Uncategorized – Typhoon Spoon (2024)

Blog Post #8- Course Reflection

Final Thoughts and Reflections

This spring semester my first semester at San Jose State University in graduate school was definitely a “like riding a bike” moment. I’m glad I chose INFO200-16 as Information communities as my first class into my LIS degree. I consider myself someone who likes to learn different strategies to better facilitate my experiences as they come. Learning about the variety of information theories was fascinating because you do not really know that someone functions the same as you till you see them functioning as such. It was fascinating to learn about the physiological habits and qualities of information seeking. The issues surrounding different types of information communities, how they could be so similar yet very different from diversity and inclusion to income inequality. My favorite part of any assignment is getting to select something that peaks my interest. With this class we got to select a topic for the semester and expand on it in ways I didn’t think were possible. The Community I chose to write about this semester was the field of medicinal mycology. Mushrooms had always just been a pizza topping in my eyes. It wasn’t until recent years that I learned they had so many positive benefits for the human body and mind. I was excited to learn they possess so many qualities that could stand to clean up the environment. The effects that they have on the human mind and its ability to age properly. It was amazing to learn that so many people out there are willing to provide others with access to mushroom kits and mushroom seminars. While learning that just about every corner of the world has some use for their local mushroom population. I look forward to completing my MLIS degree with my fresh set of perspectives for an information professional that I gained over the course of the semester. I would also like to Thank Dr. Koontz for being an amazingly responsive and understanding first professor who helped me comfortably get through this semester despite my adhd offering many setbacks. I look forward to earning my degree at SJSU.

Figure 1

Mushrooms

Blog Post #7 Report on your community’s use of emerging technologies

Blog Post # 6 Report on the issues your community may face on an international scale

INFO 200 Blog post #6 International Library Services and Medicinal Mycology

Medicinal mycology is a fascinating and complex field that has seen an increase in global interest over the years. “Structural and pharmacological studies revealed that fungal glycans show multiple physiological and healthy promoting effects including immunomodulation, anti-tumor, anti-aging, anti-oxidation, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-radiation, and other effects. Fungal glycans isolated from different kinds of medicinal mushrooms are partially purified and clinically tested. ” (Yang et al., 2019) With the rise of natural remedies and alternative medicine, many people are turning to fungi for their medicinal properties. However, as with any information community, there are potential issues that the medicinal mycology community may face on an worldwide scale.

One of the most significant challenges that the medicinal mycology community could face is cultural differences. Different cultures have varying beliefs and traditions when it comes to medicine and healing, and it is essential to respect and understand these differences. For example, some cultures may view certain mushrooms as sacred and may have specific protocols for their use in healing. Information professionals must take cultural sensitivity into account when working with these communities.

“Public libraries in developing countries serve as critical information and ICT access points for people in their communities.”(Fairbairn, 2014) In many parts of the world, access to medical care is limited or nonexistent. When people are provided access to information more often than not they will use those sources to inform themselves. Medicinal mushrooms have the potential to provide low-cost treatments for a variety of ailments, but if these remedies are not available to everyone, it can perpetuate chronic illness. Information professionals can work to bridge the gap by providing access to information about medicinal mushrooms and advocating for greater access to healthcare for all to help possibly alleviate symptoms.

Gender, environmental, and economic justice are other factors that must be considered when working with the medicinal mycology community. “The most effective solutions address the issue comprehensively, harnessing strategies and resources from multiple sectors to improve the health and wellbeing of women living in urban area.”( Blumenthal, 2017) Women for example, may have a greater role in the collection and processing of medicinal mushrooms in certain cultures, but they may not have access to the same resources and opportunities as men. Environmental justice is important, as the over-harvesting of medicinal mushrooms which can lead to massive ecological damage. Bringing with the potential to harm some of the oldest and biggest organisms on this planet. Economic justice must be considered, as the commercialization of medicinal mushrooms can create a power disparity of sorts between those who produce and those who consume mushrooms.

