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LISWire - Latest Releases
NARA's Presidential Libraries to Host National Issues Forums
LISWire - Thu, 07/03/2008 - 08:22
Washington, DC…In collaboration with the National Issues Forums Institute ( NIFI ), the twelve Presidential Libraries of the National Archives and Records Administration will host a series of discussions on public policy issues between Labor Day and Election Day this fall. All forums will be open to the public.
Each Presidential Library will host a series of at least three forums focusing on health care and other topics including immigration, Federal debt, education, and energy. The forums will reflect the interests of the community that supports the Libraries. In some communities, other locations such as local community centers, public libraries, and university campuses will also host these forums.
"Hosting National Issues Forums at the Presidential Libraries,” commented Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein, “is consistent with the National Archives’ emphasis on civic education. Presidential Libraries are public places and it is appropriate for citizens to engage in intense discussions of major public policy issues in the midst of a presidential campaign. However, the goal should be hosting discussions which are balanced, civil in tone and fair-minded."
"Participants in a forum," NIFI chairman William Winter, said, "deliberate with one another -eye-to-eye, face to-face, exploring options, weighing others' views, considering the costs and consequences of public policy decisions. In a democracy, citizens have a responsibility to make choices about how to solve problems and forums help enrich participants' thinking on public issues. By offering citizens a framework for deliberative forums, NIFI helps the public take an active role in acting on public issues."
The Presidential Libraries of the National Archives are not libraries in the usual sense. They are archives and museums, bringing together in one place the documents and artifacts of a President and his administration and presenting them to the public for study and discussion without regard for political considerations or affiliations. Presidential Libraries and Museums, like their holdings, belong to the American people. They promote understanding of the presidency and the American experience, preserving and providing access to historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and exhibits that educate and inspire.
NIFI is a 25-year-old nonpartisan, nationwide network of locally sponsored forums for the consideration of public policy issues. Forums are rooted in the simple notion that citizens need to come together to reason and talk -to deliberate about common problems.
# # #
For press information, contact the National Archives staff at 202-357-5300. For information about Presidential Libraries, and links to forum information in your local community, visit ( www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/ ).
For information about NIFI, contact Bob Daley at ( 937 )434-7300 or e-mail at daley@kettering.org. Or, you can visit the National Issues Forum Institute web site ( www.nifi.org ).
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
4th International Digital Curation Conference - Radical Sharing: Transforming Science?
LISWire - Thu, 07/03/2008 - 08:21
4th International Digital Curation Conference - Radical Sharing:
Transforming Science?
Closing Date for Submissions: 25 July 2008
********************************************************************
In partnership with the National e-Science Centre and supported by the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) we are holding our 4th International Digital Curation Conference on 1-3 December 2008 at the Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland.
You are invited to submit both long and short papers, posters and demonstrations. Proposals will be considered from individuals, organisations and institutions across all disciplines and domains that are engaged in the creation, use and management of digital data, especially those involved in the challenge of curating data in e-Science and e-Research.
Further details, together with submission templates, are available at http://www.dcc.ac.uk/events/dcc2008/
Remember: the closing date for submissions is 25 July 2008.
Accepted papers will form Day 2 of the programme and be considered for publication in our International Journal of Digital Curation (IJDC).
Posters and demonstrations will be available throughout the programme.
This conference has become an established annual event providing a platform for showcasing new projects and research, sharing good practice and skills, and exploring collaborative possibilities and partnerships, so this is your chance to make your mark on the emerging field of Digital Curation.
Sent on behalf of the Programme Committee Chairs:
Chris Rusbridge, Digital Curation Centre Dr. Anne Trefethen, Oxford e-Research Centre Dr. Dave Berry, National e-Science Centre
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
PDF format becomes ISO standard
LISWire - Thu, 07/03/2008 - 07:25
The Portable Document Format (PDF), undeniably one of the most commonly used formats for electronic documents, is now accessible as an ISO International Standard - ISO 32000-1. This move follows a decision by Adobe Systems Incorporated, original developer and copyright owner of the format, to relinquish control to ISO, who is now in charge of publishing the specifications for the current version (1.7) and for updating and developing future versions.
“By releasing the full PDF specification for ISO standardization, we are reinforcing our commitment to openness", says Kevin Lynch, Chief Technology Officer at Adobe. "As governments and organizations increasingly request open formats, maintenance of the PDF specification by an external and participatory organization will help continue to drive innovation and expand the rich PDF ecosystem that has evolved over the past 15 years.”
PDF, a digital form used to represent electronic documents, allows users to exchange and view the documents easily and reliably, independent of the environments in which they are created, viewed and printed, while preserving their content and visual appearance.
With the explosive growth of the Internet, PDF has become one of the most common formats for document exchange, widely used in all professional and personal contexts. The format enables:
* preservation of document fidelity independent of device or platform
* merging of content from diverse sources
* collaborative editing of documents using multiple platforms
* digital signatures for authenticity
* security and permissions to preserve control over content
* accessibility of content to those with disabilities
* extraction and reuse of content for use with other file formats, and
* gathering data and integrating it with business systems using PDF forms.
Major corporations, government agencies and educational institutions use PDF to streamline their operations by replacing paper documentation with electronic exchange. Already, over 2 000 PDF product developers use this standard for their products and billons of PDF files are in existence today.
ISO Secretary-General Alan Bryden comments: “As an ISO standard, we can ensure that this useful and widely popular format is easily available to all interested stakeholders. The standard will benefit both software developers and users by encouraging the propagation and dissemination of a common technology that cuts across systems and is designed for long term survival.”
The new standard, ISO 32000-1, Document management – Portable document format – Part 1: PDF 1.7, is based on the PDF version 1.7 developed by Adobe. This International Standard supplies the essential information needed by developers of software that create PDF files (conforming writers), software that reads existing PDF files and interprets their contents for display and interaction (conforming readers), and PDF products that read and/or write PDF files for a variety of other purposes (conforming products).
Future versions of the format will be published as subsequent parts of the standard by the ISO subcommittee in charge of its maintenance and development (SC 2, Application issues, of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 171, Document management applications).
ISO 32000-1, Document management – Portable document format – Part 1: PDF 1.7 costs 370 Swiss francs and is available from ISO national member institutes (see the complete list with contact details) and from ISO Central Secretariat through the ISO Store or by contacting the Marketing & Communication department (see right-hand column).
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
Hill Library Trends Newsletter - June 2008
LISWire - Wed, 07/02/2008 - 12:09
The Hill Library Trends Newsletter looks at what’s new in libraries, business, and technology by highlighting relevant reports, articles, and blog entries. It saves you time by bringing to light issues affecting these industries today and issues that may affect them tomorrow.
In the June 2008 issue, the Encyclopedia Britannica bends to the wiki model, the Associated Press smacks down bloggers with (overzealous?) copyright restrictions, and an international agreement changes the makeup of URLs in a major way. Also, remember when Twitter died last month? You can relax and stop worrying. FriendFeed is here to replace it.
The James J. Hill Reference Library is a nonprofit business library dedicated to helping small businesspeople and the people who serve them make knowledgeable business decisions.
