Introduction to LIS508

Introduction to LIS508 Thomas Krichel 2002-09-05

Structure of talk • First talk about me • Then talk about you. • Then talk about the course

About me • Born 1965, in Völklingen (Germany) • Studied economics and social sciences at the Universities of Toulouse, Paris, Exeter and Leiceister. • PhD in theoretical macroeconomics • Lecturer in Economics at the University of Surrey 1993 and 2001 • Since 2001 assistant professor at the Palmer School

Why? • During research assistantship period, (1990 to 1993) I was constantly frustrated with difficult access to scientific literature. • At the same time, I discovered easy access to freely downloadable software over the Internet. • I decided to work towards downloadable scientific documents. This lead to my library career (eventually).

Steps taken I • 1993 founded the NetEc project at http://netec.mcc.ac.uk, later available at http://netec.ier.hit-u.ac.jp as well as at http://netec.wustl.edu. • These are networking projects targeted to the economics community. The bulk is • Information about working papers • Downloadable working papers • Journal articles were added later

Steps taken II • Set up RePEc, a digital library for economics research. Catalogs • Research documents • Collections of research documents • Researchers themselves • Organizations that are important to the research process • Decentralized collection, model for the open archives initiative

Steps taken III • Co-founder of Open Archives Initiative • Work on the Academic Metadata Format • Co-founded rclis, a RePEc clone for (Research in Computing, Library and Information Science)

What is IT • Computer • Some devices attached to computers, such as printers, screens etc • Networks • In colloquial language, also related to information that is being transformed by these tools. This is the I without T, IwoT.

Why study IT • Mastery of a tool • Understanding information in a precise way • Interact with service providers in a competent way • Play an active role in transformation of library and information services • Saving the planet

Study IT to master a tool • A computer is not like a car • A network more than a wire • Arguably one of the most complex thing create by (wo)man, subject to its own scientific discipline • Since much time is spent on computers optimizing interaction is productive. • But there is a danger to study proprietary technology.

Study IT to understand Information • To make information computer processable, it needs to be digitized and • there have to be precise instructions for the computer to deal with the information in every situation that can possibly arise • Learning how to do that is a considerable help to understanding information itself

Study IT to interact with others • In many libraries, there is insufficient computer support. “The answer is no, what is the question?” • Without knowledge, you are completely at the mercy of your surroundings for help.

Study IT to transform services • Walk-in physical libraries will decline over time, and this decline will take place over your professional work time • Those who have good IT skills with thrive, and those who don’t will perish • Networked information and archiving will become more important

Study IT to save the planet • There is a divide between have and have-nots in information. • More free information will make the world a better place • Move away from commercial information • Organize freely available information • Promote access to information

Organization • Normal lecture • Quiz at the beginning of every lecture • Topics to be fixed by next week • Essay 50% on an approved topic • Since the course is NOT a hands-on introduction, I will add a hands-on tail after each lecture • No text purchase required

What do you want to learn • Computers • Networks • IwoT

http://openlib.org/home/krichel Thank you for your attention!

Introduction to LIS508