GDSJ Librarian

Transition your Delicious bookmarks while ye may...

2011-04-29T12:56:00.004-07:00

I have been a big fan of delicious as a social bookmarking site. Sharing info with twitter fans is fine, but I like to have my bookmarks on the road, and to tag all my resource sites and generate a single URL link to add at the end of a presentation. I got nervous when I heard that delicious was going under, but the good folks who brought you PayPal and YouTube (Chad Hurley and Steve Chen) know a wonderful, useful internet tool when they see it (bless them!) so they bought Delicious, and it will "become part of their new Internet company, AVOS."

In order to have your account continue to work after June, you need to "opt in" to the transfer of your bookmarks... loads of details on the delicious transition page: http://www.delicious.com/help/transition

[Heart-shaped delicious icon courtesy of Zeus Box]

Pope encourages authentic Social Communication

2011-01-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

While we have explored the many ways in which ICTs have helped or hurt in political and development efforts, we re-focus on the potential benefit that modern ICTs offer as indicated in the Pope's statement on the occasion of the 45^th World Day of Social Communications (delivered yesterday 1/24/2011 in spite of the misdate at the top of the Vatifcan webpage).

While warning against solipsistic self-indulgence that Social Communication can engender, the Pope encourages people to use social networking capacities in positive ways--including taking time for critical reflection, and creatively living up to our talents and vocations in reaching out to others.

Who is my “neighbour” in this new world? Does the danger exist that we may be less present to those whom we encounter in our everyday life? Is there is a risk of being more distracted because our attention is fragmented and absorbed in a world “other” than the one in which we live? Do we have time to reflect critically on our choices and to foster human relationships which are truly deep and lasting? It is important always to remember that virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of direct human contact with people at every level of our lives. ...

I would like then to invite Christians, confidently and with an informed and responsible creativity, to join the network of relationships which the digital era has made possible. This is not simply to satisfy the desire to be present, but because this network is an integral part of human life. The web is contributing to the development of new and more complex intellectual and spiritual horizons, new forms of shared awareness.

As we have indicated before, the Vatican has taken up that challenge through the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. Radio Vaticana offers RSS feed of news and podcasts, available in multiple languages; topics include Charity & Solidarity; Culture & Society; Ecumenism; Justice & Peace; Politics; Science & Ethics, among others, and of course there is the Vatican Channel on YouTube.

Increasingly, we have seen more Catholic news agencies embracing social media as well. Please see the In the News tab of the CSJ guide , the Web Sites on the Religion and theology page, and the Social Web LibGuide that offers insights on taking advantage of Web2.0 tools to make a positive change.

Learning from mistakes: Playpumps

2010-12-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

The folks over at ICTWorks have a great blog-entry that examines lessons that might be learned from a well-intentioned, but ultimately unsustainable, project called playpumps. While the lessons are cast in terms of ICT4D projects, folks from many disciplines can benefit from looking at the criteria laid out for development projects, and what can make good ideas even better.

World Aids Day 2010 Panel

2010-12-01T06:31:00.001-08:00

December 1 is World AIDS day, and once again Dr. Brenton has worked with the College of Pharmacy and the Vincentian Center to pull together a panel program for awareness and to raise funds for action. I will try to podcast and share the program, but for those of you in the Queens Campus area, it will take place today (Wednesday) from, 1:30 - 3 p.m. in the Donovan Community Room.

The Panel Discussion Theme is "Stop AIDS!: Universal Access & Human Rights" featuring Sr. Arlene Flaherty, O.P., of Catholic Relief Services, Dr. Tina Kanmaz, of the College of Pharmacy & Allied Health, Dr. Barrett Brenton, of the Department of Anthropology, with Dr. John Conry of the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health acting as moderator. All donations gathered at today's event will go towards CRS's HIV/AIDS initiatives

For more reliable information on AIDS and what can be done to help, see the UNAIDs site and the Catholic Relief Services World AIDS day site to view videos and read about some of the 280 projects that CRS has worked on throughout the world.

Series on the role of ICTs an Technology to eliviate Poverty

2010-11-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

This November a number of authors wrote "thought pieces" in the Boston Review forum on the role of ICTs in alleviating poverty entitled "Can Technology End Poverty". Written from a variety of ICT4D viewpoints, both skepticial and idealistic, this series addresses the challenges and benefits from folks who are working on the ground.

For those of you who are specifically interested in development, from a Library, Information Science and/or Communications, or with a Political Science and internet freedom standpoint, this series will be a good update. Also, for those alumni with these interests, you might find this USAID Democracy Fellowship to be a good lead (Only available to US Citizens): New Media Development and Internet Freedom - Civil Society and Media - Washington, DC and the Internet

Some Holy See resources -- history and current events

2010-11-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

In our last Faculty meeting, Dr. Clarke mentioned that you all might want to know more about the work of the Holy See Mission.

The new Permanent Observer, H.E. Archbishop Francis A. Chullikatt, has been very active since he arrived at the United Nations. He indicated that he was very happy that his first official function was to be one of the hosts of the Interreligious Prayer Service at Holy Family Church on September 16, marking the beginning of the United Nations' 65th General Assembly.

The Ambassador has been very pro-active in reaching out to his subject- expert-network -- which includes among their number some of your GDSJ professors, St. Margaret John and Vincentian Center Fellows and colleagues. The Mission reaches out to content experts in order to be sure that the Ambassador is well-informed on technical/tactical/academic aspect of issues, so that he can, in turn, help inform United Nations debate on as many issues as possible, all through the lens of Catholic teachings. He has issued several interventions thus far, the most recent of which is out today (on the Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance) if you want to peruse it. You can find other interventions at the same site.

Also out this week is the text of an address given Oct. 14 by Francis Campbell, the U.K. ambassador to the Holy See, at St. Mary's Cathedral in Newcastle. It offers a nice overview of international diplomacy in general, the connection between England and the Holy See and the historical role that religion has (or should have) played in international diplomacy, both prior to and subsequent to the formation of the United Nations. Nice, succinct nugget of history, and a good overview for those who are interested.

World Food Day 2010

2010-10-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

Today (10/16/2010) is World Food Day. If you want some information on World Food day, and perhaps sign a petition to end hunger, check these sites out.

Dr. Brenton had a program during the week last week to emphasize awareness of international food and water security. Hopefully I will winkle a report from Dr. B or some of the students who were able to go. I was unable to go, but I was working with another faculty member and her class with projects where they try to trace the life-cycle (materials, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal) of a favorite or symbolic item in their life.

My colleague Prof. Davis was inspired to have her students do this writing & research assignment after seeing "The story of stuff." While some of the items where made of more durable ingredients, some folks chose a special food that their parent made. In either case, resources from the FAO came in handy, and it was an opportunity to talk about the people involved in all stages of the item's "life cycle." We are starting out with a "Stuff" LibGuide to get our feet wet in this task; if you'd like to check it out or add a resource to the FAQ page, please visit!

Transporation, development & environment

2010-10-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

This past week in NYC saw some controversy surrounding building another tunnel between NJ and NYC. Budgets and personalities were scrutinized, but it would help to have heard more discussions about sustainable development. While it is easy to be skeptical about the sustainability of "Green" development, it has been very interesting to follow the efforts at sustainable transportation in New York, as part of the 2007 PLANYC. The growth of pedestrian and Bicycle routes has been great to watch, and enjoy -- the new lay-outs allow for room for pedestrians and bicyclists to share the streets safely with buses and cars. This type of layout works well in Helsinki and Stockholm, but requires that everyone pay attention to the traffic lanes and signs, for things to work smoothly. NYC Transit advocates, like Transportation Alternatives have been instrumental in endorsing safe-biking, and calling on all bike-riders to learn and love the rules of the road. The video below, sponsored by EMBARQ, talks about some of the changes that have taken place in just 3 years. The transformation from car-centric to people-centric transportation may seem slow, but as the video points out, three years is a relatively short time. The progress is real and I hope that the "tipping point" will soon be here.

