Posted 27 May 2008 on DocuTicker:
The Economic Slowdown’s Impact on Middle-Aged and Older Americans (AARP Policy & Research)
+ Prior Knowledge of Potential School-Based Violence: Information Students Learn May Prevent a Targeted Attack (U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of Education and McLean Hospital)
+ American eating and drinking patterns (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service)
Archive for May, 2008
The Economic Slowdown’s Impact on Middle-Aged and Older Americans…and other full-text reports on DocuTicker
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008Mobile: Global Gab Guide
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008There are a myriad of ways to stay connected while travelling abroad. We sort them out here.
See Also: Lingo Navigator (Product Review)
This gadget aims to make multilingual exchanges easier, but is it worth purchasing for your next international trip?
Source: Laptop Magazine
New Version Now Available: Google Book Search Bibliography, Version 2
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008A new version (Version 2) of the excellent Google Book Search Bibliography is now online.
This bibliography presents selected English-language articles and other works that are useful in understanding Google Book Search. It primarily focuses on the evolution of Google Book Search and the legal, library, and social issues associated with it. Where possible, links are provided to works that are freely available on the Internet, including e-prints in disciplinary archives and institutional repositories. Note that e-prints and published articles may not be identical.
Source: Charles W. Bailey, Jr., Digital Scholarship
New Reference Guide: Poetry Audio Recordings: A Guide to Online Resources
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008New: Poetry Audio Recordings: A Guide to Online Resources
This is a guide to selected online resources for audio recordings of poets reading and discussing their work.
Compiled by Peter Armenti, Digital Reference Specialist
Source: Digital Reference Team, Library of Congress
Now Available: ALA Annual Conference Poster Sessions Booklet
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008The American Library Association has just published (online) the 2008 Poster Session Abstracts Booklet. The booklet can be viewed online/or saved for offline viewing here. The poster sessions will take place at the 2008 Annual Conference in Anaheim. Interesting/useful reading regardless if you are or are not attending the conference. Of course, this document contains contact info for each Poster Session.
Briefly: Twitter’s Terms of Service; YouTube Lawsuit; Belgian Group Wants Damages from Google
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008+ Twitter’s controversy over Terms of Service (via Ars Tecnica)
Thanks, Pete W.
+ Belgian Copyright Group Wants Up To EUR49 Million Damages From Google (via Dow Jones)
+ YouTube suit called threat to online communication (via AP)
A $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit challenging YouTube’s ability to keep copyrighted material off its popular video-sharing site threatens how hundreds of millions of people exchange all kinds of information on the Internet, YouTube owner Google Inc. said.
See Also: The Big Viacom Sues GOOG & YouTube Roundup (via Search Engine Land)
Update: Profiles of Older Workers [U.S.]: 2004
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008The Census Bureau, in partnership with 31 states, has launched a series of reports on workers 55 and older. New Jersey’s report is set for release May 27, and Maryland is scheduled for
the week of June 8. Previously released reports are available here.
Internet address for New Jersey report.
Source: U.S
State Efforts to Expand Broadband Access
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008Posted 26 May 2008 on DocuTicker:
+ State Efforts to Expand Broadband Access (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices)
+ Open Source Software Continually Improving According to Research from Coverityâ„¢ Joint Venture with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Coverity/U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
+ 2008 Guidelines for Agency Preparation of Annual FOIA Reports (U.S. Department of Justice)
Sports Search: What Are People Searching For?
Monday, May 26th, 2008A monthly rundown of the most popular and interesting searches using the search engine on ESPN.com.
Each article/list is compiled by Maalek Marshall, ESPN.com’s Search Editor and contains the Top 25 search terms/phrases for the past month.
Year-end lists back to 2005 are also available.
Btw, ESPN.com search results are available as an RSS feed. Look for the XML box near the top of every search results page.
The Contemporary China Collection in the Asian Division
Monday, May 26th, 2008Library of Congress: The Contemporary China Collection in the Asian Division
A history of the collection.
by Judy S. Lu
Head, Collection Services
Asian Division, Library of Congress
14 pages; PDF.
Source: The Library of Congress
United Nations Observances
Monday, May 26th, 2008This site contains information on United Nations days, weeks, years, decades and other observances, resolutions declaring them and links to events websites.
United Nations observances are used to contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the UN Charter and promote awareness of and action upon, important political, social, cultural, humanitarian or human rights issues. They provide a useful means for the promotion of international and national action and stimulate interest in United Nations activities and programmes. For international years and decades the UN Secretary General takes action to establish preparatory process, evaluation and follow-up procedures.
