British Newspaper Archive now online

The British Library has launched a new website which enables users to view digitised copies of newspapers from Britain and Ireland from the 18th and 19th centuries. For the moment, there is not much from the 20th century as this involves all sorts of copyright issues. Four million pages have already been made available and, in ten year's time, when the project is complete, forty million pages will be online. The archive is free to search but, unfortunately, to view the content, users will need to pay a subscription. The service seems to be similar to the Irish Newspaper Archives, where users need to pay to view historical newspaper articles, though some libraries provide their patrons with free access.

It is certain to be a huge treasure trove for both amateur and professional genealogists alike, however it does raise some questions:

• Should important historical information like this be free for all, or, as there are significant costs in scanning and uploading the material, is it better to make the person accessing the content pay as opposed to the taxpayer?
• With local newspapers either downscaling or going bust completely, is there likely to be much less regional material likely to be available for researchers, genealogists and historians of the future?

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Libraries in the Cloud

A previous blog entry raised the issue of preserving and sharing your digital stuff in the cloud. So what about the use of such services within the professional library and information management context? Well, cloud computing represents a strong feature on libraries’ technological chart lists. Increasingly, the cloud provides on-demand access to all sorts of resources (e.g. e-books) and services (e.g. virtual reference service desks) that libraries offer their patrons.

What is cloud computing? “Cloud computing is a method of running application software and storing related data in central computer systems and providing customers or other users access to them through the Internet” (Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, 2011).

Great; but what does that actually mean?

Essentially, three potential layers of cloud involvement apply from a library’s perspective. They refer to either Software as a Service/SaaS (software is delivered as a service over the Internet, which eradicates local maintenance and support), Platform as a Service/PaaS (delivers a computing platform as a service consuming cloud infrastructure and supporting cloud applications), or Infrastructure as a Service/IaaS (i.e. a platform virtualisation environment with “raw” storage and networking). The level of involvement is determined by factors such as the nature of resource/service in question, scalability, technical ability within the library and cost.

Notably, each layer brings with it particular advantages and disadvantages. What are they?

Below is a presentation by Yan Han (American Library Association National Conference in New Orleans, LA on June 25th, 2011) showcasing cloud computing services employed by Arizona Libraries. It’s about 25 minutes long but well worth checking out as it discusses issues such as advantages/disadvantages of using cloud services, providers and, crucially, costs.


Cloud computing presentation by Yan Han from Erik Mitchell on Vimeo.

Whilst you’re at it you might as well check out Marshall Breeding’s informative cloudy forecast for libraries. It predicts a gradual shift away from client/server computing to service-oriented architectures and browser-based interfaces deployed through cloud-based infrastructure.

They stand as the key technologies preferred for new software development efforts today (Breeding, 2011). The crucial take-away here is that library user needs for portable services can be efficiently met through stable, web-based interfaces and lightweight applications hosted in the cloud. Patron-facing library services are pushing towards cloud-based technology solutions as already evidenced by vender hosting SaaS services offered by Serial Solutions and EBSCO among others.

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100 tools for learning

The Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies recently compiled their annual list of the top 100 tools for learning. The list is based on votes from learning professionals rather than the opinion of any one 'expert' and consequently provides an interesting snapshot of what applications people are using. Although Twitter appears at number one, the list does not solely include the latest social networking and media tools and old reliables like Powerpoint and Excel even make an appearance.

There are a number of resources included which are new to me, but some of my favourites (aside from the obvious ones like Dropbox, Slideshare etc.) are also there including:

Readitlater - For all those interesting blog posts that you don't have time to read right now
Screencast-o-matic - the best free screencast app I have used
Lino it - because everyone likes post-it notes :)

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Information Literacy and the iPad

The academic library where I am currently employed in Sydney is trialling the iPad over the upcoming semester for use by its campus librarian and its liaison librarians for the purpose of aiding in information literacy. There are a few notable ways in which they hope the iPad can help to provide a better information literacy service:

Teachable Moments: The current generation of students have come to expect answers to their questions now, rather than in a few minutes once a PC has been found and loaded and information retrieved. The teaching and service done in  libraries often don’t happen at scheduled times. More likely they happen when the librarian is walking across the floor and a student asks for help. They can look on while the librarian accesses the information and they see how it’s done. If a librarian can answer a student’s question when and where it’s asked, then they can take advantage of that teachable moment. A tablet device is likely to become an essential tool of any roving reference service.

