Weekly Reader

Class and Summer Classes
"The kids who most need summer classes are the least likely to get them.The folks who study student success in the K-12 system routinely report that much of the learning gap between lower-income and higher-income students is a function of summers. The upper-income students have culturally enriched home environments and activities, so the academic backsliding over the summers is minimal. The lower-income kids, on average, get much less enrichment at home, so they backslide over the summers. I’ve never seen a reason to suspect that the dynamic stops at twelfth grade." -- Dean Dad, Confessions of a Community College Dean, 7/7/11

Microsoft Will Pay for U. of Nebraska's Switch to It's New Cloud-Based Service
"Microsoft has nabbed a new client for Office 365, its cloud-based suite, but it will cost the software giant $250,000. The University of Nebraska has agreed to make the move from IBM’s Lotus Notes to the new Office 365 platform in exchange for $250,000 in business-incentive money to cover the cost of migrating its e-mail and calendar systems for staff and faculty. Officials would not disclose how much the university will spend for the e-mail service." -- Jie Jenny Zou, Wired Campus, 7/8/11


Top 10 YouTube Videos Posted by Colleges and What They Mean
"More than 400 colleges and universities have set up channels on YouTube as part of the YouTube EDU section of the popular video site, but university officials admit they are still experimenting with the service and learning what types of videos resonate with off-campus audiences.." -- Rachel Wiseman, Wired Campus, 7/5/11

To Friend, Follow, or Connect?
Does your institution regulate your contact with students on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn? I've read several conversations about whether or not we should connect with students in online social spaces. Scores of professionals seem to insist on grouping every single social media site into an "all or nothing" / "yes or no" scenario. My opinion is that social media are far too nuanced for one "policy" that covers every site. Here is my take on the top three social media sites. Agree, disagree, that's okay with me, but at least note that not every social media site is the same." -- Eric Stoller, Student Affairs and Technology, 7/5/11

Blackboard Gets Bought
"Blackboard, maker of the dominant online learning platform among nonprofit colleges, has been sold to Providence Equity Partners, the company announced on Friday. The announcement prompted hand-wringing from campus technology officials and reassurances from Blackboard that there are no significant changes in the offing." -- Steve Kolowich, Inside Higher Ed News, 7/5/11

Our Non-MLIS Director is Great! Compared to What?
"One of the programs I attended at the ALA Conference in New Orleans was titled “Hiring Non-MLS Librarians: Trends and Training Implications.” The first panelist shared some research findings from a survey in which library directors were asked about the positions in their libraries that they believed did or did not require an MLS. The results were pretty much what you’d expect. Directors expected the MLS for positions related to reference, instruction, and metadata services – the more traditional librarian functions." -- Steven Bell, ACRLog, 7/4/11

Inforgraphic: Do-It-Yourself Guide to Infographics
"I know what you’re thinking… another Infographic? Wait… I know I’ve been on a roll lately publishing every marketing infographic I can find on the Internet, but this one’s really great. If you’re wondering why there’s been explosive growth in Infographics, the folks at Voltier Creative have made… you got it… an Infographic explaining just that! We develop infographics for our clients and think this is a perfect explanation!" -- Douglas Karr, Marketing Tech Blog, 6/30/11