Cataloging the Creative Commons
Michael Sauers, who has the wonderful title of "Technology Innovation Librarian" and blogs for the Nebraska Library Commission, has started cataloging and offering Creative Commons-licensed works at his library. What he did was to take electronic versions of CC titles, post them on his library's Web server, catalog them in the OPAC, and make them available to the public. Additionally, for titles whose license allows for physical printing of the works, they turned the electronic books into spiral-bound books to be added to the physical collection. The result, so far, is that his library now has a collection of 9 CC-licensed electronic titles available through the OPAC along with 7 print versions available to circulate. Also, seven of the nine titles resulted in brand new records in OCLC. Corey Doctorow, one of the authors, has blogged about the project over at BoingBoing.
Continue readingArmy Says It Will Restore Public Access to Online Library
Army Says It Will Restore Public Access to Online Library. by Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News. Feb 21, 2008.
Continue readingThe U.S. Army said today that it would restore public access to the online Reimer Digital Library of Army publications, after having blocked the site on February 6.The U.S. Army said today that it would restore public access to the online Reimer Digital Library of Army publications, after having blocked the site on February 6.
Law Library of Congress announces the availability of RSS feeds and e-mail delivery
The Law Library of Congress has announced that they now offer RSS feeds and e-mail delivery of LLOC information. Library feeds consist of a headline, brief summary, and a link that leads back to the Library's website for more information. Available feeds cover Law Library News and Events, Law Library Webcasts, Legal Research Reports, and the Global Legal Monitor. go to this page on their website to add the RSS feeds or to sign up for email notification.
Continue readingNew website Omeka helps in publishing online collections
"Omeka" is a newly launched website geared towards "cultural institutions, enthusiasts, and educators." Developed by The Center for History and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS), Omeka's purpose is to provide a free online display platform that museums, historical societies, scholars, libraries, etc. can use for publishing collections and exhibitions online. Inside Higher Ed today reports that Omeka allows users to curate items professionally by offering easy creation of online collections.
Features that Omeka offers for online collections include:
- A Dublin Core metadata structure and standards-based design that is fully accessible and interoperable
- Professional-looking exhibit sites that showcase collections without hiring outside designers
- Theme-switching for changing the look and feel of an exhibit in a few clicks
- Plug-ins for geolocation, bi-lingual sites, and other possibilities
- Web 2.0 Technologies, including tagging, blogging and syndicating.
The beta code for Omeka is being made available to the general public today. The developers envision itas a relatively simple way to produce a rich, well-designed site that meets the common needs of librarians and archivists.
The Omeka site has a showcase of several current projects. One example of a site that has used an earlier version of Omeka is the April 16 Archive, created by Virginia Tech after last year’s shooting attacks. Another project is collecting the stories and digital record of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Is PBS passé?
A prominently featured article in Sunday's New York Times dares to ask the question "Is PBS Still Necessary? " Public broadcasting is once again threatened with budget cuts; the article's author, Charles McGrath, suggests that maybe public television isn't necessary in these days of hundreds of cable channels. He distinguishes public television from public radio, which has a growing audience: there are more than 30 million listeners now, compared to just 2 million in 1980. In contrast, he points out, the average PBS prime time show has about as many viewers as "the wrestling show “'Friday Night Smackdown'”.
I can't muster up much indignation at his article. In my house I don't think we've watched the PBS station since the kids outgrew Sesame Street (though Sesame Street was on all the time when the kids were little) a decade ago. I tried to watch one of the Ken Burns programs but there were so many pledge breaks I gave up and just rented it from the video store. Frankly, I find pledge breaks far more annoying than commercials. On the other hand, the only radio I listen to is the three public radio stations in Pittsburgh and I would be bereft without NPR.
Is public television still an important cultural source for less urban, eastern parts of the country? Or has it outlived its usefulness? Do chime in with your opinions.