LibWorm.com provides a librarian RSS filtering service. Over 1500 RSS librarian sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest headlines from journals and sites in the Wifi interest group. http://www.libworm.com/rss/librarianqueries.php Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:54:28 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://lib.wmrc.uiuc.edu/enb/2010/09/02/start-the-school-year-with-epas-energy-star/ The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging students and their parents to support the environment by shopping for back-to-school clothes and supplies at retail stores that have earned the Energy Star label. Energy Star saves Americans energy and helps them protect the environment by avoiding greenhouse gas emissions. Energy Star labeled stores have features that set them apart from typical stores, such as energy efficient lighting, registers that go to sleep when not in use, and store processes for shutting off equipment during closed hours. Energy Star labeled stores are independently verified to meet strict energy efficiency performance levels set by EPA. Stores that have earned the Energy Star perform in the top 25 percent of stores nationwide, use at least 35 percent less energy and emit at least 35 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than their peers. Through Energy Star, EPA works with nearly 150 retail companies across the country—including 40 of the Top 100 U.S. retailers—to help them manage energy use, lower utility bills, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Together, Energy Star partners, including Kohl’s Department Stores, JCPenney, Verizon Wireless, Staples, and Target, have more than 900 Energy Star labeled stores in 48 states, making it easy to shop green from coast to coast. Families can also help protect the environment by choosing Energy Star qualified products such as computers and desk lamps. Energy Star qualified lamps use less energy mainly because they include compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use 75 percent less energy than regular incandescent light bulbs. Computers that have earned the Energy Star use up to 65 percent less energy than conventional models. ... Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:38:52 +0100 868639 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/-dHvbT37r0U/  The photo at the left is by “legendarypoet” and I was struck by what a beautiful b&w shot it is, of a b&w e-reader.  Click on the image to see his original, or click on screen name to see his photo page. I spent time yesterday, by request, taking more comparison photos of font and text differences between the Kindle 3 and Kindle 2, and I’ll get some up later on. I’ll touch instead this morning on some subjects that have come up in comment-areas here and in topics being discussed on the various Kindle forums. FULLY CHARGE A NEW KINDLE One thing to know as you open the Kindle package is that you can read on the Kindle while it’s charging.  Give it a full charge when it’s new — it usually takes about 2 hours, as it already has some battery life remaining.  Mine was halfway down.  The bottom LED light turns a bright, solid green when done. Q & A HOW WILL I MOVE KINDLE BOOKS FROM MY OTHER KINDLE TO THE NEW KINDLE 3? Amazon’s few instructions (in an email you receive before getting your Kindle and instructions ON your Kindle) are brief but well written and cover most of what you need.  On the Kindle, the guide is named “Transferring Your Kindle Content” – and since your books and subscriptions content is in your personal area/library on Amazon’s servers, you’ll need to have the Wireless turned on in order to access those servers. For newcomers: With the Kindle, that’s done by pressing the Menu button and selecting the topmost choice, “Turn Wireless On” — and of course that slot toggles the choice, to turn it “Off” — to conserve battery power. ... Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:27:22 +0100 868669 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/ZdUypXL0x4g/ Audible is now available in the Android Market. It features chapter navigation, bookmarking, sleep mode and button free mode. It will support wireless transfer from My Library to your android phone. More info here. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:03:52 +0100 868675 http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/index.cfm?fa=viewfeature&id=2582 The long-running network neutrality debate is once again front and center after another flare-up, this one stoked by a recent policy proposal jointly developed by Google and Verizon. The seven-point plan was panned by net neutrality advocates but cheered by industry players, making it unclear whether regulators, legislators and private industry can forge a deal. Among the stickiest issues is that advocacy groups continue to demand 100% network neutrality, while wireless broadband providers want the ability to manage their networks and generate enough cash flow to continue to invest in infrastructure. (Source: Knowledge@Wharton) Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:07:02 +0100 868715 http://www.babsonlibrary.org/?p=1095 Over the summer Babson staff were busy adding some improvements to the library facility.   We have rearranged furniture to create comfortable spaces and have purchased plants that you’ll see throughout the building. We have also had an upgrade to the wireless infrastructure which should improve access throughout Babson.   The Main Floor of Babson has a new addition of the Technology Solutions Center.  This redesigned ITS help desk is intended to assist all students, faculty, and staff and is conveniently located directly across from the Information Desk.     The Second Floor continues to be our “group study” floor.     We have purchased additional comfortable seatings and rearranged tables to create study areas.       You’ll notice our “Collaboration Station” allows for up to 4 students to share a laptop image on a large wall screen.         On one end of the second floor we have established a “teaching area” to be used for classes and larger study groups who wish to visit the library.   A long table seats up to 24 people. Markers for the white board in this area can be checked out at the Information Desk.  The Academic Success Center “Locus” is also located on the second floor.      Students can meet with their content tutors here or confer in any area of the building.         The Third Floor continues to be the “quiet floor”.   We have added a few areas of comfortable seating but continue to provide mostly tables and study carrels for students who want a quiet and structured space.     We’ve purchased new lights for the study carrell rooms for more effective illumination. Please mute your cell phones and take calls downstairs so that all can enjoy the one really quiet study space on campus. We are open 106.5 hours a week to assist students and faculty. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:30:28 +0100 868514 http://www.teleread.com/2010/09/01/jobs-reveals-new-ipod-line-apple-tv-ios-4-1-itunes-10/ Steve Jobs had some interesting things to reveal today. In the iPod line, the Shuffle, Nano, and Touch get refreshes. No mention at all of the Classic line; I suppose they’ve had their day. The Shuffle moves forward by taking a step back—the new one resembles a smaller version of the second in form factor, bringing back the buttons everybody missed from the third, but with the Voiceover and other nifty features that people did like from the third. The Nano loses the physical controls and goes multitouch, looking like a smaller version of the iPod Touch (but without apps). Now we know what that mysterious small square touchscreen we mentioned in an Apple rumor post I don’t have time to dig up right now was for. And the Touch is about as expected. Slimmer than ever, Retina Display, A4 chip, Facetime camera, and rear-facing HD video camera. No mention of photographic capability, so presumably it’s a video-only camera like the one from last year’s Nano. If it can’t take photos, that’s a bit disappointing (especially with the new HDR photo capacity in OS 4.1), but on the whole it’s still a considerable improvement over the previous generation. Price points remain the same $229/$299/$399; it is available for pre-order today and ships later this month. Even Steve Jobs pointed out one of the big benefits it has over the iPhone: "A lot of people call it the ‘iPhone without the phone’. It’s also an iPhone without a contract." Of course, it doesn’t include everything that the iPhone does; there was no mention of 3G wireless or GPS, two of the features I know at least some people had been anticipating. (I must admit to being so impressed by the presentation, I forgot to snap screenshots of it, and don’t have time to hunt for any now. Oops.) OS 4.1 includes a number of bug fixes, HD video upload to the Internet over wifi, TV show rentals, and the premiere of Game Center. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:52:01 +0100 868280 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/_wIe35ze4P0/ Steve Jobs had some interesting things to reveal today. In the iPod line, the Shuffle, Nano, and Touch get refreshes. No mention at all of the Classic line; I suppose they’ve had their day. The Shuffle moves forward by taking a step back—the new one resembles a smaller version of the second in form factor, bringing back the buttons everybody missed from the third, but with the Voiceover and other nifty features that people did like from the third. The Nano loses the physical controls and goes multitouch, looking like a smaller version of the iPod Touch (but without apps). Now we know what that mysterious small square touchscreen we mentioned in an Apple rumor post I don’t have time to dig up right now was for. And the Touch is about as expected. Slimmer than ever, Retina Display, A4 chip, Facetime camera, and rear-facing HD video camera. No mention of photographic capability, so presumably it’s a video-only camera like the one from last year’s Nano. If it can’t take photos, that’s a bit disappointing (especially with the new HDR photo capacity in OS 4.1), but on the whole it’s still a considerable improvement over the previous generation. Price points remain the same $229/$299/$399; it is available for pre-order today and ships later this month. Even Steve Jobs pointed out one of the big benefits it has over the iPhone: "A lot of people call it the ‘iPhone without the phone’. It’s also an iPhone without a contract." Of course, it doesn’t include everything that the iPhone does; there was no mention of 3G wireless or GPS, two of the features I know at least some people had been anticipating. (I must admit to being so impressed by the presentation, I forgot to snap screenshots of it, and don’t have time to hunt for any now. Oops.) OS 4.1 includes a number of bug fixes, HD video upload to the Internet over wifi, TV show rentals, and the premiere of Game Center. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:52:01 +0100 868277 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BabyBoomerLibrarian/~3/wm4Aw0ZbXe8/jobs-systems-librarian-university-of-la.html #3041 – Systems Librarian, University of La Verne  -- Wilson Library The University of La Verne invites applicants for a Systems Librarian (Assistant Professor), a non-tenure track 12-month faculty appointment. Reporting directly to the University Librarian, the Systems Librarian will use a high level of technical, instructional, and interpersonal skills. The responsibilities of this position include administering and providing technical support for all aspects of library technology including the Innovative Interfaces Millennium integrated library system, hardware and software installations and maintenance, library wireless, opac, proxy server, online resources and services such as LINK+, ILLIAD, ERM, OCLC, link resolver, research databases, e-journals, e-books, etc.; assisting the University Librarian with technology planning and project implementation; serving as primary liaison with the university’s Office of Information Technology to coordinate all library systems’ installation, upgrade and maintenance; supervise one full-time staff member (Electronic Services Technician); serving as liaison to database and online service providers; providing technology training to library staff; providing research consultation services to library users in a multi-disciplinary environment using multiple formats (in-person, e-mail, phone, and chat); developing, promoting, and delivering effective library research skills/information literacy instructional sessions, seminars and workshops for both on-campus and off-campus programs; developing the library collection by selecting materials for acquisition in all formats; serving as liaison with selected academic departments; maintaining a program of professional development. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:44:00 +0100 868359 http://www.teleread.com/2010/09/01/teleread-meets-with-sony-in-new-york-to-see-sonys-new-ereaders-impression-sophisticated-refinement/ I just spent about 45 minutes with Phil Lubell, Vice President of Digital Reading, to get a hands-on with the new ereaders. All three readers are touch enabled and Phil started out by saying that, much to Sony’s surprise, the $100 premium old Sony Touch had a larger demand than the cheaper Pocket Edition. Surveys they have done have shown that 78% of readers want touch and 81% of reading is done in homes. The new readers use the Pearl screen, just like the Kindle, and it is remarkable that Sony’s new touch interface does not seem to interfere with the screen’s sharpness or contrast at all. I couldn’t tell the difference between their touch screen and my Kindle 3. Page turns are definitely faster than my Kindle 3 and the units have buttons to turn pages, as well as using a swipe on the screen. They will come with 12 dictionaries in various languages, including one American English and 1 British English dictionary. In a very neat feature, the units will keep a log of all words that have been looked up. The Pocket Edition is 41% lighter than the Kindle and 51% lighter than the Nook. All units will allow for customizable screen savers, allow books to be stored in collections (folders) and can be engraved. One option that is unique, as far as I know, is that you can adjust the contrast and brightness of the screen, and the unit has various settings for screen detail, among other things. These adjustments could be very important in viewing PDFs. The units also have “Intelligent PDF Zoom” which divided the PDF into 4 quadrants. The Daily Edition is actually lighter than the old Pocket Edition and all three are incredibly light given the solidity of the build. Of course, only the Daily Edition has WiFi and 3G, which is a surprise. Phil said that Sony’s surveys showed that most people don’t care about this feature, especially since readers tend to buy more than one book at a time. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:00:00 +0100 868283 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/QMraCNi04SU/ I just spent about 45 minutes with Phil Lubell, Vice President of Digital Reading, to get a hands-on with the new ereaders. All three readers are touch enabled and Phil started out by saying that, much to Sony’s surprise, the $100 premium old Sony Touch had a larger demand than the cheaper Pocket Edition. Surveys they have done have shown that 78% of readers want touch and 81% of reading is done in homes. The new readers use the Pearl screen, just like the Kindle, and it is remarkable that Sony’s new touch interface does not seem to interfere with the screen’s sharpness or contrast at all. I couldn’t tell the difference between their touch screen and my Kindle 3. Page turns are definitely faster than my Kindle 3 and the units have buttons to turn pages, as well as using a swipe on the screen. They will come with 12 dictionaries in various languages, including one American English and 1 British English dictionary. In a very neat feature, the units will keep a log of all words that have been looked up. The Pocket Edition is 41% lighter than the Kindle and 51% lighter than the Nook. All units will allow for customizable screen savers, allow books to be stored in collections (folders) and can be engraved. One option that is unique, as far as I know, is that you can adjust the contrast and brightness of the screen, and the unit has various settings for screen detail, among other things. These adjustments could be very important in viewing PDFs. The units also have “Intelligent PDF Zoom” which divided the PDF into 4 quadrants. The Daily Edition is actually lighter than the old Pocket Edition and all three are incredibly light given the solidity of the build. Of course, only the Daily Edition has WiFi and 3G, which is a surprise. Phil said that Sony’s surveys showed that most people don’t care about this feature, especially since readers tend to buy more than one book at a time. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:00:00 +0100 868281 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/BLAb6lspLVM/ A couple of further notes about Apple’s event, due to start in just over an hour. Leander Kahney at Cult of Mac has an exclusive tip from an insider who explains that the streaming process is going to serve as a stress test for Apple’s new server farm, which will later be used to stream a version of iTunes for iOS devices. Kahney notes: Some have speculated that Apple is streaming the show to thwart livebloggers, who may have sabotaged Jobs’ iPhone 4 keynote at Apple’s WWDC event in June. Problems with the venue’s WiFi network ruined Jobs’ FaceTime demo and forced him to ask bloggers in the audience to shut their laptops to reduce the strain on the wireless network. He dismisses the suggestion of some that Jobs wants greater control over the delivery of the news, but notes that if Apple livestreams future events it could mean an end to the considerable traffic that the events bring sites that liveblog them. Meanwhile, MacRumors explains the limitation of Apple’s livestream to iOS devices only, and suggests a possible workaround for viewing it without Apple products. Apple is using its new HTTP Live Streaming technology, which has been proposed as a standard but largely implemented only by Apple so far. Among its advantages include that it avoids router/firewall issues since the stream goes out over standard http. Non-Apple-owning viewers might be able to watch the event anyway, to some extent, as long as they keep manually refreshing the stream’s playlist file. And that should be the last I’ll say on the subject until after the event! I may livetweet it under the #teleread hashtag, however. