The Edwin B. Worthen virtual exhibit at the Cary Memorial Library of Lexington, MA, has been published to the Interwebs!
The exhibit can be found here: Edwin B. Worthen Collection Virtual Exhibit
Here is a link to the WickedLocal article:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/lexington/features/x848573066/Cary-Library-digitizes-Lexington-historical-materials-in-Virtual-Exhibit#axzz1cTdmaZOc
I worked on this project, which was funded by a grant from the IMLS, from 1/2011-8/2011.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Hiatus!
Hi all!
I been on a lengthy hiatus entitled "full-time fall semester with 2 jobs and an internship". Please pardon me. Fortunately, I have been engaged both in digital preservation and web design/information architecture, so I also have a lot to share. I fully intend to complete my excursion into 23 Things for Archivists, but during the semester it's not really feasible. Instead I am happy to share some of my digital preservation work here. I recently delved into the XENA software from the National Archives of Australia, and have included a brief report below (with an introduction to XENA). May you find it useful!
XENA
Besides being a leather-clad television warrior princess with a saucy blond sidekick, XENA, is also a digital preservation tool created by the National Archives of Austalia. XENA (XML Electronic Nomalising for Archives) is a free, open source software (yay!) it can be downloaded from Sourgeforge.net, bearer of all (okay, many) things open source! Download the National Archives of Australia XENA software at Sourceforge.net. XENA takes certain of your digital/media files and converts them to preservation-friendly formats (open source, well-supported, community-driven). It then wraps them in metadata and goodies to help render them in the future. The result is a .xena file that XENA will be able to open in the future, unlike your dusty old MS Powerpoints that you made in Windows 95 (and copyright, and copyright, and copyright, Microsoft).
Here's the rundown, from what I gathered:
PROS:
Report on Working with Xena
The above is a screen shot taken from plugin installation with XENA, with 2 failed conversions in the background. For a brief report, see below.
I been on a lengthy hiatus entitled "full-time fall semester with 2 jobs and an internship". Please pardon me. Fortunately, I have been engaged both in digital preservation and web design/information architecture, so I also have a lot to share. I fully intend to complete my excursion into 23 Things for Archivists, but during the semester it's not really feasible. Instead I am happy to share some of my digital preservation work here. I recently delved into the XENA software from the National Archives of Australia, and have included a brief report below (with an introduction to XENA). May you find it useful!
XENA
Besides being a leather-clad television warrior princess with a saucy blond sidekick, XENA, is also a digital preservation tool created by the National Archives of Austalia. XENA (XML Electronic Nomalising for Archives) is a free, open source software (yay!) it can be downloaded from Sourgeforge.net, bearer of all (okay, many) things open source! Download the National Archives of Australia XENA software at Sourceforge.net. XENA takes certain of your digital/media files and converts them to preservation-friendly formats (open source, well-supported, community-driven). It then wraps them in metadata and goodies to help render them in the future. The result is a .xena file that XENA will be able to open in the future, unlike your dusty old MS Powerpoints that you made in Windows 95 (and copyright, and copyright, and copyright, Microsoft).
Here's the rundown, from what I gathered:
PROS:
- Converts proprietary file formats to a limited number of open formats the ideas here being that:
- 1. Open formats have greater longevity and there will always be means to open them
- 2. Supporting fewer file formats is easier and cheaper for a repository.
- Fast and simple* (*once configured. I'll come back to that).
- Viewer is included with Xena
- Even though the original file is wrapped into an XML file, the reader will allow you to view what's in there).
- Files can be exported via the viewer.
- Unsupported files can still be binary normalised ("normalized", if you're not using The Queen's English :) ).
- You can still create a .xena file, but the file will not be normalized into a preservation-friendly format.
- The list of formats accepted by XENA is decently long, but still limited.
- Accepted formats can be found here: List of formats supported by XENA, by type
- *Installation and configuration can be a bit tricky.
- That was the asterisk above. The program is very easy to run, as long as it is configured properly. You'll want to read the documentation about configuration carefully.
- If not installing from Windows .zip file, other downloads are required.
- XENA uses several plug-ins to make the conversions successful. It needs Open Office for all downloads, and additional plugins if you're working from Mac OS or Linux. Again, make sure to read the documentation.
- There are some bugs.
- I had trouble converting MS Office applications from Windows XP, for example, which is a known issue. If you feel like reading my report, I talk about it down below. You can visit the Sourgeforge Bug Tracker for XENA or the Wiki of Known Issues with XENA on Sourceforge for more information.
- XENA supports .gzip, .jar, .tar, .zip, .mp3, .wav, .aiff, .ogg, .flac, .sql, .csv, .tsv, .ppt, .doc, .pps, .xsl, .xlsx, .pptx, .docx, .mpp, .rtf, .sylk, .sxc, .sxi, .sxw, .wpd, .pst, .trim, .bmp, .cur, .gif, .pcx, .psd, .ras, .svg, .tiff, .css, .xlst, and etc., etc., etc.... but who supports .xena!?
Report on Working with Xena
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thing 16: Podcasts & Vodcasts
Hi all!
This Thing investigates the world of Pod/Vodcasts. Videos and audio recordings can be an excellent way to engage your users and to create interest in the collections of a repository. As you can see from my hackneyed first attempt, I rarely find myself in front of the camera. But, like anything else, practice does wonders to alleviate fears and encourage development. If, in the future, I find myself at a repository where I afforded the opportunity to showcase bits of collections internationally via Podcast/Vodcast, I would certainly accept the challenge enthusiastically.
Below is a video clip that I made as a brief introduction a project I am working on in the Wellesley Historical Society, in the affluent Massachusetts community whose name it bears. Like many archivists before me, I've been trapped in the basement for quite a while. Despite the preliminary stages of occupationally-induced asthma with which we are all so familiar, I have enjoyed having nearly-free reign over one of the largest storage spaces at the WHS. Under the supervision of the curator, I have been revamping the collection storage space, weeding, mitigating threats (pests, mold, temperature controls), and doing a lot of preservation work on town records, books, and volumes from personal collections and corporate bodies. Here's a glimpse:
Logistically, the inclusion of video material is relatively simple. If the primary target for a Vodcast is a blog on Blogger, the tools to embed the video in a particular post are accessible right from the "Compose" page. Videos can be created via webcam (this one was made using a laptop), or similar functionality on almost any standard digital camera. There are, of course, video cameras made expressly for that purpose, but, if your repository is planning only low-key presentations, there does not seem to be much call to invest in the heavier machinery. File conversion is likely necessary, especially for those working from PCs, and, specifically, those working in Windows. Videos created with Windows Media Player (probably the default for PC webcams) are not immediately compatible with Blogger, YouTube, and probably WordPress as well, though I have spent far less time working there, admittedly. The trickiest part of this extremely low-budg video, then, was file conversion. I went with a tool called WinFX Free Video Converter, which seems to have done the job quite nicely. I went through Geeky Dads Software. It's here, if anyone is interested:
WinFX Video Converter from Geeky Dads Software.
The creation of video material made on a weekly basis could rob an already-busy archivist of valuable time, true. The above video required multiple takes due to ringing phones and other distractions. It is also unedited. A repository establishing a video presence on Youtube or on its Blog would need to keep up regular posts to maintain interest and profile currency. Time for preparation and editing would also be required. It could turn out to be a major undertaking, especially if adopted as a series. The marketing value might trump the time requirement, though, if videos are used effectively. Perhaps a video series could be used to alleviate time spent on repetitive reference requests, for example, and would be well worth time spent developing it. I would certainly consider this as a regular undertaking in the future, given the opportunity!
This Thing investigates the world of Pod/Vodcasts. Videos and audio recordings can be an excellent way to engage your users and to create interest in the collections of a repository. As you can see from my hackneyed first attempt, I rarely find myself in front of the camera. But, like anything else, practice does wonders to alleviate fears and encourage development. If, in the future, I find myself at a repository where I afforded the opportunity to showcase bits of collections internationally via Podcast/Vodcast, I would certainly accept the challenge enthusiastically.
Below is a video clip that I made as a brief introduction a project I am working on in the Wellesley Historical Society, in the affluent Massachusetts community whose name it bears. Like many archivists before me, I've been trapped in the basement for quite a while. Despite the preliminary stages of occupationally-induced asthma with which we are all so familiar, I have enjoyed having nearly-free reign over one of the largest storage spaces at the WHS. Under the supervision of the curator, I have been revamping the collection storage space, weeding, mitigating threats (pests, mold, temperature controls), and doing a lot of preservation work on town records, books, and volumes from personal collections and corporate bodies. Here's a glimpse:
Logistically, the inclusion of video material is relatively simple. If the primary target for a Vodcast is a blog on Blogger, the tools to embed the video in a particular post are accessible right from the "Compose" page. Videos can be created via webcam (this one was made using a laptop), or similar functionality on almost any standard digital camera. There are, of course, video cameras made expressly for that purpose, but, if your repository is planning only low-key presentations, there does not seem to be much call to invest in the heavier machinery. File conversion is likely necessary, especially for those working from PCs, and, specifically, those working in Windows. Videos created with Windows Media Player (probably the default for PC webcams) are not immediately compatible with Blogger, YouTube, and probably WordPress as well, though I have spent far less time working there, admittedly. The trickiest part of this extremely low-budg video, then, was file conversion. I went with a tool called WinFX Free Video Converter, which seems to have done the job quite nicely. I went through Geeky Dads Software. It's here, if anyone is interested:
WinFX Video Converter from Geeky Dads Software.
