Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Amazon Author Stores
"Amazon Author Stores (beta) are new corners of our bookstore dedicated to offering customers a new way to browse and shop favorite authors, discover new books, and more. Today each Author Store includes a bibliography, and can include a biography, author photo, and discussion board." Here is a link to the JK Rowling Author Store
Librarian of Congress announces National Film Registry selections for 2008
Films selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress 2008:
1) The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
2) Deliverance (1972)
3) Disneyland Dream (1956)
4) A Face in the Crowd (1957)
5) Flower Drum Song (1961)
6) Foolish Wives (1922)
7) Free Radicals (1979)
8) Hallelujah (1929)
9) In Cold Blood (1967)
10) The Invisible Man (1933)
11) Johnny Guitar (1954)
12) The Killers (1946)
13) The March (1964)
14) No Lies (1973)
15) On the Bowery (1957)
16) One Week (1920)
17) The Pawnbroker (1965)
18) The Perils of Pauline (1914)
19) Sergeant York (1941)
20) The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
21) So’s Your Old Man (1926)
22) George Stevens WW2 Footage (1943-46)
23) The Terminator (1984)
24) Water and Power (1989)
25) White Fawn's Devotion (1910)
1) The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
2) Deliverance (1972)
3) Disneyland Dream (1956)
4) A Face in the Crowd (1957)
5) Flower Drum Song (1961)
6) Foolish Wives (1922)
7) Free Radicals (1979)
8) Hallelujah (1929)
9) In Cold Blood (1967)
10) The Invisible Man (1933)
11) Johnny Guitar (1954)
12) The Killers (1946)
13) The March (1964)
14) No Lies (1973)
15) On the Bowery (1957)
16) One Week (1920)
17) The Pawnbroker (1965)
18) The Perils of Pauline (1914)
19) Sergeant York (1941)
20) The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
21) So’s Your Old Man (1926)
22) George Stevens WW2 Footage (1943-46)
23) The Terminator (1984)
24) Water and Power (1989)
25) White Fawn's Devotion (1910)
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Teaching legal research skills
Teaching legal research skills: This CILIP course is designed and intended for participants who already possess a foundation in teaching and training but want to learn how to apply the knowledge and skills to legal research specifically - 26 February 2009 - London, UK
OpenKnowledge
"What is the OpenKnowledge project? In a nutshell, OpenKnowledge is a system which allows peers on an arbitrarily large peer-to-peer network to interact productively with one another without any global agreements or pre-run-time knowledge of who to interact with or how interactions will proceed. Any kind of service (e.g., a WSDL service) can become a peer or else we provide facilities for users to easily create their own peer, by sharing existing code or writing their own"
Monday, December 29, 2008
LUNA Commons
LUNA Commons is a "new source for finding valuable, educational content from digital collections built in the Insight Software from Luna Imaging, Inc. and presented in Insight's dynamic new LUNA browser"
LISTen: The LISNews.org Podcast - Episode #54
LISTen: The LISNews.org Podcast - Episode #54 : "This week's episode doesn't have a single theme. First up is an interview with John C. Dvorak about a sad situation with Google Docs. Following that is a brief report about the impending demise of podcasts hosted on Podango. After the Podango update a commentary is presented on utterances made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, & Sport in the United Kingdom". Previous Podcasts can be found here
Deep Web Research 2009
Marcus P. Zillman on his Deep Web Research 2009: 'Bots, Blogs and News Aggregators is a keynote presentation that I have been delivering over the last several years, and much of my information comes from the extensive research that I have completed into the "invisible" or what I like to call the "deep" web. The Deep Web covers somewhere in the vicinity of 1 trillion pages of information located through the World Wide Web in various files and formats that the current search engines on the Internet either cannot find or have difficulty accessing. Search engines find about 20 billion pages at the time of this publication. In the last several years, some of the more comprehensive search engines have written algorithms to search the deeper portions of the world wide web by attempting to find files such as .pdf, .doc, .xls, ppt, .ps, and others. These files are predominately used by businesses to communicate information within their organization, or to disseminate information to external communities. Searching for this information using deeper search techniques and the latest algorithms allows researchers to obtain a vast amount of corporate information that was previously unavailable or inaccessible. Research has also shown that even deeper information can be obtained from these files by searching and accessing the "properties" information on these files. This guide is designed to provide a wide range of resources to better understand the history of deep web research. It also includes various classified resources that allow you to search through the currently available web to find key sources of information located via an understanding of how to search the "deep web"
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Comparative Literature and Small Axe are now available online
HighWire Press and Duke University Press have announced that the full text of Comparative Literature and Small Axe are now available online
ALA seeks $100m in stimulus funding
"The American Library Association is asking Congress for a one-time infusion of $100 million in stimulus funding to help libraries aid Americans as they deal with the nation's current fiscal crisis. At a time when Congress is considering another economic stimulus package, ALA points out that public library usage has risen during this tough economic time while their budgets face severe budget cutbacks. While public libraries depend heavily on local property taxes to maintain operations, increased foreclosure rates, lower home values, and fewer sales have sharply reduced available funds, forcing libraries to cut services and hours" - Library Journal
Friday, December 26, 2008
The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference
The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference - this week: Unusual Musical Instruments. Answers here.
1. What is the name for pairs of wooden discs worn on the thumbs and clicked together rhythmically to accompany dancing, especially in Spain?
2. Larry Adler's virtuosity inspired Vaughan Williams, Darius Milhaud and Malcolm Arnold to write serious music for which instrument?
3. Which musical wind instrument, made from a hollow eucalyptus branch and blown to produce booming notes, was first developed and played by Australian Aborigines?
4. Is the ukulele a stringed, percussion or brass instrument?
5. Which novelty musical instrument, popularised by Rolf Harris, consists of a sheet of masonite (hardboard or fibreboard) shaken to create a low-pitched rhythmic oscillation?
6. What is a sousaphone?
7. What is the name for a board, originally used for scrubbing clothes, which is played as a rhythm instrument in skiffle, Country and Western music, etc.?
8. Which instrument was used by Anton Karas to play the musical score for the 1949 film "The Third Man"?
9. Which electronic instrument, invented in Russia in 1919 by Leon Termen, was used in the score for Hitchock's film "Spellbound" and in the Beach Boys' 1966 hit "Good Vibrations"?
10. Is the dulcimer played with the fingers, the breath, or struck with small mallets?
1. What is the name for pairs of wooden discs worn on the thumbs and clicked together rhythmically to accompany dancing, especially in Spain?
2. Larry Adler's virtuosity inspired Vaughan Williams, Darius Milhaud and Malcolm Arnold to write serious music for which instrument?
3. Which musical wind instrument, made from a hollow eucalyptus branch and blown to produce booming notes, was first developed and played by Australian Aborigines?
4. Is the ukulele a stringed, percussion or brass instrument?
5. Which novelty musical instrument, popularised by Rolf Harris, consists of a sheet of masonite (hardboard or fibreboard) shaken to create a low-pitched rhythmic oscillation?
6. What is a sousaphone?
7. What is the name for a board, originally used for scrubbing clothes, which is played as a rhythm instrument in skiffle, Country and Western music, etc.?
8. Which instrument was used by Anton Karas to play the musical score for the 1949 film "The Third Man"?
9. Which electronic instrument, invented in Russia in 1919 by Leon Termen, was used in the score for Hitchock's film "Spellbound" and in the Beach Boys' 1966 hit "Good Vibrations"?
