It's almost the end of the semester...

and that means that this will be our last post till January!
All of us here at ASIST would like to say: good luck on your finals, watch out for that Facebook virus, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. Here's hoping Santa brings you lots of cool technology!

YouTube Tuesday: Cat-alog

In the Classroom
Information literacy bit on OPACs.



Fluffiness
Meet Dewey. He is a cat.

Impress Your Professor: Europeana

Now you can go around the world (and through history) in one mouse click. A story on the BBC news website announced earlier this week that Europeana was online and available.

Europeana is an online digital library. Over 1,000 cultural institutions have made their material available online. According to the article, "Internet users will be able to access more than two million books, maps, recordings, photographs, archive documents, paintings and films." In a word: Awesome!

The idea that we can now access material from across the globe without leaving our PJs is nothing new. I think this idea (and the fact that it is becoming reality) is thrilling and I can't wait to see how this website grows. I do want to know, however, what does this mean for physical libraries and the services they offer? What do libraries do when scholars stop visiting the hallowed reading rooms? What happens when our CLS and ILL services are no longer needed because our users can go directly to the online resource? What happens to the physical stuff once we digitize it?

It seems safe to say that libraries and their materials will survive, but I wonder how we will evolve. What say you?

(Note: As of writing this entry, the website was so busy access was spotty.)

SLIS Christmas Party

The Catholic University of America SLIS, the SLIS Alumni Association and the SLIS Association of Graduate Library and Information Science Students (AGLISS) Cordially Invites You to Our Annual Christmas Party!

SLIS alumni, students, faculty, and guests are invited. Join in the fun by entering our second annual cookie bakeoff--first, second and third prizes will be presented!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Information Commons, Marist Hall, Catholic University

RSVPs by 11/24 (encouraged but not required), for more information: http://slis.cua.edu/alumni/christmasparty/rsvp.cfm

YouTube Tuesday: Puppet Show

Technology and the Information Society
Cause and effect?




Library Orientation
As presented by Grover of Sesame Street

Impress Your Professor: It's all about who has the information (organized the best, that is)

Regardless of your political persuasion, I have a feeling that most of you will agree with me that it felt pretty thrilling to participate in the democratic process this November 4. I for one got a bit choked up standing in line outside my polling station, watching my fellow citizens also in line, all of us peaceful, patient, polite...I couldn't help but think all the way back to ancient Athens, where the idea for this form of government first formed, and marvel at the thousands of years of thought, and war, that had to take place in order for me to be able to stand quietly in line on a beautiful Fall morning, waiting to cast my vote, fully confident that I was free to vote the way I pleased, without harassment from anyone at the polls, that my vote would be secret, and that out of politeness most of my friends and co-workers would not even ask me which way I voted. It is a beautiful thing, a testament to what is best about our civilization.

Later I started thinking about just how politics works on a nitty-gritty level. How exactly does a politician "get out the vote?" I've been reading some very interesting things about Obama's astoundingly well-organized campaign, and have come to one conclusion: it's all about databases. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, it's all about social networking tools and the powerful databases behind them.

There has been a lot of talk about how Obama is using and has used the web to reach out to young people. The truly innovative thing he did, or rather Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes did for him, was convince people to input lots of personal information into his website, mybarackobama.com, much in the same way that Facebook does. And, just as Facebook is a treasure trove of information about the likes, dislikes, politics, and passions of its members, so too is mybarackobama.com. And this is one treasure trove of data that just might make Obama "a Democratic Party power broker for years to come," whether or not he is in office.

So, is this transformational politics, or just politics as usual, born digital? Only time will tell, but as a database nerd I cannot wait to see how this newfound tool changes the way the parties "get out the vote."

YouTube Tuesday: Veteran's Day

Recording History
A brief tutorial on how to record an oral history



Books: For the Imagination
Where history comes alive




More stuff!
Today is Veteran's Day in the United States (and Armistice Day in other countries). The CUA chapter of ASIST would like to honor those who have served in the armed forces in this country and around the world by celebrating their stories

Please visit the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. The project hopes to preserve the stories of veterans from all wars - an effort that is becoming more difficult as veterans from WWI and the Korean War pass away.

If you know a veteran, please thank them today and encourage them to tell their story.

In a perfect world...

my library would have lots of money for high-tech equipment!! I was over at George Washington University's Gelman Library yesterday and had the chance to play with one of their Smart whiteboards. They are just the greatest thing!



