March 2002

Scholarly Publishing: Revolution or Evolution?

From the most recent Free Pint, with thanks to the Free Online Scholarship Newsletter:

So far in the world of scholarly electronic publishing, everything has changed but nothing has changed: journals still fail to arrive, prices continue to increase over the rate of inflation each year and the budget that research organisations have to spend on journals fails
to keep pace with those price increases. At the same time, we have seen the emergence of wonderful new technological innovations . . .

To try and get an insight into this complex ecosystem, it is worthwhile dropping in on each of the three principal players who sit between the authors and consumers of scholarly journals to try and understand what is going on . . .

More.

ExtraNet Where Librarians & Technology Meet

ExtraNet, Where Librarians & Technology Meet [when they aren\’t here], from the St. Albert Public Library, has been created to further St. Albert Public Library\’s vision and mission by creating synergy between Librarians and Information Technology Specialists.


A place to share knowledge and information; to share news, discuss ideas, and to get help.


Check it out @ extra.sapl.ab.ca

Getting Screwed By Yahoo!

If you use Yahoo mail, or have ever shopped @ yahoo, you need to sign in and Change Your Privacy Options. They have \”changed\” their Privacy Policy. This Link should allow you direct access to your account info, and This One is to the FeedBack form at Yahoo. Change your settings now, or you can expect spam, junk mail and phone calls at home.


In the past I have shopped at Yahoo almost exclusivly, and I hope you will joing me in avoiding them in the future, regardless of what they do to fix this.


Keep in mind, if you have shopped with them, they have your home and business address as well as your home and business phone number, which are all now checked \”yes\” for you to receive \”special offers and marketing communications\”.

CNET Story

Finding Pay Dirt in Scannable Driver’s Licenses

Not 100% library related, but, The NYTimes has a Scary Story on the information people can get off of your drivers license. A bar owner found that he could build a database of personal information, providing an intimate perspective on his clientele that can be useful in marketing.


A good story for to answer the ol\’ question \”Why do we worry about patron privacy?\”

\”You swipe the license, and all of a sudden someone\’s whole life as we know it pops up in front of you,\” said Paul Barclay, the bar\’s owner. \”It\’s almost voyeuristic.\”

Future of Academic Libraries Bib

I ran into this Future of Academic Libraries Bibliography while doing some research the other day. It does cover much more than just the future of academic libraries as well.


The resources provided cover the following topics: creativity, future of libraries, information services, innovative tech, leadership, organizational learning, professional development, strategic planning, technical services/collection development, staff development, and technology. Formats include: journal articles, books, book chapters, and Web sites.

No Shirt No Shoes No Trial

Good News from here in Columbus, OH, where a judge has ruled that a public library isn’t trampling on a patron’s constitutional rights by requiring him to wear shoes inside the building.

An idiot had sued the Columbus Metropolitan Library, saying the ban on going barefoot blocks a healthy lifestyle and his First Amendment rights.

Strapped Tokyo Governmment Slashes Library Budgets, Collections

From Mainichi:

The cash-strapped Tokyo Metropolitan Government has decided to get rid of some 140,000 books being kept at one of its three libraries as a part of a radical cost-cutting measure.

Under a new metropolitan directive, the libraries will be banned from keeping more than one copy of a single title between them from next April. Any overlapping collections will be offloaded under the directive, but no concrete plan for their fate has been agreed . . .

It is expected that library-related expenditures will be clipped further in fiscal 2002.

More.

Troubled times spark love book craze

Ashi.com Has A Story on the growing appreciation of family and relationships is being reflected in a new craze for books about love in Japan. They say compilations of letters exchanged by couples and family members are selling by the thousand.

“One reader handed out the book to guests on the third anniversary of her husband\’s death,\’\’ Ota says. \’\’I guess leaving words of gratitude to a loved one can also be a way of leaving your mark here on Earth.\’\’