A blog from the Office of Technology and Research, Florida State University Libraries
As we continue discussion about a learning commons and a faculty-grad-research-center, I am exploring the literature. Below are some links from today’s browsing:
* A 2003 LIBREF post, on the order of what works and what doesn’t, with a bibliography and a list of exemplary commons
* A PowerPoint from Martin Halbert (Emory) and Joan Lippincott (CNI)
* This Educause article, “Sustaining and Supporting Learning Spaces,” which focuses on fiscal planning and cost issues
I returned from the American Library Association 2007 Midwinter conference with several major take-aways (all encapsulated in my trip report, though this is a Word file on the staff share drive and I’m thinking it should be blogged).
The lead take-away was my observation that every discussion of a successful initiative included reference to a group (not necessarily a committee) that provides input, engagement, and response to emerging technologies for library services.
(In some cases these were really floating technologies–those that had been around a while but were not yet implemented by the library–and I imagine the discussion could include sinking technologies, those that need to be given a decent burial at sea.)
My greatest quandary is one of organization. While committees have their strengths, I am wary of funneling this group into a traditional library committee structure; we need a centipede, not a turtle. Yet I am also cautious about having a group so open-ended and outlier that it is not much more than a feel-good rap session (to use an antique but apropos phrase) with little relevance to real-world library decisions. It’s that delicate balance between too much and too little structure.
Incidentally, we are very, very close to having in-house blogging software enabled. That’s the easy side of blogging… the complex issues await us, as happens with any publication mechanism.
This is great news. Do you know a geeky female librarian type? Code4Lib, a small, prestigious conference for library developers/geeks/programmers/scripters/innovators/gurus et al., has established a scholarship to send a woman to their next conference, this February in Georgia.
I am so pleased by that! I will be keynoting there, and Jonathan Blackburn is attending as well, which is marvelous, because he’ll be in his coding prime long after I get my gold watch. But I do want to see more female representation at these technical conferences–and in LibraryLand hi-tech, as well.
I know, I know, I don’t write for days, and now a deluge. This is going out via FSU lists.
Technology News and Notes
An Update from the FSU Libraries Department of Technology and Research
Laptop Program Delayed
FSU has indefinitely delayed its student laptop program, which had been scheduled to launch in the fall of 2007. This gives us some crucial breathing room in terms of demand on our in-house wi-fi. However, we have requested funding to expand our wireless services to both address high usage and cover the “dead spots” in the building. We’ll keep you posted.
Find it at FSU to launch soon
Just a reminder that we are replacing the inscrutable “SFX” graphic used to identify SFX services with Find it @ FSU. We have press kits with fact sheets, buttons, and monitor toppers we’ll send out to departments and campus libraries just as soon as our buttons arrive (any minute now).
Forms! Forms! Forms!
We have created three forms to make it easier to report Aleph or computer support problems, and to request changes or additions to the FSU library website. These forms also allow us to track support requests in an organized fashion. Also, when you submit a request through these forms, you will get a confirmation email. For these reasons, we ask you to use these forms whenever possible.
See the “Forms” section of the main library page, or go here and scroll down to Library Staff-Only Forms:
Aleph Support Request Form: Use this form to submit non-emergency Aleph service requests, such as problem reports, new user accounts, questions, and suggestions. Dongqing Xie, our Aleph Coordinator, monitors this form and either answers the messages in-house or forwards them to FCLA, as appropriate. For Aleph issues requiring immediate attention, please contact Dongqing at 644-5347 or follow your own department’s procedures for contacting FCLA directly.
Technology Support Request Form: Use this form if you have a non-emergency computer-related problem or request for support. If your computer problem is more urgent, call the Systems Office at 644-5685. This queue is monitored by Edward and other systems support staff.
Website Request Form: Use this form to ask for changes or additions to the library website. This queue is monitored by Jonathan Blackburn, Web Development Librarian.
Aleph Task Force
With the Aleph 18 upgrades around the corner, we are reviving the Aleph Task Force. We have an in-house mailing list for the Task Force and will soon announce our training plan.
Instant Messaging Project
We have a small pilot project involving the use of AOL Instant Messenger to improve interdepartmental communications. If you are already using AIM, or would like to learn how to use it, contact Emily Gaskin (AIM/Email egaskin@mailer.fsu.edu ) for our master buddy list, and for instructions on how to establish an AIM screen name based on your FSU email address.
Database Locator Departing
WebLuis will be shut down by summer 2007, and that also means that the Database Locator in WebLuis will also be going away. As of March 1, 2007, the FSU library website will no longer link to Database Locator. However, as of mid-February we will be offering yet one more form, which you will be able to use to recommend updates to our database finder, which should help keep it current.
Over half of all teens use social networking sites, with the practice more prevalent among older teens, reports the Pew Internet and American Life project. It is that second fact–that use increases with age–that should make us sit up and take notice. Social software is not some phase young people go through but a communication method they develop.
Oh, and if you want to IM me, my AIM screen name is the same as my email: kschneider@mailer.fsu.edu .
Over at Library Web Chic, Karen Coombs has a great post about introducing new technology. I particularly like the emphasis on ease-of-use and training.
In the middle of spreadsheets and budget prep, it seemed worth my while to note that “toaster” is the nickname for those small PCs we deploy to public areas. They look like toasters, and they are easy to pop in place. That said, toasters are pretty good PCs. Most people would be perfectly happy with one on their desk. I wonder how much electricity we could save if we made a concerted move to toasters or laptops as the standard desktop deployment?
Today has been a day dominated by ETD, OAI, PMH, CDE, and even CPU, DVD, FMG, XSL, XML, CSS, and more. Before I dash away to get ready to discuss five- and six-letter acronyms (NDIIP and LOCKSS), here’s a ditty regarding the shorter kind:
Acronym Soup
(Sung to “Three Little Maids from School”
from The Mikado)
By Thomas Dowling
(digital muckety-muck at Ohiolink
and frequent poster to Web4Lib)
Three-letter acronyms can be
Very confusing as you’ll see.
Harder than trigonometry—
Three-letter acronyms!
XML is online for free . . .
FTP it from W3C . . .
Use XSL and a DTD . . .
Three-letter acronyms!
Three-letter acronyms are very
Likely to stump your whole library.
Only one thing is still more scary—
Four-letter acronyms!
From Hectic Pace, an ALA blog by Andrew Pace. Enjoy!
A wise technology person advised me that this would be a good week for parking at FSU. It’s true, though I haven’t slowed down long enough to appreciate just how quiet it is. It’s also not quiet for those of us thinking about the Aleph 18 roll-out, or juggling several digital library projects, or just about anything else. It’s also not quiet for the construction crews busily tweaking the campus commons between semesters. But those quiet tables, so busy last week, remind me that now it is quiet for some.
q.v. 
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