February 2009 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Re: [Air-L] WSU To Go Paperless
by 'Gail Taylor 15 Feb '09

15 Feb '09

In reading the posting Gerry made about Washington State University going paperless, I found myself thinking about people who work as cooks, housekeepers, groundskeepers, and at other positions where access to and use of information technologies is limited and/or restricted. It would be interesting to know how the University is going to ensure that this group of employees has access to both "need to know" as well as "might want to know" information that feeds into and also directly impacts their work experiences. I was relieved to hear that a University actually believes this approach is too radical, in the case of Gerry's employer. This reaction sent a signal to me that the administrators are thinking about change management issues at different levels of operation. As someone who has worked in the technology transfer area for a lot of years, my advice is to use this sort of reaction as a starting point to explore digital divide issues that exist at your own place of employment. Gail Gail Taylor, M.Ed. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Human Resource Education Ph.D. Candidate INFO 202 Social Aspects of IT Teaching Assistant >Message: 8 >Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:41:48 -0600 >From: "McKiernan, Gerard [LIB]" <gerrymck(a)iastate.edu> >Subject: [Air-L] WSU To Go Paperless || Social Networks For A Green >Colleagues/ > > > >Earlier this week, The Chronicle of Higher Education / Wired Campus >reported on a recent initiative at Washington State University: >> > >"Internal Communications at Washington State U. Go Paperless" / Steve >Kolowich / February 10, 2009 > > > >As noted in the story: "Washington State University has decided to go >paperless for all internal communications on its four campuses, moving >all memos, fliers, posters, and its weekly newspaper to cyberspace. >'Experts have been predicting a transition to a paperless society for >years,' wrote Elson S. Floyd, the university's president, in a statement >this afternoon. 'Meanwhile, it seems that the piles of papers that cross >our desks keep growing. We plan to reverse that trend.' > > > >The decision, made official last month, comes amid an effort to trim >$10-million from the university's budget by June, with further cuts >anticipated next year. [snip] > >In addition, the article reports that "[w]hile the budgetary impact of >going paperless might be largely symbolic, university officials note >that the switch also has environmental benefits."[snip] > >She also said that quitting paper cold turkey would encourage the >university to integrate Web 2.0 technologies-such as blogging and social >networking-into its internal communications. [snip] > >For More Details and Link See [ http://tinyurl.com/b7otw5 ] > >She further elaborated stating ... 'it is really exciting to deliver >the news in a new format," he added. "We have to learn to use the tools >of the Web and Web 2.0 effectively.' > >For More Details and Link See [ http://tinyurl.com/daf8ge ] > >BTW: During the breakout session at our Sustainability Symposium held >earlier this week, I had planned to suggest that various interlinked >university social networks be created to facilitate communication, >coordination, and cooperation amongst/between various individual, >departmental, and administrative efforts but thought that The Idea would >be considered Too Radical ... Little Did I Know That WSU Would See The >(Potential) Benefit of Social Networks For Its Green Initiatives [:-)] > >Enjoy! > >/Gerry > >Gerry McKiernan >Associate Professor >Science and Technology Librarian >Iowa State University Library >Ames IA 50011 > >gerrymck(a)iastate.edu > >There is Nothing More Powerful Than An Idea Whose Time Has Come / Victor >Hugo >[ http://www.blogger.com/profile/09093368136660604490 ] > >Iowa: Where the Tall Corn Flows and the (North)West Wind Blows > [ http://alternativeenergyblogs.blogspot.com/

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PhD dissertation on the Internet in Israel - www.sociothink.com
by Nik John 15 Feb '09

