After five years, I have made a few changes to the Sheck Spot.
Funny how one sentence can say so much.
"After five years": it's hard to believe I have been blogging for that long. While I go back and forth sometimes about whether intermittent blogging is ok, I deeply appreciate the space to think and develop ideas that a blog offers. It's not always pretty but as I look back at posts from these last few years, I can see how much I have grown as a librarian, as a teacher, even as a thinker and writer.
"I have made a few changes": well, the template is the most visible change. Changing the look of the blog is a lot like moving the furniture around in the living room. It's awkward at first. And I need a few mornings of looking at it, coffee in hand, to decide whether I like where I put things. Knowing me, a few changes are still to come. But it is kind of refreshing. Yet, I will admit that I did use the templates from blogger. I have neither the skill nor the inclination to customize so heavily as to tap into the code of templates. Sorry.
"The Sheck Spot": One thing I'd like to point out is my new tag line or subtitle. Previously it read, "Ruminations on Libraries, Technology, and the space between." And for years, that is what I was doing. "Exploring New Technology" was a big part of this blog as was Wikipedia. But again, I've been blogging for five years. And a lot has changed. Recently, I was asked for a bio for a presentation Andy and I are giving at NELIG's Annual Program. As I was writing it, I realized how much I focus on teaching and information literacy in my writing, particularly on my blog. Oftentimes when I write about technology it is in frame of teaching. So, let's call things by their proper names. The new tag reads, "Trying to make explicit what is implicit about information literacy, teaching, and libraries." The purpose, "trying to make explicit what is implicit" says a bit more about my process in the classroom. Whether it be our assumptions about students or our assumptions about our value in the university, I try to dig down a bit. I am a gardener, after all.
So, there are some changes a foot. Can I promise more posting? Not necessarily. But it feels good to open the windows and let some fresh air into the blog.
Happy Spring.
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
10 May 2011
08 September 2010
Thanks, ACRLog
As if I needed yet another feather in my cap to start off the new school year but I was asked to post about instruction on the ACRLog. I was thrilled to be invited. So, hop over there (if you don't the ACRLog already, you should!) and check out the post.
And thanks to Maura Smale and Steven Bell for the opportunity!
And thanks to Maura Smale and Steven Bell for the opportunity!
03 August 2009
Why I didn't share my Library Day in the Life
Last week, a number of colleagues and friends posted their Library Day in a Life. This was one of those memes that made me stop. And while I think Bobbi Newman rocks for putting this together, I have been asking myself what I can learn from the experience. What is it that librarians are trying to acheive by participating in this meme? What does it tell us about ourselves? About our profession?
The first thing that it tells me is that we lead incredibly varied lives. It really makes me proud to be in a profession that brings so much intellectual and creative energy to the information stream.
However, at the same time, I ask myself who we are writing these memes for. It would be one thing if we were taking these various "day in the life" scenarios and publicizing them in a way that encouraged patrons and other professions to rethink what they mean when they say "librarian". All those folks that cock an eyebrow or give a little giggle and a joke about Dewey...those folks could learn so much by reading these expositions on our profession.
But that's not what the library blogosphere is up to with this meme, really. And it really wasn't until I saw Amanda McNeil's tweet this morning that it really struck me as to why I didn't participate in this meme:
Amanda's link to an article wasn't what took my attention here. It was the vibe that she picks up on. I love being part of a group of people that are proud of the work we do. And I love working with people that speak up and speak out. But this meme leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth in part because I don't see the meme itself having a role in our relevance, or our creativity, or out sociality (is that a word?!). Are we using these memes as collaboration tools? As ways to develop our own practices based on the practices of others? If you are, BRAVO! And share that! THAT is what I want to hear about. THAT is what I want to see happen with learning more about the nitty gritty of our day. THAT is what makes the technology we feel so comfortable with and the wealth of librarians being social media butterflies (had to steal Andy's metaphor there!) so valuable to our profession. But just sharing what you do on a daily basis--that doesn't have value in and of itself. And as Steven Bell rightly points out, we need to be spending our hours adding value to the learning process. And not just in the classroom. But amongst ourselves. At our conferences. At our Tweetups. On our blogs. I'm not saying we should abandon fun, laughs, and humor on our blogs (although, I haven't seen a single Library-Day-In-The-Life that admits to checking their Facebook or watching a YouTube or reading the New York Times). But I do think that the intentionality to learning that we bring into our classrooms could have a valuable role in our social media.
What do you think? Have you gotten something from the Library Day in the Life posts that have given you more value than I am allotting? Share it! I am dying to know.
The first thing that it tells me is that we lead incredibly varied lives. It really makes me proud to be in a profession that brings so much intellectual and creative energy to the information stream.
However, at the same time, I ask myself who we are writing these memes for. It would be one thing if we were taking these various "day in the life" scenarios and publicizing them in a way that encouraged patrons and other professions to rethink what they mean when they say "librarian". All those folks that cock an eyebrow or give a little giggle and a joke about Dewey...those folks could learn so much by reading these expositions on our profession.
But that's not what the library blogosphere is up to with this meme, really. And it really wasn't until I saw Amanda McNeil's tweet this morning that it really struck me as to why I didn't participate in this meme:
Amanda's link to an article wasn't what took my attention here. It was the vibe that she picks up on. I love being part of a group of people that are proud of the work we do. And I love working with people that speak up and speak out. But this meme leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth in part because I don't see the meme itself having a role in our relevance, or our creativity, or out sociality (is that a word?!). Are we using these memes as collaboration tools? As ways to develop our own practices based on the practices of others? If you are, BRAVO! And share that! THAT is what I want to hear about. THAT is what I want to see happen with learning more about the nitty gritty of our day. THAT is what makes the technology we feel so comfortable with and the wealth of librarians being social media butterflies (had to steal Andy's metaphor there!) so valuable to our profession. But just sharing what you do on a daily basis--that doesn't have value in and of itself. And as Steven Bell rightly points out, we need to be spending our hours adding value to the learning process. And not just in the classroom. But amongst ourselves. At our conferences. At our Tweetups. On our blogs. I'm not saying we should abandon fun, laughs, and humor on our blogs (although, I haven't seen a single Library-Day-In-The-Life that admits to checking their Facebook or watching a YouTube or reading the New York Times). But I do think that the intentionality to learning that we bring into our classrooms could have a valuable role in our social media.