Exploiting the iPad's Camera: The iPad2 has a camera on it which can be used by the librarian to scan QR codes from around the library and very quickly get to content to help students. The benefits of this are not just in the speed of accessing content for students it is also in the demonstration of the Liaison Librarian making effective real world use of new technologies in a public space where other students can see this. It has the desired effect of showing students that librarians are approachable, can get your answer quickly, and know what they are doing with technology. An example of this would be firstly scanning the Library Guides QR codes on the end of the shelf bays to show a student the relevant subject guide and what they might find in this area.

Showcasing eBooks: The iPad make an ideal platform to showcase library eBooks to academics and students. Netlibrary titles and EBL titles both use Adobe DRM and can be showcased on the iPad. Ebrary titles can also be linked to and viewed on the iPad.

As iPads become increasingly used in higher education, one can only expect the use of them by information literacy librarians to increase.

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Blazing a Trail Beyond LIS

Anyone interested in LIS research, breaking the boundaries of LIS education and is around Dublin on 13 December, could do a lot worse than attend the SILS Alumni event with guest speaker Professor Blaise Cronin. Blaise will be speaking on the subject of "Never Too Many Cooks: The Evolving Nature of Scientific Authorship". I am guessing this refers to the changing face of publishing in general, which should be of interest to everyone working in the field of LIS. What constitutes and who contributes to authorship is changing and librarians and 'information professionals' need to keep up to date with these changes.

Back in July I had the opportunity to attend the LIS DREaM Conference at the British Library in London where Blaise was the opening keynote speaker. LIS DREaM is the brainchild of the LIS Research Coalition. It was refreshing to hear an 'information person' acknowledging the weaknesses that exist in LIS research. The key criticism that Blaise put forward was that LIS research tends to talk to itself. Blaise argued that in order for LIS research to have real impact, LIS researchers need to strive for recognition across other disciplines. This could be achieved through collaboration and hyper-authorship bringing LIS research findings to a larger audience and (hopefully) resulting in greater impact. He argued that LIS needs to be open to change and influence from other disciplines. Blaise's keynote sat well with the general theme of the conference which was 'Out of the Comfort Zone'.

It is all too easy to get sucked in to operating in silos.  This is especially important now when resources are under threat and jobs are thin on the ground, not to mention the fact that LIS graduates are choosing more and more diverse professions. It would be interesting to hear about unusual or unexpected cross-disciplinary projects that people have come across in the Irish LIS context. I am sure there are lots out there but we need to be speaking about them.

Here is a taster of what to expect from Blaise.

Opening Keynote: Blaise Cronin from LIS Research Coalition on Vimeo.


Professor Blaise Cronin will be speaking on 13 December, 2011 at 5.00pm in SILS, Room 107, UCD. The event is open to SILS Alumni and friends.

http://www.slis.indiana.edu/faculty/cronin/

http://lisresearch.org/dream-project/

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Voluntary Work in Library Sector and Exploitation

I have just read this month's Library Association of Ireland newsletter and concern is expressed that, although relevant experience for recent graduates can be found, new opportunities for paid employment are few and far between due to the public service moratorium. Further concern is expressed that

"librarians are at risk of exploitation through the inappropriate use of unpaid service and poor employment conditions".

It seems that most library jobs advertised in Ireland for short term-medium term work are volunteer positions. Graduates are getting experience but only receive a welfare payment and travel costs as remuneration. In Australia, the professional body, ALIA, is very clear that, although there is a place for volunteers in libraries, they should never be used to replace staff as a result of cutbacks:

1. ALIA affirms that volunteer workers must not replace appropriately trained and paid staff:
   1. to compensate for the reduction, or withdrawal of services caused by inadequate staffing establishments, failure to fill vacant posts, or cutbacks in overall library and information services funding; or
   2. to establish and maintain library services or outreach programs which would normally be established and maintained by paid library staff.
2. The replacement of trained, paid library staff by volunteers can only lead to a deterioration in the standard and the effectiveness of services, be wasteful of resources and be detrimental to the interests of library users.

With the dire state of public finances in Ireland, one cannot expect serious change in this in the near future and recent graduates are at risk of being exploited for their skills and being only paid a pittance for their work.

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