Blake

Should All Research Papers Be Free? – The New York Times

Possibly the biggest barrier to open access is that scientists are judged by where they have published when they compete for jobs, promotions, tenure and grant money. And the most prestigious journals, such as Cell, Nature and The Lancet, also tend to be the most protective of their content.

“The real people to blame are the leaders of the scientific community — Nobel scientists, heads of institutions, the presidents of universities — who are in a position to change things but have never faced up to this problem in part because they are beneficiaries of the system,” said Dr. Eisen. “University presidents love to tout how important their scientists are because they publish in these journals.”

From Should All Research Papers Be Free? – The New York Times

Possibly the biggest barrier to open access is that scientists are judged by where they have published when they compete for jobs, promotions, tenure and grant money. And the most prestigious journals, such as Cell, Nature and The Lancet, also tend to be the most protective of their content.

“The real people to blame are the leaders of the scientific community — Nobel scientists, heads of institutions, the presidents of universities — who are in a position to change things but have never faced up to this problem in part because they are beneficiaries of the system,” said Dr. Eisen. “University presidents love to tout how important their scientists are because they publish in these journals.”

From Should All Research Papers Be Free? – The New York Times

March 14, 2016 by Blake Uncategorized

Mayor’s plan could turn a page on Philadelphia’s crumbling libraries

Mayor Kenney’s ambitions $600 million “Rebuild” plan is aimed at fixing up many of those aging libraries and repairing run-down recreation centers.

The six-year initiative also calls for reorganizing space in some library buildings and creating new space in others.

The proposed makeover involves adding pre-kindergarten classrooms in some library branches as part of another major Kenney initiative: His goal of adding 10,000 “quality” Pre-K slots for 3- and 4-year-olds by 2020.

From Kenney’s plan could turn a page on Philadelphia’s crumbling libraries

Mayor Kenney’s ambitions $600 million “Rebuild” plan is aimed at fixing up many of those aging libraries and repairing run-down recreation centers.

The six-year initiative also calls for reorganizing space in some library buildings and creating new space in others.

The proposed makeover involves adding pre-kindergarten classrooms in some library branches as part of another major Kenney initiative: His goal of adding 10,000 “quality” Pre-K slots for 3- and 4-year-olds by 2020.

From Kenney’s plan could turn a page on Philadelphia’s crumbling libraries

March 13, 2016 by Blake Libraries

Censor bans first publication in Ireland in 18 years

The Censorship of Publications Board put a prohibition order on all editions of ‘The Raped Little Runaway’, written by Jean Martin.

The order applies to to all editions of the book by any publisher.

From Censor bans first publication in Ireland in 18 years – Independent.ie

The Censorship of Publications Board put a prohibition order on all editions of ‘The Raped Little Runaway’, written by Jean Martin.

The order applies to to all editions of the book by any publisher.

From Censor bans first publication in Ireland in 18 years – Independent.ie

March 13, 2016 by Blake Censorship

At Calif. Campuses, A Test For Free Speech, Privacy And Cybersecurity

A controversy over a secretly installed data monitoring system is simmering at university campuses across California.

Last summer, hackers broke into the computer network at the UCLA medical center. A few months later, the University of California system’s president quietly ordered a new security system to monitor Internet traffic on all UC campuses.

“And the people who had to put the box in place were ordered to do so and also ordered to keep quiet about it,” says Ethan Ligon, a professor of agricultural economics at the University of California, Berkeley.

From At Calif. Campuses, A Test For Free Speech, Privacy And Cybersecurity : All Tech Considered : NPR

A controversy over a secretly installed data monitoring system is simmering at university campuses across California.

Last summer, hackers broke into the computer network at the UCLA medical center. A few months later, the University of California system’s president quietly ordered a new security system to monitor Internet traffic on all UC campuses.

“And the people who had to put the box in place were ordered to do so and also ordered to keep quiet about it,” says Ethan Ligon, a professor of agricultural economics at the University of California, Berkeley.

From At Calif. Campuses, A Test For Free Speech, Privacy And Cybersecurity : All Tech Considered : NPR

March 12, 2016 by Blake Censorship Internet Privacy

Koch Brothers Anti-Library Robocalls In IL

The Koch Brothers have finally launched their attack on libraries.

On Thursday, the Koch Brother’s super PAC “Americans for Prosperity” started robocalls against the Plainfield IL library referendum. They have targeted the library for defeat as part of their anti-tax agenda. “Americans for Prosperity” is good at quoting facts that don’t exist and slinging mud at the common good. We need your help to answer this Koch funded anti-library smear campaign now, and your help in future to build a defense against their anti-library agenda.

From Kochbrothers – EveryLibrary

The Koch Brothers have finally launched their attack on libraries.