The creation of video material made on a weekly basis could rob an already-busy archivist of valuable time, true. The above video required multiple takes due to ringing phones and other distractions. It is also unedited. A repository establishing a video presence on Youtube or on its Blog would need to keep up regular posts to maintain interest and profile currency. Time for preparation and editing would also be required. It could turn out to be a major undertaking, especially if adopted as a series. The marketing value might trump the time requirement, though, if videos are used effectively. Perhaps a video series could be used to alleviate time spent on repetitive reference requests, for example, and would be well worth time spent developing it. I would certainly consider this as a regular undertaking in the future, given the opportunity!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Thing 15: Widgets
Hi everyone!
Woohoo, widgets! Widgets are spectacularly useful. They're sort like the kid from the popular group that you invite to your party for status. With a widget, you can take information from one site (like your Twitter account, Facebook account, chat, or something else random), and place it in a different site. We actually already did this when we looked at Meebo, and I embedded the MeeboMe widget on the blog. [--->]
I've also got a counter on here, and a link to follow me on Twitter @Archivisitation.
From Twitter, you can install a widget that will display your most recent Tweets. This can be added to a site or to Facebook. It's a great way to get more of your repository's networking directly accessible from a single location (your site, Facebook page, etc.). Also from Twitter, you can add a widget that will search Tweets, one that will display your favorite Tweets, or one that will display your favorite followers. Any of these would be helpful for engaging folks into the online community of the repository. From Facebook, you can add a Profile Badge or a Page Badge to your site, and this will let people know that you have a presence on Facebook. It's definitely more noticeable than a link. If your repository is on LibraryThing, or your repository is part of a library that is, you can add a LibraryThing account widget that will display your favorite books, or a particular collection, or books with reviews. This widget would be a great way to get those staff recommendations out of the stacks and into your online community. The LibraryThing widget is also customizable. This 3jam widget allows users to send a message to a mobile account, without exposing the phone number. It could be helpful if your repository does text/SMS reference. This widget from del.icio.us allows you to display your new links-- which could connect users with related collections, other repositories, information about your or other archives, etc. Google has all sorts of widgets/"web elements" that can be tacked onto a site. The Maps widget could be helpful for pointing out the origination of a collection or document. ...And there are many more widget suggestions on Stan Shroeder's article, recommended by 23 Things.
These are another way to engage users and to make the archives visible. An invisible archives falls quickly by the wayside, and this technology is usually free, except for the cost of labor and upkeep. If your repository has the time and means (or, okay, realistically, can make the time or means), then networking can reap real, tangible benefits for your repository, staff, and patrons.
Woohoo, widgets! Widgets are spectacularly useful. They're sort like the kid from the popular group that you invite to your party for status. With a widget, you can take information from one site (like your Twitter account, Facebook account, chat, or something else random), and place it in a different site. We actually already did this when we looked at Meebo, and I embedded the MeeboMe widget on the blog. [--->]
I've also got a counter on here, and a link to follow me on Twitter @Archivisitation.
From Twitter, you can install a widget that will display your most recent Tweets. This can be added to a site or to Facebook. It's a great way to get more of your repository's networking directly accessible from a single location (your site, Facebook page, etc.). Also from Twitter, you can add a widget that will search Tweets, one that will display your favorite Tweets, or one that will display your favorite followers. Any of these would be helpful for engaging folks into the online community of the repository. From Facebook, you can add a Profile Badge or a Page Badge to your site, and this will let people know that you have a presence on Facebook. It's definitely more noticeable than a link. If your repository is on LibraryThing, or your repository is part of a library that is, you can add a LibraryThing account widget that will display your favorite books, or a particular collection, or books with reviews. This widget would be a great way to get those staff recommendations out of the stacks and into your online community. The LibraryThing widget is also customizable. This 3jam widget allows users to send a message to a mobile account, without exposing the phone number. It could be helpful if your repository does text/SMS reference. This widget from del.icio.us allows you to display your new links-- which could connect users with related collections, other repositories, information about your or other archives, etc. Google has all sorts of widgets/"web elements" that can be tacked onto a site. The Maps widget could be helpful for pointing out the origination of a collection or document. ...And there are many more widget suggestions on Stan Shroeder's article, recommended by 23 Things.
These are another way to engage users and to make the archives visible. An invisible archives falls quickly by the wayside, and this technology is usually free, except for the cost of labor and upkeep. If your repository has the time and means (or, okay, realistically, can make the time or means), then networking can reap real, tangible benefits for your repository, staff, and patrons.
Thing 14: Facebook Apps
Facebook: unpredictable, explosive, unavoidable? These can be positives and negatives. For a repository with an active Facebook page, Facebook apps can be a way to connect with users, or to create more interest in your archives/collections. The blog prompts from 23 Things for Archivists encouraged a discussion on the pluses and minuses of Facebooks apps, and there are many of each.
The advantages of installing apps on Facebook include increased visibility, low- or no-cost marketing (aside from the required time, of course), and creation of an involved community though social networking. Disadvantages come in that most apps require that you forfeit some control over personal information. Facebook may be given access to your Friends list (something you may seriously want to weigh as a repository respecting the privacy of its patrons). Some sneaky apps even require an acceptance of terms that can grant them access to your Friends' (or Fans', if you're a page) information as well. The best advice when app searching is to carefully read and weigh the permissions required to install that app. For an app to access the "personal information" of a repository's web page may not seem to create many negative consequences. Tracking may not seem ultra-threatening to a public institution account that is being responsibly used, either. However, an app that "requests" to access information about patrons ("Friends"/"Fans"/"Followers"), even their "Likes" or locations, could be potentially hazardous (or, at the very least, offensive) to those who trust your repository with information.
Facebook uses "personal" information and activity tracking, when allowed, to entice advertisers to give money in exchange for marketing information. The tracking, geolocating, etc., is used to create targeted advertising for a particular account. Again, for a repository, this might not seem very threatening. Some with personal accounts, however, might not want to subject their account information to analysis, whether the intent of that analysis be benign or malignant. ...It's still kind of creepy, even if it's just for advertising. What does this mean for your repository on Facebook? It means that when you "invite" a Friend/Follower/Fan to install an app, you may be inadvertently asking them to expose their information to third-party applications and sites. Many may be unwilling to do so, understandably, so don't be offended. Many, though, may be unaware of the consequences and particulars of installing apps (especially third-party apps) onto their Facebook accounts. If you'll be doing this regularly, make sure you know what's at stake, and make sure you are able to communicate the pros and cons to your patrons and "Friends".
One feature that can be really helpful to amalgamation and consolidation is importing a blog to a Facebook account. This can only be done for one other site (i.e. only a single blog can be imported). This feature allows you to import blog entries as Notes, automatically. To configure, click on "Notes" on your repository's profile, then scroll down to "Subscribe" (you may have to go into a particular note to access "Subscribe"). Click on "Edit Import Settings", and type in your blog's URL. Easy! Now your Friends can read what you post on the blog right on Facebook. One less step.
We talked about putting Meebo on Facebook in Thing 2... I blogged about it here. But, as Blogger user Norton enlightened me in the comment to that post, a single account can be on either Facebook Chat or Meebo (through Facebook), but not both simultaneously. But, Meebo or Twitter accounts can be linked on Facebook through apps listed in the "Utilities"section. Either or both of these, or a combination of other apps, could be very useful in consolidating different social media accounts. Under "Business" (perhaps one of the most relevant sections for a repository to explore), SlideShare or LinkedIn accounts can be added. Using these tools, an archives can make presentations about its collections and share them via Facebook, or connect with users who might solely use LinkedIn for professional networking. Definitely helpful. The Family Tree app (Utilities) might be a wonderful way to map out a collection created by a family, so that users can see all the players involved. Many interesting possibilities lend themselves to these apps.
Just be aware of the pros and cons of Facebook (I wrote some of my own perspective on this in Thing 6: Social Networking. Also, be aware that many of your users (or possibly even most, depending on your constituency) will not be on Facebook. This is also true of any or all of the other social networking avenues you may be traveling down with your repository. While consolidating on Facebook can be beneficial, be sure to not "put all your eggs in one basket" as it were. And PRIVACY SETTINGS, PRIVACY SETTINGS, PRIVACY SETTINGS! Note especially, as you bop around, that there is an "Info available through your Friends" section under "Apps, Games, and Websites". Make sure you watch out for inadvertently exposing the information of your followers.
But, other than that, happy apping. It can be a lot of fun and a great tool set.
The advantages of installing apps on Facebook include increased visibility, low- or no-cost marketing (aside from the required time, of course), and creation of an involved community though social networking. Disadvantages come in that most apps require that you forfeit some control over personal information. Facebook may be given access to your Friends list (something you may seriously want to weigh as a repository respecting the privacy of its patrons). Some sneaky apps even require an acceptance of terms that can grant them access to your Friends' (or Fans', if you're a page) information as well. The best advice when app searching is to carefully read and weigh the permissions required to install that app. For an app to access the "personal information" of a repository's web page may not seem to create many negative consequences. Tracking may not seem ultra-threatening to a public institution account that is being responsibly used, either. However, an app that "requests" to access information about patrons ("Friends"/"Fans"/"Followers"), even their "Likes" or locations, could be potentially hazardous (or, at the very least, offensive) to those who trust your repository with information.
Facebook uses "personal" information and activity tracking, when allowed, to entice advertisers to give money in exchange for marketing information. The tracking, geolocating, etc., is used to create targeted advertising for a particular account. Again, for a repository, this might not seem very threatening. Some with personal accounts, however, might not want to subject their account information to analysis, whether the intent of that analysis be benign or malignant. ...It's still kind of creepy, even if it's just for advertising. What does this mean for your repository on Facebook? It means that when you "invite" a Friend/Follower/Fan to install an app, you may be inadvertently asking them to expose their information to third-party applications and sites. Many may be unwilling to do so, understandably, so don't be offended. Many, though, may be unaware of the consequences and particulars of installing apps (especially third-party apps) onto their Facebook accounts. If you'll be doing this regularly, make sure you know what's at stake, and make sure you are able to communicate the pros and cons to your patrons and "Friends".
