Highlights from Singapore LibraryBlogLand: April 2007
Last month, in the Singapore LibraryBlogland...More NLB librarians discover podcasting and vodcastingColeman shares his perspective in training some NLB librarians. They must have liked his content and training style, 'cos my colleagues rated an average of 4.5 out of 5 for content, and 4.6 (out of 5) for trainer's score. Coleman says "Librarians are so generous!"Quirky book-alert from High Browse Online"The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification"... Enough said! Read the High Browse Online post here.How do animals communicate?This was asked by a kid (posted at the ASK! blog).How woul...
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Rambling Librarian :: Incidental Thoughts of a Singapore Liblogarian - May 2, 2007 Tags: singapore libraries libraryblogland
SMLC Blogging, IM and Podcasting Workshop
Thanks to all of the enthusiastic participants of yesterday’s workshop. I had a great time, and I appreciate the hard work that you all did, and the enthusiastic response you gave me. As promised, I have posted all of the files that I used in the presentation. You can find them on the Workshop Files page of this blog.
A word of warning to anyone else out there who might be doing a similar workshop, make sure that the venue does not block any of the sites you are planning to talk about. I nearly had a heart attack when I realized that the Van Buren Technology center’s internet filter blocks all blogging and ...
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Fiddling Librarian 3.0 - May 2, 2007 Author: ashkev Tags: Library blogging Computing Web 2.0 vlog podcasting IM Workshops
Twitter: Answering the Question: What Are You Doing?
"Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send "updates" (text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) via SMS, instant messaging, the Twitter Web ...
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Info To Go: Navigating the Internet - May 2, 2007
Past the End of the Year
Cynthia Ozick makes at least one very important point in her essay, "Literary Entrails," in the April, 2007 Harper's Magazine:
. . .in searching for the key to the Problem of the Contemporary Novel (or Novelist), there are cupboards where it is useless to look. And there are reasons that do not apply: writers vying for the highest rung of literary prestige; potential readers distracted by the multiplicity of storytelling machines. Feuds and jealousies are hardly pertinent [e.g., Ben Marcus vs. Jonathan Franzen], and the notorious decline of reading, while incontrovertible, may have less to do with the admittedly shaky sit...
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The Reading Experience - May 2, 2007 Author: Daniel Green Tags: Literary Criticism
Meta-post on HD-DVD AACS Key, Digg, and the failure of Blogging part N+3
I feel like I'm obligated to get in on today's pile-on regarding
the topic of
Digg
and the
HD-DVD AACS Key, but, wow, do I feel like a cricket at a rock concert. Key
points - the number which is the AACS key is going to be argued to be
"technology" within the meaning of the DMCA, we've been here before,
with e.g. DeCSS, and being a data-miner of crowds (like Digg) sometimes
means having to ride their madness. The rest is elaboration.
However, right now I look at the labor for that elaboration, and think:
"Seth, you can spend unpaid hours writing a researched post on the
issue, and then you get to spend even more unpaid h...
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Infothought - May 2, 2007 Author: Seth Finkelstein Tags: cyberblather
Headlines for 2 May 2007
Trends Dow Jones' Web Prize BusinessWeek At Dow Jones, Focus Is On the Bancroft Family WSJ Online* Digg in tough spot with DMCA debacle CNET News me.tv - Your Own YouTube at Your Own Domain Mashable BusinessWeek and Capital IQ Partner to Launch the Global 'Company Insight Center' PR Newswire via Sys-Con Google urges shareholders to permit censorship InfoWorld Army tells sol...
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ContentBlogger - May 2, 2007 Author: John Blossom
Borgmann on Gonzales v. Carhart
Over on the Law Professor Blogs Network's Reproductive Rights Prof Blog, CUNY law prof Caitlin Borgmann has been covering the Supreme Court's Gonzales v. Carhart decision. Her work is another fine example of law blogging as scholarship in action. Check...
