content divergent

Artists are against SOPA too

2012-01-18T11:44:00.001-08:00

I was hoping that SOPA was truly dead, but it's not. We do need to address piracy but not at the sake of controlling the internet - CENSORSHIP! One of the largest advocates for SOPA is the MPAAA, the organization responsible for censoring movies in the 1930s aka the Hays Code. (yeah, that was a great idea.... not)

I think it's important to remember that a big part of the equation is copyright and it FAILS for digital objects. We all know people who have violated copyright, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not -- those who bought a digital object and then shared it with someone else; or maybe they bought an object in another format and made multiple digital copies (because they have multiple devices) or maybe they made a mashup or collage work of art without any thought of copyright.Or perhaps, they converted file formats to use on their device and thus stripped out the DRM.

Copyright does not work for digital objects. I am an artist and I have had my digital work stolen. I have had my identity impinged upon -- but still I can't support SOPA as it stands at this point in time. Creative Commons is a good idea but the larger parameters of copyright just do not work for digital objects.

We are the internet.
How to make your voice know:
Google Take Action
EFF's Strike Against Censorship
Stop the wall

oh, and happy birthday to me!

Facebook kills library's historical profiles

2012-01-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

Sooo… Facebook has already killed the historical profile accounts which were written about well... just about everywhere (Google Joe McDonald) although it seems like they also killed a potentially great PR and marketing campaign.

“While McDonald and Lewis initially only had friends who were distant relatives, their lists of connections swelled from just over 100 each to more than 1,000. They were featured in Mashable, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Yahoo! News and the UK’s Daily Mail.
Lewis and McDonald posted historically accurate status updates about their lives, photos of campus events such as “hop” dances and “Rugby Football matches” and listed musicians such as Scott Joplin and writers including Jane Austen among their favorites. Their profiles were hailed by many experts as a powerful example of social media’s power to bring history to life for a digitally absorbed generation.
But, as fake profiles, McDonald and Lewis clearly violated the first rule of Facebook registration: “You will not provide any false personal information on Facebook, or create an account for anyone other than yourself without permission.”

http://mashable.com/2012/01/11/facebook-kills-fake-historical-profiles

ACRL new media/visual literacy standards for higher ed

2012-01-05T13:22:00.001-08:00

“The increasing dominance of images and visual media in contemporary culture is changing what it means to be literate in the 21st century. Today’s society is highly visual, and visual imagery is no longer supplemental to other forms of information. New digital technologies have made it possible for almost anyone to create and share visual media. Yet the pervasiveness of images and visual media does not necessarily mean that individuals are able to critically view, use, and produce visual content. Individuals must develop these essential skills in order to engage capably in a visually-oriented society. Visual literacy empowers individuals to participate fully in a visual culture…”

(Direct link to standards is at http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/visualliteracy)

-----------------------------------

We are pleased to announce publication of the new Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (pdf) by the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL).
The Visual Literacy Standards include:

an introduction to and definition of visual literacy
a brief discussion of visual literacy and higher education
a brief discussion of visual literacy and information literacy
suggestions for implementing the Standards
key sources and bibliography
7 standards, 24 performance indicators, and 90 learning outcomes

The Visual Literacy Standards provide, for the first time, a common framework for visual literacy learning in higher education. The learning outcomes included in the Standards provide new opportunities for visual literacy teaching and assessment, and support efforts to develop measurable improvements in student visual literacy.
The Standards were developed over a period of 19 months, informed by current literature, shaped by input from multiple communities and organizations, reviewed by individuals from over 50 institutions, and approved by 3 ACRL committees and the ACRL Board of Directors. For a history of the Standards development process, please see the Standards project blog.
The Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education are a project of the ACRL Image Resources Interest Group, and were authored by the Visual Literacy Task Force – Denise Hattwig (chair), Joanna Burgess, Kaila Bussert, and Ann Medaille.

- From http://acrlvislitstandards.wordpress.com/

Preorders of Semantic Web Technologies available

2011-12-30T19:52:00.000-08:00

Semantic Web Technologies and Social Searching for Librarians (THE TECH SETÂ® #20 [Paperback]
Robin Fay (Author), Michael Sauers (Author), Ellyssa Kroski (Editor)

There are trillions of bytes of information within the web, all of it driven by behind-the-scenes data. Vast quantities of information make it hard to find what s really important. Here s a practical guide to the future of web-based technology, especially search. It provides the knowledge and skills necessary to implement semantic web technology. You ll learn how to start and track trends using social media, find hidden content online, and search for reusable online content, crucial skills for those looking to be better searchers.

