“Canadian Heritage Minister declares war on copyright reformers”…06.23.10

Oh Canada!

I lived in the land of the Maple Leaf for a couple of years, Eh?

This is interesting stuff from our usually liberal friends in the “Great White North”:

Everyday Transliteracy…06.23.10

PilotHandwriting Turns Your Handwriting Into a Font…06.23.10

Check out PilotHandwriting

Random Ideas for eBooks…06.23.10

One-Day Online Conference on Web Design for Libraries …06.23.10

From OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries):

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, 10:00 Central, 9:00 Mountain, 8:00 Pacific, and 3:00 p.m. GMT:

Trendy Topics One-Day Online Conference on Web Design for LibrariesOver the course of the day a group of presenters (including keynote speaker Aaron Schmidt) will explore and discuss with participants how libraries can maximize their web presence through user-centered design.

Please Note: Participants are required to register for this one-day conference and pay a small registration fee. This is the sixth of nine monthly one-day Trendy Topics conferences that will be held throughout 2010.

Conference Website (includes registration info): Trendy Topics Conference Website

Organizer: TAP Information Services

“Futures Thinking For Academic Librarians: Higher Education in 2025″…06.23.10

Futures Thinking For Academic Librarians: Higher Education in 2025

Gates Foundation Report: Toward Equality of Access: The Role of Public Libraries in Addressing the Digital Divide…06.23.10

Gates Foundation Report: Toward Equality of Access: The Role of Public Libraries in Addressing the Digital Divide

Google Voice Open to Everyone Now…06.22.10

Check it out…

Pew Internet and American Life Report on “The State of Online Video”…06.22.10

Pew Internet and American Life Report on The State of Online Video:

“Seven in ten adult internet users (69%) have used the internet to watch or download video. That represents 52% of all adults in the United States.

Driven by the popularity of online video among 18-29 year-olds, there have been dramatic increases since 2007 in the number of American adults watching:

• Comedy or humorous videos, rising in viewership from 31% of adult internet users in 2007 to 50% of adult internet users in the current survey
• Educational videos, rising in viewership from 22% to 38% of adult internet users
• Movies or TV show videos, rising in viewership from 16% to 32% of adult internet users
• Political videos, rising in viewership from 15% to 30% of adult internet users

On the other side of the camera, video creation has now become a notable feature of online life. One in seven adult internet users (14%) have uploaded a video to the internet, almost double the 8% who were uploading video in 2007. Home video is far and away the most popular content posted online, shared by 62% of video uploaders. And uploaders are just as likely to share video on social networking sites like Facebook (52% do this) as they are on more specialized video-sharing sites like YouTube (49% do this).

Yet, while video-sharing is growing in popularity, adult internet users have mixed feelings about how broadly they want to share their own creations. While 31% of uploaders say they ‘always’ place restrictions on who can access their videos, 50% say they “never” restrict access. The remaining 19% fall somewhere in the middle. And while there is almost universal appreciation for the ease with which video-sharing sites allow uploaders to share video with family and friends, a considerable number (35%) also feel they should be more careful about what they post…”

“Seeing Standards: A Visualization of the Metadata Universe”…06.22.10

Poster of visualization (PDF, 36in x 108in)
Metadata standard glossary, poster form (PDF, 36in x 41in)
Metadata standard glossary, pamphlet form (PDF)

The sheer number of metadata standards in the cultural heritage sector is overwhelming, and their inter-relationships further complicate the situation. This visual map of the metadata landscape is intended to assist planners with the selection and implementation of metadata standards.

Each of the 105 standards listed here is evaluated on its strength of application to defined categories in each of four axes: community, domain, function, and purpose. The strength of a standard in a given category is determined by a mixture of its adoption in that category, its design intent, and its overall appropriateness for use in that category.

The standards represented here are among those most heavily used or publicized in the cultural heritage community, though certainly not all standards that might be relevant are included. A small set of the metadata standards plotted on the main visualization also appear as highlights above the graphic. These represent the most commonly known or discussed standards for cultural heritage metadata.