What do you think? Have you gotten something from the Library Day in the Life posts that have given you more value than I am allotting? Share it! I am dying to know.
30 June 2009
Wonderful
As a librarians, we don't often have the same gratification as professors. I feel fortunate to work at a small college where I form close relationships with a number of students. But sometimes, they don't come around to share their achievements. And while you see them succeed, our role is often more in the background than front and center.
But sometimes you do have moments when you see someone take something you introduced to them and take off. A close friend and colleague of mine recently did this with blogging. Gary travels a great deal for our college and a few years ago, I encouraged him to start journaling his travels on a blog so that his friends and family could share in his experiences. Who knew that he would take it so deeply to heart. As I read his blog today, while he is galavanting from China to the UAE to Austria to Turkey, I am amazed at how much of the world I see from his posts.
It's wonderful to see so much from so far away through a tool like blogs. And to see someone embrace something so fully as Gary has embraced his blogging. It's a special thing.
But sometimes you do have moments when you see someone take something you introduced to them and take off. A close friend and colleague of mine recently did this with blogging. Gary travels a great deal for our college and a few years ago, I encouraged him to start journaling his travels on a blog so that his friends and family could share in his experiences. Who knew that he would take it so deeply to heart. As I read his blog today, while he is galavanting from China to the UAE to Austria to Turkey, I am amazed at how much of the world I see from his posts.
It's wonderful to see so much from so far away through a tool like blogs. And to see someone embrace something so fully as Gary has embraced his blogging. It's a special thing.
17 June 2009
Social Media, Iran, and You
It's an amazing time to be paying attention to social media. Over the last three days, Twitter has been one of the only places where accounts of the protests are coming in. The #iran and #iranelection have been blowing the mainstream media out of the water! People, USERS, are sharing content and building community at an unprecedented rate. All the terms we read about (social media, user generated content, read write web) are typified by this moment.
I can hardly peel my eyes away.
Here are a few articles and blog posts I've been putting into de.licio.us about it:
*The Inquisitor's piece is excellent in giving some context to how social media is over throwing some traditional media outlets.
*Excellent coverage from the New York Times on social media's role. To my mind, they are setting themselves apart with an article like this.
* The Huffington Post is doing great work on their blog. The Post at 2:42 am on 6/17/09 draws an excellent comparison to the Chinese's efforts to quell protest around Tiananmen. My only complaint here is that it is past tense. My excellent friend and mentor, Rob Williams, just returned from three weeks in China during which he and his team of mobile journalists were unable to Tweet, blog, or upload content as the Chinese "celebrated" the anniversary of Tiananmen. Their blog, China Mojo, is well worth reading for a variety of reasons. Check it out.
*Mashable has done an excellent job explaining what's happening on the social media scene and inciting action:
So share, post, Tweet. This is an exciting moment for social media and a tipping point for the people of Iran.
I can hardly peel my eyes away.
Here are a few articles and blog posts I've been putting into de.licio.us about it:
*The Inquisitor's piece is excellent in giving some context to how social media is over throwing some traditional media outlets.
*Excellent coverage from the New York Times on social media's role. To my mind, they are setting themselves apart with an article like this.
* The Huffington Post is doing great work on their blog. The Post at 2:42 am on 6/17/09 draws an excellent comparison to the Chinese's efforts to quell protest around Tiananmen. My only complaint here is that it is past tense. My excellent friend and mentor, Rob Williams, just returned from three weeks in China during which he and his team of mobile journalists were unable to Tweet, blog, or upload content as the Chinese "celebrated" the anniversary of Tiananmen. Their blog, China Mojo, is well worth reading for a variety of reasons. Check it out.
*Mashable has done an excellent job explaining what's happening on the social media scene and inciting action:
Social media comes fast, and because of that, the information can be overwhelming. Use filters and tools to help you understand what’s happening in real-time. If you’re looking for background on the situation, get yourself up-to-speed using Wikipedia (Iranian presidential elections 2009 and 2009 Iranian election protests are being constantly updated).
Finally, if you want to help bring awareness to the situation, then share! Share the videos you find via Twitter, blog about the situation, email your friends: everybody can play a part in this new media ecosystem.
So share, post, Tweet. This is an exciting moment for social media and a tipping point for the people of Iran.
11 March 2009
Starred Items
It's a busy week for me as I am heading to Seattle but there are a few things I've starred in my Google Reader that I'd love to share and hear comments on.
--This story about Vivek Kundra is certainly interesting and important. Who is this guy? And where was coverage in the major news media? Or in the library blogosphere? The Chief Information Officer has a huge role to play in the digital world and especially in an administration that is touting itself as digital. What is it that we want to see IT look like in the US? In government? These are questions I am posing in my Seminar in Contemporary World Issues but I pose them here as well.
--I love this post on the ACRLog, partly because there is so much to read from it. But also because ssmith (I wish I knew their real name!) shared experiences that are particularly familiar to me. As she said, it is refreshing to know you are not alone. Which leads to my next star...
