Cloud Computing and Law Libraries

In addition to library school, I’m also working on my law degree. In fact, I’ll be done with all my law school coursework exactly one month from today! To celebrate, I’m doing today’s resource review on an article about cloud computing in law libraries. 

Murley, D. (2009). Law libraries in the cloud. Law Library Journal 101(2), 249-254. Available at http://www.aallnet.org/products/pub_llj_v101n02/2009-15.pdf.

Murley’s article is a good introduction to cloud computing and raises important questions to consider before using online applications/software or storage options within a law firm setting. I think this article is a great introduction to cloud computing for law firm librarians, as she raises some important legal issues to consider with regards to privacy.

With applications and storage that use cloud computing (often referred to as SaaS, or “software as a service”), lawyers can access data from any web-connected computer. This is great, and very convenient for both lawyers and support staff such as firm librarians, but providing such access over the internet raises concerns as law firms have ethical obligations to their clients. Before a library recommends a particular SaaS application for the firm, Murley’s recommends review a number of factors about the service, including the software’s procedures to protecting data from unauthorized access, and ownership rights of the data once stored on the SaaS provider’s servers.  After listing these factors, she also notes the actual ethical duties of lawyers and client information arising from the Rules of Professional Conduct. While the American Bar Association has not yet issued opinions as to whether storing client files on third-party servers is permitted, a few state ethic proceedings provide some guidance. Two state bars permit such storage, provided the attorney exercises reasonable care. 

I’ve been thinking about legal concerns for cloud computing for a while, and think I will dig into that topic for my later resource reviews.  In the meantime, this resource is a good introduction to cloud computing within a private library setting, especially if your library has privacy obligations to clients.

Cloud Computing Tool: Dropbox

This week I’ll presenting my individual topic to my LIS 644 class. While I won’t be presenting cloud computing, I will be presenting a tool that uses cloud computing. Meet Dropbox.

Dropbox is a tool that syncs data from one computer to another by storing the data “in the cloud.” The process is easy:

• Download Dropbox and create an account
• Download Dropbox to any computer you want to sync files with (You’ll need to sync these computers with your account as well)
• Simply save files to your Dropbox folder. These files are saved on your computer, sent to Dropbox’s own remote servers, and synced with all other authorized computers. That means you can access the same file from any of your authorized computers! This ALSO means you can access your files remotely from any computer just by logging into Dropbox from its own website.

I see Dropbox as a sort of USB drive. What I like about it is that it’s effortless: all I need to do is save my files to one folder and then I can access them anywhere. After signing up with Dropbox I found out one more perk: Dropbox will back up any file you save to its servers.  Usually, when I update a file and save it I’ve “lost” the older edition of the file, unless I saved the new file under a different name.  With Dropbox, I can log in to my account online and view all older files that have since been replaced.  So if I want to access an older version, Dropbox backed it up for me!

See all those files? Each one is a back-up! I love this feature.

Another feature is folder sharing with other Dropbox users.  I can share a specific folder in my Dropbox account with another Dropbox user.  This could be a nice way to share group documents (no more sending Word documents through emails), or perhaps photos with family and friends. I have yet to fully explore this feature, but hopefully after I convince some people to sign up I can try it out.

Dropbox comes with 2 GB of storage free, and also provides paid plans if you’d like more. I think this is a great tool for anyone who works on more than 1 computer, and for any user that wants to access files remotely but isn’t the best with remembering to carry a USB drive with them everywhere.

23 Things #10: Image Generators

#10 of the 23 Things was all about image generators. I had zero experience with image generators so I’m happy I had this chance to explore what’s out there.

After reading the 23 Things post about image generators, I browsed The Generator Blog to get some ideas about image generators to try. As a Mad Men fan, I was immediately drawn to the generator Mad Men Yourself. You can see the generated image to the left: the Mad Men version of me. Glad to see I’m still drinking coffee in the 1960’s.

I’ll be honest: besides the brief experience with the Mad Men generator, I wasn’t sold on image generators. I suppose I don’t have much need to generate images in my work, so I can’t see the application. Generators were a fun thing to try, but in the end I’d rather spend my free time on the internet browsing my favorite blogs or looking up recipes to try.

Always nice to know what’s out there, though. Next up: LibraryThing!

 

 

Cloud Computing: Resource Review #3

Well, I bunched two resource reviews into one post last time, and it felt rushed. For this week, I’ll take my time and just look at one resource:

Buck, S. (2009, September). Libraries in the cloud: Making a case for Google and Amazon. Computers in Libraries, 6-10. Retrieved October 27, 2009 from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (EBSCO).