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
LibLime and the eXtensible Catalog (XC) Project Announce Partnership
LISWire - Tue, 07/01/2008 - 17:33
Anaheim, CA--July 1, 2008--LibLime, the leader in open-source solutions for libraries and the eXtensible Catalog (XC) project-- an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation funded project currently underway at the University of Rochester's River Campus Libraries-- have announced a new partnership agreement to ensure future compatibility between the XC project and Koha, the first open-source integrated library system.
The XC/LibLime partnership will ensure that the open-source software being developed as part of the XC project and the Koha open-source integrated library system will be fully compatible with each other, enabling current and future users of Koha to take advantage of the added capabilities for managing and distributing metadata that XC will offer. These benefits include facilitating the ability to combine legacy metadata with emerging schemas, and delivering library content to web content management and learning management systems.
About the eXtensible CatalogThe XC system currently in development will provide libraries with open-source tools and software that will allow libraries to expand their current roles. Library content, both traditional and digital, can easily be integrated in other systems, including Content and Learning Management Systems. The XC system will empower libraries to create customized discovery systems and solutions for their users needs.
XC is being created through a collaborative design and development process with a team of developers at the University of Rochester and at partner institutions. XC will be compatible with a range of ILS’s and centralized authentication services, will support multiple metadata formats and will deliver a customizable next-generation user interface. The XC project has a funded development period from January 2008 until July 2009. For more information, see the project blog at http://extensiblecatalog.info.
About the University of RochesterThe University of Rochester (www.rochester.edu) is one of the nation's leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering is complemented by the Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, and the Memorial Art Gallery.
About LibLimeLibLime is “the global leader in open-source solutions for libraries”, with a mission to make open source accessible to libraries. Rather than sell software licenses for static, hard-to-customize software products, LibLime educates libraries about the benefits of open source, enabling them to make choices about how best to provide their communities and staff with better technology services. LibLime then facilitates implementation of open-source in libraries by providing outstanding development, customization, support and training solutions--solutions tailored to each library's needs. For more information, see http://liblime.com.
About KohaSince it was first put into production in early 2000, Koha has enabled new realities of open access, affordability, and free innovation for a diverse community of hundreds of academic, consortia, public, special collection, religious and school libraries around the globe. Koha has lived up to its name, which means ‘Gift’ in the Maori language of New Zealand.
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
National Archives Highlights 'Ping Pong Diplomacy' in August
LISWire - Tue, 07/01/2008 - 08:10
Featured Document Display: Ping Pong Diplomacy
August 1-28, East Rotunda Gallery
The display highlights a State Department "Intelligence Brief" noting
remarks made by Chinese Premier Chou En-lai to the U.S. table tennis team
during their visit to China. The Premier emphasized the "new page" in the
relationship between the United States and China with the adoption of a
"people's diplomacy." The display also includes a picture of the U.S. table
tennis team at the Great Wall of China in April 1971.
History Declassified: Nixon in China
Wednesday, August 6, at noon, William G. McGowan Theater
In conjunction with the featured document display, The Charles
Guggenheim Center for the Documentary Film at the National Archives
presents this 2004 ABC News Productions documentary that tells the unknown
story behind one of the greatest diplomatic coups in history--President
Richard Nixon's historic trip to China in February of 1972. History
Declassified: Nixon in China combines previously secret U.S. documents
gathered by the National Security Archive with available evidence from
Chinese files to reveal details of the dramatic diplomacy that remained
hidden for 30 years. The 45-minute program won the 2005 Emmy Award for
Outstanding Achievement in News & Documentary Research.
Dr. Michael Kurtz, Assistant Archivist for Records Services, will
provide welcoming remarks. Special guests from the National Security
Archive, Director Thomas Blanton and Senior Analyst William Burr, will
introduce the film and take questions.
Background on "Ping Pong Diplomacy"
In April, 1971, an informal and friendly exchange between athletes from
the United States and the People's Republic of China table tennis teams
signaled a warming of relations between the two countries and made
diplomatic history. On April 6, 1971, officials from the People's Republic
of China (PRC) unexpectedly invited the American table tennis, or
Ping-Pong, team to join players from other nations in a tour of their
country. When the U.S. team accepted the invitation and invited the PRC
team to tour the United States at a later date, journalists began to use
the term, "Ping-Pong Diplomacy."
Although official relations did not exist between the United States and
the PRC at the time of the American athletes' visit, the U.S. Department of
State created and distributed this "Intelligence Brief" summarizing the
implications of the PRC's invitation. After the visit, further diplomatic
approaches and negotiations paved the way for the first visit of a U.S.
President, Richard M. Nixon, to China in February 1972. Diplomatic
relations were established between the two countries by 1979.
The National Archives is fully accessible. To request an accommodation
(e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program please email
public.program@nara.gov or call 202-357-5000 two weeks prior to the event.
For information on National Archives Public Programs, call 202-357-5000, or
view the Calendar of Events online at: http://www.archives.gov.
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
Just Released Audiobook starring Tovah Feldshuh
LISWire - Sun, 06/29/2008 - 20:37
Edges O Israel O Palestine
Written by Leora Skolkin-Smith
Read by Tovah Feldshuh, accomplished actress of stage and screen
Originally published in 2005 by Glad Day Books
Edges O Israel O Palestine, by Leora Skolkin-Smith, was first published in 2005, by Glad Day Books, a new publishing house, founded by Grace Paley and her husband Robert Nichols.
Edges is a coming of age story about an adolescent girl visiting her maternal relatives in the Jerusalem of 1963.
________________________________________________________________________
“Edges (is) about the adventures of an adolescent girl in Israel in the early 1960s. Her character’s mother had grown up in British Mandate Palestine, one of several factors making the memory bank of this book so rich – appropriate for a place with almost too much history to bear and retain one’s sanity at the same time… Perhaps above all, the novel, told with restraint and poetic precision, is about how we shoulder on (and wing it) under the weight of history, family and public.”- Robert Whitcomb, critic for the Providence Journal.
“Edges is an elegantly written, quite moving novel that has a lot to say about love, identity, history and the meaning of nationality. The book is worth reading alone for its superb language, but it is gripping and unforgettable as well in its storytelling and evocation of place and emotions. It is a wonderful novel by an author with a quite accomplished voice and style, one well deserving a wide and receptive audience.” - Oscar Hijuelos, author of Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Mambo King Sings Songs of Love
“...When Liana Bialik's mother takes her from the predictable confines of Westchester County, New York, to Israel in the middle of the 1960s’ conflicts, Liana's worldview and her sense of self are transformed. Heat; dust; the mingled scents of food, flowers, people, spice markets; simmering tensions between Israelis and Palestinians; and in the middle, a 14-year-old on the cusp of womanhood. Leora Skolkin-Smith has written a passionate, richly atmospheric novel whose intimacy reads like a memoir. Tovah Feldshuh narrates with such authenticity that listeners may be moved to talk back to the book. The mother's longing for the Palestine of old; Liana's edgy girl-woman voice; the mistrustful bargaining of a Palestinian shopkeeper. It's all here, and it's terrific... ” A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award
________________________________________________________________________
Triboro Pictures is producing a feature film of “Edges” that will soon be released.