15 Feb '09

Dear Colleagues I was recently awarded a PhD for my dissertation on the arrival and diffusion of the Internet in Israel. It's online at www.sociothink.com I do not try to identify the variables that predict the speed of the Internet's diffusion in a new country, but rather, using the methodological and theoretical tools of Science and Technology Studies, I ask how the Internet got to Israel in the first place. How was the knowledge transferred? By whom? What micro processes were involved? What political, economic and cultural and regime was prevalent in Israel at the time the technology arrived there? And how did changes in that regime from the mid-80s to mid-90s impact on the way the Internet was institutionalized in a new country? And what does all this teach us about how globalization happens? It's a study about the social meanings of infrastructure and while it doesn't seem to belong in any obvious category of "Internet studies", it most definitely is a study of the Internet. I also ask what bringing the Internet to a new country meant to Israel's Internet pioneers, and compare this with the techno-utopianism that characterized press coverage of the Internet in its early years. And for those of you who sometimes use computers to write in non-Latin languages, there is a chapter on how the evolution of the way we present Hebrew letters on the Internet is not just a story about the technical superiority of Unicode, but actually involves the "browser wars" between Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, the shift from mainframe to personal computers, and the emergence of a relevant social group (computer programmers) that was able to devote resources to dealing with a problem that was becoming increasingly troublesome to it (namely, the customization of software). While the case study involves Hebrew, the findings apply to other non-Latin languages, and have implications for our understanding of the Internet as either a cause for cultural homogenization or a preserver of local languages. My own view is that a global solution (Unicode) might offer a lifeline for the representation of local cultures online. Comments of any kind will be received with interest. Best Dr. Nicholas John Research Fellow The Interdisciplinary Center for Technology Analysis and Forecasting Tel Aviv University http://ictaf.tau.ac.il Personal site: www.sociothink.com nikjohn(a)gmail.com Tel: +972 3 5781993 Mobile: +972 54 7906073

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Using ANT as ethos and method
by Tamara Paradis 15 Feb '09

15 Feb '09

Hi all I'm working on a graduate project that explores the controversies and understandings of MMO gaming as valid leisure. I'm curious what is it about MMO gaming that results in it being viewed as geeky, strange, "luser-ish", etc. I've been struck by the ways in which MMO gamers themselves, as well as everday non-gaming folks and mass media reportage (outside of financial reports!) seem to accept that MMO gaming is somehow a type of strange and suspect pursuit. I've long been intrigued with the work of Bruno Latour and others from SST and material culture studies who use an Actor-Network Theory (ANT) approach to studying the world and its phenomenon. I am drawn to the ethos of ANT which flattens the divide between researcher and the researched, and which advocates jettisoning old notions of society and "the social", and the old (artificial?) divides between micro/macro, structure/individual, power/domination etc. in the interests of letting the actions tell the story of the results. I'm equlally drawn but intimidated by the methods built into ANT -- the mapping of actors and connections and associations. I'm trying to convince a reluctant adviser that an ANT approach is a valid way of studying my research question. Given the digital focus and the desire to use ANT as ethos and method, as well as the ways in which ANT approaches study and fieldwork, I'm having a rough go of it. I'm wondering if any of you are using ANT or have used it in the past for qualitiative research purposes (e.g. virtual ethnography; findings reporting; etc.). If you have done so in the past, are in the midst of doing so now or are at least intrigued by the possibilities, I'd be interested in talking with you off-list. Thanks. Tamara Paradis tparadis(a)connect.carleton.ca tsparadis(a)gmail.com Carleton University - Sociology & Anthropology Ottawa, ON, Canada

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SU Library Spring Seminar: Not Just Facebook: Niche Social Network Sites
by McKiernan, Gerard [LIB] 14 Feb '09

