Archive for February, 2007
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
OCLC Launches Worldcat Registry
From the site:
The WorldCat Registry is a Web-based directory for libraries and library consortia. It is an authoritative single source for information that defines institutional identity, services, relationships, contacts and other key data often shared with third parties. With it, you can:
* Create and manage a profile that centralizes and automates information sharing with vendors and others—you don’t maintain multiple identities, and their data is always up-to-date
* Get greater Internet visibility for your collection and services through syndication of your data over a variety of Web services including WorldCat.org
From the FAQ:
The registry is open to all libraries and consortia, you do not have to be an OCLC member. The service is free.
+
OCLC has automatically created profiles for all of its member institutions and many others outside the OCLC cooperative. It is recommended that you first search the Registry for an auto-generated profile.
See Also: Full Text of News Release
Source: OCLC
Posted in Databases, Directories, and Guides, Libraries and Librarianship, Search News | Comments Off
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
A new Microsoft Channel 9 video offers a tour of the Microsoft Next Research Group at MSR.
From the post:
Here Curtis Wong, the guy who leads the group, demoed for us their Media Browser technology (News.com called it Photo Triage, but the team actually calls it the “Media Browser” because it does more than photos).
This technology demonstrates how you could organize and look at your digital photos in the future.
See Also: MediaBrowser: Reclaiming the Shoebox
by Steven M. Drucker, Curtis Wong, Asta Roseway, Steve Glenner, Steve De Mar
4 pages; PDF.
See Also: Photo-triage: Rapidly annotating your digital photographs
by Steven M. Drucker, Curtis Wong, Asta Roseway, Steve Glenner, Steve De Mar
7 pages; PDF.
See Also: Other Papers by Dr. Steven Drucker and Other Research Projects (Cool Stuff!)
See Also: Microsoft Next Research Group Web Site
Microsoft Next Media Research group focuses on exploring what new consumer media experiences are possible with the growth in computing power, connectivity and storage in a compelling, elegant and transparent way in the 3 to 10 year timeframe.
Source: Microsoft Research
Posted in Cataloging and Metadata, Digital Preservation, Digital Repositories, Info Management and Retrieval, Search News, Technology and Internet | Comments Off
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
Monthly Metrics for FDLP and C&I Now Available Online
LSCM is releasing monthly statistics on the activities of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and the Cataloging and Indexing Program (C&I). These monthly statistics are available online at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/metrics/index.html
The following statistics are gathered to provide a monthly summary of the activities of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and the Cataloging and Indexing Programs (C&I), two U.S.C. Title 44 mandated information dissemination programs. Both programs are managed by Library Services and Content Management and established by Congress to ensure that the American public has access to its Government’s information. The target release date of the metrics is within 30 days after each monthly cycle.
Direct to January 2007 Report
1 page; PDF
Source: Administrative Notes: Newsletter of the FDLP
Posted in Government Documents and Political Information, Search News, Statistics | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
Association of Research Libraries Publishes Issue Brief on Wiley Acquisition of Blackwell
4 pages; PDF.
From the document:
This document briefly outlines the growing dysfunction in the journal market resulting from the exercise of market power1 by an ever-shrinking group of large commercial publishers. This document also provides talking points that librarians can use to create a broader understanding of the situation and the potential for antitrust activity to improve the market.
Source: ARL
Posted in Information Industry, Libraries and Librarianship, Scholarly Publishing, Search News | Comments Off
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
We’ve posted about blogs from Infoplease and The World Almanac. However, we failed to mention the blog from the editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. So, without further adieu, The Britannica Blog.
Britannica Blog is a place for smart, lively conversations about a broad range of topics. Art, science, history, current events – it’s all grist for the mill. We’ve given our writers encouragement and a lot of freedom, so the opinions here are theirs, not the company’s. Please jump in and add your own thoughts.
Direct to RSS Feed.
Source: EB
Posted in Fast Facts, New Websites and Resources, Source File | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
National Archives to Dedicate new Southwest Regional Records Center Facility, First Federal Electronic Records Vault Opens
The dedication of the new facility is set for March 2, 2007.
