Thursday, December 4, 2008
Alas, all mud must dry...Muddiest Point - the last one
Cloud computing sounds incredible but in light of the articles we have read on security and privacy, I wonder how the Saas, etc. can guarantee security and privacy in such a dynamic environment?
Friday, November 28, 2008
Muddiest Point - Wk 13(?)
In the article about data mining for national security, a program called the Human ID would tag or ID a person based on face recognition or gait. How does one program a computer to identify a "gait?"
Monday, November 24, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Muddiest point wk 12
In the TED video Jimmy Wales used the term IRC (internet relay chat), how is that kind of chat different than other chat programs?
On the 12th week of LIS2600, my professor gave to me...
Ok, so it's a bit schmaltzy, but tis' the season, the solstice is upon us. Anyhoo, the readings/video...
in a way we did get a gift of sorts this time around. i thoroughly enjoyed the TED video as performed by jimmy wales of wikipedia fame. what a guy! a "free" encyclopedia in every home, that can afford a) a computer, b) the internet c) has electricity...yes, i am a cynic. to be fair, i think his heart is definitely in the right place. i love the way wikipedia works the legion of dedicated volunteers and info-geeks who contribute and edit that volume of information is astounding. i think they have the right business model. imagine a world of wiki-everything?! do you hear john lennon singing "imagine" about now?
as for the other articles, i have seen the possibilities of wikis in the library. i think that it is an excellent tool for student assistant training and communications. we tried using facebook in a similar way to coordinate student schedules but that kind of collaboration works if one has buy-in from all parties. how does one get pain-in-the a*#, techno-phobic colleagues to see the light?
i found the library "folksonomy article equally intriguing. once again, there are many folks in the library world who can't quite deal with giving up control over anything. however, starting out on the reference level and promoting this kid of collaboration amongst students might just get us to the point where people might enjoy sharing information...imagine a library where the users created their own catalog? what would it look like? uh oh, i hear lennon again. no...
what i hear is a legion of dead shushers rolling in their graves.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Muddiest point wk 11
I am still a little unsure about the notion of the "deep Web." How do we know it exists if the webcrawlers are incapable of pulling this information to the surface web? Are there special "deep web" crawlers that search the dark recesses of the Web? How does one obtain access to these mysterious sites?
Wk 11 Readings
Ok, so I really like the idea of Digital Libraries, especially when it makes the publishers of over-priced electronic journals nervous. It was fascinating to read about the collaboration between librarians and computer scientists on DLI and the subsequent UI Testbed which provided publishers with the opportunity to eventually take advantage of the very organizations that made their new ejournals possible. I was also unaware that this federal grant was also responsible for the spinoff product...google. The possibilities are fascinating. I followed the link to the Dutch university open access policies. It will be interesting to see what, if any, US institutions follow suit.
What I found disturbing, however, was the following sentence, "The DLI proposals had architected what looked like a reasonably comfortable nest....." Why not use "build" or "construct" both of these are perfectly good verbs just sitting around waiting to be used.
The Institutional Repositories concept offers an intriguing opportunity for universities to fully utilize their scholarly resources. It would certainly assist in making digital scholarship more acceptable, as long as the administration doesn't overstep its bounds....
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Muddiest Point - # 9
In the HTML literature that we read and subsequently discussed in class, I am not sure if I understand what the element actually is...
is "....... " the element or is it the element tag?? OR is the element the series of these "tags" in the document???
is "....... " the element or is it the element tag?? OR is the element the series of these "tags" in the document???
Week 9 - XML, just when i was trying to understand html???
At first glance the Extensible Mark up Language looks quite intimidating. In Bryan's article, I understood SGML but when he jumped right into DTD and its applications I was lost and floundering...for the rest of the article I was deeply befuddled. The next piece by Ogbuji saved me from the murky waters of XML.
This article was not only explained that XML was a more semantic approach to annotating text but it provided a clear description fo how XML works with SGML and HTML as well as the merits of using XML.
The tutorials were useful on some level but I am jst getting my head around using HTML and feel very inexerienced in this stuff. In my case, I think I will have to revisit these tutorials after I have attempted to create the first page of our last assignment. Once I have a practical application of the HTML then I might be able to compare the use of XML for certain documents.
