Submitted by Tom Peters on March 6, 2006 - 2:45pm
Lately, I've been wondering if the mashup will become one of the defining characteristics of information technology during this decade. Will we remember this era as much for the mashups as for the mass-digitization crashups? Mashups may rule, while snippets drool.
According to the Wikipedia (visited on March 4, 2006), a mashup in this sense is “…a website or web application that seamlessly combines content from more than one source into an integrated experience." For example, if you're into downhill skiing, visit Ski Bonk for the latest integrated info, which mashes up ski resort reports, weather data, maps, and other data to create its service. Read More »
Submitted by Michael Stephens on February 28, 2006 - 9:10pm
A few weeks ago, Jenny and I found ourselves at a meeting at ALA Headquarters talking about Web 2.0, learning, and Library 2.0 initiatives with some of the ALA division heads, Mary Ghikas, Senior Associate Executive Director, and the Otter Group's Kathleen Gilroy. As a result of that meeting (and some forward-thinking continuing-education interest and work on the part of Mary Ghikas and the Otter Group), Jenny and I are authoring content for, as well facilitating, an online prototype “Learning 2.0” program that ALA will launch this spring.
Read More »
Submitted by Jenny Levine on February 28, 2006 - 6:28pm
At the Ontario Library Association Superconference earlier this month, I argued that library schools need to offer a course in copyright, licensing agreements for electronic products, and digital rights management (DRM), because they all affect the future of how libraries will interact with our users as entertainment and information becomes increasingly digital. It's unfortunate that at a time when the broadcast flag is again rearing its ugly head and media and publishing companies continue to try to buy legislation giving them free rein with users' rights, most librarians are completely unaware of just how much these moves could affect them. Read More »
Submitted by Michael Stephens on February 20, 2006 - 5:31pm
 "All I ever wanted was to know that you were dreaming..."
Allow me a tangent here today—not to really talk about technology directly, but to talk about innovation, thinking creatively, and looking at our services in a new way. I've been writing a lot and reading a lot to prepare my proposal for research at UNT, to start toward my dissertation.
Read More »
Submitted by Michael Stephens on February 17, 2006 - 11:02pm
 We were lucky to be heading to San Antonio's highly agreeable climate, though we were going there for different reasons: Michael for the ALISE Conference and Jenny for Midwinter.
Then came a note from Alan Gray, at Darien Library in Darien, Connecticut.
Read More »
Submitted by Tom Peters on February 8, 2006 - 12:39am
 Early this morning, my dog Max and I should have been out jogging—in pursuit of our mutual general project goals to lose weight and to improve our cardiovascular systems. Instead, we were plodding along at our customary meditative pace beneath the belt of Orion. Undoubtedly, Max was contemplating the tasty morsels that the toddlers would toss to him from their highchairs later today. I was pondering plogging.
Read More »
Submitted by Michael Stephens on February 6, 2006 - 10:56pm
In late January, I spoke at the Panhandle Library Access Network's Tech Day on technology, staff, and users in libraries. “Planning, People & Participation" took the attendees through a gamut of social tools and ideas for effective use of technology in all sorts of libraries. In fact, some of the most interesting discussions came from the school-media specialists, who were excited by what they heard and saddened by their situations. Some background: Read More »
|
|
|
Michael's 
Friday was the first date of the ‘