It got me thinking about all the possibilities for improved library instruction and I practically went green with envy. What technology is on your library wish list?

YouTube Tuesday: Election Day

Social Studies
A Common Craft video breaking down the electoral college.



Elect a Book
An election of character.

Impress Your Professor: Don't be afraid to write a blog.

I realized one of my fears this week. It wasn't the thought of Jason kicking in my front door to cut me up, or It (the spider/clown) coming up through my drain pipes in the bathroom to inform me that apparently we do all float down there. It was simply the thought of having my own blog.

So in one of my classes this week we had to create our own blogs. Not really write anything just mess with the coding and blah blah blah - details. So I'm sitting there thinking to myself - Geez!! I could never imagine having a place where I take everything in this jumbled mess of a brain and type it out for anyone to read. What if I don't talk about anything interesting? What if people make fun of my spelling/grammar errors? What if people read my thoughts and think I'm crazy?!

So in a desperate search for answers I stumbled on some advice given by Chris Brogan on Conquering the fear of Blogging. I really believe in the advice that he gives. I also think that blogs are a great way for Librarians to interact with each other (um... hello, this blog for example). Now don't just sit there and read them - go out and start your own! Start up a conversation, share your thoughts and ideas! I'm sure you all have some.

Of course I do have to mention that today is Halloween. If any of you are trick-or-treating today make sure to have your parents check your candy before you eat it. Also I'd like to mention that growing up in Maine I lived about 15 minutes away from Stephen King's house. Now What did I dress up as today? A reference librarian and right now - I'm a blogger. SCARY!!!

YouTube Tuesday: Stacks of Terror

Nothing but fun videos this week!

Haunted Books
The reason why things are out of place in the stacks.



Cat Ghost
That explains a lot.

Impress Your Professor: Mash-Up

You can watch television on your laptop, listen to music on your phone, your MySpace page can land you a TV show - these days, it seems like all media are turning a solid block of technology. This is a topic that Henry Jenkins covers in his new books Convergence Culture: Where Old Media and New Media Collide.

What does this means for those in the information industry? I'm inclined to think that this is a) awesome and b) makes our jobs more difficult. It's grand that we now how more information (in more forms) available for use. I will never complain about being able to read a once print-only journal online. I worry, however, that librarians will be forced to guess what form of information is best for their patrons.

Sure there are the tried and true lessons learned for the reference interview, but technological changes are occurring so quickly that we may find ourselves having difficulty keeping up.

YouTube Tuesday: Thinking Paper

Daily Prophet, now in E-ink
A news story on e-paper.



Quibbler
I couldn't help myself.

Event: From Data to Visualization

Please come join the local chapter of the American Society for Information Science for our next talk--- "From Data to Visualization: Emerging Tools for Research" given by Jan Johansson (Data Librarian of the Congressional Research Service) and also with Richard Landry (CEO of Conquest Systems)

When: Wednesday, Nov. 12. Dinner at 6:30, Talk at 7pm
Registration: Available online - please complete by Nov. 10

Cost:
$15 for ASIS&T members (and their friends)
$20 for non-members.
Students Free (Must Register)

Description: Traditionally, data analysis has required extensive expertise in math and statistics combined with training in complex software applications like SAS, Matlab, and the R programming language. Recently, however, new technologies and services have emerged that make it possible to work with raw data using web applications with simple visual interfaces. These visually compelling tools allow researchers to quickly see and communicate relationships
between diverse trends, like the correlation between weather and burglary.This session will include a brief review of the visualizations built into traditional statistical software packages
like R and Matlab followed by a demonstration of three new web-based tools applied to three real research topics. The session will conclude with a panel discussion with Richard Landry, CEO of Conquest Systems, a pioneer in creating readily usable data libraries.

Bio: Jan Johansson serves as the Data Librarian of the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress. Mr. Johansson joined CRS as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2004. Previously, he worked at JSTOR.org as a user interface designer and as a reference librarian at
The New York Public Library. Mr. Johansson has a Master of Science in Information from the University of Michigan and a BA in political science from Columbia University and is currently studying computational statistics at Georgetown University.

Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, room A5
Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown (Red/ Green/Yellow) or Metro Center (Red/Blue/Orange)

Impress Your Professor : Orwellian Databases?

