The Web and History

Last week, I attended a meeting hosted by a local young adult / young professionals organization. The organization discusses news and events of concern to the neighborhood and often schedules movie nights that focus on a particular theme. It's great for socializing and learning a new thing or two about our world.

On this evening the movie scheduled was called "Beyond the Gates," a film about a teacher and a Catholic priest caught in the middle of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where Hutu killers massacred Tutsis by the hundreds of thousands. Based on a true story, the movie was rough and gut-wrenching.

The movie--and the entire Rwandan genocide--reminded me of one courageous Canadian solider, Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire, a commander on a United Nations mission in the troubled African country.

The tragedy remains raw for anyone taking a casual glance at the story: Lt. Gen. Dallaire's losing battle with U.N. bureaucracy and subsequent inability to act against the chaos unfolding around him and his eventual struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression are well chronicled in a book he penned.

Dallaire warns that if we fail to learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

History.

I believe Web technology offers a chance to keep history alive to everyone from a university professor to a student to everyone else in between.

National Public Radio (NPR), the U.S. equivalent of the CBC in Canada, had an interview with Dallaire when his book was published. NPR recorded the interview with Dallaire and now offers it over the Web. Streaming audio technology has been around for several years now, but this is still a remarkable use of the technology. It's live and alive.

Meanwhile, the United States Marine Corps University Archives is actively recording the stories of veteran marines. I recently contacted Dr. Jim Ginther, Archives Team Leader in the Library of the Marine Corps, and asked if he planned on making these recordings available over the Web.

"The long range plan is to make these available on-line," Dr. Ginther explained, adding that "no firm timeline has been set for specific interviews or groups of interviews." The real issue at the moment revolves less around content, but more around hardware and software. "We are in the process of upgrading our systems to allow us to do just what you suggest," he said.

With that, I wished him and his project the best of luck.

The Web remains undoubtedly an exciting place, and an excellent place to share with others stories from the past.

Fall Arrives Silently

It is hard to believe that today is the first day of Fall. Looking outside reminds me of the first day of Summer, actually. No sense staying indoors. Who knows how long this unseasonable weather will last.

Seasons in Washington:

Spring: Check
Summer: Check
Fall: Just beginning
Winter: Soon enough

O.J. 13 Years Later....

This morning, upon switching on my computer, I headed over to the celebrity gossip website TMZ.com (okay, okay, forgive me, it's Monday morning, all right).

Lo and behold, who do I see: O.J. Simpson's latest mugshot, this one taken after his arrest in Las Vegas, Nevada over his alleged attempted robbery at gunpoint, no less, of his own sports memorabilia from a private sports collector.

The story is more clearly elucidated on TMZ.com. But, for me, the important part was two-fold:

1. It's like deja vu

2. It was 13 years ago when O.J. made his first sensational running-from-the-law media splash

13 years ago. Back then, I was just about to start university, just about to start my B.A. in History major, just about to embark on a new journey. My God. Time flies. What have I accomplished? What have I done with my time? Earlier this month, on September 11, the U.S. marked the sixth anniversary of 9/11. 6 years already.

Do these types of anniversaries and events put your life into perspective?

Web Design Book Reviews

Although I have not been actively involved with web design since November 2006, I am nonetheless determined to stay current on the evolution of web design.

Digital Web Magazine (a true favorite of mine) provides visitors with a list of book reviews on the latest and best web design books published. Bookmark this page.

Saturday in the Park

Weekend Update

It's Saturday, a much cooler and much more Fall-like day than any other day this past week. Much of the humidity that had heated the city is gone, perhaps vacationing some place much more south than here, like the Caribbean.

This past week at work was very busy and I anticipate an even busier one next week. It seems like I am juggling more and more work as the weeks--and as the projects--move forward. On the one hand, I am pleased that the projects are indeed moving forward; but, on the other hand, I am certainly not welcoming the increased work piling up on my desk or the levels of stress.

As usual, I would love to share with my readers more details. But of course that is not possible due to the sensitive nature of the work. Nevertheless, I really miss sharing this kind of information, for it makes blogging--and connecting with other bloggers--all the more interesting. Being an international civil servant may not be my cup of tea.

Blog Notes

One of the reasons I like reading blogs is because every so often a blogger or two out there writes something that really resonates with me...and in a odd way comforts me when the going gets tough over here in hectic Washington, DC.

There's the blogger who, like myself, misses the academic environment; there's the blogger who, like myself, reflects upon his life and career and realizes that to live authentically is to live without fear of taking risks; and there's the blogger who, like myself, is excited about the web and emerging web technologies and their impact on information services and communication and connecting people, that he writes about these things on an almost daily basis, evangelizing people of the power of the Web.

This is me - I work on the Web

I came across this meme (or web movement) on Michael Stephen's Tame the Web blog and, following a link within said blog post, discovered another blogger espousing the same affirmation: "This is me - I work on the Web."

According to Kathryn Greenhill, the meme started on Flickr and has spawned a Flickr Group called iworkontheweb. Cool.

Although both Michael and Kathryn are librarians, the web affirmation transcends the library and information field (and archives field, of course).

I like this affirmation because it reflects the changing nature and perception of the Web. The Web is no longer on the periphery, on the fringes of regular work and social activity. It is an extension, a natural integral component of work and life now. I am part of it--you are part of it as well--even though I currently find myself in a work environment that is less Web-centric that I had hoped.

To Do Lists

The to-do list is not very long today, but still it sits in front of me, grinning. Okay, it's time to get things done.

My Brush with the Washington Famous

I was taking a leisurely stroll past the George Washington University last week, walking by the the main student gathering area and classrooms, when walking toward me was the former Director of Central Intelligence and head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) R. James Woolsey.

I recognized the former top spy and it would seem as though he knew that I recognized him, for he seemed to pause as he saw me looking at him. Well, there was no discrete exchange of information or clandestine activity. Mr. Woolsey had probably given a lecture at the university and thought I was a student.

One of the perks of living and working in Washington, DC.

My My My, Look How Time Flies

When was it? A few months ago, a few years ago that I talked about the 'newest' Foo Fighters single "Best of You"?

Lo and behold, Dave Grohl and his gang have released a new hard-hitting single called "The Pretender."

The video is on YouTube, of course.

Things Change: Inside and Outside

I went on holidays on the week of August 13. I spent a week in Montreal, where I met with family and friends. I had a good time and soaked in a much-needed quiet break from the noisy hustle of Washington, DC. I also visited friends in Ottawa. It was during my trip to Ottawa that the seed for this blog post took root.

On the Greyhound bus from Montreal to Ottawa, I could not help but notice the numerous construction projects taking place around me. Quebec is well-known for its endless road work; but this, what I witnessed from the window of the speeding bus, was somehow different, more energetic. Not only were provincial work crews busy digging, drilling, hammering, and paving road ways, there were large housing and commercial developments taking place along Highway 40, a part of the TransCanada Highway.

For those familiar with the highway and surrounding neighborhoods, this part of the Montreal Island is known as the West Island. Neighborhoods such as Kirkland, Beaconsfield, St-Lazare, Hudson, Dorion-Rigaud all seem to be undergoing prolific transformations.

Large construction machines move across the flattened land, puffing clouds of dust from their heavily burdened tires and treads. The land, bulldozed flat, sprout the wood and steel frames of future homes and commercial centers. Local traffic flood streets. This scene was repeated over and over, town after town. Even in 'quiet' Ottawa, where I ventured west of the downtown core to the suburbs of Canada's capital, there were housing and commercial developments unseen before in my travels.

I began thinking, pulling concepts and images together attempting to reason why there was so much activity. This time around, however, I could not come up with any kind of philosophical reason or statistical set of numbers explaining why this was happening. All I could think of was: "Things are changing."

My time away from Montreal allowed me to see things in a different light, I suppose. "Things are changing. New construction almost everywhere. People moving about." It also got me thinking that when things begin to change there is often opportunity not far behind.