10. Is the dulcimer played with the fingers, the breath, or struck with small mallets?
Darwin wife's cookbook published
"A cookbook based on notes by Charles Darwin's wife is to be published. Mrs Charles Darwin's Recipe Book features more than 40 dishes from her personal cookery notebook, which is housed in Cambridge University Library. Turnip cresselly, broiled mushrooms, cheese straws and baked apple pudding all feature in the Victorian notes. Sales of the book, which is being published by the university, will help fund research into, and the publication of, Mr Darwin's letters. Adam Perkins, curator of scientific manuscripts at Cambridge University Library, said: "His (Charles Darwin's) theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the most important in the history of science and we are still studying everything he wrote. "But it's an expensive process and requires skilled people, so continued funding of the project is vital." Charles Darwin attended Christ's College at Cambridge University between 1828 and 1831" - BBCThursday, December 25, 2008
UK playwright Harold Pinter dies
Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter, who had cancer, died on Christmas Eve aged 78. He wrote more than 30 plays including The Caretaker and The Birthday Party. His film scripts include The French Lieutenant's Woman. His style was so distinctive, "Pinteresque" entered the Oxford English Dictionary. His wife, Lady Antonia Fraser, said: "He was a great, and it was a privilege to live with him for over 33 years." He had been due to pick up an honorary degree earlier this month from the Central School of Speech and Drama in London but was forced to withdraw due to illness - BBCSearch Engine Strategies 2009
"Search Engine Strategies is the leading global conference & expo series that educates delegates on search engine marketing, including optimization and advertising strategies, tactics and best practices. SES Search Marketing Events provide instruction from the industry's top Search experts, including representatives of the Search Engines themselves"
London, UK - February 17-20, 2009
New York, USA - March 23-26, 2009
Toronto Canada - June 8-10, 2009
London, UK - February 17-20, 2009
New York, USA - March 23-26, 2009
Toronto Canada - June 8-10, 2009
Repository Services Day
Repository Services Day - "The Repositories Support Project is organising this event on the 15 January 2009 at the University of Bath, UK. The intention is to bring together librarians, repository managers and representatives from a variety of different services at a practical focussed event to talk together and share perspectives, requirements, problems and solutions"
ABC-CLIO eZine - December 2008
The December 2008 issue of the ABC-CLIO eZine is now available online
2009 Green Book Festival call for entries
"The 2009 Green Book Festival has issued a call for entries to its annual competition honoring books that contribute to greater understanding, respect and positive action on the changing worldwide environment. The 2009 Green Book Festival will consider published, self-published and independent publisher works in the following categories: non-fiction, fiction, children's books, teenage, how-to, audio/spoken word, comics/graphic novels, poetry, science fiction/horror, biography/autobiography, gardening, cookbooks, animals, photography/art, e-books, wild card (anything goes!), scientific, white paper, legal and spiritual. Entries can be in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese or Italian. Our grand prize for the 2009 Green Book Festival Author of the Year is $1500 and transportation to our April, 2009 Earth Day celebration in Los Angeles OR an equivalent amount donated in your name to the environmental charity of your choice"
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Judging panel announced for Man Booker Prize 2009
The judging panel for the 2009 Man Booker Prize for Fiction has been announced. The line-up consists of Lucasta Miller, biographer and critic; Michael Prodger, Literary Editor of The Sunday Telegraph; John Mullan, academic, journalist and broadcaster and Sue Perkins, comedian and broadcaster. James Naughtie, one of the country's best-known broadcasters, was announced as Chair of the Judges in November. Ion Trewin, Literary Director of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, describes the 2009 Judging panel as 'A team of all the talents, wide-ranging in their specialist knowledge, but united in their passion for fiction.'MARC Discussion Paper no. 2009-DP02
MARC Discussion Paper no. 2009-DP02 proposes a new field 588 for information useful for administrative or record management metadata
Crime and punishment at The National Archives (UK)
Highway robbery, burglary and horse theft are rife among the criminal records recently catalogued at The National Archives (UK) – not to mention the strange case of the 'Hammersmith ghost'. Thanks to the work of 21 volunteers over a period of eight years, details from the judges' reports on nearly 4,000 criminals between 1784 and 1829 are now available in the Catalogue in HO 47. They can be searched by name, place and date, as well as crime, court and punishmentDesigning Libraries Newsletter - December 2008
Designing Libraries Newsletter, Issue 16, December 2008 is now available
Becta Next Generation Awards shortlist announced
Judges for Becta's newest award scheme, the Next Generation Learning Awards, have revealed the shortlisted organisations ahead of the ceremony planned for March 2009. The awards, which were launched earlier in the year, celebrate the of creative use of ICT in the further education (FE) and skills sector
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The Guardian Higher Education Summit 2009
The Guardian Higher Education Summit 2009 - 2 February 2009 - London, UK
Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 3/4
Evidence Based Library and Information Practice - Vol 3, No 4 (2008) is now available
School Libraries in View - Winter 2008-09
School Libraries in View, Issue No 26, Winter 2008-09 is now available online from The School Libraries Group of The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
I Love My Librarian Award Ceremony
"Ten winners of the inaugural Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award were recognized at a ceremony hosted by the New York Times December 9. The award, administered by the ALA's Public Information Office and the Campaign for America's Libraries, recognizes public, school, and college librarians for service to their communities, schools, and campuses"
Monday, December 22, 2008
LISTen: The LISNews.org Podcast - Episode #53
LISTen: The LISNews.org Podcast - Episode #53 : "The episode begins with a recap of the top ten stories of the past week at LISNews. Following that the sixteenth installment of Tech for Techies is presented discussing some recent remarks by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Homeland Security as they might relate to libraries. A review of openSUSE 11.1, which is available for purchase as well as download, is then given. Wrapping up the episode included a note that a Christmas special may or may not happen. Decisions have not been taken yet on that". Previous Podcasts can be found here
Project Gutenberg release Mobile Edition eBooks
"PG Mobile is going to be a new addition to gutenberg.org, which will allow mobile/cell phone users to download and read eBooks. The files will be available on the normal download page of any PG eBook"
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Oxford University Press is now Shibboleth-compliant
Oxford University Press has announced that from Monday 22 December its journals and many online products can now be accessed using Shibboleth by subscribing institutions who are members of the UK Access Management Federation. Shibboleth is a system used by libraries to control access to online resources. Library users in institutions that use Shibboleth can now access the full text of all Oxford journals, and online resources such as Oxford Reference Online and Oxford English Dictionary using their institutional usernames and passwords
Journal of Information Literacy 2/2
Journal of Information Literacy Vol 2, No 2 (2008) now available
The Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences
"The Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences is published by the Guild of Independent Scholars and its affiliated organizations. The goal of the journal is to give voice to independent scholars and practitioners from around the world. JAPSS favors a multidisciplinary approach to social problems and strives to provide an open forum for the deliberation of ideas by the international community of scholars and practitioners. As an open license publication, JAPSS is distributed for free electronically and for a nominal fee in printed form through the print on demand system"
World Library and Information Congress: 75th IFLA General Conference and Assembly
The World Library and Information Congress 2009, 75th IFLA General Conference and Assembly, will take place in the Fiera Milano Convention Centre (MIC), Milan, Italy - 23-27 August 2009Saturday, December 20, 2008
Books and Libraries in the Digital Age - Video
"Perhaps because he is a historian rather than librarian by training, Robert Darnton regards the vast ocean of digital information that civilization has begun accumulating with relish rather than anxiety. Darnton delves into European archives to find raw material, boxes of cast-off 'ephemera,' for his stories of how people lived hundreds of years ago. No wonder he believes 'it's important to preserve as much as you can because you don't know what will turn out to be significant'" - October 16, 2008. Running Time: 1:54:12
Bookbird via Project Muse
Bookbird, published by the University of Toronto Press, is now available at Project Muse
JISC launches YouTube channel
JISC, The Joint Information Systems Committee in the UK, has set up a YouTube channel. You can keep up-to-date with new entries by subscribing to it RSS feed
Jailed dads to send kids inside bedtime stories
"Prisoners in Edinburgh's Saughton Jail, Scotland, will soon be able to film themselves reading bedtime stories to send home to their children. The pilot scheme, called Storybook Dads, was unveiled yesterday as the ribbon was cut on a new GBP18,000 refurbished library in the prison. It will see inmate fathers being recorded and a DVD being sent home so that they can communicate and bond with their offspring. If successful the scheme could be rolled out across the country. The refurbishment has also seen the library kitted out with modern equipment such as laptops as well as a larger range of books than ever before" - ScotsmanPrimary Source - December 2008
Primary Source - December 2008 issue now available from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Washington, DC, USA
Friday, December 19, 2008
The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference
The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference - this week: Christmas films and books. Answers here.
1. Who stole Christmas in a 1957 story by Dr Seuss which became a major film in 2000?
2. Which 1993 film was produced by Tim Burton: the first feature-length stop-motion animated film to be released by the Disney company?
3. Which 1946 film, directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, was based on "The Greatest Gift", a story penned by Philip Van Doren Stern to send to his friends as a Christmas card?
4. Complete this title of a Japanese POW film drama starring David Bowie and Tom Conti: "Merry Christmas...".
5. In Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol", what name is given to the last ghost to visit Ebenezer Scrooge?
6. Which miraculous 1947 film starred Edmund Gwenn as "Kris Kringle", recruited as Macy's Santa Claus during New York's Christmas rush? The film was remade in 1994.
7. In which 1942 film did Bing Crosby first introduce Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", the most popular secular Christmas song of all time?
8. Which Christmas song was sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 film "Meet Me in St Louis"?
9. Who wrote the 1981 novel "The Birds of the Air" which critiques the silliness of the English Christmas?
10. "The Karate Kid" was a Hollywood film that saw its youthful hero change from chump to champ during the seven weeks between when and Christmas?