--K.G. Schneider wrote this marvelous post about the impact the world situation is having on her in her efforts to write. I am so grateful for her sincerity and openness. It is difficult to process all that is going on in the world and it is also difficult to articulate its effect on us. It's hard to even realize that it has an effect. Admittedly, I am having a bit of an opposite experience. I am finding it easier to eek out time for writing and for myself, perhaps because I am not spending as much time in my Reader or surfing the news. Or perhaps because it is one of the only things I do have control over in these crazy times. But the important thing I take away from this is that the influx of information effects us all in different ways. The same is true for our students or our colleagues. I so much appreciated this reminder.
--Finally, I grabbed this post last week from the Chronicle on Wikipedia and the future of expertise. We are thinking about restructuring our first year, first semester IL session to talk with students more about Wikipedia and this might be an interesting way to do it since this piece really addresses questions about authority and credibility. I haven't delved into this as much as I would like yet but I will.
And that's it, I think. I am off to print my plane ticket. Hope to see you in Seattle.
--This story about Vivek Kundra is certainly interesting and important. Who is this guy? And where was coverage in the major news media? Or in the library blogosphere? The Chief Information Officer has a huge role to play in the digital world and especially in an administration that is touting itself as digital. What is it that we want to see IT look like in the US? In government? These are questions I am posing in my Seminar in Contemporary World Issues but I pose them here as well.
--I love this post on the ACRLog, partly because there is so much to read from it. But also because ssmith (I wish I knew their real name!) shared experiences that are particularly familiar to me. As she said, it is refreshing to know you are not alone. Which leads to my next star...
--K.G. Schneider wrote this marvelous post about the impact the world situation is having on her in her efforts to write. I am so grateful for her sincerity and openness. It is difficult to process all that is going on in the world and it is also difficult to articulate its effect on us. It's hard to even realize that it has an effect. Admittedly, I am having a bit of an opposite experience. I am finding it easier to eek out time for writing and for myself, perhaps because I am not spending as much time in my Reader or surfing the news. Or perhaps because it is one of the only things I do have control over in these crazy times. But the important thing I take away from this is that the influx of information effects us all in different ways. The same is true for our students or our colleagues. I so much appreciated this reminder.
--Finally, I grabbed this post last week from the Chronicle on Wikipedia and the future of expertise. We are thinking about restructuring our first year, first semester IL session to talk with students more about Wikipedia and this might be an interesting way to do it since this piece really addresses questions about authority and credibility. I haven't delved into this as much as I would like yet but I will.
And that's it, I think. I am off to print my plane ticket. Hope to see you in Seattle.
16 December 2008
03 October 2008
Doing a lot with a little
I love when other librarians blog conferences. It lets me feel like I am included without having to be present. With such a heavy teaching load these last few weeks and having just returned from a conference, I decided to skip Dartmouth Biomedical Library's October Conference. I know. This is a great conference. Believe me, I hear you. And great conference less than two hours away is a real rarity in Vermont.
Even though I wasn't able to make it, I was excited to see the Multitasking Librarian blogging away about it. Amanda seems to have interest in a lot of the same topics as I do because she hit all the presentations I would have checked out. Her posts really gave me a sense of the presentation: the issues, the questions, the opportunities, the obstacles. Great job!
Even though The Sheck couldn't make it to Dartmouth, I was excited that my director, Janet Cottrell, was slotted to speak, and even more excited to see Amanda's description of the presentation. Champlain has done an awful lot from within in a short period of time to make the library the epicenter of campus events and an essential part of the intellectual fabric of the college. Between our Events and Displays, our cool use of technology, especially photo sharing, we might be small but we are mighty!
In a way, it's much like blogging. As I said about Amanda's posts, they are informative albeit informal. It might take only a little to post but it offers others quite a lot.
And it brings me back to Champlain. I happen to be at one of those libraries where every one on staff is putting in 110% and doing it creatively, passionately, and collaboratively. So while we often can't do everything on our wish list, the real point is that our wish list is long with awesome ideas. So as I sat here on a Friday, getting ready for a much needed weekend, and I saw a post about Janet's presentation, it reminded me that even though I am busy and sometimes struggling to keep up...I have a great team around me. Small but mighty. Doing a lot with a little. But making an impact in big ways. Happy Friday.
Even though I wasn't able to make it, I was excited to see the Multitasking Librarian blogging away about it. Amanda seems to have interest in a lot of the same topics as I do because she hit all the presentations I would have checked out. Her posts really gave me a sense of the presentation: the issues, the questions, the opportunities, the obstacles. Great job!
Even though The Sheck couldn't make it to Dartmouth, I was excited that my director, Janet Cottrell, was slotted to speak, and even more excited to see Amanda's description of the presentation. Champlain has done an awful lot from within in a short period of time to make the library the epicenter of campus events and an essential part of the intellectual fabric of the college. Between our Events and Displays, our cool use of technology, especially photo sharing, we might be small but we are mighty!
In a way, it's much like blogging. As I said about Amanda's posts, they are informative albeit informal. It might take only a little to post but it offers others quite a lot.
And it brings me back to Champlain. I happen to be at one of those libraries where every one on staff is putting in 110% and doing it creatively, passionately, and collaboratively. So while we often can't do everything on our wish list, the real point is that our wish list is long with awesome ideas. So as I sat here on a Friday, getting ready for a much needed weekend, and I saw a post about Janet's presentation, it reminded me that even though I am busy and sometimes struggling to keep up...I have a great team around me. Small but mighty. Doing a lot with a little. But making an impact in big ways. Happy Friday.
03 June 2008
I am Seeing the Green!
Post posting on Friday, Jon and I crossed the Lake to spend the weekend at St. Lawrence University for his college reunion. It was a meeting of the minds. SLU highlighted their sustainability efforts as the focal point to the reunion. When we checked in for registration, we received cloth bags that said “The Greening of the Scarlet and Brown”, their school colors. They held tours of their LEED certified buildings, held workshops highlighting their sustainability programs both in and out of the classroom, and made abundantly clear how sustainability is a key factor in all decisions at that school. Their Green Pages are well worth checking out as both a way to inform and market initiatives.
