Technology for the Rest of Us - by Nancy Courtney (Paperback)

About the Book

Librarians are affected by technology in every aspect of their jobs, yet they often have little understanding of the technologies underlying the systems they use every day. Nancy Courtney and 15 well-known contributors discuss such technologies as Wireless LANs, Radio Frequency Identification, OpenURL and other essential technological innovations in everyday language.

Wireless LANs, Radio Frequency Identification. OpenURL. Chances are you've heard these terms. But could you link them to their definitions on Jeopardy? Librarians are affected by technology in every aspect of their jobs, yet they often have little understanding of the technologies underlying the systems they use every day. Such a situation, according to Nancy Courtney, is untenable. Every librarian, no matter how low-tech his or her position, needs a basic understanding of computer technologies. To this end, she has assembled an impressive cast of contributors to discuss some of the more essential concepts and tenets in simple terms. Their combined intent is not to turn unsuspecting readers into IT practitioners, but to improve their technological literacy about topics currently of interest in the library community so that they can communicate effectively with systems personnel, their users and their funding authorities. If you are a librarian, and your primary job responsibilities are not in information technology, this book is for you!

Book Synopsis

Librarians are affected by technology in every aspect of their jobs, yet they often have little understanding of the technologies underlying the systems they use every day. Nancy Courtney and 15 well-known contributors discuss such technologies as Wireless LANs, Radio Frequency Identification, OpenURL and other essential technological innovations in everyday language.

Wireless LANs, Radio Frequency Identification. OpenURL. Chances are you've heard these terms. But could you link them to their definitions on Jeopardy? Librarians are affected by technology in every aspect of their jobs, yet they often have little understanding of the technologies underlying the systems they use every day. Such a situation, according to Nancy Courtney, is untenable. Every librarian, no matter how low-tech his or her position, needs a basic understanding of computer technologies. To this end, she has assembled an impressive cast of contributors to discuss some of the more essential concepts and tenets in simple terms. Their combined intent is not to turn unsuspecting readers into IT practitioners, but to improve their technological literacy about topics currently of interest in the library community so that they can communicate effectively with systems personnel, their users and their funding authorities. If you are a librarian, and your primary job responsibilities are not in information technology, this book is for you!

Review Quotes

"A smattering knowledge of HTML is no longer enough for librarians to call themselves high tech. So, if you find that you are now low tech, or were never high tech to begin with, you should consider this book, which developed out of the successful 2004 seminar Technology for the Rest of Us: What Every Librarian Should Understand About the Technologies That Affect Us, coordinated by editor Courtney, head of Information Services at Ohio State University. The essays here are not meant to make you an expert but to give you a basic introduction to some of the current technologies impacting libraries and their patrons, including computer networks, wireless networks, network security, OpenURL, RFID (radio frequency identification), blogs and RSS, XML, Open Archive Initiatives Protocol for Metadata Harvesting, local digital repositories, adaptive or assistive technology, and digital image management. The contributors include recognizable names in the library technology area, and most have published and presented in the field. Only one of the essays has been previously published. The articles are brief and clearly written, and computer jargon is defined and explained. Each chapter lists references for further information for both print and online resources, and there is a selected bibliography and glossary at the end of the book. Recommended for low-tech librarians looking for a good introduction to the above topics." --Library Journal

"Today's librarianship encompasses technology, so guidance on emerging developments is welcome. This volume of essays or representative technologies arose from a seminar on the topic for academic librarians, and it reflects academic practice most closely in terms of the technologies mentioned and the depth of coverage." --Booklist/Professional Reading

"[T]his book is worth the price as a quick introduction and a guide to the jargon. Worth a look." --Teacher Librarian

About the Author