There was an article in the BBC online yesterday about Great Britain's plans to create a centralized database to track all internet traffic and cell phone conversations. It's being condemned by some as "Orwellian." Some have pointed out that the security risks involved in gathering and storing such information far outweigh the benefits -- what if someone hacked into that database? The counterargument is that it would be an invaluable way to track terrorist activity and without it we will not be safe.

Which leads me to wonder, how much does our free and open society depend on its members being "men (and women) of good will?" Totally and completely, I think. The minute even one person not of good will, so to speak, enters the free and open society and does something with intent to cause harm to other members, the freedom of all its members is compromised -- the need for security will always compromise privacy. As long as there is a reasonable amount of privacy, everything is fine -- but a measure like this huge database seems to me to tip the scales in the opposite direction.

Security? or Privacy? Which is more important? Or does there have to be a dichotomy? Why can't we have both? Can we live with the idea that it might be harder or even impossible to track down someone plotting a terrorist attack without a database of their cell phone records and every website they ever visited, because it is even more valuable to know that OUR every cell/digital move is not being tracked and watched?

I think I can, at least for now.

YouTube Tuesday: Books?

Not Kindling
An introduction to the Amazon Kindle.



Close Enough
I can't embed this video. Boo. The clip is not that relevant, but it's good know that books are more than just books. They're medieval shields!

The OMG library

Ok, so it's not strictly on topic, but...this library is awesome!

Take a tour of Jay Walker's (founder of Priceline) personal library here.

YouTube Tuesday: Personal History

Google Books and the Family Tree
A genealogist discusses her use of Google Books.



The Library Tree
Watch a tree outside the Reading University library live through the seasons.

Impress Your Professor: The Future of Web Browsing... Almost

Rafe Needleman talks about the search interface of tomorrow. Will a more graphical interface be the wave of the future? Who knows. What I do know is that the red zebra at RedZee.com might be the funniest thing I've seen all day (of course it's only 9am).

Enjoy! Read Here

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.

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?

YouTube Tuesday: Puppet Information

Puppet Tutorial
Puppets talk about social networking.



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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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:

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

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.

ASIST Happy Hour

If you're new to the program or just want to catch up with some buddies, please join the CUA chapter of ASIST for a happy hour in D.C.

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.

We hope to see you there!

New Student Orientation

For all who have not yet sent an RSVP there is still time...

New Student Orientation

Friday, August 22^nd 3:00-6:30 PM
Information Commons, Marist Hall

Please view the attached flyer for details and instructions.

RSVP by Friday, August 8th to Shatoni Hill at hillsl@cua.edu

Impress Your Professor: By Being Invisible

Sorry folks, there will not be a real Impress Your Professor this week. We're still up debating posting IYP over the summer. If you'd like us to continue over the warm months (or if you have an ideas you'd like to see us discuss), please leave your opinion and/or ideas in the comments section.

Good luck with your studies and finals.

To those who have finished the SLIS program we send you our hearty congratulations.

YouTube Tuesday: Study Breaks!

Since we're getting close to finals, we offer two fun videos this week.

Beauty and the Book
Maybe the best scene ever found in a Disney movie...



A Show about Nothing?
This job sounds kind of cool.

YouTube Tuesday: 2.0

Buzz Word!
A brief review on Web 2.0 as derived from Wikipedia.



Library Theme Park
The Mullen Library staff may or may not think about using the book carts as a form of transportation...

Impress Your Professor: Technological Preservation

Most people think of technology as that "new and shiny stuff." You know, the gleaming, uber-thing MacBook air.... or that fun new digital camera. What most people don't consider is that all this fancy new technology can also help preserve the past. In this month's ASIST bulletin, Steve Hardin writes about the role of universities and preservation of "cultural memory."

The article touches upon Google Books and other features of Web 2.0. It's an interesting read which has me thinking I should scan all my print photo albums and save them in multiple locations. The article debates whether or not universities should be the stewards of memory, but it leaves me thinking that we should do all we can (with our new shiny toys) to preserve the past.

What do you think?

YouTube Tuesday: Sharing Loudly

The Sharing of Technology
A history of information technology sharing and the problems of control.



Patron Problems
He's have trouble controlling the volume of his voice.

TODAY! TODAY! EVENT TODAY!

Tonight is the ASIST Career Day Panel.

