Connection and disconnection

'A local area network (LAN) is a computer networkthat interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building.^[1] The defining characteristics of LANs, in contrast to wide area networks (WANs), include their usually higher data-transfer rates, smaller geographic area, and lack of a need for leased telecommunication lines.'


For me, the network is not that difficult a concept to comprehend. As I read on, I remembered the early part of the PC boom period where all local networks were using coax (coaxial cable). Hard to believe that Ethernet connections are really a recent development.


" Although RFID can be used in library anti-theft systems, this does not mean that it is a highly secure technology. What libraries do not tell their users, and none of us should probably say very loudly, is that RFID tags can be shielded by a thick layer of Mylar, a few sheets of aluminum foil, or even an aluminum gum wrapper, so they will not be detected by the reading device. In addition, today's tags are not hidden in the spine of the book, like security tape, but are often found on the inside of the book cover, barely concealed by a library label, and can be removed. This is not a condemnation of the technology nor even a reason not to use it in the library security system; the reality is that library security has never provided more than a modicum of security for library items. The gates and their alarms are as much social deterrent as they are actual prevention. The reason to use RFID for security is not because it is especially good for it, but because it is no worse than other security technologies. There is, however, some potential savings because a single tag serves many different functions."

The Coyle RFID article has some very legitimate points to me, but these two in this paragraph leap out at me. Any security protocol can and will eventually be hacked, even thought it's mere existence may act as a deterrent. As for all the increased efficiency in library collection management, that's a double edge sword.  Our tech is isolating us more and more everyday. People are texting each other in the same bloody house rather than go and talk to them. There is something to be said for qualitative human customer service and as librarians, I think we should step up our promotion of that effort and see that it is far from minimized.

After checking the ALA's policy statement on RFID,  there are more than casual concerns for the abuse of data collected by this tech as well. Regardless of inventory concerns, Coyle makes the point the books and other articles still have to be shelved. So, a human factor is still going to be essential  for overall efficient library inventory operations.

Week 4 Lab

Task 1 command - SELECT * FROM isi_jcr_report_isls WHERE j_abbr = 'ANNU REV INFORM SCI' AND jcr_year = 2007

Task 2 command - SELECT j_abbr, j_if FROM isi_jcr_report_isls WHERE jcr_year = 2008 AND j_if<1

Week 3 Lab

http://www.citeulike.org/user/Batwoman3/library

While I didn't have too much of problem getting to this point, using the Refworks didn't go as well as I expected.  I will definitely ask about that tonight. As for the Gilliand reading, I always find her insights fascinating. I may write a paper about her for another class. It was pretty straight forward and I don't have anything to add per se - maybe some discussion will also ensue tonight.

Through the video monitor...

Greetings and Bienvenue Readers, Followers and True Believers...

Finally getting past my computer crash and health issues to create this journal of my trek through the wonders of technology and academia. I hope that I, at least, make it somewhat entertaining for you. On to the meat and potatoes of the piece, eh?

Reading the designated pieces about hardware and software reminded me of my introductory computer course back in undergrad. It was a pleasant memory. The CPU, ALU, ASCII code and binary felt like old friends coming to greet me. However, the pieces about scanners and optical character recognition (OCR) made me wonder about how wonderful our own brains are designed that we can discern each character on a page as it is  and not a whole image like OCR.  It also brought home the lectures in LIS 2000 about the problems of provenance in digitization and how much we lose with it, while we preserve at least the most basic aspects of the information in the documents undergoing the process.

My Jing video is about an online audio drama service I use for entertainment and distraction.  It's called Darker Projects.

http://screencast.com/t/N3n1zD1MZ


This Flickr visual will give you taste of what you will find there.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dionne53/?saved=1


While I would love to stay and see if you made it back to the light, as Frost said: "...miles to go before I sleep..."
So, until next time...