“Libraries Without Borders (LWB) is a nonprofit devoted to facilitating the growth of libraries and expanding access to knowledge in 50 countries around the world.”(Morehart, 2021) To illustrate that there is much that can be done to help people reach vital information especially within the medicinal mycology community. As information professionals, it is our responsibility to be aware of issues and work to address them. We can do this by sharing information, collaborating with international counterparts, and advocating for greater access to healthcare and resources. By working together, we can create a collaborative and equitable world where everyone has access to the healing properties of medicinal mushrooms. “Public libraries will always adapt to and reflect the communities they serve,”(Morehart, 2016)

Figure 1

Mushroom image

References

Morehart, P. (2021, July 8). International innovators. American Libraries Magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from

International Innovators

Fairbairn, jean. (2014, May 10). Connecting farmers in Uganda – why empowering public libraries with technology is so

important – uganda. ReliefWeb. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://reliefweb.int/report/uganda/connecting-

farmers-uganda-why-empowering-public-libraries-technology-so-important

Morehart, P. (2016, August 29). Moving beyond the “third place”. American Libraries Magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from

Moving Beyond the “Third Place”

Blumenthal, S. (2017, December 7). Creating safe spaces in cities for women: A resolution for international women’s

day 2014. HuffPost. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/international-womens-day_b_4922218

Yang, dandan, zhou, zijing, & zhang, lijuan. (2019, March 21). An overview of fungal glycan-based therapeutics.

Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1877117319300225

Blog Post # 5 Explore how libraries and information centers create learning and programming opportunities for your chosen community

INFO 200: Blog Post #5: Learning and programming opportunities for The Medicinal Mushroom Community

Libraries are a vital resource for those interested in learning about various subjects, and medicinal mycology is the subject we are focusing on. Medicinal mycology refers to the study of fungi that have various medicinal properties. That contains various areas of interest, including the identification of fungal species, their natural habitats, and the extraction and purification of their bioactive compounds. There are many ways in which libraries can support those interested in learning about medicinal mycology and cultivate interest in this fascinating field.

It can be daunting to create something new especially in the world of programming for the public. There are a variety of concerns to address when designing a learning opportunity for the public from what should be chosen as the topic to what will the finished product be ? (Booth, 2010, p 96) had this to say about creating learning and programming opportunities for the community. “A fairly simple rule of thumb is this: the more demanding or unfamiliar the scenario, the more detailed a design approach is called for.” In essence libraries can curate and provide access to a variety of books, journals, and other resources on medicinal mycology. Stephens(2014) “Our Libraries of all kinds also serve as creative classrooms” in which patrons are encouraged to learn through creative means. This includes textbooks, scientific papers, and popular books that make the topic more accessible to the general public. Libraries can also provide access to databases and other online resources that researchers and interested individuals can use to find relevant literature and information on the topic. In additionlibraries can host talks and workshops on medicinal mycology, inviting experts to speak on the topic and provide insight into their research. These talks and workshops can be open to the public and serve as a way to engage the community and spark interest in the field. Libraries can also collaborate with local universities or research institutions to provide access to their resources and expertise. Furthermore, libraries can also offer opportunities for hands-on learning by providing access to resources and tools for mushroom cultivation. This includes books on growing mushrooms, kits for growing mushrooms, and access to online resources on mushroom cultivation. Libraries can also organize workshops on mushroom cultivation and connect interested individuals with local mycology groups and clubs. Lastly, libraries can partner with local organizations to host community events that showcase the benefits of medicinal mycology. These events can include cooking demonstrations featuring medicinal mushrooms, exhibitions on the history of medicinal mycology, and talks on the potential of medicinal mushrooms to address various health issues.

“In the future, successful involvement by librarians in teaching and learning will increasingly focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the academic programs they serve; this is part of the growing emphasis on developing a robust liaison role for academic librarians.”(The Future for Teaching and Learning, 2015) Libraries can play a significant role in supporting those interested in learning about medicinal mycology. They do so by providing access to resources and expertise, hosting online and in person talks and workshops, and offering opportunities for hands-on learning, libraries can nurture as well cultivate interest in this fascinating field and help individuals develop a deeper understanding of the potential of medicinal mushrooms to improve human health and longevity. “Librarians are redefining our value in a changing information paradigm, and it is essential that we perceive the role of education in this process: Building user knowledge as well as our own. No matter whether they are public, academic, school, or special, libraries are and will remain communities of independent and collaborative learning.” (Booth, 2010, p151)

Figure 1

Mushroom Image

References

The Future for Teaching and Learning. (2015, February 26). American Libraries Magazine. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2015/02/26/the-future-for-teaching-and-learning/

Stephens. (2014). Library as Classroom.Library Journal (1976),139(9), 36–36. https://www.proquest.com/docview/1522681789/2FBC752A7F534A67PQ/2?accountid=10361

