Spotify

I know it is outside my normal remit but I cannot avoid posting about Spotify. I expect that many, or most of you, are already using it....but I have obly beeen using it on my PC and laptop about six months now. Imagine having much of the music of the world available for listening and bookmarking  into playlists free.Bear in mind there  are adverts occasionally (but there are on Classic FM and they are just as irritating there) and if you want to listen without ads you have to pay and if you want to listen to to your tracks on a mobile device you have to pay more but it is still a great service.

So what am I listening to while doing this post?  This is amazing music by a neglected master of JS Bach's time.

Jan Dismas Zelenka – Trio Sonata No. 1 in F major, ZWV 181: II. Allegro


And I was able to embed this through the useful little article Add Spotify, Rdio and GitHub's Gist embeds to your site  by Alex Mills which I have just been reading.  Magic.

Google+ and the Hangout feature

When Google+ came out I got quite excited and thought that I might use it instead of Facebook. In particular I thought the Hangout feature might be a really good way of communicating with students - even a group of them at once. Well, I have only a few friends on Google+ and have largely forgotten about it and them..... As for Hangout it's too late now as my students are mostly doing exams. I've missed the boat. Phil Bradley has done several posts here  and here  on Google+ Hangout so that has reminded me of my failure. I wonder if anyone out there has used it for Information Literacy in any way?

Mobile apps and resources at Newcastle University

I have said on numerous occasions how important the mobile dimension to our services  is set to become. Also I have long admired the LibGuides interface. This guide from University of Newcastle Library ticks both these boxes so it is a pleasure to feature it as an example of good practice!

It features the INTO Newcastle University app which gives everything new students need to know about living and studying in Newcastle.(A city which I enjoy and visit regularly to visit my son - not at University but working up there); Library search on a mobile ; encouragement to find the nearest available PC, contact tutors, check timetable on their mobile ; Facebook site ; links to other subject guides accessible by mobile ; links to basic apps ; explanation of wireless access ; explanation of  a mobile site ; explanation of  an app.

Finding the right moment and many more YouTube tricks

This guide from Joyce Valenza is a mine of practical information for using YoiuTube better. I love YouTube but can remember more horror stories of its failure to work than I care to admit! (Lining up 5 clips in advance in a huge lectuire theatre at a conference and then having no sound...for instance!)
I need to read this in detail and use the tips. Suggest you do too!

Information Literacy for Researchers

There is a leaflet available here entitled "Information Literacy framework on the Vitae Researcher Development Framework using the SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy".
This is a valuable document which uses the new SCONUL Seven Pillars framework and should be a useful aid for demystifying the information maze for researchers.

100 ways to use Twitter in education

This post from Jeff Dunn from Edudemic suggests 100 ways to use Twitter in education by degree of difficulty.
He says
"Twitter is a powerhouse for marketing, communication, business, and even education, letting people from around the world work together, share ideas, and gain exposure.
It has become a staple at many online colleges and campuses as well, leaving many academics wondering just how and if they should be using Twitter both in the classroom and in their professional lives. So we’ve revised our our original 2009 list to get you started or up to date.
Whether you’re an academic or just interested in building your Twitter profile, keep reading to learn some tips and tricks that can help you take the first steps towards using Twitter for coursework, research, building a professional network, and beyond."
Some great ideas here.

Smartphone users in the world as an infographic

We cannot doubt the importance of the mobile trend but much will depend on the penetration of smartphones. Here is the latest trend as an infographic.


Infographic by-