---------
If you don't know what the semantic web is or understand why (or how!) libraries (and others - our tips and tools can be used by nonprofits, museums, archives, educators, historians, and more) will fit into the semantic or social web - this is the book for you. Michael & I bridge social media, traditional search tools, and semantic web functionalities through the beauty of metadata, written in a very easy to understand manner.

Filtering, forgetfulness, and the semantic web

2011-12-29T08:54:00.000-08:00

I've been catching up on some of my reading and tv watching over the holidays, especially with blogs and various tidbits of news (i.e., not headlines) and nonfiction. A few days ago I watched Botany of Desire based upon Michael Pollan's book of the same name. The book had been on my reading list for a while, but I just haven't made it to it yet (thank goodness for the cliff notes version aka tv...)

One of the most interesting thoughts from this program was about memory and the part that forgetfulness plays. Without forgetfulness (filtering) we would not be able to deal with all of sensory information we receive each day - forgetfulness gives us a filter to select (focus) on those parts which are most important or relevant (of course, that is if memory is working the way it should....)

Anyhow, in spite of the fact that I watched a show about the production and genetics of potatoes (among other topics!), there are some fascinating insights into culture, science, and more.

Watch Potatoes - Web Extra with Michael Pollan on PBS. See more from Botany of Desire.

I've been thinking a lot about the concept of forgetfulness as a filter when I read the Mystery of Expertise:

Riding a bike, tying your shoes, typing on a keyboard, and steering your car into a parking space while speaking on your cellphone are examples.... You execute these actions easily but without knowing the details of how you do it. You would be totally unable to describe the perfectly timed choreography with which your muscles contract and relax as you navigate around other people in a cafeteria while holding a tray, yet you have no trouble doing it. This is the gap between what your brain can do and what you can tap into consciously.
To the extent that consciousness is useful, it is useful in small quantities, and for very particular kinds of tasks. It's easy to understand why you would not want to be consciously aware of the intricacies of your muscle movement, but this can be less intuitive when applied to your perceptions, thoughts, and beliefs, which are also final products of the activity of billions of nerve cells.

So in some ways, the semantic web will just do what we already do as humans - it will make the path to get to our results less obvious and it will provide better filters without us having to do the work (hmmm.... computers thinking like people, kind of AI, isn't it? ;-)

New Book on Semantic Web and Social Searching for Librarians

2011-12-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

Look what is featured over at semanticweb under industry news...

http://semanticweb.com/new-semantic-web-book-for-librarians_b25441

“You’ll learn how to start and track trends using social media, find hidden content online, and search for reusable online content, crucial skills for those looking to be better searchers. The authors explain how to explore data and statistics through WolframAlpha, create searchable metadata in Flickr, and give meaning to data and information on the web with Google’s Rich Snippets. Let Robin Fay and Michael Sauers show you how to use tools that will awe your users with your new searching skills.”

Book publication in April 2012.

Picnik your Photography: Image editing in the cloud

2011-12-20T12:45:00.000-08:00

My latest class in image editing.

Picnik Your photos: image editing in the cloudt he

View more presentations from robin f

Job hunting using linkedin

2011-12-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

For those of you job hunting (or posting jobs), have you seen what linkedin is doing to help you?

LinkedIn Jobs now brings you guaranteed applicants,
in 3 simple steps.
Sign up for the LinkedIn Jobs Guarantee and post your job on LinkedIn now through November 19, 2011. Follow three easy steps and the additional terms below, and we’ll guarantee at least 10 applicants.
1) Complete ‘Skills’ and ‘Company Description’ fields
2) Select a standard Job Title from the prompts
3) Share your job to your LinkedIn network or Group

Goal for 2012: semantic web, rdf, linkeddata, & rda

2011-12-13T13:07:00.000-08:00

Okay, so here is one of my goals I am pitching for next year:

Become well versed in the fundamentals of RDA, focusing specifically on the changes between AACR2 and RDA, so that I can serve as a resource person for [my Unit]; additionally learn more about “future” data carriers: RDFa and other Semantic Web schemas and how they connect with FRBR, linkeddata and nexgen library softwares such as cloud based portals.

