Comments for this Week

http://jennchaney.blogspot.com/2009/12/unit-14-reading-notes-1215.html#comments

http://issuesininfotech2600.blogspot.com/2009/12/week-14-reading-notes.html#comments

Reading Post for Unit 14

What cloud computing really means

-Cloud computing is associated with Web 2.0
-Cloud computing deals with any service (for a fee) on the Internet that allows the user to modify and utilize the services to their own personal preferences.
-There are a number of categories of cloud computing services such as:
--1. SaaS
--2. Utility computing
--3. Web services in the cloud
--4. Platform as a service
--5. MSP (managed service providers)
--6. Service commerce platforms
--7. Internet integration


Explaining Cloud Computing

-new technology allows users to access information from a variety of devices
-Cloud Computing is software as a service
-cloud computing has grown due to its characteristics of being inexpensive, flexible to the user preferences, and reliable
-It levels the playing field for companies of all various sizes.


The Future of Libraries: Beginning the Great Transformation

-In the past, libraries had the reputation as a storage space for important work. It was often viewed as a privileged facility for certain classes.
-Libraries were able to preserve work of artists, writers, and creators like Da Vinci
-Libraries were viewed as institutions containing "the foundational building blocks of information for all humanity."
-In the medieval period, books were very expensive commodity.
-Andrew Carnegie helped to change libraries by funding over 2,000 libraries
- Today people visit libraries for a variety of reasons, not just a specific piece of information.
- Trends of nex gen library that are presented in the article: "Trend #1 – Communication systems are continually changing the way people access information, Trend #2 – All technologies commonly used today will be replaced by something new, Trend #3 – We haven’t yet reached the ultimate small particle for storage. But soon, Trend #4 – Search Technology will become increasingly more complicated, Trend #5 – Time compression is changing the lifestyle of library patrons, Trend #6 – Overtime we will be transitioning to a verbal society, Trend #7 – The demand for global information is growing exponentially, Trend #8 – The Stage is being set for a new era of Global Systems, Trend #9 – We are transitioning from a product-based economy to an experience based economy, Trend #10 – Libraries will transition from a center of information to a center of culture."

Muddiest Point

I have no muddiest point for this week. Thanks.

Reading Response for Unit 13

No place to hide website

This is a website for a collaborative project among several news organizations. The 'about the project' page had the most information on the website, itself, and it explained the purpose of the project. It explained the project as a "yearlong investigation into the unprecedented marriage between the revolution of private data collection and the government's vastly expanded surveillance authorities in the wake of September 11"

Terrorism" Information Awareness (TIA) and data mining

This website presented information and the latest news regarding the TIA project, which stated purpose was to collect information from possible terrorist after the September 11th attacks; however, there it displays the far reaching authority over all individuals and the ability to have instant access to their information. Here is some information points from the website:
--In November 2002, the New York Times reported that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) was developing a tracking system called "Total Information Awareness" (TIA)
-- The mission of TIA was to detect terrorists through analyzing information.
--TIA was envisioned to give law enforcement access to private data without suspicion of wrongdoing or a warrant.
-TIA captured the "information signature" of people so that the government could track potential terrorists and criminals involved in "low-intensity/low-density" forms of warfare and crime

The YouTube video for this set of readings was no longer available by the time I went to view it.

Muddiest Point

None for this week. Thanks

Reading Post for Unit 12

Weblogs: their use and application in science and technology libraries

This article discussed the history of blogs and some of the uses of weblogs in academic and library settings. The articles starts off by explaining the popularity of blogs and how easy it is for any one to set up their own personal blog for individual or collaborative use. New websites and software, such as the one I'm using for this one, allow users to create blogs and provide them with the design templates and webspace to do so. The article also discusses several examples where blogs can be used to assist teams or collaboration. There are several instances where I think blogs serve as a good collaborative and communication tool. It works well for coursework similar to what we are doing in this class, as we post our summaries online and have the ability to comment on a classmate's blog as well. Additionally, the example in the article, of a reference blog, is also a good use of weblogs. I've never used a blog as a "project management tool" when working with other students in a group. I'm actually not sure how effective this would be (I think there may be other software that would work better) but I do think a library using a blog to disseminate information is a good idea and great way to connect to patrons.