14 Feb '09

Friends/ Later this month. I will give the first presentation in our 2009 Spring Library Seminar series here at Iowa State University: Not Just Facebook: Niche Social Network Sites Gerry McKiernan, Associate Professor, Science & Technology Department, ISU Library Wednesday, February 25, 3:15-4:30, Parks Library 192 "While Facebook and MySpace are among the better-known general online social networks, there are an ever-increasing number of online networks that have emerged for and within a wide variety of groups. Among many others, these include networks for academe and education, people of color, boomers, businesses, LGBT groups, religious communities, and researchers and scholars. This presentation offers an overview of these on other niche online networks and examines the potential benefit they may offer to colleges and universities and their communities." [ http://www.lib.iastate.edu/class/worktutor/workshops.html ] In addition to the communities noted above, I am also greatly interested in learning of other communities (with a social network presence) that are or could be of particular interest to colleges or universities, e.g. alumni, along with specific examples. I am also interested in learning of specific niche communities that you find of significant professional value. Please post the names/sites of these Niche Communities and the particular professional benefits that you have gained (or believe can be gained) from membership in Any and All niche social networks as a Comment on the associated posting available at [ http://tinyurl.com/anj8zu ] BTW: This presentation will be an abridged and modified version of my Internet Librarian 2008 pre-conference workshop presentation _Not Just Facebook: Online Social Networks For Libraries_. [ http://nichesocialnetworksites.blogspot.com/2008/11/not-just-facebook-on line-social.html ] Thanks! /Gerry Gerry McKiernan Associate Professor Science and Technology Librarian Iowa State University Library Ames IA 50011 gerrymck(a)iastate.edu There is Nothing More Powerful Than An Idea Whose Time Has Come / Victor Hugo [ http://www.blogger.com/profile/09093368136660604490 ] Iowa: Where the Tall Corn Flows and the (North)West Wind Blows [ http://alternativeenergyblogs.blogspot.com/ ]

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Free YouTube College Lecture Downloads
by McKiernan, Gerard [LIB] 14 Feb '09

14 Feb '09

Colleagues/ Another Most Interesting Development ... /Gerry New From YouTube: Free Downloads of College Lectures / David Shieh The Chronicle of Higher Education / Wired Campus / February 13 2009 "YouTube began testing a new feature that lets users download videos posted to the site from partner institutions - including colleges - rather than just watching the videos in a streaming format. That means people can grab lectures from Duke and Stanford Universities and several institutions in the University of California system to watch any time, with or without an Internet connection." [more] Links /Etc Are Available At [ http://tinyurl.com/allagu ] /Gerry Gerry McKiernan Associate Professor Science and Technology Librarian Iowa State University Library Ames IA 50011 gerrymck(a)iastate.edu There is Nothing More Powerful Than An Idea Whose Time Has Come / Victor Hugo [ http://www.blogger.com/profile/09093368136660604490 ] Iowa: Where the Tall Corn Flows and the (North)West Wind Blows [ http://alternativeenergyblogs.blogspot.com/ ]

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Call for Paper - Religion and Spirituality in Cyberspace
by Roxanne Marcotte 14 Feb '09

14 Feb '09

Sorry for any cross-posting CALL FOR PAPER The thematic issue "Religion and Spirituality in Cyberspace" of the Australian Religion Studies Review will explore some of the methodological and theoretical issues raised with the coming together of Internet with religion and spirituality and, hopefully, provide interesting case studies. Possible topics include cyber-theology, cyber-rituals, online religions, cyber-proselytization and cyber-polemics, cyber-pilgrimages, cyber-covens and sanghas, religious blogs, etc. Completed articles should not exceed 7,000 words. Submission deadline is February 2010. Early submissions are welcomed. Please see journal website (http://www.aasr.org.au/aasr_review.htm <http://www.aasr.org.au/aasr_review.htm> ) or contact me for further details. Dr. Roxanne D. Marcotte -- r.marcotte(a)uq.edu.au <mailto:r.marcotte@uq.edu.au> School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld 4072 AUSTRALIA

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AoIR 10
by Elizabeth A Buchanan 13 Feb '09

13 Feb '09

Dear Colleagues, With the deadline quickly approaching for submissions to the big AoIR 10 conference celebration, let me suggest a few more reasons to submit and attend: 1. Brewery tours 2. Indoor Water park at the Hilton (yes, see all of your favorite aoir regulars on the slip n' slides) 3. Conference banquet at the cool new Harley-Davidson museum, with great Milwaukee food and drink, featuring a panel of past aoir conference chairs 4. Great keynotes and papers 5. Doc Colloquium and exciting pre-conference opportunities 6. The Santiago Calatrava-designed Milwaukee Art Museum on the shores of Lake Michigan 7. Did we mention brewery tours? Best, e. -- Elizabeth A. Buchanan, Ph.D. Director, Center for Information Policy Research School of Information Studies University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee www.cipr.uwm.edu 414.229.3973 Visiting Fellow National Center for e-Social Science Oxford e-Social Science Node University of Oxford Local Co-Chair Association of Internet Researchers 10th Annual Conference 8-11 October 2009 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA http://ir10.aoir.org/

