A colleague pointed this site out to me today. It\’s called mousercise and it trains people how to use a mouse. Credit is due to Chris Rippel from the Central Kansas Library System.
June 2000
Freenet – Decentralized Information Distribution
Cliff Urr writes \”The Napster model for distributing music is radically extended by Freenet by using a decentralized distribution network for distributing information. Check it out here (also has software to set up you machine as a distribution node):
http://freenet.sourceforge.net/ \”
Freenet is an interesting concept that I believe was discussed on OSS4Lib (who is also sponsering a speech by Tim O\’Reilly at ALA next month). It\’s required reading for all web-heads.
Cliff Urr writes \”The Napster model for distributing music is radically extended by Freenet by using a decentralized distribution network for distributing information. Check it out here (also has software to set up you machine as a distribution node):
http://freenet.sourceforge.net/ \”
Freenet is an interesting concept that I believe was discussed on OSS4Lib (who is also sponsering a speech by Tim O\’Reilly at ALA next month). It\’s required reading for all web-heads.From the FAQ at Freenet:
1.1. What is Freenet?
The “Freenet” project aims to create an information
publication system similar to the World Wide Web (but with several
major advantages over it) based on the protocol described in Ian Clarke\’s paper
A Distributed Decentralised Information Storage and Retrieval
System. Information can be inserted into the system
associated with a \”key\” (normally some form of description of the
information such as \”/text/philosophy/sun tzu/the art of war\”).
Later anyone else can retrieve the information using the
appropriate key. In this respect it is a little like the World Wide
Web which requires a URL to retrieve a particular document.
Unlike the Web, information on Freenet is not stored at fixed
locations or subject to any kind of centralized control. Freenet is
a single world-wide information store that stores, caches, and
distributes the information based on demand. This allows Freenet to
be more efficient at some functions than the Web, and also allows
information to be published and read without fear of censorship
because individual documents cannot be traced to their source or
even to where they are physically stored. To participate in this
system users will simply need to run a piece of server software on
their computer, and optionally use a client program to insert and
remove information from the system. Anyone can write a client (or
indeed a server) program for Freenet, which is based on an open
protocol. Reference implementations of these programs are being
written in the Java programming language.
1.2. Why is Freenet interesting?
- Freenet does not have any form of centralized control or
administration. - It will be virtually impossible to forcibly remove a piece of
information from Freenet. - Both authors and readers of information stored on this system
may remain anonymous if they wish. - Information will be distributed throughout the Freenet network
in such a way that it is difficult to determine where information
is being stored. - Anyone can publish information. They don\’t need to buy a domain
name or even a permanent Internet connection. - Availability of information will increase in proportion to the
demand for that information. - Information will move from parts of the Internet where it is in
low demand to areas where demand is greater.
1.3. Who is behind Freenet?
Ian Clarke is the project coordinator. Other developers are
listed on the front page of the Freenet web site, and will change
from time to time as volunteers join and leave the project.
Fargo Flooding Hurts North Dakota State University
Someone suggested this sad Story from In_Forum.com on the terrible flooding up in ND. There was a big flood, and fire that just caused all sorts of trouble in the library. Quite sad really.
“It’ll be years before we’re back to normal,” library director Richard Bovard said.
Someone suggested this sad Story from In_Forum.com on the terrible flooding up in ND. There was a big flood, and fire that just caused all sorts of trouble in the library. Quite sad really.
“It’ll be years before we’re back to normal,” library director Richard Bovard said. A swimming pool-like atmosphere pervaded the main library at North Dakota State University Tuesday morning.
In the lobby, damp sepia-toned photographs lay out drying, and library staff did salvage work.
Downstairs, murky black water was strewn with limp newsprint. Tables floated and full bookcases stood in a sea of storm water, sewage and elevator oil that was 4 feet high at midday.
Tuesday afternoon, library staff smelled smoke and saw the water boil. Something was burning below the water line, said interim library director Richard Bovard, so Northern States Power Co. and the Fargo Fire Department arrived to turn off the building’s power.
Late in the afternoon, Bovard prepared to shut up the building.
A tidal wave of water
In Tuesday’s early morning hours, pressure from rising water burst through several windows on the library’s south side and damaged its foundation. The tide washed through Institute for Regional Studies archives, which include one-of-a-kind documents and photos, and a book collection on North Dakota and the region
Digital emulation, preservation or migration
R Hadden Writes :
\”Risk Management of Digital Information: A File Format Investigation.\” by Gregory W. Lawrence et al. It is impossible today to guarantee the longevity and legibility of digital information for even one human generation. The choices are: to physically preserve the format, to emulate the data, or to migrate the digital data. All these choices have risks.