For more information on sustainable transport solutions in other major cites, check out EMBARQ. "By focusing on transport, which affects everything from prosperity to pollution, EMBARQ seeks to generate significant social, environmental and economic benefits in the cities and communities where it works." They "work together with local transport authorities to reduce pollution, improve public health, and create safe, accessible and attractive urban public spaces."

Some upcoming October events with a Social Justice Theme

2010-09-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

A note to let those in the NYC area know about some upcoming lecture opportunities:

A colleague in the Art Department has notified me of an upcoming lecture by Social Entrepreneur, Activist and Designer Singgih Susilo Kartono on October 13, 2010 at 12:30 in Dr. M. T. Geoffrey Yeh Art Gallery, Sun Yat Sen Hall. (Prof. Aaris Sherin arranged it, Prof. Parvez Moshin from C5 is promoter!)

Kartono is an Indonesian product designer who has found ways of using wood that would otherwise be burned for charcoal or made into 1-time-use shipping pallets to make wonderful wooden products including radios, letter openers, staplers etc.

He trains and provides fair wages to workers in his local community and has a non-profit organization that gives seedlings away for free so that forests that have been clear cut or burned can be replanted. Kartono is an inspiring speaker for students that are looking for ways to ignite change through their own vocation and professional work either globally or in their local communities.

Singgih Susilo Kartono's radio design is on display at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum's "Why Design Now" exhibit, which is part of the larger National Design Triennial through January 9, 2011.

On October 23, 2010, the Vincentian Center is hosting a conference and some Roundtables on Migration which features some of our GDSJ faculty from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on the Queens Campus D’Angelo Center Room 416:

The World is Here: Global Migration and Local Strategies. Our aim is to see US migration in the context of the phenomena of global migration and to use Catholic Social Thought as the prism by which we examine some important concerns such as: Globalization and Employment; Violence against Migrants in Schools; National Policies of Deportation; Women on the Move; and Intercultural Parishes. We invite participation by academics and practitioners as well as persons who are living the experience. Please select your Roundtable and register early! Pre-registration is required. There is no fee for this conference.

Please also be advised that Parvez in C5 is working on a Human trafficking symposium currently scheduled for October 28, 2010, from 12:00 - 1:20 that will feature some of our GDSJ faculty and C5 students as well -- more details to come but save the date in case you can stop by.

For those of you outside the NYC area, I will check into the possibility of podcasting some of the the events or perhaps interviews, and of course, posting some of the resources afterwards. Perhaps the NYC cohort folks would be willing to write up a summary on their own blogs, or do a guest entry on this one? :) -- knowing full-well that you don;t have lots of spare time.

Finding NGOs

2010-07-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Alina was asking if there is a directory of NGOs -- here are a few that you may want to use:

The UN Department of Information has a directory of NGOs which have applied for Partnership with the UN DPI. If you choose "All" for Regions, a box will appear that allows you to select a Country. There are 2 DPI-affliated NGOs in Ecuador, about 13 in Argentina (hint-hint for Sarah!). The nice thing about this list is that, while an affliation is not an "endorsement" by the UN, one must apply and meet certain criteria, (including transparency, and financial reports) and re-apply to remain affliated as a DPI partner. United Nations & Civil Society is a "searchable Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) database is compiled by the NGO Liaison Office of the Director-General's Office at UNOG. It contains information about the organizations that have Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC)."

WANGO offers another directory that is searchable by region. "The World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) is an international organization uniting NGOs worldwide in the cause of advancing peace and global well being. " The Directory of Development Organizations is available in English, French and Spanish. Navigate by region on the right, then by country. "The directory aims to promote interaction and active partnerships among governments, private sector and key development organisations in civil society, including NGOs, trade unions, faith-based organizations, indigenous peoples movements, foundations and research centres." NOTE: "My Pointers" feature and MicroFinance orgs are marked with a red [M]." Criteria for inclusion in this database is less stringent: "general criteria of promoting good governance, sustainable development and poverty reduction."

All of these links are also available on the "Orgs" tab of the GDSJ LibGuide. If any cohort members know of another directory that is of use, please submit it through the "submit a link" feature on that LibGuide.

2010 World Economic and Social Survey

2010-06-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

The UN released the 2010 World Economic and Social Survey today (6/29) concludes that a major rebalancing of the global economy is needed to make it sustainable, and calls for "retooling Global Development." The multiple crises that have emerged on the global scale (including food, energy, climate change and financial crises) point to "major systemic failures in the global economy and weaknesses in the mechanisms for global governance and particularly also a lack of coherence among many areas of policy-making"

The Survey points out promising directions for reform, including strengthening government capacities for formulating and implementing national development strategies; doing more to ensure that official development assistance is aligned with national priorities; strengthening the international trade and financial systems so that countries with limited capabilities can successfully integrate into the global economy; creating new mechanisms for dealing with deficiencies, such as specialized multilateral frameworks through which to govern international migration and labour mobility, international financial regulation, multinational corporations and global value chains regulation, as well as sovereign debt workouts. Most importantly, the Survey highlights the need for a strong mechanism for global economic coordination which establishes coherence across all areas of global economic governance.

Keeping an eye on Privacy settings -- on any web-based platform

2010-06-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

There has been a ruckus during the last few months over Facebook's changes in privacy settings; and rightly so, many users only found out how the new "instant personalization" feature worked through news stories about websites which gathered and published data about User "likes" and Group affiliations.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has compiled a Bill of Privacy Rights, given their growing concern about privacy on Social networks . EFF also joined forces with other consumer advocacy groups (ACLU of Northern California, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Action, Consumer Watchdog, Privacy Lives, and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse) in posting/signing an open letter (June 16th) to the CEO of FB asking for specific restrictions/controls for the publishing of personal posts, prompting a (June 16th) reply.

While this activity is getting the most recent press, the ICT-saavy social network user should always keep in mind that many networks are "social" by default, meaning that the information you post will be shared with the widest possible audience using that platform, unless you put up some restrictions. Keep in mind, too, that by clicking on links within any web-based site you pose the same risks as clicking on a "advertisement" link on Google. Occasionally, you may visit a website that explicitly states that by using their application, clicking on a link, or entering information, you are agreeing to the policies of the website you are currently using and the one you are moving to; but keep in mind that most, if not all websites, hold you to an implicit agreement that, if you click on a link which is an "ad" (legitimate or scam) you may (at the very least) be giving them access to information in your web account, or to "cookies" and other information on your on your machine.

So let this Facebook kerfuffle serve as a reminder to avoid the thorny problems of internet usage: be careful what you post, be mindful about where you click, and be vigilant in regular-monitoring the privacy settings of any social network or web-based applications you use.

A couple of new World Development resources unveiled this week

2010-04-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

The past week the World Bank released their World Bank Development Data a new open-format, touting it as "...one of the world’s most reliable and comprehensive databases on developing economies. It includes more than 2,000 indicators from countries around the world, including hundreds that go back 50 years." I am checking into creating tutorials for our group, but to explore it for yourselves, check out their "how-to-guidelines" for use.

Additionally, the "The World Development Indicators (WDI) 2010 ... launched along with the World Bank’s Open Data initiative to provide free data to all users, includes more than 900 indicators documenting the state of all the world’s economies. The WDI covers education, health, poverty, environment, economy, trade, and much more.

A word on your web-browsers...

