LOST in Cyberspace

L.O.S.T. Workshop: Locating and Using Discussion Lists for Information and Inter-librarian Networking, Part Two

Presented by Diane Kovacs

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Log of the workshop on Saturday, April 29, 1995 1:15:33 pm Diversity University MOOtime (EDT)

Introductions


Di [to LuAnn]: Please introduce yourself...just type su this is me....
LuAnn speaks up, "I'm LuAnn Johnson, acquisitions librarian, West Liberty State College"
Di says, "I should tell you all that although the Internet has been my neighborhood for a long time...the DU Moo is new to me so I have almost as much fun figuring these things out as you do. Thanks to Cathy and Ringer and Lynn and Jeanne I manage pretty well ."
Di says, "Excellent! I'm glad you all could be here."
Di smiles and looks around at group.
JackieC speaks up, "I'm Jackie Coughlan"
JackieC speaks up, "I'm a librarian at the SUNY Institute of Technology in Utica, NY"
ab-Linda speaks up, "I'm Linda Walling, a professor at the Library School at the U of South Carolina"
Di says, "good! Let's go ahead and get started...we'll have time for conversation after the formal lecture and demonstrations."

Di says, "My name is Diane Kovacs...I've been a reference librarian at Kent State University for 5 years but will soon be an Independant Internet Consultant." human. "

[The lecture was the same for both sessions of the workshop. Please see Part One of this log.]

Di says, "This is the end of the first lecture. Next I'm going to demonstrate how to "use the gopherslates (blueg, pinkg, etc. on each of your tables) to connect to the Directory of Scholarly E-conferences (its on a gopher at the University of Sasketchewan). After that we'll have time for general questions and answers. "
Di says, "In answer to Jackie's question...no there i no advantage in accessing e-conferences through the MOO."
Di says, "The advantage is in being able to bring you all together here to talk about it."
Di says, "We've also set up gopherslates that will let you practice finding e-conferences"
Ringer speaks up, "you can access people thru the moo"
Di says, "But its better that you use what you learn outside of the moo in your regular Internet access account or mode."
Di says, "Please su if you are already subscribed to any e-conferences and which ones.... everyone go ahead and su at the same time..."
Ringer speaks up, "i am to web4libraries, publib-net, Conntech, moo-cows"
ab-Linda speaks up, "axlib-L, Adapt-L, ADA-Law, etc."
Di says, ""anyone else?"
Zemp speaks up, "Conntech, opera-l, IF (from CAnada), several more Lib-oreiented ones."
Cathy speaks up, "I subscribe to Virted Ed....and two USC class listservs...oh, and some journal ones. Plus, a lot of folks forward me their stuff so we don't spam the net"
Di says, "What is conntech?"
JackieC speaks up, "i subscribe to pACS-L, LIbRef, BI_L"
Ringer speaks up, "Conntech is for the information roundtable of Conn. Library ASsociation"
Zemp speaks up, "Conn Librarians disc of Tech issues"
Di says, "ah that explains why I never heard of it 8)."
Ringer speaks up, "information technology round table "
Di says, "I'm subscribed to libref-l, govdoc-l and dorothyl (mystery literature) because I have to be."
Di says, "I subscribe to nettrain, lstown-l and newjour-l and a couple of others...way too many imho."
Di says, "imho is in my humble opinion "
Ringer smiles
Di says, "Other questions about the lecture?"
Di says, "This group seems to be pretty well immersed in the communications part of the 'net."
Di says, "How many of you had a chance to do the exercise...just su...."
Zemp speaks up, "gophered in two pcs from USask only"
Ringer speaks up, "I wonder if folks have subscribed and such before.. I know that I have."
Di says, "ah okay. 8). One of the most useful parts about it was the direction for setting DIGEST..."
ab-Linda speaks up, "I did it."
Di says, "Does anyone have questions about that?"
Zemp shaeks head
Di says, "hmmm this is a much quiet group than Wednesday night's."
Ringer smiles at Zemp
Di smiles.
ab-Linda speaks up, "Yes, the DIGEST is very helpful. It's easy to get overrun!"
Ringer speaks up, "it is smaller I think.. "
JackieC speaks up, "no, but I'd like to unbundle or not have it in digest mode in some cases."
Di [to ab-Linda]: Excellent! Yes, exactly.
Di says, "There are some disadvantages to DIGEST mode. There is software that will undigest. Ask you systems folks about whether they have it.."
ab-Linda speaks up, "set nomail also is important."
JackieC speaks up, "is there a standard way ?"
Di says, "No there is no standard undigest software."
Di says, "Mostly people just read down through the subject headings and then search for the posting that they were interested in."
Zemp waves hand
Di says, "The next formal part of this workshop is a demonstration of finding e-conferences to fit your needs."
Ringer listens to zemp
Di [to Zemp]: Yes?
Zemp (re alts to getting system to supply)
JackieC speaks up, "its just that sometimes i want to print out a small address or a line and you have to print or save the whole thing."
Di [to Zemp]: Please explain?
Zemp speaks up, "If you can down load on to your pc, you don't care if your system people willhelp you undigest, must be s/w to do it on PCs."
Di says, "If you are using a Macintosh or a Windows machine you can use your mouse to select just a part of the text and print it out."
Di says, "That's what I usually do."
JackieC speaks up, "thanks"
Ringer raises her hand
Zemp makes a castor oil face
Di [to Ringer]: Yes?
Ringer speaks up, "the digest is not compressed is it? It is still the ascii format. So any editor should be able to be used also"
Zemp pretneds to be sticking a finger down his throat.
Di says, "Yes the Digest is ascii text straight up...any editor can deal with it."
Ringer speaks up, "thank you ."
Di says, "no problem. 8)."
Di says, "Other questions?"
Cathy speaks up, "Not me"
Di says, "What I want to do next is show you the Directory of Scholarly E-conferences."

