1311 Review Article

1311 Review Article
Finding Someplace to Go: Reading and the Internet
By Marieke Guy

Upon first thought, the act of reading and the Internet may appear to be at odds. Reading is a mostly private, solitary activity: a relationship between a person and a book. The Internet would seem to be in competition with reading for the attention and interest of an individual. In her article, Finding Someplace to Go: Reading and the Internet, Marieke Guy makes a compelling case for commonalities between reading and the Internet and demonstrates how the online and the offline can be successfully linked.
Guy is clearly a supporter of reading and begins the article by establishing its place in history and ongoing popularity. To Guy, reading is interactive and creative, much like the Internet. Writing from a British perspective, Guy discusses the governmental funding commitment made to public libraries to encourage reading. A key component of this funding revolves around “enhancing adult reading experiences.” (http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue43/guy/) In Guy’s opinion, the Internet plays a significant role in that enhancement.
Online reader development programs are not new, as Guy readily admits. Her aim is to highlight programs already in existence and show how the Internet is “the perfect medium with which to kick-start a reading revolution.” (http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue43/guy/) One such program is Opening the Book which creates web sites based on reader-centred principles. The “quality of the reading experience” (http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue43/guy/) is foremost for the developers behind Opening the Book and their websites facilitate reader connections and choices. For example, Whichbook.net assists readers in choosing books through categories such as setting and characters. Whatareyouuptotonight.com matches readers with their book desires in a format that replicates the television show Blind Date. Opening the Book encourages public library usage and links to local branch catalogues are often present on its umbrella sites. Online reader development programs are also aimed at children. ‘Stories from the Web’ develops “both traditional literacy skills and Internet-based skills in children through reading and online interaction.” (http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue43/guy) Reading gets a further boost online from virtual book clubs. Although it can be argued that the interpersonal dimension of book clubs is lost online, these groups offer flexibility in terms of time, space and location.(http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue43/guy) As Guy mentions, place-based reading groups can also benefit from the Internet through websites that offer resources such as discussion guides and book recommendations.
On a final note, Guy discusses the People’s Network Service, a project which examines reader development online services. One of the intended outputs of the project is to create a national database of reading groups. The website for this project, www.readertoreader.co.uk provides deep linking to library catalogues through OpenURLs that transport metadata or citation information.
Guy’s article appears in Ariadne, a web magazine that claims “information professionals in academia” (http://www.ariadne.ac.uk) as its primary audience and the United Kingdom as its main geographic focus. Although the article is referenced, it is neither academic in approach nor technical in content. Accessible and informal language make this piece more appropriate for the layperson wishing to keep abreast of current digital trends and issues. At moments, the informality translates into bad writing as with the opening sentence “reading has always been pretty popular.” (www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue43/guy/) There are also spelling mistakes. Both the writing and typos are forgivable given the high interest level of the subject matter.
The author is involved with the UKOLN (acronym not explained on website), a British-based “centre of expertise in digital information management, providing…services to the library…(and) information communities.” (http://www.ukoln.ac.uk) The UKOLN receives its funding from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and counts Stories from the Web as one of its services. All this is to say that the author is not an independent reviewer, but has a vested interest in promoting online reader development programs. Although Guy’s arguments are engaging, this conflict of interest makes the article read more like a promotional piece.
The shortcomings of weak writing and bias aside, the strength of Guy’s article lies in her communication of issues that place online reader development within both a societal context and an information and communication technology (ICT) framework. Guy’s discussion of the reader’s ability to choose books based on categories or “date-like” options reflects an increasing trend toward customization and individuation of entertainment, including reading (Schement & Curtis, 1995). William Galston views the high value placed on individual choice as problematic and threatening to democracy which requires that individuals are exposed to people, ideas and even books they wouldn’t normally seek out (2002). By linking reading with television, Whatareyouuptotonight.com points to the merging of information and knowledge with the consumption of shallow commercial media (1995).
Guy touches on the debate around on-line communities in her segment on book clubs. Galston sees on-line groups as unable to replace place-based communities and is concerned that they promote homogeneity in society (2002). Guy and Galston both mention the possibilities for a connection between offline and online, which Galston articulates as a combination of place-based local networks that use ICTs for local projects. This offline and online connectivity is also advocated by David Beer who encourages a “new set of human/machine relations” that recognizes “a kind of membrane dividing yet connecting two worlds that are alien to and also dependent on each other” (2005).
The focus on co-developing traditional literacy and Internet skills as evidenced by Stories from the Web’s approach, reflects an information literacy philosophy remarked on by Schement and Curtis (1995). Guy’s concern that Britain’s Big Read Survey, which attempted to define consensus regarding favourite books, might limit reader exploration has been echoed by writers with respect to Oprah’s Picks and Canada Reads.
Overall, Guy’s article is useful for 1311 students and future information professionals. Her discussion of reader development programs relates to course objectives to “understand some of the social…ramifications of Information Technology (IT) and show how IT can be “productively applied to enhance…information services.”
(http://learningspaces.org/1311/) Furthermore, by connecting online reader programs to libraries, Guy demonstrates how ICTs can be used in conjunction with public organizations to provide user-centred services.