WHERE: Information Commons, Marist Hall
WHEN: 6:00 pm
FOOD?: Snacks will be provided

SPEAKERS:

Todd Harvey
Folklife Specialist
American Folklife Center
The Library of Congress

Marisa Bourgoin
Reference Services
Archives of American Art
Smithsonian Institution

R. James King
Chief Librarian
U.S. Navy Research Laboratory

Eileen Deegan
Program Analyst
Office of Information Resources
International Information Programs
U.S. Department of State

Kate Martin
Director of Library and Research Services
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

Heather K. Calloway
Archivist/Librarian
Commissariat of the Holy Land USA
Franciscan Monastery
Washington, DC

Megan Sheils
Reference Librarian
U.S. Department of State

Ned Kraft
Acquisitions Librarian
U.S. Department of State


We'll see you there!

Impress Your Professor: RSS Readers

I just recently returned from Computers in Libraries and it was AMAZING! If any of you get a chance to go to this conference, do it.

Many of the presentations that I attended talked about RSS feeds and keeping informed in the library world by reading blogs. I found this website that gives the Seven Tips for Making the Most of your RSS Reader.

Enjoy!

YouTube Tuesday

Information Hub
A new way of looking at how to process information in the News Room.



Don't Get Any Ideas
That's one way to dive into your studies...

Impress Your Professor: Yahoo!

Yahoo has released new voice recognition technology for cell phones! The tool is called OneSearch, and it attempts to make vocal search as good as manual. Read an account by someone who tried it here.


And if you're following the merger of Microsoft and Yahoo, then you might find this interesting: on Saturday, Microsoft issued an ultimatum to Yahoo, giving them three weeks to begin merger negotiations and make a deal. Here's the story, and Yahoo's response.

YouTube Tuesday

What do you want to be?
A PBS segment on careers in Information Technology.



Bad Patron
Two librarians take on a bad patron in this music video.

Event Update!

We've added two more speakers to the upcoming Career Day panel. They are:

Megan Sheils
Reference Librarian
U.S. Department of State

Ned Kraft
Acquisitions Librarian
U.S. Department of State

For more information click HERE!

When: 6:00pm, April 15th
Where: Information Commons, Marist Hall

Impress Your Professor : Thomas Mann Takes on Web 2.0

So, does "Web 2.0" render traditional cataloging irrelevant? Thomas Mann doesn't think so, and I have to say that I adore his scornful, deft, sarcasm-laced, and beautifully written critique of his own colleagues over at LC -- this should be required reading for everyone in library school now...give it a try -- I promise you'll skip through it at a pace I would have thought impossible for such a seemingly deadly dull topic -- but this is a wonderful short story that puts all the right people in their place.

Event update!

We've added another speaker to our career day!

Heather K. Calloway
Archivist/Librarian
Commissariat of the Holy Land USA
Franciscan Monastery

For more information about this event, please click here.

YouTube Tuesday

The Wisdom of Google
A brief introduction to finding full text articles in Google Scholar.



Book Busted
This is not one of our typical "fun" post videos. But, it does involve a book... sorta.

Impress Your Professor: I need more books

In honor of the holiday break, I give you books. Scratch that. I'm actually keeping all the books to myself. (Yes, all of them.) In there place, I had you a post about where we can all delve into and share our passion for books, their authors, and those who read them.

The latest site I've come across about book reviews is TitlePage.tv. TitlePage.tv is innovative because it posts videos about and with authors. These interviews are then open to conversation on the web. The website just opened and the future looks promising.

In case that's not enough for you, there's LibraryThing. A website that allows people to catalog their collections and share their books.

Are you having a hard time figuring of what to read next? Check out What I Should Read Next. This site analyzes what books it's users have read to give you a list of choices based on your reading preferences.

If you're listening for something about books to listen to, I highly suggest the addictive "Books" portion of the NPR website. Be forewarned, the main page alone is enough to send your "To Be Read" list out of control.

These are just some of the main websites I've come across. If you've got a favorite book review website, please add it to the comments section.

Happy Reading!

YouTube Tuesday

Do Mashed Potatoes Count?
Zdnet breaks down what constitutes a mashup.



But Which One Is the Mac?
A point-counterpoint take off of a popular commercial series.

Impress Your Professor: Can't we all just get along?