2010-04-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

Hello GDSJers! A couple of words on updating your browsers:

Internet Explorer:
You may have noticed that some websites (like YouTube, e.g.) will prompt you to "update" your Internet Explorer browser , but before you do an "automatic update" please check to see which Browsers are compatible with St. John's Central and WebCT. For instance, SJC and BB/WebCT are only compatible with IE 7 so you shouldn't "automatically" upgrade to IE8 (the newest browser). If you would like to update IE, please use the Microsoft site download IE7 directly.
IT also recommend that, if you are working with a computer thast runs on "Windows 7," you may have to use Firefox or some non-IE browser to use SJCentral and WebCT. (That is, do not try to remove IE8, if it is integrated into Win7)

Your new browser and RefWorks/Write-n-Cite: If you have not already seen it, you may want to read through the blog entry I posted on the main library site, especially if you are encountering errors from RefWorks or WNC. It has to do with their upgrade and changes in browsers, so hopefully this entry addresses any "Certificate" issues you may have with RefWorks or WNC.

"Third world" minds working on "First World in Need" Deadline 5/30

2010-04-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Dx1W has proclaimed 2010 International Year of the First World in Need. The DX1W group started as a response to an assignment given to an NYU class, they were given one week to come up with a "design" to "address a Third World Problem." The big issue, as one student saw it, was one of perspective: the assumption that first world students could know, much less address, the problems of a Third world area without really consulting people who live in the area.

"Our fellows in the first world often come to visit and give us their well
intentioned but often very problematic "solutions". We thought, why don’t we pay
back? Dx1W is a competition for designers, artists, scientists, makers and
thinkers in developing countries to provide solutions for First World problems."

While the competition started half jokingly, the results of this "thought experiement" are expected to be serious: a $1000 prize goes to the individual or team who bring their brilliant "third world minds," and a unique perspective to bear in addressing First world problems in 4 areas:

Reducing obesity
Addressing aging population and low birth rate
Reducing consumption rate of mass produced goods
Integrating the immigrant population.

Furthermore, one of the major aims of the Year will be to demonstrate the
beneficial effects of cultural diversity. We want to recognize the importance of
transfers and exchanges between cultures through implicit or explicit dialogue
that underlines how cultures and civilizations are interlinked and contribute to
the progress of humankind.

Deadline to file your proposal is May 30st, 2010 11:59 p.m. EST
http://designforthefirstworld.com/the-competition/

Free Gov 2.0 Conference on 3/11

2010-03-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

From the O'Reilly Gov2.0 conference site, information on the upcoming free conference on the role of Web 2.0 in government communications, promoting open government, including open data and transparency of operations.

Gov 2.0 is a worldwide revolution—from the United States to Australia and everywhere in between. Members of government are interacting with citizens via social media and open data efforts are spreading from city to city. At this Gov 2.0 Online Conference, you'll hear about open government efforts in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Israel. The speakers will share stories and lessons learned, and answer your questions. Learn about some of the Gov 2.0 best practices that have helped effect important change in other countries, and discuss effective ways to use specific tools and processes in other settings.

Registration for this conference is free, and includes access to the recorded sessions after the live event.

Recognizing a Research Article

2010-02-24T20:04:00.000-08:00

Some criteria for evaluating the scholarly nature of research articles are listed below. Although the criteria are geared toward experiemental sciences, the same general qualities can be found in Arts and Humanities research resources as well:

Theory/Hypothesis -- A question or problem
Literature review -- A thorough search of previous research that addresses the problem (or ones like them)
Methodology -- A guideline explaining of method used to gather data (details about example questions, experiment, analysis of letters)
Data -- Raw data and organized data -- the information that was gathered and organized and/or "coded"
Interpretation of Data -- Analysis of gathered data in relation to hypothesis and in relation to previous research
Conclusion/Findings -- summary of research conducted, and significance in relation to the field. Some proposal for further research.
Bibliography/References -- from both literature and analysis portions

For help in learning how to read a scholarly research article, check out these Diane Hudson Barr's How to Read a Research Article (Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing; Apr-Jun2004, Vol. 9 Issue 2, p70-72, 3p) or for help with other types of research, (e.g.: how to read a contract, how to evaluate methodology, etc.) check this RefShare folder link for more.

Downloading docs from St. John's Central via IE

2010-01-26T13:28:00.000-08:00

The IT department has identified an issue related to the download of Microsoft office 2007 documents from St. John’s Central (SJC) via Internet Explorer. Although it may not have an impact on you, I post it here in case you are having trouble accessing documents from STJ.

If you find you have downloaded a document from St John’s Central that is not readable please take the following steps.These 5 steps only need be done once. (1.) Click on “My Computer” (2.) Click on “Tools/Folder Options (3.) Click “View Tab” (4.) In “Advanced Settings” check that “hide extensions from known files types” is unchecked. (5.) Click “OK”
Locate the file you have downloaded. (1.) Right Click on the file (2.) Click on “Properties” (3.) Change the file extension (these are the 3-4 letters after the “.” in the name) to the correct extension in the file name
Word document will be “docx”
Excel Spreadsheet will be “xlsx”
Powerpoint slides will be “pptx”
(4.) Click OK
You will now be able to open the file. Files which are saved with Microsoft office 2003 versions do not have this problem. Therefore we recommend saving files in Microsoft office 2003 format when posting in St. John’s Central.

To that we might add, when posting documents to your BlackBoard course, or sending out correspondence to organizations and NGOs that might not have the most recent version of MicroSoft as well! Best of luck.

Welcome back to a new semester!

2010-01-25T16:57:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to cohorts 3 & 4!

Cohort 3, if you have not already been in touch with your mentor about the literature review for your topics, please do so soon; if you need help finding resources, email me and we can find additional materials. Please also consult with the Capstone LibGuide for resources, and check into IRB requirements with your mentor.

Cohorts 3 and 4, if you are looking for technical help with your laptop, please be sure to follow the procedures on the Tech LibGuide to communicate any issues, and ensure that you are up and running for the new semester.

To all Cohorts, if you have come across some web-based resources that you think your fellow cohorts might find helpful, please add them through the "suggest a link" box. If you have not yet joined the facebook accounts for your cohort -- or the main shared cohort -- and/or if would like more information on doing so, please send an email, and I will send follow-up information.

All the best for the new semester!

World AIDS day 2009

2009-12-02T12:02:00.001-08:00

While "the concept of a World AIDS Day originated at the 1988 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention," the efforts have expanded well beyond UN; each year, organizations around the world mark December 1 with promotion/awareness of projects and programs designed to combat AIDS. In previous years at St. John's, the Pharmacy and Anthropology departments have gathered to talk about the relationship between AIDS, and TB, as well as talking about some of the food-security and child-care emergencies that arise from dealing with the AIDS epidemic. Recordings of the 2006 and 2007 talks can be found on the Academic Podcast LibGuide.

The GDSJ Health Information Resources LibGuide offers both CSJ and Subject-specific-Libguide suggestions for further research on combating AIDS. The Caritas and CRS links offer some resources that explain how Catholic agencies are meeting the needs of affected communities, and the Caritas/UNAIDS memo of understanding underscores the common goal of treating AIDS victims, and their community members with dignity, while clearly indicating that "For Caritas Internationalis, the Catholic Church’s moral and social teaching will inform all its activities in the field of HIV/AIDS....[and that CI's] advocacy programme will be based on the spiritual, moral, and social teaching of the Catholic Church."

Note also that the UNAIDS site has posted their annual AIDS fact sheets for 2009 and the 2010 UNAIDS Outlook report, if you were keeping an eye out!

World Summit on Food Security 2009

2009-11-24T12:25:00.000-08:00

Note that the "Addresses and Statements " from the November World Summit on Food Security are now available through the FAO website in PDF and Audio formats.

Use the navigation on the left-hand side to access the files by day. Documents and Issues Briefs are available as well.