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:59:23 +0100 868285 http://www.teleread.com/2010/09/01/the-music-event-why-apple-is-streaming-it-and-how-to-watch-without-apple/ A couple of further notes about Apple’s event, due to start in just over an hour. Leander Kahney at Cult of Mac has an exclusive tip from an insider who explains that the streaming process is going to serve as a stress test for Apple’s new server farm, which will later be used to stream a version of iTunes for iOS devices. Kahney notes: Some have speculated that Apple is streaming the show to thwart livebloggers, who may have sabotaged Jobs’ iPhone 4 keynote at Apple’s WWDC event in June. Problems with the venue’s WiFi network ruined Jobs’ FaceTime demo and forced him to ask bloggers in the audience to shut their laptops to reduce the strain on the wireless network. He dismisses the suggestion of some that Jobs wants greater control over the delivery of the news, but notes that if Apple livestreams future events it could mean an end to the considerable traffic that the events bring sites that liveblog them. Meanwhile, MacRumors explains the limitation of Apple’s livestream to iOS devices only, and suggests a possible workaround for viewing it without Apple products. Apple is using its new HTTP Live Streaming technology, which has been proposed as a standard but largely implemented only by Apple so far. Among its advantages include that it avoids router/firewall issues since the stream goes out over standard http. Non-Apple-owning viewers might be able to watch the event anyway, to some extent, as long as they keep manually refreshing the stream’s playlist file. And that should be the last I’ll say on the subject until after the event! I may livetweet it under the #teleread hashtag, however. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:59:23 +0100 868284 http://www.teleread.com/2010/09/01/new-sony-readers-announced/ I’m in NYC waiting to get a hands-on with the new devices. However I just received this press release which I’m reprinting in full.  Pictures at the end of the release: SONY BRINGS DIGITAL READING EXPERIENCE TO LIFE WITH THE LAUNCH OF ITS NEW LINE OF READERS New Readers Feature Sony’s Unique Touch Screens with Anti-Glare Technology for the Optimal Digital Book Reading Experience SAN DIEGO, September 1, 2010 – Continuing to provide book lovers with the most natural, immersive digital reading experience, Sony today announced the launch of its beautifully-designed new line of Reader digital books, including the new Reader Pocket Edition™, Reader Touch Edition™ and, in the US, the wireless Reader Daily Edition™.  The new line of Readers features a host of new design and technology enhancements that make them the perfect device for any reader’s lifestyle. “Today, we’re excited to announce not just the availability of the Reader Touch Edition and Pocket Edition in the countries we already serve but also plans to expand the Reader line to previously untapped markets,” said Steve Haber, president of Sony’s Digital Reading Business Division. “We take a thoughtful approach to country expansion, including Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan and China, working with local bookstores to ensure content is compatible, relevant and in the appropriate language for each market.” The new Reader models bring a fresh level of flare to e-reading with colorful, elegant aluminum designs and all new, highly responsive touch screens. In addition to the new devices in the US, Sony announced development of a set of applications for iPhone and the Android Marketplace to extend the Reader experience across multiple portable devices. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:18:37 +0100 868287 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/ohaadWbWw5Y/ I’m in NYC waiting to get a hands-on with the new devices. However I just received this press release which I’m reprinting in full.  Pictures at the end of the release: SONY BRINGS DIGITAL READING EXPERIENCE TO LIFE WITH THE LAUNCH OF ITS NEW LINE OF READERS New Readers Feature Sony’s Unique Touch Screens with Anti-Glare Technology for the Optimal Digital Book Reading Experience SAN DIEGO, September 1, 2010 – Continuing to provide book lovers with the most natural, immersive digital reading experience, Sony today announced the launch of its beautifully-designed new line of Reader digital books, including the new Reader Pocket Edition™, Reader Touch Edition™ and, in the US, the wireless Reader Daily Edition™.  The new line of Readers features a host of new design and technology enhancements that make them the perfect device for any reader’s lifestyle. “Today, we’re excited to announce not just the availability of the Reader Touch Edition and Pocket Edition in the countries we already serve but also plans to expand the Reader line to previously untapped markets,” said Steve Haber, president of Sony’s Digital Reading Business Division. “We take a thoughtful approach to country expansion, including Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan and China, working with local bookstores to ensure content is compatible, relevant and in the appropriate language for each market.” The new Reader models bring a fresh level of flare to e-reading with colorful, elegant aluminum designs and all new, highly responsive touch screens. In addition to the new devices in the US, Sony announced development of a set of applications for iPhone and the Android Marketplace to extend the Reader experience across multiple portable devices. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:18:37 +0100 868286 http://www.teleread.com/2010/09/01/hannspree-to-release-tablet-in-november/ Hannspree has released some good products in the past so I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with a tablet. According to Liliputing, they will release a 10 inch tablet with a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 16GB of internal storage, and Google Android 2.2 Froyo. It will also have WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI output, a USB port and microSD card slot. It comes with a 3500mAh battery and can handle 1080p HD video playback thanks to the NVIDIA chipset. It will be released in Europe and there is no word about a US release. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:24:08 +0100 868297 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/CIe1xdiHPtM/ Hannspree has released some good products in the past so I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with a tablet. According to Liliputing, they will release a 10 inch tablet with a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 16GB of internal storage, and Google Android 2.2 Froyo. It will also have WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI output, a USB port and microSD card slot. It comes with a 3500mAh battery and can handle 1080p HD video playback thanks to the NVIDIA chipset. It will be released in Europe and there is no word about a US release. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:24:08 +0100 868296 http://www.teleread.com/2010/09/01/new-ipod-touch-could-replace-several-gadgets-at-once/ Sometimes we get accused of becoming an Apple blog, we post so much Apple-centric stuff, but there’s a reason for that. Apple might be obnoxious in its app approval behavior, closed in its development platform, and prudish in its gatekeeping, but there’s no denying that they make some damned fine e-book reading devices. My iPod Touch was my sole e-reader for most of the two years I had it, and I still miss it badly. Matt Buchanan makes a similar point on Gizmodo, where he says that if the rumors are true about the new iPod Touch that will (presumably) be revealed tomorrow and it ends up with the same retina display, Facetime camera, and 5-megapixel rear camera as the iPhone, it has the potential to be a device “serial killer”—replacing just about every gadget one would carry around (iPod, point-and-shoot camera, motion picture camera, notepad, gaming device, etc.) except the phone. Buchanan says: Inexplicably, there’s never been a credible iPod touch competitor. The Zune HD doesn’t run apps (the handful it’s got don’t count), so it’s limited in what it can do—it’s simply a very good music player. Android is still a miserable place to be when it comes to media, and on top of that, all of the Android "tablets" have been thoroughly mediocre. There’s nothing out there that’s remotely like the iPod touch. And obviously, there’s a demand for it, since it’s the only iPod whose sales are still growing. The iPod Touch has basically taken over the ecological niche vacated when PDAs evolved into smartphones, in much the same way as rats or cockroaches might evolve to replace humans after we kill ourselves off. There haven’t been any real competitors, perhaps because most tablets are larger and most devices the same size are smartphones. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:15:00 +0100 868299 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/h625QTM7SKM/ Sometimes we get accused of becoming an Apple blog, we post so much Apple-centric stuff, but there’s a reason for that. Apple might be obnoxious in its app approval behavior, closed in its development platform, and prudish in its gatekeeping, but there’s no denying that they make some damned fine e-book reading devices. My iPod Touch was my sole e-reader for most of the two years I had it, and I still miss it badly. Matt Buchanan makes a similar point on Gizmodo, where he says that if the rumors are true about the new iPod Touch that will (presumably) be revealed tomorrow and it ends up with the same retina display, Facetime camera, and 5-megapixel rear camera as the iPhone, it has the potential to be a device “serial killer”—replacing just about every gadget one would carry around (iPod, point-and-shoot camera, motion picture camera, notepad, gaming device, etc.) except the phone. Buchanan says: Inexplicably, there’s never been a credible iPod touch competitor. The Zune HD doesn’t run apps (the handful it’s got don’t count), so it’s limited in what it can do—it’s simply a very good music player. Android is still a miserable place to be when it comes to media, and on top of that, all of the Android "tablets" have been thoroughly mediocre. There’s nothing out there that’s remotely like the iPod touch. And obviously, there’s a demand for it, since it’s the only iPod whose sales are still growing. The iPod Touch has basically taken over the ecological niche vacated when PDAs evolved into smartphones, in much the same way as rats or cockroaches might evolve to replace humans after we kill ourselves off. There haven’t been any real competitors, perhaps because most tablets are larger and most devices the same size are smartphones. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:15:00 +0100 868298 http://cubgovpubs.blogspot.com/2010/09/gao-reports-and-releases.html The Government Accountability Office (GAO) which is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This past week GAO investigated foreclosures, auditing, and other issues. If you would like to know more about GAO, check out the library's guide.ReportsTelecommunications: Enhanced Data Collection Could Help FCC Better Monitor Competition in the Wireless Industry. GAO-10-779, July 27.http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-779Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10779high.pdfFederal Contracting: Opportunities Exist to Increase Competition and Assess Reasons When Only One Offer Is Received. GAO-10-833, July 26.http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-833Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10833high.pdfOnshore Oil and Gas: BLM's Management of Public Protests to Its Lease Sales Needs Improvement. GAO-10-670, July 30.http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-670Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10670high.pdfHurricane Recovery: Federal Government Provided a Range of Assistance to Nonprofits following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. GAO-10-800, July 30.http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-800Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10800high.pdfNew Drug Approval: FDA's Consideration of Evidence from Certain Clinical Trials. GAO-10-798, July 30.http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-798Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10798high.pdfPresentations by Acting Comptroller General"Anticipating and Meeting Accountability Challenges in a Dynamic Environment," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers. GAO-10-954CG, August 10, 2010http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-954CG"Challenges Facing Government and the Contracting Community," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the 2010 annual conference of the National Association of State Procurement Officials, in Washington, D.C. GAO-10-1021CG, August 23, 2010http://www.gao. ... Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0100 868424 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/fRy3q5Mg4fs/ From the Staples press release: [Staples] announced today plans to offer customers Kindle, Amazon’s #1 best-selling, most-wished-for and most-gifted product for two years running. Staples is the only office superstore to carry the wireless reading device in all of its stores nationwide beginning this fall. … Staples will also carry a full assortment of Kindle accessories. Kindle is part of several new exciting technology products available from Staples in time for the 2010 holiday season. Staples will announce their full line-up of top tech products and other great savings for the season later this fall. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:25:45 +0100 867894 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/f99QAzCj0E4/ Only one more day remains until we discover the newest things Steve Jobs has up his sleeve, and our sister blog Appletell has a roundup of all the recent rumors I’ve already looked at the rumors that the iPod Touch is going to gain cameras, Facetime, and the Retina Display here and here, suggesting it may become not only a better e-book reader than ever before but also a better communication tool—essentially, a wifi-only cell phone without the cell. And it will even get the “cell” back if it is paired with an unlimited 3G-to-wifi plan such as the prepaid plan offered by Virgin Mobile for $40 per month with no contract required—not only does that cost less than an iPhone voice + data plan, but it also foregoes AT&T’s iPhone bandwidth cap. And now it comes out that Clearwire, the “4G” unlimited-bandwidth wireless ISP I mentioned in my first post about “retrofitting” 3G to wireless readers, is launching its own contract-free, pay-as-you-go wireless broadband plan. It will cost slightly more than Virgin’s, at $50 per month, and will be limited to use in Clearwire’s 49 markets—but on the other hand, it will offer download speeds of 3 to 6 megabits per second, somewhat faster than 3G can provide. It’s going to be interesting to see what Apple announces tomorrow. What does the acoustic guitar logo mean? Are any other bombshells going to drop? Will there be “one more thing”? All the usual suspects will be liveblogging the event, and I’ll try to post a summary soon after it ends. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:15:00 +0100 867899 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ByTheParkArchdalePublicLibrary/~3/N1u20obybuo/free-wifi.html That's right! Need we say more? Just bring in your wireless-enabled laptop, notebook, iPad, iPod Touch, Android smartphone or other wireless device. We have plenty of comfrtable seats with nearby electrical outlets and four study rooms with outlets that seat two people. The Archdale Public Library was the first, free wireless hotspot in the Archdale area. (Source: By the Park) Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:42:00 +0100 868222 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FrequentlyAnsweredQuestions/~3/VX1BNWD_-8s/passwords.html Welcome back everyone, and welcome to the annual password post!Passwords have gotten simpler, but with a few twists. Last year, MySCSU (with Banner), Vista, and the general computer logon were synchronized to a "Network ID". You can also download software (like MS Office with Windows and Mac), from the SCSU Software Share site, and log onto the wireless campus network. For those off campus, this will also get you into https://remote.southernct.edu/ (network file access and services--some access and services are only available off campus), and your southernct.edu webspace (you can also access your web files via the remote site from off campus).Twist #1: The new student email, Owls Mail, is on the Microsoft Live system. That password is currently separate, but will be synchronized in a few weeks. In the meanwhile, be sure to 1) use a separate, non-identical password, and 2) add a separate (non-SCSU) email to your account so that you can get your password changes if needed. Until the synchronization happens, SCSU IT won't be able to help you with your Owls password.If you need to change your Network password, you can visit an IT Service Desk, or use the online form. More help is available by phone (203-392-5123) or email (helpdesk@southernct.edu). Don't forget to identify yourself as an online student if you can't come to campus.Library access (online databases and resources, library record viewing, online renewal, intra-campus requests, & online reserves) is still via your ID number (70xxxxxx), and a separate library PIN/password. If you don't know your ID number, log into MySCSU and look for Account Information and View SCSU ID Number under Settings on the main MySCSU page. You can set or check your library access via the CONSULS login page. The 'Forgot your PIN?' link on this page will send a link to the email address we have on file, which is whatever is in Banner. ... Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100 867667 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/CBfRmVEvhZA/ This is a brilliant essay in the Guardian and I think all hardware reviewers should take note of it. Naughton discusses how people are making an “… an elementary schoolboy mistake, namely the assumption that, in a networked world, it is the hardware that matters most. According to this view, because the iPad, viewed purely as a device, was seen as incomparably superior to the Kindle, it followed that Apple would triumph in the ebooks market.” He then goes on to say: In the end, however, it’s not hardware that matters, but the effectiveness of the overall system in which the device is embedded. That was the great lesson of the Apple iPod: although the hardware was lovely from the outset, it would never have had the impact it had without the link to iTunes software on the PC/Mac and thence to the iTunes store. Other companies had made nice MP3 players, but none had put together a seamless system for getting music from CDs or online retailers on to them. Apple did and the rest is history. You really should read the whole thing. In this regard, I don’t generally toot my own horn, but here are a couple of excerpts from an article I wrote in August of 2008 about Sony and Amazon. It’s entitled Amazon is right – Sony is wrong – Digital Editions sucks: I like things simple as well. This hit me like a fish in the face when I installed Fictionwise’s eReader on my iPhone. Want a book – go to Fictionwise on the phone and download one. It hit me again, more like a whale in the face, when a I told a colleague about a free ebook being offered by Amazon. He has a Kindle and, while I watched he fired it up and downloaded the book while standing outside in the sunshine. No computer, no USB cable, no card reader, no Sony software, no Adobe software, no Calibre software, no conversion programs, no WiFi router. He bought a book without a computer – while standing outside in the sunshine. ... Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:01:48 +0100 867298 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/nxy7FB-ERFU/ Here are a couple more reviews that are worth your time. I’ve selected excerpts that deal with the browser. The first is from The EBook Reader. Among other things the reviewer says: I opted for the WiFi only model because I couldn’t foresee needing to use the 3G all that often—but now I’m regretting that choice because the new WebKit browser actually works better than I’d expected, at least with WiFi. It’s not blazing fast and is somewhat limited but is useful for checking email, getting news updates, downloading free ebooks from Feedbooks, Project Gutenberg, Baen, etc., and the article mode is a cool feature. The second is from Dear Author: The Kindle 3 sports a webkit browser which is supposed to do a better job of rendering pages. Don’t go to Dear Author because it crashed my Kindle 3 each time I attempted to load it. I had better results with sites like Twitter or Google or even Gmail because of the lack of images. I powered up IbisReader because IbisReader allows you to upload DRM free ePubs and read them on the web. The IbisReader actually looked fairly decent although the letters were crisper and looked more like a native book in the Article Mode. The problem was in Article Mode, you couldn’t access any links. In order to move to the next chapter, you would have to switch to Web Mode. … Click on the thumbnails for larger images. [Not included in this excerpt.] The first one is article mode and the second is web mode. The benefit to this is that you can read your epubs (DRM free) via the Kindle but only by using IbisReader. Otherwise, you’ll need to convert your epubs to mobi. This does give you some insight on how you will be able to access the Google Editions cloud from a Kindle device as well. Problematically, is that currently there is no caching of content so you would a) always need access to the internet and b) have to reload a book each time you visited the web. Not ideal. ... Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:34:03 +0100 867193 http://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/08/ascap-copyleft-fund-raiser-campaign-of.html If you've not been following the Creative Commons scene, you might not have heard of the fund-raising campaign by the American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), started in June 2010.The ASCAP fund-raiser for a legislative campaignFirst, you ought to read their letter for yourself.Their fund-raiser is for a "legislative campaign" to "urge the members of (the U.S.) Congress to support [their] rights". I've read the letter several times. I'm still not sure what rights ASCAP is campaigning for. Or is it for a law against the lawful sharing of works -- even if initiated by the creator?What's really controversial was ASCAP's claims that 'Creative Commons promote "Copyleft" in order to undermine "Copyright"'. Wired.com was probably the first to break the news (25 Jun), and the article sums up the fallacies in ASCAP's position:The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is urging the membership to donate money to battle the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Public Knowledge and even Creative Commons.ASCAP’s attack on EFF and Public Knowledge are farfetched. Those groups do not suggest music should be free, although they push for the liberalization of copyright law.But the attack on Creative Commons is more laughable than ASCAP’s stance against EFF and Public Knowledge.While lobby groups EFF and Public Knowledge advocate for liberal copyright laws, Creative Commons actually creates licenses to protect content creators.LINKDid ASCAP bother to find out what Creative Commons (CC) really is about?CC is built upon the foundation of Copyright. CC is NOT an alternative to Copyright; CC works along side it. The idea of Creative Commons (CC) is not hard to understand. So I was puzzled as to why an organisation like ASCAP would choose to espouse wrong ideas. ... Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100 867617 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrCharlesBestSecondarySchoolLibrary/~3/MMNqLpUw-OY/welcome-back-microchips-water-that-nurture-the-student-brain-now-welcome-too.html We trust you will use your wireless devices for schoolwork, not play. (Source: Dr. Charles Best Secondary School Library) Sat, 28 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100 868141 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TravelinLibrarian/~3/oYyHbr-j1ZY/ On one of the flights I took last weekend GoGo in-flight WiFi was available. I didn’t pay for it as I’d already promised myself that I wouldn’t check my e-mail on vacation, but I did want to see if it worked on my Droid. I was able to connect but since I wasn’t a paying customer all I could do was read about the service. Here’s a few of the items from the Terms of Service that I found interesting: (emphasis added) 6.1 Acceptable Use Policy. You hereby agree to comply with Aircell’s acceptable use policy (“Acceptable Use Policy”), as described below. You will not use the Service to (or assist another person to): Harm or threaten harm to persons or property; Harass other persons; Violate any applicable law, including those related to export control, spam, gambling, obscenity, or computer access; Engage in any fraud or misrepresentation; Provide instructional information about illegal activities; Interfere with, disrupt, or create undue burden on the Service (or the networks or computers that provide same); Infringe or violate another person’s rights, including privacy and intellectual property rights; Allow another person who has not paid for the Service to access or use the Service on his computer or device through your computer or device; Access or display offensive content on your computer or device, in view of another person; Knowingly distribute any virus or other malware; Access any network or computer (including those providing the Service) in excess of the permission expressly granted to you; Monitor (through, for example, sniffers) any network traffic without express authorization of the owner of the network and the parties’ to the communications; Attempt to decrypt any encrypted or scrambled communications; Introduce software or automated agents into the Service; or Attempt to impersonate any other person, including any Aircell employees. (Source: Travelin' Librarian) Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:54:06 +0100 867764 http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/025064.html Telecommunications: Enhanced Data Collection Could Help FCC Better Monitor Competition in the Wireless Industry, GAO-10-779, July 27, 2010 "Americans increasingly... (Source: beSpacific) Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100 866385 http://joblist.ala.org/modules/jobseeker/controller.cfm?rssjobid=15554 Web Developer (Computer Systems Analyst) (Great River Regional Library, St. Cloud, Minnesota) Great River Regional Library (GRRL) is one library in 32 locations across 6 central Minnesota counties serving nearly 450,000 residents. To meet our patrons’ needs, GRRL provides nearly 1 million books, CDs, DVDs, downloadable audiobooks and e-books as well as subscription databases, 268 public computers and free wireless internet. For more information, please visit griver.org. Description: The Web Developer (Computer Systems Analyst) exists to assist in the provision of information technology services to staff and public users at all locations and across the region through the use of web technologies. ... Thu, 26 Aug 2010 22:15:01 +0100 865555 http://www.docuticker.com/?p=38463 New GAO Report (PDFs) Source: Government Accountability Office 1. Telecommunications: Enhanced Data Collection Could Help FCC Better Monitor Competition in the Wireless Industry Highlights ||| Full Report (Source: Docuticker) Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:41:57 +0100 865792 http://www.cla-net.org/weblog/2010/08/rebooting_the_l.php Earlier this week, I attended the opening of "Santa Mammon", the new massive outdoor shopping center that has been constructed at the end of the Santa Monica Promenade. You have to admire the powers-that-be for their bravery, if nothing else, for their brazen foolhardiness in opening a ginormous three story mall during an era of recession. The place is, frankly, so top heavy with upscale businesses, it's a bit like taking Rodeo Drive, folding it in on itself like a lasagna pasta sheet, and then putting another Rodeo Drive on top of it. I loved wandering around the place, and I did just about what everyone else was doing: I stepped into the fancy stores, happily fondled the glittery crystals at the Bagnace outlet, gaped at the incredibly gorgeous shirts at the Feodor of Italy shop, and stared out to sea from the food court patio. And then I ran to buy my socks and underwear at the Sears across the street. For, really, we have to face it: I didn't see anyone actually buying anything at any of the stores. Instead, the place was being treated like a very good museum. Folks wandered to and fro in the open air under Santa Monica's beautiful blue sun, a stone's throw from the glittering Pacific Ocean, peering at the exhibits, gaping at the gawgaws, and then going right home. They were doing this by the thousands, it seems. You see, it's clear that, first and foremost, this isn't meant to be a shopping mall for today: This is a shopping mall that was conceived several years ago, when the economy was still flush, and it is being maintained for the patron of tomorrow -- he who lives in that foggy era when the economy has recovered. For the businesses and patrons of today, the place is essentially a game of Pass the Parcel (to paraphrase the play "The History Boys"), as we try to get from the ostentatious times of Yesteryear, to the consumptive time of Futureyear. But what has all this to do with libraries, you may well ask. ... Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:05:21 +0100 867933 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/hHq62vKwPV4/ Yep, that’s what the email I just got reports. For those of you who are getting your first Kindle and have to wait longer for it, I thought I’d reproduce the email I got from Amazon. It is an example of how Amazon has placed ease of use above everything else. I’ve bolded the most important points. Email commences: Dear Paul Biba, Congratulations on your purchase and welcome to Amazon Kindle. We built Kindle with the goal of creating an exceptional and hassle-free reading experience. As such, we wanted to point out a few details before you get started. Your Kindle is automatically registered to the same Amazon.com account you used to make your purchase. This enables you to shop, purchase, and download books, newspapers and magazines wirelessly from your Kindle right out of the box. If you purchased Kindle as a gift for someone else, you should de-register this Kindle from your Amazon.com account. You can de-register Kindle from the Settings page on the device or at Manage Your Kindle on Amazon.com. The gift recipient can then re-register the device to their Amazon.com account right from the Settings page on the Kindle. Visit the Kindle Accessories Store on Amazon.com to shop for great Kindle covers and accessories. You can start building your library before your Kindle even arrives by shopping for books, newspapers, magazines and more at the Kindle Store on Amazon.com. Amazon’s unique wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet, will auto-deliver your purchases directly to your Kindle. Once you receive your Kindle, you can also shop the same great selection directly from your device. Your Kindle purchases are made using your existing default 1-Click payment method at Amazon.com. To view or change the current payment method associated with your Kindle, please visit Manage Your Kindle on Amazon.com. For general information on 1-Click, please visit the 1-Click section on Amazon.com help. ... Thu, 26 Aug 2010 02:20:59 +0100 864762 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/6WLuf2eRURM/ Received a press release about this new ereader carrying the Sharper Image name. The Literati will ship in early October and will be available in over 7,000 stores including Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, JC Penny, Kohl’s and Macys. It’s powered by Kobo and includes 25 free classics. It has a 7″ color screen (but the specs don’t say what type. I’ve asked the PR firm to find out.) and “Intelligent” WiFi. No mention of battery life yet, but it will come with a case and a coupon for automatically loading another 125 free titles. Their website is here. Update: the PR firm got back to me and said that it has an LCD screen with a 480×800 resolution. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:54:54 +0100 864764 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/Ip7D21vKB7k/ I’ve been learning a lot in my new job as a tech support representative so far. It’s kind of funny—before I took this job, I thought I “knew” what tech support was, from my limited exposure to humorous tech support stories, and my work supporting a small web hosting company. But exposure to everyday people with common computer problems has given me a whole new perspective—or at least the start of one. The biggest thing I’m sure of is that I’ve still got a lot left to learn. It’s surprising, though perhaps it shouldn’t be, just how many people have exactly the same problems. A large percentage of calls I take relates to inability to set up wireless routers. These complicated, cantankerous devices, and the convoluted way in which they relate to people’s computers, cause a lot of trouble and misunderstandings, not to mention frustration. Small wonder that some companies can charge as much as $100 simply to have someone come out and set up a home network. There have been some times when even I’ve felt like it might be worth it to pay someone that much. Another frequent stumper is the way Microsoft now bundles a trial version of Microsoft Office with every installation of Windows 7. Except it isn’t really a “trial” version so much as it is a “Schroedinger’s version”—when presented with a product key, it’s the real deal; if not, it’s a trial. It looks exactly the same either way when you start it up; the only difference is that some computers have a card with a serial number bundled with them. ... Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:15:00 +0100 864768 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/tOTI7AEJgb4/ At the Berlin IFA trade fair PocketBook will be introducing 5 new ereaders. Here’s the rundown from their press release: Pro 602 and Pro 902: They differ from one another by screen size (6” and 9,7” accordingly) and by battery life (14 000 and 7 000 page turns accordingly). Technically both models are identical. They operate on Linux and they are equipped with WiFi and Bluetooth, both have a headphone connector. Internal memory capacity is 2 GB. Pro 603 and Pro 903: They operate on Linux and they are equipped with 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, a touchscreen (Wacom technology) and a stylus, both have a headphone connector. Internal memory capacity is 2 GB. They are upgraded versions of the above models. PocketBook IQ (pictured above): a color 7” TFT touchscreen, WiFi and Bluetooth. This device operates on Android 2.0. The release also mentions some interesting features of the line: - active content that makes working with text easier. For example, one can make notations, and selected parts of the text can be saved as an editable compendium. - PocketBook software is Open Source and users can program their own software and customized menus. There are already a lot of user-made apps and games, menus and logos. According to the release the company has 150 employees and sells over 50,000 devices each month. Their market share in the CIS is 43% and 5% worldwide, they say. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:26:51 +0100 864773 http://digital-scholarship.com/digitalkoans/2010/08/24/daily-tweets-2010-08-24/ Google's Book Search: A Disaster for Scholars http://icio.us/yep5n4 # A Busy Summer for DSpace — GSoC & DSpace 1.7 Updates http://icio.us/zbb1mr # Wireless Net Neutrality so Bad, Verizon Already Agreed to It http://icio.us/pei4ir # RIAA: U.S. Copyright Law "Isn't Working" http://icio.us/12c3hr # Open to Change: How Open Access Can Work http://icio.us/2kduu2 # Pass the Hat: Voluntary Payment as a Complementary Model for Music Copyright http://icio.us/pmswpv # Literature Review: IncReASe Project http://icio.us/kook4i # Literature Review: EM-Loader Project http://icio.us/3ihzcy # Comparing Social Sharing of Bibliographic Information with Institutional Repositories http://icio.us/vjv1nu # For Scholars, Web Changes Sacred Rite of Peer Review http://icio.us/btqxtd # Free Data Services [British Library] http://icio.us/pqmqd2 # Common as Air http://icio.us/dst5ja # (Source: DigitalKoans) Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:00:39 +0100 866056 http://splat.lili.org/node/400 Last weekend I returned to the US with an entirely different perspective on my access to information.  I had just spent the week at the PNLA Conference in Victoria, BC where connectivity was a major challenge for me. When I've traveled in the US, Ive always been confident that hotels and convention centers will offer me free, reliable wifi.  I admit now that I was incredibly naive as I crossed the border between 2010 and the 1980s.    I, unfortunately, was so caught up in getting ready for, and getting to, the conference that I forgot to plan ahead--I forgot to arrange for international calling and data transfer for my iphone.  It was quite the shocker to be able to turn on my phone once landing in Canada to be told by my trusted, omnipresent phone, that I have no coverage.  