2023.08 Cognitive and Emotional Health_ Aging Into Your Best Self - Mancos We...Victoria Petersen
Brain changes are a natural part of the aging process. As we age, our brains undergo changes that can impact our mental health. These changes can affect our memory, attention, and other cognitive functions. Mental health conditions are more common in adulthood starting around college age and increasing to older adulthood. Older adults may be more vulnerable to mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. These conditions can be caused by a variety of factors, including changes in brain chemistry, stress, and social isolation. Join this talk to learn about ways to help yourself maintain good cognitive and emotional health through the years, to manage your symptoms, and improve your quality of life.
2023.08 MWT Movement is Key to Healthy Aging with Kate Voiles Hosted by Cloud...Victoria Petersen
Why Movement is Key to Healthy Aging
…and how to add fitness to your routine easily & effectively
Kate Voiles, Certified Health and Lifestyle Coach
Aging can be a beautiful and rewarding process. It is important to take steps to stay healthy and active as we age. Fitness and movement can play a vital role in helping us age with grace and wellness.
There are many benefits to being physically active as we age. Exercise can help us maintain our strength, flexibility, and balance. It can also help reduce our risk of chronic diseases and can improve our mood, sleep quality, and overall sense of well-being.
The first in the 2023 Series of Mancos Wellness Talks, “Why Movement is Key to Healthy Aging” focuses on fitness and the benefits to our bodies, minds, and lifestyle as we age through the decades.
Humans are meant to move. All of our systems are designed to move and only function properly when we do. Kate Voiles, a Certified Health and Lifestyle Coach, will show us how the mind is the first step on the road to wellness and how it is interrelated with movement.
The goal is to create a healthier, happier mind, brain, and body in a simple and effective way. Kate will give us easy ways to live a naturally healthy life without feeling deprived. She will also show us how to combine movement with stress-relieving techniques and mindset shifts to help create routines for healthy habits and lifestyle. Whether you're an Olympic athlete or a couch potato, you'll benefit from these combined daily practices!
Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Time: 6pm
Location: Mancos Public Library.
The Mancos Wellness Talks are hosted by Cloud Goddess Enterprises and Mancos Public Library.
As always, The Mancos Wellness Talks are free and open to the public!
Kate Voiles
Certified Health and Lifestyle Coach
Owner, Aspire Life Wellness
How do health coaches work with clients? In the gym, meet in person or online to help keep their client aware and on track of their desired healthy lifestyle and coach them through their mental blocks.
Why a health coach? Kate was diagnosed with SSCD, with a CT scan in Jan of 2019, a condition where holes are found throughout the inner ear encompassing bones. It wreaks havoc with your vestibular system, creates sound sensitivity, bodily sounds are heard, and creates overwhelming stress on the brain.
When looking at a half million worth of brain surgeries, out of state, with a year recovery time, with no guarantees, at 54, she set out to look at natural ways of dealing with this condition. This brought her to researching and learning- then receiving her certification as a health and lifestyle coach.
Kate continues to learn all she can, and is currently in a certified physical fitness personal trainer program.
Kate has a Facebook page where she freely gives wellness tips to help her members.
You are welcome to join: Team Fabulous! Women’s Wellness, Beauty and Empowerment.
IG: aspire.life.wellness
Website: AspireLifeWellness.com
Mancos Public Library has developed "Outdoor Adventures at Your Library", an afterschool program for tweens; this program takes place entirely outdoors (even in winter!) two days a week. View this powerpoint to get an overview of the program. For further information, contact Kate Kearns and/or Charlene Swansen at MPL, 970.533.7600.
2023.08 Cognitive and Emotional Health_ Aging Into Your Best Self - Mancos We...Victoria Petersen
Brain changes are a natural part of the aging process. As we age, our brains undergo changes that can impact our mental health. These changes can affect our memory, attention, and other cognitive functions. Mental health conditions are more common in adulthood starting around college age and increasing to older adulthood. Older adults may be more vulnerable to mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. These conditions can be caused by a variety of factors, including changes in brain chemistry, stress, and social isolation. Join this talk to learn about ways to help yourself maintain good cognitive and emotional health through the years, to manage your symptoms, and improve your quality of life.
