It's been quiet around here for a long time, but I thought I would share this short documentary.
Internet Archive from Deepspeed media on Vimeo.
This film, directed by Jonathan Minard, is "focused on the future of long-term digital storage, the history of the Internet and attempts to preserve its contents on a massive scale."
It includes "a tour of the Internet Archive's headquarters in San Francisco, the book scanning center, and the book storage facilities in Richmond, California."
And boy does it ever pose some interesting and big questions about libraries, access, and preservation! Environmental sustainability, too: the headquarters heats itself with energy from the servers! That is awesome.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Cloud Computing and Far-Reaching Implications for Cloud-Data Ownership Rights
It's been a while since we've posted here, but I've just come across an article at Wired Magazine that I thought would be of interest to us as librarians and general keepers and guardians of information in the age of digitization, file sharing, and cloud computing.
By great coincidence, our last post here was also about Cloud Computing (thanks, Amy!).
But I'm hear to talk about the dark side.
Full article: Megaupload Case Has Far-Reaching Implications for Cloud-Data Ownership Rights, by David Kravets.
Early in 2012, you may have read about the seizure of the domain Megaupload.com. To oversimplify, the seizure took place amidst allegations that the site encouraged copyright infrigement.
"The problem lies in the fact that there is currently no clear process for owners to retrieve property that federal prosecutors effectively seized when they shuttered the file-sharing and cyberlocker service, " writes Kravets. That is, the owners of stored files - individual people around the world, as well as individuals storing files on behalf of larger organizations - have no way of accessing files and data that they may legitimately own and which does not violate any copyright.
"The Electronic Frontier Foundation... is representing one of Megaupload’s users in a lawsuit against the government that could set a precedent for cloud users in general," says Kravets. In this case, the plaintiff has gone to court seeking the return of high-school sports videos that are the property of his company. He maintains that the files he stored at Megaupload are the only existing copies -- they were his back-up after his own computer crashed.
There are also issues of privacy, of course, as the Court may determine that owners can only retrieve their data after it's been checked by outside parties for copyright-infringing materials. And libraries are famous for protecting patrons' privacy.
Kravets again: "So far, federal prosecutors are proposing a process that would make it essentially impossible for former Megaupload users to recover any of their legitimate data."
Imagine if libraries storing legitimate data in the cloud were to lose access to that data. Imagine that no other copies of that data existed, for whatever reason: spatial or financial hardship, failure to regularly update old hard-drive files with new versions stored in the cloud, on-site computer crashes, any number of reasons, really. Where would such cloud-computing libraries be then?
Scary.
By great coincidence, our last post here was also about Cloud Computing (thanks, Amy!).
But I'm hear to talk about the dark side.
Full article: Megaupload Case Has Far-Reaching Implications for Cloud-Data Ownership Rights, by David Kravets.
Early in 2012, you may have read about the seizure of the domain Megaupload.com. To oversimplify, the seizure took place amidst allegations that the site encouraged copyright infrigement.
"The problem lies in the fact that there is currently no clear process for owners to retrieve property that federal prosecutors effectively seized when they shuttered the file-sharing and cyberlocker service, " writes Kravets. That is, the owners of stored files - individual people around the world, as well as individuals storing files on behalf of larger organizations - have no way of accessing files and data that they may legitimately own and which does not violate any copyright.
"The Electronic Frontier Foundation... is representing one of Megaupload’s users in a lawsuit against the government that could set a precedent for cloud users in general," says Kravets. In this case, the plaintiff has gone to court seeking the return of high-school sports videos that are the property of his company. He maintains that the files he stored at Megaupload are the only existing copies -- they were his back-up after his own computer crashed.
There are also issues of privacy, of course, as the Court may determine that owners can only retrieve their data after it's been checked by outside parties for copyright-infringing materials. And libraries are famous for protecting patrons' privacy.
Kravets again: "So far, federal prosecutors are proposing a process that would make it essentially impossible for former Megaupload users to recover any of their legitimate data."
Imagine if libraries storing legitimate data in the cloud were to lose access to that data. Imagine that no other copies of that data existed, for whatever reason: spatial or financial hardship, failure to regularly update old hard-drive files with new versions stored in the cloud, on-site computer crashes, any number of reasons, really. Where would such cloud-computing libraries be then?
Scary.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Libraries: Are their heads in the clouds?
Join me, on the continued adventures in library school ! 
Libraries can now be found on social networking sites, through instant messaging services, YouTube, blogs, and through texting services (15.) Moving along the same parallel as the technological backdrop and mobile devices that are shaping the growing library community is the idea of Cloud computing. Cloud computing refers to the idea that content such as: documents, schedules, music, or other media being stored on a server and accessed on an Internet ready device like a computer or mobile phone. This system can further be described as applications running on a device being stored online. Cloud computing is not a new idea, email systems have been using the basic idea for a long time, but we are now reaching a point of constant connectivity for a large enough group of people that deeper implementations are possible and becoming practical:for example: we all are able to work on the same Google doc in a variety of locations.
Cloud computing services are usually provided through a third-party service. Many libraries are already linking library content directly from within a virtual learning environment, providing information literacy tools, websites that work with mobile phones and engaging with students on facebook or via twitter. The popularity of online reference, or “ask-an-expert” services as noted in the 2010 Worldcat Report can assist in illustrating the need for Cloud services like search services, learning activities and course resources. Services such as these may reflect a higher level of connectivity that will affect libraries as the expectation for immediacy will be driven higher. Other possible limiting factors for serious cloud computing needs are the necessity of a very fast Internet connection to meet the needs of a large variety of users.
Cloud computing is a current buzz word. People think they need it before they even know what it is. Cloud Computing is essentially just a convenient way to say online server. A common misconception on cloud computing is that it syncs all your computers together just by turning it on, but current implementations don't store ALL of your data. Further misconceptions are thinking about the system as a backup storage, or additional storage for all your devices. Cloud computing within the library scope would be beneficial for research guides and online reference needs. Current cloud-like services within the library field include: QuestionPoint, Summon, LibGuides, Worldcat, Connexion, and Primo Totalcare. Keeping in mind current interests and popular services cloud computing can be a beneficial tool especially when considering the shift in when and where users prefer to get their library needs met. As mentioned in the 2010 report “it seems that self-sufficient information consumers still appreciate expertise and a passion for learning—but they like it best on their time, with their tools” (94).
