Welcome to the Zettabyte Era

2016 has been declared "The Year Of The Zettabyte" based on the fact that by the close of the year annual global IP traffic will pass the zettabyte threshold - it will reach about 1.3 ZB, actually.

But what is a zettabyte? A zettabyte is ten to the 21st power, which can be written as a one followed by twenty-one zeros: 

1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

So, what does that mean in terms of data?

Perhaps the infographic by Cisco below, taken from this 2011 article explains it better than words can:

Streaming the entire Netflix catalog 3,177 times. Wow!

So one thing is clear: a zettabyte represents a lot of data usage, and even more amazingly, this usage is predicted to double by 2019.

So why am I telling you this? The rise of the zettabyte reminds us that with such a huge amount of Internet traffic comes the challenge to turn unstructured data into meaningful information. It is imperative that citizens of the world be able to recognise and select credible material, master effective research skills, and know how to cite sources. These skills will help you after you leave school, long after the zettabyte becomes the yottabyte, and beyond. 

Here are some helpful guides on the Library pages:

Research Guide 

Senior Sceondary - Essay Writing

Citation Tools

Or drop by the library and speak to a real, live Librarian. We may be still trying to get our heads around the zettabyte, but we can help in the here and now!

And now, The Library Review.

So apparently, the Library used to have its very own magazine! These periodicals contained book reviews, reports on activities within the Library, poetry contributions, and advice on the Dewey Decimal System - a new "thing" for the Library in 1965! Sounds very much like what we now post on Instagram, Twitter and this very blog!


Hopefully you follow us on Instagram because over the next few weeks articles from this November 1965 edition, as well as others, will be hitting your screens. Times have certainly changed in the past fifty years - but as you'll see, some things have stayed the same!

National Recycling Week November 9-15

Recycling. It's something that is close to our hearts here in the Library. I mean why wouldn't it be? All those books full of paper!

But aside from all the useful, inside-of-books paper in the Library, the print zone is located here. Printing demands mean we can sometimes chomp through at least 5 reams of paper a day! But not all of this paper gets stapled or bound and submitted as assessments or other work. Some of it gets...

DISCARDED.

That's right, left behind. And it is this paper that we conveniently forget about in our quest for printed perfection which accounts for about a quarter of paper use in the Print Zone per day. 

What usually happens to it:

This: it gets left behind on any flat(ish) surface.

Or, um, this: it gets crumpled up and hidden behind books or on top of shelves or on the floor or under a beanbag.

What we would like to happen to it:

This: if it can be re-used as note paper - that is, it is B&W when you wanted colour or you've printed more copies than you needed - put it in the tray at the far end of the zone.

Or this: if it can't be re-used - that is, it is double-sided or hacked to bits by a printer malfunction  - then put it in the big blue recycling bin!

Being responsible with our unwanted paper is only the beginning though. Take it back a few steps: all this paper waste could be lessened with a bit of forethought. Try taking a few seconds to think before you print.

Does this need to be printed?

Could I save it to the Cloud instead? 

 Could it be printed double-sided to save on paper? 

What do I have to do to get my printing right the first time? 

Library Cards Rule!

On his SearchReSearch blog, Google’s research scientist Daniel Russell has this to say about doing great research. “One of the more powerful research tools you can have is a library card… this is worth repeating: A library card is instant access to a world of resources. Both offline AND online.”  What a wonderful endorsement for libraries everywhere!

One of our many goals here in the Library is to help students perform great research. Librarians are available to personally assist students. Our collection is tailored to the curriculum. Students have access to a selection of subscription databases. The Library pages are accessible through all Canvas courses. But sometimes it may be necessary for students to go further afield for their research needs. This is especially the case for students undertaking their HSC and IB Diploma. That’s why we encourage students and members of staff to visit and join other libraries - to gain “instant access to a world of resources”. A good one to start with is our own state library. Membership of the State Library of NSW is free and you can sign up for a card online. Once you receive your card by post, you have free web access to the library’s eresources - local & international newspapers, ebooks, full-text journals, magazines, and online databases.

Let’s not forget the “offline” component of Daniel Russell’s quote. Studies have shown that the availability of online resources and networks has not diminished demand for “offline” channels of advice and information. Meeting with teachers and librarians in the shared space of the library, asking questions and exchanging ideas continues to be valued by the 21^st century learner.