You can see the PDF file at Clir.org
R Hadden Writes :
\”Risk Management of Digital Information: A File Format Investigation.\” by Gregory W. Lawrence et al. It is impossible today to guarantee the longevity and legibility of digital information for even one human generation. The choices are: to physically preserve the format, to emulate the data, or to migrate the digital data. All these choices have risks.
You can see the PDF file at Clir.orgIn 1998 the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) asked Cornell University to study the risk management for migrating several different common file formats. This report is the result of their studies, and is a practical guide to assess the risks associated with migrating electronic files in various formats. File migration is prone to generating errors, and this report provides practical tools to quantify these risks.
http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub93/pub93.pdf
Protest High Journal Prices
R Hadden Writes :
Librarians and researchers have come together to protest high prices for journals at the website, \”Create Change\” at: The ARL
CREATE CHANGE is sponsored by the Association of Research libraries, the Association of College and Research Libraries (a division of the American Library Association), and SPARC (the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). Funding for this project has been provided by the three organizations and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.
R Hadden Writes :
Librarians and researchers have come together to protest high prices for journals at the website, \”Create Change\” at: The ARL
CREATE CHANGE is sponsored by the Association of Research libraries, the Association of College and Research Libraries (a division of the American Library Association), and SPARC (the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). Funding for this project has been provided by the three organizations and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. While journal publishers claim the high prices reflect higher costs, the librarians claim the publishers have increased their prices to protect their profits. The site includes a list of the 100 highest priced journals, including the $16,000.00 a year subscription to Brain Research and several $3,000.00 per year physics journals. At one point they say: \” For example, while world production of published scholarly research has doubled since 1986, the average North American research library\’s journal subscriptions have actually declined by 6.5%. Monographic acquisitions have declined by 26%, and other kinds of acquisitions have tumbled as well. Smaller university and college libraries have experienced similar declines… A system that has served scholars well for decades is now crumbling…\” The Create Change site includes generic letters on how to resign from editorial boards, refusing to review papers, or simply protesting the high prices of journals today.
The Computer, Now a Fixture In U.S. Homes
Newsday has this article on a study by the National Science Foundation which states that 54% of homes now have computers.
\”If you don\’t have a computer in your home, you\’re in the minority nationally, a federal poll has found. For the first time, more than half of American adults now have home computers, according to a National Science Foundation survey. And just under half are using their computers to go online.\”
Newsday has this article on a study by the National Science Foundation which states that 54% of homes now have computers.
\”If you don\’t have a computer in your home, you\’re in the minority nationally, a federal poll has found. For the first time, more than half of American adults now have home computers, according to a National Science Foundation survey. And just under half are using their computers to go online.\”
\”In the first national study to make such a finding, the report-known as the Science and Engineering Indicators 2000-said that the number of people with a computer at home rose from 42 percent in 1997 to 54 percent in 1999.\”
\”Home computers with Internet access, meanwhile, rose to 46 percent from 21 percent just five years earlier, which some people said yesterday is reflective of the explosive rise in popularity of e-mail and e-commerce.\”
\”It\’s growing because people are finding terrific uses and, frankly, it is a more convenient way to purchase things quickly, and to find information quickly,\” said Pamela Smith, vice president of the NPD group, a market research firm based in Port Washington.\”
\”I subscribe to AOL,\” said Amado Gonzales, a Kings Park resident who said he bought his computer just a year and a half ago. \”My wife has lymphoma, so she uses the Net to chat with other people that have the same sickness. And she\’s always looking for information.\” Gonzales said he also uses e-mail frequently to keep in touch with daughters who live in Georgia and New Jersey, and to keep up with the news.\”
Schulz to receive Congressional Gold Medal
Everyone\’s favorite comic strip is getting an medal. Here is an Article just telling everyone that Charles Schulz will get the medal he always wanted. \”President Bill Clinton signed a bill Tuesday giving the creator of the \”Peanuts\” comic strip the Congressional Gold Medal, the country\’s highest civilian honor and the one thing that Schulz — a World War II veteran — had desired.\” Everyone\’s favorite comic strip is getting an medal. Here is an Article just telling everyone that Charles Schulz will get the medal he always wanted. \”President Bill Clinton signed a bill Tuesday giving the creator of the \”Peanuts\” comic strip the Congressional Gold Medal, the country\’s highest civilian honor and the one thing that Schulz — a World War II veteran — had desired.\” \”Peanuts\” fans across the country started a letter-writing campaign advocating the tribute for the artist who brought to life the angst-ridden character of Charlie Brown for nearly 50 years.\”
Bookstores plan marketing extravaganza for fourth Harry Potter book
