College Stuff

Realizations and Fun

/ dwakimoto

I know it is just stating the obvious, but it is Monday. And what a Monday, we are in the middle of a mini-heatwave out here and it is the fourth week of the quarter which means the first midterm panic/rush is upon us. But that will not stop us, faithful readers, from having some fun and perhaps coming to a few realizations about the academy and librarianship. Maybe they will not be new realizations, but they will be realizations none the less.

I think that this blog entry, 5 Things I Didn’t Realize I’d Be Working On, should be required reading for any new or aspiring librarians. I have to say that it rung true for me. So much of my day is spent troubleshooting computer and printer issues on the desk and a lot of my teaching time is spent creating online modules and videos. The face and work of librarians are changing, even while our core values of service, access and learning are not. I met quite a few people in library school who talked about working by themselves, away from the public, and reading a lot. Thus, this post is very timely and there are those that still need to be reminded that the librarian’s work is always evolving and literally never done.

In that vein, I think that coming to the profession with an open mind and retaining the same open mind is one of the best assets a librarian can have. Oh, and a desire to learn and understand applications of new technology. Oh, and a love of helping people. And, well, as you know the list goes on and on. Librarians are, without a doubt, some of the people most likely to be polymaths and very happy that their jobs allow them to explore so many varied areas and tasks.

This article, Admissions of Another Sort, is really not ground-breaking news, but rather a re-realization and confirmation of just how important and necessary librarians are to student learning. Long live the information literate individual! (and the librarian that helps him/her become so)

Now for a little fun. I think this must be one of the coolest applications I’ve seen in a while. DoInk is a free, web-based animation application. I just finished watching the video tutorial and was super-impressed by how simple the interface is but also how powerful it looks for creating animations. Just think of the cool videos you could make with DoInk. I’m definitely trying this out and seeing what I can create for my classes.

Have a great rest of your Monday and the Waki Librarian will be back later in the week for more fun and productive tidbits from the web.

People, Parking and Performance

/ dwakimoto

Sorry, just couldn’t resist a blog post alliteration on a Monday. The weekend is over and a new week is upon us, but luckily Mondays have something going for them that no other day has (well, actually, that is not entirely true, Wednesdays and Fridays have it too). What is that you say? A brand new xkcd cartoon. I thought we would start off with a cartoon before diving into the techie heart of this Monday’s post.

 

Parking from xkcd

Parking from xkcd

I could not resist this cartoon–haven’t you ever wanted to do that when someone has parked askew, taking up 2 spaces and there are no other ones in the parking lot? People really, really need to work on their parking skills. Or they could just save money, and help save the planet, by buying a smaller, more fuel efficient car. But enough on parking, off to the techie stuff of the day.

Have you heard that YouTube has a new YouTube EDU site. Yes, YouTube EDU, you heard that correctly. The site brings together videos from colleges and universities that have channels and post videos on YouTube, making it easier to sell teachers, professors and other instructors on the value of incorporating YouTube videos in their classroom or in assignments. Yay, for learning being interesting and in multimedia format! Check out the Compliment Guys at Purdue University. Rock on for making people smile! And nice job to all the universities producing such fun videos.

Have you checked out IE8 (Internet Explorer) yet? Here is a very nice review comparing IE8 to IE7. All I could think when reading the article was, that sure sounds a lot like Chrome. So if you use IE7 it sounds like it is time for an upgrade, if you haven’t already moved to IE8. I’m always fascinated by what browsers people use. I have to say that I’m a complete Chrome fan, but have Firefox portable to use whenever I’m doing research for Zotero since I no longer have access to EndNote Web. If you want to share what browser you use and why, leave a note in the comments.

Do you dread calling 1-800 numbers because of the annoyance of speaking to an automated system or pressing “1” so many times you’re afraid you might break the button on your phone? If so, check out 50-Plus Hacks and Tips to Get to a Real Person at Any Corporation in 10 Seconds or Less. This is a good list of tips and tricks, especially handy if you don’t already RSS and read The Consumerist. Because, as we all know, sometimes you just really need to talk to a real person–not a machine.

