Top ten links week 44: echo chamber, enthusiasm gap, broadband, learn, being famous and more

1. Great post! RT @ValentineLuLu: Blogged: The enthusiasm gap and transliteracy #intlib10 I met Jamie at Internet Librarian, I really wish we’d had more time to talk, I’m impressed with her work. Jamie has some good suggestions for bridging the enthusiasm gap  and I love her approach – focus on the people, the need, not the tools

When discussing and marketing tech training stop talking about the tools and start talking about the benefits. Don’t say “Learn to use Facebook” try “Tips and tools for keeping in touch with distant loved ones” and show them facebook, skype, IM, etc. Teach to the needs of our community members by letting tech play the role in was intended for: a tool”

2. The Social Physical Library: fostering connections & giving patrons a reason to come inside When Emily Lloyd isn’t drawing witty cartoon’s she’s writing thoughtful blog posts like this one. Seriously awesome idea, wish I had a prize to offer the first library that implements it,and shares how with the rest of us

One way libraries strive to build community is by offering programs–lectures, YouTube viewing nights, open mic poetry readings. Folks come together and hang out with their neighbors with similar interests (if only passively, while  listening to a lecture in the same room together). The thing with events, though, is that people have to a)hear about them, usually in advance b)remember to come to them (if they’re still in the mood), etc. They also c)usually require a significant amount of planning on the part of library staff, and perhaps even some money.

What if (in addition to these events) there were neat, social, community-building opportunities for patrons to engage in whenever they happened to step foot in the library? That didn’t require planning on the library’s part, or remembering on the patrons’ part? That were targeted to their own individual interests? That fostered connections between them and their neighbors? That made stopping by the library just to see what’s up in the building worthwhile, as opposed to only using the digital branch? That helped people to learn and to better use our resources and our spaces?

Here’s what I’m thinking: a living, updated-in-real-time site (somewhat like Twitter or Foursquare in the way it works–and it would need IM capabilities built-in), ideally displayed prominently on a large screen in the lobby/entrance, but workable even if it was just on the web via a link on the library’s home page (that automatically loads when you use the library computers, and that wireless users can choose to load).

3. Thoughtful piece looking at future and emergent technologies and their implications for learning and teaching

Rather than focus on technology alone, it is more useful to examine the possible social effects of technologies – the socio-technical trends.

4. great guide to understanding #broadband What is Broadband? A brief and informative breakdown of broadband and the benefits.

5. If you only read one blog post today make it this one RT @theREALwikiman: The Echo Chamber Live #echolib I have been following Ned’s thoughts on the Echo Chamber since he first began blogging and tweeting about it (#echolib) and I’ve really taken it to heart. I have made a concerted effort to connect with non-library related folk on Twitter and read blogs by people outside of libraryland. Lately I’ve noticed more and more librarians discussing the echo chamber and looking to get outside of their bubble.  You should also check out this post Escaping the Echo Chamber – presentation

6. HOW TO: Build Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn I think this is more for me than everyone else. I’m on Linkedin, my profile is complete, I have connections, heck I even have recommendations, but I still feel like I’m not using it to its full potential.

7. AWESOME! RT @theREALwikiman: Sweet LORD, I shouldn’t be as excited by this icon-finder site as I am via @PhilBradley I have to agree with Ned, the site is awesome and my excitement might be a little over the top. Really check it out.

8. Staff Development on a Budget My post over at ALA Learning, I share some great, FREE resources for staff development.

9. Writer, technologist, futurist (and father) Cory Doctorow shares his own concerns about child safety and the Internet - Doctorow shares how he incorporates a computer screen into time with his daughter, a must read.

10. read it. then read it again. even if you aren’t “famous” How to be “famous” (wink wink, nudge nudge) I came across this old post by Karen Schneider through the magic of Twitter and the Internet last week. There is some really good advice in there.  Everyone should read this, thanks to the Internet everyone will be famous to 15 people.

