May 2009 Archives

Youth Development staff have been keeping me VERY busy the past few weeks. I have received 5 research/literature assistance requests. For each one I suggest databases/resources to consult, good keywords and vocabulary terms, etc. often taking a few hours myself to look into, and learning A LOT about Extension research and interests. I also was available to the Youth Development Scholars Cohort one afternoon, and during work time several made appointments with me to assist with their literature reviews.

So, if you are feeling stuck in your literature search, please feel free to contact me!

Wolfram|alpha is worth keeping tabs on;their goal is to make "systematic knowledge immediately computable by anyone." http://www71.wolframalpha.com/ the site is great at conversations. There are all sorts of fascinating things like generating world maps according to life expectancy, etc.

To read a longer discussion of the resource, visit: http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2009/05/17/search-news-and-teens/

Google announced a new universal search. "These include contextual navigation links above the search results that help users "drill down" to specific types of information. For instance, developers who search for [python] will see links for "web," "blogs," "books," "groups," and "code," whereas [downtown los angeles] will show a different set of links. "

More info on new search engines, here.

I applaud ALA for issuing "Standard for Distance Learning Library Searvices" this week, approved by the ACRL Board of Directors. This directly impacts my two liaison areas, as both CCE and Extension have staff and students off campus or distance learning.

Highlights from the report include:
- Direct Human Access- instruction, reference and other support from library personnel (that's me!)
- Providing information literacy integration into the curriculum
- Providing equal access to library resources and collections (databases, materials, etc.)

The areas I think we can grown in are providing additional resources to distance staff and students, working to make the library present in CMS, integrating tutorials into curriculum, etc.

To read the report, visit: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/guidelinesdistancelearning.cfm

Missed ARLD Day (Academic and Research Libraries Division)? Well, read about the event, by viewing Twitter, Flickr and other feeds rolled up into a Yahoo Pipe!

Thanks to a brainstorm with my friend Rita at ALA midwinter, Magrath Library will have Plant Information Online postcards available at the Friends School Plant Sale, which draws hundreds of people to the State Fair grounds! We are sharing the Master Gardener table, so I am learning all sorts of things from just eavesdropping, along with adding in a bit about Plant Info when appropriate. below is the tutorial that I have running on my computer while there.

The new short video is produced by Project Information Literacy (PIL) provides a glimpse into why students procrastinate:

Recently I skimmed, Toys to tools : connecting student cell phones to education. Geared towards K12 students and getting them engaged in the classroom by using cell phone technology. The books neglects to discuss how to incorporate technology in populations where everyone does not have a cell phone. However, some interesting ideas and sites were discussed that I made note of:
- Inquiry Question Icebreaker, used wiffiti, to ask a question and have students text answers that immediately post on the live screen.
- In teams during Science Activity Project students looked at a historically significant phenomenon, such as nuclear physics, and then applied the phen to modern day. the students created a Reactee T-shirt (http://reactee.com, shirts $20-27). people would text the number on the t-shirt and get a message to let people know about the connection and how it affects them today.
- Interested in having students create a simple mobile website of information on a topic, try Zinadoo or FeedM8.
- Students can create an enhanced mobile podcast by using PowerPoint slides with QuickTime pro to add audio, and Mobilatory. You will need to convert your PowerPoint movie to a 3G format.
- LastSpotted is a free service where you spy on a something and every tiem you see that thing or person you send a text message. Students can take pictures of insects with their cell phonesand send their pictures with a text message to LastSpotted.