Reader development sites mentioned:
http://www.openingthebook.com
http://www.whichbook.net
http://www.whatareyouuptotonight.com
http://www.storiesfromtheweb.org
http://www.mla.gov.uk/action/pn/services.asp (People’s Network Service)
http://www.readertoreader.co.uk

Reference List

Ariadne. Main articles. Finding someplace to go: reading and the Internet. Retrieved October 13, 2005, from http:www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue43/guy

Beer, D. (2005). Sooner or later we will melt together: framing the digital in the everyday. First Monday 10 (8). Retrieved October 4, 2005, from http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/beer/index.html

FIS 1311. Information Technology Applications. Course outline and course objectives. Retrieved November 13, 2005, from http://learningspaces.org/1311/

Galston, W.A. (2002). The impact of the internet on civic life: an early assessment. In E.C. Kamarck and J.S. Nye (Eds.), Governance.com: democracy in the information age. Washington: Brookings Institute.

Schement, J.R., & Curtis, T. (1995). Tendencies and tensions of the information age: the production and distribution of information in the United States. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

UKOLN. Home page. Retrieved November 13, 2005, from http://www.ukoln.ac.uk

1311 Project Profile Assignment: MPEG

Project Profile Assignment

MPEG stands for the Moving Picture Experts Group. The official website is: http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg. The website is very technical and only a few sections are user friendly for the layperson.

Established in 1988, the mandate of MPEG is to "develop standards for coded representation of moving pictures, audio and their combination." (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/about_mpeg.htm). For example, standards behind the MP3 player were developed in association with MPEG. The founders of MPEG are Leonardo Chiariglione of Italy and Hiroshi Yasuda of Japan. (http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/frame/research/mpeg/mpeg2faq.html). MPEG is a working group of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/about_mpeg.htm). Involvement in MPEG requires membership. Many of the members are "researchers from both industry and academia" (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/how_to_join.htm). Members gather for meetings three times a year. Delegates review contributions in advance so that committees can be formed soon after meeting. Committees review the submissions and assign work for the next meeting. Ad hoc groups may be formed. Most of the documents are restricted to MPEG members though sometimes they can be posted publicly (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/documents.htm). MPEG prides itself on co-operation within the Information Technology industry and on responsibility to end-users. This is accomplished through liaisons with related organizations, development or review of new technologies, testing and verification of products and on-going monitoring and assessment once products are in the market (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/terms_of_reference.htm).

Standardization guides manufacturers and suppliers and ensures a quality product for consumers (http://www.iso.org/isolen/aboutiso/introduction/index.html). At MPEG, there is a rigorous process around the production of a standard. First, subcommittees of MPEG propose a new work. If the new work is approved then MPEG makes open requests for proposals. Several internal documents and revisions follow. When a proposal reaches the Committee Draft stage it is voted on externally by various related bodies. If the vote is in favour, the document becomes a Final Committee Draft and after review becomes a Final Draft International Standard. ISO then holds a vote again among related bodies. This time, if the document is adopted it becomes an International Standard (IS). Even products that receive IS status go through an amendment process should corrections be needed (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/about_mpeg.htm). Sometimes, when products are time-sensitive, specifications are published more quickly with checks and balances following (http://www.iso.org/isolen/aboutiso/introduction/index.htm). If the document receiving IS status can claim ownership through a company or individual, it is patented. Manufacturers or developers must then purchase a license to produce it for end-users or consumers whether they are selling the product directly or through distribution channels (http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4audio/MPEG-4_Audio_FAQ.html#Q1).

To date, MPEG has worked on several projects. The website gives out of date and contradictory information about the status of the projects. MPEG-1 was centred around "the storage and retrieval of moving pictures and audio on storage media" (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/who_we_are.htm) and was established as a standard in 1992. MPEG-2 involved "setting (a) standard for digital television" and was approved in 1994 (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/who_we_are.htm). According to another part of the website, MPEG-2 deals with the "generic coding of moving pictures and associative audio information." (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/standards.htm). Here it claims only the first three parts of nine have been adopted as IS. Earlier versions of MPEG-4 were approved in the late nineties though development is still underway for later versions. It is considered the standard for multimedia applications. MPEG-7 deals with the standard for "multimedia search, filtering, management and processing" (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/who_we_are.htm). According to the out of date information, this will be approved in 2001. The last main project is MPEG-21. It concerns a multimedia framework and is in the development stage. MPEG-A,B,D, and E are all in the early stages of development. MPEG liaises with many other organizations in the development of projects. The main connections, of course, are ISO and IEC. Another organization is the MPEG Industry Forum (MPEGIF). It is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to further the work of MPEG. For example, MPEGIF provides support about licensing, whereas MPEG does not (http://mpegif.org/patents). For a more comprehensive list of related organizations please see http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/liaisons.htm.