---------------------

btw, I do realize that these things are already here (& I know a bit about them already) but I felt I needed to put something in writing; ditto for the RDA. I certainly have a handle on the conceptual parts of RDA and the major differences (abbreviations, new fields, terminology changes, the pub date thing, no truncation, etc.), but until it all shakes out, it's hard to say as to whether my info will be relevant or just outdated. ;-)

What do you think?

Facebook privacy settlement & an overview of some of the privacy breaks

2011-11-29T14:29:00.001-08:00

Article about some of the egregious breaks in privacy at Facebook as well as the conditions of the proposed settlement against Facebook (-- still the WORLD wide web, though!)
----------------
Facebook has agreed to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s eight-count complaint in which the FTC charged that the social networking service, which is widely used by libraries, had deceived consumers by promising to keep their information private and then repeatedly making it public.
......
Under the proposed settlement, Facebook is:
    barred from making misrepresentations about the privacy or security of consumers’ personal information;
    required to obtain consumers’ affirmative express consent before enacting changes that override their privacy preferences;
    required to prevent anyone from accessing a user’s material no more than 30 days after the user has deleted his or her account;
    required to establish and maintain a comprehensive privacy program designed to address privacy risks associated with the development and management of new and existing products and services, and to protect the privacy and confidentiality of consumers’ information; and
    required, within 180 days, and every two years after that for the next 20 years, to obtain independent, third-party audits certifying that it has a privacy program in place that meets or exceeds the requirements of the FTC order, and to ensure that the privacy of consumers’ information is protected.

read more here
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2011/11/social-media/facebook-settles-privacy-complaint-with-ftc/

Getting your content from Facebook - for archiving, Google+ and more

2011-11-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

So, you've written a lot of notes and would now like to turn them into a blog or perhaps you have a ton of photos on facebook but now need a copy of them - lost your originals (egads), or you'd like to move them to Flickr or Picasa (which is also shared thru to Google+).

There are a variety of ways to get your photos, some using extensions or addons (if you are a Chrome user and just want to move your photos from Facebook to Google+, try the Move2Picasa extension).If you know of other extensions or tools to do this, please just add them them in the comments (the software Facebook Album Downloader no longer works, btw).

Batch downloading from Facebook also gives you all of your content which you can then repurpose in a number of different ways - you get copies of your profile info, your wall, your notes, your messages, videos, pix, etc. in one organized and zipped file.

A few thoughts I had for how to repurpose Facebook content: turn your notes into a blog, use your profile info to craft your linkedin (or other bio information elsewhere on the web), copy or move your videos to Facebook, find messages, get copies of your photos to use for whatever, collectively turn all of your Facebook content into a personal diary/journal, and as a means to keep a personal archive.

What you will need: a way to unzip your folders to get to your photos, (I like 7File). an internet connection, Facebook access, and space to put your files (you may want to put them on a flash drive).

Login to Facebook.

1. Go to Account Settings
2. Click on Download a copy of your Facebook data
3. Click on Start my Archive (note this is just for your content - not your friend's photos)
4. At this point, you will see another screen (Request My Download) Click on Start My Archive (again)
5. Now you wait. Request my download will display a message that you will be notified by email when your archive (data) is ready. Click on Okay. You can go do other things. Depending on how much data you have (I have alot of pix), it make take a day or so to receive the email.
6. You will receive an email (the email address affiliated with your facebook account) that says "Your download is ready". Follow the link to your data. This URL is unique for your info (you probably don't want to share it).
7. Re-enter your password and Click Continue.
8. Click on Download Archive.
9.Your download will be in a Zipped file. You have to unzip it order to use (I like 7File). It's free and easy to use.

Once you get your file unzipped, you will see folders for photos, video, html (all the content you've posted included your notes and wall) as well as index.html (your profile info). If you wanted to import your notes or wall into a blog, you would need to use the files within the html folder as a starting point.

For importing into Picasa for Google+, you can either use the Picasa Desktop software (then use Tools > Batch Upload), or a Chrome extension (Move2Picasa).

Here is the download process from Facebook via screencaptures:
1. Login to Facebook and Click on Account Settings then:

2. Click on Start My Archive

3. Request my download

4. And now you wait for the email.

5. Wait for your email. You will receive an email that you use at Facebook with the subject"Your Download is Ready". Open the email and follow the link to start the download process. This URL is unique for your info (you probably don't want to share it).

