Tech Fair was a complete success!

Tech Fair!.

Coming Soon.... The MUSC Technology Fair

Everyone keep their eyes wide open and their ears to the ground. Something wonderful will be coming in April.... The MUSC Technology Fair.

Do you want to print from your Laptop?

You now can! It's is easy to set up your Laptop to print through internet protocol. All you need is the driver for the printer and instructions on how to set up the printer in your computer. You can get these from the Leaning Common Technologists in Room 449 in the MUSC Library.

A Library Without Books!? By Jeffery N. Pritcher

Can you have a library without books? The question has been posed to me three times in the last two months, twice by students and once by a friend outside the workplace. One student saw us removing journals from the ranges and throwing them into the recycling bins. She cautiously approached me and asked if we could have a library without books?

Another student from one of our focus groups, upon hearing that we were weeding books and journals in order to create desperately needed space for the MUSC Library’s new Learning Commons, posed the same question: Are you able to have a library without books and journals?

The third time the question came as a total surprise, because there was nothing to prompt it. I was out eating dinner with some friends who are not from work, and, out of the blue, one of them asked me the following question: “Jeff, this may not be a good question to ask someone who makes his living in a library, but are we even going to continue having libraries? I mean, aren’t they just going to disappear and become a thing of the past now that everything is online?” In brief, I said, “No, libraries are not going to disappear, at least, not unless they refuse to change.”

The question of a library without books and journals is admittedly an alarming question, and, to be honest, I don’t remember exactly how I fielded the question on each occasion, but I think I said something like the following: Well, it’s important to understand that not all the books and journals will be disappearing. Some of them will definitely remain, but we’re just being carefully selective in terms of the ones we choose to keep. So, the familiar sight of them will still exist, but it just won’t be the focal point of the library as it once was.

Finally, I think I said something to the effect that part of the mission of our library’s new Learning Commons is, in fact, to preserve the library by helping to usher it into the twenty-first century. Our goal is very much to see the library flourish, but the reality is that the way patrons access information in today’s world has changed greatly, and, more importantly, is continuing to change in dramatic ways. The mission of the Learning Commons is to stay on the cutting edge and to help the library keep up with the change in terms of meeting the educational and information needs of our patrons – faculty, staff, and students – and thereby survive and flourish as a true hub of learning and information dissemination.

It is also reassuring to remember that we are not headed down this road alone. Many other libraries are beginning to step up and embrace the changes that are necessary. There are many good and thoughtful resources on the web that can serve as a beginning point for thinking about how libraries are now changing and evolving in today’s high-tech world. I would like to end this post by providing a link to an article about the dramatic changes one very progressive library is making in order to meet the needs of its students.

Welcome to the library. Say goodbye to the books. Cushing Academy embraces a digital future.

And one more link on the subject for the really curious:

The future of libraries, with or without books

Twitter in the Classroom?

The Library has been tasked to feature workshops on how social media is being used in the classroom. So, one of my first thought was how could Twitter be used in the classroom? Well, after looking into what is Twitter (a 140 character miniblog), I realized that the main question it asks, "What are you doing?" is a great question to ask your students on a daily basis. First, this open dialogue can foster creative thinking, allow small groups to communicate more quickly and easily, and develops collaboration within the group. Second, I also see it forcing students to develop concise communication skills due to the character limit. The 140 character limit makes students be brief and to the point. Finally, through this constant contact a professor can hold their students accountable to what they are working on through daily tweets. Just some food for thought. Please let me know what your views are of Twitter in the classroom.

Adobe Acrobat Pro Demo

The Library will be holding two demonstrations for Adobe Acrobat Pro 9.0 on the fourth floor of the MUSC Library, in Room 440, on February 24. These training sessions will cover a plethora of information on how to collect and distribute information using PDF files. There will be a morning session from 11 am to 12pm and an afternoon session from 1pm to 2pm. Please feel free to join us. Contact Joshua Ivey at iveyjc@musc to enroll in one of the two classes.

February 1st in history

February 1st in history

1964 - Indiana Governor Mathew Walsh tries to ban "Louie Louie" for obscenity.

