InfoLitEd

Dang, it’s been a while since my last post. I’m still kickin’, and not to sound like a broken record…I missed teaching so much!

Taught my first group of students this week at the new job (Statistics Graduate students). I hadn’t realized how much I missed it!

This has been just about blogged to death this week, but I must weigh in. I’m not particuarly fond of library signage simply because most of it is boring which just confirms some patrons’ views of the “boring” library.

But these signs are awesome! Witty, eye catching, and practical. I especially like the door knob hanger (which could be distributed in the dorms).

I don’t know how I came across this a week ago, but I really didn’t give this site as thorough a look as I should have. This time I received the link from a listserv, and I knew it couldn’t be coincidence so I went back for a closer inspection.

These guys have some great ideas! I mean, this is stuff I’ve been thinking in the back of my mind for a while, but I hadn’t the ability to express it so eloquently. Also, I’ve just now realized that our project of creating online information literacy tutorials is an exercise in adapting “new media” to info. lit.

I’d also never considered how “new media” becomes such. Ie., what is “new media”? (I love the discussion of the terms’ etymology!) Is it just video iPods, Blackberry’s, Streaming video, Increasing broadband access, etc or have these “new media” evoloved from “older media”?

I don’t know how I came across this a week ago, but I really didn’t give this site as thorough a look as I should have. This time I received the link from a listserv, and I knew it couldn’t be coincidence so I went back for a closer inspection.

These guys have some great ideas! I mean, this is stuff I’ve been thinking in the back of my mind for a while, but I hadn’t the ability to express it so eloquently. Also, I’ve just now realized that our project of creating online information literacy tutorials is an exercise in adapting “new media” to info. lit.

I’d also never considered how “new media” becomes such. Ie., what is “new media”? (I love the discussion of the terms’ etymology!) Is it just video iPods, Blackberry’s, Streaming video, Increasing broadband access, etc or have these “new media” evoloved from “older media”?

Something that just occurred to me… For those libraries using popular instant messaging software as a virtual reference tool, how about using IM bots as automated search help while in db’s or the library catalog? This isn’t a new idea, but now that Conversagent is being implemented by increasingly numerous for-profit organizations I think libraries should try it. Again, if only I had some of that elusive “free time,” this would be a fun project.

I’d thought of this as a public library service when I first heard of podcasting. What a great way to provide outreach to children and parents who can’t make it to the scheduled story time at the library. Also useful as a supplement to the bedtime story when Mom and Dad are exhausted/tire of reading the same story night after night!

Well, I’m sure those who know me personally will not protest, but my score was 48/60! Prospective employers, please keep in mind: this is not a scientific survey!

I actually found this survey while reading “Who’s Building the Next Web?” The term “Next Web” is synonymous with Web 2.0 I suppose. Anyways, I was already aware of some of these startups (like Plum, I can’t wait for that one), but the rest were news to me. I think any company that contributes to making technology a seamless and integral part of our lives is “building the next web.”

I worry that I may need to plan more primitive camping trips (no cell phone, no camp grounds, no nothing electronic) to balance out my techie lifestyle. Will the wilderness soon be crowded full of 20-something geeks trying to “get away?!”

Well, I’m sure those who know me personally will not protest, but my score was 48/60! Prospective employers, please keep in mind: this is not a scientific survey!

I actually found this survey while reading “Who’s Building the Next Web?” The term “Next Web” is synonymous with Web 2.0 I suppose. Anyway, I was already aware of some of these startups (like Plum, I can’t wait for that one), but the rest were news to me. I think any company that contributes to making technology a seamless and integral part of our lives is “building the next web.”

I worry that I may need to plan more primitive camping trips (no cell phone, no camp grounds, no nothing electronic) to balance out my techie lifestyle. Will the wilderness soon be crowded full of 20-something geeks trying to “get away?!”

A well respected member of the faculty just stopped by my office to wish me farewell, While we were talking I realized (perhaps a little late) what my subconscious goal at HCC has been. Humans usually set goals before embarking on projects, but sometimes it’s hindsight that makes us realize our true goals. My true goal has been to connect with the students.

As the only librarian on this campus, I’ve been so busy that I didn’t even realize that this was my main goal. I had goals of implementing an IM-based chat reference service, creating a classroom for library instruction sessions, breaking some librarian/library stereotypes, and basically gaining some professional experience.

How do I connect with the students? I love my students and I think it shows: I don’t talk above them, I smile and wave, I listen and give advice, I crack jokes in instruction sessions, I don’t overwhelm them with sources for their research papers, I have the latest Mary J Blige album and roll into the parking lot with my system up, and I sure as hell don’t look like a librarian, I look more like a student (eg. blog title and profile). I have a ton of duties in this position, but I put interaction with my students before all else.

One of my unofficial mottos since taking this job has been, “whatever gets them through the door,” and you can take that one to the bank. There’ve been more “regular customers” in this library since who knows when, and our usage has been up steadily. We’ve also done more official library instruction than ever before. So I guess I’ve realized my ulterior goal of connecting with the students, and I succeeded at accomplishing it. Because before you can teach them anything you’ve got to make a connection.

God I’m gonna miss this job!

This is the audio commentary .mp3 of an online tutorial I created to test Macromedia’s Captivate.