6. Re-enter your password and Click Continue.

7. Click on Download Archive.

8.Your download will be in a Zipped file. You have to unzip it order to use (I like 7File). It's free and easy to use. You will want to save your data and then unzip it so that you can get to your photos (or whatever else you want).

Google's algorithm changes

2011-11-16T08:57:00.001-08:00

Interesting post on changes to Google’s search algorithms (& an overview of 9 algorithm changes that have been released to the public)

"Google is trying to become more open about their search algorithm changes. Beyond the much-discussed "fresh" update, Google discussed recent changes in SERP (Search Engine Results Page) titles and descriptions, date-specified searches, image search signals, and more.

While Matt Cutts called this "An experiment in radical transparency", the information remains fairly veiled and covers only a small portion of the algorithm changes that have been made."

http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2125512/Google-Discusses-10-Recent-Algorithm-Changes

Privacy & You (& Facebook): new session for UGA

2011-11-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

Privacy and You, December 14 10am-12n here at Training and Development.

(Note this class is open to UGA staff & faculty only - if you are not a UGA employee and are interested in a class, please contact me. I will be teaching an open class on privacy in late December)

“Do you know how to keep your social media content from going out to the whole world? We'll focus on practical tips for controlling what you post to the web via social media sites, how to use public wifi safely and how to use social media web sites securely. Using Facebook as an example, we'll explore security settings, learn how to control what you broadcast & talk about Facebook's subscribe feature. “

You might have seen this on our calendar, but it was on a different date. We have a few spots left in case you missed it, or can attend on this new date when you couldn’t have on the original date.

You may register by going to employee.uga.edu and selecting Training and Development, Register for a class.

If you have any questions contact training@uga.edu or 542-7062 or you may also contact me directly.

Hope to see you soon!

..so, how do you do twitter? Advice & thoughts on getting started with twitter

2011-11-10T10:12:00.000-08:00

Question of the day:

...so, how do you *do* twitter? It seems different than fb. Any words of wisdom?

A:
Twitter is different from facebook for me.Twitter is a very dynamic sharing, learning, and network tool. Facebook can be that, too, but it's more a mashup and convulated (imho).

So how do I do it?

Use 'tweet this' buttons. When I read some (google reader, facebook, new york times, wherever) if I find it interesting & it has a ‘tweet this’ button – I do. Same with delicious bookmarking!
Feed my blog to twitter. When I blog it automatically feeds into twitter (I blog 2-3 times a week usually at lunch or in the morning). I then schedule my blog posts over the week.
I tweet my photos through to twitter using picnik.Tweet pix and posts occasionally via mobile (mostly when traveling).
Schedule tweets through futuretweets (futuretweets.com) so that I spread out things like my photos over the day (or week)
Connect with new followers. When I get new followers, I usually at least send them a Hi or a message (sometimes it’s a private direct message aka DM)
Connect with those I follow. When I follow someone new, if I’ve met them IRL life, I pop them a mention @buffyjhamilton met you at a conference – your presentation on ereaders and learning rocked. (that kind of thing).
Respond to my messages. I watch for @ (mentions) and RTs (Retweets) to me and I also acknowledge them or answer them unless spam).
Use hashtags. I use hashtags when I post so that others can find my topics.
Meme. I occasionally do the memes, followfriday is a way to shout out/acknowledge those you follow who rock.#frifotos is a way to highlight and share photos. #musicmonday is an excellent way to find some new music. You can find out more about tweetmemes here
Ask questions (and answer questions, too). I do talk to my followers. Ask them how their day is going, what they’ve learned today, what creative thing they did, something like that… I also use twitter when I need tech support, or help especially with software.
Comment on posts from those I follow. If a RT or mention a post, I usually comment on it, too.
Use twitter instead of facebook. I tweet to facebook instead of just posting a link to facebook (I use selective tweets in facebook so that I don’t flood my facebook feed, either – that way I hit 2 audiences with one post)
Participate in twitter chats. I do 1 or 2 twitter chats a week if I can – sometimes I just stumble across them (found several seo chats that way) other times I visit the "regulars": #libchat which is library related; #blogchat on Sunday night coordinated by Mack Collier which is about well... blogging but every angle imaginable (we even do site reviews on occasion - brave souls) - lots of high energy discussion. For fun there's social media slumber party on Friday by Dabney Porte /social media girlfriends (everyday). Some of the chats also followup or have companion content via other media @prosperitygal coordinates #speakchat Mon 9pm ET & produces radio shows #BBSradio Mondays 12pm ET and #WIBRadio (Women in business) follows. I know, If you think you're not in business - you're wrong - we're all commodities and businesses these days; our name is our brand (& for those of us who do consulting and freelance work no way around the business part of it).

