Webcast: Second-Generation Open Access: Building an Open Content
Presentation by John Wilbanks, Executive Director of the Science Commons project at Creative Commons.

This presentation took place at Oxford University (Oxford Internet Institute) earlier this month.

The Open Access movement reserves the right to re-use the peer reviewed literature: translation, republication, annotation and analysis. John Wilbanks, Executive Director of the Science Commons project at Creative Commons, lays out the key elements of a test case in this area called the Neurocommons, in which machine-readable representations of neuroscience-related knowledge are extracted using natural language processing and other automated technologies.

Stream (Real Player) ||| Download (280 MB, MP4)

The presentation runs 92 minutes.

Source: Oxford Internet Institute

+ Alacra partners with Experian

+ GrandCentral.com: VoIP and Web 2.0
Two of many cool features: swap phones (move from landline to cell/mobile (or vice versa) without having to make another call) and ListenIn on Voicemail (Listen to your messages (real time) from any phone before answering).
See Also: Our Recent Post about PrivatePhone.com

+ Getty Images Acquires The Michael Ochs Archives

+ Wikipedia founder hunts for gold (via Business 2.0)

+ Keyword Research Steps & Tool Update (via Search Engine Land)

+ What is Google Rebang? (via SEJ and GB)

Updated STB: Biographical Sources in the Sciences — General Works and National Sources
From the STB:

This guide, a revision of Library of Congress Science Tracer Bullet 88-3, offers a systematic approach to the wide variety of published biographical information on men and women of science and technology. Both historical and contemporary scientists are covered, with emphasis on Americans. While citations to many new works have been added, quite a few of the previous listings have been retained, to allow consideration of evolving styles in scientific biography. Among the changes adopted in this revision are the indication of illustrations, particularly portraits, and the inclusion of preliminary pagination extending to more than 13 pages and unnumbered as well as numbered series notes.

See Also: All Science Tracer Bullets

Source: Science, Technology & Business Division, Library of Congress

Enhanced: FederalSpending.org

From the News Release, What’s New:

The upgraded FedSpending.org site includes the following improvements:
• Updated Data – FY 2005 now contains all four quarters of federal assistance data (i.e., grants, loans, direct payments); the most recent publicly available data from the government for FY 2006 has been added for both federal contracts and federal assistance (but the data for both remains incomplete at this time); many problems in older data have been corrected.
• Summary View – This level of detail has been designed to provide a better overview of contractors, recipients, congressional districts, states, and agencies, as well as other data categories, such as recipient type, assistance type, grant programs, products and services contracted for, and extent of competition. The summary view also includes a new Trend bar chart to quickly compare changes over time. The view is brand new for contracts and significantly upgraded for assistance.
• XML Output – The site now provides an XML format for data through an Application Programming Interface (API), which will allow advanced users and programmers to design their own interfaces to pull and display FedSpending.org data.
• More Searchable – Improvements in page titles and implementation of sitemaps protocol should make it easier to find FedSpending.org data through online search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc).
• Improved Navigation and Help Files – The side bar navigation now includes a separate “Home” folder tab for the home page of the website, making it easier for visitors to navigate among the different sections of the website. The help files have also been improved and expanded.

Source: OMB Watch

See Also: OMB Launches FederalSpending.gov

Direct to FederalSpending.gov

From the news release:

In addition to providing a vehicle for gathering feedback on how visitors would like to search transaction data, the site also includes:
• A copy of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act;
• The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Task Force’s Implementation Plan;
• Answers to frequently asked questions about the new law;
• Links to currently available information about Federal spending.

The official web site will be launched in January 2008, and it will provide the public with the ability to scrutinize how the Federal government is spending taxpayer dollars.

ResourceShelf first mentioned FederalSpending.org last October.

From the news release (PDF):

Discussions of the concept of open access to scholarly information are increasingly marked by highly charged rhetoric and an unfortunate polarization of opinion. The Association of American University Presses (AAUP) released a statement today outlining the association’s perspective on what has become known as open access, and hopes to help steer the debate towards productive solutions that will best

Full Text of Statement
6 pages; PDF.

