Blake

Company Tracks Iowa Caucusgoers by their Cell Phones

So on the night of the Iowa caucus, Dstillery flagged all the auctions that took place on phones in latitudes and longitudes near caucus locations. It wound up spotting 16,000 devices on caucus night, as those people had granted location privileges to the apps or devices that served them ads. It captured those mobile ID’s and then looked up the characteristics associated with those IDs in order to make observations about the kind of people that went to Republican caucus locations (young parents) versus Democrat caucus locations. It drilled down farther (e.g., ‘people who like NASCAR voted for Trump and Clinton’) by looking at which candidate won at a particular caucus location.

From Company Tracks Iowa Caucusgoers by their Cell Phones – Schneier on Security

So on the night of the Iowa caucus, Dstillery flagged all the auctions that took place on phones in latitudes and longitudes near caucus locations. It wound up spotting 16,000 devices on caucus night, as those people had granted location privileges to the apps or devices that served them ads. It captured those mobile ID’s and then looked up the characteristics associated with those IDs in order to make observations about the kind of people that went to Republican caucus locations (young parents) versus Democrat caucus locations. It drilled down farther (e.g., ‘people who like NASCAR voted for Trump and Clinton’) by looking at which candidate won at a particular caucus location.

From Company Tracks Iowa Caucusgoers by their Cell Phones – Schneier on Security

March 2, 2016 by Blake Uncategorized

The collective insanity of the publishing industry

Here’s how short-sighted this idea is. The Big 5 raised their ebook prices, created an artificial resurgence in print sales of their books, and thought they proved print-is-not-dead. (They actually proved the consumer will buy the cheaper option, but okay.) One might even think they stuck it to Amazon, somehow, by doing this.

The only problem is this: the largest seller of print books right now happens to be Amazon. Guess who saw an uptick in print sales in 2015?

From The collective insanity of the publishing industry – Gene Doucette

Here’s how short-sighted this idea is. The Big 5 raised their ebook prices, created an artificial resurgence in print sales of their books, and thought they proved print-is-not-dead. (They actually proved the consumer will buy the cheaper option, but okay.) One might even think they stuck it to Amazon, somehow, by doing this.

The only problem is this: the largest seller of print books right now happens to be Amazon. Guess who saw an uptick in print sales in 2015?

From The collective insanity of the publishing industry – Gene Doucette

March 2, 2016 by Blake EBooks Publishing

Libraries are Leading the Charge in Open-Access Publishing Revolution

There are always ways to free your work for less money, of course. You could start a WordPress blog and post the whole thing there, or publish with a print-on-demand independent press, or even self-publish on Amazon. Like the rest of the publishing industry fringe, this is a wild and woolly world where things like review standards aren’t always up to academic snuff. Getting people to actually read your stunning work of self-published genius can be something of an uphill battle because you don’t have a big, well-respected name behind your book to certify that yes, this thinker is thinking worthwhile thoughts. Free open access has potential, of course—scads of it—but until a large institution throws its weight behind the concept, it’s likely to remain a fun social theory set in a hypothetical world where things don’t cost money.

From Libraries are Leading the Charge in Open-Access Publishing Revolution — Blog — Foreword Reviews

There are always ways to free your work for less money, of course. You could start a WordPress blog and post the whole thing there, or publish with a print-on-demand independent press, or even self-publish on Amazon. Like the rest of the publishing industry fringe, this is a wild and woolly world where things like review standards aren’t always up to academic snuff. Getting people to actually read your stunning work of self-published genius can be something of an uphill battle because you don’t have a big, well-respected name behind your book to certify that yes, this thinker is thinking worthwhile thoughts. Free open access has potential, of course—scads of it—but until a large institution throws its weight behind the concept, it’s likely to remain a fun social theory set in a hypothetical world where things don’t cost money.

From Libraries are Leading the Charge in Open-Access Publishing Revolution — Blog — Foreword Reviews

March 1, 2016 by Blake Libraries Publishing

WI Libraries can now report overdue fines to collection agencies or police

Senate Bill 466 – permits a library to report to a collection agency or, under some circumstances, a law enforcement agency, information about delinquent accounts of any individual who borrows or uses the library’s documents, materials, resources, or services. Authored by Senator Sheila Harsdorf (R – River Falls) and Representative Nancy VanderMeer (R – Tomah), the bill passed the Senate on a voice vote and was concurred by the Assembly on a voice vote. It is Act 169.

From Governor Scott Walker Signs 46 Bills Into Law | Office of the Governor – Scott Walker

Senate Bill 466 – permits a library to report to a collection agency or, under some circumstances, a law enforcement agency, information about delinquent accounts of any individual who borrows or uses the library’s documents, materials, resources, or services. Authored by Senator Sheila Harsdorf (R – River Falls) and Representative Nancy VanderMeer (R – Tomah), the bill passed the Senate on a voice vote and was concurred by the Assembly on a voice vote. It is Act 169.

From Governor Scott Walker Signs 46 Bills Into Law | Office of the Governor – Scott Walker

March 1, 2016 by Blake Legal Issues Libraries

Wikimedia Foundation director resigns after uproar over “Knowledge Engine”

Earlier this month, documents related to the grant were leaked to and published by The Signpost, Wikipedia’s online newspaper. In a special report, The Signpost published the 13-page grant agreement and ran an article asserting that the “Knowledge Engine” would be, contrary to statements by Jimmy Wales and other board members, some type of generalized Internet search engine. “The presentation contrasts the ideals and motivations of commercial search engines—they ‘highlight paid results, track users’ internet habits, sell information to marketing firms’—with those of ‘Wikipedia Search’, which will be private, transparent, and globally representative,” wrote The Signpost. “It repeatedly stressed that “no other search engines carry these ideals.”