And lately, whenever I think about opportunity, I often think about job opportunities. It is no secret that the Montreal Library and Information Studies (LIS) market is rather weak, with few openings in an already small marketplace. I know several McGill Graduate School and Library and Information Studies' classmates and alumni (including me) who have reluctantly moved elsewhere to find work. Some, however, those fortunate few, remain but feel limited in their current job. While others have taken a more radical approach and have parted ways with their traditional librarian/archivist training and have pursued other fields, such as IT/Systems and Support, Music, Translation, etc while still bringing to the table some themes and skills learned in library school.

I really like the last group--those who have reinvented themselves after library school--because they are thinking outside the box. Like the new construction, they are building something new on uncharted land, land mostly unexplored by past library school graduates, changing direction, accepting risks, and inviting opportunity.

In the past six months, basically since I relocated to Washington, DC to work on a 12-month contract here, there has been changes in my thinking and perception. Nothing deep enough to write about here, at least not yet. But something subtle. I would like say that I am settling in and feeling right at home here. But as Ed aptly put it in a blog post, on most days, following a day's work, I break even. A tie game. Not sure of the next day's game plan. If there are more developments in this area, I'll keep my legion of readers posted.

Just remember one thing: "Things are changing."

Testing scribefire to post

This is a test. It's okay. Just testing.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Firefox 2.0.0.6

Wonderful.

Firefox updated from 2.0.0.5 to 2.0.0.6 the other day, and now as I started it up all my settings and add-ons and themes have vanished!

Wonderful.

Update 08/12/2007: Okay, I had to completely uninstall Firefox, that is, remove all Mozilla Firefox files from my computer. I re-installed Firefox 2.0.0.6 and all works well again. It's just too bad I lost all my favorite add-ons. Slowly building back my collection and adding a few news ones.

Honor, Dedication and Sacrifice

Last weekend I visited Arlington National Cemetery and witnessed the awesome and inspiring Tomb of the Unknowns and the Changing of the Guard.

Crossing the open green fields dotted with white tombstones of the fallen, seemingly perfectly aligned from every vantage point, I came to the area where the Tomb of the Unknowns and the Sentinel protecting the site is located.

The Sentinel, part of the specially-trained and extremely disciplined members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (Old Guard), stand with rifle in hand by the Tomb of the Unknowns 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, rain or shine, summer or winter (unless the weather is very hostile at which point they can take shelter -but that's unlikely).

The Sentinel stands guard in full honor uniform, pacing 21 steps in front of the large sarcophagus and three grave sites containing the remains of unidentified U.S. military personnel from previous wars. Pause for 21 seconds, then turn and pace 21 steps again, continuing the precise movements until relieved - that is, the Changing of the Guard.

The relief commander or assistant relief commander initiates the changing of the guard according to Army regulations. As the ceremony begins, there is a tangible feeling of honor and dedication emanating from the guards. The stillness in the air, the solemnity of the ceremony steeped in symbolism, the precision and beauty of the maneuvers, and the dedication to the unknown soldiers are inspiring.

As we sleep and dream the night away, there is a Sentinal at Arlington National Cemetery manning his post by the Tomb of the Unknowns, fulfilling his honorable duty for those who made the ultimate sacrifice, nameless.

uStream.tv and the Rise of the New "ME"dia

Yesterday afternoon, during a break and momentary lull at work, I received a Twitter tweet or twit (or announcement, for those Twitter uninitiated among us) from Greg Willits, one half of the husband and wife team behind the podcast Rosary Army and videocast That Catholic Show.

Greg informed his subscribers (or followers in Twitter parlance) that he and his wife, Jennifer, were about to record an episode of their podcast live on ustream.tv, a new live video streaming website where anyone with a webcam and microphone can broadcast a show over the Web.

Clicking on the ustream.tv link provided, I soon saw Greg and Jennifer broadcasting live from their home studio, a renovated walk-in closet affectionately known as the Cloffice. Sure enough, they were recording an upcoming episode of their Rosary Army podcast.

I had to tune out several times to respond to work-related questions, so I could not listen and watch the entire recording. By the time I returned to the video, Greg and Jennifer had finished recording their show but remained on screen to chat with viewers, dishing out the latest news and updates on their upcoming projects. According to the ustream.tv screen, there were 34 people watching and a few chatting. A small interested community were glued to their ustream.tv screen watching two Web 2.0 broadcasters doing a fairly good job at broadcasting.

Just then, I had a "a-ha" moment. I have been fascinated with content creation and delivery mechanisms since 2003 when I saw how the entertainment world was divided into content creators (actors, directors, musicians, artists) and content deliverers (production studios, film distributors, music companies, cable companies).

Fast-forward to 2007 with the rise of YouTube and ustream.tv and other user-generated content websites and you see how the entertainment model is spreading across the social spectrum. No longer are content creators and content creation confined to some studio lot in Hollywood or record company in LA or New York. No longer is the usual content deliverers the only route. Content creators now have the Web to distribute their content.

Granted, the advent of blogging and the mainstreaming of the blogosphere have shown us the influence of the new content creators and the power of the Web to distribute content.

But now something new is emerging, I believe: It is the emergence of communities surrounding these blogs, podcasts, videocasts, etc. And by communities I do not necessarily mean fan groups or user groups. I mean--thanks in part to RSS, the iPod and other mp3 devices--there is intimacy between the content creator and the consumer and levels of participation and creativity unseen before between content creator and content consumer.

The user-generated content world is still in its infancy, still focused on the juvenile "Me" of new media (like Time Magazine's 2006 Person of the Year) and still bedeviled by content plagerism and outright content theft, and grilled by the quesiton, Who exactly is earning money off my content?

But look beyond these details for a moment and one will see taking root inside the new "me"dia a florishing community of "us"ers.

X-Ray Your Web Pages

The writers and web designers over at Digital Web Magazine have discovered a cool little web design tool that plugs in to FireFox and Safari web browsers: XRay.

It is a floating inspector that reveals markup, CSS, dimensions to whatever web page element you point and click your mouse on.

Taking Risks: Steps to Growth

Once again, Steve, over at Family Man Librarian, posts another good one, this time on the topic of taking risks, both professionally and personally. What can I say? I agree. The only problem I have is that it's sometimes so hard to do, that's all.

You know, whenever I give a presentation on electronic records management or digital preservation (which are very rare nowadays), I always encourage the audience to take risks, to take a chance. To do something towards digital preservation. To accession a CD-ROM or DVD. To capture a website. To accession an old email account. I often make my pleas with a kind Anthony Robbins intensity (okay, not so intense, but you get the picture). And I think the reason why I am so passionate about taking risks when speaking is because I am really trying to break through my own shell of stubornness and refusal to listen to my own advice and convince myslef of the growth that comes in the wake of taking a risk.

Yes, I want to take more risks. Not just risks in relocating to another city or another country. But also taking a risk to pursue another path, another direction, envisioning a new goal.

Anyway, go read Steve's post.

Reflections Through an Open Letter to Self

Steve, blogging over at Family Man Librarian, has posted an open letter to himself. What a neat idea and what a great way to re-focus your priorities and adjust your attitude. I applaud his courage and creativity.

New X-Files Movie?

According to this report by the BBC, David Duchovny, who played the role of Special Agent Fox Mulder on FOX's hugely successful sci-fi/paranormal television series between 1993 and 2002, is expecting to receive the script for another X-Files movie sometime this week.

Great news! Chris Carter, the show's creator, and Frank Spotnitz, the head writer, have been busy!

I am one of those people who believes that nothing on television is worth watching ever since the X-Files went off the air. And to some extent, based on my viewing habits, I think this still holds true. But, anyway, that's another topic for another day.

Harry Potter Pandemonium

With most folks reading the latest (and last) Harry Potter novel this weekend, the news website DCist is reporting that the Washington DC area is the biggest Potter fan base in all of America, at least according to Amazon.com order statistics.

Your intrepid blogger, journalist, and Washington insider will investigate further.

Stay tuned.

Future of Archivists

There is a DegreeTutor.com link making its rounds around the librarian-blogosphere that features interviews with prominent librarians such as Michael Stephens, David Lee King, and Meredith Farkas, among others. They discuss the future of librarians, with many referencing advances in communication and collaboration technologies as catalysts for radical change.