Booth. (2011). A Crash Course in Learning Theory. In Booth,Reflective teaching, effective learning instructional literacy for library educators(p. xxi, 180 p.). American Library Association. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/sjsu/detail.action?docID=675848&pq-origsite=primo

Mushroom Images – Browse 1,437,727 Stock Photos, Vectors, and Video. Adobe Stock. https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=mushroom

Blog Post #4 A summary of Species clarification of the prize medicinal Ganoderma mushroom “Lingzhi”

A summary of Species clarification of the prize medicinal Ganoderma mushroom “Lingzhi”

Yun Cao- State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

Sheng-Hua Wu- Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural Science. Department of Plant Pathology, National Chunghsing University

Yu-Cheng Dai- State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Microbiology, Beijing Forestry University

In this paper, we treat “Lingzhi” in its narrow sense: the widely medicinally applied species. “Lingzhi”, also known as “Chi-zhi” or “Rui-zhi” in China, is one of the world’s most important medicinal fungi. In the Orient, it is viewed as ‘herb of spiritual potency’ or ‘mushroom of immortality’, and symbolizes sanctity, success, goodness and longevity (Gao and Zhou 2003; Wasser 2005; Lin 2009; De Silva et al. 2012). The earliest report about Lingzhi’s medicinal value appeared in the oldest Chinese medicinal monograph Shennong’s Compendium of Material Medica about 100 B.C. The knowledge of “Lingzhi” was also noted and renewed in the subsequent medicinal literatures including the famous Chinese Compendium of Materia Medica complied by Shi-Zhen Li in 1590 during the Ming Dynasty (Yu and Shen 2003) (Cao, et al, 2012, p. 49) “Obviously, the clear recognition of the scientific binomial to represent the “Lingzhi” species remains unknown before our study. To determine the correct identity of the “Lingzhi” species, we performed a detailed morphological and phylogenetic study of nine Ganoderma species that mostly resemble “Lingzhi”.” (Cao, et al, 2012, p. 50-51) What see here is a glimpse into the world of research in medicinal mycology. How research scientist select which Fungi they will study based off a variety of factors and why they choose to learn more about a particular species. In this article we are given the ways in which “Lingzhi” is and has been studied and documented to help further evolve our understanding of medicinal mycology. “Samples for the analysis included wild collections, commercially cultivated fruiting bodies or strains, and sequences derived from GenBank (Table 1). The commercially cultivated materials ‘G. lucidum’ were obtained from the major cultivation bases in ten provinces of China. Most wild specimens were collected by the authors from 15 provinces of China over the last decade. All specimens used in this study are mainly deposited at the herbaria of Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IFP), Shenyang and Beijing Forestry University (BJFC), Beijing.” (Cao, et al, 2012, p. 51) “The microscopic procedure used in this study follows Dai(2010) with some minor amendments. Sections were examined at magnification up to×1000 under a Nikon Eclipse E 80i microscope and phase contrast illumination.” (Cao, et al, 2012, p. 51) Although the above mentioned gene sequences are available for G. lingzhi, it is impossible to carry out multigene analysis for phylogeny, because these genes are not available for other species of the genus. (Cao, et al, 2012, p. 56) A variety of methods and tool were used to reach this level of understanding. The researchers in this study had the help of new technology and prior research studies on the “lingzhi” to give them a more concise base to help them determine what qualifies for a “Lingzhi” and what does not. As they are strains of the mushrooms which do not benefit humans to help locate those which are beneficial. “Finally, during the course of an episode, the berrypicking searcher may use many different sources and may use varying searching techniques, each suitable to the source and