This article was not only explained that XML was a more semantic approach to annotating text but it provided a clear description fo how XML works with SGML and HTML as well as the merits of using XML.
The tutorials were useful on some level but I am jst getting my head around using HTML and feel very inexerienced in this stuff. In my case, I think I will have to revisit these tutorials after I have attempted to create the first page of our last assignment. Once I have a practical application of the HTML then I might be able to compare the use of XML for certain documents.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Muddiest point - wk 8 (I think)
Having gone over this a few times, I am wondering how one determines when to use the HEX color value or the RGB color value in a CSS?
h1 (background-color:#ooffoo)
h2(background-color: transparent)
p(background-color:rgb(250,0,025))
The example given on CSS instructional pages(above) uses both.
HTML, CSS...again with the acronyms!
Don't get me wrong...(the subject line may appear as though I am not happy about HTML & CSS)I am thrilled to be learning this stuff. Tried to learn it on my own several years ago...wish that I had known about this website. Although, it is possible that it wasn't around when I needed it. The traditionally published manuals were murky at best. The pages explaining HTML and CSS were magnificently lucid and full of lovely examples for those of us who are tragically behind in the world of webpage design and construction. Can't wait to be able to construct webpages using the tools I have just learned. Then I can be a part of the WWW and become a contributor to the digital architecture (cool new terminology, woo hoo!) therein....yeah, yeah, I know I am about to get all sorts of abuse from some of the folks who comment on this blog. I just couldn't resist using "digital architecture" in this entry.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Muddiest point - wk 7
In the article on Dismantling ILS Roland Dietz is quoted to have said, "incremental functionality improvements [to existing systems] are more and more expensive." Why is this the case? Having worked in a library that used III Millennium system, I have experienced this phenomenon first hand. Each update to the system came with a huge price tag. How can it be so expensive to add improvements to an existing infrastructure?
Africa needs Google!
Sergay Brin and Larry Page are quite the comedy duo. Google would certainly be a great place to work....of course, it's too late for me to work there, they only employ the 20 something population?! While most of the world seems to be enjoying Google, searching day and night in technicolour, there are some rather telling spots where the spires of light are dramatically missing. The entire continent of Africa (excluding some sparse bits in S.A.) was virtually bereft of activity. Brin made an effort to show real concern for this absence, Page seemed less concerned and made some comment about access to electricity. I think that there is more to it than whether or not the people on an entire continent have electricity.
There are several major urban centers on the African continent; Cairo, Dakar, Nairobi to name a few. Where are the POPs, MANs and fiber optic networks - that we read about in the article on networking - readily available in Europe, North America, and Asia (mostly in the urban areas of China and a few Middle Eastern cities) to connect this massive audience? South America had a little more activity but nothing to compare to Europe and North America. Is this the result of governmental restrictions or lack of interest in providing access to these regions?
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Muddiest Point- wk 6
What would be the reason for using a MAN (metro area network) in lieu of a WAN (wide-area network) in a large city, like say NYC (since we're using acronyms, again)? Is the MAN more or less efficient for this use?
R-O-R-net & RFID, LAN do you speak acronym?
In all fairness, I just added the structure of ether to the "net" portion just for fun?! The articles for this week's reading were remarkably accessible..so, either I am actually getting this stuff and turning into a true tech-dork OR I have reached the point where I simply must assimilate in order to keep up with the rest of the technically-driven!
I was thrilled to learn more about LAN and WAN because having heard the former term sevearl times in my paraprofessional life, I never bothered to look it up...yeah, I know! I just couldn't be bothered. Anyway, I found the information on the Ethernet particularly of interest mostly bacause I just like saying the word "ether." I liked the name of the first sort of network at the Lawrence Radiation Labs, "octopus network" (probably Red Wings fans).
The Coyle article on RFID tags was a little more problematic...not because I didn't understand it nor because it simply wasn't technical enuogh for me ( as I am all over the tech-speak now). Coyle only touched on the privacy issue which, in my opinion, carries the most baggage with it. While RFIDs will make inventory, stack maintenance and a host of other tedious activities much easier....I don't care for the idea that these tags can also incorporate personal user information. Coyle also mentioned that the kind of RFID tags that libraries require are at the "lower end" of the pricing structure. The last price I heard for bulk library purchase was $1.00 to $2.00 per tag...think academic library and 1 million volumes, then think, hmmm barcodes ain't so bad after all.
