aascils598f08

final

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:53:00 +0000

Just wanted to post my final, in case anyone is interested, and say I've really enjoyed experiencing Social Software with you all. Congratulations to anyone who is graduating!

EBISFY. I love acronyms.

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:59:00 +0000

I had a friend over yesterday, who saw the Johnson book on my kitchen table and asked to borrow it. She's an MBA who works in Marketing, but doesn't do much "computer stuff". Just got a Facebook account a month ago, hasn't ever played an online game (except Solitaire), so I'll be really interested to get her take on what Johnson has to say. As a gamer, I feel my perspective is a little biased.

Anyway, *if* Johnson is right, and I'm not 100% sold on that, it means libraries, and more specifically, librarians, need to open their minds and hearts to the fact that books aren't everything. In today's world, many people, particularly teenagers, view the library as "old school". Libraries that are embracing gaming programs, websites, blogging, and other new technologies and online resources are the ones inviting new patrons through their doors, be they virtual or physical. Clearly, per Johnson, there is some evidence to suggest that there is cognitive value in many of the activities people engage in these days, even if on the surface they don't seem to have much redeeming value.

One of the things Johnson says late in EBIGFY is that there has been a ton of research on the negative aspects of gaming and television, but not much on the potential positives. If we as a society stop looking at these things with a jaundiced eye, perhaps we can find some of those plusses and make best use of them. We already know the line between education and entertainment is blurring; what we need is a way to understand how to make that work to our advantage. Librarians included.

social network + change = bad?

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:46:00 +0000

I have a friend who gets Wired magazine, and passes it on to me when she's done. So I get to the party late unless I read it online, but there is always interesting stuff in there. Read this short article from the November issue last night: The Wrath of Moms, about how after CNET bought UrbanBaby.com and made significant changes to it, a few programmers from that community rebuilt their own space the way they liked it (youbemom.com), and that site now gets more traffic than the original.

From personal experience, I can say that sometimes when I have gone to a regularly-visited site and there are significant changes I don't like to the layout or functionality, whether there is advance warning or not, I have indeed dropped it from my list of 'places I like to go online'. Even if the content remains similar, there is value in the way presentation and interaction occurs. Change is important, but site providers need to stay alert to whether their changes are worthwhile in the face of pushback. I've found that incremental change is often a better option than a complete overhaul. Kind of like the old adage about boiling a frog...turn up the heat slowly and it doesn't realize it's being cooked. Which is really gross actually, where did that analogy come from??

things that make you go hmm

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Overall, this class was a really good experience. It's an ideal subject matter for an online course, considering the tools we used, and a lot of ground got covered.

One suggestion I'd make is to continue the practice of commenting on other blog posts each week. It can be a pain since many are made at the last minute, but I learned a lot from reading everyone else's stuff, and it reinforces the concept of 'social networking' with my peers. I've mostly relied on Twitter and Google Reader to keep up with people, but not everyone uses the former, so requiring that we reply to a single post by a different classmate each week would go far to keep us connected without creating too much of a burden.

Other folks have already said that the class is very time-consuming, which is true. And it might be slightly overambitious towards the end in terms of technology, but the screencasting and audio/video software is important enough to keep in. I don't think Second Life is a terribly good intro to immersive environments. Unless the class meets up online and does something collectively, I'd recommend finding another avenue for this topic. The learning curve is too steep and the software requirements too high for a lot of people to get anything out of a brief foray into SL, if they're able to use it at all. If Club Penguin is so great, maybe it would be a better, if less academically inclined, choice.

