Group 3's Prospect #2 : IRRI Library

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Library was the next destination for the LIS 260 class field trip. Days before the scheduled visit, our group decided to take chances on having IRRI library for the digitization evaluation project assigned to us. We already prepared possible questions for the interview. We reviewed the questions on our way to Laguna. However, during the course of the visit, we we’re not given the chance to observe the library’s digitization process. We then decided not to pursue with our plan and enjoy the rest of the day. So there goes our second option.

After a safe trip from Manila to Los Banos Laguna, we had our breakfast/snacks first before going to the library. There was a tarpaulin in front of the library as a way to welcome us. We had our pictures taken beside it before we get inside. We were received and accomodated by the new head librarian, Ms. Vijandre, whom I’m already familiar with. I have known her when she was still working in Miriam College. She gave a short presentation about the IRRI Library and happily toured us. Another librarian showed us how the Millennium ISRS works, especially the search process. I have already explored on how to use the system’s OPAC. I have visited sites of the other 2 universities using the same system, the DLSU and UST. I found its performance satisfactory, the interface user friendly, and searching easy (I think that should be the case because the system is too expensive). Articles are also made available online, but are accessible only in and by the IRRI community. There are also those articles which can only be downloaded inside the library due to privacy issues. However, users may request copy of the article from the library. The librarian will just send it through e-mail. But sad to say, comparing the high annual maintenance cost of  Millennium system and its usability plus the limited source of funds of the library, they are planning to replace it with another.

After the presentations made by the librarians, we were allowed to tour the library. Ms. Vijandre showed us the different sections and the collections. It ended that the tour became a photoshoot session, and I enjoyed it. As a result, we had lots of pictures taken inside the library.

The visit as a whole, is very interesting and enjoyable. We were able to learn and at the same time bond with each other. We had the chance to interact and know our classmates better. I am pretty much sure that after the trip, there were new found friends among us.

See you guys next sem! Good luck to us! Thanks for the wonderful experience of journeying with you!

Group 3's Prospect #1 : Lopez Museum and Library

“Hitting two birds with one stone” this was our group’s agenda when the whole class visited the Lopez Museum and Library. The topic assigned to us was the evaluation of a digital library or a digitization project. We thought that it would be a good idea to use the Lopez Library as the subject of our group work, it’s because the purpose of the class visit and the group work is the same – evaluation. It would also minimize the time and effort that would be expected from the group members. But we were unfortunate to go on with our plan, Ma’am Sharon told us that it was already evaluated by her other class, therefore we need to choose another library. So, there goes our first option.

Anyway, the visit was scheduled on the afternoon of a Tuesday. I need to leave work early. Sacrifices need to be made for the sake of my study. Nevertheless, there were no regrets on my part. As a librarian who is committed in delivering excellent service to her clients, any visit in another library is a worthwhile and learning experience. The Lopez library headed by Ms. Merci is into digitizing its collection. Due to limited and technological resources, they opted to outsource the digitization. We were able to witness the process being done which includes scanning of the material, conversion of microfiche collection, and the storage of digital files. We were also given the chance to try searching on the IRS that they were using. Being exposed to other IRS, I can say that it has limited features. Searching requires effort from the user. And because advanced search is not possible, the recall is high and the precision is low. The interface I think also needs improvement. But it’s also nice to know however that they are already in the process of migrating data in another system in order to have a better ISRS.

Part of the library’s services is the preservation and conservation of rare materials. Ms. Merci showed us some precious collections that have recently undergone preservation treatment. The result for me was impressive. We were asked not to touch the collection with our bare hands because precaution and proper handling is necessary with these kinds of materials.

I appreciate Ms. Merci and her staff’s warm welcome and accommodation as well as their unselfish sharing of knowledge. I also admire her enthusiasm as a service-oriented librarian after having able to witness how she provided the need of one researcher, not wanting him to leave without getting satisfied. I saw the happiness of that man while staring at the monitor upon knowing that the library has his desired information. That is really one purpose of the digitization, to aid in providing information need of users. With regard to the digitization effort, I can say that with the support from the Lopez’s, the determination of the librarian, guided by its main purpose, the attempt of having a full blast digitization is very much possible.

The experience is very much rewarding. Aside from the fact that we were able to learn something from the library, we were also able to bond with each other. I won’t forget the laughter we shared while partaking on free pizzas, courtesy of our cool professor, Ma’am Sharon. Not to mention also the love team formed which served as the group’s entertainment. So little time spent together, but the experience is worthwhile.

Reading Assignment #12

Title: Greening the Library : Collection Development Decisions

Author: Connel, Virginia

URL: Virginia, Connel. “ Greening the Library : Collection Development Decisions”. Endnotes : The Journal of the New Members Round Table (May 2010) ; 1:1. Retrieved Oct. 15, 2011.