Words of advice

schedule time – it doesn’t have to be every day, maybe a certain amount of time that you’d read the paper or watch tv or even say Friday afternoon for an hour (or whenever there is a chat you want to do).
don’t argue with people on twitter – 1)it’s pointless and 2)it’s public.
be professional but personal.
be real.
fill out your bio completely, put up a nice photo, and choose a nice background. People do judge based on those things.
subscribe (follow) people that you admire – but don’t just follow – twitter is a conversation.
on that note: don’t just have a conversation, share too.
don’t overshare (foursquare posts drive me batty)
just do it – if you want to network, you have to tweet at least somewhat regularly although it doesn’t have to be 24/7 by any means.

managing digital content in classrooms (free webinar)

2011-11-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

for those who might be interested...
---------- ----------
Live Webinar: How to Manage Growing Digital Content Needs Through Virtualization

From New York to Oregon, Florida to Utah, and more states are passing legislation in an effort to move toward digital content in K-12 and higher education. As electronic media take center stage and textbooks become a thing of the past, K-20 educators are seeking engaging ways to motivate students to learn.

Despite the advantages of this quantum leap forward, questions remain about the best strategies for managing such a complex transition. Widespread confusion exists about costs, end-user device options, data delivery and a number of other issues. Get answers to these questions and more!

Durning this free webinar, you'll learn how you can use virtualization solutions to:

    * Help IT departments navigate the pathway to digital-content delivery
    * Allow students a personalized experience through different devices and learning resources
    * Facilitate distance learning, blended learning, online coursework, and bring your own (BYO) computing

Register now: How to Manage Growing Digital Content Needs Through Virtualization
When: November 17, 2011, 11:00 a.m. PT
http://thejournal.com/webcasts/2011/10/citrix_manage-digital-content-needs_virtualization.aspx?pc=e355em06&utm_source=webmktg&utm_medium=E-Mail&utm_campaign=e355em06

RDA Notes from GLA/COMO

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Video to be available at RDA Cafe on Facebook

Presenters for Emory Theology Library (Emory was a RDA test participant), University of Georgia, GPLS (Georgia Public Library System) and UGA’s Law Library.

Overview:

Advantages of RDA - benefits to electronic reproductions in that there is no reproduction note, no GMD; benefits for theses & dissertations; granularity for increased searching
Disadvantages - ambiguoity about publication date
Carrier must change - impact on systems

Discussion of systems and ILS:

We should drive the discussion with vendors or they will design for us and it will not be to our best interests

We have to wait for vendors to develop systems that will meet requirements of RDA

Emory’s experience

What they found in testing:

o Advantages (see above)
o 25 test records+ others including MODS
o used the webpage to compare AACR2 versions and RDA versions for at least 10 records from common set (given to all testing institutions)
o “not all that much difference”
o “will affect us more than the user”
o Love mapping to MARC
o Toolkit needs more examples esp. outside of print
o Workflows a very useful tool

Where they are now:

Decision to postpone adoption until LC statement
No longer producing RDA records
existing RDA records in OCLC used without conversion

GPLS

Discussion of GPLS Cataloging Summit
Resource bibliography distributed
Working on a GPLS Policy Statement, similar to LC
Discussion on training - preconference training @ COMO 12?

UGA Law Library

Where they are:

Change RDA records to AACR2 to use as training examples
Will adopt RDA when LC does
Discussion of training - Free RDA training at AALL

UGA

Where they are:

Information gathering phase
Original catalogers are reviewing records for materials with copy
Records often a mix of RDA and AACR2
Headings sometimes RDA though the record is AACR2

On friending & following - why I don't follow you

2011-10-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

I posted this some time back, but I think it's something to review every year. I'd love to connect with you on @: twitter, my blog, or linkedIn (please add a note to your request). You can also connect with me at my facebook page.

If I unfollow (or unfan or unfriend or do not accept your request) it's not that I like you any less (if I know you in person). If you are a colleague, it doesn't mean that I respect you any less. If you are a fellow artist/graphics/web, it doesn't mean that I dislike your work.I have good reasons as to why I follow (or don't) and friend (or don't).

