Look, touch and feel: How your mobile interface will morph in 2012

Posted on December 21, 2011 by KelliB

From Network World:

Look, touch and feel: How your mobile interface will morph in 2012. Touch, waving, voice all to become more prevalent mobile user interfaces: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/122111-outlook-mobile-interface-254225.html

I’m excited by some of these features in this article; I current use the Swype feature on my phone and love it: you don’t have to lift your finger from the keypad – you just glide from one letter to the next. It works incredibly well!

In addition to Swype, it appears that physical movements will also be seen (like Microsoft’s very cool Kinect). I do remember reading about eye tracking being difficult in some instances and even blogged about that here last December (https://euniceelsie.wordpress.com/2010/12/23/eye-movement-control-of-the-mobile-phones/). It looks like improvements have been made!  Please read the linked article – the future is looking pretty exciting…

Posted in Accessibility, Computers and Internet, Print Disability | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“W3C Library Linked Data Incubator” discussion = why I love LinkedIn Groups!!!

Posted on December 21, 2011 by KelliB

Online collaboration is an amazing thing: with this one discussion title on the Digital Libraries LinkedIn Group, I learned not only what is currently happening in European libraries, I learned a lot more about the semantic web!

The original  post queried: “What is going to be the real impact of the W3C Library Linked Data Incubator Group final report?”

I didn’t even know there was a Linked Data Incubator Group final report, although given the W3C name in the heading, I could at least know that it had to do with some kind of online universal interoperability of data…and that incubator adjective intrigued me! What in the heck is a “data incubator”?

Some of the responses to this question:

  • create no more MARC records (which probably initially sounds nothing but blasphemous :-))
  • nix Z39.50 and use http (since I’ve never studied all the  elements that Z39.50 entails, I admit to a bit of haziness on this, so I need to read up on Z39.50, even if it looks like it might be going by the wayside. I imagine this suggestion, also, imight be anathema to many information professionals…)
  • the transition from MARC to RDF (or in America, RDA) should be relatively painless (although given how haywire some Authority file changes can make catalog searching, I’m a bit leery that this will be a simple mapping/crosswalk issue…however, since I’ve seen how powerful metadata crosswalks can be, I think it can be done if you get COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS & LIBRARIANS TOGETHER to write the code).

What I learned most from reading the final data incubator report itself is that Metadata — a facet of librarianship that I’ve fallen in love with — is going to be in more and more demand, and since I enjoy metadata application (properly applied, metadata is incredibly powerful!), I’m hoping this means finding a job that I love, whether that involves creating these universal taxonomies; creating best-practices guideliness for metadata application; ensuring the crosswalk/mapping is correct; or creating data topic webs, I’m giddy :-).  (No, I’m not kidding about being giddy)

I’m more thankful than ever that I took Dr. Steven MacCall’s (LJ‘s 2010 Teaching Award recipient) Metadata course. Because I did, I can appreciate the beauty of metadata,  as well as appreciating how much potential there is for metadata with respect to the future of librarianship as we know it.

If only there was a response of the European librarians to this Final Report: I think it’s an incredibly exciting time to be in the field!!!

Posted in Computers and Internet, Information Science | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Touch Graphics Inc. & Intrepid Museum: Multi-Sensory Museum Guide (from Library & Museum Accessiblity LinkedIn Group)

Posted on October 29, 2011 by KelliB

Manhattan’s Intrepid Museum Complex, which houses a tour-able aircraft carrier, submarine, and supersonic airliner, have used emerging technology, created by Touch Graphics Inc., to help people with sight disabilities have a more-immersive experience with the artifacts.

On each floor, their “Talking Tactile Pen”, used in conjunction with a booklet, allows visitors to… Continue reading →

Posted in Accessibility, Print Disability | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is Metadata Necessary?

Posted on October 18, 2011 by KelliB

At the Infocamp Seattle “Unconference” on Oct 8-9, one of the sessions was re Metadata, and one of the attendees used an article from Cory Doctorow to play devil’s advocate and state that metadata wasn’t necessary — only the semantic web is needed.

My reply is as follows:

From what I understand about Berners-Lee’s semantic web, it’s not for human consumption, but is merely computer-to-computer exchanges. Metadata is different, in that while it may be used for computer-computer interchanges, it’s also intended for human-computer exchanges and human-human exchanges (so to me, one isn’t a substitute for the other).

I also don’t accept Doctorow’s 7 statements…read rest of reply here 🙂

Posted in Information Science | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Infocamp Seattle

Posted on October 10, 2011 by KelliB

This past weekend I attended Infocamp Seattle, an “unconference” presented by ASIS&T and the UW’s ischool.  An “unconference” simply means that there are no planned events throughout the day – the participants are the presenters. Topics ranged from UX to using drupal to build a website to re-imagining the Reference Desks of the Future. I even hosted a discussion about Accessibility for those people with print disabilities — since I’m new, but have some insight after completing a Literature Review/Poster for Accessibility, I can share the basics of what I know, and, even better, I can get feedback from Accessibility Professionals and learn from them! Eura from WTBBL and Raymona from the Alliance of People with Disabilities both added much to the discussions. It was a good meeting, amidst two days of events that really helped broaden my knowledge base. Thanks, Infocamp Organizers!