1. Who stole Christmas in a 1957 story by Dr Seuss which became a major film in 2000?
2. Which 1993 film was produced by Tim Burton: the first feature-length stop-motion animated film to be released by the Disney company?
3. Which 1946 film, directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, was based on "The Greatest Gift", a story penned by Philip Van Doren Stern to send to his friends as a Christmas card?
4. Complete this title of a Japanese POW film drama starring David Bowie and Tom Conti: "Merry Christmas...".
5. In Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol", what name is given to the last ghost to visit Ebenezer Scrooge?
6. Which miraculous 1947 film starred Edmund Gwenn as "Kris Kringle", recruited as Macy's Santa Claus during New York's Christmas rush? The film was remade in 1994.
7. In which 1942 film did Bing Crosby first introduce Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", the most popular secular Christmas song of all time?
8. Which Christmas song was sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 film "Meet Me in St Louis"?
9. Who wrote the 1981 novel "The Birds of the Air" which critiques the silliness of the English Christmas?
10. "The Karate Kid" was a Hollywood film that saw its youthful hero change from chump to champ during the seven weeks between when and Christmas?
Podcast: Filling the gaps
Professor Peter Hennessy presents records officers and information managers as 'unsung heroes' in providing historians, such as himself, with rich collections to use. He also discusses the hugely successful Waldegrave initiative which has led to hundreds of thousands of files being released, creating a new currency for historians - UK National Archives
Free DVDs, books, downloads bring people back to library
"Nearly 37,000 Denver residents added the same thing to their wallets last year: a library card. Library workers expect that number to increase even more as people look to save money. 'When people can't pay $20 to catch a show downtown, they can come here for free and educate themselves,' said library patron Brian Kalkoph as he browsed through shelves of CDs that can be checked out. 'When times get though, people go to the library,' said spokesperson Celeste Jackson. She estimates that 75 percent of Denver residents now have library cards"
Gates Foundation awards $6.9 million in grants for public libraries
"A pilot initiative announced by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will help public libraries in seven states secure faster Internet connections so more people can access a full range of online applications and opportunities. The foundation has awarded $6,959,771 in combined grant funding to Connected Nation, a non-profit broadband Internet advocacy group, and the American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) to support improved Internet connections for public libraries in Arkansas, California, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Virginia"
Tales from the Terminal Room - December 2008
Tales from the Terminal Room - December 2008, Issue No. 85 is now available. Tales from the Terminal Room (TFTTR) is an electronic newsletter that includes reviews and comparisons of information sources; useful tools for managing information; technical and access problems on the Net; and news of RBA's training courses and publications. Editor: Karen Blakeman. Published by: RBA Information Services
JISC Annual Review 2008
JISC Annual Review 2008 is now available. "It documents a year of activity and accomplishment in JISC's key spheres of interest. Including links to audio interviews with outgoing Chair Sir Ron Cooke and JISC Executive Secretary Dr Malcolm Read, it also features a vibrant image gallery and a Year in View providing highlights of JISC's often pioneering work during the 2007-2008 academic year"
Health Sciences Online
Health Sciences Online "is the first website to deliver authoritative, comprehensive, free, and ad-free health sciences knowledge. Search and browse any health sciences topic from over 50,000 courses, references, guidelines, and other learning resources. Materials are selected from accredited educational sources including universities, governments, and professional societies, by knowledgeable staff at HSO"
NISO 2009 Webinar Series
The 2009 schedule of NISO in-person education events and webinars is now available. Included in 2009 is a regular monthly webinar to be held on the second Wednesday of each month. Attendees can register for individual sessions or can purchase a subscription package for the webinar series. Those who have plans to participate in multiple webinars have the benefit of pre-paying for three and receiving admission to a fourth at no charge. Registration for the entire 2009 webinar schedule enables the participant to receive 50% off the registration price for the entire scheduled series of 12
Information Research - Volume 13 No 4 - December 2008
Information Research - Volume 13 No 4 - December 2008 is now available from Publisher/Editor in Chief, Professor Tom Wilson
Digital Preservation Training Programme - February 2009
The Digital Preservation Training Programme is predicated on the need for institutions to combine organisational and technological perspectives to devise an appropriate response to the challenges that digital preservation requirements present. It is aimed at managers in institutions who are grappling with fundamental DP issues - 23-25 February 2009 - London, UKDirectory of Open Access Journals - recently added titles
The Old and New Concepts of Physics
Vegetable Crops Research Bulletin
Vestnik Zoologii
Global Health Action
Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B: Natural, Exact and Applied Sciences
Psychology of Language and Communication
Radiology and Oncology
South East European Journal of Economics and Business
Polish Maritime Research
Physical Education and Sport
Polish Journal of chemical technology
Polish Journal of Natural Sciences
Philologia
Vegetable Crops Research Bulletin
Vestnik Zoologii
Global Health Action
Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B: Natural, Exact and Applied Sciences
Psychology of Language and Communication
Radiology and Oncology
South East European Journal of Economics and Business
Polish Maritime Research
Physical Education and Sport
Polish Journal of chemical technology
Polish Journal of Natural Sciences
Philologia
What status for “open”?
What status for "open"? An examination of the licensing policies of open educational organizations and projects. A Report to The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, December 2008. "The report asks, 'What makes an educational resource 'open'? Is it enough that resources are available on the World Wide Web free of charge, or does openness require something more?' These questions have become more urgent as the open education movement has gained momentum and as potential users of open educational resources increasingly face uncertainty about whether permission is required when they translate, reuse, adapt, or simply republish the resources they find"
ARL Law Library Statistics 2006–2007 published
The Association of Research Libraries has published the ARL Academic Law Library Statistics 2006–2007, which presents data that describe collections, expenditures, personnel, and services in 75 law libraries at ARL member institutions throughout North America
ARL Health Sciences Library Statistics 2006–2007 published
The Association of Research Libraries has published the ARL Academic Health Sciences Library Statistics 2006–2007, which presents data that describe collections, expenditures, personnel, and services in 65 medical libraries at ARL member institutions throughout North America
ARL Statistics 2006-2007 published
The Association of Research Libraries has published the ARL Statistics 2006–2007, the latest in a series of annual publications that describe the collections, staffing, expenditures, and service activities of ARL's 123 member libraries. Of these member libraries, 113 are university libraries (14 in Canada, 99 in the US); the remaining 10 are public, governmental, and private research libraries (2 in Canada, 8 in the US)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Library 2.0 Gang Podcast: December 2008: A look forward in to 2009
"Festive holiday time is a good time to look back at the year almost ended and to then attempt to predict what will be in the next year. It's no different for the Library 2.0 Gang. In this month's show Talin Bingham, Carl Grant, Nicole Engard and John Blyberg congregate around the virtual log fire and exchange their views on the significant events for libraries, and the technologies that influence them, that occurred in 2008. From new commercial product releases and the ongoing march of Open Source, to issues around openness and licensing, it has been a significant time. Drawing on the themes that have emerged over the last twelve months the gang then speculates on what will be grabbing our attention and influencing our world in 2009, which could prove to be even more significant."