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Directory of Scholarly E-Conferences

Zemp shakes head.
Di says, "Have any of you ever used it before?"
Cathy speaks up, "I have"
JackieC speaks up, "yes"
LuAnn speaks up, "no"
Ringer speaks up, "yes "
ab-Linda speaks up, "only in the assignment you gave."
Zemp speaks up, "No"
Di says, "well. The Directory is an attempt to filter through all the stuff on the Internet"
Cathy speaks up, "It is really tremendous!"
Di says, "To find the e-conferences that are of interest to folks doing research, teaching or professional activities on the Internet."
Di says, "There is a team of 10 or 11 of us now (we had a couple of maternity leaves 8)."
Di says, "The Directory is available in several formats....print from ARL, Gopher, Web, and ascii text. There is also a hypercard version."
Di says, "I'm going to demonstrate how to use the gopherslates here to access the gopher keyword searchable version of the Directory. Its actually at the University of SAsketchewan. When you leave here you can get to it directly through the gopher at your site."
Di says, "please just follow my directions and save your questions til after I finish."
Di says, "When we're don you'll have time to use the gopherslates at your table and ask all the questions you'll have...."
Di resets SECg.
Di says, "please type: look secg"
Di says, "Ringer just reminded me to have you type details 1 on secg to see the address where the gopher is."
JackieC [to Ringer]: yes
Ringer speaks up, "all here okay"
Di says, "excellent.."
Di smiles
Di picks '1. Scholarly Electronic Conferences (menu)' on SECg.
Di says, "please go ahead and type look secg "
Di says, "I'm going to pick 2 on secg but please note 1. Read Me."
Di says, "That's where you'll find directions for subscribing, accessing, or connecting to all the different kinds of e-conferences you'll find in the directory."
Di picks '2. Search Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences (search)' on SECg.
Di searches for diversity on SECg.
Di says, "go ahead and type look secg"
Di says, "do you see 6. where DU MOO is?"
Di says, "I'm going to type pick 6 on secg so we can see the actual entry for DU. The initial display is just the Discussion names: fields."
Di picks '6. Discussion Name: DU MOO Topic Information: Diversity University is designed as a virtual campus. ' on SECg.
Zemp speaks up, "'secg.... search diry'?"
Di says, "look secg again."
JackieC looks at the next page on SECg.
Di says, "You should see The Topic information: field then after probably doing @more"
Di says, "Please do not go to next page...let me do stuff first."
Di says, "Notice that the subscription information is a little out of date?"
Di says, "its one of the problems with trying to collect Internet resources. 8)."
Di smiles resignedly.
Di says, "I'm going to reset secg then each of you can go ahead and take turns using"
Ringer raises her hand.
Di says, "pinkg blueg redg or secg."
Di [to Ringer]: Yes?
Di resets SECg.
Ringer speaks up, "do you have to verify each piece of information you get?"
Di says, "We do verify. We send email to all the contact people/moderators."
Ringer speaks up, "so if I sent you something about DU , you would not accept that"
Di says, "however if they don't respond we take the information we can find in other authoritative places."
