Week 14 Reading Notes

"Weblogs: their use and application in science and technology libraries"
This article gives a brief and basic overview of what a blog is, included how it started, the different kind of software available as blogging became more popular, and its place in the world of librarianship. I was interested in some of the points this article made, such as the fact that blogging is usually more reliable and surrounded in context than email, since blogs are time-stamped and replies are archived within the context, keeping the record as more of a whole. As an archivist, we focus a lot on the original context of records, and this gave me something to think about, in terms of the authenticity of blogging as a form of record.

"Using a wiki to manage a library instruction program: Sharing knowledge to better serve patrons"
I really like the idea of making more use out of wikis in the professional world, including in library settings. I think that libraries are getting to the point where collaboration is going to really have a huge impact on how we come up with and manage our resources. Using wikis, such as how they did at East Tennessee State University, really streamlines a lot of library services, while also encouraging users, like faculty, to get involved and really make more use of what resources the library has to offer.

"Creating the academic library folksonomy: Put social tagging to work at your institution"
The relevance of tagging in the library profession is something we've discussed a lot in our LIS 2000 class. I like the practical approach this article presents to how to go about making a tagging system for use in libraries and research. I was most intrigued by the point that tagging brings attention to a wide variety of "gray literature" that hadn't previously been easily accessible. To me, this sounds like tagging is another way to start exploring the "deep web" and really tap into a wealth of previously inaccessible information.

"Jimmy Wales on the birth of Wikipedia"
I was really surprised by the actual structure of Wikipedia, especially the point where Wales mentioned that the site really only had one full time employee. This is an excellent example of the power of a wiki at work. His emphasis on the importance of quality control is also intriguing; as he points out, in the case of the Bush/Kerry debate, the fight is less between the right and the left, but more about the neutral and the jerks! It's interesting that he recognizes where there is room for contention in Wikipedia, but he also points out that it's one of Wikipedia's big strengths. I especially was impressed by the fact that you can keep pages on a watch list to make sure that they're not vandalized.