One feature that can be really helpful to amalgamation and consolidation is importing a blog to a Facebook account. This can only be done for one other site (i.e. only a single blog can be imported). This feature allows you to import blog entries as Notes, automatically. To configure, click on "Notes" on your repository's profile, then scroll down to "Subscribe" (you may have to go into a particular note to access "Subscribe"). Click on "Edit Import Settings", and type in your blog's URL. Easy! Now your Friends can read what you post on the blog right on Facebook. One less step.
We talked about putting Meebo on Facebook in Thing 2... I blogged about it here. But, as Blogger user Norton enlightened me in the comment to that post, a single account can be on either Facebook Chat or Meebo (through Facebook), but not both simultaneously. But, Meebo or Twitter accounts can be linked on Facebook through apps listed in the "Utilities"section. Either or both of these, or a combination of other apps, could be very useful in consolidating different social media accounts. Under "Business" (perhaps one of the most relevant sections for a repository to explore), SlideShare or LinkedIn accounts can be added. Using these tools, an archives can make presentations about its collections and share them via Facebook, or connect with users who might solely use LinkedIn for professional networking. Definitely helpful. The Family Tree app (Utilities) might be a wonderful way to map out a collection created by a family, so that users can see all the players involved. Many interesting possibilities lend themselves to these apps.
Just be aware of the pros and cons of Facebook (I wrote some of my own perspective on this in Thing 6: Social Networking. Also, be aware that many of your users (or possibly even most, depending on your constituency) will not be on Facebook. This is also true of any or all of the other social networking avenues you may be traveling down with your repository. While consolidating on Facebook can be beneficial, be sure to not "put all your eggs in one basket" as it were. And PRIVACY SETTINGS, PRIVACY SETTINGS, PRIVACY SETTINGS! Note especially, as you bop around, that there is an "Info available through your Friends" section under "Apps, Games, and Websites". Make sure you watch out for inadvertently exposing the information of your followers.
But, other than that, happy apping. It can be a lot of fun and a great tool set.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Thing 13: Image Generators/Mashups
Good Tuesday to you all,
Today we're exploring image generators, which can be mashups (although "mashups" are any of a number of different media spliced and reworked). Use of these tools is a fun way to "play" with your institution's holdings. The products can be marketing tools, and would also be a valuable way to engage younger users (especially with potentially fragile items that they might not have as much access to). A review of copyright and creative commons licensing is helpful here, but, hopefully, your repository has acquired full copyright with the acquisition of Collection X, and you can forward some limited unreserved rights to your constituents.
For purposes of mashing, 23 Things for Archivists recommends Big Huge Labs, which is a free service with many available features.
The mashup below comes from a photograph of Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York. Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980. This arena is famous as the venue for the 1980 "Miracle on Ice", where an inexperienced Team USA, comprised of college players and post-collegiate amateurs, upset the powerhouse gold-medal favorite Soviet national team in the medal round. Team USA went on to win the gold medal in this arena, after defeating Finland. The arena (and story) has since been featured in the film "Miracle", which stars Kurt Russell as the charismatic head coach for whom the rink is now named.
Today we're exploring image generators, which can be mashups (although "mashups" are any of a number of different media spliced and reworked). Use of these tools is a fun way to "play" with your institution's holdings. The products can be marketing tools, and would also be a valuable way to engage younger users (especially with potentially fragile items that they might not have as much access to). A review of copyright and creative commons licensing is helpful here, but, hopefully, your repository has acquired full copyright with the acquisition of Collection X, and you can forward some limited unreserved rights to your constituents.
For purposes of mashing, 23 Things for Archivists recommends Big Huge Labs, which is a free service with many available features.
The mashup below comes from a photograph of Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York. Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980. This arena is famous as the venue for the 1980 "Miracle on Ice", where an inexperienced Team USA, comprised of college players and post-collegiate amateurs, upset the powerhouse gold-medal favorite Soviet national team in the medal round. Team USA went on to win the gold medal in this arena, after defeating Finland. The arena (and story) has since been featured in the film "Miracle", which stars Kurt Russell as the charismatic head coach for whom the rink is now named.
It's obvious that, with a little imagination, this and other mashup tools could be a great way to grab attention for a repository. The Big Huge Labs site has many different features. Once an image is altered, also, it can be ordered. The Magazine Cover feature might be a great way to advertise a new exhibit at a particular archives! It's easy and fun, and definitely worth playing around with!
Happy morphing and mashing folks!
Bee
Friday, July 22, 2011
Thing 12: Creative Commons
Creative Commons-- a wonderful project which is helping to bridge some of the copyright gaps in the digital age. I had not thought of putting a Creative Commons license on my blog; I assume that anything intentionally placed on the platter of the public can be seen, and, also, adopted, and I would hope that the borrower would credit the originator. In actuality, though, creative content is copyrighted by default. This gap is one we just mostly ignore (hello Retweets and Youtube and anything mashed), because it is an unspoken, adopted tenet of the 2.0 age that things, as publicly posted, will be subject to iteration. Legally, this doesn't fly. Yet, fundamentally, the Internet breeds reanimation. Would you upload the technical drawings to your potential billion-dollar invention without obtaining a patent? Well, no. That would be dumb. This is why companies have intranets as well as internets--to keep proprietary information private. The Internet is not a safe haven for fully-copyrighted material, really. On the upside, however, it is this open, public venue that has the greatest potential to breed creativity and advance the common sense. Ideas for ideas' sake are tremendous gifts; user-centric programs central to the Web 2.0 era may have the greatest potential to deliver this content and these opportunities.
I would consider adding Creative Commons licenses to those of my created works that are not intended for profit. In the milieu of archives, we purveyors of historical oddities owe it to our colleagues and our repositories to share ideas that will sustain (and hopefully advance!) our profession. Innovation is paramount in keeping our archives afloat. Inventive programming, technology, and avenues of communication will help us to stay visible and usable, which will, in turn, obviate the necessity of our institutions.
Got ideas?
I would consider adding Creative Commons licenses to those of my created works that are not intended for profit. In the milieu of archives, we purveyors of historical oddities owe it to our colleagues and our repositories to share ideas that will sustain (and hopefully advance!) our profession. Innovation is paramount in keeping our archives afloat. Inventive programming, technology, and avenues of communication will help us to stay visible and usable, which will, in turn, obviate the necessity of our institutions.
Got ideas?
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Thing 11: Geotagging
Imagine a scenario in which photographs, pages, Tweets, status updates, and even, someday, electronic item-level records, can be linked together on a map and interrelated based on their spatial proximity to one another. Institutions, archives and museums could coordinate geographically-related content, forging new connections between content, especially where that content has regional relevance.
Geotagging lends itself to construction of the beginning stages of this scenario. While a universal (ha) implementation seems nearly impossible (won't we have moved onto something more advanced by then?), there are still many educational opportunities to geotagging.
In an archival setting, a repository could establish a geotagging map after tagging some items from its collections. In this way, a user can visualize the spatial history of a theme, person, family, business, etc. Imagine a diary collection from a Depression-era family traveling across the "Dust Bowl" of the United States. While, due to budgetary and staffing limitations, it might be impossible, or, at the very least, impractical, to create records for each diary entry, it might be faster and equally interesting to tag places on a geotagging map. Users could instantly visualize the diary spatially, creating a whole additional dimension to research in a fraction of the time. The same could be true of linked collections (pieces of which are held at different repositories) or "unrelated" collections that share only a geographical point or a temporal one. Collections could be linked in a way that would lead users to them. I am sure we have all seen how a single collection can become isolated; this might be a simple way to increase visibility.
The possibilities are very exciting. However, there are also security concerns--particularly personal ones. I think geotagging seems like a worthwhile point of investigation for repositories, institutions, libraries, etc. I am a little leery of using it for my personal items, or those with my name attached to them. There are stalkers out there, after all. Just something to think about.
On a happier note-- got the Twitter going on the Blog. I'm starting to like Twitter... as long as I promise myself to keep it classy, archivist.
UPDATE: Geotagged this entry.
Geotagging lends itself to construction of the beginning stages of this scenario. While a universal (ha) implementation seems nearly impossible (won't we have moved onto something more advanced by then?), there are still many educational opportunities to geotagging.
In an archival setting, a repository could establish a geotagging map after tagging some items from its collections. In this way, a user can visualize the spatial history of a theme, person, family, business, etc. Imagine a diary collection from a Depression-era family traveling across the "Dust Bowl" of the United States. While, due to budgetary and staffing limitations, it might be impossible, or, at the very least, impractical, to create records for each diary entry, it might be faster and equally interesting to tag places on a geotagging map. Users could instantly visualize the diary spatially, creating a whole additional dimension to research in a fraction of the time. The same could be true of linked collections (pieces of which are held at different repositories) or "unrelated" collections that share only a geographical point or a temporal one. Collections could be linked in a way that would lead users to them. I am sure we have all seen how a single collection can become isolated; this might be a simple way to increase visibility.
The possibilities are very exciting. However, there are also security concerns--particularly personal ones. I think geotagging seems like a worthwhile point of investigation for repositories, institutions, libraries, etc. I am a little leery of using it for my personal items, or those with my name attached to them. There are stalkers out there, after all. Just something to think about.
On a happier note-- got the Twitter going on the Blog. I'm starting to like Twitter... as long as I promise myself to keep it classy, archivist.
