Competency H

Core Competency H: demonstrate proficiency in identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies.

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Introduction:

Being a librarian or information professional in the 21st Century is incredibly exciting. There now exist many types of information and communication technologies (ICTs), which allow individuals to share information and communicate with others all around the globe. In an increasingly modernized world, it is often the responsibility of information professionals to introduce these technologies to the public. Libraries are, after all, sometimes the only places where people can interact and experiment with new technologies. This responsibility requires information professionals to be adept at identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging technologies.

Identifying ICTs involves being aware of the myriad types of current/existing technology and their uses: such as Camtasia and Jing for screen capture recording, Audacity for audio recording, Collaborate and Zoom for web conferencing, and many others. It also involves being aware of new and upcoming technology, such as VRChat (which allows one to interact with others in an online virtual reality environment). Identification is also the first step taken when a library is considering an ICT to implement, either due to a need or want. Due to the speed at which new technology emerges, this can sometimes be a daunting task.

Instead of trying to always be aware of every new thing that appears, librarians can stick to a few professional sources to learn about the technology being adopted in the LIS field. The American Libraries Direct bi-weekly newsletter, for example, often yields a fascinating view into how libraries are integrating e-book and online learning services in novel ways. However, librarians can also keep an eye on current and emerging technologies through social media sites—such as by following other librarians/information professionals on Twitter; or by reading through ICT-focused blog sites (Spina, 2014). When identifying new technologies specifically intended for implementation in the library, it is important to focus on what features are needed and to first consider the technologies one already knows. If the technologies one is already aware of is not sufficient for the task, a search can begin from there.

After identification, ICTs need to be used (or rather, tested) by a librarian or information professional. This is done so that that the technology’s strengths, weaknesses, and limitations can be discovered. This process often requires plenty of time, patience, and a willingness to explore and experiment. Using new technologies that one has never used before often involves a learning curve. This can be steep depending on the complexity of the new technology and one’s own experience with similar types of technology. Librarians should also use technology to gain familiarity with it. It is vital for librarians to be familiar with any piece of technology that will be implemented in a library, especially technology that new. This is because librarians will be responsible for teaching others how to use these technologies.

Evaluation is often mistakenly considered to be the “final” step before a new ICT is implemented in the library. However, this is actually a constant and on-going process. Evaluation can occur at the “identification” and “use” stages. It involves asking questions such as “Does this technology fit the library’s needs?” and “Do the strengths of this technology outweigh is limitations?” Evaluation of a technology also involves considering the costs of implementation, what computing platforms it can be used on, and the audience it is aimed at (Spina, 2014). Furthermore, evaluation can take place after new technology has been implemented in the library. Evaluation in this case is used to determine library users’ attitudes towards the new technology, if it is being used at all, and if it is still needed in the library if potentially better alternatives have been found.

The process of identifying, using, and evaluating new technology is something that must occur in all libraries if they wish to survive in a modern world. New trends in communication—a general move towards text messaging and online chat services by the populace—means that libraries must take into account new ways of delivering information about programs and library services to their users. The implementation of new technologies also brings about new problems, such as that of security and privacy; precious commodities in a world where computer hackers and online surveillance exists (Spina, 2014). These are only a few of the ways in which emerging technologies impact the information environment that librarians now work in. Despite challenges, librarians and information professionals need to remain vigilant in learning about current and emerging technologies, in order to serve their communities in the best way that they can.

Coursework/Experience that Prepared Me for this Competency:

I did not gain experience for this competency from just a single class, but rather from many different classes during my time in the MLIS program. Throughout all of my classes, I am happy to say that all of them touched upon new information and communication technologies and how they were being implemented in libraries. I also gained experience in using new technologies in many of my classes through assignments and group projects. Google Drive/Google Docs in particular was one tool that I came to know well. I personally learned about the importance of this competency through my volunteer work in a local public library. I was often asked questions about how to use the printers or access the internet. This opened my eyes to the fact that there are many sections of the population who still grapple with issues of computer literacy.

Reference:

Spina, C. (2014). Finding, evaluating, and sharing new technology. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 53(3), 217-220.

Evidence:

1. Info 240 Final Project: Creation of a Website

My first piece of evidence to show my mastery of competency H is a website that I created as a final project for Info 240 (Information Technology Tools and Applications). I created my website with the intention that it be used as a resource for others to find enjoyable all-ages comics. This final project required us to synthesize our knowledge of what we had learned throughout the Info 240 class, and came about as a result of many weeks of prior coding practice. I created the website from scratch using HTML5, CSS3, PHP includes, and JavaScript code. This establishes my ability to create a functioning website mainly through HTML5 and CSS3 coding.