Content: Jenn Riley
Design: Devin Becker
Work funded by the Indiana University Libraries White Professional Development Award
Copyright 2009-2010 Jenn Riley

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Librarians Promote the Obvious – The Future is Mobile…06.22.10

Excerpted from Library Journal “The Future is Mobile”: Strategy, Predictions as Smartphone Service Booms:

“…Demographics

OCLC VP of Innovation Mike Teets told the audience of some 1200 librarians that mobile services are not just fun to have, but rather ‘critical to the long-term existence of libraries and librarianship.’

The demographics are clear. Library-oriented sites and services, like WorldCat.org, LibraryThing, the Library of Congress, and OpenLibrary.org, are used most heavily by those 55 and older.

The mobile demographic, however, skews heavily toward those between 18 and 54. ‘That’s exactly the group our catalogs are not connecting with,’ Teets said. ‘We have to go where our users are.’

4G infrastructure and speedy services
Notwell described the service landscape library patrons will likely come to expect from a next-generation, or 4G, cellular network. (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have chosen LTE for their 4G infrastructure, while Sprint Nextel has chosen WIMAX, a competing standard).

Essentially, 4G technology will boost speed available to mobile users, and will reduce bottlenecks like latency, or the lag-time in sending data packets to and from servers.

That means viable video chat, video voice mail, and real-time media sharing, plus a boom in mobile gaming…

When questioned by the bullpen, Notwell was coy when asked about the possibility of the iPhone on Verizon (‘Apple has their plans, we have our plans,’ he said), but was more forthcoming on possibilities for libraries.

‘Let’s face it, the world is going mobile, and your patrons are going mobile.’ Libraries must be there, he said, or they will lose relevance-a notion common from within library discussions, but perhaps made all the more urgent coming from a telecommunications executive.

For upcoming generations, Notwell said, ‘[the mobile device] is their computer…”

To view the archived recording, see the online symposium page.

“Searching the UNC Libraries’ mobile catalog via barcode scan, on a Motorola Droid.”…06.22.10

Click on image for video

Searching the UNC Libraries’ mobile catalog via barcode scan, on a Motorola Droid.

Are You Planning to Buy an e-Reader this Year??…06.22.10

I wonder how these figures will change now that the e-Reader price wars have begun??????????????  You can now get the amazing Kindle for only $189.

“According to new research by consumer electronics shopping site Retrevo, 20% of people surveyed plan on buying an eReader this year; 8% already own an eReader and 64% of people survey are not planning on buying an e-Reader or an iPad.

The new study, which came out today, has a number of interesting factoids about consumer plans for purchasing eReaders. When it comes to ‘avid readers,’ defined as people who read more than 5 books a month, 42% are planning on buying an eReader this year; 9% already own an eReader; 7% are planning on buying an iPad this year; and 42% are not planning on buying an e-Reader this year…”

Of “active readers” defined as people who read 1-5 books a month, 24% are planning on buying an eReader this year; 9% already own an eReader; 8% are planning on buying an iPad this year; and 58% are not planning on buying an eReader this year

When it comes to “casual readers,” defined as people who read one book every couple months the numbers are lower than the other groups except when it comes to iPads. For this group, 13% are planning on buying an eReader this year; 7% already own an e-Reader; 11% are planning on buying an iPad this year; and 69% are not planning on buying an eReader this year.

iBooks for iPhone…06.22.10

Sustainable Economics for a Digital Planet: Ensuring Long-term Access to Digital Information…06.21.10

Excerpted from  OCLC’s Blue Ribbon Task Force issues final report: Sustainable preservation of our digital knowledge base must be a priority:

“…The Blue Ribbon panel report cites several specific recommendations for decision makers and stakeholders to consider as they seek economically sustainable preservation practices for digital information. While the report covers these recommendations in detail, below is a summary listing key areas of priority for near-term action:

Organizational Action

• develop public-private partnerships, similar to ones formed by the Library of Congress
• ensure that organizations have access to skilled personnel, from domain experts to legal and business specialists
• create and sustain secure chains of stewardship between organizations over the long term
• achieve economies of scale and scope wherever possible

