JING/Wink/etc.

For our current group project, I am working with Jing to try to create some kind of tutorial pertaining to RSS feeds.  Although the software looks easy to use, I am actually having difficulty.  The first obstacle is organizing the topic. I have been trying to visualize the way that I would be able to learn best from an online tutorial, and I keep thinking that shorter and to the point is better. However, there is lots to say about RSS feeds, and how one can make use of them most effectively.

The second obstacle is using the program.  I have tried Wink as well, and this program does not seem to be any easier.  In order to capture the appropriate frames, the content has to be well organized in advance, especially with Jing. I am also encountering difficulties using screencast.com.

I am wondering why these softwares are so complicated, or perhaps it is simply my inexperience.  I will keep working on it.  I had no idea that one small tutorial could take so much time to create.

Dilbert

The Perils of Social Networking

I was just reading a blurb in the New Yorker magazine about the airline pilots who overshot their mark last week while browsing the internet and flying a plane.  The article described the state many of us enter when checking our email, speaking on the phone, texting, etc., called  “inattentional blindness,” which renders us incapable of noticing what is going on around us.  Browsing the internet while engaging in other activities can sometimes be dangerous, and the author illustrated this by describing a criminal case in West Virginia: a man was burglarizing a house, searching for diamonds, when he decided to take a break and log into his facebook account from the victims’ home computer.  Unfortunately, he forgot to log off, so the police had no difficulty identifying the criminal.  That, to me, appears to be a true addiction.  Ah, the perils of social networking.

Ebook Readers

For one of my other classes this semester, I am looking at the utility of ebook readers in public libraries.  I’m kind of surprised at the scarcity of information about ebook readers and how they relate to libraries in terms of patron demand and cost-efficiency.  Although there are a few journal and news articles about the introduction of ebook readers into public libraries, there is little in-depth discussion on the topic. Perhaps this is because the field is so new and still in its developing stages (although, electronic book readers have been around since the 1990′s, but with little media attention until Amazon’s Kindle entered the marked).

I’m trying to visualize myself as a library patron and to decide whether I would actually want to borrow an ebook reader instead of an actual, printed book.  I think I might be hesitant, first, for fear of losing the device, second, for fear that I wouldn’t know how to use it.  I am currently the proud owner of a Kindle, and having had the experience of reading electronic books on a personal reader, I know that there’s nothing to fear.  In fact, my Kindle is uber-portable and easy to use and I love the fact that it takes up hardly any room, and adds barely any weight to my backpack (which I cart back and forth to school and to work every day).

Anyways, while I’m not too excited about writing this paper, I do think the topic is an interesting one and one that definitely needs closer examination and future study.

 

 

FOURSQUARE

Since starting the Web 2.0 class, I have been making attempts to follow news articles about different applications.  Last week, the New York Times, published an article about a new social network called “Foursquare”(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/technology/internet/19foursquare.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=social%20networking&st=cse) . In contrast to Facebook and Twitter, which, as the journalist describes, tell people what you are doing, Foursquare is designed to tell people where you are.

The articles describes Foursquare as follows: A combination of friend-finder, city guide and competitive bar game, Foursquare lets users “check in” with a cellphone at a bar, restaurant or art gallery. That alerts their friends to their current location so they can drop by and say hello.

So far, there are only about 600,000 members on Foursquare, compared with the millions on Facebook. Some of the people interviewed in the article, however, explained that they like the fact that the program is not well known (according to one source, its obscurity limits the number of  networked “nosy mothers-in-law”).  Also, members can play fantasy-type games, where they can become mayor of their favorite establishments.  For this reason, some companies have agreed to advertise on the site and offer free gifts for regular customers.

This is the part that peaked my interest – libraries are always looking for ways to market, and as the article explains, Foursquare is a relatively inexpensive way for self-promotion. Like small businesses, libraries could use incentives to draw people to their institutions (free book giveaways? other prizes?), although it is not clear whether those on Foursquare would be interested in social gatherings in the library.

The company has not made any revenue so far, but is looking for future collaboration from companies like  Starbucks (if the company grows, this may limit advertising to those larger businesses who can afford it).

The changing nature of law librarianship

As a follow-up to my last blog entry, I have been reading a series of essays on the changing nature of law librarianship, specifically in law firms (my field of choice).

In essence, the authors have noted that the primary change in law libraries has been the introduction of technology into the workplace, the shift from a physical to a virtual environment.  They also talk about the increase in pace in a law firm library, since attorneys now expect quick replies via email (in the past, librarians would send paper reports of research completed).

I was not surprised by the essays that I read; technological innovations is obviously the wave of the future for all libraries, including firm libraries.  Since librarianship is a service-oriented profession, libraries must follow current trends in providing service. This includes efficiency, speed, and technological savvy.

This ties in with the Web 2.0 class, where we are learning some of the tools of the trade. Web 2.0 applications are essential now not only to meet a library’s service requirements, but also, to market its services. This is especially true in the struggling economy, where libraries are in constant threat of budget cuts.  Web 2.o applications provide an inexpensive means of marketing (inside an institution and outside too).

It is amazing to me that the idea of social networking, which probably started out as just a baby notion, has become such a powerful tool.

Now seeking employment: the benefits of Web 2.0

I will be graduating in December of this year from the Library and Information Science program, and have begun the arduous process of looking for a job. This is especially challenging in light of the current economic conditions; jobs in libraries seems scarce, especially in law libraries. However, I am not entirely devoted to working in the traditional law library, either corporate or academic. My background in French and law have led me to consider other options, including non-profit organizations, as well as NGO’s.

For this reason, I went two weeks ago to the NYPL Science and Industry division on Madison and 34th St.  I was somewhat taken aback by the large, and very busy, career center that they have established in their research area.  Not only do they have a room full of job-related materials, but also, computers and staff devoted to helping those seeking employment.

My experience in the Career Center was somewhat disappointing.  One of the reference librarians directed me to a bookshelf filled with books relating to law library careers; nothing, however, provided advice for those seeking non-traditional roles using research and legal skills.

On the other hand, the library’s catalog has developed links to a variety of career-specific sites, as well as career profiles and employment blogs.  These include suggestions for employment searches, such as joining networks like Linkedin. In my opinion, from my brief beginnings in job searching, I have trouble envisioning that I might find a job through internet postings (I imagine that there must be many applicants).  I would think that job searching through contacts would be a more effective means of locating employment.  For these purposes, social and professional networks might be effective tools for connecting with others in the field who have inside knowledge about job openings.

Although I was not impressed with SIBL’s print collection, I think that they have done a thorough job putting together a database of career links.  In their shoes, however, I might place more emphasis on Web 2.0 sites and skill building workshops online.