And as this Semester comes to a close...

I find myself contemplating all that I've learned this semester. I've built databases, hand-coded html, learned Unix command codes, and even co-lead a usability study. At the beginning of this semester I was fairly confident in what I thought I knew about technology, but just as I was realizing I had so much farther to go, my IT fluency grew with every week. I was thinking in terms I had never contemplated before, discovering new ways to better develop my own job as well as further my own library and information science career. Skills that I thought would be challenging or trying during this course became fun as well as informative. I genuinely looked forward to every lecture and every module that was presented to me, because I knew I was learning something that I could instantly apply to my everyday life. I've shown my fiance how to code his own site for students, I've talked to colleagues about usability studies and I've even assisted with minor IT issues in my own library.

I honestly didn't think that my first semester would change me so much in this program. I mean, I was well aware I would gain basic understanding of library and information science, but I didn't think I would already feel so prepared for my career. I received hands on, real experiences and because that I have to say I truly feel confident and proud of my work this semester. I've learned a lot, and even though this semester is ending I have to say I am nowhere near done. I would like to continue to write on this blog, not only about my own IT fluency, but also about my journey in general in the coming years.

Advertisement Digitization: Preserving the Past to Preserve the Future.

I can never put my finger on the reason why, but I absolutely love how businesses use technology... let me be more specific. This website is the New York Times, and they are looking for the public's help. If you have any free time or are bored one day, you should check it out. New York Times is digitizing their advertisements, but they can't do it alone. Their system is simple, all you have to do is view the ads and click whether they are multiple ads, a single ad, part of an ad, or not an ad and you are assisting them in digitizing history. This is especially fascinating to me due to the fact that in my undergrad, I specialized in historical southern advertisement. If you'd like, you can also "tag" advertisements so they can be searched for more efficiently, or you can transcribe the advertisements. I have to say I have done all of the above, and as a librarian and a historian, I find it extremely rewarding to be able to help someone else.

This is what technology is now, it is a collaboration of minds. No one has to go through something alone anymore, no one has to feel bad about asking for help. If you build it, they will come. So far I've really enjoyed the simple interface and I must admit, I spent a good two hours on it yesterday evening and didn't even realize how many I had gone through, but the good news? It has a tracker so you know how much you have contributed to the digitization of the New York Times newspaper, and doesn't that give you a warm and fuzzy?

As a librarian, I really feel like we sometimes forget the tools and means that are out there to assist us. The community wants libraries to do well, so why do we not seek out their occasional help? I truly believe we are the hub of communities and where most history and knowledge is located. Sure, there are some set backs, the possibility of inconsistencies, the chance that someone is doing nothing but trolling their work, but I'm sure glancing over and checking these statistics is much better than hand tagging everything yourself or transcribing for hours yourself when you could be contributing your time to another aspect of this project, as a librarian. So, go and check it out, I guarantee you will get caught up in volunteering towards a great cause.

The Future of Museums

So, I thought this was really interesting. The British Museum interviewed several visitors to the museum one day, and asked them the hard questions; how do they think technology will effect the collection of the future museums? Now. You may say "Elizabeth, why are you talking about museums? You're going into library science!" but the truth is, this is very connected to what I hope to explore in the future. Libraries are like... museums of information, and our collection could just as easily be effected by new technology as any library. Watch this video and post below, what do you think about how technology is effecting not only how we store information, but also how we collect it?

Hello Ello?

Have you heard of Ello? I most certainly hadn't, not until today at least. According to this article Ello is a social network with a manifesto. Supposedly, its everything Facebook isn't. There will be no adds, no complicated design, just a clear and crisp set up. I don't really have a problem with facebook, in fact I'm rather fond of it as a means to network as well as keep up with family. With this in mind, I'm also not a static individual. I know things change, and I am more than capable of adapting with the changing of the tides. I was probably one of the first people to delete their Myspace page to get a Facebook page, but then again, I also have a Google+ account (who uses that?).

 The website will officially open in a few weeks, but one can get in by invite only while its still in beta mode. Am I jealous I wasn't invited? Sure, I'm the jealous type and I can't wait to try  it out if for no other reason than its a great example of how IT fluency is an every growing education. I will always be a student of IT fluency, no matter how much I learn, and I love it.

What does this mean for social network as we know it? I don't honestly know. I do know I will be trying the new website as soon as its released to the public but I don't hold my breath on deleting my facebook anytime soon.