The Tales of Beedle the Bard makes GBP4m for charity
"JK Rowling has expressed her thanks today to all those who have bought a copy of her charity book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, making it the fastest selling title of 2008 and raising millions of pounds for children suffering in institutions. 'I am absolutely delighted that so much money has been raised', she said, 'and would like to thank everyone who has so far purchased a copy of the book. All royalties will be going to help children without families, many of them with disabilities, whose voices have been unheard for many years.' The first official international sales figures for Beedle, out today, show the book is set to become a Christmas bestseller. More than 2.6 million copies have been sold worldwide generating GBP4.2 million for the Children's High Level Group (CHLG), the charity co-founded by JK Rowling to help vulnerable children in Central and Eastern Europe"
Shaikh Isa Cultural Centre and National Library
"His Majesty King Hamad will officially open the BD20 million Shaikh Isa Cultural Centre and National Library in Juffair, Bahrain, this afternoon as part of the ongoing National Day and Accession Day festivities. His Majesty and other leaders will be received by Supreme Islamic Council chairman and the centre's board of trustees chairman Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa. The landmark cultural edifice, the biggest of its kind in the GCC, is a tribute to the late Amir His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Affiliated with the Royal Court, the centre will offer readers and researchers a wide range of books in all fields of human knowledge. It will also host cultural and scientific activities, exhibitions, conferences and forums" - Gulf Daily NewsThe Second World Summit on the Knowledge Society
The Second World Summit on the Knowledge Society - 16-18 September, 2009 - Crete, Greece
2009 PLA Spring Symposium
2009 Public Library Association Spring Symposium - April 2-4, 2009 - Nashville, Tennessee
New ACRL publication: Academic Library Research: Perspectives and Current Trends
The Association of College and Research Libraries has released a new publication, Academic Library Research: Perspectives and Current Trends, edited by Marie L. Radford and Pamela Snelson. The title is number 59 in the ACRL Publications in Librarianship monographic series, edited by Craig Gibson
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
FreePint News and Bar Digest - December 2008
FreePint News and Bar Digest - December 2008 is now available online
Quebec City Passenger Lists Index 1865-1900
Passenger lists (RG 76) were the official Canadian immigration documents. Through this research tool, you can search by name of passengers to access digitized images of original passenger lists for arrivals at Quebec from 1865 to 1900 which list the name, age, country of origin, occupation and destination of each passenger. From Library and Archives CanadaDirectory of Learning Professionals (& Others) on Twitter
Directory of Learning Professionals (& Others) on Twitter lists (in alphabetical order by Twitter username) learning professionals from both education and corporate training, as well as other related professionals and e-learning products and services on Twitter
Penn Libraries receive Gotham Book Mart Collection
"When the Gotham Book Mart closed its doors last year, the disposition of its precious contents was in question. But thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the Gotham Book Mart Collection has a new home at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries. A landmark cultural institution in New York City, the Gotham Book Mart was the epitome of all that is engaging and inspiring about an independent bookstore. It was an oasis where poets, writers, and lovers of literature could gather for readings, discuss and discover authors and their works, and while away hours poring over the store's eclectic and often unique inventory. The Gotham Book Mart Collection comprises some 200,000 items, primarily focused on modern and contemporary poetry and literature, but also encompassing art, architecture, jewelry, music, dance, theater, drama, and film. The collection includes many first editions, books from small presses, experimental literary magazines, outsider literature published by Black Sparrow Press, poetry published by St. Mark's Church, books from the personal libraries of Truman Capote and Anais Nin, proofs, advance copies, pamphlets, photographs, posters, reference works and catalogs, broadsides, prints, postcards, and items signed by Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Robinson Jeffers, Woody Allen, Wallace Stevens, and John Updike"
JISC Podcast: The importance of innovation to the future of higher education
Sarah Porter is JISC's Head of Innovation, responsible for leading JISC's work to support innovation across the higher education sector. In this podcast interview, given at JISC's Innovation Forum in the summer, Sarah talks about the importance of innovation and why investment in innovation is crucial to the future of the sectorGraduate Student and Faculty Spaces and Services, SPEC Kit 308, from ARL
The Association of Research Libraries has published Graduate Student and Faculty Spaces and Services, SPEC Kit 308, which explores the variety of resources and services being delivered to or envisioned for these users by ARL member libraries
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Library of Congress Digital Preservation Newsletter - December 2008
The December 2008 issue of the Library of Congress Digital Preservation Newsletter is now available
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine
The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine is an open-access and online-only journal that allows all readers from the medical science community, as well as the general public, to have access to all material published in this journal which is totally free of any charges
BCR, BiblioLife and Ingram Digital launch partnership to help libraries digitize collections and expand access
BCR, BiblioLife and Ingram Digital have announced a new program designed to help libraries improve access to their collections through digitization. BCR's Shelf2Life program digitizes pre-1923, U.S. published monographs and offers those and other previously digitized materials in both digital and print-on-demand formats. Brenda Bailey-Hainer, President & CEO of BCR, says of the program, 'The Shelf2Life program allows us to offer a new service that benefits libraries and cultural heritage institutions as well as the opportunity to be part of an innovative partnership.'
LISTen: The LISNews.org Podcast - Episode #52
LISTen: The LISNews.org Podcast - Episode #52 : "This week's late episode brings interviews concerning technology. The first interview was with Jerry Bell of Cytec Corporation about PodboxxTV. The second is with the CEO of Mahalo, Jason Calacanis, about the newly launched Mahalo Answers". Previous Podcasts can be found here
Gale acquires HighBeam Research, Inc.
"Gale, part of Cengage Learning, has acquired HighBeam Research, Inc., producer of the award-winning HighBeam Research Library and the online reference site Encyclopedia.com. With its mission of helping people find, organize, and share authoritative information via the Web, HighBeam offers a broad collection of editorially selected information that supports learning and inquiry. Its growing base of content, which includes newspaper archives, journal articles, magazines, reference works and more, provides a powerful resource for individuals, students, and business professionals. The HighBeam Research Library has garnered numerous awards, including a prestigious CODiE for 'Best Online Reference Service."
Copac adds French Institute catalogue
From Copac: "The multimedia library of the Institut français (French Institute) offers wide and varied documentation on France, and especially the works of French and French-speaking authors. With over 60,000 documents it holds one of the largest free-access collection of French material in the UK. From French language and civilization to culture and human sciences, every field of knowledge is covered in various media"
ARL Statistics "Counting Serial Titles" webcast archive now available
The ARL Statistics December 10th webcast to member libraries, Counting Serial Titles, is now available on the ARL Statistics Web site. The presentation's PowerPoint slides may also be downloaded separately from the site. The webcast reported on the findings of the ARL Ad Hoc Task Force on Best Practices for Counting Serial Titles and the way the work of the group has informed changes in the ARL Statistics 2007–08 survey
Monday, December 15, 2008
Alzheimer's Research & Therapy
Alzheimer's Research & Therapy "aims to be the major forum for translational research into Alzheimer's disease. An international peer-reviewed journal, it will publish open access research articles of outstanding quality. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy will publish basic research with a translational focus, as well as clinical trials, and research into drug discovery and development. Although the primary focus is Alzheimer's dementia, the scope will encompass translational research into other neurodegenerative diseases"
Cites & Insights 9:1 (January 2009)
Cites & Insights 9:1 (January 2009) is now available for downloading
Ideas in Ecology and Evolution
Ideas in Ecology and Evolution "publishes only short forum-style articles that develop new ideas or that involve original commentaries on any topics within the broad domains of fundamental or applied ecology or evolution. They may encompass any level of biological organization, and involve any taxa, including humans. Articles may concern subject matter within any recognized sub-discipline of ecology or evolution, or they may be broader in scope, including articles that aim to inform fields of study outside of biology. All articles will be joined by a conceptual foundation in the core principles of ecology and evolution studied by biologists"
Journal of American History Podcast
Journal of American History Podcast - "In this new feature of the Journal of American History, we will present interviews with authors of articles in our journal. In the future, we hope also to bring you conversations with award-winning authors of books on American history"
Libraries to offer 'smart meters'
Library users in York, UK, are being given the chance to test out "smart meters" to track how much electricity and gas they use. From Monday library members across the city can to borrow a smart meter as easily as they would borrow a book. The devices record how much energy is being used in the home and gives tips on how to reduce bills. Councillor Christian Vassie said he had trialled the meters at his home and was saving £350 per year as a result. He said: "Giving people the tools to learn and change the way they use energy is exactly what libraries should be doing. "Having just returned from an international conference on energy, I believe we may well be the first local authority in Europe to take this step." - BBC Sunday, December 14, 2008
Journal of Human Rights and the Environment
Journal of Human Rights and the Environment is a new publication coming from Edward Elgar Publishing in 2010
New purchase options for Wiley-Blackwell Journal Backfiles
"In 2009 institutional customers will have the option to:
* Pick and choose backfiles at the individual title level
* Purchase backfiles in newly expanded Subject Collections with no overlapping titles, giving you access to the complete backfile in a specific discipline
* If you have already purchased any of the Wiley Backfile Collections, you can supplement them with access to the additional titles at a special discount
All titles and Collections are available for a one-time fee with no running costs, providing you with perpetual access to the years of content bought. Volume discounts are available depending on your order total"
* Pick and choose backfiles at the individual title level
* Purchase backfiles in newly expanded Subject Collections with no overlapping titles, giving you access to the complete backfile in a specific discipline
* If you have already purchased any of the Wiley Backfile Collections, you can supplement them with access to the additional titles at a special discount
All titles and Collections are available for a one-time fee with no running costs, providing you with perpetual access to the years of content bought. Volume discounts are available depending on your order total"
BC ELN Connect - December 2008
BC ELN Connect - December 2008 issue is now available from the British Columbia Electronic Library Network, Canada
The International Barcode of Life project
The International Barcode of Life project (iBOL) has one overarching goal - to assemble the sequence library and the technology necessary to identify organisms rapidly and inexpensively. This goal is underpinned by the observation that sequence diversity in short, standardized gene regions (DNA barcodes) enables both the identification of known species and the discovery of new ones. By building an identification system based on digital DNA strings rather than on analogue traits, DNA barcoding promises a massive improvement in our capacity to monitor and manage biodiversity with profound societal and economic impacts
Saturday, December 13, 2008
New European Union prize for literature to be awarded in 2009
The European Commission has launched a new European Union prize for contemporary literature. The aim is to put the spotlight on the creative and diverse wealth of Europe's contemporary literature, promote more circulation of literature within Europe and greater interest in non-national literary works
2008 Guardian first book award winner announced
"An intricate, kaleidoscopic, all-embracing history of 20th-century music from Mahler to La Monte Young is the winner of this year's Guardian first book award. Alex Ross's The Rest Is Noise was the clear and undisputed winner of the £10,000 prize, which has been presented at a ceremony in central London"Biblio Tech Review - December 2008
The December 2008 issue of Biblio Tech Review is now available. This issue includes:
* Ingram Digital, McGraw-Hill partner to bring advanced learning tools to Latin America
* India's Panjab University Library Taps 3M for Turnkey Conversion to RFID Circulation Management and Security
* Serials Solutions announces new reporting for the Serials Solutions 360 Resource Manager
* Oxford University Press deploys Thomson Reuters tool JADE to examine and expand subscriber base
* Ingram Digital, McGraw-Hill partner to bring advanced learning tools to Latin America
* India's Panjab University Library Taps 3M for Turnkey Conversion to RFID Circulation Management and Security
* Serials Solutions announces new reporting for the Serials Solutions 360 Resource Manager
* Oxford University Press deploys Thomson Reuters tool JADE to examine and expand subscriber base
Recipients of third annual Mellon Awards for Technology Collaboration announced
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded $650,000 in prizes to ten not-for-profit institutions in the third annual Mellon Awards for Technology Collaboration. The Mellon Awards honor not-for-profit organizations for leadership in the collaborative development of open source software tools with application to scholarship in the arts and humanities, as well as cultural-heritage not-for-profit activities
SAGE to publish International Journal of Toxicology
SAGE has partnered with the American College of Toxicology to publish its official publication, the International Journal of Toxicology, beginning in 2009. The peer-reviewed, bi-monthly International Journal of Toxicology publishes current research for toxicologists, including such issues as: safety assessments, novel approaches to toxicological testing, mechanisms of toxicity, biomarkers, and risk assessment. The journal also publishes invited reviews on contemporary topics, articles based on symposia, and quarterly supplements from the Cosmetic Review Expert Panel
Liber Quarterly - Volume 18 (2008) No. 3/4
Liber Quarterly - Volume 18 (2008) No. 3/4 is now available from the European Association for Research Libraries
Votes for women, December 1918
14 December marks the 90th anniversary of the election of the first woman to the British House of Commons, and the first election in which women were able to stand as candidates and to vote. The 1918 election was also the first in which all men aged 21 or over could vote (free of earlier property qualifications), while the female franchise was initially restricted to women aged 30 or over who met certain property requirements. The vote was extended to all women (aged 21 or over) in 1928 and cast a year later in what was dubbed the Flapper election - ODNBJournal of Global Infectious Diseases
The Board of Editors and the International Infectiologists Network in partnership with Medknow Publications present the Journal of Global Infectious Diseases. JGID will promote the Translation of Science from Bedside to Benchside and Beyond in the field of Infectious Diseases across the world. It will publish scientific contributions such as Original Articles, Review Articles, Case Reports, Case Series, Clinical Trials, Clinical Investigations, Interesting Photographs, Radiology and EKGs and Expert Commentaries. The journal is peer reviewed and indexed. Article Submission and Peer Review is fully Online and Web BasedNational Library of Israel adds 788,000 records to OCLC WorldCat
"The National Library of Israel and OCLC have completed a pilot project that has resulted in the addition of more than 788,000 new bibliographic records and 1.1 million holdings from the national library to WorldCat, the world's largest online resource for finding information in libraries. These records from the National Library of Israel are now visible to Web searchers through WorldCat.org. The National Library of Israel, formerly known as the Jewish National and University Library, worked with OCLC in the pilot project to explore and resolve issues in adding records containing only non-Latin script data to WorldCat. Most of the new records added to WorldCat represent materials in Hebrew script, but significant numbers of records represent Arabic-script and Cyrillic-script publications. The National Library of Israel will continue to add records to WorldCat as new materials are cataloged."
More non-conformist birth, marriage and death records go online
More than 600,000 records of births, baptisms, marriages and burials have been added to the searchable online service at BMDRegisters. These records were previously only viewable on microfilm as the RG 8 series. Among the extensive collections you can find:
* Maternity records from the British Lying-in Hospital, Holborn, 1749-1868
* Registers of burials in the Victoria Park Cemetery, Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, Bethnal Green Protestant Dissenters Burying Ground and many more
* The archive of the Russian Orthodox Church in London, 1721-1927: these records include births, marriages, deaths and conversions, as well as comprehensive general records on the day-to-day running of the church
* Maternity records from the British Lying-in Hospital, Holborn, 1749-1868
* Registers of burials in the Victoria Park Cemetery, Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, Bethnal Green Protestant Dissenters Burying Ground and many more
* The archive of the Russian Orthodox Church in London, 1721-1927: these records include births, marriages, deaths and conversions, as well as comprehensive general records on the day-to-day running of the church
Credo Reference adds key University of Chicago Press references
Credo Reference has signed an agreement with the University of Chicago Press to integrate four titles into the Credo General Reference collection. As a result of the agreement, Credo Reference researchers will be able to access the following titles:
Critical Terms for Art History, 2nd edition
Critical Terms for Literary Study, 2nd edition
Critical Terms for Religious Studies
Critical Terms for the Study of Buddhism
Critical Terms for Art History, 2nd edition
Critical Terms for Literary Study, 2nd edition
Critical Terms for Religious Studies
Critical Terms for the Study of Buddhism
ASA Conference 2009
Association of Subscription Agents & Intermediaries Conference 2009 - 16-17 February 2009 - London, UK
Podcast: Merchant Navy Operational Records
Janet Dempsey examines the wealth of records which deal with the tragedy, terror, heroism and honour of the Merchant Navy in both World Wars. - UK National Archives Podcast
Book Digitized Reading Online Protocol (BookDROP)
"This document specifies an industry standard for the discovery, browse, search, and distribution of digitized book content over the World Wide Web. The purpose of this standard is to encourage the promotion and distribution of digital content while at the same time allowing publishers to manage the quality and availability of the content."
Calendar of Close Rolls
From British History Online: "The calendar for the reign of Edward II is now live. Offered as part of our premium content service, this is the latest stage in our publication of the complete Calendar for the period 1227 to 1509. Our premium content service also includes the complete Calendar of State Papers, Domestic series"
Friday, December 12, 2008
The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference
The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference - this week: Spain. Answers here.
1. What is the capital of Spain?
2. What is the name of the mountain chain between France and Spain?
3. In bullfighting, what is a picador?
4. Are wines from Rioja predominantly red or white?
5. Which Spanish novelist wrote "Don Quixote" about a self-deluding knight errant?
6. What is the name of the plateau which covers most of Spain?
7. Who designed the Church of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona?
8. Which Spanish composer wrote the guitar concerto called "Concierto de Aranjuez"?
9. Which Spanish painter between 1810 and 1814 executed 65 etchings called "Los Desastres de la Guerra" (The Disasters of War)?
10. What is the "zapateado"?
1. What is the capital of Spain?
2. What is the name of the mountain chain between France and Spain?
3. In bullfighting, what is a picador?
4. Are wines from Rioja predominantly red or white?
5. Which Spanish novelist wrote "Don Quixote" about a self-deluding knight errant?
6. What is the name of the plateau which covers most of Spain?
7. Who designed the Church of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona?
8. Which Spanish composer wrote the guitar concerto called "Concierto de Aranjuez"?
9. Which Spanish painter between 1810 and 1814 executed 65 etchings called "Los Desastres de la Guerra" (The Disasters of War)?