Reasons that I will unfriend/unfollow/deny your request:

Already connect with you online (or in real life):If I already connect with you in one space (facebook, twitter, IRL, etc.) I will stick with whichever space is better. No need to duplicate effort and content.
Infrequent posts: If you go 2 months without posting, I will unfriend/unfollow you. If you have just a few tweets, I may wait to follow you back.
Irrelevant posts:
- You only (or predominantly) post replies back to your friends -- you know what? it's nice to have a dialogue, but if that is all your twitter feed is, I'd rather not be a 3rd wheel to a conversation I know little about.
- You broadcast only - never responding to my mentions, comments or questions. (News agencies/sites are exceptions).
- You only post follows: #FF or #FollowFridays -- surely you can think of something to post the other 6 days of the week?
- *You only post spam (duh) / spam me.
- You only post minutiae -- if I don't know you personally, then I might not really care about that great Thai lunch you just had. Friends who shoe shop -- you're exempt on this one. ;-)
- You're the Mayor of _______ in foursquare, and you talk about it all of the time... which leads me to...
- Geoposting. I usually do not care where you are. It IS interesting to hear that you are at a conference or event -- I get great ideas that way, but on the corner of 5th and main at starbucks? Didn't need to know that. Maybe the Library of Congress who is archiving tweets will care, but I don't. ;-)
- It's all about your family, who I do not know. I'm not a stalker and would prefer not to eavesdrop on your life.
- We're not a match. You post on topics that aren't of professional interest to me.

Private/Profile information (not sure who you are or why I should follow you)

Language barriers - you post in a language I don't read - true there are translators out there, but it seems pointless to use those for social space

The Follow/Unfollow game - you follow me just long enough to get me to follow you, then unfollow me.

Wrong request: I will suggest an alternate after all, I'm not mean, just trying to manage my life better. Of course, this is my life and I reserve the right to change the rules. ;-)

Notes on COMO 2011 (GLA)

2011-10-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to sharing my final thoughts and notes on COMO 2011.

The good:

all of the sessions I attended or heard part of - great> excellent academic papers, Green Library presentation, PBCore presentation, RDA, WREK (when do I get to be on the radio?)
seeing my fellow librarians and compadres from around the state
the vendors had candy and cute fuzzy toy sheep
the paper presentation went really well (thanks Ginny)
the presentation on automating social media (sigh, not so well thanks to everything listed below)

The bad -- egads, the scheduling (cataloging/metadata sessions scheduled against each other), the spotty wifi (!!!!!) and the lack of technical support (no projectors provided, only small portable screens, etc.)

Notes on the academic papers:

Movable, comfortable,configurable furniture is important (Emory paper on info commons)
Gov Docs Librarians wear many hats, often it is a "secondary" duty (Gov Doc Librarian salary)
Automation reduces menial work which then means remaining work is more complex = more training and higher levels of abilities and competencies (Ginny Feher & me on automation in libraries: a DBM case study; submitted to GLQ for publication)
I didn't take notes on the other papers but that doesn't mean they weren't good. ;-)

Notes on Lost in the Stacks presentation
Notes on PbCore Metadata
Notes on RDA panel

Getting rid of top stories in Facebook (sort of) - the workaround

2011-10-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

It seems every time a workaround is uncovered, Facebook blocks it. One workaround that is still working is to manually create a list of all friends and just read that. It is chronological and not by top stories (thankfully!) Of course you have to select the list when you login.

Previous workarounds which may or may not work

Wrek, the Library Rock and Roll Show (COMO)

2011-10-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

One of the presentations I attended at COMO was a presentation on "Lost in the Stacks" the Library "Rock and Roll" Radio Show hosted at WREK. This show is on at Fridays at noon and if you can't catch it then, you can hear the archives for 2 weeks (hopefully they can do podcasting one day). You can also check them out on Facebook, too. If you're interested in technology, media, the inner workings of a library, like good music, or well, just about anything, you should check it out. It's great fun (not convinced? take a look at the great playlist from the oct. 14 show & to bad my audio clip didn't survive the trek back to atlanta).

