LIS5313

Student Posts

Is it a car? Is it a train? No, it’s a PUG!

Jane Barrager
“An Upside Down Pug” by DaPuglet is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
“steam engine at museum.wav” by 3bagbrew is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

What do pugs and trains have in common? They sound EXACTLY the same!

My sister has two adorable pugs with just the sweetest personalities but, and I can not state this enough, they are LOUD. And I don’t mean because they bark or anything, I mean because they breathe. That’s it. They could be doing literally nothing at all and I swear, it sounds like a train going through the room. Now they’re more than cute enough to make up for the noise – or at least they are until it’s time to sleep and then it becomes nearly impossible to drown them out. It’s gotten to the point that when I visit my sister I have to be in an entirely different room from the pugs with the door firmly closed  to have any chance of peace. 

That’s exactly the sentiment I wanted to convey by combining this image of a cute but looming pug with the sounds of a steam engine at work because no matter how many times I explain it, I don’t think people really get it. It’s not until you have both the image and sound together (or you’re visiting my sister’s house) that you can really understand the strangeness of a small, cute dog making more noise than a locomotive. I listened to so many train sounds to find just the right one and I think I nailed it – just play it on loop while trying to go to sleep and you’ll have the full experience! 

The combination of image and audio together definitely transformed the individual meaning of both to help illustrate a subjective feeling that can be hard to explain or understand. Because I can assure you, my sister doesn’t feel the same way about her pugs as I do. But if I show her this, she might just get it!

January 19, 2024 by Student Posts 4

Origin Story

Subway by Eric Parker Licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Hurricane by Misterbates Licensed under Creative Commons CC0 1.0

Children are so honest with their emotions. That level of honesty always resonates and is impressive.  On the left, you see her mother (probably) and a sibling (likely) in a carrier. To the right, you see the subway doors with a sign.  Her mother’s hand suggests consoling or taming unwelcomed behavior. I cannot help but feel she wanted to stand and enjoy the train ride unbridled by safety concerns. Whatever emotion catalyzed her expression, she is not happy with her autonomy being restricted.

Now, there are so many permutations when reading the emotions of a young child. Let’s be honest here – children’s thoughts have no bounds. There could be a WIDE array of reasons why she’s pouting. That level of possibility forced an obligation to craft the story behind the expression.

The audio created an origin story.  The sound starts slowly, then builds — perfect sound to accompany the beginning of an adventure. I imagined the child’s expression becoming the focus of the image… a slow-paced zoom that matches the tempo of the music. At the moment where her eyes and frown are tightly framed, I imagined her verbalized thoughts, rebuking the restricted autonomy and a vow of action recited. She vows to never (blank) again. This is how heroes (or villains) are born.

Without the music, my emotions and thoughts were a bit humorous and tamed. I chuckled to myself, reflecting on the energy levels of parents with young children and was provided nostalgic entertainment.  The image coupled with the audio, was transformative. My imagination was given permission to mirror the boundless possibilities of a young child. My affinity for fantasy fiction likely carved a path to villains and superheroes. Standalone, these two thought paths do not cross. As I write, glancing at the photo without the music, I no longer view the child avenging her stifled train ride, but see a child, doing what children do – experiencing unfettered emotions.  The audio, heard in isolation, takes me somewhere else, no longer associated with the familiar, but to a space more technical and bland. I’m wondering how the person who created the sound did it.  There’s nothing exciting or interesting about that. Cheers to the age of technology where we can easily combine the two.

January 18, 2024 by Spring 2024 4

A White Picket Fence

Fence on Elm Street by Paul VanDerWerf is licensed under CC-BY 2.0

Car Crash by YleArkisto is licensed under CC-BY 3.0

When you see a home with white picket fence, you’re probably imagining the big happy family living inside. You might even imagine some kids playing in this yard or dogs running around protected by the safety of the fence. At least that is what a fence is supposed to provide- safety, protection, and boundaries.

My mind, however, always goes to the poor house at the end of the street where I grew up. Their white picket fence was always being knocked down by cars going too fast around the bend. In just a few seconds, the idea of a fence being protection is shattered. The fence had to be repaired almost every year.

The Fence on Elm Street by Paul VanDerWerf has a slightly dreary underlying tone to the image as the grass and trees are practically all dead. Even with the sad wintry photo, you might still imagine a happy family inside curled up by a fire with hot cocoa. This photo paired with the audio Car Crash by YleArkisto gives what could still be happy and uplifting imagery of a house with a white picket fence, a more serious and negative tone. The sound of a speeding car trying to come to a stop, followed by a crash tells the story of the white picket fence that I knew growing up.

