A blockchain is exactly what it is named, a chain of blocks. Each block contains a record of information, such as a deed for a house, the metadata for an image, or potentially, a bibliographic record. The chain that links these blocks together means that if someone wants to change the information in one block of the blockchain without that change being obvious, they would also need to change each individual block that comes before it in the chain. The blockchain is also set up to be distributed, which means that it is copied many times and each copy is located on different computers at different locations. This also contributes to securing the information on the blockchain because if one copy is altered, then comparing that copy to all the other copies of the same blockchain will make it easy to see the alteration. If one copy of the blockchain has been altered, either intentionally or as a computer error, it is easy to simply delete that copy of the blockchain and replace it with a new copy made from one of the correct blockchains.<\/p>\n
You may also hear blockchains referred to as decentralized. What this means is that the blockchain can be accessed and added to by anyone with the correct software without needing permission from a central company that owns blockchain technology. Although it is possible to create private or company owned versions of a single blockchain, blockchain technology in general is based on the idea that it will be decentralized and distributed over many computer networks which mean no-one company or individual has control over the entire blockchain. The single individual blockchain can be created and used by a company for internal use, but unless the company can provide multiple computers and networks to distribute the blockchain across, they will lose much of the security benefits of using a blockchain.<\/p>\n
Blockchain technology is being considered for use in many different industries currently. This technology may be brought into libraries through vendor\u2019s using smart contracts, through local government using blockchain to track budget use, or in the future through the process of hiring a new staff member whose transcripts are now located on a blockchain instead of with their individual university. If nothing else, blockchain is a technology that will touch the lives of our users as we provide them with new information literacy skills. Libraries may also use blockchains to establish a metadata catalog similar to OCLC which would be accessible and writable to every library, or to track first sale of an e-book which could potentially allow e-books to be resold as a used item or even donated to a library. Review this list of potential blockchain uses in libraries<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are many potential future uses of blockchain technology that could benefit libraries and other information professionals. Currently, blockchain technology appears to be something with enough potential that we all should be keeping an eye on its progress.<\/p>\n Demystifying the Blockchain: A Basic User Guide<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n The Ultimate, 3500-Word, Plain English Guide to Blockchain<\/strong><\/a> A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Blockchain<\/strong><\/a> NIST Report on Blockchain Technology Aims to go Beyond the Hype<\/strong><\/a> The Truth About Blockchain<\/strong><\/a> Blockchain – What You Need to Know<\/strong><\/a> Blockchain: Could Libraries and Open Science Benefit From This Technology?<\/strong><\/a> 2018: The Year of the Cryptocurrency Craze<\/strong><\/a> Blockchain’s Future: Nine Predictions<\/strong><\/a> When Blockchain Meets Big Data, the Payoff Will be Huge<\/strong><\/a> How Will Blockchain Change the Economy?<\/strong><\/a> by Samantha Radocchia on Forbes.com One Place Where Blockchain Could Really Help: Voting<\/strong><\/a> How Blockchain Can Build Communities Completely Free of Hierarchy<\/strong><\/a> Programmable Blockchains in Context: Ethereum’s Future<\/strong><\/a> An Introduction to Ethereum and Smart Contracts: Bitcoin & the Blockchain<\/strong><\/a> An Infographic on the History of Ethereum<\/strong><\/a> Forget Bitcoin: It’s Blockchain That Might Change Everything<\/strong><\/a> Have You Tried These Popular Blockchain Games?<\/strong><\/a> by Katalyse.io on Medium.com And for some fun, our examples of online games that use and promote blockchain technology.<\/span><\/p>\n Bitcoin Wiki Page<\/strong><\/a> Bitcoin Basics in understanding the system and economy.<\/span><\/p>\n Digital Science Award Special Blockchain Technology Catalyst Grants<\/strong><\/a> by Cameron Shepherd on digital-science.com<\/span><\/p>\n Colorado Lawmakers Push for Blockchain in Government<\/strong><\/a> by Michelai A. Graham on StateScoop.com<\/span><\/p>\n New York Neighbours Power-Up Blockchain-Based Brooklyn Microgrid<\/strong><\/a> 3 Use Cases of How Blockchain Technology is Already Unlocking Value<\/strong><\/a> by Tom Serres Hyperledger Fabric<\/strong><\/a> How Blockchain is Changing the Way We Invest<\/strong><\/a> Smart Dubai Office and 1776 Partner to Launch First Blockchain Challenge in Dubai<\/strong><\/a> January 2017 The Trump Administration is Buying into Blockchain Tech<\/strong><\/a> Using Blockchain to Keep Public Data Public<\/strong><\/a> Illinois Releases its First Official Government Report on Blockchain<\/strong><\/a> by News Staff on GovTech.com (Government Technology) Blockchain Rewriting the Way Government Does Business<\/strong> Blockchain can Make Social Networks More Private Networks More Private – And More Profitable for You<\/strong> Accenture and Microsoft Plan Digital IDs for Millions of Refugees<\/strong><\/a> Innovation in Education: Exploring Infrastructure Through Blockchain and Emerging Technology<\/strong><\/a> by the Department of Education, Colorado\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Sony Wants to Digitize Education Records Using Blockchain<\/strong><\/a> by Jon Russell This article talks about how the Sony company wants to use blockchain as a ledger for a \u201cdigital transcript.