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Posts by broadband for America: libraries are essential for bridging the gap

A while ago I was approached to a guest post to write for broadband for America. I jumped at the chance to let such as the role of libraries in equal access to broadband (outside the libraries know others.

Read the article libraries are essential to bridging the broadband gap and the digital opportunity GAP 

As we a push of the national broadband plan from the FCC and organisations such as America broadband high speed Internet access is available to every household in America to see we have to take a realistic look at the role libraries play be scanned.the benefits of access to broadband connections are fully documented; it is the access gap, we have received.

Broadband for America

"Broadband for America's mission is broadband access to the Internet available to every household in the nation;""stellenGeschwindigkeit of data transmission, that broadband experience valuable to users; and bandwidth for content providers continue to make the Internet a cultural, social and economic engine for growth."

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Top ten links week 40 - broadband, time management and productivity

My personal select top ten from the links I shared on Twitter 10/1/2010 through 10/7/2010. The best of the best and/or the most important stuff I tweeted last week

1. broadband is the great infrastructure challenge of the early 21st century #broadband – a broadband.gov post from Phoebe Yang – Senior Advisor to the Chairman on Broadband. It’s no great secret how I feel about broadband and the digital divide.

2. Three more folks on the Bloggers@IL2010 list and now WordPress.com and WordPress Self Hosted are tied again.- Going to be at Internet Librarian and blogging your sessions? Let ITI know so you will be on the resource list for those who can’t attend

3. 8 Bad Habits that Crush Your Creativity And Stifle Your Success via @copyblogger @DanielPink

Creating and evaluating at the same timeThe Expert SyndromeFear of failureFear of ambiguityLack of confidenceDiscouragement from other peopleBeing overwhelmed by informationBeing trapped by false limits

4. E-rate in a Broadband World - This week, the Commission released the text of an order that modernizes and upgrades the E-rate program to bring fast, affordable Internet access to schools and libraries across the country.

… the Commission conducted a survey which found that almost 80 percent of E-rate recipients believe their current Internet connections are not sufficient to meet their current needs.

To begin to address this gap, the Commission’s order will make it easier for schools and libraries to get the highest speeds for the lowest prices by increasing their options for broadband providers. The key provisions in the order include:

Allowing participants to use E-rate funds to connect to the Internet in the most cost-effective way possible, including via unused fiber optic lines already in place across the country and through existing state, regional and local networks;Making permanent a waiver that allows schools to create “School Spots” by opening up their doors to greater community use of E-rate supported services and facilities. Schools are already taking advantage of the existing waiver allowing them the option to provide Internet access to the local community after regular school hours. We’d love to hear your community use “success story” so please let us know if you are opening your doors as well.Launching a pilot program to support off-campus wireless Internet connectivity for portable learning devices;Indexing the cap on E-rate funding to inflation so that the program can more fully meet the needs of students and communities;Allowing the program to support connections to the dormitories of schools that serve students facing unique challenges, such as Tribal schools or schools for children with physical, cognitive, or behavioral disabilities;Bolstering protections against waste, fraud, and abuse by codifying competitive bidding requirements and clarifying restrictions on gifts from potential service providers; andStreamlining the E-rate application process.

5. I’m working on this and I’m so busy RT @gretchenrubin: No More Complaining, “I Feel So Tired.” – I’ve learned that saying how busy I am only makes me feel more busy and hurried and doesn’t accomplish anything.  Luckily I don’t often complain that I’m tired but I can apply these same principals to complaining about how busy I am.

6. The real cost of free -  well-written, calm take-down by @doctorow

7. “If you want everyone to have the same mental model of a problem, the fastest way to do it is with a picture.” Great article on why sometimes the best, most clear form of communication is not words.

8. Schedule Your Work to Avoid Choking Your Calendar with Interruptions via @TheLiB @Lifehacker#timemanagement – a must read post on time management and productivity.

In my experience, most people don’t schedule their work. They schedule the interruptions that prevent their work from happening.