So thumbs up, and thanks to Steve and my fellow 598'ers for a great class!

a/s/l

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:43:00 +0000

So GC got hit-on within minutes of starting her Second Life adventure. Sadly, nothing that exciting happened to me. In fact, I was completely ignored. It might have been the pink polka dot dress, which no doubt was a glaring alert to any experienced SL'er that I was a noob. Seriously? Pink polka dots? While I fussed for 30 minutes with the size of my lip cleft, etc, I never did find a clothing warehouse. Poor Azynthas, doomed to run (*cough* if you can call that running) around in some kind of weird 50s-ish get up. Fortunately, after a few hiccups I got SL to respond to movement via the AWSD keys, which is what I am comfortable using from other game environments. Strange how I am not left-handed, but when it comes to gaming I handle 95% of motion and other keystrokes with my left hand, while my right stays on the mouse for clicking.

Here I am in some random place I teleported to when I first left the orientation area. No idea where it was, but it was pretty! I love the holidays, even while knee-deep in snow wearing a summer frock.

And here I am on info island. Some chatting going on, so I wasn't alone, at least, although nobody talked to me, and I felt far too new to initiate anything.

My biggest complaint after a short time in SL? Textures and environment are painfully slow to load. I have reasonably high-speed internet, and a gaming computer, so my patience threshold for that sort of thing is fairly low. A few times I'd look at a sign or a building, get tired of waiting for it to come into focus, and just move on.

Being an avid MMO-player (2 years of Everquest II and 3 years of World of Warcraft, plus some dabbling in LoTRO and Warhammer, plus um...Webkinz /shame), nothing about how SL looked or felt grabbed my attention right off. Like any MMO, I'm sure with a little time and effort it's possible to get into it, but I think you need to meet up with somebody friendly pretty quick for some guidance, or already know someone who 'plays' regularly and can show you the ropes.

Given GC's experience, I was particularly interested in the following section of the terms of server (TOS) agreement:

1.2 Linden Lab is a service provider, which means, among other things, that
Linden Lab does not control various aspects of the Service. You acknowledge that
Linden Lab is a service provider that may allow people to interact online
regarding topics and content chosen by users of the service, and that users can
alter the service environment on a real-time basis. Linden Lab generally does
not regulate the content of communications between users or users' interactions
with the Service. As a result, Linden Lab has very limited control, if any, over
the quality, safety, morality, legality, truthfulness or accuracy of various
aspects of the Service.

Interesting! There has been a lot of news/media coverage of Second Life due to its proliferation of...adult activities, particularly because Linden dollars can be converted into real money. There are tons of people doing digital versions of illicit behavior and making a lot of actual coin! It's a fascinating legal, moral and cultural issue to explore. I know there is a lot more to Second Life: PG-13 areas, learning spaces like Info Island, various other communities. But it's no surprise that media chooses to cover the more salacious content.

(ps--for anyone not familiar with the subject line short-hand, a/s/l stands for age/sex/location, which is a basic tenet of many crude online come-ons!)

connect the dots

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 03:46:00 +0000

I always wait until the last minute to make blog posts I don't want to write, lol. I finished part one of Johnson's book earlier in the week, but I've been ruminating on it ever since, without coming to any kind of definite conclusion. So I've been reluctant to get my thoughts out.

Certainly, since at least the late 80's (when I came of age, so to speak) we've heard the "dumbing down" of American popular culture argument, and I've often nodded and agreed when it's been discussed. On the surface, I can see how it looks--more tv, more gaming, and less activities considered 'high-brow' like reading or theater. It makes sense that people would assume the worst.

But I think it's the assumption part that gets us into trouble. Johnson seems to be one of the first who has taken the time to really examine these entertainment options as more than diversions (or at worst, impetous for shooting rampages and the like). He is refreshing for voicing an alternate view, and one that I do believe has some validity. The key is his point that it's not necessarily the content itself that is of cognitive value. Rather, it's the mental activities that are required to make sense of the content that make our brains better.