\u201d Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Schools are Recording Students Results on the Blockchain<\/strong><\/a> by Luke Graham<\/span><\/p>\n Blockchain Revolution & Higher Education<\/strong><\/a> by Dan Tapscott and Alex Tapscott, Educause Review March\/April 2017 Educause Review (why IT matters to higher education): \u201cWhat if there was an Internet of value \u2014 a global, distributed, highly secure platform, ledger, or database where we could store and exchange things of value and where we could trust each other without powerful intermediaries? That is the blockchain.\u201d Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Credentials, Reputation and the Blockchain<\/strong><\/a> by J. Philipp Schmidt, Educause Review Monday, April 27, 2017 Digital credentials include formal diplomas and degrees as well as a broader range of achievements such as participation in online communities, after-school programs, certificates on the job, etc. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Blockchain Technology Promises Innovation in K-12 Record Keeping<\/strong><\/a> by Erin Brereton<\/span><\/p>\n An Introduction to the Blockchain and its Implications for Libraries and Medicine<\/strong><\/a> by Matthew B. Hoy Full article requires a valid login, can be accessed through SJSU student login in the SJSU library collection. Academic Journal: Medical Reference Services Quarterly. This article gives a brief description of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Blockchain Innovation in Healthcare and Life SciencesB<\/strong><\/a> by Vala Afshar on huffingtonpost.com<\/span><\/p>\n Blockchain 3.0 or Web 3.No?<\/strong> by Debbie Ginsberg, AALL Spectrum, September\/October 2017 issue, Volume 22, No. 1, P. 36 -39 This Startup Wants to Use Blockchains to Track Every Image on the Internet<\/strong><\/a> by Joon Ian Wong<\/span><\/p>\n C-Lab: Colorado Education Work Lab<\/strong><\/a> Putting Public Records on the Blockchain (Video)<\/strong><\/a> How Libraries Might Change<\/strong><\/a> DC Blockchain Summit, Chamber of Digital Commerce, March 2017<\/strong><\/a> Business of Blockchain Conference, MIT Media Lab, April 2017<\/strong><\/a> Blockchain Conference in DC (Recap)<\/strong><\/a> Blockchain is exactly what it is named, a chain of blocks. Each block contains a record of information, such as a deed for a house, the metadata for an image, or potentially, a bibliographic record. The chain that links these blocks together means that if someone wants to change the information in one block of the blockchain without that change being obvious, they would also need to change each individual block that comes before it in the chain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45148,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"custom-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-107","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","czr-hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/blockchains\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/blockchains\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/blockchains\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/blockchains\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/blockchains\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107"}],"version-history":[{"count":373,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/blockchains\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75997,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/blockchains\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107\/revisions\/75997"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/blockchains\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/blockchains\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Basic\/General Articles About Blockchains<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\nby Philippa Ryan, on govtech.com (Government Technology)
\nA quick Question and Answer session about what blockchain can do.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Mohit Mamoria, on thenextweb.com
\nA simple but long, computer-less explanation of blockchain.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Bernard Marr, on forbes.com
\nHow blockchain works and why blockchain is important.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby National Institute of Standards and Technology (nist.gov)
\nExplanation and link to the NIST report which explains and defines blockchain, lists some possible uses and discusses broader implications of blockchain adoption.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Marco Iansiti and Karim R Lakhani, on Harvard Business Review (hbr.org)<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Karim Lakhani, on Harvard Business Review (hbr.org)
\nHarvard Business Review: An audio clip and transcript of an interview with a Harvard business school professor explaining blockchain technology and its possible effects on various industries. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Jason Griffey on ZBW Mediatalk Jason Griffey answers questions about how Blockchain could affect libraries in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Scott Rosenberg<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Cynthia Harvey, DataMation.com