Source: The Association of American University Presses

See Also: Peter Suber’s Open Access News

+ Bowker Introduces Plans to Develop Non-Fiction Connection, New Readers’ Advisory Tool for Non-Fiction Titles

+ Preference For Fiction Is Decreasing Among Readers, Librarian Reports (via El Paso Times)

+ Frank Daly Named New Director of Marketing at H.W. Wilson

+ IEEE Standards Online Subscriptions Now Available In IEEE Xplore

Canadian Historical Association Booklets

The Canadian Historical Association publishes a series of booklets on aspects of Canadian history. Written in accessible prose by specialists, they are published in both English and French.

The first CHA booklet, The Undefended Border: The Myth and the Reality, by C.P. Stacy, appeared in 1953. Since that time, 63 more booklets in the general series have appeared. They have proven popular with students, teachers and the general public.
…
In 2005 the Canadian Historical Association concluded an agreement with Library and Archives Canada to digitize the booklets for online access. The project was funded through a grant from Foreign Affairs Canada. The CHA and Library and Archives Canada are grateful to Foreign Affairs Canada and Library and Archives Canada for helping us to reach new readers through the World Wide Web.

Direct to Historical Booklets

Direct to Ethnic Booklets

Direct to Search Interface

Source: Library and Archives Canada, Canadian Historical Association

ELISAD’s European Gateway on Alcohol Drugs and Addictions

Annotation from the UK’s DrugScope:

The gateway provides descriptions of and links to over 900 evaluated European websites and other Internet resources, from 33 countries, on the use and misuse of drugs and other psychoactive substances. The evaluations have been done by subject experts and information professionals from 16 institutions across Europe including DrugScope, who have selected, classified and catalogued these Internet resources. The gateway can be searched free-text, through keywords and by country. A description of each resource and link is provided to help users assess its origin, content and nature. This tool has been built by ELISAD the European Association of Libraries and Information Services on Alcohol and Other Drugs, with funding from the European Commission and is currently being updated.

Direct to the Gateway, Search/Browse

See Also: DrugScope Research Pathfinders
Topics include:
+ Statistics
+ Visual Images and Resources
+ Drugs in Sport

See Also: ELISAD Home Page

U.S. State Department Launches Freedom of Information Act Request Center (FRSC)
This 4 page (PDF) document offers the FRSC vision and mission statements as well as background and contact info. From the document:

In 1997, the Office of Information Programs and Services (IPS) created the Advocacy and Oversight Branch (AO) in the Requester Liaison Division (RL) to handle all general FOIA and status inquiries and to manage FOIA requester’s expectations and concerns.
+ The FRSC is designed to respond to inquiries from our internal and external customers about IPS’s services and FOIA and Privacy Act requests; and to focus on customer service, helping all customers in a prompt and courteous manner.

+ The FRSC is responsible for handling responses to status inquiries made telephonically, electronically (via email) or by mail from: the general public, the congress, other Federal agencies or within the Department.

+ The FRSC maintains the Public and Electronic Reading Rooms that contain a wealth of information about the FOIA, the Department of State’s organization and records systems, and significant document collections released to the public.

+ The FRSC serves as the content managers of the FOIA website ensuring that the most accurate and current information is available and accessible.

++ FRSC Phone Number: 202-261-8484
++ USDOS FOIA Web Site

Source: U.S. Department of State

Here are three lists (with some duplication) that offer formatting information for numerous wireless carriers around the globe. For example, we receive email alerts for public transportation delays using this method.

+ Send a Text Message, Formats for Many Wireless Providers
Lists providers and formats. Global.

+ Email to SMS Delivery Gateways (via hipTool)
.
+ NotePage
Lists providers and formats. Global.