I wonder if the author of this piece would consider talking to archivists and ask them what does the future hold for archivists and archives?

What would we say if such an interview were held?

Librarians seem to basking in a lot of online sunlight lately. With The New York Times piece on librarians being hip (okay, I thought the article was a crock, honestly, something to do with clothing style, rather than professionals being hip, I dunno, I was confused) and now this discussion on the future of librarians, they are enjoying some good exposure.

I think it is time we archivists--whatever stripe you are, hipster, expert, casual, lone wolf--start being heard as well.

Blogging Directions

I apologize to my readers for not posting anything new in the past few weeks, weeks that have been filled with several project deadlines.

The good news is that many of the documents and reports I helped prepare and write were accepted by senior management. Judging by the positive, almost gleeful reaction of supervisors and colleagues to this news, I believe I achieved a milestone.

I honestly wish I could blog more about the work I am undertaking at the moment, but so much of the work is confidential in nature. I also wish I could blog more about research on digital preservation and recent findings I am discovering, but that particular research project has been put on hold, so there is very little to say other than the consultants we had in mind were all very competent.

As I have discussed in previous posts, where I debated and discussed the role this blog would perform in chronicling my work, I am still wondering how best to utilize this blog without jeopardizing the sensitive nature of the work I am doing. I do not see myself resolving this matter any time soon.

Part of being a researcher in any field, be it archives, libraries or history, is to share findings and therefore build upon existing knowledge in the field. And in an “Archives 2.0” age—forgive me if you are sick of two-point-oh wordisms—that sharing also means connecting and collaborating with other like-minded professionals through blogs, for example. But unfortunately for now at least I cannot discuss much.

So, to summarize:

In terms of posts related to work, there will not be many, if any at all.
In terms of posts related to the evolving role of archives and archivists in this Web / Digital Age, there will be more posts of that nature. In terms of posts related to my own personal journey and transition to other areas of information management, there will be just about the same amount.

Fourth of July, My Work, My Webcam, NDIIPP Report

Fourth of July
The institution where I work let us out of the office early today because of the Fourth of July holiday tomorrow. But before I left, I managed to submit a few work-related documents and an important memo that will set in motion one big project. A good way to start a holiday, I say. Something accomplished. I feel good about that.

My Work
Interestingly, I find myself, once again, not really doing the "archives-thing," if you know what I mean. Rather than processing or reference work, I am putting my research and writing skills to more use, this time around focusing on project planning and strategies and business documents. For long-time readers of The DIGITAL Archive, this is not so much of a surprise, because my work in the Archives has really been of the non-traditional kind. Web, software, hardware, research, writing.

It's experiences like this that lead me to believe that, while I can appreciate libraries and archives, I really do not know if I should call myself a red-blooded archivist. To be honest--and to paraphrase historian and digital preservation pioneer Dr. David Kirsch--I am neither a librarian or archivist, but someone who cares about these cultural centers and will use his skills (web, writing) to make others aware and care for these places.

My Webcam
Over the weekend, I bought a Creative Live! Cam Notebook Pro webcam. The webcam is fine, not outstanding, but offers sufficient clarity to broadcast live video. It cost me $19.99 ($20.99 with tax, unbelievable). Worth it.

I opened a ustream.tv account to test the broadcast quality of the video stream. Actually, as I write this post, I am broadcasting live on ustream.tv! Okay, let's see, number of viewers. Zero. Oh. I see. Well, Internet stardom is not at hand, I guess.

NDIIPP Report
I apologize for not writing a report on last week's NDIIPP event on digital preservation. I will get to it. Soon.

Tighter Security

In the aftermath of the failed terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow, the United States Department of Homeland Security is increasing its security presence around airports and vital government/public buildings.

Haven't seen anything different out there. Still, the summer is starting off on a troublesome note.

Canada Day: In America!

At around noon today, I was informed by a few fellow Canadian colleagues at work that the Canadian Embassy down on Pennsylvania Avenue was celebrating Canada Day a few days early with free food, music, and overall good cheer. Being a Canadian away from home, I decided to go and experience Canada Day away from, well, Canada.

We took a taxi cab to the large embassy building (Canadian tax dollars hard at work, baby), and, upon nearing the entrance to the activity area, we were asked to produce a proof of identity (my Quebec license did the trick) and were searched with one of those airport wand devices. Canadians are calm people, so the process was painless, and we were cleared to enter the grounds.

Immediately, I was overwhelmed by the smoke pouring out from the numerous BBQ grills and the din of Canadians, friends of Canadians, Embassy employees--and even our Canadian Ambassador Michael Wilson--mulling around, chowing down on hot dogs, hamburgers and--is that what I think it is?--poutine!

Needless to say, I felt at home.

After 1 hamburger, 1 hot dog, 1 poutine (with real cheese curds), a Coke, and then a mini tour of the embassy (forgot my camera, sorry folks), I joined the crowd in signing O Canada in both official languages (well, I tried anyway).

After that stirring rendition, the speakers began blasting Billy Talent, a Canadian hard rock band (whose song is still ringing in my head), and I felt like shouting: "Vive le Quebec, Vive le Canada!" But I didn't; I restrained myself.

It's weird: Though I am working in the States, a country to whom I am thankful because it's been mainly in America where I have received a few breaks, I am still a proud Canadian, a proud Quebecois (even if my French is rusty), and a proud bombastic Montrealer (a city that has seen better days, sadly, but I hope will make a comeback).

So to all my Canadian readers: Happy Canada Day! And to all my American readers: I'll see you at the National Mall on the Fourth of July. God willing.

NDIIPP Seminar on Digital Preservation, June 25, 2007

NDIIPP Seminar on Digital Preservation, June 2007
Originally uploaded by siansleep

I will write about the NDIIPP seminar on digital preservation tomorrow or sometime before mid-week. Must get my notes together first.

For now, enjoy the handful of pictures I took.

"Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit R.I.P.

I am a huge wrestling fan, have been for well over 15 years, so long in fact that the passing of a "superstar" almost feels like the loss of a friend.

Quebec Montreal-born Chris Benoit, who without a doubt was the best technical wrestler in the ring, knowing all the moves and executing them almost flawlessly, was found dead today along with his wife and son in their Atlanta home. What a tragedy.

The Edmonton Sun reports....

Update: It appears that the deaths of Benoit, his wife Nancy and son Daniel were the result of a murder-suicide. This is even worse news!

Washington Radio

I am a big radio geek, and tuning in to Washington, DC's radio stations is a radio lover's paradise. From one end of the (mainly) FM dial to the other, there are radio stations that fit all tastes. From classic to country to rock to alt-rock right down to all news and all talk and that Jazz.

Currently, my favs are the following (check 'em out, most have online streaming):

• Smooth Jazz 105.9 FM
• Classical WETA 90.9 FM
• WTOP News 103.5 FM
• DC 101 DC's Rock Station
• HOT 99.5 DC HOTTEST Music

Demos, Weekend Travels, Week Ahead

For the past couple of weeks, I have been organizing archives management software product demos, coordinating time and date and other details with vendors (most of which were overseas - so I had to factor in time zone differences as well).

Last week Thursday, I held the final product demo, and I was relieved that it was the final one. Overall, I believe I provided the team here--including myself; I really have no experience with these complex systems--with a better sense of the solutions available to archives. Now comes the evaluation phase.

This weekend was more business than pleasure. I sort of separate weekends into two categories: business and pleasure (with some blending now and then). Well this weekend was business - not much business accomplished, however, as I found myself wandering the streets of DC looking for this and that and not finding a single thing! Very frustrating. I eventually made my way across the Potomac to Arlington County, Virginia, where the sights and sounds of large-scale shopping malls beckoned.

This week at work I have to start planning my next steps now that the product demos have been completed. One of my main goals is to assess team reaction to the demos using an evaluation form I composed based on standard evaluation forms used widely around here. I also have to work collaboratively with team members on making the case to spend budget dollars on a new archives management system.

The weather is heating up once again to oven-like temperatures. Heat and humidity will be present for the next few days until Wednesday when a cold front will cool things down.

Time to kickstart the A/C!

