Guba is a service that’s been around for years. In recent months they began offering a video upload service that will automatically and for free make your footage available in Flash, iPod, and PSP formats for viewing. Now, Guba has signed a distribution deal with Warner Brothers (more from TechCrunch) allowing you to rent (Video on Demand) or purchase (Download-To-Own), depending on the title a number of movies. From Syriana to Good Night and Good Luck to the Best in Show and the 1st Season of the Flinstones. Rentals (VOD) offers 24 hrs. of viewing time at $1.79 to $2.99. Here’s the full press release. Other players in this space include CinemaNow and MovieLink. We’re also big fans and users of Vongo which offers a large number of movies as well as a 24hr feed from Encore. It’s a flat rate service and depending on the film you can watch it as many times as you like until the license expires, often many months. You can also choose to have videos download when your computer is not busy. Vongo also offers a number of video-on-demand/24hr titles.

Shirl is taking the week off (very well deserved) from Resource of the Week this time around. Of course, she is continuing to post an amazing amount of new content on ResourceShelf’s sister site, DocuTicker.

This week’s Resource of the Week comes from RS Contributing Editor, librarian, and compiler of the IWS Documented News Service weblog, Stuart Basefsky. It’s a
reprint (with Stuart’s permission of course; thanks S.B.) of a recent IWS post that offers a great +overview of the many databases offered by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Resource of the Week
A Review of International Labor Organization Databases Accessible on the Web
by Stuart Basefsky, MLIS
Martin P. Catherwood Library, School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR), Cornell University
Director, IWS News Bureau, Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS)
Contributing Editor, ResourceShelf

ILO Databases
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/support/lib/dblist.htm

ILO databases are available in the following subject areas and nearly all of them are free and unrestricted.
+ Country and Regional Information

GLOBAL COMPACT (Country Information)

http://www.unglobalcompact.org/

Country information system on human rights, labour standards, and environmental protection. (Maintained by the United
Nations Global Compact Network with the participation of the ILO and UNEP)

 

+ Labour Legislation

APPLIS 

http://webfusion.ilo.org/public/db/standards/normes/appl/index.cfm?lang=EN

A database on the application of international labour standards

 

 

Conditions of Work and Employment
database 

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/condtrav/database/index.htm

Includes comprehensive legal information from countries around the world. Covers maternity protection, minimum wages,
working time. 

 

 

Corenit 

http://www.oit.org.pe/corenit/

Base de datos del Control Regular de Normas (in
Spanish) 

 

 

e.quality@work 

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/gems/eeo/index.htm

compilation of basic information on gender equality laws, policies and programmes, including international labour standards as well as national legislation, policies, practices and institutional arrangements introduced by governments, trade unions and public and private sector enterprises

 

 

ILOLEX 

http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/index.htm

A database on international labour standards containing ILO Conventions and Recommendations

Quick database search of: 

ILO Conventions

http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/convdisp1.htm

and

ILO Recommendations 

http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/recdisp1.htm

 

 

NATLEX 

http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex_browse.home?p_lang=en

A database of national labour law 

 

 

QVILIS 

http://www.oit.org.pe/qvilis_world/index.php

A database on complaints and violatons of trade union rights 

 

 

TRIBLEX 

http://www.ilo.org/dyn/triblex/triblex_browse.home

Thematic analysis of the case law of the ILO Administrative Tribunal 

(more…)

Word from Vivisimo (the Clusty people), the technology that powers FirstGovSearch.gov, Clustermed.info and other sites has signed a deal with Bitratings KK of Japan to bring Vivisimo’s dynamic clustering to mobile users in Japan.

Consumers will be able to access the new mobile search site in one click from the keyword search menu on KDDI phones or navigate to it by typing in the URL for the site on handsets offered by other carriers.

Traditionally, Japanese consumers searching on mobile Internet sites select search categories from a previously compiled list—keyword searching is difficult and hard to understand. Users have to scroll through multiple pages of search results to find information, a cumbersome process that prevents many consumers from attempting to perform searches via their mobile devices.