Cervone, H. F. (2010). An overview of virtual and cloud computing. OCLC Systems and Services, 26(3), 162-165. Retrieved from http://www.scopus.com/
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"
Yesterday's Division of Libraries All Staff Meeting was a great reminder, I thought, of our libary's mission and our place in helping that mission to succeed. We all get so bogged down in our individual work that these reminders are vital.
On that note, here is one of the animated short films that's been nominated for an Academy Award this year. It's described by its creators as "a story of people who devote their lives to books and books who return the favor."
At the All Staff meeting, Dean Mandel touched on the concept of the library as a place, how that powerful iconography still speaks to people even in the context of the modern information age. Although as a research library, we are mostly hosting users engaged in scholarly pursuits and not reading for pleasure or escape, of course our concept of the book as object remains equally powerful. Thus, this fanciful short film might also help remind many of us just why we wanted to work in libraries in the first place.
I hope it will inspire you as we go forward with our new Strategic Plan!
Bonus confession: I totally teared up at the end.
via PhiliBiblos
On that note, here is one of the animated short films that's been nominated for an Academy Award this year. It's described by its creators as "a story of people who devote their lives to books and books who return the favor."
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore Trailer from Moonbot Studios.
At the All Staff meeting, Dean Mandel touched on the concept of the library as a place, how that powerful iconography still speaks to people even in the context of the modern information age. Although as a research library, we are mostly hosting users engaged in scholarly pursuits and not reading for pleasure or escape, of course our concept of the book as object remains equally powerful. Thus, this fanciful short film might also help remind many of us just why we wanted to work in libraries in the first place.
I hope it will inspire you as we go forward with our new Strategic Plan!
Bonus confession: I totally teared up at the end.
via PhiliBiblos
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Mixed media for your holiday pleasure
First up, there is a wonderful shout out to the Fales Library, and in particular Lisa Darms, in the latest issue of Coilhouse Magazine.
An interview with music icon Kathleen Hanna features some discussion of Fales' new Riot Grrrl archive as an important resource, and how that collection got its start.
[photo from Coilhouse]
It's always nice to see NYU Libraries represented positively in the media, especially in such cool and unexpected places!
Next up, David W. Boles of WordPunk offers up a positively glowing review of WiFi Speeds at Bobst Library:
[Photo from WordPunk]
Boles concludes that NYU, and Bobst in particular, "supports technology and its students and faculty in wonderful and robust ways in every event and arena". Yay for us!
Last but by no means least, check out this Holiday Song from OCLC Research, created by Dennis Massie who used to work right here in Bobst! Thanks to Rob P. in ILL for the link. Music starts around the 0:55 mark:
"May your mission align precisely / with your parent institution's / and may happy holidays be yours and mine."
Happy Holidays, everyone! See you in 2012!
An interview with music icon Kathleen Hanna features some discussion of Fales' new Riot Grrrl archive as an important resource, and how that collection got its start.
[photo from Coilhouse]
It's always nice to see NYU Libraries represented positively in the media, especially in such cool and unexpected places!
Next up, David W. Boles of WordPunk offers up a positively glowing review of WiFi Speeds at Bobst Library:
[Photo from WordPunk]
Boles concludes that NYU, and Bobst in particular, "supports technology and its students and faculty in wonderful and robust ways in every event and arena". Yay for us!
Last but by no means least, check out this Holiday Song from OCLC Research, created by Dennis Massie who used to work right here in Bobst! Thanks to Rob P. in ILL for the link. Music starts around the 0:55 mark:
"May your mission align precisely / with your parent institution's / and may happy holidays be yours and mine."
Happy Holidays, everyone! See you in 2012!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Using e-readers for on-demand delivery
There's an interesting article in College & Research Libraries News about how the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) is using the Amazon Kindle for Interlibrary Loans.
Once you have consciously trained your brain to “be aware,” you cannot
turn it off. You will instinctually notice “new” or “different” things and ask
yourself “How can we use this in the library?” or “How does this impact our
services?” Be the person who thinks of a new or different way to apply
emerging trends and technology to new or current services.
It was this line of thought that led them to explore using the very popular E-Reader.
Since we were pioneers in loaning ereaders, we had to invent the wheel.
Without the right mindset—“I know this is possible, we just have to figure
out the way”—we might have quit at the first hurdle. Not the least of which
was national publicity concerning the legality of loaning the Kindle. Was it a
violation of Amazon’s ambiguous terms of service?
----
In the beginning, about 90 percent of patrons chose the traditional
hardcover, even though they would have to wait. Reasons given for not
using the Kindle included:
“I don’t want to learn a new technology; I already know how to
use a book.”
“I need to be able to photocopy pages.”
“There is no approved citation style for e-books.”
“I want it on my own e-reader.”
All of the above issues have been resolved, even photocopying. (Yes, I
actually tried making a photocopy of a page on the Kindle, and it worked).
Once you have consciously trained your brain to “be aware,” you cannot
turn it off. You will instinctually notice “new” or “different” things and ask
yourself “How can we use this in the library?” or “How does this impact our
services?” Be the person who thinks of a new or different way to apply
emerging trends and technology to new or current services.
It was this line of thought that led them to explore using the very popular E-Reader.
Since we were pioneers in loaning ereaders, we had to invent the wheel.
Without the right mindset—“I know this is possible, we just have to figure
out the way”—we might have quit at the first hurdle. Not the least of which
was national publicity concerning the legality of loaning the Kindle. Was it a
violation of Amazon’s ambiguous terms of service?
----
In the beginning, about 90 percent of patrons chose the traditional
hardcover, even though they would have to wait. Reasons given for not
using the Kindle included:
“I don’t want to learn a new technology; I already know how to
use a book.”
“I need to be able to photocopy pages.”
“There is no approved citation style for e-books.”
“I want it on my own e-reader.”
All of the above issues have been resolved, even photocopying. (Yes, I
actually tried making a photocopy of a page on the Kindle, and it worked).
Fascinating stuff! Of course different libraries have different capabilities and concerns - legal and otherwise - but wouldn't it be interesting to imagine how this would shake down around here?
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Knowledge Exchange: The Results Are In!
We've tallied up the scores from the post-assessment questionnaire for Knowledge Exchange and here's how we compare:
Before Knowledge Exchange
The questionnaire was taken by 34 staff and supervisors from Access Services.
Circulation, 6.12 familiarity rating, 47.6% correct
Delivery Services, 3.97 familiarity rating, 16.5% correct
Interlibrary Loan, 4.21 familiarity rating, 44.1% correct
Library Privileges, 5.79 familiarity rating, 84.7% correct
Reserves, 5.38 familiarity rating, 63.5% correct
Stacks, 5.81 familiarity rating, 67.6% correct
Fun Facts:
The questionnaire was taken by 36 staff and supervisors from Access Services.
