Virtual Choir 2.0

Just saw this on the news - It amazes me what can be accomplished virtually!

http://vimeo.com/22960177

For all you singers out there - Eric Whitacre is now recruiting for his 3rd production :)

Always On (the) Mobile Web

This week we read “Always on: Libraries in a world of permanent connectivity” by Lorcan Demsey and “Library/Mobile: Tips on Designing and Developing Mobile Web Sites” by Kim Griggs, Laurie M. Bridges and Hannah Gascho Rempel.  I found the “Tips” article to be a bit technical, but some points were definitely of interest.  In addition to the information and statistics from the Pew Project, Horrigan’s comment that “for many Americans, always-on, always-available access is a part of their basic lifestyles” really summarizes the importance of libraries figuring all this out.  Statistics from the article indicate that in 2009, “32% of all Americans have gotten online with a mobile device and 25% of mobile users who are 18-29 years old are accessing the internet on a typical day.” It is a given that these percentages are significantly higher in 2012. As libraries strive to prove their relevance, it will be important for them to incorporate mobile access into their online venues. The staging method of incorporating mobile access as described by the OSU Libraries seems to be the smart way to rollout this type of program.

Both of these articles stress the importance of structuring online programs to meets the needs of the organization’s current and potential users. I found the “Always on” article to be very informative. The comments about “continued connectedness” and “the blurring of our social, business, learning and educational lives” were particularly interesting to me.  Dempsey makes some very pertinent points concerning the future of libraries.  He quotes William Mitchell from a 2008 article in the Economist – “there is a huge drop in demand for traditional, private, enclosed spaces…and a huge rise in demand for semi-public spaces that can be informally appropriated to ad hoc workspaces”.  The discussion about the future of collections was particularly interesting, and Dempsey made several interesting points in the conclusion of the article, stressing that “the library has a visibility and brand challenge…the continued competition for resources means that the library needs to be as visible as possible. This…calls for heightened marketing engagement and local political skills.” My sense is that these are relatively new skills for libraries and librarians.

Overload! Peta - Exa - Zetabytes...?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psvYYCxMIuE&feature=player_embedded

"The summer 2010 class of interns at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society took on a huge assignment: pick a chapter from Urs Gasser and John Palfrey's book, Born Digital, and make a short video inspired by that chapter.

This video, inspired by the "Overload" chapter, was created by Gregory Asmolov and Eliane Bucher, with production assistance from the Berkman Center for Internet & Society/Youth and Media project. It is released under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution Non-Commercial license."

retrieved from @Berkmancenter 02/24/12

From Twitter - Presentation on Using Blogs and Twitter to "Jump Start Your Library"

So, at Colleen's suggestion, I opened a Twitter account and "followed" a few people and other entities. Think I  followed too many, because I was inundated and now have to figure out what to do with all these "tweets"!

Did find this very informative piece of information - "Library 2.0 - Jump Start Your Library with Blogging and Twitter" and actually re-tweeted a few of the posts.

http://www.slideshare.net/nathantwright/library-20-jump-start-your-library-with-blogging-and-twitter?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Feel like I am making some progress, but honestly it is taking hours!!

P.S. There are several other very informative slide shows on the topic of Library 2.0 at the end of this presentation

Questions on the Use of Wikis in Business

I have been thinking a little more about the use of wikis in a business environment and reading fellow students' posts on this subject. It seems to me that this venue could be very useful for coordinating projects. In my job, I juggle numerous projects at any given time and each project involves a different set of team members. I can see where one wiki might be used for coordinating multiple projects if all the projects had the same team members. However, I am trying to figure out if it is possible to have one wiki site for multiple projects, each having different project teams. Can individual collaborators be added to specific projects rather than granting all collaborators access to all projects?

Library 2.0: Blogs, Wikis, and RSS to Serve the Library

This was a very informative article. For me personally, the definitions provided for Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and RSS were helpful. I agree with the author’s perspective on the importance of assimilating these technologies into library services. Because it is such an integral part of our everyday life, libraries must embrace technology. The challenge for libraries and librarians is to keep up with the changes in technology, keep abreast of the technologies the public is using and to incorporate these technologies into library services in a way that keeps them current. While many in our society question the future of libraries, this author states, and I agree, that “libraries are especially important now when the whole idea of education is stressing more and more independent learning and acting. All citizens must be able to find and use information. It is the key raw material, but it is a zero resource, if there are no access points to it and if documents are in chaotic order.” I find it amazing when educated, intelligent people tell me that, soon, we will no longer need libraries. Locally, several communities have voted down renovations to their town libraries, in spite of receiving state grants to assist them with the finances. Intelligently utilizing the various Web 2.0 tools is a crucial aspect of proving that libraries are both relevant and necessary.