I was thrilled to learn more about LAN and WAN because having heard the former term sevearl times in my paraprofessional life, I never bothered to look it up...yeah, I know! I just couldn't be bothered. Anyway, I found the information on the Ethernet particularly of interest mostly bacause I just like saying the word "ether." I liked the name of the first sort of network at the Lawrence Radiation Labs, "octopus network" (probably Red Wings fans).
The Coyle article on RFID tags was a little more problematic...not because I didn't understand it nor because it simply wasn't technical enuogh for me ( as I am all over the tech-speak now). Coyle only touched on the privacy issue which, in my opinion, carries the most baggage with it. While RFIDs will make inventory, stack maintenance and a host of other tedious activities much easier....I don't care for the idea that these tags can also incorporate personal user information. Coyle also mentioned that the kind of RFID tags that libraries require are at the "lower end" of the pricing structure. The last price I heard for bulk library purchase was $1.00 to $2.00 per tag...think academic library and 1 million volumes, then think, hmmm barcodes ain't so bad after all.
Friday, September 19, 2008
I am in love with Riu del Negro!
I do not take love lightly, so when I say that I have fallen, it is serious! I am delighted to have found a tech writer who provides ample illustration and explanation for difficult (for me) technical material while simultaneously inserting a little humour into the mix...bravo! Is it possible that Mr. (?) del Negro has other such manuals/guide/papers on the subjects that we'll be covering in the future? If he has...please, please let us read his explanations from now on. I will be starting a fan club devoted to this great (wo)man?
I thought that the distinction del Negro made about the notion of "stuff" and "information" was quite useful for understanding the subtleties of compression. I feel that I have a pretty good grasp of the benefits and limitations of both lossy (smaller files; best for audio,video, still images, fidelity) and lossless (used for bank files, text-based materials, suffers from generation loss after repeated comp/decomp) compression methods. Although, in all fairness, the Data Compression wikipedia article did a nice job of explaining, too. It was, however, nice to see that somebody (del Negro) in the technical writing field with a sense of humour....binary data chunks, hmmmm.
The YouTube article was kind of old news as many faculty and other folks in education are using this forum for instructional/organisational purposes. My kids appear in a nice still-image collage for a friend of mine who teaches college french(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkwOQKhjbQQ) .
The short piece on the "Imaging Pittsburgh" project was good for some background. I work at the Heinz History Center which was part of this partnership. I have used the Historic Pittsburgh site several times, in my research, for the finding aid I have been assigned to create. I am curious about the Digital Research Library here...I would like to know what their views are regarding the cost of digitization versus the benefits, which in the case of the Historic Pitt. site, are clearly demonstrable.
I thought that the distinction del Negro made about the notion of "stuff" and "information" was quite useful for understanding the subtleties of compression. I feel that I have a pretty good grasp of the benefits and limitations of both lossy (smaller files; best for audio,video, still images, fidelity) and lossless (used for bank files, text-based materials, suffers from generation loss after repeated comp/decomp) compression methods. Although, in all fairness, the Data Compression wikipedia article did a nice job of explaining, too. It was, however, nice to see that somebody (del Negro) in the technical writing field with a sense of humour....binary data chunks, hmmmm.
The YouTube article was kind of old news as many faculty and other folks in education are using this forum for instructional/organisational purposes. My kids appear in a nice still-image collage for a friend of mine who teaches college french(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkwOQKhjbQQ) .
The short piece on the "Imaging Pittsburgh" project was good for some background. I work at the Heinz History Center which was part of this partnership. I have used the Historic Pittsburgh site several times, in my research, for the finding aid I have been assigned to create. I am curious about the Digital Research Library here...I would like to know what their views are regarding the cost of digitization versus the benefits, which in the case of the Historic Pitt. site, are clearly demonstrable.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Databases, DCMI and Metadata...oh, my!
Finally, articles that I can understand. Well, sort of?! The Wikipedia article on databases was pretty prosaic and well, I guess this is an instance when I actually knew a little more about the subject matter.
The Metadata piece was very helpful because I have heard the term thrown around by librarians but nobody actually explained it in terms that I could comprehend. Well, let me take that back a bit. I understood what the term "meta" meant as a term, in and of itself. I could certainly derive the literal meaning of the term "metadata" to mean "data about data." In the past, I never quite understood how librarians used this term and the context with which they used it. It was like asking somebody to explain the meaning of a word and then having them use the word, in question, to describe its meaning...kind of like a metadefinition, ha!