9. great tool for those like me who are super sad Google Reader discontinued page change tracking Page2RSS

10. Scientific American: Why Broadband Service in the U.S. is So Awful#KnightComm #broadband

The average U.S. household has to pay an exorbitant amount of money for an Internetconnection that the rest of the industrial world would find mediocre. According to a recent report by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, broadband Internet service in the U.S. is not just slower and more expensive than it is in tech-savvy nations such as South Korea and Japan; the U.S. has fallen behind infrastructure-challenged countries such as Portugal and Italy as well.

11. Gmail Priority Inbox: 5 Tips for Better Productivity #timemanagement – Just when I thought Gmail couldn’t get any better they rolled out Priority InBox. I love it! I get a lot of email and I’m a busy lady. These 5 tips from Mashable will help you conquer your email

Prioritize FiltersCustomize SectionsStart With a Clean SlateUse Your “Inbox” for FoldersTest Priority with Multiple Inboxes

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Get online week! Benefits such as broadband, all users and how you get other online can help

It's Get online week in the UK! How awesome is that?

Companies and the Government have teamed up, try to convince Internet virgins and using the Internet.
UK get online week started on Monday and October 2010 ausgeführt.Das from 18 to 24 national week-long drive digital champion will Martha lane Fox UK, led attempts, the last remaining ten million British online erhalten.Dies despite the fact that lane Fox has no budget to complete the project.
"There is no money and we need to take a big step forward" lane Fox said back in August.

The simple idea behind the campaign is at least some of the estimated 10 million Brits who have never used the Internet to go.

There are a few helpful sites online 2012 race to list events, resources and provides 67 page manifest for a networked nation and research on e-inclusion are interested in the broadband .If are, there are a great resource on this website.

Pass on has a great video and it lists 5 reasons to pass:

Money - an estimated £ 560 can be pocketed over a year paying invoices and shopping online; not to be geschnüffelt!Time time for you since no replacement surfer.staying in touch stored daily tasks at the click of a button and time saved for you-3 m people in the United Kingdom are social are isolated and the Internet can help, connect with your friends and family.Smash trade barriers - the Internet is not scary, it's fun! can you make the web.Create possibilities into the wonders about helping someone get their original concerns – have Internet GCSE can improve performance by two notes for children and access to millions more employment opportunities for adults.

found via Stephen Fry

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Should Broadband Access be a Right? I Say Yes

And I’m not alone. Countries such as France, Greece, Estonia, Spain and Finland have already moved to make it a right for their citizens.

I know this can be a complicated topic to discuss,  as Ange Fitzpatrick points when cast against the civil rights and women’s rights struggles internet access seems laughable.

Thomas Jefferson admirably covers all bases when he describes the unalienable rights as including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but I think anyone would struggle to convincingly tack on to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and a high speed internet connection. What would be next- a flat screen TV?

Yet, there is so much more happening online, it is a huge source of information, a tool for communication. As Dr. Hamadoun Toure, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, states

“The right to communicate cannot be ignored,”

“The internet is the most powerful potential source of enlightenment ever created.”

“We have entered the knowledge society and everyone must have access to participate.”

He concluded that governments must “regard the internet as basic infrastructure – just like roads, waste and water”.  We can not look at internet access as a frivolous tool that allows people to update their Facebook status and watch YouTube videos all day.  A huge portion of life is moving online and not just the fun stuff, things like government forms, health care and banking. We need to take action.

Eric Newton, of the  John S. and James L. Knight Foundation points out:

In the past, we grew because we built the railroads and highways we needed to haul people and their physical things across this vast continent. Today, we will not grow unless we build the technology we need to haul our ideas and innovations around the world. Nearly two dozen other nations now rank ahead of the United States in high-speed broadband.

Minorities, senior citizens, people with disabilities, people with lower education levels, those with lower incomes, and the chronically ill are significantly less likely to have high speed internet access at home.  I think Knight Foundation’s President and CEO Alberto Ibargüen says it best:

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