They clearly have support for sustainability running through their administration, student body, board of trustess, and facilities. It is exciting to see. I also found out that SLU's Science Librarian, Eric Williams-Bergen, who I did not have the good fortune of meeting, is the chair of SLU's Conservation Council. Green Librarians Unite!
And that led me to seeking out some other green initiatives among librarians. I found this very cool post at the San Francisco Public Library's Magazine Center where they were highlighting mags that might give good tips about how to green up. And then, a whole blog devoted to greening up your library. I am on the hunt for more, so stay tuned.
They clearly have support for sustainability running through their administration, student body, board of trustess, and facilities. It is exciting to see. I also found out that SLU's Science Librarian, Eric Williams-Bergen, who I did not have the good fortune of meeting, is the chair of SLU's Conservation Council. Green Librarians Unite!
And that led me to seeking out some other green initiatives among librarians. I found this very cool post at the San Francisco Public Library's Magazine Center where they were highlighting mags that might give good tips about how to green up. And then, a whole blog devoted to greening up your library. I am on the hunt for more, so stay tuned.
14 April 2008
Loving Feevy Today
While I know there are 1000 reasons for my RSS feeds, there is something wonderful about Feevy. After meeting such an incredible slew of creative, dynamic, and freakin smart librarians at CiL, I have finally had the chance to add just a few of them to the Feevy roll. I also had the chance to add some actual faces to blogs I have been reading for a while and just never knew the faces behind the words.
And that's what I love. While I doubt I will make my way to Internet Librarian, so I might not actually meet up with many of these people face-to-face again for a year, Feevy let's me keep that face to that name on my blog. And that has value to me. Especially when I have portraits like those from Cindi Trainor to use as the thumbnail.
So I look forward to reading a lot of these blogs and glad I can think about how much I enjoyed finding out about them as they come down the blog roll
And that's what I love. While I doubt I will make my way to Internet Librarian, so I might not actually meet up with many of these people face-to-face again for a year, Feevy let's me keep that face to that name on my blog. And that has value to me. Especially when I have portraits like those from Cindi Trainor to use as the thumbnail.
So I look forward to reading a lot of these blogs and glad I can think about how much I enjoyed finding out about them as they come down the blog roll
10 October 2007
Talking 2.0
The theme of the Fall semester seems to be introducing faculty to web 2.0. Yes, that is why I haven't been blogging these last two weeks. I have been showing others how to blog! With so many initiatives underway on campus, the College is trying to figure out a way to keep people updated without increasing our already overwhelming email.
Hi...it's called blogging.
In the last two weeks, I've helped four faculty members get blogging as well as two departments. Some are interested in sharing information with others, some are interested in finding a new venue for their thoughts. Some just want to get acquainted with a new technology. Whatever their reason, it is exciting! Trying new technologies can be frigthening sometimes. I think it helps them to talk to someone who is using it for a variety of reasons.
I also encourage them to not feel like every post needs to be perfect. It's about communication, creativity, ingenuinity. I often share with them David Silver's "Gone" gallery as an example of how meaningful blogging pictures can be. I show them Common Craft's awesome videos imbedded on my site to show them that YouTube can be a great addition to a blog. I introduce them to the power of commenting.
One of the most commonly asked questions about blogging from potential bloggers is "who will read my blog?" And I often respond with "who cares?" While putting yourself out on the web is clearly a method of self-promotion, that can't be the sole stimulation. That is how you end up with blogs that are out of date (says the girl who didn't blog for two weeks). Blogging is a way to communicate with others but also with yourself. That is what makes is so informative and also so different than other methods of communication: its informality illustrates the development of ideas or experiences. It is interactive and inclusive.
It's so 2.0.
Hi...it's called blogging.
In the last two weeks, I've helped four faculty members get blogging as well as two departments. Some are interested in sharing information with others, some are interested in finding a new venue for their thoughts. Some just want to get acquainted with a new technology. Whatever their reason, it is exciting! Trying new technologies can be frigthening sometimes. I think it helps them to talk to someone who is using it for a variety of reasons.
I also encourage them to not feel like every post needs to be perfect. It's about communication, creativity, ingenuinity. I often share with them David Silver's "Gone" gallery as an example of how meaningful blogging pictures can be. I show them Common Craft's awesome videos imbedded on my site to show them that YouTube can be a great addition to a blog. I introduce them to the power of commenting.
One of the most commonly asked questions about blogging from potential bloggers is "who will read my blog?" And I often respond with "who cares?" While putting yourself out on the web is clearly a method of self-promotion, that can't be the sole stimulation. That is how you end up with blogs that are out of date (says the girl who didn't blog for two weeks). Blogging is a way to communicate with others but also with yourself. That is what makes is so informative and also so different than other methods of communication: its informality illustrates the development of ideas or experiences. It is interactive and inclusive.
It's so 2.0.
12 September 2007
9/11
I was saddened yesterday to see the commemoration of September 11th buried, so to speak, beneath articles on Iraq in the New York Times. But when my eye wandered beneath the fold, virtually mind you, I saw this piece about an exhibition at the New York Historical Society.
If you've never been to the New York Historical Society, right next to the Museum of Natural History in New York, it is an impressive place. Having seen a few exhibitions there, this one seems quite different. The rows of the photos, hung by binder clips, with no frames, with no pomp and circumstance, is a very different approach for them. But, as the article correctly points out, it is most appropriate for this exhibition. Wandering through the photos on line is slightly discombobulating, as I imagine it was to wander through New York on and around September 11th. But I can only imagine...
