I tried to post a comment on Scott’s blog about this, but it seems to have gotten lost in the ether. Probably because I’m not a LiveJournal user. Damn proprietary applications… 😡 Scott posted about an article in Library Journal by Carol Tenopir, in which Carol writes about a recent article of Scott’s (how meta). This article of Scott’s is a study of the readings used in library school courses.. Read More
Transactive memory
I just finished The Tipping Point. You know I think it’s a good book if I keep a page of notes tucked into it while I’m reading it. (I think there has only ever been one work of fiction that I’ve done this with, & that was Snow Crash.) Anyway, my Tipping Points notes will keep me in blog entries for a while. Gladwell writes in chapter 5, the chapter.. Read More
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? NCknows!
Yesterday I sent off the final report for the NCknows evaluation. This was my first big project as a faculty member, my first as a PI. And now it’s over, and I think successfully. Or, I should say, I consider it a success, and I think the NCknows folks do too. Though I would imagine for very different reasons. This project met several of my major goals in the Tenure.. Read More
A Research Agenda on Open-Access Publishing
The Reality of Open-Access Journal Articles, from The Chronicle of Higher Education Cutting right to the chase: It is time to move beyond rehashing tired arguments about whether open access poses a threat to publishers, professional societies, or research budgets. We should begin to discuss how best to use what open access gives us: the unfettered availability of scholarly literature. The authors, from PLoS, practically spell out a research agenda… Read More
People’s Network Enquiry Service
I wrote just yesterday that there’s not much digital reference work going on in Europe. Well, I take it back. I saw a post to the Dig_Ref listserv just this morning about the People’s Network Enquiry Service, a pilot chat-based reference service in England, staffed by public librarians. A few points of interest that I’ve gleaned from the service’s site: The service had a “soft” launch in November/December 2004. Training.. Read More
ALA 2004 Most Challenged Book List
The ALA has released their list of 2004 most challenged books of 2004. Here’s the list: The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier Fallen Angels, Walter Dean Myers Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture, Michael A. Bellesiles Captain Underpants series, Dav Pilkey The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky What My Mother Doesn’t Know, Sonya Sones In the Night Kitchen, Maurice Sendak King & King, Linda de Haan.. Read More
TRLN Information Commons Symposium
This should be interesting, in large part because “Information Commons” is one of those terms that means something different to everyone. Sounds to me like what they mean here is as a physical space, like a collaboratory. Very different from Kranich‘s definition, as a conceptual space, basically a sharium. Registration is now open for the TRLN Information Commons Symposium to be held on February 23rd from 8:30-4:30. There is no.. Read More
Access to NIH-funded research postponed
NIH Revises Plan for Quick, Free Access to Study Results, from the WaPo The original proposal called for NIH-funded research to be made publicly available on the web within six months of journal publication. The revised plan ups this to a year. Well at least the proposal wasn’t canned entirely. But I’m amazed that the Director can say with a straight face that the NIH didn’t buckle under industry pressure… Read More
Wikipedia, tempest in a teapot?
According to this post to the Dig_Ref listserv, there’s been discussion about Wikipedia on the MEDIEV-L listserv. The chain of posts is confusing, but the Dig_Ref post discusses a post made to MEDIEV-L and reposted on NetGold. The most interesting thing to me about the Dig_Ref post is that someone in the thread calls for a boycott of Wikipedia: Certainly if we maintain a strict diet of research and peer.. Read More
Decaf Librarians
Decaf Librarian’s Blend A flavorful blend of Indonesian, African, and Central American beans, the Librarian’s Blend is named for that person who always told you to keep quiet when you were studying. This blend is representative of the soul of the librarian: steady, reassuring, and always there with that slight edge of eccentricity. It has a bold base with a bit of sparkle. Here’s to good reading. Personally, this librarian.. Read More