2023.08 MWT Movement is Key to Healthy Aging with Kate Voiles Hosted by Cloud...Victoria Petersen
Why Movement is Key to Healthy Aging
…and how to add fitness to your routine easily & effectively
Kate Voiles, Certified Health and Lifestyle Coach
Aging can be a beautiful and rewarding process. It is important to take steps to stay healthy and active as we age. Fitness and movement can play a vital role in helping us age with grace and wellness.
There are many benefits to being physically active as we age. Exercise can help us maintain our strength, flexibility, and balance. It can also help reduce our risk of chronic diseases and can improve our mood, sleep quality, and overall sense of well-being.
The first in the 2023 Series of Mancos Wellness Talks, “Why Movement is Key to Healthy Aging” focuses on fitness and the benefits to our bodies, minds, and lifestyle as we age through the decades.
Humans are meant to move. All of our systems are designed to move and only function properly when we do. Kate Voiles, a Certified Health and Lifestyle Coach, will show us how the mind is the first step on the road to wellness and how it is interrelated with movement.
The goal is to create a healthier, happier mind, brain, and body in a simple and effective way. Kate will give us easy ways to live a naturally healthy life without feeling deprived. She will also show us how to combine movement with stress-relieving techniques and mindset shifts to help create routines for healthy habits and lifestyle. Whether you're an Olympic athlete or a couch potato, you'll benefit from these combined daily practices!
Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Time: 6pm
Location: Mancos Public Library.
The Mancos Wellness Talks are hosted by Cloud Goddess Enterprises and Mancos Public Library.
As always, The Mancos Wellness Talks are free and open to the public!
Kate Voiles
Certified Health and Lifestyle Coach
Owner, Aspire Life Wellness
How do health coaches work with clients? In the gym, meet in person or online to help keep their client aware and on track of their desired healthy lifestyle and coach them through their mental blocks.
Why a health coach? Kate was diagnosed with SSCD, with a CT scan in Jan of 2019, a condition where holes are found throughout the inner ear encompassing bones. It wreaks havoc with your vestibular system, creates sound sensitivity, bodily sounds are heard, and creates overwhelming stress on the brain.
When looking at a half million worth of brain surgeries, out of state, with a year recovery time, with no guarantees, at 54, she set out to look at natural ways of dealing with this condition. This brought her to researching and learning- then receiving her certification as a health and lifestyle coach.
Kate continues to learn all she can, and is currently in a certified physical fitness personal trainer program.
Kate has a Facebook page where she freely gives wellness tips to help her members.
You are welcome to join: Team Fabulous! Women’s Wellness, Beauty and Empowerment.
IG: aspire.life.wellness
Website: AspireLifeWellness.com
Mancos Public Library has developed "Outdoor Adventures at Your Library", an afterschool program for tweens; this program takes place entirely outdoors (even in winter!) two days a week. View this powerpoint to get an overview of the program. For further information, contact Kate Kearns and/or Charlene Swansen at MPL, 970.533.7600.
CALLI: Colorado Association of Libraries Leadership Institute -OR- Calling Al...Victoria Petersen
Presentation given at Colorado Association of Libraries Annual Conference 2009
By:
Brooke Andrade, Adams State College
Liz Keating, Leawood Elementary School
Currie Meyer, Poudre River Valley District
Denise Muniz, Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library
Victoria Petersen, Mancos Public Library
Stephen Sweeney, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary
The Colorado Libraries 2.0 project is aimed at helping librarians become familiar
with Web 2.0 tools. This online program guides participants through different 2.0
topics using self-paced modules.
Attendees of this hands-on computer workshop will explore the different modules of
the project, delve into a topic or two of their choice, and receive personal attention
and guidance from 4 experienced presenters. After attending this workshop,
participants will come away with a thorough understanding of the project, confidence
to complete the remainder of the modules on their own, and in turn, be able to help
patrons and students alike gain a knowledge of the world of Web 2.0.