This article is not a free resource on the internet, but rather is accessible via databases licensed through the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I linked to a citation in my delicious account, which is linked in sidebar to this blog. For those of you not interesting in hopping over to delicious, the citation to my resource is here.

image by Jean et Melo

This was a positive look at cloud computing, but I didn’t find it one-sided. In fact, I found the title of this article to be somewhat misleading: the author was not arguing that all libraries should look into cloud computing services.  Rather, she highlighted good reasons why some users and libraries should consider cloud computing, but also some reasons why cloud computing won’t always work.

First, Buck begins by trying to describe what cloud computing is. I was relieved to see that she also couldn’t find a workable definition. It seems that the term “cloud computing” really does mean different things to different users, and we’ll have to leave it at that. She focuses on cloud computing by looking at services provided in the cloud, in particular Google Apps (or the “Google Suite”) and Amazon Web Services. The Google Suite includes Google Apps, which can take the place of downloaded software such as Microsoft Office, and Google tools such as Google Calendar and Google Mail. Amazon Web Services offer a different service, by providing online storage space for a monthly fee. This storage service is useful for users who want to access their data from anywhere, and need a fast (and reliable) service.

How can libraries use these cloud computing technologies? For me, seeing a library use Google Suite was a bit easier to see than Amazon Web Services, although I do not work on the tech side of library services, so I have no idea what kind of data storage concerns library systems face. Buck discusses how librarians can use Google Docs to easily share documents with coworkers and access documents from home computers, use Google Calendars to set up meetings, and Google mail to communicate. Relying on these services instead of purchasing and downloading similar software for library computers can save a library a lot of money, due to the cost of the software and storage consideration on local computers.

Speaking of storage, Buck notes that Amazon Web Services may work for libraries that wish to “free up” some bandwith by moving larger files to a fast, reliable server such as Amazon Web Services so that patrons using the website will not face a clunky, slow website. This is definitely a plus! Cloud storage services offer a quick and efficient way to store information that, by storing on your own servers, could slow the rest of your website down. However, the author raises a good point about long-term cost: while cloud storage is not horribly expensive, the annual costs to store information in a cloud could wind up being greater that storing on your own servers. Upfront costs to create large local server space may be great, but these costs could decrease with time.

This article does present a good overview of the pros and cons for using certain types of cloud computing services in libraries. While there is an introduction to cloud computing in there, I don’t think it’s the best introduction to the topic. However, if you’re looking for a good introduction on cloud computing in libraries, look no further!

23 Things: RSS Feeds and Readers

 

Things # 8 & #9 are all about RSS feeds and RSS Readers. RSS feeds are something I use every day, so I’m very happy talking about them. They are probably the most useful of the 23 Things for my personal and professional life.

RSS stands for “Real Simple Syndication.” I’m no expert on the technology, but here’s what I know: Websites are available through an “RSS feed.” Some websites even offer multiple feeds for different topics. Using an RSS reader, I’m able to save all the RSS feeds I want to read. Later, I can just go to one website to check all the updates for all of these websites, combined. My RSS reader allows me to organize different feeds into different folders. 

I use Google Reader as my RSS reader. #8 of this week is to open a Bloglines account. I do have a Bloglines account, but I never use it. I find that it does not update all RSS feeds are regularly as my Google Reader does. When searching for information on the differences between the two, I found a number of articles about Bloglines and how users are leaving to different, more reliable services. 

I have also users Newsgator, and RSS Readers that are not web-based but rather installed on my laptop, such as Vienna. I enjoyed Vienna but decided not to continue using it, since I don’t always check my RSS feeds on the same computer. 

I mentioned I use RSS feeds for professional purposes. I find it much easier to keep track of developing news in the library and legal fields with my RSS reader: I find relevant RSS feeds on legal news websites, library blogs, and through blogs Google Reader recommends when I log in. In discovered another useful site for RSS feeds in another SLIS class: LibWorm. LibWorm is a specialized search engine: It searches articles from specialized RSS feeds. I am also able to browse articles based on subject and category, or save a RSS feed to use in my own reader. I like to think of LibWorm as a specialized search engine, with the content all coming from submitted RSS feeds that were pre-approved by users.  Very cool!

And that’s it for my exploration in RSS Feeds and Readers. Next up: Image generators! I don’t think I’ve used these before so this should be interesting!

Technology . . .

#7 of the 23 Things is to post to my blog about anything technology related. Where to begin? There’s so much I could post about, it was hard to choose just one topic. I decided to post about a something I’ve heard a lot about this week, and one that really interests me, since I studied this topic this past summer for a previous SLIS class – e-readers.

More specifically, I want to talk about Barnes and Nobel’s new e-read, the Nook:

I’m an avid reader, and I also enjoy learning new technologies. I’ve been following the e-reader trend since Amazon first introduced it’s Kindle with great interest.  My thoughts?  People seem to have really strong feelings about e-readers: some think print books are the way of the past and these new reading technologies should be adopted; others think e-readers will never replace the printed book, and another group think electronic books are the way of the future, but e-readers will not catch on since other devices–such as netbooks and smartphones–can have multiple functions while an e-reader cannot. 