January 18, 2024 by Student Posts 3

A day in the life of ME!

Good day! My name is Sharon Frazier and I am from Indiana. My husband and I moved to Middleburg, Florida, five years ago. We decided that we had enough of the -30 degree weather and snow 12+ inches high, so we left that behind and have never looked back. My husband and I have six children and eleven grandchildren together. We also have two fur babies; Silvie the cat and Coco the dog

Upon our move here to Florida, I had obtained a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and had begun working on my master’s in Library Science. I had 12 more classes to take and on December 15, 2023, I received my master’s in Library Science with a concentration in Information Specialty. I currently work at Jacksonville University Swisher Library, where I am the Access Resource Coordinator. I am the person responsible for submitting Interlibrary Loan requests to other lenders in hopes to find resource materials, for patrons, that our library does not contain.

During my free time, I enjoy spending time with my youngest granddaughter, crocheting, reading and watching action movies. I also enjoy weekend rides with my husband on his motorcycle and corvette. I hope to gain more information about utilizing digital media personally and professionally. I have already learned something new with this assignment using this media format. I look forward to learning more about this and other types of digital media.

January 18, 2024 by Student Posts 4

The Barn in the Storm

There’s something about the contrast in this photo that I love.

“The Barn in the Storm” by Trey Ratcliff is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
“Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 – 2. Adagio” by Various Classical Music is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.

A bright flash of lightning followed by the loud crack of thunder as the storm finally rolls over the horizon and the rain begins to make landfall; children and parents dart for cover and I dart for the window. I’ve always found comfort in the rain and joy in nature’s firework show. The way mother nature roars as the lightening pierces through the dark sky, reminding you how small the world really is.

“The Barn in the Storm” by Trey Ratcliff is a perfect example of life’s contradictions. The dark grey storm in the background and the bright green plants in the foreground; the contrast we face every day in every decision.

I have always found the violin to be a very moving instrument and the usage of it in Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 – 2. Adagio” by Various Classical Music is no different. The way the song flows from slow moving  segments to faster intense segments reminds me of a storm. One moment its calm, the next the rain is heavy and violent. Which is why I feel it pairs perfectly with the”The Barn in the Storm” by Trey Ratcliff. It pulls you into the moment and creates the atmosphere of a storm.

January 17, 2024 by Student Posts 2

Welcome to Spring 2024

اهلا و سهلا بالجميع (Hello Everyone)

I’m excited to start this semester. My name is Dina Hamad, I’m originally from Palestine but I was born and raised in United Arab Emirates (Dubai). I came from a very big family, and I do speak two languages Arabic (as my first language) and English (as my second language).

Leaving from Middle East to United States was one of the hardest decisions to do in my life. But for better education and living the United States was my first choice. I love learning new things every single day and challenging myself with different tasks, because I believe that we live in this life once.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Dina-New-2.jpg
2020 FAMU Graduation

“As a person, I believe that life isn’t about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself.”

I finished a bachelor’s degree in health science from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and I had worked in Clinics and hospital for five years. But on the other side I was in deep love with technology and interested to learn new skills in technology specially in doing videos and editing them in media. So, I decide to take new step in my life, and I decide to study master’s degree in information technology.

Dubai Skylines at night

File:Dubai Skylines at night (Pexels 3787839).jpg – Wikipedia

Dubai is the dream city for so many people in the world. That what made me want to finish my master’s degree and gain as much as possible experience before going back to Dubai. Dubai is a very rich city and it consider number one for tourism in middle east and internationally.

January 17, 2024 by Student Posts 3

Like a Lighthouse I Stand, O’er the Rocks and Sand

This is a hopeful post, I promise, even if it might not seem so at first. Listen to the audio as you read if you feel comfortable. It too is full of hope, even if it might not seem so at first.

“Inspiring Cinematic Ambient” Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay CC License.
“Lighthouse” by Jonas B is licensed under CC BY 2.0. https://www.flickr.com/photos/14738242@N00/5607325231

Today is a special day for me. Six years ago to the day, I was in the intensive care unit after going into septic shock due to an unknown cause. In the days prior to this, I thought I was foolish for feeling like I was “dying”. I thought I was weak for believing that something wasn’t right in my body. At some point however, I truly believed that I might die.

I have always had a fascination with lighthouses. Someone once told me that they were a symbol of hope for sailors, and that if I was ever in need of a sign of hope, the pillars that brought lost men and women home was a great one to grasp onto. Later in life, I had a conversation in a bar with an older man who told me that he spent most of his life looking for hope and never found it. It was a sad conversation, and I spent most of it listening to stories of his life and how he had struggled. It was then that I decided that there are two perspectives to the lighthouse.