10. What is the "zapateado"?
National Library of Scotland selects Hitachi Data Systems to build digital archive
"Hitachi Data Systems has announced that it is supporting the National Library of Scotland in its plans to build a digital archive; allowing it to ramp up its digitisation efforts. The library's Digital Repository, which is starting to be populated with digital copies of the Library's collection of over 14 million items which includes nearly 2 million maps and 100,000 manuscripts, is accessible to public viewers both within and outside Scotland and preserves almost 400 years of the country's historical and cultural heritage. As the legal deposit library for Scotland, NLS is entitled to claim a copy of each one of the 6,000 publications released in Great Britain every week. In 2004 the library adopted a new strategy of 'Breaking through the Walls,' aiming to make its collections more accessible to a wider range of people no matter where they are located. With new titles being added daily, the library needed to ensure that its DR was not only available to current users but also able to grow substantially. The library includes among its collection some extremely valuable historical documents, including the first Scottish books ever printed, so it also had to be secure enough to keep the nation's literary and cultural assets safe for future generations to enjoy" - newswire Today
Wayne State creates School of Library and Information Science
The Wayne State University Board of Governors has approved the creation of a School of Library and Information Science, effective Spring/Summer 2009, to house the existing Library and Information Science Program. The LIS Program has grown from 125 students in 1987 to nearly 600 graduate students currently enrolled. Provost Nancy Barrett said, "The successful program has outgrown its designation and its size warrants the status of a school." The academic oversight and degree-granting authority for the program will be transferred from the Graduate School to the new School. The Dean of University Libraries and the Library and Information Science Program, Dr. Sandra Yee, will continue to serve as the dean of the new School.
LawCite Alpha launched by Australasian Legal Information
The Australasian Legal Information Institute has released LawCite Alpha. The free service provides access to Australian law and those of other countries whose case data is available through the Free Access to Law Movement by citation, case name, court and jurisdiction searches. You can also search for law journal articles by title and author
Scottish Open Source software award for AccessApps
AccessApps, a package of over 50 open source and freeware assistive technologies run from a USB stick, has just won the Excellence in Education category at the Scottish Open Source Awards. It has been developed by the JISC Regional Support Centre (RSC) Scotland North & East3 and made freely available following a successful collaboration between JISC TechDis (the accessibility advisory service) and JISC's RSC Scotland South & West. JISC's open source software advisory service OSS Watch is now also getting involved with the project. Using open source and freeware applications packaged in this way, users can access assistive software in a flexible way without the stigma of using dedicated machines. The suite includes tools to make reading and writing easier and browsing more accessible, anywhere the user happens to be and on any machine
Directory of Open Access Journals - recently added titles
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Many lie over books 'to impress'
"Nearly half of all men and one-third of women have lied about what they have read to try to impress friends or potential partners, a survey suggests. Men were most likely to do this to appear intellectual or romantic, found the poll of 1,500 people by Populus for the National Year of Reading campaign. The men polled said they would be most impressed by women who read news websites, Shakespeare or song lyrics. Women said men should have read Nelson Mandela's biography or Shakespeare. Among the 1,500 who took part in the research were 864 teenagers" - BBC
Books for Schools
Books for Schools - "Times Education is committed to helping teachers, parents and children to gain access to some of the best books for young readers, and to help spread the enjoyment of reading. We are delighted to offer every school in the country the chance to increase the number of books in their library - absolutely free. Our aim is to help you to encourage your pupils to read, giving them the chance to develop their imaginations and improve their literacy skills. Each day during the school term in 2009, readers of The Times and The Sunday Times can collect tokens that can be redeemed for free books. With books available for as little as ten tokens, you could benefit from hundreds of books next year"
Google Book Search Bibliography version 3
Google Book Search Bibliography version 3 "presents selected English-language articles and other works that are useful in understanding Google Book Search. It primarily focuses on the evolution of Google Book Search and the legal, library, and social issues associated with it. Where possible, links are provided to works that are freely available on the Internet, including e-prints in disciplinary archives and institutional repositories. Note that e-prints and published articles may not be identical" - From Charles W. Bailey, Jr.
Henry VIII: Man and Monarch
"In April 2009, to mark the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the throne, historian and broadcaster Dr David Starkey will guest-curate a major exhibition at the British Library, London. Important and rarely displayed items from the British Library's unrivalled Henry VIII collections, including correspondence, key official documents, maps and books from the King's own library, will be exhibited alongside loans from other national museums and collections"
Darwin and the Story of Evolution: British Library exhibition
"Twenty years in the making, the publication of 'On the Origin of Species' in 1859 completely revolutionised modern scientific thinking and established Charles Darwin as one of the most influential thinkers of all time. In recognition of the 200th Anniversary of Darwin's birth, the British Library is launching Darwin and the Story of Evolution on 10 December; a folio gallery exhibition revealing the intellectual journey made by the man behind the theory"
New ALA Scholarship: Peter Lyman Memorial/SAGE Scholarship in New Media
"The American Library Association has announced a new scholarship, the Peter Lyman Memorial/SAGE Scholarship in New Media, which is being offered with the support of SAGE Publications. The scholarship was created in memory of Peter Lyman, former university librarian and professor emeritus of the School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Lyman was nationally known for his landmark study on information overload entitled, 'How Much Information?' co-authored with Hal Valerian. The Peter Lyman Memorial/SAGE Scholarship in New Media will support a student in an ALA accredited master's program in Library and Information Studies pursing a specialty in new media. New media is defined as digital technology's transformation of business and culture during the past 25-plus years, clarifying the evolution of digital communications and human-computer interaction. The scholarship winner must have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership and evidence of a commitment to a career in librarianship. The recipient will receive a $2,500 scholarship as well as a travel stipend to attend the ALA Midwinter Meeting"
AASL releases two toolkits focused on advocacy during tough times
"The American Association of School Librarians recently launched two new toolkits exclusively for school library media programs. The School Library Media Health & Wellness and Crisis Toolkits are designed to address the needs of and resources available to school library media specialists to build stakeholder support in their programs. "Unless administrators know the essential and unique roles school library media programs have in student learning and 21st century skills, they will continue to be at the top of the list of programs to be cut. The School Library Media Health & Wellness and Crisis Toolkits are designed to help school library media specialists systematically educate decision makers and other stakeholders of the contributions their programs make to student learning," said Deb Logan, AASL Advocacy Committee chair."
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Ten Trends & Technologies for 2009 with Michael Stephens
Ten Trends & Technologies for 2009 with Michael Stephens - What technologies and trends should librarians be watching? Transparency, Micro-content, Open Source and more will be included. What's the next big thing as we move into 2009? Join librarian and Tame the Web blogger Michael Stephens for a discussion of ten technologies to be aware of in now and beyond. How do trends impact library services? - Audio Conference - Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 1:00 pm ETTowards the academic library of the future
"Key national organisations in the library field are to collaborate on a major programme of consultation to help shape the future of the academic library. JISC, SCONUL, RLUK, the British Library and the Research Information Network (RIN) are to work together on a major strategic initiative which will explore the substantial challenges facing academic libraries as they respond to a period of unparalleled change in the external environment. Workshops, studies and a combination of partnership and advocacy with key stakeholders in the higher education arena will build on existing work to develop a transformative agenda that will ensure the continuing relevance of libraries to the communities of information creators and users they serve. In particular the study will explore what is best done locally and what is best done through co-operation at national or international level"
Open Milton
From the Open Knowledge Foundation Weblog: "The 9th of December 2008 is John Milton's 400th birthday. To celebrate this life-long advocate of liberty we've officially launched Open Milton - an open set of Milton's works, together with ancillary information and tools, in a form designed for reuse"
Electronic Resources & Libraries 2009 Conference - abstracts available
ER&L 2009 provides a forum for information professionals to explore ideas, trends, and technologies related to electronic resources and digital services - February 9-12, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA, USA. Abstracts of papers to presented are now available
December Early Reviewer books at LibraryThing
The December batch of Early Reviewer books is now available at LibraryThing. There are 1,545 copies of 71 books available this month
Penguin 2.0
"Penguin 2.0 is a new suite of digital and print-based services that offer readers a new way to engage with and discover Penguin content. These collected services will encompass the entire spectrum of a Web 2.0 world by including aspects of customization, personalization, delivery to mobile phones, as well as eBooks and e-only content. In addition, later phases of Penguin 2.0 will offer community functionality and social networking. The Penguin US website will be the focus and hub for the program. Individual services, such as Penguin Mobile and Penguin Personalized, are launching in December 2008. Additional Penguin 2.0 features and programs will be rolled out in 2009, with the entire suite of services being phased in over the next 12 months"
The Campaigning Toolkit from CILIP
"Library and information professionals are facing questions about their value to their employers and the communities they serve. As a personal membership organisation CILIP supports its members in terms of qualifications, careers, professional practice, information, advice and continuing professional development. The Campaigning Toolkit is a resource designed by CILIP to help you create an effective grassroots action plan to demonstrate your value as a library and information professional" - CILIP
Magazines come to Google Book Search
From Inside Google Book Search: "Over the past couple of years, we've made an effort to bring specialized content like Patents, News Archives and the LIFE Photo Archive online. Today, that effort continues - we're beginning to add magazines to the Google Book Search index, so that when you search on Google Book Search, you'll be searching across the full text of both books and an ever-growing number of magazines, which will appear tagged with the keyword "Magazine" in search results."
