Page 73, Johnson, Navin, R.!

Like Navin R. Johnson before me, "I'm somebody now!" Since I am #1 on the Fastest Growing WordPress.com blogs list, I guess "things are going to start happening for me now."

Liveblogging the Primo Webinar

I will continually be updating this post during the webinar. Tamar Sadeh is leading the seminar. If you miss the webinar, Ex Libris is archiving it.

• User expectations
  • Users expect sites like Google, Answers.com, Del.icio.us
  • Google ranking helps users find what they need quickly
  • Google provides links to resources that they think are unessential
  • These type of sites have high tolerance, spelling correctors, did you mean, etc.
  • Amazon has personalized results
  • Sites like Scirus let you drill down into results
  • Del.icio.us allows you to tag, offers alternative ways of viewing results.
  • Amazon suggests what similar items other users have viewed
• Facts about users
  • Users typically begin searching for information with a search engine, especially college users.
  • They believe this is so because
    • user information is outdated
    • information is not consolidated
  • Karen Calhoun of Cornell has called for change in OPACs
  • UCal says something similar

[Drat! I lost the feed. This thing takes forever to get back into!]

[Drat again. I can't get back in. No, wait, I am in. Just picking up where I came back in now.]

• Primo harvests information from several types of sources and is in one interface.
• It allows you to group similar items. You can ignore, view all, etc.
• Simple display. It has more curves than a 55 Chevy!
• Provides an interface where users can find, not just search.
• Will take users to homepage of online journals using SFX
• Integrates with DigiTool to provide images and digital repository content
• Can provide covers, tables of content in conjunction with Syndetics
• Can provide links to Amazon.com from OPAC (important for reviews, etc.)
• Allows for personal tags and allows you to see the tags the community used!
• Lets you drill down with a column on the right hand side (like clutsy or aquabrowser)
• Suggests different results and recommends different searches.
• Washes dishes, Bakes cornbread–no, wait. That's my beautiful wife Michele.
• Offers alternative items that appear to be only partially relevant (Think Google offering books or maps at top.)
• My buddy Paul is firing questions left and right at them already. I'm just a notetaker.
• Quick results and more results separated
• Paul says "Hi, everyone. I am the world's foremost authority on IM."
• EL believes social computing is important to users.
  • Primo has a view most popular tags page.
• A few words about Primo
  • focused on end-user. User centered design.
  • social nature enriches experience of user
  • Can be used with any type of digital repository, deep-linking service. Not just EL's products
  • Exposes hidden collections
  • It is a "total solution"
    • integrated
    • scalable
    • something else
  • Uses four layers to accomplish all this.
• Q&A
  • would it replace OPAC?
    • new paradigm. shift from OPAC. OPAC part of ILS. Primo is "decoupling front end from the back end." OPAC front end for lib collections. Primo finds all collections of all types.
  • What is relationship between Primo and Metalib?
    • Primo discovers local and digital content. Gives library option of discovering remote resources. Metalib finds remote stuff. Primo displays it. Primo doesn't search it like ML does.
  • Do you offer Primo in non-English interfaces
    • Yes. Several languages. French, German, Korean, and it is can be translated.
  • What technology is used? How resembles NCSU OPAC.
    • goal to be comprehensive product for delivering scholarly content. Not just a search engine. Has powerful publishing platform.
  • Do catalog and metalib searches have to be in separate tabs
    • Takes more time to get metalib results than local
    • remote sources not normalized
  • Will it work with other systems than MetaLib
    • plan to make it work well with ML.
    • Doesn't say that it will work with others.
  • When will it be available
    • One partner in Europe and two in US are testing.
    • One partner in US will launch next week.
    • Several offering to participate at different levels (Man, I want to be one of these. I've been blogging this thing to death. Throw me a bone!)
    • Will be released in first quarter of next year (2007) for several institutions.

Sorry, folks, I did miss a couple of things, but that is the gist of it all. I hope I missed nothing important.