Posted in Information Science, Print Disability | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reverse Image Searching

Posted on September 15, 2011 by KelliB

You know how cool it is to be able to look up that person who called you just by putting in their phone number? Well here’s a website that gives you the same reverse lookup, but for images! Find all the usages of an image on the internet…just upload it to the website, and you’ll see all the places the image has appeared.

It’s called TinEye, and according to the website:

It finds out where an image came from,  how it is being used, if modified versions of the image exist, or if there is a higher resolution  version.

TinEye doesn’t use metadata or keywords, but, rather, uses “image identification. technology.” Contributors include gettyimages, istockphoto, masterfile, photoshelter, and wikimedia. Plugins are available for Firefox, Chrome, IE, and Safari.

Website: http://www.tineye.com/

Posted in Information Science | Tagged , | 1 Comment

NFB and the Maryland Technology Assistance Program present the Web Accessibility Training Day

Posted on August 26, 2011 by KelliB

from the National Federation of the Blind website:

National Federation of the Blind, Jernigan Institute, and Maryland Technology Assistance Program are delighted to present the second Web Accessibility training day. On September 19th, they will offer a day-long, in-depth look at how accessible Web content that complies with federal and state regulations is created.  They will have a variety of general topic sessions, with afternoon breakout sessions on policy and technical topics:

  • The business case for accessibility
  • How to evaluate and implement accessibility
  • Mobile accessibility
  • Easy accessibility fixes
  • Opportunities to network with developers, vendors, web accessibility consultants and experts in non-visual access technology
  • Exhibitors will present their products during session breaks, and participants will have to opportunity to learn more about their services

To learn more or to register, visit http://www.nfb.org/nfb/web_accessibility_day.asp

Posted in Accessibility | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Copyright Law Best Practices (or, “What can I do/not do with library property?”

Posted on August 22, 2011 by KelliB

Disclaimer: this is not legal advice, just legal information gleaned from my learning experience. This post originally appeared in the July 2011 issue of the WLA eNewsletter, Connect.

After having an interaction with a patron last week who wanted to check out some CDs to make a mixed-tape of Willie Nelson songs as a present for his uncle, I wanted to learn more about copyright law: Was this use proper, since it was for a present? Was it categorically copyright infringement? Or is the area too gray? The item wasn’t going to be sold and only some tracks were being used. Is there a specific, definable threshold? Since I’m still an MLIS student, I’m trying to learn how to navigate what is and is not “fair use.”

Wanting to learn more, and quickly, I ventured on over to Infopeople (which I wrote about in the 2011 July issue of the WLA eNewsletter, “Current”) to see what I could find. Lo and behold, a one-hour archived Webinar on the newest copyright tools as of January, 2010 was available. The following explains copyright law best practices…

please continue reading for a concise, but complete, review of copyright law

Posted in Information Science | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

What IS a print disability? An answer + resources

Posted on August 3, 2011 by KelliB

As of today, according to http://www.ifla.org/en/lpd, it’s stated that only 5% of the world’s published information is fully accessible to persons with a print disability; it’s my career goal to help increase that percentage as much as I can.

Some people reading this blog may be wondering exactly what constitutes a “print disability”?

A print disability is quite simply any aspect that hinders a person’s ability from accessing print in the “standard” way, whether it’s because of a visual impairment, learning disability, or physical disability.

Resources:

  • If you’re a teacher, and want to help students in your classroom, visit the website Learning Through Listening.
  • If you’re a parent, this article at the website LD Online can provide both information and solutions for making the printed word easier to understand for you children through e-text.
  • If you have a print disability, there is an online resource, Bookshare, “Books without Barriers” is the largest provider of accessible reading materials for those with PD, with, their website says “…unlimited access to accessible books, textbooks, newspapers and magazines. Additionally, free access technology makes it easy to read books with a computer.”
  • If you have a print disability but are looking for a physical bricks-and-mortar library, IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) offers an international directory of libraries for the blind. IFLA also offers an RSS feed for the latest news
Posted in Accessibility, Alternative Learning, Computers and Internet, Print Disability | Leave a comment

Amazing Teen Read: Moira Young’s “Blood Red Road”

Posted on June 17, 2011 by KelliB

 Dystopic future SF Story with strong female lead character deals with family issues, friendship, betrayal, with a little bit of romance thrown in. Highly recommended, especially for teen girls who aren’t big readers yet – I think they’ll identify nicely with (and may even want to be like) Saba, the 18 yo protagonist.

Posted in Book Review, Fiction | Leave a comment