More in this news release.

See Also: For the Life Science Searcher: Have You Tried Vivisimo’s Biometacluster.com? Free!

Metadata - general introduction, Discovery metadata, and Other types of metadata
Presentations by Michael Day, UKOLN (University of Bath)

• Cataloguing online resources: an introduction to metadata for librarians

Manchester, UK; 56 slides

• Other types of metadata -METS, PREMIS, …

38 slides.

See Also: Introduction to Metadata: Pathways to Digital Information (Version 2.1)
Full text book from The Getty. Written by Tony Gill, Anne J. Gilliland, Mary S. Woodley. Edited by Murtha Baca

Earlier today, Philipp Lenssen over on Google Blogoscoped (one of the very best Google Blogs) posted a note about someone discovering “human hands” on scans of pages of books being digitized by Google as part of their Google Library Program. Yes, most likely a beta issue but it’s worth being on the lookout for.*

Last week, another story made the rounds on a library listserv, LIBREF, we believe. In this case the book was a compilation of plays by William Shakespeare and included some scanned fingers and other “stuff.” Instead of reposting some examples here, here’s a direct link to some examples that we contributed to GB late Wednesday.

*As we all know (but often forget) Google is not the first and not the only ones to be doing book digitization. Here’s just one example.

+ This post has details (U of T has been scanning books for years). You’ll also find a link to a story about an actual human “scanner” and a cool video of a scanning machine that operates in both manual and auto modes. The Univ of Toronto is contributior to the Open Content Alliance.

+ A recent article about U of Toronto Scanning: Building an Online Library, One Volume at a Time (via WSJ, free)

+ A video of Book Scanning Robot at the University of Toronto in action.

See Also: Philipp Lenssen is also the author of 55 Ways to Have Fun With Google. The full text (in PDF) is available here. Worthy of your attention. Few, very few, know more about G that P.L. Hopefully, he’ll write other books about other engines. (-:

See Also: Since it appears that Lenssen thinks that sleep is overrated or he’s just the most productive person on Earth, Philipp is also the creator and developer of the wonderful Games for the Brain site. Invigorating summer fun (or winter fun for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere.

+ Cameraphone Searching in Japan (via SEW Blog)
Greg Sterling offers a great review of today’s NY Times article. For more on something similar, cameraphone searching, take a look at this comprehensive ResourceShelf post from a few months ago. We mention several products, word of research from MS and a look at several services including Semapedia. Btw, we also include a mention of some cameraphone searching availability in Japan since 2003. More on the service from NeoMedia in this announcement.

See Also: Although Not Available for Mobile (Yet), I’m Constantly Amazed at the Accuracy (Where We’re Specifically Located) and the Local Info We Can Quickly Access using a Wi-Fi Connection, a Browse and Some Software (free) Launched This Spring (U.S. Only) Called Loki. Worth a Look. Perfect? Nope. But it’s getting better and already quite impressive. We can’t wait for a mobile version to become available when wi-fi enabled devices become more popular.

See Also: Location Based Mapping Service from MapQuest Announced
More here.

+ Google loses French trademark lawsuit
See Also: http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060628-122055

+ Case Withdrawn: Google Book Search Wins Victory In German Challenge (via SEW Blog)

+ Microsoft Releases Final Beta Version of Internet Explorer 7 (via News.com)
Download Beta 3 here.

Articles in the newsletter include:
+ Harmless drudgery - getting started at the OED (the story of a new OED employee)
+ Interesting antedatings
+ Thought-provoking snippets from the OED quotation files

Also, on June 15th, the OED added several new entries and updates were made to the dictionary. One list is available here. New terms include “yada yada,” “geocache,” and “Energizer bunny.”

The search-related news is that Google (as a verb) is now a “draft entry (June 2006)” in this legendary and authoritative English dictionary.

intr. To use the Google search engine to find information on the Internet.
trans. To search for information about (a person or thing) using the Google search engine.