Circulation, 6.97 familiarity rating, 43.8% correct
Delivery Services, 5.5 familiarity rating, 30.4% correct
Interlibrary Loan, 5.86 familiarity rating, 37.3% correct
Library Privileges, 7.2 familiarity rating, 83.3% correct
Reserves, 6.7 familiarity rating, 71.1% correct
Stacks, 6.8 familiarity rating, 31.2% correct
Fun Facts:
"What is the shortest length of time for which someone can rent a locker?"
Conclusions
Familiarity went up across the board. This shows people are more aware of what goes on in Access Services departments.
Familiarity Rating Chart
Delivery Services had the biggest gains in correct answers and Reserves also had a small increase. The percentages of correct answers for other departments curiously went down. This may have been due to the large number of post-assessments that were left blank (no answer was given for many questions).
% Correct Answers Chart
Leave a comment: What do you think of the results?
Questions and Correct Answers
Circulation
How many days does a patron have to return a recalled item before being charged a fine?
Fourteen (or two weeks)
What is the fine limit that will block a patron from borrowing materials?
$5.00
What is the fine limit that will cause a patron to have a University Registration hold?
$60.00
(A University Registration hold is a block on a patron's account that prevents them from registering for classes and from graduating)
How many searches are conducted for a Claim Returned book?
Five
How many days after a Quick Search is placed will the Circulation Department conduct a check of the stacks for the missing item?
The following day (or one day)
Delivery Services
Who can request materials to be paged and/or scanned?
NYU Faculty
NYU Abu Dhabi Staff
NYU Abu Dhabi Students
NYU Abu Dhabi Faculty
NEW! Since the post-assessment, NYU PhDs and NYU TAs have been granted privileges
Also, any NYU patron abroad (regardless of status) can request scans of NYU Bobst material if they use the Delivery Services options on the ILL request forms on the web.
To which libraries can paged materials be physically delivered?
Bobst
Courant
ISAW (Institute for the Study of the Ancient World)
IFA (Institute of Fine Arts)
Jack Brause (formerly Real Estate Institute)
Abu Dhabi
What types of items can be requested through Delivery Services?
Regularly circulating Bobst books
Regularly circulating Bobst Offsite books
Regularly circulating Courant books
Media from the Avery Fisher Center
Book chapter/journal article scans
On average, how long does it take to ship items to Abu Dhabi?
Three days
To which libraries can Bobst and Courant items be returned?
Bobst
Courant
ISAW (Institute for the Study of the Ancient World)
IFA (Institute of Fine Arts)
Jack Brause (formerly Real Estate Institute)
Abu Dhabi
Interlibrary Loan
What is the maximum number of times an Interlibrary Loan item can be renewed?
Unless the item indicates NO RENEWALS, a patron can request a renewal online one time. They must contact the ILL office for subsequent renewals. All renewals are granted at the discretion of the lending library.
True or False, Interlibrary Loan books can be renewed through the patron's BobCat account.
False, patrons must go through their ILL account to renew ILL books.
From the list below, please select the patron types that can use the ILL service at Bobst Library:
a. NYU Employee Family
b. NYU Polytech Students & Faculty
c. NYU Medical or Dental Students & Faculty
d. New School Students & Faculty
e. NYU Law Students & Faculty
f. NYU Abu Dhabi Students & Faculty
NYU Polytech, NYU Medical, NYU Dental, and NYU Law all have ILL services through their home libraries, not Bobst.
True or False, All Interlibrary Loan items are available for patrons to pick up at the Circulation Desk.
False. "Library use only" items are kept at Avery Fisher Center, Reserves, and Fales.
Which of the following is NOT a method that patrons can use to request Interlibrary Loan items?
a. Through the library's website
b. At the Circulation desk
c. Through the BobCat catalog
d. Through the Arch
(The Arch is what the "Articles & Databases" section of the website is called.)
Patrons cannot request Interlibrary Loan items at the Circulation Desk. Thttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhey can pick up ILL items there, but they cannot make requests there.
Library Privileges
Yes or No, Can a NYU student who has forgotten their ID come into the library?
Yes
Yes or No, Can anyone purchase a membership to the library?
Yes, unless they are on the "PNG" (persona non grata) list
Yes or No, Can the general public gain access to Bobst with a referral from the New York Public Library?
Yes, with a METRO Title Referral Card
What is the only kind of personal storage available in the library to undergraduates?
Lockers
What is the shortest length of time for which someone can rent a locker?
One semester
Reserves
Which of the following is the correct list of current loan periods for materials held on reserve?
a. 2-hour, 4-hour, 1-day
b. 2-hour, 4-hour, 3-day
c. 2-hour, 1-day, 3-day
d. 4-hour, 1-day, 2-day
True or False, Patrons can email scanned microfilms and fiche to themselves directly from the scanning machines.
True
True or False, The Reserved Department is responsible for the processing and re-shelving of the Leisure Reading collection located on Lower Level 2?
True
True or False, The Reserves Department loans out white board markers to patrons.
True
Which of the following does the Reserves Department NOT house:
a. Offsite "Library Use Only" materials
b. Interlibrary Loan "Library Use Only" materials
c. Avery Fisher Center Reserves materials
d. NYU Bookstore Course Packs
Stacks
What roles do the full-time staff play in the stacks?
Oversee assigned floor
monitor work of part-time staff
delegate tasks to part-time staff
What are the responsibilities of the stacks in general?
Shelve books
Straighten and shelf-read
Floor pick-ups
Help patrons
Shifting
Who should be notified about problems in the stacks? For example: loud disruptive staff, books out of order, patron needing help.
Ted or Pablo
What are Ted's and Pablo's responsibilities?
Ted: leads department projects, manages full-time staff
Pablo: manages part-time staff, deputy department leader
From where are stacks part-time staff recruited?
Local high schools and NYU
Before Knowledge Exchange
The questionnaire was taken by 34 staff and supervisors from Access Services.
Circulation, 6.12 familiarity rating, 47.6% correct
Delivery Services, 3.97 familiarity rating, 16.5% correct
Interlibrary Loan, 4.21 familiarity rating, 44.1% correct
Library Privileges, 5.79 familiarity rating, 84.7% correct
Reserves, 5.38 familiarity rating, 63.5% correct
Stacks, 5.81 familiarity rating, 67.6% correct
Fun Facts:
- The question most people answered correctly was “What is the shortest length of time someone can rent a locker for?”
