LibWorm: Technology

Speak up!

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

peak UP "Speak Up, a national online research project facilitated by Project TomorrowSM, gives individuals the opportunity to share their viewpoints about key educational issues. Each year, findings are summarized and shared with national and state policy makers."Please take a little time to make your voice heard... your input may ultimately help our school obtain more technology for you to use.Take the Speak Up Survey! The secret word is ccps. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center)

Salem public library

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:30:59 +0100

Image Author(s) lmcshane URL http://www.salem.lib.oh.us/ Description I am interested in feedback on this site. I don't know how much of a role the director of the library, Brad Stephens, played in the design and set-up, but I remember him from NEO-RLS as one of the best voices of library technology in the biz, able to explain the arcane to someone as lowly as me. The Salem News seems to be an off-shoot of the library, as well, similar to the Lakewood Observer in Lakewood, Ohio. A curious direction and intriguing morph of the Library in Society. (Source: libSite.org - A Recommendation Service for Library-related Websites)

Re: campus without library - summing up

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Hi Steve I'm not sure I can imagine them but I can see the potential. There was a bit of work done in this area in the early to mid 1990s when Virtual Reality was being hyped. But the technology just wasn't up to it. And it wasn't just about remodelling spaces, it was also about representing data, I have a dimly remembered example of the idea you could map the properties of companies (for example) to the properties of apples, and someone could wander a virtual orchard picking the juiciest apples to make the best stock purchase decisions without having to be numerate or literate - or even know the consequences of their choices. I still think we're a way of having the perfect user interface technology, negotiating a 3D space is still a pain even without gravity. Second life is clunky on this side of the planet (bandwidth/time lags). But yea, I can see that the sheer volume of information might be easier to deal with in 3D(4D if you consider time) rather than the current 2D paradigm. (now going off to read (Source: gmane.education.web4lib)

Survey of open source adoption and usage

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:11:52 +0100

Greetings. We are conducting a preliminary online survey aimed at assessing the role of open source software in the scholarly and pedagogical practices of the Rhetoric & Composition and English Studies community. As a scholar and teacher of Rhetoric & Composition and/or of English Studies, you are being invited to participate in this survey. Please take a few moments to respond to this very brief ten-question survey on the subject at the link provided below.read more (Source: Kairosnews - A Weblog for Discussing Rhetoric, Technology and Pedagogy)

63 days to government information liberation

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:12:24 +0100

What interests me most about the current and future roles of libraries (and what draws the distinction between Jim and myself) are the possible ways libraries can transform within a dynamic information world driven more by decentralized creation, distribution and a heavy focus on users. Fair point, Stehle did not directly refer to a digital world library in so many words, but I would argue the article's descriptions of successful public-interest organizations in the article can only exist if there is such a beast. My tendency to push this point is not as a zero sum proposition (though the rhetoric can be a bit thick at times) -- libraries can only thrive at the expense of the digital world (or vice versa) -- is simply not true. Jim and I are agreement that libraries and their social purpose are a righteous thing, and deserve a place of honor in the private and public markets. I agree with Jim, as well, a blended library of both paper and digital sources -- as a transitional organization -- will survive best in the near future as the digital/paper scales recalibrate constantly. The forces driving this balancing act are energized through the competing commercial and public interests for the right to digitize the paper universe and organize the evolving digital one into something more along the lines of that other digital holy grail, the semantic web. The roles libraries played in the late 19th century with private publishing empires of mass circulation books and periodicals (first set of standardized cataloging rules, periodical indexes, etc.) or the federal and state governments (creation of the modern Government Printing Office in mid-1890s)were as full partners in the best cases, useful allies in others. Those days are long over. Our roles with the information industry today (if I can use that retro designation) is much more as a customer or competitor. ...

Stanza-booksonboard-samhain direct downloads are already working, apparently: try ‘em, r fans!

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:11:01 +0100

I just went to BooksOnBoard with my iPod Touch and confirmed that direct downloads for iPhone and Touch owners seemed to working already. The "seemed" is just because I haven’t tested this. But BooksOnBoard instantly recognized my Touch browser. Via a link it offered some easy instructions for downloading within the store’s shopping cart. Just use the nonDRMed ePub format. Feedback wanted Congratulations to all three companies on this alternative to the consumer-hostile DRM approach. Of course I’d appreciate feedback from BooksOnBoard customers who do buy Samhain romance books. Is this going smoothly for you? I’d also welcome information from BooksOnBoard—on backup at the customer end and on the ability to use the same books on other ePub-capable devices. And can you and/or Lexcycle try to solve Jane’s iPhone-Stanza problem? Needless to say, I hope that DRMless Stanza-type services will soon be extended to mainstream fiction and nonfiction, SF and other categories. Hello, HarperStudio? So I strongly encourage publishers to cooperate with BooksOnBoard, All Romance eBooks and other companies working with Stanza’s developers and other companies—on DRMfree direct downloads for the iPhone and other devices. Come on, HarperStudio. Dare to be different. Your parent company’s competitors at Samhain—yes, Harper’s Avon unit publishes romances—already are. Nothing against HarperStudio, moreover. I like your experimentation with different business models. Now do the same with the related issue of DRM. Otherwise you’ll be far, far less credible as innovators. DRMless downloads vs. ...

Power words

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:16:27 +0100

Sometimes it is called techno-speak, or bureaucrat-ese, or maybe your writing is filled with emoticons and symbols. In any event, the real power of communication comes from words. As library leaders, our words should convey clearly the mission, vision, and expectations for library services no matter what the environment. Having good communication skills means forming a good set of words to better define and explain meaning. Taken from the business press, here is a new lexicon for the leader who desires to communicate at the highest level, but also in a way that can be understood clearly by all in the organization. Words can be at once necessary and interesting on their own. William Burroughs proposed words as a sort of virus, and that their use changed or mutated them. A blogger here analyzes words by comparing the meaning of 'rabbit' and 'bunny.' Which is the better word? An interesting conundrum, and a reminder that our words carry different meaning for different groups. Improving communication is a job that is never finished for the library leader. The words offered in the new lexicon can help. Eric C. Shoaf Editor, LA&M (Source: ALA Weblog Service)

Piece of web 2.0 faces security update

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:05:56 +0100

Ryan Naraine notes at ZDNet's Zero Day blog that Adobe is pushing out security updates for AIR, the Adobe Internet Runtime. AIR technology undergirds programs such as Twhirl, Spaz, and more that might be involved in alternative library outreach online. (Source: LISNews.org)

Lcds would be easier to read in the sunlight if this new breakthrough works out: e ink alternative, too, eventually?

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:15:47 +0100

An appeal of E Ink displays is that you can read e-books in bright light. LCDs don’t always fare so well under the circumstances. The view may look washed out. But now Funai Electric Advanced Applied Technology has come up with an experimental reflective display that supposedly doesn’t even need a backlight. Might it actually thrive in bright surroundings, then? And could Funai’s LCDs reduce power consumption enough to get into E Ink territory? That would be great for interactive e-books since E Ink displays typically aren’t fast enough (though this will be changing). Excerpt from Crunch Gear: The company claims their display uses 0.16MW of electricity per square centimeter, which translates back to just 1% of what conventional LCDs need. Reportedly, clarity can still be compared to that of characters printed on a piece of paper. The display uses dyes changing color when exposed to an electric current. Funai even says their new display boasts 80% reflectivity, 30% more than reflective LCDs so that images can be seen in sunlight more easily. On top of that, Funai doesn’t use thin-film transistors in the production of the screens, resulting in costs that are two-thirds lower than that of existing LCDs. Funai aims for a commercialization of the display sometime next year, initially rolling out versions ranging from seven to 14 inches in size. So what do you think, gang? Related: Item on Nemoptic technology, which apparently is also within LCD Land. Technorati Tags: Funai,LCD (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home)

Head of research and instructional services

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:39:01 +0100

Head of Research and Instructional Services (Fashion Institute of Technology, New York) (Source: Latest ALA Job Listings)

Changing the climate: looking toward a more cost effective, energy efficient future

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:54:29 +0100

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy are helping states lead the way in an effort to promote low cost energy efficiency. More than 60 energy, environmental and state policy leaders from across the country have come together to produce the updated National Action Plan Vision for 2025: A Framework for Change. The action plan outlines strategies to help lower the growth in energy demand across the country by more than 50 percent, and shows ways to save more than $500 billion in net savings over the next 20 years. These actions may help to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 90 million vehicles. “The significant action taken by states, utilities and energy customers advances low cost energy solutions,” said Robert Meyers, principal deputy assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “The plan is a big step toward a more energy-efficient future, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while growing the American economy.” “These leaders from state government and the private sector should be commended for their continued progress in promoting energy-efficient technologies as a key part of modernizing our electric and gas infrastructure to meet our Nation’s growing energy needs,” said U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Kevin Kolevar. The action plan outlines critical steps for state policy makers to take toward the goal of increasing the nation’s investment in low cost energy efficiency. The plan also shows the progress states are making toward these goals. States, utilities and other organizations are spending about $2 billion per year on energy efficiency programs. ...

Web technologies, content & user interfaces librarian

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:54:01 +0100

State: Florida The University of Miami Libraries seeks a creative, innovative individual to provide leadership in the content, technology and effective user interfaces of the Libraries web presence and promotes user-centered resources, digital services, and technologies designed to enhance the user experience. UNIVERSITY: The University of Miami is one of the nation’s leading research universities in a community of extraordinary diversity and international vitality. The University is privately supported, non-sectarian institution, located in Coral Gables, Florida, on a 260-acre subtropical campus. The University comprises 11 degree granting schools and colleges, including Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Communication, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Music, Nursing, and Marine and Atmospheric Science (www.miami.edu). THE LIBRARY: The University of Miami Libraries (www.library.miami.edu) ranks among the top 50 research libraries in North America with a combined collection of approximately 3 million volumes, 48,000 current serials, and over 33,000 E-journal titles. The Otto G. Richter Library lies in the heart of the campus and serves as the central library for the University. Other University of Miami libraries include the Paul Buisson Architecture Library, the Judi Prokop Newman Business Information Resource Center, and the Marta & Austin Weeks Music Library, the Marine and Atmospheric Science Library, and the Louis Calder Memorial Library. The campus also has an independent Law library. The Libraries provide support and services for approx. 10,100 undergraduates, 5,100 graduate students, and 10,000 full and part time faculty and staff. The Libraries has a staff of 37 Librarians and 86 support staff and is a member of ARL, ASERL, CLIR, NERL, OCLC, RLG, and SOLINET. ...

