Reading Report 5

Before I started reading this article, I thought it would be just another one of the science fiction like articles that were way out there, however, I found that as I read on it was much more than that.  It first talked about the “Star Wars Boy” and how his humiliation became worldwide thanks to the internet.  Granted, he shouldn’t have put it up on the internet in the first place, but it made the point of once something is on the internet, it can’t ever really be fully taken down, someone somewhere will always have a copy of it.  This really made me think twice about what I put up on the internet after hearing this and thinking about the consequences of it.  Next, the article talked about how our privacy is really ending due to all of the records that companies and the government keep and all of the people who have access to these records.  This makes it so much easier for people to steal credit card and identity information because you have to put down information like this for almost everything we do now a day.  After this the article went back to focusing on how what we put up on the internet can have an impact on our future, because in the old days you did stupid stuff when you were young, but eventually everyone forgot about it, but now it’s posted on the internet for almost anyone to see.  This affects us because when you go to apply for a job employers now check Facebook and MySpace to see if there’s anything on there to suggest that they would not be a good employee or that their reputation wouldn’t damage the company.  Therefore, after reading this article, I will really think about how I distribute my personal information and think more before I post things online. 

Mobile Library Website Review

Overall, I like the website.  It was easy to use and very similar to the page for computers with the exception of the homepage.  I used a blackberry to access it and it was easily accessible,however this may have been because it was a smart phone.  When I searched jazz under books, I got the same results that I would have gotten if I had used a computer and was even able to see the details about the book.  I could also search for keywords, titles, authors, and journal titles.  Another thing I liked was that it included a map of the library and directions for the library and where to park for it.  It would be cool if when you clicked on sections of the library if it gave a more detailed look at it, like if you could see the sections of sections in terms of organization.  For example if you clicked on general collection then you could see a zoomed in version of the collection and be able to see section A-BL with certain call numbers or the authors last name, or something like this.  I thought the homepage was good too because if it was the same homepage that it was on the computer then it would be too hard to read because of the smaller screen.  The only thing that I didn't like was that the EBSCO Host was a little different because it took a second to get used to and you had to select which databases you wanted to search.  Therefore, I liked the mobile library website and thought it was easy to use and a beneficial idea.

News Report 5

                For my article, I chose “Digital Underclass: What Happens When Libraries Die?” because not only was it interesting to think about, but it referenced my topic for our bibliography project.  Since books and other print materials are being published electronically more than in print, it will make it harder for those who don’t have regular access to computer to obtain these resources.  It bring the issue of the digital divide into light because those who don’t have access cannot simply go without because they need the books for school and other researching purposes.  According to the article, the disappearance of libraries will be gradual due to the declining use of them because of digital publications.  This makes sense to me because it’s easier for people to use their computer to obtain a book rather than to get in their car, go to the library, find the book, bring it home, and begin reading it because with the computer the result is instant.  This is the essential part of the declining use of libraries because in a generation of people who are used to immediate gratification, no one wants to wait for anything anymore, including waiting for a book to be checked back into the library.  The libraries’ decline has already begun, with libraries running at reduced hours and parts of public libraries being removed to make room for more computers. 

I thought the article raised some good points about the decline of libraries.   However, I wasn’t all that surprised to read that the decline had already begun because like I said earlier, we live in a world of instant gratification, where everyone wants everything immediately and we have the technology to make that possible.  Therefore, I really enjoyed reading the article and I liked that it included a little bit about my bibliography topic.    

Perlow, Jason. "Digital Underclass: When the Libraries Die?" ZDnet. 10 Nov. 10. Web. 11 Nov. 10. <http://www.zdnet.com/blog/perlow/digital-underclass-what-happens-when-the-libraries-die/14554>.

News Report 4

This article talks about how internet radio stations like Pandora, are becoming more popular than the AM/FM radio.  Since it has fewer commercials and is programmed to play exactly the kind of music that you want to hear, it’s going to be more popular than listening to what a radio host feels like playing.  Also it has features where you can create multiple stations for multiple types of music,  you can skips song you don’t like and rate the ones that you do, and there is a greater variety of music available.  However, the radio is still the biggest source for finding new music, according to a study in the article.

I wasn’t surprised when I read this because Pandora is just so cool.  It helps find you all kinds of songs similar to what you like, there’s no static, and it’s really easy to use.  I was surprised to see that the radio was still leading in terms of finding new music though because most of the stations playlists are controlled by a computer instead of a DJ.  I also found it interesting to read that most people still hear about concert from the radio the most because if people have started listening to the radio less, how can they still be hearing about all of the concerts from it.  Overall, I thought the article was good and made sense when you thought about it.  People are always going to chose something they can customize over something that they cannot.

