Posts from July 2010

Library services through cloud computing

TYPE: Seminar

METHODS: Initiated, organized, and promoted the seminar.

SPEAKER: Dr. Erik Mitchell, Assistant Director for Technology Services, Z. Smith Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University

AUDIENCE: Academic librarians

FORMAT: 75 minute presentation and discussion

DATE AND VENUE: July 27, 2010 – Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Library, UC Berkeley

SEMINAR TOPICS:
(1) An introduction to cloud computing

(2) Case studies of academic libraries using cloud computing to enhance different service areas:

  • library systems (e.g., catalogs, discovery systems, request management systems)
  • educational initiatives (e.g., outreach to students, instructional support)
  • scholarly communications (e.g., digital repositories)
  • public services (e.g., enhancing online conversations with patrons)

ABSTRACT:
Please visit: http://jeffloo.com/stuff/2010/cloud/

SLIDES:

July 27th, 2010.
Categories: events, presentation.





PubChem instruction through online video and social media

11 more videos available at

http://www.jeffloo.com/stuff/2010/instruction/pubchem/

PURPOSE: To make online instructional videos for PubChem, a free database of the biological activities of small molecules developed by NCBI at the National Institutes of Health.

METHODS: Develop modular videos that address research problems and tasks in chemical informatics. This arrangement encourages remixing, reuse, and sharing that can be tailored to different learning needs. The videos are stored in and delivered through YouTube – a popular, video-sharing website that offers social media features for commenting, voting, and video sharing.

This pilot project demonstrates that online video development is not cost prohibitive when using software and services that are free, open source, readily available at academic libraries, or cost five dollars.

For details of why and how these videos were developed, please visit:

http://www.jeffloo.com/stuff/2010/instruction/video/

RESULTS:
Twelve instructional videos were developed.  Some topics include:

  • Searching PubChem
  • Understanding, simplifying, and saving search results
  • Searching and downloading chemical structures
  • Searching for and viewing bioactivity data
  • Viewing 3D chemical structures
  • Conducting a structure-activity analysis
  • and more!

See all  videos at either:

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/CHEM/instruction/pubchem/
or
http://www.jeffloo.com/stuff/2010/instruction/pubchem/

July 18th, 2010.
Categories: chemical informatics, instruction.