Proposed guidelines to control pollution from construction sites

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:25:57 +0100

EPA is seeking comments on its proposed guidelines to control the discharge of pollutants from construction sites. The proposal would require all construction sites to implement erosion and sediment control best management practices to reduce pollutants in stormwater discharges. “This proposal builds a foundation for cleaner streams and greener neighborhoods through improved treatment technologies and prevention practices,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water. In addition, for certain large sites located in areas of the country with high rainfall intensity and soils with a high clay content, stormwater discharges from the construction site would be required to meet a numeric limit on the allowable level of turbidity, which is a measure of sediment in the water. In order to meet the proposed numeric turbidity limit, many sites would need to treat and filter their stormwater discharges. Construction activities such as clearing, excavating and grading significantly disturb the land. The disturbed soil, if not managed properly, can easily be washed off the construction site during storms and enter streams, lakes, and other waters. Stormwater discharges from construction activities can cause an array of physical, chemical and biological impacts. Sediment is one of the leading causes of water quality impairment nationwide, including reducing water depth in small streams, lakes and reservoirs. Information on the proposal: http://www.epa.gov/ost/guide/construction/ (Source: Environmental News Bits)

Britian’s open rights group annual report available

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:00:44 +0100

Speaks for itself: Today I’m proud to release ORG’s annual Review of Activities [.pdf]. It’s been a bumper year for digital rights. From HMRC posting half the nation’s bank details to the Darknet, to the ongoing campaign against Phorm, to three strikes and the rightsholder lobby’s so-far thwarted attempt to take control of your internet connection, this year was the year digital rights went mainstream. Thanks to generous support from the ORG community, we’ve been there giving an informed perspective on the issues to the natonal press, working with policymakers behind the scenes and mobilising the grassroots into effective action. As ORG Chair William Heath writes in his foreword to the review: “Built on the enthusiasm and promise of people who live, work, play, socialise and create online, ORG is a celebration of the emerging possibilities that technology and the internet offer us. ORG exemplifies that social activism which brings out the very best people have to offer: expertise, creativity, energy, and professionalism – and none of this ever without humour. “Behind this lies an irrepressible motivation. The ORG community knows there are real abuses of our rights online, and real threats to our information society.” (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home)

Stanza to display samhain books from booksonboard: nice step toward drmfree ecosystem for booksellers

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:51:00 +0100

"The entire Samhain romantic fiction catalog of ebooks" will be readable via the DRMfree Stanza e-book reader for the iPhone and Touch, thanks to new agreements with Books on Board. BooksOnBoard is thus the first or one of the first commercial bookstores to link up with Stanza, which I’m guessing will also run on some other handheld devices in the near future. Toward a major DRMless ecosystem for booksellers I don’t know how seamless the buying process will be—as easy as the Kindle’s?—but this is definite progress, especially for those of us who dislike DRM. So far, Stanza lacks "protection." I’d love to see a DRMfree ecosystem of bookselling for the iPhone, Touch and other devices such as Android-OS phones! And same for dedicated readers. I’m delighted that Sony will set up its wireless system to include indie stores, and I hope it will likewise experiment with a DRMless approach. Related: Stanza tips for bookstores and writers: How to SELL ePub books for the iPhone and iPod Touch, which mentions All Romance eBooks’ support of Stanza. Meanwhile a slightly trimmed version of the press release follows. Technorati Tags: Stanza,Lexcycle,BooksOnBoard,Samhain BooksOnboard First to Offer New eBook Titles for the iPhone in Partnership with Stanza Austin, TX - November 18, 2008 - BooksOnBoard, the premier ebook retailer, has entered into definitive agreements with Samhain Publishing Ltd. and Lexcycle, Inc. to make the entire Samhain romantic fiction catalog of ebooks available on Lexcycle’s Stanza. Stanza is the highest rated and most popular ebook reader for the iPhone and iPod Touch. ...

Court orders halt to sale of spyware

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:27:31 +0100

Court Orders Halt to Sale of Spyware Source: Federal Trade Commission At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. District Court has issued a temporary restraining order halting the sale of keylogger spyware. According to the FTC’s complaint, the Florida-based CyberSpy Software, LLC marketed and sold RemoteSpy keylogger spyware to clients who would then secretly monitor unsuspecting consumers’ computers. The FTC seeks to permanently bar the unfair and deceptive practices and require the defendants to give up their ill-gotten gains. According to papers filed with the court, the defendants provided RemoteSpy clients with detailed instructions explaining how to disguise the spyware as an innocuous file, such as a photo, attached to an email. When consumer victims clicked on the disguised file, the keylogger spyware silently installed in the background without the victims’ knowledge. This spyware recorded every keystroke typed on the victim’s computer (including passwords); captured images of the computer screen; and recorded Web sites visited. To access the information gathered and organized by the spyware, RemoteSpy clients would log into a Web site maintained by the defendants. + Federal Trade Commission v. CyberSpy Software, LLC, and Tracer R. Spence (Source: Docuticker)

Tweets of terror? army: microblogs potential terrorist tool, october 2008

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:16:00 +0100

"VoIP, microblogging, and GPS aren’t technologies we typically consider "terrorist-friendly," but a new report from US military analysts suggests that their utility is obvious and... (Source: Info To Go: Navigating the Internet)

Gelezen: een werkweek van 4 uur

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:04:00 +0100

De oorspronkelijke uitgave van Timothy Ferris' Een werkweek van 4 uur kwam in 2007 al vele malen in mijn online vizier maar van het daadwerkelijk lezen van het boek kwam het niet. Toen ik de Nederlandse vertaling vorige week tussen de aanwinsten zag liggen dwong mijn nieuwsgierigheid me echter om het boek in mijn tas te laten glijden. Toen ik er eenmaal in begon te bladeren ging ik definitief overstag: ik las het boek in een ruk of vier uit. Daarmee kan ik in sowieso vaststellen dat het boek vlot en onderhoudend is geschreven. Het leest in ieder geval weg als een trein.Dat wil niet zeggen dat ik ook echt iets heb geleerd van het boek. Ferris is er vooral in geslaagd om op luchtige wijze te vertellen hoe hij er zelf in is geslaagd om zijn werkweek te reduceren tot een dagdeel en toch genoeg geld verdient om allerlei leuke dingen te doen. De auteur mijdt de overdrijving niet (op de flaptekst staat bijvoorbeeld dat hij kampioen Chinees Kickboksen werd maar er staat niet bij dat hij dit voor elkaar kreeg door de kleine lettertjes in de spelregels te lezen en zijn zijn tegenstanders simpelweg de boksring uit te duwen) maar de zelfspot evenmin.Inmiddels is er al veel geschreven over dit boek. Ik beperk me daarom tot een aantal verwijzingen:Een recensie op de website van MKB ServicedeskEen recensie op Cutting EdgeDe ultrakorte recensie op Management ScopeDie laatste bron heeft wel een beetje gelijk. Het boek bevat ook best veel blabla. Tips en trucs waar je niet op zit te wachten. Er is een compleet hoofdstuk gewijd aan nuttige websites voor reizigers en vagebonden. Leuk, maar een beetje overbodig inderdaad.Aan de andere kant: die bralbeer Ferris toont wel mooi aan dat je dromen niet altijd te hoog zijn gegrepen. Zie de laatste alinea van deze Costa Rica-post. Natuurlijk heb je ook een dosis geluk nodig en moet je wel iets te verkopen hebben, maar dan nog: het is onwaarschijnlijk hoeveel tijd en werk je kunt elimineren zonder al te veel te hoeven investeren. ...

Review of directed energy technology for countering rockets, artillery, and mortars (ram):abbreviated version (2008)

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:00:00 +0100

"The United States Army is looking for ways to defend against missile and mortar attacks. In this book, the National Research Council assesses a plan to create a 100 kW mobile, solid-state, laser... (Source: Info To Go: Navigating the Internet)

Issues in science and technology librarianship - fall 2008

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:52:57 +0100

Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship - Number 55, Fall 2008 - is now available (Source: Peter Scott's Library Blog)

Ball state university libraries' news: technology training support ...

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:00:28 +0100

In the five years since its inception as a unit within the University Libraries, Technology Training Support Services (TTSS) has grown in scope. Tod (Source: pligg - all)

The printer’s devil—and the promise of e-books

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:18:55 +0100

Many thanks to Lancelot Kirby, a writer in Portmouth, Ohio, for the essay below. I wonder what Trithemius would have thought of E Ink. - D.R. At the start of the Renaissance, the abbot and occultist Johannes Trithemius wrote a book entitled In Praise of Scribes. In it he attacked the recent invention of printing and celebrates the superior qualities of the pen. How did he get the word out? In print, of course. Even Trithemius could see the writing, uh, printing, on the wall. Trithemius also wrote another book, this one about the use of spirits to communicate over long distances. He would have been amazed by the magic of the Internet. Like Gutenberg preceding it, the Internet threatens the previous technology just as startlingly as the press did the scribe, and just like the press it came seemingly out of the air to change everything that came before. This very abruptness has caught so many off guard it is no wonder the e-book is under a hail of derision. The book as an ongoing project To the unconverted let me remind you, the book is an ongoing project, a largely technology driven enterprise. If the medium in which it has evolved has remained relatively static for the past five centuries, it is not for lack of trying. Gutenberg had applied the available equipment of his age so well there would be no real advancements in printing until the Industrial Revolution and the power of the steam engine. Unlike Antony, I come not to bury the e-book, but to praise it, and I say this with all the passion of a true book lover. Confirmed bibliophiles will raise their hand’s in unison when asked what part of the book stands out the most—the smell. The olfactory experience of a library is like that of incense in a sacred space. Beyond its tactile properties the scent of a favorite title can instantly launch one into the time and place it was first read. Of lazy summer days by the pool, or quiet winter evenings in an armchair. ...