Well, enough fun. Off to a staff meeting.

McLuhan lives?

Well maybe not now. Perhaps ten years ago, though. Somehow I missed this news from ten years ago. I never knew that someone contacted Wired Magazine in 1996 making a seemingly credible claim (at least to some) to being Marshall McLuhan. Richard Cox mentioned the article in an article in a 2005 issue of the American Archivist. I highly doubt that it was McLuhan, but it very well could have been one of his colleagues. The article is pretty fascinating, and the "McLuhan" sure seems to have some rather MacLuhanesque ideas. I wish someone would do a follow-up piece to it. Much has changed since 1996.

“Building Our Own Iron Curtain” Review

• Ericson, Timothy L. "Buidling Our Own 'Iron Curtain': The Emergence of Secrecy in American Government" American Archivist 68 (2005): 18-52.

This article was the 2004 presidential address at the Society of American Archivist's annual meeting. Ericson begins his address by contending that the U.S. Government had created an "iron curtain" of secrecy around records. He seems to rely heavily upon Daniel Patrick Moynihan's Secrecy: The American Experience0 in this article. Ericson recounts several recent examples of government secrecy, and then he points out that many archivists have been largely silent on the issue of government secrecy, despite archival literature and ethical codes that urge archivists to provide access. He divides efforts at government secrecy in the U.S. into three distinct periods: 1774-1870, 1870-1940, and 1940-2004.

Ericson points out that government officials were conducting secret business even prior to the American Revolution by making transactions for munitions under cover of secrecy. The signing of the Declaration of Independence was a secret event, and Washington's administration, the First Continental Congress, and Congress all kept classified and secret information. The extent of secrecy increased with events like the trial of Aaron Burr and the advent of new munitions technologies during the Civil War. The apathy of Americans in general and government officials in particular toward public records also contributed to many records remaining secret with little to no public outcry.

During the second period, American legislators tailored their legislation regarding secrecy after procedures that were used in Great Britain. Because of various concerns to national security, more and more types of records became classified, including records such as patents. Ericson seems to equate some civil liberties issues, such as anti-sedition legislation and censorship legislation, with government secrecy. Ericson believes that during the third period, "Conspiracy, loyalty, and secrecy became the forces that fed off one another and led to the extablihsment of the uncoordinated approach to informaton security that today is scattered throughout the federal government." Executive orders from the president authorized a great amount of classified information. The Atomic Energy Act (1946) and the National Security Act (1947) fostered the creation of much classified information. Ericson notes that even the budget of the CIA was classified until 1987. Ericson concludes by urging members of the SAA to become informed on these issues, to cooperate with other groups that encourage access to records, to encourage public official to grant access to records, and to become active in promoting civil liberties.

“User Interaction with Electronic Finding Aids in a Controlled Setting,” Review

• Prom, Christopher. “User Interaction with Electronic Finding Aids in a Controlled Setting,” American Archivist 67 (2004): 234-268.

This article presents the results of tests that were conducted by the archives at the University of Illinois to determine how different types of potential patrons interact with various types of electronic finding aids. Prom describes the methodology used for the tests. The tests used a variety of types of participants. Some had used archives before. Some were archival novices. Some had computer experience but no archives experience. Some had archives experience, but little computer experience. The tests had a good mix of people that probably fairly represent the types of patrons an archivist would encounter. The participants were tested to see if they could find specific information at several types of sites. Some sites used searchable EAD, but others used non searchable EAD, HTML, or PDF.

There were several points in the article in which I was particularly interested. First, Prom’s findings
regarding PDF were that most participants did not like it. Not surprisingly, they felt that it was bulky and it took a long time to search. Second, search interfaces should be fairly simple and straightforward, and they should “avoid archival terminology.” Those participants who had either computer or archival experience were most successful and used the least amount of time to find what they needed. Clear mapping and browsing functions often helped searchers find what they need more efficiently than a search box. Prom also notes that users often use browser functions like CTRL+F to find the data for which they are searching. He suggests that archivists probably should not do anything that will cause this feature not to work (ie. like dividing the finding aid up into multiple pages) , unless they have a complex search system in place that can more than make up for it.