Technical Action

• build capacity to support stewardship in all areas
• lower the costs of preservation overall
• determine the optimal level of technical curation needed to create a flexible strategy for all types of digital material

Public Policy Action

• modify copyright laws to enable digital preservation
• create incentives and requirements for private entities to preserve on behalf of the public (financial incentives, handoff requirements)
• sponsor public-private partnerships
• clarify rights issues associated with Web-based materials

Education and Public Outreach Action

• promote education and training for 21st century digital preservation (domain-specific skills, curatorial best practices, core competencies in relevant science, technology, engineering, and mathematics knowledge)
• raise awareness of the urgency to take timely preservation actions

The report concluded that sustainable preservation strategies are not built all at once, nor are they static…”

How Academic Libraries Can Meet the Needs of Their Digital Information Seekers…06.21.10

Excerpted from Digital information seekers: How academic libraries can support the use of digital resources:

“…How academic libraries can meet the needs of their users

• Library systems must do better at providing seamless access to resources such as full-text e-journals, online foreign-language materials, e-books, a variety of electronic publishers’ platforms and virtual reference desk services
• Library catalogues need to include more direct links to resources and more online content
• Libraries should provide moredigital resources of all kinds, from e-journals to curated data sets, as well as emerging services such as virtual research environments (VREs), open source materials, non-text-based and multimedia objects, and blogs
• Library systems must be prepared for changing user behaviours, which include advanced search options, demands for immediate access and quick perusal of resources
• Library systems need to look and function more like search engines (eg Google) and popular web services (eg Amazon.com), as these are familiar to users who are comfortable and confident in using them
• High-quality metadata is becoming more important for discovery of appropriate resources
• Librarians must now consider the implications of power browsing behaviours
• Students need more guidance and clarity on how to find content and how to assess its worth as well as its relevance
• The library must advertise its brand and its resources better to academics, researchers and students, demonstrating its value clearly and unambiguously

“Capture and Release”: Digital Cameras in the Reading Room…06.21.10

Recommended Reading:

Miller, Lisa, Steven K. Galbraith, et al. 2010. “Capture and Release”: Digital Cameras in the Reading Room. Report produced by OCLC Research.

University of Arizona Offers Online Digital Information Management Certificate Program…06.21.10

“The University of Arizona School of Information Resources and Library Science is pleased to announce that openings are available in the school’s graduate certificate program in Digital Information Management (DigIn), and that IMLS-funded scholarships are available for students entering the program in Fall 2010. The application deadline is July 1. Late applications will be accepted, but admission for Fall cannot be guaranteed if materials are received after July 1.

The DigIn program features hands-on experience and focused instruction supporting a wide range of professional careers involving digital systems and data. The certificate includes six three-credit courses designed to build students’ hands-on technology skills, and to help students acquire the advanced knowledge needed to curate digital collections, manage digital projects, and to set policies for access and long-term preservation.

For information professionals already working in the field, or those considering career changes, the DigIn certificate offers a flexible path for graduate studies. The program is delivered 100% online and has no residency requirements. Students generally complete the certificate in four or six semesters (15 months or 27 months)…”

Internet Librarian International 2010…06.21.10

Internet Librarian International 2010

New Blio E-Reader Software Available FREE Soon…06.19.10

Excerpted from the NYT:

“There’s Amazon.com’s Kindle, Sony’s Reader, Barnes and Noble’s Nook, Apple’s iPad and a bevy of iPad and Kindle clones. Still, Ray Kurzweil, the famed inventor, thinks people deserve yet another option when it comes to reading books and magazines with an electronic device.

And so, Mr. Kurzweil presents Blio, a software package that can run on everything from PCs to hand-held devices. It displays colorful images and varying fonts with formatting similar to what people find in physical texts.

The Blio free software should become more widely available to consumers over the next two months, Mr. Kurzweil said, as large PC makers and retailers like Wal-Mart begin to offer it on their own devices…”

Libraries and Mobile Technology Report…06.19.10

There’s an App for That! Libraries and Mobile Technology: An Introduction to Public Policy Considerations

Virtual Library Advocacy Day…06.18.10

From ALA:

“The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF) and the American Library Association (ALA) Washington Office will lead Virtual Library Advocacy Day, an opportunity for all library advocates to make their voices heard on a national level, on June 29, 2010.

