Scopus and Google Scholar

I've had the opportunity to work with the Scopus database and Google Scholar. Google Scholar isn't very good for the following reasons:

1. Exporting to Refworks is tedious. There isn't an option to mark citations and export all at once. Each citation has to be exported one at a time.
2. The advanced search feature isn't all that advanced. The facets available to narrow searches are limited. For example, a user can't limit the search by name of journal (like in Scopus).
3. A user can't save previous searches.
   

Net Neutrality: Who's In Charge of the Internet?

A 17 minute interview on Fresh Air about Net Neutrality from May 25, 2010. The link is to the abstract and interview.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126978125

Metadata

Working with this blog is giving me some experience with metadata (tags) in some introductory way. I've also created a Flickr to work with tagging there too. I only had a few digital photos to upload from a previous trip to Cuba in 2004. I haven't labeled the photos or given them any tags yet. I was interested in Flickr after reading about it in the book Everything is Miscellaneous.

Follow the link below to view the photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/honestweightssquaredealings/

I plan on taking the Metadata class in the fall, along with Digital Libraries. I think taking those classes together might create some synergy.

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The Outlook for Librarians - (from Occupational Outlook Handbook - Bureau of Labor Statistics)

According to the latest Occupational Outlook Handbook, job prospects for librarians is expected to be favorable and growth is expected to be at least as good as the average of all fields. The outlook is based on a large number of librarians retiring in the next decade.

As I read the report, I feel better about my job prospects, but not as confident as I was in job opportunities the last time I was looking for a job in 2004. One adjustment I'll make this time around will be a willingness to volunteer. It seems the library profession offers volunteer opportunities, which will benefit me by putting my skills to use, acquiring new skills, and networking with other professionals.

For now, most of my effort is dedicated to getting the most out of my classwork, rather than job searching.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm

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Five Ways to Keep Online Criminals at Bay

The strategies seem so simple, but criminals hacking into people's computers is reported all the time. Two of the ways to keep your computer safe involve software updates. The most vulnerable software according to the article is your browser and Adobe Reader. The other three are to avoid malicious ads, poisoned search results, and antisocial media. Criminals like to entice you to click on their ads found in Facebook, as an example of antisocial media.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/technology/personaltech/20basics.html?src=me&ref=homepage

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The Death of the Open Web

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/magazine/23FOB-medium-t.html

Reading this article makes me think that rather than the World Wide Web expanding people's viewpoints, it's simply been a way that people can aggregate similar viewpoints to harden their positions, perhaps even become less tolerant. Where the Web was considered a way to connect people, further understanding, and break walls down; rather, it may be a tool for people to build walls around themselves.

Loss of electricity causes loss of classwork

Thursday afternoon as I was settling into a post on Bb about Kuhn and SSR for LIS 2000, a tree fell on some wires in my neighborhood and (just like that) I lost my work. I was posting directly into the discussion board and hadn't saved anything. I forgot the lesson I learned during fall term to write posts in a text editor and then cut & paste into the Bb thread.

I felt (sad & angry) like maybe I need to rethink my technological equipment because of the realization that I really depend on my computer, and more importantly, electricity.

So, I'm in the market for a backup power supply appliance so that when the electricity goes out I have a few minutes to save my work and shut down the ole iMac. I'm not interested in continuing my work during a power outage, rather just enough time to avoid what happened the other day.

I have an external hard drive I use to back up my files with Time Machine. I'm also starting to wonder if I need another backup that's not in my home, but rather in the cloud.

Google Pitches a Web-Centric Future

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/google-pitches-a-web-centric-future/?ref=technology

Google delivered its vision of a Web-centric future on Wednesday in front of around 5,000 software developers at its annual Google I/O conference.

The presentation was unapologetically geeky, steeped in the language and minutiae of the technical standards that will drive the next wave of innovation on the Internet. For the Google faithful, at least, the meal was hearty.

Google’s vision of the future is starkly different from those laid out by its rivals Apple and Microsoft, and calls for rich multimedia applications that operate within the browser — without the separate applications that people now download to their PC desktops or mobile phones.