Local Project offers new twist on "Book Mobile"

2009-11-18T04:45:00.000-08:00

American Libraries' Local Scoop covers the "Library of Hope" in rural India, sponsored by the PaanPoee project. This "local solution" to the local illiteracy rates offers a nice example of Solidarity and Subsidiartity! It works in conjunction with the VRDC elementary school system, using teachers who are willing to retrieve books for students via bicycle, and getting some remote financial sponsorship from Home of Hope in San Francisco:

There is no data yet on the effectiveness of the program, but Home of Hope has gathered anecdotal evidence of educational improvements. Jayashree Nangude, librarian at the primary school in Jejuri, reports that students, teachers, and some parents borrow books for home reading. And Chhaya Pawar, deputy manager of the VRDC school center in Shirwal, said that the books help to keep students’ attention and interest. “One of our teachers asked students to tell a story every day,” she said. “It was difficult for a student to tell a story. But now with so many strong books available to read, children clamor for an opportunity to recite a story, or begin a tale on their own."
More...

ICT for development: conference and resources

2009-09-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

It was a banner week for folks following the role of ICTs in development. Harvard Law's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Canada's IDRC and the their sustained efforts on the Global Voices Online site offer some rich reflections, and continuing dialogue on the role of ICTs in development and the relationship between ICTs and Freedom.

"Six years ago, the International Development Research Centre's first Harvard Forum, "A Dialogue on ICTs and Poverty Reduction," brought together Nobel Laureates Amartya Sen and Michael Spence with 30 leading thinkers and practitioners from around the globe. In the worlds of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and development, many important and transformative changes have occurred over the last six years..."

Last week, scholars and researchers from around the world reconvened for a conference addressing The Future of ICTs for Development. Harvard's Berkman Center offers video of the "kick-off" speakers from last week's reunion panel, entitled, "Communication and Human Development: The Freedom Connection?" This panel featured "Professors Michael Spence and Amartya Sen join leading ICT (Information-Communication Technology) experts Yochai Benkler and Clotilde Fonseca in a public discussion of the role of communication and ICTs in human development, growth and poverty reduction." Additionally, the Global Voices site (jointly supported IRCD and HBC) is hosting response papers that keep the dialogue going (grab their GVO feed for regular updates).

Creative mash-ups of tools for hi-tech results

2009-08-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

Often times, new technologies are very expensive to develop, and consequently, the organizations that need the technology most can't have access. Enter Johnny Chung Lee, who tinkers with electronic gadgets to see if he can make useful technologies more widely accessible. One of his more amazing "mash-ups" came about in December 2007; that project involved combining the technology of the infrared camera in a Wii remote, with a home-made LED pen and a bluetooth connection (between the Wii remote and his computer laptop) -- add a little of his programming code (which he has made OpenSource) and he has effectively created a "homemade" smart-whiteboard for about $50...with about 80% of the functionality of smartboards costing thousands of dollars more. According to Lee's April 2008 TED presentation, within 4 months, the software had been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times, and Lee credits YouTube for the successful dissemination of information about this low-cost alternative for thousands of teachers and professors. He asks other OS developers to take advantage of Web2.0 tools for better scientific and scholarly communications.

Now, to get to the details: not everyone will have the "technical temerity" to make their own, but if you want to give it a go, below is his original (December 2007) Youtube tutorial/overview, and here is the link to his website that offers some instructions and lets you download the computer code.

Thanks to John Garino and Charles Livermore for bringing Johnny Lee to our attention.

CNEWA - CSJ agency in the "Near East"

2009-08-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

Came across CNEWA through a comment on a blog, have any of our cohort members worked with them? The Catholic Near East Welfare Association is a papal agency for humanitarian and pastoral support in the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe for more than 75 years. You might check out the site's resources section: CNEWA publishes ONE magazine, which seems to cover a number of issues related to ecumenical movements in Social Justice and development, including Christian Immigration reports.

Founded in 1926 by Pope Pius XI, CNEWA’s mandate is:

- to support the pastoral mission and institutions of the Eastern Catholic churches.
- to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need without regard to nationality or creed.
- to promote Christian unity and interreligious understanding and collaboration.
-to educate people in the West about the history, cultures, peoples and churches of the East.

The newest cohort members!

2009-07-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that the slideshow on the right has been changed to add pictures of Cohort 4 -- who are now heading into Week 4 of the Summer program.

We have studied, dined, visited, learned Italian and sung with our new friends from Muldova, Hungary, India, Philippines, Italy, USA, Colombia, Cameroon, Germany, Nigeria, Ghana and Rwanda.

After exams, we part but still hope to be in touch through coursework and our social networks. Cohort 2 and 4 got to meet in person, but if cohorts 1 and 3 would like to join in the fun, be sure to inquire about our new groups for GDSJ in Facebook and LinkedIn.

"Amartya Sen's Story of Justice" from TOI

2009-07-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Prof. Monteiro for sharing this link to an interview with Amartya Sen about his upcoming book on justice:

In an exclusive interview with The Times of India, the Nobel
laureate speaks about his most ambitious book yet.

Who is this book for? Academics who study justice? Philosophers who explore justice? Legislators who create the system that doles out justice? The layperson who thinks about justice?
It is a book on philosophy, but it is meant for everyone. I agree with Antonio Gramsci, the great Italian political leader, that philosophy is not "a strange and difficult thing", but all the things we reason about. Of course I hope there will be some academic interest from professional philosophers, and that those concerned with policy issues will also take an interest. But the idea of justice interests us all.

The importance of organizing and backing up your data

2009-07-22T03:12:00.000-07:00

A cautionary tale from National Air and Space Adminstration:

The "original footage of the Apollo 11 moonwalk ...probably destroyed during a period when NASA was erasing old magnetic tapes and reusing them to record satellite data." NPR's July 16, 2009 Morning Edition: Houston, We Erased The Apollo 11 Tapes by Nell Greenfieldboyce

This is a small example of a few issues with data preservation in general and of protecting YOUR data as much as possible. There are a number of theories about the most stable mode of preservation, but keeping originals in tact is always a good idea. Making "preservation copies" of your papers, data, etc, and then using or sharing the copies -- rather than the originals -- is a good idea. Consistent and informative "labelling" of data, and using underscores instead of spaces (e.g.: your_file_name.doc) are good practices. Additionally making regular back-ups of your computer and of important files is a good practice, so that you don't lose all your coursework or your entire thesis due to unforseen catastrophe. Finally, keep those back-ups in several different physical and\or virtual locations, so that if the copy in your apartment gets damaged due to flood or excessive temperatures, the copy in your school skydrive or the office external drive is still accessible.

Thanks to our friend Marilyn Johnson for sharing this NASA story with us.

Caritas in Veritate

2009-07-08T23:56:00.000-07:00

We are lucky to be back in Rome to welcome the new 4th cohort, and to watch the 2nd cohort finish up and graduate. We are doubly blessed to be here when the Pope's most recent Encyclical was released. It deals extensively with the Church's Social Teaching and "development" and has lead to some great discussions. Before you read the press and theological commentary, tackle it for yourself! Caritas in Veritate is available through the Vatican website in many languages,

This dynamic of charity received and given is what gives rise to the Church's social teaching, which is caritas in veritate in re sociali: the proclamation of the truth of Christ's love in society. This doctrine is a service to charity, but its locus is truth. Truth preserves and expresses charity's power to liberate in the ever-changing events of history. It is at the same time the truth of faith and of reason, both in the distinction and also in the convergence of those two cognitive fields. Development, social well-being, the search for a satisfactory solution to the grave socio-economic problems besetting humanity, all need this truth.

Elderly in MDG

2009-07-06T01:42:00.000-07:00

Following up on Dominic's Statement about the status of the elderly in the MDGs, here is an article I found (via RSS news feed) about an NGO -- HelpAge International -- which states that:

Around the world, there are currently 197 million older people who live in
poverty while some 80 per cent of older people in developing countries have
no regular income. More people over the age of 60 die each year from
malnutrition, respiratory diseases and tuberculosis than any other age
group, including children aged 0-14. Yet, the older poor remain largely
sidelined by their governments and unreached by most development aid.

More on the article here, more on HelpAge International here . For more on using RSS feeds to get the latest information on your development interests, check out this RSS LibGuide.

