Latest on Conversants |
Extending the Conversations at the Department of Justice
Extending the Conversations at the Department of Justice R. David Lankes April 26, 2008 Introduction The following report is based on a series visit to the Department of Justice February 13-15th. During this visit several conversations took place between the researcher, librarians, and library clients within different sections of the Department of Justice and in several DOJ libraries. An [...]

Thu, 01 May 2008 19:02:41 +0000

Social Presence: a theoretical construct for evaluation of the participatory catalog
Social Presence: a theoretical construct for evaluation of the participatory catalog Jack M. Maness Assistant Professor Engineering Librarian University Libraries University of Colorado at Boulder 1720 Pleasant St. 184 UCB Boulder, CO 80309 jack.maness@colorado.edu Abstract This paper suggests the literature of “Social Presence” could provide a theoretical paradigm for the evaluation of social software and related technologies in libraries’ online public access catalogs (OPACs). Social [...]

Thu, 01 May 2008 14:02:21 +0000

Making library schools smarter
Andrea Mercado Reference & Techie Librarian Reading Public Library Take a moment and think about how the average patron might use technology. Not necessarily in a library, just in the everyday business of normal life. Just using the web, patrons can send and receive email, read the news, visit their favorite social networking sites, plan trips, get directions, [...]

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 01:19:10 +0000

When the conversation goes “meta”: Organizing knowledge in collaborative online environments
David M Pimentel School of Information Studies, Syracuse University 245 Hinds Hall Syracuse, NY 13244 Abstract: Conversations are proposed as a useful lens through which to consider the creation of knowledge and, by extension, the organization of that knowledge. Given a Web environment pervaded by conversational forms – social tagging systems, blogs, and wikis – the collaborative organization of [...]

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:54:59 +0000

Colleagues converse about technology change, curricula
David Pimental School of Information Studies, Syracuse University 245 Hinds Hall Syracuse, NY 13244 LIS educators and professionals all wrestle with the rapid pace of technological change, and the past two decades have challenged our schools to prepare future librarians for a technology landscape that is constantly in flux. Some technologies will be fads, but others will become fundamental [...]

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:48:18 +0000

A New Approach to Understanding the Digital Divide : Why two levels are not enough.
Todd Marshall School of Information Studies Syracuse University 245 Hinds HallSyracuse, NY 13244 Contextual Background Over the past few decades, new information and communication technologies (ICT) have made inroads into business, education, and personal lives. The present generation has seen computing technology transition from the mainframe to the mobile phone. The technical capabilities of these systems that were originally only [...]

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:30:48 +0000

The Knowledge Base for a Participatory Library (Google Video)
Keisuke Inoue School of Information Studies, Syracuse University 245 Hinds Hall Syracuse, NY 13244

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:27:21 +0000

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About Conversants

We are looking for current MLS students and recent graduates to submit essays and articles on how LIS curriculum can be improved.

Conversants is a limited-run, open-access journal about participatory networks. Part of a joint project between the Information Institute of Syracuse and ALA's Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP), the journal is a forum for the exchange of ideas relating to conversation-based theories as well as their applications in knowledge environments. Articles and essays are solicited not only to increase our understanding of participatory approaches to virtual and physical settings, but also to challenge the scholarly and practice communities. The emphasis of the journal is on durable concepts that transcend any particular technology or suite of functions.

While treatments related to all types of settings are welcome, a special emphasis is placed on the library domain and the role librarians play as facilitators of conversations.

Submissions might include:

  • Empirical articles analyzing user contributions to web resources
  • Thought pieces concerning the library as conversation
  • Podcasts of presentations concerning Library 2.0
  • Discussions of curricular initiatives to incorporate new web technologies into information education.
All submissions will be reviewed by the editors of the journal and then, in keeping with the central tenets of participatory networks, made available for ongoing public review. Authors are encouraged to follow these conversations, and can incorporate these comments into revised drafts.

Unlike most journals, accepted pieces are published as they are accepted: encouraging timely discussions of current trends and events. Selected pieces will be edited into a volume exploring participatory librarianship.

If you are interested in contributing to the journal, or acting as an editor, please contact David Lankes rdlankes@iis.syr.edu

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