Using a wiki to manage a library instruction program: Sharing knowledge to better serve patrons

As the title states, this article explored the growth and usages of wikis. I really like wikis and have used them in different groups and jobs. Wikis make it easy to provide group members with information while also allowing others to comment and add their own information. Similar to the growth in popularity of blogs, wiki pages are becoming widely used because of available software and ease of use. Libraries can also use wikis for instruction, similar to the example of the Sherrod Library at East Tennessee State University, and for employees to share information amongst one another as well.


Creating the academic library folksonomy: Put social tagging to work at your institution" C&RL News

Tagging is the processes of attaching "tags" to websites as a way to organize and provide them with keyword characteristics. Even though I have utilized tagging before, I previously didn't really know how the whole process works. The article suggests that libraries use tagging to provide information to patrons, such as relevant websites on the Internet or databases. I've noticed how libraries have started to use tagging, like the Carnegie Library in it's catalog system. Still, libraries that establish a tagging system must watch out for malicious or spam tagging that could mess up the whole collaborative process that they are trying to create.


How a ragtag band created Wikipedia

This was a video of Jimmy Wales discussing the structure of Wikipedia and its influence/significance today. This was a pretty interesting lecture, although quite short. Wales explains how Wikipedia was driven by the idea of free access to information and uses the wiki software which allows anyone to contribute to the content. Even Wales calls the volunteer contribution model somewhat chaotic but I think that's a great part of Wikipedia. There are no set roles for the contributors and each individual can interact to their own desire and ability. I also thought it was interesting when he discussed the need to briefly lock articles regarding Bush and Kerry and instances of 'vandalism' on the site. However, this seems to be something that the administrators have their own process to deal with it.

Muddiest Point for this week

I have no muddiest point for this week. Happy Thanksgiving!

Assignment 6: My Website

Below is the link to my website:

http://www.pitt.edu/~vlm15/

Muddiest Point for this week

Sorry for the late post. I have no Muddiest Point for this week.

Comments for this Week

http://jbullough.blogspot.com/2009/11/week-10-digital-libraries.html?showComment=1258327211368#c8020489451015388168


http://kourteneywantshermlis.blogspot.com/2009/10/bbc-news-net-set-for-language-shake-up.html?showComment=1258329408638#c6082793794657618266

Reading Post for Unit 11

Digital Libraries: challenges and influential work

-There has been a movement by information professionals to develop these digital libraries comprised of the existing digital collections.
-federally funded and supported digital projects were present from early on.
-Some of the first federal funded projects were called the Digital Libraries Initiative or DLI-1
-DLI-1 was comprised of six university led projects


Dewey meets Turing: librarians, computer scientists and the digital libraries initiative.

-National Science Foundation's digital library is targeted toward librarians, computer scientists, and publishers but the ultimate project appealed to many other groups
-Many computer scientists, who had been trained for years to use libraries, they were able to help generate how libraries can operate in the digital environment
-librarians saw an great opportunity to get sufficient funding and that digital technology was important in order to advance libraries influence on scholarly works
-The popularity of the World Wide Web changed the direction of the projects
-There was some disagreement between the role of user and reference services in regards to the collection
-both computer scientists and librarians were affected by the world wide web and had to change their view and purpose of the project


Institutional Repositories: Essential Infrastructure for Scholarship in the Digital Age

-Technology has made online repositories possible
-This information revolution has impacted scholarly communication and access
-Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed Dspace repository system
-Other universities are attempting to recreate this model repository system at their own institution
-most important aspects are the "management of technological changes, and the migration of digital content from one set of technologies to the next as part of the organizational commitment to providing repository services"
-the increase of these repositories shows that academic and university scholarly communication is switching to digital format
-

Muddiest Point for this week

I really enjoyed the presentation on digital libraries. I have no muddiest point for this week.

Reading Notes for this week

Web Search Engines: Part 1 and Part 2

I was unable to find these articles on the websites. They didn't come up after hitting the link and I couldn't find them after searching on the journal website by article and author name.

