LIS5313

Student Posts

Midlife Maxxing

Fates, we will know your pleasures: That we shall die, we know; ’tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon. —Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Life’s not over until the fat lady sings. And I don’t hear her yet.

A midwesterner for decades, my husband and I moved to Florida in 2020. All five of our children are grown and flown, delightful humans and my best contribution to date.

A fiber artist since 1996, I used to publish a knitting blog (called Living and Dyeing) back when blogs were shiny and cool (2003-2008) using Typepad (I’m really dating myself here. Good thing I’m a fun date). I own three spinning wheels, two weaving looms, multiple spindles, countless knitting and dyeing supplies and my knitting goal for 2026 is to make a Dale of Norway sweater. I’ve done some traveling, skiing, boating and I even co-piloted a small two-seater plane from Chicago to Idaho and back. I’ve lived a pretty good life and I’m grateful.

Why, do you ask, am I here? 

Many years ago as my kids became teens, I was an Office Manager in downtown Chicago, on track for a higher level admin job when one of my teen daughters was diagnosed with anorexia. It was serious and required me to be closer to home. I pivoted to a position nearby at a tile store where I catalogued, organized and sold architecturally significant and historically accurate tile to designers and homeowners alike. I fell in love.

There was something about this small detail of the past that was precious and worth saving. The experience took me by surprise and I realized I loved serving these clients by providing them with the information they needed to make the world a more beautiful place.

Suddenly my husband’s employment swept us away to Florida, and I dealt with a health situation which began in 2021. Here I am, alive for now, facing mid-life with hope, excited to increase my digital content skills through this class and hopefully head into a world where I can direct people to resources that educate and bring meaning to their lives. Whether at a museum, an archive or a library, I look forward to “drawing days out” for this next act, whatever time is allotted.

January 14, 2026 by Student Posts 5

Combining Media Production with Libraries: An Introduction to my Final Semester!

As I join our class blog, I would love to introduce myself to you all. My name is Amal Albaladejo, and I am especially excited for this semester because it is my final one! Upon my graduation this spring, I aspire to begin my career in either museum libraries or archives, with a special interest in art and audio/visual. As of now, I currently work and get all my schoolwork done from the front desk at the Bavarian Inn. It’s located in a tiny, hallmark-esk town called Shepherdstown, West Virginia. It’s super cute, and also near enough to D.C. that I get to venture out to the city from time to time and walk amongst some of the greatest museums.

Along with my interest in the audio/visual, I come from an undergrad of Digital Communications & Multimeda Production through Florida International University. I decided to take this class because I believe it greatly complements MIS coursework as these are hard skills we can use in the field, and I would love to improve those production skills at a graduate level. Though I have learned so much through this program thus far, I have missed those creative assignments and am thrilled to have them back for my final assignments ever (that’s crazy to think about). 

Ollie camping in Virginia

Outside of work and school, I love to explore and spend time out in nature, whether that be camping, swimming, or taking my dog on a hike (he may look small, but he’s got it!). Often, I will make video diaries of my travels to upload to my just-for-fun YouTube channel, or at least bring along my camera to snap some photos. When home I like to relax by painting, strumming the guitar, or watching films (and logging them on Letterboxd of course).

I can’t wait to get to know all of my peers, and am looking forward to a fun, final semester! 🙂

January 14, 2026 by Spring 2026 Student Posts 2

On the record; off the shelf

My name is Viviana Mendiola, and I live in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Living here has influenced how I think about communication and access to information, particularly in environments where people rely heavily on digital tools and informal networks to get things done.

I am a practicing attorney. My path here was not linear. Before law school, I had to choose between studying law or library science, and I chose law first. At the time, librarianship did not seem like the right fit. With more experience and perspective, I have come to see it as something I want to explore now, especially in relation to digital media and information work. In many ways, librarianship now feels orthogonal to my legal training while still drawing on it in productive ways.

