Tuesday, September 30, 2008

YouTube Tuesday: Search Me

ABCs of Searching
In which we showcase another Common Craft video. This one is one the most basic skills needed to use a search engine.



Dude? Where's my book?
A humorous take on how to search the library.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Impress Your Professor: Roll With It

One of the new trends in information science is the idea that reading is changing. We no longer work our way down the page, taking in the words in a left to right, linear direction. The explosion of technology (namely online technology) means that we read differently: we scan, we see the big picture, we are in a new cloud of text.

Last semester, Dr. Matt Kirschenbaum of Maryland University visited campus for the SLIS Colloquium series. He delivered a fascinating presentation titled "The Remaking of Reading."

It was his presentation I had in mind when my Google reader updated with an entry on a Biblioroll. This nifty little gadget fosters "reading activity in ubiquitous computing environment." The device displays different texts at the same time to encourage comparison and simultaneous reading.

This is a new device but I have an eerie feeling were on the verge of an increasing trend. Do you think more tools like this, which encourage non-linear reading, will start springing up more often? If so, what do you think this means for the activity of reading and how we process information?

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

YouTube Tuesday: Puppet Information

Puppet Tutorial
Puppets talk about social networking.



No animals in the library?
At least they're house broken.

Monday, September 22, 2008

October 24-29 Columbus, Ohio ASIS&T 2008

People Transforming Information - Information Transforming People is the name of the 2008 conference in Columbus, Ohio. It will focus on "... how the changing information landscape, informed by born-digital content, affects the human condition from the individual to the society as a whole."

Pretty exciting stuff. Tonight at Catholic University we will be hosting a sneak preview of this event, but for those of you who can't make the preview, why not consider going to the real thing? There's nothing like the Midwest in Fall, and the rates, as these things go, are fairly reasonable. And you just might learn something! Or make some good contacts....
so check it out at www.asis.org

Thursday, September 18, 2008

FREE FOOD!

Now that I have your attention, registration (free for students!) ends Friday for the upcoming ASIST event.

What: National Meeting Preview
When: September 22nd 6-830pm

$15 members, $20 non-members, students free(but must register)

Dinner will be provided....

Registration ends Friday September 19th 6pm

Speakers include:
Nancy Roderer, ASIS&T National President will speak about information professionals.
Joe Hourcle, "FRBR Applied to Scientific Data," http://www.asis.org/Conferences/AM08/posters/102.html
Margeaux Johnson, "JASIS&T open access policy and the ASIS&T scholarly
communication survey
."
Pengyi Zhang, "Extending Sense-Making Models with Ideas from Cognition and Learning Theories." http://www.asis.org/Conferences/AM08/contributedpapers/19.html

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.

For registration and more information, please click here:
https://www.asis.org/Chapters/asispvc/pvcregform_092208.html

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

YouTube Tuesday: Salutes

Librarians in Uniform
Another take at a I-didn't-think-about-that-one career.



Library Commandos
Don't steal our pencils.

Monday, September 15, 2008

EVENT: Registration Ends Friday

Can't make it to ASIS&T's 2008 meeting in Columbus, OH? Join us then at CUA, and hear preview talks from PVC-ASIS&T members who will be giving presentations at the national meeting.

What: National Meeting Preview
When: September 22nd 6-830pm

$15 members, $20 non-members, students free(but must register)

Dinner will be provided....

Registration ends Friday September 19th 6pm

Speakers include:
Nancy Roderer, ASIS&T National President will speak about information professionals.
Joe Hourcle, "FRBR Applied to Scientific Data," http://www.asis.org/Conferences/AM08/posters/102.html
Margeaux Johnson, "JASIS&T open access policy and the ASIS&T scholarly
communication survey
."
Pengyi Zhang, "Extending Sense-Making Models with Ideas from Cognition and Learning Theories." http://www.asis.org/Conferences/AM08/contributedpapers/19.html

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.

For registration and more information, please click here:
https://www.asis.org/Chapters/asispvc/pvcregform_092208.html

Friday, September 12, 2008

Impress Your Professor: Internet Privacy

I read an interesting article today about a UN group that is working on methods of tracing back IP addresses, which would essentially end anonymity on the internet. (The idea was originally proposed by China.) In the United States there is a law that protects an Internet users' right to remain anonymous, but the US NSA is participating in this UN project.
This would be a helpful tool for capturing criminals, but does it violate our privacy policies? How else might this affect libraries? Will we see more patron use of library computers? Will we see more FBI agents asking for records? How should we respond?

Read more here.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

YouTube Tuesday: Mapping Information

Your World: Online
Information technology is not limited to the usual suspects.



No Whips in the Library
Indiana Jones visits a library in search of hidden points.


Friday, September 5, 2008

Impress Your Professor: I'm Not Dead Yet

In the August/September ASIST Bulletin, Gene Smith gives a brief overview of the supposed death of tagging. Smith, who will soon be releasing a book on tagging, says that, despite the rumors, tagging is alive and well.

Smith argues that the free-wheeling explosion that was the birth of tagging, has given way to a more controlled growth. There is now structure and a process that seems to have developed around the folksonomy. Tagging isn't dead, it's evolving.

Another sign that tagging is still around... all the programs that manipulate it. If you haven't had a chance to check out Wordle, I highly suggest you do. This nifty little program creates a tag cloud that can be easily manipulated.

The tag cloud for this blog looks something like this:

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Event: National Conference Preview

Can't make it to ASIS&T's 2008 meeting in Columbus, OH?

Join us then at CUA, and hear preview talks from PVC-ASIS&T members who will be giving presentations at the national meeting.

What: National Meeting Preview
When: September 22nd 6-830pm
$15 members, $20 non-members, students free.

Speakers include:
Nancy Roderer, ASIS&T National President will speak about information professionals.
Margeaux Johnson, "JASIS&T open access policy and the ASIS&T scholarly communication survey."
Pengyi Zhang, "Extending Sense-Making Models with Ideas from Cognition and Learning Theories." http://www.asis.org/Conferences/AM08/contributedpapers/19.html

More speakers maybe 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.

For registration and more information, please click here:
https://www.asis.org/Chapters/asispvc/pvcregform_092208.html

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

TODAY!

Please join us for some ASIST socializing.

When: Tuesday, September 2 from 6:00-8:00pm
Where: Buffalo Billiards (1330 19th Street, NW - Just across the street from the Krispy Creme and down in the basement level.)
Metro: Dupont Circle (Circle side)
What They Got: Darts, Shuffleboard, Pool, and a plethora of TVs usually tuned to sporting events.
The food?: It's very tasty (I recommend the Supreme Nachos)
The drinks?: They're good too.

YouTube Tuesday: They're back

Welcome back everyone! This is our first YouTube Tuesday of the Semester.

Library Tech
A brief overview of RFID and library robots. Yes, robots.



Comic Books

Word girl saves the library from being destroyed by, you guessed it, robots.