News Report #3

“Little Free Libraries popping up in Topeka”

Ann Marie Bush, Topeka Capital-Journal

9/25/2012

http://cjonline.com/news/2012-09-25/little-free-libraries-popping-topeka

            The Little Free Library is a national project whose mission is to promote literacy and the love of reading. Established in 2009, this project houses out of small boxes that are installed in to yards, each costing around $150 to build. Neighbors are able to check out books and return them to the box when they are finished. In the “libraries” are many genres of books ranging from fiction, nonfiction adult to children’s bedtime stories. Although small, residents claim that it is a huge success. Neighbors converse about books and a sense of unity is evident in the community. The family who brought the Little Free Library to Topeka, Kansas is the Daughertys’, who joined forces with Women Empowerment and Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in hopes of expanding. They strive to have a Little Free Library in every zip code in Topeka.

            I LOVE this idea! The notion that families are working together to create a more unified community seems to be a lost art in today’s modern lives. The Little Free Library is a great idea, and is something that inspires me to know that there is hope for the “lost generation”. Growing up with the ever-changing terrain of technology, my generation is constantly under scrutiny of how we don’t appreciate the value of a book and don’t take the time to read them.  However, I can’t help but feel like this article seems to be missing many pieces and I am unimpressed with how Ann Bush approached this topic. I wish she included facts such as where the books came from, and who funded the project. She included the link, www.littlefreelibrary.com, but did not go into any more detail. The topic is a good one, but the article was poorly written and did not include enough detail to push me to look into it.

News Report #2

News Report #2

“Internet Explorer Zero-Day Flaw Exploited by Same Java Gang”

Fahmida Y. Rashid, PC Magazine

September 17, 2012

http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/none/302765-internet-explorer-zero-day-flaw-exploited-by-same-java-gang

Thousands of users use Internet Explorer everyday. The most recent virus outbreak lately is a virus called, “sinn3r” by Rapid7. Visiting a bad Website, which “gives the attackers the same privileges on the machine as the current user”, compromises victims. This is a flaw in Internet Explorer (IE) 7, 8, and 9 and the virus seems to target IE 7 and IE 8 on Windows XP systems. According to a computer expert, the way the virus attacks your computer is, “first HTML file loads the Flash file, which when decompressed in memory, uses a technique called a heap spray to launch an iframe attack to trigger the use-after-free flaw that drops the executable on to the compromised computer”. Fahmida claims that the virus has infected 41% of Internet users in North America. Currently, Microsoft still is in the process of finding a cure and has advised all Internet users to switch to other browsers.

The main point the writer is trying to stress is how vulnerable we all are to software that can instantaneously take all our personal information.  This attack was on a “fully patched Windows XP system with an up-to-date version of Flash”. Basically, we all need to be weary in where we go on the Internet and be alert to foreign downloads. It’s an arms race between the “good” guys and the “bad” guys when it comes to computer technology, and this fact is quite terrifying considering how reliant we are to our smart phones and laptops. My computer not only holds personal information such as videos and pictures but it stores valuable information such as my credit card, banking passwords, and social security number. Computers, specifically with the Internet, has made “doing” things much more convenient, there is that overwhelming fact that someone can easily take everything in an instant. The article says that 41% of Internet users in NORTH AMERICA have been compromised. That’s millions of people’s information being put out there! Also, most UNCW computers are Windows XP that have the Internet Explorer browser downloaded on it. This is especially concerning because it means everyone on campus has a vulnerability to these types of viruses.

Reading and Activity #2

When evaluating information, I immediately look at a couple things.

1) Are there other cited sources within the article or paper?

2) Does the author have any biases based on his/her background?

3) (If applicable) Does the website look credible? How is the design?

I evaluate information based on the severity of the topic. For example, anything regarding to schoolwork I will take seriously and consider double checking the article and its sources. For situations like everyday news, I tend to trust big names such as CNN or NyTimes but I wont really look into seeing how true it is. 