The majority of observances have been established by the UN General Assembly and some have been designated by UN specialized agencies.
Source: United Nations Department of Public Information
Hat tip: UN Pulse
Resources of the Week: 10 Seriously Useful Firefox Add-ons
Sunday, May 25th, 2008Resources of the Week: 10 Seriously Useful Firefox Add-ons
By Shirl Kennedy, Senior Editor
Most of the information professionals I know are huge fans of Firefox, mainly because it is so…extensible. The sheer number and variety of add-ons that increase the browser’s utility…just staggering. If there is something you wish that Firefox could do, the odds are very good that someone with programming talent had the same thing in mind — and has created some sort of extension that adds precisely that functionality.
Since I spend so much of my working existence online, my Firefox browser is seriously pimped out with a stalwart set of add-ons that, collectively, make my life so much easier. The following are road-tested and highly recommended:
+ Add to Search Bar — Fire fox already has a built-in search box that allows you to add different site searches — e.g., the major Web engines, Amazon.com, Wikipedia, etc. This extension permits you to instantly add (right click menu) search functionality for any page you stumble across.
+ Coupon Craze — I do a lot of online shopping. This Firefox add-on automatically alerts you to any coupon codes, special deals, etc., when you are visiting online retailers. A similar extension is RetailMeNot.
+ Flashblock — I don’t know about you, but I really, really do not like it when I click on a link that takes me to a website where I am greeted by a Flash movie or animation that begins playing immediately. This extension proactively blocks all Flash presentations, replacing them with a right-pointing arrow that you can click to view the Flash content. When YOU want to look at it.
+ Forecast Fox — There are no windows in my workspace at the Day Job. This extension puts current weather information (from AccuWeather) in the bottom right of the browser window frame, and even lets me know when there are special alerts. So now I don’t have to actually get up from my desk and find a window to see what is going on outside. (Which is kind of sad, when you think about it…but that’s life.)
+ Foxmarks Bookmark Synchronizer — If you use more than just one machine to access the Internet — e.g., one at home, one at work — you need this. It keeps all of your Firefox bookmarks synchronized across every computer that you use.
+ Gspace — Nifty extension that lets you use your Gmail online space as an external hard drive. Who can’t use more storage?
+ No Squint — OK, my eyes are not what they used to be. If this is also true for you, download this extension immediately. It allows you to adjust the default text zoom level for any site — and then remembers it on a per-site basis. Lovely.
+ PDF Download — Click on a PDF link and it gives you the option to open, download or covert the PDF to HTML. What I find particularly valuable is that it tells you how large the PDF file is before you click to open it. Since I always like to inform people about PDF file size when I am posting to DocuTicker, this is extremely helpful.
+ Repagination — You come across a lengthy online article, and the website offers no apparent way to view/print it as a single page. Repagination makes this happen. Simple but elegant.
+ Video DownloadHelper — Makes it easy to download videos from YouTube and similar sites. Says it also works for audio and picture galleries, though I’ve never tried it with either. As always, copyright emptor.
Enviro-Health Links – Mercury and Human Health
Sunday, May 25th, 2008Enviro-Health Links – Mercury and Human Health
From press release:
The effects of mercury on human health are a common concern. The new NLM Enviro-Health Links page, Mercury and Human Health includes links to sites about mercury reduction, occupational exposure, compact fluorescent light bulbs, mercury in health care, regulations and state legislation, and preformed TOXLINE® and MEDLINE® /PubMed® searches.
NLM also offers other Enviro-Health Links on topics such as:
Source: National Library of Medicine
Hat tip: PW
First Interplanetary Library Will Land on Mars
Sunday, May 25th, 2008First Interplanetary Library Will Land on Mars
The Planetary Society’s Visions of Mars DVD aboard Phoenix will land on Mars on May 25, 2008. This first of NASA’s Scout missions is led by Principal Investigator Peter Smith at the University of Arizona. Attached to the deck of the Phoenix lander, the DVD includes a collection of 19th and 20th century science fiction stories, essays and art inspired by the Red Planet, as well as the names of more than a quarter million inhabitants of Earth.
…
Visions of Mars – the first library on Mars – contains materials that represent 20 nations and cultures. Visions of Mars includes works by The Planetary Society’s co-founder Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Kim Stanley Robinson, Arthur C. Clarke, Percival Lowell and many more.
