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Friday Fun Link – Librarian Masturbator Caught By Journalist Masturbator (July 28, 2006)

This is about as “fun” as the Friday Fun Links get…

Carl
Monday, an investigative reporter at a TV station in Cleveland recently
did an extremely sensationalistic sweeps-week sting operation (link to video clip)
where he used a hidden camera to catch a twenty-something man
masturbating at the local public library on a public access terminal.

The
reporter confronts the masturbator (without even pixellating his face)
then follows him home and confronts his family. The clip includes
quotes from a local librarian who’s put in a tough spot trying to
defend the right of people to be able to access whatever materials they
want on library computers without defending the young man’s behaviour.

The
online library community has been abuzz about this incident and many
people (on both sides of the issue) have been debating the topic on the
reporter’s official blog. (You might say they’re “Master Debabtors” (groan))

MetaFilter also picked up the story and has some some discussion as well.

Here’s one comment I particularly liked discussing who’s the bigger disgrace:

“[The
reporter] is conducting video lynchings for the entertainment and
outrage of the complacent, self-righteous viewer at home … the
masturbator is a slight detriment to our society … the reporter, acting
as a public judge, jury and executioner wielding the axe of humiliation
is corroding society with a form of shame porn, embarrassing one person
for the amusement of people who want to feel superior to someone, while
reinforcing their paranoia about “those people”.”

Does anyone
else think it’s funny that the reporter keeps referring to the
masturbator as “having sex” in the library? I know he’s just doing it
to make it sound more evil and degenerate but that’s a very
Clinton-esque understanding of what “sex” is.

Another sensationalistic element pointed out by someone in the Metafilter discussion:

The
reporter says they caught the masturbator “just across the room from
the children’s section” So in other words, he couldn’t have been any
farther from the children’s section and still be in the building.

I also want to make a joke about what it would’ve meant
to the high school me’s self-esteem if masturbation really was the
equivalent of having sex. But I know my mom reads my blog so I won’t. ;)

(Update: There’s a follow-up story where the reporter goes to the kid’s trial. Unreal.)

Posted 28 July 2006 § FridayFunLink § Humour § Internet § Main Page ‡ Comments (5) °

Librarian Idol

Went to the Librarians Without Borders karaoke fundraiser tonight and other than a broken air conditioning system at the venue, it was a very fun (and very sweaty) night.  LWB invited the students in journalism school and so a bunch of them came out which provided my first real chance to meet many of them other than a “hello” in passing in the halls. 

For whatever reason, there's a bit of a tension between the two programs and, mixed with the fact that we have different schedules and don't bump into each other very often, there aren't a lot of opportunities to mingle.  (And to be honest, tonight was a bit like a high school dance with the journalists mainly sticking to their side of the room and the librarians mainly staying on ours.)

As for any “rivalry”, they definitely did more singing than the librarians did but then again, they're all born with microphones in their hands.   We, on the other hand, kicked ass in winning door prizes so I guess that balances things out a bit.    Plus we showed them how librarians do things by getting up as an entire group to sing “Brown Eyed Girl”.   



Met one J-School student who is from Saskatchewan so that was cool as well.  Capped the evening by dueting on “Saskatchewan Dreaming” (to the tune of “California Dreaming”) with her since she didn't know “Running Back to Saskatoon” and they didn't have “Last Saskatchewan Pirate”. 

Posted 28 July 2006 § LibrarySchool § Main Page § PopCulture ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

YouTube Terms of Service Debate

YouTube recently updated their terms of service
to say that by uploading content to them, this gave them a “worldwide,
non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to
use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and
perform the User Submissions in connection with the YouTube Website.”
The link above clarifies exactly what this means (including a response
from YouTube’s marketing manager.)

That’s all well and good but the important thing is that this has led to a response from people on YouTube including a shirtless cowboy who defends YouTube’s new policy and many many others who take on this guy’s points very eloquently (see below)

(cross-posted at LibrarianActivist.org but without the fancy embedded YouTube clips because I couldn't get the page there to save with them enabled for some reason.)


Posted 27 July 2006 § Internet § Main Page ‡ Comments (2) °

Five Things Google Could Learn From Wikipedia (and Five Things Wikipedia Could Learn From Google)

Five Things Google Could Learn From Wikipedia
1. More Isn't Always Better. 
Wikipedia is like a streamlined Google and more and more frequently, provides the quick factual answer to any question you might have in a way that Google no longer does.  Do I need to know that my search for “GW Bush” returned 250 million results when a single Wikipedia page has probably all the basic information about him that I need?