UPDATE: Geotagged this entry.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thing 10: Photosharing/Flickr
Hello archivist friends.
This week poses many new challenges to Web 2.0 use (i.e., I did not have a Flickr account either). The reasons are manifold, but primarily hinge on the fact that my professional photographs are few. I am interested to see how archives and museums are using their Flickr accounts (primarily for publicity purposes?). My personal photos have been stored on a very large social network that shall remain Faceless, since I first went digital in college. As we talked about on our jaunt through social networking, it seems cumbersome for me to, at this time, reinvent myself professionally on social networks (as an individual I mean-- I think establishing an institutional presence on a social network is important) by creating multiple accounts for the same venue. That's what LinkedIn is for, no? But, similar to with my inquiry into the personal/professional line during professional networking (I shared a link to a LinkedIn string about keeping networking identities at least relatively separate) I (and everyone else, I am sure) have decided that mixing social and professional genres in photographs is equally laden with potential for faux pas. Thus, and forgive my serpentine route to this practically inevitable conclusion-- Tweeters, gasping-- I suppose creation of another account was necessary. I have never used Flickr, though I know a few who have.
So far I like the U.S. National Archives photostream a lot. Check out the newly-posted 1923 Hemingway passport photo! Let's face it-- we are mostly book and/or history nerds, and we find this stuff incredible. Segue: has anyone ever been to the Hemingway House in Key West? It's a fascinating place. Disclaimer: don't go if you're allergic to cats.
There are many intricacies and corners of Flickr to explore, of course. So far I like that images can be user-tagged, or tagged by viewers. I like that images can be saved as favorites without needing to be copied and/or saved. I also like that there are many groups based on some sort of intellectual or thematic relationship, and individual photographs can be uploaded to these groups from outside accounts.
I have reservations (as always) about the effectiveness of user tagging. This debate has raged through libraries and, to some extent, archives, regarding their bibliographic holdings, online catalogs, etc. User tags continue to be both useful in that they can create a better picture of the intellectual material of a resource (where a MARC record might not, as well), and facilitate access and use. On the other hand, tags are interpretive, and vague, and often disjointed, etc. You know the deal. So-- there's that. I love how the NYPL archives approached this problem:
The share potential on a site like this is phenomenal, however. And, if an institution has the resources to digitize photographs on a large scale, this seems like a wonderful (well connected!) venue on which to do so. Does it also promote the "needle in a haystack" search, though? Are images just lost on here? Perhaps this is inevitable. I can see the appeal though-- this is a photographic networking site. I am curious what everyone else thinks about this. Thoughts, folks?
This week poses many new challenges to Web 2.0 use (i.e., I did not have a Flickr account either). The reasons are manifold, but primarily hinge on the fact that my professional photographs are few. I am interested to see how archives and museums are using their Flickr accounts (primarily for publicity purposes?). My personal photos have been stored on a very large social network that shall remain Faceless, since I first went digital in college. As we talked about on our jaunt through social networking, it seems cumbersome for me to, at this time, reinvent myself professionally on social networks (as an individual I mean-- I think establishing an institutional presence on a social network is important) by creating multiple accounts for the same venue. That's what LinkedIn is for, no? But, similar to with my inquiry into the personal/professional line during professional networking (I shared a link to a LinkedIn string about keeping networking identities at least relatively separate) I (and everyone else, I am sure) have decided that mixing social and professional genres in photographs is equally laden with potential for faux pas. Thus, and forgive my serpentine route to this practically inevitable conclusion-- Tweeters, gasping-- I suppose creation of another account was necessary. I have never used Flickr, though I know a few who have.
So far I like the U.S. National Archives photostream a lot. Check out the newly-posted 1923 Hemingway passport photo! Let's face it-- we are mostly book and/or history nerds, and we find this stuff incredible. Segue: has anyone ever been to the Hemingway House in Key West? It's a fascinating place. Disclaimer: don't go if you're allergic to cats.
There are many intricacies and corners of Flickr to explore, of course. So far I like that images can be user-tagged, or tagged by viewers. I like that images can be saved as favorites without needing to be copied and/or saved. I also like that there are many groups based on some sort of intellectual or thematic relationship, and individual photographs can be uploaded to these groups from outside accounts.
I have reservations (as always) about the effectiveness of user tagging. This debate has raged through libraries and, to some extent, archives, regarding their bibliographic holdings, online catalogs, etc. User tags continue to be both useful in that they can create a better picture of the intellectual material of a resource (where a MARC record might not, as well), and facilitate access and use. On the other hand, tags are interpretive, and vague, and often disjointed, etc. You know the deal. So-- there's that. I love how the NYPL archives approached this problem:
"NYPL librarians have already spent a ton of time describing many of these photos, particularly with subject headings that relate the contents of the images. Rather than discard this information, we've added a selection of these headings, repurposed as tags, as a nucleus for everyone else to build from. The hope is that this will stimulate rather than stifle activity on the Commons, with librarians and non-librarians collaborating on the description of this material. " -from their profile on FlickrThough I liked the user guidelines to Flickr encouraging the community feel and the honest use of work, there is not really anything stopping someone from pulling these photos down. They are, at least according to the user agreement, theoretically safe from reposting on Flickr (under the threat of account revocation). However, they can still be downloaded or saved. The NYPL, for example, states that "The NYPL Digital Gallery provides free and open access to over 640,000 images digitized from the The New York Public Library's vast collections" (from their Flickr profile, also), but for a smaller, private institution, does photo sharing increase visibility but also potentially endanger property, copyright, etc.? I wonder if Flickr has a watermarking option, or if this has to be done on on photo editing software ahead of time. I am curious about these things.
The share potential on a site like this is phenomenal, however. And, if an institution has the resources to digitize photographs on a large scale, this seems like a wonderful (well connected!) venue on which to do so. Does it also promote the "needle in a haystack" search, though? Are images just lost on here? Perhaps this is inevitable. I can see the appeal though-- this is a photographic networking site. I am curious what everyone else thinks about this. Thoughts, folks?
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thing 9: URL Shorteners
I have gotten behind; vacation will do that to a person. Or does it propel a person ahead? Hmmm. Philosophically riddle you this. But, what a time for catch up: URL shorteners!
URL shorteners... pretty self-explanatory, and equal parts useful and simple. Where microblogging services only allow a short string of characters in which to express a thought (and, often, to share a link), URL shorteners like tinyURL.com can take a very very long link-- like the address to a page that you had to click17 times to get to-- and turn it into "tinyURL.com/[code]", which is far more Tweetable, readable, Status updatable, usable.
I was going to Tweet about my love for the Wellesley Historical Society, but this website is in need of an overhaul. If I were not slaving away in the basement (oh, and and loving every second of it), I would work on the online media presence of this little gem. Buuuut the site is not actually complicated enough to warrant much URL shortening, for now. As for the collections...safety first. We have a lot of organizing to do before we start worrying about what the website is doing (not doing). I made my first Tweet about my work on the Worthen Collection at Cary Memorial Library in Lexington (MA), but the virtual exhibit is still in test stages and will not be online for at least another month. Linda Carroll, head reference and local history librarian, has done a fabulous job kickstarting it. The Worthen Collection pertains to Lexington history, and since Lexington (of The Battle of Lexington) is arguably the birthplace of our nation, there are some fascinating items floating around. It has been an historical wonder. I will be sure to tweet the link when the exhibit formally launches.
Short and sweet, just like tinyURL.com.
Have a great afternoon, everyone!
Bee
URL shorteners... pretty self-explanatory, and equal parts useful and simple. Where microblogging services only allow a short string of characters in which to express a thought (and, often, to share a link), URL shorteners like tinyURL.com can take a very very long link-- like the address to a page that you had to click17 times to get to-- and turn it into "tinyURL.com/[code]", which is far more Tweetable, readable, Status updatable, usable.
I was going to Tweet about my love for the Wellesley Historical Society, but this website is in need of an overhaul. If I were not slaving away in the basement (oh, and and loving every second of it), I would work on the online media presence of this little gem. Buuuut the site is not actually complicated enough to warrant much URL shortening, for now. As for the collections...safety first. We have a lot of organizing to do before we start worrying about what the website is doing (not doing). I made my first Tweet about my work on the Worthen Collection at Cary Memorial Library in Lexington (MA), but the virtual exhibit is still in test stages and will not be online for at least another month. Linda Carroll, head reference and local history librarian, has done a fabulous job kickstarting it. The Worthen Collection pertains to Lexington history, and since Lexington (of The Battle of Lexington) is arguably the birthplace of our nation, there are some fascinating items floating around. It has been an historical wonder. I will be sure to tweet the link when the exhibit formally launches.
Short and sweet, just like tinyURL.com.
Have a great afternoon, everyone!
Bee
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Thing 8: MicroBlogging (Okay, Twitter)
Was that...? Did a pig just fly by the window?
Okay, I created a Twitter account. @Archivisitation.
For many years I have avoided this arguable inevitability, but under the tutelage of 23 Things for Archivists, I am giving in. My excitement is in the investment in professional networking, information networking, and visibility. My reservations come from time consumption and information overload. We will see how it goes.
I have followed @archivesnext and @archivist_org, and @JFKLibrary (in my hood), and @NEarchivists (New England Archivists) and I am interested to learn more about sharing information. Kate Theimer--writer for 23 Things for Archivists and progentress of Archivesnext, follows over 900 organizations and people pertaining to archives on Twitter. I am expected that @archivesnext will prove itself a valuable source of information. Thanks, Kate, for all your hard work.
As I was bopping around Twitter, I saw a tweet from @Salticidea, an RT by @archivesnext, about a scam from Google+ and now I'm curious after my last post about the Google Plus. Maybe it was a scam (?) I still haven't looked into it, but as always, folks, I would be reluctant to add applications to your Facebook.