That’s it for this Monday’s edition of The Waki Librarian. Have a great week and the Waki Librarian will be back with more later this week.

Making Mondays Productive

/ dwakimoto

Sorry about the delay between posts. With finals week and actually stepping away from the computer for a weekend, I feel like I’ve not blogged in ages. So, without further ado, here are some helpful sites and random fun for making Monday both productive and just a little bit fun.

I am a complete Google Chrome convert. I still use Firefox for the extensions and for those few sites that don’t translate well in Chrome, but for the most part I’m a Chrome fan. So I am so excited for this announcement that Google has released a new Beta version. Now maybe they’ll be working on a version that works on Macs so more people can experience Chrome. This beta version is supposed to be faster, so score one for productivity help on a Monday.

Next up is spring cleaning because it actually is spring (even if it still feels like winter in parts of the country). So what better time is there to clean up your office so you can work more efficiently instead of burrowing through piles of paper in the attempt to find the one report you need that was in hardcopy? Lifehacker has this article and before and after photos of some great office transformations. So get cleaning! Not only will you have a cleaner office but you just might have some more ideas after getting some physical exercise (via cleaning). I know I often get my best ideas when walking and think more clearly in a clean workspace, although when writing my office often resembles the aftermath of a paper tornado. Anyway, get a jump on spring cleaning by starting with your office.

If you use digital images in your work, then you will love this list of 30 free image resources. Yes, there are places to get free and legal images on the web. My personal favorite is EveryStockPhoto. So go grab some images and get creative–you’ll need an outlet for all the ideas you come up with after cleaning your office.

And finally, we can’t leave off a Monday post without having a little fun. So here is Surfline’s Top 10 Colleges for Surfing. Yes, here is a list of the best colleges to attend for surfing. California is well-represented and I can personally attest to the influence of surfing at UCSC. If the swells were good in the spring, classes would be (un)surprisingly, poorly attended.

Have a great, productive and fun Monday. More later this week.

Reading

/ dwakimoto

The library today is filled to the gills with people–not surprising considering this is the last week before finals. So in honor of that fact, I thought it would be appropriate to share some articles written about college life and reading habits.

First up is this article from the Washington Post about students’ reading habits. The author seems to bemoan the reading choices of today’s college students. This just reminds me of Betty Rosenberg’s quote, “Never apologize for your reading tastes.” I always hate getting into arguments that try to classify some books and reading materials as “inferior.” My opinion is, at least they are reading. And honestly, I don’t think we should make anyone feel bad about his/her reading preferences. I have to say that I have no desire to read depressing literature right now or so-called serious literature all the time.

Or at least if students are able to read a book they are probably not the ones discussed in this article on drinking habits of college freshmen. While, obviously, this research does not take into account all factors and definitely needs further investigating, seeing even a preliminary study showing that first year students are spending more time drinking than studying is slightly disheartening.

The most interesting part of this article, in my opinion, is the fact that Gwendolyn Jordan Dungy, executive direct or of NASPA — Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education was surprised at these findings because “because most literature describes the millennial generation as responsible, close to parents, focused on their careers and dedicated to service.” This just reminds me of the talk that millennials are so tech-savvy and forgetting the massive digital divide that exists not only in this country but around the world. I think a lot of people would be less surprised by findings such as this if they left the ivory tower and actually walked around where students congregate. Now the question is, how do you get students to spend more time on their studies and less time playing beer pong? Don’t forget to read the comments to this article–many bring up very important issues and some are just hilarious.

Because we simply can’t leave off on such a depressing thought, here is a great list of ridiculous reasons given for trying to ban books. I think it is ridiculous, period, to ban books, but this is list shows just how far people will try to reach to ban a book.

This is the Waki Librarian signing off. More library and tech stuff coming soon. Remember, reading rocks! Enjoy the rest of your day.