2.  Users Are Power
Google should harness the (volunteer) power of its users.  Why can't Google visitors rank and/or tag search results (or even comment on them) to make them even more accurate and useful than they already are?

3. Categorization is a good thing. 
Why aren't Google web results grouped or searchable by at least the most basic level – “personal web page/blog”, “commercial site”, “organizational site”, “educational site”.  We know this is possible – they screen out adult-themed sites via their Safe Search feature.  This categorization could also be accomplished by user voting and/or via an algorithm that checks for certain keywords on a page to determine which category the site most likely fits into. 

4.  Immediacy Is Vital On The Web
Due to its need to spider for content, Google often takes some time to add new content, even on its “Google News” page.  This could be minutes, hours or days depending on the site or topic.  On the other hand, because users come to it, Wikipedia tends to have nearly instantaneous updates on any current news story or other topic of interest. 

5. When You're Big and Powerful, People Don't Trust You
Google's mantra may be “Don't Be Evil” but when you reach a certain size and level of power, people will eventually begin to distrust you, especially if you start doing things (like censoring search results in China) that reek of putting financial bottom-line ambitions above your stated principles.  You can debate the quality and accuracy of its content all day but a site like Wikipedia, structured as a non-profit organization and open to editing by anyone, is much less likely to raise these concerns with people which is why it appears that we're seeing a sea change from Google to Wikipedia as the main starting point for information searches online. 

Five Things Wikipedia Could Learn From Google  
1. More Is Often Better. 
Although Wikipedia's guidelines specify a variety of reasons why articles may be deleted (including “Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate collection of information“),
they should error on the side of inclusiveness and open up their site
to be more inclusive of pages, even if they don't fit their criteria
exactly.  How else will they become, in the words of founder Jimmy
Wales, a repository for “the sum of all human knowledge.”

2. The Best Is Better Than The Latest
Very
loosely, because its algorithm works that every link to a site counts
as a “vote” for the credibility of that site, the best sites tend to
rise to the top of Google rankings.  Wikipedia does something similar
where every edit is (supposedly) refining an entry towards a more
credible state.  But because the change isn't always for the better, it would be better
if Wikipedia users could somehow “vote” for the best version of an
entry over its entire history so not only is the latest version of an
entry available but the “best” version would also be available and
easily recognizable.

[Edit: one idea I saw was to have each entry's text colour-coded so that the darker the shade of the text, the longer it has gone without being edited which would ideally reflect the most accurate information the best.]

3. If You Grow Exponentially, Your Costs Will Too
Although
an IPO like Google's isn't necessarily the answer since Wikipedia is
structured as a non-profit organization, the enormous growth of the
site may require a different business model than “largess of wealthy
founder” mixed with “annual appeal for donations.” 

4. People May Need Help Finding What They're Looking For
It
may seem like a small detail but Wikipedia desperately needs a “Did you
mean…” option for search results like Google has to help with
mis-spelled words or typos.  Right now, Wikipedia gives you very limited options
if you mistytpe even one word.

5.  It's Okay To Have A Sense of Humour
Wikipedia
is a great site but it takes itself very seriously in terms of what its
mission is and how that will be accomplished.  They don't need to have
logos that change for special days or April Fool's Day announcements of
new features.  But a
lighter touch would come across really well and  also be another way to
differentiate it from the dry, serious tone that's associated with
old-fashioned encyclopedias like Britannica.

One Thing They Could Learn From Each Other
I don't know if any two technology companies have been better suited for each other.  There's already been rumours of a strategic partnership and, like the recent YouTube purchase, I think a formal partnership of this type would be an ideal situation. Combine the technological expertise and deep pockets of Google with the open-access  policies and “third wave of the Net” cultural impact of Wikipedia and many good things are guaranteed to happen. 

One Other Thing They Could Learn From Each Other
If you spread yourself too thin, it can hurt you.  Google has released numerous  tools and services.  Some are popular (Gmail, Google Maps) but many others haven't taken off (Google Talk, Froogle).  Wikipedia may be doing something similar with Wikinews, WikiBooks, Wikiquote, Wiktionary and so on.  It remains to be seen if the community that's grown so supportive of Wikipedia will put the same effort into these other Wikimedia projects.