Current developments and future trends for the OAI protocol for metadata harvesting

- OAI = Open Archives Initiative
- the original purpose of the protocol was to facilitate access to "diverse e-print archives"
- serves as a way to distribute content
- requires metadata in certain forms which can allow a search of the "invisible web"
- OAI wasn't originally meant for libraries but has proven to be beneficial to libraries and archives.
- There are several initiatives by libraries (and sometimes collaborations among libraries)
- There are some problems with the OAI registry of data providers, including completeness and search/browse capabilities
- ERRoLs = Extensible Repository Resource Locators


The Deep Web: Surfacing Hidden Value

- regular search engines cannot retrieve websites that are located in a space considered the deep web
- In the deep web, results are only achieved through a specific search
- search engines usually retrieve web pages two ways: authors submit or search documents from one "hypertext link to another"
- the study presented in the article was to try to discover the size of the deep Web and the relevance of its content
- site are assigned to one of twelve arbitrary categories
- deep websites receive half as much traffic as surface websites

Muddiest Point for this week

I have no muddiest point for this week.

Blog Comments for this Week

http://sregan-lis2600.blogspot.com/2009/10/unit-9-xml.html?showComment=1257056954145#c5940544304841531298

http://letishagoerner2600.blogspot.com/2009/10/readings-110309.html?showComment=1257058918641#c6446870069855057535

Koha assignment

Below is the link to my Koha Assignment list: List for 2600 - Zines

http://upitt04-staff.kwc.kohalibrary.com/cgi-bin/koha/virtualshelves/shelves.pl?viewshelf=23

Reading Notes for Week 9 (or 10?)

An Introduction to the Extensible Markup Language XML

-XML=Extensible Markup Language
-XML defines the role of elements or the logical parts of structured documents.
-XML is not a set of fixed tags for document markup, like HTML.
-In XML, documents are composed of entities -- entities are made of 1+ logical elements
-The article describes XML as being pretty straightforward and easy to understand because of its explanation of the document structure
-The unique identifier is an attribute that can cross reference two points of the document
-Data stored in XML format can be transfered to other hardware and software.



A Survey of XML Standards

-At the begining XML can be dificult to understand

This article discusses the primary XML technologies. To be honest, a majority of this article was difficult to understand. It was difficult to understand the function or importance of each aspect. Particularly going through the different versions of XML was a little confusing. The article also provides a lot of key terms (in bold) that are important aspects of XML.

-XML organizations and users have made efforts to make standards for the community.

-The article provides information on several organizations such as, International Organization for Standardization, Organization for the Advancement of Structure Information Standards, etc.

-In general, the article is a bit difficult to understand and the organization of the sections is somewhat confusing.



Extending your Markup: An XML Tutorial

-DTD = document type definition
-DTDs "define the structure of XML documents"
-An XML document is considered valid if it conforms to the DTD
-Elements are either terminal or nonterminal
-However, DTDs are limited

Muddiest Point for 10/27 Lecture

There is no muddiest point for this week.

Comments for Week 9

http://jonwebsterslis2600blog.blogspot.com/2009/10/week-8-readings.html?showComment=1256450180907#c1534011065190939950

http://jennchaney.blogspot.com/2009/10/week-8-reading-notes.html?showComment=1256452969982#c264389658896651320

Muddiest Point for 10/20 Lecture

During this Tuesday's lecture, we briefly discussed the use of cookies on websites. I've always wondered if cookies are dangerous? Do they have the ability to access personal information? When we talked about them in class, they appeared to be harmless, as a way to track returning visitors to a website. However, whenever I run an ad scan, it usually removes the cookies from my computer. So are they harmful or simply a way to track returning visitors to a website?

Comments for Week 8

http://ittnp.blogspot.com/2009/10/week-8-or-9-reading.html?showComment=1255940374658#c4530169947953203577

http://2600infototechnology.blogspot.com/2009/10/8th-readings.html?showComment=1255940843363#c7746507517635736343

Reading Notes for Week 8

W3schools HTML Tutorial

This is a Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) tutorial to teach you how to build websites and use HTML. One of the things that I really liked was that they give you the opportunity to practice on screen. The "Try it Yourself" sections allow you to experiment with HTML. While some may have found the HTML introduction to be rather simple, I thought it did a great job at explaining what HTML is, tags, and other HTML information. Like I mentioned before, I really like the "Try it Yourself" portions so Chapter 4:Examples was the most informative to me. The entire tutorial breaks things down into several subsections, from styles to hyperlinks, and explains them in an understandable manner. I also thought the sections on how to make lists, tables, and forms were interesting. I thought the "Quick List" of already prepare HTML is very useful.

