Infomotions' Musings on Information and Librarianship

Random Musing: American Library Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, 2002

Fri, 05 Jul 2002 00:00:00 -0500

This text documents my experiences at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Meeting held in Atlanta, GA, June 14-17, 2002.

Keywords: Atlanta, GA; ALA (American Library Association); travel log;
Source: This text was never formally published.

Introduction to the Catholic Research Resources Alliance

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

This short essay describes the Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA), its purpose, its goals, its functionality, its vision for the future, and some of its existing challenges.

Keywords: Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA); presentations;
Source: This document was never formally published.

Next Generation Data Format

Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

In the United States library catalogs traditionally use the MARC standard for bibliographic records. Many questions revolve around the future of MARC and how it interacts with other metadata standards such as Dublin Core, MODS, and VRA Core. This presentation explores these and other issues related to the next generation catalog.

Keywords: Massachusetts Library Association; next generation library catalogs; presentations;
Source: This presentation was originally given at the Massachusetts Library Association annual meeting in North Falmouth (May 7, 2008)

Open Library Developer's Meeting: One Web Page for Every Book Ever Published

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

I attended an Open Library Developers Meeting on Friday, February 29, 2008 in San Franciscos Presidio, and this travel log outlines my experiences there. In a sentence, it was one of the more inspiring meetings I ever attended.

Keywords: Presidio; Open Library; travel log;
Source: This travel log first appeared on the Hesburgh Libraries website at http://www.library.nd.edu/daiad/morgan/travel/open-library/.

Today's digital information landscape

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500

The main point of this lecture is to bring home a single idea, namely, the what of library and information science has not changed so much as the how. Libraries are still about the processes of collection, preservation, organization, dissemination, and sometimes evaluation of data and information. While the mediums, environments, and tools have dramatically changed, the problems and services the profession addresses remain the same. If we focus on our broader goals -- see the forest from the trees -- then the profession's future is bright offering us many opportunities. If we focus too much on the particulars, then libraries and librarians will be seen as increasingly irrelevant. The following examples will hopefully make this clear.

Keywords: presentations; Denton, TX; librarianship;
Source: This essay was originally written for a lecture at the University of North Texas (December 4, 2007)

Dr. Strangelove, or How we learned to live with Google

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

On October 26, 2007 the University Libraries of Notre Dame sponsored a "mini-symposium" entitled Dr. Strangelove, or How We Learned to Live with Google. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss issues of librarianship considering an environment of globally networked computers and radically changing user expectations. It was an education process designed to enable the library faculty and staff to ask questions, reflect on the experience of others, and ultimately be better educated when technological systems present themselves as solutions to some of the profession's challenges. This text reports on the content of the symposium and offers a number of personal observations.

Keywords: travel log; next generation library catalogs; University Libraries of Notre Dame;
Source: This travel log was originally "published" at http://www.library.nd.edu/daiad/morgan/travel/strangelove/.

Next Generation Library Catalogs in Fifteen Minutes

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

A "next generation" library catalog starts with the idea of traditional library catalog and expands it meet the changing expectations of library patrons.

Keywords: next-generation library catalogs; presentations;
Source: This presentation was originally given at an Ex Libris "birthday party" at the University Libraries of Notre Dame, and it was originally posted at http://www.library.nd.edu/daiad/morgan/musings/ngc-in-15-minutes/.

Success of Open Source by Steven Weber: A book review

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Using Linux as its primary example, The Success of Open Source by Steven Weber details the history, process, motivations, and possible long-term effects of open source software (OSS). This scholarly yet easy-to-read, well-written, and provocative book is worth the time of anybody who wants to understand how open source software is effecting information technology. It describes how the process of open source software may effect business & economics, methods of governance, and concepts of intellectual property. It is also a great read for those of us librarians who desire to play a role in the building of next generation library catalogs and other library-related information systems.

Keywords: book review; articles; open source software; librarianship;
Source: The is a pre-edited version of an article with the same title appearing in the first issue of Code4Lib Journal at http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/30.

Catalog Collectivism: XC and the Future of Library Search

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Collections without services are useless, and services without collections are empty. The future of library search lies between these two statements. It is about making search smarter and putting search within the context of the user.

Keywords: information systems design; presentations; next generation library catalogs; Charleston Conference;
Source: This presentation was given at the Charleston Conference, Charleston (South Carolina) November 2007.

Open source software at the Montana State University Libraries Symposium

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

This one-page essay outlines what open source software (OSS) is and how it can be applied to some of the computer-related problems facing libraries. In short, it characterizes open source software as a community-driven process, describes it as free as a free kitten, compares it to the principles of librarianship, and finally, outlines how it can be exploited to develop next generation library catalogs.

Keywords: next-generation library catalogs; presentations; open source software;
Source: This is a presentation for the Montana State University Libraries Symposium, October 4, 2007.

Original MyLibrary

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

In the news recently has been talk about Google's "my library", well, don't hesitate to visit the "original" MyLibrary, now hosted at http://mylibrary.library.nd.edu.