On Thursday, the Koch Brother’s super PAC “Americans for Prosperity” started robocalls against the Plainfield IL library referendum. They have targeted the library for defeat as part of their anti-tax agenda. “Americans for Prosperity” is good at quoting facts that don’t exist and slinging mud at the common good. We need your help to answer this Koch funded anti-library smear campaign now, and your help in future to build a defense against their anti-library agenda.

From Kochbrothers – EveryLibrary

March 12, 2016 by Blake Librarians Libraries

New York seeks smoking ban outside libraries

moking outside of public libraries in New York may soon be banned.

State lawmakers have introduced a bill to add libraries to the restriction put in place in 2012 that prohibits smoking within 100 feet of school entrances or exits.

“Today, I am proud to extend that smoke-free protection even further to include the entrances and exits of our state’s libraries,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, D-Bronx, in a statement. He’s sponsoring the bill with Sen. Gustavo Rivera, D-Bronx.

From New York seeks smoking ban outside libraries

moking outside of public libraries in New York may soon be banned.

State lawmakers have introduced a bill to add libraries to the restriction put in place in 2012 that prohibits smoking within 100 feet of school entrances or exits.

“Today, I am proud to extend that smoke-free protection even further to include the entrances and exits of our state’s libraries,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, D-Bronx, in a statement. He’s sponsoring the bill with Sen. Gustavo Rivera, D-Bronx.

From New York seeks smoking ban outside libraries

March 12, 2016 by Blake Legal Issues Libraries School Libraries

How Libraries Are Becoming Modern Makerspaces

Today, perhaps taking a cue from Franklin, libraries across America are creating space for their patrons to experiment with all kinds of new technologies and tools to create and invent.

From How Libraries Are Becoming Modern Makerspaces – The Atlantic

Today, perhaps taking a cue from Franklin, libraries across America are creating space for their patrons to experiment with all kinds of new technologies and tools to create and invent.

From How Libraries Are Becoming Modern Makerspaces – The Atlantic

March 12, 2016 by Blake Libraries

Loving Books in a Dark Age

Books took effort, time, skill. Books required dead calves, polished skins, the making of ink and colours and pens, the ruling of guidelines. They had to be written out by hand, carefully, and corrected and punctuated and decorated; they had to be sewn together so they would stay in their proper order. They required craft. They also required words, either a book to copy or else someone to invent and dictate. They mattered for their content, of course: Bede helped change people’s minds about the proper date of Easter, the way to date our lives in the history of the world, what happened in Britain when it became both Christian and Anglo-Saxon. But books also began to matter for themselves, even when they were practical books for reading and not jewelled, painted lovelies.

Books were becoming independent of the way they were meant to be read. It came to this: books were worth burning.

From Loving Books in a Dark Age : Longreads Blog

Books took effort, time, skill. Books required dead calves, polished skins, the making of ink and colours and pens, the ruling of guidelines. They had to be written out by hand, carefully, and corrected and punctuated and decorated; they had to be sewn together so they would stay in their proper order. They required craft. They also required words, either a book to copy or else someone to invent and dictate. They mattered for their content, of course: Bede helped change people’s minds about the proper date of Easter, the way to date our lives in the history of the world, what happened in Britain when it became both Christian and Anglo-Saxon. But books also began to matter for themselves, even when they were practical books for reading and not jewelled, painted lovelies.

Books were becoming independent of the way they were meant to be read. It came to this: books were worth burning.

From Loving Books in a Dark Age : Longreads Blog

March 11, 2016 by Blake Books

Publishing Heavyweights Petition To End Cuba Book Embargo

More than 50 major players in the U.S. publishing industry are petitioning the White House and Congress to end the Cuba trade embargo as it pertains to books and educational materials.

Calling the book embargo “counter to American ideals of free expression,” the petition — endorsed by publishing companies, authors and agents — says “books are catalysts for greater cross-cultural understanding, economic development, free expression, and positive social change.”

From Publishing Heavyweights Petition White House, Congress To End Cuba Book Embargo : The Two-Way : NPR

More than 50 major players in the U.S. publishing industry are petitioning the White House and Congress to end the Cuba trade embargo as it pertains to books and educational materials.

Calling the book embargo “counter to American ideals of free expression,” the petition — endorsed by publishing companies, authors and agents — says “books are catalysts for greater cross-cultural understanding, economic development, free expression, and positive social change.”

From Publishing Heavyweights Petition White House, Congress To End Cuba Book Embargo : The Two-Way : NPR

March 11, 2016 by Blake Books Publishing

The Mass-Market Edition of “To Kill a Mockingbird” is Dead

We may never know what Lee’s will stipulates, but the estate’s first action in the wake of Lee’s death is both bold and somewhat baffling: The New Republic has obtained an email from Hachette Book Group, sent on Friday, March 4 to booksellers across the country, revealing that Lee’s estate will no longer allow publication of the mass-market paperback edition of To Kill a Mockingbird.

From The Mass-Market Edition of “To Kill a Mockingbird” is Dead | New Republic