Audio of GODORT session at Spring ’05 DLC now available
Much happened and was discussed at the Spring '05 Depository Library Council meeting in Albuquerque, NM (schedule and notes can be found here). Were you unable to attend? Have no fear. Here is an audio recording of the Government Documents Roundtable (GODORT) session on Monday evening, April 18, 2005. The panel, chaired by GODORT chair John Stevenson, included FGI's own James R. Jacobs, Elizabeth Cowell (Stanford University Library), Mary Alice Baish (American Association of Law Libraries), and Patrice McDermott (American Library Association (ALA) Washington Office). the discussion centered on issues surrounding the future of the Federal Depository Library Program. GODORT Secretary Nan Myers took notes. The audio will soon be linked from the GODORT website as well. Continue reading
Another Remix
We've added the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count to the Remix page. Continue reading
Federal Computer Week story about DLC conference
Librarians air frustrations BY Aliya Sternstein Published on Apr. 27, 2005.
Federal depository librarians, who attended the meeting in Albuquerque, came away saying much has to be done before the FDLP can truly provide permanent public access in the digital age.Continue reading
Peter Suber on Open Access to Government Information
Peter Suber is a tireless advocate of open access. His Open Access News blog is the definitive source of news on the open access movement to scholarly communication. On April 22, Suber added this comment to the story about the Santorum bill that would drastically limit distribution of weather data by the government:
The argument used by Santorum --that government shouldn't compete with private-sector companies-- has been used against OA to research literature as well. If the private-sector companies are not repackaging and reselling publicly-funded resources, then this argument might be taken seriously. But when they charge customers for something already paid by the customers' taxes, then the argument collapses. For example, if the private weather companies collected the same data at their own expense, then it might be wasteful duplication for the government to do so as well. But if the companies want to use publicly-funded data, then their request to be the sole distributors is simply the request to rip off the public. Governments have an obligation to prevent that from happening, not an obligation to step back and let it happen.
Santorum wants to end OA to publicly-funded weather data
Suber has posted more information about the bill and its supporters here.
Continue readingRemix page updated
There is new information on the Remix page. Recently added: U.S. Congressional Committee Meetings Index from NCSU and INSIDE Idaho; Idaho's official geospatial data clearinghouse. If you have suggestions for this page, please send them to us or post a comment on the Remix page. It is part of our growing library of information.
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