Compatibility is a problem in libraries—what with the online catalog and dozens of journal databases, I often find myself wishing that everything worked together and was in one place. I’m gonna keep my fingers crossed, but in the meantime someone has solved this problem for media files! Techies, this should interest you: doubleTwist is a new company and free software created by Jon Lech Johansen (better known as DVD Jon, he cracked the content scrambling system used to encrypt dvds). CNET explains that the software “essentially allows any kind of music, photo, or video file to be shared between a long list of portable media players, and through Web-based social networks.” Read the rest of the article here.

Also! Fun way to test your vocabulary: http://www.freerice.com/index.php
Enjoy!

EVENT: Career Day

We'd added two more speakers to our career day panel. Check out the new details below!


ASIST will host a panel discussion of different jobs available in the field of library and information science. The current speaker list includes:

Todd Harvey
Folklife Specialist
American Folklife Center
The Library of Congress

Marisa Bourgoin
Reference Services
Archives of American Art
Smithsonian Institution

R. James King
Chief Librarian
U.S. Navy Research Laboratory

RECENTLY ADDED!
Eileen Deegan
Program Analyst
Office of Information Resources
International Information Programs
U.S. Department of State

Kate Martin
Director of Library and Research Services
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

When: April 15th at 6:00pm
Where: Information Commons (Marist Hall)
Cost: FREE to all

Snacks will be provided.

Check back here as updates become available.

EVENT: Career Day

The CUA chapter of ASIST is now offering another reason to get your taxes done early...

Career Day
ASIST will host a panel discussion of different jobs available in the field of library and information science. The current speaker list includes:

Todd Harvey
Folklife Specialist
American Folklife Center
The Library of Congress

Marisa Bourgoin
Reference Services
Archives of American Art
Smithsonian Institution

R. James King
Chief Librarian
U.S. Navy Research Laboratory

When: April 15th at 6:00pm
Where: Information Commons (Marist Hall)
Cost: FREE to all

Snacks will be provided.

Check back here as updates become available.

YouTube Tuesday

Forward to the Future
A video compilation of where people think libraries are headed.



Beware the Librarian
Jack Bauer's skills can't compare...

Impress Your Professor: Get a Job... Lazy.

Spring break is almost over. Everyone is reluctantly returning from various tropical locations knowing that there is a pile of school work waiting for them. It's time to get back to work. This weeks "Impress Your Professor" will be short. It's about finding a job once we finish school!

I'm addicted to the Well Dressed Librarian blog. On December 11th he wrote about finding his new job and listed some great tips for librarians looking for work. Letter "O" is great. Network! Network! Network! Joining a site like Linkedin is free and that's how he found his current job. At Catholic, SLIS students are presented with some amazing opportunities to meet and interact with real Librarians. There are various field trips, colloquiums, and guest speakers in classes. Take advantage of these circumstances and network.

First get back to all the school work that you put off during spring break!

YouTube Tuesday

Librarian 2.0
What skills and traits the next wave of librarians need.



My how things have changed
If it's in black and white, you know it's old...

Impress Your Professor : The Library of Babel

What if the universe were a vast library of interlocking hexagon boxes containing, in no particular order, every book ever written, and every book it would ever be possible to write...

Check out Jorge Luis Borges's strange and intriguing tale on just this subject, and also an alternative way to store books, courtesy of The Other Librarian.

Just the kind of brain tease for a Friday before Spring Break.

YouTube Tuesday

Unattached
This is another great Common Craft tutorial. This time Google Documents is broken down into easy to understand steps. Google documents are a nice way to track, share, and co-edit documents with friends, family, and coworkers.



A Zoo of Books
A rather humorous Monty Python sketch.

2008 Summit Scholarships

To help ASIS&T student members who might not otherwise be able to participate in ASIS&T meetings, we provide an opportunity to attend the sessions and network with other members in exchange for assisting us in running the meeting. Students who have participated in our program have found the experience "terrific."

How the Program Works
In exchange for complimentary registration, we'll ask you to help us run the conference. You'll serve as a room monitor for about three sessions each day for three days. In addition, you'll help out either at our registration desk or conference headquarters for a 4-hour period on one day of the conference. We've listed below the activities that you are expected to perform as part of the program.

1. Monitoring Sessions
We'll solicit your choices of sessions, by time period, and try to schedule you into the sessions you prefer wherever possible. Monitoring involves assisting the speakers and moderators, checking for name tags at the door, ensuring that the necessary AV equipment is on hand, encouraging participants to complete evaluation forms, and generally helping makes the session go smoothly. (Additionally, you will be expected to SMILE AND BE FRIENDLY!)

