"Google Promises a discreet View" by David Ljunggren

Article posted on Tuesday Sept 25, 2005:

Google Inc. is considering in having a feautre that allows "street-level close-ups of city centres"; a "street view map feature". I think it's much better than the orginal geo-tagging, that only gives you a mere glimpse of the destination you are heading towards :D What will technology and technology "experts" think of next? :)

http://www.thestar.com/article/260107

Then there's the problem of security, while I was reading the posts from fellow colleagues. However I was unable to locate the link :( I'll try again,when I have time.

The article was on the Toronto Star, Technology- Business section: Tuesday September 25,2007 "N.Y. probes Facebook security"

Parent's Guide...

A collegue of mine had asked me to do an interview for Parent's Guide. Remember I wrote an entry about how students decide on their "career path" and choices amongst universities and colleges and an article of a graduate of MLS or MLIST program. Well, it's something along the lines of such. I was asked how I got to where I am today, and that is being a poor and busy grad student. Oh I mean, an "official librarian", once I graduate!

Once the article is published and out on press, I will post it up! :)

Information as a "lethal weapon"...

What I learned today, whatever you post on the internet (i.e. blog), information is stored somewhere. I'd like to know where? As mentioned in class, isn't that an act against one's privacy? I also noticed that facebook has even pointed out that anyone can search our site by free texting on the internet, that's kinda scary. Social networking as information that can be "potentially harmful?" hmm.. makes you think twice about what to post, what is out there, and who could be tracking you down???

Came across..

I came across an article in the York U magazine, Oct 2007.

It features a blog by a science librarian entitled: " Confessions of a Science Librarian", and how he started blogging, his reasons for blogging, and a variety of science books that he's interested in sharing wih others. Like him,I thought it was something interesting to share with you all.

Here is his blog: jdupuis.blogspot.com

Collection Development..

Here I was sitting in class, learning about how libraries have become this "demand driven" market, or as it is called, the "bookstore model". It's so true, working at a public library, our collection seems very consumer-oriented. As I think about this in class, how many copies of Harry Potter, (the whole series from the first to last one), do we own in the entire system? I can say alot! Not just books, but DVDs, books on Cds (I think books on tapes are out of date though?), and I've even seen Harry Potter books in Chinese! What's my point?

As my professor was pointing out, we've become so absorbed with the idea of getting the most current item into the public library, as a need for the patron, what are the consquences to such? The philosophy of collection development represents a collection that encompasses everything. With that in mind, a collection such as that is a good thing, right? However, it does have a downside, and that is an "opportunity cost" meaning if budget is allocated for current books, then there is the possibility that money for other material can not be bought for another particular type of patron (i.e. interior design books). Also, what happens if books such as Harry Potter become "outdated"? Will people still re-read them or will they become discarded or sent off to book ends (books sold at a discounted price)? I've also kept in mind that not everyone reads at the same pace as the Harry Potter series have been advertised (such as myself, but I've read them all, just not at the pace as some people have read them).

In the end, my question is how do we manage a collection that serves both pragmatic and entertaining items? or can items be both pragmatic and entertaining that is long lasting within a collection? Should surveys be done? doesnt' that cost money? How can a balanced be made at a "fair" price and how can such collections be "objective" in such a balance? It's just a few questions I'm wondering what a librarian would do? However, according to the Professor, librarians do not have a choice, but choices are already made by them through advertising and needs of a particular clientele.. Well that's another topic altogether.

Reading..

"A Librarian's Course" by Kathryn Klages

So if it wasn't confusing enough for high students choosing a degree that leads to their "ideal dream job", it can be complicated even in library school or when one specializes within library science. As told by a recent MLS or MLIST graduate from Western (in this particular article), Kathryn Klage's decisions posed such dilemmas. Her experiences include an eight month co-op placement at the University of Saskatchewan's Health Science Library, records management in Dohar, Qatar and now does contract work in Africa. Through reading Klages's article, the opportunities of a "professional librarian" is not solely bound to the reference desk, but many windows of opportunity (i.e. cataloguing, records management, specialized libraries (law, health, fine arts, business), the public library (adult librarian, teen librarian, children's librarian), also the management aspect to name a few). Her journey is one that "is never straight-it is a sequence of zigs and zags" (Klages, p.43).

Anyone have any ideas what specialized field in library science they want to be in? or a particular type of librarianship? and why?


Reference:
Klages, Kathryn. (2007). "A Librarian's Course". Access OLA. 13(4), 42-43.

Another week..

It's another week of classes, getting into the routine of things, assignments and expectations. Lots to do and so little time...

Hmm.. wondering if can I make the time to read a short easy read (amongst the pile of assignments that lay ahead of me)? What to read, what to read? I find myself during my commute to class that I should be reading! anything! Sometimes it's hard to find something you can really enjoy reading and also it's difficult to read when there's so many people on the tube! At times, I resort to the Metro. I can't say anything in the news really stood out today, but I did find an article about a survey as to how students make their decisions on post-secondary education and their career choices. Accoring to the article, most people resort to online sources about a particular career or ask for advice from friends or colleagues. It was just something that I thought was interesting. As for the numbers (stats) I don't have it on me, but I think it's about divided among the two resources. I find that a growing number of young adolescents and even adults have a hard time knowing "what they want to be when they grow up" or their "calling".

So, how did some of you decided to take upon the "MLS" program at FIS?

1311_Faye

Welcome!

So I decided to post another blog.. I wanted to edit my first entry or at least, post another entry under the first entry, but I didnt' know how to? I figured blogger.com doesn't allow new entries?? Feeling disappointed that 1) perhaps there isn't an editing feature after a blog is posted 2) having to repost another blog, do I feel silly! 3) is there a spell checker here? ( you never know when one misspells a word, it's highly embarrassing)

Then I realized I can use this feature called dashboard (to modify my entry), by the time I figured that out, I've already posted this new one, grrr.

As I looked onto other colleagues and their blogs, I feel that my inital post is rather dull :( I have no pictures, no real substance, but a mere blog about blogs. How boring is that? Who wants to hear about it, except when taught by our professor, of course! :)

I thought to myself, maybe I should write something that is perhaps remotely interesting? What about novels we've read lately, does anyone keep a reading log? or what about books that we use to like reading, but wondered why we ever liked it (vice versa).

Recently read: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Most liked book that I can reread over and over again: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite children's book: The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christain Andersen

I sometimes wonder to myself how many authors (who write children, young adult, adults books) are out there in the publishing world? How do they get their inspirations, and what makes a book or novel " a best seller" or "successful"? What about advice to future aspiring authors? Hmm.. that's something I can address in my next blog.

btw, I apologize for any confusion for posting blogs on the main course website :(