The Job of Organizing

Organizing books and materials used to be in the domain of professionally trained catalogers and indexers. Now, through Web 2.0, it is in the hands of everyday "folk." What are the implications of this trend for librarians? Also, for additional food for thought, go to your Delicious site and examine your list of tags. In your opinion, are these tags more or less helpful than traditional subject headings?

Before the creation of the internet, library catalogs existed to help users locate published resources in the library.  With advances in technology, we are no longer limited to searching for information in books.  We now have access to a seemingly unlimited number of electronic resources.  This has changed they way we look for information.  Instead of going to a library catalog to locate a resource, we can now go to a search engine such as Google to aid in our search.  Google has many advantages over a traditional library catalog, including relevancy ranking and spell checking.  When searching for a book, we can now go to websites such as Amazon,com to find more information and read reviews about the book.  I think these changes have made it easier for people to search for and find information.  While it is important for librarians to have a system for cataloging and organizing information, they have a responsibility to adapt the current system and make it more relevant and usable.

I think that tags on a Delicious site are almost more helpful than traditional subject headings.  Delicious tags allow materials to be labeled in more than one category.  Traditional subject headings force materials into one specific label.  The ability to assign more than one label to resources will make them easier to find in the future.  While some of the tags will only make sense to the individual who assigned them, many will also be helpful for others who are looking for resources on a topic.    I think it is a beneficial thing for everyone to be able to take part in organizing.  When everyday people are able to participate in organizing, it allows them to organize materials in a way that makes sense to them.  Some of the libraries methods for cataloging can be confusing for people who do not have a background in cataloging.  The methods other people come up with for tagging and organizing might make more sense to people without a library background and allow them to find materials more easily.  The downside to this is that each person will have their own way of tagging and organizing.  With traditional cataloging methods, there is a standard system for organizing materials that is universal.  There is also the possibility that things can be mislabeled. 

Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/Using Us

The title of the video that you were asked to view this week is "Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/Using Us." Referencing what you have learned about Web 2.0 through the readings in the Courtney text and through watching the video, why do you think that Professor Wesch gave this title to the video?

This is a great video that illustrates that while computers are very powerful, we are ultimately the ones who give them that power.  Technology is constantly changing and we are the ones driving that change.  People are always thinking of new ideas, as well as improvements that can be made to existing technology.  Digital media is now a form of communication.  It is not only a way to access information, but also a way to share and trade information around the world.  Computers and technology have become one of our main communication tools by using not only our voice through digital text, but also our images through photos, videos, and streaming media. We have gone from a complicated computer language through HTML to a more evolved and user-friendly system. You don't have to use the language of the computer to communicate your language through a computer.  The machines now keep track of each user's history and we are able to use the information to adapt technology to better meet the needs of the world. 

Handheld Devices

Recent advances in handheld devices have created exciting new ways to use technology in the library and the classroom.  Many factors must be considered when choosing how to spend a technology budget of $10,000 such as price, versatility, and ease of use.  

After researching and considering many different handheld devices, the Apple iPod Touch seems to be the most versatile of all the handheld devices.  The iPod Touch is more cost effective than the iPad and can do almost everything the iPad can do.  The lower cost will allow a greater number of devices to be purchased so that more students will be able to use the new technology.  The 32 GB iPod Touch costs $299, and an entire class set of 30 could be purchased with $10,000.  

The possibilities of how to use the iPod Touch in the classroom are endless.  It can be used to access the internet, as an ebook reader, and there are numerous educational applications available.  The iTouch can also be used to play audio books.  This is a great tool for struggling readers and can help with reading fluency.  

Teachers can create a Google Doc, and the students could use the iTouch to respond to surveys or discussion questions.  Students could post their responses to questions and respond to what other students post as well.  Many students will be more open in this type of discussion than they would in a traditional discussion.  This also allows each student a chance to respond while there would not be time for each student to respond during an oral discussion.