Knowledge and Dignity in the Era of “Big Data”

Private companies and government agencies are now creating and tapping into vastly more data than ever before. These data flows include enormous amounts of personal information and raise questions about privacy and intellectual policy that could have profound impacts on our lives. While data collection and creation are nearly ubiquitous, the instruments of collection and analysis are often hidden in order to track more natural behavior. Recent revelations of massive governmental data collection offer the country, and librarians in particular, an opportunity to discuss and question the societal implications of “Big Data,” and the policies that govern them.     

Capturing Every Patron Interaction: The Move from Paper Statistics to an Electronic System to Track the Whole Library

Reference departments track patron interactions to illustrate the type and number of services provided as well as to tailor librarians’ time and expertise to the interest and needs of their patrons. Until 2010 the Reference, Education, and Community Engagement Department at the Calder Memorial Library tracked statistics using a complicated system of paper tic sheets and two Excel? spreadsheets. After considering different electronic systems, the department decided to employ an electronic form created with SurveyMonkey? to track patron interactions. After the system had been in place for three months, the authors administered a satisfaction and use survey to collect faculty and staff feedback on the new system. Seven months later the authors undertook usability testing to collect further evaluative data on the electronic form. The patron interaction form continues to be used to collect statistics, provide data for annual reviews, and recognize the contributions of all faculty and staff at the library.     

Capturing every patron interaction: the move from paper statistics to an electronic system to track the whole library

Reference departments track patron interactions to illustrate the type and number of services provided as well as to tailor librarians' time and expertise to the interest and needs of their patrons. Until 2010 the Reference, Education, and Community Engagement Department at the Calder Memorial Library tracked statistics using a complicated system of paper tic sheets and two Excel? spreadsheets. After considering different electronic systems, the department decided to employ an electronic form created with SurveyMonkey? to track patron interactions. After the system had been in place for three months, the authors administered a satisfaction and use survey to collect faculty and staff feedback on the new system. Seven months later the authors undertook usability testing to collect further evaluative data on the electronic form. The patron interaction form continues to be used to collect statistics, provide data for annual reviews, and recognize the contributions of all faculty and staff at the library.     

Pillbox: a solid dosage medication identification tool

Pillbox is a tool that can be used to rapidly identify solid dosage medications. The database, created and maintained by the National Library of Medicine with the support of the Food and Drug Administration, seeks to enhance patient safety through the identification of solid dosage medication. Users enter physical characteristics of a medication, possible matches are provided, and links to additional resources are offered. A comparison with comparable resources was conducted, and future enhancements to Pillbox are discussed.     

Pillbox: A Solid Dosage Medication Identification Tool

Pillbox is a tool that can be used to rapidly identify solid dosage medications. The database, created and maintained by the National Library of Medicine with the support of the Food and Drug Administration, seeks to enhance patient safety through the identification of solid dosage medication. Users enter physical characteristics of a medication, possible matches are provided, and links to additional resources are offered. A comparison with comparable resources was conducted, and future enhancements to Pillbox are discussed.