W3 School Cascading Style Sheet Tutorial

This is another tutorial from the group that provided the HTML tutorial which I wrote about above. CSS makes working with HTML easier and explains how it should be displayed. It explains the three parts of CSS syntax, the selector, the value, and the property. This tutorial also breaks down the topics of CSS nicely and makes it easy to learn. It seems a bit more complex, (definitely more than the HTML tutorial) but it does a good job at breaking down key issues.

HTML Cheatsheet

This sheet is a simpler version of the HTML tutorial in that it doesn't go into explanations of each tag section. It is similar to what was found at the end of the W3schools HTML tutorial. This is just a easy guide of HTML and will probably be best served by the computer to have handy when working with HTML.

Beyond HTML: Developing and re-imagining library web guides in a content management system

The article explains situations in which librarians were in charge of creating web guides for library users but the results of what they created were often insufficient. There was miscommunication regarding their content and intent. Content Management System is the "process of collecting, managing, and publishing content" and established to assist librarians to effectively create online content and websites without the problems they faced with Frontpage. One of the features of the system is collaborative tagging of information and allowing multiple users to post content.

Muddiest Point for this Week

I have no muddiest point for this week. Due to Fall break, class did not meet this week.

Assignment 4: Jing

Link to screencast video:

http://www.screencast.com/t/wvvpJqd08cT

Links to 5 Flickr photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27182891@N00/3986068790/in/set-72157622401185661/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27182891@N00/3986096232/in/set-72157622401185661/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27182891@N00/3986133094/in/set-72157622401185661/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27182891@N00/3986157704/in/set-72157622401185661/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27182891@N00/3985622307/in/set-72157622401185661/

Week 7 Blog Comments

Below are my blog comments for week 7:

http://knivesnmatches.blogspot.com/2009/10/1020-readings.html?showComment=1255259364676#c8533100326688906157

http://mdelielis2600response.blogspot.com/2009/10/week-7-reading-responses.html?showComment=1255260458483#c644430333172483987

Reading Notes: Unit 7

Below are my reading notes for the Week 7 readings:

How the Internet Infrastructure Works:

--Computers that access the Internet are connected by a network.
--Different ways to connect to a network, through an Internet Service Provider or another type of network (LAN, WAN, etc.)
--Routers help computers correspond to with one another.
-- The Internet Protocol (IP) Address is a unique number that for every computer.
-- Computers on the Internet are either servers or clients
-- Numbered ports help to make services available to computers

Dismantling Integrated Library Systems

--Integrated Library Systems (ILS) are systems used by libraries to track and maintain their materials.
--The integrated library system is forced to re-examine it's role as new web technology dominates in the library environment.
--There are challenges between competitors to satisfy library needs with upgrades and features to ILS software.
--Libraries are now serving a greater number of people over the web and require a search system that has ease and efficiency.
--It's a struggle with these new initiatives to relate and borrow from past ILS systems while also creating new ways to assist libraries with technologies.


Inside the Google Machine

--An interactive lecture given by Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
--They show a world map of individuals using Google over the world. Very few points in Australia and Africa.
--One of their goals to help the company grow is more searches and they found that this is based on other factors, security of people in their own lives, etc. and Google is trying to help improve the lives of individuals. This led to the creation of a Google Foundation, a group of charities.
-- Keep innovation running by encouraging smaller creative projects by current employees. Some new initiatives, deskbar search tool, google answers, etc. These are things that the company does to remain progressive.
-- They also have company retreats to establish community.
-- In regards to the advertising available through Google, they aim to make advertising useful and not just annoying.
-- In the final stages of the lecture, they moved to the topic of searching, the ultimate search engine would, itself, be smart. They feel that they have the ability and responsibility to supply people with the proper information.

Muddiest Point for 10/6 Lecture

I do not have a muddiest point question in response to this week's lecture.