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
UNESCO launches first-ever survey of historical and contemporary slavery
"Slavery may have been legally abolished around the world, but it remains 'a widespread and deeply rooted component on contemporary life' concludes the first-ever comparative analysis of historical slave systems and modern forms of human bondage, published online today by UNESCO. Entitled Unfinished Business, the survey was commissioned by UNESCO's Slave Route project and prepared by Joel Quirk of the Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation (WISE, U.K). It aims to provide the basis for dialogue about ways of addressing contemporary slavery, including human trafficking, sexual servitude and child labour, and the enduring legacies of historical slave systems"
Keeping current: What's new in engineering information?
Keeping current: What's new in engineering information? presented by Roddy McLeod at Online Information 2008 (London, December 2-4, 2008), reviews a selection of news sources, and then looks at new services, new eBooks, new journals, open access developments, social networking developments and RSS
Gale Cengage Learning Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Library Services
The Gale Cengage Learning Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Library Services is given to a library or library system for developing an imaginative and unique resource to meet patrons' reference needs. The resource can be a bibliography, a guide to the literature of a specific subject, a directory, a database, or any other project that has helped the library meet adult or children's reference needs. Tools, guides, or databases that have been developed for reader's advisory or adult service questions and needs are also eligible for the award. Deadline is December 15, 2009
English Reports 1220-1873 available free online
CommonLII has added a freely available database of English Reports from 1220-1873. "The English Reports is the oldest collection of the most authoritative, comprehensive law reports in publication. Over 100,000 of the most important cases reported between 1220 and 1873 compiled into one collection, the English Reports is an essential resource for all Commonwealth barristers and solicitors"
ARL Statistics Webcast - December 10, 2008
The Association of Research Libraries is offering a webcast on the findings of the ARL Ad Hoc Task Force on Best Practices for Counting Serial Titles and the way the work of the group has informed changes in the ARL Statistics 2007–08 survey. The webcast will be held December 10, 2008, 1:00-1:45 p.m. EST. Joyce McDonough (Director, Continuing and Electronic Resources Management, Columbia University Libraries), a member of the task force, will discuss her engagement with the task force and how her library implemented new counting procedures for serials. Martha Kyrillidou (Director, ARL Statistics and Service Quality Programs) and Julia Blixrud (Assistant Executive Director, External Relations, ARL) will offer background on the work of the task force and how the revised definitions are working for libraries
Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Llibrarian Award winners announced
10 librarians have been recognized for service to their communities, schools and campuses as winners of the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award. More than 3,200 library users nationwide nominated a librarian:
Linda Allen
Libraries Director
Pasco County Library System
Hudson, Fla.
Jean Amaral, Reference Librarian
Antioch University New England
Keene, N.H.
Amy J. Cheney, Librarian
Alameda County Library, Juvenile Hall
San Leandro, Calif.
Jennifer Lankford Dempsey, Library Media Specialist and Technology Coordinator
Wrights Mill Road Elementary School
Auburn, Ala.
Carol W. Levers, Community Services Librarian
Kansas City, Kansas Public Library; Weekend Supervisor
Plaza Branch Library, Kansas City Public Library
Kansas City, Mo.
Dr. Margaret "Gigi" Lincoln, Library Media Specialist
Lakeview High School Library
Battle Creek, Mich.
Iona R. Malanchuk, Associate University Librarian and Head of the Education Library
University of Florida
Gainesville, Fla.
Elaine McIlroy, Director
Wellfleet Public Library
Wellfleet, Mass.
Paul McIntosh, Library Media Specialist
Wadleigh Secondary School For The Performing and Visual Arts
New York, N.Y.
Arezoo Moseni, Senior Librarian
The New York Public Library, Mid-Manhattan Library, The Art Collection
New York, N.Y.
Linda Allen
Libraries Director
Pasco County Library System
Hudson, Fla.
Jean Amaral, Reference Librarian
Antioch University New England
Keene, N.H.
Amy J. Cheney, Librarian
Alameda County Library, Juvenile Hall
San Leandro, Calif.
Jennifer Lankford Dempsey, Library Media Specialist and Technology Coordinator
Wrights Mill Road Elementary School
Auburn, Ala.
Carol W. Levers, Community Services Librarian
Kansas City, Kansas Public Library; Weekend Supervisor
Plaza Branch Library, Kansas City Public Library
Kansas City, Mo.
Dr. Margaret "Gigi" Lincoln, Library Media Specialist
Lakeview High School Library
Battle Creek, Mich.
Iona R. Malanchuk, Associate University Librarian and Head of the Education Library
University of Florida
Gainesville, Fla.
Elaine McIlroy, Director
Wellfleet Public Library
Wellfleet, Mass.
Paul McIntosh, Library Media Specialist
Wadleigh Secondary School For The Performing and Visual Arts
New York, N.Y.
Arezoo Moseni, Senior Librarian
The New York Public Library, Mid-Manhattan Library, The Art Collection
New York, N.Y.
Morgan Library & Museum receives Oscar Wilde gift
The Morgan Library & Museum, New York, USA, has announced that it has received the gift of a highly important bound collection of Oscar Wilde's letters and manuscripts, the whereabouts of which has been unknown to scholars for over half a century. The magnificent red-leather-bound volume, totaling just over fifty handwritten pages, will be placed on exhibition beginning April 17, 2009. The volume comprises nine manuscripts of poems and prose pieces and four important letters that illuminate the life and work of the celebrated writer, dramatist, aesthete, wit, and selfproclaimed "lord of language." Of special note are the earliest surviving letter from Wilde to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas (called "Bosie,"); a manuscript of the story "The Selfish Giant" in the hand of Wilde's wife, Constance; the only surviving autograph manuscripts of Wilde's Poems in Prose; and a letter in which Wilde reiterated his famous claim that art is "useless."
Video available from conference on Traditional Cultural Expression
In November 2008 the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy hosted a conference in Washington, D.C. titled Cultural Heritage and Living Culture: Defining The U.S. Library Position on Access and Protection of Traditional Cultural Expression. Here is some video:
Monday, December 08, 2008
LISTen: The LISNews.org Podcast - Episode #51
LISTen: The LISNews.org Podcast - Episode #51 : "This week's episode is characterized by variety. The episode kicks off with a recap of stories that might have flown below the radar. After that the program talks to Evan Prodromou, the creator of the Laconica software that operates sites site as TWiT Army and Identi.ca. From there the podcast took a look at a musical program at the West Charleston branch of Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. After that there is a mix of Linux and open source news followed by another installment of Tech for Techies. After Tech for Techies the episode wraps up". Previous Podcasts can be found here
German National Archive posting millions of photos to Wikipedia
"The German National Archive has announced that some 100,000 digitalized historical photos were available for the internet encyclopedia Wikipedia in a dual project that will eventually make about 11 million photos available for public use. The digital photos will be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, where users will then be able to attach them to corresponding entries on Wikipedia" - The Local Europe
Computers in Libraries 2009 Advance Program
Computers in Libraries 2009 has published its advance program
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Dr. LIU Chuang, 2008 CODATA Prize Recipient
"Dr. LIU Chuang, from the Institute of Geography and Natural Resources in Beijing, was the 2008 recipient of the CODATA Prize. For more than two decades, she has contributed to the development of significant new scientific data products and services and worked with the Chinese scientific community and key government institutions to improve data quality and availability. She received the award for her outstanding achievement on the world stage in scientific data research, policy and management issues while simultaneously nurturing international cooperation and highlighting the many challenges facing data scientists in developing countries"
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Footnote.com and The US National Archives launch largest interactive World War II collection online
Footnote.com and the US National Archives and Records Administration announced today the release of the first ever interactive World War II collection, which includes an interactive version of the USS Arizona Memorial, WWII Hero Pages, and WWII photos and documents previously unavailable on the internet
Calendar of State Papers, Venice now online
The complete series of the Calendar of State Papers, Venice is now live. These 38 volumes cover the period 1202-1675, and calendar papers in the Venetian archives which relate to English affairs. Covering a period in which Venetian diplomacy was central to European politics, these calendars offer a rich external view of English history - British History Online
ALPSP International Conference 2009
ALPSP International Conference 2009 - 9-11 September, 2009 - The Oxford Belfry, UK. ALPSP = The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers
Credo Reference recently added and updated titles
- A Biographical Dictionary of Women Economists, Edward Elgar Publishing
- The Bridgeman Art Library Archive
- The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Hunters and Gatherers
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Columbia University Press
- Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre
- Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Media, Industry and Society
- Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Performance and Production
- Critical Terms for Art History, University of Chicago
- Critical Terms for Literary Study, University of Chicago Press
- Critical Terms for the Study of Buddhism, University of Chicago
- Dictionary of Computing, A&C Black
- Dictionary of Food: International Food and Cooking Terms from A to Z, A&C Black
- Dictionary of Medical Terms, A&C Black
- Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers, Continuum
- Encyclopedia of Empiricism, Routledge
- Encyclopedia of the History of American Management, Continuum
- Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts, Routledge
- The Hutchinson Chronology of World History
- Manufacturing Engineering Handbook, McGraw-Hill
- Marquis Who Was Who in America: 1607-1984
- Rivers of North America, Elsevier
- Shakespeare's Theatre: A Dictionary of His Stage Context, Continuum
- Time Saver Standards for Architectural Design: Technical Data for Professional Practice, McGraw-Hill
Focus on Mimas - December 2008
The December 2008 edition of Focus on Mimas is now available. Mimas is a national data centre, supported by JISC and ESRC, and based at The University of Manchester, England
Friday, December 05, 2008
The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference
The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference - this week: Computer Games. Answers here.