This is the second entry for Google as a verb. An early 20th century OED definition:

intr. Of the ball: to have a ‘googly’ break and swerve. Of the bowler; to bowl a googly or googlies; also (trans.), to give a googly break to (a ball). Hence googler, a googly bowler

If you’re into creating diagrams (think Visio), Gliffy.com is a new web-based app (beta, free with pricing plans coming soon) that offers many of the same features in a web environment. From flowcharts to floor plans. We haven’t had a chance to check this one out yet but will soon. Looks useful and interesting. Examples here.

See Also: This RS Post Has Links to Several Excellent Web 2.0 Application Directories

Front Page: 100 Years of British Newspapers is a new exhibit that recently opened at the British Library in London. The “web version” of the exhibit offers several items including:

• View and read about 29 memorable British front page headlines
• Search a complete digitised archive of the Penny Illustrated Paper from 1861 to 1913
• Learn more about the British Library’s collection of newspapers and how we are making them available while safeguarding them for the future

What makes a company wired? We start by looking for the basics: strategic vision, global reach, killer technology. But that’s not enough. To land a spot on our annual Wired 40 list, a business also needs the X-factor – a hunger for new ideas and an impatience to put them into practice. Such companies inevitably become trendsetters, literally: As we debated and redebated the list this year, six major themes flickered into view. From the rise of peer production to the end of carbon pollution, they tell us where the world is heading. These are the companies leading the way.

Search and info companies making the Wired 40. The number in (paren) is where the company was ranked in 2005.

1. Google (2)
2. Apple (1)
5. Yahoo (5)
6. Amazon.com (4)
9. News.Corp (NEW)
19. eBay (10)
20. Infospace (NEW)
36. Microsoft (28)

Companies no longer on the list can be found here. They include:
+ Fedex
+ Nokia
+ Dell

Source: Wired

See Also: Lists & Rankings: Google Guys Place Second on New Business 2.0 List of Fifty Who Matter in Business

2006 KIDS COUNT Data Book
Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation (via DocuTicker.com)
“Data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2006 KIDS COUNT Data Book are now available in our easy-to-use, powerful online database, “State Level Data Online“, that allows you to generate custom graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state-by-state profiles; or, download the entire data set as delimited text files. The pull-down menus to the left also allow you to read the book online or view the book in PDF format. Additionally, you can order a free copy of the Data Book.”

The 100 best products of the year
“We rated each candidate on its design, performance, and specifications. We generally did not consider price in our evaluations; instead, we looked for products that represent the cream of the crop. But in compiling our list, some products were such great bargains that we couldn’t ignore them. Of course, ranking laptops and Linux distributions in one place is tricky, but we used the same scoring system for each candidate and assessed them as consistently as we could. This year we have also assigned each candidate an “impact” score, to recognize significant products that changed the technology landscape. And last, we ranked every World Class award winner by its final score, creating our list of the year’s top 100 products.”

Source: Computerworld

Via ResourceShelf’s DocuTicker

Hamdan V. Rumsfeld, Secretary Of Defense, et al. (via FindLaw, includes dissents)
Also available direct from U.S. Supreme Court as PDF File (185 pages)

See Also: High court blocks Gitmo military tribunals (via CNN)

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday strongly limited the power of the Bush administration to conduct military tribunals for suspected terrorists imprisoned at the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The 5-3 ruling means officials will have to come up with a new policy to prosecute at least 10 so-called “enemy combatants” awaiting trial — it does not address the government’s ability to detain suspects.

Profit 100: Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies
“The 18th annual PROFIT 100 ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies proves there is opportunity in every sector of the economy — and every market around the world — for businesses that deliver what customers want: real value.” Direct to list.

Source: Canadian Business Online

The ARTnews 200 Top Collectors

Our annual list of the world’s top collectors by The Editors of ARTnews

Source: ARTnews