Making the Best of Bad Situations

/ dwakimoto

It is the last week in the quarter at my university. This means that students, faculty and staff are all running on low and are ready for spring break. Which means, of course, that this post must be a mixed bag of things and information that just caught my eye. Without further ado, faithful reader, here is to Tuesdays–they have the grand distinction of not being Mondays and being one day closer to Friday and the weekend.

What does any of the above have to do with today’s post? Well, I was thinking about the situation the world is in (which gets depressing awfully quickly) and the last-minute panicking students at the reference desk, and then I thought–well we definitely need something uplifting. And I have to say that this post,“We live in Shakespearian Times,” captures the undying spirit of librarians quite nicely. I love this part: “How do I stay optimistic? I realize first the issues I face are miniscule to the good I can do.” This is how I feel about all the obstacles we face and how I stay optimistic. And if you missed the 40 inspirational speeches in 2 minutes video when I posted it the first time around, take a look at it now.

When people ask me why I stay positive, I simply tell them it is the best way to live. Why be all doom and gloom all the time? The world gives us enough of that. Or I just say one of my favorite quotes on being positive by Herm Albright, “A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.”

Speaking of staying positive, it is very difficult when you read articles about more hard times for those looking for academic jobs. I think it is just wrong that we keep telling people to go further with their education, that it is the way to better jobs and security, when there aren’t many jobs at the top. It discourages me in the same way that all the debate over whether or not their will be a flood of openings in the library world when the Baby Boomers retire. Does this mean I’m against people getting doctorates or furthering their education? No way. But it is a loss when those with doctorates have no where to fully utilize their expertise. How do we fix this? I’m not sure, but investing more in education (at all levels) might be a start.

If this report is true, then Yelp is behaving badly. I love Web 2.0 and sites that allow people to interact and comment about places they’ve been, products they’ve bought, etc. But if a company is purposefully trying to skew reviews and ratings, that is completely ruining the experience and possibilities of We 2.0. It just goes back to the point I try to hammer home to my students–it doesn’t matter what you are reading or watching, always step back and evaluate where the information is coming from and how it might be biased.

Now for something completely cool, let’s celebrate NARA’s 75th anniversary. This site is full of information and news about the National Archives. Rock on archivists–the macho heroes of Washington!

Have a great rest of your day. More later in the week.

Failing and Succeeding

/ dwakimoto / 1 Comment

I think a lot about failing and succeeding, probably because I teach first year students. And it is nearing the end of the quarter, so I’m thinking a lot about failure and success in terms of the course I teach. But furthermore, I’m thinking about it in life and work.

Lifehacker’s Ungeek to Live article, “Failure is the Highway to Success,” is a great look at the interconnectivity between success and failure. I think that in life, in our work and in learning that we have to be prepared to fail sometimes, but that doesn’t mean that we are failures. Those are two very different concepts and no where is this more apparent than with learning new technology, at least for me.

I’ve shared my undying love of Photoshop on this blog, but let me tell you that it wasn’t all good at first. I’d open up Photoshop, start editing my photos, click on something and suddenly have a gradient that seemed to eat half of the photo. It was a true trial-and-error learning process. But to me, giving up in learning something like Photoshop, or in anything I wanted to do in life, has never been an option. You never grow if you don’t risk failing and looking a little ridiculous every once in a while. I mean, I write a blog called The Waki Librarian, so I can definitely say that being okay with risk (and having a sense of humor) is the only way to move forward.

I think a lot about failing and succeeding when I teach my students. I want them to be comfortable pushing themselves, stretching their conceptions and perceptions of the world and discover more. This is why I am always so excited when students tell me that they thought they knew everything about information literacy but that they learned so much from my class. They share their frustrations with research, but ultimately they succeed in the class–or at least, most of them do.

So all I’m really saying is, have you pushed yourself recently? Have you moved past your own inertia to try something new?

And, because I have to leave you with some cool application of technology, check out FrameFinder. Upload a photo and try on glasses so you can buy them much cheaper online than in the store. Share it with all your friends who wear glasses.

Have a great rest of your day.