\nNine predictions about the future of blockchain development. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThis article was adapted from The CMO Primer for the Blockchain World <\/em>by Jeremy Epstein, located on venturebeat.com. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nIdeas on using blockchain to encourage the future of sharing economy.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Mike Montgomery on Forbes.com The future of voting may include using blockchains to record votes and prevent tampering.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Mohit Mamoria on thenextweb.com A blockchain serves as a community of people from all over the world who are unified in wanting to provide transparency, trust and decentralization to the world. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Vinay Gupta
\nVinay Gupta provides an explanation of the history of the database and how evolving technology in database management has led to the creation of blockchains, Bitcoin and Ethereum. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Sebasti\u00e1n Peyrott (Part 1 of a 3-part blog series)
\nMicrosoft’s next step for Blockchain as a Service: Making it more usable by businesses\u00a0from ZDNet,\u00a0a Flipboard magazine by\u00a0ZDNet, Microsoft is looking to make its Blockchain-as-a-Service offering easier to use in real-world scenarios. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Clayton Jacobs<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Lloyd Alter<\/span><\/p>\nCurrently Using Blockchains<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\nby Hubertus Breuer on SiliconRepublic.com<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe article spotlights three companies using blockchains. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThrough contributions by IBM and Digital Asset, Hyperledger Fabric was developed as a blockchain framework for\u00a0other applications. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Daan Pepijn Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether have grown in value making it easier for traders to exchange that value for paper currency. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe city of Dubai launched its Blockchain Challenge on Feb. 5, 2017,\u00a0inviting startups and businesses to contribute ideas on how Dubai can achieve its goal of integrating blockchain technology into the city. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Aaron Stanley on CoinDesk.com
\nOfficials in the Trump Administration are interested in blockchain technology for its potential to streamline bureaucracy, empower consumers with the ability to control their information and drive economic growth. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Brian Forde on Harvard Business Review (hbr.org).
\nDetails how both government and companies can gain back public trust by using public blockchains to increase their transparency.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nA consortium of Illinois\u00a0state and county agencies, known as the Illinois Blockchain Initiative, has released its first report on blockchain potential in government. Of interest in the report is using blockchain for digital identities and universal access to government benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nby Leonard Brody on Forbes.com<\/span><\/p>\nArticles About Using Blockchain for Learning, Knowledge, and Cultural Institutions<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Public Libraries\/Information Centers<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\nby Daan Pepijn on thenextweb.com This is on a website called The Next Web. This site also has a number of other blockchain articles of interest. This article discusses using blockchain to decentralize social networking. <\/span><\/a>Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nby BBC News (bbc.com\/news)
\nThe broader idea is a digital ID network using blockchain technology to connect public and commercial records so people have access to their information from anywhere. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\nAcademic Libraries\/Higher Education<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
School Media Centers<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Special Information Centers: Medical<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Special Information Centers: Legal<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\nThe article begins with a quick introduction to blockchains including a comic representation. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\nSpecial Information Centers: Museums\/Archives<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Blockchain Videos, Webinars, and Recorded Conferences<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\nThe Department of Higher Education in Colorado is not just a goal but also a want to have a well educated work force. This has led to the involvement of using blockchain\u00a0as well as creating a way for those to get connected to through C-Lab.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
\non forbes.com<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThis is an article on a good sized blog created by an academic librarian in Singapore. This post includes sections on the possible future effects on libraries by advances in machine learning, AI, linked data and blockchains. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe DC Blockchain Summit, held at Georgetown University in March 2017, featured keynote speakers from the Blockchain Caucus as well as several industry professionals. Video recordings of each speaker can be found in a video gallery. Read the full abstract.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nMIT\u2019s Media Lab and the Technology Review hosted the Business of Blockchain Conference on April 18, 2017 to discuss how blockchains, or distributed ledgers, could be the key to let people do business across borders and continents, safely and securely without relying on third parties. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nIn this recap of the second annual Blockchain D.C. conference, common questions about blockchains were answered. Read the full abstract<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"