Library Technology in Texas

Sleep vs Hibernate

Christine Peterson — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:33:00 +0000

I’ve been using Windows 7 for a while now and haven’t had a chance to really dig into the differences between Sleep, Hibernate, and Hibernate Sleep. This article from How-to Geek, however, answered all my questions in just a few minutes. If you have the same questions, here you are.

Filed under: Hardware, Security

Charging Using an Outlet and USB

Christine Peterson — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:07:20 +0000

Modifying your electrical wall outlet so that it will also allow you to charge via USB. That’s what U-Socket does.

From their website:

U-Socket is a duplex AC receptacle with built-in USB ports that can power any device that is capable of being charged via a 5V power adapter, but without the need for the power adapter! When a U-Socket replaces a traditional 3-prong AC wall socket, you can eliminate the clutter of AC Adapters that stick out & take up space in your home or office. Everything stays neat & organized.

CNET created a video that shows you how to install it – it doesn’t look very hard.

Filed under: Handhelds, Hardware

Digital Public Library of America – Not Just for Public Libraries

Christine Peterson — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:43:43 +0000

The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is a project which hopes to enhance existing services of all libraries by providing single source access to materials. What types of materials? The digitized collections many of us already have . . . at least to start. Although many libraries have created searchable databases of digitized materials from multiple libraries, this project goes a step further, hoping to include all digitized collections that can be harvested using the Open Archives Initiative (OAI). Imagine being able to search not only local databases, but also the collections at the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress – and this is only the first step.

In addition to providing an integrated search, there will be tools to help you integrate, use, and adapt the collections for your own use. By providing APIs and toolkits (technical processes that help you work with data in the collections), you could create a web page of all the materials about President Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ); or a link on your page that will display all photos of LBJ between the years of 1950 and 1964; or create a public interface for your teens that is different from the one for your genealogy patrons. No technical expertise necessary. The DPLA will be looking for ways to provide these types of services for libraries at little or no cost.

Although the name of this project includes the phrase “public library,” it is important to realize that this is not meant to be just another public library or even a replacement for public libraries. Rather, the founders see this project as benefiting the public, thereby using the term “public library” in a slightly different fashion than we’re used to. By benefiting the public, librarians in all types of libraries have a stake in working with and furthering this project.

If you are interesting helping – or just in keeping up – they have mailing lists, wikis, and blogs that detail their work. It’s a very open process and your thoughts and ideas would be very welcome.

Filed under: Digital Libraries, Research, Searching

Getting Ready for Facebook’s Timeline

Christine Peterson — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:05:31 +0000

I have not yet moved to Facebook’s Timeline, but I know my time is coming. For me, it’s just been timing — I haven’t had any lately. So, I was happy to find this article by Kim Komando that laid out what I should do when Facebook tells me they will be switching my profile. Hope it helps you, too!

In the meantime, I’ll be looking for a cover photo to use.

Filed under: Security, Social Networks

Common Craft Video on Social Networking

Christine Peterson — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:01:36 +0000

Another very well-thought-out video from Common Craft – this one on social networking with Facebook. Excellent for beginners.

But don’t forget their original video on social network – not specific to Facebook, but similar in some respects:

Common Craft Video on Social Network

Filed under: Social Networks

WebGL Bookcase – Another Google Experiment

Christine Peterson — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:36:02 +0000

Have you noticed that companies are playing with new interfaces for presenting library collections? Here’s another that uses the Google Books API and is based on 3D – the WebGL Bookcase. It only works in Google Chrome for me, but if you don’t have it, this video shows you how it works.

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Filed under: Browsers, Digital Libraries, Fun, Searching, Web Design/HTML

Plagiarism

Christine Peterson — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:36:56 +0000

Common Craft has done it again — a great video on plagiarism. It has a very positive focus, which should make it even more helpful.

Filed under: Legal Issues, Research

Eye-Tracking Software

Christine Peterson — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:11:12 +0000

If you work with website design, then you have heard of eye-tracking software. It provides you with, among other things, heat maps:

Software that allows you to really identify where people are looking on your website is relatively expensive. However, Texas Tech University now has a product at a much more reasonable price.

Called Grinbath’s EyeGuide, it was invented at Texas Tech and currently sells for $1,500.

“We needed eye tracking in our lab because of client demand,” said Dr. Brian Still, CEO of Grinbath and the current director of Tech’s Usability Research Lab. “Many of the current eye tracking devices, although very good, are far too expensive for many out there. I just couldn’t choose buying one of those over paying a graduate assistant.

“So we made EyeGuide™. Initially it served as a solution just for us, but as we worked with it and improved it, we realized that it offered a viable solution for others like us who research users or build products, design advertising, or engage in other activities that could benefit from eye tracking research.”

Filed under: Accessibility, Browsers, Web Design/HTML

Full URLs in Firefox

Christine Peterson — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:19:26 +0000

If you keep up with Firefox updates, then you may have noticed that the full URL is no longer shown. For most people, this may not be a problem, but for those of us that are more technically inclined, we like to see it all.

The change is the removal of the protocol section of the URL. So, instead of seeing:

https://libtechtexas.wordpress.com

we see:

libtechtexas.wordpress.com

To change it back, you can use “about:config.” CNET has directions — it’s quick and easy!

Filed under: Browsers, Security

Google a Day

Christine Peterson — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:42:08 +0000

Want to test your Google searching skills? A Google a Day does just that. Provides a daily question to answer, using their search techniques. How did I miss this?

[from Wired]

Filed under: Fun, Searching