Libraries are playing an up and coming role in the shaping of communities within the virtual world Second Life - and special libraries are no exception! In fact, the virtual world is an almost perfect medium to create a library focused on a particular topic. A fast-paced overview of Second Life, virtual librarianship, and the different types of libraries currently in-world will illustrate the power of special libraries and the impact they have on residents. Participants will be transported to Second Life libraries via a live demonstration, and will walk away with a feel for these exciting virtual communities and their opportunities for special libraries.
(Presentation wrapped up with a tour of special libraries in Second Life.)
Encryption in Microsoft 365 - ExpertsLive Netherlands 2024Albert Hoitingh
In this session I delve into the encryption technology used in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Purview. Including the concepts of Customer Key and Double Key Encryption.
Slack (or Teams) Automation for Bonterra Impact Management (fka Social Soluti...Jeffrey Haguewood
Sidekick Solutions uses Bonterra Impact Management (fka Social Solutions Apricot) and automation solutions to integrate data for business workflows.
We believe integration and automation are essential to user experience and the promise of efficient work through technology. Automation is the critical ingredient to realizing that full vision. We develop integration products and services for Bonterra Case Management software to support the deployment of automations for a variety of use cases.
This video focuses on the notifications, alerts, and approval requests using Slack for Bonterra Impact Management. The solutions covered in this webinar can also be deployed for Microsoft Teams.
Interested in deploying notification automations for Bonterra Impact Management? Contact us at sales@sidekicksolutionsllc.com to discuss next steps.
Elevating Tactical DDD Patterns Through Object CalisthenicsDorra BARTAGUIZ
After immersing yourself in the blue book and its red counterpart, attending DDD-focused conferences, and applying tactical patterns, you're left with a crucial question: How do I ensure my design is effective? Tactical patterns within Domain-Driven Design (DDD) serve as guiding principles for creating clear and manageable domain models. However, achieving success with these patterns requires additional guidance. Interestingly, we've observed that a set of constraints initially designed for training purposes remarkably aligns with effective pattern implementation, offering a more ‘mechanical’ approach. Let's explore together how Object Calisthenics can elevate the design of your tactical DDD patterns, offering concrete help for those venturing into DDD for the first time!
GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using Deplo...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 4DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 4. In this session, we will cover Test Manager overview along with SAP heatmap.
The UiPath Test Manager overview with SAP heatmap webinar offers a concise yet comprehensive exploration of the role of a Test Manager within SAP environments, coupled with the utilization of heatmaps for effective testing strategies.
Participants will gain insights into the responsibilities, challenges, and best practices associated with test management in SAP projects. Additionally, the webinar delves into the significance of heatmaps as a visual aid for identifying testing priorities, areas of risk, and resource allocation within SAP landscapes. Through this session, attendees can expect to enhance their understanding of test management principles while learning practical approaches to optimize testing processes in SAP environments using heatmap visualization techniques
What will you get from this session?
1. Insights into SAP testing best practices
2. Heatmap utilization for testing
3. Optimization of testing processes
4. Demo
Topics covered:
Execution from the test manager
Orchestrator execution result
Defect reporting
SAP heatmap example with demo
Speaker:
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
Connector Corner: Automate dynamic content and events by pushing a buttonDianaGray10
Here is something new! In our next Connector Corner webinar, we will demonstrate how you can use a single workflow to:
Create a campaign using Mailchimp with merge tags/fields
Send an interactive Slack channel message (using buttons)
Have the message received by managers and peers along with a test email for review
But there’s more:
In a second workflow supporting the same use case, you’ll see:
Your campaign sent to target colleagues for approval
If the “Approve” button is clicked, a Jira/Zendesk ticket is created for the marketing design team
But—if the “Reject” button is pushed, colleagues will be alerted via Slack message
Join us to learn more about this new, human-in-the-loop capability, brought to you by Integration Service connectors.
And...
Speakers:
Akshay Agnihotri, Product Manager
Charlie Greenberg, Host
CALLI: Colorado Association of Libraries Leadership Institute -OR- Calling Al...Victoria Petersen
Presentation given at Colorado Association of Libraries Annual Conference 2009
By:
Brooke Andrade, Adams State College
Liz Keating, Leawood Elementary School
Currie Meyer, Poudre River Valley District
Denise Muniz, Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library
Victoria Petersen, Mancos Public Library
Stephen Sweeney, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary
The Colorado Libraries 2.0 project is aimed at helping librarians become familiar
with Web 2.0 tools. This online program guides participants through different 2.0
topics using self-paced modules.