Virtual Library Advocacy Day is part of the ALA’s National Library Advocacy Day on June 29, during which thousands of library advocates will descend on Capitol Hill for a rally followed by meetings with members of Congress and their staffs. Library advocates who cannot make it to Capitol Hill for the event can still be a part of the effort by calling and/or e-mailing their elected officials on June 29 – or the week of June 28-July 2.

ALTAFF Executive Director Sally Gardner Reed encourages all advocates to take part in this united effort to ensure America’s libraries can continue to serve the public.

‘If citizens who care for libraries remain silent, it’s the same as saying they are okay with low budgets and closed libraries,’ Reed said. ‘The only way for us to make a difference is to make our voices heard.‘…”

Smartphones the Norm On Campus…06.18.10

“Smartphone use among college students has almost doubled since early last year, a study by a researcher at Ball State University found.

The study confirms what has become common knowledge: cellphones are almost ubiquitous on college campuses, with 99.8 percent of students owning one or more. But in the national survey of about 500 students—which has been conducted twice a year since 2005—new details emerged on the kind of phones they own and how they use them.

Of those phone-owning students, 49 percent now have smartphones, compared with 38 percent last October and 27 percent in February 2009.

Text messaging has overtaken not just e-mail but also instant messaging in popularity. Ninety-seven percent of students use text messages as their main form of communication, as opposed to 30 percent for e-mail and 25 percent for instant messaging.

Approximately 90 percent of smartphone owners use their phones to access the Internet. Ninety-seven percent use their phones to take and send photos, while 87 percent of users take and send videos…”

http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Student-Smartphone-Use/24876/?sid=wc&utm_source=wc&utm_medium=en

Father’s Day News Flash: Dad & Mom Take a Back Seat to the Family Dog in America…06.18.10

According to the Pew Research:

“When you ask U.S. adults about their parents, fully 74% say they feel close to their father. But a 2006 Pew Research Center survey found that somewhat more, 87%, say they feel close to their mother. Moreover, dogs edge both parents, as well as cats, in the human intimacy sweepstake. Fully 94% of dog owners say they feel ‘close’ to their pet compared with 84% of cat owners. So for anyone keeping score, the family intimacy standings look like this: dog 94%; mom 87%; cat 84%; dad 74%. Happy Father’s Day, Dad!..”

Read more

iPads in Libraries…06.17.10

Check out the accompanying blog post by David Lee King

Transliteracy Introduction…06.17.10

Google Scholar Blog Launches…06.17.10

Google Scholar Blog:

“Ever since we launched Google Scholar, people have asked us to help them keep up with current research. Over the years, we’ve made several improvements to help find recently published articles, including the “Recent articles” mode, a simple interface to limit search to recent years, and, of course, more frequent index updates. As the next step in this endeavor, we have recently added email alerts. Now you can create alerts for queries of your interest. When new articles that match your alert query are added to Google Scholar, we’ll send you an email update with links to these articles…”

Pew Internet guide to teens, young adults, mobile phones and social media…06.17.10

What is a public library?…06.16.10

3-D Tower Lets Researchers Climb Inside Their Data…06.16.10

From Wired:

“Data is nothing without visualization, and sometimes a bar chart won’t do. No, sometimes you need a three-story-tall aluminum sphere with a catwalk running through the center and six hi-def 3-D video projectors that spray 360-degree images onto a spherical screen. That would be the AlloSphere, a house-sized ball of data viz at UC Santa Barbara that allows researchers to literally get inside their information.

Choice AlloSphere projects so far have included examinations of how hydrogen atoms bond together and a giant model of the brain derived from fMRI scans. Up to 30 people can fit on the catwalk, and they get silly-looking glasses and wireless joysticks to mess around with the streaming imagery. Dozens of speakers play sound into the echo-free chamber. The result is psychedelia with research applications…”