Digitization–United Kingdom
Source: Managing Information
The British Library Launches Large Image Digitization Project
From the article, “The British Library have launched their biggest ever digitisation programme for a new website called ‘In Place’. The site will go online on May 21st and by 2004 you’ll be able to see and hear 100,000 images and sounds from BL’s world-renowned collections – without ever coming to London.”
See Also: The BL Just Opened a Fee-Based Service For Image Content
“A new service offers easy access to thousands of unique and unusual images from the illuminated manuscripts, archive photographs, maps and engravings held by the British Library. Images Online (www.bl.uk/imagesonline) enables users to search thousands of items from Library collections and currently contains around 8,000 images, ranging from medieval depictions of witchcraft to Lewis Carroll’s original drawings for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”

Online Databases
“Drowning not Waving? Promoting Online Resources”
In a new issue of the xrefer newsletter, Peter Bolger, a Reference and Information Manager in the U.K., offers a few suggestions for promoting online databases and services. Btw, I love what the New York Public Library says on their electronic resources page, “Search the Branch Libraries’ e-resources for great information you won’t find on Google.” How’s that for short and to the point. It goes on to list many types of material including full-text magazine and journal articles, biographies, and reliable encyclopedias. Actually, another large challenge reamins, getting potential users to go to library web site and click on the e-resources page.

Public Libraries
Domain Names
Source: Bloomington Herald Times
“Monroe County [Indiana] Library’s Name Used in Anti-Abortion Web Address”
Here’s another one for your “domain names aren’t always as easy as typing in the name” folder. From the article, When surfing the Web, don’t enter www.monroecountylibrary.com. Not unless you want to access an anti-abortion Web site, featuring a purported photograph depicting an aborted fetus. Anybody can purchase rights to Internet domain addresses, and an organization called abortionismurder.org apparently owns www.monroecountylibrary.com. The Monroe County Public Library’s real Web address is www.monroe.lib.in.us.
Note: A WHOIS search (not always reliable) shows that it’s registered to a company in the Bronx, NY called Pro-Life Domains inc.
See Also: We’ve Learned that WinnipegPublicLibrary.Com also Returns the Same Page as Discussed in the Article (Thanks G.T. )
See Also: The Associated Press Has A Short Article

Internet Filtering–Canada
Source: Ottawa Citizen
“Trustees defy library chief’s order to keep quiet on Net porn issue”
From the article, Ottawa Public Library trustees are being told to remain silent on the controversial issue of Internet access on library computers until a final decision is made this week. The order was issued by chief librarian Barbara Clubb in an e-mail sent yesterday to the library’s 15 board members — including six Ottawa city councillors…The directive effectively shuts down public debate on an issue that has divided the board between those who believe in limiting children’s access to pornography on library computers and those who oppose the move on the basis of intellectual freedom and access to information.

Web Search–AllTheWeb
Source: Search Engine Showdown
AllTheWeb as a Simple Calculator
Greg points out that you can use ATW as a calculator. He also mentions that this might not be new. Regardless, thanks to GN for publishing the info. Make sure to use the proper syntax. Example: (2 * 100) / 50 +4-3

Professional Reading Shelf
New, A Full Issue of The Journal of Digital Information is Online (Vol.4)
Articles include:
“Towards a Core Ontology for Information Integration”
“Macro Approaches to Digital Searching and Secondary Research”
“Scholarly Associations and the Economic Viability of Open Access Publishing”

Resources, Reports, Tools, and Full-Text Documents (5 Items)
Information Industry–Associations
Source: el.Pub
List: Information Industry Trade and Professional Associations
A long list with direct links. Global in scope.
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Terrorism
Source: U.S. State Department
New, Full-Text, Patterns of Global Terrorism (2002)
Available in html and pdf.
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Information Sharing
Source: GAO
New, Full-Text Report, Information Technology: Terrorist Watch Lists Should Be Consolidated to Promote Better Integration and Sharing
Summary ||| Direct to Full-Text
The 84 page report includes several charts and tables.
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Documents in the News–Middle East Peace Process
Source: U.S. State Department
Full-Text: A Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
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Wiretaps
Source: U.S. Courts
Wiretap Report 2002
Summary ||| Direct to Full-Text

