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June 26, 2006

Netspeed 2006–Looking at the Future

I spotted this very interesting conference on DIG-REF. I especially like the part about “the opportunity to investigate and explore emerging technologies.” Another interesting feature is the discussion of the OCLC study. Sounds like it might be worth checking out, the announcement follows…

Please join us in Edmonton, Alberta this October for the annual Netspeed conference, hosted by The Alberta Library. Netspeed 2006 will be held at the Crown Plaza - Chateau Lacombe, October 18-20. Netspeed is the preeminent annual technical conference in Alberta and is designed for decision-makers, librarians, technical staff and trustees. Netspeed provides information to help library staff work effectively with current technology in libraries and the opportunity to investigate and explore emerging technologies.

We are pleased to present a an outstanding selection of breakout sessions, a wide array of exhibitors, and the following plenary sessions:

* Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources: Results of an OCLC Study.
Catherine de Rosa, VP, Marketing and Library Services, OCLC

* Using Collections to Make Connections: Social Software Initiatives for Libraries Beth Jefferson, Founder, BiblioCommons

* Innovation and Automation: The Georgia PINES Project David Singleton and Julie Walker, Georgia Public Library

The 2006 brochure is available from our website at http://www.thealbertalibrary.ab.ca.
Early bird deadline is September 8, 2006 and advance registrations are encouraged!

Christine Bourchier
The Alberta Library
#6-14, #7 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Edmonton, AB T5J 2V5
cbourchier@thealbertalibrary.ab.ca

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posted by Anna at 11:57 am | Comments (0)

April 10, 2006

Secret After-life of Computers

Have you ever wondered where old computers go when they die, are upgraded or in some other way render obsolescent? I have. And it has scared me. Salon did an excellent article that tells a very dirty story of where computers go to slowly decompose. Computers and their accessories are not leaving behind treasure like the mythical “elephants graveyard” but a potential charnel house for the world’s poor.

What can libraries do about this? I don’t know. What can individuals do about this? I am not sure. I guess we need to call for producers to take some responsibility for the remains of their products, encourage research and development and stop dumping these things in poor communities.

What do you think?

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posted by Anna at 5:18 pm | Comments (0)

January 31, 2006

What do you think of Wikis?

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, by now you have at least heard the term ” wiki” and you have probably heard about all the controversy surrounding Wikipedia (kind of an online encyclopedia with articles submitted by the general public). Recently, some inaccurate information was added to a Wikipedia biography and the subject of the biography became very upset, questioned the validity of the entire body of work, and threatened to sue. Then in turn the Dec. 14, 2005 issue of Nature magazine ran an article stating that on scientific topics Wikipedia was as “accurate” as Encyclopedia Britannica.

Wikipedia describes Wikis as follows:
“A wiki : (wee-kee or wick-ey) (according to Ward Cunningham) is a type of website that allows users to easily add and edit content and is especially suited for collaborative writing….The name is based on the Hawaiian term wiki, meaning “quick”, “fast”, or “to hasten” (Hawaiian dictionary). ”

I personally love Wikipedia and adore the concept of individuals collaborating to create a free, easy to access body of knowledge. However, the potential for erroneous information to be disseminated to an unsuspecting public is a significant. The advent of wikis require librarians and teachers to stress the value of “information literacy.” A good article on this topic appeared in the “>
Wikis test students’ research skills
‘Information literacy’ is key in dealing with online sources
By Roger Riddell, Online Editor, eSchool News

“Wikipedia and other reference sites that allow users to submit and edit content themselves are creating new challenges for educators. Experts say the rise of these kinds of web sites underscores the need for educators to teach students strong information-literacy skills…”

Evidently some teacher or librarian successfully instilled this idea in the heads of some young journalists in Minnesota. A 22 year-old, convicted sex offender was pretending to be a teenage member of the British nobility and wanted to enroll in their school. Even though this imposter had created a false entry for himself in Wikipedia, the student reporters unmasked him. The story appears in the Belleville News Democrat...

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/nation/13613746.htm

Claim of royalty, a con revealed
” Joshua Gardner showed up at Stillwater Area High insisting he was a British duke. He had the card, the crest and even the accent. But the student newspaper staff had its doubts — and uncovered an impostor.”
BY ALEX FRIEDRICH and MARY DIVINEPioneer Press …

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posted by Anna at 11:07 am | Comments (0)