I personally think e-readers have a future, but they can’t replace everything. I would love to carry books with me electronically, but hate reading on computers. I enjoy the experience of getting swept away in a story and think reading on a laptop greatly diminishes that. This is where an e-reader could be handy. The only reasons why I haven’t purchased an e-reader yet:

• Too expensive. As a graduate student working two jobs, I simply don’t have $200+ to spare on a device I don’t technically need.
• User restrictions. Readers like the Kindle and Sony e-Reader have restrictions on the number of devices that can access a purchased e-book, in addition to publisher restrictions on the number of downloads available. Sharing e-books with friends was forbidden.  Essentially, I would be licensing titles to read on a restricted number of devices, not purchasing books. I would be okay with this to some extent, but the restrictions felt too strict for the amount of money I would be investing. 

Along comes the Nook. The Nook is scheduled for release sometime in November, and I am cautiously excited. The Nook advertises its ability to share e-books with friends, as well as it’s compatibility with certain library e-book lending programs, such as NetLibrary. (Which, by the way, the Sony e-reader also offers). While it’s restrictions seem to be a bit more user-friendly that current e-readers on the market, it’s not perfect. For example, the Nook’s lending capabilities Barnes & Nobel are advertising turn out to be misleading, as users can only lend a book once. 

Despite the misleading advertising regarding lending, I think the Nook is a step in the right direction. By offering more broad rights with regards to e-book purchases, I’m sure other publishers and e-reader providers will follow. I hope the Nook will also warm up to libraries using the Nook and e-books purchased from Barnes and Noble. Libraries that have experimented with lending Kindles or Sony readers have, so far, led to mixed results.

And that’s my thought on technology for the day. Next up: RSS feeds and readers!

Flickr

Image by suneko

This week (things 5 & 6) was all about exploring Flickr. I use Flickr to host photographs from interesting places I have visited, but not for personal photographs of family and friends. My Flickr page is here. 

I didn’t take the picture above. Instead, I searched photos that were marked under a creative commons license on Flickr for a good autumn image. I like finding creative commons images using Flickr for blogging purposes, and have done so in previous posts as well. To explore photographs that are available for use, simply find “Creative Commons” under the Explore tab, and then click on “see more” so search for images marked with the license you’d like. So many wonderful photographers use Flickr, it’s easy to find images that are relevant for a blog post, or for class use. 

As for more Flickr fun, I have used some Flickr mashups and desktop applications before. I do think they’re fun, but don’t use them regularly. One interesting thing I noticed about Flickr this time (I don’t log on regularly) is The Commons. This is not a third-party application but rather part of Flickr itself. The Commons unofficially began with the Library of Congress created a Flickr account and other Flickr users began commenting on pictures the LOC posted. Flickr and other parties worked together to create an area where older photos can posted and users can help to elaborate or contribute to the understanding of the photo by embedding “comment tags” within the photo itself. This is a cool use of Web 2.0. For example, in this photo users contribute by mentioning how the bridge in the photo is still in use, and identifying details of the photo that may go unnoticed. However, I’ve seen other photos in The Commons that contain tags that don’t really help users to understand the context of the photo. These comments don’t seem to fit in with the purpose of The Commons: an example is here. I think all comments really do enhance the viewing experience, but it’s interesting how varied they are.  

And that’s my exploration of Flickr! I think Flickr is a unique online photo community, and I love watching how Flickr continues to engage users to add more to their photos, such as tagging by location or adding notes and creating communities and groups centered around all sorts of topics. It’s been fun exploring Flickr again this week. Next up: blogging about a topic of my choice . . . should be interesting!

Cloud Computing

This week, I begin my official blogging for LIS644. My topic? Cloud Computing.

Image by mansikka

I chose cloud computing because I know it exists, it’s useful, and it’s gaining in popularity.  That was about all I knew about cloud computing.  My understanding of the topic has grown exponentially since I began looking for online resources about cloud computing and tagging them in delicious for my class assignment. Today, I’m evaluating two of these resources.  I’ve chosen resources that provide a useful introduction to cloud computing if you are new to the subject, like myself.

Resource Review after the cut.

Twitter

#4 of the original 23 Things is about registering my blog with PLMC Central.   Instead of registering, my class is exploring Twitter. I think this is a good tool to explore and have been exploring Twitter myself since this past spring, when I attended a talk about using Twitter for professional purposes sponsored by the Law Librarians Association of Wisconsin (LLAW). 