My interest in digital media connects closely to my work as a Pro Bono Director at a local nonprofit, where part of my responsibility involved supporting the recruitment of pro bono attorneys. Although a PR firm managed our social media accounts, I worked closely with them by providing photos, developing ideas for posts, promoting events, and offering feedback on content. I also helped draft a newsletter as part of those outreach efforts. That experience required thinking carefully about audience, messaging, and the epistemic implications of how information is framed and circulated in digital spaces. It was a collaborative process that taught me a great deal about how digital communication works in practice.

I have always enjoyed writing and visual art. I grew up around drawing and painting, and my mother is currently pursuing a master’s degree related to art. I took a drawing class myself, and while I do not consider myself an artist, I am interested in developing my creative side more intentionally. That interest has increasingly taken on a curatorial dimension, particularly in how visual and textual materials are selected, organized, and preserved.

I studied intellectual property law in law school, although long enough ago that much of it warrants a careful revisit. I am interested in approaching those issues again from a digital media and information-science perspective, particularly in the liminal space where creativity, technology, and authorship overlap.

I am also interested in how libraries function as stewards of cultural memory. One example I find especially compelling is the handwritten lyrics to a Beatles song held by the British Library, which treats popular music with the same archival seriousness as canonical literature. I visited London once but did not make it to the British Library, largely because I was too tired to get off the double-decker bus. That remains an unresolved issue and a reason to return.

I recently visited The Morgan Library & Museum, and it was a space where architecture, collections, and design reinforced how information can be both rigorous and visually compelling.

I am especially interested in this class because creating a blog is something I have wanted to do for some time. Having it as an assignment provides the structure and push I needed to finally start. I am looking forward to using this space to write, experiment, and think more deliberately about digital media over the course of the semester.

Interior of the Morgan Library in New York

— Viviana

January 13, 2026 by Spring 2026 Student Posts 3

Welcome to lis5313: Digital Media Concepts & Production

My name is Jane Barrager and I will be your guide this semester on the subject of Digital Media: Concepts and Production.

I am originally from Detroit, but I’ve been living in Florida since 1992, and in Tallahassee in particular since 1996. Like many northerners, I came here for the warmth and Sunshine.

I am a graduate of both the undergraduate and graduate programs at Florida’s iSchool located in the School of Communication and Information and Florida State University. In fact, I am one of the first original 6 undergrads to ever be enrolled at the, previously graduate only college. The funniest story I have of that time is the day that I sat next to Warrick Dunn in class and had no idea who he was. I sat next to him on the first day of class because he looked lonely – it seemed to me that the other students in the class where, for some reason, keeping a wide berth around his seat and, feeling sorry for this poor guy, I sat next to him. During the first class our professor asked us to turn to the person next to us and describe the first thing we were going to buy when we graduated and started making money. I don’t remember what I said, but Warrick started describing what I knew (being a Detroiter and all) to be about a $60K vehicle. My response? “I hope you find a good job when you graduate, because you’re going to need it to afford that!” Warrick just smiled. About the third class period I woke up late for class, pulled on the dirty clothes lying next to my bed, swept my uncombed hair into a pony tail, and ran, make-up-less, to class and sat down next to my new friend (who’s name I still did not know). Suddenly a news crew burst into the room, shoved cameras and microphones into my deskmate’s face and started rapid firing questions at him which he answered with confidence and ease like it was the most natural thing in the world. When it was over I looked at him and said “Who the hell are YOU?” He smiled and said, “my name’s Warrick”, and it was at that point I realized who he was. So, my first taste of learning about multimedia at Florida state was when I was featured on national television as the seat partner of the infamous Warrick Dunn on ESPN’s “Sports Center” – makupless and, I’ll admit it, hungover!

I discovered in college that teaching was my passion. I’ve been teaching since 1998 and, although I spent some time teaching computer literacy at our local community college, the ischool has been my home since then. I’ve taught a variety of courses both online and f2f including: Intro to Information Technology, Social Media Management, Digital Media: Concepts and Production, Design and production of NW multimedia, Perspectives in IT, Electronic Media production, Technologies for Information Professionals, Research Methods, and Web site development to name most. I also spent some time working for the Office of Distance Learning developing web-based learning modules and other websites for the FSU community. In my current position I serve as the ischool’s Instructional Support Specialist which basically means that I help other faculty rehab classes. I also train and supervise doctoral students who teach in the UG program.