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WSU To Go Paperless || Social Networks For A Green Campus
by McKiernan, Gerard [LIB] 13 Feb '09

13 Feb '09

Colleagues/ Earlier this week, The Chronicle of Higher Education / Wired Campus reported on a recent initiative at Washington State University: "Internal Communications at Washington State U. Go Paperless" / Steve Kolowich / February 10, 2009 As noted in the story: "Washington State University has decided to go paperless for all internal communications on its four campuses, moving all memos, fliers, posters, and its weekly newspaper to cyberspace. 'Experts have been predicting a transition to a paperless society for years,' wrote Elson S. Floyd, the university's president, in a statement this afternoon. 'Meanwhile, it seems that the piles of papers that cross our desks keep growing. We plan to reverse that trend.' The decision, made official last month, comes amid an effort to trim $10-million from the university's budget by June, with further cuts anticipated next year. [snip] In addition, the article reports that "[w]hile the budgetary impact of going paperless might be largely symbolic, university officials note that the switch also has environmental benefits."[snip] She also said that quitting paper cold turkey would encourage the university to integrate Web 2.0 technologies-such as blogging and social networking-into its internal communications. [snip] For More Details and Link See [ http://tinyurl.com/b7otw5 ] She further elaborated stating ... 'it is really exciting to deliver the news in a new format," he added. "We have to learn to use the tools of the Web and Web 2.0 effectively.' For More Details and Link See [ http://tinyurl.com/daf8ge ] BTW: During the breakout session at our Sustainability Symposium held earlier this week, I had planned to suggest that various interlinked university social networks be created to facilitate communication, coordination, and cooperation amongst/between various individual, departmental, and administrative efforts but thought that The Idea would be considered Too Radical ... Little Did I Know That WSU Would See The (Potential) Benefit of Social Networks For Its Green Initiatives [:-)] Enjoy! /Gerry Gerry McKiernan Associate Professor Science and Technology Librarian Iowa State University Library Ames IA 50011 gerrymck(a)iastate.edu There is Nothing More Powerful Than An Idea Whose Time Has Come / Victor Hugo [ http://www.blogger.com/profile/09093368136660604490 ] Iowa: Where the Tall Corn Flows and the (North)West Wind Blows [ http://alternativeenergyblogs.blogspot.com/

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EU Kids Online conference - more details & deadline extension
by D.R.Brake＠lse.ac.uk 13 Feb '09

13 Feb '09

*** Apologies for cross-posting *** Extended deadline for abstracts - now 28 February 2009 CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR PAPERS EU Kids Online: European research on cultural, contextual and risk issues regarding children and the internet An international one-day conference for researchers, policy makers, industry, educators, NGOs and government to address the policy issues and research findings about children and the internet. When and where: Thursday June 11th 2009, London School of Economics and Political Science, London. The conference theme addresses the following questions: Are all children benefiting from the internet and if not, why not? What new literacies are they developing? How strong is the evidence for the risks to children of going online? Why do risks differ from country to country? How can parents and policy makers better balance the online opportunities and risks for children? And what do children themselves want from the internet? The conference will report final results and recommendations from three year's work by EU Kids Online network of 60 researchers in 21 countries funded by the EC Safer Internet plus Programme. It will also showcase the latest current research in Europe and worldwide: Keynote speakers: * David Finkelhor (University of New Hampshire) * Lelia Green (Edith Cowan University, Australia) * Sonia Livingstone (London School of Economics) * Charo Sádaba (University of Navarra, Spain) Call for papers: Researchers are invited to submit empirical papers about children's experience of the internet on these topics: * Social networks, online identities and e-participation * Learning, creativity and media literacy * Mobility, computer games and other emerging platforms * Parental and peer mediation * Risks, victims and perpetrators * Regulation, empowerment and protection Registration and submission details: Registration now open at http://www.eukidsonline.net. No conference fee; lunch and evening reception provided. To submit a paper, please send an abstract (300-500 words) to media.eukidsconference(a)lse.ac.uk by 28th February. We look forward to welcoming you to LSE to celebrate the end of our project and to debate the future agenda for research and for evidence-based policy. Please access the attached hyperlink for an important electronic communications disclaimer: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/secretariat/legal/disclaimer.htm