As I am just now learning the vocabulary in the archival profession, the section in this article on metadata and the archival usage was of particular interest to me. The idea of "preserving context" is extremely important when creating finding aids and cataloguing materials. Metadata provides a framework within which this kind of work can be improved, if I understand the meaning of this activity.
I think that the process of developing standards to apply to data for better descriptive purposes is essential...the question it raises (leading me to the next article) is how does one actually reach consensus, especially on a global level, for this kind of standardization.
The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative must be the electronic resource management equivalent to the UN?! How can anybody reach consensus on this level, given the varied cultural, language and idiomatic factors at play. Standardization in this level must require an inordinate amount of patience. One has to wonder, if librarians and other information professionals can reach consensus on descriptors and semantic classifications shouldn't they be brought into resolve international crises?
The DCMI is fascinating to consider for ease of searching on the web. The article was also useful for providing additional information or illumination on other associated metadata organization, like Resource Description Framework (RDF) and Warwick Framework (WF).
The Metadata piece was very helpful because I have heard the term thrown around by librarians but nobody actually explained it in terms that I could comprehend. Well, let me take that back a bit. I understood what the term "meta" meant as a term, in and of itself. I could certainly derive the literal meaning of the term "metadata" to mean "data about data." In the past, I never quite understood how librarians used this term and the context with which they used it. It was like asking somebody to explain the meaning of a word and then having them use the word, in question, to describe its meaning...kind of like a metadefinition, ha!
As I am just now learning the vocabulary in the archival profession, the section in this article on metadata and the archival usage was of particular interest to me. The idea of "preserving context" is extremely important when creating finding aids and cataloguing materials. Metadata provides a framework within which this kind of work can be improved, if I understand the meaning of this activity.
I think that the process of developing standards to apply to data for better descriptive purposes is essential...the question it raises (leading me to the next article) is how does one actually reach consensus, especially on a global level, for this kind of standardization.
The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative must be the electronic resource management equivalent to the UN?! How can anybody reach consensus on this level, given the varied cultural, language and idiomatic factors at play. Standardization in this level must require an inordinate amount of patience. One has to wonder, if librarians and other information professionals can reach consensus on descriptors and semantic classifications shouldn't they be brought into resolve international crises?
The DCMI is fascinating to consider for ease of searching on the web. The article was also useful for providing additional information or illumination on other associated metadata organization, like Resource Description Framework (RDF) and Warwick Framework (WF).
Monday, September 8, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Muddiest point - wk 3 readings..not meant for the laypeople
I would like to say that I really didn't get, as I may have stated several times in my reading notes, the jargon used in the article on LINUX. I understand that it is written in C and that C is a programming language, like C++, etc. What is the relationship between the OS and the hardware/software. Is LINUX firmware, in that it is no hardware but also not software, either? Is LINUX the vehicle that the software uses to deliver command info to the hardware? Please, please would somebody explain this connection to me. Translation is required.
Buena vista, baby
The article about the Microsoft Vista program read a little better than the other articles covering MAC OS X and Linux. I am still a little bit fuzzy about the interactions between the OS and hard ware or do these systems only interact with the soft ware that runs on them/by them. I will expand on it in my muddiest point piece because I need clarification.
I guess many people were unhappy with the performance of Vista. It seems to me, as a MAC person, that Microsoft just wanted to recreate the features that place MAC ahead of PCs, like security and better graphic/design capabilities...this last sentence will no doubt open a kettle of worms?!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
MAC OS X, now we're talkin'
Ok, so this article was a little better. I still had to look up several terms but after the LINUX article, I was ready (more or less). I have used the MAC OS X, so I was sort of familiar with some of the jargon. I am pleased to say that I remembered what "firmware" was and I was all over the discussion on "booting." I am also familiar with the use of LDAP as that was how we authenticated at the library where I was once employed. Is this progress, on the road to computing/technology mavenship...God, I hope so. I did learn about the term "Open Source" which seems to me to be a fabulous way to share information and allow broader access to operating systems that are customizable...is that a word?!
Linux: Inspired by a Finn and read like it was written in Finnish??