I like the JFK Library's tweets, which are used to update on collections, events, etc. New England Archivists seem to use the account to send notices about meetings, or link to meeting minutes, etc. They post once every few days or so. I might like to see a litI tle more focus on highlighting collections, etc. But it doesn't look like a heavily-used account. The Museum of Fine Arts' @mfaboston has a very active account, providing updates on events, programming, funding, etc.
More exploration to come! I have a lot of account collecting to do.
Okay, I created a Twitter account. @Archivisitation.
For many years I have avoided this arguable inevitability, but under the tutelage of 23 Things for Archivists, I am giving in. My excitement is in the investment in professional networking, information networking, and visibility. My reservations come from time consumption and information overload. We will see how it goes.
I have followed @archivesnext and @archivist_org, and @JFKLibrary (in my hood), and @NEarchivists (New England Archivists) and I am interested to learn more about sharing information. Kate Theimer--writer for 23 Things for Archivists and progentress of Archivesnext, follows over 900 organizations and people pertaining to archives on Twitter. I am expected that @archivesnext will prove itself a valuable source of information. Thanks, Kate, for all your hard work.
As I was bopping around Twitter, I saw a tweet from @Salticidea, an RT by @archivesnext, about a scam from Google+ and now I'm curious after my last post about the Google Plus. Maybe it was a scam (?) I still haven't looked into it, but as always, folks, I would be reluctant to add applications to your Facebook.
I like the JFK Library's tweets, which are used to update on collections, events, etc. New England Archivists seem to use the account to send notices about meetings, or link to meeting minutes, etc. They post once every few days or so. I might like to see a litI tle more focus on highlighting collections, etc. But it doesn't look like a heavily-used account. The Museum of Fine Arts' @mfaboston has a very active account, providing updates on events, programming, funding, etc.
More exploration to come! I have a lot of account collecting to do.
Thing 7: Professional Networking
Oops. Looks like I jumped the gun on discussing LinkedIn on the last Thing. So HERE we are with professional networking. Different from social networking. I was actually trying to address the separation of personal and professional in the last Thing, and I ended up conflating discussion into one entry. I find this often happens in the world of online networking anyway, however, so we will let this one slide. Some overlap is inherent and inevitable, especially if a user is extremely active through both (or multiple) networks.
I am excited about this task, because, as I mentioned in Thing 6, I was actively working on my LinkedIn profile already. I just sent out an inquiry to someone who once offered to review resumes. While my employment status is currently active, I have had many changes in the past year-- pursuit of a Master's, internships, volunteer work, contractual employment in a historical society, additional professional memberships, etc., etc. In order to make a complete profile, I have been recently engaged in updating my resume as well-- a tall task in itself. This Thing, LinkedIn, is one to be carefully crafted and thoughtfully tended. Especially for those of us transitioning, or soon to be in transition, professional networking is an absolute must.
I have kicked off the account, but also have taken a lot of extra time crafting. The picture, surprisingly, was a bit of a project. I ended up taking one with my laptop at home and uploading it. In unrelated news, LinkedIn has an import option, which extracts data from an uploaded resume. I tried this also, but found that I really had to do more tweaking than it was worth to just hand-type. You know, formatting woes across platforms, always and forever.
LinkedIn wonderfully provides a venue for professional connectivity. However, as I am sure is the case with most everyone else as well, my friends started seeking me out for connections as soon as I created a profile. This melding of the personal and the professional leads to an interesting question: where do we draw that line? In an expose (accent on the "e"), of immaculate timing, there is, currently, a conversation going on through the ALA LinkedIn group on this exact topic. It's called, not shockingly, Personal/Professional Networking; is there a line between?, and it was started by user "Leif". You have to be a member to view it I believe, but why not join. We're all in the libraryish field, are we not? The group is open to join as long as you are able to state your purpose to the admin.
Most responses on this chain agree that accounts should be kept separate. It can be a challenge, though, especially when one ends up creating 14 accounts so that he or she can enjoy the connectivity of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, SlideShare, and others, for both personal and professional networking. I was recently invited by a colleague to join "Google Plus" too, and to be perfectly honest, I have not even looked at what it is yet. I suppose I have to decide the nature of these accounts first, no? It seems overwhelming though, and it's definitely a bit of a philosophical battle as well-- be left behind, or be overwhelmed? Invisibility is death for a business, or library, or an archives, and perhaps it is so for a person as well (socially and professionally?). But, then, of course, time and resources must necessarily be expended to maintain all of the information sharing. I, for one, am going to take a deep breath and continue the expedition. If anyone has any Information Overload repellent packed in his Blog, do share.
Happy hunting, archivists!
I am excited about this task, because, as I mentioned in Thing 6, I was actively working on my LinkedIn profile already. I just sent out an inquiry to someone who once offered to review resumes. While my employment status is currently active, I have had many changes in the past year-- pursuit of a Master's, internships, volunteer work, contractual employment in a historical society, additional professional memberships, etc., etc. In order to make a complete profile, I have been recently engaged in updating my resume as well-- a tall task in itself. This Thing, LinkedIn, is one to be carefully crafted and thoughtfully tended. Especially for those of us transitioning, or soon to be in transition, professional networking is an absolute must.
I have kicked off the account, but also have taken a lot of extra time crafting. The picture, surprisingly, was a bit of a project. I ended up taking one with my laptop at home and uploading it. In unrelated news, LinkedIn has an import option, which extracts data from an uploaded resume. I tried this also, but found that I really had to do more tweaking than it was worth to just hand-type. You know, formatting woes across platforms, always and forever.
LinkedIn wonderfully provides a venue for professional connectivity. However, as I am sure is the case with most everyone else as well, my friends started seeking me out for connections as soon as I created a profile. This melding of the personal and the professional leads to an interesting question: where do we draw that line? In an expose (accent on the "e"), of immaculate timing, there is, currently, a conversation going on through the ALA LinkedIn group on this exact topic. It's called, not shockingly, Personal/Professional Networking; is there a line between?, and it was started by user "Leif". You have to be a member to view it I believe, but why not join. We're all in the libraryish field, are we not? The group is open to join as long as you are able to state your purpose to the admin.
Most responses on this chain agree that accounts should be kept separate. It can be a challenge, though, especially when one ends up creating 14 accounts so that he or she can enjoy the connectivity of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, SlideShare, and others, for both personal and professional networking. I was recently invited by a colleague to join "Google Plus" too, and to be perfectly honest, I have not even looked at what it is yet. I suppose I have to decide the nature of these accounts first, no? It seems overwhelming though, and it's definitely a bit of a philosophical battle as well-- be left behind, or be overwhelmed? Invisibility is death for a business, or library, or an archives, and perhaps it is so for a person as well (socially and professionally?). But, then, of course, time and resources must necessarily be expended to maintain all of the information sharing. I, for one, am going to take a deep breath and continue the expedition. If anyone has any Information Overload repellent packed in his Blog, do share.
Happy hunting, archivists!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Thing 6: Social Networking
Social Networking: the explosive communication forum.
I made some comments in the Thing 2 entry about Facebook still having a strong tendency toward the personal. I came from a small, prominent, Massachusetts undergraduate program that was not one of the earliest connective nodes on the Facebook network, but was right behind on Wave Two. I have been on Facebook for over seven years (eeek... normally, here, I would tell myself to get a life, except for that that is the purpose of social networking, is it not?), and know the site pretty well. Although, since its change from the .edu connection to the international juggernaut of social networking, much has changed. Information that once seemed unlikely to leak out now much be carefully weighed, guarded, and tagged for public, private, or semi-private viewing.
For me, Facebook still has those collegiate undertones, and I intend to keep my Facebok account personal. In light of this, I have been working on establishing a profile on LinkedIn, which, if you are unfamiliar, is a popular professional networking site. Also in light of my wanting to keep my Facebook account for personal connections, I investigated some of the other social networking options presented by Kathryn Otto in Thing 6. I took a hop over to Gather, which advertises itself as "Social Networking with Substance". Despite its claims, however, I was greeted at the homepage by a news article entitled "US Airways Lets Man in Women's Underwear Fly". Yes...very substantive, Gather. I thought three things: 1) Oh, the irony--this coming from the "Substantive" Social Network, 2) Would not this be more of a story if US Airways prohibited this gentleman from flying? 3) I must get out of here before I get sucked into actually reading this. So, friends, my startling experience on the Gather homepage frightened me away enough to consider sticking with LinkedIn for professional development.
I am but a person, however. What of a library or archives? It makes sense to have a Facebook page for visibility, but, also, to not expect a lot from it. Personally, I am hesitant to "Like" things on Facebook, because sometimes it can end up exposing your interests and making you an advertising target. Identifiable personal information is usually kept private, but I can see how the thought tracking bots might make some uncomfortable. But, then again, bots are tracking Google searches, and visited sites, and cookies, downloads, and everything else. So, there that is. If I were marketing a facility or institution, I might opt to make a personal profile for the institution, as opposed to a page (or at least in addition to a page). There is likely to be much more interaction this way. Friends > Likes, I say.
I bopped around Big Tent for a bit. It seems like a worthwhile service, for sure. However, on the connectivity scale, there is likely to be little advantage gained from opting for BigTent at this time, due to its comparitive size. In a couple of years, it could explode. Who knows. You can connect Big Tent to Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, though, which definitely gives this site some real growth and usability potential. It seems like a useful tool for connecting people within a group (forums, calendars, file sharing, alert/notification options). I wonder what potential it has for pulling in (new) outside users or connecting users across different groups.