I like the idea of applications living in the cloud or server-side, rather than on my machine. I think it's an accessibility issue, really. I don't have to download an add-on or have any special applications in order to view the web content. From the web content provider, they can reach the widest possible audience in a way that doesn't ask the user to do anything special, or have any special application available on their machine. Plus, all the tinkering on the application can be done without asking users to make updates.

Who Should Look Out for the Safety of Computer Users?

As computers have become more widely used by teens and young adults for communicating and socializing, problems associated with this new means of communication have emerged. The problems include bullying and inappropriate contact between adults and minors.

Our textbook includes some questions and points of view to consider which I've listed below.

• Some parents claim that the government should intervene to ensure better monitoring of inappropriate behavior.
• While some private companies have stepped up monitoring, they often claim that they are not responsible for the behavior of individuals, and parents and individuals should be responsible for inappropriate actions.
• Many teens and young adults feel that the problems are simply a matter of personal responsibility and following some simple guidelines, such as the "golden rule."
• Should the companies that provide the service to teens and young adults be required to monitor and stop inappropriate or socially unacceptable behavior?
• What role should parents play in overseeing their child's involvement in computer use?
• Should police or other government authorities be responsible for maintaining order in this situation in the same way they are charged with maintaining order in society in general?
  

I believe companies that provide services to teens and young adults should be required to monitor and stop inappropriate or socially unacceptable behavior. I do not see a distinction between a physical place, like an entertainment venue, and a virtual space. No one would argue that the company providing a physical space for entertainment and commerce that is geared toward children and teens (adults too) isn't responsible for what happens inside their space. In the same way, a virtual social network should be monitored by the owners for inappropriate behavior.

There are challenges in monitoring a virtual space that don't exist in a physical location. One challenge might be the large number of computer users engaged in the social platform that would make it difficult to monitor. However, I believe that is the cost of doing business.

I believe the role of government is to provide the proper and reasonable guidelines and legislation that companies can follow in order to provide the services they desire in a safe manner. Might the cost of doing business be increased due to regulations? Yes. But who would argue the elimination of food inspections because of the increased cost to businesses and consumers.

How to search the web - Find and evaluate websites

In Consumer Health Information class with Ellen, I learned a quick and easy way to evaluate websites. It's even something that can be taught to patrons in a few seconds. It's called a SPAT Test, and this mnemonic tool for evaluating websites was created by Elizabeth LaRue, who graduated from Pitt's Nursing School and Library School (MLIS & PhD). Even though it was created to evaluate consumer health websites, I've found it useful outside that area too.

SPAT = Site, Publisher, Audience, Timeliness

Site = URL, .org, .gov, .edu, .com, .net

Publisher = Is there an author/publisher, Is there contact information

Audience = Who is the page for, Are the sentences simple and clear, Is there a bias in the text

Timeliness = Is the page dated, Is the page updated or outdated

The link below has tips from the library at Oakton Community College.

http://www.oakton.edu/library/more_about/eight_steps/step5_web/index.php

The DC text (page 84) also provides guidelines for evaluating the value of a website. Listed below are the evaluation criteria and the characteristics of a reliable website. Since any person, company, or organization can publish a Web page on the Internet, it can't be assumed that the information is reliable.

Affiliation - A reputable institution should support the Website without bias in the information.

Audience - The Website should be written at an appropriate level.

Authority - The Website should list the author and the appropriate credentials.

Content - The Website should be well organized and the links should work.

Currency - The information on the Web page should be current.

Design - The pages at the Website should download quickly and be easy to navigate and be visually pleasing.

Objectivity - The Website should contain little advertising and be free of preconceptions.

Building Academic Library 2.0

A thought occurred to me after watching this video and hearing a comment made in class that library catalogs aren't much help. My idea would be to load the library collection records into an open source library catalog that has features that allow users to create tags, write reviews, and rate items. (And other features that users may want.) Offer both to users. It can be an experiment.

Using the Internet safely

The SIS Library was giving away bookmarks with tips for kids, teens, and parents about topics like dealing with cyberbullies, social networking, and safe blogging. I posted the link to the information below.

http://www.ila.org/netsafe/