Nicole Hennig

Voice Computing with Alexa and Google Home – Implications for Libraries: A Webinar

by Nicole Hennig | Nov 13, 2018

90-minute webinar with questions for discussion
1 pre-webinar reading

Contact me to schedule it for your group.

The Amazon Echo, with its “Alexa” voice personality, is one of the most popular smart speakers available. Google has “Google Assistant,” Apple “Siri,” and Microsoft “Cortana.” These voice-controlled systems can do many things, such as play music, audiobooks, radio stations, podcasts, answer factual questions, tell stories, and control devices in your home. This technology is improving quickly and is now available in more locations, like the workplace and your car.

These voice-controlled products enable better access for people with vision problems, mobility problems, and situations where hands-free computing is useful.

Public, school, and academic libraries are experimenting with voice computing technologies by offering smart speakers for borrowing, creating “Alexa skills” about library programs, hosting workshops about smart speakers, and more.

We’ll cover

1. What is voice computing?

2. How does it work?

3. Examples of use

4. Why it matters

5. Where is it in the Hype Cycle?

6. Is it likely to be a passing fad or an important trend?

7. Who are some of the key players? (organizations, companies)

8. What are some ethical concerns?

9. How might it help individuals?

10. How might it help people with disabilities?

11. Can it help bridge the digital divide?

12. How are libraries currently using voice computing and how might they use it in the future?

13. How might we experiment with it in library settings?

14. Which time frame applies?
– It’s a bit far off in the future, but good to understand.
– It’s coming soon, important to learn more now.
– It’s already here, and worth experimenting with in libraries.

15. Resources for learning more

Outcomes

Become familiar with the basics of voice computing platforms.
Understand why voice computing is positioned to become an important paradigm change for more user-friendly and accessible computing.
Get inspired to experiment with voice computing in library services and events.
Continue your learning with a bibliography of best sources for learning more.

See also my book, Siri, Alexa, and Other Digital Assistants: The Librarian’s Quick Guide, published by Libraries Unlimited.

This webinar is part of a series about specific emerging technologies and their implications for libraries by Nicole Hennig, author of Keeping Up with Emerging Technologies: Best Practices for Information Professionals.

Voice Computing -- Implications for Libraries

This will be interesting and fun!

Schedule this webinar now

New Book: Siri, Alexa, and Other Digital Assistants: The Librarian’s Quick Guide

by Nicole Hennig | Oct 22, 2018

Are you curious about Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, and other types of voice computing?

If you have an Amazon Echo, Google Home, or Apple HomePod you might think that these are only for home use. But actually, libraries are experimenting with ways to use voice computing (by creating skills, loaning smart speakers, offering workshops, and more).

Understand the basics of this technology.
Learn how libraries are experimenting with voice computing.
Get inspired to experiment in your library.

My new book is now available!

Siri, Alexa, and Other Digital Assistants: The Librarian’s Quick Guide
Table of Contents

1. What is Voice-First Computing?

Introduction
Definitions
Platforms Overview
– Voice Assistants on Other Devices
Typical Tasks
Third-Pary Skills
Statistics
Advantages of Voice Computing

2. Hardware and Skills

Hardware
– Smart Speakers
– Smart Home Devices
– TV Devices
– Home Robots
– Voice Computing in Cars
– Hearables
Comparing Platforms
Creating Skills
– Alexa Skill Development
– Google Action Development
– Is It Possible to Monetize a Skill?
– Creating Skills for Libraries

3. Real-World Uses

Hands-Free Situations
Workplace Uses
Benefits for the Elderly
Benefits for People with Disabilities
– Uses for the Blind and Vision Impaired
– Voice Control Helps People with Mobility Impairments
– What about People with Speech Impairments?
Use in Libraries
– School Libraries and Classrooms
– Public Libraries
– Academic Libraries

4. Privacy and Ethical Concerns

The Privacy of Your Voice Data
– How to Control Your Voice Data
– Block Incoming Voice Calls
– Disable Voice Purchases
– Privacy Recommendations for Design of Voice Interfaces
Children and Voice Assistants
– Ethical Concerns
– Recognizing the Speech of Young Children
– Voice Computing for Children Is Here to Stay
Sexism in Voice Computing
What Librarians Need to Know

5. The Future of Voice Computing

A Primary Way of Using Computers
Advances in Speech Recognition and Natural Language Processing
Possible Uses in Libraries

Notes
Resources
Index

Get the book, and let me know what you think! Is your library experimenting with voice computing?

Siri, Alexa, and Other Digital Assistants

The Librarian’s Quick Guide

Get the book

Emerging Technologies: Implications for Libraries, A Webinar Series

by Nicole Hennig | Aug 31, 2018

I’ve got a new series of webinars available! They are about emerging technologies and their implications for libraries. Schedule them for your regional library association or local library staff.