After reading both Bauerlein’s and Foster’s articles on information literacy, I was a little in shock. One was written in 2007 but the second one was written in 2012 and yet both claimed the same things. The first thought that came to my head was that it would be impossible for students to solely rely on articles such as Wikipedia. Professors are constantly demanding credible sources and I know that all my professors would have failed me if I quoted or used a source from Wikipedia.

According to Bauerlein, Britannica’s transition from paper to digital is a “tricky course in the future”. Obviously, Britannica has been credited as a reliable source with expert knowledge, but Bauerlein questions if this will remain as it goes to the Internet. Foster labels my generation as a “Net generation” that seems to be “Oblivious to peer-reviewed scholarship”. If Britannica is moving from paper to online information, doesn’t that contradict what Foster is saying? I’m strongly disagree with both authors. Bauerlein questions whether Britannica will be credible and Foster says that college students today do not know how to find credible sources. Both are ignorant to the fact that in today’s world there is a way to be efficient, up to date, and still obtain good research.

Reading and Activity #1

When I asked my mom to be interviewed on the subject of her opinion on the Internet, she was more than ecstatic to comply. She told me how back when she was in school she had to look through cards in order to locate a book. Most of the time it would take her hours just to collect the resources she needed. She said the absolute LATEST she started on her paper was 2 weeks in advance because if she procrastinated anymore then that her paper would not have the adequate amount of research.  If you knew my mother, you would not be surprised that her views mirrored Tony Dokoupil’s article, “Is the Onslaught Making us Crazy?”. As I relayed to her the article, all I could do was be thankful that my mom was on the other side of the phone- for she was going nuts with the “Taffy, I told you so-s”.

I would describe my mom as a very stubborn lady. She isn’t particularly a fan of laptops or smart phones and very rarely does she try and learn how to use them. She holds no interest in online activity except to check email and pay bills. Anytime I’m back home she always will comment on the fact that the connection I have with my computers (phone included) will drive me crazy. She told me in the past interview, “Computers have a way of detaching people to reality. It forms an alternate world where things like Facebook make people appear to be one way but in real life are not”.

She is mainly referring to the Internet as an emotional stress. She feels that our generation spend all their time on the Internet (i.e. Facebook) looking at other people’s “lives” but those other people’s “lives” are not actually as great or as fun as Facebook may perceive them to be. This can greatly influence an individual’s self esteem and perception of their life. I concluded our interview with one last question, “Mom, do you think the outpour of information and reliance on web connection will be beneficial to us in the future?”. There was a little pause then she stated, “I can’t answer that. I may not like the Internet, but it is there regardless. The Internet is available to you but it is how your generation will use it to their advantage”. 

News Report #1

News Report #1

“Library attendance decreases due to new online collections”

Bo Bartley, The Review (University of Delaware’s Independent Student Newspaper)

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

http://www.udreview.com/library-attendance-decreases-due-to-new-online-collections-1.2891302#.UEWQOkLU7zI

            University of Delaware has been noticing a severe decrease in book loans this year with a 40,000 decrease of items loaned out. University librarian, Susan Brynteson, states that the decreases of physical rentals are being replaced with an upward increase of activity in the library’s online journals and collections. Although rental numbers are going down, the library’s website received 200,000 more hits during the 2010/2011 school year than from 2009/2010. An increase of 55% of e-journals had been recorded as of June 2011, meaning that 86% of the school’s journals are online.

            This article caught my eye because I’ve notice that UNCW’s library has had a large peak in online articles. The shift from print to electronic copies is a trending topic today. Many wonder if libraries will continue to physically exist in a world that is based on the Internet. I agree with the article, in which the author had stated that it would be a low chance that libraries will go extinct, mainly due to the fact that publishing companies wouldn’t allow it and technically e-copies are more expensive. The bigger question, however, is not if libraries will continue to exist. Libraries will always be around because the bottom line is that a library houses an educational environment and students need a place that is quiet to be able to do work. The question is how will electronic copies affect the direction of today’s modern library? As technology progresses, our librarians need to be properly caught up in order to efficiently help students be successful. As online copies become more readily available for students, libraries will need to find a way to co-exist while maintaining a balance between the physical and the web based education.