The Age of Google Books

I’m inclined to agree with Octavio’s post siding with Google, which is now free to move ahead with its book digitization project. According to the Court of Appeals, whose decision was upheld by the US Supreme Court a few days ago (see 15-849, pg. 12), the Google Books project not only passes the fair use test, it is also “transformative” because it increases awareness of a book while offering only portions of the work for viewing online. In other words, an author’s work can be exposed to the millions and millions of Google users that author would not otherwise have had access to, but the scanned material would not be a substitute for entire book.

This case is relevant to us because of Google Books’ outreach to libraries. University libraries such as Stanford and Harvard are already adding their collections to Google’s Library Project. Plus Google gives the library the option to exclude titles from scanning. The company responds to its critics and plaintiffs by saying “We believe a tool that can open up the millions of pages in the world's books can help remove the barriers between people and information and benefit the publishing community at the same time.”  To me that sounds similar to one of the core values of a library, which is to give people access to information. I see it as a force for good.

Google Books Right to a 'Universal Library'

Recently showcased on Facebook’s trending feed were articles linked about Google Books win in the case against the corporation that had begun digitizing all books and building “[...]a universal library in 2004[...]”. The New York Times, journalist Stephen Heyman reported this last October, “In 2002, when Google began experimenting with book-scanning, it took 40 minutes to scan a 300-page book. Now, a scanning operator can digitize up to 6,000 pages in an hour, according to Maggie Shiels, a Google spokeswoman. In total, more than 25 million volumes have been scanned, including texts in 400 languages from more than 100 countries.” Many believed that these actions infringe upon uploaded books and the books’ rightful content creator’s rights. This threat has been declared justified under rule of law of the US appeals court. How is it that Google was able to accelerate their project at such high capacity and justify their case? The answer lies with in a great team of individuals working to advance Google’s presence, power, and level of access which is what it is in the business of supplying customers to in Google’s dominating presence in the information industry. It almost seems as if Google is tweaking the rules users are so familiar with just to fit their needs...and it is working.

  Works Cited 

Heyman, Stephen. "Google Books: A Complex and Controversial Experiment." New York Times
    29 Oct. 2015: NA(L). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.

Mobile Technology: Sweet Tweets From the MSU Library

One common thread running through the whole Library and Information Technology Program is the fact that libraries have always adapted to the times. This is what has kept libraries open and relevant. Adapting usually means exploiting current technology, including mobile.

In May 2012, the Montana State University Library brought together a social media group to determine how to utilize social media in their work. Librarians Scott Young and Doralynn Rossman, authors of the linked article that describes the project and its results, worked from a theory called digital dualism, which rejects the notion of a division between the online and offline world. Because they found that most social media used by libraries consisted of “broadcast-based promotion and marketing” (21), they decided to test its effectiveness in community-building efforts instead, and to build a “community of student participants” (22).  

The experiment consisted of assigned to post tweets and interact with users through Twitter in a “welcoming, warm, energetic” tone. Instead of promoting events in an impersonal tone, new tweets had personality and invited interaction:

The result? A 366% increase in student users. Take a look at this chart:

I imagine that no data resulting from the project and its assessment was as rewarding to the Library as the following exchange:

The librarian essentially took the Ask-A-Librarian function off the library website and took it to the students where they were. The revamped Twitter presence casts a new revitalized modern image of the library. Projects like the MSU Library’s make it clear that mobile technology most definitely has its place in our libraries.

MangoLanguages Assists and Advances Lives of Users

The library wishes to meet all members of the community’s needs and in order to reach the minds of individuals and provide everyone with equal opportunities to learn. This idea of supplying Americans who are disabled with equal accessibility might seem costly but is truly making a difference in the lives of the people who are benefiting from the library’s support in these areas. Some of my peers have mentioned areas of interest in how these supportive applications can improve the lives of disabled patrons but assistive technologies have created a growing and competitive industry like any other, appealing to users of any an all backgrounds. Why limit a learning experience to the standard format of audio lectures or visual presentations when there are many newly developed softwares designed for all ages, available in almost any imaginable subject. One of the many great assistive technology applications that local San Diego County Library patrons are offered accessed through their online account is the access to online practice guides to over the mobile app or the webpage, Mango Languages.