And I am embarrassed that I didn't do anything to commemorate Sept. 11th at our library. Being in the second week of classes and feeling overwhelmed by all the projects, meetings, changes in the schedules...still, it's not an excuse. And I guess I want to say the same thing to the New York Times: where is the remembrance? Where are our priorities? I don't often write about politics here and I don't think I am writing about politics now. It is not about politics. It is about people. It is about community.
I am teaching a senior seminar this semester on Technology and Society and my students are spending a lot of time mulling over how different their lives would be without the digital technology we have come to depend on. I sit here wondering if we spent less time attached to our computers, our ipods, our cell phones, would we have more connection to remembering something like 9/11? Has an event like this been lost to our memory because it is not being flashed in front of our screens?
I'm not sure. I know that there are projects out there trying to remind us of the changes in our world. This exhibit is one example, the September Project is another. But since I don't own a television, I was curious as to what happened last night in the mainstream. So I just went over to NBC Nightly News' website. And again, I had to go beneath the proverbial fold. But I did find this one piece, by a producer on NBC. And it reminded me of why I am here, in the blogosphere. It is because we are individuals, making our way in the world. And whether or not the mainstream media does what I think it should, it doesn't matter. This, this post, is my remembering September 11th. This post is my promise to myself to never forget.
If you've never been to the New York Historical Society, right next to the Museum of Natural History in New York, it is an impressive place. Having seen a few exhibitions there, this one seems quite different. The rows of the photos, hung by binder clips, with no frames, with no pomp and circumstance, is a very different approach for them. But, as the article correctly points out, it is most appropriate for this exhibition. Wandering through the photos on line is slightly discombobulating, as I imagine it was to wander through New York on and around September 11th. But I can only imagine...
And I am embarrassed that I didn't do anything to commemorate Sept. 11th at our library. Being in the second week of classes and feeling overwhelmed by all the projects, meetings, changes in the schedules...still, it's not an excuse. And I guess I want to say the same thing to the New York Times: where is the remembrance? Where are our priorities? I don't often write about politics here and I don't think I am writing about politics now. It is not about politics. It is about people. It is about community.
I am teaching a senior seminar this semester on Technology and Society and my students are spending a lot of time mulling over how different their lives would be without the digital technology we have come to depend on. I sit here wondering if we spent less time attached to our computers, our ipods, our cell phones, would we have more connection to remembering something like 9/11? Has an event like this been lost to our memory because it is not being flashed in front of our screens?
I'm not sure. I know that there are projects out there trying to remind us of the changes in our world. This exhibit is one example, the September Project is another. But since I don't own a television, I was curious as to what happened last night in the mainstream. So I just went over to NBC Nightly News' website. And again, I had to go beneath the proverbial fold. But I did find this one piece, by a producer on NBC. And it reminded me of why I am here, in the blogosphere. It is because we are individuals, making our way in the world. And whether or not the mainstream media does what I think it should, it doesn't matter. This, this post, is my remembering September 11th. This post is my promise to myself to never forget.
27 August 2007
He blogs his way around the world
This one goes out to Gary Scudder, professor of history at Champlain with wit and humor available no matter the circumstance. But it's not Gary's bizarre and dry sense of humor I really want to mention, or at least not directly. It is his amazing travel blog that has made me stop-look-and-read.
A little background....
Gary did not even know what a blog was until I mentioned it to him one day. And that very afternoon he came to my office and I helped him set one up. Today, he is a blogging machine! He blogs for school. He blogs for fun. He just blogs.
What I love most about the travel blog is his incredible sense of place and culture. His descriptions are candid but detailed, showing a seasoned traveler who is not afraid to go off the beaten path. Actually, I think that is his path. The pictures he has been showing of places he's been are always interesting but I also appreciate the pictures of the food he eats, the people he meets, the little things he notices when he is abroad. He contextualizes his travels in relationship to other spots and adventures that creates this sense of time and space that is engaging.
Gary's embrace of blogging is inspiring and I look forward to his posts. He mentioned to me that he also keeps a traditional journal and he wonders how he might write about things twice. Whether he finds it a bit tedious, I am glad he is making the extra effort. And I hope that upon his return, we can look over his journal to add some further thoughts and recollections about his travels.
It's a shame he is on his way home (though from the sound of his last post, he might need to rest up a bit...feel better Scudder!)
A little background....
Gary did not even know what a blog was until I mentioned it to him one day. And that very afternoon he came to my office and I helped him set one up. Today, he is a blogging machine! He blogs for school. He blogs for fun. He just blogs.
What I love most about the travel blog is his incredible sense of place and culture. His descriptions are candid but detailed, showing a seasoned traveler who is not afraid to go off the beaten path. Actually, I think that is his path. The pictures he has been showing of places he's been are always interesting but I also appreciate the pictures of the food he eats, the people he meets, the little things he notices when he is abroad. He contextualizes his travels in relationship to other spots and adventures that creates this sense of time and space that is engaging.
Gary's embrace of blogging is inspiring and I look forward to his posts. He mentioned to me that he also keeps a traditional journal and he wonders how he might write about things twice. Whether he finds it a bit tedious, I am glad he is making the extra effort. And I hope that upon his return, we can look over his journal to add some further thoughts and recollections about his travels.
It's a shame he is on his way home (though from the sound of his last post, he might need to rest up a bit...feel better Scudder!)
14 August 2007
Exploring New Technology: Technorati
At conferences, in library and technology literature, in blogs...you hear it, you see it, but what is it? What is Technorati?
As usual, the first place I try is their About Us. For such a popularly quoted resource, I guess I expected some concrete information as to their mission, purpose, resources, etc. They do present a resounding statistic:
But why is it the recognized authority? What exactly do they do? Once I reread their About Us, this popped out at me:
Wow...sit back and take that in. Better yet, try it. It's astounding.