Attendees of this hands-on computer workshop will explore the different modules of
the project, delve into a topic or two of their choice, and receive personal attention
and guidance from 4 experienced presenters. After attending this workshop,
participants will come away with a thorough understanding of the project, confidence
to complete the remainder of the modules on their own, and in turn, be able to help
patrons and students alike gain a knowledge of the world of Web 2.0.
Libraries are playing an up and coming role in the shaping of communities within the virtual world Second Life - and special libraries are no exception! In fact, the virtual world is an almost perfect medium to create a library focused on a particular topic. A fast-paced overview of Second Life, virtual librarianship, and the different types of libraries currently in-world will illustrate the power of special libraries and the impact they have on residents. Participants will be transported to Second Life libraries via a live demonstration, and will walk away with a feel for these exciting virtual communities and their opportunities for special libraries.
(Presentation wrapped up with a tour of special libraries in Second Life.)
Encryption in Microsoft 365 - ExpertsLive Netherlands 2024Albert Hoitingh
In this session I delve into the encryption technology used in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Purview. Including the concepts of Customer Key and Double Key Encryption.
Slack (or Teams) Automation for Bonterra Impact Management (fka Social Soluti...Jeffrey Haguewood
Sidekick Solutions uses Bonterra Impact Management (fka Social Solutions Apricot) and automation solutions to integrate data for business workflows.
We believe integration and automation are essential to user experience and the promise of efficient work through technology. Automation is the critical ingredient to realizing that full vision. We develop integration products and services for Bonterra Case Management software to support the deployment of automations for a variety of use cases.
This video focuses on the notifications, alerts, and approval requests using Slack for Bonterra Impact Management. The solutions covered in this webinar can also be deployed for Microsoft Teams.
Interested in deploying notification automations for Bonterra Impact Management? Contact us at sales@sidekicksolutionsllc.com to discuss next steps.
Elevating Tactical DDD Patterns Through Object CalisthenicsDorra BARTAGUIZ
After immersing yourself in the blue book and its red counterpart, attending DDD-focused conferences, and applying tactical patterns, you're left with a crucial question: How do I ensure my design is effective? Tactical patterns within Domain-Driven Design (DDD) serve as guiding principles for creating clear and manageable domain models. However, achieving success with these patterns requires additional guidance. Interestingly, we've observed that a set of constraints initially designed for training purposes remarkably aligns with effective pattern implementation, offering a more ‘mechanical’ approach. Let's explore together how Object Calisthenics can elevate the design of your tactical DDD patterns, offering concrete help for those venturing into DDD for the first time!
GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using Deplo...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 4DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 4. In this session, we will cover Test Manager overview along with SAP heatmap.
The UiPath Test Manager overview with SAP heatmap webinar offers a concise yet comprehensive exploration of the role of a Test Manager within SAP environments, coupled with the utilization of heatmaps for effective testing strategies.
Participants will gain insights into the responsibilities, challenges, and best practices associated with test management in SAP projects. Additionally, the webinar delves into the significance of heatmaps as a visual aid for identifying testing priorities, areas of risk, and resource allocation within SAP landscapes. Through this session, attendees can expect to enhance their understanding of test management principles while learning practical approaches to optimize testing processes in SAP environments using heatmap visualization techniques
What will you get from this session?
1. Insights into SAP testing best practices
2. Heatmap utilization for testing
3. Optimization of testing processes
4. Demo
Topics covered:
Execution from the test manager
Orchestrator execution result
Defect reporting
SAP heatmap example with demo
Speaker:
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
Connector Corner: Automate dynamic content and events by pushing a buttonDianaGray10
Here is something new! In our next Connector Corner webinar, we will demonstrate how you can use a single workflow to:
Create a campaign using Mailchimp with merge tags/fields
Send an interactive Slack channel message (using buttons)
Have the message received by managers and peers along with a test email for review
But there’s more:
In a second workflow supporting the same use case, you’ll see:
Your campaign sent to target colleagues for approval
If the “Approve” button is clicked, a Jira/Zendesk ticket is created for the marketing design team
But—if the “Reject” button is pushed, colleagues will be alerted via Slack message
Join us to learn more about this new, human-in-the-loop capability, brought to you by Integration Service connectors.
