Daily Thoughts 1/20/2011 (New York City Digital Show and Tell, Metadata)

An engraving of Harriet Beecher Stowe from 1872, based on an oil painting by Alonzo Chappel, published by Johnson Fry & Co

Daily Thoughts 1/20/2011

I have started reading Metadata Fundamentals for Librarians by Priscilla Caplan.  I am finding it surprisingly interesting.  The idea that there is a standard format for metadata called Dublin Core makes it easier to think about it.  Metadata is basically data about data.  I think I am getting the basic idea of how it works.  It is basically a way to standardize and index searching for data.

I made a few calls for programming today.  I talked to the senior services people in the city and the Womens Enterprise Development Center.  I also checked the displays to make sure things are in order.

I left a little bit early today to go to the New York City Digital Show and Tell. http://www.bisg.org/events-0-628-nyc-digital-show-and-tell.php I was one of the people who watched, they were doing short pitches for different digital ebook products.  There were some surprises.  I will write more about it later.  I learned Book Glutton has a new spinoff product, Read Social.  I also found out about some interesting new sites like http://www.peroozal.com/ which is a site where authors recommend books they have read. I will write about it mor later. 

Daily Thoughts 1/19/2011 (What Technology Wants, Metadata)

Daily Thoughts 1/19/2011

I read some more of What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly.  There is a bit of intellectual daring.  Kevin Kelly addresses the thoughts of the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski.  This was quite different.  He also discusses how the Amish choose to use different technologies. I found this to be a different approach.  I like the idea of being selective on how you will use technology.  It gives a better sense of direction in daily life. 

We had our first order meeting for the year today.  It went fairly smoothly.  I also had a meeting for the Graphic Novels Club.  Today is the day they are giving the Regents exams for the high schools so not a whole lot of people came.  There were a few people.  As always people also took out some material.

The book, Cowboy Angels by Paul McAuley came in for me to read.  It is an alternate history novel.

Two more books came in that deal with information, Online Community Information by John C. Durrance, and Karen E. Pettigrew, and Metadata Fundamentals for All Librarians by Priscilla Caplan.  It is going to be a chance to learn a few new things.