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Law Librarian Blog - May 2, 2007 Author: Joe Hodnicki Tags: Court Opinions Litigation in the News
On library discourse?
I hate to say this, but I have to wonder after reading Mr. Bell's column for Inside Higher Ed on "Good at Reviewing Books But Not Each Other," just what corner of the library sector of the blogosphere was Mr. Bell hanging out at. "In the world of library blogging the sky is always sunny, and nary is a dissenting or argumentative thought expressed," he writes. Initially my reaction was, "oh really?"We have the reactions to what has become known as Gormangate.We have the semi-regular musings over the value of a membership in ALA. This often boils down the organization just does not do enough for its members given the high fe...
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The Gypsy Librarian - May 2, 2007 Author: Angel, librarian and educator
LitBlogging Panel
Apparntly the LAT Festival of Books had a litblogging panel pitting Andrew Keen (author of The Cult of the Amateur) vs a couple litbloggers.
Ed has a roundup of posts on the topic.
Of the write-ups, this really called out to me.Keen (who blogged about the panel here) also made the point that there is a problem distinguishing between inane and professional. Since every blog is equally valid, it's impossible to tell the woefully inadequate from the professional.I really wonder how Keen can make such a foolish argument. It's absolutely not the case that each blog is equally valid, any more than each newspaper is equally...
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Conversational Reading - May 2, 2007 Author: Scott Esposito
“room to turn around, down, inside-out”
Lee LeBlanc is guest blogging for Michael Stephens, and his post for today is an open post to unappreciated libraries. From the post,
Life is big and simple. At times life can be very hard for people though. You, my Library, can be a special place invoking unimaginable wonder. The engines of creation become ignited through your presence. Even when we get dragged down into the smallest, suffocating space there is always room to turn around, down, inside-out or whatever it takes; you’ve shown me that through books and chats and questions and time and coffee. Maybe just sitting too.
It may sound sentimental, but that d...
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The Fifth Law - May 1, 2007 Author: Chris Tags: libraries life
Collaborative Book Writing over 800+ miles
Last fall I agreed to co-author a book on blogging in libraries with Jason Griffey. It is a project that both of us really are interested but when we committed to doing it I don't think either of us had thought much about the logistics of working on a book ...
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Library Web Chic - May 1, 2007
Open post to the unappreciated Library
The Indomitable Michael Stephens is giving me a shot at guest-blogging. I wanted some guidelines from Mike, so I typed this response up to his offer. Michael seems real cool; I wanted to confirm that before I started blogging.
Me: "Give me the particulars of what not to say. It's cool; be frank. Say things like, "Feel free to cover anything as long as you speak ethically, honestly, and true (cite your sources) -above all else relate it to libraries or the world of information. Be fair. Treat this information space as you would an honored guest in your home: don't insult, don't pontificate, and remember a...
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Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology - May 1, 2007 Tags: TTW Guest Posts
Capture the 20:20 Vision
We are not alone - not really! The global reach of ideas and subsequent inspiration we can draw from each other is just great! …….. and then the opportunity to share, and be willing to share, is the inspiration of Web 2.0…… communication, conversation, connection, community.
My recent trip to NewZealand gave me a wonderful opportunity to listen and learn from academic, public and school librarians - all involved in education and preservation and promotion of culture. We all have our own challenges - but it is not surprising when these challenges sound the same “across the ditch” - ...
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heyjude - May 1, 2007 Author: Judy O'Connell Tags: Library 2.0 Innovation & Creativity Web 2.0 blogging
Multimedia message
Tonight's workout: 45 minutes of tae kwon do. I've discovered another unforseen benefit of losing weight. I'm far more flexible.
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Txt-based blogging - May 1, 2007
links for 2007-05-02
Why I don’t have comments | Comments | Charles Nelson
An interesting take on using trackbacks (or external comments as I like to call them) instead of comments when blogging.