I am interested in creating a Facebook presence for the small historical society at which I work part-time, but I need some approval before this occurs. I may seek it next week. Until then, I'm a one-woman show on Facebook and one of two administrators behind a rugby team's social networking presence.
The question of the line between personal and professional in social networking is a challenging one. In fact, there is a discussion currently occurring within the ALA group on LinkedIn about keeping these genres separated. It seems to be the general consensus that an account should be used for professional or personal use, not both. This can be tricky when your professional organization goes up on Facebook, for example. Then-- refer back to my hesitation about "Liking" things on Facebook--you might find folks that like your organization in real life, and don't like it ("Like" it) on Facebook because they want their Facebook accounts kept personal.
One last point: whatever the medium for your social networking escapades, be sure to check the privacy policies, and adjust the settings to suit your preferences. Facebook, notoriously, changed the defaults on privacy settings without notifying users a couple of years ago. It created an angry mob of folks, sitting quietly in their respective computer chairs. That was a joke. But seriously, you can end up with a Google search-able profile, openly available, with all of your content exposed, if you don't pay attention. There are even settings for programs that your "Friends" use accessing your information, unless you reset them! No one with a Facebook account for personal use wants that. So just be careful! After we create new accounts, let's make sure to check the privacy settings. Facebook's explanation of theirs is here .
Happy networking!
Bee
I made some comments in the Thing 2 entry about Facebook still having a strong tendency toward the personal. I came from a small, prominent, Massachusetts undergraduate program that was not one of the earliest connective nodes on the Facebook network, but was right behind on Wave Two. I have been on Facebook for over seven years (eeek... normally, here, I would tell myself to get a life, except for that that is the purpose of social networking, is it not?), and know the site pretty well. Although, since its change from the .edu connection to the international juggernaut of social networking, much has changed. Information that once seemed unlikely to leak out now much be carefully weighed, guarded, and tagged for public, private, or semi-private viewing.
For me, Facebook still has those collegiate undertones, and I intend to keep my Facebok account personal. In light of this, I have been working on establishing a profile on LinkedIn, which, if you are unfamiliar, is a popular professional networking site. Also in light of my wanting to keep my Facebook account for personal connections, I investigated some of the other social networking options presented by Kathryn Otto in Thing 6. I took a hop over to Gather, which advertises itself as "Social Networking with Substance". Despite its claims, however, I was greeted at the homepage by a news article entitled "US Airways Lets Man in Women's Underwear Fly". Yes...very substantive, Gather. I thought three things: 1) Oh, the irony--this coming from the "Substantive" Social Network, 2) Would not this be more of a story if US Airways prohibited this gentleman from flying? 3) I must get out of here before I get sucked into actually reading this. So, friends, my startling experience on the Gather homepage frightened me away enough to consider sticking with LinkedIn for professional development.
I am but a person, however. What of a library or archives? It makes sense to have a Facebook page for visibility, but, also, to not expect a lot from it. Personally, I am hesitant to "Like" things on Facebook, because sometimes it can end up exposing your interests and making you an advertising target. Identifiable personal information is usually kept private, but I can see how the thought tracking bots might make some uncomfortable. But, then again, bots are tracking Google searches, and visited sites, and cookies, downloads, and everything else. So, there that is. If I were marketing a facility or institution, I might opt to make a personal profile for the institution, as opposed to a page (or at least in addition to a page). There is likely to be much more interaction this way. Friends > Likes, I say.
I bopped around Big Tent for a bit. It seems like a worthwhile service, for sure. However, on the connectivity scale, there is likely to be little advantage gained from opting for BigTent at this time, due to its comparitive size. In a couple of years, it could explode. Who knows. You can connect Big Tent to Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, though, which definitely gives this site some real growth and usability potential. It seems like a useful tool for connecting people within a group (forums, calendars, file sharing, alert/notification options). I wonder what potential it has for pulling in (new) outside users or connecting users across different groups.
I am interested in creating a Facebook presence for the small historical society at which I work part-time, but I need some approval before this occurs. I may seek it next week. Until then, I'm a one-woman show on Facebook and one of two administrators behind a rugby team's social networking presence.
The question of the line between personal and professional in social networking is a challenging one. In fact, there is a discussion currently occurring within the ALA group on LinkedIn about keeping these genres separated. It seems to be the general consensus that an account should be used for professional or personal use, not both. This can be tricky when your professional organization goes up on Facebook, for example. Then-- refer back to my hesitation about "Liking" things on Facebook--you might find folks that like your organization in real life, and don't like it ("Like" it) on Facebook because they want their Facebook accounts kept personal.
One last point: whatever the medium for your social networking escapades, be sure to check the privacy policies, and adjust the settings to suit your preferences. Facebook, notoriously, changed the defaults on privacy settings without notifying users a couple of years ago. It created an angry mob of folks, sitting quietly in their respective computer chairs. That was a joke. But seriously, you can end up with a Google search-able profile, openly available, with all of your content exposed, if you don't pay attention. There are even settings for programs that your "Friends" use accessing your information, unless you reset them! No one with a Facebook account for personal use wants that. So just be careful! After we create new accounts, let's make sure to check the privacy settings. Facebook's explanation of theirs is here .
Happy networking!
Bee
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Thing 5: SlideShare & Online Presentation Sharing
Hello everyone!
Thing 5 is about online presentation sharing. Cool! I have never used Slideshare before; actually, I was unaware of its existence. Normally, when sharing presentations, I go with the Google Docs, to which you can upload files to the cloud ::ooooh, the cloud::: and send/share accordingly. This is equally excellent, though different, and much more share-friendly.
While I was bopping around on Slideshare, I found a wonderful presentation on Web 2.0 use in archives. Really great. It's by Arian Ravanbakhsh and Kate Theimer (who a mentor and the content writer for 23 Things!), and it has all sorts of links to examples of real use of the technologies addressed. This presentation discusses ArchivesBlogs, which I actually touched on in my Thing 4 entry, and it also has the same video about Web 2.0 that is included in 23 Things for Archivists' Thing 3 (also written by Kate Theimer). That was fun. I feel like I just unwrapped a little archivists puzzle. I looked at 4 or 5 presentations though-- this was far, far, better than the others. For real.
So in my quest for SlideShare comprehension, I wondered if Slideshare was compatible with Prezi. I hate to say it, but I think PowerPoint might be dying. It's still very popular, and definitely a solid presentation format, but how many ::yawn yawn:: text-filled PowerPoint presentations have we all sat through? To get the most out of PowerPoint, you really have to start using a lot of features. They're there for sure, but, for the love of all things stimulating, please let's get away from the 20 bullet-point-only slides. Has anyone ever used Prezi? It's a great tool that is as quick and simple to use as PowerPoint, but far more visually stimulating. Below is a copy of a Prezi about gaming in libraries, created in 2010 by me, Andrea Cronin, Rebecca Thompson, and Molly Bruce. Check it out-- and see if you think it's more interesting than a PP, despite that the content is largely similar to what we could have placed in a Powerpoint.
Gaming in Libraries
That was a long caveat. Backtracking-- I was trying to upload this presentation to my new Slideshare account, because it's one of my favorites, but it wouldn't convert the Prezi. The conversion program just took out all the pictures we used and made them into their own slides. I found this hysterical yet educational, after my little rant about the PowerPoint decline. The moral of the story, kids, is that this site isn't yet equipped to jump past PowerPoint, really. It will upload videos, though! But, it cannot handle the in-betweens of a dynamic presentation of static materials.
I am going back in search of a PowerPoint. I have been using Prezi for some time but I know there must be a PP in my recent scholastic past, and I shalt track it down, so that I, too, can become a contributing member of Slideshare. There may be a Tangent 5.1 in the future.
I really hope that the Prezi actually embeds when I hit "Publish Post". Otherwise I'm just going to link out to it. That's almost as boring as a bulleted PowerPoint slide. Sigh.
...Nope, it didn't. I wonder if it's possible to embed something into one entry, without embedding it into my entire blog framework for the rest of its existence. That's something to investigate for the future.
Okay, that's it! Happy presenting, friends and archivists!
Bee
Thing 5 is about online presentation sharing. Cool! I have never used Slideshare before; actually, I was unaware of its existence. Normally, when sharing presentations, I go with the Google Docs, to which you can upload files to the cloud ::ooooh, the cloud::: and send/share accordingly. This is equally excellent, though different, and much more share-friendly.
While I was bopping around on Slideshare, I found a wonderful presentation on Web 2.0 use in archives. Really great. It's by Arian Ravanbakhsh and Kate Theimer (who a mentor and the content writer for 23 Things!), and it has all sorts of links to examples of real use of the technologies addressed. This presentation discusses ArchivesBlogs, which I actually touched on in my Thing 4 entry, and it also has the same video about Web 2.0 that is included in 23 Things for Archivists' Thing 3 (also written by Kate Theimer). That was fun. I feel like I just unwrapped a little archivists puzzle. I looked at 4 or 5 presentations though-- this was far, far, better than the others. For real.
So in my quest for SlideShare comprehension, I wondered if Slideshare was compatible with Prezi. I hate to say it, but I think PowerPoint might be dying. It's still very popular, and definitely a solid presentation format, but how many ::yawn yawn:: text-filled PowerPoint presentations have we all sat through? To get the most out of PowerPoint, you really have to start using a lot of features. They're there for sure, but, for the love of all things stimulating, please let's get away from the 20 bullet-point-only slides. Has anyone ever used Prezi? It's a great tool that is as quick and simple to use as PowerPoint, but far more visually stimulating. Below is a copy of a Prezi about gaming in libraries, created in 2010 by me, Andrea Cronin, Rebecca Thompson, and Molly Bruce. Check it out-- and see if you think it's more interesting than a PP, despite that the content is largely similar to what we could have placed in a Powerpoint.