I was then advised that data transfer would by $15+ per certain amount of data transferred if I accessed the web.  Airplane mode went right back on at that point! I stayed at the historic Empress Hotel--which was lovely but did not offer wifi access.  Nor did it readily offer internet access--it was a land line and cost $15.64 Canadian per 24 hours.  I grumbled and bemoaned my fate and ponied up the credit card number.  i needed to access all that information I had so cleverly stored in the "cloud" for portability!  I whined to my fellow board members--who told me that the conference planners had been unable to negotiate internet access for conference attendees at the hotel or at the conference center for anyone except 1 presenter per room.  (I must have missed that vital piece of info during a board meeting.)  On a good note, I could join the hotel's VIP club and then get free internet access.  Well, for some reason I couldn't do it from inside the bubble of what I had paid for so I waited until the conference started and signed up at the internet cafe. ... Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:06:34 +0100 866146 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blogjunction/~3/G-jQr_AsXT0/ A Year with Project Compass The PNLA/WLA 2010 conference in picturesque Victoria BC provided my first opportunity to give a retrospective report on Project Compass, the year-long, IMLS-funded program to work with State Libraries and focus on building public library capacity to meets the needs of a workforce in crisis. After a whirlwind year, I could start to take a few steps back and look at what we (the big WE of state and public libraries all over the country) have accomplished in response to the economic downturn and the dramatic increases in demand for library services. My slide presentation describes the scope, goals and phases of the overall project, and then focuses on the past, ongoing and future actions of the states represented at the Pacific Northwest conference—Idaho, Montana and Washington. To get the full-throated understanding of all the amazing work that State Libraries are doing, browse the list of Showcases presented by participants at the Project Compass summits. Nobody is resting on their laurels either, as evidenced by the list of projects that are being implemented in the coming year. The most rewarding aspect of the year with Project Compass has been engaging in a vibrant knowledge exchange with the library community, not just with participants at the in-person and online summits, but with library people everywhere. From those who attended my conference session, I got to hear perspectives from the front lines and from rural libraries about what was needed to serve job-seekers. I hadn’t heard before about the need for wifi printers so users could print directly from their laptops and not have to queue up for the public computers. Or the need for space in small libraries; job-seeking can be an all-day effort and the job-seekers impact the tiny spaces of many rural libraries. For ongoing connections, there is the community of practice for Workforce Resources on WebJunction. This section burgeoned since the start of the project. ... Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:11:16 +0100 867278 http://www.lisnews.org/watch_net_neutrality_fcc_hearings_thursday_night Note from Senator Al Franken of MN: A few weeks ago, Google and Verizon announced a proposed policy framework that they claimed would protect net neutrality, but it does not apply to wireless Internet services. It does not protect net neutrality -- it undermines it. We've set up a special link so you can watch the hearing, courtesy of the UpTake -- it starts at 6:00 Central Time (7:00 Eastern) tonight. Please invite your friends to watch by Tweeting and posting to Facebook. This is a big opportunity for us to stand up for net neutrality -- and stand up to big corporations who want to own the flow of information in America. (Source: LISNews - Librarian And Information Science News) Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:34:09 +0100 865601 http://lisnews.org/watch_net_neutrality_fcc_hearings_thursday_night Note from Senator Al Franken of MN: A few weeks ago, Google and Verizon announced a proposed policy framework that they claimed would protect net neutrality, but it does not apply to wireless Internet services. It does not protect net neutrality -- it undermines it. We've set up a special link so you can watch the hearing, courtesy of the UpTake -- it starts at 6:00 Central Time (7:00 Eastern) tonight. Please invite your friends to watch by Tweeting and posting to Facebook. This is a big opportunity for us to stand up for net neutrality -- and stand up to big corporations who want to own the flow of information in America. (Source: LISNews.org) Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:34:09 +0100 865318 http://www.blogpocket.com/2010/08/19/10-aplicaciones-para-ipad-que-estoy-probando-2%c2%aa-parte/ Aquí llega la segunda parte de mi revisión de aplicaciones para iPad. La primera parte pueden leerla en Las 10 aplicaciones que estoy probando ahora en mi iPad. 1. Air Video (gratis) Con dos programas, un servidor en el ordenador (con una buena conexión y Mac OS 1.5 o Windows) y otro en el iPad, puedes transmitir vídeos, vía tu red doméstica de wifi, para verlos cómodamente. Si no está en el formato adecuado, se convierte al vuelo. 2. Voice Memos (0,79 €) Una fantástica y simple aplicación para tomar notas de voz. Ideal para tus reuniones de trabajo, entrevistas y guardar ideas, allá donde te encuentres. Para tener la función de enviar las notas por e-mail o guardarlas en el ordenador con file sharing (requiere Mac OS 10.58 o superior), hay que comprar la extensión correspondiente por otros 0.79 €. 3. Granimator (gratis) ¡Este es mi descubrimiento principal! Una sorprendente y simple aplicación. Con Granimator puedes personalizar tu iPad de la forma más original y divertida. Hay un pack store para descargar nuevas figuras por 1,59 € la unidad. 4. iMockups (7,99 €) ¿Estás diseñando un blog? Esta aplicación es ideal para plasmar bocetos de diseños de sitios web rápidamente y poder compartirlos sin complicaciones. 5. Adobe Ideas (gratis) Otra de las deliciosas aplicaciones que puedes utilizar para plasmar ideas. Puedes utilizar imágenes de tu librería como fondos y enviar el resultado por e-mail. 6. Air Sharing HD (7,99 €) De forma similar a Air Video, esta aplicación utiliza tu red wifi para poder compartir archivos entre el iPad y el ordenador, incluso para imprimirlos. 7. Camera Bag for iPad (2,39 €) Con los mismo filtros que en el iPhone pero con algunas posibilidades más como los marcos y posibilidad de cambiar los tamaños de las imágenes de salida. Una delicia para aplicar rápidamente esos efectos tan naïf. 8. FilterStorm (2,99 €) No es Lightroom ni Aperture pero puedes modificar tus fotos en formato raw. ... Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:15:48 +0100 866771 http://www.slaw.ca/2010/08/18/customer-service-dont-cross-the-line-into-pester-and-peeve-territory/ Following my customer service post last week, I had an experience on the weekend where store clerks were so intrusive that it was annoying.  So much so that it makes me wonder if I want to go back to that store again.  It’s a reminder that while we need to be attentive to customer / client needs, it’s possible to cross the line from good service to annoying and creepy.  And it’s possible to try too hard to sell our services. I went into a new store, and was immediately asked by a greeter if they could direct me to something.  He sent me in the right direction, where I was met by a sales clerk.  The sales clerk helped me decide between some options (a wireless N router in case you are wondering).  Once I had it in my hand, he asked if there was anything else he could help me with.  I said no – thanked him for his help – and that I might just look at a couple other boxes on the shelf to satisfy myself that I made the right choice. So far, so good – but that’s when it fell off the rails.   He started to try to sell me an anti-virus product, but continued even after I said I was happy with my current anti-virus product.   He told me he had to stay with me and walk me to the cash register.  I asked if he was on commission (thinking he wanted to make sure he got credit for the sale)  - he said no.  I asked why he had to do that – he said he didn’t know – it was a management rule.    Frankly, it felt like I was being stalked or mistrusted.  (I briefly considered wasting his time on a tour of the store to see how long he would stick with me – but I didn’t have time for that myself.) So he indeed walked with me right to the cashier and stood there until I paid and walked out the door. And to continue the irritation, the cashier asked for my name and address. ... Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:33:28 +0100 867084 http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?p=1308 Now that OPLIN has announced our new Short Message Service (SMS) system for sending library notices as cellphone messages, this might be a good time to consider how your library is using the power of mobile phones to reach your customers/patrons. Mobile messaging can be an important component of your library marketing plan. Top ten reasons for going mobile (via Mobile Libraries blog) ”Just as people now expect to interact with businesses directly through wired Internet usage, they are also beginning to expect the same service through their mobile phones.” Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts cellular marketing (iBrandMasters case study) ”The willingness of 500 passionate swing dancers to opt-in in spite of the typical 15 cent receiving cost of text messages is an indication of the level of patron excitement about this new media channel.” Good old SMS (RCR Wireless News; 2/16/2009—may require library card for access.) ”And unlike, say, a banner ad on a Web page designed strictly to create awareness, SMS can leverage a call to action and lure a consumer to interact with a brand or promotion…” New Harris Interactive data on mobile marketing alerts (Placecast blog) ”Overall, consumer receptivity to opt-in mobile marketing is growing, as is its ability to increase intent to visit stores. One-third of Americans who currently have signed up for mobile marketing alerts indicate that such services impact their decision to go into stores and 27% report that mobile programs have impacted their decision to buy products in physical retail locations.” Pertinent fact 250+ million Americans now carry mobile phones, and over 70% of them use the phone for sending or receiving text messages. (Source: The OPLIN 4cast) Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:39:28 +0100 866801 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AginfoBlogFromIaald/~3/kHNiY0dPOfE/agknowledge-africa-share-fair.html Join us in Addis Ababa from October 18-21, 2010 to showcase the ways agricultural and rural knowledge in and of Africa is created, shared, communicated, and put to use.Like the 2009 edition in Rome, this event will be a ‘fair’ that brings together the diverse knowledge of the continent and the multiple innovative ways it is created, shared, communicated, and applied. We will be sharing the experiences of a wide range of people and organizations: Farmer organizations, extensionists, researchers, students, academia, policy shapers, information and communication specialists, private sector actors, international and regional organizations, and governments.We will cover a wide range of knowledge types and modes of sharing – oral, visual, drama, music, video, radio, documentary, publishing, storytelling, web-based, geospatial, networked, mobile, computer-based, SMS, or journalistic.The heart of the fair is a series of thematic ‘learning pathways’ in a process of mapping, sharing and connecting people and activities. These pathways will showcase how African ‘talents’ are creating, sharing and using rural knowledge - at the grassroots, in research and policy, and through intermediaries. The pathways will focus on agriculture and climate change, land, livestock, and water.The Share Fair also comprises:● SKILLS & TOOLS: A learning day at the start where participants can share practical tools and approaches that enhance their own knowledge sharing and use in agriculture.● FOCUS GROUPS: Self-organized spaces where participants get together to explore experiences in specific issues and topics. ... Wed, 18 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100 867405 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Librarianinblack/~3/X42BGJUUmYQ/lib-recommends-2010-08-17.html This applies to libraries too. From @TechCrunch Wireless Is Not Different. You Can’t Be Half-Open – http://tcrn.ch/cFinph by @erickschonfeld How the internet is changing the language we use (via @bbctech ) – http://bbc.in/buq05W Vintage book covers for your ereader (via @MLx) – http://ff.im/-pjE0L Log Your Information Intake Like a Diet to Trim Distractions (from @Lifehacker ) – http://lifehacker.com/5613823/ Inst. design principles for higher ed. From @facultyfocus: 9 Ways to Customize Learning Experiences (via @charbooth ): http://bit.ly/9tPcH5 Powered by Twitter Tools (Source: LibrarianInBlack) Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:10:00 +0100 866669 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BabyBoomerLibrarian/~3/T-5aE4MT5rw/caution-blackberry-6-dm-update-not-for.html I have Blackberry Desktop Manager 5.01 installed on my laptop.  It is compatible with older versions of Blackberry OS including 4.7 and below.  I had it set to automatically update my software if it found newer versions.  Guess what? It does not check to see if that version is compatible with your phone’s operating system version.  It installed Desktop Manager 6 right over 5.  I then discovered all sorts of problems casued by that when trying to set up Desktop Manager 6.  After lots of great assistance from Verizon Wireless customer support, I got version 5.01 reinstalled.  Turn off autmatic updates. They are dangerous because no checks are done for compatiblity. I think that is stupid software design on the part of RIM. Posted via email from Bill Drew - BabyBoomer Librarian (Source: Baby Boomer Librarian) Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:37:00 +0100 864879 http://lovetheliberry.blogspot.com/2010/08/refgrunt-sunday-sunday-sunday.html Guy calls wanting a car manual we don’t haveDo we have a landline for public use? No.They want to download audiobooks to their ZuneGuy with purple hat, plaid shirt and giant beard wants books on yogaDo we have a trade journal for lawyers? He wants to hire an expert witness.Lady brings her shiny new red laptop up to the desk—can I help her connect to the wireless? Yep. [Why don’t they make shiny red MacBooks??]Guy says: When I requested those books from another branch, the status changed and now they’re showing as belonging to your branch! That must be the floating process you were talking about! (Yes!) Wow, you guys really were right about that after all! (Yep)Do you have any of the old-fashioned machines where you put money in and you can Xerox?Sharp-dressed man wants a library card“I got a question for ya. Where do you keep the books on investing? Like, investing money.”Sharp-dressed man wants to know where the DVDs areHow do you use the microfilm machine?Man with very long hair and very long beard points to catalog: “is this where I go to look up books?”Nice older gentleman wants a book about Gordon of Khartoum. He tells me the battle he was in was the last charge by mounted horsemen against regulars with repeating rifles. Not one horseman made it across.Sequel to Wicked by Gregory MaguireWants the Lucy & Desi book, but doesn’t want to request it. Will check back, even though I tell her it probably won’t be here unless she requests it.Money origami: everything is checked out and she needs it by Wednesday for her mom’s b-day present so we print out something from this site. ... Sun, 15 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100 867583 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JohnBattellesSearchblog/~3/fppyWiij-cY/att_weighs_in_trust_us_we_know_what_you_want.php So I've read this post - Wireless is Different (AT&T blog) - several times now, and while AT&T is a respected brand, I have to differ on this policy issue. In this post, AT&T's policy folks weigh in on the Verizon/Google dust up, saying "it's really hard to do what we do and therefore we need to be seen as different." I've heard this before, a million times, and I don't buy it. As I recall, it's what the telcos said back in the mid to late 1990s, when they noticed the Internet eating up their wired (before wireless data) network, and didn't want to be consigned to being "dumb pipes." They complained that it's really, really hard to do the kind of high quality, low down time service required for phone calls, and that the Internet was getting a free ride on all that hard work they did to lay the pipes, routers, and QoS (quality of service) processes down that allowed the Web to blossom. Now that we're going from wired to wireless, these same folks don't want "the open Web" to happen to them again all over again. If they have to compete in an open marketplace, with the best applications and services on neutral ground, well, they'll just be consigned, once again, to a commodity service layer with low margins. That's their greatest nightmare. It's far better to have a monopoly position as a gatekeeper to all our bits: to decide who can compete, and take tolls all along the way. Ugh. Look at the way AT&T defines the debate in its post: "In order to provide consumers with the high quality wireless broadband services that they demand, wireless carriers must to be able to dynamically manage traffic and operate their networks in an environment free from burdensome, arbitrary and unnecessary regulations. ... Sun, 15 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100 865621 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/a-informacao/~3/UwxZ5xydQqQ/portugal-novos-leitores-eletronicos.html Fonte: Diário Digital/Lusa. Data: 03/08/2010.Os novos aparelhos de leitura de livros eletrónicos Kindle, lançados na semana passada, esgotaram-se hoje, tendo a Amazon, que os distribui, explicado que “devido à forte procura” será necessário esperar cerca de um mês para adquirir um. “As encomendas feitas hoje deverão ser expedidas a 04 de setembro ou antes”, pode ler-se na página da internet Amazon.com.O aviso é válido para as duas versões do Kindle clássico – o modelo mais barato, ligado às redes de internet sem fios wifi, por 139 dólares (105 euros), e a versão ligada às redes telefónicas 3G e wi-fi, por 189 dólares (143 euros) – e para ambas as cores do aparelho (branco ou cinzento). A última vez que o Kindle