Source: The Planetary Society
I See the Ideas : Visual Strategies for Teaching Research Concepts
Sunday, May 25th, 2008by Heidi Senior
From the abstract of the handout: (PDF)
A discussion of learning styles and how they relate to teaching information research is presented. Suggestions for the design of instructional materials including consideration of contrast, context, and grounding of words are included.
Source: WILU 2008: 37th Workshop on Instruction in Library Use, UBC Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia (Canada). (via E-LIS)
Closed EPA Libraries to Return in Lavatory-Sized Spaces
Saturday, May 24th, 2008Closed EPA Libraries to Return in Lavatory-Sized Spaces
Ordered by Congress to re-open its shuttered libraries, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is grudgingly allocating only minimal space and resources, according to agency documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). At the same time, EPA is issuing a series of edicts placing virtually every aspect of library operations under centralized control of a political appointee.
In a May 8, 2008 e-mail to EPA employee unions, the agency announced its plan for re-opening four of the closed libraries effective September 1. The unions were given until May 22 to reply or object. The announced plan for the Chicago library, formerly the largest regional library serving the entire six-state Great Lakes area, stipulates:
- The re-opened library will be in a vacant reception area on the 16th floor of a federal building;
- The re-opened library will occupy less than one-tenth the area of the closed library and will be only slightly larger than the typical men’s restroom in that same building; and
- No provision is made to restore the unique Great Lakes ecological collection or to recover any of the other holdings from the former library.
Similarly, the regional library in Dallas serving a five-state area will be reduced to “2 staff workstations and 1 patron workstation, each with a PC, desk, and chairâ€. It will be open six hours a day for four days a week. The fate of its former collection also remains unknown.
“A library requires more space than a lavatory,†stated PEER Associate Director Carol Goldberg. “These plans appear to violate the Congressional order that the agency ‘restore the network of EPA libraries recently closed…’ What part of ‘restore’ doesn’t EPA understand?â€
+ Read EPA memo allocating limited space to “restored†libraries (PDF; 19 KB)
+ See edict on the new centralized library authority (PDF; 66 KB)
+ Peruse detailed rules on how librarians are supposed to respond to requests (PDF; 82 KB)
+ Look at mounting criticism of EPA’s library plan
+ Revisit the order from Congress to restore the libraries
Source: Public Employees for Environmental Responsiblity
Lists & Rankings: Heart Friendly Cities
Saturday, May 24th, 2008Heart Friendly Cities Revealed
From press release (PDF; 194 KB):
Heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women, may hit closer to home than many realize. Today, the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement released a study, conducted by Sperling’s BestPlaces, revealing the nation’s top 10 most – and least – heart friendly cities for women. Minneapolis-St. Paul took the title of Most Heart Friendly city for women with the lowest cardiac mortality rate for women, low hypertension rates and highest exercise rates. Nashville, on the other hand, finished at the bottom of the rankings with high obesity and smoking rates.
Mega Metros Top Ten Heart Friendly Cities
1. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
2. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
3. San Francisco-San Jose-Oakland, CA
4. Denver-Aurora, CO
5. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH
6. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
7. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA
8. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
9. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
10. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Mega Metros Top Ten Least Heart Friendly Cities
10. Indianapolis, IN
9. Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH
8. Las Vegas-Paradise, NV
7. Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN
6. Columbus, OH
5. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
4. Pittsburgh, PA
3. Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI
2. St. Louis, MO-IL
1. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro, TN
+ Full list of Heart Friendly Cities – Mega Metros (PDF; 37 KB)
+ Full list of Heart Friendly Cities – Mid-Sized Metros (PDF; 38 KB)
+ Full list of Heart Friendly Cities – Remaining Metros (PDF; 46 KB)
Source: American Heart Association
Spotlight on Statistics: Sports and Exercise…and other full-text reports on DocuTicker
Saturday, May 24th, 2008Posted 23 May 2008 on DocuTicker:
+ Spotlight on Statistics: Sports and Exercise (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
+ How Prescription Drug Use Affects Health Care Utilization and Spending by Older Americans: A Review of the Literature (AARP Policy & Research)
+ Renewable Energy Consumption and Electricity Preliminary 2007 Statistics (Energy Information Administration)
New from Scopus: Journal Analyzer
Friday, May 23rd, 2008From the news release:
…a new feature available to all subscribers that enables users to easily evaluate and compare journals using article and citation data. This new feature empowers researchers and librarians by providing them with a quick and transparent overview of the performance of individual journals.
