Week 3 Lab

http://www.citeulike.org/user/JLJ74/library

Week 4 Reading Notes

Transcript for Charlie Brown’s Teacher

When I was reading the articles for this week, I was struck by how much I don’t know about computer technology, programming, and database management systems.  In the first article about databases, I began to recognize how pervasive this type of software system is in my day to day life.  However, I have never taken time to even begin to understand how all of the data is organized and retrieved nearly instantaneously.   This article helped me begin to at least try and understand the incredibly complex education that is required to work in this field.

Secret Decoder Ring

The article about the “Entity-relationship model,” was easier for me to begin to grasp the concept of a database modeling method.  Like having a secret decoder ring, Chen’s analogies of nouns and verbs helped me to understand how entities and relationships and attributes work together.  Thinking in terms of semantic information about the real world creates a system that allows users to work efficiently.  

Why Be Normal?

Fred Coulson’s tutorial, “The 3 Normal Forms,” took an incredibly complicated and complex topic and attempted to simplify the process.  Despite having read the article a couple of times, I still find this to be an incredibly complex subject.  Perhaps my brain is just not suited for the thought and discipline that goes into creating a relational database management system.  Perhaps I just prefer my role to be the user that these incredibly intelligent computer programmers spend countless hours working to refine a system that helps me store, utilize and search for information. 

Disclaimer:  Please note that I truly admire those individuals who work in this field and wish that I had the aptitude to do the same.  

Week 3 Reading Notes

I could have used you…

What a great thing progress is.  Back in the day, when I was in high school and college, programs like EndNote did not exist.  One of the worst parts about a research paper was not the research-although the process was vastly different from the process today.  For me, the worst part was completing the bibliography.  It seemed to take more time than the research itself-making sure each period and comma were in the correct spot and the correct words were in italics.  EndNote would have made the process much easier.  Again, progress is a wonderful thing and speaks to the value of programmers creating programs that allow users to work more efficiently.

Progress not Perfection

An Overview of the Dublin Core Data Model was an interesting perspective on the challenge that is faced when trying to standardize the descriptive practice.  At the same time, the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative recognizes that there will “never be one ‘true’ declarative set of semantics.”  It is hard to imagine working on a project that can never be recognized in its purest form.  However, I admire the ambitious goal to also support interoperability across programs.  In this new footing of the digital environment, these types of initiatives will prove successful in advancing a common language to enhance metadata.  It is important to recognize the enormity of the undertaking and applaud the progress rather than be soured on its inability to achieve perfection.

Fluid and Organic

After reading Anne Gilliland’s chapter, Setting the Stage, I realize that while metadata is a relatively recent term-it has been around since the beginning to time.  Humans have always sought to categorize objects and provide a description so that the same object can be found at a later time.  Metadata strikes me as a fluid and organic system, one that continues to grow and morph based on those who are “writing” the metadata.  In my mind, one of the most important achievements of metadata is the ability to authenticate and validate information about an object.  In a world in which tremendous amounts of information are available with a few clicks of the mouse, it is imperative that metadata provide not only the correct context but knowledge that the information object itself is valid.  It’s kind of like reading the National Enquirer or the Wall Street Journal-and being able to readily discern the difference between the information contained within both sources.  

Week 2 Lab-Jing Screen Capture and Video

http://screencast.com/t/lPoVjFYO

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenjumba/6739319687/

Week Two-Reading Notes

So, it’s not magic…

I don’t ooze with confidence when it comes to explaining how computers work.  I tend to be more of the typical “end user” that programmers and engineers have in mind when they are working to design a program that would have practical application.  Both of the Wikipedia articles gave me a better understanding and appreciation for all of the details that go into getting my computer to do what I would like it to do.  Truth be told, a bit of the magic has been dispelled by learning more about the language and coding methods which are used to communicate between machines.  However, computers and all that they can do now and will do in the future still remains pretty amazing.

Anything is for Sale

The article about the European Digital Library and ensuing funding challenges was a bit of a surprise to me.  I recognize there the expense when digitizing vast amounts of material.   Adopting a business model which seeks to develop partnerships to enhance the funding for the project makes sense.  My concern is that few alliances come with “no strings attached,” and therefore will somehow taint or bias what and how items are digitized. 

Albums, Cassette Tapes, CDs

These items should serve as a reminder that technology increases at such a rapid rate that what is popular today as a delivery vehicle, will soon be improved upon in the form of a new technology and thus become outdated.  Digitization:  Is It Worth It? is a great article that forces us to examine what we are doing and why we are doing it.  It seems that digitization is the new hot topic in libraries.  While the goal to increase access is admirable, it makes me wonder, “How long will it be accessible?”  I was fascinated by the “real” cost of digitizing a single page of a manuscript.  Perhaps an environmental scan of sorts ought to be conducted to learn what users/students/scholars etc. would really have an interest in having in a digital and therefore accessible format.   These are the items that should be prioritized for the most people to be able to access.  I can only hope that the methods being used to digitize many of these valuable resources will remain compatible with the technology that we adopt in the not so distant future.