Now you all know a little about me, and I look forward to reading your stories as well. See you online!

January 13, 2026 by Student Posts 1

Alejandro Gets to Gardening

In Alejandro Gets to Gardening, budding gardener Alejandro runs into a worm while seeding lettuce. A compromise eventually turns into a dance party, and friendship blossoms.

The puppets are both made and shot by me! Creative Commons assets included are in the title and credit screens and Alejandro’s Gardening book, Gardening for Stupid Idiots. My friends recorded the narration for me, and the music a creative commons asset.

“Redhall Walled Garden” by MJ Richardson is available for use under CC BY-SA 2.0

“Lactuca Sativa” by Forest & Kim Starr is available for use under CC BY 3.0

“Lactuca Sativa BYN” by Megustanlasframbuesas is available for use under CC BY-SA 4.0

“Soil” by Elvis Ripley is available for use under CC  BY-NC 2.0

Alejandro voice narration by Jamie Garcia

Worm voice narration by Pippa Gerber-Stroh

“Take U Home” by Addiquit is available for use under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US

Fair Use Disclaimer: “Alejandro Gets to Gardening” claims fair use of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” according to Category 6: Quoting in order to recombine elements to make a new work that depends for its meaning on (often unlikely) relationships between the elements

I normalized and spliced together the narration using GarageBand and edited my video using Canva.

April 15, 2025 by Student Posts 0

Victory

Synopsis: “Victory” shares a story of someone realizing the need to overcome their alcohol addiction, what led to the realization, and shares how they were able to turn away from their addiction and how to fight the continual battle each day.

Digital Story:
“Victory” by Jason Rosario, under CC BY 2.0

Audio Credits from ccMixter:
The Empty Glass by Radioontheshelf, CC BY-NC 3.0
Winter Stars (Faithful Beauty Mix) by SackJo22, CC BY-NC 4.0

Photo Credits from Flickr.com:
Beer and Whiskey by Brian Rosner, CC BY 2.0
Alone by Derek Mindler, CC BY 2.0
Alone by Dragonflaiii, CC BY 2.0
Alone by Ermadz, CC BY 2.0
Alone by Wencor Teo, CC BY 2.0
What a DUI Might Look Like by Josh Hallett, CC BY 2.0
Emma’s Overcome by Smoobs, CC BY 2.0
Prayer by Essam Saad, CC BY 2.0
Prayer by Ninac26, CC BY 2.0

Spliced Video Credits from Pexels.com:
Stressed Man Drinking Wine at Home by Cottonbro Studio, Some Rights Reserved
Drunk Man at the Bar by Cottonbro Studio, Some Rights Reserved
High Angle View of People Toasting and Drinking Their Beers by Cottonbro Studio, Some Rights Reserved
Friends Playing Beer Pong by Cottonbro Studio, Some Rights Reserved
Video of a Police Car by Kindel Media, Some Rights Reserved
A Man Looking at the Mirror by Ron Lach, Some Rights Reserved
Female Judge Hitting the Auction Hammer by Katrin Bolovtsova, Some Rights Reserved
Group of Friends Toasting with Beer by Produtora Midtrack, Some Rights Reserved
A Drunk Man Lying Alone in Bed by Mart Production, Some Rights Reserved
Flickers Of Light In The Air At Night by Oleg Gamulinskii, Some Rights Reserved
Man Exhausted After Workout by Tima Miroshnichenko, Some Rights Reserved
Man Giving a Speach in a Support Group by Tima Miroshnichenko, Some Rights Reserved
A Group Of People In Therapy by Antoni Shkraba Studio, Some Rights Reserved
Person Drinking Coffee While Viewing The Sea by Engin Akyurt, Some Rights Reserved
A Woman Crying and Wiping Her Tears by Ketut Subiyanto, Some Rights Reserved
Group of Friends Smiling by Fauxels, Some Rights Reserved
Three Women Breaking Into Laughter by Ketut Subiyanto, Some Rights Reserved
A Group of People Looking Up at the Camera by Cottonbro Studio, Some Rights Reserved
A Man Celebrating Success by Diva Plavalaguna, Some Rights Reserved
A Woman Looking At A Thick Fog Covering The Bridge by RawFilm Stock Footage, Some Rights Reserved
People At The Restaurant by Life Of Pix, CC0