11/19/2008-research associate / postdoctoral research associate in the technologies of the public humanities, john nicholas brown center for public humanities and cultural heritage, brown university, providence, rhode island

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:01:00 +0100

Research Associate / Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Technologies of the Public Humanities (Source: Combined Library Job Postings - Lisjobs.com and Library Job Postings on the Internet)

How dare you call my laptop a technological dinosaur

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:06:26 +0100

Every once and a while I come across an article which pretty much declares any device larger than a cellphone as dead because cellphones are what the teens are using and everything else therefore is on the road to extinction. This is silly. I use my smartphone/pda/call-it-what-you-like -- all the time but even I know it doesn't replace my need for larger devices depending on what I'm doing. I'm not going to write my research paper on one, for example, for the same reason that I wouldn't do the same, twenty years earlier, on the back of an envelope. You choose the tool to fit the job. read more (Source: Chicago Librarian - Design, Techology & Culture from a Librarian living in Chicago)

Inside story - politics, society and culture

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Launched in October 2008 by Australian Policy Online, Inside Story combines high-quality journalism and analysis to bring readers a distinctive view of Australia and the world. Drawing on a network of writers, researchers and correspondents in Australia and overseas, Inside Story investigates the forces shaping contemporary politics, society and culture. Inside Story is edited at the Institute for Social Research at Swinburne University of Technology.Readers can also subscribe to a free weekly email newsletter.Current comments and analysis include:Offshore borders and accountability It's time to insist that asylum seekers at our offshore border – the one in Indonesia – are treated in the same way as those onshore, writes SAVITRI TAYLORCharter of frights Has fear of upsetting the public caused Victoria’s new human rights charter to lose its way? It’s a question with national implications, writes JEREMY GANSNowhere to go A US Supreme Court decision to order the release of seventeen Chinese Muslims raises the possibility that David Hicks might one day be an innocent man, writes NICOLA McGARRITY. But where does it leave the seventeen men?A great result for the pollsters Apart from an unexpectedly strong performance by the Bill and Ben Party, the NZ election result more or less matched expectations, writes NORM KELLYCopyright: the middle way Support is grwoing for a different perspective on intellectual property, write BRIAN FITZGERALD and BEN ATKINSON (Source: Your Library@CSU)

Technology services, russell library, middletown ct

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

(Source: LORI Discussions Groups :: View Forum - Jobline -- to post, send email to webmaster@lori.ri.gov)

Information/technology access librarian, cranston pl

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

(Source: LORI Discussions Groups :: View Forum - Jobline -- to post, send email to webmaster@lori.ri.gov)

Fw: sharepoint help

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Hi Sharon, Here's a good resource for public-facing sites: http://www.wssdemo.com/Pages/websites.aspx We do not have a public-facing Sharepoint site - We convinced the City we should do our major experimenting on the Staff side first this time, so we are starting Sharepoint pilot projects there next month. -Margaret Margaret E. Hazel Principal Librarian, Technology Eugene Public Library Eugene, OR -----Original Message----- From: web4lib-bounces-Lfqs8nn97uZKgiwHgTXaBw< at >public.gmane.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces-Lfqs8nn97uZKgiwHgTXaBw< at >public.gmane.org] On Behalf Of Sharon Logan Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 6:03 AM To: web4lib-Lfqs8nn97uZKgiwHgTXaBw< at >public.gmane.org Subject: [Web4lib] SharePoint Help I have been charged with redesigning our public facing site in SharePoint which is a new software package for me. All classes I have taken have been for Intranet site creation, and I have met many road blocks. I am looking for any and all help that is out there. If you have a public facing web (Source: gmane.education.web4lib)

Justice department issues report on telecommunications symposium

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:40:06 +0100

Justice Department Issues Report on Telecommunications Symposium Source: U.S. Department of Justice The Department of Justice today issued a report on competitive developments in the telecommunications industry. The report, “Voice, Video and Broadband: The Changing Competitive Landscape and Its Impact on Consumers,” is the result of a Telecommunications Symposium hosted by the Department on Nov. 29, 2007. The report addresses a number of issues that may affect consumers of telecommunications services and antitrust analysis in this industry, including the development of new facilities-based competition, wireless technologies as alternatives to wireline networks, price and non-price consumer benefits from competition, the significance of bundled products, and obstacles to competitive entry. The focus of the report is on telecommunications services provided to residential consumers, rather than business users. + Executive Summary (PDF; 113 KB) + Full Report (PDF; 751 KB) (Source: Docuticker)

Too good an opportunity not to tout …

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:31:00 +0100

Boulder Public Library has just announced the type of leadership opportunity that makes me smile. “The Library Innovation and Technology (LIT) Manager will be a visionary, energetic member of Boulder Public Library’s Leadership Team. The Manager will be responsible for supporting leading-edge technology and digital services into the fabric of the library’s mission and on-going activities. A strong dedication to innovation and rapid integration of services is necessary. The LIT Manager will work with all Public Library departments to maximize the resources of the public library in order to create meaningful and remarkable services, programs and experiences for internal and external customers.”To be honest if I wasn’t totally thrilled with my move to CML this past year [don’t worry CML, I am :)] I might be tempted. But since I know that there has to be at least one person (or two) out there reading my blog who might be motivated by a fabulous opportunity like this, I just had to share. Get more information here and here. (Source: LibraryBytes)

Give me all your cache

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:59:03 +0100

Have you cleared your browser cache lately? Speed, space, privacy, and currency are good reasons to attend to this task. A cache is a place to store something temporarily. On your computer, caches help to speed up operations by keeping frequently accessed files (or copies of files) in a place where they can be quickly retrieved. [...] (Source: Dragonfly)

Futurenow

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:24:36 +0100

Technology typically changes exponentially. I remember when I worked for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Help Desk Staff telling me that RAM doubles in size every 18 months. At first I didn’t really know what RAM was, so I just said “wow!” Now I do know what RAM is [...] (Source: The Cornflower)

Funding collections and services in the public interest

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:48:35 +0100

Do you ever worry about funding for your library? Have you ever thought about how to get a grant to help your library? Do you wonder about how you might attract grant funding to a library in the age of Google and the Web? If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, I recommend the article Digital Infrastructure and Public Interest by Vince Stehle, in Grantmakers in the Arts Reader, Fall 2008. (I posted a link to this article a few days ago but, after John referred to it in his 66 Days to Government Information Liberation post, I wanted to follow up a bit and mention why I think the Stehle article is important for libraries. This also gives me an opportunity to contribute some more to the excellent discussion that John is facilitating about Government Information Liberation.) Stehle is a program director at the Surdna Foundation, which makes grants in the areas of environment, community revitalization, effective citizenry, the arts, and the nonprofit sector, and he was writing for Grantmakers in the Arts Reader. In addressing his audience of grantmakers, foundations, and people who support non-profits he says that there is an opportunity and even "an imperative" for foundations to support non-commercial work and help build "a public interest infrastructure" that will "promote the free exchange of knowledge over the Internet." In specifically emphasizing the need for non-commercial support he says that we cannot rely on the private sector to operate in the broad public interest except as that interest translates into profit: "While there are billions of dollars in Silicon Valley venture firms seeking to invest in the next Google, Facebook, or YouTube, there is no equivalent capital pool available for investment in the expansion of social enterprises operating in the public interest. ...

64 days to government information liberation

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:47:20 +0100

Another day of transition, spending most of it talking about the future of government information and the federal depository library system. Now waiting to go home and think about everything -- again. One note of interest -- this is the first time in years (and I am talking about the time before 2001) -- that I felt there was an edge of hope to the future of a robust, accessible, permanent and freely available system of government information distribution. It isn't just the technology -- its the people I met that reminded me again of why we do this. We might disagree on the details of structure and purpose, but the goals are astoundingly similar. Jet lag strikes. See you on Day 63 (Source: Free Government Information (FGI) blogs)

Mac owners: overdrive media console version released for library audiobooks

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:34:46 +0100

Mac owners at last can enjoy audiobooks from libraries via the OverDrive Media Console. A slightly condensed news release follows. - D.R. OverDrive Media Console for Mac, the free software for playing and organizing digital audiobooks from public libraries, is now available for download. With this free software, Mac users can download audiobooks in the MP3 format from an OverDrive partner library’s download website and transfer titles to Apple® devices including iPod® Classic, iPod Touch, iPod Nano and iPhone™. OverDrive Media Console for Mac also provides the same superior listening features of the popular Windows version, which is installed on millions of computers worldwide. A national directory lists libraries offering iPod-compatible audiobook downloads. Mac users can also purchase MP3 audiobook downloads from online stores such as Borders.com and WHSmith Online. “Millions of audiobook listeners around the globe are taking advantage of the great selection and ease of use provided through OverDrive’s audiobook download services,” said David Burleigh, Director of Marketing for OverDrive. “We’re proud to be the leading library download service that supports both PC and Mac users, and will continue to expand features and services for our partners and their customers.” “Denver Public Library has had great success offering digital audiobooks, eBooks, and other media thanks to our partnership with OverDrive, and now our Mac customers can enjoy the many benefits of using our service,” said Michelle Jeske, Manager of Web Information Services and Community Technology Center at Denver Public Library. “Customers with Macs have requested access to our growing digital catalog since we launched the service, and now they too have anytime, anywhere access to audiobook downloads. ...

Ruminating about privacy

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:31:08 +0100

I was emailing with a friend this week and he was saying how it seems strange that librarans are so aggressive in their defense of privacy while at the same time the population seems to be more and more shifting towards openness and “hey here’s my list of books” behavior outside of their library. I always draw the line between what people reveal about themselves versus what their institutions reveal, or must legally disclose, about them. I also often feel that one of the reasons we’re in this strange place is because many privacy issues are ones that technology could be solving for us. Yet, at the same time the technology we’re working with doesn’t allow us the granularity of making, for example, patron reading information available in the aggregate while still keeping the patron’s identity completely private. We have many patrons Patron 1 wants to make sure no one ever knows what they are reading. Tells the OPAC to not keep his reading list. Knows his PIN. Wants to make sure the public access PCs don’t retain records of the sites he’s visited. Is a bit horrified that the library data we do keep isn’t in some way encrypted or otherwise protected. Patron 2 wants to know every book she has ever checked out. Wants the library to leave the name of the book she has on hold on her answering machine. Wants her friend to be able to pick the book up for her at the library. Doesn’t remember her PIN and finds it vaguely annoying that she needs more than her library card number to use the OPAC. A privacy solution that works for Patron 1 becomes a usability impediment to Patron 2. While libraries have the responsibility to keep both patrons’ data safe, they also have the responsibility to be usable and accomodating to both patrons. ...

