Can everyone hear me? Yes? Okay great! Hi, my name is Alih Rosa and I am super excited to be taking Digital Media Concepts and Production with you all this semester.
I grew up in New Jersey and moved to Florida in 2013. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communication Sciences from USF, and I am currently in the second semester of my Master’s in Information at FSU.
I currently work at the USF library as a Digital Scholarship Support Coordinator for the Ornithology Archive, a cool collection of journals documenting the study of birds in North America over the past century. One time, I read a journal entry about someone observing a crow take a shower. He said he had been watching crows ever since he was a kid, but this was the first time in his life he’d seen the bird do that. He was so endearing expressing how even at 90 years old, you can still experience something new that it almost moved me to tears (dramatic but true)! That feeling I get from accidentally finding an inspiring book or text is what draws me to the serendipitous nature of libraries (and maybe I’ve been let down one too many times by book-tok – but hey, now I know better than to take book recommendations from an algorithm).
When I’m not working or studying, I’m checking out new coffee spots, watching movies, or capturing moments on my camera. Recordkeeping is something I enjoy in both my librarianship work and hobbies, and my personal recordkeeping practices have covered a wide range of ground. Whether it’s filming daily vlogs, taking photos, or creating super specific music playlists, I love all the fun ways I can capture memories. Admittedly, I take a very DIY approach to these personal projects, and don’t always look into the “right way” to do things. For example, I am terrible with audio, and rarely plan for videos (I mostly go off of vibes).
I’d like to be more thoughtful about recordkeeping so I have better quality memories to look back on. I’m looking forward to learning foundational digital media techniques when it comes to documentation practices in my library work and personal life!
Hi Alih! I enjoyed reading your post, especially how you think about recordkeeping as something that connects both your professional work and your personal life. I’ll admit I’m scared of birds, so reading about your work with the Ornithology Archive was both impressive and slightly anxiety-inducing—but mostly impressive. I also really admired that you have a video blog. I’ve been wanting to find a more creative outlet myself, but I usually default to Instagram and almost never post video content. Seeing your YouTube blog made it feel much more approachable, and I liked the visuals, especially the flowers (and I think I spotted some pizza, which definitely caught my attention). Your blog feels very intentional and welcoming.
Alih! I can tell immediately that we would get along very well based on your mentioning of being brought to tears by the 90 year old’s journal entry about observing the crow take a shower. That would also make me emotional! Speaking of, you have SUCH a cool job! I am incredibly envious and would love to hear more about the work you do for the Ornithology Archive. I am similar to you and also enjoy recordkeeping in my personal and professional life, I think that is probably why we were drawn to the information profession. I look forward to seeing your work throughout the semester and getting to know you more.
Hi Alih,
I loved your story about the crow. It’s so neat how little things can feel new and exciting no matter your age. In fact, I would even say that the older I get, the more I appreciate the little things. As life continues to get more busy, I learn to slow down and enjoy small moments that I would have missed otherwise.
I relate to your DIY approach to your projects. I am very much the same way. If I can’t figure it out, I’ll just make something up! Sometimes it’s fun to just go with the vibes. I am excited to check out your vlogs. For a long time I had a teacher blog (this is back in 2008-2012), but I never tried vlogging.