SI: Spring_2014

Over 500 million people interact daily with Facebook. Yet, whether Facebook use influences subjective well-being over time is unknown. We addressed this issue using experience-sampling, the most reliable method for measuring in-vivo behavior and psychological experience. We text-messaged people five times per day for two-weeks to examine how Facebook use influences the two components of subjective well-being: how people feel moment-to-moment and how satisfied they are with their lives. Our results indicate that Facebook use predicts negative shifts on both of these variables over time. The more people used Facebook at one time point, the worse they felt the next time we text-messaged them; the more they used Facebook over two-weeks, the more their life satisfaction levels declined over time. Interacting with other people "directly" did not predict these negative outcomes. They were also not moderated by the size of people's Facebook networks, their perceived supportiveness, motivation for using Facebook, gender, loneliness, self-esteem, or depression. On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection. Rather than enhancing well-being, however, these findings suggest that Facebook may undermine it.

This is interesting because I was wondering whether or not technology was getting us too absorbed in our own self identities. Sounds like a good read, and I'll definitely be checking it out! Thanks for the share!

researchers studying the production of identity in technospaces must engage in the production of culture and subjectivity in the specific context while interacting with others doing the same in order to gain a nuanced understanding of how identities are formed and performed in such socio-economic environments. Identities thus produced are central to the workings of community situated in specific social, economic and cultural practices and structures of power.

There are a ton of articles about this. I find the whole thing interesting because of the Fair Use argument, and the question of if it violates copyright law (it probably does).

This is a recent article published in Duke University Press that argues against past and current research that states that the Internet is making us more lonely and isolated. Instead, the author argues that the Internet is not making us more lonely but instead helping us "reconfigure our networks, differentially create social winners and losers, and contribute to tensions, especially around balancing our social roles and the erosion of boundaries between work and nonwork."

"Opponents of social networking say that the sites prevent face-to-face communication; waste time on frivolous activity; alter children's brains and behavior making them more prone to ADHD; expose users to predators like pedophiles and burglars; and spread false and potentially dangerous information"

Is social media that bad? Do we lose a part of our true selves on social media? Forbes has some interesting thoughts.

Funny site with some off kilter language- however, they have some very good older journal articles posted to the site. These are scholarly journals, and the articles leading the journals are funny.

Older article:"Before Facebook and Google became the megaliths of the web, the most famous online adage was, "on the internet, no one knows you're a dog". It seems the days when people were allowed to be dogs is coming to a close."

Open access to the Internet presents a sense of online freedom for both users and content providers, but a recent legal ruling could mean the end of that. Since 2011, the FCC has adopted a set of Open Internet regulations to ensure fair access to all web content.

Official The White House Response to Restore Net Neutrality By Directing the FCC to Classify Internet Providers as "Common Carriers". Reaffirming the White House's Commitment to Net Neutrality By Gene Sperling and Todd Park

"If the government doesn't act soon, the free and open internet - and the "network neutrality" principles that sustain it - could be a thing of the past. Corporate disfavor of controversial viewpoints and competing telecom services could change both what you can see on the Internet and the quality of your connection. And the need to monitor what you do online in order to play favorites means even more consumer privacy invasions piled on top of the NSA's prying eyes." ACLU

In this article from The Wall Street Journal, Christopher John Farley, gives a fresh outsider (non-librarian) perspective for what libraries might do to remain relevant in the digital age. The article seems to call for a balance of automated assistance (using drones to deliver books) while acknowledging that people need more help, need librarians, more than ever to sort through all the information available in the world.

I think it warning that as information professional that we must stay current and find new ways of helping others. For instance at Fairfield University they have the option of texting a reference librarian.

For those who are a fan or sided with Weinberger, here is a brief review from Cory Doctorow about David Weinberger's other book "Too Big to Know", which talks about how knowledge has moved to the internet and how the internet has overload of information with no boundaries.

I thought this was interesting how Boston Public Library is now offering free streaming services to their patrons. No need for Netflix!

This article is regarding the internet archive that is in the process of upload 40,000 tapes of a television shows from 1968. That is a lot of tapes!! Do you think its worth uploading all of them or uploading a certain video upon request?

PDF Version Prepared for the Special Libraries Association Board of Directors by the Special Committee on Competencies for Special Librarians Eileen Abels, Rebecca Jones, John Latham, Dee Magnoni, Joanne Gard Marshall What is an Information Professional? An Information Professional ("IP") strategically uses information in his/her job to advance the mission of the organization.

Some information professions have been around for centuries, while others are being defined as you read this sentence. Below you'll find some brief descriptions of jobs in the info field, both old and new. You can see even more of the new opportunities for information professionals on the Job Titles page.

| Tech professionals and policy makers convened Nov. 5 at Washington Post Live's Bridging the Digital Divide forum to discuss why the digital gap matters and who is still left out.