Custom flip mino hd

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:03:56 +0100

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; } .flickr-yourcomment { } .flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; } .flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Custom Flip Mino HD, originally uploaded by jblyberg. Hotter than hot. Did you know you could do a custom skin on a Mino? Very nice example of Darien Library doing just that with the library logo. (Source: Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology)

Site for technology collection development launches

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:29:41 +0100

Rachel Singer Gordon has launched a site, The Tech Static to "assist librarians with technology-related collection development." A press release about the launch says that the site contains: * Reviews of current computer books * Reviews of technology-related titles targeted at librarians * Collection development articles (weeding, “must-haves,” balancing a computer book collection) * Prepublication alerts * Publisher press releases * DVD and ebook reviews * Announcements * … and more! There are already a number of book reviews of technology books available. (Source: TechEssence.Info blogs)

Indiana libraries consolidation?

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:55:03 +0100

Remember this from November 2007: Save our Small Libraries! http://sospl.blogspot.com/ Dear Michael: I want to tell you about my new blog. Aside from the standard issues that Librarians face here in Indiana we have a new one that has the potential for disastrous consequences for small public libraries here in Indiana. A large issue, which I feel is being played down by some, is the consolidation of all public libraries in the state. Few Librarians and taxpayers alike feel that this is going to be a beneficial change. Currently there are 238 libraries. The consolidation of public libraries would mean that there are 92. Somehow I got the bright idea of starting a blog to effectively disseminate the information that was blowing through my Inbox everyday. There simply was no place to gather all of the relevant information and opinions in one tidy little spot for all to see and comment upon. Stephen Boggs Looks like Stephen ran out of steam on his blog but the issue continues to be a concern and the proposed consolidation of Indiana libraries is getting more discussion here and there. LJ reports on the issue and quotes the director of my former library: Don Napoli, director of the St. Joseph County Public Library and one of the few library directors to publicly support consolidation, told LJ, “Nobody wants to lose their boards, nobody wants to lose control of their own library.” Though his is a county library in name, only about 11 of 32 current county libraries cover the full county; one community with a separate library in St. Joseph County directly borders the central city of South Bend. As for Swanson’s concerns, Napoli suggested, “They might get a better library… It’s more likely that we could build a new branch for them before they’re going to afford it.” He acknowledged that, statewide, there probably wouldn’t be much cost savings from consolidation, but “I think it’ll result in better libraries. ...

Librarians are the ultimate community managers

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:19:19 +0100

I had breakfast with Meg Canada last weekend, while finishing my teaching duties in St. Paul. She shared with me a post she wrote at her blog called “How Librarians can be the Ultimate Community Managers.” Meg writes: What is a Community Manager? My friend, Connie Bensen introduced me to the concept at my first social media gathering. I know she has collaborated on the wikipedia definition, and as a librarian herself, and I hope she agrees with my assertion. Community managers help shape online spaces by representing organizations through starting and/or contributing to discussions. They are social media mavens and power users. Community managers solve problems, offer the best customer service, and give organizations a human face. I’ll be adding this to the list of emerging LIS jobs. How are we training new librarians to be Community Managers? Did you ever think that might be a role you’d play? Later she tape into that important bit about the ongoing conversation: Not enough of us tweet outside our community or seek out our users in other social media. Some success with MySpace and Facebook is promising, but we can’t just friend and fan eachother. We need to connect with our patrons, customers and users in online communities. Historically we may not be known for savvy communication skills, but here’s another opportunity. Gathering community input is also a key role of librarians. As we plan services, build new facilities, and evolve into our 21st century selves, libraries have to listen to what our community needs. Let’s face it Gen x and y aren’t attending community meetings at the library. The meetings are happening online. ...

Cpc merges with philadelphia chapter

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:10:58 +0100

We are very pleased to announce that the Board of our Association has approved the merger of the Central PA and Philadelphia SLA Chapters. The effective date of the merger is November 1, 2008. The combined Chapter will continue to be called the Philadelphia Chapter. We would like to thank the Boards and the Merger task force members from both Chapters who planned and organized the merger discussions and prepared the documents for the consideration of the Association's Board. We especially would like to thank all the members of both Chapters who participated in the merger vote and voiced their strong approval for the merger. Our next steps will be to follow through on the steps we need to complete the merger, including combining financial accounts, investigating and piloting technologies to make meetings more accessible from a distance, and organizing a combined membership and email communication list. For the time being, both chapters will maintain separate email lists (at least until the end of the year) while we take steps to create a unified list. Elections for new Chapter officers, including a director selected from among the Central PA Chapter members, will take place at the Philadelphia Chapter's Annual Holiday party and auction at Brym Mawr College on Thursday evening, December 4, 2008. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns, Rod MacNeil Philadelphia Chapter President rod.macneil@jefferson.edu Beth Transue Central PA Chapter President btransue@messiah.edu __._,_.___ (Source: SLA Central Pennsylvania Chapter News)

Saving the story at mit

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:32:31 +0100

Article in the NY Times about research into how (motion picture) stories have been told, are being told and will be told in the future. In league with a handful of former Hollywood executives, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Laboratory plans to do something about that on Tuesday, with the creation of a new Center for Future Storytelling. The center is envisioned as a “labette,” a little laboratory, that will examine whether the old way of telling stories — particularly those delivered to the millions on screen, with a beginning, a middle and an end — is in serious trouble. Press release from MIT includes the philosophy of the project: "Storytelling is at the very root of what makes us uniquely human," said Frank Moss, Media Lab director and holder of the Jerome Wiesner Professorship of Media Arts and Sciences. "It is how we share our experiences, learn from our past, and imagine our future. But how we tell our stories depends on another uniquely human characteristic -- our ability to invent and harness technology. From the printing press to the Internet, technology has given people new ways to tell their stories, allowing them to reach new levels of creativity and personal fulfillment. The shared vision of the MIT Media Lab and Plymouth Rock Studios allows us to take the next quantum leap in storytelling, empowering ordinary people to connect in extraordinary ways." (Source: LISNews.org)

Ttw mailbox: flickr-like site for school?

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:30:03 +0100

A School Librarian writes: Dear Michael - I sat down with a bunch of my middle school students as they came into the library today and we talked about how we could transform our little public school library into a fabulous space for them. They had great ideas, and I shared some of YOUR ideas with them. I think we will begin changing things next week (I’ll ask permission from the boss after it’s done!). Do you or your readers know of any “safe” photo sharing sites like FlickR that we might be able to access in schools. My District still blocks FLickR, Google images, iTunes, any social networking sites, etc. I have only been successful so far in getting edublogs.org unblocked… working on podcasting next… Again - one step at a time. …and I’d love to help create such a site if there is a way to do it! Readers? (Source: Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology)

Vampires are hot right now.

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:58:38 +0100

Really - I’m hooked on HBO’s True Blood! But in Libraryland, the excitement is also building via this new blog “Bella’s Book Club,” a blog celebrating all things Twilight and counting down to the premiere of the film. Created by Deb Noggle, the blog offers video clips, reviews, and engagement with the mebers of the book club. The good folks at ACPL sent this story along about the blog from Deb herself: So, we started a book group for Twilight Fans called, “Bella’s Book Club”, named after the main character. My concept for this was to bridge the gap for these teens by introducing them to other books that are similar in nature to their beloved Twilight books. I also created blog, http://bellabookclub.blogspot.com/ for the kids to chat about the books we are reading on, and it also contains video and news updates about Twilight stuff. Well, last month, we were reading a YA book called Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith. One of the teens contacted the author and told her about our book club. She responded by offering to send autographed bookmarks and goodies to the teens in the book club. I gave her the library’s address and also asked if she might say a few words about her book on our blog, because it would mean so much to the teens. Cynthia Leitich Smith commented on the blog, and complimented us for the site. She also noted that we should watch her blog, “Cynsations”, http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2008/10/bellas-book-club-readergirlz-ya-authors.html for an announcement about our Bella’s Book Club blog!!! Yesterday, on her site, she said: Visit Bella’s Book Club: a real book club at the Allen County Public Library, Tecumseh Branch, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. ...

Lis768 csc group projects

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:51:50 +0100

I’m taught my last weekend of LIS768 in St. Paul at the College of St. Catherine last week. The final Saturday of class is always group project day. Take a look: One group developed a Ning for librarians: The Library Lounge. They also gave a presentation of background info and their findings from theexperience. Another group developed a library liaison portal for a fictional economics department using Pageflakes. Their presentation details the background of the prototype. The next group learned Drupal to develop a Website for a small library in Minnesota in a project called “Extreme Library Makeover: Web Site Edition.” They started with this very small site hosted at the library system and proposed a complete redo with Drupal. The results of their learning is here (hosted at TTW). Finally, two soon to be library media specialists proposed a revamped curriculum for 4th to 8th grade that tied using social tools to current learning goals. The presentation, with links to examples and prototypes, is here. I am grading their final papers today - papers on academic law libraries and social technologies, the Cluetrain and reputation online, to name a few. Good stuff! If you want to check in on their class blogging, all of the LIS768 CSC bloggers are listed here. (Source: Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology)

Tricky uses of bsuite

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:55:14 +0100

After writing the project page for wpSMS I didn’t have much more to say in a blog post announcing it. The cool thing about WP pages is that I can create a taxonomy to place them in. The downside is that new pages never appear in the RSS feed. So I need both the page and a blog post to announce it. I could have simply copied the content from the wpSMS page into a blog post, but that creates confusion and splits the audience between the two pages. Instead, I’m using two bSuite features: the [include] shortcode and the post redirection support. Create the page. Start a new post. In the post body put the include shortcode like this: [include post_id="123" field="post_content"]. In the custom fields put an entry with the key: “redirect” and the full URL to to your page. Relax, you’re done. The include shortcode will copy all the content from the page (so you don’t have to manage it twice), and the redirect custom field will tell bSuite to redirect anybody trying to read that post to your page. (Source: MaisonBisson.com)

The google book search settlement: heading towards resolution

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:36:05 +0100

If you are a regular reader of business or technology news (or for that matter, business technology news), you’ve probably heard a bit about the Google Book Search lawsuit that has been making its way through the courts over the past few years. In 2005, a group that includes The Author's Guild, Pearson's Penguin unit, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons and Simon & Schuster sued Google, which had begun a massive book-digitization project a year earlier. The plaintiffs claimed that by digitizing these books and making them searchable online, Google had committed copyright violation. The emergence of the Internet and digital technology has been a major challenge for our legal system. With information traveling at unprecedented speeds in unprecedented volume, we’ve been forced to re-define basic legal concepts like propriety, copyright and even basic ownership. The Google Book Search case is a legal landmark. Like the Napster lawsuit before it, the case encapsulates how our twentieth century legal system is on a collision course with twenty-first century technology. After Napster, the way we buy, sell and look for music changed forever. Now that the case appears to be headed toward a resolution, experts like Fred von Lohmann at the EFF are saying that it will “change forever the way that we find and browse for books.” Of course, we aren’t all experts, and we don’t all have law degrees. If you are a layperson who just wants to know what all of this means, there are a number of places you can turn. ARL offers this great overview, which also includes a “Guide for the Perplexed” if you want more detail. The Fred von Lohmann piece mentioned above is another treasure trove of useful information. In the library community, no blog has done a better job of covering this issue than Disruptive Library Technology Jester. ...