And...
Speakers:
Akshay Agnihotri, Product Manager
Charlie Greenberg, Host
Essentials of Automations: Optimizing FME Workflows with ParametersSafe Software
Are you looking to streamline your workflows and boost your projects’ efficiency? Do you find yourself searching for ways to add flexibility and control over your FME workflows? If so, you’re in the right place.
Join us for an insightful dive into the world of FME parameters, a critical element in optimizing workflow efficiency. This webinar marks the beginning of our three-part “Essentials of Automation” series. This first webinar is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to utilize parameters effectively: enhancing the flexibility, maintainability, and user control of your FME projects.
Here’s what you’ll gain:
- Essentials of FME Parameters: Understand the pivotal role of parameters, including Reader/Writer, Transformer, User, and FME Flow categories. Discover how they are the key to unlocking automation and optimization within your workflows.
- Practical Applications in FME Form: Delve into key user parameter types including choice, connections, and file URLs. Allow users to control how a workflow runs, making your workflows more reusable. Learn to import values and deliver the best user experience for your workflows while enhancing accuracy.
- Optimization Strategies in FME Flow: Explore the creation and strategic deployment of parameters in FME Flow, including the use of deployment and geometry parameters, to maximize workflow efficiency.
- Pro Tips for Success: Gain insights on parameterizing connections and leveraging new features like Conditional Visibility for clarity and simplicity.
We’ll wrap up with a glimpse into future webinars, followed by a Q&A session to address your specific questions surrounding this topic.
Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your FME expertise and drive your projects to new heights of efficiency.
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
Kubernetes & AI - Beauty and the Beast !?! @KCD Istanbul 2024Tobias Schneck
As AI technology is pushing into IT I was wondering myself, as an “infrastructure container kubernetes guy”, how get this fancy AI technology get managed from an infrastructure operational view? Is it possible to apply our lovely cloud native principals as well? What benefit’s both technologies could bring to each other?
Let me take this questions and provide you a short journey through existing deployment models and use cases for AI software. On practical examples, we discuss what cloud/on-premise strategy we may need for applying it to our own infrastructure to get it to work from an enterprise perspective. I want to give an overview about infrastructure requirements and technologies, what could be beneficial or limiting your AI use cases in an enterprise environment. An interactive Demo will give you some insides, what approaches I got already working for real.
Kubernetes & AI - Beauty and the Beast !?! @KCD Istanbul 2024
Transliteracy: Building Bridges, Crossing Divides CAL 2010
1. Transliteracy: Building Bridges, Crossing Divides Matt Hamilton Anythink Tech Manager Victoria Petersen Technology Manager at the Mancos Public Library
52. Thank you for listening. Matt Hamilton thebrewinlibrarian@gmail.com Twitter: @brewinlibrarian Anythink Tech Manager Victoria Petersen petersen.victoria@gmail.com Twitter: @victoriaptersen Technology Manager at the Mancos Public Library
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emagic/56206868/sizes/l/Why do I want to talk about transliteracy? Because I think it helps us move past the “Print” vs. “Electronic” qualitative debate. Because I think it helps us reclaim forms of communication we’ve dismissed in our traditional definition of literacy. But most importantly, because I think it serves our communities– it helps us focus back on what they need, in whatever form it takes, without being fixated on a content container. And I think this also serves libraries as well, the only way we can expect to survive is to identify ourselves with and stand up for our values that make us unique as a profession. If we identify ourselves with content delivery systems, especially with one specific type of content– the book, we will lose our relevancy.