So a game like Call of Duty 4, which is a FPS (first-person shooter) which consists mainly of going on missions and shooting/blowing stuff up, when looked at from a content perspective, is all about violence and war and death. Congress does not approve (ironically). But looking at the same game from a cognitive perspective is completely different--it's not about how the guy looks who you just grenaded, it's about your teammate coming over the ridge, warning him about the dude to the left and making sure you move out of the way of an incoming air raid, all at the same time. Possibly both via text and voice. This requires mental effort, a lot of it! I tried Call of Duty because my boyfriend loves it, but it's too quick for me. Practice helps, but as Johnson points out, it's that practice that helps our brains develop new neural pathways.

His whole discussion of television, and comparing old shows to newer shows in terms of characters and plot was fascinating, and the idea that reality television is more about learning social networking than it is about humiliation is interesting. Overall, Johnson hasn't completely sold me yet (still part two to go!), but I find his theory intriguing. And hopeful, because I'd much rather find a way to see these cultural norms in a positive light than a negative one.

And now that I've written my two cents, I'm headed to Google Reader to see what everyone else had to say!

JXQZKLR

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 18:56:00 +0000

I had hoped to arrange 'live' gameplay demonstration of a Peggle duel, but it was not to be. Instead you get to see me take my turn in an online Scrabble game I play with a friend. Conveniently, I am winning this one:

Scrabble Online

For some reason, the screencast cuts short about 1.5 seconds before I actually finished, even though I did not press the STOP button until I was done. But I can't re-record because I already took my turn, lol! And I'm not sure when my friend will take hers, so I don't want to risk it and end up being late with my blog post. =P

screencasting

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:20:00 +0000

Well, I had a few hiccups early on with Jing. It SOUNDS so easy to install and get started, but if you have any kind of .net issues on your computer...not so much. Thus the first hurdle for me was just making the software work, lol.

I usually make a bulleted list of what I want to cover, in the order I want to cover it. I'm actually more comfortable speaking extemporaneously than with a script, so I don't write anything specific down. I've found that going through what I plan to say/click on once or twice before I start recording helps. After a practice run I can refine my outline, drop unnecessary content to reduce recording time, etc. If I find I stumble in any particular spot, I make a little note on the list for clarity, or to remind myself not to leave something out. A dry run also helps me make sure the process itself (i.e. changing mySpace theme) is currently working on the computer, since the screencast is just as much about what I'm showing as what I'm saying.

Once I'm clear about what to do/say, I record it once and play it back. This way I can make sure the size isn't a problem, the sound is audible, and everything comes together right. If that first pass is perfect, voila, I'm done! If not, I mentally make whatever adjustments are needed and record a second time.

The most I have had to re-record or stop/start over is three times; I think it's fair to say this process works quite well for me. I know a lot of people are not as at ease with 'public speaking' however, so I'm guessing I might actually be in the minority here.

Once it's done, I've reviewed it and uploaded, I think the last step of renaming the screencast is really important. I couldn't help but notice over the last few weeks that a lot of people just leave the name as the default; date and a bunch of gibberish numbers. Giving it an actual English name is helpful both in terms of screencast.com searching, and reference when you're watching. I know in browsers I often look at the top left of my screen to see the description of the page I'm on--this is the same concept.

I was really very concerned about screencasting when we first started, and relieved to have gotten comfortable with it pretty quickly.

Wii love you long time

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:13:00 +0000

There are a few (okay, a lot of) questions to ask before picking a console. Assuming I'm working at an 'average' public library, I'd start off with...what gaming programs at other similar libraries are successful, and why? There is plenty of information online from a variety of libraries with gaming initiatives that can give me an idea of what's working. What are my logistical concerns? Do I have a separate space for gamers to use? Do I have the equipment to support them--projectors and screens and chairs? Is there a staff person who has some gaming interest or background who can be my point person? If I already have some PC gaming available, is it being utilized? By whom? Are there existing policies to help me structure a console gaming program? Will I only allow library-provided hardware & games, or will I let patrons bring in their own systems and games?