(If any Google people are reading this, I've got lots of ideas on how to make your company even better and am available for consulting duties!  Call me… )

Posted 27 July 2006 § Internet § Main Page ‡ Comments (2) °

Tips For People *Not* Going On Co-op

The co-op placements were announced yesterday and it sounds like a lot of  people got their first picks so that's awesome!  A big Classmate of the Day to everybody going on co-op.  It's going to be weird next semester with the majority of my cohort gone and doubly so because I'll be gone by the time most of them come back in January.  <a single tear rolls from Jason's eye>

I was talking to a first-term student who was concerned about whether they'd get the co-op position they'd applied for.  This, even though they had a chance to do a research project if they didn't get a co-op.  I suggested that doing a research project might even be better experience than co-op which the person said they hadn't considered.

So for those of us who are not doing co-ops, here's a few suggestions on ways to help your employability:

– work in a library (I'd say the biggest reason students don't go on co-op is that they already have previous library experience)
– if you don't work in a library, volunteer in one
– if you don't want to volunteer in a library, volunteer for other organizations
– get involved in groups at school – student council, CLA student chapter, peer mentorship program, librarians without borders, etc.
– make a real effort to attend as many of the workshops and speakers that are offered, both at FIMS and beyond in the wider University community (the University library usually has some useful workshops each semester but especially in the Fall)
– do an independent study or a research project
– try to get some of your essays or assignments published.  There are a lot of venues out there, looking for work and although you might not get in Library Journal right off the bat, it's worth a shot – especially in some of the smaller or open access journals.  The CLA's Feliciter is another good option. 
– work as a TA or an RA for a professor
– join organizations like CLA and OLA
– attend their conferences
– don't just attend their conferences but make a real effort to meet people, especially people who may someday be in a position to offer you a job.  (I hate the word “networking” and prefer “enjoy meeting and talking to people” but that's really what it is)
– get on these organizations' listservs
– get on other library-related listservs
– besides networking with working librarians, find a prof (or two) that you hit it off with and who will write
you good reference letters when you're out in the big bad world looking
for a job


Any other suggestions? 

Posted 26 July 2006 § LibrarySchool § List § Main Page ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Course Evaluations (Except No)

So I went and got really drunk and did some social drinking (that sounds better in case my mom reads this!) with a bunch of first termers after the course meeting. Then I ended up hanging out with a bunch of PhD students. So my promise of thoughts on the course offering goes unfulfilled for the time being.  But I'm sure that everyone at the meeting got a sense of the profs and those that came to the Grad Club after got more tips and tricks and if it wasn't time to go home by then, you got to have more drinks in a PhD student's backyard, at the APK, at the Barking Frog and then various other crazy adventures and excitement.  So my only thought is that no one should put “Public Libraries in the Community” as their first choice – mainly so I get in to it myself! 

Posted 26 July 2006 § Main Page ‡ Comments (0) °

You Know You're A Library Nerd When…

…the course outline for “The Public Library In The Community” (see below) gets you overly excited! Anybody know anything about this prof?  E-mail me off-blog with any thoughts (but she'd have to be pure evil to keep me from taking this class. )

The course information session is tomorrow and I hope to post some thoughts on the various courses and instructors afterwards (I've already posted a couple things on our class listserv but that's top secret!)

I'm leaning towards these courses right now (but all is subject to change):
LIS613 – “Public Library in the Community” – Mon aftn.
LIS765 – “Advocacy and Library Issues” – no day listed
LIS645 – “Mgmt of Special Libraries” – Thu PM
LIS532 – “Shaping of News & Info Thru Tech” – Tue AM
…and one spot that will be filled after I hear the presentations tomorrow.

I'd love to do another independent study or research project but haven't been very active in trying to make that happen.  (Uhm, if any profs out there read this and want to work with me on something related to Wikipedia or doing a cross-Canada comparative survey of the library schools or if you just want to brainstorm something else, e-mail me!)

PS – how can you tell my wife's away.  What is this – my eighteenth post today? 

PPS – I'm listening to Hank Williams Jr (yeah, I know) and that makes me wonder, “Why is adding water to a rye & coke called a 'press'?”  There's a good RQ if anybody's looking for extra practice! 

—
LIS 613 – THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IN THE COMMUNITY
   
Mondays 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Instructor: Carmen Sprovieri

Summary:
The course will deal with those areas of Library service that are unique to the Public Library.
 
Topics include:
•    History of the Public Library
•    Legal and Financial structure
•    Governance
•    Services to Client Groups, e.g. Children, Business, Seniors, Ethnic Minorities, etc. 
•    Marketing
•    Fundraising 
•    Role of Friends Groups and Volunteers

Tour of the London Public Library is planned and students are required to attend a Library Board Meeting.