Lasat, Matthew. ARS Technia. ARS Technica, 2 Nov. 2010. Web. 2 Nov. 2010. <http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/11/are-the-likes-of-pandora-poised-to-kill-amfm-radio.ars>.

Reading Report 4

The article starts off by stating that students rarely go to the library or use it’ resources because of Google, yet students don’t realize that the information that they find on Google may not be accurate or that the libraries databases do a better job of gathering quality factual information.  Because of this, some librarians are trying to find databases that have a similar structure to Google, so it will be easier for students to use, however, if students took the time to learn how to use the databases, their searches would be more effective.   Students can learn how to use the databases with a program at some libraries called information literacy initiative, which sounds similar to lib 103.  To help encourage students to learn to use the databases, some professors are requiring students to use certain databases and include how they found the information in their papers.

                I thought the article made a good point.  Students need to learn to use the databases that the school libraries offer rather than Google because the information on them is so much more valuable and in-depth than Google.  If it wasn’t and better, then libraries wouldn’t spend the thousands of dollars that they do on them.  I also think that a class like lib 103 should be added to the list of basic studies because it teaches you so much valuable information about databases and how to use the library effectively.  It was also cool that they compared the problem of Google to dieting, because it made the article more interesting and easier to read.  Therefore, I really liked the article and thought that it made a lot of good points.

Reading Report 3

Reading 1

This article talks about how the author thinks that librarians will be the next pop-culture wave, meaning that there will be TV shows on channels like TLC and such, along with YouTube videos and other forms of multi-media.  It uses bolded examples to show why the author thinks that librarians will be the next big thing, with reasons like “Librarians know things, and librarians get in fights.”(1)  I thought that the article was interesting and made some really good points.  All it takes is a few good quality YouTube videos and a couple million hits on them, or really good movie to make something “the next big thing”.  Therefore, I really liked the article and thought it made a good point about how librarians could be the next big thing and how easy it is to start a pop culture fad.

Reading 2

                The second article talks about the “libraries of the future” and what people imagine they will look and be like.  It then beings to talk about how libraries aren’t becoming obsolete, in fact they are predicted to be bigger and more used than ever due to expanding technology.  It then talks about how libraries going to be more electronic centered and will have different areas all over the library where they focus on certain things, like the kid and adult sections in the library, but with more subcategories.  The article also had quotes from different people talking about what they thought the library of the future would be like, and one child said that it would be similar in size to a shopping mall.  I thought the article was very interesting, and I could definitely picture libraries in the future looking like what the article described them to be like.  I thought it was a good idea that libraries have writing contests for kids to enter because I think that it’s a good way to keep them entertained and strengthen their writing skills.  Therefore, I enjoyed the article and thought that it made a lot of good points.

Holmes, Linda. "Why The Next Big Pop-Culture Wave After Cupcakes Might Be Libraries : Monkey See : NPR." NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. 20 July 2010. Web. 07 Oct. 2010. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2010/07/20/128651136/why-the-next-big-pop-culture-wave-after-cupcakes-might-be-libraries>.

News Report 3

                It has been proposed that wire taps on internet sites should be more easily done.  Obama’s reasoning for this is that criminals now use the internet to communicate, rather than the phone, so they need a way to “track” their conversations.  They want to implement this plan for things such as Facebook, Skype, Google, and other popular internet programs.  However, the companies have not responded to this plan yet, for lack of details.  Also, before this plan is implemented, they will have to deal with the issue of people’s rights possibly being violated.

                I personally think this should be done, but there need to be some serious rules set into place before it’s done.  They need to make the program that does this very difficult to hack to avoid the general public’s privacy from being invaded.  Also they need to have probable cause along with evidence before they begin snooping through people’s internet lives.  I think it should also be monitored by a private company paired with the government rather than one of the other, that way the monitoring isn’t abused or doesn’t become out of control.  They would also have to make it known to users before they sign up for a program or website that the site is monitored and that what they do on it has the right to be investigated.  Therefore, I think it’s a good idea because many major terrorists meet and make plans over the internet now a days; however, they should have a way to keep the information secure and make sure that the monitoring isn’t abused.

KOPYTOFF, VERNE G. "Internet Wiretapping Proposal Met With Silence - NYTimes.com." Technology - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com. 28 Sept. 2010. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. <http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/internet-wiretapping-proposal-met-with-silence/?ref=technology>.

