On Friday 10th Jan. Cambridge librarians met at the Law Faculty for the conference "Transforming the Library".
I learned lots of new concepts: apparently librarians like to talk about "information skills" but if you are speaking to a scientist you must say "research tools and methodologies"
We learned about Leicester University's "Media Zoo" project to systematically introduce new technology using Second Life, (explained here)
There are a few concepts I will have to look up: 'emoderating' for instance or 'Born Digital', 'Lightening Source' (this was a print on demand company)and a lady from Springer mentioned 'NESLi' (no idea what that is.)
Keith Johnstone, a lecturer in the plant and microbial sciences department, told us all about how his department are using computer programs in his new databases for mapping molecule structures: MolStruc see http://www.caret.cam.ac.uk/page/molstruc .He then went on to talk about the semantic web and showed another database using this technology: it linked the geology of the earth to the type of animals who lived there. He displayed an interactive chart and you could change variables and the graph would change. His main point was that Camtools and other VLE's are an environment where relevent information can be limited and authorised. His department uses it to attract students to their course in a competitive environmemnt. I was most impressed and began to have a little more faith in the concept of the semantic web.
David Jarvis gave a very interesting talk about how undergraduates at Murray Edwards College (the College formerly known as New Hall)are undertaking a skills development program.
See another blog about the conference here
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