1982 - "Late Night With David Letterman," debuts on NBC-TV.

Top 50 Librarian Blogs

Top 50 librarian blogs

Who came up with the stupid word...BLOG?

Answer via Wikipedia:

The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger on 17 December 1997. The short form, "blog," was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999. Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as both a noun and verb ("to blog," meaning "to edit one's weblog or to post to one's weblog") and devised the term "blogger" in connection with Pyra Labs' Blogger product, leading to the popularization of the terms.

This isn't the first stupid thing to be blamed on Evan Williams!

Social Media and the Modern Student

Students.... how is social media effecting you? This is a question that I am interested in finding the answer to. I want to know so that I can push the Learning Commons in a direction that would help you and promote the social media that you are using everyday. I know that you use Facebook and Twitter to help stay connected with your friends and followers. So, where do you see the Library and Learning Commons using such social media as Twitter and Facebook? Would you use them to communicate with your faculty advisor in the same manner as your High School Sweetheart? Would you like Library updates sent to you via a twitt? Also, what type of updates are you looking for? I am waiting for your comments....

Is your password "abc123"? Prepare to be hacked.

"One out of 5 users leave the digital equivalent of a key under the doormat: they choose a simple, easily guessed password like “abc123,” “iloveyou” or even “password” to protect their data."

LISNews Librarian And Information Science News password security

Two Things....

First, I am leaning that a blog needs to be a group process because without interest from other participants, this blog will languish in its server, unused and unread. I am interested in the opinions, insights and information from Librarians, LCTs and LTAs. I also want all of your comments and questions because this will lead to conversations about what is going on at both the Library and the Learning Commons. This blog needs GROWTH.

Second, I want this blog to be TRANSPARENT. I want to let both the Staff and Patrons know the Learning Commons' comings and goings. For example.... the LCTs are developing guidelines for allowing students, staff, and faculty to use the computer classrooms as practice presentation rooms. We want patrons to be able to reserve classrooms on line, check out a Flip Camcorder and tripod from the fourth floor service desk, and record their presentations during Library hours. Does anyone have an opinion on this?

I am waiting on your two cents....

Primeval MUSC Library Learning Commons Video Series

These are to inform about the changes made to the MUSC Library Learning Commons.

From the Bridge I: MUSC Library Learning Commons

From the Bridge II: MUSC Library Learning Commons

From the Bridge III: MUSC Library Learning Commons

The Real LC guidelines

I found some blogging guidelines written by a Librarian by the name of Michael Stephens that I would like to incorporate into my blog.

1. Have Fun!

2. Write about things you love and feel strongly about.

3. BE real. Avoid jargon or library-speak.

4. Have an informal tone. It's not a scholarly essay.

5. Spell check!

6. Write often! Look for inspiration in your collection, the news, and events going on around you.

7. Don't spend too much time on reviews or commentary.

8. Write in complete sentences and use proper grammar. This is not Facebook!

9. Establish your own voice, but don't forget that you are a Library employee.

10. Be truthful.

11. In general, try not to be negative in your reviews. We are trying to promote library use.

12. Cite your sources and provide links to them when possible.

13. Respect the privacy of others. Don't post information on or the opinions of, other identifiable people without their permission.

To my fellow authors/bloggers.... please follow these guidelines, find your own voice, and through your voices we will create a voice for the Learning Commons.

A New Frontier......

I have started this blog to help the Medical University of South Carolina's Learning Commons get their message out. I do not know what I am really doing, but through our Pascal Delivery, MUSC's interlibrary loan service, I have found several books to guide me. I am open to any suggestions that anyone out in the blogosphere might have.

I do know that I want to help the Learning Commons promote services and new information of and about both the University and the Library. I want this blog to be cultural, academic, and scientific in content. I also would like to post possible tutorials on using the Library and the electronic services that we provide. Eventually I would like to post podcasts featuring short episodes highlighting Library tools, services, or skills that make a patron's life easier in both using the Library and navigating their life through academia. Finally, I want to post information about social media and how if effects your life.

The only thing left to do to do is start posting.....