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Kodak has finally made me smile again

May 2007

I’m from the hometown of Kodak so don’t get me started on my opinion of the company (it’s not good) but this video, allegedly only for internal use, but released to the public due to popular demand, is the best “marketing” I’ve seen out of the Kodak in literally decades.

Category: kodak, marketing, rochester, video One Comment

CIL2007: Millennials and the Library

Apr 2007

By Michael

Marshal Breeding, Vanderbilt Library

Generations

Silent Gen
Baby boomers
Gen X
Millennials

Millennial characteristics

inate ability for tech
frenetic multitasking
comfortable w/ diverse types of digital media
highly interactive style of working

The Millennials are coming

creative, organized, independent
impatient, skeptical, sometime arrogant
status and authority don’t impress them

Contrast of Generations charts
approach to study and learning

“they do it all while studying”

85% also listen to music
also…

tv
movie
im
chat

shaping collections for millennials

content

digital/immediate

discovery

more like the web

access

anytime/anywhere

consistent with existing trends

doesn’t conflict w/ needs of library users from previous generations
in tune w/ strategic direction most libraries have
a matter of degree

an urgent need

boomers and genx are happier w/ traditional content & modes of service
millennials will move on to non-library info if not satisfied
a lot at stake

content of collections

Ms comfortable w/ content in diverse media

multimedia

graphics over text
music & audio
video
Ms love to remix

collection possibilities

e-journals/e-books
podcasts of lectures
video libraries of stock footage
news archives
datasets: census/GIS

access to collections

best opportunity for impact
building collections well underway but how best to provide access
how to respond to their prefs

immediate
mobile
flexible
intuitive

heightened user expectations

expectations set by web
sophisticated web skills
low tolerance for clunky interface
confident in their abilities

problems with status quo

doesn’t meet expectations of current generation
too many interfaces
overly complex
not always intuitive
different locations for different types of information

Best library OPAC: A Card Catalog card on the screen?
Best we can do?

Finding Time Magazine Video

common tools for access to local collections

library opacs
links to aggregators/publishers
cross linking via OpenURL
journal finding aids
metasearch engines
all loosely coupled

Metasearch

inherently problematic
not immediate
relevancy ranking difficult
lake of deep results
interim solution

Change Underway

widespread dissatisfaction
movement to break out of current mold
decoupling of the front-end from the back-end

working toward the next generation of interfaces

redefinition of the library catalog
more comprehensive information discovery environments
better info delivery tools
more powerful search capabilities
more elegant presentation

comprehensive search service

more like OAI
problems of scale diminished
problems of cooperation exist

web 2.0 a good start

more social and collaborative
tools and tech that foster collaboration
blogs, wiki, tagging, social bookmarking, user rating, user reviews

Supporting technologies

web services
XML APIs
AJAX
Microformats
Opensearch vs SRU/SRW

replacement OPACs

endeca guided navigation
aquabrowser
common thread

decoupled interface
mass export of catalog data
alternative search engine
alternative interface

expanded discovery and delivery tools

ex libris primo
encore from III
common threads

decoupled interface
comprehensive indexes that span multiple resources
alternative interface

library developed solutions

extensible catalog

university of rochester
http://www.extensiblecatalog.info/

redefinition of library catalogs

question traditional notions
no longer enough to provide a catalog of just print
digital resources can’t be an afterthought
multiple interfaces less tenable
work toward equal footing for digital and print

interface expectations

millennials are used to the Web
used to relevancy ranking
must be fast
rich visual information
facted browsing
navigational breadcrumbs
ratings and rankings

appropriate organizational structures

LCSH v FAST
Full MARC v Dublin Core

OCLC perceptions: Where do your users start?
Library Discovery Model

Library as search destination

non-library nterfaces
web services are an essential enabling technology
libraries lag behind in implementation of service oriented architecture

global arena

google, yahoo
google scholar
ask worldcat
wikipedia
google library print

local v global

how to lib collections relate to global realm
will mass digitization replace local collections
global arena excels at discovery
local arena focuses on delivery

multi-layered information discovery
google v libraries

unfounded concern
google based on discovery
libraries specialize in delivery

Category: cil2007, rochester, video, wikipedia, wikis, youtube Leave a Comment

More on porn in Rochester libraries

Mar 2007

By Michael

The Democrat & Chronicle is reporting that the library board as appointed a joint commission to reconsider the policy. Video from the borad meeting is available through the link.

Category: library, policy, pornography, rochester, video Leave a Comment

Porn at my hometown library

Feb 2007

By Michael

Yes, folks, it’s happening again. Another local TV station has done an “undercover investigation” (video available through the link) to catch people looking at porn in the library. (I grew up in a Rochester suburb and used the library in question regularly so that’s why I’m posting this story.) What makes this story extra interesting is that County Executive Maggie Brooks is now threatening to cut $7.5M in funding unless the library changes its policy. The policy is the one that was upheld by the Supreme Court under CIPA in which filters are installed but are turned off for anyone 17 and older without being asked why. (It is not clear whether the library is required to follow CIPA or is just doing it anyway.) Because of this the ACLU has criticized Ms. Brooks stating “What real significant difference is there between denying an adult patron access to these sites and denying patrons access to Catcher in the Rye?” The most interesting part of all this, which isn’t mentioned in any of the articles: Ms. Brooks used to be a reporter (even an anchor if I recall correctly) for the TV station that started all this. I smell a setup.