The facility includes a 1000 square-foot, state-of-the-art electronic records storage vault that will allow the National Archives, for the first time in its 73-year history, to store and service temporary electronic records for Federal agencies. This electronic records storage vault features a non-aqueous fire suppression system, strict environmental controls, and multiple levels of security. The new facility also includes a high-tech digital imaging lab for record scanning and a specialized media disintegrator to securely destroy Federal e-records.
“The new Federal Records Center is an exciting project for the National Archives as we modernize the facilities that house these important Federal records†said Preston Huff, the National Archives Regional Administrator for the Southwest Region. “This building reflects our recognition that the format of our Nation’s records has evolved from paper to a variety of electronic media. The National Archives stands ready to store and service these e-records from their creation to their destruction, just as we have for years with paper records.â€
The 205,000 square foot building has a total storage capacity of nearly one million cubic feet of records. The new facility will replace the Federal Records Center currently located in the Fort Worth Federal Depot. The move to the new building is scheduled to be completed in October of this year.
Source: NARA
Posted in Archives and Special Collections, Search News | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
Last November, we wrote about mobilcasting or cellcasting. Either stream to a mobile phone or device (if you have the bandwith) or listen to a program by dialing a phone number. Again, this post has more. A quick note to point out that one of the companies we mentioned in that post, Melodeo has an end user site at Mobilcast.com. The software required to use Mobilcast is available for about 50 phones, but it’s a no go for Treos and Blackberrys at this time. Nevertheless, ResourceShelf is still a strong believer in cellcasting or mobilcasting. Btw, it’s worth noting that Mobilcast offers both audio and video content.
Posted in Web 2.0, Wireless Web and Search | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
+ Xrefer Adds Routledge Award-Winning Titles
+ ebrary Signs Blackwell Publishing, Yale University Press, and Columbia University Press
+ Databases: City of New York Database of Certified Minority- or Woman-Owned Business* and/or Locally-Based Enterprise (via NYC.gov)
See Also: United States Central Contractor Registration Database
Central Contractor Registration (Formerly Pro-net) is an online database of information on thousands of small businesses and serves as a search engine for contracting officers, a marketing tool for small companies, and a “link” to procurement opportunities and other important information. It also provides links to the online Commerce Business Daily, federal agency home pages and other sources of procurement opportunities.
+ Kentucky Rare Books Survive Burst Pipe (via AL)
Posted in Archives and Special Collections, E-books, Information Industry, Libraries and Librarianship, Search News | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
Nucleus Portal to Scientific, Technical & Regulatory Information
The IAEA.org website is moving to expand access to the world of nuclear information. A nuclear portal — named Nucleus — is now available that incorporates, and facilitates access to more than 130 IAEA information resources, including all those now in the Data Centre.
Nucleus is being developed as the common access point to the IAEA’s scientific, technical and regulatory information resources — including documents, websites and databases. It includes features for users to customize the portal to their personal information needs and interests, and for contacting experts and specialized information sources on a wide range of subjects.
See Also: The IAEA Offers an Ask-An-Expert Service
See Also: Annotated Database of Nuclear Science Resources on the Internet
See Also: Nuclear Science References
The NSR database is a bibliography of nuclear physics articles, indexed according to content and spanning nearly 100 years of research. Over 80 journals are checked on a regular basis for articles to be included.
+ Meetings on Atomic Energy Database
See Also: Catalogue of Information Resources
Browse the catalogue:
+ By Subject
+ By Name
+ By Acronym
+ By Dept./Div.
+ By Type of Data
See Also: Nuclear Reactors Knowledge Base
See Also: International Atomic Energy Agency
Posted in Bibliographies, Webliographies, Databases, Directories, and Guides, New Websites and Resources, Science, Search Tools, Source File | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
Via the MS Virtual Earth Blog:
Harley Davidson just launched an application for exploring great rides. There are about 50 trails in the system right now that include lots of details on the route including other riders ratings and opinions, sample itineraries, photos, and local info. Even if you’re not a HD rider, useful for finding scenic rides in your part of the Country.
The maps and imagery on the Great Rides site is powered by Microsoft’s Virtual Earth Technology.