esteve em rutura de stock foi na semana passada, imediatamente antes da apresentação das novas versões do leitor eletrónico, mais sofisticadas do que a geração anterior. A versão maior do Kindle, a DX, da qual foi lançada uma atualização no início deste mês, está ainda disponível por 379 dólares (286 euros). A Amazon nunca divulgou números das vendas do Kindle, tendo-se limitado a classificá-lo como o objeto mais vendido no seu site desde há dois anos. O gigante da distribuição na internet indicou antes do lançamento das novas versões que o crescimento das vendas do aparelho triplicou desde que o preço foi reduzido, de 259 para 189 dólares (de 195 para 143 euros), em junho. O Kindle, cuja primeira geração surgiu em 2007, enfrenta uma concorrência crescente, nomeadamente dos leitores de livros eletrónicos da japonesa Sony e da editora Barnes & Noble, bem como do leitor multimédia da Apple, o iPad, que combina as funções de um aparelho de leitura e de um mini-computador. A Apple também tem tido dificuldades em responder à procura do iPad, cujos prazos de entrega são de cerca de duas semanas. (Source: A "INFORMAÇÃO") Sat, 14 Aug 2010 00:45:00 +0100 865244 http://scribblersdelight.blogspot.com/2010/08/grumpy-old-girl.html that's me. This federal election is getting on my t*ts. If I hear Tony Abbott carry on about a big new tax one more time I'll scream. Funny about Liberals, they are always carrying on about debt. And why, huh? I reckon you can tell a liberal by the way they respond to every social benefit they disagree with, with a "But it's my taxes that are paying for it!" And don't get me started on business welfare.Watched Joseph Stiglitz explain the Financial crisis and why resources booms aren't so great for economies. Doesn't anyone else watch these things?I rang Telstra in an unguarded moment and now I'm getting a post paid HTC Desire Android phone... Why do they like post paid plans so much? Believe me when I say I will be watching the online call meter VERY carefully...I've spent most of the past ten years paying off telecommunications debt of one sort or another. At least I know how to budget for it now. Face it, $100 bucks a month on either phone calls, internet or a blend of both seems to be the default. Throw in the mobile and its a bit more. No way around it. And Tony Abbott, I know you aren't a tech head but if you think paying 80 a month for 4 gig of wireless broadband at 1995 data rates is good enough...now I'm getting grumpy again.I'm too old to be dazzled by a phone as an accessory...they sometimes don't work and you have to trundle off to Safeway to get a budget prepaid as a backup while the expensive new toy is getting fixed or recalibrated or whatever. the Getting off cigarette project is into phase 2...Im on to 1mg cigarettes now, still smoking 12-13 a day but getting less nicotine, that's the theory. But heaps more carbon monoxide. I'm a bit lightheaded, and possibly I have cut down too quickly, but I am determined not to go back to full strength cigarettes.I made an appointment for the dentist, its a 4 month waiting list but there seems no way around it. Can't afford market rates. ... Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:58:00 +0100 865925 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/MKuf/~3/icZfrW2iPuc/facts-about-our-network-neutrality.html Cross-posted on our Public Policy Blog. Over the past few days there’s been a lot of discussion surrounding our announcement of a policy proposal on network neutrality we put together with Verizon. On balance, we believe this proposal represents real progress on what has become a very contentious issue, and we think it could help move the network neutrality debate forward constructively. We don’t expect everyone to agree with every aspect of our proposal, but there has been a number of inaccuracies about it, and we do want to separate fact from fiction. MYTH: Google has “sold out” on network neutrality. FACT: Google has been the leading corporate voice on the issue of network neutrality over the past five years. No other company is working as tirelessly for an open Internet. But given political realities, this particular issue has been intractable in Washington for several years now. At this time there are no enforceable protections – at the Federal Communications Commission or anywhere else – against even the worst forms of carrier discrimination against Internet traffic. With that in mind, we decided to partner with a major broadband provider on the best policy solution we could devise together. We’re not saying this solution is perfect, but we believe that a proposal that locks in key enforceable protections for consumers is preferable to no protection at all. MYTH: This proposal represents a step backwards for the open Internet. FACT: If adopted, this proposal would for the first time give the FCC the ability to preserve the open Internet through enforceable rules on broadband providers. At the same time, the FCC would be prohibited from imposing regulations on the Internet itself. ... Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100 866226 http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/2010/08/ifla-conference-developing-inclusive.html I will be doing a number of blog posts from the World Library and Information Congress: 76th IFLA General Conference and Assembly, held 10-15 August 2010, in Gothenburg, Sweden. The conference site is at http://www.ifla.org/en/ifla76. A few thousand librarians from (literally) all over the world have gathered together for these few days.I hope to be doing some liveblogging, but the wifi connection today was poor quality so instead I rattled in some notes and am posting them tonight. The conference session I attended today was organised by the Information Literacy Section and the Reference and Information Services section. With most of the sessions I blog, I already linked to the full papers in previous pre-view posts, but I will link again for your convenience.The session was introduced by Amanda Duffy and she emphasised the value and relevance of information literacy. She also identified a number of challenges e.g. identifying: the required information skills for users, the role of the library website and the way in which we can educate the reference librarians of the future. Amanda stressed that librarians were no longer “tucked in the corner” but now needed to come forward and take the initiative.The first paper was from Sheila Corrall (Head of my Department at the University of Sheffield): Developing inclusive models of reference and instruction to create information literate communities. The full paper is at http://www.ifla.org/files/hq/papers/ifla76/74-corrall-en.pdfAdditionally there is a very clear podcast of Sheila's talk here, recorded by Niels Damgaard (pictured) for his school libraries Ning, who I met as I was sitting next to him for this session!Since it was a joint session Sheila thought it was a good opportunity to explore the connection between these two areas of practice: i.e. reference and information literacy (IL). ... Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100 864988 http://blog.case.edu/orgs/ksl/news/2010/08/10/newspaperskslaugust_research_spotlight Looking for news? Did you miss a few issues of a paper when you were away? Researching another era? Take advantage of a wealth of newspapers in print & online with the Research Spotlight August 2010 to learn more about newspapers in KSL: From PressDisplay's 1400+ titles & 39 languages available from around the world, to databases specializing in newspapers (like LexisNexis, click News on the left), or the online Cleveland News Index, you can search, locate, and often read papers beyond the library building. Featured is Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers, a project from the Library of Congress: • "Find" Newspapers for bibliographic & holdings details about papers from 1690 to today. • "View" & read papers 1860-1922 e.g.,1912 Mt. Vernon OH Democratic Banner, 1900 New York Tribune: The News folder (in Research Database list) has sub-folders for International, National, Regional news, & requires your activated VPN on wireless or remote computers. KSL Research Spotlight August 2010 brings you a wealth of news! (Source: KSL News Blog) Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:20:22 +0100 865842 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/kraftylibrarian/OLay/~3/fevHfXHlIww/ Whether it is due to persoan choices or institutional restrictions, there is a large group of physicians who use a Blackberry.  Unfortunately there is not a lot of medical software for the Blackberry.  The National Library of Medicine just released WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) for the Blackberry.  WISER for BlackBerry can be downloaded from the WISER Web site and includes “quick online access to WISER’s full database of chemical, biological and radiological substances” as well as “easy access to WISER help identify capability and full suite of tools.” Tweet This Post (Source: The Krafty Librarian) Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:49:10 +0100 865147 http://www.resourceshelf.com/2010/08/04/new-mobile-web-site-research-medical-library-the-university-of-texas-md-anderson-cancer-center/ The mobile site went live a few weeks ago. It appears crisp and clean on our iPhone and the icons look great. You can access the mobile site at: http://www3.mdanderson.org/library/mobile/ The mobile site includes: + Library Hours + Library Location (with Google Map) + Access PubMed (Links to Unbound Medicine Version of Medline) + The UptoDate Service (Login Required, Only Available on Certain Platforms) + The Library’s Twitter Feed + Contact Information Built using iWebKit Source: MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas See Also: July was a busy month at the Research Medical Library. The also went live with a new OPAC. Here’s a video the library made available with a brief intro. They’re using Voyage/WebVoyage from ExLibris. The Research Medical Library is also part of the Texas Health Science Libraries Consortium. (Source: ResourceShelf) Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:15:48 +0100 864674 http://library.pnca.edu/justadded/309/library-systems-down-next-friday-august-6 All library network services will be unavailable from Friday, August 6 at 6 pm to Saturday, August 7th at 2 am. This includes the library website (library.pnca.edu), the library catalog, campus wireless services, printing services, and the library computer lab. The library is not open during the down-time, but be aware that off-campus access to library systems will also be unavailable. Though systems should be restored on Saturday, we may have to do some troubleshooting Monday morning, so services may still be unavailable on Sunday, August 8. If there’s anything you’d like us to address before the down-time or when we arrive Monday morning, please email the circulation staff at librarycirc@pnca.edu. Thank for your patience during our transition. (Source: PNCA Library) Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:59:07 +0100 864585 http://www.teleread.com/2010/08/04/comparison-of-kindle-wifi-and-nook-wifi-by-kindle-review/ Kindle Review has a review of the features of both the Nook and Kindle WiFi-only ereaders. Even though the title of the blog is “Kindle Review” the comparison is unbiased and anyone who is considering either unit should take a look. Overall, the blog prefers the Kindle, but with the following caveat: The two critical weaknesses of the Kindle WiFi are its lack of support for Library eBooks and its lack of ePub support. The missing MicroSD card and not having the fancy helper touchscreen hurts a bit too. If any of these are deal breakers for you then the Nook WiFi would be a better choice. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:41:51 +0100 864734 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/zjEm8T0LU0g/ Kindle Review has a review of the features of both the Nook and Kindle WiFi-only ereaders. Even though the title of the blog is “Kindle Review” the comparison is unbiased and anyone who is considering either unit should take a look. Overall, the blog prefers the Kindle, but with the following caveat: The two critical weaknesses of the Kindle WiFi are its lack of support for Library eBooks and its lack of ePub support. The missing MicroSD card and not having the fancy helper touchscreen hurts a bit too. If any of these are deal breakers for you then the Nook WiFi would be a better choice. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:41:51 +0100 864558 http://lisnews.org/not_member_georgetown_community_then_don039t_use_library039s_computers Georgetown University's Lauinger Library is about to get a bit roomier. Changes to the University’s notoriously lax computer usage policy, which once led Washington City Paper to name Lauinger Library as one of D.C.’s best places to mooch internet access, will make it more difficult for guests to use the library’s computers. “The impetus for the Library’s new computer policy is to ensure that our services and spaces are readily accessible to members of the Georgetown University Community,” Jessica Pierce, Executive Assistant to University Librarian Artemis Kirk, wrote in an email. “Lauinger Library is a heavily used building and we are constantly challenged to ensure that our resources are available to our primary users.” Under the new policy, which takes effect on August 5, only 12 computers in the library will remain available to guests: ten on the third floor between the circulation and reference desks, one next to the printer on the second floor, and one across from the elevator on the fifth floor. When the City Paper article was written last February, University guests had access to nearly every computer in the library, save for the ones meant for specialized tasks, such as editing or scanning. Although the new policy seems to force out guests, it simultaneously “encourage[s] guests to bring their own laptops to Lauinger Library and take advantage of the free wireless network available throughout the building.” (Source: LISNews.org) Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:43:38 +0100 864307 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/X65rxARg6CY/ The new bookless/electronic engineering library opened yesterday in Palo Alto, CA. Here’s the announcement from yesterday and a look at their web site. Much More in an Article (Published Last Week) in Stanford News: The Engineering Library’s move from the Terman Engineering Center to the new Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center was an opportunity to do more than just haul books from one building to another – and the librarians jumped at the chance to create a state-of-the-art library. “It’s going to be gorgeous,” said Helen Josephine, head librarian for the Engineering Library. “There’s a lot of new technology going into this. “We’ve been working on this for the last three years – we’re anxious to get in and get going. I’m really excited about it. I can’t wait to show it off to the students,” she said. She’ll get that chance when the library opens on Aug. 2, with a campus-wide invitation to tour the new engineering center and library on Sept. 8. The new library at the Huang Center will be less than half the size of its predecessor at Terman – about 6,000 square feet compared with the earlier 16,000 (and that’s not counting footage from the physics and computer science libraries that have merged into the new library as well). The revamped library will have a completely electronic reference desk with four Kindle 2 wireless reading devices. It will be the first on campus to have a self-checkout and book security system; by this fall, it also will have 15 ebook readers that library patrons may take home like regular books. Librarians will not be staffing a desk to help students and faculty, said Josephine, “but we’ll be more available when they need us.” Available, that is, through email, online chatting and Facebook. An online journal search tool called xSearch will scan 28 online databases, a grant directory and more than 12,000 scientific journals. ... Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:46:26 +0100 864395 http://www.resourceshelf.com/2010/08/03/articlevideo-stanford-u-opens-new-bookless-engineering-library-blacklight-deep-web-part-of-the-mix/ The new bookless/electronic engineering library opened yesterday in Palo Alto, CA. Here’s a blog post from yesterday about the new Terman Engineering Library and a look at their web site. Much More (including a video) in an Article (Published Last Week) in Stanford News: The Engineering Library’s move from the Terman Engineering Center to the new Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center was an opportunity to do more than just haul books from one building to another – and the librarians jumped at the chance to create a state-of-the-art library. “It’s going to be gorgeous,” said Helen Josephine, head librarian for the Engineering Library. “There’s a lot of new technology going into this. “We’ve been working on this for the last three years – we’re anxious to get in and get going. I’m really excited about it. I can’t wait to show it off to the students,” she said. She’ll get that chance when the library opens on Aug. 2, with a campus-wide invitation to tour the new engineering center and library on Sept. 8. The new library at the Huang Center will be less than half the size of its predecessor at Terman – about 6,000 square feet compared with the earlier 16,000 (and that’s not counting footage from the physics and computer science libraries that have merged into the new library as well). The revamped library will have a completely electronic reference desk with four Kindle 2 wireless reading devices. It will be the first on campus to have a self-checkout and book security system; by this fall, it also will have 15 ebook readers that library patrons may take home like regular books. Librarians will not be staffing a desk to help students and faculty, said Josephine, “but we’ll be more available when they need us.” Available, that is, through email, online chatting and Facebook. ... Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:36:14 +0100 864251 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/-tWtAOAzMSw/ On the New York Times “Bits” blog, Nick Bilton posts the story of what happened when he tried to read a Kindle or iPad at restaurants that don’t permit computer use during selected hours, or at all: I looked up at [the coffee shop employee] with an incredulous look and replied, “This isn’t a computer, it’s an e-book reader.” He then told me that the “device” in my hand had a screen and required batteries, so it was obviously “some variation of a computer.” The coffee shop, I was told, did not allow the use of computers. He then goes on to discuss reports from the Annenberg School’s Center for the Digital Future, and Amazon itself, on how readers are moving away from print in favor of digital, and so on. But he doesn’t ever bring up the real reason coffee shops don’t let people use computers. It’s not out of any form of luddism or hatred of technology per se; it’s undoubtedly the same reason that the Panera bakery/coffeeshop chain limits the use of its wifi to a half-hour per MAC address at the height of the lunch rush—because otherwise people who use those devices tend to just sit around and keep using them, taking up space that is needed as more customers come in. Yes, the Kindle and iPad get lumped in with computers. (I wonder if someone reading on an iPhone would be treated the same way? “This isn’t a computer, it’s my cell phone.”) And perhaps the employees could stand to lighten up a bit. But it’s easy to see why a busy location wouldn’t want someone to hang around taking up space for whatever reason. Perhaps someone ostentatiously reading a print book might be asked to leave after he finished eating, too. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:15:00 +0100 864398 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/OZpbAh2hrEY/ Amazon video – NOT impartial review Did Amazon tuck away a microphone in the Kindle 3 with the idea of adding a phone option later, not just for possible fun with a voice navigation option? That’s my guess, after having read Andrys Basten’s mention of the “’not currently enabled microphone provided for future use.’” A phone option for the Kindle would be Jeff Bezos’s way to weaken the iPhone’s multi advantage. Yes, maybe just one gizmo to tote after all—the K machine rather than an iPhone. Perhaps you would pay extra for a wireless connection that worked with the phone. Presto! New rev stream for Jeff and his friends at Sprint. Will the wonders never cease? I really hope someone can pin this one down ASAP. I might upgrade my pre-ordered K3 to include the 3G option, not just WiFi, if my reckless speculation about the phone is on target. I can also envision shared or unshared voice annotation of e-books. In the case of the unshared variety, Amazon could still store the files remotely. And speaking of sharing, I notice that the Amazon software update for the iPad, iPod and iPhone includes some shared highlighting—you can see how many users highlighted the most popular passages, at least in the case of bestsellers like Losing Mum and Pup, just as you can with Kindle hardware. Simply put, while I disagree with Jeff Bezos on e-book standards and financial disclosure, I know he and his people are no dummies. Now, Jeff, prove it further and add ePub capabilities to the Kindle. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:14:19 +0100 863889 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/WQj57DvNAgo/ FROM THE USER’S GUIDE New unheralded aspects are in BOLDface. PDFS: NEW FEATURES No-fee delivery of personal documents direct to Kindle “For Kindle models that include 3G, you can avoid 3G delivery fees for the personal document service by addressing the e-mail so that the second part of your Kindle e-mail address is @free.kindle.com.  The document will be delivered to your Kindle when your Kindle is connected via Wi-Fi and it will also be e-mailed to your Amazon e-mail address.  If Wi-Fi is not available, you can transfer the personal document to your Kindle’s documents folder by connecting your Kindle to your computer. “ Adjust the contrast! “While reading a PDF document, you can zoom in or adjust the contrast to make the document easier to read.” “Pressing the Text key [Aa-key] will let you choose zoom and contrast options for a PDF page.” The options are “lightest lighter default darker darkest.” However, into each life, some rain must fall: “table of contents — this option is NOT available for PDF documents” Place Cursor in Page “Press up or down on the 5-way controller to display the cursor.  If you are zoomed into a PDF page, you can also press Menu and choose ‘Place Cursor in Page’ to display the cursor. — displays a blinking cursor on the page.  Use this option when you are zoomed in to a PDF page and you want to create a note or highlight, or use the dictionary lookup.” My note here: We were never able to access the words before.  Highlighted passages can now be forwarded to Facebook and Twitter, if social networking is enabled where you are. WEB PAGES Zooming into Web Pages “You can zoom in to any web page to magnify the page. ... Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:11:19 +0100 863891 http://www.resourceshelf.com/2010/07/31/public-libraries-community-survey-results-released-seattle-wants-more-from-its-libraries/ From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Seattle library patrons want branches open more hours, especially on Sunday, and would like a social-media outlet using the library’s website, according to a survey of patrons conducted earlier this year. The survey, for which results were released by the library Friday, presents some interesting choices for the library and its overseers. The library system reduced hours starting in February because of tax revenue shortfalls, reducing 15 branches to five-day-per week service to save costs. Librarian Susan Hildreth said the online survey, taken in early May, showed people want more hours, particularly on Sunday, though it’s unlikely that will happen soon. [Snip] You’ve heard the following here before. Perhaps these new findings from the Seattle Public will provide not only motivation to the SPL staff but to other libraries and to the vendors who supply these services that a majority of users are unaware of. Most survey respondents said they were unaware that the library offered online magazines and newspapers, in-person homework help, online library staff assistance or classes for non-English speakers. “I take this as (indicating) more of a need for more marketing for all our services,” [Librarian Susan] Hildreth said. Full Text: The Seattle Public Library: Community Survey (52 pages; PDF) Key Findings From the Community Survey via a SPL Web Page Nearly 33,000 people completed the community survey between May 3-May 16 – a number equal to 5% of the city’s population. The survey contained 29 questions asking everything from frequency of use to how easy it was to find information or download online resources. A detailed summary of the survey results is now available. The survey, conducted as part of the Library’s strategic planning process, was intended to capture a snapshot of current use and service gaps. ... Sun, 01 Aug 2010 05:49:38 +0100 863907 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/aug/01/tom-mccarthy-c-james-purdon The experimental writer and critic tells James Purdon why his new novel, C, acts as a bridge between the future and the pastWhen Tom McCarthy arrives in the cafe, the first thing he says is that he met me outside earlier. There's a moment of confusion. "Whenever I have a blind meeting," he explains, "it seems to start with me introducing myself to the wrong person."It's an appropriate curse for a writer whose books are filled with coincidence, with doubles and fakes, moments of deja vu, repetitions of repetitions. I picture pairs of journalist doppelgangers trailing him across London, recording in stereo. Fakes and simulacra appeal to McCarthy in his various guises as artist, critic and novelist. There is, for instance, the "Joint Statement on Inauthenticity" published by the International Necronautical Society (INS): the semi-fictional, quasi-totalitarian conceptual art collective that McCarthy founded in 1999 with a pastiche manifesto in the Times. "All cults of authenticity," it declares, "should be abandoned."Then there's the novel that launched his literary career, the bestselling, critically lauded Remainder, in which an accidentally traumatised narrator feeds his neuroses by spending his compensation money on re-creating scenes from his own imperfect memory, complete with actors and extras. With a publicity boost from Zadie Smith, who described Remainder as "one of the great English novels of the last 10 years", McCarthy's reputation went global. His Tintin and the Secret of Literature wasn't just a quirky critical take on Hergé, but an ingenious demonstration of how good literature tunes in to the encrypted channels of culture, the "illicit frequencies" over which society whispers its secrets. A second novel, Men in Space, explored the disintegration of eastern Europe, the decaying orbit of a stranded ex-Soviet cosmonaut and the forgery of a medieval icon painting. ... Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:03:52 +0100 863685 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/ItHcxhMjK2M/ We reported in May on rumors of a possible Blackberry tablet device flying around. Lately, those rumors seem to have solidified. Our sister blog Gadgetell reports that Research In Motion, makers of the Blackberry, has acquired the domain name “blackpad.com” from the previous owner, who had owned it since 2002. CNet ties together some other reports, including a post from Bloomberg in which anonymous sources claim the device is going to be Blackberry’s crack at killing the iPad, having similar specs and pricing to the wifi-only version, and will launch by November. The tablet will be called the Blackpad, according to Bloomberg. Its touch screen will measure 9.7 inches, similar to the iPad, and the price will be "in line" with Apple’s tablet, the cheapest model starting at $499. It will rely on wi-fi and Bluetooth to connect to the Internet, rather than 3G, and might well be meant more as a companion device to the Blackberry for people who already own one than as a true standalone. Either way, Gadgetell notes that RIM and AT&T are planning some kind of special event in New York on Tuesday, August 3rd, and it might well be a natural place and time for such a tablet to be announced. The Blackberry has had a number of e-book reading apps, including the Mobipocket reader that the iPhone ecosystem still lacks, but has not generally had the multimedia-friendly reputation of the iPhone. Can it turn this around with a Blackberry tablet? Will the tablet, unlike the iPad, run Flash? Perhaps we’ll get some of the answers on Tuesday. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:34:28 +0100 863548 http://www.blogpocket.com/2010/07/31/las-10-aplicaciones-que-estoy-probando-ahora-en-mi-ipad/ Sí, es cierto, cuando uno maneja un iPad por primera vez, tiene la sensación de estar ante un iPhone grande. Pero si ya es magnífica la experiencia con un iPhone, imagínense un dispositivo semejante en prestaciones pero con un tamaño de pantalla mucho más usable para leer libros, jugar, escribir o ver vídeos. Lógicamente, el iPad no puede ser nunca un teléfono pero tiene el tamaño ideal como lector de e-books o videoconsola. Y hay muchas aplicaciones de productividad o de diseño gráfico que con ese tamaño de pantalla pueden hacer las delicias de cualquiera (ver 100 aplicaciones útiles y gratuitas para el iPad). Un agradecimiento muy especial a Miguel Nonay por acceder a utilizar mi foto, en la que aparece jugando con dos iPads, para este post. Hace apenas un mes que dispongo de un iPad, así que me encuentro probando algunas aplicaciones, analizando posibilidades y buscando un posible provecho más allá del mero capricho de un vicioso incorregible, de los productos de la empresa de la manzanita, como yo. Las siguientes aplicaciones son las que considero, de momento, mi Top 10. 1. Stanza (gratis) Para mí, cada día veo más claro que usaré el iPad principalmente como lector de libros electrónicos. Ya leí varios libros en el iPhone con Stanza, así que ahora se me hace tremendamente cómoda la lectura con esta aplicación. En Blogpocket ya explicamos cómo utilizar Calibre para gestionar los e-books. 2. Twitterrific (gratis) Mi iPad solo tiene wifi por lo que tengo limitado el uso de Twitter a tener cobertura online. Estoy probando varios clientes, como Twitterrific que no me acaba de convencer y Tweetdeck que no he logrado hacer funcionar correctamente. 3. Flipboard (gratis) Tal vez Fliboard, candidata a convertirse en la aplicación estrella de 2010, pueda convertirse en el lector de Twitter ideal. Por ahora, están limitados los accesos a esa opción (y la de Facebook) por lo que únicamente se pueden añadir los feeds predeterminados. ... Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:17:57 +0100 864288 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/31/c-tom-mccarthy-novel-review Christopher Tayler on the experimental art of Tom McCarthyThis book is something you don't see every day: a novel steeped in both high modernism and continental philosophy that's being rolled out as a publishing event in the UK and US. Tom McCarthy, its author, is a 41-year-old Londoner who went to Dulwich College and studied English at Oxford when the literary theory boom was at its height. After spending time in Prague and Amsterdam, he surfaced in 1999 as the general secretary of the International Necronautical Society, a semi-fictitious avant-garde group co-masterminded by the philosopher Simon Critchley, and began to stage events at such venues as the ICA. His first novel, Remainder (2005), later described by Zadie Smith as "one of the great English novels of the past 10 years", was originally put out by a Paris-based art publisher, and though another novel, Men in Space (2007), and a book on Tintin soon followed, he was more of a figure on the gallery circuit than in the literary world until Remainder's reputation began to mushroom.In articles, lectures and interviews, McCarthy speaks the language of post-humanism. His allegiance is to James Joyce and Samuel Beckett, the French nouveau roman and post-structuralist modes of thought; with a few exceptions, such as William Burroughs and Thomas Pynchon, most English-language writing since modernism's heyday can be written off as naive, reactionary stuff. It's bracing and fun to see these views being aired in a stubbornly non-modernistic literary culture. But McCarthy's art world affiliations, and the rather arts-institutional intellectual currency he trades in, also raise the suspicion that his end product might turn out to be a bit pretentious, in the style of Deleuze-loving architecture theorists or Lacan-quoting gallery notes. ... Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:06:01 +0100 863518 http://www.docuticker.com/?p=37657 Electromagnetic Fields (PDF) Source: Eurobarometer From the Introduction: While electromagnetic fields (EMFs) occur naturally (e.g. in storms, the Earth’s magnetic field etc.), the development of man-made electricity and rapid technological progress over the past century have multiplied their sources and diversified their characteristics. Exposure to man-made sources of EMFs has therefore increased dramatically due to the demand for electricity, wireless technologies (especially for telecommunications), and changes in work practices and social behaviour. As a result, all EU citizens are now exposed to EMFs through sources such as high-voltage power lines, household electrical appliances, computers, radar, radio and television broadcast facilities and mobile telephones…. In view of the persistent high level of public concern and the sustained media coverage of this issue, a first Eurobarometer on electromagnetic fields was commissioned in 2006 (EB66). In view of the many scientific, technological and policy developments since then, it was felt that a new Eurobarometer, asking mostly the same questions, would deliver valuable information on trends in the level of public concern. This time, a new question was also included to identify the views of the EU public on the role that the Commission should take in this field. This report analyses the 2010 survey results both in terms of average figures across the 27 Member States and for individual countries. Where major changes have occurred over the last four years, it also brings them to the reader’s attention. In addition, it analyses the way the answers vary according to the respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender etc.) and a number of other indicators. (Source: Docuticker) Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:25:20 +0100 863401 http://www.teleread.com/2010/07/30/amazons-me-first-tude-against-epub-time-for-libraries-to-kick-jeffs-butt-if-he-wont-play-well-with-others/ OK, gang. Parse this exchange between USA Today reporter Edward C. Baig and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, amid the ballyhoo for the third-generation Kindle: Q: Why doesn’t Amazon support the popular "e-pub" standard used by your competitors and many libraries? A: We are innovating so rapidly that having our own standard allows us to incorporate new things at a very rapid rate. For example: Whispersync (which uses wireless connections to sync your place in a book across devices) and changing font sizes. Other standards over time may incorporate some of these things. But we’re moving very quickly to improve the state of the art. It’s very helpful not to have to wait for some third-party standard to catch up. Chris Meadows nicely shot that one down. So ePub at one point would not even allow font-size changes? Come on, Jeff. From afar I love the better traits of the new Reader and may buy one myself, and I recognize that the Amazon has its share of positives. Respect for e-book standards just isn’t one of them. In fairness to Jeff, I’m also grouchy toward the International Digital Publishing Forum, the creator and developer of ePub. He is right about the group’s inadequacies. Two years ago and probably earlier, I myself wrote on the sync issue, suggesting that the IDPF come up with an industry standard (since we’re not talking about format matters per se, I’d have been happy simply IDPF simply recognizing others’ efforts in this area).  No such luck. Whatever the reason, the IDPF has been too bleepin’ snailish in the past. I hope that changes, and in fact there are signs it might. Regardless of Jeff’s monopolistic aspirations and the IDPF’s past slugishness, we need standards for the entire e-book industry to make e-books a truly durable medium; and rich corporations like Amazon and Adobe should be willing to help pay for the technical capabilities for the IDPF to keep up. ... Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:40:16 +0100 863294 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/0lzlXQ3s5Jo/ OK, gang. Parse this exchange between USA Today reporter Edward C. Baig and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, amid the ballyhoo for the third-generation Kindle: Q: Why doesn’t Amazon support the popular "e-pub" standard used by your competitors and many libraries? A: We are innovating so rapidly that having our own standard allows us to incorporate new things at a very rapid rate. For example: Whispersync (which uses wireless connections to sync your place in a book across devices) and changing font sizes. Other standards over time may incorporate some of these things. But we’re moving very quickly to improve the state of the art. It’s very helpful not to have to wait for some third-party standard to catch up. Chris Meadows nicely shot that one down. So ePub at one point would not even allow font-size changes? Come on, Jeff. From afar I love the better traits of the new Reader and may buy one myself, and I recognize that the Amazon has its share of positives. Respect for e-book standards just isn’t one of them. In fairness to Jeff, I’m also grouchy toward the International Digital Publishing Forum, the creator and developer of ePub. He is right about the group’s inadequacies. Two years ago and probably earlier, I myself wrote on the sync issue, suggesting that the IDPF come up with an industry standard (since we’re not talking about format matters per se, I’d have been happy simply IDPF simply recognizing others’ efforts in this area).  No such luck. Whatever the reason, the IDPF has been too bleepin’ snailish in the past. I hope that changes, and in fact there are signs it might. Regardless of Jeff’s monopolistic aspirations and the IDPF’s past slugishness, we need standards for the entire e-book industry to make e-books a truly durable medium; and rich corporations like Amazon and Adobe should be willing to help pay for the technical capabilities for the IDPF to keep up. ... Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:40:16 +0100 863226 http://www.teleread.com/2010/07/29/bezos-on-epub-older-kindle-resale-value/ USA Today has another interview with Jeff Bezos (they’re popping up all over given today’s launch of the new Kindles) in which he addresses a couple of points some e-book fans have been asking about for a while. Most notably: Q: Why doesn’t Amazon support the popular "e-pub" standard used by your competitors and many libraries? A: We are innovating so rapidly that having our own standard allows us to incorporate new things at a very rapid rate. For example: Whispersync (which uses wireless connections to sync your place in a book across devices) and changing font sizes. Other standards over time may incorporate some of these things. But we’re moving very quickly to improve the state of the art. It’s very helpful not to have to wait for some third-party standard to catch up. That’s right: changing font sizes is a new thing in the world of e-books. And if they had to support that pesky “third-party standard” then they never could have implemented it. Bezos also points out, to people who just bought older Kindles after Amazon lowered the prices to move inventory prior to the new devices’ launch, that older Kindles do retain resale value quite well—and to be fair, that is true. After all, not much has really changed about the overall e-ink reading experience, and in a lot of respects the old Kindles still work as well as the new ones. They also can be passed down to friends or relatives. Beyond that, much of what Bezos says here (about the drawbacks of touchscreens, multimedia, and color; the competition; and the growth of sales) he has already said elsewhere. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:47:38 +0100 863296 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/1bypyQvmeOY/ USA Today has another interview with Jeff Bezos (they’re popping up all over given today’s launch of the new Kindles) in which he addresses a couple of points some e-book fans have been asking about for a while. Most notably: Q: Why doesn’t Amazon support the popular "e-pub" standard used by your competitors and many libraries? A: We are innovating so rapidly that having our own standard allows us to incorporate new things at a very rapid rate. For example: Whispersync (which uses wireless connections to sync your place in a book across devices) and changing font sizes. Other standards over time may incorporate some of these things. But we’re moving very quickly to improve the state of the art. It’s very helpful not to have to wait for some third-party standard to catch up. That’s right: changing font sizes is a new thing in the world of e-books. And if they had to support that pesky “third-party standard” then they never could have implemented it. Bezos also points out, to people who just bought older Kindles after Amazon lowered the prices to move inventory prior to the new devices’ launch, that older Kindles do retain resale value quite well—and to be fair, that is true. After all, not much has really changed about the overall e-ink reading experience, and in a lot of respects the old Kindles still work as well as the new ones. They also can be passed down to friends or relatives. Beyond that, much of what Bezos says here (about the drawbacks of touchscreens, multimedia, and color; the competition; and the growth of sales) he has already said elsewhere. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:47:38 +0100 863228 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jul/29/penguin-john-makinson-ebooks John Makinson says that if people want to read using new technology, that's what publishers must give themPenguin this week celebrates its 75th year and is marking the anniversary by repackaging a series of seminal books from the 1960s to the 1980s. Although the company might afford itself a brief look backwards, it feels as though there is little room for nostalgia in book publishing now, as the industry turns its face firmly – and apprehensively – to the future.Amazon last week announced sales of ebooks on its US site had outnumbered hardbacks for the first time, stunning casual observers, even if it had not been entirely unexpected in the trade.The launch of the iPad has added a sense of urgency. Where music went first, books are set to follow, although Penguin and other publishers would hope without the same devastating effects. Amazon this week launched a cheaper, more lightweight version of its Kindle ebook reader and a digital store on its UK site, while others, including Google, are muscling in. Digital book sales are still less than 1% of Penguin, but the direction of the market is clear. In the US, digital books already account for 6% of consumer sales.Penguin chief executive John Makinson says he is a convert. The day after we meet he is on his way to India, as part of David Cameron's delegation, and had loaded titles on to his iPad, including a manuscript by John le Carré and some Portuguese classics (in English) ahead of Penguin launching a range in Brazil. He is also reading Lord Mandelson's diary. It simply makes sense, he says, instead of carting an armful of books in your carry-on luggage.Innovation"It does redefine what we do as publishers and I feel, compared with most of my counterparts, more optimistic about what this means for us," he says. ... Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:59:00 +0100 863198 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TravelinLibrarian/~3/DUsuqIP7kxU/ Q: Why doesn’t Amazon support the popular "e-pub" standard used by your competitors and many libraries? A: We are innovating so rapidly that having our own standard allows us to incorporate new things at a very rapid rate. For example: Whispersync (which uses wireless connections to sync your place in a book across devices) and changing font sizes. Other standards over time may incorporate some of these things. But we’re moving very quickly to improve the state of the art. It’s very helpful not to have to wait for some third-party standard to catch up. Volume of Kindle book sales stuns Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, USA Today (Source: Travelin' Librarian) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:25:06 +0100 864304 http://www.teleread.com/2010/07/29/kindle-3-cjk-and-cyrillic-font-support/ From Amazon Kindle Review. I haven’t seen this mentioned elsewhere: Here’s are the new fonts Kindle 3 and Kindle WiFi now support - 1. Chinese Traditional and Simplified. This would explain the rumors of Amazon getting its Chinese subsidiary ready to ship Kindle 3 in China. 2. Japanese. Japan is a pretty big market and this should allow Amazon to take a shot. 3. Korean. Obviously lets Amazon target North and South Korea. 4. Cyrillic. This will allow support for Russian, Bulgarian, Bosnian, Belarusian, Macedonian, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Mongolian, Tajik, and other languages. It’ll help Amazon sell Kindle 3 in East Europe, Russia, and countries in that part of the world. There are lots and lots of nuances – For example, CJK languages can be written either left to right or top to bottom. It’s pretty impressive that Amazon got the time to add Kindle CJK support and Kindle Cyrillic support. It makes Kindle 3 and Kindle WiFi even likelier to be huge hits. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:55:29 +0100 863300 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/DgG3Nvuxot4/ From Amazon Kindle Review. I haven’t seen this mentioned elsewhere: Here’s are the new fonts Kindle 3 and Kindle WiFi now support - 1. Chinese Traditional and Simplified. This would explain the rumors of Amazon getting its Chinese subsidiary ready to ship Kindle 3 in China. 2. Japanese. Japan is a pretty big market and this should allow Amazon to take a shot. 3. Korean. Obviously lets Amazon target North and South Korea. 4. Cyrillic. This will allow support for Russian, Bulgarian, Bosnian, Belarusian, Macedonian, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Mongolian, Tajik, and other languages. It’ll help Amazon sell Kindle 3 in East Europe, Russia, and countries in that part of the world. There are lots and lots of nuances – For example, CJK languages can be written either left to right or top to bottom. It’s pretty impressive that Amazon got the time to add Kindle CJK support and Kindle Cyrillic support. It makes Kindle 3 and Kindle WiFi even likelier to be huge hits. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:55:29 +0100 863131 http://www.teleread.com/2010/07/29/kindle-3-vs-kindle-2-in-size-plus-hands-on-report-by-pc-worlds-perenson-photos-also/  SEE THE MAIN NEW KINDLE INFO SECTION for details. This image at the left shows how much smaller the new Kindle 3G/WiFi and Kindle WiFi-Only are when seen next to the Kindle 2 International model. I saw this image from Amazon when reading Wilson Rothman’s excellent summary for MSNBC of the new Kindle features, putting it all into perspective.  It was refreshing after reading another report, one representing the Kindle as a giant reptile that won’t die although the unnamed writer really wants it to be buried. “HANDS-ON WITH AMAZON’S ZIPPY, ALLURING KINDLE” That’s the headline by Melissa J. Perenson at Washington Post’s posting of the PC World report today. ‘ As soon as I took the Kindle in hand, I knew that this Kindle marked new territory… … For the first time, I could comfortably hold a Kindle e-reader in one hand. At 8.7 ounces, the Kindle is not the lightest such device on the market…But it is lighter than Barnes & Noble’s Nook (11.6 ounces for Nook Wi-Fi, 12.1 ounces for Nook Wi-Fi + 3G)… The unit felt very balanced in-hand, and the buttons felt like they were in convenient, ergonomic places. … …in my experience, the darker border enhances readability, as would be expected given the visual perception a dark border provides. But the display is dramatically better in its own regard… … the difference felt more dramatic when holding the device (an act also made easier by the rubberized backing). ‘ She mentions the smaller bezels, a redsign that helps the 6-inch screen now dominate although there’s still enough room round the edges to comfortably hold the unit. ... Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:48:03 +0100 863301 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/4dfklqEMTuM/  SEE THE MAIN NEW KINDLE INFO SECTION for details. This image at the left shows how much smaller the new Kindle 3G/WiFi and Kindle WiFi-Only are when seen next to the Kindle 2 International model. I saw this image from Amazon when reading Wilson Rothman’s excellent summary for MSNBC of the new Kindle features, putting it all into perspective.  It was refreshing after reading another report, one representing the Kindle as a giant reptile that won’t die although the unnamed writer really wants it to be buried. “HANDS-ON WITH AMAZON’S ZIPPY, ALLURING KINDLE” That’s the headline by Melissa J. Perenson at Washington Post’s posting of the PC World report today. ‘ As soon as I took the Kindle in hand, I knew that this Kindle marked new territory… … For the first time, I could comfortably hold a Kindle e-reader in one hand. At 8.7 ounces, the Kindle is not the lightest such device on the market…But it is lighter than Barnes & Noble’s Nook (11.6 ounces for Nook Wi-Fi, 12.1 ounces for Nook Wi-Fi + 3G)… The unit felt very balanced in-hand, and the buttons felt like they were in convenient, ergonomic places. … …in my experience, the darker border enhances readability, as would be expected given the visual perception a dark border provides. But the display is dramatically better in its own regard… … the difference felt more dramatic when holding the device (an act also made easier by the rubberized backing). ‘ She mentions the smaller bezels, a redsign that helps the 6-inch screen now dominate although there’s still enough room round the edges to comfortably hold the unit. ... Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:48:03 +0100 863133 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jul/29/amazon-new-kindle-uk-ebook-store Amazon hopes the redesigned, lighter Kindles and new store will be the 'tipping point' in the UK e-reader marketAmazon unveiled two lighter, more advanced versions of the Kindle e-reader today, alongside a new UK ebook store that it claimed will send sales of the device soaring in Britain.Faced with growing competition in the e-reader market, Amazon has redesigned the device and has made it available directly from its UK site for the first time.In another change, Amazon also announced that the new Kindle will be available with just Wi-Fi connectivity, rather than using a 3G mobile connection to download electronic books.Steve Kessel, the vice president of Kindle, told guardian.co.uk that the new versions were a significant advance that should see many more people buying the device, although he declined to give sales targets.According to Amazon the new Kindle has 50% better contrast than previous models. It is 21% smaller and 15% lighter – weighing less than 250 grams – and like other models it has a six-inch screen. Its battery will now last for a month on a single charge if the wireless connectivity is switched off, and the capacity has been doubled to allow users to hold up to 3,500 books at any one time.The Wi-Fi model will cost £109 ($170 at today's exchange rate) in the UK, while the same product will be on sale for $139 to US shoppers. The version that supports both 3G – over Vodafone's network – and Wi-Fi will cost £149 ($232) in the UK, but is priced at $189 in America."We think that the combination of the £109 and £149 Kindles, and the UK book store, mean this will be a tipping point in the UK," said Kessel.The new UK e-book store will run on Amazon.co.uk, and include 400,000 books including titles by a wide range of writers including Stephenie Meyer, John Grisham, Stephen King and Stieg Larsson – author of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – who yesterday became the first writer to sell 1m ebooks through Amazon. ... Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:55:25 +0100 863079 http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/pda/2010/jul/29/amazon-kindle Facing steep competition from Apple's iPad, which can do just about everything a computer can in addition to displaying books, Amazon (NSDQ: AMZN) has decided to evolve the latest Kindle into an even better single-purpose device for less than the cost of an iPod. The new Kindle is an improvement in just about every single way: It is sleeker, lighter, faster while also offering better contrast, more storage and up to one month of battery life on a single charge. The device comes equipped with Wi-Fi and free 3G service for $189 and will be available August 27. The Kindle Wi-Fi-only option will cost $139.Photo by bfishadow on Flickr. Some rights reservedThe new Kindle line-up piggy-backs on a number of recent Amazon accomplishments. Amazon said over the past 12 months, customers spent more than $1 billion via mobile devices, including sales by Kindle. Yesterday, it was reported that the Kindle was sold-out, and Stieg Larsson, the author of "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," became the first author to sell more than 1m Kindle ebooks.An unspecified "millions" of people have already purchased a Kindle, making it the No. 1 bestselling item on Amazon.com for two years running. But with improved technology, and a lower price point, Amazon's chief executive Jeff Bezos said he's hoping that "many people are going to buy multiple units for the home and family". Amazon's new price points are nearing lows in the ereader world. Last month, Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS) lowered the price of its 3G Nook to $199 and its WiFi version to $149. For comparison, a the lowest end iPad and iPod Touch cost $500 and $200, respectively.The two devices are available for pre-order at amazon.com/kindle3G and amazon.com/kindleWi-Fi starting today when the announcement will be officially made. It will be available to customers in more than 140 countries on August 27. (Press release via Engadget.)Amazon.comEbooksDigital mediakindlepaidContentguardian.co. ... Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:29:31 +0100 863080 http://liszen.com/trends/story.php?title=New_Kindle_is_out_and_is_selling_for_139 There is a new wi-fi Kindle and it cost $139. You can see it here: Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6There is also a new Kindle out that (Source: pligg - all) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:00:27 +0100 863053 http://www.resourceshelf.com/2010/07/28/next-gen-kindle-available-at-end-of-august-lower-price-lighter-and-50-faster-page-turns/ Here’s the Official Announcement from Amazon.com + Prices: $189 (3G and Wi-Fi) or $139 (Wi-Fi Only) They’re now available for pre-order. Ship date is August 27, 2010. + “New electronic-ink screen with 50 percent better contrast than any other e-reader.” + “21 percent smaller body but screen size stays the same.” + Lighter (8.7 ounces) + 50% Faster Page Turns + More storage (up to 3,500 books) + Graphite color option + Free 3G wireless access. Available in more than 100 countries. In other words, if you’re traveling you still might be able to download content. + Twitter and Facebook integration + New (Built-In) Open Source Web Browser. Will offer a “reader” view (removes material surrounding article making it easier) like what’s available on Safari and on other browsers using Arc90’s Readability. + Text to Speech and more. Much More in the Complete Announcement Source: Amazon.com See Also: The company also announced plans for a UK-localized version at £109 and £149, respectively, as well as a UK e-book store. Video tour available. (via Engadget) + Amazon introducing cheaper, thinner, faster Kindle (via Seattle Times) + In Price War, New Kindle Sells for $139 (via NY Times) Two of the most compelling aspects of the iPad — a color display and touch screen — are elements that some customers have been yearning for on the Kindle. Keep waiting, Mr. Bezos said. “There will never be a Kindle with a touch screen that inhibits reading. It has to be done in a different way. It can’t be a me-too touch screen,” he said. Earlier this year, Amazon bought Touchco, a start-up specializing in touch-screen technology, but current touch-screen technology adds reflections and glare and makes it hard to shift one’s hands while reading for long periods of time, he said. Color is also “not ready for prime time,” Mr. Bezos said. (Source: ResourceShelf) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:34:49 +0100 863002 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/booksquare/~3/40EpuTKiflg/ Today’s links of interest: Kindle to Go ‘Mass Market’Wifi only device will go for $139. Wifi plus 3G will go for $189. We are getting remarkably close to a price point that makes the investment a no-brainer. (Source: Booksquare) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:15:04 +0100 863140 http://centeredlibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/07/amazon-debuts-140-ipad-counter-strike.html All-New, High-Contrast E-Ink Screen – 50% better contrast than any other e-reader Read in Bright Sunlight – No glare New and Improved Fonts – New crisper, darker fonts New Sleek Design – 21% smaller body while keeping the same 6" size reading area 17% Lighter – Only 8.5 ounces, weighs less than a paperback Battery Life of Up to One Month – A single charge lasts up to one month with wireless off Double the Storage – Up to 3,500 Books Built-In Wi-Fi – Shop and download books in less than 60 seconds 20% Faster Page Turns – Seamless reading Enhanced PDF Reader – With dictionary lookup, notes, and highlights New WebKit-Based Browser – Browse the web over Wi-Fi (experimental) Read about it here. And Amazon chief Jeff Bezos poured a little gas on the fire in the WSJ this morning. Talking about the iPad/Kindle experience:"For the vast majority of books, adding video and animation is not going to be helpful. It is distracting rather than enhancing. You are not going to improve Hemingway by adding video snippets." (Source: The Centered Librarian) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0100 863944 http://www.lisnews.org/new_kindle_out_and_selling_139 There is a new wi-fi Kindle and it cost $139. You can see it here: Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6 There is also a new Kindle out that allows 3G cellular network to download books. It is $189 which is the same price as the Kindle 2 was selling for. You can see it here: Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 6 (Source: LISNews - Librarian And Information Science News) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:48:57 +0100 863839 http://lisnews.org/new_kindle_out_and_selling_139 There is a new wi-fi Kindle and it cost $139. You can see it here: Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6 There is also a new Kindle out that allows 3G cellular network to download books. It is $189 which is the same price as the Kindle 2 was selling for. You can see it here: Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 6 (Source: LISNews.org) Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:48:57 +0100 862965 http://rabid-librarian.blogspot.com/2010/07/well-here-it-is.html Amazon unveils new Kindle, starting at $139: A Wi-Fi-only model hits the lowest price yet for Amazon's e-book reader Just weeks after lowering the price of the Kindle e-book reader from $259 to $189, Amazon has unveiled a fully revamped Kindle. It's sleeker, better looking, easier on the eyes — and starts at $139. This new Kindle, Amazon's third generation, is smaller by 21 percent, and 15 percent lighter too. It has much improved contrast, 50 percent better than before, answering a significant complaint among dead-tree purists who compared the device's e-ink screen unfavorably to real paper. It's available in two colors: graphite and white. To date, all Kindles have used a wireless connection to a 3G network to get books and manage subscriptions. The new ones have Wi-Fi inside, so that people at home or at a coffee shop could log on via that network instead. One Kindle still costs $189, and has both 3G wireless and Wi-Fi inside. The cheaper $139 model only connects through Wi-Fi — and only comes in graphite. I don't know; it sounds nice (and I must say, the photo comparing them makes the Kindle 2 look positively clunky), but I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything by getting mine when I did. Now, if I were visually impaired, the new text-to-speech menus would be worth it. Of course I'd probably be getting a Kindle DX if I were having trouble seeing, too, and I don't think that feature is on the new DX. I prefer the 3G wireless (I'm rarely in a wi-fi area, except at work, and we're not supposed to use the public network for computers, etc., and I don't have one at home, so the wireless is the way to go for me. Besides, I like going onto Wikipedia at the bus stop.) The contrast might be worth it. I'd still be paying $189 for the wireless, though. It has enough space for 3500 books, but I don't see myself spending that much money. So I'm happy, but if you're looking for those new features, check out Amazon for more info. ... Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0100 863330 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/K6Mi8f4PSnw/ Kmart is selling the Augen Gentouch 78 Android tablet for only $149. It’s price will go up by $20 on August 1. According to Slashgear its got a 7″ screen, an unspecified 800MHz CPU, WiFi, 2GB storage, 256MB RAM, an SDHC slot and a WVGA 800×480 resistive touch screen. They say that Market Access is available on the machine. Can’t find much further information and, as of this morning, my local Kmart can’t find it in their inventory. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:47:38 +0100 862721 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2010/07/26/library-day-in-the-life-7262010 I’m participating in today’s Library Day In The Life - it could be a good (interesting) day, but it also means I’ve been here for an hour and a half already and this is the first chance I’ve gotten to post anything - busy day. 11:00 am Arrive at work, go right to Reference Desk. Morning person is on vacation, so our Assistant Director was covering. Talk to her about how busy the morning was, problems from the weekend, and pending reference questions 11:15 - 12:30 Field a flurry of reference question, even having to press our “emergency” button (wireless doorbell) to get someone from the backroom to come out and help. These varies from looking up book titles, reserving museum passes, finding books on dream symbols, mythology, New York travel, books for middle school summer reading, check in newspapers, give newspapers to patrons, find parking map for local bike trail, and retrieve a lost cell phone for a patron We’re also doing interviews today for our Head of Circulation opening - however, interviews were scheduled after I approved vacation time for this week, so I spent some time scrambling to find someone to cover the desk while I’m in the interviews 12:30 - 1pm Transfer call from Nashua (NH) Public Library to our ILL department talk to maintenance guy about the huge mouse he caught in the library’s garage (”it was black and this big,” holding his hands about eight inches apart - I think that qualifies as rat) finally get a chance to post this A patron wanted travel books for Italy and Greece, and holy smokes, the Fodor’s and Frommer’s 2010 books for both countries were on the shelf. ... Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:49:03 +0100 862434 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/1e79572eOiI/ Librarian of Congress Announces DMCA Section 1201 Rules for Exemptions Regarding Circumvention of Access-Control Technologies Librarian of Congress James H. Billington today released the following statement: Section 1201(a)(1) of the copyright law requires that every three years I am to determine whether there are any classes of works that will be subject to exemptions from the statute’s prohibition against circumvention of technology that effectively controls access to a copyrighted work. I make that determination at the conclusion of a rulemaking proceeding conducted by the Register of Copyrights, who makes a recommendation to me. Based on that proceeding and the Register’s recommendation, I am to determine whether the prohibition on circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works is causing or is likely to cause adverse effects on the ability of users of any particular classes of copyrighted works to make noninfringing uses of those works. The classes of works that I designated in the previous proceeding expire at the end of the current proceeding unless proponents of a class prove their case once again. This is the fourth time that I have made such a determination. Today I have designated six classes of works. Persons who circumvent access controls in order to engage in noninfringing uses of works in these six classes will not be subject to the statutory prohibition against circumvention. As I have noted at the conclusion of past proceedings, it is important to understand the purposes of this rulemaking, as stated in the law, and the role I have in it. This is not a broad evaluation of the successes or failures of the DMCA. The purpose of the proceeding is to determine whether current technologies that control access to copyrighted works are diminishing the ability of individuals to use works in lawful, noninfringing ways. ... Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:14:48 +0100 862403 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/teleread/ezFR/~3/65v4CZ3XIeQ/ The AP is reporting that the Library of Congress has now given DMCA exemptions that allow the following: 1. “Jailbreaking” the iPhone in order to install applications that are not approved by Apple 2. owners of cell phones to break access controls on the phones in order to switch wireless carriers 3. allow the breaking of technical protections on video games in order to look at or correct security flaws 4. Allow college professors, documentary filmmakers and college students to break copy protection on DVDs to embed clips for educational purposes This is big news. As to item 4, the industry has been lobbying against this for quite a while and it looks as if they lost. As to jailbreaking, it may now be legal, but that has no effect on Apple’s warranty terms. It will still void your warranty. I haven’t been able to find a link to the actual text of the exemptions. Digg us. Slashdot us. Facebook us. Twitter us. Share the news. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:00:28 +0100 862405 http://www.resourceshelf.com/2010/07/25/tacoma-news-tribune-sh-h-h-h-h-forget-it-at-south-sound-libraries/ Yes, an article about libraries with Sh-h-h-h-h and it’s even in the title. Actually, this is a very positive article about the goings on at the Tacoma Public Library even during a time of funding cuts. From the Article: There’s simply so much to do at the library these days. Besides maintaining their traditional role as the public’s key provider of books and information, libraries today serve as: + Job centers, where throngs of unemployed workers update résumés, learn interview skills and hunt through online job listings. + Tech centers, where patrons can update their Facebook pages on library computers or plug in personal laptops and connect to free WiFi. At home, library card-holders can log on to library websites to read magazines, get real-time homework help from tutors, and download audio books. + Education centers, sponsoring classes on computer skills and crafts, and talks running the gamut from genealogy to green household cleaners to creating publications called zines. + Entertainment and cultural centers, sponsoring movie showings, live performances and art exhibits – all free of charge. [Clip] People have really turned into themselves and are very solitary. They’re communicating on blogs and Facebook, but they don’t see people face to face. They don’t even go to work on a regular basis; they telecommunicate,” said Pierce County Library System spokeswoman Mary Getchell. “People are yearning for this community center.” The theme emerged while the 17-branch library system surveyed patrons last year to develop its 2030 facilities plan. “We heard, ‘Where better to have this community center than the library?’ ” Getchell recalls. “ ‘You’re already open.’ ” [Clip] Yet at the same time people need libraries the most, libraries are facing challenges of their own. The Pierce County Library System eliminated 24 positions this year to help cover a $1.5 million shortfall in a $28. ... Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:25:13 +0100 862256 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BabyBoomerLibrarian/~3/0J6qZx8G3bk/blackberry-delicious.html I am looking for a delicious app for my Bberry. I installed Genicious but it will not display my bookmarks. Is there one that actually works? Wilfred (Bill) Drew, M.S., B.S., Assistant Professor. Librarian. TC3 Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Posted via email from Bill Drew - BabyBoomer Librarian (Source: Baby Boomer Librarian) Sat, 24 Jul 2010 22:41:00 +0100 862069 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/24/tom-mccarthy-futurists-novels-technology Writers have long been fascinated by machinery – what it gives and what it takes away. Tom McCarthy, whose experimental work has been hailed as the future of fiction, charts literature's complicated relationship with technology, at once beautiful and menacingThere's a scene in Don Quixote where the deluded would-be knight is listening to fulling mills. This is not the famous windmill scene: in that one, the machines are clearly visible; this one, by contrast, takes place in pitch-black night. Quixote, struck by the mills' rhythmic metallic clankings, persuades himself that they are the half-articulated groans and snarls of monsters. He's wrong, of course: they're mills. But then again, perhaps, in the way madmen sometimes are, he's right. Just maybe, in the looping chains of broken syllables, the clashing metre of compounded phonemes, he's picking up a message, a weak signal slowly forming in time's static: an announcement, for those astute enough to hear, of a monstrous age of mechanised industry lurking in the night of the future.For centuries, literature has been haunted by technology. When Blake shudders in fearful awe before the tiger, don't be fooled into thinking that he's contemplating nature. What the animal, a product of "hammer", "chain", "furnace" and "anvil", really represents is the industrial revolution. Blake, like Quixote, grappled with dark satanic mills. His contemporary Mary Shelley also created monsters from machines: her Frankenstein, our culture's most enduring parable of technology gone haywire, was written largely in response to the replacement of human textile workers with automated looms, and the subsequent torching of cotton mills by Luddite armies of the newly unemployed. Mills again: perhaps it's no coincidence that they crop up so often. ... Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:06:19 +0100 861752 http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/024789.html Follow up to Several State Attorneys General Announce Probes of Google Wireless Data Collection, this news release: "Attorney General Richard... (Source: beSpacific) Fri, 23 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0100 861807 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BabyBoomerLibrarian/~3/a33BCEbH8W8/my-blackberry-antenna-signal-strength.html My device antenna's current signal strength is -90dBm. Typical values are between -70dBm (good) and -120dBm (poor) Try the Antenna Meter application on your BlackBerry®: http://bit.ly/bPehjx Wilfred (Bill) Drew, M.S., B.S., Assistant Professor. Librarian. TC3 Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Posted via email from Bill Drew - BabyBoomer Librarian (Source: Baby Boomer Librarian) Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:49:00 +0100 861694 http://www.resourceshelf.com/2010/07/22/upcoming-presentation-opportunities-for-mobile-enhanced-library-services-and-collections/ Next week at the Digital Libraries à la Carte 2010 course at Tilburg University, the Netherlands will take place and we hope to link to as many presentations as we can find from the two day event. One presentation that is already online and 100% worth reviewing is by Tito Sierra from North Carolina State University Libraries. It’s titled, “Opportunities for Mobile Enhanced Library Services and Collections,” and is accessible here via Slideshare. The presentation includes 103 slides. As you’ll see at the end of this post, it comes at no surprise that so many exciting ideas and actual resources are coming from NC State. A lot of ground is cover in those 103 slides including: 1. The Mobile Opportunity (Using Stats from Pew Internet, Educause, and New Media Consortium) 2. How Do Libraries Approach This Opportunity? 3. A Review of Mobile Projects at North Carolina State University 4. Principles in Designing the Site 5. Planning for a Mobile Initiative 6. Native App and Web Apps 7. Being Practical 8. The Future (Roving Reference, Collaborative Sharing) 9. Location Awareness 10. Learn by Doing That’s just a few of the topics (without images, insightful points, etc) in 10 slides (out of 135). Again, the complete slide presentation is available here. No Surprise and Real World Examples We’re not surprised to see a presentation like this come from the NC State Libraries. They have been doing some great work and we’ve even mentioned some of it on ResourceShelf during the past seven months. For example: A. From May, 2010: NC State Libraries Releases New Mobile Tool to Turn Mobile Devices Into NC State “Time Machines” Utilizing GPS and a mobile device users can take a self-guided tour of the NC State Campus and learn its history. The service is called WolfWalk (Wolfpack is NC State’s Nickname). B. Coalition For Networked Information (Fall 2009), Mr. ... Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:04:00 +0100 861564