Abstract of the article:

Many writers in the library literature have addressed sustainability of the collection with regard to increased prices, user need, and format stability. To this list of concerns librarians should add the environmental impact of the different resources libraries choose. This article considers three facets of collection development: selection of materials whose content informs and assesses green practices; de-selection processes that emphasize reusing and recycling materials; and selection of a material format, specifically print or electronic, that honors the green dictum to reduce the carbon footprint an institution makes. The problem of reducing a library’s carbon footprint is perhaps the most complex and most contentious when it comes to the format of the collection. It is on the issue of print versus electronic resources that the present discussion of environmental sustainability will devote most of its focus.

Three things I learned from my Reading Assignment:

• Communities need libraries and librarians to act as role models for sustainability by providing accurate information on all manner of green topics, from alternative building practices to renewable energy options.
• Nowadays, collection development decisions have great impact on the libraries’ initiative of becoming a green library. This includes selection of materials on green topics and practices, e-selection practices emphasizing reusing and recycling materials, and careful selection of material format.
• Carbon footprint is the emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO₂ as a result of different activities. Publishing of printed materials requires use of energy, starting from the cutting of the trees up to its shipment, therefore leaving large amount of carbon footprint. Likewise, the carbon footprint of e-resources as determined by their electricity use is substantial and growing.

Application / Implication of the new things I learned to my work / to me as a person:

There are many ways for a librarian to be able to take care of the environment. One way is to practice careful decision-making in collection development. As a librarian, I will select materials with topics and contents on going green. I will also observe in the our library the proper de-selection of materials. Lastly, I will encourage the users to maximize the use of our resources.

Reading Assignment #11

Title: Health Hazards Related to Computer use: Experience of the National Institute for Medical Research in Tanzania

Author: V. P. Mvungi, J. Mcharo, M. E. Mmbuji, L. E. Mgonja, and A. Y. Kitua

URL: Mvungi, V.P., Mcharo, J., Mmbuji, M.E., Mgonja, L.E. and Kitua, A.Y. “Health Hazards Related to Computer use: Experience of the National Institute for Medical Research in Tanzania”. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (2008): 48. Web. 15 Oct. 2011.

Abstract of the article:

This  paper is based on a study conducted  in 2006 to assess the impact of computer usage on health of National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) staff. There was a notion among NIMR staff on possible prolonged computer usage health hazards. Hence, a study was conducted to establish facts and possible mitigation measures. A total of 144 NIMR staff were involved in the study of whom 63.2% were males and 36.8% females aged between 20 and 59 years. The  functions  performed  by Institute staff using computers includes data management,  proposal development and report writing, research activities, secretarial duties, accounting  and  administrative  duties,  on-line  information  retrieval and online communication  through e-mail services. The study has indicated ergonomic hazards for a significant proportion of interviewees (63%) of various kinds ranging from  backache  to  eyesight  related  problems. The authors highlighted major issues which are substantially applicable in preventing occurrences of computer related problems .

Three things I learned from my Reading Assignment:

• Studies revealed that most of the problems associated with the use of computer and its accessories can largely be attributed to improper use of computer input devices like keyboard and output devices like monitor, and the insufficient knowledge about safe computer usage, techniques, and practices.
• The chair should be adjusted so that feet are resting on the floor or a footrest, with the hip slightly flexed and the knees kept at 60-90 degree angle. Adjustable chairs are recommended with the backrest of 6 to 9 inches high and at least 12 inches wide in the lumber region to make it comfortable to sit on. Note that sitting upright is less desirable than reclining that makes the lower back muscles work less and the spine to support less weight.
• Computer users should take  frequent  short  breaks (e.g.  30 second  breaks  every  ten minutes) keeping hands away of the keyboard and letting arms  drop  at the  side.  Also, the sitting position should be changed every 15 minutes by getting up from the chair and doing a few exercises to loosen the neck and shoulder muscles. For those who perform more that 2 hours of keyboarding a day, they should take a break at least every 30 minutes. 

Application / Implication of the new things I learned to my work / to me as a person:

Having been proven that there are really health risks associated with computer use, I will observe the proper posture and position while using it. I will also see to it that I take some rest every now and then. I do believe that prevention is better than cure, that is why I will keep in mind the right things to do. I will also share to my co-workers and friends the learnings I got from reading this study.

Reading Assignment #10

Title: Selection of Open Source Software for Institutional Repositories

Author: Ajay T. Agashe , R.S. Lihitkar and Shalini R. Lihitkar

Publisher: Library of Progress: Library Science, Information Technology & Computer 

URL: Agashe, Ajay T., R.S. Lihitkar, and Shalini R. Lihitkar. "Selection of open source software for institutional repositories." Library of Progress: Library Science, Information Technology & Computer 29.1 (2009): 85. Gale Power Search. Web. 15 Oct. 2011.

