Types of Audio Formats
What is audio file format or how a music file is stored in audio format? The audio file format provides container to store audio data on device, the device can be computer, music player etc. The audio data can be stored in device in compressed or uncompressed format. The decompressed format is used to reduce the file size on device. One would like to have more and more music files on music players by compressing their file size.
Types of Audio Formats
The current format for music audio files includes wide variety of formats with advantages and disadvantages. The current list of audio file formats are categorized into three major groups Read more
Digital Library Projects
Digital Libraries have the power to change the way the library and the library user interact. Seems like a pretty obvious statement, and one that I have to write an essay about in a few weeks. At first I thought about the blatant changes- communication will take place over the network instead of at the reference desk, as is already the case in most university libraries. This has the benefit of making personalized reference assistance available to those who are not able to physically visit the library, and 24/7 services allow users to ask for help when they really need it- 3am on the due date anyone?
But today I stumbled across something that opened my eyes to the possible depth of the change. The National Library of Australia’s (NLA’s) project for the digitization of newspapers is being undertaken using Optical Character Recognition software. This software has some limitations, and the finished digital text needs to be read over and corrected- a potentially massive task when the scope of the project is considered. To deal with this issue the NLA is allowing the user to correct the text themselves. This example helps to illustrate how dramatically the digital environment may change the user/library dynamic.
I’ve been reading a lot recently about the switch in focus from libraries as collecting houses to libraries as community services. I think that this sort of invitation to the user community to contribute to digital library projects can help to ensure that the digital library of the future retains a strong community focus, and prevent digital libraries from becoming mere online collections of content.
©Rachael Palmer 2009
World Digital Library
World Digital Library
My boyfriend keeps harassing me to start a blog. I’ve finally agreed to it but I still have absolutely no idea what to blog about. So I figure, being a library student I may just join the hoards of other library people and blog about libraries.
This is probably my favourite thing that is going on in the library world about now. This is the link for the World Digital Library, a pretty monumental effort at digitization and a project that to me really represents what libraries are all about.
The concept behind the World Digital Library is to make available digital copies of cultural treasures for viewing by anyone. Think maps, photos, sound recordings, ancient manuscripts… the list goes on. The website is currently available in seven languages and each item is accompanied by a description and thorough metadata.
The project is supported by UNESCO and partnered by about 32 institutions. This number should increase as development continues.
So if you haven’t had a look, check it out. It’s like taking a trip to a National Library from the comfort of your laptop! The site is really easy to meander through as well; there are options for browsing by place, time, and topic, type of item or institution. This makes it valuable for people from all interests- if old maps are your thing, click your way to a bunch of them using the item link. If you’re interested in the history of a certain place, immerse yourself in the cultural treasures on offer. Or give yourself a virtual tour of the National Library of Uganda using the institution option.
I think the greatest thing about the project is the theorizing behind it. It aligns with UNESCO’s goals of promoting knowledge societies and cultural diversity. It’s about openness and sharing. It’s provided free of charge. And that’s what libraries are all about. That’s why I like ‘em.
So. There we go, the first blog. And if your scratching your head and wondering what UNESCO is or puzzling over the concept of a knowledge society then please stay tuned. The next installment of Blogg Schmogg will cover these fascinating subjects ;P
Problem: someone already called their blog bog schmog. The world smells.