(tags: compos(t)ing aclearn trackbacks blog comments)
The Video Game Revolution: “Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked” by Henry Jenkins | PBS
A site on gaming in education from pbs.org
(tags: ac-videogames pbs games gaming)
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Thoughts and Experiments - May 1, 2007 Author: jfadden at allegheny.edu (James Fadden) Tags: daily links
Back Blog!
I'm trying to do some catching up here - as inevitably I've had lots of events to attend and little time to write about them! So I'm trying to put that right, but at some cost in terms of the quality of the reports - given that I much prefer writing spontaneous reports.
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Ian Snowley - May 1, 2007 Author: snowley Tags: blogging
Roger Vernam, illustrator Some of my biggest thri...
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Collecting my Thoughts - May 1, 2007 Tags: Roger Vernam books blogging libraries
Comment on Stephen Bell tough on LIS discourse in Inside Higher Ed by Kathleen
LIS blogs are full of anonymous posters. After a long time trying I have decided to avoid commenting at sites where anonymous posters write.
This limits library blogging, but working class studies, H-Net, social justice and human rights studies blogs offer opportunity to interact with people that aren’t afraid to say where they stand.
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Comments for Library Juice - May 1, 2007
Feeling Like a Librarian…
For the second time this year, I managed to lose my driver’s license. I only hope that whoever recovers it is a savvy teen capable of pulling off a 32 year olds good looks… or probably a more manageable task, look like me.
As I was standing in line for my duplicate, the employee behind the desk says to me, “Are you a librarian?”
For a brief second, I thought I was experiencing a moment of fame. I thought maybe my wild days of R&RL blogging were finally paying off. Unfortunately, my dreams of greatness were quickly crushed when a very brief second later she followed up with, “You...
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The Rock & Roll Librarian - May 1, 2007 Author: Tyler Rousseau Tags: humor New Jersey librarians Libraries
Stephen Bell tough on LIS discourse in Inside Higher Ed
Stephen Bell has an article in the current Inside Higher Ed, entitled, “Good at Reviewing Books But Not Each Other,” about the major disfunctionality in LIS discourse: our excessive “niceness” toward each other and discomfort with open disagreement. In this article, Bell elucidates an uncomfortable contrast between us nice, non-confrontational librarians and academics in other fields whose professional discourse is full of strong disagreement and argumentation.
I am somewhat uncomfortable blogging this, because while we on the Library Left have been the exception to the rule of niceness in libraria...
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Library Juice - May 1, 2007 Author: Rory Litwin Tags: Intellectual Freedom The Profession Information Ethics Higher Ed
Welcome SWMLC Workshop Folks
It will be interesting to see how this workshop works out, as it appears that Blogger is blocked by the filter here.
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Fiddling Librarian 3.0 - May 1, 2007 Author: ashkev Tags: Library blogging vlog podcasting Workshops
Blog away, little Library of Congress, blog away
The Library of Congress is blogging. If this isn't motivation enough for every other library in the world to use this now-well-proven technology, I don't know what is. blogging is just a format--a way to get web content online without needing any coding knowledge. Return control of the content to the people who have it...that's what blogging is all about for me.
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LibrarianInBlack - May 1, 2007
Zimbio do wikizines
Is it me or does looking at the articles section of a Zimbio Wikizines look like an awesome blog (and a communal blog at that) eg. Justin Timberlake/Articles just click on the Table of Contents to access other features or the front page to see all features within the one page.
Previously the front page was a startpage type display, whereas now they have gone for the magazine type of display, hence the new name wikizines.
I know what Zimbio offered (communal topic portals) was a great idea and they pulled it off better than others (Wetpaint being the closest), but now the presentation is amazing, I’m in favour of wik...
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Library clips - May 1, 2007 Author: Johnt Tags: newsmaster
Balls! says the Queen
See, Roger? I can purloin it and make it my own title. That's the beauty of blogging.So. Funny story. I wrote an article for Horn Book aaaaaaaaand... they printed it. Really top drawer of them. I am now a "blogonatrix" according to Roger. I can live with this. It's easy to live with words that don't, but should, exist (though a Google search came up with at least two other people in the world who have used the term "blogonatrix" in the past). In related news, there's a cool new History portion on the Horn Book website at the moment. I'm kinda hooked on the letters section. Did you see the Roald Dahl exchange with Elea...