2. Registration
Registration assistance involves facilitating the registration process, keeping a record of registrants, handing out materials, etc.

3. Headquarters
The Headquarters office is kept open throughout the meeting for the convenience of ASIS&T Committee members, members of the Board of Directors and members of the Conference Committees. Your function will be to ensure that everything runs smoothly and to assist where needed.

How to Participate
If you would like to be considered for this program for the 2008 Summit, to be held April 10 - 14 in Miami, FL Please forward your name, address, phone, fax and e-mail numbers to:

American Society for Information Science & Technology
ATTN.: ASIS&T 2008 Summit Scholarships
1320 Fenwick Lane, Suite 510
Silver Spring, MD 20910

FAX: (301) 495-0810
e-mail: dagnew@asis.org

There are a limited number of positions available, and applications are considered on a first come/first served basis, so be sure to let us know of your interest by March 8, 2008.

Impress Your Professor: Closer to Home

Did you know there's a lounge just for SLIS students in Marist Hall? I didn't. It's on the second floor right outside room 208 where almost all of my classes have met. This week's "Impress your Professor" is inspired by an e-mail sent by our adviser, Prof. Lussky. I'm just going to point out a few things about SLIS and the CUA campus that you may not know.

Computer Labs
There are several computer labs located around campus. Outside of the main computer lab in Leahy Hall and the terminals available at Mullen library, there are labs in Marist and the basement of O'Boyle Hall. Check out the CPIT "Find a Lab" website for more locations and hours. And don't forget that most areas of campus (including Marist Hall, the Pryz, and the Library) have wireless access.

On the Web
The School of Library and Information Science has a webpage that has a ton of helpful information. You can find class schedules, information about the comprehensive exams, a faculty and staff directory, a lab guide and technology tutorials page, and more information about other SLIS student organizations. There is a lot more information on the website; click around and find out more.

A page about the SLIS accreditation process has recently been made. Check it out for details about how the school is progressing.

And let's not forget Dean Kelley's blog. She's posted some great entries about the program and current accreditation process.

There were e-mails?
Did you know that SLIS has three listservs? Fellow students, professors, and alums of the program have posted some great tidbits and job opportunities. The listserv is also a great place to set up comps study groups and general get togethers. To sign-up, visit this page for instructions. It's quick and easy way to keep up to date with the program.

Coffee!
If you're like me, you find it tough to make it through the day without at least one cup of coffee. There are a couple places on campuses to grab a cup o' joe to go. There is a Starbucks located on the third floor of the Pryz. A coffee kiosk is also located in the lobby of Leahy.

More ASIS&T Please
Outside of this blog, there is a CUA student organization webpage for ASIST. We're currently in the process of updating, so please check back (both here and the blogs) for changes.


I hope these campus tidbits make your time at CUA easier and more enjoyable. There is so much more to know about SLIS and CUA. We'll try to post more of these entires to keep you informed. Also, if you've got a hint or tidbit, please leave it in the comments.

Enjoy the rest of the snow day everyone!

EVENT: Improving Patient Care through Health Informatics

Speakers and presentations:

"Improving Cardiovascular Patient Care through Health Informatics"
Nichole Kallas, IT Project Manager
Product Development for the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR)
Division of the American College of Cardiology Foundation

"Leveraging IT to Deliver Primary Care – the Case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Age-Old Problem, New Paradigm)"
Nkossi Dambita, MD, MPH, MS
Research Associate , Division of Health Sciences Informatics
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine


When: Monday March 3, 2008
Dinner provided from 6:30-7:00, program 7:00-8:30

Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown (Red/ Green/Yellow) and Metro Center (Red/Blue/Orange) For parking and address, click HERE.

Cost: $15 ASIST and DCSLA Members, $20 Non-members, $5 students

Food: Tasty dinner with vegetarian options

THREE WAYS TO REGISTER: 1) Online, 2) Fax, 3) Mail registration form

YouTube Tuesday

LOCKSS Your Library
A brief video introduction to a digital preservation system developed by Stanford.



Literary Mash-Up
Pride and Prejudice as told by clips from the Harry Potter films.

Impress Your Professor: Future of alternative book formats

Hi everyone! My name is Sarah and I'm the new Vice Chair of ASIST. Have you heard the buzz this week about the future of alternative book formats (i.e. non print books)? Two big stories caught my ear...

