URL for Citeulike.org

http://www.citeulike.org/user/adbarry

Comments Week #6

I have commented on:
Liz's blog: http://wwwedpblog.blogspot.com
Elaina's blog: My blog
Susan's blog: http://susangeiss.blogspot.com/

Muddiest Point #5

I found this week's lecture very interesting and packed with information. I followed everything, but could use a review of MPEG encoding.

Readings for week #6

Computer Network
Local Area Network
Management of RFID in Libraries
YouTube: Common Types of Computer Networks

I'm not sure if the readings are getting more clear or I'm really starting to get all of this, but I got a lot out of what we read this week. I have heard all of the terms mentioned before and now have a better understanding of what they mean and how they are all connected. I found it very interesting to learn about how the early networks came about and how, when they grew, they needed to develop broader based systems.
The YouTube video seemed to be superfluous after reading the articles.
I was enthralled with the RFID article. I have worked in libraries for 16 years and have no experience with this. We have always had barcode systems that have worked and have not looked elsewhere. I'm not sure how I feel about spending so much money on an unproven entity but the possibilities are interesting.

Comments Week #5

I have commented on:
Evelyn's blog: http://emc2-technologychat.blogspot.com
Alesha's blog: http://hesheroes.blogspot.com/
Corrine's blog: http://corrinewxly.blogspot.com

Muddiest Point #4

My muddiest point this week: due to the fact that the lecture was not posted until this past Thursday, I have not had a chance to watch it yet (Friday).
I have watched the lecture and my question is about the assignment- do the topics we need to find articles on need to be about library science/informaion technology?

Readings for week #5

Data compression
Imaging Pittsburgh
You Tube

This weeks' readings gave insight into some of the cababilities of digital technology developments and how they apply to library science. I was particulary impressed with the First Monday article Imaging Pittsburgh about the collaboration between three institutions, University of Pittsburgh Archives Servies Center, Carnegie Musuem of Art and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania and their photograph collections. I found this to be a perfect example of what the benefits of digital improvements in technology are to libraries and patrons alike. This collaboration represents all that is good about digital advances; the sharing of information on a new and expanded platform, reaching a larger audience and the obvious increase in communication between participating agencies.

Similarly, the You Tube article gave another good example of how libraries can harness the digital age to their benefit. Having made a simple, online tutorial about basic library information, the university was able to reach a much larger number of students in a much more exciting medium than having students read the information.

Data compression was more of the same computer information that is remarkable but not easy for me to follow. I understand, I think, that data compression ,is useful because it "helps reduce the consumption of exspensive resources,such as hard disk space..."
This is great and must explain why we are able to do so much within limited size files, etc.

I found the readings this week to be much more palitable due to the fact that I could apply them directly to library science, not just computer science.

URL for Flickr Account

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29928686@N03/

Comments Week #4

I have commented on
Nate's blog: http://ngrey666.blogspot.com/
Ashley's blog: http://amucha.blogspot.com/
Susan's blog: http://susangeiss.blogspot.com/

Muddiest Point #3

Muddiest point for me is more of a thought/question: With all of the new technologies/improvements within the computer industry and the obvious benefits of the digital world and all that it can offer,
where do books fit in? I realize that data storage/cost are issues, but as these are figured out, will there be a real use for books or will they just be an outdated vehicle for information? I hope not...

Readings for week #4

Database
Introduction to Metadata
An overview of the Dublin Core Data Model

I would be lying if I said that I did not struggle through these readings. My basic understanding of metadata is that it is a way of collecting data about data. This data is then used to evaluate, describe, or otherwise manipulate whatever information the user is trying to figure out thus creating even more data. This "cycle" then repeats itself and we end up with a constantly updating and enlarging data field that can be used to cull a multitude of information from. Not entirely sure...The Dublin Core Data Model is an "international effort" in the process of trying to take this data and "translate" it all into a database that is cross-disciplinary, cross cultural and able to define same concepts in many different languages. Through "semantic refinement" and specialized encoding schemes, this effort is attempting to harness massive amounts of information and make it usable within areas/disciplines that it may not have orginated from.

It is amazing how it all ties together- Moore's law taught us about exponential growth within the processer industry and metadata, to me, represents a similiar growth within the information industry.
Not sure how I feel about such massive amounts of growth so quickly-hope it does not overtake us.

Please feel free to correct/comment on the above. Although, not my area of expertise I have learned so much in this class already- mostly how grateful I am for IT departments everywhere!

Week #3 Comments

I have commented on:
Ashley's blog: http://amucha.blogspot.com/
Jennifer's blog: http://pittlibrarian.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Nate's blog: http://ngrey666.blogspot.com/feeds/post/default
Jean's blog: http://2600ReasonsToBeALibrarian.blogspot.com/

I have commented on Susan Geiss's digitalizaton post.

Readings for week #3

Linux, Mac OS X and Windows Vista: My overall impression of the readings was that while informative they were incredibly dry and tedious to read. In general, I felt the information given would have been more helpful to person already knowledgeable in the area of computer operating systems and software. Interestingly, the main idea I got from the readings was the continued effort from the three companies to constantly improve and update. Much in tune with Moore's Law, these platforms are able to "double" their capabilities and keep up with the hardware advances. My point is that even though I may not understand every aspect of what each platform offers, it's ok because I will be informed of updates and improvements at every turn. Linux, Mac and Windows all are trying to achieve the same thing: an operating system that does everything that every person could want that is user-friendly and constantly updating itself. Sounds impossible to me but a noble effort just the same. We all benefit from the competition of these companies who strive for our positive opinion, feedback and money. It does not matter which system you choose, the capabilities of all are both astounding and limiting depending on your reasons for use and personal preferences. It is hard to be all things to all people.

Muddiest Point #2

I realize this may not make me sound brilliant but here goes- my muddiest point was just trying to get my head around binary code. The fact that "numbers" represent letters is not something that I make sense of easily. I am in awe of the speed at which computers are able to translate this code into what I am doing this second. Anyone else? (Obviously, I'm not a math person)

Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy

My first thought after reading this article was disbelief that it was written 10 years ago...I thought that much, if not all, of what Lynch had to say about Info. literacy and Info.Tech. literacy directly relates to what libraries and librarians face today. Knowing how to "retrieve" information in a digital age is not enough. We must also know what the technology has to offer, how it will support and enhance the information we find. Lynch's statement about technology literacy "and I believe it is a mistake to scope this too narrowly to information technology (i.e. computers); it needs to encompass a rather broad view of the technology infastructures that support our society, including computing, telecommunications, broadcasting, publishing..." means, to me, that there are a lot of information sources available and we need to be knowledgable about not only what they are but how they work. Slightly daunting...