So let’s back up and examine the definition of transliteracy, currently the Transliteracy Research Group considers the “working definition” to be, “the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks”.However, I think it’s more useful to look further into the TRG’s work and examine the concept more closely, as a “unifying perspective” that embraces all literacies. Sue Thomas, the founder of the TRG, describes Transliteracy as, “a new concept—which is both very old and brand new and may help us shed light on how we, as human beings, communicate. To do so, we are going to tear literacy away from its original association with the medium of written text and apply it as a term that can refer to any kind of medium.”
My God! What are we talking about, why would we do such a thing?
How often do we stop ourselves and ask, Why are we so hung up on just one literacy? Print… even electronic print is still words… once you know how to read and write, we consider you literate.
We’ve starting to accept the fact that content’s containers are changing, and that the next generations are used to a different kind of information intake
We know what this is doing to our brains, don’t we? It’s turning our finest minds into mush.
Today, our minds are like a sieve, the information goes in one ear and out the other…. We exist in “The Shallows” as Nick Carr calls it, and as book people, we just looooove to hear that validation that Google is ruining our ability to think, to learn.For shame, that someone would prefer to watch YouTube videos as a way to learn a subject, or that they can handle or even prefer the constant distraction of multiple media streamed at them constantly
We know better… we know only by learning to focus sustained attention on these things.. Books! Does one become truly literate, is one educated and not merely a shallow reactionary
The problem is, we’re not comparing the same things. Sustained reading and hyperlinked scanning are different behaviors, but because one differs from our traditional notions of learning– we are quick to suggest a difference in quality from one to the other. But there *are* multiple literacies, and there are new skills our next generations have developed, new habits they’ve grown up with, new associative meanings… The learning and communication behavior made possible by networked many to many media has produced a plethera of forms of communication not associated with what has been defined as traditional literacy.
Henry Jenkins in “Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture” reflects a definition of 21st century literacy that is closely compatible with Transliteracy, he states “The new literacies almost all involve social skills developed through collaboration and networking. These skills build on the foundation of traditional literacy, research skills, technical skills, and critical-analysis skills taught in the classroom.”
We’re in a new economy, an attention economy. It’s harder to compete in this marketplace on the quality of our information alone. Our information must be deliverable and usable in the forms our community members seek and we only have a few seconds to capture their attention
SO then what are we? Do we become totally focused on the digital, the technological tools? Do we try to replace the Geek Squad and give up what we are?
Or do we try to perform some awkward balancing act, performing new tricks but not really understanding them--
We loved it so much when we knew what literacy was, when we could elegantly define information in packages that neatly fit into our systems of cataloging
We often take a cynical attitude towards collaborative literacies, we’re not sure what’s really going on and besides….
AH HA! We say… we don’t want our libraries to look like this. A soulless place run by automation
We know that those who peddle us a beautiful vision of a technological utopia are in fact leading us down a dark path….
To a massive surveillance state. As we learned from George Orwell in his great BOOK, 1984, that these forms of media, of literacy, will punish human thought, love, compassion, kindness and leave us stark and naked in the world. We know that technology produces distopia, where speech is suppressed, our movements tracked, the notion of privacy abolished. A colonized, commercialized world in which the democratizing mission of public libraries may no longer have a place.
But what if we try to look at it *another* way. What if we question our notion of literacy as superior and question the concept of the book itself.I do a fair amount of traveling – I see eReaders in airplanes, coffee shops, etc. Talk to people and they say it’s the convenience – something to keep in mind when we when we consider what we must ask of our vendors
When we’re talking about ebooks– we’re talking about more than just plugging a new device in. Plugging in a book, so to speak, as you see here.When we look at eBooks and eReaders, we’re really starting to chip away at the package, at the content container itself– and blur the lines between books and other forms of media. I think this is one of the things that really disturbs people. We all have our preferences– many of us like the feel and smell of books in our hands. This makes a lot of sense, as we know that memory is associated with the sense, and powerfully with the sense of smell. So those who dismiss this as “silly” are ignoring a fundamental part of human experience.