That last question is of particular interest in terms of choosing a console system. I would suggest that for many libraries, a Wii would probably be the easiest to justify, because many of the games it offers are appealing to users of all ages. While there are many such games for consoles like the Xbox360 or Playstation as well, the Wii is actually *known* for its fun factor to people who have never picked up a controller before. Something else to consider is that the Wii offers some options for physically disabled persons who can handle larger movements, but not the finer hand controls the other consoles might require.

Bottom line, if the library is going to offer gaming nights that allow teens to bring in their Xbox 360's to play Halo or Call of Duty 4 (permission slips please), a Wii is a good choice for the library to actually OWN. It will bring in users of all ages to play DDR or Rock Band (if the library buys the extra equipment to support those), in addition to appealing to teens. If the policy is going to be that all gaming done on the premises must be supported by library-owned consoles and games, then I'd say that an Xbox might give you more return on investment in terms of young adult participation. Might the latter be harder to justify in the face of opposition--parents complaining that the library shouldn't provide violent games for kids to play, for example? Probably. Hence, my recommendation of the Wii, which offers those kind of games, but is more famous for bowling and tennis. Plus you can throw in the physical fitness argument there too, since the Wii generally has players moving around quite a bit, as opposed to other systems where players remain sedentary.

In conclusion, I want to link you up to some interesting online resources and articles about gaming programs at public libraries. This topic really interests me, as I am an avid PC gamer. So if you feel like you want to read more, here are a few URLs I found informative.

http://gamelab.syr.edu/ This is the Library Game Lab of Syracuse, which does some interesting research specifically about the who/what/where/why/how of gaming in libraries, from Monopoly to Dance Dance Revolution. Their podcast is pretty good.
http://www.techsource.ala.org/ltr/gaming-and-libraries-intersection-of-services.html This link seems to be temporarily not working; all of techsource.ala.org is down right now, but when it comes back up, this is a great read! Jenny Levine wrote it, she did the Sirsidynix presentation we watched this week.
http://gaming.ala.org/resources In particular, I liked the 'Talking Points' page here, which addresses many of the typical questions that arise from people who don't think gaming belongs in the library.
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/gaming/ University of Illinois Library Gaming Initiative
http://tinyurl.com/6fa7op Article on the success of the Columbus Metropolitan Library gaming program. ""I've been cultivating my core of elite tournament champions," library assistant Gordon Gavin said. "They become like little spokespersons for the library."
http://www.webjunction.org/lotm/articles/content/443418 A great initiative to increase local literacy and high school graduation rates via gaming, by a rural library in South Carolina.
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/trejbal/wb/185187 This is just a "feel good about libraries" link. What really got me here was the last comment--the newspaper writer said "There was a different vibe at the library last Saturday. It was more alive than I have seen it in a long time", in reference to a gaming day at his local public library. Nice.

There is a LOT more out there, I just picked a few highlights. If I ever go for a PhD in library science, this subject will be my thesis. Fascinating stuff.

danah boyd

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 03:30:00 +0000

I am really of two minds on boyd in general--her comments in the Frontline program seemed genuine but she's certainly not genteel in her approach or language overall. This is true whether she is speaking off the cuff or writing an academic article! Someone else in 598 blogged that it seemed like boyd had something to say about class in America, and used Facebook & Myspace as her platform to do so. I would have to agree with that. There are probably many other avenues she could have used to make a similar argument about socio-economic status and the Internet, but given the title she is pretty upfront about her approach. Anyway, I guess something in boyd's manner of speech just rubs me the wrong way, but that doesn't mean I don't think she has something valuable to say, because she makes some good points, however controversial they may be.

The first thing I did when I finished reading the two articles was talk to my boyfriend about them--he got out of the Air Force last December, and after I explained the basic premise: upwardly mobile people use Facebook and downwardly mobile people use Myspace, his first reaction was to say that Myspace is clearly "trashier" than Facebook (and I quote). Well! Talk about anecdotal confirmation of a theory. After this week's homework (and my own personal experiences with both sites) it's easy to see that Myspace tends to be visually and often auditorally louder and brasher, where Facebook has a more refined, 'civilized' viewing experience.