Jefferson Memorial's Signs of Sinking Raise Fresh Alarms

Jefferson Memorial's Signs of Sinking Raise Fresh Alarms - washingtonpost.com: "Jefferson Memorial's Signs of Sinking Raise Fresh Alarms"

While we are preserving the digital world, I guess we should not forget about our physical analog monuments and heritage.

Let the Fun Begin

So I turned on my PC this evening- and guess what I saw?

Overhead at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Ave.

Three men in white shirts and khaki pants standing around a small table, handing out booklets, asking pedestrians:

"How will you prepare for World War 3?"

It's news stories like this...

It's news stories like this that make me worry about what will happen to the Internet when China becomes a superpower.

Insufficient Sleep, Increased Heart Disease Risk

After reading this article, the author of The DIGITAL Archive is ready to change his late-night ways.

Flickr: Capitol Hill and Library of Congress

I visited--and took several pictures of--the Capitol Hill neighborhood, which includes the Library of Congress, United States Supreme Court, and several Senate Office Buildings.

I must admit, the DC metro is impressive. There are stops at most if not all major points of interest. In this case, I stepped out of the Capitol South Metro station, walked up a block, and there I was face-to-face with Library of Congress area.

Event: Digital Preservation, Library of Congress, June 25, 2007

I was meaning to post this event earlier this week, but something called work interfered. Anyway...

On Monday, June 25, 2007, starting at 10:00 am, the National Digital Information infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) will hold "several informative and thought-provoking events" at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. (Full event info.)

On tap:

• Archiving the Web
• Copyright Laws in the era of widespread use of digital technologies
• Preservation of vital digital content

All three sound interesting; the first and the last are particularly of interest. The event is timed to coincide with the American Library Association's Annual Meeting in Washington (maybe I'll scoot over there if I have some time).

Fellow archivist 2.0 bloggers, such as the folks behind ArchivesNext and thesecretmirror.com, should take note.

Lightning, Thunder, Rain and Wind, Oh My!

This evening, between 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm local time, a cold front passed over the Washington area, clashing violently against the hot and humid (and oppressive) air, causing a dazzling lightning and thunder show with heavy rains and strong winds.

This was my very first DC thunderstorm. Impressive. Plenty of white flash lightning and several forked lightning bolts.

Thankfully, I did not lose electrical power or my DSL. (Not that they were on, mind you. That would not have been wise.) In any case, thank you, Pepco and Verizon.

As The World Sizzles

With the weather being so hot and humid in Washington, I added a temporary weather feed to The DIGITAL Archive. It appears on the right, above the "about" graphic.

That got me wondering about weather websites and weather RSS feeds. There are so many choices out there. Which one do you visit or subscribe to?

Hot and Humid

The weather forecast for Friday in Washington is somewhere in the mid-90s - that's 35+ celsius degrees. There's even a severe heat warning in effect.

Nope, not looking forward to this heat.

SharePoint 2007 Coming Soon?

Today I attended a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 seminar hosted by the institution where I work. The institution is planning to deploy SharePoint 2007 sooner (or later).

While the seminar at times drifted towards the developers among the audience, I managed to pick out the 2 main objectives behind the deployment of SharePoint 2007:

1. Introduce a robust Content Management system
2. Introduce a culture of Collaboration through personal spaces, shared spaces, blogs, wikis, etc

Like I said, the seminar tended to focus on ASP.NET, .NET, DLLs, but I learned enough to realize the potential of, for example, Web Parts, small programmable widgets that pulled or pushed content via RSS that one could easily add to a SharePoint "My Site."

The web guy in me loved that part; meanwhile, the archivist, the other guy, wondered about how the system would capture metadata, and preserve, content of long-term and historical value stored in SharePoint. Records managers and archivists and information professionals were in the audience, posing a few questions about that. But today was the day to celebrate the immediate SharePoint 2007 pay-off. The other issues, I suppose, will be tackled when that proverbial you know what hits the fan.

D-Day: June 6, 1944

63 years ago today....

Non-Profit Sector Jobs

I was glad to read Ed's follow-up post this morning on what I had written yesterday about the need for LIS grads to consider employment opportunities beyond the usual, highly promoted sectors (i.e. academic, public, government, corporate).

While library schools may begin to promote alternative sectors to new grads, I think for now the onus remains with us, collectively and individually, to seek out employment that is located in other areas - and that reflect more closely our values, our goals, our objectives.

Now I do not know the demographics of my readers, but if there are in fact new LIS grads or grads who just started working in the field reading this, I would recommend that they look carefully at alternative sectors: non-profit or otherwise.

Nothing wrong with academic libraries or government libraries; there are certainly interesting opportunities to be found there. But the truth is, at least from my experience, that these sectors have far more applicants than open positions.

And we all know what that means.

UPDATE: The website nonprofitscan.ca bills itself as Canada's leading source of information on the non-profit and voluntary sector.

Apple iPhone Coming June 29

While watching (American) television this evening--I think it was "60 Minutes"--I saw what appears to be the first teaser commercial for the new Apple iPhone.

It's coming, June 29. Mark you calendars. No Canadian launch date (if at all).

Engaget has a news page, and Apple has uploaded the commericals.

UPDATE: The iPhone will use AT&T Wireless.

Values and Career Paths

Back in late May, Ed wrote a post in which he cited a website called Charity Village, an online resource that lists jobs in the Canadian non-profit sector.

His post resonated with me because, after giving it some thought, I realized that the non-profit sector is not mentioned much as an option to library school grads. It also made me realize the importance of taking stock of one's personal values as one embarks on a career path.

For me, after graduating from library school, I had been instilled with the idea that employment in the library and information studies field could only be found in distinct sectors: academic libraries, public libraries, government agencies, and, to a lesser extent, corporate environments.

For the most part, these popular sectors offer LIS grads their very first post-MLIS job, a successful and satisfying experience, and perhaps even a long-term career path. (As I write this I am, in fact, an employee of an international government organization.)

But sometimes a restlessness surfaces after, say, 2 years on the job. There is a feeling inside of wanting to put one's skills, abilities, talents and knowledge towards something than truly reflects one's values. I use the word values, which has been maligned when used in conjunction with words such as family or religious, as another way of saying one's personal code of conduct, what one holds accountable when making a decision, for example. To create a super hero analogy: How will we use our powers?

For new LIS grads and young professionals already in their second of third year of employment, I encourage all to take stock and check your values against your current job. How are you using your powers.

And, from time to time, as yourself these questions:

1. Where do I want to work? What sector?
2. Do I want to work behind-the-scenes or under a spotlight?
3. What motivates me?
4. Do I want to develop professionally, learning new skills, or remain with only the necessary skills set to perform my given tasks?
5. What am I passionate about?

There are certainly more questions, and there are no right or wrong answers to those mentioned above. However, how you answer them could very well change and improve your career path.

Interesting People, Interesting Blogs (Part 7)

Another installment to what has become a personal favorite of mine.

I came across Dan Cohen's Digital Humanities Blog while examining one of his books, Digital history: a guide to gathering, preserving, presenting the past on the web (which seems like an equally good read as well, but that's another topic).

I like this blog because it focuses on how research in the humanities can benefit from current and emerging technologies such as digitization and Web 2., including a cool Firefox add-on called Zotero, a social bookmarking and citation organizer tool that harnesses the community of researchers in the humanities field. Very cool.

Then again...

I decided against pimping my blog. It seems none of the layouts Blogger provides really interests me or at least the content of the blog. Stay tuned while I review my layout options.

Pimp my Blog

After kicking the tires on the brand new (and hopefully improved) arch.i.vi.us blog, I decided it was time to take the old template of The DIGITAL Archive and replace it with a brand-spanking new one, fitted with the latest in blog flux capacitors. (Okay, it's a little late, forgive my movie/pop culture references.)

I will talk a little more about the changes in another post. For now I just wanted to write something down to notify my legion of readers (yes, all two of you) that I am working on making this blog, well, better.

A new look

Testing a new look and some new features...

arch.i.vi.us Updated

I spent the last couple of hours revisiting my experimental website called arch.i.vi.us. My so-called Social Bookmarking Blog for Research Archivists has been dormant for some time, too long, in my opinion.

