Tech Roundup

Technology Committee members here at Towson University’s Cook Library are always on the hunt for new technology applications to bring into the library or technology-related issues our library should be addressing.  As we scour the internet for important, interesting, or just plain cool examples of technology applications, issues, or news, we post links and  summaries with our take here to the blog.

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Hollywood’s Digital Archiving Dilemma

As the motion picture industry has shifted from analog film to digital, the process of archiving digital materials has been a challenge. Film can usually last for at least a century if properly stored in a temperature controlled room, but in a digital environment, formats continue to change requiring periodic transfer to new media. Additionally, there are multiple digital archiving systems in the market, as well as a variety of versions of digital storage technologies. Now, a new Archive Exchange Format (AXF), has been made a standard by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers in order to create “a robust mechanism for storing archival material on any physical medium that is recoverable with any other AXF-supported technology,” regardless of changes in digital archiving technologies. Various companies from within Hollywood and beyond were involved in the project, including the Library of Congress. – Armando

Tech Enabled Nap Rooms?

Although students will often sacrifice a good night’s sleep for a few more study hours, sleep is vital for health and learning. A few libraries across the country have started offering havens for sleep-deprived students, setting up napping stations to promote catching a few Z’s. While a cot and a quiet room is often sufficient for a power nap, some universities are investigating high-tech nap pods that include features like pre-programmed nap cyles. Now that’s next-level research relief! – Kim

Digital Paper

Smart pens have been in the works for a while, but they haven’t quite caught on yet. I know quite a few academics who treasure their moleskin notebooks. Well now those notebooks can work with the Livescribe digital smartpens. Maybe these will tempt you away from the uni-task ink pen – Laksamee

“What Do Schools Risk by Going ‘Full Google?'”

This article from Anya Kamenetz at the KQED MindShift blog provides some important considerations as more schools rely heavily on Google tools for education. Along with the recently launched Classroom, Google’s free Apps for Education remain popular in K-12 and higher education (as well as their libraries). Should concerns like ease of adoption and student privacy give educators pause before taking their classroom “full Google?:”- Kim

 

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What do you think about some of the issues or technologies presented?  Have you found anything interesting online this week? Share in the comments!