________________________________________________________________________
But, right now, you can enjoy listening to Tovah Feldshuh, accomplished actress of stage and screen, bring Edges, to life in an audiobook produced by Midsummer Sound Company — a new audio publisher dedicated to the production and promotion of the spoken word and audio arts.
A recipient of numerous awards, Tovah starred in Golda’s Balcony, which became the longest running one woman show in the history of Broadway, in October of 2004. She also appears in soon to be released films Mount of Olives and O Jerusalem.
Edges was directed by three-time Grammy nominated and multi Audie award winner Charles Potter. Edges was produced by Peabody Award winner Marjorie Van Halteren — who for ten years produced WNYC's The Radio Stage and was the original producer of Selected Shorts at Symphony Space in New York City.
PURCHASE EDGES
$24.95 http://www.midsummersoundcompany.net
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
Salinas Public Library Selects Koha ZOOM and YakPac
LISWire - Sat, 06/28/2008 - 01:30
Athens, OH--June 28, 2008-- LibLime, the leader in open-source solutions for libraries announced today that the Salinas Public Library in California has selected a Koha ZOOM hosted system for their next integrated library system. The Library will also be implementing YakPac-- a kids' OPAC interface supported by LibLime.
The Salinas Public Library houses over 225,000 volumes in English and Spanish and serves a population of 150,000. The Koha installation will be hosted off-site at one of LibLime's secure data centers. Salinas has also contracted with LibLime for data migration, support and training services on their Koha system.
"The library will be 100 years old in 2009, and Koha is seen as one of the major 'centennial events', " says Senior Librarian Steven Silveria. "Our current system saw its last major upgrade in the mid-90's and provides minimal online access. The library has chosen to go with Liblime and Koha because it makes sense financially, and because Koha provides a new level of library access to the Salinas community."
While cost was not the primary factor in choosing a new ILS "it quickly became clear that looking at an open-source product could provide added functionality and flexibility for less initial and ongoing costs," Steven adds.
Staff are excited too. "From the staff point of view, we are excited about the prospect of having a usable circulation interface that does not require knowing 'dot' commands and hidden menus," explains Steven. "Without exception, every group that has seen Koha has really liked the cover art and the ability to create and share book lists."
Salinas Public Library is well known for its cutting-edge approach to children's services. YakPac will offer the Library an innovative new 'kids only' OPAC experience for their youngest users. YakPac features a safe chat for kids and an integrated meta-search that retrieves 'kid safe' websites from a human-edited database.
About Salinas Public LibraryThe Salinas Public Library houses over 225,000 volumes in English and Spanish and serves a population of 150,000. The Library provides the only free Internet access in the area and is well known for its innovative youth programming such as poetry slams and is planning a digital and film-making creative lab for teens. The Library will celebrate its centennial in September 2009.
About Koha ZOOMKoha ZOOM represents a generational leap in Koha's development. Notably, it includes a powerful search engine based on Zebra, a high-performance indexing and retrieval engine. Koha ZOOM's search engine can read structured records in practically any input format (eg. email, XML, MARC) and allows access to them through exact boolean search expressions and relevance-ranked free-text queries. It supports large databases (more than ten gigabytes of data, tens of millions of records) as well as incremental, safe database updates on live systems.
To try out Koha ZOOM for yourself, visit LibLime's demos:
About YakPacCreated by Index Data, YakPac achieves fun and functionality that go well beyond any other kid's OPAC currently available. YakPac's innovative 'safe chat' was developed in response to analysis that indicated that kids were more likely to consult with peer groups to find information than use a standard library catalog. The chat even shows what other users are searching at the moment, and highlights interesting search terms in the chat window. YakPac features a fun interactive interface and tools for organization and self-expression like Book Shelves and Book Reviews. YakPac can be adapted to work with any Integrated Library System.
To try out YakPac for yourself, visit the demo:
About LibLimeAs the leader in open-source solutions for libraries, LibLime offers a refreshing alternative to expensive proprietary software. Rather than sell software licenses for static, hard-to-customize software products, LibLime promotes the benefits of open source, enabling libraries to make choices about how best to provide their communities and staff with better technology services. LibLime enables libraries to use open-source software to its full potential by providing outstanding commercial support services - hosting, migration assistance, staff training, support, software maintenance, and development--solutions tailored to each customer's needs. For more information, see http://liblime.com
Use of open source not only lowers the per-library cost of running software, it also empowers libraries with a higher level of control over customization and the overall direction of software development.
Press ContactTina Burger
Vice President, Marketing LibLime
(888)Koha ILS (564-2457)
Contact SalesContact our sales department:
E-mail: sales@liblime.com
Phone: (888) Koha ILS (564-2457)
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
BCR's CDP Publishes Digital Imaging Best Practices, Version 2.0
LISWire - Thu, 06/26/2008 - 12:44
BCR News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brandie Baumann – bbaumann@bcr.org or 303.751.6277 x110
June 25, 2008
AURORA, CO, June 25, 2008 — BCR’s CDP has released the updated Digital Imaging Best Practices, Version 2.0, featuring new sections on digital cameras, digital preservation and more. The revised Digital Imaging Best Practices document is based on the Western States Digital Imaging Best Practices Guide published in 2003, developed by experts and practitioners in the field.
Brenda Bailey-Hainer, BCR president and CEO, says, "one of the biggest joys of working in a collaborative environment is seeing the great achievements — like this document — that collective efforts bring about. The biggest reward for this particular endeavor will be the rich digital content that will result from the many librarians, archivists and museum professionals who will use BCR’s CDP Digital Imaging Best Practices as a guide to their work."
The Digital Imaging Best Practices Working Group took leadership for the revision, spending time researching new and updated standards, examining new technologies and evaluating new workflow options. The working group drew on the expertise of its members and digitization colleagues to address the many changes informing image digitization during the last five years.
Sarah Goodwin Thiel, digital services librarian, University of Kansas, served as the working group chair. She notes, "While continuing to address the needs of a particular audience, beginning practitioners and those from institutions with limited resources and/or expertise, Version 2.0 is developed to assist practitioners from the cultural heritage section to navigate the quickly evolving world of image digitization and to efficiently increase and improve access to digital scholarship."
To view the entire document, please see: www.bcr.org/cdp/best/digital-imaging-bp.pdf.
About BCR’s CDP
BCR’s CDP enables access to cultural, historical and scientific heritage collections of the West by building collaboration between archives, historical societies, libraries and museums. The key to its success is collaboration. BCR’s CDP provides assistance to the cultural heritage community through best practice guidelines, workshops and digitization grant funding. BCR’s CDP also delivers access to thousands of digital photographs, text and sound files documenting the history, culture and science of the West through Heritage West.
About BCR
BCR brings libraries together for greater success by expanding their knowledge, reach and power. They offer a broad range of solutions and their hands-on, personal attention to each member enables them to deliver effective and timely solutions that help libraries keep pace with new developments in technology and services. BCR is the nation’s oldest and most established multistate library cooperative. Since 1935, the BCR team has helped libraries learn new skills, reach new customers, increase productivity and save money. BCR (Bibliographical Center for Research) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit headquartered in Aurora, Colorado. For more information, visit www.BCR.org or email info@BCR.org.
