D.Guidara taking LIS 753

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Post #6 - Website

My website URL is:
http://domin.dom.edu/students/guiddebo/753/librarypage.html

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Post #5

As discussed in class today, I feel that there really is a strong digital divide. The thing is, it is not just between the generational gap, but it is also between those that need to learn how to use technology and those that need to teach it. Within the No Child Left Behind Act for technology, there is a goal to have all eighth graders computer literate by graduation. There is also the purpose and goal to give professional development for the teachers to teach the students how to use the technology. The problem is very clear. There are too many schools that do not have the resources available, there are too many teachers who do not want to learn or do not know how to teach different technologies, and there are many who feel that they already know all that they need.
I see this a lot with students and with teachers. They feel that if they can e-mail and IM, they are good to go. Yet there was a time when the printer was not working properly in the library. A student decided to e-mail herself. Under the circumstances, I said it was fine to do so. A minute later her hand is raised asking how she can e-mail the article she needed for a project.

The reason why I feel it is important to discuss this further is because as a librarian, it has to be my duty to educate. But is that as far as it can go? When will the divide come at least closer together. In class Joy mentioned approaching businesses and discuss this issue with future workers. I understand that children learn when they are IMing and using social networks, etc. The truth is, students and adults need the basics as well. The sad reality is that this digital divide will not change or go away anytime soon. We can only try to help it close the gap. It is a slow process, but that is what this profession is about.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Post #4

For my group project, I have been researching the uses of Flickr. Thanks to Michael Stevens, I have found some interesting information from his blog http://tametheweb.com/library_20web_20/flickr_rocks_my_world/. (There is so much information, and a lot will be discussed in class). I find Flickr to be a great tool and source for libraries to go to. I do not want to go into too much detail, but I found it interesting that one e-mail that Michael received stated: "We are outraged by any public library open to children having an affiliation with Yahoo's Flickr adult oriented amateur porn website."

Going into this project, I thought it was just a site that people can share photos. I did not realize that people felt so strongly that this site is for uses other than sharing or some feeling it is for amateur porn. This goes back to what I was feeling from the beginning about free sites, before looking at any of these sites...someone will always have a problem with this. It is too bad that some libraries feel the same way and block people from using sites like Flickr.