HTML5 and CSS3 are still fairly new within the realm of website creation, as there are still quite a few sites on the web that have not yet adopted this type of HTML structuring. This is especially true of sites that were created before the release of HTML5 and CSS3. Thus, HTML5 and CSS3 can be considered a type of emerging technology. For this reason, I submit this piece of evidence towards competency H to demonstrate my ability to use emerging technologies to create a functioning, informational website.

The site used to be hosted on SJSU's servers but has since been taken down. I have instead included a link to screenshots that I took of my website, which are meant to give an idea of what the website looked like and what features it had. The link above also includes MS Word documents of the reviews that I had created for this website, as well as a small sample of HTML code that I wrote for the website.

2. Info 281-14 Team Project Document

My second piece of evidence is a team document created in Google Docs that comes from Info 281-14 (Examination of Global Library Issues Using Project Based Learning). This was essentially a note-taking and brainstorming document that my teammates and I contributed to as we were deciding how to approach the issue of developing library collections in Guatemala on a low/non-existent budget. The section I specifically wrote up is under the “Lavelle” section of the document, although my comments are also scattered throughout (all signed with my name).

Prior to the creation of this document, we (as a team) had to identify a way of communicating and collaborating with each other. We all agreed upon the use of Google Docs as it allowed us to share the information we found and collaborate on a single document. Google Docs, we decided, allowed us the most flexibility: we could all view and edit the same document, and could even add onto it synchronously and asynchronously. Google Docs also had a comment and instant messaging feature which we used to communicate with one another while we worked. It is for this reason that I submit this piece of evidence to demonstrate our ability to identify a communication and information-sharing technology (Google Docs) that fit our needs. This piece of evidence also demonstrates our proficiency in using the various functions of Google Docs to accomplish our goals.

I have removed the link to this document for privacy purposes.

3. Info 232 Report -- "Public Libraries and E-Learning Around the Globe"

My third piece of evidence is a report on e-learning that I wrote for Info 232 (Issues in Public Libraries).

In this paper, I discussed how e-learning technologies were being implemented in public libraries around the world, as a way to provide vital services to underserved and “at-risk” populations. Although I did not mention any specific type of e-learning technology, this paper does demonstrate my knowledge of the current technological trends in libraries: a move towards using more online tools to provide learning and education. In this paper, I also addressed the issues that may arise in the implementation of e-learning technology, such as the costs of equipment and the need for librarians who can teach computer literacy. Nonetheless, in my report I found that the implementation of e-learning technologies proved to be (overall) a success in providing a means of education for those who would not get it otherwise. I submit this report to demonstrate my understanding of the ways in which emerging technologies can impact how libraries create programs and services to aid "at-risk” populations.

The entirety of the report can be found as an MS Word document below.

4. Info 250 Instructional Design Screencast

My final piece of evidence is a screencast that I created for Info 250 (Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals). This piece of evidence requires a bit of explanation. For one of our assignments in Info 250, we were tasked with creating a screencast to accompany our written instructional design draft. Before creating the screencast, I had to identify a screen capture and audio recording tool to use. I had several options to choose from, such as Camtasia, SnagIt, and Jing. Based on the amount of time I had, and my lack of experience with screen and audio recording devices, I decided to use Jing. This was the simplest tool for me to master compared to the other possibilities.

Even though it was simplistic, using Jing still required a bit of practice. I spent part of a day just playing around with the functions Jing had. This involved learning about the limitations of Jing (being limited to just five minutes of recording time) and also learning about its lack of video editing capabilities. This meant that if I made a mistake while I was recording, I had to essentially re-do the entire take. (The resulting screencast that I ultimately submitted for the Info 250 class is still rather amateurish and I has some verbal stumbles and mistakes. If I had to re-create this, I would be able to create a better screencast with the experience I have now.)

After having had experience with Jing, I was able to give an evaluation for it. I found it to be overall an average screen capture/audio-recording application. I believe Jing’s best defining feature is that it is free and relatively easy to use. However, the quality of the video/audio recording may be bad, and its ability to only save five minute recordings can be extremely limiting if longer screencasts are desired. I may or may not use Jing again in the future, depending what kind of recording I will need to do in the future. With the explanation that I have provided here, I submit this piece of evidence towards competency H to demonstrate my ability to identify, use, and evaluate an information and communication technology (specifically, Jing).

I have decided to remove the link to my screencast due to privacy reasons.

Conclusion:

As an aspiring future librarian, I am well aware that I will likely be expected to be knowledgeable about many current and emerging technologies. From my own experience so far, it is also very likely that I’ll be called upon to help library users who lack computer literacy. To tackle this responsibility, I will strive to stay afloat of the new innovations and technologies being implemented in the LIS field through the methods I already explained in my introduction above. I will also be constantly testing out and evaluating new technology to ensure that they are technologies that will be most useful for library users.