I believe the reason is I really have no time to 1) scan the headlines on or about digitization and digital preservation and 2) post them to the blog.

That said, I decided to not only revamp the page layout and design but to update the Blogger template from the old static version to the new dynamic layout, where one can click and drag page elements across the template. Each page element has some pretty powerful features such as being able to grab RSS feeds. It is so easy, it is dummy proof.

With the redesign I hope the blog becomes more useful because now, without any further intervention on behalf, the blog is pulling in content from across the web: news items, delicious tags, videos, etc. I love it, and I hope you will too!

Milblogs

Military blogs--or Milblogs, for shorts--are blogs that are written by members of the military who chronicle their experiences in conflicts, typically the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Blogs and milblogs are re-entering my radar because I still wonder if and how archivist intend on preserving these first-hand accounts of war that historians would love to read in the future.

Should we preserve blogs or milblogs? What would you consider historical value: the content of a blog or the blog page itself? How can we preserve blogs? What is going on out there in your part of the world?

Musical Exports

Speaking of music, Canadian rock band Nickelback is the big musical export around Washington, DC (and most likely the rest of the U.S.). Not a day goes by that I do not hear on local radio stations the Hanna, Alberta-born rockers roaring their vocals and heavy guitar chords. It's quite something, small-town Canadian band makes it real big in America.

Did you know?

From time to time (though lately the distance between time to time has been steadily growing, to my dismay), I come across an interesting bit of functionality that a piece of software can perform that is perhaps not widely known. In my last installment, I discovered an RSS reader inside Adobe Acrobat Professional.

Now this time around, I discovered--make that, I read about--a feature in Winamp (the free mp3 media player and good alternate to Windows Media Player) that is not widely known or used.

So all you audiophiles listen up.

Interested in listening to XM Satellite Radio but don't have the cash to shell for a radio receiver and a subscription? No problem. Download Winamp or, if you already have it installed, launch it and I will tell how to access free, legit XM Radio stations.

1. Download or launch the latest version of Winamp (I'm using version 5.35, the full free download).

2. Press Alt-L to open the Media Library. A two pane window should appear to the left of the Winamp player.

3. In the left most window pane, where there are clickable menus and sub-menu, click on Online Services.

4. In the middle window pane a list of available Winamp services will appear.

5. Scroll down until you see AOL Radio featuring XM. There is an unchecked box. Check the box. (See picture.)

6. Now back in the left most window pane, beneath Online Services, there should be a new sub-menu item: AOL Radio with XM. Click on that sub-menu item.

7. In the middle window pane browse through the available radio stations by musical genre or time period. (See picture.)

8. Select a station. Sit back and enjoy.

Microblogging

The microblogging space is expanding.

Microblogging, which is the blogging equivalent of a news flash, that is one is given 140 characters to describe current status and/or activities, has a new player on the scene.

Besides the hugely popular (and growing) Twitter service, there is Jaiku, a Finnish-based service offering the same microblogging capabilities but with a few more extra features, including importing blogs, RSS feeds, photos, videos, etc. I like Jaiku, but I find these extra features a little too much for a microblogging tool. Time will tell if this concept will catch on.

I suspect that Twitter will eventually add more functionality to Twitter. But I would recommend that they take it slow. I think most users, like myself, are still trying to figure out the real value of this tool. I am convinced there is something here, but like most Web 2.0 beta / gamma productions, the participation and creativeness of the consumer typically defines the purpose of the product.

For those who are just starting using Twitter (or Jaiku), I suggest using the tool as a personal "news flash" system. Here are a few examples that I have seen from fellow Twitters.

1. Notification: Notify users about an update to your blog or website
2. Invitation: Invite users to join you for an online event such as a virtual meeting in Second Life or a live broadcast on ustream.tv
3. Share: Sharing thoughts, activities. You never know who may read it and comment back.

Have more ideas? Please share.

For more information, the UMBC eBiquity blog provides a very comprehensive overview of microblogging.

The debate will continue over the "real" value of microblogging. In the meantime, open an account and dip your toes into the water.

FRIDAY FUN: Conan - Lucasfilm, Part 2

A little bit of fun for a Friday.

Interesting People, Interesting Blogs (Part 6)

In this installment of my long-running series, I found a blog called ArchivesNext. It is a blog that focuses on "what's next" for the archival field - how can new web technologies (Web 2.0) transform archives and access to archives collections.

I have not read the blog in its entirety, but I am very encouraged by its About this Blog page.

This blog will attempt to identify what might be “next” for archival institutions by:

1) Exploring Web 2.0 applications and discussing their applicability to archival institutions.

2) Identifying existing innovative uses of web technology in archives and related fields.

3) Discussing how applicable the existing archival business model is in the current and emerging information environment, and proposing modifications or a whole new model.

4) Hopefully engaging readers in a dialog about these issues–I am by no means an expert in any of these areas. I am learning and hopefully some of the four or five people who read this blog will share with me and the other readers what they know or raise questions. I can’t be the one interested in this.

5) Probably doing some other stuff as well.

Please do pay ArchivesNext a visit.

Off to UCSB

No, not me.

A big congratulations goes out to my good buddy Ryun, who recently accepted a Metadata Specialist position at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Good luck, Ryun!

What a beautiful campus - people actually work here?!

Weaving the Archivist Web

By now I think it is quite clear to readers of this blog that posts concerning work will not appear here in any shape or form. The projects that I am working are confidential for the moment - and perhaps for a few more months to come.

Besides confidentiality, there are legal issues. And considering that I am living and working in the United States, the last thing I would want to do is stir a sleeping lawyer. Let sleeping lions lay, as they say.

But there are some things worth mentioning: the importance of digital archives management and preservation is growing. As more collections are digitized, the more there is a real need to take on the challenge of managing digital assets and preserving their long-term or permanent value in their born-digital or converted-to-digital state.

There is also a growing need to allow for improved and increased access to collections, both paper-based and digital. The future of archivists--those individuals recording, managing and preserving the activities and memory of an institution for posterity--lies not only in controlling the material they work with on a daily basis but in giving the collections a chance to see the light of day. Not every piece of a collection is a gem (trust me, I know); but there are sufficient materials to showcase that will indeed stir interest - and hopefully stir further interest in archives, demystify the profession, and shatter of few stereotypes.

• Digitizing collections (for access and/or preservation purposes)
• Improved and increased access to digital collections (user-friendly web access)
• Digital management and preservation procedures and protocols (research and practical approach to managing and preserving digital assets).

Together they form a storyline of the future of archives, I believe.

Truth is, dear readers, The DIGITAL Archive is not a promo for archives; rather, it is call to archives and archivists, as other information-centric professionals have done, to acknowledge the potential and power that the web and web technologies can have on the field.

A new Earth?

http://tinyurl.com/2t6fyn

Lord of the Rings Online, Reality TV, Archive This

Lord of the Rings Online

The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar computer game is creating a real buzz. The immersive 3-D world, inspired by J.R.R. Tolkein's admired and acclaimed series of stories, puts players in a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) where hundreds of thousands of players can become their favourite elf, dwarf, or beloved hobbit.

These "world games," such as Lord of the Rings Online and the popular Second Life, are evidence of the future direction of computer games. They demonstrate the ability for players to create alternate realities that evolve and expand just as things do in real life.

I am waiting in anticipation for Star Trek Online. I always thought that such an online game would be a smash hit.

Reality TV

My first encounter with reality television was Survivor, the very first season, where the cut-throat cabals promoted each week fueled the show to its pop culture status. Nowadays, ever since I got cable TV here in DC, I am exposed to so many more reality television shows, it's insane. Everything from American Idol and Pussycat Dolls to Run's House and some other weird music / talent oriented television shows on MTV and VH1.

As bad as some these shows get (some are real stinkers), they sort of invoke the Web 2.0 principal of user-generated content. Content is being created by those American Idol singers; content is created by teenager girls in black lingerie and red boas competing to become the next Pussycat Dolls girl. It's no longer big name actors, it seems, but rather ordinary "users" (or viewers) who are dominating the television landscape.