Contact me about pricing if you’d like to arrange one for your group.

Description

In each episode of this series, you’ll learn about a particular emerging technology. You’ll discuss its possible impacts on society and on libraries. Each webinar consists of definitions, examples, and a guided discussion with thought-provoking questions.

Outcomes

Become knowledgeable about new technologies.
Learn how to evaluate new technologies.
Learn to distinguish trends from fads.
Learn how to experiment with new technologies that show promise for libraries.

Format

90-minute webinar: A presentation with several breaks for discussion
1 pre-webinar reading or video, sent ahead of time (optional)
A bibliography of resources for learning more.

Outline

For each technology in this series, we’ll cover:

What is it?
How does it work?
Examples of current use
Why it matters
Where is it in the Hype Cycle?
How soon is it expected to come to fruition?
Is it likely to be a passing fad or an important trend?
Who are some of the key players? (organizations, companies)
What are some ethical concerns?
How might it change society?
How might it help individuals?
How might it help people with disabilities?
How might it help bridge the digital divide?
How might libraries use it?
How might libraries change because of it?
How might we experiment with it in library settings?
Which time frame applies?
- It’s a bit far off in the future, but good to understand.
- It’s coming soon, important to learn more now.
- It’s already here, and worth experimenting with in libraries.
Resources for learning more

Available Topics for 2018-2019

Voice Computing and Smart Speakers – Implications for Libraries
Blockchain Technologies – Implications for Libraries

Possible Future Topics for 2019

Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality – Implications for Libraries
Artificial Intelligence – Implications for Libraries
Remote Working and “The Free Agent Nation” – Implications for Libraries
Suggest more topics

Get The Webinars

Contact me for pricing if you would like to schedule live webinars for your group.

Let me know if you would prefer pre-recorded presentations that you can download. If I get enough requests, I’ll make downloads of recordings available for sale at a discount.

These webinars use techniques from my book on the same topic. It covers the best methods and sources for keeping up.

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“A bounty of resources and strategies for advancing user-centered innovation”
— Joyce Kasman Valenza, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Rutgers School of Communication & Information

Take a look at a list of my past webinars, some of which are still available — let me know if you want to schedule one.

Top Technology Trends at ALA 2018

by Nicole Hennig | Jun 23, 2018

I’m looking forward to hearing from panelists at ALA’s Top Tech Trends this year! (June 24, 11 am CDT) Since I wasn’t able to attend ALA in New Orleans, I’ll be following the Twitter hashtag: #ALATTT.

I’m especially interested to hear about “Library Databases in the Age of Alexa and Siri.” I’ve been thinking about voice computing for library services since I just finished writing a book called “Siri, Alexa, and Other Digital Assistants: The Librarian’s Quick Guide.” (To be published later this year by Libraries Unlimited).

Here’s a list of the trends to be discussed:

Quantum Computing
Digital Gaslighting
Blockchain Technology
Psychometrics
Digital Libraries interfacing with public via wi-fi on public transit
Digital libraries embedded in public housing
Death of Transparency
Fragmentation and Fluidity
Library Databases in the Age of Alexa and Siri
Next Generation Learning Management Systems

And here’s a list of the panelists:

Marshall Breeding (Moderator) @mbreeding
Jason Bengtson
Laura Cole @lauracole61
Justin De La Cruz @justindlc
Marydee Ojala @marydeeo
Reina Williams

Looking forward to hearing more about all of the trends. Add your comments to this post (or on Twitter @nic221) if you want to discuss any of these trends (especially voice-computing)!

To be notified when the book is available, sign up for my newsletter, Mobile Apps News.

Online Privacy and Security – Self-Study Online Course

by Nicole Hennig | Jun 17, 2018

If you feel like it’s finally time to bring yourself up to date on security & privacy best practices, this course is for you!

There is no such thing as perfect security, but you can learn to greatly decrease your chances of something bad happening.

While there is no such thing as foolproof security and privacy, there is a middle ground that you can find by understanding and using particular techniques.

After you participate in this course, you will…

know how to use technologies that protect your privacy and security.
have a security action plan for your own data.
be inspired to share your knowledge with others.
easily continue your learning with the course resource guide.

This course is for …

Anyone who worries about online privacy and security and hasn’t had time to figure out what tools and apps to use.

Intelligent people who don’t feel up-to-date on the best practices for their own security and privacy.

This course was originally designed for librarians and teachers who want to offer workshops about privacy and security to others, but it’s appropriate for any computer-literate person.

Advantages of a self-study course like this one

You can go at your own pace, start and finish the course at any time (with no deadlines).

You’ll have ongoing access to the materials in years to come — so you can review at any time. (I update all of my courses once a year).

The prices are more affordable (usually less than half the price of taking them via professional groups like the American Library Association or Library Juice Academy).

Previous students love my courses (see testimonials).