Keywords: MyLibrary;
Source: This was originally a blog posting at the LITA blog at http://litablog.org/2007/09/24/the-original-mylibrary/.

Sum Top Tech Trends for the Summer of 2007

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Listed here are "sum" trends I see Library Land. They are presented in no particular order.

Keywords: Top Tech Trends; librarianship;
Source: This was a blog posting for the Top Tech Trends panel originally posted at http://litablog.org/2007/06/15/sum-top-tech-trends-for-the-summer-of-2007/.

Leading a large group

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The other day someone asked me about how we here at Notre Dame managed a team of 28+ members in regards to our one-year institutional digital repository pilot project (www.library.nd.edu/idr). I did my best to address their questions, and I thought I would copy my reply below. It might prove useful in your setting. (Then again, it might not.)

Keywords: leadership;
Source: This was originally a blog posting on the LITA blog at http://litablog.org/2007/03/16/leading-a-large-group/.

Wise crowds with long tails

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

It is almost trite to be quoted as saying, "The Internet has fundamentally changed the ways libraries do business", but these changes are still manifesting themselves in ways we still do not fully understand. Thus, consider taking advantage of the "wise crowds with long tails" in your strategic planning. Put another way, this posting is a dual book review and commentary on The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki and The Long Tail by Chris Anderson.

Keywords: librarianship; TechEssence; book review;
Source: This review was first published in TechEssence at http://techessence.info/node/85.

Trip to Rochester to Learn about XC

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

On February 8-9, 2007 I had the opportunity to visit the University of Rochester River Campus and meet with a number of very smart people to discuss a thing called XC (eXtensible Catalog, extensiblecatalog.info). This travel log documents the experience.

Keywords: travel log; OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogs);
Source: This essay was first "published" on my home page at the University Libraries of Notre Dame (dewey.library.nd.edu/morgan/musings/xc-2007/).

Open Repositories, 2007: A Travelogue

Sun, 11 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

This text documents my experiences at the Open Repositories 2007 conference, January 22-26, San Antonio (Texas). In a sentence I learned two things: 1) institutional repository software such as Fedora, DSpace, and EPrints are increasingly being used for more than open access publishing efforts, and 2) the Web Services API of Fedora makes it relatively easy for developers using any programming language to interface with the underlying core.

Keywords: Gruene, Texas; institutional repositories; digital libraries; travel log;
Source: This file was never formally published.

Unordered list of "top tech trends"

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

This is an unordered list of "top tech trends" from Library Land.

Keywords: Top Tech Trends; librarianship;
Source: This was originally a blog posting on the LITA Blog at http://litablog.org/2007/01/16/unordered-list-of-top-tech-trends/.

Whirlwind in Windsor surrounding integrated library systems: My symposium notes

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500

On November 15 Rob Fox and I attended a symposium at the University of Windsor on the topic of integrated library systems. This text documents my experiences, and in a sentence, the symposium re-enforced much of what I had already thought regarding next generation library catalogs and at the same time it brought much more depth to the issue than I had previously given it.

Keywords: next-generation library catalogs;
Source: This text was published here first.

Thinking outside the books: A Travel log

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500

This travel log outlines some of my experiences at a conference in Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) entitled Think outside the books: Creating the customer-driven library hosted by PALINET in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Office of Commonwealth Libraries, October 23-24, 2006. In a sentence, the conference was a joy to attend and it was interesting see how the concept of a "next generation" library catalog is being manifested.

Keywords: next-generation library catalogs; PALINET; travel log; librarianship;
Source: This travel log was never published elsewhere

MyLibrary 3.x and a Next Generation Library Catalogue

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400

This, the tiniest of essays, first outlines the fundamental structure of MyLibrary 3.x. It then describes how a database like MyLibrary could be used as a part of a "next generation" library catalogue, maybe.

Keywords: MyLibrary; presentations; PALINET; next generation library catalogs;
Source: This presentation was originally given at the Thinking Outside the Books conference in Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) sponsored by PALINET.

ECDL 2006: A Travel log

Sat, 30 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

This travel log documents my experiences that the 10th European Conference on Digital Libraries, Alicante (Spain), September 18-20, 2006. In a sentence, the conference did not present very many surprises, it was an opportunity to strengthen relationships, and I met a few new people along the way. This is a good conference to attend at least once every other year to learn some of the latest research developments in digital libraries.

Keywords: Alicante (Spain); digital libraries; ECDL (European Conference on Digital Libraries); travel log;
Source: This is a pre-edited version of a text to appear in D-Lib Magazine

Building the "next generation" library catalog

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

How will we, the library profession, build the "next generation" library catalog, and to what degree will the process include vendor support and open source software?

Keywords: next generation library catalogs;
Source: This was originally a blog posting on the LITA blog at http://litablog.org/2006/09/01/building-the-next-generation-library-catalog/.