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
New World Book Discover is the Only Online Reference Source for Differentiated Learning
LISWire - Thu, 06/26/2008 - 07:44
All students need reliable reference tools and World Book has introduced World Book Discover, a new resource designed specifically to meet the needs of students who read below the level of their peers. This latest addition to the World Book Web provides content, tools, and features to help bridge the achievement gap and support differentiated instruction.
Teachers, librarians, and other educators asked us for a product like World Book Discover to help their struggling readers participate in class assignments and find the information they need presented at an appropriate level," said Patti Ginnis, chief marketing officer of World Book. This is a reference tool that has real-world application. There are many groups of students reading below grade level, including those with limited English proficiency, struggling readers, those with a disability, and adult literacy students. We're working hard to ensure that World Book Discover will help meet their needs."
Individuals that can benefit from differentiated learning resources include the more than 60 percent of high school students the National Assessment of Adult Literacy has found read at the basic or below basic level and the more than 20 percent of adults in the U.S. that read at or below the fifth-grade reading level as determined by the National Institute for Literacy. Additionally, the National Assessment of Educational Progress identified that nearly four million students received English language learner services in 2005, indicating a growing demand for differentiated learning among non-native English speakers.
Unique Features Geared to Specific Needs of Differentiated Learners
Among the key features of World Book Discover are its easy-to-read articles on topics that interest older students accompanied by reading comprehension questions to help readers focus on key concepts. A text-to-speech feature allows students to hear text read aloud, also increasing comprehension.
For visual learners, World Book Discover includes a visual dictionary with text in English, Spanish, and French along with World Book Explains, a searchable video series that features experts from NASA, Disney, Sea World, the National Park Service, Carnegie Hall, and other notable institutions answering students' questions on various topics from how big the galaxy is to how dolphins communicate. For students who may be more comfortable in a language other than English, World Book Discover includes text-translation capabilities in more than a dozen languages.
Another unique feature of World Book Discover is a comprehensive section focused on life skills, covering such topics as buying and maintaining a car, applying for a job, budgeting, arranging housing, and understanding health care issues.
Subscribing to World Book Discover
World Book Discover is available as a standalone subscription or an addition to an existing World Book Web subscription. A special discount is available to schools and libraries adding World Book Discover to any other World Book Web subscription. World Book Discover is available now from World Book's school and library sales force at 800-975-3250 (U.S.) or 800-837-5365 (Canada) or from World Book's dedicated school and library ordering site (www.worldbookonline.com/sales).
About World Book
World Book, Inc. sets the standard in publishing accurate, current, and reliable reference and learning materials for children and adults. Based in Chicago, World Book is committed to creating educational products that meet the highest standards of editorial excellence in print and online. This commitment has resulted in a wide range of products including the number-one selling The World Book Encyclopedia and the World Book Web, which is the most comprehensive and authoritative online solution to meet the diverse learning needs of students and includes the World Book Online Reference Center, World Book Advanced, World Book Discover and World Book Kids as well as French- and Spanish-language references. World Book (www.worldbook.com) is a Scott Fetzer company, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
EDITORS NOTE: Members of the media interested in accessing World Book Discover for review should contact Mary Jung at 773-429-0940, mtjung @msn.com.
Contacts:
Jennifer Parello, 312-819-6558
Mary Jung, 773-429-0940
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop (August 2008: Louisville, KY - University of Phoenix Campus)
LISWire - Thu, 06/26/2008 - 07:43
The Grant Institute
Grants 101: Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop
will be held at the
University of Phoenix - Louisville Campus
Louisville, Kentucky
August 13 - 15, 2008
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
The Grant Institute's Grants 101 course is an intensive and detailed introduction to the process, structure, and skill of professional proposal writing. This course is characterized by its ability to act as a thorough overview, introduction, and refresher at the same time. In this course, participants will learn the entire proposal writing process and complete the course with a solid understanding of not only the ideal proposal structure, but a holistic understanding of the essential factors, which determine whether or not a program gets funded. Through the completion of interactive exercises and activities, participants will complement expert lectures by putting proven techniques into practice. This course is designed for both the beginner looking for a thorough introduction and the intermediate looking for a refresher course that will strengthen their grant acquisition skills. This class, simply put, is designed to get results by creating professional grant proposal writers.
Participants will become competent program planning and proposal writing professionals after successful completion of the Grants 101 course. In three active and informative days, students will be exposed to the art of successful grant writing practices, and led on a journey that ends with a masterful grant proposal.
Grants 101 consists of three (3) courses that will be completed during the three-day workshop.
(1) Fundamentals of Program Planning
This course is centered on the belief that "it's all about the program." This intensive course will teach professional program development essentials and program evaluation. While most grant writing "workshops" treat program development and evaluation as separate from the writing of a proposal, this class will teach students the relationship between overall program planning and grant writing.
(2) Professional Grant Writing
Designed for both the novice and experienced grant writer, this course will make each student an overall proposal writing specialist. In addition to teaching the basic components of a grant proposal, successful approaches, and the do's and don'ts of grant writing, this course is infused with expert principles that will lead to a mastery of the process. Strategy resides at the forefront of this course's intent to illustrate grant writing as an integrated, multidimensional, and dynamic endeavor. Each student will learn to stop writing the grant and to start writing the story. Ultimately, this class will illustrate how each component of the grant proposal represents an opportunity to use proven techniques for generating support.
(3) Grant Research
At its foundation, this course will address the basics of foundation, corporation, and government grant research. However, this course will teach a strategic funding research approach that encourages students to see research not as something they do before they write a proposal, but as an integrated part of the grant seeking process. Students will be exposed to online and database research tools, as well as publications and directories that contain information about foundation, corporation, and government grant opportunities. Focusing on funding sources and basic social science research, this course teaches students how to use research as part of a strategic grant acquisition effort.
Registration
$597.00 tuition includes all materials and certificates.
Each student will receive:
*The Grant Institute Certificate in Professional Grant Writing
*The Grant Institute's Guide to Successful Grant Writing
*The Grant Institute Grant Writer's Workbook with sample proposals, forms, and outlines
Registration Methods
1) On-Line - Complete the online registration form at www.thegrantinstitute.com under Register Now. We'll send your confirmation by e-mail.
2) By Phone - Call (888) 824 - 4424 to register by phone. Our friendly Program Coordinators will be happy to assist you and answer your questions.
3) By E-mail - Send an e-mail with your name, organization, and basic contact information to info@thegrantinstitute.com and we will reserve your slot and send your Confirmation Packet.
You have received this invitation due to specific educational affiliation. We respect your privacy and want to ensure that interested parties are made aware of The Grant Institute programs and schedules. This is intended to be a one-time announcement. In any event, you should not receive any more announcements unless there is a program next year in your area. To be unlisted from next year's announcement, send a blank e-mail to unlist@thegrantinstitute.com and write "Unlist" in the subject line.
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
Polytechnic University Goes Live with Koha
LISWire - Wed, 06/25/2008 - 20:43
ATHENS, OH--June 26, 2008-- LibLime, the leader in open-source solutions for libraries, and Polytechnic University announced today that the Bern Dibner Library has gone live with a Koha ZOOM hosted system.