I have no doubt that there a multitude of way to use Technorati, as a blogger, as an interested web user, as a person. But as a librarian, I immediately think about all the times students want to use public opinion to start out a paper. For example, when their research papers start out with, "People say that..." What if we gave them Technorati? Instead of "people say," they could try "According to Technorati, there are 18,658 blogs posts related to Second Life and Higher Education," to qualify people saying? Good idea? Bad idea? I'm not sure yet...but I will think about it and share those thoughts with you.
One last thing I noticed, Technorati picked up an amazing number of MySpace blog posts. Hmmm.
As usual, the first place I try is their About Us. For such a popularly quoted resource, I guess I expected some concrete information as to their mission, purpose, resources, etc. They do present a resounding statistic:
Currently tracking 97.7 million blogs and over 250 million pieces of tagged social media. Technorati is the recognized authority on what's happening on the World Live Web, right now.
But why is it the recognized authority? What exactly do they do? Once I reread their About Us, this popped out at me:
On the World Live Web, bloggers frequently link to and comment on other blogs, creating the type of immediate connection one would have in a conversation. Technorati tracks these links, and thus the relative relevance of blogs, photos, videos etc. We rapidly index tens of thousands of updates every hour, and so we monitor these live communities and the conversations they foster.So what exactly are they tracking? At first I thought they meant that when I reference Meredith Farkas or David Silver, Technorati keeps track of it. Not exactly. Looking again at their homepage, I started to see that they are just creating an indexed blogosphere. From the looks of their tag cloud, there seems to be more references to what is written about (You Tube, famous folks, politics, etc) than to whom is referenced. But then again, you can search for people or blogs and find out when they have been mentioned, referenced, linked to. I searched for Meredith and saw people's posts referencing her blog. I searched for my own blog and found myself referenced even.
Wow...sit back and take that in. Better yet, try it. It's astounding.
I have no doubt that there a multitude of way to use Technorati, as a blogger, as an interested web user, as a person. But as a librarian, I immediately think about all the times students want to use public opinion to start out a paper. For example, when their research papers start out with, "People say that..." What if we gave them Technorati? Instead of "people say," they could try "According to Technorati, there are 18,658 blogs posts related to Second Life and Higher Education," to qualify people saying? Good idea? Bad idea? I'm not sure yet...but I will think about it and share those thoughts with you.
One last thing I noticed, Technorati picked up an amazing number of MySpace blog posts. Hmmm.
17 May 2007
Exploring New Technology 4: Feevy
Lately, I have been wishing that I had a dynamic blog roll to keep up with the news from other blogs. You know, a tool that lets me know that my favorite bloggers have posted. So, the amazing David Silver has been encouraging me to try out Feevy. I've read a lot of interesting blogs by looking at David's feevy (it sounds so voyeuristic or something). So why not get one going for myself, right? How hard can it be?
Well, it's harder than I thought. Feevy's website seems pretty easy to understand: "display content from other blogs at your website with just one simple html tag." Hey, if I've got this blogging thing down, and have even started people on my campus setting up blogs, I can do this, right?
Wrong.
But let's break it down.
First, I set up an account. No problem.
Second, I listed a blog I wanted to keep track of using Feevy. I entered the blog's URL and then it asks me to select an "avatar." I would like to side track here to say that the word "avatar" freaks me out. I think Sci-fi, basement, video games...it's just not my kind of thing. I am a sunshine, read a book, no tv kind of girl. Little did I know from looking it up in Wikipedia that the origin of the word is hindu, referring to the incarnations of the divine, such as Vishnu. Wow...that's a lesson in not judging a word by the sound of it.
But I digress.
So, I am trying to create an avatar for the blog I am trying to follow. Problem 1: I can only use images downloaded to my computer, not from the web. So I have to find an image, download it to my computer, and then upload it. Problem 2: once I download an image from the blog, I “encounter a problem” uploading the avatar. No further suggestions for how to solve the problem. Just the statement that there is a problem. That is a problem.
I appreciate their FAQ section, even though it doesn't address problems uploading avatars. I did especially like the part that explains how to add feevy to my blog. Except that it didn't work.
The verdict: While I like how Feevy looks on other people's blogs and I want to get it going, I think I need some help.
There doesn't seem to be a "contact us for help" section on the Feevy page to address some of these problems. So I turn to you in the blogosphere. Is there anybody out there to feevy me through?
Well, it's harder than I thought. Feevy's website seems pretty easy to understand: "display content from other blogs at your website with just one simple html tag." Hey, if I've got this blogging thing down, and have even started people on my campus setting up blogs, I can do this, right?
Wrong.
But let's break it down.
First, I set up an account. No problem.
Second, I listed a blog I wanted to keep track of using Feevy. I entered the blog's URL and then it asks me to select an "avatar." I would like to side track here to say that the word "avatar" freaks me out. I think Sci-fi, basement, video games...it's just not my kind of thing. I am a sunshine, read a book, no tv kind of girl. Little did I know from looking it up in Wikipedia that the origin of the word is hindu, referring to the incarnations of the divine, such as Vishnu. Wow...that's a lesson in not judging a word by the sound of it.
But I digress.
So, I am trying to create an avatar for the blog I am trying to follow. Problem 1: I can only use images downloaded to my computer, not from the web. So I have to find an image, download it to my computer, and then upload it. Problem 2: once I download an image from the blog, I “encounter a problem” uploading the avatar. No further suggestions for how to solve the problem. Just the statement that there is a problem. That is a problem.
I appreciate their FAQ section, even though it doesn't address problems uploading avatars. I did especially like the part that explains how to add feevy to my blog. Except that it didn't work.
The verdict: While I like how Feevy looks on other people's blogs and I want to get it going, I think I need some help.
