And here is another : the Einstein generation

See the Trailer of the new Dutch book about the Einstein generation


See the Dutch summary to read more
or look at the YouTube movie published recently about this generation (in Dutch)

The shift in users and everything else : a ili2007 follow-up

The presentation of Stephen Abram at the ILI2007 is still in my mind. Although I knew a lot of stuff he mentioned, it triggered me again to focus even harder on studies about the new generations that are already amongst us (as student or staff) or soon will be.
What stuck to me, was the fact that research showed that even the brain patterns of this Millenials show significant differences to others. Abram also cites the research of Richard T. Sweeney about Millenials.
Sweeneys powerpoint and article are really good stuff to read. The mere knowledge that these various learning styles co-exist in our classrooms and the information about their differences should trigger educators and librarians in developing new ways of offering information.

What else is changing and where is it going?

• everything is getting smaller. your pockets in 2020 will be filled with an unimaginable amount of information available via gadgets that get smaller and smaller
• the focus will be on the context, rather then on the content
• user behaviour is changing because the network (the context) stimulates to create their own content easier ánd because communication & interaction is mixed into it.
• Google's policy is focused on Search, Ads and Apps, making everything web-based.
• Format agnosticity will become more and more commonly expected
• federated discovery technologies will evolve
• all will be available wireless on every portable gadget you can imagine
• social and virtual environments (like Second Life) will keep on growing
• mergers and alliances in this information sector will increase

I will stop here. You really need to see the rest of his presentation for yourself if you want to know what libraries should do to keep up, or how to use this "magic sauce"of web2.0 for the benefit of your users .... in their learning, work or even personal environment.

Tags: ili2007, abram, SirsiDynix, web2.0, millenials, sweeney

More News in your Sharpreader?

The Library promotes the use of RSS-newsfeeds within the UMCG and the University of Groningen.

Download News about UMCG publications and the CMB! (Use mouse over the text and choose Rightclick; Save Target as)

The Windows University Workstation(UWP) offers you by default the Sharpreader with IT News to staff and students

The Central Medical Library (CMB) now offers you a so-called OPML file , which can be IMPORTED into this SharpReader or your preferred RSSfeed reader.

The Library advices you to use the online personal startpage tool, Netvibes (www.netvibes.com).
This OPML CMB news file contains the new UMCG publications in PubMed and the repository, tables of contents of top medical journals etc.
How to "import" an OPML-file in theSHARPREADER?
- Click RightMouse above the link of the OPML file (CMBoktober2007.xml), and choose "Save Target As" (or "Save Link As" in Firefox. The files MUST be saved as .XML óf .OPML, and not as .html or .txt).
- Open de Sharpreader; Click File;Import Subscriptions,
- Change "Files of Types from "OPML files" into "ALL files" IF you save the file as .xml.
- Select the file in the pop-up menu en choose "Open"

- the new feeds are now included in YOUR selection of newsfeeds.

The library can make tailor-made news selections for you. Móre info.

Tags: rss, sharpreader, netvibes, opml, umcg, groningen, cmb, library

ILI2007: Summa : Integrated Search & OpenSource

The ILI2007 started with a bang (Stephen Abram) and ended with a flash (Phil Bradley), but in between, you had to really search the few little gems. They should not have programmed that many talks with just 15 minutes. However I will report about some of those talks in the next couple of days.

An very intriging new search for the Stadsbiblioteket in Denmark is called SUMMA.
They call it integrated search instead of federated search and plan to become Open Source in 2008. It was amazingly fast and sophisticated.
Come to think of it, the story reminds me very much of our own Livetrix development at Groningen. It was a good presentation and rumours were whispering that it will be used in a few university libraries in the Netherlands.
Summa is based on user studies. One such study is The hybrid library: from the user's perspective. [pdf 22 mb)

pictures ILI2007

Tags: ili2007, summa, livetrix, stadsbiblioteket, hybrid library, searching, search

ILI2007: Phil Bradley - "Facing the Challenge of Web 2.0 as a Disruptive Technology"

2.0 anarchy bunch change chaos don’t call it web 2.0 embrase empowerend-users forget about that fun I am sorry for you, but I just can’t be bothered (anymore) I JUST DON’T CARE (ANYMORE) If you want it or not it’s a fun thing to do It’s happening (anyway) Just do it! Mindset No, but… not all at once Playing around Playing is a good thing Scared Start with one Stuff Things Threats To be honest Use it! Useful Web 2.0 Whether you like it or not Yes, and …

This Phrase Cloud is a FIRST DRAFT of a visual impression of Phil Bradleys Speech at the Internet Librarian International 2007 in London. This first draft is based on the notes of Guus van den Brekel.