1. Which Japanese company introduced the Game Boy in 1989?
2. What kind of animal is "Sonic" in games manufactured by Japanese company Sega?
3. Name the electronic toy which was all the rage in 1997. It displayed a digital image of a creature that had to be looked after by its owner as if it were a pet.
4. Which video game console was released in Japan by Sony in 1994?
5. What did players have to do in the game of Space Invaders?
6. In the game "Donkey Kong", what was the name of the little man who had to rescue a lady in distress from a gorilla?
7. In the game "Pac-Man", which was popular in the early 1980s, what exactly was the "Pac-Man"?
8. What was the name of IBM's chess machine which in 1997 defeated grandmaster Garry Kasparov by 3.5-2.5?
9. In talking about computer games, what does MMOG stand for?
10. Which video games business was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell?
1. Which Japanese company introduced the Game Boy in 1989?
2. What kind of animal is "Sonic" in games manufactured by Japanese company Sega?
3. Name the electronic toy which was all the rage in 1997. It displayed a digital image of a creature that had to be looked after by its owner as if it were a pet.
4. Which video game console was released in Japan by Sony in 1994?
5. What did players have to do in the game of Space Invaders?
6. In the game "Donkey Kong", what was the name of the little man who had to rescue a lady in distress from a gorilla?
7. In the game "Pac-Man", which was popular in the early 1980s, what exactly was the "Pac-Man"?
8. What was the name of IBM's chess machine which in 1997 defeated grandmaster Garry Kasparov by 3.5-2.5?
9. In talking about computer games, what does MMOG stand for?
10. Which video games business was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell?
Digital New Zealand
Digital New Zealand, a nation-wide project to help make New Zealand digital content easier to find, share and use, was launched at the National Library of New Zealand on 3 December 2008. John Truesdale from the National Library says "Digital New Zealand will offer all New Zealanders interactive access to a variety of rich taonga, resources, knowledge and stories from a range of organisations, communities and individuals. It will make New Zealand content of all types more discoverable, accessible and usable". Digital New Zealand is a collaborative project, led by the National Library and funded by the New Zealand Government, which aims to test new ways to create digital content, collect and share existing digital content and build smart, freely available search and discovery tools.
ONIX for Serials: Case Studies of Use
ONIX for Serials: Case Studies of Use - NISO/EDItEUR Webinar - December 11, 2008, 1:00-2:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)
2008 Costa Book Awards shortlists
The 2008 Costa Book Awards shortlists have been announced. See also videos from the 2007 winners. 2008 winners will be announced 6 January 2009
The Polymer Library now available on EBSCOhost
"The Polymer Library is now available on the EBSCOhost platform thanks to a partnership between Smithers Rapra and EBSCO Publishing. The Polymer Library (formerly Rapra Abstracts) is the world's largest database dedicated to plastics, rubber, polymeric composites and adhesives. The database is designed for both academic and corporate researchers and includes information on the science, technology and business of polymers. The Polymer Library includes content from around 500 publishers and contains nearly a million records dating from 1972 to the present. The information originates from a wide range of sources including technical and application-focused journals, conference proceedings, books and reports. Coverage is comprehensive, including well-known major journals and smaller niche content"
The Global Legal Information Network offers new features
"A new version of the Web-accessible Global Legal Information Network (GLIN) was released on November 24, 2008, offering users three new features. The most significant enhancement is the application of digital signatures to each full text document in the GLIN database, for security purposes. Other new features include a simplified Chinese Web interface and direct access to the United Kingdom's Acts of Parliament" - Library of Congress
Podcast: Cabinet Papers, 1915-1977
Podcast: Cabinet Papers, 1915-1977: Laura Withey (Project Manager) and Dr. Ed Hampshire (Records Specialist ) talk about this exciting new project, the new web pages and the records being made available online for the first time - UK National Archives
Historians Peter Brown, Romila Thapar named recipients of $1 Million 2008 Kluge Prize for Study of Humanity
"Peter Robert Lamont Brown and Romila Thapar will receive the 2008 Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Study of Humanity in a ceremony Dec. 10 at the Library of Congress. They are the sixth and seventh recipients since the Prize's 2003 inception. Endowed by Library of Congress benefactor John W. Kluge, the Kluge Prize is unique among all international prizes at the $1 million level in rewarding a very wide range of disciplines including history, philosophy, politics, anthropology, sociology, religion, criticism in the arts and humanities, and linguistics, as well as a great variety of cultural perspectives in the world. Each awardee will receive half of the $1 million prize" - Library of Congress
ALIA Information Online 2009
14th ALIA Information Online Conference & Exhibition - 20-22nd January 2009 - Darling Harbour Exhibition and Convention Centre, Sydney, Australia
Ontario Library Association Super Conference
Ontario Library Association Super Conference - 28-31 January 2009 - Toronto, Canada
DailyLit launches books from the University of North Carolina Press
DailyLit has launched several books from the University of North Carolina Press. The books are all available on DailyLit for $4.95 or $6.95
CC Asia-Pacific Conference 2009
"You are cordially invited to attend and participate in the regional conference of Creative Commons in Asia and the Pacific in the Philippines on 5-6 February 2009 to be hosted by the Arellano University School of Law, Lead Public Institution of Creative Commons - Philippines. The principal venue for the event will be at the Coral Ballroom of the Manila Pavillon Hotel situated at the heart of the City of Manila. The conference aims (a) to showcase the various initiatives of Creative Commons in Asia and the Pacific and (b) for the stakeholders to get together in a forum to define the roadmap of Creative Commons in the region following the 2008 iCommons Summit in Sapporo, Japan"Thursday, December 04, 2008
Podcast: The real Little Dorrit: Charles Dickens and the debtors' prison
David Thomas examines the reality behind Charles Dickens' fiction - what were Victorian debtors' prisons really like and how accurate was Dickens' portrayal of them? - UK National ArchivesUnlocking Audio 2 - Connecting with Listeners
Unlocking Audio 2: Connecting with Listeners is a key event exploring the use of sound recordings online, focussing on ways that researchers and other audiences expect to discover, browse, audition and analyse archival audio resources. It will be of interest to content owners, academics & students, service providers, user groups, resource managers, system integrators, and designers and implementers of search & content analysis tools. Keynotes speakers include Charles Leadbeater, a leading authority on innovation and creativity in organisations, and Andy Powell, Head of Development at the Eduserv Foundation - 16-17 March 2009 - The British Library Conference Centre, London, UK
5 million articles online at HighWire Press
"A division of the Stanford University Libraries, HighWire Press hosts the largest repository of high impact, peer-reviewed content, with 1189 journals and 5,009,562 full text articles from over 140 scholarly publishers. HighWire-hosted publishers have collectively made 2,013,680 articles free. With our partner publishers we produce 71 of the 200 most-frequently-cited journals"
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Nixon Presidential Library opens additional White House tape recordings and textual materials
On December 2, 2008, the Nixon Presidential Library opened approximately 198 hours of tape recordings from the Nixon White House recorded between November and December 1972 and consisting of approximately 1,398 conversations. The conversations cover topics such as the 1972 Presidential and Congressional elections, reorganization of the executive branch, creation of a "New Majority" for a reinvigorated Republican Party or new conservative third party, the late stages of the peace negotiations to end the Vietnam War, and the decision to bomb the Hanoi and Haiphong areas in North Vietnam
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