profiles with family, friends, co-workers, friends of friends, and potential friends, so they can stop in and say hello.” In fact, some businesses have already put their models into practice (e.g. Meetro). More importantly, consider what will happen when this emerging geoweb begins interacting with the growing presence of RFIDs, the semantic web, and the internet of objects. Generating and browsing internet content will no longer require conscious effort. The simple act of existing will be sufficient (see Socialight).

Will this world-wired web lead to further social fragmentation? Will it lead to a mounting expectations gap between what states can offer and what citizens demand? Who would fill this gap and what impact would it have on our societies? Most importantly for us, what can librarians do to promote a common discourse so as to confront emerging fundamentalist movements that threaten the continued free exchange of ideas and the existence of the democratic process as we know it?

If you’re interested in life beyond Web 2.0, consider registering for Peter Morville’s seminar on Information Architecture 3.0. Among other things, he will discuss some of the challenges and opportunities presented by ambient findability and the emerging internet of objects.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Save the Date! CUA and PVC ASIS&T join forces for a terrific program!

Please join the Potomac Valley and Catholic University of America Chapters of ASIS&T for our next exciting program!

Bringing it Home: Highlights from the ASIS&T National Meeting

WHEN: Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Light supper and snacks provided 6pm, the program will run 6:15 - 8:30pm.

WHERE: May Gallery, John K. Mullen Library, Catholic University of America

SPEAKERS:

Nancy Roderer, 2007-08 ASIS&T National President,
Director of the Welch Medical Library and the Division
of Health Sciences Informatics, Johns Hopkins University

Trudi Bellardo Hahn, University of Maryland

Ken Fleischmann, University of Maryland

Miriam Matteson, University of Maryland

Paul Jaeger, University of Maryland

Tiffany Smith, Catholic University Alumni


THE PROGRAM: Bringing it Home: Highlights from the ASIS&T National Meeting


Come and hear area presenters from the National Meeting discuss their research and contributions to information science! ASIS&T National President Nancy Roderer will discuss her goals for the upcoming year. Attendees will have a chance to ask questions and mingle with our presenters and President.

The Presentations:
Ken Fleischman - Digital Libraries and Human Values: Human-Computer Interaction Meets Social Informatics

Trudi Bellardo Hahn - Patterns and Outcomes of Federal Agency Funding for Libraries and Information Science

Miriam Matteson - The Impact of Group Interaction on Shared Cognition: An Analysis of Small Group Communication

Paul Jaeger - Social Capital and Information Science Research (SIGs IFP, SI, CRIT, HFIS)

Tiffany Smith - Highlights from the Classification Special Interest Group

Stay tuned! More speakers may be announced.

LOCATION: May Gallery, John K. Mullen Library, Catholic University of America

METRO: Brookland-CUA station, Red Line.

From the metro, walk up the road past the guard station. The Mullen Library is large white building. Go around the building to front entrance. Tell the attendant you are here for the ASIS&T Event. The May Gallery is directly to the right after passing the attendant. We advise attendees to take the Metro. Limited parking is available in front of the library.

The Catholic University of America: Getting to Campus
CUA Campus Map Directory (See sectors 14-15)

COST: $ 15 Members, $ 20 Non-Members, Students FREE with registration

FOOD: Light supper with vegetarian options

THREE WAYS TO REGISTER: 1) Online, 2) Fax Registration Form, 3) Mail Registration Form. Check back soon for registration information!

For more information, map, and the registration form, please visit the PVC ASIS&T Website.

See you on Nov 7th!

Jeffrey R. Prater
Potomac Valley Chapter of ASIS&T

and

Nora Daly
Chair - Catholic University of America Chapter of ASIS&T

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

YouTube Tuesday

Librarians Online
The first video in a two part series following librarians in Second Life.



Talk About Harsher Overdue Policies

If you had a viking walking around the library, fewer books might disappear.

Friday, October 5, 2007

Impress Your Professor: More About Social Computing

Hello Everyone,

Because, well, I am boring I am going to piggyback on Meghan's lovely post last week. I too am obsessed with Facebook [yes, its sad - but I am ok with that] and blogs [this blog has become a started drug - I am now up to 3 blogs].

But Facebook, blogs, and multi-user visual environments (such as Second Life) can become important tools in communicating with patrons.

In a very interesting article in the current issue of the Bulletin there is an article about Second Life, Serious Leisure, and LIS - if you are having problems go to page 38.

Another interesting blog that is relevant is this: Library Crunch. The author of the blog came up with a concept called Library 2.0. While I cannot find a good succinct definition of Library 2.0 on the blog I am going to break a reference rule and link you to Wikipedia. Library 2.0 is derived from the ideas of Web 2.0 and Business 2.0.

This is going to be a very short entry, but I want to hear your opinions. Are we moving way to quickly toward technology and integration in our libraries and will this alienate some patrons who will not want to deal with blogs ect. ?

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

YouTube Tuesday

Efficient Procrastination
If you visit a lot of websites on a daily basis, you may benefit from RSS feeds.




Cookies and Books - The Perfect Combination
If only the Cookie Monster's Library had a Starbucks...