Collections digital searchable specific

Search terminology is a complicated topic; because different people use language differently, search engines are forced to predict the interactions of search criteria and the vernacular. IN William J. Turkel's article "Digital History Hacks," he examines  It's a complicated process, let's just say that the average person complicates a search parameter with their expectations. One such issue facing search engine developers is year parameters within documents.
"you also find that many people are trying to use dates to limit their searches in a way that most search engines don't allow.

england history 1350 to 1850
french history 1400's
world history 1500 through 1850"

Google's search parameters would seek documents containing, for instance, England, history, 1350, and 1850. It would not define the search in terms of year range.


Search engines are further complicated by the vast amount of information and the range of mediums which one might be seeking. In his article, "From Babel to Knowledge," Daniel Cohen expresses some of the ways in which these problems are being addressed  The seemingly limitless amount of information floating around on the Internet makes search engines necessary. Brute force searching, as applied by Google searches  websites for specific words; while it can be beneficial when you're looking for something specific presented in a web page format, it can be more daunting when searching for information contained in specific mediums such as course syllabus. Cohen expresses how an inclusive list of words can help refine a search to a syllabus:

"there were certain words that appeared very frequently on syllabi, far more so than on a typical web page. This list included, of course, 'syllabus' (appearing on over 90% of syllabi), 'readings' (and its singular, 'reading'), 'assignment' (and its plural 'assignments'), 'exam' and its variants and synonyms, and the word "week." When I ran the same analyses for word couplets, I found the most common pairings were 'fall' and 'spring' followed by a four-digit number (the 'Spring 2006' that is found on so many syllabi this term) followed by the all-important 'office hours...' A web page that contains many of these words – basic ingredients in the pedagogical cocktail – is extremely likely to be a syllabus"

Simple solutions, including education about search criteria as well as a utilization of parameter based search engines could really be to our benefit in the future. While search engines can not replace indexing systems like library ISBNs, people are making strides towards simplifying search results and increasing their functionality. 

Tweet Tweet - Who Cares?

Social media has been around for years now. After Myspace popularized self marketing on the web it was only a matter of time before thousands of other websites took up the call; the question is, who cares? I think one of the most common problems with the Internet is that people see only the negatives. Twitter is generally viewed as an unsupervised platform upon which the youth can waste away with their time following celebrities and Tweeting about what they had for lunch. I still remember learning about twitter jail, the term describing when twitter blocks a user due to overactive posting (over 1000 tweets in one day,) and thinking "Man, these kids need a hobby."

Then it hit me, the kids have a hobby: Tweeting. Twitter has become a common place on the Internet for young people to interact. Kids feel comfortable in the, oh so familiar, Twittersphere. Let me just put it out there, it's the perfect time to exploit Twitter, it offers a lot of advantages over traditional means of communication with students.

Andrew Mercer, a music teacher who teaches music over the Internet to students in isolated communities, agrees. He's well associated with the inter net's resources as his livelihood depends on it. He claims that one of the best advantages of twitter is its small word limit. "Twitter is a blogging tool, but with a twist -Twitter is a micro-blog. Unlike traditional blogs, which permit authors to write lengthy entries on the topic of their choice. Twitter limits each posting to 140 characters. No pictures of your cat, no videos of you and your friends doing The Chicken Dance - just 140 characters per posting, or 'tweet' as it is called. This cap has had an interesting (and refreshing) effect on what people post to the Internet - authors are forced to 'make it brief.'"

Twitter also helps to get students involved in the conversation. It's much less intimidating to post a couple of words than it is to think "Hey, I have to write two pages to make a blogger post worth it." Mercer finds that his students are more often asking for help, and helping each other, because Twitter's feed is never flooded with pages and pages of blocked paragraphs. The students are on it anyway, why not go to where they already are?

https://librarylink.uncc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.librarylink.uncc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=69588306&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Don't Be a Fool, It's a Tool!

The changing landscape of technology has opened opportunity for change in academia. The stale world that has long revolved around books and academic journals is now proliferated with Internet resources. Anything from webpages to blogs to digital maps can be used as a historical resource or as a source of inspiration.

But Ian! What's the real advantage here? Motivated people have managed successful educational endeavors for thousands of years without the aid of the World Wide Web; why fix something that ain't broke?

To respond, Embodiment of Doubt, it is "broke."

Knowledge is expanding at a geometric rate, while people around the world have used traditional mediums to transmit knowledge for centuries, new technologies lead to accessibility. While literacy rates have increased many people lack the drive to head to the local library. Furthermore, many are too intimidated by the prospect of a great body of information, seemingly endless and locked in moldy tomes, to start the a quest towards knowledge. The Internet disguises the vastness of information in a simple window. Because of its wide application, the Internet has become common to today's youth. You can socialize, make purchases, learn, and grow from the comfort of your own browser window. Honestly, kids these days feel way more comfortable with a keyboard under their fingers than a ratty old book in their hands.

But Ian! I like books, why should I have to change?

You don't have to change, if you're too intimidated by computer interfaces to adapt then you're a technophobe. Utilize it! Don't be a fool, it's a tool!

The Internet offers thousands of great features. One of my favorites is blogging; [and stated on a blog, none the less] blogging offers a sort of informal medium by which to transmit knowledge. Note the first person lean on my writing, within an academic setting it would be completely unacceptable, blogging lets me send out my ideas and also allows me to receive feedback. This can be particularly useful in a classroom setting

In "Blogging for Your Students," David Voelker discusses a few of the applications and advantages of blogging over traditional forms of classroom communication. "Blogs are open to the public, which means that students and colleagues can visit the site without worrying about password barriers. Furthermore, when students post comments, as I encourage them to do, they do so with the recognition that they are making public statements. As a result, I have noticed that their comments are more thoughtful and substantial than they usually are in walled-off online discussions."

Voelker goes on to describe the way that students can more directly see the link between their world (the present) and the subject material (generally rooted in the past) because of the simple integration of hyper-linking. When inserted into a blog post, students can engage with the material without shuffling through several sets of source material. Voelker suggests the use of an in the news section (a great idea,) but teachers can also link to excerpts from books as well as Journal articles.

OK, Ian, you're starting to win me over; but how will this help me NOW? I'm just a grad student...

Lucky for you, those brainy folks at the American Historical Association [AHA] have thought up a way to make your life easier. I know you're worried about finding someone to publish your dissertation. If it doesn't work out, how will you get tenured? 

In her article, "Talking Shop With the 'Gutenberg-es,'" Elizabeth Fairhead explains the opportunities presented in Electronic Publishing. AHA started a program to give grants and publish strong dissertations electronically citing "complaints about inadequate publishing opportunities for first-time authors"

Look, I know you're terrified of change, but it's comin' like a freight train. The Internet doesn't have to be scary, in fact, make the Internet scared of you. Use it like an intern on his/her first day - With a little time, it'll work for you.