“Documenting the Spirit” Review

• Shuster, Robert. "Documenting the Spirit," American Archivist 45 (1982): 135-141.

Robert Shuster is archivist at Wheaton College's Billy Graham Center. In this article, Shuster contends that archivists of religious collections should work to document the enthusiasm that occurs in religious contexts. He notes that Gerald Ham pushed for archivists to select materials that would provide an accurate record of human experience. Shuster explains that enthusiasm is part of the record of human experience because it is part of the explanation for why people do the things that they do. Collecting these types of materials helps "create a true picture of the past."

Shuster points out that documenting enthusiasm is not an easy thing to do. Churches often have statistical information, and individuals often have personal papers, but these do not usually capture the essence of what Shuster is wanting. He contends that oral histories, folk art, music, and other such media would be appropriate sources for capturing a glimpse of enthusiasm, especially within a collection like his.

Rubbing Elbows with Saints Departed

Like many archivists, I entered the profession because I have a profound love of the past. More precisely, I became an archivist because I love to study the acts and movements of God in the past, and I am concerned about their being documented. God often uses people, churches, institutions, organizations, movements, and events to accomplish his purposes and to declare the gospel of his son, Jesus Christ. As an archivist, I get the priviledge of preserving and making available records that document God's acts and movements.

One of the advantages of working in a religious archives is that doing so allows you to rub elbows with saints (and sinners) who have gone on before you. For example, one of the earliest tasks that I had as an archives assistant was to help the archivist transcribe the correspondence between two of the founders of our institution, both of whom had served as Civil War chaplains. I was privy to their successes and failures, their piety and pettiness, and their faithful endurance as they pursued their life work. Towards the end of the work, I was transcribing through tears as I saw the undying devotion to Christ of the institution's first president as he labored through pain while his death was approaching. And although I know that history is in no sense authoritative, in this case, it was edifying.

I was reminded of all this during the course of this past week. Another birthday rolled around for me, and I was delighted when my pastor gave me a copy of the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Many are familiar with Samuel Rutherford because he was the author of Lex, Rex. Rutherford was not only a political theorist, he was also a devoted minister of Jesus Christ.

I love rubbing elbows with Rutherford. I can remember first becoming acquainted with his God-honoring piety back in 1998 while I was attending North Greenville College. My current pastor was then just my buddy and classmate. I was over at his apartment, and he read some of Rutherford's letters to me. I was amazed at Rutherford's forthrightness and God-centeredness as he counseled others through his sometimes lengthy epistles. Take, for example, the following excerpt from Rutherford's July 27, 1628 letter to the Vicecountess of Kenmure:

Therefore, worthy lady, so count little of yourself, because of your own wretchedness and sinful drowsiness, that ye count not also little of God, in the course of his unchangeable mercy.

Think little of yourself so that you will not think little of God! In our present age of self indulgence, how many pastors are willing to say that to their members ?!?! Or consider this one, from the same letter.

Ye have now, Madam, a sickness before you; and also after that a death. Gather then now food for the journey. God give you eyes to see through sickness and death, and to see something beyond death. I doubt not but that, if hell were betwixt you and Christ, as a river which ye behoved to cross ere you could come at Him, but ye would willingly put in your foot, and make through to be at Him, upon hope that He would come in Himself, in the deepest of the river, and lend you His hand. Now, I believe your hell is dried up, and ye have only these two shallow brooks, sickness and death, to pass through; and ye have also a promise that Christ shall do more than meet you, even that He shall come Himself, and go with you foot for foot, yea and bear you in his arms.