This resource gives patrons the ability to practice 17 different popular languages to choose from. This accessibility attempts to bridge a gap between these barriers that sometimes keep our community members apart. The simple idea of the way we speak may not be a daily set back in the typical American who has grown up with constant exposure to the English language. However, once an individual is put into a situation where the words spoken around them are entirely foreign, they may not completely grasp the importance of literacy. However the at SDCLs, they are dedicated to advancing the literacy skills of all levels. Promoting bilingual abilities is a very advanced skill set to possess and the library is truly using technology’s advanced capabilities to reach and change lives this way. Find MangoLanguages under the Research & Articles tab under the Homework Resource section.

Library of Congress - National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

If someone with disabilities is in need of assistance and is unsure where to start researching they can visit the official site of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). The site provides information of library services such as equipment to read, to listen and where they can find these services.  If you are unsure of what services your local library offers, you can input your location details and you will be provided all that information.

The NLS does circulate some items on their own, but only to eligible users.  They do have an application one must fill out to qualify.  If someone does qualify they can receive the items to borrow at no charge, so in some cases people may not even have to leave the house to use some of the offered assistive technology. One thing that I found very interesting offered by the NLS is "overseas services." If you are a United States citizen, but are currently out of country, you can still benefit from these services!! This process does take a bit longer, but it is such an amazing service.

Those who work in libraries truly do want to do all they can for the public, including those who may require some additional help.  As I have seen with all posts on this blog, libraries and staff have come a long way.  They do what they can to offer FREE services that only benefit lives.  For people who have disabilities, they just need the right information so they can take advantage of all that is offered to them.  One thing I have learned, by visiting various library websites, is that information regarding disability services is not always evident.  Library websites need to have an area that is clearly marked, so users do not have to go searching high and low to see what the library can offer to them.


If you would like to see more information regarding assistive technology, please visit the official page of the NLS provided by the Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/nls/

Library Outreach via Social Media and Mobile Devices

In a world full of mobile devices, the library as an institution is discovering that such technology is manufactured at an increasingly fast rate. Users don’t just want mobile devices they want the latest and the hottest technologies on the market. They are willing to spend up to a month’s rent (sometimes more) on iPhones and other unique popular gadgets.

So how is the library keeping up with users and making sure every customer remembers that their library is available to supply quality resources to community members they try to outreach? It will be required for staff to go beyond the actual library’s location in order to meet each user's standards of accessibility.

Can local libraries compete with the smart phone’s instantaneous connection? In order to remain memorable libraries must keep up with the times and update social networks, adapt to text messaging, and connect with users regular updates. All libraries should be willing to market themselves in the virtual platform. This direct manner immediately connects social network users with the library.

OPACs should be fully functional on mobile devices because this idea of instantaneous gratification is heavily present within the WiFi generation. Such users are very familiar with the idea behind demanding instant access but they may not be as familiar with the concept of how these materials or information are supplied and provided to them. Chances are this idea is of little interest to the average patron but they may begin to take notice of how developed their library’s collection is if they come across materials that check out virtually.

A library’s mission, vision, and goals all work toward inspiring their community of users and connecting them through smart apps or a simple automated mailing list that connects users with approaching due dates and events.

Social networks great way to get the community to recognize and remember that the library is a great resource that can connect them to many worlds; whether they are virtual, through the power of the written word, or even in real time.

At my local public library, the SDCL Lakeside branch, a contest is currently open to submissions on their https://www.instagram.com/ under the hastag #lovemylakesidelibrary. (See further information regarding this contest below). This is merely one example how the library has tried to keep the younger generations interested in their services.

It's Library Month everyone! Follow us and use the #lovemylakesidelibrary and #iloveSDCL, we will be choosing the winners on May 5th. The more pictures you post with our hashtag, the better your chance! Also check out SDCL's main page (they are tagged above ^).