Abstract of the article:

Information and communication Technology has created immense methods for creating, storing, maintaining, accessing and preserving the traditional printed documents in digital form. It offers great opportunities to fast, effective and efficient electronic communication. National institutions and organizations are developing their institutional repositories. Therefore Librarians should take initiatives to develop the institutional repositories for providing faster scholarly communication to their users. The paper consolidates the information of nineteen open source software and also highlights the selection criteria to choose the open source software for building an institutional repositories.

Three things I learned from my Reading Assignment:

• There are two roads to Open Access (OA):       
•  the "golden road" of OA journal-publishing , where journals provide OA to their articles (either by charging the author-institution for refereeing/publishing outgoing articles instead of charging the user-institution for accessing incoming articles, or by simply making their online edition free for all
• the "green road" of OA self-archiving, where authors provide OA to their own published articles, by making their own e-prints free for all
• Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS) (also abbreviated as FLOSS or FOSS) are programs whose licenses give users the freedom to run the program for any purpose, to study and modify the program, and to redistribute copies of either the original or modified program.
• There are factors to be considered in selecting open source software. This includes the following: background of supplier, function of the software, training facilities, maintenance and support facility, acceptance of library’s specifications, experience of users, multi script acceptance, user group, trial run, updated versions, documentation, hardware, data, and warranty.

Application / Implication of the new things I learned to my work / to me as a person:

It’s nice to know that there are open source softwares available for free. This would be a good alternative for me and my institution in case financial problem arises. Although it can be utilized for free, I would strictly take into consideration the factors in selecting an OA software. This is to avoid future problems or conflicts. 

Reading Assignment #9

Title: From Here to There: A Proposed Mechanism for Transforming Journals from Closed to Open Access

Author: David C. Prosser

URL: Prosser, David C. “From here to there: a proposed mechanism for transforming journals from closed to open access” (2003). Google Scholar. Web. 15 Oct. 2011.

Abstract of the article:

A major barrier to the greater take-up of an open access model for journal publishing has been the concern of many journal owners that they will not easily be able to migrate from the current subscription-based model to open access. This paper presents a potential migration path which should significantly reduce the financial risk to journal owners, while allowing them to offer open access to their authors.

Three things I learned from my Reading Assignment:

• Open access publishing is a policy of some publishers of scientific or scholarly articles to make the full text of that material freely available online to all interested readers with access to the Internet. This marks them out from ‘closed access’ journals that only allow materials to be read by somebody with a subscription to the journal (either directly or through their institution).
• Open access journals are not free journals – they are only free to the reader. There are costs in the peer-review process and the production of a journal (even if it is only online), and while estimates of the actual costs vary, the costs are real and must be met.
• Open access publication offers immense benefit for both authors and readers. However, there are still certain issues regarding publication charges and subscription prices that need to be addressed so that the journal owners can fully settle to open access. 

Application / Implication of the new things I learned to my work / to me as a person:

Upon learning that there are many open access journals available online for free, I will use my research skills in finding and selecting the significant and appropriate journals that may be beneficial for our library users. I will make the list of those websites/links shown in strategic places in the library. I will also suggest its use to our teachers and students.

Reading Assignment #8

Title: 7 Things You Should Know About Cloud Computing

Publisher: Educause

URL: "7 Things You Should Know About Cloud Computing". Educause. 2009 August. Retrieved August 1, 2011.

Abstract of the article:

Cloud computing is the delivery of scalable IT resources over the Internet, as opposed to hosting and operating those resources locally, such as on a college or university network. Those resources can include applications and services, as well as the infrastructure on which they operate. By deploying IT infrastructure and services over the network, an organization can purchase these resources on an as-needed basis and avoid the capital costs of software and hardware. With cloud computing, IT capacity can be adjusted quickly and easily to accommodate changes in demand. Cloud computing also allows IT providers to make IT costs transparent and thus match consumption of IT services to those who pay for such services. Operating in a cloud environment requires IT leaders and staff to develop different skills, such as managing contracts, overseeing integration between in-house and outsourced services, and mastering a different model of IT budgets.

Three things I learned from my Reading Assignment:

• Cloud computing relies on applications and file storage that resides on a network (usually the internet itself), and is being maintained by a host provider.
• Cloud computing would be a good alternative for those institutions who can't afford to purchase their own servers, or those who have limited resources.
• Although cloud computing technology brings convenience to cloud users, there are still issues that need consideration such as privacy, security, intellectual property, etc.

Application / Implication of the new things I learned to my work / to me as a person:

Upon learning that I am already a cloud user, I will continue using this technology because of its many advantages. However, knowing that it has also its disadvantages, I will use it with caution.