The World Is Not Flat: Information Literacy in 3D

Thursday 9:30 AM
The World Is Not Flat: Information Literacy in 3D
Elizabeth B. Thomsen - Presentation on her blog

Elizabeth started by bringing us to Google Maps and the website Shorpy. Google Maps has a street view feature that is available for many cities and areas. People are using it when researching to rent an apartment, taking a trip, a neighborhood, and more.

You can create your own maps, take your photographs and upload them to the map with a placemarker. It will automatically translate to Google Earth (which must be downloaded to a robust computer and the program uses significant bandwidth). Google Earth has to be installed on your computers for patrons to use it.

Elizabeth mentioned the idea of using this as a readers advisory tool, add books to places that are significant to the plot (you can view images of the areas).

We explored Google Earth's satallite imagery, even the ability to see images from the past (i.e. see pictures of Beijing as they prepared for the Olympics, New Orleans Pre- & Post-Katrina).
Change the time of day in a location to see when the sun sets. 3D building layers will show you amazing images of buildings.

Google Sketchup is the software used to create the 3D buildings... that can be found using Google Earth. An easy to use program for creating 3D objects (buildings, robots, etc...), take a look in the Google 3D Warehouse to see what people have done. You can download images and use Google Sketchup to make changes. See what a giant silo next to Fenway Park would look like, or take a look at the Boston Public Library! There are tutorials and books about how to use Google Sketchup available so that you can get started. We viewed a video tutorial created by a child and uploaded to YouTube.

Another amazing thing that can be done is take photographs to use as "skins" or surfaces for 3D models, creating very realistic 3D images. Check out Faneuil Hall in Boston on Google Earth - 3D Building Layers to get an idea of how this is being used.

Elizabeth brought us to a YouTube video of Sketchy Physics Examples. This could be a great tool for helping teach kids and adults about spatial relationships, etc... Google for Educators - Project Spectrum shows the creations of children that have Autism.

People have mapped information and history (i.e. Jack Kerouac)...

A popular theme on the web now is "old school" 3D objects - models (i.e. pinhole cameras, automobiles, etc..) in PDF Format. Low-tech magazine has a guide to things popular in the 1800's that can be created with paper as 3D objects.

3D Printers are now being used... (down t0 $5,000) by artists, jewelry makers, business - rapid proto-typing, etc... Remember how expensive scanners and printers used to be, and what they are today...

YouTube has a video of a 3D printing demonstration so that you can see how these printers work. Company called Shapeways that allows you to design a 3D object, upload it, and they will print it for you. These prices are coming into range of the average consumer. You can create 3D objects using a "wizard" type of feature to use as gifts, etc...

From the audience...how does copyright relate to this creation of 3D content? People can protect their copyright, but if you add it to the Google 3D Warehouse or Shapeways it is as though you are releasing it for public use.