A photo posted by Lakeside Library (@lakeside_library) on Apr 14, 2016 at 1:57pm PDT

NFB - Newsline

As I was creating my first post about the different assistive technology available at the San Francisco Library I was intrigued when I came across the service Newsline provided by the National Federation of the Blind. It is a audio newspaper service that offers access to over three hundred publications!! Most of the publications are in English, but they do have a handful of Spanish publications.

Those who have access to this service, can use it free of charge and at any time.  When people use the service they have the ability to change settings such as speed, voice settings, and section of the paper they would like to hear.

To use this service one does have to submit an application, but it is offered to those who are unable to read printed newspapers.  To register for this service you can download an application from the National Federation of the Blind's official web page, call the NFB or you can call your state's Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

When I visited the website for the San Francisco Public Library I was easily able to find the area of their website dedicated to their assistive technology, which also included information about Newsline. I decided to browse the websites for libraries in Escondido and the city of San Diego.  On the Escondido website, the audio newspaper service is not specifically mentioned, but they do provide a link to the page of the California State Library with information regarding services for the blind or visually impaired.  On that page, there is information about the newsline service.  For the San Diego Public Library it was a very different experience.  They did not provide a link, or mention this service. Under their page titled, "OliverMcMillan I CAN! Center - Services for Persons with Disabilities," they only have services they offer for disabilities.

I think it is amazing a service like this exists, and it is quite sad not all libraries advertise information regarding the service.  Now, it is very likely users may be referred to the service after speaking with a librarian or other library staff, but it would be very helpful for all to have some information provided online.

If you would like to view more information you can visit the official page of the National Federation of the Blind at the following website https://nfb.org/audio-newspaper-service.

Refreshable Braille Tablet

Refreshable Braille Tablet 

The refreshable braille tablet is just like it sounds, a braille tablet that can be refreshed!  It is a device that can allow those who read braille, to do so in a more convenient manner, well at least compared to computers that print braille.  

There is a team of researchers at the University of Michigan who are currently in the process of creating a braille tablet that has multiple lines of braille (pictured above).  When they are successful, it is their goal to offer the product at a lower price than current braille tablets.

Current braille tablets only present one line of text at time, which of course is not too convenient, and they cost thousands of dollars!!! The team from University of Michigan according to the article (link at the end of this post) would want to offer the product for less than $1000. The price is still high, but maybe at this price more libraries would be able to afford at least one braille tablet.  

Below is a video of the researchers speaking about the product.  

Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/545301/in-pursuit-of-an-affordable-tablet-for-the-blind/

**** Currently some libraries, such as the Seattle Public Library, offer a braille tablet to users, but due to the price of the device, it is not a service all can afford to offer.  Also according to the library website, the tablet only shows 65 characters at a time.

http://www.spl.org/audiences/library-equal-access-program-(leap)/adaptive-equipment

Google books

According to a NY Times article only days old the US Supreme Court will not hear an appeal from publishing houses and authors who accused Google books of massive copyright infringement. This legal battle has taken more than a decade to finally be decided. The court decided to leave in place a lower court decision saying the Google books project was ‘fair use’ of copyrighted books. I count myself as a sympathizer to Google’s goal of digitizing every book in the world to make them searchable. On my earlier blog post about the digital divide I spoke of the world’s population getting increasing access to the internet but not the academic journal articles. Before Google books this would also be true of books since much of the world does not have access to great libraries such as those in Western metropolitan areas. If Google were to have been successfully challenged, this digital divide would have continued to grow even larger. Under the fair use policy Google is only showing previews of books under copyright but they are providing humanity with the great service of offering options where the book is accessible nearby, such as a library. A great study by Helen Georgas for Libraries and the Academy Portal studied researching among undergraduate students and summed up her findings as follows:

“Students used both Google and a federated search (resource discovery) tool to find material they believed to be relevant. Each source was evaluated for topic relevance, authority, appropriateness, and date, and assigned a total quality score. Results showed that the books found via Google were slightly higher quality than those uncovered via the federated search tool. The articles and additional sources students found via the federated search tool were slightly to moderately higher quality, respectively, than those discovered via Google.”