Well, I made it through the computer hardware readings, virtually unscathed by the computer jargon therein. I even kind of understood what was going on there...just overwhelmed by all the sub-components. Then week three's readings hit me like a proverbial E-truck! Now, I am sure there are many people in our class who find this stuff second nature...great. Don't inundate me with comments such as, "I can't believe your so obtuse." I had to spend a great deal of time on the Internet following links to the numerous terms of which I was not remotely familiar. Linux sounds great, if I understood more about operating systems, in general. So bring it on, my know-it-all classmates, and let me know how I am lacking. This article totally threw me.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
"Difference Engine No. 2"
The Computer History Museum site was absolutely fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the museum as well as touring the virtual exhibits. I was particularly fascinated by the Babbage Engine. It is interesting to ponder where we would have been now, in the Tech Age, if Babbage had actually built his machine. I am also curious to learn more about the team who built the machine.
"Discover the wonder of a future already passed." (http://www.computerhistory.org/) I found this quote from the site really compelling. The team who built this antiquated machine must have felt like time travelers, in some way. Going back in time for plans for the future, already surpassed, really...what an incredible experience.
"Discover the wonder of a future already passed." (http://www.computerhistory.org/) I found this quote from the site really compelling. The team who built this antiquated machine must have felt like time travelers, in some way. Going back in time for plans for the future, already surpassed, really...what an incredible experience.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Moore's Law and transistor proliferation.
The predictions of Gordon Moore, or Moore's Law as it is now called, really hit home with me. As I was born a few years before the article was first published and because I have witnessed first hand, the evolution of computers. When I was in high school, we had punch cards for the rather large, bulky and slow IBM (which was state of the art at the time) the school purchased. I worked in my college library where we used the amber screened computers which were only text-based. Eventually, the library where I was more recently employed used web-based programs and were incredibly fast and efficient.
Given what the Wikipedia article said about transistor trends, I can only imagine how fast computers will be 5-10 years from now. The only question that I pose is at what point do we start geting info over-load? More importantly, how does this kind of speed influence the other areas in our society. I have already seen people lose patience for having to wait a few minutes for a cup of coffee. It seems to me that since we can have info at our fingertips in an instant, we want the rest of the world to work that way as well. Is this a good thing?
Given what the Wikipedia article said about transistor trends, I can only imagine how fast computers will be 5-10 years from now. The only question that I pose is at what point do we start geting info over-load? More importantly, how does this kind of speed influence the other areas in our society. I have already seen people lose patience for having to wait a few minutes for a cup of coffee. It seems to me that since we can have info at our fingertips in an instant, we want the rest of the world to work that way as well. Is this a good thing?
Reading about computer hardware has caused my head to explode!
While I thoroughly enjoyed reading all about computer hardware, at one point, after following numerous links, I did think that my head was going to explode. I found the Wikipedia article on Computer Hardware both informative and frightening. I had never heard the term "firmware" before, so that was useful. I believe that this article was very helpful to me, and to those of use with very limited knowledge about computer components and general mechanics.
It was a bit daunting because I wondered if I would remember all of the detailed info that the article covered. Will I remember that the PCI, USB and CSI are all considered Internal Buses?! Not sure if that's possible. What about the IDE/ATA's and other Storage Controllers...it's unbelievably intimidating. Yet, I remain dedicated to the task of learning all of this...I will not let technology frighten me!!
It was a bit daunting because I wondered if I would remember all of the detailed info that the article covered. Will I remember that the PCI, USB and CSI are all considered Internal Buses?! Not sure if that's possible. What about the IDE/ATA's and other Storage Controllers...it's unbelievably intimidating. Yet, I remain dedicated to the task of learning all of this...I will not let technology frighten me!!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Muddiest Point
How will I succeed in a class on technology when I encounter a major problem with my first assignment? I had a fair amount of trouble figuring out the hyperlink issue. While I wasn't alone, I found no comfort in having the company. I was very pleased to see the suggestions from classmates....thanks to all of you who aren't clueless!!!! Eventually, the answer finally came after numerous attempts. Man, I hope it is uphill from here?!
Lynch and Information Technology Literacy
The point that stands out the most for me in Lynch's article, Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy: New Components in the Curriculum for a Digital Culture, is what he called "skill-oriented training" and what it fails to do.