Making a movie out of Pictures in Picasa

2009-06-24T22:01:00.000-07:00

Created using student pictures, organized in Picasa 3, Handel audio added using the movie feature, uploaded to YouTube to our StJ_libraries Channel

Summer is a great time to catch up on research!

2009-06-07T18:47:00.001-07:00

Whether you are just starting to gather your Capstone ideas, or are polishing up your references prior to presentatoin in Rome, now is a good time to take advantage of a "break in the action."

You know that the Libguides by Subjects databases offer great resources, but if you are having any trouble with resources, research, content or citations, Skype, email or sky-write...but be in touch soon and avoid the panic/rush!!

If you need a refresher on Refworks, the Libguide RefWorks Toolkit offers tutorials too. http://libguides.stjohns.edu/RefWorks

Language Parity and Local Information Centers are main concerns for UN

2009-05-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

The United Nations is hosting the 31st Session of the Committee on Information, in order to help guide the Department of Public Information (DPI) in its efforts to co-ordinate and disseminate information about UN activities, warnings and recommendations.

The DPI has made great strides in taking advantage of social-web communications in it's new website and multimedia projects, and has enjoyed great participation in their outreach/awareness campaigns. However, member states continue to raise concerns about three main obstacles to equity in access to information:
1) TRANSLATIONS: while some UN information is availabe in over 100 languages, much UN information remains untranslated, even into the 6 official languages -- cost of translation and volume of materials generated are problematic. 2) UNICs: UN Information Centers are the main venue for communication with local populations but many UNICs are in danger of becoming understaffed or closed, at a time when even more UNICs are needed -- cost of staffing, and cost of rent in places where facilities are not provided by the host government are cited as reasons. 3) DIGITAL DIVIDE: As technology advances, the digital gap could have 3 times the impact for regions without reliable internet access, since they will 1) not have access to new "digiborn" UN resources being created, 2) if more resources are being spent on new-technology initiatives, some of the traditional media outlets (like radio and TV) will suffer for having less resources 3) the "participatory" aspect of the social web -- which aims at greater participation among member states -- will only benefit developed areas, while those who lack access will be further marginalized.

Are you aware of UNIC's in your region which can help with outreach and emergency information dissemination? Are you able to access UN information in your language? Is it disseminated by radio, print or web? Have you found accessing the new multimedia resources difficult?

WDL update

2009-04-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

Now that the new World Digital Library is officially up-and-running, note that you can browse by
Place Time Topic Type of Item Institution

Also, some of the links are redirected, the main site can be found here: http://www.wdl.org/en/
and the preview videos can be found here.

World Digital Library? Closer to realization on 4/21/209

2009-04-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

On the heels of success with the American Memory project and agreements with the National Library of Egypt, James H. Billington, U.S. Librarian of Congress, initially proposed the idea for a World Digital Library in June 2005, during an address at the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO. Now, thanks to the co-operation of several national libraries and various cultural institutions, the first version of WDL is set to launch on April 21, 2009. Expect lots of traffic on the first few days, but this video offers a sneak peek.

The World Digital Library will make available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from cultures around the world, including manuscripts, maps, rare books, musical scores, recordings, films, prints, photographs, architectural drawings, and other significant cultural materials.

LibGuides: accessing resources by tag, search, etc

2009-03-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

It may seem a long time ago that you were first learning about researching and resources, but remember a "buffet" of resources await you!! You probably already noticed that the "resources by Subject" pages look a bit different, they are now displayed via LibGuides. The good news is that the subject links and how-to database tutorials you have come to depend on are still on these subject pages! The better news is that we are now able to have you contribute content directly through "suggest a link/reource" boxes (where enabled), or contact me and I will add them to resource pages that are put together by others. You can also find guides by the cloud tag on the main page -- such as gdsj or database tutorials -- or by using the search box on the main page. Finally, a LibGuide dedicated to offering you RefWorks Toolkit has also been added to remind you of how to use RefWorks if you need a refresher.

International Women's Day

2009-03-08T18:57:00.000-07:00

The UNDP celebrates International Women's Day today, highlighting the role of women in meeting the UN Millenium Development Goals.

International Women’s Day on March 8, 2009, is an opportunity to remind the world of women’s economic, political and social achievements. Gender equality is crucial for the development process and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The website today features stories of women in Turkmenistan, Ecador, Nepal, Timor_Leste, Uganda, Syria and Yemen. Additionally they look at the "challenges that women face" in the Gaza, Myanmar & Sudan conflict regions.

Founder's Week 2008 Podcast: Joseph McNeil

2009-02-28T22:28:00.000-08:00

Major General Joseph McNeil "kicked off" Founder's Week 2009 by offering a talk entitled "Transformation: Vision and Values." McNeil, who was one of the "Greensboro Four," recalled his experiences as a College student who wanted to make a difference. He and a few friends started a state-wide movement simply by sitting at a lunch counter: “We had no idea at the time that our small act of defiance in taking a non-violent stand would turn into a movement that would spread to thousands of people throughout the South.”

You can listen to a streaming version of the audiofile by clicking on the Name-link above. To download the audio-file to your computer, right-click on the hyperlinked name above, and select "Save Target as..." to transfer a copy of the .mp3 file to your computer. To subscribe to all the podcasts from this blog with iTunes, use the PodFeed subcription the right-hand column of the blog.

Read more about his talk, which is also available in videocast format for our readers with higher bandwidth.

New Courses, New e-mail, New President

2009-01-22T14:46:00.000-08:00

Well it has been alot of activity this first week back on the Queens Campus, so some reliable information and reassurances are in order:

The U.S. celebrated Martin Luther King's birthday, a noted Civil rights leader, who's famous speeches regarding race relations, jobs, freedom and the Vietnam War helped shape the US, both then, and today. This picture was taken at a Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom (Time/Life Collection). For those who are interested in reading/viewing some of King’s original speeches, "I Have a Dream" and “Beyond Vietnam” and other electronic versions of King’s papers/speeches are available through Stanford University’s “King Papers Project”

The U.S. also celebrated the Inaguration of the new president; inaugurations are most notable in American history for being a "peaceful transistion of power". For more information check out the official WhiteHouse website (the revamped version of the Obama/Biden transistion website Change.gov).

Email and Courseware: The Student email interface changed, but cohorts will still be able to email your colleagues through your St John's Central group as you did before (and neither student nor faculty email addresses changed). Please note that students "must complete [email] registration in order ... to access their email. This will happen the first time they attempt to access their email." You can find your old email prior to January 6, 2009 using the Old Email link under the student tab in St. John's Central, but to start using your new email account, IT has provided these instructions.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rallying point for Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom. Photographer: Paul Schutzer Washington, DC, US; May 1957; Time/LIFE Collection http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=21e4fb1beff190d4&q=Prayer%20Pilgrimage%20for%20Freedom%20source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPrayer%2BPilgrimage%2Bfor%2BFreedom%2Bsource:life%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG Accessed 1/22/2009. Although this picture was taken in 1957, it is comparable to pictures taken this past Monday , for the pre-inaugural concert and address on the Lincoln Memorial.

Happy Birthday, Human Rights!

2008-12-10T13:03:00.000-08:00

December 10th is "Human Rights Day" and marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the conclusion of a year-long campaign among all the UN organization to focus on Human Rights. "The theme of the campaign, ... reinforces the vision of the Declaration as a commitment to universal dignity and justice and not something that should be viewed as a luxury or a wish-list."

Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, offered this address at the United Nations to mark the occasion.