Online Northwest 2009 Wrap-up

/ dwakimoto

So I’m back at work and into the rountine now and I’m prepping for my next class. But I thought I should give a wrap-up, summary, last thoughts about Online Northwest 2009 before going back to Waki Librarian Land of fun and frolic. 

I thought that Online Northwest 2009 was a great conference. I really enjoy smaller conferences because they somehow make me feel more comfortable talking to people. The keynote speaker, BJ Fogg, was amazing which set a great tone for the conference. And, most importantly, I have to give props to the technology help guru that managed to hook up the projector to my mini-laptop when the conference laptop decided to freeze 5 minutes before my presentation. And thanks to everyone who came to my presentation and also asked great questions! I’m so glad that I didn’t seem to bore anyone to tears or put anyone to sleep.

I highly recommend Online Northwest as a conference for any librarian that is looking for concrete examples and tips for integrating or improving technology use and resources in libraries. I loved the useful tips ( Google Custom Search Engines anyone?) that I can implement in the library without spending money and without having to be the world’s best programmer. 

The only downside to the entire conference was the drive up on I-5. There was a chain control checkpoint past Redding which added 3 extra hours to my drive. But Shasta and the surrounding area looked beautiful under fresh snow. Here’s a picture I snapped while making a pitstop in Weed: 

 

View of Mountains from Weed, California

View of Mountains from Weed, California

So onward to other news that pertains to libraries, learning and teaching. 

Here is an article on how students use laptops during class lectures. This is so frustrating as an instructor when the students are paying more attention to their Facebook page than the lecture. I don’t mind students having laptops to take notes, goodness knows I do it at conferences when I’m live blogging a session. What I do mind is when students aren’t paying attention in class. I am a firm believer that whether a student engages with the class is his/her own choice, but I object to the distraction it causes for other students and the lack of respect it conveys when the student is clearly not paying attention at all to the lecture/class discussion. If they really care that little, don’t come to class.

This article also reminds me about a previous article I wrote about that considers the ability to concentrate the key attribute of successful people. There is so much competing for our attention, even in the classroom, that the ability to tune out distractions and actually get work accomplished is now a rare gift. How many of us know others that fritter away the day hopping from email to phone call to Twitter to Facebook without ever accomplishing work, only to become panicked and stay late to finish a task that should have only taken an hour? Remember, as Lifehacker says, geek to live, don’t live to geek and unplug yourself from distractions, even if your students are unable to.

One other thing that I completely adored about Online Northwest was the opportunity to chat with other people who fully embrace open source. I think open source rocks and was so excited to see this from a LibrarianinBlack post: Open Source Living. This is a wonderful collection/archives of open source resources. Yay, open source!

And, lastly, a funny look at the burden of trying to be involved in all things Web 2.0. So for everyone who feels a little bit guilty about not being an obsessive status updater on Twitter or Facebook, take heart–you are not alone. And like I always say, play with technology, test it and if it doesn’t fit in with your life or workflow, get rid of it.

Online Northwest: Library Services for Distance Learners

/ dwakimoto

by: Cass Kvenild, Distance Learning Librarian, University of Wyoming

Online enrollment is going up, more students taking online classes

Asynchronous Solutions
Adapt handouts
Create Videos/screencasts/vodcast
Participate in Discussion Threads on CMS, embedding the librarian
—this is the one that the presenter likes the best
Podcasting
Document delivery–deliver to everyone, stop wasting people’s time

Synchronous real-time solutions
Phone
IM reference services
Embed in CMS, tab for the library–lots of use because students have to use it
Students like text messaging reference service, very positive, lots of use from students

How do you evaluate your services?
Surveys online
Integrate your evaluations with other evaluations happening at your organization
Embedding evaluation in assignments

Take home message: Don’t waste your patrons’ time; make it easy for students to get the resources and help they need.

Value of College and other Fun Discussions

/ dwakimoto

So it’s a rainy Friday in the Bay Area. On the one hand, that is a very good thing because we need the rain, on the other hand, it’s not because I’m still battling a cold and it just makes me want to crawl back into bed and go to sleep. But faithful readers, it will take more than a cold to keep the Waki Librarian from sharing some goodies to make your Friday a little brighter.