While Rutherford would probably have been too verbiose for the blogosphere, his letters are worthy of careful contemplation. Rutherford's letters reflect the practical application of a God-centered Christianity, and I think Christians would do well to ponder the way Rutherford applies the Bible to every facet of life.

Of course, not everyone would agree with my assesment. The Wikipedia article on Rutherford currently says that his letters, "display a fervour of feeling and a rich imagery which, while highly relished by some, repel others." Well, I guess you can't please everyone. I am certain, however, that the letters will be relished by all those for whom God has "shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Cor. 4:6)

“Revisiting Mary Jane” Review

• Hensen, Steven L. "Revisiting Mary Jane, or, Dear Cat. Being Archival in the 21st Century," The American Archivist 65 (2002): 168-175.

Let me begin this review by duly noting that it has nothing to do with either marijuana, or a song by Tom Petty. If that's why you stopped by here, you will be sorely dissappointed. "Revisiting Mary Jane," was Steven Hensen's presidential address at the 2002 Society of American Archivists meeting in Birmingham, Alabama. Hensen reflected that a past SAA president had presented his address in the form of letters that he wrote to an aspiring archivist. Hensen wanted to do the same in his address, so he presented letters he wrote to a former Duke University archival assistant.

Hensen wanted his protege to understand several things about being an archivist in the 21st century. He noted the advantages that this former assistant had because she wanted to be an archivist since she was in the sixth grade. He talked about the quality of archival programs that were now available, compared to the sparcity of such programs during his time of education. He pointed out that the concept of archives was now an "in" thing and that in many ways, archivists would lead the information technologies fields because they had been used to managing information and ensuring authenticity for generations. Hensen also went to great lengths to promote the use of standards and to point out the benefits of being part of an association like the Society of American Archivists.

“Picking Our Text” Review

• MacNeil, Heather. "Picking Our Text: Archival Description, Authenticity, and the Archivist as Editor," The American Archivist 68 (2005): 264-278.

In this article, Heather MacNeil examines the issue of authenticity as related to archival description. She admittedly writes from a postmodern perspective, and she intends to reexamine an area that has largely been ignored. She argues that more work should be done examining the relationship between description and authenticity. She says that textual criticism offers a parallel for what the archivist often does in describing a collection, because both textual critics and archivists are trying, as much as possible, to describe an authentic representation of an original body of work.

She says that comparing textual criticism and description could mean several things. First, she contends that archivists should be up front about the nature of their work by admitting that they play an influential role on the way that later researchers interpret a collection. Second, she contends that finding aids are socio-historical texts, and that the changes that take place in them shape the way that researchers understand a collection. Third, she suggests that archivists should be open, in some way, to showing the various iterations of the text of a finding aid over time. This can be attained, largely, through the use of annotations, although one does not want to overuse them. She ends by noting that further exploration of this topic needs to be pursued.

“Navigating Ambiguous Waters: Providing Access to Student Records in the University Archives” Review

• Chute, Tamar G. and Ellen D. Swain. "Navigating Ambiguous Waters: Providing Access to Student Records in the University Archives," American Archivist 67 (2004): 212-233.

The authors of this article point out that archivists' fear of compliance with Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) will probably have a negative effect on the amount of information about students that is available for historical research in the future. They recount the history of the development of FERPA. They note that most legislators have not considered the negative effect on research that the FERPA legislation produces. They point out that very few publications on archives have addressed the issue, despite the fact that many archivists struggle with knowing how to apply FERPA. The authors surveyed a large number of university archives, and they supply the processed data from these surveys in the article. Their conclusions from the surveys are that most archivists are unsure exactly how to react to FERPA, and the way institutions seek to coordinate adherence to FERPA with access to records differs widely from institution to institution.The authors conclude the article by urging that archivists become involved in lobbying for greater access. Additionally, they urge that the SAA should establish best practices guidelines that would instruct archivists in how to comply with FERPA and grant a great degree of access to records for research purposes.