Sometimes we have to look for lighthouses in our time of need and when we are full of despair. Other times, we ourselves need to be a lighthouse for other people and guide them. My closest friends know about my love of lighthouses, and so on this day six years ago as a crash cart sat beside my door, I used my thumb to copy and paste the poem “The Lighthouse” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on my Facebook page. I didn’t have the strength to say goodbye to anyone, but I figured that if they read that poem that they would know what I meant and would remember me when they think of lighthouses.

Obviously I survived. I am a survivor. After many days, months and years of rehab,I am still standing. Like a lighthouse, weathering storm after storm, still standing strong, I continue to keep going for my family and my self. The image I chose for this blog of the lighthouse is striking. It is strong and purposeful, resilient in its ability to withstand the elements. I am filled with hope, believing that I too can be like a lighthouse. I was drawn to both the audio and the image because they represent how I feel about my experience.

“The Lighthouse” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Poem
January 16, 2024 by Spring 2024 Student Posts 4

From the Classroom to the Media Center

Hi everyone, my name is Delanie Ornstein, and I’m really excited to be starting my fourth semester in the MSI program at FSU! I’m originally from Ocala, FL (think horse farms, springs, and retirement communities), but I’ve also lived in Saudi Arabia, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Tucson, and now live in Miami with my husband and our two dogs.  As much as I loved living in Tucson, I’m so happy to be back near the water, so a lot of my free time is spent kayaking or at the beach. Otherwise, I’m probably reading!

My background is in education – after graduating, I became a first grade teacher and am currently teaching preschool since moving to Miami and starting this degree. I’m really passionate about teaching and education, but I also felt that I needed to make a change and school librarianship is a better long term fit for me. Using digital media in lessons is a great way to engage students in their learning, so I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can about creating digital media that I can use in library lessons!

January 16, 2024 by Student Posts 4

Small Town Girl That Loves The City

Hello, everyone! I’m Tashi Brown, and I currently reside in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. I live in a small town so I travel OFTEN. I’m studying Information Technology and work as a Software Analyst for the Department of Defense. I’m passionate about digital design and serving my community in my free time. I am a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. I create all the flyers and social media posts for my sorority.

I find this class intriguing, especially in relation to digital creations. I recently turned my hobby into a small business so I’m eager to delve into media concepts and production.

Curious to know more about Niceville? Check it out and explore the vibrant culture and history of this small town where all the people are nice.

January 16, 2024 by Student Posts 4

Lauren the Law Librarian

Greetings everyone! My name is Lauren Diaz and I grew up in Windermere, FL. I attended Florida State University for my undergraduate studies where I pursued a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Law Enforcement Intelligence. Although I began my studies with hopes to one day become a Forensic Psychologist, my Forensic Psychology professor at Florida State University, who also had a J.D., inspired me to first pursue law school. During the peak of the pandemic, I began my law school journey on Zoom. At the beginning of my last semester of law school and after 2 1/2 years of studying and preparing to become a criminal defense attorney, I realized I did not want to become an attorney. Although I met many attorneys who had the job I had always dreamed of, none of them had the life I wanted to live. During my final semester of law school, I began scrambling to find a job with a work/life balance. I was enrolled in an Advanced Legal Research Techniques course and realized all of the aspects of law school I enjoyed were truly law librarianship. For example, I was the TA for Legal Research and Writing and was heavily involved in law review. This link will take you to the Nova Law Review’s website where you can explore the organization: https://thenovalawreview.org/new-page

Ultimately, I found refuge in the law library and made contact with the Dean of the Law Library. The Dean of the Law Library created a law librarianship program for me to complete and upon graduating I was offered a position as a Research and Reference Librarian at the Panza Maurer Law Library at Nova Southeastern Shepard Broad College of Law with the condition that I complete an MLIS program or equivalent. The following link will lead you to the website of the law library: https://www.law.nova.edu/library/staff.html

Apart from working as a law librarian, I am also an adjunct professor for the same Advanced Legal Research Techniques course I previously took. Everything has truly come full circle. When I am not working or in school, I love to read, write academic articles, and collect Pokemon cards. One area of scholarship that I consistently write about is intellectual property and I am hoping this course can enhance my knowledge on copyright. Additionally, my family has a Pokemon-collecting business and one of the reasons I am taking this course is to learn more about digital media in terms of marketing. Another reason I am taking this course is to better improve the promotional and informational material sent out by the library and how to improve my presence on Canvas and other platforms for my students.

January 16, 2024 by Student Posts 6