Last week I graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign after finishing up my master’s program in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science. It feels great to be finished, although I really enjoyed my time here and can hardly believe it has already come to an end! Over my two years at GSLIS […]
The Importance of Rare Book Libraries: Unique Functions and Special Budget Requirements
This post is an essay on the special functions and unique role of rare books and special collections in the context of a large academic library. Let’s imagine that the Dean of Libraries at the University has reviewed the budget and seen the rare books department is the most expensive. The Dean is looking for […]
What’s Wrong with Theft and Security in Special Collections? A Study of the RBMS Guidelines
Security in special collections[1] can refer to the prevention of two separate things: the theft of rare materials and incidental damage at the hands of patrons or staff. For the purposes of this paper I will focus on the former, although accidental harm and gradual wear can at times be an even larger concern for […]
Is Linux Worth Using? Key Differences Between Windows OS and Linux
Windows vs Linux OS First, the most crucial difference between Windows and Linux OS is the overall business model, with Windows being a massively profitable proprietary venture by Microsoft and Linux a community-driven project that is free and open source. This isn’t to say that no Linux developers make any money at all, as some […]
Why Should I Start a Blog?
In recent years, millions of people have taken the plunge and joined the blogosphere, but there are also many who are still skeptical of its benefits. Some are stuck on the idea that blogs are little more than personal diaries broadcast over the web, and do not recognize other contexts for which they might be […]
Why Would You Use the Command Line Interface (And Should You?)
The Command Line Interface (CLI), a computer dialog operated using text commands instead of clicking on various icons and graphics, can be useful, but only to user communities with specific, often more advanced needs. There are a number of reasons why the CLI is not ideal for a typical lay user (for example a student […]