Google Docs Assignment 4 Link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16IsrANQMspQOD23OVKuhYAGctQxt2aOE1gbYbIq1G0o/edit?usp=sharing

Try the link above to access my Google Doc of Assignment #4.

Anyone using Radio Frequency Identification in their library?

-J. Burnley

Digital Library Review Summary

Summary of Findings

            Both digital libraries and institutional repositories typically have the mission of archiving knowledge or cultural heritage items in an accessible and convenient format.  These organizations tend to desire to spread access as far as possible, opening collections to the general public and using access methods that everyone can utilize.  Also, the digital presence of these organizations, which adheres little to physical or geographical boundaries, can form partnerships and establish communications with almost any other institution in the world.  This virtual presence makes digital libraries uniquely capable of establishing collaborative efforts and creating outreach among cultural institutions.  

            Digital libraries tend to archive more diverse collections and represent a greater area of geographical and cultural contributors.  Even the most specific and focused of the digital libraries under review, The Mountain West Digital Library, still gathers items from a collaboration of institutions.  The Chronicling America library may focus upon one print medium, but it gathers papers from each state in the Union.  This is not to say that digital libraries end up with a greater volume of items than institutional repositories.  On the contrary, institutional repositories have an established base of contributors and a focused mission, making acceptance and submission of materials far easier than a global collaboration.   

  

            Open access software pervades the digital library landscape, especially in the area of acceptable file formats and image viewers.  Linux operating systems appeared in more than one website, for instance.  Those that use proprietary software or formats at the very least choose freely downloadable sources, such as Adobe or Java.  These factors most significantly contribute to the mission of providing free and convenient access to a host of digital collections with a website that is easy to navigate and utilize.  

-J. Burnley

iTunes

I recently received all of my old data from a laptop that died a while ago.  Much of it consists of music from my iTunes.  While on the old computer I had my iTunes configured such that only songs I really enjoyed and understood existed in the library, I did not edit the original files in such a manner.  Now, on the new computer, I have all of the songs back but not edited down.  Therefore, I am taking this transfer as a second opportunity to cull my music down to a representative sample.  It will be a long process, but well worth it (satisfying the inner librarian).  Right, now (going alphabetically) I am on The Black Keys!

Podcasts

I heard on a podcast once that people who listened to the show before they went to sleep often had dreams involving the speakers on the program.  Below are my favorites, and I have definitely had this phenomenon happen to me.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives

http://roosterteeth.com/podcast/

http://www.tolkienprofessor.com/wp/news/

http://www.mythgard.org/exclusives/riddles-in-the-dark/

http://www.startalkradio.net/shows-archive/

Full-Time + Part-time

Completing the requisite blog post to update folks on a new work status.  I'll be filling in as a Weekend Librarian at the Athens-Clarke County Information Desk.  I'm really excited for it!  This also means that I'll work seven days a week for two weeks a month.  Yay for doing library stuff every day!

Gives me a great chance to contrast working in the academic sphere vs. the public sphere.  Reference on Friday at UGA.  Reference on Saturday at ACC.

-J. Burnley

JOOMLA!

http://jburnley.cloudaccess.net/

Boy, do I hope you are all as nerdy as I am...

I can imagine a content-creating experience far faster and easier than Joomla!  Creating a category, then an article, then a menu item, and then perhaps going back to the media manager because you want an image in your article, then back to the article manager to implant the image, and then back to the menu to link to the article... it all seems a bit too back and forth.  The repetition is nice for getting to learn how something works, but I can imagine a system where editing articles, uploading images, changing the layout, and linking to menu items all takes place in the same window.  Also, is it possible to make the back end look more similar to the front end?  That way, making changes (such as reformatting the size of an image) reflects the instantaneous change with the appearance of the site.  Also, a larger editing window with more tools (Yes, should have gone with the component) would be very helpful.


That said, I enjoyed the experience of making a website.  I wish I had more time to develop it, and a greater knowledge of all of Joomla's expansive tools.  My end product took a lot of time to make something that looks very basic.  I also wish I had a website topic where I could include more of my own photos and had more time to write substantial content.  Once the learning curve was out of the way, the CMS provided an easy way to get a website launched quickly.

Out of Order

Elevator was out at work today.  I and my department are responsible for retrieving items from our storage vault in the basement when patrons request them.  Therefore, we climbed six flights of stairs when patron requests came through, carrying their boxes, books, or map folders of choice.  Not fun (for the most part).  Otherwise, not a lot of work was able to proceed.  Therefore, most of the day was spent modifying Joomla!  More to come on Joomla! in the next post.