Personal archiving : preserving our digital heritage Ed. Donald T. Hawkins | review

Posted on August 17, 2017 by Stephanie L. Gross, Librarian, Electronic Reserves & Scholarly Communication | Leave a comment

Personal archives | Digital preservation | Electronic records managment

Reviewer: Stephanie L. Gross, MSLIS

Personal archiving : preserving our digital heritage by Donald T. Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewer bio:

I am an academic librarian whose primary responsibility is to oversee the electronic reserves component of Springshare LibGuides. Recently I was appointed to serve on the task group to explore, report and advice the establishment of an institutional repository at my university. Having already read much literature concerning IR, I have begun widening my reading to include material that examines IR and its various components from a variety of viewpoints, academic, technical and personal.

Review:

This book is an anthology created by specialists in libraries, archives and technology. It is a rich, yet succinct, volume compiled as a primer for lay individuals who are involved in archiving personal material. Much of the focus is on preserving, organizing and sharing memorabilia. However, true to expectation, an equal emphasis is given to the preservation of digital files from various formats. Some attention is devoted to records management, although that is from a more introductory, philosophical perspective. What I believe to be the strength of this work is its practical advice to both lay and professionals alike. It is specific and technical enough to satisfy academic librarians who are not trained as archivists. Often we are tasked with aiding and guiding library users (students and faculty) in the preservation of their personal data. Those who are interested in understanding specific aspects of establishing and maintaining an institutional repository, including the compilation and promotion of best practices will certainly need to research further. However, this handbook does indeed list and annotate various resources (e.g. Library of Congress, Internet Archives) which is extremely helpful. There are two chapters dedicated to the preservation of email from faculty, scholars and researchers. Much is made of the chronic conundrum of “store and ignore”, benign negligence, concerning the backing up of files and precious data. The mandate to keep up with current technology, upgrading equipment and the appropriate hardware and software is underscored. (A pitch for able institutions to take on this responsibility is made, especially regarding work by scholars and communities.) Budgeting is given sufficient space to gain an appreciation of the magnitude of the demands on resources, both monetary and human. The final chapters look into the future, including intelligent discussions and projections relating to issues of ownership, copyright and social media. Although various software firms and websites are mentioned by name and have already disappeared by the time of this writing, their absence does not diminish the usefulness of their mention. The principles and philosophy of the services remain valid into the present.

Recommended audience:

Public libraries, academic libraries, special libraries, archives, museums

Recommended added subject heading:

Institutional repositories.
Digital libraries.

View all my reviews

BiblioTech: Why Libraries Matter More Than Ever in the Age of Google by John Palfrey [review]

Posted on August 16, 2017 by Stephanie L. Gross, Librarian, Electronic Reserves & Scholarly Communication | Leave a comment

Libraries | Advocacy | Digitization | Data preservation | Book review

Reviewed by Stephanie L. Gross, MSLIS

BiblioTech: Why Libraries Matter More Than Ever in the Age of Google by John Palfrey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewer bio:
I am an academic librarian whose main responsibility has been to establish and maintain a large database for electronic reserves. I have a solid background in public service, and have mentored library school students and recent graduates for over 10 years. I am conversant in issues relating to access and technology relating to digitization of materials as well as those born-digitally. Since I follow library news on a daily basis, I read this book more as a review of the known, while noting sources for future use. Most of those concerned digitization of material and aspects relating to institutional repositories. A second focus was based on a new work responsibility, that of personal librarian to undergraduate honors students.

Review:
This volume was written by a “feral” librarian with a law degree. It included the major areas where and how libraries are ever-relevant today: users, spaces, platforms, hacking, networks, preservation, education and copyright. Noteworthy highlights for me were the discussions of how some librarians and advocates are reinventing libraries while acknowledging their tradition roles in democratic society. Public, academic, school and special libraries were included. The ‘hybrid-ness’ of libraries is emphasized, along with the innovative factor of digitization of a variety of materials. Risks are involved when print is not saved to backup data. “Data rot” happens when technology fails, but also when newer forms outpace older, obsolete ones. Budgets are stretched to accommodate both digital and analog materials. The author calls for the ‘collaboration’ among librarians, the establishment of library networks, consortia, and private as well as public funding. The conundrum of copyright, data rights and collection policies was briefly examined.

Additional Subject headings might include:

Digital libraries
Web archiving
Digital preservation
Archival materials – Digitization
Library materials — Digitization
View all my reviews

10 Mistakes Job Seekers Make On Their LinkedIn Profiles

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Stephanie L. Gross, Librarian, Electronic Reserves & Scholarly Communication | Leave a comment

Forbes Coaches Council. | Dec 7, 2016

If it seems like everyone is on LinkedIn these days, it’s because they probably are. With the median number of years at one job at 4.2 years and 94% of recruiters using LinkedIn as a tool to vet candidates, it’s no wonder LinkedIn has become an active professional hub.

But don’t just slap your profile together and hope for the best. Below, members of Forbes Coaches Council discuss 10 common mistakes to be aware of so that you can rise above the competition.

From left to right: Casey Carpenter, Adrienne Tom, Shannon Bradford, Julie Bondy Roberts, Cherly Lynch Simpson, Erin Kennedy, Mo Chanmugham, John O’Connor, Shauna C. Bryce, Leslie Mizerack. All photos courtesy of the individual members.

1. Writing Using ‘Resume-Speak Vs. Authentic Language’

A common mistake is to use canned “resume-speak” words that may be made up or overused. Why say, “Our cross-functional team implemented, proceduralized, and metricized our program under my leadership?” How about, “I lead the team that initiated the project, and we saw it through to completion. We came in ,000 under budget, three weeks prior to the deadline.” – Casey Carpenter, The Sales Breakthrough Coach

2. Content Misses The Mark

Failing to demonstrate value to the target audience can cause confusion and lack of interest. To garner attention from prospective employers, job seekers must be selective and strategic in profile details, peppering in keywords and quantifiable evidence that is well-aligned with reader requirements. Robust details are great, but tailored content will boost visibility and reader retention. – Adrienne Tom, Career Impressions

Read more…

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From left to right: Casey Carpenter, Adrienne Tom, Shannon Bradford, Julie Bondy Roberts, Cherly Lynch Simpson, Erin Kennedy, Mo Chanmugham, John O’Connor, Shauna C. Bryce, Leslie Mizerack. All photos courtesy of the individual members.

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