Chromebooks in Libraries

The article "Winds of Change: Libraries and Cloud Computing" touches on a subject that I have been extremely interested in over the past few months. Specifically, I have been looking at the viability of introducing web-centric Chromebooks into libraries. While researching the topic, I came across a report published by the State Library of Ohio. The report gave the findings of a trial performed in fall 2012 when ten Chromebooks were placed in three libraries in the central region of the state. The libraries were chosen as they represented three distinct demographic areas: urban, suburban, and rural.

The experiment resulted in several interesting findings, some of which reinforce the value of using the web based devices. One of the main advantages is their cost, between $199 and $250, although there are some that are more expensive. Another advantage is their ability to personalize the user's experience. All a library patron need do after checking out a Chromebook is to log in with a Google account, and his bookmarks, documents, and applications are available to him. People may say that this functionality is also available on a standard laptop PC with the Chrome browser installed. However, using Chrome on a PC requires patrons to log onto the computer (if the library requires patrons to log onto their machines) as well as log into the Chrome browser. This can become a privacy issue if a patron does not log out of the browser when he is finished with his session. Chromebooks require one login, and logs out automatically when the laptops are closed or the machines are shut down.

The negative aspects of Chromebooks mentioned in the Ohio Library's report deal primarily with the lack of ability to run applications such as those included in the Microsoft Office, Libre Office, and Open Office suites, although Google covers these areas with its ever evolving online applications. Probably the biggest issue however is printing. Chromebooks simply do not work with network printing the same as other laptops. Because of Google's emphasis on making the devices usable in almost any environment, the printer issue will, more than likely, be remedied eventually.

Libraries have much to gain by offering Chromebooks to their patrons. A recent Forbes article sheds more light on the Chromebook and how it is gaining a foothold in the laptop market. As stated in the article, the market is changing quickly, and an affordable cloud-based machine presents an enticing alternative to traditional PCs in financially strapped areas such as academia.  

The Power of the Cell

In the New York Times article "Can the Cell phone Help End Global Poverty?", author Sara Corbett details the extent to which human-behavior researcher, Jan Chase, relies on his cell phone as he travels the world. The article is interesting in that it not only describes Chase's cell phone habits but also those of the people he encounters through his travels, primarily in developing countries. The article, as well as our class discussion on the topic, piqued my interest, so I sought out more information in regard to cell phone use in developing countries.

While searching, I came across a Techcrunch.com article titled "How the Future of Mobile Lies in the Developing World." The article was written by the co-lead of Tech Innovation for UNICEF, Erica Kochi. Kochi explains that, due to the high demand for connectivity in areas that have a limited wireless infrastructure, connectivity has turned into a commodity. The value placed on air time has given rise to a market for buying and selling air time left on prepaid phones. The selling of airtime can become an issue for some countries as state run banks lose the benefit of gaining funds that are now being channeled toward cellular service providers. This poses a catch 22 for banks as cellular connectivity also enables individuals to access financial services that would otherwise be unavailable to them.

UNICEF, realizing the possibilities for economic growth afforded by cellular phones in developing countries, has made it a mission to seek out the assistance of cellular handset developers, service providers, and software companies to come together and create cell phones and services specifically for markets where the citizens are unable to afford the luxury of owning a cell phone. Providing affordable, wide spread cellular services to enrich the lives of people living in developing countries is a lofty goal, and the fact that cellular service providers are beginning to see the chance to profit from marketing their products in those areas makes the goal much more attainable.

Raves and the Modern Protest

The article "Protest in an Information Society: A Review of Social Movements and New ICTs," made me consider the power of social networks in the organization of protests. Organizers around the world use Twitter, Facebook and other social media to spur thousands of potential protesters into action at a moment's notice. Raves also exemplify the power of the organizational aspects of social networks, although on what is typically a much smaller scale than the many times violent political protests that happen around the world. Having been in the middle of a rave, I have seen what can be accomplished through the effective use of social media.

Before December 3, 2009, the closest I had ever come to experiencing a rave was through YouTube videos and news clips on television. At the time, I was a new employee working the evening shift in the Reference Department at the UT Chattanooga library. Around 8:00 I noticed an unusually large, steady stream of students working their way into the library. After much of the first floor was crowded with students, the excitement level in the room began to build quickly, finally culminating in a chaotic, floor shaking, show of unbridled youthful exuberance that, frankly, scared the hell out of me. There are several videos on YouTube that document the event, one of which can be seen here. Although the rave was not as large as some that happened across college campuses that year, it was large enough for me to get a fairly good idea of how they work. It also marked my YouTube debut, as the student taking the video was standing by the reference desk just to my right. I can be seen at the 34 second mark. Occasionally I look back at that video and think, "Wow, I've aged alot in four years!" But more importantly, I realize that no matter the reason, whether it is to let loose following exams or to fight for one's individual human rights, social media is a powerful tool for the quick organization of public demonstrations.

Teachers, Students and Social Networks

Of the articles included in last week's readings, I found the one titled "Facebook or Faceblock: Cautionary Tales Exploring the Rise of Social Networking within Tertiary Education" to be especially interesting. In it, author Peter Duffy describes both the pitfalls and advantages of integrating social media into the classroom. The term itself, "social networking," helps to indicate the intention of such sites. Although some social networks like LinkedIn were designed with the intention of networking for a career minded user base, sites such as Facebook and MySpace were not. Their designers honed in on the desire of individuals to stay connected with friends and family, hence the term "social." Adapting a tool that, from the outset, was primarily designed for communication among friends is a challenging proposition. It has been proven time and time again that social networks, especially Facebook, can be utilized for positive endeavors beyond keeping friends connected. One only needs to look at the way in which Facebook is being used to raise awareness and funding for the relief of natural disaster victims around the world to understand the positive impact of social networks when used responsibly. On the other hand, one can also see the negative aspects of social networking by reading the jaw dropping news stories about teachers friending students, such as those mentioned in NBC News columnists Bob Sullivan's October 22, 2010 article "Teachers, students and Facebook, A Toxic Mix." Sullivan gives several examples of teachers who had their careers destroyed as they opened their personal lives to students via Facebook. I find it amazing what some of the teachers posted on Facebook. I also find it unsettling that the teachers in the article demonstrated such an unconscionable lack of self control that they would post the material, knowing that it would be read by impressionable youth. I wonder if they ever stopped to consider how detrimental their actions were to themselves, their students, their schools, and their families. Social networks can be powerful instructional tools, but I think that Facebook in particular is primarily a truly social tool and using it as a means of communication between students and teachers can be risky. To address the issue, many school districts are forbidding teachers from friending students on social networks, much like the New York City School District did in Spring 2012. However, I do think that it is important to teach young people the responsible use of social networks, and there are other alternatives aside from Facebook. Tools such as Twiducate, Teachade, and Edmodo serve to teach the proper use of social networks while providing a safe environment for both students and teachers.