Posted 25 July 2006 § LibrarySchool § Main Page ‡ Comments (0) °

An Oppressed Librarian Minority

Someone on the 501 mailing list forwarded this Unshelved comic strip to me…



Posted 25 July 2006 § Main Page § Photo ‡ Comments (2) °

95 Theses of Geek Activism

This is all over the web today – I saw it on Boing Boing this morning and Metafilter tonight (which was cited as being found on Digg.)

Here’s the Top 5:

1.
Reclaim the term ‘hacker’. If you tinker with electronics, you are a
hacker. If you use things in more ways than intended by the
manufacturer, you are a hacker. If you build things out of strange,
unexpected parts, you are a hacker. Reclaim the term.
2. Violating a license agreement is not theft.
3. All corporations are not on your side.
4. Keep in touch with everyone you can vote for and make sure you know where they stand on the issues you care about.
5. More importantly, make sure they know where you stand on the issues you care about.

(cross-posted at LibrarianActivist.org)

Posted 25 July 2006 § Internet § List § Main Page § Meme ‡ Comments (0) °

A Day Without Thoughts of Library School (While Hanging With Library Students Discussing Library Topics)

I don't know if I've had a day in the last six-plus months where library school didn't occupy my mind at least partly – either becasue I was thinking about it heavily or it was lurking in the back of my mind. 

Today was close though.  I have no pressing assignments so I went down to Home County Folk Fest and met my “co-birthday” colleague, Marco and bumped into Florence as well.  We all went for a drink at a nearby pub since there was a brief rain then back over to listen to music and wander the Festival site when the rain stopped.  Marco mentioned he was meeting some classmates who'd gone to a film at the Rainbow so after maybe a couple hours at the Folk Fest, we went to the Rock Water Grille and sat and visited for maybe another two hours. 

So how can I say that it was a day without thoughts of library school when my entire day was basically spent hanging out with library school students talking about library school-related topics?  I don't know – I've only got three big projects (and a few fairly small ones) left to complete in the next three weeks which is a pretty light load really.  In some ways (although I can't let myself think this too much) it feels like the semester is over already.  And in a weird way, today even felt like library school was over too – sitting and talking to first-termers about which classes are good, which profs are good, tips about co-op and housing and so on. 

I had a flashback to January/February when every week saw me “sitting at the feet” of Sabina and David and Mike and Melissa, taking in their thoughts and comments about the program in a similar fashion.  It's kind of cool that this oral history gets handed down like this but also unfortunate too since there are a lot of people who might miss out because they don't mix with people in upper terms as much or whatever.  I guess the information filters out – just like I did with everything that people told me, the first-termers today will talk to their classmates over the next week or two and pass along the tidbits that resonated.  But it's too bad there isn't a central repository so that all this stuff is available in one spot and people could consult it as needed. 

I guess that's part of what I see this blog as – a way for students who are new to the program (who haven't started or are in first-term) to get a sense of the stuff they don't tell you – mainly just the day-to-day flow of things, a few examples of assignments (I've put up a few things including my Statement of Intent already and will probably put up more when I get a chance), some tips and suggestions of things that have worked for me (or just as often, the things that were already passed on to me by others.) 

I know it's useful.  It's funny to think how this blog has grown – it started being read by classmates who saw it when I did it for a 505 project.  Then by other students in the program.  Then I heard that some profs and staff read it.  Then I found out that some alumni read it. 

The latest “plateau” is that I got an e-mail from a student who's been accepted here for a September start and found my blog while looking for information about the program.  She said “your blog has been a great resource for me in making my final decision
about which program to choose, so i owe you a few beers, at least, in
the fall.”

Very cool (and if FIMS wants to give me a discount on my tuition for next semester for helping to recruit people, I wouldn't turn that down!)  The unfortunate thing is that she was also writing to see if I had any tips about finding housing outside of the usual channels (she knew about the Western Housing board for instance.)  I copied all of the links on the Student Council intranet site and told her of a couple other things she might try but again, my frustration at the fact that the Student Council web site is housed on the department Intranet was reinforced.  Re-reinforced. 

I'm quite close to a guy who's on Student Council next term so maybe he can help the Council come up with a way to get this information out to the people who need it in a better fashion.

That's about it.  If you're like me and are finding yourself with more free time than usual as the semester comes to a close, you can't do better than Stylus' magazine's list of the Top 100 Music Videos of All-time – although they made one mistake – #2 should be #1.  And man, do I love YouTube. (via Metafilter)

Posted 24 July 2006 § LibrarySchool § Main Page ‡ Comments (1) °