First up, Photoshop tutorial. The 60 most wanted Photoshop tutorials to be exact. I’ve managed to keep Photoshop off the blog, but now must share my unending love affair with this program. I love Photoshop–it is fabulous and I know you can find free photo editing software too, which rocks, but my heart belongs to Photoshop. And now with these wonderful, free tutorials on Photoshop, I will never be able to put down my Wacom tablet and pen as I test out more interesting fire effects and painting effects.

What does this have to do with libraries? Well, I’m sure we all know of a few libraries, organizations and/or logos in need of an update or two. Now with Photoshop you can make fabulous graphics or just clean up some photos taken at your last library event. Yes, Photoshop is super-powerful and has a pretty steep learning curve, but if you like design (even a little bit) you will be so glad you learned it.

Moving on now to something that I think is right on point to our continuing discussions of libraries, education, technology and fun is this article called, “Rethink the Value of College”. It is a timely piece about how much a college education is worth in this time of economic uncertainty. It also asks the question: what is the best way to prepare young people for the changes ahead and the fact that most will have multiple careers and jobs. College is still valuable, but it must be re-evaluated and re-engineered to fit today’s paradigm. Coming to college without adequate preparedness hurts everyone and leaving college with staggering amounts of student loan debt hurts many students. We seriously need a holistic re-evaluation and re-alignment of how we educate and prepare people in our colleges and universities.

Now, of course, I can’t leave you on such a gloomy thought on a Friday. So here is one of my absolutely favorite photography blogs A Walk through Durham Township, Pennsylvania. While Kathleen Connally is somewhat uneven in her execution of her photographs, the majority are absolutely beautiful and make even this sun loving California girl think snow looks pretty. Two of my favorites are titled “My Dream Studio” and “Mr. Darcy (A Baby Pygmy Goat).” And did I mention you can RSS it?

Have a wonderful weekend. I’ll see you next week.

A Happy New Year of Books, Self-Improvement and Education!

/ dwakimoto

Happy New Year! Well, The Waki Librarian is back after a lovely holiday break. I hope you had a great holiday break as well.

For 2009 first post, I have for your reading pleasure articles about Self-Development/Improvement, thoughts on undergraduate education, and reasons for buying books! So let’s dive in for more fun in the waki world of libraries, education and technology!

First off, here is another great, slightly old (sorry, I just have so much I want to share but limited time to share it in!), article from Lifehacker on Self-Development because this might help you with some of your New Year’s Resolutions! These are really simple tips, like watching a TED talk and writing thank you notes, which will not only improve your brain but can make others feel better too. And that is a great situation. I’d also add that learning new things should always be on a list of self-development tips and can easily be accomplished in small chunks so you don’t become overwhelmed and give up on your resolution of self-development. Hopefully this year, The Waki Librarian blog will help you implement technology that helps you and your organization without overwhelming you!

The New York Times has this great article on why an undergraduate degree should not be a job qualification. I think this is a very well-written opinion editorial and it brings up a point no one ever wants to talk about: the fact that college isn’t for everyone. Everyone should have the opportunity to further their education, but that doesn’t, and shouldn’t, necessarily mean a 4-year liberal arts degree. By pushing college and the bachelor degree on everyone, I completely agree with Murray that students are coming to campuses across the country who do not really want to be there. And I think it is hurting everyone, the students who want the bachelor degree, those who don’t, the instructors and society. I think Murray’s suggestion of a more holistic view of job qualifications and certifications is a very valid one. I think it is time that we do something about this crucial matter.

Finally, a post about the joys of buying books. Don’t forget to read the comments which are fantastic. I love the per hour rate comparison of buying books to other indulgences. I love it when people talk about books and I like this nuanced view of buying books versus using the library and how one person’s buying/reading habits might not suit someone else. And, yes, I am biased–I *heart* libraries (but I really love a good used bookstore too!).

Happy 2009!