There doesn't seem to be a "contact us for help" section on the Feevy page to address some of these problems. So I turn to you in the blogosphere. Is there anybody out there to feevy me through?
09 May 2007
Exploring New Technology 3: Flickr
Digital cameras have their pros and cons. Pro: deleting terrible shots with no cost attached. Con: remembering to have prints made of the good shots to make into an album. Pro: no need to make traditional albums anymore...just go online. Con: no need to make traditional albums anymore...just go online.
Up until today, I had been a Kodak Gallery kind of girl. My cousin uses Shutterfly. There are a many more sites that offer you space, tools to upload, organize, alter, and share your photos. But the one that has been interesting as of late is Flickr.
What does Flickr offer that the others don't? What makes it so special? That's what I wanted to know too.
So, as usual, I'll go step by step.
First, I downloaded my pictures onto my PC. I downloaded Flickr's Uploadr software so I would be able to drag my photos into a box rather than "browsing" for individual pictures. Kodak and Shutterfly operate similarly up to this point. It's a little cumbersom and can get a little frustrating, especially the first time around when you have to download the software, etc. But once you get the hang of it, no sweat.
So then I set out to alter my pics. The first thing I noticed is that I didn't have to turn my pics around. Apparently, Flickr adjusted the orientation of my photos automatically. Awesome. That's often terribly time consuming (read, annoying).
Then I started tagging my pics. I'm all about tagging. Now, any time I want pictures of Rigi (our pup), they are tagged and easy to pick up rather than having to open different albums to find the picture I'm after. Accessible, easy to use. Good stuff. The organizing feature is intuitive.
Then came to the sharing bit. Each of these photo websites asks you to share your pictures with an address book that is tedious to import. For those of you looking for then next great idea, how about mobile, importable address book so I can just download addresses safely and easily. But I digress...one thing Flickr did offer me was a link to my slideshow to send out to my choice of peeps. Good stuff. I wish they offered links for individual photos too.
Another nice feature is that I can blog pictures from Flickr, which I will try to implement soon. As for other web 2.0 features, there is are many opportunities to show pics to groups, map where pictures were taken (might be enormously useful for the annual Italy trip).
Verdict: pretty cool. Definately easier to upload, share, and organize than other photo sharing sites I've used. I will continue to try it. Assuming it maintains its ease of use, you can catch my pics on the blog.
Up until today, I had been a Kodak Gallery kind of girl. My cousin uses Shutterfly. There are a many more sites that offer you space, tools to upload, organize, alter, and share your photos. But the one that has been interesting as of late is Flickr.
What does Flickr offer that the others don't? What makes it so special? That's what I wanted to know too.
So, as usual, I'll go step by step.
First, I downloaded my pictures onto my PC. I downloaded Flickr's Uploadr software so I would be able to drag my photos into a box rather than "browsing" for individual pictures. Kodak and Shutterfly operate similarly up to this point. It's a little cumbersom and can get a little frustrating, especially the first time around when you have to download the software, etc. But once you get the hang of it, no sweat.
So then I set out to alter my pics. The first thing I noticed is that I didn't have to turn my pics around. Apparently, Flickr adjusted the orientation of my photos automatically. Awesome. That's often terribly time consuming (read, annoying).
Then I started tagging my pics. I'm all about tagging. Now, any time I want pictures of Rigi (our pup), they are tagged and easy to pick up rather than having to open different albums to find the picture I'm after. Accessible, easy to use. Good stuff. The organizing feature is intuitive.
Then came to the sharing bit. Each of these photo websites asks you to share your pictures with an address book that is tedious to import. For those of you looking for then next great idea, how about mobile, importable address book so I can just download addresses safely and easily. But I digress...one thing Flickr did offer me was a link to my slideshow to send out to my choice of peeps. Good stuff. I wish they offered links for individual photos too.
Another nice feature is that I can blog pictures from Flickr, which I will try to implement soon. As for other web 2.0 features, there is are many opportunities to show pics to groups, map where pictures were taken (might be enormously useful for the annual Italy trip).
Verdict: pretty cool. Definately easier to upload, share, and organize than other photo sharing sites I've used. I will continue to try it. Assuming it maintains its ease of use, you can catch my pics on the blog.
03 May 2007
Blogs, everywhere blogs
Has anyone else noticed how often blogs are mentioned in traditional, or "old school" media outlets lately? How about these articles:
-NY Times cites bloggers as the skeptics to a multi-billion dollar company's meager donation of $5 million to Africa. While I applaud any efforts to support impoverishment in Africa, I think taht the bloggers make a great point in asking whether an organization, or a show like American Idol (and I am purposefully not linking that) should be applauded for doing so little when given their appeal, they could something truly impactful.
Or, how about the blogging gadfly (marvelous word, gadfly, isn't it?) at the UN? This piece is especially interesting because it questions the validity of bloggers as "journalists" and how institutions like the UN should handle the rapid influx of new media. But it also brings to light concerns about information sharing. Bloggers are not edited as newspapers are and they also aren't limited by space and time constraints. What does that mean for the likes of the UN? Or the World Bank? Or the White House? Doesn't it mean that blogs could supply in depth, contextualized news coverage? That blogs could be innovating not only how we read our news but how we understand it? Is this really the power of web 2.0? It makes David Silver's AEIOU (Already Existing Information Optimally Uploaded) come that much more into focus. The news is out there, it's the degree to which we find it, read it, understand it, and discuss it that might by revolutionary.
-NY Times cites bloggers as the skeptics to a multi-billion dollar company's meager donation of $5 million to Africa. While I applaud any efforts to support impoverishment in Africa, I think taht the bloggers make a great point in asking whether an organization, or a show like American Idol (and I am purposefully not linking that) should be applauded for doing so little when given their appeal, they could something truly impactful.