Archive This

Blogs. Archive this blog or any other blog for that matter. I think about millitary bloggers in Iraq and Afghanistan. These are primary source material, rich with information and insight for any future researcher or historian. But who's archiving these blogs?

Weekend, Go Pro, Mourning, Government Job, Sirens

Weekend

It's Friday evening (actually a little past midnight and a little past my bed time - my oh my), so that means the weekend is finally here. I don't think I need to elaborate on my relief and happiness.

Go Pro

I finally went Pro with my Flickr account. I suspect this move will encourage (read: force) me to take more photographs since I have no limits in photo uploads and improved functionality with managing my photos.

Mourning

Washington, DC and the surrounding area observed a moment of silence this afternoon in remembrance of those Virginia Tech students and professors who were mercilessly killed by that gunman.

When NBC presented the gunman's video--his twisted manifesto from the grave--it made me sick to stomach seeing the gunman pose in front of his digital camera, wielding a hunting knife and pointing his pistols. What made me ill was that I had seen these same poses back in September 2006 by another gunman: the Dawson College shooter, another loner, hater of society, and murderer.

Government Jobs

I received some unfortunate news this afternoon via email. But first a little background to this story. In October of last year I applied for a position in the Government of Canada. This position was seeking a pool of candidates that would be called on in the next 12 to 24 months.

In February of this year (just prior to accepting this current position in Washington, DC), I wrote and passed a written government test and had an in-person interview a few weeks later. I thought I did very well on both counts. If I passed, the plan in my mind went, I would most likely have a government contract lined up right after my 12-month contract in Washington, DC ended. Sadly, the bad news arrived in my inbox. I am out of the running. I could say so much but let's just say that landing a Government job in Ottawa is akin to landing on the moon using a hot air balloon.

Sirens

There's always the sound of a siren filling the night air, especially on Friday nights.

Wwwindy, Virginia Tech Gunman

Wwwindy

It was another windy day in Washington, DC. The weather has been very unseasonable; even to long time residents of the city, the weather is a real puzzle. The forecasters predict an eventual change in the days ahead, perhaps by the weekend. I, for one, cannot wait (for the weekend or change in weather). In the meantime, while I wait, I've become somewhat of a weather junkie.

My WeatherBug Vista Widget fires up on startup, and my bookmarks include WeatherBug's website, Accutweather, and The Weather Network.

Virginia Tech Gunman

As I walking home this evening, I noticed that U.S. Flags atop buildings, as well as other flags, were at half staff. Seeing that, the terrible, senseless events that transpired yesterday (April 16) at Virginia Tech hit home. The town of Blacksburg, Virginia, is relatively close to the Washington, DC area. Not next door, close, but close enough.

The shooter, Cho Seung-Hui, a Virginia Tech student from South Korea who immigrated to the United States and described by peers as a loner (not surprisingly) with a violent imagination (not surprisingly), created carnage on the peaceful campus with his legally purchased pistols.

According to police, the shooter left a rambling note in his dorm room blaming everyone for what had happened.

"The gunman in the Virginia Tech massacre was a sullen loner who alarmed professors and classmates with his twisted, violence-drenched creative writing and left a rambling note in his dorm room raging against women and rich kids."

There is clear and distinct trend with these loner gunmen: A gradual isolation from society and from reality, a re-creation of reality in their own minds based on being victimized by a group of "others," and then fueled by revenge fantasies and believing with almost religious fervor of their right to revenge and to judge and carry out judgement against the "others."

The story always begins and ends the same way. A plan is made, weapons are bought (legally in this case), havoc is created, death taints the hallways, and the gunmen, perhaps in that final moment of burning rage realizes what he has done decides to kill his last foe, himself.

Weather Woes, School Shooting

Weather Woes

Another week dawns here in Washington, DC, and yet another day of unseasonably wet and cold weather. Since late last night, the wind has blown with fierce strength, shuddering my windows and the tree right outside. The rain comes and goes, more so in large splatters than a drizzle.

Wet and miserable. I keep my browser bookmarked to Accuweather.

School Shooting

I was listening to the radio when a breaking news alert sounded and a reporter came on the air explaining that shots had been fired, and casualties reported, at Virginia Tech. I was shocked and saddened by the news, by the closeness of the news. Virginia is just across the Potomac River.

As the tragic story unfolded, more casualties were reported. First 2, then 13, then 22. Now as I write this post, the number stands at 33. However, the number may change if those hospitalized do not make it through the night. I send my thoughts and prayers to those families affected by tragedy.

I love universities for their tranquility--I appreciate the campus grounds, the atmosphere of learning, pursuing a cause for the greater good--but this horrible event attacks the very peaceful nature of a university.

More news is emerging about the shooter, the weapons used, and possible motives on a minute by minute basis, it seems. In the days ahead there will be talk of gun control (if weapons used were illegally acquired), immigration reform (if the deceased shooter turns out be a non-U.S. citizen), and administrative preparedness and planning (if the administration is found to have acted too slowly in the face of the incident). Not to mention, a parade of copycat shooters and false alarms.

However, one light emerged from all this: I was in awe by how the students, in the midst of the tragedy, harnessed the power of the Internet to notify friends and family--and subsequently the media--about their whereabouts and status. Facebook, blogs, IM, text messenging, etc were all focused on delivering information. Why should I be surprised by their technological know-how. These kids, after all, are children of the Internet Age, an age gifted with endless possibilities but sadly shadowed by ageless malevolence and unspeakable acts.

Like Columbine and Dawson College, Virginia Tech lost something today.

Nor'easter, Work, MP3 R.I.P.

"Rain drops keep falling on my head..."

What an appropriate song for the weekend. Since Friday the weather in Washington, DC, has steadily become more cloudy and rainy. Today, Sunday, for instance, it is raining very hard. Not much one can do outside in such wet, miserable weather.

The weather system is in fact part of a much larger storm system that is pushing north east. A Nor'easter, as the locals call it, should bring heavy downpours, possible flooding to low-lying areas, and maybe even snow to my family and friends in south eastern Quebec and the Ottawa Valley.

Lovely.

"X-Files..." at Work

When I started working at my new job in DC I was eager to blog about it. Initially, I set up a code of conduct in which I decided not to blog about specific projects but rather general, big picture items that I felt were in certain cases related to my professional and personal interests in the web, web content delivering, and web technologies. (I believe I can continue to do this, but read on below.)

But as I begin to move deeper into my projects, even after only one month on the job, the level of confidentiality and security are increasing to the point that if I blog about something even in the abstract I may jeopardize the overall goals of the work I have been contracted to perform.

I wish I did not have to impose these restrictions - after all, through blogging, I can express comments and ideas that stir more ideas in my head and enables me to connect with others with similar interests or work - but this is the nature of the work.

I will continue to report periodically about work; and once the veil of confidentiality and secrecy are lifted (that is, once the projects move into the public domain, as they ultimately will) I should be able to blog in more detail.

There is more to add. But I will leave that until I feel more able to express them.

"MP3 R.I.P."

I read with a tear in my eye the passing of Ed's mp3 player. You see I have a similar mp3 player right beside me - it's red (the only color Wal-Mart had in stock), has 512MB, and fills up faster than a ship with a cracked hull, especially since I became hooked on podcasts. Signs of age are creeping in: Battery latch is broken, resulting in me using Scotch tape to keep the AAA battery in place. Update: Ed is now the proud owner of an 30GB iPod. I'll be reading closely his experiences with his new iPod.

Twitter, SQPN, and the Social Web

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been reading blogs describing and discussing Twitter, a micro-blogging tool that allows people to post brief messages to their friends and (in Twitter parlance) followers. A sort of breaking news service for bloggers, where one is limited to 140 characters. Noted blogger, Robert Scoble, does a fair job in this video in describing Twitter.

Like many new Web 2.0 technologies, I still do not know the usefulness or potential of Twitter. So in true journalistic style, in order to fully grasp the meaning of this Twitter thing, I opened an account and started Twittering.

One person in particular convinced me to investigate Twitter; that someone is a person you would least likely expect to be interested in the Web. A Catholic priest. Father Roderick Vonhögen, a podcasting priest from The Netherlands, mixes his faith with his passion for technology across his SQPN podcasting network. His hallmark podcast is a daily show called Daily Breakfast (subscribe), and I must admit, I am hooked. In was during one of his shows that he mentioned Twitter and how he was using it to keep his colleagues updated on his work and travels.