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A Fuse #8 Production - May 1, 2007 Author: fusenumber8
Library Blogs Too Nice, Lack Dissent and Debate
Steven J. Bell had a piece late last week on InsideHigherEd.com on the lack of dissent and the exaggerated "niceness" of library blogs in general. He discusses academic librarians specifically:"Academic librarians are the nice guys of higher education. We dwell in neutral territory; the library belongs to no one and everyone. So do we. Our reputation is mostly one of being excruciatingly helpful. We give service with a smile. Our academic roost is a peaceful haven, and we welcome all. As an academic librarian who regularly navigates the library blogosphere, I find that the librarian’s penchant for pleasantry extends to o...
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Library Boy - May 1, 2007 Author: Michel-Adrien
Not Enough Criticism
Steven Bell has an interesting essay at Inside Higher Education entitled "Good at Reviewing Books But Not Each Other." He claims that academic librarians are too nice, and that, for example, "In the world of library blogging the sky is always sunny, and nary is a dissenting or argumentative thought expressed." Obviously he doesn't read the AL.However, despite writing one of the more critical library blogs around, I can only agree. Though niceness isn't necessarily the issue. The failure to engage in rigorous intellectual discourse is the issue, as Bell observes: "But perhaps we have become too welcoming, too complacent to ...
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Annoyed Librarian - May 1, 2007 Author: AL
CHLA Conference CE on Social Software
CHLA/ABSC Continuing Education(CE) Course - Social software in health libraries - SLAIS534Dean Giustini & Eugene Barsky created a Wiki for their CE workshop on social software in health libraries. They cover lots of territory, including RSS/blogging.The workshop is hands-on, and I'm not sure if this means that participants will sign up for accounts and subscribe to content during the workshop, or will just be encouraged to explore the services and websites.What an idea though - instead of a workbook/webpage/slide presentation, to use a Wiki to deliver the workshop. Wish I'd though of that!
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InfoPill - May 1, 2007 Author: Lorie
New Blogging Book in Professional Collection
Barbara Misselt, Assistant DirectorA new addition to the SELCO Professional Collection is the book blogging and RSS: A Librarian's Guide by Michael P. Sauers. The book is an excellent resource to learn about blogs and how blogs are used in the library industry. Chapter 4 is a step by step guide to building a blog. The book also has a primer on RSS and Aggregators. It is even autographed by the author "To the SELCO Librarians!" Michael was thrilled that we were adding his book to our professional collection. I met him and bought his book from him at Computers in Libraries. Request the book on the SELCO online catalog.
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SELCO Librarian - May 1, 2007 Author: SELCO Librarian
MATS Blogging the 2007 WAPL Conference
The 2007 WAPL Conference will be a great place to be, but not everyone can get away to Eau Claire May 2nd-4th. Good news; three WLA Media and Technology Section (MATS) members -- Nichole Fromm, Joy Schwarz & Terry Dawson -- will soon be posting their notes about conference programs & sessions, here on the WLA blog. And Stef Morrill will be blogging about WAPL programs over on her Ning blog too.
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The WLA Blog - May 1, 2007 Author: Joy
Library Discourse
I just read Stephen J. Bell’s blog posting, “Good at Reviewing Books but Not Each Other” http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2007/04/27/bell and it made me think about my part in the absence of library discourse and dissention.First off, I don’t have a permanent job, so I’m not eager to throw the gauntlet down and have a heated, online ‘debate’ with a peer. This isn’t to say that I am unable or unwilling to express my opinion, even if it’s in opposition, but at this stage in my career I have to pick my battles and my platforms carefully. I’ve learned that perspective employers will go online to check ou...
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Re:Generations - May 1, 2007 Author: Leeanne Romane