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Web 2.0 and Libraries / Seminar / Rome, Italy / March 6 2009
by McKiernan, Gerard [LIB] 12 Feb '09

12 Feb '09

Colleagues/ I have been invited to give a keynote presentation at a workshop in Rome, Italy, on March 6 2009: Web 2.0 and Libraries / Seminario di Aggiornamento Università degli Studi di Roma Tre (Facoltà di Architettura) / Aula Urbano VIII / Via della Madonna dei Monti / 40 Roma / 6 marzo 2009 / h.9.00-13.30 Web 2.0 has posed a number of challenges for the library and marks a transition within the library world in the way that services are delivered to users. In the course of this seminar, organised by CASPUR /CIBER in collaboration with AIB Lazio, AIDA, CILEA, FAO and University of Rome Three Library System we will seek to describe how libraries have responded to the opportunities offered by Web 2.0 applications and how organisations can best exploit the potential which Library 2.0 can provide. Keynote speaker, Gerry McKiernan, will describe current trends and changing scenarios, while other speakers will describe how Library 2.0 features have been deployed with a special focus on the Italian context. 9.00 - 9.30 / Greetings and Introduction / Mary Joan Crowley, Università degliStudi di Roma "La Sapienza" 9.30 - 11.00 / The Future of The Library / Gerry McKiernan, Iowa State University Library 11.00 - 11.30 / Coffee break 11.30 - 12.00 / Q&A 12.00 - 12.30 / "Italian Library 2.0?": One question, many answers / Bonaria Biancu, Università di Milano Bicocca 12.30 - 13.00 / Aggregated News and Events on Agriculture: AgriFeeds / Valeria Pesce, FAO 13.00 - 13.30 / Will Web 2.0 ever meet library catalogs? / Andrea Marchitelli, CILEA Abstract _The Participatory Web: Web 2.0 and The Future of The Library_ As characterized by Wikipedia, "'Web 2.0' describes the changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aim to enhance creativity, communications, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality of the web" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0] Such 'participatory' technologies include not only blogs (e.g. Blogger), photo-sharing (e.g. Flickr), social bookmarking (e.g. Delicious), but folksonomies (e.g., tagging), online social networks (e.g., Facebook), video-sharing (e.g., YouTube), and wikis (e.g., Wikipedia). In this workshop we provide an overview of several significant Web 2.0 technologies and profile numerous examples of libraries worldwide that have implemented these interactive technologies in their efforts to enhance collaboration and communication with their respective communities. Free | Pre-registration Required | Facebook EVENT Page >>Requests<< While I will profile The Usual Web 2.0 Suspects in my presentation, I am also interested in promoting newer/emerging Web 2.0 technologies as well, and would appreciate Any and All Suggestions; Library implementations would be of special interest. In addition to implementations by U.S./Canadian libraries, and I am particularly interested in Web 2.0 implementations by libraries in non-U.S. regions (e.g., Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Oceania, etc.) >>Please Post Your Suggestions As A Comment On The Associated Blog Posting At << [ http://tinyurl.com/dzpa99 ] Thanks For Assistance! Regards, /Gerry Gerry McKiernan Associate Professor Science and Technology Librarian Iowa State University Library Ames IA 50011 gerrymck(a)iastate.edu There is Nothing More Powerful Than An Idea Whose Time Has Come / Victor Hugo [ http://www.blogger.com/profile/09093368136660604490 ] Iowa: Where the Tall Corn Flows and the (North)West Wind Blows [ http://alternativeenergyblogs.blogspot.com/

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