Assignment 3: Google Scholar, Zotero, and CiteULike

http://www.citeulike.org/user/vlm15/library

and RSS feed

http://www.citeulike.org/rss/user/vlm15/library

Blog Comments for this Week

http://zacharymclaughlin.blogspot.com/2009/10/week-6-readings.html#comments

http://letishagoerner2600.blogspot.com/2009/10/readings-100609.html?showComment=1254722644748#c2473983025624521473

Week 6 Reading Responses

Computer Network - Wikipedia


--A computer network connects computers and permits them to communicate with one another.

--There are several categories of computer networks:
* connection method
* wired technologies
* wireless technologies
* functional relationship
* network topology

--Types of networks
* personal area network
*local area network
* campus area network
* metro area network (connects two local or campus area networks)
* wide area network (network over a large area)
* global network
* Internetwork (intranet, extranet, and internet)


Local Area Network - Wikipedia

--Local area network is a computer network in a small area.
--Netware was the most popular in the personal LAN computer networks for a long time.
--Smaller LANs are connected with switches linked together
--Larger LANs are connected with links with switches that attempt to avoid loops

Management of RFID in Libraries

This article discusses the possible use (and mostly the advantages) of using RFID technology in libraries, particularly in regards to the check in and check out process. RFID stands for radio frequency identifier. RFID tags would be placed inside books and other materials to keep track of them. The author suggests that this technology will eventually replace barcodes in libraries.

Muddiest Point for 9/29 Lecture

I don't have a muddiest point comment for this week's lecture.

Week 5 Blog Responses

Below are the comments I made on blogs for this week:

http://rsj2600.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-5-readings.html?showComment=1254084178226#c7002971819029845885

http://introtoinfo.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-5-readings.html?showComment=1254086503775#c63458783845934405

Week 5 Reading Responses

Data Compression - Wikipedia

-Data compression uses fewer bits to encode information
--The sender and receiver of the information must be able to understand the code in order for it to be read
--data compression helps reduce the size/space needed used by the information

-Two types of compression
--lossless - guided by "statistical redundancy"
--lossy - guided by the real ways in which people process data

-Data compression may result in the loss of some quality but will maintain the data


'Data Compression Basics'

I thought the beginning of this article was easier to understand and to take notes on compared to the Wikipedia article. It focused more on using language that even a nontechnical person could understand.

-compression takes information and replaces it with some sort of representation of the information that requires less space.

The run length encoding section explains in easy to understand languages how the encoding works and replaces the runs. I still don't completely understand the "special marker" part though.

The article advances into difficult technical language (at least for me anyway) with the Lempel-Ziv compressor family section of the article. It was also difficult some sections of the video compression section but the pictures and graphs throughout did provide a little clarity.

Imagining Pittsburgh: Creating a shared gateway to digital image collection of the Pittsburgh region


This article featured the creation of an online accessible library of a photograph collection. The collection is a joint venture between the University's Archives Center, Carnegie Museum of Art, the Historical Society of Western PA, and the University of Pittsburgh Digital Research Library. There will be many ways for people to search through the collection: by keyword, by related collections/subject, by time and theme, etc. It was also interesting to hear that the project encountered several problems in regards to the disagreements between the different institutions involved in this project. However, this is something to be expected and all of the institutions seemed to be able to deal with these issues for the sake of the project.

They had to come up with a common language/vocabulary to categorize the photographs. All the institutions had to use common metadata in order to make the entire digital library consistent and easy to use.

Youtube and Libraries: It could be a beautiful relationship

This article discussed how to utilize youtube to promote a library. Basically, the article consisted of step by step instructions of how to create a youtube account, promote library programming, online tutorials, etc. I think that using youtube to post library videos, in particular using it to post tutorials, is a great idea.

Muddiest Point for 9/22 Lecture

Something that I was unclear about in this week's lecture was the topic of primary keys and foreign keys. I still feel like I don't have a proper understanding of what they are and how they interact with one another.