- The question most people did not answer correctly was “What type of items can be requested through Delivery Services?”
The questionnaire was taken by 36 staff and supervisors from Access Services.
Circulation, 6.97 familiarity rating, 43.8% correct
Delivery Services, 5.5 familiarity rating, 30.4% correct
Interlibrary Loan, 5.86 familiarity rating, 37.3% correct
Library Privileges, 7.2 familiarity rating, 83.3% correct
Reserves, 6.7 familiarity rating, 71.1% correct
Stacks, 6.8 familiarity rating, 31.2% correct
Fun Facts:
- The question most people answered correctly was a tie between two questions:
"What is the shortest length of time for which someone can rent a locker?"
- The question most people did not answer correctly was:
Conclusions
Familiarity went up across the board. This shows people are more aware of what goes on in Access Services departments.
Familiarity Rating Chart
Delivery Services had the biggest gains in correct answers and Reserves also had a small increase. The percentages of correct answers for other departments curiously went down. This may have been due to the large number of post-assessments that were left blank (no answer was given for many questions).
% Correct Answers Chart
Leave a comment: What do you think of the results?Questions and Correct Answers
Circulation
How many days does a patron have to return a recalled item before being charged a fine?
Fourteen (or two weeks)
What is the fine limit that will block a patron from borrowing materials?
$5.00
What is the fine limit that will cause a patron to have a University Registration hold?
$60.00
(A University Registration hold is a block on a patron's account that prevents them from registering for classes and from graduating)
How many searches are conducted for a Claim Returned book?
Five
How many days after a Quick Search is placed will the Circulation Department conduct a check of the stacks for the missing item?
The following day (or one day)
Delivery Services
Who can request materials to be paged and/or scanned?
NYU Faculty
NYU Abu Dhabi Staff
NYU Abu Dhabi Students
NYU Abu Dhabi Faculty
NEW! Since the post-assessment, NYU PhDs and NYU TAs have been granted privileges
Also, any NYU patron abroad (regardless of status) can request scans of NYU Bobst material if they use the Delivery Services options on the ILL request forms on the web.
To which libraries can paged materials be physically delivered?
Bobst
Courant
ISAW (Institute for the Study of the Ancient World)
IFA (Institute of Fine Arts)
Jack Brause (formerly Real Estate Institute)
Abu Dhabi
What types of items can be requested through Delivery Services?
Regularly circulating Bobst books
Regularly circulating Bobst Offsite books
Regularly circulating Courant books
Media from the Avery Fisher Center
Book chapter/journal article scans
On average, how long does it take to ship items to Abu Dhabi?
Three days
To which libraries can Bobst and Courant items be returned?
Bobst
Courant
ISAW (Institute for the Study of the Ancient World)
IFA (Institute of Fine Arts)
Jack Brause (formerly Real Estate Institute)
Abu Dhabi
Interlibrary Loan
What is the maximum number of times an Interlibrary Loan item can be renewed?
Unless the item indicates NO RENEWALS, a patron can request a renewal online one time. They must contact the ILL office for subsequent renewals. All renewals are granted at the discretion of the lending library.
True or False, Interlibrary Loan books can be renewed through the patron's BobCat account.
False, patrons must go through their ILL account to renew ILL books.
From the list below, please select the patron types that can use the ILL service at Bobst Library:
a. NYU Employee Family
b. NYU Polytech Students & Faculty
c. NYU Medical or Dental Students & Faculty
d. New School Students & Faculty
e. NYU Law Students & Faculty
f. NYU Abu Dhabi Students & Faculty
NYU Polytech, NYU Medical, NYU Dental, and NYU Law all have ILL services through their home libraries, not Bobst.
True or False, All Interlibrary Loan items are available for patrons to pick up at the Circulation Desk.
False. "Library use only" items are kept at Avery Fisher Center, Reserves, and Fales.
Which of the following is NOT a method that patrons can use to request Interlibrary Loan items?
a. Through the library's website
b. At the Circulation desk
c. Through the BobCat catalog
d. Through the Arch
(The Arch is what the "Articles & Databases" section of the website is called.)
Patrons cannot request Interlibrary Loan items at the Circulation Desk. Thttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhey can pick up ILL items there, but they cannot make requests there.
Library Privileges
Yes or No, Can a NYU student who has forgotten their ID come into the library?
Yes
Yes or No, Can anyone purchase a membership to the library?
Yes, unless they are on the "PNG" (persona non grata) list
Yes or No, Can the general public gain access to Bobst with a referral from the New York Public Library?
Yes, with a METRO Title Referral Card
What is the only kind of personal storage available in the library to undergraduates?
Lockers
What is the shortest length of time for which someone can rent a locker?
One semester
Reserves
Which of the following is the correct list of current loan periods for materials held on reserve?
a. 2-hour, 4-hour, 1-day
b. 2-hour, 4-hour, 3-day
c. 2-hour, 1-day, 3-day
d. 4-hour, 1-day, 2-day
True or False, Patrons can email scanned microfilms and fiche to themselves directly from the scanning machines.
True
True or False, The Reserved Department is responsible for the processing and re-shelving of the Leisure Reading collection located on Lower Level 2?
True
True or False, The Reserves Department loans out white board markers to patrons.
True
Which of the following does the Reserves Department NOT house:
a. Offsite "Library Use Only" materials
b. Interlibrary Loan "Library Use Only" materials
c. Avery Fisher Center Reserves materials
d. NYU Bookstore Course Packs
Stacks
What roles do the full-time staff play in the stacks?
Oversee assigned floor
monitor work of part-time staff
delegate tasks to part-time staff
What are the responsibilities of the stacks in general?
Shelve books
Straighten and shelf-read
Floor pick-ups
Help patrons
Shifting
Who should be notified about problems in the stacks? For example: loud disruptive staff, books out of order, patron needing help.
Ted or Pablo
What are Ted's and Pablo's responsibilities?
Ted: leads department projects, manages full-time staff
Pablo: manages part-time staff, deputy department leader
From where are stacks part-time staff recruited?
Local high schools and NYU
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Offsite...right next door?
Last week I attended the 12th Interlending & Document Supply Conference, titled "Resource Sharing in the Digital Age," held in lovely Chicago, Illinois. Over three jam-packed days we learned from ILL & delivery services colleagues from all over the world, including Italy, Germany, China, Zimbabwe, Australia, Canada, Turkey and the US.