From Wikimedia Foundation director resigns after uproar over “Knowledge Engine” | Ars Technica

Earlier this month, documents related to the grant were leaked to and published by The Signpost, Wikipedia’s online newspaper. In a special report, The Signpost published the 13-page grant agreement and ran an article asserting that the “Knowledge Engine” would be, contrary to statements by Jimmy Wales and other board members, some type of generalized Internet search engine. “The presentation contrasts the ideals and motivations of commercial search engines—they ‘highlight paid results, track users’ internet habits, sell information to marketing firms’—with those of ‘Wikipedia Search’, which will be private, transparent, and globally representative,” wrote The Signpost. “It repeatedly stressed that “no other search engines carry these ideals.”

From Wikimedia Foundation director resigns after uproar over “Knowledge Engine” | Ars Technica

March 1, 2016 by Blake Internet

ALCTS’ Piercy Award to LYRASIS’ Annie Peterson

The Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) named Annie Peterson, Preservation Services Librarian at LYRASIS, the winner of the 2016 Esther J. Piercy Award. The award will be presented on Saturday, June 25 at the ALCTS Awards Ceremony during the 2016 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, FL.

From ALCTS’ Piercy Award to Annie Peterson | News and Press Center

The Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) named Annie Peterson, Preservation Services Librarian at LYRASIS, the winner of the 2016 Esther J. Piercy Award. The award will be presented on Saturday, June 25 at the ALCTS Awards Ceremony during the 2016 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, FL.

From ALCTS’ Piercy Award to Annie Peterson | News and Press Center

February 29, 2016 by Blake American Library Association Libraries

Angus, Thongs author Louise Rennison dies – BBC News

Louise Rennison, author of Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, has died.
The book, which was part of her series of her hugely popular books The Confessions of Georgia Nicolson, was made into a film starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson in 2008.
Her publisher Harper Collins confirmed the news of her death.
“It is with huge sadness that we can confirm the death of our much loved author and friend, Louise Rennison.”
She was in her sixties.

From Angus, Thongs author Louise Rennison dies – BBC News

Louise Rennison, author of Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, has died.
The book, which was part of her series of her hugely popular books The Confessions of Georgia Nicolson, was made into a film starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson in 2008.
Her publisher Harper Collins confirmed the news of her death.
“It is with huge sadness that we can confirm the death of our much loved author and friend, Louise Rennison.”
She was in her sixties.

From Angus, Thongs author Louise Rennison dies – BBC News

February 29, 2016 by Blake Authors

Apple and the FBI: Why is this relevant to libraries?

Why is this relevant to libraries? I think it’s past time that we start paying very close attention to the details of our data in ways that we have, at best, hand-waved as a vendor responsibility in the past. There have been amazing strides lately in libraryland in regards to the security of our data connections via SSL (LetsEncrypt) as well as a resurgence in anonymization and privacy tools for our patrons (Tor and the like, thank you very much Library Freedom Project).

Data about our patrons and their interactions that isn’t encrypted at rest in either the local database or the vendor database hosted on their servers (and our electronic resource access, and our proxy logins, and, and, and…) is data that is subject to subpoena and could be accessed in ways that we would not want. It is the job of the librarian to protect the data about the information seeking process of their patrons. And while it’s been talked about before in library circles (Peter Murray’s 2011 article is a good example of past discussions) this court case brings into focus the lengths that some aspects of the law enforcement community will go to in order to have the power to collect data about individuals.

From Apple, the FBI, and Libraries | Pattern Recognition

Why is this relevant to libraries? I think it’s past time that we start paying very close attention to the details of our data in ways that we have, at best, hand-waved as a vendor responsibility in the past. There have been amazing strides lately in libraryland in regards to the security of our data connections via SSL (LetsEncrypt) as well as a resurgence in anonymization and privacy tools for our patrons (Tor and the like, thank you very much Library Freedom Project).

Data about our patrons and their interactions that isn’t encrypted at rest in either the local database or the vendor database hosted on their servers (and our electronic resource access, and our proxy logins, and, and, and…) is data that is subject to subpoena and could be accessed in ways that we would not want. It is the job of the librarian to protect the data about the information seeking process of their patrons. And while it’s been talked about before in library circles (Peter Murray’s 2011 article is a good example of past discussions) this court case brings into focus the lengths that some aspects of the law enforcement community will go to in order to have the power to collect data about individuals.

From Apple, the FBI, and Libraries | Pattern Recognition

February 29, 2016 by Blake Legal Issues Libraries Privacy

What books were taken to the Antarctic 100 years ago?

When Sir Ernest Shackleton set off for Antarctica on his ship Endurance, he made sure he had plenty of reading material. But details of precisely what books he took have remained hidden in this photograph – until now.

From What books were taken to the Antarctic 100 years ago? – BBC News

When Sir Ernest Shackleton set off for Antarctica on his ship Endurance, he made sure he had plenty of reading material. But details of precisely what books he took have remained hidden in this photograph – until now.

From What books were taken to the Antarctic 100 years ago? – BBC News

February 29, 2016 by Blake Books

Lebanese refuse to turn the page on public libraries

Beirut: Lebanon boasts the highest rate of reading among Arab states and ranks an impressive 37th globally. But, despite its 95 per cent literacy rate, many believe that the pursuit of knowledge remains an elitist privilege in the country as many Lebanese cannot afford to buy books.

This is why public libraries have always been and continue to be an important resource for Lebanese.

From Lebanese refuse to turn the page on public libraries | GulfNews.com