That being said, we’re mostly talking about learned reactions and associations– not inherent qualities or experience. That is to say, the “is”ness of a book is not by definition tied to a particular smell and feel, and eBooks and eReaders expose us to this truth in a very stark way. For some, the convenience of instant purchases; carrying a smaller, light device, the ability to synchronize bookmarks, annotations, etc. is the associated and desirable experience of a book. Even further– hyperlinked reference, from dictionaries, to synonyms, or an encyclopedia create a product that is superior in its usefulness when compared to the traditional paper technology.http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/09/beyond-ebooks-publisher-as-api.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+oreilly%2Fradar%2Fatom+%28O%27Reilly+Radar%29
For generations who have grown up learning to read on tablets, taken an e-textbook to school, it’s more likely that when they hear us refer to paper-based books, they’ll look at it like this– a curiosity, but not necessarily very useful. However, just we adapted from scrolls to handmade monographs to the modern, printed book, we will find ways to adapt and adjust and remain as crucial as ever for our community. The enduring values of librarianship go beyond any particular content format. We just have to keep remembering this and identifying with our values as a profession, rather than indentifying ourselves with a particular medium.
And it’s not just because we’re being “forced” to change by circumstance… Rather, we are starting to realize that we’re the illerates
We are propagating a definition of literacy that is entirely Western-centric, that locks away meanings that do not fit on paper– or in print. Transliteracy allows us to remember lost context and content within our communications.
Are we really talking about the new, or the old? There are so many more aspects to communication than the written word-- the gesture, my tone of voice, body language, storytelling passed down with embellishments, connected to a particular geopgraphy… Some information doesn’t hold the same meaning in a new context–Transliteracy allows us to begin to examine, reunite other forms of literacies. To appreciate them where they are– and to develop new forms of communication, connection, that have more in common with these older forms of communication than the short time print has been in existence.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36521979990@N01/2597734293/Now within our cultural context, I don’t suggest that we reverse our course and suddenly try to rush off to Hawaii and try to catalog the meanings of Hula, or create collections of Inca Quipu– the “writing” contained in intricate knots. In our context, because transliteracy contains both digital and media literacies– it makes sense for us to largely concentrate on the changes in our society which are producing the greatest changes in communication and collaborative behaviors.From earlier and earlier ages, our community members are growing up with expectations of ubituitious digital access
http://www.flickr.com/photos/86435488@N00/3922055137/Fueled by limitless bandwidth… they know they can’t get it at home, so they look to libraries to provide this for them– not understanding the limitations placed on us– cost, policies, etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/87585644@N00/4016373215/But in many cases, they have no where else to turn
http://www.flickr.com/photos/63335179@N00/3144083988/What other institution steps up bridge the digital divide? There are efforts in schools to help instill 21st century transliterate skills– but there exist few alternatives for those who have not grown up as digital natives
All is not lost, we can do so much both online and off… to support the needs of a transliterate population
So how can we support transliterate skills?http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristina06/3410503691/sizes/l/
Start simple – insert into every day service to your patrons. I was speaking yesterday with Kieran Hixson of the John C. Fremont library in Florence. We know that through Kieran’s work, the residents of Florence have very easy access to gaming – Wii, Play Station, etc… There are two kids that come to the library every day after school to play video games… They love Star Wars, and had requested a new Star Wars game. Until the game could arrive, he steered them to some Anime Star Wars…. The boys sped through that and came back asking for more…. Kieran then turned them on to Star Wars novels…. Mom came to thank Kieran – her kids turned off the TV and were reading aloud to each other…http://www.flickr.com/photos/mgmcinnis/2789885733/sizes/l/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035555243@N01/103363685/At my library, I’ve developed ‘Tech Office Hours’ – one-on-one sessions in which I answer any questions they have about computers, software, or internet. As you can see, the folks at the Genius Bar aren’t too happy. Libraries fill a need by making ourselves available to help members of the community with whatever questions might arise. It’s a lesson for both IT staff and our patrons. By having a greater direct understand of patron needs, it helps us design our services that much better—and the patron doesn’t have to pay $30 an hour for advice that may or may not be helpful. (I hate to disparage any business in particular, but I do have to say that I can’t count how many times I’ve had someone come in and say, “well I took it to the Geek Squad, but they didn’t tell me how to… <fill in the blank>.”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40645538@N00/233228813/We must ask our IT departments to shift their focus from product orientation and the break-fix cycle to greater participation in library programs and training. Some great examples are Christopher Tracy at the Davenport Public Library in Iowa who teaches a class for Teens on how to hack the firmware on the Wii and install “homebrew” software. St. Louis Public Library has a “PTA” or Personal Technology Assistant program. CYberNavigators at Chicago Public Library