Cloud computing reprise

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:08:45 +0100

The hype about Cloud Computing continues. I have an Google Alert scheduled daily on the topic, and there has definitely been a growth in news items about it. Here’s Cloud Computing in Plain English Some links to check: A review of Noteflight, “the first online music compositiontool that sits entirely on the web.” What Cloud Computing Can Do For [...] (Source: Education.au Blog)

New online: issues in science and technology librarianship, fall 2008

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:20:11 +0100

Direct to New Issue Theme: Web 2.0 Articles include: Science Experiments: Reaching Out to Our Users by Maureen Nolan, Lori Tschirhart, Stephanie Wright, Laura Barrett, Matthew Parsons, and Linda Whang, University of Washington and Dartmouth College Web 2.0 as Catalyst: Virtually Reaching Out to Users and Connecting Them to Library Resources and Services by Norah Xiao, University of Southern California An Undergraduate Science Information Literacy Tutorial in a Web 2.0 World by Jeanine Marie Scaramozzino, California Polytechnic State University Chat Widgets for Science Libraries by John J. Meier, The Pennsylvania State University Making Research Guides More Useful and More Well Used by Michal Strutin, Santa Clara University Geospatial Technology Support in Small Academic Libraries: Time to Jump on Board? by Carrie M. Macfarlane and Christopher M. Rodgers, Middlebury College Podcasting the Sciences: A Practical Overview by Eugene Barsky and Kevin Lindstrom, University of British Columbia Refereed Articles Dissertation Citations in Organismal Biology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale: Implications for Collection Development by Jonathan Nabe and Andrea Imre, Southern Illinois University Electronic Resources Reviews DOE Data Explorer: The Data by Meredith Ayers, Northern Illinois University Book Reviews The MLA Essential Guide to Becoming an Expert Searcher Reviewed by Thomas Harrod, University of Maryland Digital Literacy: Tools and Methodologies for Information Society Reviewed by Jane Duffy, Dalhousie University Tips from the Experts Nanotechnology by Charles F. Huber, University of California, Santa Barbara Viewpoints An Old Fogey Looks at the Reference (R)Evolution by Linda Shackle, Arizona State University (Source: ResourceShelf)

National institute for literacy: future? no. 11.18.2008. 213.

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:49:38 +0100

========= From: tsticht@znet.com Subject: [Workplace 1666] Thinking about the NIFL Send reply to: The Workplace Literacy Discussion List Colleagues: In July 1991, the President of the United States signed Public Law 102-73 which, among other things, established the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL). The law called on the NIFL to conduct basic and applied research and demonstrations. Though the actual agenda for the NIFL was not specified, examples of questions to be addressed were given. These included: 1. How do adults learn to read and write and acquire other skills (listening, speaking, reasoning, etc.)? 2. How does the literacy level of the parents affect the skills development and schooling of the parent’s children? 3. What are better ways to assess literacy skills? 4. How can better instructional programs be developed? 5. What are good methods for assisting adults and families to acquire literacy skills, including the use of technology; methods for adults with special learning needs (learning disabilities), and limited English proficient (LEP) adults? 6. How can the most disadvantaged be effectively reached and taught literacy skills? 7. How can technology be used to instruct and to increase the knowledge base? 8. How can research effort of others be built on? 9. How can the field attract, train and retrain professional and volunteer teachers? We are now nearing the end of 2008, some 18 years after the NIFL was established, and I am wondering what adult literacy professionals think of these questions: were they appropriate for the work of the NIFL, if so, how well have they been addressed, and if there were other questions that took priority and were addressed by the NIFL, and how any one or all of these activities have improved the field of adult literacy education up to now. ...

Digital government summits

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:35:38 +0100

This morning, I checked my friends' Twitter updates, as I often do. I was intrigued by the discovery that my friend and colleague Michael Sauers would be attending (and Twittering about) the Nebraska Digital Government Summit today. The description of the event makes me think this summit might be of interest to government documents librarians: As citizens increasingly use technology in the workplace and in their personal lives, they expect government information and services to be readily accessible through technology. The Nebraska Digital Government Summit will provide an opportunity to learn how new and emerging technologies can be used to expand access to services, reduce costs, increase efficiency, and improve public safety. A quick look at the site reveals that there are similar events in most states. Have any FGI readers ever attended one of these summits? What did you think? (Source: Free Government Information (FGI) blogs)

Netvibes in de morgen is een dag zonder zorgen

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:01:00 +0100

Het zijn koppen die het goed doen: "Eerst internet, dan wc en koffie" of "Kwart Nederlanders slaapdronken op internet". Toen ik zojuist de krant las viel mijn oog er meteen op. Daniëlle herkent zich er wel in. Wel: ik ook, met dat verschil dat ik ook altijd meteen een bakje koffie neem, terwijl de pc opstart.Ik denk er niet eens meer bij na. Als ik thuiskom is het aanzetten van de pc een van de eerste dingen die ik doe. Netvibes gaat open, ik scan de vier mailaccounts vluchtig en reageer op reacties her en der. Als ik iets interessants zie (en voldoende tijd heb) verander ik de input vaak direct in een posting op ZBD, of ik sla het op als reminder, in Netvibes of Twitter.Ik eet niet achter mijn pc en soms kies ik ervoor om over te schakelen naar televisie. Dat is vooral op dagen dat ik moe ben en gewoon even lekker op de bank wil liggen. Maar over het algemeen staat de pc gewoon aan en internet open. Mis ik het vreselijk als ik een dagje niet kan internetten? Toch wel een beetje. Maar als ik het eenmaal los heb gelaten en er geen pc's in de buurt zijn valt het minder zwaar dan ik dacht, leerde ik tijdens mijn verblijf in Costa Rica. Internetten op mijn telefoon doe ik ook minder vaak dan menigeen denkt. Als ik een dagje offline ben check ik de mail wel regelmatig maar veel meer ook niet. Je zoekt wel eens iets op, of je checkt NOS Mobiel even. C'est tout.Ik merk trouwens ook wel dat steeds minder mensen het gek vinden, als je graag op het web vertoeft. Een paar jaar terug werd je nog als een nerd beschouwt, nu zeggen alleen oude mensen dat nog. Dat zal dan toch de generatiekloof zijn, die in rap tempo verschuift. De nieuwe generaties beginnen de boel over te nemen en dat merk je aan alles. Zie ook een recent onderzoek van Pew/Internet over dit onderwerp. RWW vat dat rapport mooi samen:Scared Of Technology? You're Old!Yer.@ (Source: Digitaal Inlichtingenwerk Zeeuwse Bibliotheek)

Biometrics in government post-9/11, september 2008

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:00:00 +0100

"Summarizes the research, applications and operation of the U.S. government’s biometric systems since 2001." From the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Of... (Source: Info To Go: Navigating the Internet)

D-lib magazine - november/december 2008

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:22:29 +0100

D-Lib Magazine - November/December 2008 is now available. D-Lib Magazine is a solely electronic publication with a primary focus on digital library research and development, including but not limited to new technologies, applications, and contextual social and economic issues. The magazine is currently published six times a year (Source: Peter Scott's Library Blog)

Interfaces: de toekomst is nu

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:54:00 +0100

Hij leek zo futuristisch in 2002, die interface in Minority Report...@Via (Source: Digitaal Inlichtingenwerk Zeeuwse Bibliotheek)

My delicious bookmarks for 2008-11-16

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:02:02 +0100

openkapowWeb services are a technology that enables information and communication exchange between different applications. More of my links (Source: What I Learned Today...)