Bern Dibner's collection is hosted off-site at one of LibLime's secure data centers.
Polytechnic chose Koha because of the flexibility of an open-source ILS. “When it comes to ILS systems, I think our library team has explored every possible option available in the current environment,” says Roupchan Hardowar, Dibner Library’s IT specialist. "After extensive research, we have all concluded that Koha fits the library’s current objectives. We needed a library system capable of adapting and quickly incorporating new or enhanced features from a variety of sources, including our own."
The Dibner Library staff looks forward to joining the open-source community because it embraces innovation and collaboration as a norm. They feel that the ability to have access to the “source” is long overdue. This is something proprietary systems do not offer. Implementing Koha will offer their library an exciting new option –they can now contribute to the development of new applications should they choose to do so.
According to Jana Richman, director of library services, the Open Source concept fits their library’s mission and strategy. They not only want the Koha system to satisfy the traditional role of resource/ knowledge management but also to allow them to partner with others, including LibLime, in developing new features.
Additionally there is the potential for the Koha system to become a laboratory for the university's computer science students. Though using the library catalog as a laboratory is a somewhat novel concept, the Bern Dibner Library is in a unique position to pursue such a partnership. Poly’s Computer Science and Computer Engineering departments are located in the same building as their library and want to collaborate with them.
Says Richman: “Currently we employ about 30 students (undergraduate and graduate), many majoring in computer science or computer engineering. For the past ten years students such as these have learned with us on the job and have essentially run all of our library’s information technology.They are eager to experiment and participate in developing real life solutions.”
“Simply put, Koha and LibLime are a good match for us,” says Richman.
About Polytechnic UniversityPolytechnic University, one of the nation’s oldest private engineering and technology universities, was founded in 1854 in Brooklyn, New York. Today, it is the New York metropolitan area’s preeminent resource in engineering, applied science and technology management education and research. In addition to its main campus at MetroTech Center in Brooklyn, Polytechnic offers programs at sites throughout the region, including Manhattan, Long Island and Westchester. Additionally, the University offers several programs in Israel..
To learn more about The Power of PolyThinking, visit www.poly.edu.
About Koha ZOOMKoha ZOOM represents a generational leap in Koha's development. Notably, it includes a powerful search engine based on Zebra, a high-performance indexing and retrieval engine. Koha ZOOM's search engine can read structured records in practically any input format (eg. email, XML, MARC) and allows access to them through exact boolean search expressions and relevance-ranked free-text queries. It supports large databases (more than ten gigabytes of data, tens of millions of records) as well as incremental, safe database updates on live systems.
To try out Koha ZOOM for yourself, visit LibLime's demos:
About LibLimeLibLime is the global leader in open-source solutions for libraries, with a mission to make open source accessible to libraries. Rather than sell software licenses for static, hard-to-customize software products, LibLime educates libraries about the benefits of open source, enabling them to make choices about how best to provide their communities and staff with better technology services. LibLime then facilitates implementation of open-source in libraries by providing outstanding development, customization, support and training solutions--solutions tailored to each library's needs. For more information, see http://liblime.com.
Press ContactTina Burger
Vice President, Marketing LibLime
(888)Koha ILS (564-2457)
Contact SalesContact our sales department:
E-mail: sales@liblime.com
Phone: (888) Koha ILS (564-2457)
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
The 2008 Backspace Writers Conference - August 7th & 8th - Manhattan, NY
LISWire - Wed, 06/25/2008 - 13:23
Backspace “The Writers Place”
P.O. Box 454 - Washington, Michigan 48094
www.backspacewritersconference.com
www.bksp.org
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Backspace, LLC is proud to announce the Fourth Annual Backspace Writers Conference held at the Radisson Martinique, Manhattan, NY – August 7th & 8th, 2008.
The 2008 Backspace Writers Conference brings together literary agents, acquisitions editors, best-selling authors, and publishing professionals for a two-day, two-track program of workshops, panels, and networking in the heart of the publishing world.
Come meet the people who can make a difference in your career!
Keynote Speakers: Mark Tavani, Senior Editor, Random House; John Searles, author, books editor Cosmo Magazine.
Literary Agents : Richard Curtis, Simon Lipskar, Jeff Kleinman, Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Paige Wheeler, Laney Katz Becker, Maya Rock, Michael Bourret, Scott Hoffman, Ronnie Gramazio, Elisabeth Weed, Stephany Evans, Holly Root.
Authors: M.J. Rose, Harry Hunsicker, Jason Pinter, Jackie Kessler, Heather Brewer, Gail Konop Baker, Laurel Corona, Lisa McMann, Jenny Gardiner, Danielle Younge-Ullman, Claudia Gray, Marlys Pearson, Jessica Keener, Elizabeth Letts, A.S. King, Robin Slick, Susan Henderson, Pam Jenoff, Trish Ryan, Leora Skolkin-Smith, Caroline Leavitt, Reed Farrel Coleman, Chris Grabenstein, William Powers, John Robison, Jon Clinch, Linda Gerber.
Editors and Other Publishing Professionals: Hilary Rubin Teeman (editor, St. Martin's), Charis Conn (contributing editor, Harper's Magazine), Kristen Weber (senior editor, New American Library), Bella Stander, Jerry Gross, Lauren Cerand, Eileen Winnick.
To maintain professionalism and accessibility, registration for the 2008 Backspace Writers Conference is limited to 200 people. For more information please visit our conference website: www.BackspaceWritersConference.com
Or contact:
Christopher Graham – 732-267-6449 / Chrisg@bksp.org
Karen Dionne – Karen@bksp.org
###
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
Code4Lib Journal, Issue 3 published
LISWire - Wed, 06/25/2008 - 10:02
The third issue of the Code4Lib Journal is now available at http://journal.code4lib.org/.
The table of contents included below:
Code4Lib Journal
* Editorial Introduction - Issue - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/104
Ron Peterson
* Alternative Solutions for Off-Campus Authentication - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/73
Rebekah Kilzer, Elizabeth L. Black and James Muir The Ohio State University Libraries created scripts to overcome the local limitations of the proxy server and to offer resource connections at the point of need. All libraries struggle to provide seamless authentication for access to paid resources, such as research databases and electronic journals. In order to obtain access to this content, the libraries must sign contracts promising to limit access to these resources to their user community. The challenge then comes in balancing the patron’s need for easy access to these rich data sources from any computer and the vendors’ desire to protect their assets.
* Distributed Version Control and Library Metadata - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/86
Galen M. Charlton
Distributed version control systems (DVCSs) are effective tools for managing source code and other artifacts produced by software projects with multiple contributors. This article describes DVCSs and compares them with traditional centralized version control systems, then describes extending the DVCS model to improve the exchange of library metadata.
