Muddiest Point: Week 5

Would you prefer the weekly notes to be in essay format or with bullet points to make it easier to see what we've taken from each article?

Week 6: Computer Networks & Wireless Networks

LAN (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_area_network )

•          Local Area Network
•      Interconnects computers within a limited area

•        Initial driving force for networking was generally to share storage and printers
•          Small geographic area
•           Ethernet and WiFi are the two most common
•          Early LAN cabling had been based on various grades of the coaxial cable          
•     WiFi is now common for ‘cabling’
•        Supports easy access for laptops and smartphones
•          LANs can maintain connections with other LANs via leased lines, leased services, or the internet via the VPN

Computer network (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network)

•          Allows computers to exchange data
•           The best known computer network is the internet
•           Support access to the www, shared use of application and storage servers, printers, and fax machines and use of email and instant messaging applications

o   Facilitates interpersonal communications

o   Allows sharing of files, data, and other types of info

•          Complex computer networks may be difficult and costly to set up
•           Network packets

o   Info in computer networks is carried in packets

o   Formatted unit of data (bits or bytes)

o   The bandwidth of the communication medium can be better shared  among users

o   Consists of two types of data:

§  Control information

·         Provides data the networks needs to deliver the user data

§  User data

Management of RFID in Libraries (http://www.kcoyle.net/jal-31-5.html)

•           RFID = radio frequency identifier
•           Like a barcode, but is read with an electro-magnetic field rather than a laser beam

o   Does not have to be visible to be read

o   Carry more complex messages than a barcode

•           There are hundreds of different RFID products on the market today

o   What varies is the amount of information the tag carries, the range in which it can be read, the frequency of its radio waves, its physical size, and the cost

-          Why RFID in libs?

o   Anyone managing an inventory of physical objects need to do item-level functions more efficiently and with less human intervention

o   RFID will probably continue to replace barcodes

•          In retail, RFID tags are used only once (placed on an item, sold, and discarded by the customer)

o   This would be more cost effective for libraries because the same RFID tag would be reused multiple times (because it would be placed on a book, borrowed, returned, re-shelved, borrowed, returned, etc.)

•           Security

o   Tags have ‘special security bit’ that can be switched from checked-in to checked out

§  Exit gates read each tag as users pass out of the lib

·         Sounds alarm if the bit is not in ‘checked-out’ state

o   Tags can be covered by Mylar, aluminum foil, or an aluminum gum wrapper

o   Tags are often found on the inside cover of a book, barely covered, and can be easily removed

•           RFID systems can read multiple tags at once

o   Allows the checkout of multiple books in one transaction

•          RFID could be used to gather statistics on re-shelving and completing inventory
•           Could potentially tell a user exactly where an item is located

Muddiest Point: Week 4

The SQL query is just the information that appears when the 'SQL view' is chosen?

Week 5: Metadata and Content Management

Although metadata - data about data - has been used for analog information, records, and documents, the digital age is calling for an even greater need for it.  More and more users are becoming aware of the uses of metadata in researching, designing, creating, and preserving information.  School age students, for example, are using metadata to help with their school work assignments, such as research papers.  As an archivist concentration in the MLIS program, metadata is a key element discussed in the majority of our classes.  Metadata allows users (both archivists and researchers) to have better accessibility and understanding of the information a particular record contains.  Various web sources, such as Mendeley, allow users to readily access the metadata for documents and books.  Users are able to use the metadata from a particular article to search for related documents and resources.  Mendeley is a great example of using data management sources for metadata purposes.


Notes from the following Required Readings:

Anne J. Gilliland. Introduction to Metadata, pathways to Digital Information: 1: Setting the Stage. http://www.getty.edu/research/publications/electronic_publications/intrometadata/setting.pdf

Eric J. Miller. An Overview of the Dublin Core Data Model. http://dublincore.org/1999/06/06-overview/

Julie Meloni. Using Medeley for Research Management. http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/using-mendeley-for-research-management/25627

Muddies Point: Week 3

Is there a preferred site to obtain vector images?