Technology is Your Friend

Its week five and I still haven't caved. Days and nights run together, I don't even know how long I've been in front of this computer... Actually, none of this is true. Even though I was a bit nervous about learning how to hand tag, I have to say so far this has been a truly enjoyable experience, and I genuinely mean that. I feel like this is a life skill that I'm slowly becoming more confident with, and that it will help me have an edge on other applicants when its time for me to apply for a job in my profession.

Coding hasn't been nearly as intimidating as I expected it to be (watch me say this and tomorrow I can't make my file work, or I can't figure out how to add block text) but over all, I have to say there has been no kinks in my system. Its amazing how a new skill can make you feel more confident, like you've just been let in on a secret because that's exactly how I feel. Its as though a new world has been opened up to me, and that is truly fascinating.

How do I feel about IT fluency? I definitely feel more confident, but at the same time, I know there's way more out there than I could ever comprehend. I'm also aware that technology is ever growing and changing, so what I know now might be obsolete ten years from now. If I want to continue this level of IT fluency, I will be an eternal student.

She is Small but Mighty: Girls who Code

Isn't it amazing how sometimes you can look for hours and not find something, but that moment when you least expect it... it hits you right in the face? In my free time I have been looking for articles regarding the common user and what coding means to them, but right as I found myself watching my latest YouTube shows, this pops up in my feed. Made With Code is an organization with one thing in mind, to make coding interesting to girls who are growing up in a world that tells them that science and math is only for the boys. This just isn't true. Coding is for everyone, and it makes up everything we do. The video explains their mission much more elegantly that I could ever hope to, but what I can tell you is, coding isn't scary, and it's very important. In fact, according to the website "only 0.4% of female college freshmen plan to major in CS" which is shocking to me.

Made with Code is a very user friendly website, which subscribes to the "three click" rule, or so I believe. To those that do not know, the "three click" rule is the belief that anything you search for should be accessible within three clicks. This accompanies the modern trend many libraries have been witnessing that patrons and users are becoming far to impatient to enjoy the hunt that we dedicate our careers to, but that is made for another rant on another day. 

This website doesn't merely limit itself to being an infomercial about how important computer science and coding is to girls either. It also serves as a hub to communicate with others who are willing to host hands on events in order to teach coding. The organization seems focused towards girls between the age of 13-18, but I definitely want to try out some of the workshops they have online, including making your very own 3D bracelet... for free. 

I believe websites like this are very important to the up and coming generations, and with such a user friendly interface, it doesn't feel intimidating at all to the typical individual who has never looked at coding in their lives. I look forward to seeing their next update when it comes out. 

Introduction

Good Morning all! My name is Elizabeth Layton, and I am a padawan librarian. There are many who have come before me, and many who will follow, but there is only one of me. I am the serial and acquisition coordinator at the University of Montevallo, which is incidentally also my alma mater. I love the university and am very proud to come from a liberal arts school, but I am just as proud to join the University of Alabama as a student in their MLIS distance learning program.

How IT savvy am I? I suppose that's rather hard to place on a scale. I am by no means frightened of technology and I usually pick up new skills rather quickly, but there is still just so much I don't know. I am familiar with BCC because of how much I write in forums. I am familiar with the concept of html, but not the actual process of writing out code. I love the feeling of learning new things, which is why I chose this blogging site instead of WordPress. I've been blogging on WordPress for more than four years, and wanted to try something new. In fact, I've already found that I like this much more than WordPress, because I can change fonts without paying for it. I believe there will always be a slight case of nerves as with anything I do that I'm not familiar with, but I'm really looking forward to what I can absorb from this online class experience.

During the process of reflecting on my IT knowledge, I asked my mother some questions about her knowledge of current technology and how she used or didn't use it and why. She had a great many answers, including some to avoid the questions, but for the most part, my mother is techno-phobic. I asked her why, in which she said "it just isn't the same as when I used computers". You see, my mother is very educated, but she also went to college in the late 1970's. She used to wire old computers when they used punch cards for code, and she knew how to make the cards, but she says that modern technology is far to intimidating. It doesn't have to be though. The internet, your phone, computers; they don't have to be "scary" or "overwhelming". I work with my mother every day to try and improve her knowledge. Just last week we worked on GoogleDocs.

This project has brought one question to my attention though. Is there really a such thing as over saturation? I was speaking with a coworker about this the other day. What happens when you reach your limit? Is there a limit to our understanding? Will this generation be like the other passing generations that might have at one time been on the technology wagon, but for one reason or another they eventually decided to jump off? As someone who has always wanted to learn new things, to absorb all that I can about computers, and apps, and anything in between, it is truly frightening to me that if a breaking point really exists, then where will my career be one day? And how does one prevent this from happening?