I'm warming up to algorithms

Lately, from a journalist 2.0 perspective, algorithms are either the devil or a savior. They can be the devil when used for content farms, which use highly searched topics to drive story ideas. When these story ideas are assigned, they usually come with little pay and scant quality control. The story generator wants a lot of content to sell, hence the name "content farm."

But algorithms, which I was told by a computer science graduate from a top science school, are simply recipes or instructions for figuring out a "problem."

Algorithms are being explored for lowering newsroom costs (this is the savior part). Duke University is working on applying algorithms to computational journalism that could find anomalies or discrepancies in, say, a stack of public documents.

But most famously, algorithms are a huge part of search engine results. This has had an enormous impact on our ability to find stuff on the Internet.

As librarians, we should be thinking about the role of algorithms in future library settings, especially digital, if we want to remain competitive and useful to patrons. As the Wikipedia entry on "search algorithm" states for "Explicity stored databases":

Algorithms for searching in explicitly stored databases include the simple linear search, and many other algorithms that use a variety of search data structures, such as binary search trees, heaps and hash tables, to speed up multiple queries over the same database.

There are also many algorithms designed specifically for retrieval in very large databases, such as bank account records, electronic documents, product catalogs, fingerprint and image databases, and so on.

If librarians are going to use or build databases to find information for patrons, we should consider how algorithms work and how to make them most effective.

time management skillz needed

Oh how I've got so much to do. I've got like three part-time activities going right now, which is the equivalent of one and a half jobs. I either need some time management advice, less commitments, or a drug that turns me into a machine so I can just do things one after the other.

My occupations right now are a media policy fellowship, graduate school (MLIS program) and serving on the board of directors for a nonprofit organization. All of which require a combination of reading, research, writing, travel, networking and a lot of e-mailing.

So in that spirit, here are some time management tips from the Mayo Clinic, abridged:

• Plan each day.
  
• Prioritize your tasks.
  
• Say no to nonessential tasks.
  
• Delegate.
• Take the time you need to do a quality job.
  
• Break large, time-consuming tasks into smaller tasks.
  
• Practice the 10-minute rule.
  
• Evaluate how you're spending your time.
  
• Limit distractions.
• Get plenty of sleep, have a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
  
• Take a time management course.
• Take a break when needed.
  

Pitt MLIS first visit

The MLIS Cohort 10 met in person for the first time on Friday and Saturday at the University of Pittsburgh campus. This was quite a treat -- it brought everything home. The experience really did connect our virtual learning environment with the traditional, physical learning structure, and being on campus made me feel part of the campus.

Here is a picture, taken from Google Images, of the Information School building on Bellefield Avenue. The poured concrete building has architectural flaws, in both design and function, but that's okay. It was built in 1962, we were told, and is in the Brutalist style.

The other part about being a Pitt student is the education is in Pittsburgh, probably one of my favorite US cities. I was introduced to Pittsburgh last year when I went there to attend a wedding, and I was impressed with the city. Cool vibe, energy, pace, and people. I was happy to return this year and I liked it even more. I went to the highest floor in the Cathedral of Learning (36th?), and walked around campus.



Here is a shot of the Oakland neighborhood, where the Pitt campus is, in P-Town.