circ*mstances of the search.” (Bates, 2007) From sources cited to collection samples the research scientist in this article take to berrypicking quite naturally with the help of its many tools. Modern medicinal studies indicate that “Lingzhi” is effective in preventing or relieving various human diseases (Lin 2007; Dai et al 2009). Its medicinal properties include anti-aging, lowering blood pressure, improving immunity, and preventing and treating various cancers, chronic bronchitis, diabetes mellitus, gastric ulcers, hepatitis, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, neurasthenia and thrombosis (Lin 2007;Dai et al. 2009; Aly et al. 2011; De Silva et al. 2012). The fungus is also used in various cosmetics (Hyde et al. 2010). The medicinal effects of “Lingzhi” come from its metabolites including polysaccharides, triterpenes, lucidenic acids, LZ-8 protein, adenosine, ergosterol, glucosamine, cerebrosides et al. (Jong and Birmingham 1992; Gao and Zhou 2003; Lin 2009). Currently, “Lingzhi” is among the most sort after medicinal mushrooms in the world market. Various “Lingzhi” products made from the cultivated fruiting bodies have been commercialized as dietary supplements worldwide and especially in Asian countries; its estimated annual global turnover is approximately US$2.16 billion (Lai et al. 2004; Wachtel-Galor et al. 2004). (Cao, et al, 2012, p. 50) I could never imagine one mushroom could have so many positive benefits for the human body. That companies could stand to gain so much financially from something that grows in quite commonly in rotting wood or matter.“To search the most similar species with “Lingzhi”, we have referred to numerous literatures published during 1902–2011 with special emphasis on those with recent descriptions from the type or authentic specimens (Steyaert 1972, 1980;…” (Cao, et al, 2012, p. 51)“A berrypicking search has an evolving query, which shifts during the course of the search. As the searcher discovers sources and learns new information, the query changes accordingly; the searcher adds and drops elements and sometimes re-conceptualizes the whole query as understanding of the relevant information domain increases.” (Bates, 2007) “There are many experienced searchers who use these techniques already — in a berrypicking mode — with great satisfaction. These approaches represent well established patterns that are handed down from scholars to their students and which work well for them in many cases. If we want to meet users’ needs, we should enable them to search in familiar ways that are effective for them.” (Bates, 1989, p. 414) They have a way of evolving the question at hand with each mushroom despite attempting to answer the initial question. How else can one benefit from this mushroom? What properties make the mushroom an effective treatment against particular diseases? How long has this mushroom been used and is it difficult to locate?They learn more about all these possibilities thanks largely to all the prior research done before a question is proposed.“As misidentification of Ganoderma strains may hinder strategies for drung discovery (Wasser et al. 2006) and create complications for publications, patents and products (Wasser 2011), the correct identification of commercial and research-oriented Ganoderma strains especially those labelled G. lucidum is obviously important. The species identity of the ‘G. lucidum’ collections outside Eurasia should be further studied.” (Cao, et al, 2012, p. 60) That further research must be conducted on more species of mushroom. That humans stand to learn a vast amount about the benefits of mushrooms, only if they can further isolate each mushrooms benefits based on the strain.This among many of the other quotes from this post. It helps to illustrate the vast properties and abilities of consuming mushrooms for ones health. The way berrypicking is utilized in these studies help to demonstrate all of the tools in the method. “Lingzhi” is a mushroom that has been renowned in China for more than 2,000 years because of its claimed medicinal properties plus its symbolic fortune.” (Cao, et al, 2012, p. 49)