Di says, "Ringer, we'd contact Jeanne first but if all we had was your info we would include it."
Di says, "Are there other questions?"
Di says, "I'll be around for questions but have to leave my computer for just Ringer [to JackieC]: is that okay?
Jeanne drops down from the sky, her magic flying-dust finally wearing off
Cathy waves hi to Jeanne!
Zemp Smiles at Jeanne.
Jeanne waves
Ringer waves ..
Cathy speaks up, "I think there are enough gopher slates for Jackie, LuAnn, Linda and Zemp to all practice on their own. Ringer and I have our own to use if we want"
Ringer speaks up, "everyone can type watch by themselves "
Di says, "I'm back thanks for letting me take short break."
Di says, "Its pop secg or pinkg"
Di says, "to go up a level."
Ringer [to Di]: can you give jeanne the address?
Di [to Jeanne]: The easiest way for me to remember is refmac.kent.edu and then pick up the Directory from there.
Ringer speaks up, "i got it thru nysenet and library "
Di [to Jeanne]: the address is gopher.usask.ca but Its a lot of menus to go through from there and I never remember the whole URL.
Di says, "Lots of places have set their gopher up with a direct link to the usask gopher."
Ringer speaks up, "Does anyone have more questions for Di?"
LuAnn speaks up, "yes ..."
LuAnn speaks up, "are there any public access USENET sites where students can look at the discussions there?"
Di says, "Its a lot clearer from a regular gopher client...but these gopherslates are sure great teaching tools!"
LuAnn speaks up, "it's easier to *show* people usenet than to *tell* them about it :)"
Di [to LuAnn]: I agree...it has to be experienced to be believed.
Di smiles
Jeanne says, "south carolina has a public usenet"
LuAnn speaks up, "how do we access it?"
Ringer speaks up, "I know that a number of listservs are reflected on newgroups"
Cathy says, "We can continue to practice on these slates but I would like to take a minute..."
Cathy says, "...to thank Di for her time....and to encourage you to join and support L.O.S.T. We will be doing more workshops in the future...but this area is designed to be a gathering places for library people. We want you to come here anytime. Bring your friends."
Cathy says, "...we will be archiving the text versions of the workshops here. We plan to hold informal chat sessions in the future also"
LuAnn speaks up, "I'm teaching a couple of workshops that I'd love to be able to use USENET with them"
Ringer speaks up, "i have seen buslib and lis-l there "
Di says, "newsgroups can be two-way or one-way feeds from email based e-conferences"
Di says, "Does the Moo have a newsreader that points outside?"
Ringer speaks up, "Thank you Di .. for giving us some of your time"
Ringer [to Di]: there is one
JackieC speaks up, "yes thank you"
Di says, "My pleasure I love teadching and this has been great fun."
LuAnn speaks up, "many thanks!"
Zemp applauds di
Cathy looks to Jeanne for the answer to the newsreader question
Di says, "Sorry for my domestic interruptions and thank you for your patience."
Di bows
Ringer says, "there is a newsroom on at least 1 room "
Ringer says, "the new core has the stuff to do it"
Jeanne says, "sorry, waht whas newreader question?"
Di says, "You folks have been great students!"
Ringer [to Jeanne]: it was asked about newsreaders in the moo
Cathy [to Jeanne]: can the MOO point to an outside newsreader?

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