E-rate isn’t new news. Established almost 20 years ago (I feel old, and you’re about to too) by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, E-rate provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and internet access. What is new news is the ALA initiative Got E-rate? and more importantly the overhaul of E-rate which prompted the initiative- and it’s good news. The best part might well be 1.5 billion dollars added to annual available funding. What that means, in the simplest terms, is new opportunities for libraries to offer better, faster internet. It’s the chance for public libraries of every size to rethink their broadband networks and make gains toward the broadband speeds necessary for library services. But beyond the bottom line, this incarnation of E-rate has been deeply influenced by ALA input. The Association worked with the FCC to insure that the reform…
Author: Lindsay Cronk
Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself – Vol. 4
What a year it’s been, TYBYWYers! Last month, I talked about gratitude. This month, I’m focusing on the future. Let’s put a pretty bow on 2014 and take a peek at all the shiny opportunities 2015 has to offer. I promise I won’t tell your mom you looked at your presents. If this is your first time stumbling upon this monthly feature of the LITA Blog, Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself is a curated assortment of online education opportunities for aspiring library technologists at all levels of experience. I focus on webinars, MOOCs, and other free/low cost options for learning, growing, and increasing tech proficiency. I’m glad you’re here! Monthly MOOCs This coming year, you may have made a few tech education resolutions, and I’m going to help you keep them! If you want to learn to code, the University of Michigan’s Programming for Everybody is a great place…
Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself – Vol. 3
The holidays are upon us, LITA Blog readers. As we all wind down end of year tasks and prepare for our own celebrations, this penultimate installment of Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself for 2014 is my way of saying thanks. Thanksgiving is maybe my favorite holiday- I love the way in which it is casual, hangout-focused, and food-intensive- but I also love the tone of gratitude that colors it. So, let me express how grateful I am for all of you, reading this blog and supporting our efforts. Thank you for being there. For the uninitiated, Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself (TYBYWY) is a monthly selection of free webinars, classes, and other education opportunities for the aspiring technologist and the total newbie alike. The Monthly MOOC If, like so many of us, you’re intrigued by use of gamification in content design and delivery, Coursera’s perennially popular MOOC on…
Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself – Vol. 2
Happy Belated Ada Lovelace Day, LITA Blog Readers! In honor of Ada Lovelace, the forward-thinking mother of scientific computing, I’m highlighting opportunities to really get to know your data (and users) in this Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself installment. Once again, Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself (TYBYWY) is a curated selection of upcoming free webinars, classes, and other opportunities designed to help you learn and master new technologies and stay ahead of tech trends. Your Monthly MOOC – This edition of TYBYWY, I am recommending a Coursera MOOC helmed by faculty from UC San Diego. Human-Computer Interaction Design may sound like a dry topic- but I know that you know that we all need to get better at designing online experiences that please and engage our patrons, constituents or students. The course promises to, help “you build human-centered design skills, so that you have the principles and methods…
Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself – Vol. 1
This post is for all the tech librarian caterpillars dreaming of one day becoming empowered tech butterflies. The internet is full to the brim with tools and resources for aiding in your transformation (and your job search). In each installment of Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself – TYBYWY, pronounced tie-buy-why – I’ll curate a small selection of free courses, webinars, and other tools you can use to learn and master technologies. I’ll also spotlight a presentation opportunity so that you can consider putting yourself out there- it’s a big, beautiful community and we all learn through collaboration. MOOC of the Week – Allow me to suggest you enroll in The Emerging Future: Technology Issues and Trends, a MOOC offered by the School of Information at San Jose State University through Canvas. Taking a Futurist approach to technology assessment, Sue Alman, PhD offers participants an opportunity to learn “the planning…