Source: Harley Davidson / MS VE
Posted in Geographic, New Websites and Resources, Source File | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
Posted in Geographic, Resources for Educators, Science, Source File | Comments Off
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
Americans in London
(MP3, 59 minutes, 23.6MB)
A panel discussion with Mary Jordan of The Washingon Post, Professor James Pfiffner and Loyd Grossman. Introduced by Philip Davies of the Eccles Centre for American Studies.
From the BL web site, “apologise for the poor sound quality during part of this recording.”
Download the Podcast
See Also: Other Podcasts from The British Library
Source: BL
Posted in Libraries and Librarianship, Webcasts and Podcasts | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
Common Questions About Postage and Stamps
6 pages; PDF
Constituents and interest groups often approach congressional offices with questions about postage and stamps. This report provides brief answers to commonly asked questions and provides sources where congressional staff may learn more about these topics.
Source: Congressional Research Service (via OpenCRS)
Posted in Fast Facts, Source File | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
Posted in Best of DocuTicker, Source File | No Comments »
Monday, February 26th, 2007
From an email update:
An updated version of ToxSeek is now available. ToxSeek is an NLM metasearch engine and clustering tool that enables the simultaneous searching of many different toxicology and environmental health information databases and web sites.
ToxSeek enhancements include:
+ A new spell checker with English and medical dictionaries
+ The automatic inclusion of medical subject headings (MeSH) in the subject clusters
+ The addition of TOXMAP (environmental health e-maps) and ToxTown (an interactive guide to commonly encountered toxic substances)
+ Refinements to the search strategies of the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) sites
+ The addition of WHO (World Health Organization).
Source: NLM
Posted in Resources for Educators, Science, Search Tools, Source File | Comments Off
Monday, February 26th, 2007
Biological information specialists for biological informatics
“Data management and integration are complicated and ongoing problems that will require commitment of resources and expertise from the various biological science communities. Primary components of successful cross-scale integration are smooth information management and migration from one context to another. We call for a broadening of the definition of bioinformatics and bioinformatics training to span biological disciplines and biological scales. Training programs are needed that educate a new kind of informatics professional, Biological Information Specialists, to work in collaboration with various discipline-specific research personnel. Biological Information Specialists are an extension of the informationist movement that began within library and information science (LIS) over 30 years ago as a professional position to fill a gap in clinical medicine. These professionals will help advance science by improving access to scientific information and by freeing scientists who are not interested in data management to concentrate on their science.”
Source: Journal of Biomedical Discovery and Collaboration
Posted in Info Management and Retrieval, Libraries and Librarianship, Science, Search News | No Comments »
Monday, February 26th, 2007
From the article:
Medstory, which is based in Foster City, Calif., operates a search engine–currently in beta–that is geared toward the needs of consumers and health professionals who are looking for information on medical topics. Search results are divided into categories of information relevant to the query: for example, results can be narrowed into clinical studies, procedures, personal health information, conditions and substances.
We recently posted about another new (in beta) health search and information site named, Revolution Health. It’s being led by AOL founder, Steve Case.
Search results from Revolution come from their own web crawl as well as the Kosmix specialty search engine.
Posted in New Websites and Resources, Resources for Educators, Science, Search News, Search Tools | No Comments »
Monday, February 26th, 2007
Call For Papers: IEEE/WIC/ACM International Conference on Web Intelligence
Web Intelligence (WI) has been recognized as a new direction for scientific research and development to explore the fundamental roles as well as practical impacts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) (e.g., knowledge representation, planning, knowledge discovery and data mining, intelligent agents, and social network intelligence) and advanced Information Technology (IT) (e.g., wireless networks, ubiquitous devices, social networks, and data/knowledge grids) on the next generation of Web-empowered products, systems, services, and activities. It is one of the most important as well as promising IT research fields in the era of Web and agent intelligence.
The conference is scheduled to take place in Silicon Valley, November 2-5, 2007 and will be jointly held with the 2007 IEEE/WIC/ACM International Conference on Intelligent Agent Technology
See Also: Web Intelligence (WI) Consortium
See Also: WIC Research Centres
Source: IEEE/ WIC/ ACM
Posted in Info Management and Retrieval, Information Industry, Information Seeking, Search News, Technology and Internet | No Comments »