It is great that students and learners across the world will increasingly be able to see the combined published work of the world but I hope that Google will start to make inroads on the academic journal articles as well. Without Google books, only those learners paying tuition or paying some other way will be able to see the best journal articles and it can be easily argued that the whole scholarly community would benefit if more people could build on others’ work and progress humanity faster.  

Mobile technology and libraries

After making a how to video about Overdrive, I have test driven the platform for several weeks now. I am disappointed. This service has the potential to be absolutely ideal for e-content but the developers have too many glitches to work out on the mobile platform before I can continue to speak highly of it. Even connected to wifi and having full service, I have experienced buffering and skipping to random chapters that was very frustrating because it made the service useless. I was also not able to download any audiobook titles so that I could use another mobile application to listen to them. I got angry that my library was paying Overdrive to provide titles and it was not following through on something it claimed to be able to do. I have not experienced any of these problems on the web from a laptop however. The ebook half of the service works great on both device types, but it is the audiobooks that I love best and cannot get to function on mobile. 
The only up and coming competitor to Overdrive is 3M and their Cloud Library. This service platform is already available at the San Diego Public Library. One great distinguishing feature 3M offers is a tool to write notes and bookmark them to any page. 3M looks competitive with respect to ebooks but, unfortunately for me, the audiobooks are lacking immensely. My experience shares similarities with the results of a study conducted by Xianjin Zha for the Journal of Librarianship & Information Science. Zha collected surveys from 306 diverse university students and concluded that “The data distribution suggests that there are more users who think digital libraries are both easy to use and useful whereas mobile digital libraries are neither easy to use nor useful. The mean comparison of ease of use and usefulness shows that web digital libraries significantly exceed mobile digital libraries.” One other service worth mentioning is boopsie.com. Boopsie prides itself on being the one stop mobile platform for everything a public or academic library patron will need. These benefits include ILS Integration giving patrons the ability to manage their accounts including placing holds and renewals, catalog searching, calendar of events, social tools and even claim to be able to customize anything else a library might need. I hope that Boopsie seizes an opportunity to use their capital to compete with Overdrive because one private company having the lionshare of a national service is never good.

Assistive technology and libraries

I recently attended a Palomar Library and Information Technology program field trip to the Downtown San Diego library. It was absolutely incredible since I had never been there before. Two of the highlights were the I CAN! room and the Maker Lab. There were many other highlights but the significance of these two spaces in our San Diego downtown public library is significant for the potential to increase breakthroughs in assistive technologies. On my libguides site I recently recommended that all libraries include Make magazine into their collection for this very reason. Many among our youth are resistant readers geared much more heavily towards working with their hands, using physical objects and problem solving. Just because reading books bores some of these children does not mean that they cannot be involved patrons at the library. A community of ‘makers’ is flourishing around the globe. An excellent study by Patrick Timony can be found in Advances in Librarianship. Timony explains that “The maker movement is a cultural trend toward creativity, and the disability community can gain both accessibility and innovation solutions from the maker movement.” This community has a popular jargon word, ‘hack’, usually referring to improving an existing technology to better suit certain needs. This insatiable thirst to hack everything about life is ideally suited to those who need help with their special needs. The SD Public Library in particular offers access to 3D printers and scanners, electronic cutting machines, computer programmable sewing machines, and other smart devices makers can use to ‘hack’ life. The best example of the maker community coming together for the specific purpose of helping push assistive technology is the Bay Area Makeathon. The video highlighting the event is incredible. Seemingly impossible assistive technologies have been pioneered here such as a device for carrying a drink while using crutches, a wheelchair accessory to kick a ball allowing participation in games, a device allowing people with limited hand movement to feed themselves as well as many more. The most impressive technology I have found however is seen in the video below by Intel Labs collaborating with Dr. Stephen Hawking to create assistive technology that allows Dr. Hawking to communicate only using the movement of his cheek. The expansion and support of makerspaces is making the future for assistive technologies look very promising and the library can continue to position itself at the forefront.

