by Julianne Medaglia-Kurtz, TD Bank
While the phrase ‘cloud computing’ is gaining in popularity, the technology has been around longer than we realize. Back in 2009, librarians at Ohio State University were engaging in cloud computing by sharing information with Google Docs and uploading their photos to Flickr. Before that, people were using Facebook, a cloud computing service, operating since 2004. We have been using the cloud for nearly a decade without even knowing it. But what is the cloud, and how are we using it? How will it affect our libraries and information centers?
The ‘cloud’ itself can be defined as a central hub computer where large amounts of data are stored (this is another way of describing the internet). Once you upload your data to the cloud, it can be accessed anywhere. A demonstrative example of the cloud is Google’s music service (still in beta), music.google.com. Another example is Evernote.com, a powerful program and mobile phone app that is used for storing notes in the form of text, webpages, a photograph, a voice memo, or a handwritten “ink” note. Once uploaded to Evernote, you can access your account from anywhere using the Internet.
In a nutshell, when you connect your computer(s) to a network wherein all of your data is located in one place, operated by a powerful central computer, you are engaging in cloud computing. The information you request is sent from the central computer to your individual computer. It is important to note that no data is stored on your computer. You are merely requesting that the information be sent to your screen; you are viewing it in the same way you view a television program.
Now we can see how cloud computing programs and systems are making our lives easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable. It can even be better for the environment: Google just released a study detailing the improved energy efficiency of cloud-based email. But there are many implications of cloud computing for libraries and information centers. There are many types of information shared in libraries: user-generated content, original content, content created by the library. With Google Docs, files can be shared instantly. With the increasing digitization of works, this could be both a blessing and a curse. How can we regulate use, permissions, copyrights, etc?
For a more in-depth discussion about cloud computing, check out Library Journal’s article, .
So the question is: Have you started using cloud computing in your workplace? If yes, how? Has it increased your productivity? We’d like to hear your thoughts!
Julianne Medaglia-Kurtz is a graduate of the Master’s program of Library and Information Science at the Rutgers University School of Communication and Information. She has worked in several types of libraries and archives, including the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO. She is currently a Research Associate with TD Bank. In her free time, she enjoys going to museums, traveling, and cooking with friends. She can be reached at jmedagli@gmail.com.