Clip from Full Metal Jacket
Intro: "Friction" by Television
"No One Will Be A Stranger" by Dax Riggs
File this set under F2169:
“Together” by The Raconteurs
“Stranger” by The Presidents of the United States of America
Interview with Stella Richardson & Karen Glover (Georgia Tech librarians)
File this set under G163:
“Flight Attendant” by Josh Rouse
“Have Love Will Travel” by The Black Keys (live from Bluecats in Knoxville, 2005)
Interview with Jon Bodnar (Emory librarian)
File this set under P302.7 :
“Start Together” by Sleater-Kinney
“How’s About Telling A Story” by Devendra Banhart
“You Can All Join In” by Traffic
Outro: "Dancing Together" by David Byrne & Fatboy Slim
Stay tuned for the next Lost in the Stacks show: "Open Source Part II" on October 21st!

You can hear this show online, any time until October 28th, by visiting:
http://www.wrek.org/lostinthestacks/
(in other words the archive contains the 2 most recent shows).

Charlie Bennett and Ameet Doshi did a great job of explaining what they do, how much work goes into producing a radio show, the balance between being prepared/overprepared (& overscripted) and comfortable on the radio. There was also an interesting discussion about copyright, broadcasting and podcasting, too (I hope they can do postcasts). If you haven't checked out Lost in the Stacks yet, isn't it about time you get.... well... Lost in the Stacks?

(heh heh - bad puns abound...)

on innovation, technological revolution, digital evolution & one Googler's rant

2011-10-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

As many of you have seen now there was a public G+ post from a Google staff person; it has now been taken down and "leaked" (some are wondering whether it was intentionally leaked since there are claims that they have permission to republish it).

Anyhow, these are just my thoughts after reading it yesterday. The post itself is rather long and obviously not meant to be a formal piece of writing, but it is interesting with some very valid discussion points. If nothing else, it is an opinion piece on 2 different companies with very different workplaces and philosophies.

While it mostly focuses on his time spent at Amazon and more recently, Google, the more interesting bits are the thoughts on innovation. He talks about how Amazon made a commitment from the top to change how it worked. Amazon has become a very innovative company (in spite of my feelings about the confusing and unfriendly world of ebooks; I do love my kindle and shop regularly at amazon). I'm just one of millions. He also talks a bit about the culture of working for Amazon at the time (micromanaging, cubeville). The second part covers his time at Google, especially in terms of product development. One thing he talks about is a lack of awareness of user experience/needs in terms of technology - Google looks for products vs. services. He also talked some about the good of Google - their work environment, community service, etc.

What I got from reading this post is that Google culture (& not necessarily individuals although individuals in leadership positions do drive culture or conversely, stagnant it) does not really grasp the why of community driven content (such as social media). I said recently of G+ that unlike Facebook which has a centralized upload for photos, videos, posts, etc. ; for G+, it's picassa for photos, youtube for video, _____ ? (perhaps G buzz?) for posts. Not having an API makes it nearly impossible to push content from G+ to other social media networks. For alot of us, that is CRUCIAL.

Thinking about all of that, it seems that a lot of companies and organizations are struggling with adapting their workflows to new technology products (such as software) in the information age. Rather than trying to think about things in a new way, old thinking and understandings of the world are applied to the new workflow. Leadership (& others) do not grasp the fundamental point: our culture has changed. The way we do things should change - and it's not just the product being developed or the service being offered. It's not about taking our workflow and bending it around a new thing. While some would argue why fix (or break!) what's working - innovation NEVER comes out of stagnation. I would also argue that just because you can make a workflow (or worse - a WORK AROUND) work, does not make it a good, efficient, or productive workflow.

So, it really is a cultural shift - yes, Michael Wesch really did know what he was talking about almost 5 years ago when he posted the Machine is Us/ing Us on Youtube:

...and this is where we are. Digital advocates (fundamentalists? I hate the term digital natives and technological stereotyping based upon age, btw) don't see technology as something that is frivalous (ok, maybe the Xbox is); technology just is. Having technology at hand (& connected - egads the U.S. needs more wifi) is an expectation. Creating content is part of life now -- and that act of creating content and sharing it is driving new ways of looking at work, new workflows - community sourced knowledge.

It's easy to create one post and post to many automatically; to "mashup" (who says mashup anymore? nobody) multiple formats to create a new digital object; to repackage, repurpose, reuse (recycle). One of the biggest fundamental changes that technology has delivered is the shift of power - creative power, especially. Anyone can take a photo and upload it Flickr. Anyone can create a website. So, if your everyday foundation involves using technology to create content and contribute (reviews, writings, etc.) and the tools support creating automatic linked paths (linking data), how can a workflow structured as a line from point A>E work? How can a business or organization SUCCEED as a traditional hierarchy with traditional linear workflows? Because after all, there is a big difference between succeeding and existing. ;-)

Looking at our history, the 2nd Industrial Revolution was focused on science and innovation and lasted until some time after WWII (I would say up through the 1960s and the peak of the space race). A lot of our corporate (but especially higher ed and govermental) workflows were put into place during that time.