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28335533@N05/4501800803/I’d like to see more of a concerted effort to build and provide the tools and platforms for this activity. I don’t mean that we should replicate what I consider to be a mistake of the past—silos of content. But let’s look at models like Disqus and Intense Debate and work with other interested libraries and partners (LibraryThing springs to mind) to develop tools that are embeddable, cross-site sharing of discussion. Why not have online book groups that can be embedded in a patrons blog or include a whole cross section of libraries? Let’s continue to develop and share the tools we need– some great examples out there, Blyberg’s SOPAC, Scriblio, Colorado has “Reading Record” – SRP software developed by Eric Sissler at Westminster Public Library, which is available for free and used by nearly 20 other libraries, Ann Arbor is sharing their “GT System” for tracking game tournaments. As HowardRheingold says: “[w]hat we are witnessing today is [thus] the acceleration of a trend that has been building for thousands of years. When technologies like alphabets and Internets amplify the right cognitive or social capabilities, old trends take new twists and people build things that never could be built before.”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82625518@N00/5228173/But IT can help take it further, less common are classes on how to spot and remove spyware; or understanding a wider variety of Internet protocols such as how, why, and when to use BitTorrent; What are the alternatives to iTunes? Library staff do an excellent job of sharing this information with each other online and through staff development, but I haven’t seen as many examples of it being offered as workshops or classes for the public. There are many people in our communities who don’t know where to begin to ask such questions and might not realize that this is something that they can come to the library to learn.IT can help lead the way though programs such as “Tech Competencies” that help to raise all ships throughout the organization. The more comfort and confidence our service staff have with technology—the more they’re able to assist a wider variety of customer needs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40645538@N00/3387387075/Creativity is valued broadly, and success is associated with the ability to articulate using not only words, but also images and soundsTo that end IT and libraries can support each other in providing “Digital Storytelling” workshops or Podcasts for Teens (already a fixture in many libraries) or projects like Brian Myers from the Wilmette Public Library near Chicago who offers classes in video game development using tools like Scratch or Alice 2.0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24029786@N00/3443631316/Developments in Educational Technology should be studied and applied in the library. IT must take a leadership role in this area—introducing and training library staff on new software, collaborating with the school districts and teachers directly to ensure that the software and technologies needed by the students is offered in the local library. Kids who don’t have ready access to a computer at home – or students that no longer have a library at school are at a distinct disadvantage to other students who do have these things if our libraries fail them in this regard.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43132185@N00/167095727/A caveat is that we can’t allow the culture of “attract them to with the computers to bring them in for the *real* library stuff to persist.” We must change our thinking about E-books, Downloadable Audio, Gaming, and online content creation so that we recognize that these are ends of themselves. Many of us have already embraced this—but many of our staff and many more of our community members—parents, teachers, local government officials—have not embraced this. We’ve got to be ready to talk about why these experiences are valuable parts of literacy and not merely “fun” ways to trick kids into the library.
But in a world where reader devices, whether tablet or eReader, have become commonplace. Where children have grown up learning to read on a tablet screen, and where their schooling is done using eTextbooks– those generations will not grow up with the same assumptions and associations that we have with the concept of “book”.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67953162@N00/3943777830/So again, I want to reiterate-- Libraries cannot allow schools to be consider themselves the only answer or worse—be supplanted by private businesses in supporting 21st transliterate. We can’t afford to be seen as “quaint”. We can’t afford for our collections to be collectables. What sets us apart are our values. Our dedication to access for all must continue to guide. Our lust for intellectual freedom. Our insistence to stand as a non-comercial space (physical or virtual) for the development, learning, creativity, of our communities must continue to be the thing that defines us.
We’ve got act from our heart. We are the heart of a community– not just its brain.The purpose of the Library is to preserve the integrity of civilization. We are the guardians of intellectual freedom. We have done our work since before there were books--and we will do it once books are no more.