Libraries and the digital divide

A JSTOR search for ‘Digital Divide’  retrieves Chun-Yao Huang in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing stating the term “generally refers to the gap between the more privileged who have access and the less privileged who do not have access to information and communication technology (ICT)” Huang also stated that much attention has been put on the concept due to “the importance of ICT for productivity gains in the fiercely competitive new economy”. When I think of the digital divide however, I cannot help thinking about Aaron Swartz. Aaron Swartz envisioned a world where everyone would have access to the above article and all others like it, not just privileged students in a Western school like myself. Aaron was a young titan in the internet industry who was already a partner of Reddit.com by age eighteen. No one could epitomize potential for changing the world like Swartz in 2011 but unfortunately that was the year the federal government charged him with two counts of wire fraud and eleven violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He was caught downloading a large portion of JSTOR’s archive with the intent to disseminate it on file sharing websites. Swartz, who was a fellow at Harvard University's Safra Center for Ethics, would not accept a plea bargain implying he was a felon. Shortly after the prosecution denied his counter offer Swartz committed suicide. One can see the prosecution’s case because JSTOR has an established and reputable database going that was being exposed to non authorized eyes. It is still nonetheless hard to accept the loss of Aaron Swartz. The economic, copyright and licensing issues which stifle a free flowing information world like the one Aaron Swartz envisioned are outside the scope of a blog post. The open source movement however is a great hope for those who want to see ICT available for everyone at little to no cost. If we look at the open source movement with respect to libraries with tight budgets or in poor or developing countries there is thankfully open source Integrated Library Systems (ILS) such as Koha as an option. It could be argued that the digital divide is contracting as last year saw 64% of Americans owning smartphones and Ericsson’s worldwide mobility report says there will be 6.1 billion smartphone users which works out to some 70 percent of the world’s population using smartphones in five years’ time. Should we be content with the whole world being able to access the internet or strive towards the world Aaron Swartz envisioned?

The Digital Divide and What It Means for College Students

One of the reasons I like the video above is that it illustrates how deeply technology, especially digital, is embedded in our lives today. The cheery first part “narrates” its message through a number of familiar devices and programs just before it pivots to reveal disturbing statistics about the digital divide.

The digital divide is a real thing. Our class textbook states that the split occurs between those who own computers and have access to the Internet, and those who don’t. The book goes on to cite a Pew report that reveals, among other things, the percentages of certain demographics with Internet access. If 62% of Americans who earn less than $30,000 a year use the Internet, this means that 38% do not. Compare that 62% to the 78% of all adult  Americans who go online (146). If the bulk of information is being spread online, then too many people are not being informed. Reading those statistics, I was a little surprised, but I should not have been.  

The truth is that I witness this divide all the time at my work as a community college teacher. Doing my job nowadays requires that I implement technology in my teaching. I have to push my students toward some degree of digital literacy, so I turn toward current technology whenever I can. For example, I keep all of my course documents and information on Blackboard, and my students print their own syllabi and handouts. In addition, I have them submit their homework and essays electronically, which is how I grade and return the work to them. In addition, I use Blackboard to post tutorials and links to websites, and embed YouTube videos for supplemental information.

Perhaps those statistics to me were not so much a surprise as a revelation . Community college is a special place to teach, because the student population is so diverse. It is not an exaggeration to say that individuals from every single walk of life gather at the community college; this includes students affected by the digital divide. In fact, I have had students represented in every group listed on page 146 of the textbook.  Here I am, teaching with technology, and there are the students, who have none at home. I tell them that they can use computers and the internet at their school or public library.

By providing free computer and internet access, libraries help these students bridge the divide. In the TED Talks presentation posted below, BiblioBoard founder and CEO Andrew Roskill draws a parallel between income inequality and the inequality of access to information, as he praises the importance of libraries before he proceeds to explain what they are doing wrong. The important point here is that libraries really are the “technology lifeline” for so many (147).

