http://commonplaces.org a theological librarian's marginalia Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:23:30 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Note to my readers: this post is the result of an assignment for a class on information technology at the University of Kentucky (LIS637) as part of my MSLS studies. The assignment was to evaluate two library blogs in light of principles set forth in a reading list. Two library blogs ... http://commonplaces.org/2010/03/06/library-blog-comparison/ Abstract This essay seeks to provide a via media in the discourse of social indexing versus professional manual indexing by arguing that the use of social indexing can indeed be useful, and perhaps even the most practical option for imminent use, but should be employed in the service of the eventual ... http://commonplaces.org/2010/03/05/social-indexing-as-an-intervening-measure/ It has been said, “There is no substitute for experience, but letting your wife do it is the next best thing.”1 This colloquialism expresses an idea that is more profound than an initial reading might suggest. The idea is that a personal, first-hand, internalized knowledge of information is ideal since ... http://commonplaces.org/2010/03/05/the-triumph-of-surrogacy/ A few people have inquired about my research on the role of printing during the Reformation, so I include it here for your reading pleasure. You may need to zoom-in a bit to read it. `The Last Flicker of Flame': The Influence of Printing on the Spread of the European Reformations http://commonplaces.org/2010/01/19/reformation-printing/ I have been working on revising my basic presentation for library research (bibliographic instruction, as we call it). Take a look and let me know what you think. It is mainly in outline form so I can adjust it for different student populations. http://commonplaces.org/2010/01/19/resource-research/ Agree or disagree? Although young people demonstrate an apparent ease and familiarity with computers, they rely heavily on search engines, view rather than read and do not possess the critical and analytical skills to assess the information that they find on the Web. These behavioural traits are also increasingly becoming the ... http://commonplaces.org/2009/09/10/are-we-losing-the-ability-to-concentrate/ Many, many, thanks go to my colleague, Jason Fowler, and my new friends at The Association of Librarians & Archivists at Baptist Institutions (ALABI) for inviting me to give a presentation on Patron-Centered Spaces in Nashville last week. I enjoyed my brief time with them, and look forward to ... http://commonplaces.org/2009/06/11/alabi-and-patron-centered-spaces/ I am reviving the weekly webliography in which I summarize in a single post the "dogeared items from the web" listed in the sidebar. Dogeared from the web, March 1-6, 2009: Obama Questions Constitutionality of Copyright Fines. Okay, so this isn't about copyright and libraries but I am very ... http://commonplaces.org/2009/03/06/weekly-webliography-march-1-6/ http://commonplaces.org/2009/03/05/rage-against-the-machine/ Last April I highlighted JTOC, an online service written by Jason Fowler for viewing scans of the tables of contents for the most frequently used journals at our library. The Mar/Apr issue of ONLINE: Exploring Technology & Resources for Information Professionals" turned me on to ticTOCs, another service for reviewing the ... http://commonplaces.org/2009/03/02/tictocs-view-12000-scholarly-journal-tables-of-contents-online/