Reading Report 2

The article “Web Hoaxes, Counterfeit Sites, and Other Spurious Information on the Internet”, talks about a fake/ made up website that talk about “lip balm addictions”.  When asked about the credibility of the website, the author referred to his site as misinformative, however, many people believed it and took it seriously by following his twelve step plan.  It goes on to talk about the classification of other false sites, such as false advertising sites are categorized as malicious, and “spoof/parody” websites are considered to be funny and humorous, but misleading.  The Martin Luther King Jr. site was created and passed off as the an official site, however it went on to defame him with the false claims about him “partying with women” and being a member of the communist party.  After talking about counterfeit websites, it talks about suspicious websites, which discusses the website that claimed that the Holocaust didn’t exist and another that says that Europeans were the first ones to settle North America, not the Native Americans.  The article also included information about 9/11 hoaxes on the Internet and false medical information from seemingly credible sights claiming to have cures/remedies.  It also talked about email hoaxes and comic fake websites, like the one sent to the women before 9/11 warning her not to go to the mall or on an airplane during the time of the attacks and website about “clones-r-us”. 

After reading this article, I learned to be more cautious about what I believe on the Internet.  I never would have thought to think, oh maybe this medical website has no idea what it’s talking about because it seemed legitimate.  It also taught me that you can really put whatever you want on the internet, and regardless of it’s accuracy, someone will believe it and take it seriously.  Therefore, I found the article to be very informative and helpful about Internet hoaxes.  

News Report 2

Google just finished working on a new search engine called “Google Instant”, which allows the user to view results while they type in what they are searching for.  By doing this, the process of typing in your search and clicking search is eliminated, which is supposed to save two to five seconds on each search.  Google recently told sources that they have been hinting at the new search engine for the past few days with their headings, and it will soon be released to the public.  Some are even calling the new search engine “psychic”.

It’s weird to me to think that soon when I go to Google that I won’t have to click search anymore.  However, I feel like it could slow down the search process because since it is able to suggest what you might by typing; someone could easily be distracted by other things that could be similar to what you’re searching for.  For example, you could be typing in the word dogmatic to look up it’s definition, but you could easily be distracted by dog websites because they would, without a doubt come up in the search.  Somehow, the thought of Google being any faster than it already is blows my mind.  It only takes like 2.5 seconds to generate about 2 million results.  Who knows how many it will find in those 2.5 seconds with the new search engine.  However, I still think that it is a cool concept and would make searching quicker if you’re not easily distracted, and it would defiantly satisfy the “instant gratification” world/generation that we live in today.

Cheng, Jacqui. "Google Search Becomes Psychic with Dynamic Results, Predictions." Ars Technica. 9 Sept. 2010. Web. 09 Sept. 2010. <http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2010/09/google-search-becomes-psychic-with-dynamic-results-predictions.ars>.

Reading Report 1

I thought it was interesting to hear that Wikipedia has a declining number of contributors, but I guess it had to slow down sometime.  I guess some people are running out of things to write about?  I think part of its decline was caused by the fact that they are screening what is posted now to prevent false information from being posted.  It’s a good idea though because now we can feel more confident in the information we get from Wikipedia.  Maybe one day we will even be allowed to use it as a source for research papers, because in the past, my teachers have always told me not to use Wikipedia because its not always factual.  I also found it interesting that he compared the lack of a “rush” when posting something on Wikipedia to a population of bunnies. 

           

I learned that Wikipedia is less than ten years old, yet it has 820,000 million contributors.  Also I learned that they only considered their information to be unreliable after a contributor added himself to the suspect list in the Abraham Lincoln shooting.  You think that they would have looked over their information on things that are of serious importance like that before they let the post up, however they thought of that later, after the incident.  It surprised me that only 13 percent of their contributors were women.  I thought that it would have been a more equal amount of men and women.  Overall, I found the article to be very interesting and informative. 

News Report 1

The article was about how some universities in the United States are digitizing their libraries. This means that students will be able to access all of their reading material online instead of in actual books. Stanford University has teamed up with Google to make this possible. They are planning on leaving some books on the shelves like Shakespeare, but books on engineering, for example will be digitized. The universities are planning on storing the old books in warehouses once they have been digitalized. The main issue that they have run into however, is copyright issues. This is an issue because once books are online the material is accessible to everyone, making it easier for someone to infringe on copyright laws.


This sounds like a good idea to me. It would help reduce the impact on the environment because we would no longer be printing books on paper. It would also make it easier for students to access the material that they need because everything would be online so they would no longer have to wait for someone to return the book. However, there would be some downsides to this. Some students enjoy having a psychical copy of the book that they can highlight and write in because it helps them study better. Also if the internet was down, students wouldn’t be able to access the material that they need for class without having to hunt down the paper copies of the book. Overall, I like the idea of this; however I think that the libraries should keep the paper versions of the books on hand as well as digitally.

Olsen, Stefanie. "The College Library of Tommorrow." Technology News - CNET News. 3 Aug. 2005. Web. 30 Aug. 2010. <http://news.cnet.com/The-college-library-of-tomorrow/2100-1025_3-5817291.html?tag=mncol;5n>.