Googlefest!! This blog, not even a day old, is filled with easy-as-pie (mostly) Google based bells and whistles. Not least, the blog itself. Meta-blog, meta-google. From the Reader, to the Blogger to Google Scholar, there are a ton of services to take the intimidation out of technology. We learn about them in library school, and should learn to play with them, and learn with them in real life.
Wait. The library is real life!! I'm so relieved.
Just because I couldn't resist, I signed up for SpanishPod, which is a web program with beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons in Spanish. I took a listen to one of the advanced lessons, and it is pretty good, giving good grammar review and explanations. Better yet, it has really good listening practice, with a Spaniard and a Mexican speaking together to provide experience with accent, rhythm, and vocabulary. Highly recommended, but with a caveat: Spanishpod is not free, after the seven day trial, there is a charge.
http://spanishpod.com/lessons/i-am-an-artist
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Library 2.0
What, or where, is the library coming to? It seems clear that THE LIBRARY is not the same as it once was--an ideal of quiet, respectable, organized information carefully doled out by the powers that were. Some weeks ago, I found a link about the library that grew up around the OCCUPY protests, was destroyed by the police, and was started again. You can find the story of The People's Library in their blog.
Now, I am not a terribly political person, but I have to say: this is wonderful stuff. Library 2.0 indeed. Encouraging people, who may or may not already have IDEAS to read more, talk more, be more thoughtful, out there, in the world, in public? Whoa. Is America ready?
And to think, a library, right there in the middle of the resistance. Who says libraries and librarians are relics of the past? Something had to be powerful enough for the authorities to want to close it down, destroy the books, and take away the on-the-fly intellectual community that was developing. For me, Library 2.0 is about giving more people great library experiences, like the ones I have had; where you go from feeling small and lonely, to finding a place to sit and think, and maybe, just maybe raise a thoughtful voice.
Now, I am not a terribly political person, but I have to say: this is wonderful stuff. Library 2.0 indeed. Encouraging people, who may or may not already have IDEAS to read more, talk more, be more thoughtful, out there, in the world, in public? Whoa. Is America ready?
And to think, a library, right there in the middle of the resistance. Who says libraries and librarians are relics of the past? Something had to be powerful enough for the authorities to want to close it down, destroy the books, and take away the on-the-fly intellectual community that was developing. For me, Library 2.0 is about giving more people great library experiences, like the ones I have had; where you go from feeling small and lonely, to finding a place to sit and think, and maybe, just maybe raise a thoughtful voice.
citation management :D
If you don't know how or why to cite, the librarian's chair might not be the place for you. If you are like me, you find things all the time that you want to keep ahold of, and use again. Remember, sounding smart is sometimes the first step toward getting smart(er). There are lots of citation managers, like Endnote, which I had seen before, and Zotero. Thanks to my fellow student Christina Carter for introducing me to this. Here is the link to a Zotero folder with some articles on IL (information literacy).
so, there is reading, and apparently, Reading
I have just spent a ton of time looking on the internet, for things I want to advise you (unknown, as yet anonymous and invisible you) to read. Ostensibly, this is for the purpose of learning about RSS Feeds. Not fun. The assignment leads me to think all my recommendations should be about library stuff, which seems like a lot of pressure just now. I'm new. What do I know?? (Just kidding.)
However, I can definitely see the utility of feeds, especially as my pet blogging project grows. I am referring to Disability Clips: where I hope to highlight disability news articles. If you need to find articles, you can't just hope to find them. It may be necessary to feed them. And more practice makes me a better LIS Student, who will, e-ven-tual-ly be a better librarian.
However, I can definitely see the utility of feeds, especially as my pet blogging project grows. I am referring to Disability Clips: where I hope to highlight disability news articles. If you need to find articles, you can't just hope to find them. It may be necessary to feed them. And more practice makes me a better LIS Student, who will, e-ven-tual-ly be a better librarian.
This video is in Russian...but it's about libraries, and subtitled!!
"Library opens Opportunities for Visually Impaired Journalist."
This video, considerately subtitled into English, tells the story of how a visually impaired journalist from the Ukraine is better able to do her job due to technology and training provided by her local library. She started out on a manual typewriter, and then was provided with a computer by her employer, but she still couldn't use it, as she had no computer skills.
Enter the library, with special voice software (JAWS) and user education classes for the visually-impaired. The instructor was visually-impaired as well, which enhances instruction. Now Galina (and her husband) are able to use the computer for work...ans presumably any thing else they want.
Libraries are dedicated to giving access, among other things, to information. Access to whomever needs it or wants it, within some parameters. What I would like to highlight here is that sometimes, access really means access, a means to participate in multiple communities. People with disabilities are often excluded from many things, including information, educational and vocational opportunities. This video provides an example of how some seemingly simple user-education classes at a library, can address these needs. Way to go, library superhero.
I will also post this video on my other blog, also inspired by technology and community issues:DisabilityClips. Check it out!!
This video, considerately subtitled into English, tells the story of how a visually impaired journalist from the Ukraine is better able to do her job due to technology and training provided by her local library. She started out on a manual typewriter, and then was provided with a computer by her employer, but she still couldn't use it, as she had no computer skills.
Enter the library, with special voice software (JAWS) and user education classes for the visually-impaired. The instructor was visually-impaired as well, which enhances instruction. Now Galina (and her husband) are able to use the computer for work...ans presumably any thing else they want.
Libraries are dedicated to giving access, among other things, to information. Access to whomever needs it or wants it, within some parameters. What I would like to highlight here is that sometimes, access really means access, a means to participate in multiple communities. People with disabilities are often excluded from many things, including information, educational and vocational opportunities. This video provides an example of how some seemingly simple user-education classes at a library, can address these needs. Way to go, library superhero.
I will also post this video on my other blog, also inspired by technology and community issues:DisabilityClips. Check it out!!
Russell Banks speaks!! (not so live and in person)
I had the opportunity once, a long time ago, to meet the author Russell Banks. You may have read any number of his books, like Affliction, The Sweet Hereafter, or Cloudsplitter. I met him through the Writers' Series at St. Lawrence University, which is an excellent program for aspiring writers to meet literary successes, and which also feeds a writer's real addiction: reading.
Over at the Library of Congress, they are kind of into reading and writing too. Surprised? Not exactly, I'll bet. But I was surprised, while researching podcasts, to find The National Book Festival. This is an annual festival organized by the LOC, free and open to the public. It's next on my librarian initiation activities wishlist. Here is the link to Russell Banks' remarks at this year's festival.
http://www.loc.gov/podcasts/bookfest11/podcast_banks.html
Oh, and also here is one from David McCollough, incidentally, a tremendous historian. ww.loc.gov/podcasts/bookfest11/podcast_mccullough.html
Support writing. Support reading. Support thinking. Support libraries.
Over at the Library of Congress, they are kind of into reading and writing too. Surprised? Not exactly, I'll bet. But I was surprised, while researching podcasts, to find The National Book Festival. This is an annual festival organized by the LOC, free and open to the public. It's next on my librarian initiation activities wishlist. Here is the link to Russell Banks' remarks at this year's festival.
http://www.loc.gov/podcasts/bookfest11/podcast_banks.html
Oh, and also here is one from David McCollough, incidentally, a tremendous historian. ww.loc.gov/podcasts/bookfest11/podcast_mccullough.html
Support writing. Support reading. Support thinking. Support libraries.
some photos to get started
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