Blog

What is a Data Librarian?

A while back I was asked this question, and it provoked an almost subterranean thought process in me. While I can’t promise a deep answer to this question, at least an answer has emerged. For me, librarianship itself is all about guiding people to knowledge. So, a data librarian is not necessarily someone who collects data and puts on a shelf or on a server (although that certainly can be done by data librarians). Read more...

A manual backup routine using AWS

This post is also slightly off topic – not a data announcement, workshop, video, etc. But it does contain one specific instance of something that everyone should be thinking about – data backup. Everyone knows the rule of three – keep at least three backups of your precious files and make sure at least one of them is offsite in case of disaster. I needed to develop a new routine for my home computer backup after deciding to seize control of my system back from SpiderOak. Read more...

Installing Debian/XFCE (Linux) on Dell XPS 13 9350

Well, this is off topic for the theme of the blog, but I felt the urge to record an expurgated version of my recent installation of Linux on a new Dell XPS 13 (9350), for the potential edification of the populace. I will try to make it brief, by my standards 🙂 (but I guess I failed..) This is not in any way an objective post, but I am just blowing off steam and letting my opinions fly. Read more...

PLE (Personal Learning Environment)

I am responding to a now defunct post by my colleague, Francesca Giannetti. The discussion there is about the PLE, or personal learning environment. I think it’s interesting to reflect on, because most of the time I am just marinating in my PLE rather than conscious of it. I find that I use different communication mechanisms for different purposes, and they have different time scales and impacts on my thinking. Enough generalities, let’s jump in! Read more...