Lynch says that we're sending college graduates out into a world where being information technology literate is an essential element for their success. Yet institutions are failing in their duties to provide these new graduates with the proper skills. It is one thing to be able to use a PC or perhaps a MAC, it is an entirely different animal when one has to articulate problems to a tech support provider. It is more often the case that users are incapable of communicating their problem because they either lack the vocabulary and/or the understanding of the systems with which they work.
While I fear the course, Understanding Technology, because I am one of those users who lack advanced technical knowledge, I welcome the experience. I don't want to be one of those ignorant users nor do I want to leave my graduate program without the ability to understand the basics of the systems I may encounter in my career.
Lynch says that we're sending college graduates out into a world where being information technology literate is an essential element for their success. Yet institutions are failing in their duties to provide these new graduates with the proper skills. It is one thing to be able to use a PC or perhaps a MAC, it is an entirely different animal when one has to articulate problems to a tech support provider. It is more often the case that users are incapable of communicating their problem because they either lack the vocabulary and/or the understanding of the systems with which they work.
While I fear the course, Understanding Technology, because I am one of those users who lack advanced technical knowledge, I welcome the experience. I don't want to be one of those ignorant users nor do I want to leave my graduate program without the ability to understand the basics of the systems I may encounter in my career.
Lied library, can they sustain the momentum?
It's all well and good if a library does not have to worry about funds. I am not sure I am aware of any libraries like that. I imagine there are some that have fewer worries than others. The UNLV library, the subject in Jason Vaughn's article, "Lied Library@ four years: technology never stands still," may be one of the lucky ones.
UNLV's library sounds like a great place to do research. It is great to have state-of-the-art technology. The amount of time and planning involved in their first wave of hardware upgrades was daunting just to read about, I can only imgaine what those meetings were like. Vaughn's concern about maintaining the breadth of service is absolutely understandable. UNLV faces not only the high costs of purchasing hardware/software to continue all the wonderful access its users currently enjoy, but it must employ staff to keep these machines and programs running properly. In the face of economic woes and educational budget cuts most states have had to do, UNLV must certainly look for creative ways to keep their library as vibrant as it was when it first opened.
UNLV's library sounds like a great place to do research. It is great to have state-of-the-art technology. The amount of time and planning involved in their first wave of hardware upgrades was daunting just to read about, I can only imgaine what those meetings were like. Vaughn's concern about maintaining the breadth of service is absolutely understandable. UNLV faces not only the high costs of purchasing hardware/software to continue all the wonderful access its users currently enjoy, but it must employ staff to keep these machines and programs running properly. In the face of economic woes and educational budget cuts most states have had to do, UNLV must certainly look for creative ways to keep their library as vibrant as it was when it first opened.
OCLC report
What intrigued me the most about the OCLC report, "Information Format Trends: Content, Not Containers" was the concept of "content in context." If I understood this approach correctly, library webpages would not only provide links to additional relevant research materials and resouerces beyond the scope of the initial search, but it would also provide information for hard copy/electronic materials found in the library. A sort of one stop shopping for users to employ as they see fit. This makes the research experience more efficient and convenient for busy undergrads and grad students.
I found the idea of changing the image of the library "from the place for books to the place for information" (class discussion) as being absolutely essential and a fundamental theme in the OCLC article. Having come from an institution where the Board of Trustees think of the library as a "mausoleum," this issue is not only applicable but of monumental importance if proper funding is to be obtained. Broadening the scope of what a library can and should is quite necessary in this day and age.
I would only question the cost of providing this kind of access. The kinds of hardware one needs to provide the most timely delivery of information and the cost of software to facilitate it - not to mention, the cost of support. These are the kinds of issues that were addressed in the next article by Jason Vaughn.
I found the idea of changing the image of the library "from the place for books to the place for information" (class discussion) as being absolutely essential and a fundamental theme in the OCLC article. Having come from an institution where the Board of Trustees think of the library as a "mausoleum," this issue is not only applicable but of monumental importance if proper funding is to be obtained. Broadening the scope of what a library can and should is quite necessary in this day and age.
I would only question the cost of providing this kind of access. The kinds of hardware one needs to provide the most timely delivery of information and the cost of software to facilitate it - not to mention, the cost of support. These are the kinds of issues that were addressed in the next article by Jason Vaughn.
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