The references provided in this article to the Ann Arbor District Library (blog), St. Joseph Public Library (wiki) and the websites for free images were an added bonus!

Check this out! - The Conversation Prism

Retrieved on 02/19/12 from: http://www.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=4524484&searchId=56b7bb6871857f290078cf83132bec40&npos=10

A Culture of Connectivity

This may sound kind of “sappy” but I feel that our ability to freely watch a webcast like this, given by experts in any field, is such a privilege.  That being said, I had mixed emotions about the topics discussed in this webcast. Professor Singer pointed out at the beginning of the webcast that “the world is changing around us and we just can’t keep up.” While it is here to stay, it seems that social media exacerbates this “problem”.  If we don’t want social media to overtake our lives, we must not only learn how to “embrace” it, we must also learn how to “manage” it.  

John Palfrey described the use of blogging in an academic setting, where students can actually follow the conversations of the faculty outside of the classroom. The ability to have this ongoing access to the faculty outside of the classroom is great, enhancing levels of participation. However, does this use of social media result in too much added pressure on the students?

While I don’t necessarily agree with all of her analogies between Facebook interactions and “face-to-face” interactions, Dr. Boyd raised several points that I found interesting:

• she points out that blogging can increase level of communication and participation in academic settings; 
• she acknowledges that adept use of the various technologies and media does not necessarily indicate media literacy or appropriate use of copyrights;
• she describes the content of social media sites as a “living thing” undergoing an evolution;
• she cautions college admissions and business hiring managers against judging applicants strictly by their Facebook pages, explaining that this may be only part of who they really are, or simply a fabricated personality. 

As we strive to keep up with the ever-changing technology, I think we need to be careful not to let technology overtake out lives. There is still a need for personal interaction beyond the dimension of social media. It was interesting to watch and listen to the panelists as they relayed their experiences and gave their opinions on this topic.

New Media, Old Media

Is it pertinent that Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, etc. are referred to a “social” media?  As I finished reading this article, my thought was that people probably gravitate to the “new” media for entertainment purposes more than for “news-worthy” content. However, this opinion is from someone who is currently only an occasional user of the new media! It seems to me that there is a need for both types of media, the traditional as well as the social. As stated in the article (pg. 2) “social media tend to hone in on stories that get much less attention in the mainstream press. And there is little evidence, at least at this point, of the traditional press then picking up on those stories in response.” From my limited perspective, there are several aspects to the new media that have an appeal: participation is relatively easy; there is immediate gratification when replying to a blog or a tweet, not so when writing a letter to the editor in response to an article or issue in the traditional sense and you don’t have to be an expert – everyone’s opinion seems to be “welcome”. The article definitely piqued my interest in looking a Twitter and You Tube, both of which I am sad to say I have never looked at before…

Library 2.0: Revolution or Evolution?

The article Library 2.0: Revolution or Evolution? discusses numerous points of view regarding the future of the institution we know as the library. With the emergence of digital technology, the manner in which traditional library services have been delivered began to change as well. Delivery formats changed to keep up with the wants and needs of the user. The authors seem to conclude, and I agree, that the changes taking place do not characterize a revolution. Libraries will continue to provide services that are similar to their traditional services, while offering them in a way that meets the needs of their users. I think it is really the nature of information that is changing. Information is expanding rapidly and it is being offered in different formats. Libraries will evolve to provide access efficiently and in a variety of formats., as well 

Pros and Cons of Social Media

It is interesting to read the differing opinions of the “experts” regarding the “Pros and Cons of Social Media”. I found myself agreeing with some of the comments, disagreeing with some, and not identifying at all with others.  For me, the overall benefit of social media is summed up in the quote from Jessica Clark, “Social media are value neutral; their main virtue is the promise of democratic communication. (It’s) a challenge to each of us to fight for parity, transparency, access and openness.”  Sasha Pasulka points out the good in social media: “It’s a way for us to become more informed, more connected and overall less ignorant. It’s a way for us to experience different lives, different worlds and different points of view in a way that has never been possible, quite literally, in the history of the world.” While Matt Hinckley points out the negative aspects of social media:  “Too much information bouncing around at the speed of thought leads us to too much information erroneously being ‘reported’ or accepted as ‘fact’.” Hinckley’s comment reminded me of the Koltay article from last week.