Figure 1 Red Reishi Mushroom

References

Wu, Zhou, L.-W., Yang, Z.-L., Bau, T., Li, T.-H., & Dai, Y.-C. (2019). Resource diversity of Chinese

macrofungi: edible, medicinal and poisonous species. Fungal Diversity, 98(1), 1–76.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-019-00432-7

Bates, M.J. (2007). What is browsing–really? A model drawing from behavioural science research. Information Research, 12(4).

Bates, M.J. (1989). The design of browsing and berrypicking techniques for the online search interface. Online Review, 13(5), 407-424.

Blog Post #3: The information-seeking behavior and information needs of The Mushroom Community

Blog Report # 3 Medicinal Mycology (Mushrooms) Information seeking behaviors and information needs

The need for information in medicinal mycology begins with us defining what exactly is medicinal mycology. “Medical mycology is a distinct discipline of medical microbiology concerned with all aspects of diseases in humans and lower animals caused by pathogenic fungi.”( Reiss, et al, 2011, pg 5) Given the variety found in this field many quiry spring forth when considering the benefits of mushrooms for medicine. We can see that information by focusing on those specific fields. “Medical mycology is a distinct subspecialty of medical microbiology and infectious disease. The field has progressed along with advances in both disciplines, informed by new knowledge from general mycology, immunology, and molecular biology.” (Reiss, et al, 2011, pg xvii) This gathering from a variety of disciplines can be considered a type of foraging. Medicinal mycology building and evolving its queries through the foundations of various scientific branches. “The human information forager, similarly, uses what Pirolli and Card call “the proximal perception of information scent” to assess profitability of an information source in relation to other potential sources.”(Spink, et al, 2006, pg 28) To say not all mushrooms are helpful to human health is a commonly known fact to humans, those in need of that information are many. If health is wealth, mushrooms stand to be invaluable to humans but first they must be sure of that information with the help of Mushroom guides and societies around the world to help further that goal. It is commonly said that if you are not entirely certain about something in nature it is best left alone. Following what Bates (1999) called the “red thread” when she wrote “…we are always looking for the red thread of information in the social texture of peoples lives. When we study people, we do so with the purpose of understanding information creation, seeking and use.”(Bates, 1999, pg 1048) Medicinal mycologies red thread lies in the understanding of the benefits that remain hidden or rather not quite understood. Retrieving what has been gathered to make sense of it all rather than in piece.”Important milestones in clinical laboratory mycology include (i) more rapid tests to identify Candida species in blood cultures, (ii) the wider availability of antifungal susceptibility tests because of new commercial kits, and (iii) the transfer of technology into the clinical laboratory for sequence-based identification of fungi. These are state-of-the-art tests appropriate for well resourced hospitals. In resource-limited countries, a lack of training, proper reagents, supplies, and equipment impacts their laboratories’ ability to identify pathogens and to detect antimicrobial resistance.”(Reiss, et al, 2011, pg 8) These tools and test help to gather the information necessary to expand the universe of medicinal mycology. In doing so we expand the mushrooms universe of interest and invite people to seek this information for themselves. “In real-life searches in manual sources, end users may begin with just one feature of a broader topic, or just one relevant reference, and move through a variety of sources. Each new piece of information they encounter gives them new ideas and directions to follow and consequently, a new conception of the query. At each stage they are not just modifying the search terms used in order to get a better match for a single query. Rather the query itself (as well as the search terms used) is continually shifting, in part or whole. This type of search is called an evolving search.(Bates, 1989, pg 409-410) These evolving searches are consistent in the study of medicinal mycology and many of its associated fields. The need to identify the benefits begins often with the desire to improve one’s quality of life. At the root of the problem of information-seeking behaviour is the concept of information need, which has proved intractable for the reason advanced by Wilson in 1981; that is, need is a subjective experience which occurs only in the mind of the person in need and, consequently, is not directly accessible to an observer. The experience of need can only be discovered by deduction from behaviour or through the reports of the person in need (p. 6).[37]” (Naumer & Fisher pg 2119) which leads us into two studies in the field of medicinal mycology. Which demonstrates the fields processes for gathering and retrieving information. Including what key components tend to lead the search for information in medicinal mycology. Are chemical compounds in medical mushrooms potent against colorectal cancer carcinogenesis and antimicrobial growth? “The pharmacological activities of these mushrooms are associated with their polysaccharide constituents displaying antitumor, antibacterial, and anticancer potency [2]. Research linked to transcriptomics studies and genomics of mushrooms of medical importance like Lignosus rhinocerotis has contributed to a better understanding of their molecular biology and expanded avenues for more investigative studies extending to the genome level [3]. Genome expressions in medicinal mushrooms portray substantial pharmacological ability significant to human health[3].”(Macharia, et al. Cancer Cell International, 2022, pg 1-2) Fungal biodiversity – as found in nasal mucus. The biodiversity of fungi isolated from the nasal mucus of patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis and from healthy persons was monitored over 28 months. Mucus samples were obtained by flushing the noses of patients with saline or by endoscopic sinus surgery. Fungi from mucus were cultivated on agar plates. Identification was performed microscopically and by polymerase chain reaction with subsequent sequencing of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region. Altogether, 619 strains of fungi were cultivated from 233 subjects. Eighty-one species were identified, with a maximum of nine different species per person.” (Buzina et al, 2003, pg 149) These articles give us a deeper and more technical insight into how and what results of studying mycology. They give us the information we were not aware could be found in doing such studies.

References

Naumer, C. M. & Fisher, K. Ein Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciencesby Michael Levine-Clark ; John D. McDonaldCRC Press2017-03-152115 – 2121

Bates, M. J. (1999). The invisible substrate of information science.

Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 50(12), 1043–

1050. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(1999)50:123.0.CO;2-X

Spink, Amanda ; Cole, CharlesJournal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology57(1)200625 – 35

Buzina, W ; Braun, H ; Freudenschuss, K ; Lackner, A ; Habermann, W ; Stammberger, H., Medical mycology (Oxford), 2003, Vol.41 (2), p.149-161

Macharia, Zhang, L., Mwangi, R. W., Rozmann, N., Kaposztas, Z., Varjas, T., Sugár, M., Alfatafta, H., Pintér, M., & Bence, R. L. (2022). Are chemical compounds in medical mushrooms potent against colorectal cancer carcinogenesis and antimicrobial growth? Cancer Cell International, 22(1), 379–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-022-02798-2

Reiss, E., Shadomy, H. J., & Lyon, G. M. (2011). Fundamental medical mycology. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.