Gaming in Libraries
That was a long caveat. Backtracking-- I was trying to upload this presentation to my new Slideshare account, because it's one of my favorites, but it wouldn't convert the Prezi. The conversion program just took out all the pictures we used and made them into their own slides. I found this hysterical yet educational, after my little rant about the PowerPoint decline. The moral of the story, kids, is that this site isn't yet equipped to jump past PowerPoint, really. It will upload videos, though! But, it cannot handle the in-betweens of a dynamic presentation of static materials.
I am going back in search of a PowerPoint. I have been using Prezi for some time but I know there must be a PP in my recent scholastic past, and I shalt track it down, so that I, too, can become a contributing member of Slideshare. There may be a Tangent 5.1 in the future.
I really hope that the Prezi actually embeds when I hit "Publish Post". Otherwise I'm just going to link out to it. That's almost as boring as a bulleted PowerPoint slide. Sigh.
...Nope, it didn't. I wonder if it's possible to embed something into one entry, without embedding it into my entire blog framework for the rest of its existence. That's something to investigate for the future.
Okay, that's it! Happy presenting, friends and archivists!
Bee
Thing 4: Really Simple Syndication, or, the electronic Mob connection.
Hi everyone!
Thing 4 is about installing RSS feeds, which are extremely useful streamlining tools. A reader (either the person or the electronic apparatus) can import entries from other blogs or web pages to a single space, or, can subscribe to said information and have it stored to a single account page. Since I'm a Google/Gmail/Blogger user, I went with the Google Reader. I have never used Yahoo! Pipes, but they also sound like a worthwhile option. Personally, I didn't need to set up a 5th email account (wow, I need an RSS for my email), so I stuck with Google. For fun, I also added an RSS feed to this blog, in case anyone was interested.
I have a few subscriptions, but they are of a personal nature-- friends, travel blogs, and the blog of one Charles River Women's Rugby-- but I actually write that one so it's a little silly to subscribe to. My apologies, world. It's all a facade of popularity.
Anyway, setting up feed readers is super easy: all that is required is a URL and an account of some sort (blog, email, Google Reader, Yahoo! Pipes, etc.). In fact, Facebook also allows you to import one blog, so that blog entries import automatically as Notes to the linked Facebook account. If your archives/library has a Facebook account and a blog, you can import the blog so that the entries come up automatically. I don't have an archives website of my own to work with (yet!), but this is something that we do with the rugby blog as well, because Facebook receives far more attention than the blog as a stand-alone. Instructions for importing a blog into Facebook can be found here (you'll need to sign in). I have seen RSS feeds incorporated into job search blogs before; this is certainly a helpful way to streamline an otherwise overwhelming collection of sites and entries. Simmons College GSLIS has a great Jobs & Opportunities blog. I'd link to it, but it requires a password validation. There is also a Google Reader App for Android-- so if you're a Droider, you can get all this information sent right to your mobile, which is also super convenient but in tiny, tiny, print. Here's an entry about that in the Google Reader Blog. Yes, Google Reader has its own blog, meaning you can subscribe to a blog about subscribing to blogs. So...there's that.
I'm sure everyone and there mother went searching for archives blogs on the cue from 23 Things, and this is the first thing to pop up on everyone's favorite ubiquitous quick-search tool: Archivesblogs.com. It's about archives, and using readers to pull together from many different blogs. The list is very long. It's a good example of RSS in action. This is a Mob of archives blogs.
Happy syndicating, everyone!
Bee
Thing 4 is about installing RSS feeds, which are extremely useful streamlining tools. A reader (either the person or the electronic apparatus) can import entries from other blogs or web pages to a single space, or, can subscribe to said information and have it stored to a single account page. Since I'm a Google/Gmail/Blogger user, I went with the Google Reader. I have never used Yahoo! Pipes, but they also sound like a worthwhile option. Personally, I didn't need to set up a 5th email account (wow, I need an RSS for my email), so I stuck with Google. For fun, I also added an RSS feed to this blog, in case anyone was interested.
I have a few subscriptions, but they are of a personal nature-- friends, travel blogs, and the blog of one Charles River Women's Rugby-- but I actually write that one so it's a little silly to subscribe to. My apologies, world. It's all a facade of popularity.
Anyway, setting up feed readers is super easy: all that is required is a URL and an account of some sort (blog, email, Google Reader, Yahoo! Pipes, etc.). In fact, Facebook also allows you to import one blog, so that blog entries import automatically as Notes to the linked Facebook account. If your archives/library has a Facebook account and a blog, you can import the blog so that the entries come up automatically. I don't have an archives website of my own to work with (yet!), but this is something that we do with the rugby blog as well, because Facebook receives far more attention than the blog as a stand-alone. Instructions for importing a blog into Facebook can be found here (you'll need to sign in). I have seen RSS feeds incorporated into job search blogs before; this is certainly a helpful way to streamline an otherwise overwhelming collection of sites and entries. Simmons College GSLIS has a great Jobs & Opportunities blog. I'd link to it, but it requires a password validation. There is also a Google Reader App for Android-- so if you're a Droider, you can get all this information sent right to your mobile, which is also super convenient but in tiny, tiny, print. Here's an entry about that in the Google Reader Blog. Yes, Google Reader has its own blog, meaning you can subscribe to a blog about subscribing to blogs. So...there's that.
I'm sure everyone and there mother went searching for archives blogs on the cue from 23 Things, and this is the first thing to pop up on everyone's favorite ubiquitous quick-search tool: Archivesblogs.com. It's about archives, and using readers to pull together from many different blogs. The list is very long. It's a good example of RSS in action. This is a Mob of archives blogs.
Happy syndicating, everyone!
Bee
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Tangent 3.1
THIS JUST IN!
Before finishing writing up my Thing 3 entry, I learned about the first Wikipedia in Higher Education Summit, which will be held at Simmons College this July 6-8! This is a timely coincidence given today's investigation into Web 2.0 initiatives in archives, and the aforementioned see-saw of advantages and disadvantages resulting from 2.0 implementation! Check out the Wikimedia Foundation Report Public Policy Initiative or the Outreach Page for more information.
Here, also, is an interesting opinion article on embracing Wikipedia in higher education, in which Professor Mark A. Wilson (Geology, College of Wooster) advocates for academics to become active, registered editors on Wikpedia. ...For you to take or leave. He does claim (re: advent of Wikpedia) that "librarians were right: the world has not been the same since". Of course we were. Boom.
Before finishing writing up my Thing 3 entry, I learned about the first Wikipedia in Higher Education Summit, which will be held at Simmons College this July 6-8! This is a timely coincidence given today's investigation into Web 2.0 initiatives in archives, and the aforementioned see-saw of advantages and disadvantages resulting from 2.0 implementation! Check out the Wikimedia Foundation Report Public Policy Initiative or the Outreach Page for more information.
Here, also, is an interesting opinion article on embracing Wikipedia in higher education, in which Professor Mark A. Wilson (Geology, College of Wooster) advocates for academics to become active, registered editors on Wikpedia. ...For you to take or leave. He does claim (re: advent of Wikpedia) that "librarians were right: the world has not been the same since". Of course we were. Boom.
Thing 3.0: Web 2.0
Hi all!
Thing 3 of 23 Things for Archivists is an introduction, or, re-introduction, really, to Web 2.0. At this juncture, it seems challenging to even remember the Web as it was, the World Wide Web, the baby of Tim Berners-Lee. That Web is still kicking, but now it's got fancy, fancy, customizable shoes on. The Interactive Archivist (posted by 23 Things), calls Web 2.0 an "interactive environment where users have the ability to create content as easily as they consume it. Web 2.0 is often referred to as the read/write Web or the living Web". As Archivists, we should all understand and value these changes to user-centric venues of communication. We, after all, specialize in users, and in communication.
So, there might be a downside to the We the People of Internet technology [insert Wikipedia horror stories--and that site is heavily monitored, even]. Sometimes, as we know, the quality of that information can lose the luster of Archivist-controlled accuracy and specificity. Is less more? Or is more more? These are the questions. Youtube, Facebook, Mobiles in the library/archives: friend or foe? Like most anything, the answer lies in purposing the tools and information. These technologies give archivists the opportunity to share collections, and to facilitate user interaction in an otherwise practically-impenetrable locale. It can lessen that intimidation factor. IM tools are arguably leading to the rapid degeneration of the English language. However, they're also leading to connectivity, to visibility, to, presumably, a little public lovin' for your hidden-away gem in the non-climate-controlled basement of the historic home of Admiral Important Guy. Imagine a virtual tour of your archives up on Youtube, for example. Or a tutorial about your regulations, your collections, and/or archives in general, to which you can refer patrons before they come in. Look, even Thing 3 was a video! This is 2.0-- my blog, your blog, the Meebo box--and it is giving us the power to communicate. It isn't a lecture; it's a discussion.
The Interactive Archivist discusses "Wikinomics", which is composed of openness, peering, sharing, and acting globally. Considering that the virtual world is blipping right on into Web 3.0, archivists better start passing the ketchup. And imagine all the interactivity and collaborations we could have between institutions and related collections! Yippee!
Also, love this Interactive Archivist posting of case studies in Web 2.0. ...Except maybe the tough love on a Facebook fail for SAA (wohhh wohhhh). We'll get 'em next time.
Happy Webbing!
Bee
Thing 3 of 23 Things for Archivists is an introduction, or, re-introduction, really, to Web 2.0. At this juncture, it seems challenging to even remember the Web as it was, the World Wide Web, the baby of Tim Berners-Lee. That Web is still kicking, but now it's got fancy, fancy, customizable shoes on. The Interactive Archivist (posted by 23 Things), calls Web 2.0 an "interactive environment where users have the ability to create content as easily as they consume it. Web 2.0 is often referred to as the read/write Web or the living Web". As Archivists, we should all understand and value these changes to user-centric venues of communication. We, after all, specialize in users, and in communication.