* The Planets Testbed: Science for Digital Preservation - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/83
Brian Aitken (HATII), Petra Helwig (NANETH), Andrew Jackson (BL), Andrew Lindley (ARC), Eleonora Nicchiarelli (ONB), Seamus Ross (HATII) The preservation of digital objects requires specific software tools or services. These can be characterisation tools that abstract the essential characteristics of a digital object from a file, migration tools that convert digital objects to different formats, or emulation tools that render digital objects in their original context on a new infrastructure. Until recently digital preservation has been characterised by practices and processes that could best be described as more art and craft than science. The Planets Testbed provides a controlled environment where preservation tools can be tested and evaluated, and where experiment results can be empirically compared. This paper presents an overview of the Testbed application, an analysis of the experiment methodology and a description of the Testbed’s web service approach.
* Bringing Sheet Music to Life: My Experiences with OMR - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/84
Andrew Bullen
This article describes the process of digitizing sheet music celebrating Pullman porters and rail travel from the 1870s-1920s. The process involves 1) digitizing sheet music, 2) running the digitized sheet music through an Optical Musical Recognition (OMR) software package, 3)cleaning up the resulting file, 4) converting it into an .mp3/MIDI file, and 5) tweaking it to use the voices/instruments of a music editing software program. The pros and cons of some popular OMR programs are discussed.
* Building an Archival Collections Portal - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/77
Terry Catapano, Joanna DiPasquale, and Stuart Marquis Columbia University Libraries has developed the Archival Collections Portal, a unified search system helping users discover archival resources in a streamlined way. We combined the power of Lucene and Solr to search XML, parse JSON objects, create EAD-compliant documents, and deliver results in an easy-to-use interface. By reusing MARC records and employing new search engine features and techniques, we are able to bring important and hard-to-find collections to researchers and archivists. The canonical home page of the Portal is http://www.columbia.edu/library/archival/.
* Developing an Academic Image Collection with Flickr - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/74
Jeremy McWilliams
A group at Lewis & Clark College in Portland are in the process of developing an educational collection of contemporary ceramics images using the photo sharing site Flickr as a back end. This article discusses the evolution of the project, Flickr machine tags, and the concept of Flickr as an application database layer. The article includes code samples for creating and querying machine tags using the Flickr API.
* Making Patron Data Work Harder: User Search Terms as Access Points? - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/78
Jason A. Clark
Montana State University (MSU) Libraries are experimenting with re-using patron-generated data to create browseable access points for the Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) collection. A beta QueryCatcher module logs recent search terms and the number of associated hits. These terms are used to create browseable lists and tagclouds which enhance access to the ETD collection. Gathering and reusing information about user behavior is an emerging trend in web application development. This article outlines MSU Libraries’ reasoning for moving towards a user-generated model and provides a complete walkthrough of the steps in building the application and example code.
* Collecting Virtual Reference Statistics with an IM Chat-Bot - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/85
Mason R.K. Hall
A perennial problem in libraries is capturing accurate statistics. This article addresses this problem with the creative use of Web 2.0 tools: Meebo and AOL Instant Messenger. It describes the development and implementation of an instant messaging “stat-bot” that prompts staff to record virtual reference statistics via IM. Step-by-step guidelines and the perl script are provided.
* WordPress as a Content Management System for a Library Web Site: How to Create a Dynamically Generated Subject Guide - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/76
Joshua Dodson
This article explains a method of generating dynamic subject guides through the WordPress content management system. This method includes the use of the Exec-PHP WordPress plugin and additional PHP code to create a new category-based loop within the preexisting WordPress loop. Example code and screenshots are provided.
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
LexisNexis® Introduces New Content, Functionality to Intellectual Property Solutions
LISWire - Wed, 06/25/2008 - 10:01
To ensure success in the Intellectual Property (IP) world, attorneys need to access and incorporate the most relevant, comprehensive and up-to-date information available. LexisNexis® today announced it is expanding the content offerings available through lexis.com® and unveiling enhancements to its PatentOptimizerTM and Global IP Law Service solutions. Additionally, LexisNexis unveiled three new online law centers to help attorneys keep abreast of the latest news in patent, trademark and copyright law.
“Intellectual property is one of the hottest, fastest-moving areas for corporate counsel and law firms alike,” said Peter Vanderheyden, vice president of Global Intellectual Property at LexisNexis. “LexisNexis continues to add content and functionality to its growing suite of IP services to ensure customers have the best tools available to protect their valuable assets.”
Consolidating two important prior art sources, LexisNexis allowed customers to have full-text access to defensive publications from both IP.com and Research Disclosure available through lexis.com. Consistent with LexisNexis prior art collections, these sources will be directly accessible in full text from TotalPatent via the lexis.com toolbar.
Research Disclosure is an international defensive publication service that’s considered one of the most significant non-patent prior art databases in the world. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) list Research Disclosure’s content on its “minimum documentation required” list.
IP.com provides companies with the tools and solutions to better manage IP and innovation records. In fact, lexis.com customers will have access to IP.com’s exclusive list of all IBM disclosures dating back to 1957.
“The integration of Research Disclosure and IP.com content allows customers to minimize the time and expense with researching, writing and registering patents on similar ideas,” said Vanderheyden. “In addition to this valuable content, we offer unique insights and interpretations through our world-class suite of authors. In fact, we’d like to recognize one of our prestigious authors, Paul McGrady, who was recently named to IP Law & Business' List of ‘Top 50 IP People Under 45.’”
PatentOptimizer and Global IP Law Service Enhancements
In order to simplify the patent research and development process, LexisNexis made enhancements to two of its IP services – PatentOptimizerTM and Global IP Law Service.
LexisNexis issued version 3.6 of its PatentOptimizer software. Originally compatible with Microsoft® Word and Internet Explorer, PatentOptimizer version 3.6 is now compatible with text-based PDFs formatted in Adobe® Reader 8.0, Adobe® Acrobat® 8.0 and most Open Document Management API (ODMA)-compliant Document Management Systems.
Now available through lexis.com, Global IP Law Service features international IP law related to patents, trademarks, industrial designs, utility models and domain names, as well as IP legislation and regulations from more than 230 countries. The database now includes expert commentaries written by international IP experts designed to provide practical IP proceedings guidance. Unlike the previous version, the service will contain information on global domain name practice and proceedings and legislation.
LexisNexis Law Centers
LexisNexis unveiled three IP-related law centers providing news and analysis about patent, trademark and copyright law. To provide select and timely content, LexisNexis has aligned with a number of leading IP experts to provide podcasts, news and information, commentary and blogs. The law centers can be accessed at:
Patent Law Center – http://law.lexisnexis.com/practiceareas/patent
Trademark Law Center – http://law.lexisnexis.com/practiceareas/trademark-law
Copyright Law Center – http://law.lexisnexis.com/news/Copyright-Law
The centers are examples of the LexisNexis commitment to provide legal and patent professionals a comprehensive set of Total Solutions to help them more effectively obtain and protect intellectual property.
About LexisNexis
LexisNexis® (www.lexisnexis.com) is a leading global provider of business information solutions to a wide range of professionals in the legal, risk management, corporate, government, law enforcement, accounting and academic markets. LexisNexis originally pioneered online information with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. A member of Reed Elsevier [NYSE: ENL; NYSE: RUK] (www.reedelsevier.com), LexisNexis serves customers in more than 100 countries with 13,000 employees worldwide.