1. Amazon announced its purchase of Audible.com two weeks ago. Audible.com is the largest provider of ‘audio entertainment’, a term that encompasses audio books as well as radio programs and audio editions of newspapers and magazines. The combination of this acquisition and the recent launch of Kindle (a handheld device for reading electronic books) indicates that Amazon is, if not anticipating a new direction for books, at least hedging its bets.

I’ve gotta say that, as a reader, I’m totally old school—give me paper any day. My dad uses audible.com and loves it, but I have a tendency to tune out and miss whole chapters. Check out ALA Techsource, as they muse a bit on our collective history as listeners. I’ve never used Kindle myself, but I have used Mobipocket (also owned by Amazon), a platform for ebooks that is compatible with almost any handheld device (or even just your computer). The books are cheap, which is nice, but oy! Eyestrain! Reading 500 pages on a computer screen is rough, despite upping the font size. Kindle’s ‘electronic paper’ display is supposed to eliminate that problem—has anyone tried it? Let me know!

2. Harper Collins, as part of some new marketing experiment, is offering free access to a few digital books. I’d love to see the results of this campaign. Does free online access increase sales? Decrease sales? I’d imagine it would depend on the type of book—fiction, non-fiction, reference, etc.

You don’t even have to register for this service, and the complete book is right there online! Downloading and printing are verboten, but you can search the full text and submit reader reviews. Each book is only available for one month. I can't wait for the Neil Gaiman book to be posted! Check it out!

Event: CUA Open House

The CUA School of Library and Information Science is holding an Open House for prospective students.

If you've been reading this blog and think a career in library science is for you (or for a friend, or a coworker, or a relative), please check out please visit THIS website for more information.

When: Saturday, March 1 at 9:30 a.m.
Where: the Information Commons, 132 Marist Hall

YouTube Tuesday

Bloggity Blog
Have you ever wondered how these posts get put together? Now you can.



Kids Read the Darndest Things
If only all kids were so into their studies.

Event: Improving Patient Care Through Health Informatics

Please join the Potomac Valley Chapter of ASIS&T for an exciting program!

"Improving Patient Care through Health Informatics"

Speakers: Nichole Kallas, American College of Cardiology
Second speaker to be announced shortly

When: Monday March 3, 2008
Dinner provided from 6:30 pm-7:00 pm, program 7:00 pm-8:30 pm

Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown (Red/Green/Yellow) and Metro Center (Red/Blue/Orange) For parking and address, click here.

Cost: $15 ASIST and DCSLA Members, $20 Non-members, $5 students

Food: Tasty dinner with vegetarian options

THREE WAYS TO REGISTER: 1) Online, 2) Fax, 3) Mail registration form

See you there!

Jeffrey R. Prater
Chair, Potomac Valley Chapter of ASIS&T

Impress Your Professor: What kind of information technology user are you?

Hey everyone! My name is Adam Day and I'm the new Treasurer of ASIS&T! I'm sure you want to know a little about me. Let's see... I'm an Omnivore when it comes to technology. Are you reading this wondering what exactly does that mean? Let me try to explain.

A few days ago I stumbled onto this website: http://www.pewinternet.org/quiz/index.asp. The Pew Internet & American Life Project is hosting a “What kind of Information Technology User are you” quiz. After completing the quiz I found out that I'm an Omnivore. Pew states that “Members of this group use their extensive suite of technology tools to do an enormous range of things online, on the go, and with their cell phones. Omnivores are highly engaged with video online and digital content. Between blogging, maintaining their Web pages, remixing digital content, or posting their creations to their websites, they are creative participants in cyberspace.”

The questions are fairly generic but I find the whole idea really interesting. As future Librarians I feel we should all have some basic understanding of information technology so that we can assist users in meeting their information goals. While working reference I've had patrons that know a lot about technology and some that know almost nothing. Wouldn't it be a lot easier if we could just have each patron fill out this quick survey before each reference interview so we would know how best to deal with their questions.

That's all from me this week. Now that I've told you a little about myself, I encourage all of you to complete the quiz and tell me your results!

YouTube Tuesday

Library 2.0
A powerpoint on how to use web 2.0 features for library outreach.



The Library: Is It In You?
A funny commercial for a library

Impress Your Professor : Tour the National Library of Medicine!

