I finally get it - I think. There’s nobody better to learn from about cloud computing than Roy Tennant and Andrew Pace. At their session at CIL 2009 today they explained that cloud computing is a “style of computing in which dynamically scalable & often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Net” (thx Wikipedia), but really it means that someone else, somewhere, is running the servers and the operating software so you - or your library or organization - doesn’t have to.  Phew!

Why would you want to do this? Seems obvious —- you don’t have to know how to install things, or keep the servers cool, or suffer all the other headaches caused by server hardward and software. Of course the downside is that you also lose some control over these operations. Oh well.Life is one long trade-off.

What was even more interesting was how WorldCat is using cloud computing to enable libraries to do some innovative things — like the fact that you can look for a book on your cell or pda and the search results will show you the nearest Borders with the book (I’m in the US remember), AND the nearest library with the book — and map the locations for you. Cool

Roy also talked about the WorldCat Hackathon  - not a coughing contest, but rather where coders (I love that term) gather to develop new codes to keep pushing the boundaries of clouds……er…….I guess that wouldn’t be a boundary, would it? More of a wider wisp of cloud possibilities.

You go Roy & Andrew…..you Coders you……

Congratulations to Donna Scheeder on her new appointment as Acting Law Librarian of Congress.  The Law Library of Congress is the largest law library in the world with over 50% of its collection in languages other than English.  The Legal Reseearch Directorate advises the US Congress on foreign and comparative law.  Here’s a recent interview with Donna that Mary Dee Ojala did about the Global Legal Information Network, GLIN, an international co-operative that is headquartered in the Law Library of Congress.  The Law Library is the content owner of THOMAS, the database of congressional bills, documents and laws. Staff of the Law Library reading room remain available to Congress whenever they are in session.

Donna is also very active in her Capital Hill community and is currently the Chair of the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee.  The market will be moving back to its historic building in July following rehabilitation after a devastating fire in 2007.  Donna will be receiving the Capitol Hill Achievement Award at a dinner benefiting the Capitol Hill Community Foundation on April 22, 2009.

Donna is very active in the library community.  She is a past president of the Special Libraries Association, a former member of the Governing Board of International Federation of Libary Association and Institutions (IFLA),  and on the advisory committees for Computers in Libraries and Internet Librarian.

After spending many years in the information industry with a focus on information technology and information management, I’m wondering if these areas are as cyclical as the real estate biz.  In the early 90s when I was involved in Mecklermedia’s Internet World events, I was one of a small number of women which mushroomed very quickly along with a number of associations and career paths.  I attended the FASTForward ‘09 conference last month and looked around at the very few women in the audience.  Very disappointing.  I’m hoping that we can encourage more young women to find rewarding careers in the information technology and computing world. I’m really pleased that my daughter is one of them!

I am focusing on a woman of influence in the information technology world for Ada Lovelace Day that I met a few years ago.  Ada Lovelace was an intersting lady.  And so is Beth Unger, Vice Provost for Academic Services and Technology and Dean of Continuing Education, Professor of Computing and Information Sciences, Kansas State University. Beth is a technology pioneer who influenced computing at Michigan State University and spoke at their 50th anniversary of computing. In fact, Beth is a mathematician and a computer scientist and as a young woman from 1959-1961 she worked with IBM on such projects as the first automation of the assembly line of Oldsmobile, resulting in a custom-built car every 13 seconds. She has been honoured for leadership in distance learning and instructional technology. One awesome lady!

There are so many cool ladies in this biz; maybe I’ll have a chance to write about more of them — Gerri Sinclair, danah boyd, Liz Lawley ….

As I read this article, Web 2.0 Tools can Foster Growth in Tough Times, about retailer Zappos.com use of Twitter, it made me wonder if libraries could use Zappos.com model to engage their communities in a new way.  Of course, staff would have to be able to use the technology, see the value in it, and enthusiastically embrace it as the Zappos.com staff does.  Interesting.  Possible?

This article, How & Why to Launch a Business Presence on Twitter, is also useful if you are thinking the Zappos.com model.

Yippee, it’s spring, finally!  I’ve seen a robin and the cardinals are in the backyard.  It’s been a bright sunny week — love it.  And there are only a few patches of ice and snow in shady corners.  But the best part is today’s Google pic by illustrator Eric Carle.  His most famous book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, is celebrating its 40th anniversary and today’s Google pic features this famous character.  As youngsters my kids loved his books and Brown Bear, Brown Bear was also one of their favs.  If you need gifts for little ones, these are fabulous.  And if you have a little one to ready with, have fun with them.  Thanks, as always, Google for the great pics.  I love ‘em.

I love the title of Nancy Dixon’s new blog, Conversation Matters.  She “focuses on the people side of knowledge management.  Our most effective knowledge sharing tool is conversation.  The words we choose, the questions we ask, and the metaphors we use to explain ourselves, are what determine our success in creating new knowledge, as well as sharing that knowledge with each other.”  In her most recent post, Four Conversations to Address Adaptive Challenges, Nancy defines conversation as “the interaction that occurs when each person is actively working to understand the meaning the other is trying to convey” and goes on to describe four different types:

• conversations for relationship building
• conversations for mutual understanding
• conversations for possibilities
• conversations for action

I like this first guide about Twitter, one of a series on the 2.0 world, from the FASTForward Blog.  Covers what Twitter is, case studies & best practices, key tools, the science (how it works), and the future.

I feel like I have at least some influence into Library Journal’s annual Movers & Shakers list of top library leaders since many of their choices come from the ranks for Information Today conference alumni.  We find and feature them and LJ honors them.  Great!  Congratulations to this year’s movers and shakers.

Erik Boekesteijn & his colleagues Jaap & Geert are three new “mover & shaker” inductees and will be seen again at Computers in Libraries 2009 at the Gaming & Gadget Petting Zoo evening on Sunday March 29th, and when Erik interviews New York Public Library’s Paul Holdengraber on Tuesday morning, March 31st.

Stephen Abram was one of the first “movers and shakers” and he is leading the Dead & Innovative Technology:Moving & Shaking in the Information World, the popular & fun panel on Tuesday evening, 7.30-9pm, at Computers in Libraries 2009.  There are several previous inductees on this panel too — Aaron Schmidt & Amanda Etches-Johnson.  In addition, there will be many other current and former LJ “movers and shakers” [including Lori Bell, Michael Porter, Sara Houghton-Jan, Karen Coombs, as well as Erik, Jaap & Geert from the new crop!] , as well as some “shovers & makers” (I guess that’s me) at this evening event.  So join us for lots of fun!

Isn’t this an interesting Google pic?  Reminded me of snow and red rock.  I love the southwest of the US with its wonderful red rock, always stimulates me when I’m around it.  And to see red rock hills and mountains with snow is such a treat.

However, this Google pic was designed for a different reason.  “In 1890, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli drew this map of Mars… on his 174th birthday, we are excited to include his work with many other new features for Mars in Google Earth.

We salute Schiaparelli’s pioneering spirit, his drive to explore, and his desire to understand the universe. His observations impacted the way humans viewed Mars for nearly a century and started a revolution in Astronomy.”  Pioneering, exploration, understanding, thinking, stimulating…. well maybe there is a connection!

This article, Beyond Facebook and LinkedIn, talks about social networking sites on the web that have more specific purposes or narrower audiences.  It reminded me of Bill Drew’s Library 2.0 Ning community of almost 4000 members.  So many communities, so little time!