But to me, the numbers say even more. Who cares which is trashy and which is classy, millions of people are using these sites, many of them in the teen and young adult age group, and all are users libraries can ill-afford to alienate. What better way to connect with them than on their own turf? Start a library Twitter and use it regularly! Don't block SNS on library computers--if anything, the '30 minutes on the internet' rule all libraries seem to have implemented will keep the socializing to a reasonable minimum, but why are we blocking the very thing people want to access? Why does everything that goes on in our libraries have to be a noble academic pursuit? If what boyd says is true, and less advantaged folks are the ones using Myspace, then every library should have an account themselves and reach out using it--these are some of the people public information access institutions should be striving the hardest to serve.

What a library should take away from boyd in general is that the more underserved your local patronage is, the more you need to connect with them in any way that works, and if myspace is that vehicle, so be it. Embrace, don't deny.

myspace theme screencast

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 21:57:00 +0000

There are a ton of 3rd party themes and graphics out on the web you can snag to customize your myspace page, but downloader beware! You will never find a more wretched (online) hive of scum and villiany. Want a computer virus? That's the way to do it. So it's nice that myspace is finally offering some built-in customization options, limited though they may be (even livejournal has a few hundred themes to myspace's eighteen!). This short screencast video shows how to preview myspace themes, and then choose one to apply to your home page.

adding a myspace theme

(Please be aware that to show the personalization, I had to make my video around 1050 x 800px. Hopefully this doesn't cause any viewing difficulties!)

NingJingWingding

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:24:00 +0000

Ning has a good name. Short and sweet. But I have a feeling its shelf life might be similar. Look, it's a jolly idea, to provide a group of users their own virtual space on the web. But it's already being done, in a variety of ways, to varying levels of success, other places. I don't see anything about Ning, at least from a top-level view, that makes it stand out. On their 'why create a social network page' (http://about.ning.com/product.php), I see stuff that's already happening. People are making wedsites and non-profit communities and events on lots of other sites, also for free!

Combining a toolset of social networking applications is a plus--forums AND images AND instant messaging AND calendaring, etc etc etc means people in a community have a one-stop shop for all that. But keep in mind that most of them probably already use all of those services in other forms. As many people in this class have noted, it's a pain to add yet another new layer of user names and passwords to one's already top-heavy internet persona, AND have to go to another URL to access it. For all its pretty bells and whistles, getting buy-in might be a challenge unless the incentive to use Ning is really, really good.

Most companies have intranets that already do much of what Ning does. Maybe not for free, but often, corporate interests are less concerned with cost than privacy, particularly when work collaboration is involved (a reason some might be less inclined to use Google docs than sharepoint too /tangent). Of course, one of Ning's pluses is that it's open source, so if an organization has the programmer talent to support it, they could really make it their own, and that's appealing. But only if there's someone on staff with the skills and time to invest.

Ning is a neat concept that I think missed the chance to be unique. It might find some success but I don't think it's going to take the business world by storm.

sticky like honey, or sticky like tar?

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:59:00 +0000

Social networking sites are sticky primarily because most people have the natural human tendency to want to be up in everybody else's business =P

Seriously! Yes, social networking sites provide connections to long lost schoolmates (Facebook), co-workers (LinkedIn), and that crazy friend who's into goth music and makes their online text red on black so it's impossible to read (mySpace). If you're smart, you divvy up your social networking experience by category like that to some degree, so cross-pollenation of those groups DOESN'T happen (funny Facebook fail example). Of course, there are practical applications of these products--find a job, find like minded people interested in the same stuff. But bottom line, wanting to know what people are up to is what makes things like Twitter and Facebook and ALL successful networking sites tick. Plus the added bonus of thinking what YOU are doing is important enough that the people you are spying on are also spying back. And perhaps you'll get a book or movie deal out of it. The peripherals are compelling too--personalization to the point of illegibility, photos, games, social cause support, event invitations, etc, keep users interested as well. But it's really all about showing off, and keeping tabs.