The 10th also serves as the day when UN awards their "United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights for 2008." This award, which is only offered every 5 years, will be presented to Ms. Louise Arbour, Mr. Ramsey Clark, Dr. Carolyn Gomes, Dr. Denis Mukwege and Human Rights Watch. Posthumous Prizes will be awarded to Benazir Bhutto and Sister Dorothy Stang Prize posthumously. The President of the UN general Assembly, Miguel d´Escoto Brockmann, describes them thus:

These awardees constitute symbols of persistence, valour and tenacity in their resistance to public and private authorities that violate human rights. They constitute a moral force to put an end to systematic human rights violations. In doing so, they are an inspiration to all of us who seek and believe another type of society, another type of political system, another economic model, another world is possible where all persons will be treated as brothers and sisters, without discrimination, exclusion or destruction of life in all its forms.

Inspiring facts, folks and stories, they remind me of our own students! Keep on fighting the good fight! You may want to do your own local promotion and take the UNHR quiz!

How to share photos

2008-11-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

Hello my far-flung GDSJ students! Although the campus library is open to students in Queens, we are still working out some collection-space & connectivity issues, but all-in-all, the students are pleased to have a place to study again. Hope your final projects in CST are coming along okay!

To offer a (rather belated) answer Taniya's query/comment on the last entry, here is a tutorial on how to share photos using your iGoogle and Blogger accounts. Looking forward to seeing you all post photos on your blogs (via Slideshow below) or via links -- like this one-- http://picasaweb.google.com/kgshaughnessy/Wedding_too# !

The tutorial was built with freeware called Wink! More on that in a later entry! (if you have any suggestions for OS software or freeware that you think your fellow students could use, please let us know!)

Update from Cohort II: Ngobe Mission in Panama

2008-09-15T11:52:00.001-07:00

One of our cohort II students, Fr. Joe Fitzgerald C.M., has been using his camera and updating his MLS120 website to keep us abreast of the Ngobe people in the area of Panama where Joe serves as a priest. He also recently "posted a youtube video with images of the flooding on September 3rd, that took the lives of 8 people and destroyed hundreds of homes when the Fonseca River flooded it's banks." This video is one of several in the Ngobe Mission YouTube channel. Joe tells that another website "has been set up by Amanda Gabster, a biologist in the US who is dedicated to better water quality in the area we serve as a mission. Her site gives updates on the relief efforts and methods to donate" as well as a offering a discussion forum in case someone who has expertise can make suggestions for relief efforts. Please keep Joe and all our GDSJ cohort members and communities in your prayers.

Welcome Back & notes on "Labor Day"

2008-09-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hello all...we are back from out collective weddings & vacations, hope everyone is refreshed and ready for a new semester! Monday was a national holiday in America, like some other countries we celebrate "Labor Day" to recognize the dignity every-day labor that goes on around us and to commemorate those who fought for organization of laborers. The picture here (from the American Memory Project) depicts an early Labor Day parade in Buffalo NY. Do you celebrate something like Labor Day in your country?

Catholic social teaching emphasizes the role of labor, both as a gift and right because the work we do both expresses and encourages the flourishing of all human dignity; Catholic Social thought also emphasizes the role of solidarity among workers to bring about the best conditions for workers and families.

Two major encyclicals that deal directly with labor and the condition of workers are Rerum Novarum and Laborem Exercens. Rerum Novarum is considered one of the first encyclicals to deal explicitly with "social justice," focusing on the rights of workers (as well as the responsibilities of both workers and capital-owners) at the start of the industrial revolution. There are a number of "anniversary encyclicals" but Pope John Paul II's Laborem Exercens -- penned 90 yeats is especially helpful for our GDSJ courses because it re-interprets the condition of workers as a result of the "technological revolution" and the attending issues of the globalization of work.

Photo credit : Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.; http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/det/4a00000/4a08000/4a08400/4a08406r.jpg)

Pope Leo XIII. Rerum Novarum. Encyclical, 15 May 1891. Available online: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum_en.html

Pope John Paul II. Laborem Exercens. Encyclical Letter, September 14, 1981. Available online: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_14091981_laborem-exercens_en.html

Villa Adriana in spectacular Tivoli

2008-07-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

Between classes, the cohorts spent a Saturday taking in the glorious sights at Villa Adriana in Tivoli. Our guide was very knowledgable, and the recurring motif was that Adrian really liked his privacy. The remote location was so that he could have a home away from the bustle of Rome, and the sheer size of the place was due to the fact that he had to have lots of visitors, and entertainment for the visitors, but didn't really want to spend time with them, hear them or see them, so they would be on one side of the grounds, he would be on the other! Perhaps Adrian preferred to spend his time quietly among his books. The featured photo is the sign for his Greek library (not to be confused with his Latin Library). From what we saw of the rest of the buildings, those libraries were probably pretty nice to be in! No e-books for Adrian...but if YOU need direct access to ebooks, you can click on this link (also available at the top of Quick access gadget to the right) and here's a little tutorial on how to search for ebooks within the main catalog (so you can export your book citations into RefWorks from the catalog).

Modified Human Development Index

2008-07-23T03:07:00.000-07:00

Dr. Rioux had mentioned that he used Lexis-Nexus to get a copy of the Guardian article for our discussion about Development in the US. Notice that the article provides the title of the original report "Measure of America: American Human Development Report"-- and also mentions who sponsored the research "The report, Measure of America, was funded by Oxfam America, the Conrad Hilton Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation." and also tells you who conducted the research "co-author, Sarah Burd-Sharps". This provides you with enough information get to know more about the expertise of the named author, find the name of the other co-author, and find out about the agencies that conducted & sponsored the research. The actual report is not available for free right now (and it was published July 16th, so the library probably doesn't own it yet) but I was able to find some of the hightlighted facts on the American Human Development Project sponsor website: http://measureofamerica.org/. Notice also that the ANDP site explains that it uses a modified HDI (different from the HDI you might find UNDP site or in the CountryWatch database).

Seager, Ashley. "Development: US fails to measure up on 'human index': Nation slumps from 2nd to 12th in global table: Richest fifth take home $168,000, poorest $11,000" The Guardian (London) - Final Edition (July 17, 2008). Financial Pages, 29.

FAO Conference

2008-07-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Cohorts 1 & 3 gather at the FAO headquarters for the 3rd international conference on Global Development and Social Justice. Speakers included Vandana Shiva, from the Research Foundation for Technology, Science and Environment in Navdanya Inda, Marcela Villarreal, Director of Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division of FAO Rome and Richard Mollica, Director of the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, Boston USA, as well as a testimonial by our graduating Cohort 1 student, Zaldy Trespases. For more plictures see the slideshow below; to see a larger version of any picture, click on the picture within the slide show frame.

Tourism & Encyclopedias

2008-07-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

Visa delay: 3 weeks.
Class periods: 3 hours per period.
Visting the Pantheon: Timeless

So we all visited the Pantheon and our guide told us that the door to the Pantheon was the oldest, "original" continually-working door in Rome...that is, it is the original door and it has opened and closed every day for over two millenia. I was amazed, but promptly forgot how old she said the Pantheon was. So if I want to check on this fact -- when the Pantheon was built--I can go to a reliable reference source. In this case, I went to Resources by Subject to find an Art or Architecture source. Within the ART subject page, I found the OXFORD ART reference link, typed in the words Pantheon Rome (because there is another famous pantheon in Paris) and found this entry from the Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture: "The rotunda erected by Emperor Hadrian (reigned AD 117–38) in Rome (AD 118–28), with coffered concrete dome (illuminated by an oculus at the top) set on a very thick circular drum (the internal diameter of which is the same as the internal height to the top of the dome), and octastyle temple-front portico attached to the drum outside." Note that architecture "lingo" is used in this subject-specific dictionary definition, but those terms are also links so you can "look up" the definitions (if needed) within the dictionary. This time frame indicates that it is less than two millenia, so within Oxford, I narrowed the search to "history" and see that the entry in "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology tells us more about the history of the structure over time: "A classical Roman temple built in the heart of Rome, Italy, by Agrippa in 27–25 BC, rebuilt by Domitian, and finally reconstructed c.AD 118–25 by Hadrian. The Hadrianic temple consists of a massive domed rotunda lit by a central aperture open to the sky. The building owes its survival to the fact that it was converted into a Christian church in AD 608." To learn more about the Pantheon, I might check into a specifc book, like those listed in the bibliography of these entries.