11/18/2008-supervisor -- library & learning centre, higher colleges of technology, united arab emirates

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:01:00 +0100

Supervisor -- Library & Learning Centre (Source: Combined Library Job Postings - Lisjobs.com and Library Job Postings on the Internet)

Nearly half of technology users need help with new devices…and other full-text reports on docuticker

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:00:39 +0100

Posted 17 November 2008 on DocuTicker: + Nearly half of technology users need help with new devices (Pew Internet & American Life Project) + American Attitudes on Religion, Moral Values and Hollywood (Anti-Defamation League) + Spatial Dynamics of White Flight: The Effects of Local and Extralocal Racial Conditions on Neighborhood Out-Migration (American Sociological Review) (Source: ResourceShelf)

Links for 2008-11-17 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Phase I Knowledge and Innovation Network at Warwick Business School Building Web 2.0 Enterprise: McKinsey Global Survey Results - The McKinsey Quarterly - web 2.0 enterprise survey - Information Technology - Management On narrative capture and drought « Brad Hinton - plain speaking The personal stories are what gives meaning to the problems the report is supposed to identify and inform policy about. On communities of practice - an example « Brad Hinton - plain speaking "Tapping Communities of Practice," Feature Article, October 2008 Green Chameleon » Justification by Faith or Works? Kerrie Anne's Fridge Magnets: Of KM Metrics, Whales, Hermit Crabs and other things ChiefTech: Tips on collecting data for social network analysis (SNA) ChiefTech: Book Review: Enterprise 2.0 Implementation Enterprise 2.0 as a corporate culture catalyst | Enterprise Web 2.0 | ZDNet.com If you build it will they come? « Matt’s Musings Delta Knowledge: Enterprise 2.0 & it's effect on Organisational Culture On culture, group dynamics, and adoption of Web 2.0 tools « Matt’s Musings Implementing enterprise 2.0 in the real world » Column Two acidlabs » Enterprise 2.0 - Identify problem. Determine solution. Then tools. (Source: Library clips)

Barriers to library resources

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

I ran across this post on the Rural Doctoring blog, Library Research, Then and Now, by Theresa Chan, a family physician who describes her experiences doing library research in 1996 and in 2008. Of course she knows that things have changed and many things are online compared to back in 1996. Once perfect example is her Twitter consultation with her Twitter buddies about the best way to go about getting library articles. But what struck me the most was even with today's technology making access seemingly easier and faster, patrons still encounter many barriers to getting library information.She is doctor in a rural area with limited access to library resources. She mentioned she was able to get articles from nearby medical library for $15/each. While this was cheaper than the publishers' price, it was still pretty pricey to her. While she was in San Francisco she decided to visit the UCSF library to get the articles she needed. Not only was the cost of parking a barrier but the UCSF library required that she use "general public" computers and she could not download a PDF to a USB drive. While she wasn't a UCSF employee or student, she was their library user while she was in the library at that moment.What kind of barriers do we (libraries in general) have that make it more difficult to access information? What policies have we enacted that make it more difficult rather than easier for patrons to access information? Costs, location, license agreements, technological logistics, language etc. are all barriers we and our patrons encounter every day. How many times do we librarians mentioned ILLing an article or talk about databases? How many of our patrons know what that is and can ask for the appropriate service when needed? Sure the regulars may have been trained in library jargon and the "library way" of doing things, but the casual user may have problems. Sometimes we are too close to our own situation to be able to see the obstacles. ...

Social networking in finance

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Tip’d is a new “community for financial news, ideas, and tips.” Registered users (free) can submit news stories or tips, vote on stories they like, and comment on others. They cover business, currencies, entrepreneurship, green, private equity and venture capital, stocks, commodities, economy, funds and etfs, personal finance, real estate, and technology. There is also a blog and you can (Source: OPL Plus (not just for OPLs anymore))

Oa v. commercialization of research in australia

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Bernard Lane, No gags in new rules for CSIRO, The Australian, November 19, 2008. Excerpt: The federal Government has promised not to "interfere improperly" in the scholarly work of the CSIRO [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation], but new charters for public research agencies also warn scientists not to trespass on the politicians' policy turf. Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Minister Kim Carr said it was the first time that the liberties and duties of these agencies had been set out in charter form.... The CSIRO charter endorses "open communication and dissemination of the findings of research" as a general principle, but makes this subject to contractual arrangements or other legal or moral obligations. The Government defers to its agencies as independent managers of research dissemination, allowing them to strike a balance between open access to knowledge and commercial exploitation of research results.... Asked about the tension between open access and commercialisation, Senator Carr said: "I have a preference for encouraging the highest levels possible of open access (but) there are some commercial implications in terms of IP that we are still examining (for the innovation white paper)." Broadly similar charters have been signed with the CSIRO, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. PS: Also see Colin Steele's February 2007 argument for OA at CSIRO. (Source: Open Access News)

Nearly half of technology users need help with new devices

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:02:08 +0100

Nearly half of technology users need help with new devices Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project Although information technology is well integrated into the lives of many Americans, gadgets and communication services require, for some, a call for help. Some 48% of technology users usually need help from others to set up new devices or to show them how they function. Many tech users encounter problems with their cell phones, internet connections, and other gadgets. This, in turn, often leads to impatience and frustration as they try to get them fixed. + When Technology Fails (PDF; 111 KB) (Source: Docuticker)

Reference librarian - airdrie public library - airdrie, ab

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:49:44 +0100

Position Title: Reference Librarian (Information Services) – Part-TimeReports to: Adult Services CoordinatorAirdrie Public Library is a member of the Marigold Library System and is one of the fastest growing libraries in one of the fastest growing cities in Alberta. The Library has an immediate opening for a Part-Time Reference (Information Services) position. We offer a flexible and supportive work environment, and value initiative and lifelong learning. Position Summary:The successful candidate will be responsible for the following duties:Providing information services to the public using print and electronic resources;Providing Reader’s advisory to staff and the public;Promoting the Library’s services and collections;Assisting with Collection Development: reference materials, Fiction, and Non-Fiction; Providing Technology Training and Tutoring to the public; Qualifications:The successful candidate will have a professional and positive approach and a genuine interest in serving the various customers that frequent the public library. Library Technician diploma or other relevant post secondary education training;Experience in providing information services to customers;Experience in providing technology training (computer, e-resources, and Internet);Excellent interpersonal, communication, organizational skills, and customer service skills. Assets:Adult Education experience or an Education degree;Public Library experience;A great sense of humor, flexibility, creativity and a commitment to organizational excellence and team building. Future Possibilities: In a mid-sized library there is an opportunity to serve in other areas, based on strengths and interests: Preschool Literacy ProgramsTechnology Training/Teaching OpportunitiesTechnical Services Duties: Interlibrary Loan, Acquisitions Employment Terms: Part-time position offering 15-25 hours weekly. Some evening and weekend shifts required. Security check required. ...

Health sciences liaison librarian - university of saskatchewan - saskatoon, sask.

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:37:12 +0100

Tenure - Track Position Health Sciences Liaison Librarian The University of Saskatchewan Library provides tremendous opportunities for professional growth and development in a dynamic and flexible work environment. We operate within a supportive campus community focused on innovation, collaboration and engagement. The University Library is strategically aligned with the University’s vision focusing on the teacher learner experience; the research, scholar and practitioner interaction; building broad relationship and engagement opportunities; and is constantly improving the operational effectiveness of the Library with a strong focus on employee engagement. Accountabilities of the Position This position reports to the Head of the Health Sciences Library. Librarians, as faculty, are assigned duties aligned with the practice of professional skills in the Library Standards for Promotion and Tenure (2003, as amended). Duties may cover the development of the collections, organizing collections, teaching information research skills, information services, information technology, administration, and research/scholarly work. Practice of Professional SkillsThe University of Saskatchewan Library follows the liaison librarian model, which includes reference, instruction, and collections responsibilities to support on-site and distributed teaching, learning, and research. As part of the Health Sciences Library team, this position supports all health sciences disciplines.Development of the CollectionsDevelop collections and information resources in the health sciences, primarily in the areas of physical therapy and basic medical sciences, as well as the Health Sciences Library reference collection. Information ServicesAs part of the Library’s integrated reference model, provide reference and information services, for students, faculty, researchers, and the broader community. ...

A "commons" experience: five benefits of the information commons

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:33:46 +0100

In "The Comedy of the Commons," Dr. Carol M. Rose describes the commons as a place where each person adds more value. In our LIS701 course here at Dominican, we use Rose to illustrate the potential and usefulness of common spaces in relation to different types of libraries and what they might mean to their users. According to Rose, "The more who join and use the commons, the greater the enjoyment of each participant."This was entirely evident in the series of field trips I made this year to visit library spaces that had integrated the idea of the commons. Reflecting on those visits, I see the common threads that connect them: space, technology, and a culture of collaboration and innovation. I also see the benefits, especially after visiting the spaces and viewing photos of them in use.I just blogged about "Seven Ways to Think About Information Literacy" at TTW this week. Liz Wilkinson's points from her presentation include:1. Literacy beyond text2. Student centered, not library centered3. Outside experts4. Involve students5. Use students’ environments6. Learning by doing7. Make students feel at homeThese ideas also apply to understanding importance of the Commons space. Reflecting further and with inspiration from Wilkinson, I'd offer these five benefits of creating such a space in your academic library:The Commons puts students at the center. The idea of student-centered innovation was a theme woven throughout the commons field trips. The commons did not make it any easier for the librarians or to enforce library policies. In fact, Stacey Greenwell of the University was happy to tell me that they made it easier for students to use their cell phones in "the Hub." "Yes, that’s right—at the Hub we actually installed infrastructure to make it easier for students to use cell phones. We actually encourage cell phone use. ...

Social media leads the future of technology

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:52:52 +0100

Social Media Leads the Future of Technology From Facebook to smartphones, advances in technology are changing the way we work and communicate. Professor David Yoffie led three experts in a recent panel discussion on “The Technology Revolution and its Implications for the Future” at the HBS Centennial Business Summit. Key concepts include: A lot of growth potential remains worldwide. The sticking point for business is spanning the gap between the physical and digital worlds. For example, it remains difficult to figure out consumers’ specific intent on the Web. What people want most of all is technology that is simple to use, said one panelist. Source: Harvard Business School (Source: ResourceShelf)

The tough economy, technology, and learning covered in december webinars

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:36:24 +0100

Interested in learning how to create local history documentaries to share online? Want to understand how libraries can better serve bilingual children? Curious how to create a laptop lab or how to improve your skills as a learning professional? Want to develop strategies to help your library plan for change in the tough economic times ahead? Then register for one, or all, of the great WebJunction webinars lined up for December. View all events here: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventcalendar.asp Times listed in Central Time Zone. Bite-size Digital History Date: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 Start Time: 10:00 AM Register here: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1509 Town Hall: Focus on Tough Economic Times Date: Thursday, December 04, 2008 Start Time: 12:00 PM Register here: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1538 Libraries and the Bilingual Child: Understanding Issues of Language Acquisition Date: Monday, December 08, 2008 Start Time: 12:00 PM Register here: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1545 Laptop Labs: Creating, Maintaining, and Using Them (MaintainIT) Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2008 Start time: 1:00 Register here: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1544 Top 10 Tips for Effective Application Training in the Virtual Classroom Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 Start Time: 2:00 PM Register here: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1533 Learning for Learning Professionals: Competencies, Strategies and Resources (CLENERT) Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008 Start Time: 1:00 PM Register here: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1546 Town Hall: Focus on Tough Economic Times Date: Friday, December 12, 2008 Start Time: 1:00 PM Register here: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup. ...

