Open Access Everywhere

One of the things I love about getting settled into a new semester is when I start to notice the different ways in which the courses I'm taking overlap. It seems like in any given week, I see recurring themes come up in at least two of my classes. It just so happened that the subject of open access publishing came up in my Academic Libraries class a few days ago (it's a WISE course from the University of British Columbia) which I found interesting as I worked to retrieve open source themed articles for our assignment in this this class. Of course, this isn't very surprising given the current serials crisis our field is facing. With the prices of journal subscriptions continuing to climb (mostly due to lack of competition), more and more people are turning to the open access movement for a solution. People usually tend to fall on either side of the open access argument, but most librarians I know are for it. The people who are against open access tend to be academics struggling to publish and wanting the recognition of getting their work into a well regarded journal. I'm hoping as the idea of open access becomes more popular, this sentiment will change and publishing in an open access journal will be considered just as scholarly as the commercial alternatives, which will ultimately lessen the financial burden of libraries.

Sunday = homework day

I tend to view Sundays as the start of my work/school week, as it is usually when I try to catch up on anything I've missed from the previous week and get a head start on the days to come. After a great weekend, I'm slowly but surely trying to get back into a productive mindset.

I started browsing the web today and found something pretty cool from the University of Michigan library. They have created a blog that specifically discusses new technologies that are implemented in their library, information about existing library features, interviews with library staff, and much more. Blogging among the library community is not new - in fact many professional librarians I know keep a very consistent presence online. The benefits are obvious: it is a fast, efficient way to spread information to colleagues, clients, and the public as a whole, and it helps us stay relevant in the digital age. UMichigan's Information Technology blog combines this idea with a focus on changing library technology and tools, making it an even more helpful guide for users who may not be aware of all the technological advances in their library. While the blog is mainly intended for faculty, staff, and students at the university, I think it is worth taking a look at as a model for other universities to consider mimicking.

http://mblog.lib.umich.edu/blt/

Second Week !

Week 2 of the semester has officially begun, and I'm already exhausted. Trying to stay on top of everything, but this rainy weather just makes me want to curl up in bed all day. I got a head start on the Scopus/Google Scholar assignment yesterday, which makes me feel a little better about myself. I also had a phone interview today for a potential post-MLIS position. I'm hopeful that it went well and that I'll be called for a face-to-face interview, but only time will tell. Homework/job applications are pretty much going to be my life for the next few months, which makes me a little depressed. BUT I've lined up a few weekends of friends from home visiting, the first one being this upcoming weekend. I'm very excited about that and it will give me something to look forward to after a week filled with coffee shop study sessions, class, and work. Right now, as the work day comes to an end, I'm going to head to the gym in a effort to ride out this last wave of energy I'm feeling before heading home. I will be in full productivity mode for a few days so I can relax and enjoy the weekend when it arrives. I hope everyone had a great day despite the weather!

"Earning your Masters in Library and Information Science is beautiful." - Lil' Wayne

Someone in my WISE class posted this link and I figured anyone in our program can appreciate it as much as I did. Lil' Wayne gave us future librarians a shout out in his first letter from prison. Represent!

http://www.rap-up.com/2010/04/02/lil-wayne-checks-in-from-rikers-island-im-in-good-spirits/

An appropriate way to kick off a new semester, I think. I'm trying to maintain a sense of humor as I enter my last session here at Pitt, because if it goes by as quickly as the last two, it will be over before it really begins. I want to wish everyone a happy semester, and welcome aboard to any new students!

I'm graduating at the end of this term and the reason I put this important core class off until the very end is because I'm a little technologically challenged. However, I'm hoping that instead of intimidating me, this course will help me get more comfortable with the important technology that I will be using in my career. I'm an on-campus student but will be taking the class online due to some conflicts. I'm looking forward to getting started and being one step closer to graduation!