Category: library, policy, politics, pornography, rochester, video Leave a Comment

Christmas 2006

Dec 2006

By Michael

Since several people have asked me, I realized that I’ve not yet blogged about my experience getting home for Christmas. Well, I ended up originally getting a flight that got me into Rochester, via Washington Dullas, at 11:00pm on Christmas night. On Saturday I went to look at my updated schedule online and didn’t find it. So, I called United back (was on hold for only an hour this time) and confirmed my Monday flight. During that call the agent asked me if there was a different city I could fly in to. I mentioned Buffalo and she found me a flight that got me into Buffalo at 6:15pm Christmas Eve. I snagged that one fast. The only hitch was that it took me through Kansas City (which finally has facilities inside security!) and Washington Dullas. On Sunday I ended up getting up at 4:30am, getting to the gate at 6:30am, and leaving Denver at 8:30am. I ended up getting to Buffalo roughly on time, but for some unexplained reason my luggage stayed behind at Dullas.

The baggage clerk “found” my bag at Dullas ans said that it would be arriving in buffalo at bout 11pm. Unfortunately, I needed to get to Rochester and didn’t want to impose on my parents any more than I’d already done by making them pick me up about 70 miles from home. The clerk told me he had no more drivers for the night but that he’d have my bag delivered to me in Rochester the next day, Christmas.

Christmas day was fun as the photos can attest. We were able to keep my earlier arrival from my brother and his family so that was a nice surprise for them. Around noon I started wondering where my bag was so I tried calling the automated baggage claim phone system. I wouldn’t accept my claim number nor would it recognize “sauers” as a last name. I tried transferring to a human but every time I tried that I was told that the “transfer had failed” and that I could try the automated system or “call back later”. It’s interesting that instead of being put on hold, I was, in essence, being hung up on by the system.

About 2pm Christmas day I got the call from United confirming the delivery address for my bag and informing me that it would be on the 6pm run. Finally my bag showed up at five to midnight.

Now I’m hoping I don’t get stuck in Chicago on the way back home on Saturday as I hear the snow is starting again in Denver and they’re expecting another two feet of the stuff.

Category: kansas, rochester Leave a Comment

Flight update

Dec 2006

By Michael

Two hours on hold and I’m now getting to Rochester at 11:00pm on Christmas day.

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Snowed In

Dec 2006

By Michael

Well, I went to check in for my flight to Rochester, NY at 11:30am tomorrow and found that it’s already been canceled. I’ve been on hold with United for the past 1.5 hours with no human in sight. Updates as warranted.

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IL2006: Closing Keynote

Oct 2006

By Michael

Social Computing and the Information Professional
Elizabeth Lane Lawley, Rochester Institute of Technology, Lab for Social Computing

New title: Girls Just Want to Have Fun!
New New Title: All work and no play makes jack a dull boy
Final Title: All the world’s a game… and all the men and women are marely players
my blogs

mamamusings
many2many
misbehaving.net
terra nova (blog on virtual worlds)

all blog posts from the week got deleted by hosting provider
rescued them via bloglines
Gaming is shaping an entire generation of computer users and communicators
ulatmac.wordpress.com/2006/09/18/8/

World of Warcraft for use in libraries?

Galataea, Level 60 Troll Priestess (Ms. Lawley)
Played WoW with real-world collegues
Then moved to playing with a group that researches virtual worlds
“It’s all about play, as well. Learn from the gamers.” -Michael Stephens
Gaming isn’t always computer games

OOF!

O’Reiley FOO camp

Reverse scavenger hunt

got gather 10 items
then get list of things you’re supposed to find
justify how thier items match what’s on the list
search flickr for “OOF”

Villager or Werewolf?

each person has a card: villager, seer, wherewolf
one ww, one seer, reat villagers
close eyes & hum
go to sleep
werewolves open eyes so get to see who they are
werewolves pick someone to kill
(can’t speak)
werewolves close eyes
seer open eyes
who’s the werewolf
wake up & see who dies
discussion
figure out who’s the werewolf

what is a game?

a form of play with goals and structure
players make decisissions in order to manage resources
an activity with some rules engaged in for an outcome

it takes so little to motivate people
What are the incentives for people? What makes it fun?
“I love bees” game
“Cruel 2 B Kind” game

helps to reclaim public spaces that aren’t being used

“All in”

toombstone hold’em poker

summer reading programs are games
Stephen Abram

context is king, not content
it’s about unfettered experience
what’s the immersive experience we’re creating in public libraries?

www.42entertainment.com/see.html
Levels of participation

casual (level 1)
active (level 2)
enthusiastic (level 3)

gaming blogs & Web sites

fletcher library game project
bibliographic gaming
game on: gaming in libraries
gaming in libraries

Macarthur Foundation

Digital Media, Learning & Education

Category: rochester Leave a Comment

An interesting view of home

Oct 2006

By Michael

The space shuttle took a picture of the International Space Station recently and at that time it happened to be orbiting above both Rochester (my home town) and Buffalo, NY.
Thanks Matt!