The iPod Goes Collegiate

The iPod in classes phenomena kind of points to the old idea of students being able to build and even carry around their own personal "library." (Microfiche was once promoted by saying students could have the Library of Congress in a shoebox.) Also raised in this article is the issue of copyright. Not mentioned is that you don't need an iPod to make use of iTunes, freely downloadable software that you can put on your computer to organize your music. You can make your files available over the campus network, which allows other people on campus to listen to your music, but not download it. I have done this, and it's kind of neat listening to other people's music.

The Kept-Up Academic Librarian: The iPod Goes Collegiate

For more on "personal repositories" see the April 19th Emerging Technologies post from Library Web Chic:

First, it raises the question of what is the role of libraries as repositories if each user can create their own personal repository. Second, libraries need to recognize that their role is increasing becoming one of assisting users with personal information collections (a role we already play) and management. We need to be prepared to help users sort through the information that users have collect in their “personal digital library” search it, compare it, evaluate it, manage it, and add to it. We also need to recognize that there is a vast variety of formats of information which users are struggling to manage: photos, audio files, video files, text-based files, and many more. Users use all these different types of information today and we need to be able to provide assistant in finding all of types of information not just text-based information.