ERIC
Source: Education Week (Registration Required, Free)
Another Article About the Possible Cut in Funding to ERIC
From the article, Supporters of the existing structure acknowledge the need for improvement and say they have been working to smooth the system. But the department’s plan, they say, does not recognize the contributions of the clearinghouses in expanding customer services and bringing subject-area expertise to those collections.
See Also: “Two information centers at IU in jeopardy” (via The Herald Times, Bloomington, IN)
See Also: Additional ResourceShelf Coverage

Multimedia Search–Singingfish
Source: EContent
More About Singingfish
Learn more about this search tool that allows you to find and access streaming audio and video content. Singingfish is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Thomson.
See Also: Direct to Singingfish ||| Direct to Singingfish Advanced Search Interface
See Also: “Singingfish Grows As Multimedia Search Provider” (via Search Engine Watch)
See Also: A ResourceShelf 8/02 Posting About Singingfish

American Library Association
ALA and the Annual Conference in Toronto: Still No Decision
A new message from ALA is online this afternoon about the Annual Conference in Toronto. It includes the following passage:
“The Executive Board has determined that it needs more time to review information and conclude its deliberations. Further discussion has been scheduled for Friday morning. Information on the 2003 Annual Conference will be posted on the ALA home page and disseminated widely as soon as a decision is reached. You can read the full-text of the statement here.

Alternative Literature
Source: Seattle Times
“ZAPPed: Collecting ‘zines’ as a document of our times”
From the article, Most people are a little overwhelmed when they first come in,” says Alissa Nielsen, curator and librarian of the Zine Archives and Publishing Project (ZAPP) at Seattle’s Richard Hugo House literary center. She’s right…For those unfamiliar with zines, Nielsen points to Factsheet Five, a zine reference and review magazine, which offers the following definition: “a small, handmade, amateur publication done purely out of passion, rarely making a profit or breaking even. Sounds like ‘zeen.’..The more than 7,000 zines housed at ZAPP exhibit tremendous variety in format and topic. Some are professionally printed, glossy affairs; others are handwritten and guerrilla-photocopied at work. Some have the look and feel of your average alternative weekly, others arrive scrolled up in a prescription pill bottle.

Specialized Search Tools–Scirus
Scirus Introduces Toolbar
Something new from Elsevier’s science only search tool. It offers access to open web and proprietary “science” related content.
See Also: From February 2003: White Paper, “How Scirus Works”

E-Books
Libraries–U.K.
Source: IT-Director.Com
E-books arrive in UK public libraries
From the article, “E-books have moved beyond the confines of academic and specialist libraries and have now arrived in public libraries in the UK, though they have already been introduced in the USA, Canadian and Australian public libraries.” The article does not cite any specific examples.

Information Industry Briefs (2 Items)
netLibrary…Company Introduces Redesigned Book Reader
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ebrary..Institutional Repository Pilot Program Announced

Professional Reading Shelf
Dictionaries
The Spring 2003 Issue of Oxford English Dictionary News is Online
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Library Associations
The American Library Association Annual Report, 2001-2002, is Online

Resources, Reports, Tools, and Full-Text Documents (5 Items)
Mothers–United States
Source: U.S. Census
Fast Facts, New, Fact and Stat Sheet About U.S. Moms
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Executive Compensation–United States
Source: Forbes
Now Available, The Forbes 2003 CEO Compensation Report (America’s Biggest Companies) is Online
The primary list can be sorted using 8 criteria (total compensation, name, age, etc.) The main list is also searchable.
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Economy–United States
Economy–India
Source: Congressional Research Service
Full-Text, New CRS Report: India-U.S. Economic Relations
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Space Shuttle Accident
Source: GPO
New, Selected Congressional Hearings and Reports from the Challenger Space Shuttle
A selection of publications that were assembled for Congress as background materials for the February, 2003 hearings regarding the Columbia accident are now available on the web. Content includes the full-text of Apollo 13 and Space Shuttle Challenger accident hearings.
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Government Services–Canada–Directories
New, Full-Text, Services for You (2003 Edition)
Includes a list of government toll-free telephone numbers.