Software:
Audacity – audio editing
PowerPoint – Title and word-pop creations
iMovie – video editing

April 15, 2025 by spring 2025 Student Posts 0

“The Big Kid Test”

Synopsis: Olivia, a determined toddler, conquers the rock wall, tunnel, and chain ladder at the big kid playground, but freezes at the towering slide. Facing her fear, she must decide whether to return to the little tikes playground or summon the courage to slide down and prove she’s ready for the big kids’ world. With a deep breath and a leap of bravery, Olivia takes the plunge, realizing that sometimes being big and brave starts with one small whoosh!

All original footage/audio shot on an iPhone 14 Pro Max by myself, Mariah Fuertes. Edited on iMovie (mobile/iPad version). 

Audio Credits

Image Credits

“The Big Kid Test” by Mariah Fuertes, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND. 

April 8, 2025 by Student Posts 0

Anxiety

“Anxiety” by Katie Kimberly is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Synopsis:

This story will follow both the Brain and Heart showing their perspective of what anxiety is and how it impacts them. Also, showing us how the Brain and Heart conflict with each other.

Content and Creation:

All images were originally drawn in Procreate and combined Adobe Photoshop. For audio related resources and editing software I used TikTok’s text to speech feature, QuickTime Player, and Audacity. Also for video editing I used a combination of Canva and CapCut.

Image Credits:

All Brain and Heart illustrations belong to Katie Kimberly are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Audio Credits:


April 8, 2025 by Student Posts 0

The Sword

The Sword is a video by Theo Thomas, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Synopsis

A young adventurer named Thistle sets out on a journey to retrieve her late mother’s legendary sword, but is met with an unanticipated obstacle.

Assets I created

(see Credits for full citations of linked pictures)

Software Used

  • Kdenlive – video and audio editing
  • Apple Voice Memos – audio recording
  • Pixlr – image editing

Credits

Visuals from Pexels – Pexels license

Visuals from Flickr

Audio from Freesound

April 8, 2025 by Student Posts 0

The Knock

Synopsis: This story is about a strange knocking on a bedroom door late at night. The camera investigates and discovers it is best not to answer the door.

I captured the video footage and recorded subtle sound effects, including quiet taps and background voices on my iPhone 16. Video editing was completed using iMovie and Canva, Audacity was used for sound design.

Sound Assets:

Creepy Dark Atmosphere by Universfield, downloaded from pixabay, licensed under CC BY 4.0 and pixabay content

soft knocking on wood door by mrrap4food, downloaded from freesound, licensed under CC0 1.0

Knock on Door by tcurless, downloaded from freesound, licensed under CC0 1.0

Chant_Deur01.wav by BartjeBral, downloaded from freesound, licensed under CC0 1.0

TV glitch by humanhasbeenneutralized, downloaded from pixabay, licensed under pixabay content

Flashlight Clicking On by baidonovan (freesound_community), downloaded from pixabay, licensed under pixabay content

Video Assets:

Glitch effect by Luis Quintero, downloaded from pexels, licensed under pexels license

Tv Effect, glitch effect, technology by RAHADstudio, downloaded from pixabay, licensed under pixabay content

Thumbnail for Youtube:

night horror movie by Visual Karsa, downloaded from Unsplash, licensed under Unsplash license

April 8, 2025 by Student Posts 0