Wordpress uses: oobject

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:14:19 +0100

Oobject’s galleries of abandoned pools, subway architecture, and revolting gold gadgets, among others, are all built in WordPress. (Source: MaisonBisson.com)

Scientists set out to discover new drugs and biofuels enzymes in tropical seas

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:54:55 +0100

Read the full story at Biopact. The National Institutes of Health has awarded $4 million to a group of Philippine and American scientists led by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) to aid in the discovery of new molecules and biofuels technology from marine mollusks for development in the Philippines. (Source: Environmental News Bits)

Flame retardant furniture gives californians twice national average of pbdes

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:48:16 +0100

Read the full post at Scientific Blogging. Efforts to make furniture less flammable have given residents of California higher blood levels of potentially toxic flame retardants called PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) - nearly twice the national average, scientists from Massachusetts and California are reporting. Their study, the first to examine regional variations in PBDE levels in household dust and blood within the U.S., is published in Environmental Science & Technology. (Source: Environmental News Bits)

A network generation ...

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:44:49 +0100

Further to notes about NetGen, Fintan O'Toole's wonderful remarks on public libraries, and networking and the Obama campaign, here is Fintan O'Toole on generations, networks, and the election. Thirdly, and closely related to this change, is the cultural impact of the internet. The fears expressed about the internet even a decade ago were that it would create a culturally atomised society, in which everyone could choose to connect only to people like themselves with the same narrow range of obsessions. Obama's campaign showed, more profoundly than ever before, the capacity of the technology for creating a sense of common purpose.This is not just about the obvious ways in which the campaign used the internet for brilliant propaganda (winning the You Tube wars hands down) and to create a crucial advantage in fundraising.It is much more profoundly that the very habit of using the technology seems to have created a new kind of engagement with public space. It is striking, for example, that the internet generation in the US, which was supposedly going to be atomised and individualistic, is far more inclined to want larger government doing more things than those who are older.Even among white evangelicals, this split is obvious - those under 35 are twice as likely to want "big government" as those over 35. It would be wrong to see all of this as a mere result of the internet, but there is clearly a complex change under way in which the very idea of the net - personal connection to a larger whole - has been a key part. [Election result reflects a cultural shift from brawn to brain - The Irish Times - Sat, Nov 08, 2008] Quick Bookmarks: del.icio.us Digg Google Reddit Furl (Source: Lorcan Dempsey)

Wisconsin law journal names unsung heroes

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:18:32 +0100

I'm very honored to have been selected as one of the winners of the Wisconsin Law Journal's Unsung Heroes award. The awards were presented at a luncheon at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee last Friday. The award I received was in the Law Library staff category. WLJ also recognized award winners in seven other categories - Court Staff, Human Resources, Information Technology, Law Firm Administrators, Legal Secretaries, Paralegals, and Additional Unsung Heroes. For more photos of the event, see the WLJ Flickr page. (Source: WisBlawg - From the UW Law Library)

Synchronized, it's more than swimming

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:13:00 +0100

Last Monday, a week later than posted previously (I jumped the gun a bit prematurely), the new Ashland University Library and Instructional Resource Center web sites went live shortly before noon. Thanks to the seemingly endless hard work by the Ashland University web master Shelly Shaver, the site roll-over itself went seamlessly. That said, network server changes combined with script oddities and other technology related gremlins, soon proved the actual launch may have been the easiest part of the process.During the week that followed I learned, among other things, some scripts can overpower inherent LibGuides scripts and render the content management system useless (oops), style sheets can be applied to many different things, my computer is capable of hopping IP addresses, and web sites can, and probably should, be synchronized ... without the flowery swimming caps (it was cool). Luckily most of my lessons were learned behind the scenes and user web site service was not interrupted.For the things we could not correct in-house (library), the IT department was able to manage for us by the end of the week - and - our new blog provided a communication tool to update users on progress. A few outstanding tasks remain, including a non-invasive header for LibGuides and updating the ERes page, but overall the project is completed. Yes! (Source: Library Cloud)

Sun and google issue security alerts

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:20:17 +0100

ZDNet has two posts at its Zero Day blog on software vulnerabilities. Sun Microsystems has noted that an overflow issue related to handling WMF and EMF files is impacting StarOffice. Google issued a release that was also picked up at the Zero Day blog about a possible data theft vulnerability in Chrome. (Source: LISNews - Librarian And Information Science News)

Sun and google issue security alerts

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:20:17 +0100

Istl fall 2008 n55 now available

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:30:15 +0100

.: The #55 Fall 2008 issue of Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship is now available for viewing. Details, as seen in an e-mail circulating today: CONTENTS Theme: Web 2.0 Science Experiments: Reaching Out to Our Users by Maureen Nolan, Lori Tschirhart, Stephanie Wright, Laura Barrett, Matthew Parsons, and Linda Whang, University of Washington and Dartmouth College Web 2.0 as Catalyst: Virtually Reaching Out to Users and Connecting Them to Library Resources and Services by Norah Xiao, University of Southern California An Undergraduate Science Information Literacy Tutorial in a Web 2.0 World by Jeanine Marie Scaramozzino, California Polytechnic State University Chat Widgets for Science Libraries by John J. Meier, The Pennsylvania State University Making Research Guides More Useful and More Well Used by Michal Strutin, Santa Clara University Geospatial Technology Support in Small Academic Libraries: Time to Jump on Board? by Carrie M. Macfarlane and Christopher M. Rodgers, Middlebury College Podcasting the Sciences: A Practical Overview by Eugene Barsky and Kevin Lindstrom, University of British Columbia Refereed Articles Dissertation Citations in Organismal Biology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale: Implications for Collection Development by Jonathan Nabe and Andrea Imre, Southern Illinois University Electronic Resources Reviews DOE Data Explorer: The Data by Meredith Ayers, Northern Illinois University Book Reviews The MLA Essential Guide to Becoming an Expert Searcher Reviewed by Thomas Harrod, University of Maryland Digital Literacy: Tools and Methodologies for Information Society Reviewed by Jane Duffy, Dalhousie University Tips from the Experts Nanotechnology by Charles F. Huber, University of California, Santa Barbara Viewpoints An Old Fogey Looks at the Reference (R)Evolution by Linda Shackle, Arizona State University (Source: STLQ)

With a tangled skein

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:52:34 +0100

My library, and the branch campus where I work, is quite small and in a very rural part of Alabama. We have about 250 students right now, though enrollment doubled since we opened the new building and we expect it to keep growing. I’ve been quite busy the last few weeks with a new and rather odd trend, and I’m wondering if it’s demographically based or perhaps caused by a wierd atmospheric disturbance. Students are coming to me to ask how to do assignments for other instructors. I’ve gotten used to teaching basic computer literacy, “This is a mouse” or “this is how you print,” or “this is how you make Powerpoint print slides with six on a page.” We are heavily invested in technology, and almost every class requires the students to do some work within our WebCT/Blackboard framework. So of course I’m also answering a LOT of questions about how to attach documents and how to use the email system, but I expect that. Recently, though, the threads of my library life have become a bit more knotty as it appears students are thinking I am nearly all-knowing. Heh. Two weeks ago I had a student come in and ask “I have this assignment due, can you tell me what I’m supposed to do?” I said sure, assuming it was a research assignment and that she needed help with getting started. Nope. It was a math assignment. And it wasn’t that she didn’t know how to print it out, or save it to her jump drive. She wanted me to tell her how to do the math problems. I was an English major in college and math is not so much my strong suit! I recommended that she see her instructor. She hemmed and hawed as though she thought I was holding back on her. ...

Five benefits of the information commons

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:33:45 +0100

I have a new post up at ALA TechSource: http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2008/11/a-commons-experience.html The Commons puts students at the center. The idea of student-centered innovation was a theme woven throughout the commons field trips. The commons did not make it any easier for the librarians or to enforce library policies. In fact, Stacy Greenwell of the University was happy to tell me that they made it easier for students to use their cell phones in “the Hub.” “Yes, that’s right—at the Hub we actually installed infrastructure to make it easier for students to use cell phones. We actually encourage cell phone use. Truly the Hub is a No Shushing Zone.” The Commons is built with student involvement. Stacy Greenwell of “the Hub” told me that along with the innovations the librarians wanted at UK, “we sought student input throughout the planning process”. Bob Seal highlighted the ways his librarians discovered students needed: space, access to technology, and ease of use. The Commons is a welcoming, useful gathering place. The folks at Indiana University South Bend started with a specific goal: to be a welcoming center on campus. Michele Russo detailed this idea when it came to the desk: “The new service desk was also designed to send a welcoming message. It allows space for librarians, IT consultants, and multimedia specialists to work at one of two levels.” The Zones at Georgia Tech included flexible “anything and everything” spaces. Faculty might give a lecture in the morning, folowed by a DDR tournament in the afternoon and video creation in the evening. The Commons makes connections. These connections might be between students, betweeen students and library staff, or between students and the various faculty and staff that may use the space as well. ...