Blog Comments for this Week

Below are links to my blog comments for this week:

http://knivesnmatches.blogspot.com/2009/09/readings-for-922.html?showComment=1253483826041#c4022501716279487783

http://lis2600infotechnology.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-4-readings-information.html?showComment=1253485538076#c265471019341112963

Week 4 Reading Responses

Below are some summary notes that I had for this week's readings:

Database - Wikipedia:

-databases are collections of files that provide the information needed for applications. Most common organization of these files in a database is relational organization.
-database management systems organize the information within the db.
-database management systems have varying models, just like the database themselves. Relational is the most popular for these as well.
-There are different types of databases with each performing a specific function
- There are five main components of Relational Database Management Systems:
* Interface drivers
* SQL Engine
* Transaction Engine
* Relational Engine
* Storage Engine

Introduction to Metadata:

-The purpose of this article was to explain to people the different types of metadata. Delved into a discussion of what information is and the purpose that it serves to people.
-Information possess meaning for human beings and information systems.
-All information, despite the form, have three properties -- content, context, and structure
-Information professionals and institutions look at these three properties and use them at varying to degrees in terms of information management (museums are more concerned with context, etc..
-Everyone is involved with "creating, sharing, and copying metadata" throughout their daily lives.
-Types of metadata -- preservation, descriptive, administrative, technical, use

Muddiest Point for 9/15 Lecture

I don't have a muddiest point post for this week.

Assignment 2: Flickr

Below is the link to Assignment 2 - Flickr assignment

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27182891@N00/sets/72157622249128859/

Week 3: Responses

Below are my blog responses for this week

http://cac160.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-3-reading-notes.html?showComment=1252886154371#c4590341900275217868

http://laine05.blogspot.com/2009/09/reading-notes-for-week-three.html?showComment=1252888579363#c1735255744062689144

Week 3: Reading Response

Machtelt Garrels. “Introduction to Linux: A Hands on Guide”

After reading Garrels’ article I get the sense that Linux developers put a large focus of their time on compatibility. Linux was developed in order to create a compatible operating system and now developers are working on ways to make in easy to use as a workstation while still focusing on its compatibility with other computers/hardware/applications.

In the ‘Is Linux Difficult’ section of the document it states that Linux is easy to use but that this sentiment is often mostly felt by “power users and programmers” who have a strong relationship to Linux. I don’t really understand this operating system, even after learning more about it through entry level programming/computer classes and casual conversations with users of the system in college. Even though people I came into contact with always praised the system for similar reasons as stated in the article (that it’s stable, easy to use, etc) it just never clicked with me for some reason.

Later in the Garrels’ article provides a list of companies who provide products for non-experience users. I had never heard of these companies before and this may be something I may want to try in the future. I appreciate the attempts these companies are trying to make in order to expand Linux use while steel leaving dedicated users content.

The list of pros and dedicated audience prove that Linux is a substantial system however it’s extremely difficult to switch people over from their norm and this seems to be the next barrier for Linux.

“What is Mac OS X”

I’ve only used a MAC in computer lab or in the context of a class requiring them. I’ve never owned one personally although from time to time I wish that I did own one. I like their appearance and I think they are easy to use; however, I haven’t used them on a daily basis and I’m not sure if my good relationship with them would persist after doing so. Most people have problems or troubles with certain computers that may affect their feelings towards a particular operating system but this doesn’t necessarily represent the universal experience.

I enjoyed how the author of this article stated that it wasn’t an advertisement and that he wasn’t trying to convert anyone to Mac. Instead the text of the article focuses on information that users and potential users may find interesting about Mac OS X.

I found some parts of this article a little choppy and difficult to understand, such as the history section, Architecture of Mac OS X section, and part related to Mac OS X programming description. I wish the contributor would have gone into more detail, but I understand that he would rather provide a brief insight and offer new information to serve as a quick reference guide. It made me want to learn more about the system.


Paul Thurott “An Update on the Windows Roadmap”

This was interesting to me because I recently purchased a new laptop after experiencing problems with my old one. It was nothing related to the operating system. It was a problem with the physical laptop. I have always used Windows on my personal daily computers. I don’t necessarily have any predisposition towards the system it’s just what I have always used.

My new computer has Vista on it which I was initially nervous about after hearing word of mouth reviews about it. However, I’m still learning the ins and outs of the system and laptop.

This Windows letter provides some information but it also seems more of an “advertisement” than the other articles this week. The letter attempts to point out the flaws and advantages of Vista and updates on Windows 7. Maybe I misread the undertones of the letter but it also seems to try to create/maintain the dedication with its customers that are present with Mac and Linux users.