Reference Resources
NYPL Lists “Best of Reference 2003″
A direct link to the complete list that includes both electronic and print materials. Of special note: Congrats to Karen Schneider and her team at the Librarians’ Index to the Internet for making the list. Well-deserved! Also, a tip o’ the cap to the LII’s founder Carole Leita for creating such a important resource. Other notable electronic resources making the list include The Scout Report and Statistical Resources on the Web from the Univ of Michigan Documents Center.

Libraries
Source: The New York Times
“Of Libraries, Superstores and Lattes”
From the article, “Given the options – free library or capitalist bookstore – and the latte at Barnes & Noble notwithstanding, the superior choice seems obvious. But maybe not. Barnes & Noble appears to be thriving, while the library hobbles along. Besotted by consumerism, it seems that we don’t feel that our objects of desire, even our objects of intellectual desire, are truly valuable unless we pay for them, and dearly…But blaming the customer alone would be unfair. When it comes to marketing, Barnes & Noble is way ahead of public libraries, which our city fathers and mothers have all but written off as services to the poor and downtrodden and researchers, rather than seeing them as temples of knowledge for the masses.”
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In 1996, as I was completing my MLIS degree at Wayne St. University, I started to do research on the super bookstore/library situation. Numerous articles had been written on the topic at that time. More articles have been written in the past seven years. Yet, nothing has really changed. What’s disappointing? Once again public libraries (and other types as well) have been reduced in importance a few more notches in the mind of the public AND THOSE WHO budget money for libraries (aka politicians). How many notches are left before they become totally irrelevant? Why is this a problem? Many reasons but it boils down to the fact that, as a whole, libraries and librarians have done a poor job in marketing/selling and DEMONSTRATING our strengths, skills, resources, and tools Put another way, libraries, like it or not, have competition. I’m not talking competition not in a monetary (although libraries need to ‘compete’ for money at budget time) sense but in terms of importance, usefulness, vitality, etc. in the minds of the user and non-user alike. Info professionals understand the differences between a super bookstore and a library. We also realize the differences between a web engine like Google and the library and librarian. But, have we disseminated and ’sold’ these concepts in the age of the super bookstore and Google? As of today, probably not.

Public Libraries
Source: The Metro West Daily News
Franklin Public Library Will Remain Open
Last week we ran an item about the possible closing of the Franklin Public Library in Franklin, MA. It was first opened in 1790 after a donation by Benjamin Frankin. Good news, the money to keep the library open is in place. From the article, Library Director Felicia Oti said she is relieved the historical library is going to be available for residents. Oti said she has been swamped with calls from local and nationwide media, a focus she said was premature and unnecessary. The silver lining was the amount of support she received from community members after the news of the closing broke. “I was surprised by all the media attention, but it was heartwarming to see the amount of support we received,” Oti said. “People offered to raise money, to donate money…it just felt really nice to know that the community appreciates us.”

Quote of the Day
“It takes time to crawl the Web — some sites can’t take the load if we spider them more frequently. We want the whole Web. We need a way to only d/l the pages that have changed. robots.txt and proprietary databases frustrate this.”
-Craig Silverstein, Google’s VP of Technology, when asked why Google “only” indexes 3 Billion Pages.
(Source: Cory Doctrow’s Notes from the Emerging Technology Conference) Thanks to T.C. for the tip.
See Also: From Google: Why Some Material is Not in the Database
See Also: Greg Notess’s Explanation of Google’s Page Count and Unindexed Pages
Reminder: It’s Not ‘All’ in One Place, Use More Than One Web Engine, Use Specialized Databases