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
Houston Public Library Goes Live with Evergreen
LISWire - Wed, 06/25/2008 - 09:58
Houston Public Library of the British Columbia SITKA Consortium (formerly BC Pines Consortium) has followed
Prince Rupert, Powell River, Fort Nelson, Terrace, and Whistler Public Libraries as the next facility to go live with
Evergreen, the consortial-quality open-source library software.
Houston Public Library’s new online catalog can be viewed at http://houston.catalogue.bclibrary.ca. The migration
of Houston Public Library is another step in a process that will see a total of 16 SITKA libraries transition to
Evergreen in 2008. With the two pilot libraries from 2007, the SITKA consortium will have 18 systems running
Evergreen at the end of 2008.
British Columbia is following a gradual approach to moving libraries over to Evergreen; libraries “opt-in” on their
own schedule. Many are anticipated to join over the next several years when their existing automation vendor
contracts expire.
The Houston Public Library was established in 1924 when Clara Davies, the wife of a local hotel keeper, and Rev.
Allan Brayside began to collect and pool books for the residents of Houston to use. The public library association as
it exists today was formed on November 19, 1964. In 1997, the library became automated allowing patrons access to
the internet as well as the ability to search the catalogue and check books out on-line.
The SITKA OPAC is here: http://catalogue.bclibrary.ca . Watch it grow!
About Evergreen
Evergreen is enterprise-grade, open-source library system software. Evergreen was initially developed to support
Georgia PINES, a consortium of over 275 public libraries.
While Evergreen has been designed from the ground up to meet the needs of very large, high-transaction, multi-site
consortia, its robust, fault-tolerant architecture elegantly scales down to the smallest sites. Evergreen is also adaptive
software that due to its service-oriented, standards-compliant design can nimbly evolve to meet changing library
needs and user expectations.
From its first week, Evergreen has consistently outperformed expectations and resulted in acclaim and praise from
users worldwide. Evergreen has received significant attention, including a Technology Collaboration Award and
grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Additional Evergreen implementations include the SITKA
consortium in British Columbia, Canada, and new implementations planned for the Michigan Library Consortium as
well as libraries in Indiana.
For more information about Evergreen, please visit http://open-ils.org
About Equinox Software, Inc.
Founded by the original Evergreen designers and developers, Equinox Software is a growing team of skilled
developers and other professionals who provide soup-to-nuts support for Evergreen, the consortial-quality, opensource
Integrated Library System (ILS). Equinox develops, supports, trains, migrates, integrates, and consults on
Evergreen, and engages with the rapidly-expanding Evergreen community. Instead of one-size-fits-all support,
Equinox works closely with libraries to ensure Evergreen is implemented in the manner that best fits their individual
needs.
In addition to support, custom development and integration services, Equinox offers complete Evergreen hosting
packages for libraries wishing to outsource their ILS infrastructure. Equinox also provides consulting services for
libraries seeking more insight into the value proposition of open source software.
Press contact: Corinne Hall, corinne@esilibrary.com, 678-269-6113
For more information on Equinox Software, please visit http://www.esilibrary.com.
Evergreen is open source software, freely licensed under the GNU GPL. Evergreen and the Evergreen Logo are
registered trademarks and/or trademarks of the Georgia Public Library Service.
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
Free Travel Writing Contest Sponsored by Smart Poodle Publishing
LISWire - Tue, 06/24/2008 - 15:08
Kids Travel Writing Contest
Calling all Kids Ages 5-10: Submit Your Original Story to our Travel Adventure Contest!
Young Readers are invited to write a short story about one of their own real life or imaginary travel adventures anywhere in the world. The best stories will be published on smartpoodlepublishing.com and lillybadilly.com. Three lucky winners will each receive $25 in cash, a free copy of the Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly: Costa Rica, autographed to each winner by Author/Illustrator/Voice Talent Debbie Glade.
Contest Rules
* This contest is free!
* The story can be short, but make it no longer than 1,000 words.
* The story should be based on a real life or imaginary journey you took anywhere in the world. (What did you see and do that made this adventure unique? What happened that was different or exciting?)
* The story must be original. Do not copy any other published work in your story!
* Parents, please do not help your kids write their stories.
* Please type your story so it can be easily published on our website.
* Submit your story via email to smartpoodle@comcast.net or mail it to Smart Poodle Publishing, PO Box 817468, Hollywood, FL 33081. Please include a parent’s email address, so we can notify you if you are a winner.
* Deadline is September 1, 2008.
* Contest is open to readers in the USA in 3 age groups.
+ -ages 5-6
+ -ages 7-8
+ -ages 9-10
* There will be 3 winners - one winner in each age group.
* Each entry will be judged upon creativity, interest and how well the story is written.
* Winners’ stories will be published on our website using only the authors’ first names and last initials.
* Winners will be notified by September 31st, 2008.
* If you have any other questions, send an email to smartpoodle@comcast.net.
Contact: Debbie Glade
Smart Poodle Publishing
The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly; Costa Rica
smartpoodle@comcast.net
www.smartpoodle@comcast.net
www.lillybadilly.com
954-328-7465
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
The Survey of Academic Libraries, 2008-09 Edition is out Now
LISWire - Tue, 06/24/2008 - 12:37
The Survey of Academic Libraries, 2008-09 Edition is out Now
DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/863d79/the_survey_of_acad) has announced the addition of the "The Survey of Academic Libraries, 2008-09 Edition" report to their offering.
The Survey of Academic Libraries, 2008-09 Edition is based on data from 75 college libraries in the United States and Canada. Data is broken out by size and type of college, as well as for public and private institutions, to allow for easier benchmarking. The report’s more than 300 tables of data present findings about trends in staffing and salaries, budgets, grants and endowments, special collections, content and materials spending, use of e-books and online services, capital budgets library building renovation and facilities management, information literacy, and many other issues of interest to academic librarians.
Some of the report's findings are:
Only 22.5% of the colleges sampled believed that librarians' salaries had been going up faster than the rate of inflation, while more than 34% believed that their salaries in the past year had gone down in real terms. Librarians in private colleges were more likely than their counterparts in public colleges to believe that their salaries had gone down in real terms in the past year.
For the libraries in the sample the mean rate of growth in content spending in nominal terms was only 1.75% from the 2006-07 to 2007-08 academic year. Spending actually declined for the public colleges in the sample and grew only at about the rate of inflation for the private colleges. The expected rate of increase in spending for the 2008-09 academic year is only 1.66%. Private colleges in the sample had a mean expected increase of 3.1%, slightly less than the expected rate of inflation, while the public colleges essentially foresaw an increase of less than 1/10th of 1 percent, a decline in real terms of about 3.5%.
The libraries in the sample spent a mean of $456,238 for content accessed online in the 2008-09 academic year; the major research universities in the sample averaged more than $3.4 million in such expenditures. Spending per student for online information for colleges with fewer than 1,100 students FTE was $190.15 per student, while for colleges with more than 4,401 FTE per student spending averaged $115.04 for online information. Generally, students at the larger colleges enjoy access to a greater range of databases at much lower cost.