"Pantheon" A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. James Stevens Curl. Oxford University Press 2006. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. St. John's University. 15 July 2008

"Pantheon" The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology. Timothy Darvill. Oxford University Press, 2002. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. St. John's University. 15 July 2008

(Photo: Courtesy of Prof. Kevin Rioux, July 2008)

Cohorts I & III a Trevi Fontana!

2008-07-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

The Philippine students have arrived! After a quick dinner, the 2 cohorts partake in a Sunday evening "Rome-by-Night" tour, with our guide Franchesca. We saw and heard many sights, and the students had a chance to have gelato (some for the first time -- Fr. Chris -- some who already had gelato but were happy to try a new flavor -- tiramisu!)

Here are a number of students in front of the Trevi Fountain. No one waded in the fountain, "La Dolce Vita" style (it is illegal), but we did toss in coins (right-hand tosses over left shoulder), as part of a tradition that ensures a return to Rome. The city of Rome allows the coins to be donated to Caritas charities, the coins are collected every Monday and sent along to the International Relief agency.

Welcome Cohort III: this is blogging

2008-07-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cohort III...who are still
arriving from all over the world -- our
colleagues from the Philippines are due in
shortly. The cohort has already been
exploring Roma, fearlessly working through
new technologies, and working on
presentations for Dr. Losi's Introductory
Seminar class.
The students in this cohort hail from:
Nigeria, Kenya, India, Philippines, Italy,
England, Hungary, Japan, Ghana, Brazil and
the USA. (Adding to our growing network of
colleaugues from Colombia, Palestine, Panama,
Canada, Russia, Thailand, Bulgaria, Haiti,
Indonesia, and Rwanda

Encyclopedia Britannica Online takes up 2.0

2008-06-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

By now you may have heard that Encyclopaedia Britannica Online is working on become wiki-fied. This opening up of the online publication is not on par with wikipedia's "anybody can edit any entry" policy, rather, it will now allow user-created entries to be added to the encyclopedia, and to appear along-side entries written and verified by EB's editorial board. All entries will have author-credits, but EB-created entries will bear an icon indicating EB's expert authorship. EB is encouraging expert users to create and edit public entries so that the encyclopedia can include newer concepts more quickly than a regular publishing cycle would ordinarily allow, and simultaneously takes on the best of collaborative publishing, while still promoting research and author-responsibility. According to the announcement on the EB blog:

These efforts not only will improve the scope and quality of Encyclopaedia Britannica, but they’ll also allow expert contributors and readers to supplement this content with their own. The result will be a place with broader and more relevant coverage for information seekers and a welcoming community for scholars, experts, and lay contributors.

Their subsequent blog entry on collaboration is worth noting for all researchers who are interested in harnessing the positive power of Web 2.0 tools. Taking advantage of other 2.0-tools that allow wide dissemination of their reliable content, EB has created widgets that allow users to embed EB topics into a website, blog or courseware. Users can pick from broad categories hosted on EB's topic widget page or check out the near 600 topics indexed in the iGoogle EB-widget page. They have also made it easier to embed a EB search tools in your browser, get updates by email or RSS, and to add wireless applications to mobile devices. Kudos to EB, and lucky for us, that EB has made reliable information more readily accessible!

UN and Development resources

2008-06-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

The MDG monitor helps track progress made toward the United Nations Millenium Developent Goals. Created by the UN Development Programme, this site attempts to provide "a one-stop-shop for information" regarding the effort to meet the MDGs, and catgorizes information about both challenges and successes according to indiviudal goal, country, and participating organizations.

The MDG Monitor is designed as a tool for policymakers, development practitioners, journalists, students and others to:
TRACK progress through interactive maps and country-specific profiles
LEARN about countries' challenges and achievements and get the latest news
SUPPORT organizations working on the MDGs around the world

To keep up with the latest news, you might consider using the MDG-Monitor's RSS news feeds; one feed for the whole site, or individual feeds from one or more of the Goals-related news pages.

Social Justice and World Communications

2008-05-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

The Pope's Message on the occasion of the 42nd World Communications Day, 2008 is now available in many languages [English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish] on the Vatican Website. The May 4th, 2008 letter, entitled "The Media: At the Crossroads between Self-Promotion and Service.Searching for the Truth in order to Share it with Others" re-inforces the "ambiguity of Progress" in global communications -- the relationships between language, communication and peace provide exciting new possibilities to "foster and strengthen understanding between nations, to breathe life into peace dialogues around the globe, to guarantee the primary good of access to information, while at the same time ensuring the free circulation of ideas, especially those promoting the ideals of solidarity and social justice" but of course, there is also the possibility for widely disseminated mis-information and dis-information, where social media can be "exploited for indiscriminate 'self-promotion'" and become a "spokesmen for economic materialism and ethical relativism, true scourges of our time."

Moodle Overview

2008-05-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the themes of information access and information and technology literacy, I am exploring the use of Moodle for a hybrid ethics course I am teaching through the Institute of Religious Studies (part taught in person, part online). Moodle (acronym for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is OpenSource courseware and can be hosted on a local server or hosted by Moodle partners for low cost. If this exploration works as a proof of concept, Moodle may be adopted as the Distance Learning platform for the Seminary's Institute. I am also working on having a "Library classroom/lab" in MoodleRooms as a virtual library for the GDSJ program. If any of our cohort members have already used Moodle, please comment with your experiences. If any of the cohorts would be interested in using this virtual learning community to continue contact with current and alum GDSJ cohorts, or as a vehicle for virtual instruction in your own communities, I am happy to share any information I pick up along the way.

Free and Opensource Software that has been developed by or supported by UNESCO for "capacity building and ...development purposes" include: "Museolog, an advanced tool for museum records management, based on the international standards; Greenstone, a suite of software for building and distributing digital library collections; eNRICH, a community browser; Moodle, a course management system; and CDS/ISIS, information management software."

The video below gives a bit more information on Moodle:

Podcast: Mario Marazziti

2008-05-06T14:11:00.001-07:00

Syndication of podcasts from the Vincentian Center for Church and Society continues with a contribution from the Center's November 2006 Conference on "Languages for Peace."

Keynote speaker Mario Marazziti offers a moving discussion of language in his role as an international "peace-maker." Additionally, Mr. Marazziti offers his own concrete examples of how a few college students, who worked together on a series of small projects, ended up creating the international Community of Sant’Egidio. As a co-founder of Sant’Egidio, he has seen the community grow, and have a real impact on peace and development around the world, including "establishing peace in Mozambique, promoting peace dialogues in Togo, Darfur, Liberia and the Ivory Coast and [working] with Nelson Mandela to establish the Ceasefire Committee in Burundi."

You can listen to a streaming version of the audiofile by clicking on the Name-link above. To download it to your computer, right-click on the hyperlinked name above, and select "Save Target as..." to transfer a copy of the .mp3 file to your computer. To subscribe to all the podcasts from this blog with iTunes, use the PodFeed subcription the right-hand column of the blog.

World Press Freedom Day, 2008

2008-05-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

World Press Freedom Day is May 3, and UNESCO is sponsoring a 2-day conference entitled "Freedom of Expression, Access to Information and the Empowerment of People" to highlight the importance of literacy, free speech and access to information and creation of local community media outlets in the process of development.

World Press Day is primarily an annual celebration of Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, which says: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." This year is also highlights free-flow of information as the basis for achieving many of the UN's Millennium Development Goals. The current conference talks about the role of community media in fighting for access to the information necessary to help individuals fully participate in their own governance. Individual- and media-access-to-information "is also indispensable in fighting corruption, which has been defined as the primary obstacle to development. ... [and individuals must] have the necessary literacy skills to analyze and question the information they receive" from both government and media outlets.

