Librarian by Day » computer

Libraries and Transliteracy – the video version

Bobbi Newman — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:46:06 +0000

I took my slideshow on transliteracy and turned it into a video. I was curious about how easy it was to turn a slideshow into a video (its super easy!) so I thought I’d try it. Most of my presentations aren’t meant to stand alone and so don’t really translate well to video. When I was putting the transliteracy one together I wanted it to be able to stand alone, so I thought I’d give it a try. A little self indulgent I know But anyway here it is.

Learn more about transliteracySimilar Posts:

Libraries and Transliteracy Slideshow

Bobbi Newman — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:20:30 +0000

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about transliteracy and how important the concept is for libraries and librarians. I’ve created a slideshow I hope conveys the message and is easy to share.

I have also added page with information on transliteracy.

Libraries and Transliteracy

View more presentations from Bobbi Newman.

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The UNICEF Bee and the Digital Doorway

Bobbi Newman — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:45:19 +0000

This video, The Future of the Library, has been making the rounds on library blogs and after watching it I visit the blog Everywhere is Here. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the digital divide and the bubble I spend most of my time in so I was much more interested in this video. It is about the Digital Doorway and the UNICEF Bee, providing access to the internet for those in remote areas. The project was inspired by the Hole in the Wall experiment (perhaps more famous for inspiring the movie Slumdog Millionare)

The information and access we take for granted, so for granted in fact that we we’re concerned about the future of libraries as they have been traditionally, is something a great many people don’t have. This video and the projects linked to are in Africa and India but the divide is real, right here in the United States. There are a great many people without access to the internet access or a computer or a smartphone. People, who, if they did have access wouldn’t know how to use them. Just something to think about.Similar Posts:

“Go be secretly awesome. Then tell someone.”

Bobbi Newman — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:40:19 +0000

I’ve never been fortunate enough to hear Jessamyn West speak and based on Jenica’s notes from last week, I’m really missing out. Some of my favorite bits

The digital divide is real, and our system for technology education scales very badly. There are economies of scale in most library work – processing 30 books does not take 30 times as long as processing one book – but teaching 30 people about the internet and computers takes 30 times longer than teaching one person. Libraries have become the social safety net for many Americans to learn what the tech-savvy think of as remedial technology skills, but the project doesn’t scale.

“We are living in a future that they are not that interested in.”

“Librarianship both is and is not sexy. Exploit that. Go be secretly awesome. Then tell someone.”

These are some really good things to think about, but we’re supposed to do more than just think – “Go be secretly awesome. Then tell someone.”Similar Posts:

Are other libraries teaching patrons about blogging?

Bobbi Newman — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:08:53 +0000

I’m taking a break from the video game (PS2) I’m playing, to write this, because even though I tell myself the hard parts teach me patient and perseverance, they really make my head want to explore.

Last night I finally taught the rescheduled Introduction to Blogging class I was supposed to teach in May. I really love these classes and even better, patrons love them too. They get hands on experience and one on one time with a library staff remember. I usually spend the first half hour explaining things and giving demonstrations, then for the last half we do hands-on. Nikki teachs half of the series so when we’re not teaching we’re assisting the other person, because hands-on time for 15 people really does require 2 instructors. The last half hour always turns into an hour and sometimes an hour & half. The powerpoint and handouts only tell part of the story, the rest is demonstration, answering questions and assisting people with account set up. Being flexible is the most important part, you don’t know the skill level of the people in the class and you can have a wide range, you’ve got to be able to cover enough so everyone feels like they are learning.

I’m really curious, are other libraries teaching classes like this? How are they going? If so what subjects are they teaching? How are they received?Similar Posts:

Computer/Internet Classes for Patrons

Bobbi Newman — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:13:58 +0000

MRRL is getting ready to kick off it’s new serious of computer/internet classes for the public. I’ve agreed to teach half of them, so I’ve been busy working on presentations and plans. I wonder how this will be different from teaching other Librarians. Here’s my list of classes, any tips or suggestions?

Introduction to Blogging: Learn the basics of blogging – We’ll cover, what is a blog, how to find blogs you’d like to read, how to start a blog and basic blog etiquette.
Find Your Friends on Facebook :An introduction to Facebook, a social website used to find and stay in touch with old and new friends.
Online Picture Sharing : Learn the basics of storing and sharing your pictures on the internet. Using an online photos site is a great back up of your digital pictures!
Discover New Library Resources : Explore the many online resources the library offers access to. Introduction to many of our databases and the best way to search them.
The Basics of Internet Safety : Want to be involved with the new, fun sites you’re hearing about but wonder how safe they are? Want to know more about the sites your children are using and what safety measures they should be following? We’ll talk safety tips and suggestions on social sites like Facebook, Myspace and Flickr
Explore Online reading and book tools : Using web tools to keep track of what you’ve read, what you want to read, get suggestions, keep track of books you own and connect with readers with similar interests

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