On my final day in Chicago a group of us toured the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) and the University of Chicago Mansueto Library.
Stacks of newspapers at CRL
The newly constructed Mansueto Library demonstrates an interesting approach to "offsite" storage. Directly next door (and connected) to the University of Chicago Regenstein Library, Mansueto has a storage capacity of 3.5 million volumes, housed in a 50 foot tall facility, underground!
One of five aisles of storage
The ground floor of the library has the "Grand Reading Room" and Circulation Service Center on one side, and the Library's Preservation Department, complete with laboratories for conservation and digitization, on the other. This entire space is covered by a glass dome, 35 feet tall at its highest point. Mansueto is truly a striking structure.
David Bottorff, Head of Stacks for Regenstein Library, shows us the Grand Reading Room
Amazingly, in an average of five minutes after placing a request, items are delivered from the storage area to the Circulation Services Center. Check out this video to see how it's all done:
Monday, September 26, 2011
Banned Books
Hey everyone!
It's Banned Books Week so get out there and read a banned book!
Here's a list of banned books and here are the reasons why they were banned.
I'm reading As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.
What are you reading? Comment on this post and let us know!
It's Banned Books Week so get out there and read a banned book!
Here's a list of banned books and here are the reasons why they were banned.
I'm reading As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.
What are you reading? Comment on this post and let us know!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam
I recently joined the OBA, Amsterdam's Public Library. Joinreally is the operative word here, because while access to the building is open to everyone, circulation privileges are only given to those who purchase an annual membership. This is pretty typical for European libraries.
One of the self-check machines, the only option for checking out or returning material
self-check machines, there is also a self-service machine for paying fines an fees. Users are responsible not only for checking out their own materials, but also for checking them in! This has been challenging for me because the self checks are in Dutch (the payment machine offers an English option).
The payment kiosk, which allows you to put credit on your library account. This is useful not just for fines, but for utilizing library services for which there is a fee
Primo installation allows, since their discovery tool allows me to place requests for books from other branches (and I understand the main library has a much more extensive English language collection).
It will take a little time for me to decide if my library membership is worth it. Some time, a few more check-outs and a visit to the main library, which I think has a larger collection in English (as well as bilingual story hour). But, to learn about a foreign library first hand I suppose $36 is a small price to pay.
Thanks to RFID tags in all the books, these gates sound if a user attempts to leave the building with an improperly charged out book.
Note: While refining this blog post and I was able to figure out the language limit in OBE's catalog! If you select the AquaBrowser link from the English language home page, the catalog options allow a language limit. Now I have to go back and tell the librarians about this, but first I'm off to place several requests...
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Students! Help!
Right now, most of us are really itching for student workers to help in our departments.
Hiring students seems like it would be pretty easy, since there's no shortage of them going from department to department asking about jobs. So what's the hold up? Why does it take so long to get new students hired?
Here's why:
Job Postings or Job Fair
This is how student supervisors find students to hire. Jobs are posted to NYU CareerNet. Student supervisors can also accept resumes and applications at NYU-hosted job fairs. Whether you post a job or go to a job fair, you usually receive 50+ applications (in a day at the fair or after 3-5 days of an active job posting).
Serious about Hiring Students
Since we want to hire students who will
a) work well
b) work when we need them to work
c) not call out sick all the time, and
d) hopefully stick around for more than a semester
it takes some time to fish through the 50-100 resumes and find the good ones.
Interviews
It's not unreasonable to want to meet the students you might hire, so you've got to interview them. Scheduling student interviews is a nightmare, especially at the beginning of the semester. They are moving into dorms or apartments and figuring out their class schedules and extra-curricular activities. Even if you're ahead of the game and post your job listing in early August, you usually can't schedule the bulk of your interviews until late August/early September because the majority of students do not live in NYC for the summer. So, there's this race to try and schedule them before school starts, which almost always ends up spilling into the first or second week of classes. Students apply to multiple jobs, have multiple interviews; sometimes your interviewees cancel because they accept another job, other times they have to reschedule for some reason or another. Pretty soon, your list of 20 potential student employees drops to 7 and then you have to go through more resumes! (You get the picture.)
The Wasserman Walk
And then there's the Wasserman form. Students who seek an on-campus job must fill out the correct form and take it to the Wasserman Center for Career Development (during their business hours) to be signed. This verifies that they can hold an on-campus student position. Part of this form requires them to verify their citizenship or visa status (I-9 verification); for this, they need multiple forms of ID. Sometimes they even need their birth certificate, which they have to have their parents mail to them. (I mean, what undergrad brings their birth certificate to college? I would have never thought to pack that.) The form has to be complete and signed by Wasserman before a student supervisor can accept the form and hire the student. If a student brings you an incomplete form, you have to send them back to Wasserman and then the student has to bring the form back to you. Faxing and scanning don't help with this process; a lot of footwork on the part of the student is required.
Wait Three Days
Once a student supervisor has a completed Wasserman form and wants to hire, they fill out some more forms and take all the paperwork (or have the student take the paperwork) to the Human Resources office on the 11th floor. Human Resources needs at least three days to file paperwork and get students into the MyTime system before they can start working. During this time, though, you can confirm work schedules and schedule training for new students.
Hiring students seems like it would be pretty easy, since there's no shortage of them going from department to department asking about jobs. So what's the hold up? Why does it take so long to get new students hired?
Here's why:
Job Postings or Job Fair
This is how student supervisors find students to hire. Jobs are posted to NYU CareerNet. Student supervisors can also accept resumes and applications at NYU-hosted job fairs. Whether you post a job or go to a job fair, you usually receive 50+ applications (in a day at the fair or after 3-5 days of an active job posting).
Serious about Hiring Students
Since we want to hire students who will
a) work well
b) work when we need them to work
c) not call out sick all the time, and
d) hopefully stick around for more than a semester
it takes some time to fish through the 50-100 resumes and find the good ones.
Interviews
It's not unreasonable to want to meet the students you might hire, so you've got to interview them. Scheduling student interviews is a nightmare, especially at the beginning of the semester. They are moving into dorms or apartments and figuring out their class schedules and extra-curricular activities. Even if you're ahead of the game and post your job listing in early August, you usually can't schedule the bulk of your interviews until late August/early September because the majority of students do not live in NYC for the summer. So, there's this race to try and schedule them before school starts, which almost always ends up spilling into the first or second week of classes. Students apply to multiple jobs, have multiple interviews; sometimes your interviewees cancel because they accept another job, other times they have to reschedule for some reason or another. Pretty soon, your list of 20 potential student employees drops to 7 and then you have to go through more resumes! (You get the picture.)