There are those who can resist the allure, but for most folks, even if they say they don't like it they still devote a lot of time to such sites. So it's not necessarily a sweet kind of sticky, especially when it gets out of hand--depressed people literally committing suicide while others watch, to grab an example out of today's headlines. For all the intarweb connects us, there is always a default techonological distance that can remove us emotionally from others--kind of an online desensitization. I enjoy my social networking on the computer very much, but it's never the same as seeing someone face-to-face, even with a web cam. They are still somewhere else. Social networking can be a force for good, no doubt, but it can also facilitate some major nastiness, and sadly, both seem equally as sticky.

feed issue

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:43:00 +0000

I blog frequently on Livejournal, and despite proofreading/previewing, I often edit my posts several times almost immediately after putting them up because I spot a typo, or want to make some adjustment to the text, links, or whatever. I've noticed that, at least with Google reader, it's picking up these Blogger posts fairly quickly, and thus displaying the "pre-edited" version in my feed. I guess this means I need to be more careful about content before I hit the "publish" button, but it certainly is a negative aspect of pushing posts via RSS. Much like email you can't take back once it's sent, your blog stuff can be out there almost immediately in its original state. No room for regrets!

screencasting FTL

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:31:00 +0000

Well, it was quite a to-do (why does technology hate me?), but I managed to record this via Jing and get it uploaded to screencast.com. Don't ask me how, it was a nightmare of .net proportions. Anyway, the video is just a short tutorial on resizing an image, or a piece of an image, in Photoshop CS2. Dull, but hopefully useful!

Photoshop Resize Tutorial

(sorry feed readers, edited after the fact to get rid of embed because it was too big)

our videos--we are such an interesting bunch!

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:34:00 +0000

Everything from dryer lint to cuckoo clock chains and harmonica playing. I said it before about our Flickr pictures, but I feel compelled to reiterate, this is such a diverse group and I love it! My favourite was from Jenna:

Here are some other highlights:

Gabrielle's video on the ubiquitous cardigan sweater was the first one I watched (might have been the first posted, even) and she set a high standard. That I did not meet, lol.

Steve C's video about making an iPhone fob like watch fobs of old cracked me up, especially the fast-forwarded part in the middle due to an overabundance of digression. (seekrit note: of course, all projects should include duct tape!)

I love history, so I was kind of partial to Laura's video about ancient Rome. I really hope to get there someday.

Oh, and Heather's "Strong Female Characters for Strong Girls" was great too!

What is it with all of you being so talented?

educational video

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:35:00 +0000

Dryer lint safety is VERY IMPORTANT. No joke, actually, I knew someone in college whose house burned down because they had lint issues. So pay attention =P

Okay, here is the "show player" blip.tv provides, embedded:

...and here is the legacy player they offer, embedded. not sure which is supposed to be the 'pop out' version mentioned on the wiki, so I'm including both:

Click To Play

original file: http://blip.tv/file/1450134
show page (I think): http://aascils598f08.blip.tv

edu vs. ent

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:11:00 +0000

Honestly, I think there are lots of educational videos out there now that are presented in an entertaining/humorous way, and that is the future. Edutainment--people want to be amused while they learn. And we're starting this trend with small kids now--how many commercials have you seen for fun video games that also teach letters and numbers? Part of that marketing shtick is that the children don't KNOW they are learning, they're just having a good time!

Of course there will always be dry educational subjects, some things just aren't meant to be entertaining. But there are lots of clever ways to present material and make it interesting/engaging. So my take on this is that the line between the two kinds of video is already blurring, and will continue to blur more as we move forward, to the point where most multimedia can't be easily categorized as simply one or the other.