So, there might be a downside to the We the People of Internet technology [insert Wikipedia horror stories--and that site is heavily monitored, even]. Sometimes, as we know, the quality of that information can lose the luster of Archivist-controlled accuracy and specificity. Is less more? Or is more more? These are the questions. Youtube, Facebook, Mobiles in the library/archives: friend or foe? Like most anything, the answer lies in purposing the tools and information. These technologies give archivists the opportunity to share collections, and to facilitate user interaction in an otherwise practically-impenetrable locale. It can lessen that intimidation factor. IM tools are arguably leading to the rapid degeneration of the English language. However, they're also leading to connectivity, to visibility, to, presumably, a little public lovin' for your hidden-away gem in the non-climate-controlled basement of the historic home of Admiral Important Guy. Imagine a virtual tour of your archives up on Youtube, for example. Or a tutorial about your regulations, your collections, and/or archives in general, to which you can refer patrons before they come in. Look, even Thing 3 was a video! This is 2.0-- my blog, your blog, the Meebo box--and it is giving us the power to communicate. It isn't a lecture; it's a discussion.
The Interactive Archivist discusses "Wikinomics", which is composed of openness, peering, sharing, and acting globally. Considering that the virtual world is blipping right on into Web 3.0, archivists better start passing the ketchup. And imagine all the interactivity and collaborations we could have between institutions and related collections! Yippee!
Also, love this Interactive Archivist posting of case studies in Web 2.0. ...Except maybe the tough love on a Facebook fail for SAA (wohhh wohhhh). We'll get 'em next time.
Happy Webbing!
Bee
Monday, June 13, 2011
Thing 2: Architalk the MeeboMe
Adventures in Meebo!
It took me a few tries to get the widget going in Blogger, but there she is. -----> [sidebar]
This Meebo Widget (called "MeeboMe") can be embedded here in my Blog, somewhere else in your Blog, or on a web page. There is also a mobile edition! Pretty neat. I have a lot of IM experience but have never used Meebo. It's a pretty amazing tool-- especially for an institution (historical society, library, company) with multiple chat IDs on different platforms. From this one program, administrators can link a Facebook chat, a Google Talk, an AIM, a Yahoo!, a Windows Live, A Myspace, an ICQ, A Jabber, a Fixster, and about 40 more platforms that I have never even heard of. BAM! This is a great way to be able to connect to most users across all the most popular platforms that they might be running. I made a joke about archives-on-archives in my last entry-- similarly, this is a MEGACHAT.
Placement/location of this chat box for an archives might be a wee bit tricky. I probably would not place it on a Facebook page, because fewer patrons use Facebook than the World Wide Web when visiting institutions online, still. What do you do when you want to find information on a place? Most likely, you go to Google, and find the institutions website indirectly though a Google search (or one from another engine). In some cases, you might know the URL already, and could go directly to the site. Social Networking is up and coming as Socio-Business-Education networking, agreed, but there are still the residual Warehouse-of-Pictures-From-College-That-I-Don't-Want-My-Mom-to-See roots, which are, essentially, how Facebook got its start. It might be helpful to have a chat box on your institution's Facebook page, but maybe not the sole venue for IM. Additionally, a Facebook account can be pulled into Meebo anyways, right? This means your users chouls be able to contact you from Facebook even if someone is not actively navigating the page.
I like the idea of placing the chat box in the online catalog, which is probably the resource that remote users are most seeking from a library/institution website. This requires, of course, that there be an online catalog. The web page also seems to me to be a good spot. Can all three be done? If you've got the capability for Apps, the Mobile access is where it's at now and in the immediate foreseeable future. Go, Mobile Meebo!
Happy chatting, everyone!
Bee
It took me a few tries to get the widget going in Blogger, but there she is. -----> [sidebar]
This Meebo Widget (called "MeeboMe") can be embedded here in my Blog, somewhere else in your Blog, or on a web page. There is also a mobile edition! Pretty neat. I have a lot of IM experience but have never used Meebo. It's a pretty amazing tool-- especially for an institution (historical society, library, company) with multiple chat IDs on different platforms. From this one program, administrators can link a Facebook chat, a Google Talk, an AIM, a Yahoo!, a Windows Live, A Myspace, an ICQ, A Jabber, a Fixster, and about 40 more platforms that I have never even heard of. BAM! This is a great way to be able to connect to most users across all the most popular platforms that they might be running. I made a joke about archives-on-archives in my last entry-- similarly, this is a MEGACHAT.
Placement/location of this chat box for an archives might be a wee bit tricky. I probably would not place it on a Facebook page, because fewer patrons use Facebook than the World Wide Web when visiting institutions online, still. What do you do when you want to find information on a place? Most likely, you go to Google, and find the institutions website indirectly though a Google search (or one from another engine). In some cases, you might know the URL already, and could go directly to the site. Social Networking is up and coming as Socio-Business-Education networking, agreed, but there are still the residual Warehouse-of-Pictures-From-College-That-I-Don't-Want-My-Mom-to-See roots, which are, essentially, how Facebook got its start. It might be helpful to have a chat box on your institution's Facebook page, but maybe not the sole venue for IM. Additionally, a Facebook account can be pulled into Meebo anyways, right? This means your users chouls be able to contact you from Facebook even if someone is not actively navigating the page.
I like the idea of placing the chat box in the online catalog, which is probably the resource that remote users are most seeking from a library/institution website. This requires, of course, that there be an online catalog. The web page also seems to me to be a good spot. Can all three be done? If you've got the capability for Apps, the Mobile access is where it's at now and in the immediate foreseeable future. Go, Mobile Meebo!
Happy chatting, everyone!
Bee
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Thing 1: This thing.
Greetings, friends and fellow archivists, information specialists, and librarians, library students, lions and tigers, and bears, oh my!
This Blog represents Thing #1 of 23 Things for Archivists 2011, an online self-paced education program from the Society of American Archivists Reference, Access, and Outreach Section.
::cue inspirational music::
Together, we will be embarking upon a journey of web tool investigation, attempting to make ourselves better aligned with the future of our profession, yippee! I'm excited.
Thing #1: create blog, i.e., This Thing. I have spent many a loquacious hour on Blogger. I love this tool. It's simple, aesthetically pleasing (or not, if you want to go all navy blue & black on your readers), and is part of an enormous network of Blogs covering every possible topic, genre, disposition, and level of professionalism. And, since Google purchased Blogger, you can now run everything from your regular old Gmail address, and feel way more productive than when you're using it to sneak onto GChat secretly at work. The tool will automatically archive all your posts, making this a potential archive of archives, or metaarchive. ::Nerd Alert:: Writers and readers alike can connect on all pithy points of interest, inter-link, include pictures, videos, sound clips, export to social media sites, import other blogs or web material automatically-- and all without having to stop and scream into an empty Hollinger box in frustration. I wrote a paper in 2010 about the essentiality of archiving Blog content, because I handily believe that Blogs are the diaries of the contemporary world. But, as this project reveals, they are, too, tools of the modern archival profession.
About me.
Since my actual Blogger "About Me" (previously created) is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the dictionary definition of "me":
My name is Sarah. I am a graduate student at the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science of Boston, Massachusetts. I have an Archives Management Concentration, which brings me here. When I'm not in class, I work at a medium-sized branch of giant international corporation, volunteer on a Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners grant project in Lexington, and do some contract work at the up-and-coming Wellesley Historical Society. I also write for Charles River Rugby. And, like all of you, I'm sure, I love to read and love to learn.
Here's to an enriching, educational archival enterprise.
Best wishes, everyone!
Sarah
They call me "Bee".
This Blog represents Thing #1 of 23 Things for Archivists 2011, an online self-paced education program from the Society of American Archivists Reference, Access, and Outreach Section.
::cue inspirational music::
Together, we will be embarking upon a journey of web tool investigation, attempting to make ourselves better aligned with the future of our profession, yippee! I'm excited.
Thing #1: create blog, i.e., This Thing. I have spent many a loquacious hour on Blogger. I love this tool. It's simple, aesthetically pleasing (or not, if you want to go all navy blue & black on your readers), and is part of an enormous network of Blogs covering every possible topic, genre, disposition, and level of professionalism. And, since Google purchased Blogger, you can now run everything from your regular old Gmail address, and feel way more productive than when you're using it to sneak onto GChat secretly at work. The tool will automatically archive all your posts, making this a potential archive of archives, or metaarchive. ::Nerd Alert:: Writers and readers alike can connect on all pithy points of interest, inter-link, include pictures, videos, sound clips, export to social media sites, import other blogs or web material automatically-- and all without having to stop and scream into an empty Hollinger box in frustration. I wrote a paper in 2010 about the essentiality of archiving Blog content, because I handily believe that Blogs are the diaries of the contemporary world. But, as this project reveals, they are, too, tools of the modern archival profession.
About me.
Since my actual Blogger "About Me" (previously created) is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the dictionary definition of "me":
My name is Sarah. I am a graduate student at the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science of Boston, Massachusetts. I have an Archives Management Concentration, which brings me here. When I'm not in class, I work at a medium-sized branch of giant international corporation, volunteer on a Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners grant project in Lexington, and do some contract work at the up-and-coming Wellesley Historical Society. I also write for Charles River Rugby. And, like all of you, I'm sure, I love to read and love to learn.
Here's to an enriching, educational archival enterprise.
Best wishes, everyone!
Sarah
They call me "Bee".
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