For libraries and many information organizations, the 1970s were the beginning of the digital revolution (although it is usually dated as beginning in the 80s with the rise of PCs) and we saw the rise of automation in the 1970s-80s, moving from printed card catalogs to some sort of automated system (database) using MARC language. Nothing really has changed for libraries from the 1970s until the mid 2000s, except our platforms and databases got better (more integrated and powerful; data more portable; reduction of manual work).

As a whole, as the digital revolution became more fully realized, we saw the true beginning of the information revolution (focusing on service rather than products). We're now in the Information Age, with the rise of social media and mobile, community created content, "citizen" journalism, and immediacy of information (real time). WE all are creative collaborative -- well -- creators. As whole, we have moved fully into a service based culture focused with a dependence on technological tools; other members of our society are either catching up, will be forced to adapt once the culture changes around them entirely, OR will be left behind.

...and that is where many libraries and organizations got stuck. Due to budget cuts and an assortment of other issues (aging networks, outdated hardware, hierarchical structures, a lack of understanding of how cultural shifts impact organizations), the leap across from the digital revolution to the information revolution seems at times, nearly impossible. It involves a dedicated vision - not just a migration or conversion (both of which would leave behind remnants of old thinking, but a complete re-envisioning from the ground up. That's not to say that libraries (& others) should throw out all of their products (such as books) or their services (such as circulating those books), but that there are different ways of doing things (self check, ebooks sent automatically to account when available, etc.) but without addressing fundamental problems from a holistic view, the institution or library will never be truly innovative.
of course, some folks get this. Maybe everyone will one day.

-- just my thoughts (as always)

New workshop on Privacy & online security

2011-10-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

UGAers ~ New & free class for you! If you're a Facebook user and don't know about security settings, this is a class for you. If you travel and use public wifi, this is a class for you!

Privacy & YOU:
Focusing on best practices and practical tips for maintaining your privacy using skills that can be applied to any website from Facebook to Google+. We will explore basics of online security: tips for using public Wifi safely, how to create a more secure password, and how to use social media sites more securely.

November 9, 2-4PM UGA Training & Development

the great unfriend-a-thon

2011-10-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

An open letter to my friends on facebook:
I hope we can be adults about this but just like a garden, my Facebook network is in need of a little maintenance. I need to weed out the folks who aren't using Facebook anymore. It's also apparent that Facebook is not the most efficient place to network professionally with some of you - perhaps, you could be transplanted over to linkedin (http://www.linkedin.com/in/robinfay) or Google+ (georgiawebgurl) or my page (http:/www.facebook.com/RobinFayArts) as I revamp that to include more technology stuff.

Statistics have shown that at MOST 150 people is about the limit to which we can have a meaningful network - I'm well over that. I don't want my Facebook account to turn into Twitter, either (tho you can network with me there, http://www.twitter.com/georgiawebgurl, too, just make sure to DM or @ me to give me a little nudge), and while I know I can use lists to whittle down my news feed - what's the point? If I don't want to network/communicate/share with you on Facebook, then why would you I keep you in my network (and conversely on your side?) And if it's all one sided (all me) then again, what's the point?

So, for some of you this will be the last status update you see from me. If I unfriend you, it truly doesn't mean that I don't respect you or like you IRL. It just means that Facebook is not working for us. That's all -- and if your feelings are hurt, I am really sorry about that.

Technology & Customer service

2011-10-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

information about the presentation & slides

Connecting with me in social space

2011-10-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hey there,
Want to connect with me at facebook?
Please visit http://www.facebook.com/RobinFayArts - I share a weekly photo, technology news and more. I'd love to start a conversation with you there!

I don't accept friend requests to my PERSONAL account unless

I tell you to friend me.
we're close friends in real life.
we already have a relationship at another social media site.
you're family and use facebook instead of email. ;-)

On that note:

You can also connect with me on Google+ (G+) (georgiawebgurl) and linkedin (http://www.linkedin.com/in/robinfay) or even twitter @georgiawebgurl