If this is a GOOD thing would be a whole separate post, lol. Sometimes I think that we would be better off if people were willing/able to just stop being overstimulated all the time. Learning doesn't always HAVE to be fun! But I think I am in the minority in that opinion...time will tell.

bah humbug!

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:25:00 +0000

Christmas decorations already? Geez.

or click here if you're having trouble viewing the player: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7jSaoXlJmA

altogether now

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:16:00 +0000

What do we have in common? We are BUSY PEOPLE. Even folks who are not working professionally are raising kids and on the go...if nothing else, I have learned we in the MLIS program are majorly motivated, because everyone is juggling a lot of other stuff in addition to demanding schoolwork.

We also love our pets! And our kids, if we have any. Which is as it should be. =P

I was particularly struck by our sense of humor. Some of the pictures, collections and/or captions are pretty funny. I guess we need to find our amusement where we can (Gabrielle already has a good example of that in her entertainment vid for this week!).

There are definitely differences--we range from full-time-in-person to part-time-online in terms of how we are tackling the program. And clearly, that does have an impact on our individual experiences. There is also a wide range of ages, and library backgrounds from 'none' to 'already work in one'. But to me, the diversity just makes working with everyone more valuable, and my overall MLIS attainnment richer.

the never-ending, redundantly infinite tail

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:16:00 +0000

It's not just long, it's endless. That's kind of how I feel about blogging on this again, lol, but basically, I think there are two primary ways libraries can really make something of this concept. First, digital content. As much FREE and low-cost digital content as possible. We all know libraries have notorious budget issues, and those only get worse in times like these when everyone is looking to cut money in public services. By taking advantage of the lack of purchase/storage/checkout overhead for digital material, libraries can offer patrons lots and lots of niche information with no or little cash outlay. Not only that, providing this TYPE of content will appeal to younger, web-hungry users who are now accustomed to accessing much of their education and entertainment online. So it feeds itself, and continues to promote the library as a place to get valuable STUFF.

For the long tail of actual, physical material, I'd say inter-library loan (ILL)/consortium setups are the most viable solution. No single library has the money or shelf space to circulate some obscure CD of Russian Klezmer music or book about the world economic impact of Peruvian tree frogs. However, ILL gives patrons access to far more collections than just the one in their local library, and if libaries purposely coordinate their acquisitions, this could realy work in everyone's favor. Some patience might still be required on the part of patrons, since ILL rarely offers immediate gratification, but as Anderson points out, people looking for niche items are generally pretty motivated, and willing to wait if they know the right info is coming their way.

talky yes? talky no?

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:13:00 +0000

There are pros and cons to both kinds of blogging. Personally, for both production and intake I prefer the written word. I find that unless I am in the physical presence of the person who is talking, or I have some kind of visual cue to be looking at (even if it's a static yet related image), my mind wanders. I led the audio play, and after a few mins I am checking email if I'm at a computer, or thinking about my grocery list if I'm in the car...podcasts of radio shows, like Fresh Air, tend to grip my attention better, but they are more 'produced', rather than just one person yammering on. The advantage to sound versus text is the portability for sure, and the ability to have some inflection that isn't available in writing. It's more personable, but not necessarily more personal, especially because I think people are generally more likely to reveal themselves in words than voice.

So, bulleted lists because they are fun:

Written:

can include pictures/video
can include hyperlinks for reference
location limited--have to be at computer; phone is possible but text is so small to read on there, even with one of those newfangled bigscreen dealies
more difficult to convey emotion than with voice (arguable point)
subscribable
easy to create

Audio:

no pictures or videos
no hyperlinks
portable--can listen almost anywhere, esp with an mp3 player of some type
more social--human voice has inflection text can't match (arguable point)
subscribable
a little more complicated to produce/distribute

Really, the biggest difference lies with the person on the receiving end--do they prefer to read or listen? What kind of "learner" are they? And are they a commuter with lots of time on the train with nothing to do but listen, or are they a stay-at-home mom who has to be able to easily interrupt their activity and keep their ears open? I think choosing one type of blogging over another is primarily a matter of personal preference and circumstance.

leavin' on a jet plane...or not.