CNN.com has the exciting news about Harry Potter coming soon with the fourth book. Here is an Article telling you how some of the bookstores are going to market the book. \”Many merchants are staying open until the early morning hours of July 8, when the as-yet untitled book is released. Others are organizing Harry Potter-themed parties with magic shows and live owls. Internet retail giant Amazon.com, meanwhile, is countering by promising FedEx quick delivery for up to 250,000 online shoppers.\” CNN.com has the exciting news about Harry Potter coming soon with the fourth book. Here is an Article telling you how some of the bookstores are going to market the book. \”Many merchants are staying open until the early morning hours of July 8, when the as-yet untitled book is released. Others are organizing Harry Potter-themed parties with magic shows and live owls. Internet retail giant Amazon.com, meanwhile, is countering by promising FedEx quick delivery for up to 250,000 online shoppers.\” \”Some merchants — from small independent stores to giant chains like Barnes & Noble — are keeping their doors open past 12:01 a.m. on July 8 when it officially goes on sale. Amazon is also working with FedEx Corp. to get books quickly to customers. The first 250,000 who buy the book on its Web site — more than 168,000 have already pre-ordered — will get their standard shipping upgraded for free to overnight delivery, meaning the book will arrive on the release date of July 8.\”
Others are opening at dawn with their stores transformed into their interpretation of Harry Potter\’s world.Many cyberstores are also offering deep discounts, with Amazon slashing 40 percent off the $25.95 price and Barnes & Noble.com cutting 30 percent. That\’s something that most smaller stores can\’t afford to do.
A librarian’s changing job description?
Have our job descriptions changed as a result of new technologies? I would agree with most who say that they have, as we need to know about online resources, evaluating those resources, navigating the web, and training our customers in their use. However, I think that this change should not uproot the basic foundations of present day librarianship, giving the customers what they want with the best possible service…
Have our job descriptions changed as a result of new technologies? I would agree with most who say that they have, as we need to know about online resources, evaluating those resources, navigating the web, and training our customers in their use. However, I think that this change should not uproot the basic foundations of present day librarianship, giving the customers what they want with the best possible service…
Does this service entail knowing all there is to know about the web so that we can assist in the best possible way? Probably not.
Librarians are the gatherers, catalogers, and keepers of information. We certainly do not know all there is about the research we do for our customers (even though some are surprised when they ask us if we have read a certain book – and we tell them that we have not), so I don’t believe that we need to know everything there is to know on the web, but are these the expectations of the people we serve? And further, are these expectations valid? Probably not.
Libraries provide Internet training because it is a tremendous research tool, (which, in my opinion, is going to kick the pants out of many reference books in the future) and in that respect I think that our job description is changing, but the basic caveats are there. We perform the same service, just in a different environment. Bibliographic instruction is evolving into technological instruction (compare the number of times in the past month that you helped a customer with any reference book with the number of times you showed a customer how to “Google”) and our job descriptions must evolve to stay competitive, while the basic underpinnings remain stable.
I publish a monthly Internet newsletter for my library, available in print and on our web site. In every issue, I discuss web sites on particular topics of interest to my clientele. I decided on such a venture because after 2 years of teaching my customers basic Internet skills, I understood that they not only want these abilities, but they may want someone to point out appealing and exciting web sites to visit. The customers agreed with me, as the CPL Internet Gazette, thanks to the fantastic staff at my library, has become very popular, and is a giant step towards our goal to give them what they want. Again, the job description has evolved, but the fundamental foundation remains.
To Fee or not to Fee
Should public libraries charge for services to not district residents? According to this article from Michican Live, one library district in Michigan may not have a choice.
\”If the county system closes, Grand Rapids most likely would become inundated. And possibly, those new users would deprive city residents, who pay a 2.15-mil tax, use of a large number of materials.\”
Should public libraries charge for services to not district residents? According to this article from Michican Live, one library district in Michigan may not have a choice.
\”If the county system closes, Grand Rapids most likely would become inundated. And possibly, those new users would deprive city residents, who pay a 2.15-mil tax, use of a large number of materials.\”
\”In addition, the library staff would be overwhelmed by so many new users. Library Director Robert Raz has suggested that, if the tax fails, the city\’s Library Board impose a $115 annual fee for non-residents.\”
\”The fee would hurt poor residents, large families and Grand Rapids Community College students the most. The Library Board should consider alternatives to reduce the charge. First, the board could ask communities and school districts within the Kent system to contribute. The community college also might be willing to chip in. Second, the city should look to the Kent County Board of Commissioners for help. The County Board is indirectly involved in the system because it appoints the District Library board members. The Grand Rapids Library Board also should consider giving a discount to large families.\”
\”Painful as a non-resident library charge would be, it would be essential. Grand Rapids residents should not have to subsidize library services for all of Kent County.\”
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