Blog Entry #5: Conclusion

2. How do you plan to keep up with new innovations in technology once you have completed your classes at UNT?

I plan to keep up with the literature in the librarian profession. I also plan to keep a look out in my everyday personal life, such as when I'm on Facebook, for new technologies that people are using. I will go to conferences as well and go to the exhibits.

Blog Entry #4: 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?

I think the main implication for librarians is that their role is changing. The role is changing from that of organization to that of helping patrons sort through things. I think that Delicious tags are more helpful for everyday information, but traditional subject headings are more useful for more serious research.

Blog Entry #3: 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?

Blog Entry #2: Handheld Devices

Your technology director has given you a budget of $10,000 for the purchase of handheld devices in your library. Using the prices in Chapter 5 of Courtney as a general guideline, what would you purchase and why?

Because I plan to work in an academic setting, I based my plan upon what would be useful in an academic library.

I would get a single tablet PC for the use of the staff. This device could be used to take notes directly into digital format while walking around the library. Staff could interview patrons on the fly, especially if the PC were equipped with a microphone, and could jot down notes and draw diagrams. It would be useful especially for planning new projects and for space planning. It could also be used at outreach events that take place away from a computer.

I would also get about 15 ebook readers for students and faculty to be able to use while in the library. The ebook readers would be connected to all the ebooks the library has access to. Another possibility would be if a student or faculty member has many journal articles to read online, he or she could download all the articles to an ebook reader and have them all at once. People associated with university/college - such as students, faculty, and staff - would be able to check out the ebook readers and use them in the library only. If they became popular, the library could decide to limit a checkout period to a certain number of hours.