Info 200 – Blog Report #2 Describing the Information Community of Mushrooms

Blog Report #2 Fungus Among Us

The information community I have chosen to research is in the Medicinal Mushroom Community. Mycology is the study of fungi and the anti-, immuno-, and nutraceuticals properties of mushrooms which serve to benefit the human race in a myriad of ways are a facet that will be explored throughout the course of the semester via the blog post and assignments. A nutraceutical or bioceutical is a pharmaceutical alternative which claims physiological benefits.Immunosuppressive drugs inhibit or prevent the activity of the immune system. Fungicides are biological organisms used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores, which could cause serious damage in agriculture. Antiviral drugs class of medication used for treating infections. Anti-protozoals used in the treatment of protozoan infection ie malaria. Anti-fungals also known as anti-myotic medication used to treat and prevent mycosis ie athlete’s foot and ringworm.

(et al.)

Within an information community, individuals or groups may play multiple roles as information seekers, users, providers, managers, and so on. Research on information communities offers five characteristics:

1. Emphasis on collaboration among diverse information providers.

2. Capacity to form around people’s needs to access and use information.

3. Capacity to exploit the information-sharing qualities of emerging technologies.

4. Ability to transcend barriers to information sharing.

5.Capacity to foster social connectedness.

Although not all these characteristics are necessarily met to the same degree in every information community, they are illustrative of the factors that optimize information flow and social cohesion.(Fisher & Fulton, 2022, p. 43)

In the mushroom hunting world people from all over the world come together to share and talk about the mushrooms specific to their community and where they might find them. There are hundreds of field guides and communities to help one study mushrooms and learn as much as they would like about the fascinating world of fungi. Many articles, journals and societies are among countless ways one can get involved in the field of mycology all accessible online and offline. Making one capable of learning about the wonders of psilocybin or psilocin and how it can help with depressive episodes and be used in other treatments ailing the human body and mind. Magic mushrooms are one of the popular and many ways in which fungi foster social connectedness, mushroom hunters bringing people together through gathering or foraging to provide people with the many nutrients and experiences that can be found in mushrooms and the cultures they have an affect on throughout the globe.

Frederick Thompson describes information as “a product that results from applying the processes of organization to the raw material of experience, much like steel is obtained from iron ore.”(Bates, M. J. 2017, p. 2054) Mushrooms have been consumed since earliest history; ancient Greeks believed that mushrooms provided strength for warriors in battle, and the Romans perceived them as the “Food of the Gods.” For centuries, the Chinese culture has treasured mushrooms as a health food, an “elixir of life.” All together with a long history as food source, mushrooms are important for their healing capacities and properties in traditional medicine. It has reported beneficial effects for health and treatment of some diseases. Mushrooms act as antibacterial, immune system enhancer and cholesterol lowering agents; additionally, they are important sources of bioactive compounds. As a result of these properties, some mushroom extracts are used to promote human health and are found as dietary supplements.(Valverde et al.) All the information gathered throughout the years will be used to help me focus and share on the wonders of the Medicinal Mushroom Community with my fellow peers.

References List

Fisher, K. E., & Fulton, C. (2022). Information communities. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction (3rd ed., pp. 41–52). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Bates, M. J. (2017). Information Behavior. In J. D.McDonald & M. Levine-Clark (Eds.), Encyclopedia of library and information sciences (4th ed., pp.2074–2085). CRC Press.

https://www.hourdetroit.com/eats-food/mushrooms-are-finally-having-a-moment/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4320875/

INFO 200 – Blog Report # 1

INFO 200 – Blog report #1, A naturalist finds a home

The way this story begins has much to do with where I grew and what I saw while there.

I’m originally from Newark, New Jersey. It is where I spent the first twenty years of my life. Seeing wildlife in what was known as Brick City was far and few in between outside of your garden variety sparrow, pigeon and the roadkill I would see in my travels. Now granted the first time I saw a cardinal in my hometown I likened it to the legendary Pokemon Moltres the bird of fire. I wanted to chase that bird for hours but sadly I was unable to do that.