The Wasserman Walk
And then there's the Wasserman form. Students who seek an on-campus job must fill out the correct form and take it to the Wasserman Center for Career Development (during their business hours) to be signed. This verifies that they can hold an on-campus student position. Part of this form requires them to verify their citizenship or visa status (I-9 verification); for this, they need multiple forms of ID. Sometimes they even need their birth certificate, which they have to have their parents mail to them. (I mean, what undergrad brings their birth certificate to college? I would have never thought to pack that.) The form has to be complete and signed by Wasserman before a student supervisor can accept the form and hire the student. If a student brings you an incomplete form, you have to send them back to Wasserman and then the student has to bring the form back to you. Faxing and scanning don't help with this process; a lot of footwork on the part of the student is required.
Wait Three Days
Once a student supervisor has a completed Wasserman form and wants to hire, they fill out some more forms and take all the paperwork (or have the student take the paperwork) to the Human Resources office on the 11th floor. Human Resources needs at least three days to file paperwork and get students into the MyTime system before they can start working. During this time, though, you can confirm work schedules and schedule training for new students.
* * *
As you can see, there are many chances for the process to be delayed. Compound this process by the number of student hires you need to make and you realize that it could easily take two or more weeks before your department has enough students. (Not to mention the time it takes to train them all!)
Streamlining the Process
There are a few things that I've done to streamline the process:
1) Before I even look at resumes, I send out a pre-screening questionnaire via email to all applicants. This narrows my prospective candidate pool by at least half. I narrow it down further by going through resumes until I have 1.5 students for every 1 position available (so I'll interview 9 students for 6 positions).
2) I send out a list of available interview times via email to all candidates and have them sign up for a time. This works better than emailing students individually. It's first come, first serve and if they aren't available for any of the times on the list, then I say "sorry, no interview."
3) I tell the students that they must have a completed Wasserman form before they come to the interview. That way, if I choose to hire them, I can go ahead and submit their paperwork.
Even with this streamlined process, it still takes a while. For example, I sent out the pre-screening questionnaire on September 4, conducted interviews September 8-13, and my first student hire is starting September 21.
Unfortunately, the steps of the process that take the longest (Wasserman form, HR's "wait three days") are things that cannot be changed. I've streamlined what is within my power to control.
As you can see, there are many chances for the process to be delayed. Compound this process by the number of student hires you need to make and you realize that it could easily take two or more weeks before your department has enough students. (Not to mention the time it takes to train them all!)
Streamlining the Process
There are a few things that I've done to streamline the process:
1) Before I even look at resumes, I send out a pre-screening questionnaire via email to all applicants. This narrows my prospective candidate pool by at least half. I narrow it down further by going through resumes until I have 1.5 students for every 1 position available (so I'll interview 9 students for 6 positions).
2) I send out a list of available interview times via email to all candidates and have them sign up for a time. This works better than emailing students individually. It's first come, first serve and if they aren't available for any of the times on the list, then I say "sorry, no interview."
3) I tell the students that they must have a completed Wasserman form before they come to the interview. That way, if I choose to hire them, I can go ahead and submit their paperwork.
Even with this streamlined process, it still takes a while. For example, I sent out the pre-screening questionnaire on September 4, conducted interviews September 8-13, and my first student hire is starting September 21.
Unfortunately, the steps of the process that take the longest (Wasserman form, HR's "wait three days") are things that cannot be changed. I've streamlined what is within my power to control.
* * *
The other Access Services Supervisors and myself face this student hiring process every year (and sometimes every semester). No matter how early you start, how prepared you are, or how eager you are to hire, there are a number of other factors that delay the process more than we would like.
I recall that one of our potential working group topics is to address student hiring and student shortages during crucial periods of the semester. It is still on our radar and something that Access Services is planning to organize.
But in the mean time, does anyone have suggestions/comments/questions/feedback about the student hiring process?
I recall that one of our potential working group topics is to address student hiring and student shortages during crucial periods of the semester. It is still on our radar and something that Access Services is planning to organize.
But in the mean time, does anyone have suggestions/comments/questions/feedback about the student hiring process?
Monday, September 12, 2011
"No Room for Books"
A few months ago, an article appeared by one Kevin Kiley on Inside Higher Ed entitled "No Room for Books". It's about the University of Denver's plans to move a whopping 4/5 of the Penrose Library’s holdings into offsite storage and change the building into an '"Academic Commons," much like we have been doing here at Bobst.
A friend sent me this article, wondering what I thought of it in light of my job as Offsite Storage Supervisor. You can read the full article here, but here's an excerpt:
The proposed change has raised the ire of some arts, humanities, and social science professors who say that, while impressive, technology hasn’t yet replaced a good old-fashioned trip through the stacks. They argue that the administration dropped the changes in their laps without consulting them and that it will harm their main mode of research.
"You would never ask a scientist to get rid of his or her laboratory," said Annabeth Headrick, an art history professor. "But that’s exactly what’s being done to us."
Although I remain sensitive to faculty concerns and appreciate a good old-fashioned browsing session as much as anyone - and I must stress that I don't know whether there is truth the the assertion that faculty at Denver were never consulted - I must admit that my first reaction to the above is basically, *Sigh*, here we go again.
At NYU, as with other large libraries utlizing offsite storage space, we've been grappling with these concerns for years, and have had little choice but to get with the times in order to keep our library alive and vibrant.
At Denver, however, the plot thickens:
Once the renovations are complete, the university will bring back some books and leave others at the storage facility. The original plans -- which did not cause alarm -- called for 80 percent of the materials to return to the renovated library, leaving behind seldom-accessed journals and those with digital replacements, government documents, and little-used books.
But the university announced to faculty members last week that the renovated library would now only hold 20 percent of its current collection, much to the surprise of professors.
A friend sent me this article, wondering what I thought of it in light of my job as Offsite Storage Supervisor. You can read the full article here, but here's an excerpt:
The proposed change has raised the ire of some arts, humanities, and social science professors who say that, while impressive, technology hasn’t yet replaced a good old-fashioned trip through the stacks. They argue that the administration dropped the changes in their laps without consulting them and that it will harm their main mode of research.
"You would never ask a scientist to get rid of his or her laboratory," said Annabeth Headrick, an art history professor. "But that’s exactly what’s being done to us."
