Hello fair readers!

Today I stumbled upon a very cool thing while drinking my morning coffee and avoiding thinking about my demolished vehicle….

that’s right…broken beyond repair. But I digress….

The cool thing involves some geeky science people, very unlike the very large SUV that slammed into the side of my tiny, gas efficient vehicle. No, it involves a renowned school and some Science Professors at MIT.

and it also involves this article:

At 71, Physics Professor Is a Web Star

So this morning while I was drinking my morning coffee, I was doing the usual. Reading headlines from the New York Times Online and up pops the previously mentioned headline. Right away it caught my interest since I’ve always had a secret envy of people with Science backgrounds. Instead I choose the mighty path of a Lit major….mighty. That’s right.

Anyways, this article lead me straight to MIT’s new(ish) project of OpenCourseWare. This prostegious instituion is now offering course materials online, for free, including videos of lecturers and lecture notes. Not only could I have really used this in Undergrad (come on WMU! Catch up!) but how cool is this for the general public?

That’s right. It’s almost as cool as this picture of the Penny Arcade boys battling robots….which is just really really cool. But also means that in this really geeky, I-wish-I-had-taken-more-science-classes kind of way, it’s ridiculously awesome.

So check out OpenCourseWare, bringing high education to masses. And those of us who were too busy with musical theater in highschool to give AP Physics too much thought.

Sigh. Those were the days.

Have a lovely Wednesday fair readers. And watch out for speeding Jeeps. They just might ruin your car.

Hello fair readers!

Today I stumbled upon a library-centric article that is most interesting. Instead of reposting this lengthy piece here….let me summarize for you.

So the headline is as follows:

Libraries Shun Deals to Place Books on Web

And there is a nice little picture of people scanning books….

So the article goes on to say that several major libraries have refused to digitize their books with either Google or Microsoft. Instead they are turning to a non profit open access organization for digitization called Open Content Alliance. The major issues at stake for libraries like Boston Public Library and the Smithsonian are the restrictions placed by Google and Microsoft. If you have your collection scanned with either of these major organizations then you can only view the books through the corresponding search engines and databases. In contrast the non-profit will make the items viewable through all search venues.

So here’s a couple things about this article that made me stop and think “hmm”. First, if you digitize through Google or Microsoft, yes they have some definite restrictions. But they are also free. Yes that’s right. Free. Google, for example, actually pays to have the books scanned for you and then they don’t even profit off of the books. That seems to be morally acceptable to me.

In contrast the nonprofit charges around $30 a book.

Ouch.

For large libraries with literally millions of books in their collection, that could be a steep price to pay for open access.

And yet, the following quote is an important critical observation.

“Even though Google’s program could make millions of books available to hundreds of millions of Internet users for the first time, some libraries and researchers worry that if any one company comes to dominate the digital conversion of these works, it could exploit that dominance for commercial gain.”

Still look at the wording. “Make millions of books available to hundreds of millions of Internet users” Hundreds of millions.

Statements like that make think about what exactly we librarians are sacrificing to push forward the open access movement. Because if we are reaching less people and instead making our collections less accessible to users, isn’t that opposite to our mission and ethics?

Honestly I do not have the answer to these questions. But it certainly makes me wonder, is open access worth it? Or are librarians clinging to yet another dying tech movement that will move us backwards instead of forwards.

I would love to hear my peers opinions. And have a lovely Autumn-y Monday.

Hello fair readers!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about public access issues in relation to libraries. This is something I guess I never put entirely too much thought into since I formerly worked in a public setting. My first library experience comes from the Kalamazoo Public Library, a truly amazing and progressive public institution.

Pretty yes? I know. Totally pretty.

But I guess I took advantage of the fact that the public was welcome there. It truly wasn’t a doubt in my mind that people could enter and use the library and in fact, had the right to.

Now a couple years later I am working in Academic libraries. It appears to me that every academic library has a different policy regarding the public. The Law Library I am working in does not allow members of the public to come in…unless of course they know the magic words….. (psst, they are “I’m would like to look at government documents”). As a federal depository members of the public must be allowed in but let me tell you, this fact certainly isn’t advertised.

And this isn’t just at my library. I have noticed that most Academic law libraries are extremely difficult to gain access to if you are not affiliated with the university. Some people have compared it to gaining entrance to Fort Knox.

I’m not kidding.

But then I have to think….what is the purpose of an Academic library. Who is the main patron? Why are they there?

It is to serve the students, faculty and university community. The arena is Academia, not public service.

So it is assumed that when members of the public are allowed in, it is a privilege. Not a right. Which is taking some getting used to.

Don’t get me wrong. I adore my libraries. They are beautiful amazing institutions.

Northwestern’s students and faculty are truly lucky. The wealth of resources and information that is available to them can be almost overwhelming. On top of this, the Northwestern library system is dynamic. For example there is something called the Infocommons, which is the first thing you see when you enter the main library.

With circular seating, large screens you can hook up your laptops to, and an area that can be loud, not silent, there is a large focus on collaboration. It is amazing. And there is also coffee. Yummy.

However, if you are a member of the public do not expect access to these things. And I suppose that is fine. Chicago Public has some really amazing assets as well. As someone who worked in the public sector for so long, it is just difficult getting used to this. It is a totally different goal. Which is strange but certainly has it’s positive side.

For example, I have not had to deal with a any crazy mentally ill people slightly stalking me yet.

::knock on wood::

(that story can be explained in a later blog posting)

And dealing with students, especially Northwestern’s can be challenging and inspiring. I have been asked some of the most stimulating questions, including information about the Combatant Status Review Tribunal at Guantanamo Bay and even research that deals with the Green Movement in China…which I can basically tell you barely exists. But as in every library, the patron base can be a bit difficult. Maybe not in that crazy, I’m-going-to-watch-you-from-behind-stacks kind of way but a I’m-paying-$5o grand- a year-in-tuition kind of way.

Overall I guess this just takes some getting used to. Every library has a mission statement. And in if the public isn’t included in that mission, then that is ok. Because that is why there are public libraries. Right?

Have a lovely Wednesday.