Talking About E-books

Ryan Regier is a second term MLIS student at UWO, and is probably the best one. His MLIS interests include, how graphic novel collections are managed by public libraries, potential 'Big Data' information that e-books can collect from their readers, and libraries' expansion into more roles within the community. In his spare time he enjoys trying to finish everything on Netflix, engaging in self-denial about the Toronto Raptors chances of winning a NBA championship, and cuddling small animals.

Ok. Let’s talk about e-books.

Why readers read what they do has always been a mystery for publishers and retailers. E-books and the current growth of exploration into “Big Data” is changing this. E-books are essentially reading you as you read them. They are collecting data about how long it takes you to read (be it the whole book or a page), what sentences you highlight, your reading habits (what time you read, what kind of books you like to read, if you binge on a book or consume it slowly throughout a month), what books you don’t finish, and so forth… This perhaps has scarier implications with the recent Snowden NSA leaks, and privacy laws will have to play catch up as this technology and information keeps advancing, but despite all these ‘big brother’ worries, the potential implications are fascinating.

Source: http://regmedia.co.uk/2013/04/19/kindle_bb.jpg

Reading Week Link Round-up

Most of the UWOCLA Student Chapter had the week off from classes. Reading week marks the halfway point through term, which can indicate either smooth sailing ahead, or all of the deadlines. Please enjoy this links round up exploring various library topics this week. 

• In Toronto, the library of the future is here [Globe and Mail]
• Hundreds of Anne Frank Books Vandalized in Japan [NYTimes]
• Roof leak floods part of Tulane library [Times-Picayune] 
• Dancing with Bookcarts [NYTimes]
• Why libraries deserve to be hip [Salon] 
• Libraries find a new role in economic development [GIS Planning] 
• The Secret Resource Every Startup Needs To Know [Tech Cocktail]  - How libraries and librarians can play a role in tech startups
• Google Maps laces up for the Rideau Canal Skateway [Google Canada Blog] - Google adds more locations to Google Maps
• Library Consortium Tests Interlibrary Loans of e-Books [Chronicle]
• Big Data, Big Questions [Metropolis] - Using technological infrastructure to create "smart cities"
• The Data Awakening Is Upon Us — And That’s A Good Thing [WIRED] - Big Data vs smart data
• The Growing Importance of Natural Language Processing [WIRED] - How semantic search can change information seeking behaviours

Our regular weekly blog post will return next week. 

OLA Super Conference 2014

Scott is a mature MLIS student in his 3^rd and final semester at UWO. His interests in MLIS include the CLA, copyright and neutrality. He is very vocal in his classes and is likely the bearded man who is trying to get conversations started in class by stirring the pot.

I attended the OLA Super Conference this year, and though I was only there for two days it was a great experience. I believe conferences serve us in a much better capacity than sitting in a classroom for hours on end. These conferences allow one to learn what they want, when they want. and are an excellent place to meet people in the field.

During my first day I went to an evening meet and greet panel where I was introduced to five professionals in varying fields of librarianship. There was wine and cheese, and a game of networking bingo. Through this experience I met about twenty or thirty other people in varying points in their career, including a few faculty from our own MLIS program.

I was also able to attend a few talks and panels on topics such as how to move forward as a young manager, and library planning. These speaker series were great perspectives on libraries and librarians. Hearing from someone outside of the classroom, I believe, has a bigger impact on you than sitting through twelve classes on a single topic.

Finally, I was also given the experience of hands on professional development. I spent about an hour in the Career Center having my resume reviewed by a professional. This was very insightful and helpful in boosting my ability to recognize different resumes for academic, special, public library positions; This session allowed me to tweak my resume to better reflect what employers are looking for.  I volunteered Thursday night for a few hours, and though it has very little to do with librarianship it is yet another chance to help make a good impression on other library professionals and employers by helping them find what they needed, it also doesn't look bad on a resume.

So two days in the dead of winter have served me better than most of my classes. The classes, and the assignments are important. They will lead to that piece of paper they hand you at graduation, but the piece of paper just gets your foot in the door. The most valuable thing that will stay with me throughout my career will be my experiences at these conferences, not a piece of paper with a four letter acronym on it.