Although I remain sensitive to faculty concerns and appreciate a good old-fashioned browsing session as much as anyone - and I must stress that I don't know whether there is truth the the assertion that faculty at Denver were never consulted - I must admit that my first reaction to the above is basically, *Sigh*, here we go again.
At NYU, as with other large libraries utlizing offsite storage space, we've been grappling with these concerns for years, and have had little choice but to get with the times in order to keep our library alive and vibrant.
At Denver, however, the plot thickens:
Once the renovations are complete, the university will bring back some books and leave others at the storage facility. The original plans -- which did not cause alarm -- called for 80 percent of the materials to return to the renovated library, leaving behind seldom-accessed journals and those with digital replacements, government documents, and little-used books.
But the university announced to faculty members last week that the renovated library would now only hold 20 percent of its current collection, much to the surprise of professors.
20%?!!! Holy swiss cheese, Batman! I don't know what the Penrose Library's spacial situation is, but it seems shockingly drastic to me to reduce a collection by that much in one fell swoop.
As I've said before, in my very first post on this blog, "As more of our older material goes upstate to the warehouse... we will eventually reach a tipping point where we have more books Off-Site than we have here."
But to the remaining nay-sayers, we can say that this happened organically, and over enough time that most people have gotten used to it, and have reported that they are at least relatively satisfied with the new methods of research that they've developed as a result.
Friday, July 8, 2011
The Next 12 Months
The next 12 months are certain to be a time of change for all of us. I’m currently planning that July 15th will be my final day before my one year leave-of-absence begins. I’ve been working with Lucinda and all of the Access Sups to make sure that all of my responsibilities are covered and that I’m not even missed!
Beginning in May, Sydney assumed responsibility for Aleph circulation functions, including all administration and leadership related to circulation, reserves and media booking. In this capacity she leads two new groups: a group of Aleph circ supervisors from throughout the consortium and another a group of Aleph “techy type,” administrators from Bobst, Courant, Cooper and NYU Abu Dhabi.
We have some big changes planned in Stacks to get ready for more renovation, including a shift on 9 and
moving the Ns from 7 to 9. Shawn Jacobus from the Libraries’ Budget and Planning department will run point on this and be sure to get Ted or Lucinda involved when needed.
Deb returns in early August, and Jen returns in early September. I’m really grateful to Eileen, Pat and Sydney for stepping in to cover these absences. While I’ll be gone by late July and Kristina doesn’t start until September 12th, I’m sure with everyone else’s vacations, Lucinda’s leadership and the generally slow pace of August, we’ll be in good shape to coast until Kristina Rose, our
former Access Services Librarian, begins in mid-September.
Once Kristina arrives she will be working Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 25 hours per week. She will be responsible for the overall administration and leadership of the department, and the related goal of improving our organizational climate. You may wonder how my job has been distilled into 25 hours per week. Two factors contribute to this: Sydney’s ownership of Aleph issues and a shift in focus to Access Services leadership only. OK, there’s a third important thing we all know: Kristina is awesome.
The exact projects Kristina will be working on have not yet been determined or prioritized, but are likely to include: Aleph advanced training, reserve linking improvements and publicity, an Access Services Open House, an Offsite inventory, unifying the service philosophy in Access Services and beyond, and a Bobst inventory sample to name a few. Clearly these are projects that she will not undertake alone, but will work with various supervisors, departments and groups to get the completed.
And, what will I be doing? Living in Amsterdam and learning about a new culture. Mostly spending time with my family, including my European in-laws (they are great—why do people make in-law jokes?). I may also be working part-time (very, very part-time) with an international library organization, but I don’t yet have any details to share on that. I’d like to use my time to think about the strategic direction of Access Services over the next few years and possibly brush up on some skills I’ll need as we work to create the library of the future (which means I’ll have to identify those skills first…). And, I have a goal to cook more, which is something I really miss and don’t have time for now. I’d like to learn enough Dutch to handle a brief, polite conversation (like the sentence, “do you mind if we speak English?”)
which I should be able to do thanks to Mango a cool tool that we have here at NYU. And, I plan to publish the occasional blog post.
So, take care everyone. I have very mixed emotions about leaving but one thing I’m certain of: between our intelligent and motivated frontline staff, our dedicated and strong supervisors, and Kristina as our awesome interim department head, I am leaving the department in very capable hands. Tot ziens en veel geluk!
Self-Service Check Out
I read today that Albertson's, a big grocery store chain out West, is getting rid of its self check out lines. They want to encourage a human connection with their customers. The poll posted with the story indicates that readers are just about tied as to whether they love or hate self-service tills. Could this be the wave of the future--a backlash against all this technology we use? The data seems to suggest that our users really like our Quick Checks. What do you think?
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Strategic Planning
Just what is a strategic plan and why is it important?
Simply put, a strategic plan is a road map that helps an organization get where it wants to be within a specified time frame. Our current strategic plan covered the years 2007-2012, and with 2012 just around the corner, it's time for an update. Creating our new plan will be a major initiative of the libraries for the coming academic year, and the plan will be launched next Fall.
The process for the creating our plan is outlined on the Strategic Planning wiki page, if you want to take a look.
The next stage of the process is the environmental scan, which is an opportunity to look at all the factors which will influence our to-be-created plan. In order to do this, process organizers will be meeting with each department and getting their impressions on a number of topics. The questions they will be asking include:
1. How did our current strategic plan play a role in your department's/committee's accomplishments?
2. Are there parts of our current strategic plan that we still need to address?
3. What changes have there been in your user groups or work groups?
4. What top five things are you seeing on the horizon for your department/ field?
5. What recommendations do you have for adjusting and adapting to changes in the next five years?
6. What are the new ideas in your department/field that should be included in the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan?
So, take a look at our current plan. In my opinion, we have actually made a sizable dent in the proposed actions, a dent we wouldn't have made if we didn't lay out the map to begin with. Give some thought to these questions, since they will be important to making our next road map a plan we can accomplish!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Service, Collaboration and Innovation
I learned this week that four individuals from Access Services were nominated for the prestigious Dean's Award. The Dean's Award was created by NYU's Division of Libraries to recognize extraordinary achievements in support of service, collaboration, and/or innovation. I'm incredibly proud that our department stands out in these areas. More information on this award is posted at http://library.nyu.edu/recognition/deans_award.html. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to make nominations.