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:04:00 +0000

Traveling is such fun, don't you think??

(while the audio sounds fine to me in Audacity, it seems a little low here. My apologies if you have to turn it up to listen!)

library long tail pt.2

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:25:00 +0000

Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. Honestly, I don't see much library potential for new markets...I really think libraries take what's already being offered and repackage it as vetted and more accessible content, but the cost of being 'bleeding edge' is high. It seems unlikely to me that we would see librarians taking the reins there. Unless I am totally misunderstanding what the new market concept is, in which case I hope someone will correct me. I'll also probably go read everyone else's blogs and see what you all came up with and realize I missed the point, lol.

However, I think there is LOTS of opportunity for libraries/librarians to be producers and tastemakers, or at least facilitate both. As far as production--what about allowing people to add tags to the library's online catalog? This provides the kind interaction and input folks are getting used to in the digital world, and also allows the library to deepen their keyword search so that it's not just about LC subjects, which can be notoriously obscure. Libraries can also offer classes on things like Flickr, YouTube, podcasting, etc., maybe even offer some server space for people to upload content (moderated, I suppose, but in the most limited way possible), and/or access to the necessary software to create that content. What about adding user reviews, like Amazon has, to booklists online? There is just a lot that would happen in this area, especially as user content is generally FREE, unless there is some specific software needed to support it. And libraries like FREE.

Librarians have ALWAYS been tastemakers. For ages they have been the gatekeepers of information, helping people find not only what they are looking for, but something really relevant and accurate. Today it is no different! So I see the tastemaking part as just continuing a glorified tradition. Like the 'staff' picks at a local Borders, librarian picks are trusted. We may still have some work to do to keep up with technology, but I don't think people have lost respect for us as responsible content vetters. On pg.107 Anderson quotes Frog Design who says we are leaving the Information Age and entering the Recommendation Age. Who better to recommend STUFF than librarians?? We've been doing it, and doing it well, for a long time.

As an extra comment, I enjoyed this section of the book, particularly the discussion on Wikipedia. On pg 71 Anderson says that Wikipedia "made order out of chaos"--I never would have thought of it that way but it's true! And the fact that it is self-policing and correcting is such an amazing evolution of human nature. Really learned a lot from his thoughts on this.

mah edumacational expurience

noreply@blogger.com (AmyA) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:19:00 +0000

Okay, I just wrote a whole post pretty much complaining about how hard it is to really feel connected, get classes, participate in events/student orgs, etc, as a part-time, 100% at-night MLIS student. But I do not want to be Whiny McWhinerson. SO.

Let me tell you the good stuff. I am getting a solid education, taught by some of the smartest librarians in the country who have a very diverse set of specialties. The majority of my classes have been challenging and engaging. My employer is paying for almost all of this, for which I am truly blessed, and I have a couple of good connections that I can hopefully use to parlay myself into a great new job when the degree is finished.

My biggest issue? The CHAIRS. One of the things we're talking about a lot where I work right now (a community college in NJ) is the entire learning experience--what can detract from our students' ability to concentrate. A significant piece of that is environment, including things like temperature, noise level, and furniture. By the end of 3 hours in one of these babies, I am not learning ANYTHING. All I want to do is get up. Actually, that happens after about 15 minutes. Also, try balancing a regulation-sized laptop on that wraparound desk. Uh huh. Dropping catastrophe waiting to happen! Those of you in the online-only program have the right idea, avoiding these chairs altogether. Gaze upon the darkness:

See more of my SCILS pics (sans commentary) on Flickr. To see everyone's SCILS pics from 598f08, visit our group photostream.