Many readers have heard of JPEG which involves compression of still images (http://www.faqs.org/faqs/compression-faq/part2/section-2.html), but MPEG may be unfamiliar. MPEG also deals with compression, which is a way of digitally compacting information for consumer distribution and use, but in this case it is video images and audio (http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/frame/research/mpeg/mpeg2faq.html). MPEG files can be easily recognized by their extensions of mpg or mp2 or mp3. JPEG compacts information within each frame, while MPEG compresses between frames (Wallace, 1994). Compression allows either movies or audio to be downloaded in their entirety or in clips. Well known sites for this are download.com and googleimages.ca. Wallace discusses the importance of good compression given the volume of data involved in downloading. He describes the problem of "lossiness" or the fact that "the more compression…the more data is lost and the poorer the quality of the image." Other systems that perform compression exist, but the advantage of MPEG files is that they have a high compression rate for the same quality or as one website describes it "very sophisticated compression techniques" (http://www.mpeg.org/index.html). Still, in a very competitive field there have been challengers. This is especially true of MP3 which has seen rivalry from Microsoft’s Windows Media and RealNetworks’ RealAudio formats (Wright, 2001). Companies making use of digital compression technology include Avid, DataPlay, ivDR Consortium and Pace among many others ("Seagate Consumer Electronics Expert Gives Keynote…," 2003).

MPEG is operating in a climate where entertainment has become interactive. Multimedia is the buzzword. Trends include video-on-demand and high definition television (Hamilton-Piercy, 2002). Consumers are increasingly looking for better ways to personalize their home entertainment experience. This includes convenient and quick downloads with high resolution and better accessibility of services. The lawsuit against Napster by large record companies has complicated free file-sharing. Robert Wright of the Toronto Star writes "we are moving into the "corporate phase" of online music services…the record companies are looking for a digital audio format that offers iron clad protection from piracy…" (2001).

In order to remain viable, MPEG will need to have evolving standards that ensure good broadcast quality, reliability and efficiency for consumers. They will also need to balance consumer demand with industry concerns over managing digital property. There are challenges in being affiliated with a bureaucratic entity like ISO and as always, there are internal politics, which MPEG itself acknowledges "as a delicate activity because of the impact that choices made…may have on subsequent industrial and commercial activities" (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/how_to_join.htm). In other words, the act of deciding what needs a standard and what proposals are adopted is a potentially explosive one. A solid track record and an international focus remain MPEG’s strengths but competition (especially competition for experts) will keep MPEG striving for excellence.


Reference List

Berkeley MPEG Tools. What is MPEG? Retrieved September 30, 2005,
from http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/frame/research/mpeg/mpeg2faq.html

Canada News Wire. (2003, January 6). Seagate Consumer Electronics Expert Gives Keynote at Entertainment Storage Conference: Storage Visions. p.1.

Hamilton-Piercy, N. (2002). 50 years of cable television technology [Electronic version]. Cablecaster, 14 (11), 6.

Introduction to MPEG (long). Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.faqs.org/faqs/compression-faq/part2/section-2.html

MPEG. About MPEG. Retrieved September 30, 2005, from
http://www. chiariglione.org/mpeg/about_mpeg.htm

MPEG. Documents. Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/documents.htm

MPEG. How to join MPEG. Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/how_to_join.htm

MPEG. Standards. Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/standards.htm

MPEG. Terms of Reference. Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/terms_of_reference.htm

MPEG. Who we are. Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/who_we_are.htm

MPEG-4 Audio Standard. Licensing Programs. MPEG-4 Audio Licensing FAQ. What products are covered by the license? Retrieved October 1, 2005, from http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4audio/MPEG- 4_Audio_FAQ.html#Q1

MPEG Industry Forum. About MPEG-4. MPEG-4 Licensing. MPEG Patents-A Brief Explanation Of Who Is Responsible (And Who Is Not!). Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.mpegif.org/patents

Overview of the ISO system. Why standards matter. Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.iso.org/isolen/aboutiso/introduction/index.html

Overview of the ISO system. When speed is of the essence. Retrieved September 30, 2005 from http://www.iso.org/isolen/aboutiso/introduction/index.html

Wallace, L. (1994). Compression/decompression standards [Electronic version]. InfoWorld, 16 (10), 82.

What is MPEG? Retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://www.mpeg.org/index.html

Wright, R. (2001, June 28). A new, improved MPS, but does it matter? [Electronic version]. Toronto Star, J03.

A bit more bloomin' blab

I may be a late bloomer, but I have finally found my focus in life. My plan is to be a children's/young adult librarian. I hope to inspire kids to delight in reading and learning and do my bit to keep public libraries as thriving, community-responsive entities. Kinda lofty, huh? Oh and I'd like to spread more purple in the world. It's spiritual and serene.

Why late bloomers?

I was stumped on the title of my blog. I flipped open the dictionary, intending to use the first word I saw. The first word I saw was bloomers. I got to thinking about late bloomers (not in a Judy Blume way) and how I am one. I've never done things on the usual schedule. This is not purposeful, it just happens. Here I am in my thirties, returning to school years later. Will late bloomers come into fashion like "nerds" have?

Why I created this blog

I created this blog for a class assignment at the University of Toronto.
I had my hesitations and oh, technical fears at first, but now I'm kind of having fun.

After saying that, my computer crashed.