To be added/scanned yet: Phil's own notes that go with the powerpoint via Slideshare

Please feel free to suggest phrases or suggestions!

and the recorded audio file (by Ake on Bib.se)

Tags: ili2007, phrase cloud, phil bradley, web2.0

LiteraTour in Library2.0

The LiteraTour in Library 2.0, a planned EU project, will be a pan-European journey through the bookshelves of adult learners. Nygren explains the project, which will make use of social software. Internet Librarian International 2007. To see a recorded session of the talk, see the movie PPT

Tags: ili2007, literatour, library2.0

Internet Librarian International & Second Life"

Somehow Second life was mentioned very often at the ILI2007 in London and it was not just during my co-presentation with Kitty Pope & Barbara Galik. Even Stephen Abram talked about it a lot, because he thinks it is definitely part of web 2.0 and partly because SirsiDynix sponsors a couple of island for the Sl Library project. He thinks it is all going to be about the CONTEXT and less about content. The Second Life presentation slides will be online soon, but for people who can not wait on http://www.slideshare.net/digicmb you can see the slides from Eahil Krakow (almost the same). As a little bonus here the poster:

Tags: sl, second life, secondlife, als, alliance library system, ili2007

Next Generation Libraries: the 2.0 Phenomenonx (ILI2007 keynote)

The opening of the ILI2007 Conference in London at the Copthorne Tara hotel was INSPIRING to say the least. Some would say I do not need to be inspired, but the presentation by stephen Abram, President-Elect, SLA and Sirsidynix (Canada) was everything that I have been reading and thinking about the directions Libraries should take up.immediatly. No waiting, further researching, trying to improve exciting systems and tools.

He collected all arguments & proof about shifting environments, learning styles, growing & altered brains from the youth. The network is changing the behaviour of our users and we should jump on that train to at least BE THERE where the user is searching for his information, at the point of need.
I can go home now. But I really want to thank him for mentioning Second Life, Kitty Pope & Barbara Galik several times in his speech. It will make our presentation of this afternoon easier. So far I am amazed, because SL was actually mentioned in every single one presentation in some way or another. First sessions were all focussed on Web2.0 and Library2.0.

Second Life article in Washington Post : Real Hope in a Virtual World

Real Hope in a Virtual World: Online Identities Leave Limitations Behind

By Rob Stein

Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, October 6, 2007

Read this great article in today's Washington Post about many of the great things going on in Second Life and a picture of the accessibility center at HealthInfo Island.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/05/AR2007100502391.html?referrer=emailarticle

Be sure to watch the great VIDEO about medical education training in SL too! Virtual operation and emergency rooms to train and teach medical students.
And the pictures of the Alter Ego's!



Are you interested in MORE health and medical groups & sims in Second Life? Have a look at the new wiki: SL Healty
And also the overview "Web 2.0 and the 3D Web (Virtual Worlds and Second Life)" of MB Chevalier, a.k.a. M.N.K. Boulos: http://healthcybermap.org/sl.htm

Tags: secondlife, healthinfoisland, infoisland, ivinnie, accessibility center, accessibility, sl, cdc, nlm, nih

Free Web-based Visual Medical Dictionary : www.curehunter.com

I found this interesting free resource via my visitor statistics;-) Always nice to see who visited you and where they came from.
http://creakysites.wordpress.com/ was mentioned in my stats, a cool blog from and about EBM and Clinical Support Librarians@UCHC : "A blog for UCHC graduate students, faculty and librarians about their use of clinical literature, Web 2.0, sources, strategies".
To my surprise Kathleen Crea mentioned my blog in a recent post (thank you very much!), and while scanning the About text I found a response mentioning this :
a web-based medical dictionary visualization tool hosted for free : Visual Medical Dictionary http://www.curehunter.com/public/dictionary.do "It goes beyond regular dictionaries by displaying an ontology context tree (MeSH based) and interactive network graph of related drugs, diseases and therapies.

For example: a search for “obesity” will show a strong relationship with “Insulin” and “Exercise” among other drugs and therapies."

First look is certainly promising. I have to check out what they use and what they are trying to sell.... ;-)