The right-hand column of this blog hosts current news from UNESCO's office for Information Access. To add a feed like that to your RSS reader or iGoogle account, go to this page and copy any of the feeds from the Communications and Information office; or go to this page for other UNESCO feeds.

Using CountryWatch for studies or travel

2008-04-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

Whether you are thinking about study abroad, or you need to research a country for an economics, ethics, business or political science class, you might want to take a look at the CountryWatch database. In addition to offering Almanac-like information for a given country (on population, currency, languages, etc) it also offers detailed overviews and data sets covering the economic, political, social and environmental dimensions of a country. (e.g.: Human Development Index and Poverty index, status of women, literacy levels, travel and custom guides, global environmental agreements, investment risk, etc). A handy tool for thinking globally!

(Note: if you are trying to use this, or any library database from off-campus, you will be prompted to enter your St. John’s Central username and password to proceed.)

Tips on using RefWorks from home

2008-04-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

Once again, we head into final-paper time; lots of students have been taking advantage of RefWorks to help organize resources and incorporate citations effectively. For those of you working with RefWorks from off-campus, some of the advanced features — such as accessing RefShare, importing References from GoogleScholar, or using Write-N-Cite pagination — will either require that you do some configuring on your home computers, and/or ask you to enter a Group Code for our institution. The Group code should have been included in your “welcome” email, when you set up your RefWorks Account; if you no longer have access to that email, or if you would like some reminders about using RefWorks from, please email us (refworks@stjohns.edu) from your St. John’s email account and we will respond as soon as we can. In the meantime, here are links to some tutorials covering basic uses, advanced features, an updated RefShare tutorial, and instructions for importing .

Podcast: Eileen Claussen

2008-04-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

Our second syndicated podcast features Eileen Claussen, President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Strategies for the Global Environment, who addresses "Climate Change and Strategies for the Global Environment." This lecture, from the Vincentian Center's October 2006 Rosalie Rendu Roundtable on Religion and Science, was funded through a grant from The Local Societies Initiative of the Metanexus Institute.

You can listen to a streaming version of the audiofile by clicking on the Name-link above. To download it to your computer, right-click on the hyperlinked name above, and select "Save Target as..." to transfer a copy of the .mp3 file to your computer. To subscribe to all the podcasts from this blog with iTunes, use the PodFeed subcription the right-hand column of the blog.

National Library Week

2008-04-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

April 13-19 is National Library Week in the United States. A large part of the GDSJ program involves finding and interpreting research resources, as well as creating local resources, to help give voice to the communities in which our students live.

The Queens Campus Library is "celebrating" library week by making final preparations for leaving the building, renovations to St. Augustine Hall start very soon! We are currently re-organizing our print collections; some books are going to departments on campus, and many of our under-used books to BetterWorld Books, which helps distribute books to literacy partners throughout the world. This will provide more room for new books, and keep the browsing collection refreshed. The electronic collection continues to grow, and thrive, so keep an eye out for future entries on new electronic-access resources.

So, my colleagues and I are spending NLW packing, sorting, and moving materials... How are YOU celebrating National Library Week?

Photos: Augustine Hall Library, Better World Books logo, and Colleagues-in-Action, Andrew Sankowski and Sabina Curley-Rowland: two "mover and shaker" librarians behind the grand library re-organization. Thanks to April Earle for suggesting the NLW posting

Podcast: Dr. Solomon Katz

2008-04-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

First in the syndicated podcast speaker series is from the Vincentian Center's April 2006 Rosalie Rendu Roundtable on Religion and Science, funded through a grant from The Local Societies Initiative of the Metanexus Institute.

Dr. Solomon Katz, leading expert on the anthropology of food, and scholar of science and religion, shares his insights on the “Role of Spiritual Transformation in Overcoming World Food and Water Problems.” You can listen to a streaming version of the audiofile by clicking on the Name-link above. To download it to your computer, right-click on the hyperlinked name above, and select "Save Target as..." to transfer a copy of the .mp3 file to your computer. To subscribe to all the podcasts from this blog with iTunes, use the PodFeed subcription the right-hand column of the blog.

Audio Files & Podcast Syndication

2008-04-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

The Vincentian Center for Church and Society, in conjunction with various local and international scholars, engages the St. John’s community by sponsoring luncheons, lectures and conferences that inform and inspire us to Social Action for Social Justice . The University Libraries have partnered with the Vincentian Center, Academic Service Learning, the Department of Library and Information Sciences, and other University Offices, in order to make many of these lectures, centered on our Vincentian-mission, available to the wider community. Use the podcast feed (on the right-hand side of this blog), to subscribe to these podcasts automatically and download/listen to the lectures at your leisure.

For the full array of St. John’s Guest lectures, currently available in MP3 format, check out the libraries’ Academic Podcasting Initiative.

Update 4/21: Want to know more about what a podcast is? Check out the newest CommonCraft "Plain English"video:

Do you RSS?

2008-04-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS RSS?: RSS (short for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) is a type of subscription mechanism for digital sites. Instead of visiting various different sites, RSS subscriptions allow stories/changes to be delivered to you, in an RSS reader account, like your iGoogle page or your RefWorks account. Although you may have seen many different versions of the RSS icon (like those pictured on the right) there is a substantial move to use a "standard" icon like this one, pictured on the left.

HOW DOES IT WORK? You don’t need to know how RSS works to use it effectively, but rough mechanics are as follows: RSS feeds are xml files that are generated by the web-host-A; you “subscribe” by putting a feed into an RSS reader, which displays any additions/modifications to website-A in your reader interface (see video “RSS in Plain English“).

WHY USE RSS? It is a handy way of “keeping up” within your personal and academic interests; Feeds can be found on websites, wikis, blogs (like this one!), research-databases (search alerts), Journal TOCs, etc. and they automatically retrieve new text, audio and video files.

WHAT READER SHOULD I USE? Some browsers, like Firefox, have built-in Feed-readers. Lots of websites have icons from commercially-based RSS readers (Bloglines, my Yahoo, Newsgator, and others pictured) to make subscribing easy. iGoogle is very quick and easy to use as a reader; in fact, if you open iGoogle in another window, and sign in, you can add this blog to that personalized iGoogle account right now by clicking this icon .

There is also an RSS reader built into your RefWorks account (view –> RSS) so it might be a good place to keep on top of academic research and also quickly import some of those items into your RefWorks account (print and video tutorials for importing RSS feeds to RefWorks).

Collection of RSS icons courtesy of Rogers Cadenhead and the RSS advisory board who are, among other things, working on standardization of RSS iconography http://www.rssboard.org/images/rss-icon-collection.gif.

Welcome to the New GDSJ Library Blog

2008-04-11T10:16:00.000-07:00

As my Center for Teaching and Learning Fellowship draws to a close, and the first cohort of the Global Development and Social Justice program is heading towards graduation, I am revamping some of the technologies I explored with the help of these amazing, patient students over the last two years, as well as my GDSJ, CTL, and Title III faculty colleagues. Special thanks to Drs. Benson, Flannery, Olson, & Shope, as well as Fr. Jean-Pierre Ruiz and my Library colleagues for their unflagging support.

The audience for the initial blog forum, St. John's Library LibLog, is being re-oriented towards teaching faculty, with many librarians contributing to the blog, so past subscribers should look forward to many good things through that feed! This new branch-blog is geared toward GDSJ students and the new, growing GDSJ alumni community. The first GDSJ cohort may recognize some of the resources that I have transferred from the old blog, but hopefully, the new posts will continue to be of use to current students, alum, and visitors alike. As always, please use the comments section to continue our dialogues on resources and movement in GD and SJ, and please feel free to add resources (or pass noteworthy info along to me for posting), and finally, feel free to let me know about any "kinks" you are encountering as I begin to add multimedia elements to this new platform.