Lunchtime listen: Karen Schneider at Code4lib conference
For some reason I just went back to review the keynote given by Karen Schneider -- aka Free Range Librarian -- at the 2007 Code4Lib conference. I found some really great practical tidbits for talking about open source in libraries as well as some food for thought. So please take the 50 minutes to sit back and enjoy Karen's most interesting talk. You'll be glad you did!
- @ the 19min mark...seizing control of the tools we know we need to have and that we can create oursleves...we're really in a renaissance of librarian-built software for the first time it's like we're shaking ourselves awake and really grabbing hold, seizing the day. Librarian-built software begins to restore the balance of power in our profession...
- @27min mark (slide 16), there's an interesting exchange about open source including stereotypes of open source and how to talk to directors about open source at @ 36min.
- Slide 32 = every library needs a developer
- 48min mark = Q&A from Dan Chudnov discussing free software and Schneider's over-simplification that there's no free software. Dan points out that there's a higher level of conversation about free software that needs to happen.
Presidential Libraries and Museums and EO 13233
Presidential libraries have historical problem, Commentary By Benjamin Hufbauer, Chicago Tribune, March 3, 2008. Also available here from NewsBank (subscription required).
The problem with presidential libraries is that there is often tension between what presidents want -- whitewashed memorials that attempt to enhance their reputations through propaganda -- and what historians and the public want -- accessible archives and good history museums.Continue reading
CDC Employees Gather Round a Blog
While browsing ThinkProgress, I came across a reference to CDC Chatter, which says it is for:
ABOUT CDCChatter.net Welcome to CDCChatter.net, an unofficial blog for employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), external partners and others who are interested in CDC. This blog was established for CDC employees and others to post information, express opinions, make comments and otherwise communicate about decisions, changes, events and other issues that are occurring at CDC. This blog is intended to provide a forum for people to express their views. It is not intended as a forum for disclosing classified or confidential information nor is it intended in any way to compromise the mission and efficacy of CDC.The site statistics they post on their front page suggests they get good traffic:
Site Statistics Thru January 2008 561 - Stories 6,373 - Comments For the month of January: 16 - New stories 250 - New comments 6,477 - Unique visitors 1215 - Average visits per day 14,175 - Average hits per daySome of the most recent news/discussion topics included:
- A reader has written expressing concern that in times of tightened resources, NCCDPHP leadership is not marshalling its energies to continue to address the threats of chronic diseases.
- With the impending budget cuts what are some ways CDC can cut its budget and still provide the public with the healthcare knowledge and service they deserve?
- CDC CAREER DAY - Setting People up for Failure?
- Congress to probe CDC for withholding report
Reminder That Transparency Advocacy Trumps Parties
Two items from Peter Suber's Open Access News give an important reminder that friends of greater access to government information can come from anywhere:
The first item notes Senator Lieberman's call for action on S Res 401, which would post all unclassified Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports in a public database. Although this would simply do for CRS what is already done for the General Accountability Office (GAO), S Res 401 has seen no action since Senator Lieberman introduced it on December 11, 2007. The second item notes the gratitude of the American Association of Law Libraries for Justice Roberts action in permitting free trial access to the PACER database at selected Federal Depository Libraries. Free public access to PACER, which provides electronic access to U.S. District, Bankruptcy, and Appellate court records has been a longstanding goal of the depository and law library communities. As I understand it, before Chief Justice Roberts, the Supreme Court was unwilling to consider free access on any level. While it is tempting in these troubled times to assume that one party stands firmly for restricted access in all cases and the other party stands for full transparency, that's not true. In all cases we information advocates should be seeking out and working with whomever is in favor of greater transparency on a case by case basis. Continue readingTake time out for Title Page TV
We're not all work and no play at FGI. So, here is something we have been waiting for and are excited that it is now online. It is http://www.titlepage.tv/ and they describe it and their first episode this way:
There's never been anything like it online. We bring together four of today's top authors at a time for unscripted, passionate conversations about their work. We couldn't be more proud of our first episode. Richard Price, Colin Harrison, Susan Choi, and Charles Bock gave us an inside look at their latest novels, but the conversation didn't stop there. Harrison taught us how to salvage a story by introducing a new character; Bock told us how his acclaimed first novel almost ended up in a drawer; Choi explained why she didn't identify the home country of her main character; and the very organized Price admitted that he writes "outlines for my outlines" when preparing a novel. Unlike many other sites, we do ask our visitors for an attention span. This first show runs to about an hour, but trust us -- the time flies. Today also marks the debut of our other features, including blogs, additional book recommendations, and interactive forums where you can start your own passionate conversations with fellow readers.Enjoy! Continue reading