Congratulations to Circ for catching up with the return backlog despite a couple of setbacks--scarce student assistants and a couple of Aleph failures didn't make this task any easier. Everyone rolled up their sleeves and got this done! I was also thrilled to see Reserves staff lending a hand for check-in and LP staff volunteering for exit duty so student workers could be dedicated to check-in. ILL and Stacks continue to push through the return onslaught and are making good progress--both by working hard and accepting the help of other units. Offsite has been busy getting a jump on the 9th floor and has recently begun the removal of over 170,000 low-use volumes from the 8th floor. This massive Offsite effort may offer more opportunities for collaboration for Access Services staff.
The Knowledge Exchange is really all about service, collaboration and innovation. Access Services encompasses very different units, but we are all part of the same whole. I see that as people work together to get projects done. And I think it's great!
Congratulations to Circ for catching up with the return backlog despite a couple of setbacks--scarce student assistants and a couple of Aleph failures didn't make this task any easier. Everyone rolled up their sleeves and got this done! I was also thrilled to see Reserves staff lending a hand for check-in and LP staff volunteering for exit duty so student workers could be dedicated to check-in. ILL and Stacks continue to push through the return onslaught and are making good progress--both by working hard and accepting the help of other units. Offsite has been busy getting a jump on the 9th floor and has recently begun the removal of over 170,000 low-use volumes from the 8th floor. This massive Offsite effort may offer more opportunities for collaboration for Access Services staff.
The Knowledge Exchange is really all about service, collaboration and innovation. Access Services encompasses very different units, but we are all part of the same whole. I see that as people work together to get projects done. And I think it's great!
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Zombie Guide
"Even small academic libraries can be confusing for students. Miller Library developed this graphic novel guide to our library resources in an effort to connect with students in an interesting and unique way."
Thus begins The Library of the Living Dead, from the Miller Library of McPherson College in Kansas. (They also have a pretty cool blog.)
We, too, are always looking for ways to engage with our library users, and to help them learn how to use the library. Maybe we should, ahem, take a page from the folks at McPherson!
Thus begins The Library of the Living Dead, from the Miller Library of McPherson College in Kansas. (They also have a pretty cool blog.)
We, too, are always looking for ways to engage with our library users, and to help them learn how to use the library. Maybe we should, ahem, take a page from the folks at McPherson!
Monday, April 25, 2011
How I Conquered Conflict
On Thursday I attended a training session called "Conquering Coworker Conflict." Although the content seemed to be more directed at strategies for dealing with challenging users, there were some gems that would be helpful in any situation of conflict. In fact, I had an opportunity to test out some of these strategies this weekend, when I had a little argument with my sister (ok, I thought it was little, she was threatening to pack up and leave which indicates that to her, it was rather big):
And, my sister and I have patched things up. We've been through worse blow-ups and we'll get through this, too. It's probably not the last conflict we'll face but at least I feel I have a few new tools to conquer conflict!
- Avoid justifying your right to be upset. This makes sense to me because every time you think about your justification, you are talking yourself into continuing to be upset! It was actually by not following this one that I started the argument in the first place. My first instinct was to keep my mouth shut, then some little gremlin in my head screamed, "This isn't FAIR! I have a right to be upset!" That's when the trouble started.
- If things get in a stalemate, call on someone else to try another way of communicating. This could be a colleague or a supervisor. In my case, it was my Mom, who, by talking with my sister, was able to identify exactly what I had said that had touched a nerve, and calm my sister down so she could listen to my apology. In a situation with a library user, referring to a colleague might just give the "refresh" that's needed to solve the problem.
- In any situation, you have the power to make things better. You also have the power to make things worse. First I made things worse. Then I made things better.
- Put yourself in the other person's shoes. My sister had been up throughout the night with a sick toddler, then the thing I criticized her about was probably something she was already feeling kind of bad about. Once I realized this it wasn't so hard to create a way we could both save face.
- Create an opportunity for the other person to save face. In any kind of conflict, rather than trying to "win" by continually zinging the other person, if you create an "easy out" for the other person, the conflict can be solved. This is how I made things better.
And, my sister and I have patched things up. We've been through worse blow-ups and we'll get through this, too. It's probably not the last conflict we'll face but at least I feel I have a few new tools to conquer conflict!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Hawk Cam Update
As many people know Bobst Library has a pair of red-tailed hawks nesting on a 12th floor window ledge. I have been checking their web page (http://www.nyu.edu/sustainability/hawks/) for a look at the hatchlings since Kimberly told us about them. To date, I have only seen one hawk sitting on the nest barely moving.
Until tonight. Tonight I got to see a changing of the guard.
In seconds another hawk (Bobby or Violet I have no idea which) landed on the ledge, nudged the sitting hawk to move, took a moment to move the eggs around, and settled down to take its turn sitting.
All quite exciting.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Future of Libraries
Hmmm, the future of the libraries???
This topic seems to come up for discussion at every meeting I attend. Technology has taken over the world and will continue to play a larger and larger role in the future of libraries. But does this really mean fewer books, librarians and other staff who work in different areas of the library? Can this be entirely true? Hopefully, I will be alive to see this what this kind of a library looks like for myself! While I must admit that I do spend more time on the computer, searching for information when I am writing a paper, I still want to do research the old fashioned way…..FINDING A BOOK AND READING IT!
When I am in class, professors strongly suggest that we get most of our citations from either the library’s electronic databases or Google. This surprised me because I believed that books are the best source of information. Nowadays, such may not be the case. I guess it may be time to throw out my 1980 Britannica Encyclopedia Set. SIGHHHHH.
I am not saying that I’m too old for this new technology movement, but I never thought it would completely change the way a library operates. I may not be too old, but I am not that young either. Anyway, this is a neat clip on YouTube that explains and shows what modern library looks like.
This topic seems to come up for discussion at every meeting I attend. Technology has taken over the world and will continue to play a larger and larger role in the future of libraries. But does this really mean fewer books, librarians and other staff who work in different areas of the library? Can this be entirely true? Hopefully, I will be alive to see this what this kind of a library looks like for myself! While I must admit that I do spend more time on the computer, searching for information when I am writing a paper, I still want to do research the old fashioned way…..FINDING A BOOK AND READING IT!
When I am in class, professors strongly suggest that we get most of our citations from either the library’s electronic databases or Google. This surprised me because I believed that books are the best source of information. Nowadays, such may not be the case. I guess it may be time to throw out my 1980 Britannica Encyclopedia Set. SIGHHHHH.
I am not saying that I’m too old for this new technology movement, but I never thought it would completely change the way a library operates. I may not be too old, but I am not that young either. Anyway, this is a neat clip on YouTube that explains and shows what modern library looks like.
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