The libraries in the sample accrued a mean of about $119,000 from library endowments in the past year, though the mean accrual was zero. Receipts by private colleges vastly overshadowed those by public colleges, by a factor of nearly 30:1. More than a quarter (26.47%) of the libraries in the sample had endowments specifically to support the purchase of books for the library. More than half of the libraries in colleges with more than 4,401 FTE students had endowments specifically to support book purchases for the library.
For more than 47% of the libraries in the sample, the library capital budget has remained about the same over the past three years; it has increased somewhat for 23.54% and increased significantly for 7.35%. More than 38% of private college libraries have seen the capital budget increase either somewhat or significantly, while this is true for only about 23% of public college libraries.
The general level of investment in chemistry-related info resources appears to have modestly increased. For about half of those sampled, investment in chemistry info has remained stable; for roughly a quarter it increased, but decreased for only 13.64% of participants. Investment in psychology-related information has increased for more than half of the libraries in the sample and has not decreased for any. Moreover, all types of libraries, public and private, community colleges and research universities, increased investment in psychology-related information resources in the past three years. Similarly, investment in sociology and political science-related resources has also increased significantly in the past three years. Although more than 55% held investment in these subjects stable, more than 34% increased it and only about 4.5% decreased it. Public colleges in particular increased investment in these subjects, as did colleges offering the most advanced degrees.
We asked survey participants to list their top five academic MLS programs in North America, on the basis of scholarly output and effectiveness in preparing professional librarians for practice. Library science programs received 5 points for a first place selection, four for second place, three for third and so on. The leader by far was the University of Illinois at Campaign Urbana, with 77 total points; two universities tied for the second spot, each with 38 total points, the University of Michigan, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Companies Mentioned:
- King's University College
- Clark State Community College
- The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
- Mercer County Community College
- Cape Cod Community College Wilkens Library
- Wardman Library, Whittier College
- University of South Florida
- James Madison University
- Shawnee Community College
- Confederation College
- Nunavut Arctic College
- Northern Lights College Library
- Lansing Community College Library
- University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
- Mount Royal College
- Auburn University at Montgomery
- Cisco Junior College
- United States Merchant Marine Academy
- Rockefeller University
- Northwest University
- Albion College
- St. Ambrose University
- Winthrop University
- University of North Florida
- Art Institute of California - Los Angeles Argosy University - Santa
Monica Campus
- Eastern Arizona College
- Hartford Seminary Library
- University of St. Thomas
- University Libraries, University at Buffalo
- Baker University
- Waldorf College
- Southern Virginia University
- Columbia International University
- Dartmouth College Library
- Heidelberg College
- Indiana University East
- Midwestern State University
- Wilkes Community College
- Southeastern University
- Southwestern Illinois College, Sam Wolf
- Granite City Campus Library
- Ivy Tech Community College Central Indiana
- Georgian College
- Jamestown College
- Simpson College
- University of Michigan - Dearborn
- Rowan University
- Isothermal Community College
- Binghamton University (State University of New York)
- American InterContinental University South Florida
- Mt. Wachusett Community College
- Keiser University Lakeland
- Pfeiffer University
- Miami Dade College
- Hunter College of Education
- American InterContinental University Online Campus
- Trocaire College
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
- Mikkelsen Library Augustana College
- Worcester State College
- Wesley College
- Ripon College - Lane Library
- James Edward Tobin Library Molloy College
- FL Keys Community College Library
- Friends University
- Keystone College
- St. Cloud State University
- Dakota State University
- University of Missouri - St. Louis
- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
- Lambuth University
- Earlham College
- Misericordia University
- Corban College
- Daemen College
- Fairfield University
- Rockford College
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/863d79/the_survey_of_acad
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
Publishers Implement New Tracking Service for Authors
LISWire - Mon, 06/23/2008 - 13:30
Online book tracking is becoming an important business for publishers due to the fact that authors want to track the sales of their books in real-time. The dreary wait for an annual or bi-annual royalty statement, as well as the allure of wanting to check how many copies have been sold, generally encourages an author to track the sales of his/her book independently.
This well-documented phenomenon is begging for a cost-effective and easy-to-implement solution because a large part of being a good publisher is providing your authors with adequate post publication support. Trying to do this without external help, may prove to be rather time consuming.
Certain types of online media are increasingly developing methods of online sales analysis that are both convenient and accurate – some even come with the option for you to earn money with you enjoying some added benefits. Let’s take a look at an example of how to make the most of these services and actually put something into your own pocket…
RankTracer has a sound business plan that may efficiently help you with sales ranking. RankTracer has the business facilities to easily allow publishers to provide authors with tracking for their new books. This is 3-step outline of the process:
1.Purchase Trace Credit in bulk - and qualify for the reseller bonus. Trace Credit can be redeemed in the same way as currency.
2.Email Trace Credit to authors whenever a new book is published - for example, $6 allows an author to track their new book for 3 months.
3.Add the price of each subscription to the cost of producing the title - a couple of bucks in the overall process is pretty negligible. Now, you can easily reimburse yourself by adding the cost of your subscription to the cost of making the book.
In turn, you will begin earning money back in sales with the help of additional RankTracer services – you see RankTracer goes even further by promoting and marketing tracked titles online. This additional incentive helps to generate revenue. For you, this means that you will be earning money back before paying out royalties.
This business plan generates various benefits for your authors and you. Have a look:
•Authors - Your authors can indulge in free book tracking for a few months.
•You - Recoup the costs of your subscription by adding it to the cost of making the book and earning it back in sales before paying out royalties, get the additional reseller bonus, get increased sales from RankTracers free online marketing and promotions.
In essence, RankTracer is a powerful tracking tool that provides its subscribers with sales estimates, graphs, reports alerts etc - it is a tried, tested and valuable service. A fee of only $2 per month is all that is required to harness a powerful channel for sales ranking as well as online marketing.
For more information simply visit their and take the specially designed publisher’s tour.
Website Link: http://www.ranktracer.com
Categories: LISWire - Latest Releases
IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Library Program Funding Announcement for 2008
LISWire - Sun, 06/22/2008 - 09:28
The following is a text-only press release from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). An HTML version of this release can be read on the agency's Web site at http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/061708.shtm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2008
IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
Institute of Museum and Library Services Awards More Than $20 Million to Support Librarians
Washington, DC—On June 17, the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded 31 institutions grants totaling $20.3 million as part of the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. This year’s grantees will provide educational opportunities to library students and staff to strengthen Gulf Coast libraries; support school library media programs; increase the number of librarians, archivists, and library and information science professors; increase diversity in the library workforce; and strengthen that workforce to better meet the needs of users of all types of libraries. To see a list of awardees and descriptions of how they intend to use their grants, please go to http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/061708_list.shtm.
"Since the program began in 2003, the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program has awarded more than $100 million to recruit and train the next generation of librarians. Whether working in public schools, colleges, or local public libraries, librarians are essential contributors toward student and community success," said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Ph.D., IMLS Director.
First Lady Laura Bush announced the President’s multimillion dollar support of an initiative to help bolster the library profession in 2002. Since then, IMLS has helped fund the education of 3,220 master’s degree students, 186 doctoral students, 1,256 pre-professional students, and 26,186 continuing education students.
The next deadline for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program is December 15, 2008. For information, please go to http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/21centuryLibrarian.shtm.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
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