Week 4: Database Technologies and Applications

Databases are excellent tools for users to create and organize their data.  Although there are various database software options available to both individuals and businesses, many personal users may implement the use of a spreadsheet as the preferred form of a database.  Personally, I've had some experience operating (but not creating) Microsoft Access databases for various institutions I've worked at.  I've never realized the amount of coding, data modeling, or applications that go into the regular maintenance of a database.  As technology continues to advance, I believe that it will become more and more essential for every day users to become knowledgeable in the creation, maintenance, and upkeep of databases for both personal and professional purposes.

Notes from Required Readings:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity-relationship_model
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database

Muddiest Point: Week 2

Will the PPT slides for each class session be posted to the 'Course Documents' on CourseWeb?

Week 3: Multimedia Representation and Storage

The widespread usage of multimedia in today's society has led to the expansion of knowledge through various digital devices.  Websites, such as YouTube, have given users the opportunity to share their expertise on a multitude of subjects.  One such example, as provided by YouTube and Libraries: It could be a beautiful relationship, states that YouTube could be used by libraries as a means to showing instructional videos or introducing resources that are available on site.  Many schools and universities have done videos, such as these, as a means to help better acquaint users with their particular library system and allow them access to help when the librarians may not be available.  Digitization of photographs, films, books, articles, and more have allowed viewers to obtain a larger picture of the various people and events that were occurring at that time. The 2002 National Leadership Grant project conducted by the University of Pittsburgh allowed for the digitization of more than 7000 images from archives in the area.  Because of this digitization, more users were able to access and view these images and take an in-depth analysis of what Pittsburgh was like. With the digitization of text, images, and audio, however, come the issue of data storage.  One solution to this problem is by the use of data compression.  Data compression would allow for more information to be stored while taking up less space.  As librarians, archivists, businesses, government, etc. continue to digitize documents and resources, they must keep in mind that storage is finite.  Data compression, through either lossless or lossy compression, would help to remedy some spacial issues.

Notes from the following required readings:
1) Data Compression. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_compression 
2) Data compression basics (long documents, but covers all basics and beyond): http://dvd-hq.info/data_compression_1.php  
3) Edward A. Galloway, “Imaging Pittsburgh: Creating a shared gateway to digital image collections of the Pittsburgh region” First Monday 9:5 2004 http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1141/1061 
4) Paula L. Webb, YouTube and libraries: It could be a beautiful relationship C&RL News, June 2007 Vol. 68, No. 6 http://crln.acrl.org/content/68/6/354.full.pdf 

Week 2: Digitization

As technology continues to change and improve, so do the ways in which we access and utilize it. Recent strives to digitize countless books, have led to an issue of usability, access and, of course, funding. The idea behind digitizing these books is that they will become accessible to everyone in the world. No longer will a rare book need to be tracked down and visited in person. This is something that the modern generation, which expects information at their fingertips, will come to enjoy and rely on.  The issue becomes, how will these digitizations efforts be funded? Although various government initiatives have provided some fundings for the program, it is not enough. Private supporters, such as Google, are often willing to contribute towards digitization. However, these donors are frequently seeking personal gain or public acknowledgements. Some have discussed charging fees for various services or functions, such as viewing items in higher resolution. As digitization efforts continue, it will be necessary for organizations and libraries to be aware of where the funding is coming from and what stipulations are included on the fine print of each check.

Notes from the following required readings: 

1) Vaughan, J. (2005). Lied Library @ four years: technology never stands still. Library Hi Tech, 23(1), 34-49. 

2) Doreen Carvajal. European libraries face problems in digitalizing. New York Times. October 28, 2007http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/technology/28iht-LIBRARY29.1.8079170.html

3) A Few Thoughts on the Google Books Library Projecthttp://www.educause.edu/ero/article/few-thoughts-google-books-library-project