Coming in March, the Launch of teleflip.
+ Receive up to 5,000 messages for free
+ All networks, global
+ Receive email, calendar info, feeds, etc.
This company has been around for some time offering a service currently named, FlipOut.
See Also: ipipi.com (Fee-Based, Free Trial)

See Also: Instant Messaging and Text Messaging
++ AOL (AIM)
++ MSN Messenger
++ Yahoo Messenger
++ ICQ
++ SMS with Skype

See Also: TextBuddy Offers Personal Reminders Sent via SMS

You can also send SMS messages (free) to any wireless service using the Text Buddy link on the UpSnap homepage or by going directly to this page.

The Canadian Association of Research Libraries E-Lert Now Available to All

A bit late to the party on this one. The weekly E-Lert update from the Canadian Association of Research Libraries is now available to all at no charge.

Coverage is principally: research, innovation, scholarly publishing, scholarly communication, scholarly journals, electronic journals, copyright and access to published government information.

The E-Lert is also available in French.

Source: Canadian Association of Research Libraries

A Month’s Worth of New Tools from 4INFO.net
4INFO a feature filled mobile search and information service. Free. Local info, sports scores, text alerts, tv listings and much more. Accessible via mobile web and/or SMS.

New in February:
+ Sports Alerts from the YES Network (NY Mets, NJ Nets, and other NYC sports news)

+ More Hockey and Basketball Info

Player results now include game score and time left information if the game is in progress. NBA results now have player rebounds and assists. NHL results now have player time on ice, penalty minutes served, and goalkeeper current record.

+ NASCAR and NCAA Basketball Alerts

Source: 4INFO Mobile Search Blog

+ Google trading fairly in Korea? (via News.com)

+ Product Search and Product Upload Beta – February Refresh (via Live Product Search Blog)

+ Microsoft still trying to answer Google’s wake-up call (via News.com)

+ Texas AG Opinion Causes County Clerks to Shut Down Records Access (via GovTech.net)
See Also: Full Text of AG Opinion

2006 Gold Mouse Report: Recognizing the Best Web Sites on Capitol Hill

The 2006 Gold Mouse Report: Recognizing the Best Web Sites on Capitol Hill marks the third time that CMF has evaluated all Member, committee, and leadership Web sites and recognized the best Congressional Web sites with Mouse Awards. Previously released in 2002 and 2003, the 2006 report reflects the growing importance of the Internet in the everyday lives of Americans. New-and-improved, the 2006 Gold Mouse Report includes:

• A List of Award Winners and updated, comprehensive methodology reflecting the latest Web developments and user expectations.
• In-depth analysis of trends and important findings regarding the overall state of congressional Web sites, as well as within in each chamber, between the parties, and by election margin.
• Screenshots of the Gold Mouse winners and the best practices of the award-winning sites.
• Dos and Don’ts for each of the five building blocks of a successful Web site– a handy guide for congressional offices seeking to improve their site.
• A new chapter: Managing a Successful Web Site, with guidance on management practices congressional offices can use to foster an atmosphere for success on the Web.

+ Table of Contents
+ Introduction
+ Summary of Key Findings
+ Selected Charts
+ The Best Web Sites on Capitol Hill
+ Full Report

Direct to Full Text (100 Pages; PDF)

Source: Congressional Management Foundation (via DocuTicker.com)

Implementing the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act: A Federal Trade Commission Report to Congress
From the announcement:

In a report to Congress, the Federal Trade Commission says the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the Commission’s COPPA Rule, have been effective in protecting the privacy and security of young children online without unduly burdening Web site operators. The report does not recommend any changes to COPPA or to the Commission’s Rule, but does note that, because widespread age verification technology is not available, age falsification remains a risk on general audience Web sites not intended for children’s use. The report also identifies social networking sites and mobile Internet access as new and emerging issues in children’s online privacy.

According to Implementing the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act: A Report to Congress, COPPA appears to have had a positive effect on Web site information practices, as children’s Web sites have developed innovative ways to offer children interactive online experiences while collecting little or no personal information from them. The report notes that there remains a wide range of child-directed Web sites for children to choose from, and that COPPA does not appear to have limited children’s ability to access information online.

Direct to Full Text
33 pages; PDF.

Source: FTC