I grew up wanting to explore but was not allowed to go very far. My search for new experiences led me to Staten Island, New York. Where I presently reside and its largely due in part to the myriad of flora and fauna found throughout the island. When I came here for my undergraduate degree I was in awe of the variety of things to be found here from Lion mane jellyfish to visiting Owls. Now given my past I was ecstatic to explore this island and see all it had to offer. That is when I quickly learned that it is much harder to identify stuff and things you find out in the wild when you are exploring. One might say to themselves it would be easy to identify said unknown with only a few key details. Now while that is true for most arboreal species found on Staten Island, That would not be the case for a variety of different species of flora and fauna. Shrubbery, wildflowers, weeds, reptiles, jellyfish, birds, and mammals of all sorts.

Now I was aware that many types of information communities exist to help one fully enjoy the wilderness around them. Although without much guidance on what to ask or even who to ask. The scope of nature is so vast, so many fields of scientists for just about any subject one could think of from botany, to entomology, ornithology and so on. I had considered trying to JUST figure out what each unique species was on my own but was only successful with the more popularly known species. Yet there I was once more questions still unanswered. Bird sizes can be confusing, colors will not often look the same way you have seen them on a computer screen or vice versa. Oftentimes for whatever reason identification sites will leave out such variables as mating color and non-mating colors or only list one example of the bird’s call. Plants can look so similar, with leaf shapes looking so similar and being one of the bigger factors to identify smaller plants, or the more commonly known color being presented in the findings; while the color of the plant you found can be different due to soil composition. Such a wide variety of creatures live on Staten Island, this was where I have seen many fascinating creatures out in the wild for the first time. From chipmunks to rainbow light jellyfish to muskrats as of recent the seals who gather around the beach shores and sunbathe are one of the latest editions to the island. While there have been sightings of foxes on the island, not enough have been seen to substantiate the cataloging of them to Staten Island’s fury inhabitants.

While it is not uncommon for friends to share information with one another, not all of them will have deeply studied their local wildlife to such a degree to be able to answer most of the questions one would have about the island and its inhabitants. Somewhere between all my searching Facebook groups started to become more widely used for scientific reasons rather than just whatever else one would do in a group. In my search I discovered that there existed the Staten Island Outdoors Nature Only group run by Mary Gagliotti and Lawrence Pugliares created in 2014 . Whose mission was to feature, identify, catalogue and highlight the wildlife of Staten Island in this Facebook group.

Once I had found this group I wanted to join immediately by answering their questions three, they let me into their nature inspired group. I have acquired so much information out of this group, from people answering and identifying stuff that I personally posted to reading other individuals’ posts to which they also needed things identified. I consider myself someone who likes to peer into most places to learn and figure out what it is I need to know at the time. This place was perfect for me and I knew that many of the people who answered questions were well known around Staten Island. In an age where misinformation and false information litter many a website this place does an excellent job at weeding out nonsense and trolls. This group is the first information ground I ever actively sought to find and join. It was not until I entered this class INFO 200 and completed the readings for this assignment that I learned I was part of a community let alone thought to call it a community it being online I never considered it one until this class. Community helps bring people together I look forward to learning more as I decide and delve into an information community of my choosing for the rest of these class assignments!

Staten Island Outdoors Nature Only. (n.d.) Home[Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved February 6, 2023 from https://www.facebook.com/groups/283127995179023

Pokémon Database

Hello anyone taking the time to read and thank you for clicking! When considering my first post I thought about what I wanted to share with my blog for a bit. I thought to myself as I looked over the many blogs we have the pleasure of viewing. Why not share something many people know about, Pokémon and my delight for them. There are presently over a one thousand Pokémon in the present poke-dex. So one can imagine it can get pretty hard to keep track of all them, now include the trading card game info, the video game info, and the show info. All these considered where would one go to find information for any of these formats? I came across this site when I was in high school and have told anyone I know whose is a Pokémon fan about it. Down below I have left the link to get to the site. Serebii.net is a play on words of the legendary Pokémon known as Celebi guardian of the forest. This site contains all the information one could possibly imagine when wanting to learn about any of the three main ways to enjoy Pokémon. The idea of sharing a database with you all seemed fitting as we are all aspiring librarians. My hopes are that anyone reading this can take time to appreciate another community that put together a gigantic and comprehensive library of information for all to enjoy. Thanks again for reading my post and enjoy the rest of your day!

Figure 1

Celebi

https://serebii.net/

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