Still, libraries have to close every night, and some close for holidays. Many of my students, who  rely on libraries for their digital access, also work full time, at low paying jobs they can’t afford to quit. Often, their study time does not match library hours of operation.  By contrast, people on the “have” side of the digital divide have the luxury of using their technology at any time, and writing in their pajamas, as I’m doing now. Therefore, using technology, when you don’t have access to it at home, requires more planning, more time devoted to each assignment. So while the library really does help level the field, the digital divide continues to add pressure on the lives of those on the “have not” side.

So I am ending this post with many questions. What more can or should a library do? Can an academic library do things a public library can’t do and vice versa when it comes to closing the digital divide? And if the library gets to the point where it can go no further, who needs to step in and close the gap? Laptop initiatives can be a step in the right direction for computer access, but what about internet access? Has the time finally come to start talking about universal public wi-fi?

Assistive Technology offered from the San Francisco Public Library

Assistive technology is the service provided to people who have disabilities.  Library staff do all that they can to ensure all users have equal access to all library resources.  This post will showcase the San Francisco Public Library and what they offer to help people who have disabilities.  The direct url for the page I am referencing is http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=2000008101.  Their website is fairly easy to navigate and within two clicks of links, users are brought to the Assistive Technology page.

To help users I will start from the beginning…enter San Francisco Public Library into a search engine or enter http://sfpl.org/ into the address bar.  Once you are on the main page, look to the lower left corner for the box titled “Services.” Within that box click on “Accessibility Services.” The next page has a variety of information from Library on Wheels to Friends for Life.  Just from this page, users can see the library already has a wide range of services to help all people.  The second service listed is “Assistive Technology,” so click on the link and you will be brought to the page that lists several services the library offers that are considered assistive technology.

Accessibility Toolkits – They are devices that can be used within the library.                          

The assistive devices are as follows; Pencil grips, and held magnifier, book holder and signature guide just to name a few.

BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) – An online application is needed to qualify for this service, but there are thousands of titles users will be able to access.

Braille Display and Embosser – For those who read braille, they can print information from the computer in the Library for the Blind and Print disabled. 

CCTVS (closed-circuit televisions/ video magnifiers) – These tvs are used to enlarge text.

NFB-NEWSLINE – This services allows library members to call a telephone service that will read aloud over three hundred newspapers. 

Reading machines – These machines scan printed English text and read aloud what is on the page.  Pictured here is one of those reading machines.

Talking library catalogs – There is at least one terminal on five different floors of the library that have the capability to read aloud what is one the screen and/or enlarge the text shown. 

Talking sign receivers – Located on multiple floors

These are wonderful services offered to all library users who need extra assistance.  All information listed above is from the San Francisco Public Library’s official website.  They also list their number multiple times of most of their pages, which is one aspect of their site I truly appreciate.  It is apparent they want to help and make sure the user knows they also can find assistance at the library.  

Makerspaces for Everyone: Assistive Technology and Libraries

Makerspaces, sometimes also referred to as hackerspaces, hackspaces, and fablabs are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. In libraries they often have 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies and tools, and more. -- Open Education Database

Before starting the Library and Information Technology program, I had never heard of a makerspace. But when I did, I was excited about the idea of libraries devoting their space to this sort of activity, one of many ways libraries continue to evolve in order to remain relevant to the public they serve. Watch how these two libraries, one public and one academic, serve their users through makerspaces:

To me, this is an promising phenomenon, as more and more people are embracing the DIY ethos. For many, DIY is not only a response to harsh economic times, but also a rejection of excessive consumerism and of mass-produced goods, which are often made by people who suffer exploitation. For others, DIY is a way to integrate their creativity and their daily lives.  They sew their own clothes, grow their own food, make handmade gifts, publish their own books...the list goes on. We can think of DIY as a way of asserting our independence. Library makerspaces act as a link between the Maker and the tools, many of which are out of reach.

As I looked deeper into this concept, I wondered if and how libraries implement makerspaces that accommodate users of different abilities, including those who live with physical challenges. After all, for whom is personal independence more important than a person with a disability? Furthermore, a disability should not be an obstacle to someone’s creative expression. 

There was a lot of good news to be found.