If you are easily offended by religious talk, then maybe this website is not appropriate for you. However, if you want to listen to someone who is truly enthusiastic about podcasting, then Father Roderick and his growing list of quality podcasts is definitely for you.

The social web. Sometimes I am amazed by how fast this area of the web is growing, and how people, particularly teens and young adults, are adopting these technologies and using them in incredible ways.

I feel almost left behind.

What were my peers doing at this time?

We were busy with Nintendo's Duck Hunt Light Gun and copying music tapes using dual-cassette recorders. I guess. The good old days.

You 2.0

You 2.0
Originally uploaded by siansleep.

There is increasing talk about collaborative software where I work that I am hearing managers and senior managers and even the Chief Information Officer talk about blogs, wikis, IM, social bookmarking, podcasts, etc as major projects in need of implementation.

Welcome to the Corporate Web 2.0. This is getting good.

Belated Blog Birthday and Reminiscing

Back on March 4, 2005, I wrote my first post to The DIGITAL Archive blog, which detailed the McGill University Archives project called digitalpermanence. I cannot believe that time--blog time, shall we say--has passed so quickly.

Today as I write this post, we are April 5, 2007. That means on March 4, 2007, The DIGITAL Archive blog turned 2 years old. Unbelievable. I didn't think I would maintain such a long connection with this blog.

As I scrolled through the months and number of posts, and stopped at some which caught me, I saw where a blog such as mine--a few external links, lots of observations, work-related or otherwise--becomes a diary or online journal, a history of my life that I choose to commit to Blogger and share with the public. The blog entries reveal memories and worries and thoughts and plans all in the context of that single moment.

The time I started to chronicle the progress of a project; the time I resigned from McGill; the time I found a web design job following my resignation; the time when I accepted a contract in Washington, DC. And my on-going 'adventures' in the U.S. capital.

April Fool's On Me

I was had. I can't believe it. I was had by Google. Blame it on my new surroundings. My brain was not as sharp as it should have been.

Yesterday's so-called announcement by Google saying that it would print out emails and mail them to the recipient free of charge was a hoax. An April Fool's Joke. Gawd.

Like I said, Blame it on my new surroundings. My unfurnished apartment. My tired mind. My...

Welcome to Gmail

Welcome to Gmail: "Introducing Gmail Paper "

In my latest incarnation as digital archives archivist, I have been tasked to develop procedures and protocols for the preservation of electronic assets, including emails, enterprise data, websites, etc.

Now I read that Google's Gmail is giving its users the option to request PRINT COPIES of their emails, a free service (paid for by ads) provided by Google.

Is this a digital preservation white flag...?

I cannot forget what my former supervisor once told me: "You know, we may just end up printing everything and storing the paper. Far easier and cheaper than digital preservation."

PC World - Living With Vista: First 30 Days

PC World - Living With Vista: First 30 Days: "Living With Vista: First 30 Days"

For me, I am experiencing compatibility issues with Symantec's Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition. The program is installed, but not detected by Vista; and, of course, I cannot uninstall because that is just the way Symantec works.

How you coping with Windows Vista?

White House, Early March 2007

Testing my YouTube account.

Weekends in DC

When the weekend arrives in Washington, there are two things that occur: 1) the business side of DC shuts down and 2) the tourist side kick starts in full motion.

Today was the official beginning of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, a yearly event in DC that celebrates the cherry blossom trees which were given as a gift from Japan to the United States back in 1912. The entire history is rather fascinating.



There were crowds around the Washington Monument, many of them were flying kites, I noticed. I guess this must be a tradition. And of course there were the cherry blossom trees surrounding the tidal basin, which is located just south of the Mall. The Jefferson Memorial is also located near the basin. People from all over the world--Asia, South East Asia, Europe--were there; their din of foreign languages added to the wonderful mix of activity.

I am most grateful for the weekends. Not only does the city take a breather, but I too take a breather from a busy week of work.

Speaking of work, I have 3 projects that I am focusing on: 1) Archives Management System (AMS) replacement (I don't have much experience in this particular area, but the team seems ready to roll up their sleeves); 2) Digitization of text and photographs (I have hands-on experience here but this time around I'll be in a supervisory role); and 3) Digital Preservation and Management Program (this will probably build on my digitalpermanence experience. Remember digitalpermanence, folks?).

Tomorrow, April 1, will make it one month since I arrived in Washington, DC. Wow!

Watching Incubus' new single, Dig, on You Tube. Interesting story behind the video.

Adobe releases Creative Suite 3

I am so thrilled to see that Adobe has released its much anticipated Creative Suite 3.

The Big Move and other thoughts on life in DC

It reached a high of 17 Celsius today (I still haven't converted to Fahrenheit, I apologize, but it would be somewhere in the low 60s). A perfect day to move into my new apartment. Yes, you heard correctly: I finally moved. Well, technically, yes. Physically, I am still in the hotel (I have tonight and that's all). So I check out tomorrow before noon. Hopefully I can run a few last minutes errands before check-out time.

As I was walking around the streets of DC, I could not help but notice a large amount of cars with diplomatic license plates. Perhaps there is some big event in town. I'm not sure.

As I said before, today we reached 17 Celsius. Perfect weather in so many ways.

I notice I have not been blogging much about work. I know I mentioned from the onset that I would use a good dose of common sense before blogging about work, and I am pleased that I have stuck to that formula. It's not like I am working with super-secret information; however, the planning and implementation of new systems has several confidentiality issues. So it is best that I discuss matters in general terms.

Sunday Morning

I have several activities planned today. I'll spare you the boring details.

I'm just glad the weather gadgets I have running on my desktop are telling me good news.

I'll have more this afternoon. Stay tuned.

Spring, Apartment, Archives, FOSE 2007

It's the first day of Spring, and it sure feels like Spring in Washington, DC. The city's business district, called the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District, was abuzz with city workers sweeping the streets and cobble-stone sidewalks and planting flowers around budding trees.

The only drawback to the weather is the constant flux of temperatures. I leave in the morning wearing my good old Canadian coat, and then I walk home wearing a light fleece jacket, my coat slung over my arm. I've experienced high and lows all in one day, and a solid rain shower kicked in for good measure. Consequently, I think my health has taken a hit - I feel a tickle in the back of my throat.

The apartment hunt continues, but I am coming closer to finding a place. I never knew the process would take this long! So many forms, so many fees. So few places, especially if you are on a tight budget.

The work in the Archives continues, and as it does I am starting to see patterns emerge. The Archives requires new systems, new tools, to operate more efficiently and effectively. Older technologies, adopted some years ago, are obsolete, amazingly. The speed at which technology flies is unbelievable.

There is a convention taking place in DC called FOSE, a government and military technology convention that showcases technologies, gadgets, software, hardware which serve the needs of government and military (as well as international organizations like the UN). The floor was full, to say the least. I may return tomorrow or Thursday, the final day of the convention.

More online gaming worlds

With Second Life and Home, I thought I had all the bases covered in terms of online virtual worlds and 3-D gaming communities.

Now comes word, via TechCrunch, of two other online gaming world: Kaneva and There.

Oh dear. More sleepless nights for the 3-D addicts out there.

Second Life vs. PS3's Home

We all know about Linden Lab's Second Life, the funky 3-D virtual world community, but has anyone come across Sony's Home, a Playstation 3 game that looks like Second Life but with much more realistic graphics?

TGIF - It's Friday

I noticed I haven't talked much about work. There has been so much to learn and absorb that I still cannot make heads or tails (or basically form some kind of pattern in my head) of the work plan that lies ahead of me.

It's still introductory mode, I guess. But I know my boss will be keen on hearing my ideas very soon.

In the past two weeks, I was introduced to the various systems and databases in place and the people who work with them on a daily basis.

One of my objectives here is to find a unified system (software) that will cover the range of archival activity in one box, mainly archives management, appraisal, declassification, and reference and research services. Whoa!! Trust me when I tell you: Every system requires a great degree of skill and intellectual prowess.