Nominate the public librarians you know are making a difference

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:29:37 +0100

PLA is asking for nominations for its annual set of awards. There are seven service awards and two grant opportunities. So, stop a moment and think about the public libraries and librarians out there in libraryland that are making our world a better place. Who has done wonderful things to qualify for some of these awards, like being a risk-taking and change-oriented director, or having extensive knowledge of library materials, or a rural librarian who created a special service or program, or someone who used technology and innovative thinking as a tool to improve services. And there's a lot more than that! I bet you're thinking of someone already!You can nominate people online and the deadline is December 15, 2008. (Source: LibrarianInBlack)

Health commons - changing the way basic science is translated to help human health

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:28:25 +0100

The Health Commons is a coalition of parties interested in changing the way basic science is translated into the understanding and improvement of human health. Coalition members agree to share data, knowledge, and services under standardized terms and conditions by committing to a set of common technologies, digital information standards, research materials, contracts, workflows, and software. These commitments ensure that knowledge, data, materials and tools can move seamlessly from partner to partner across the entire drug discovery chain. Science Commons’ John Wilbanks lays out the argument for the Health Commons - how the existing drug discovery process is broken, and where to look for inspiration in how to fix it. Take a look at this great video and find out more about Health Commons. The Health Commons was founded by: Science Commons CommerceNet Public Library of Science CollabRx (Source: Hardin Scholarly Communication News)

Using wordpress with external smtp server

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:01:45 +0100

I really don’t like having sendmail running on a webserver, but some features of WordPress just don’t work if it can’t send email (user registration, for example). Still, WordPress offers support to send email through external SMTP servers instead if a local mailer. In /wp-includes/pluggable.php around line 377, change $phpmailer->isMail(); to $phpmailer->isSMTP(); Then, in /wp-includes/class-phpmailer.php around line 155, set your SMTP host: var $Host = "my.smtphost.com"; You may also need to set a username and password, and tell WP to attempt authentication. You’ll see those in the lines below the hostname variable. var $SMTPAuth = true; var $Username = "username"; var $Password = "password"; On the other hand, you could do this via a plugin, perhaps even Callum McDonald’s WP Mail SMTP. (Source: MaisonBisson.com)

Yes, that oclc kerfuffle

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:37:39 +0100

Via Jessamyn and a slew of emails this weekend from TTW Readers: http://wiki.code4lib.org/index.php/OCLC_Policy_Change I need to catch up on all of these posts. Jessamyn suggested this one as http://www.betaversion.org/~stefano/linotype/news/220/ So, OCLC decides to update its data licensing policy after 21 years because, quote: “The Guidelineshave also been frequently faulted for their ambiguity about WorldCat data sharing rights and conditions.” Having had to deal with such ambiguity myself when discussing about releasing the Barton Library data from the MIT Libraries, I have to say that I very much welcomed any sort of update in clarification and a more modern and up-to-date licensing agreement between OCLC and its members libraries, if only to focus more precisely what is wrong with it. Some people believe that OCLC is a thing of the past, created in an era where data interchange and inter-librarian communication was hard, more expensive and much harder to coordinate and destined to succumb to some cheaper and higher quality grass-root approach that will emerge spontaneously on the internet. I personally don’t subscribe to that vision: I’ve witnessed with my own eyes the Apache Group turning into the Apache Software Foundation and growing from a few tens of people to thousands, from a relatively unknown bunch of geeks to a pillar of the web ecosystem, a business-school subject and a poster child for modern bottom-up self-organization. My point being that any grass-root approach that will get big enough to take on OCLC on the metadata collection and redistribution service that libraries need will have to incorporate under the pressure of its users (if only for legal liability protection) and will have to find an answer to the same set of problems (policy, governance, financial sustainability) that OCLC has. ...

Innovation in institutions - and yet more jobs…

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:31:35 +0100

One of the things I’ve noticed about Twitter is that if you post a link there to a recent blog post, the post can start to get read very quickly. I’ve done a couple of experiments by tweeting links to old posts and comment threads to see if it can give them a little burst of renewed life, and I can anecdotally report that it does seem to work, if you get your twittertext right… And it’s potentially also a way of using a subset of readers as a sounding board for whether or not to post more widely, to a larger set of readers. So for example, on Friday I replied to a comment on an earlier post (Printing Out Online Course Materials With Embedded Movie Links) with a rather <ranty> comment of my own… and got the following tweet back from @jukesie: So here goes - I’ve blockquoted it, but it’s not strictly a quote - I have made a few minor changes - so if you want to read the comment in it’s original form, and in the original context, you can find it here. The context was whether there was any value in adding a QR code visual link to a Youtube movie in the print stylesheet of a piece of online learning material that included an embedded video. I picked up a catch phrase earlier today, about what UK HE needs: Flexibility, Innovation, Imagination. So here’s my problem. The future lies around us, and some of us paddle in it. Innovation in the OU is hard to achieve - the feeling is whatever we give to our students, it has to scale and it has to be equally accessible to everyone. We often go for lowest common denominator plays, particularly with respect to assumptions about the availability of technology. The Innovator’s Dilemma rules… Time out: When I play with mashups - when I play with ideas - I’m balancing logic rocks. Sometimes they fall over, but that’s okay; if I wanted to build something a little longer lasting, I’d use concrete. ...

12 signposts to transparency part 1

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:30:12 +0100

We recently presented a workshop in London at Internet Librarian International, based on our writings here, and realized that throughout the columns we’ve identified a set of mile markers for the journey toward transparency. Give everyone an avenue to talk. Play nice and be constructive. Grow and develop your support community. Be willing to accept anonymity. Tell the truth. Lies don’t work. Focus on user-driven policy, not driving users away. Read the whole column here. (Source: Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology)

E-discovery update: pushing back against hardcopy esi productions, october 2008

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:00:00 +0100

"Addresses how critical technology issues related to document authenticity and document-associated metadata have left fewer lawyers willing to accept e-mail messages and other electronic document... (Source: Info To Go: Navigating the Internet)

Gao: information technology: management improvements needed on the department of homeland security’s next generation information sharing system, september 2008

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:30:00 +0100

"DHS halted further improvements on the existing HSIN system in September 2007. Since then, the department has continued to operate and maintain the system while a replacement--HSIN Next Gen--is ... (Source: Info To Go: Navigating the Internet)

Event: web 2.0 in real life. the foresight centre, university of liverpool, 1 brownlow street, liverpool, 21 april 2009

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:29:17 +0100

UKeiGFind out how 2.0 applications are being used in libraries and information centres, and what actually works. Blogs, wikis, RSS? YouTube, podcasts, Slideshare? Flickr, Connotea, LibraryThing? Facebook, Second Life, Twitter?This workshop will look at the reality of 2.0: what is useful and what is destined for Gartner's 'Trough of Disillusionment', never to be seen again. The workshop will start with a brief overview of Web 2.0 and what it means. It will then look in more detail at how 'stuff' can be used as sources of information, as a means of enhancing services to users, and raising the profile of information services.The areas covered will include: Blogs, wikis, RSS feeds Shared authoring tools Start pages e.g. iGoogle, PageFlakes, NetVibes Social bookmarking services Using YouTube and Flickr as information resources and to promote your group or organisation "Presentation" sites such as Slideshare and Authorstream Social networking sites e.g. Facebook To Twitter or not to Twitter. There will be a heavy practical element to the workshop so that participants can explore Web 2 and try out the technologies for themselves. There will be extensive notes and exercise sheets to guide participants through the day, and all the information and presentations will be available electronically (Source: CILIP – Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals)

Lift up your heads, o ye gates

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:46:05 +0100

Newly co-published by Furtherfield and The Hyperliterature Exchange: an appreciation of David Daniels, the great shape-poet, who died in May 2008. "Daniels is one of those figures who straddles the divide between digital and pre-digital art and literature... His art is about liberation, uninhibited outpouring, spontaneity and fun." To read the whole article, go to http://www.hyperex.co.uk/reviewdaniels.php . read more (Source: Kairosnews - A Weblog for Discussing Rhetoric, Technology and Pedagogy)

LibWorm: Technology

Speak up!

Salem public library

Re: campus without library - summing up

Survey of open source adoption and usage

63 days to government information liberation

Stanza-booksonboard-samhain direct downloads are already working, apparently: try ‘em, r fans!

Power words

Piece of web 2.0 faces security update

Lcds would be easier to read in the sunlight if this new breakthrough works out: e ink alternative, too, eventually?

Head of research and instructional services

Changing the climate: looking toward a more cost effective, energy efficient future

Web technologies, content & user interfaces librarian

Proposed guidelines to control pollution from construction sites

Britian’s open rights group annual report available

Stanza to display samhain books from booksonboard: nice step toward drmfree ecosystem for booksellers

Court orders halt to sale of spyware

Tweets of terror? army: microblogs potential terrorist tool, october 2008

Gelezen: een werkweek van 4 uur

Review of directed energy technology for countering rockets, artillery, and mortars (ram):abbreviated version (2008)

Issues in science and technology librarianship - fall 2008

Ball state university libraries&#39; news: technology training support ...

The printer’s devil—and the promise of e-books

11/19/2008-research associate / postdoctoral research associate in the technologies of the public humanities, john nicholas brown center for public humanities and cultural heritage, brown university, providence, rhode island

How dare you call my laptop a technological dinosaur

Inside story - politics, society and culture

Technology services, russell library, middletown ct

Information/technology access librarian, cranston pl

Fw: sharepoint help

Justice department issues report on telecommunications symposium

Too good an opportunity not to tout …

Give me all your cache

Futurenow

Funding collections and services in the public interest

64 days to government information liberation

Mac owners: overdrive media console version released for library audiobooks

Ruminating about privacy

Custom flip mino hd

Site for technology collection development launches

Indiana libraries consolidation?

Librarians are the ultimate community managers

Cpc merges with philadelphia chapter

Saving the story at mit

Ttw mailbox: flickr-like site for school?

Vampires are hot right now.

Lis768 csc group projects

Tricky uses of bsuite

The google book search settlement: heading towards resolution

Cloud computing reprise

New online: issues in science and technology librarianship, fall 2008

National institute for literacy: future? no. 11.18.2008. 213.

Digital government summits

Netvibes in de morgen is een dag zonder zorgen

Biometrics in government post-9/11, september 2008

D-lib magazine - november/december 2008

Interfaces: de toekomst is nu

My delicious bookmarks for 2008-11-16

11/18/2008-supervisor -- library & learning centre, higher colleges of technology, united arab emirates

Nearly half of technology users need help with new devices…and other full-text reports on docuticker

Links for 2008-11-17 [del.icio.us]

Barriers to library resources

Social networking in finance

Oa v. commercialization of research in australia

Nearly half of technology users need help with new devices

Reference librarian - airdrie public library - airdrie, ab

Health sciences liaison librarian - university of saskatchewan - saskatoon, sask.

A "commons" experience: five benefits of the information commons

Social media leads the future of technology

The tough economy, technology, and learning covered in december webinars

Wordpress uses: oobject

Scientists set out to discover new drugs and biofuels enzymes in tropical seas

Flame retardant furniture gives californians twice national average of pbdes

A network generation ...

Wisconsin law journal names unsung heroes

Synchronized, it's more than swimming

Sun and google issue security alerts

Sun and google issue security alerts

Istl fall 2008 n55 now available

With a tangled skein

Five benefits of the information commons

Ball state university libraries' news: technology training support ...