The Catholic University chapter of the Special Libraries Association (CUA/SLA) is offering a great opportunity to tour the National Library of Medicine followed by its Visible Proofs exhibit. You can attend without RSVPing. This is a great opportunity to network and to get an idea of the work in an important and growing field. Please consider attending! Details below...

When: Tuesday, February 12
4:00-5:30 pm

Where: National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD



Please arrive at 3:30 in order to go through security and make your way to Building 38A on the NIH campus. You will need to present a government-issued photo ID.

Directions/parking: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/psd/ref/guide/rrdirect.html

Map: http://parking.nih.gov/visitor_access_map.htm

YouTube Tuesday

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
Another great Common Craft video about PR on the web. This would be a great way to get information out about your library or organization



Eureka!
So that's where also those missing books went.

Impress Your Professor: Reviewing Reference

Reference is moving online. It's an obvious fact but one that cannot be stated enough. In the December/January 2008 ASIS&T Bulletin, Jeffrey Pomerantz discusses the need to evaluate online reference services. The article is a straightforward breakdown of how a library may go about evaluating their services. Instead of recapping the entire article, I'd like to discuss an important issue that Pomerantz mentions: privacy.

Pomerantz discusses evaluation from the position of the library. While the transition to digital services has caused problems, when it comes to evaluation, the librarian's job is half done. Online references have statistics making capabilities built into them already: there are timestamps and trackers, server logs and hit counters. A librarian merely needs to click on a file to know who, what, where, and when. Automatic logs of e-mails and instant messages can allow for a more in-depth analysis of reference interactions.

It is here that Pomerantz broaches the subject of privacy. These logs may be handy, but what do they mean for our patrons privacy and confidentiality? Libraries have tended to have a firm stance of privacy; they do not release patron records. In fact, it was a group of librarians in Connecticut who took a stand against privacy issues in the USA Patriot Act.

Patron borrowing records are one thing, but logged conversations are the start of a paper trail that could prove detrimental to our patrons' peace of mind. Person to person conversations all but disappear when they're done. Logged conversations last as long as the file is readable.

In keeping these records, are we librarians opening ourselves up to another level of privacy issues?

Impress Your Professor: Reviewing Reference

So many students and other researchers are now looking for their information online. It's an obvious fact but one that cannot be stated enough. While their are upsided to this migration to the digital reference, the downsides are what drives librarians nuts. In the December/January 2008 ASIS&T Bulletin, Jeffrey Pomerantz discusses the need to evaluate online reference services.

The article is a straightforward breakdown of how a library may go about evaluating their services. Instead of recapping the entire article, I'd like to discuss an important issue that Pomerantz mentions

Pomerantz discusses evaluation from the position of the library. While the transition to digital services has caused problems, when it comes to evaluation, the librarian's job is half done. Online references have statistics making capabilities built into them already: there are timestamps and trackers, server logs and hit counters. A librarian merely needs to click on a file to know who, what, where, and when. Automatic logs of e-mails and instant messages can allow for a more in-depth analysis of reference interactions.

It is here that Pomerantz broaches the subject of privacy. These logs may be handy, but what do they mean for our patrons privacy and confidentiality? Libraries have tended to have a firm stance of privacy; they do not release patron records. In fact, it was a group of librarians in Connecticut who took a stand against privacy issues in the USA Patriot Act.

Patron borrowing records are one thing, but logged conversations are the start of a paper trail that could prove detrimental to our patrons' peace of mind. Person to person conversations all but disappear when they're done. Logged conversations last as long as the file is readable.

In keeping these records, are we librarians opening ourselves up to another level of privacy issues?

YouTube Tuesday

Cheese, Please
Learn how to share pictures online.



Library Motion
A music video about a day at a busy public library.

Happy New Year

Welcome back everyone!

Before we resume our regular post schedule of YouTube Tuesdays and Impress Your Professor Friday, I just wanted to give everyone a few updates.

Our Chairperson, Nora, has graduated and moved (really moved... moved to England moved) and Kathleen Mahoney will be taking over as Chair this semester. We also anticipate a few more new members of the board so check back here for updates.

To those new students out there, if you're interested in joining the CUA chapter of ASIS&T, please sign-up in the box located in the right hand panel of this blog under "Join Our Roster."

As always, we love your input. Please don't hesitate to comment in the blog or send us an e-mail at cua.asist@gmail.com.

Have a great semester everyone!