The weather in DC was once again wet. This afternoon there was rain mixed with ice pellets. I felt like home sweet home, though I think the Northwest of the U.S. and Southwestern Quebec and the Ottawa Valley will experience a massive snowstorm tonight.

The apartment hunt continues. I don't why this is taking me so long. The requirements are obscene, the fees even more so. Tomorrow, rain or shine, I'll hit the pavement again and this time find something that does not require blood type and fingerprints (okay, none require that much, but you kind of get the picture).

The weekend is upon us. Time for the trivial house chores. Maybe I'll take another walk on the Mall or visit a museum. The Smithsonian Museums are free, I hear.

Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln Memorial
Originally uploaded by siansleep.

Just another (rainy) day in Washington

My boss told me I should have a beer. Instead I had tea. Even if I had a palette for Budweiser or Miller, I would not even be able to afford either of them. Payroll screwed up my account number and thus no money was deposited into my account. Couple that incident with the fact that my rental application package still needs more forms to fill (unending list of forms), I did not have such a wonderful day. The rain that fell hard on DC this afternoon sort of summarized the day.

Drenched, I cleaned up and dried up and made some Red Rose Tea. Nothing beats tea on a rainy day, if you ask me. That and listening to SomaFM, as I am doing right now.

(NOTE: For those lucky enough [or unlucky enough, depending on how you look at it] to have Windows Vista installed on your desktop or laptop, there are several cool gadgets [i.e. widgets] that pull in data from various sources, including SomaFM and Weather Bug.)

Let's hope for a better tomorrow.

Note to self: Why do I hear in my head James Brown's "Living in America" each time I walk up and down these DC streets?

Apartment, Commute, Weather, You Tube

According to the clock on the wall (actually, the clock on the laptop), it is 4:30 p.m. I took my administrative leave this afternoon. I went to the apartment where I hope to stay for the next 12 months and submitted my rental application. I feel as though this is some kind of test.

I am hoping that, by this time next week, I will have moved in to this place and one stress will be off my shoulders.

Earlier in the day, as I walking to work along with other Washingtonians, I noticed several large Greyhound-type coach buses zooming up and down the city streets. Judging from the side signage or digital signage above the windshield, many were from out of town. Some were from Maryland, parts of Virginia; others had destination signs with "State Department" and "Pentagon." It seems to me that a lot--a heck of a lot--of people live outside of DC and commute to and from work every morning and every evening.

The weather is amazingly warm. Almost summer. People tell me that DC is part of the South. I thought it was part of the North. Regardless, I was sweating in my fleece jacket. Tomorrow I may just wear a light windbreaker.

God Bless You Tube. I'll spare you the details of the old music videos I tracked down, but what a "Digital Archive" and "Time Capsule" and "Memory Lane" that website turned out to be.

Note to self: Emotion + Web = Good Experience

Bureaucracy and Bedtime

I really should be in bed by now.

Tomorrow (that is, Wednesday) I have a full day of business. In the morning, it's work, more introductory meetings, more new stuff to get acquainted with, and faces whose names still evade me for a two second delay right after saying hello. I still feel very out of place in this behemoth bureaucracy. And I thought McGill had a lot of red tape.

In the afternoon, I am taking what is known around here as Administrative Leave. It is time off meant to be used to settle in - i.e. find housing, take care of business mostly associated with becoming a temporary resident of a foreign country.

That's nice and welcomed.

I am currently residing in a furnished hotel until I find an apartment. I have an eye out on a particularly well-priced apartment just outside the downtown core. I hope I get passed the insane rental application procedures. The only thing left for me to disclose to these landlords is blood type or a set of fingerprints!

Ever since I bought this Acer Travelmate 3260 notebook, I have been glued to the Web more than ever. The hotel provides free Internet access so that does not help at all.

I'm going to pay for these late hours. Time for bed, folks.

Good Night National Cathedral, which I see from my window.

Into the Digital Archive

A special thank you to all those who contacted me and wished me well on my 12-month contractual appointment with the UN System's Archives.

Because of the sensitive nature of the work, I will not write in great detail about the specifics of my projects but will from time to time (and using a good dose of common sense) explain and illustrate some of the work I am doing. The UN System is an umbrella for the agency I work with; there are many agencies and organizations that comprise the UN System, so I will leave the exact one to those friends and colleagues who have contacted me.

I will also use The DIGITAL Archive to blog about my experiences in Washington, DC. What better way to cope with the stresses of relocation and unfamiliarity then by writing about them.

At the UN System's Archives I will act as Digital Archivist (how ironic that the title of my blog is the same), working closely with fellows archivists and records managers in identifying, purchasing, and implementing new systems and web-based solutions to enable greater efficiency in managing records and improving access to the archives' collections to internal staff and researchers globally.

It will be a challenge, and I am looking forward to a rewarding experience. However, with a 12 month contract, I somewhat know what can and cannot be accomplished. Still, if the proper infrastructure can be established and a web strategy written and promoted, I think much can be done.

As for Washington, DC, I am finding the city both nice and daunting at the same time. It will take me several more weeks, perhaps months, before I understand the ebb and flow of the US Capital.

New Job, New City

If you are wondering why I have not been writing any new entries in a long while (except for the last cryptic note), I am pleased to inform my long time readers (and new readers, in case you just happened to pass by) that I was offered and have accepted a 12-month position as a Digital Archivist with the UN System in Washington, DC.

The DA in DC

Coming Soon!

"...for all the things caught in my mind."

Sometimes I wish I had more to say on this blog. Sometimes I wish I had a whole lot more things to say in a clear and comprehensive manner. Sometimes I wish I had better writing skills and more discipline to commit to one blog entry per day. I believe I once had that ability and capacity—I suspect the best times were in university when I’d write up a storm for essays and research papers—but those academic days, it seems to me, are long gone.

Since The DIGITAL Archive originated in part to chronicle a work-related project back at McGill University, and since I am currently unemployed with little or no direct hands-on connection to the field of archives or libraries or the web (aside from having lunch with former colleagues or reading other blogs to get the latest scoop), much of the source material that once fuelled The DIGITAL Archive is gone. Time to look for alternative fuel sources, I guess.

So what I have done is list a set of ideas that I think will become more prominent in 2007. Talking trends is common around this time of year, so I figured it is perhaps the most appropriate material to work with at this time.

So here goes, in no particular order, kind of like in the stream of consciousness style:

• Web Design and Management


• Web Content Development


• Digitization Initiatives – histories to share, stories to tell


• Content Discovery and Dissemination – how to make information more findable, how to exploit current and emerging web technologies to deliver content


• Content Creation and Syndication in a 24/7 World – blogs, news, weather information being created around the clock, finding what I want and sharing among peers


• Content consumption on any device, anywhere – cell phone revolution, iPod generation, notebooks and laptop cafes – information where and when I want it


• Adding Context to Content – So much content, a new layer of metadata telling me what it is and if it is of value to me personally


• Increasing “findability” in an increasingly saturated Web – metadata, metadata, metadata


• Making data meaningful – Streams of data and statistics floating in the Web ether, giving users the power to harness data, to quickly build data receptacles and view results immediately


• Exploiting web 2.0 – rss feeds, podcasts, flash video go mainstream
  


• Expanding online collaborations – forming relationships, not just just about ME making content; the next step is relationships
  


• Freeing information from silos and time and space – old wisdom and knowledge must be retrievable tomorrow, as fast as we search the web today
  


• Improving web design aesthetics – must every website look like a blog?

OT: New Year, New Calendar

It's the new year, another year to start fresh and to embark on new beginnings. What better way to gain perspective on the new year ahead than with a spanking brand new calendar, of course.

Okay, I admit, that's a corny introduction.

Here's the real deal:

The very fine stock photography people at Jupiterimages, with whom I have a free account which I use to download comps to set up designs, have sent me a pocket-sized 2007 calendar filled with colourful images from their catalogue of photos. In the past year, Jupiterimages have sent me several glossy catalogues featuring their latest stock photographs, free. I found this new year's gift truly neat and ingenious. Kudos to Jupiterimages!!