Week 2: Response to Classmate's Blogs

Below is the link to my response on classmate's blog.


http://introtoinfo.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-2-readings.html#comments

Muddiest Point for 9/8 Lecture

This week's lecture concerned the topics of Moore's Law, Computer Hardware, and Digitization. I don't have a muddiest point entry for this weeks lecture. I'm not really the most technical person but everything seemed straight forward in the lecture today and it was good to learn about the types/function of the computer's hardware.

Week 2: Reading Response

‘Personal Computer Hardware’

This was a good comprehensive explanation of the computer hardware. It provides a good foundation and reference for the class and the other readings.

‘Moore’s Law’ - Wikipedia

I had to read this over twice before understanding everything included on the page. I understood the beginning paragraphs which focused on the history, construction and explanation of Moore’s Law. However, the later paragraphs that tried to apply it and give examples left me a little confused and required me to read them over a couple of times.

‘Digitization: Is It Worth It?’

Even though I disagree with many of Stuart D. Lee’s points in the article I still thought his ideas were well argued and learned from reading his stance on digitization. Lee is obviously able to acknowledge the advantages to digitization but he is concerned with many consequences including cost and the affect it will have on a library’s collection. However, I don’t think the best way to deal with libraries interested in digitization projects is to dismiss them simply because money, man-power, training, or organization is not sufficient to perform the process. It’s a duty to explore the best possible way to serve the public. The best way to do this is to not only seek out new digitization projects, provide them with the support in order for the process to be done correctly but also to provide support to libraries unable to complete a digitization project. Equal support should be given to all institutions in order encourage further improvements in the dissemination of information and materials to the public.

“A Few Thoughts on the Google Books Library Project”

I don’t know a lot about the Google Books Project. While the article by Smith provided good insight into the project and he has positive feelings about this it, I still want to learn more about the project. While I’m a person who thinks that the digitization of the book is a good thing I don’t really agree with Smith’s statement about how the book would “reach obsolescence if not easily accessible through digital technology”. He makes this statement when discussing a 19th century book made available through digitization. I’m a fan of digitization but I don’t agree that its existence will make the physical book obsolete as a result. The book will never become obsolete. Books and other similar materials serve a needed purpose in society for the people who use it on a daily basis. Digital projects also provide similar advantages to society and in terms of access. I do not feel that one makes the other insignificant even as technology advances and use becomes more widespread.

Week 1 Reading Response

Clifford Lynch’s ‘Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy: New Components in the Curriculum for Digital Culture’

While reading Lynch’s essay I thought he made some really interesting points but he also left me with a lot of questions. The topic of Lynch’s essay is the importance of Information Literacy, Information Technology Literacy, and how the two relate to one another. Lynch states that they are both “essential for individuals to function and succeed in today’s society; they are distinct but inter-related.” For me, it was this point that stirred my thinking when he later addresses the need for a more comprehensive understanding of information technology. There are many factors that interact with technology and Lynch goes on to state some of those examples later in his introduction. I definitely agree with his point that in order to fully understand technology, as it is constantly changing and evolving, it is necessary to have some knowledge of these outside issues, such as economic and societal factors.

However, it is with this statement and my agreement with Lynch’s view on this, that I wonder at what level should information literacy be addressed and actively taught? Should it be something that is intertwined in lessons starting from preschool up to the graduate level? Maybe it should follow the lead of one of the core subjects, like English or Math, which gradually builds upon itself as the ability of the student grows as well. Also, it kind of made me wonder how can individuals that have been out of the traditional school system for some time increase their literacy of information technology. Where and how would they achieve this improved literacy, not only regarding technology but also the aspects that influence information technology? I also came back to the profession and thought what role can the library play in this constant education and what are its limitations?

Lynch discusses issues about information and information technology literacy that need to be addressed by a wide variety of organizations and institutions. It’s something that constantly needs to be looked at and addressed in order to possess the necessary knowledge to interact with information technology effectively and in a way that will benefit our lives to the fullest extent.

Blog Purpose

This is my blog for the course LIS: 2600 Introduction to Information Technology (University of Pittsburgh, Fall 2009).