Or, how about the blogging gadfly (marvelous word, gadfly, isn't it?) at the UN? This piece is especially interesting because it questions the validity of bloggers as "journalists" and how institutions like the UN should handle the rapid influx of new media. But it also brings to light concerns about information sharing. Bloggers are not edited as newspapers are and they also aren't limited by space and time constraints. What does that mean for the likes of the UN? Or the World Bank? Or the White House? Doesn't it mean that blogs could supply in depth, contextualized news coverage? That blogs could be innovating not only how we read our news but how we understand it? Is this really the power of web 2.0? It makes David Silver's AEIOU (Already Existing Information Optimally Uploaded) come that much more into focus. The news is out there, it's the degree to which we find it, read it, understand it, and discuss it that might by revolutionary.
25 April 2007
Blogging the world
What are two of my favorite historians doing as I am sifting through my student's papers? Blogging their way through the Middle East!
Here's my shout out to Rob Williams and Gary Scudder: two professors from Champlain that are currently traveling, and BLOGGING, in Jordan, after knocking people's socks off at the International Conference on Interactive Mobile Computer Aided Learning (that's a mouthful).
These two guys are really taking the time to share their experience with us: intellectually, culturally, hygenically (I love the picture of Gary getting a straight razor shave!) Isn't it amazing that blogging can connect us in such a intimate way through mass communication from thousands of miles away! Wow, technology is cool.
Safe travels you two!
Here's my shout out to Rob Williams and Gary Scudder: two professors from Champlain that are currently traveling, and BLOGGING, in Jordan, after knocking people's socks off at the International Conference on Interactive Mobile Computer Aided Learning (that's a mouthful).
These two guys are really taking the time to share their experience with us: intellectually, culturally, hygenically (I love the picture of Gary getting a straight razor shave!) Isn't it amazing that blogging can connect us in such a intimate way through mass communication from thousands of miles away! Wow, technology is cool.
Safe travels you two!
23 April 2007
The Rough Life: Which article to talk about first?
I have a vow not to check email or be on a computer over the weekends, except to watch movies on our laptop since we don't have a television. So I leave my computer for two days and voila: an outstanding array of articles that remind my being librarian ROCKS! I spend my time reading about the coolest stuff!
From a process point of view, I have to list the articles of interest so I don't lose them (I am the kind of person who has to write it down for it to be mine). Posts on these various articles are forthcoming:
1. Sunday NYT had a fascinating piece on Twitter, a technology that was on my list for the Exploring New Technology thread. Let me also take this opportunity to give a shout out to the NYT Sunday Business Section! They are the most library friendly section of any major newspaper: from digitization, to home cataloging, and now a wave of articles on social networking software. Hats off to them and I hope the trend continues!
2. An important piece in today's NYT on the important role Wikipedia played in collecting, organizing, and facilitating information on the Virginia Tech shootings. Highly demonstrative of changes in wikipedia's editorial structure but far more importatntly, the value of collaborative information gathering and disseminating.
3. James Fallows, who I have always respected since reading his "Breaking the News" in college, wrote a disappointing piece about the lack of software to facilitate document sharing. Interesting in two ways: a) how it contrasts the wikipedia piece above, and b) how it highlights, yet again, how things that librarians and technologists use and are excited about have a long ride downstream.
But like I said, more thought is forthcoming. I just didn't want to lose the threads.
From a process point of view, I have to list the articles of interest so I don't lose them (I am the kind of person who has to write it down for it to be mine). Posts on these various articles are forthcoming:
1. Sunday NYT had a fascinating piece on Twitter, a technology that was on my list for the Exploring New Technology thread. Let me also take this opportunity to give a shout out to the NYT Sunday Business Section! They are the most library friendly section of any major newspaper: from digitization, to home cataloging, and now a wave of articles on social networking software. Hats off to them and I hope the trend continues!
2. An important piece in today's NYT on the important role Wikipedia played in collecting, organizing, and facilitating information on the Virginia Tech shootings. Highly demonstrative of changes in wikipedia's editorial structure but far more importatntly, the value of collaborative information gathering and disseminating.
3. James Fallows, who I have always respected since reading his "Breaking the News" in college, wrote a disappointing piece about the lack of software to facilitate document sharing. Interesting in two ways: a) how it contrasts the wikipedia piece above, and b) how it highlights, yet again, how things that librarians and technologists use and are excited about have a long ride downstream.
But like I said, more thought is forthcoming. I just didn't want to lose the threads.
02 April 2007
ACRL: So Much to Learn, Not Enough Time
Went to the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) conference this weekend in much-warmer-than-Vermont Baltimore. And incredible display of curiousity, innovation, and commitment on the part of academic librarians. It's hard to understand how anyone could suggest that librarians are stodgy and immovable. I was impressed again and again at the attempts by libraries across the country to improve their services using the latest technology, the efforts to understand the implications of technology on the institution and our students, and the excitement and collaboration among librarians to not just keep up but lead the way in incorporating technology with traditional methods of instruction to ensure that our students are developed and learned.
Once I have the chance to read through my notes, there will be more to come on the inspiring talk on Library 2.0 and blogging by David Silver, media studies professor at the Univ. of San Francisco, on the highly original and interesting use of gaming in the undergrad library by my friend David Ward at UIUC, and perceptions of authority in Wikipedia by Dan Ream (I forget where he's from but I will find out before I post about it).
Once I have the chance to read through my notes, there will be more to come on the inspiring talk on Library 2.0 and blogging by David Silver, media studies professor at the Univ. of San Francisco, on the highly original and interesting use of gaming in the undergrad library by my friend David Ward at UIUC, and perceptions of authority in Wikipedia by Dan Ream (I forget where he's from but I will find out before I post about it).
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