DIYability is a maker-supporting organization whose goal  “is to create a community for people who believe that technology is world opening. The tools and software available today can let anyone implement and make their own devices and make almost anything else.” Its website offers projects for homemade assistive devices, such as a switch to be added to a remote controlled toy.

Another inspiring initiative comes from the University of Washington’s College and Engineering, which has collaborated with the school’s DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology) Center to create a makerspace that is fully accessible to students with disabilities. They then took one step further to produce a detailed set of guidelines for libraries and other organizations that want to include people of all abilities in their makerspace.

I can’t think of a more inspiring image than that of a student or other library user with a disability generating products of his or her imagination side by side other makers. Imagine users creating own assistive devices, such as a prosthetic hand, for themselves or other people. A library can say it serves its community when it serves everyone, and accessible makerspaces ensure that everyone gets to participate.

Here is a 17-minute presentation by DIYability founders Holly Cohen and John Schimmel:

Bridging The Digital Divide

Today’s users of the world wide web can not imagine a time without such technological tools as computer systems and Internet access. Many Americans seem to believe these inventions are a kind of institutional right or freedom. They create many gaps between generations, socio-economic classes,  nations, and affect the state of our environment.





In the above video TEDx speaker, Karlie Robinson pressures users to be more conscious of their time spent with such advanced machines and consider what these tools were originally introduced to achieve. She shares shocking images of landfills piled with out dated computer towers and technologies that could be refurbished in order to educate a user in need. Today instead of making sure world wide access  is offered to children worldwide a digital divide has been instituted.
As a society we tend to classify being technologically literate as a skill but many users today do not consciously think about their actions online. In a world where many societies on our planet still lack essential needs it is unsettling to consider the sense of comfort one may experience when seated in front of their personal computer investing hours of their time on popularized social media pages such as https://www.facebook.com/ or https://www.instagram.com/.


The impact of these technologies is monumental and the rates of use of the tools mentioned above is significant. John J. Burke, author of our course textbook, the Neal-Schuman Library Technology Companion: A Basic Guide for Library Staff, recognizes that younger people  are more likely to have exposure and basic knowledge of operation when it comes to these systems(pg. 146). Young people have much to learn from the amount of access the internet, higher education, and their public libraries offer individuals passionate about learning.

In many civilizations today users can not freely surf the world wide web, while others lack running water or a reliable source of electricity. Human beings have the power to treat one another with kindness and respect and the digital environment, although it was created to aid users, it often tears people apart. Libraries are centers for the people. This is why I believe that they have the power and potential to really bring a new style of teaching technology to the people. Young people need to be aware of how these machines operate and perform, therefore they need to experience as many softwares and programs that the systems have to offer. Public libraries today have identified that technology is a resource they should be providing their patrons therefore they will need to be equipped and able to answer any user’s questions in regard to these machines or be able to direct users, bridging the gaps of the digital divide.

Mobile Technologies and Libraries

There are 2 main ways that I can think of that mobile technology is used in the library. First, within the physical building, many libraries offer laptops for patrons who want to utilize the internet for web browsing, researching, or career building. Oftentimes, libraries will also offer e-book readers with pre-loaded titles for the patron to enjoy. While there is often a time limit on these items, they offer a bit more freedom as they run off the wi-fi in the building and one can move around with it. Second, some libraries offer access to e-books and audiobooks through Overdrive. Overdrive can be used to check out these materials from the library's catalog on your computer, tablet, or phone. I have personally utilized this service myself for e-books through the Escondido Library and found it very convenient. The ALA has alot to say in this article about its current policy regarding mobile technology. This includes benefits and concerns, expectations for the future, and other information. Here is one presentation by the NCSU library regarding their policies on mobility for their library. As with many forms of technology, the library is adapting in different ways to best meet the needs of its patrons. It will be interesting to see what the future holds, as more and more people rely on their smart phones as their main access to information.

Over the years, there have also been many Library Technology Conferences, ranging from small school-based conferences to more large-scale conferences. Clearly, this is a hot topic, and here to stay.