What is Twitter, exactly? I’ve heard Twitter sometimes described as a messaging service, but most often hear the term microblogging attached to it. Twitter allows users to post “tweets,” which are sort of like very short blog posts.  One tweet is limited to 140 characters. Once you have a Twitter account, you can search for other Twitter users and add them as contacts. On your Twitter home page, all the “tweets” from your contacts will be listed in chronological order. This feed is updated frequently. 

People use their Twitter accounts for all sorts of purposes: personal, professional, research, and just staying current with news and other information. There are so many different Twitter accounts for you to follow the possibilities are endless. You can create a Twitter account just to follow your contacts and not to post yourself.  If, however, you choose to post (or “Tweet”) you’ll find there are a number of different ways to update your Twitter feed. You can just write anything (as long as it’s under 140 characters). You can post links you find interesting, making sure to fit the link within the character limit by shorting the link using tinyurl.com or another similar service. You can post another Twitter username in your tweet to mention or specifically direct the tweet to that user, and you can “Re-tweet” a post originally from another user, to share that post with any Twitter users that follow your account.

When I first started on Twitter, I found it overwhelming. Sometimes, I still do.  There are a number of helpful resources on using Twitter, and helpful software for organizing all the feeds you subscribe to Twitter. 

To get started on Twitter, I highly recommend reading Mashable’s Twitter Guide Book. 

Also, there is a lot of discussion about using Twitter for libraries. Try reading Twitter for Libraries (and Librarians), Or check here for a very comprehensive list of what libraries are using Twitter. 

Other useful sources of information include iLibrarian’s Guide to Twitter in Libraries and the feeds of the Top Ten Twittering Librarians from 2008.

All of these resources illustrate different ways libraries and librarians can use Twitter.  I think Twitter would be a great tool to keep patrons updated about the library.  For instance, if I could follow my library’s Twitter feed, I could get up-to-date information on hours, events, and perhaps policy changes that would be good to know.  Since many Twitter users access their feeds from a smartphone, Twitter is a great way to get the word out quickly to users throughout the day. 

For me personally, I think Twitter is an interesting tool to get current information on topics that interest me.  For example, I follow a number of law and special librarians on Twitter.  I read their updates and see what they’re working on and talking about.  I also follow some government agencies that have Twitter accounts, such as the GAO, so I know when new publications or studies are released that may be of interest to me. My only complaint is that I am now follow such a large number of accounts that wading through all the “Tweets” can be a bit overwhelming.  I know there are a number Twitter tools out there that can help me with this problem. so I hope to try these out in the next month to see if I can find any that work for me. 

A finally, you can fine me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ellenqualey. That’s it for #4 of 23 Things. Stay Tuned for more!

LIS 635 and my 23 Things

First: My two SLIS classes & this blog:

In addition to blogging for my SLIS 644 class, I’m also going to use this blog to track my progress through “23 Things” for my other SLIS class this semester, “Reference and Information Services.” All posts for Digital Tools, Trends, and Debates will be tagged with “LIS644,” while all posts for Reference and Information Services will be tagged with “LIS635.” Sorry for any confusion — I’ve created a lot of online usernames and passwords in my time as a SLIS student, and this is one small way I’m trying to manage them all.

Moving on to 23 Things. . .

My reference and information service class is working through PLCMC’s 23 Things. This is an online learning program/challenge that introduces users to Web 2.0 tools.  While I use a number of Web 2.0 tools in my day-to-life, I think this is a great opportunity to examine them more closely, consider how to apply these tools to a library setting, and to learn about a few tools I have yet to try.  Throughout this exploration I will be blogging my thoughts and posting links to tools that I try.  This week, I did # 1 – 3 of the 23 things:

1. Read the 23 Things Blog and find out about the program. Done! I applaud The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County for offering the challenge.  Can I have my free MP3 player now?
2. Habits of Lifelong Learners.  I listened to this tutorial and thought about my own learning habits.  I definitely think I am a lifelong learner: I have a list of things I want to learn/improve at and continue to work towards my goals to the point of over-extending myself.  If anything, I wish I could realize that I can’t learn EVERYTHING, at least not at the same time. For example, this semester I not only am taking classes in two programs, working part-time at a job (which provides a number of learning opportunities), but am also participating in a language exchange volunteer opportunity, where I help a young Japanese student practice their English which they assist me in practicing my Japanese.  In addition, I joined a gym so I could take weekly yoga classes.  When I’m not involved in any of the above, I’m learning to sew or reading for pleasure and trying to check off books on my “to-read” list.  In thinking about this, I would say my strength is Habit #2, accepting responsibility for my own learning, while my weakness is Habit #7 and 1/2, “Play,” since I’m often so busy with all my goals and projects I often forget to relax and just have fun.
3. Set up my own blog and add my first post.  Done.