[16061] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
[CurrentCites] Current Cites, August 2005
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Roy Tennant)
Thu Sep 1 20:45:24 2005
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Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 12:16:31 -0700
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From: Roy Tennant <Roy.Tennant@UCOP.EDU>
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Current Cites, August 2005
Edited by Roy Tennant
Contributors: Charles W. Bailey, Jr., Terry Huwe, Shirl Kennedy, Leo =20
Robert Klein, Jim Ronningen, Roy Tennant
Editor's Note: With this issue Current Cites celebrates 180 months of =20=
continuous free publication (15 years for readers who are math =20
challenged). This all-volunteer operation began as an in-house =20
publication at the UC Berkeley Library, created by the Library =20
Technology Watch Program, now defunct. Current Cites took on a life =20
of its own, however, and remains one of the few early free Internet-=20
distributed publications still in existence. Thanks for sticking with =20=
us, since we have entirely too much fun doing it to want to stop. If =20
you're curious about our early history (including what the first =20
issue looked like), see our history page.
"Testing the Barriers to Digital Libraries: A Study Seeking Copyright =20=
Permission to Digitize Published Works" New Library World 106(7)=20
(2005): 332-342. - Interesting look at what it takes to get =20
permission to digitize a printed work. Librarians at Carnegie Mellon =20
took a random sampling of titles off the shelf, still under =20
copyright, and then proceeded to ask publishers if they could =20
digitize the material. About a quarter said yes. Academic and non-=20
profit institutions were likelier to give their consent. Overall the =20
authors list their results as "disappointing", emphasizing that such =20
an exercise can be extremely complex and lengthy. On the plus side, =20
the effort helped define "best candidates" and this in turn helped =20
improve outcomes. - LRK
Aula, Ann, and Mika Kaaki. "Less is More in Web Search Interfaces =20
for Older Adults" First Monday 10(7)(4 July 2005)( http://=20
www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_7/aula/). - The authors have been =20
studying how older Web users face obstacles in using the Internet, =20
and now they have designed an elderly-friendly search tool called =20
Etsin. They conducted usability studies to compare their search tool =20
with Google -- the search engine of choice for most casual Web users. =20=
They found that their own product was easier for the elderly to use =20
than Google, mainly due to a very simple design interface. User =20
experience is improved by decreasing the number of features to choose =20=
from, they argue, helping elderly searchers feel more in control of =20
the online experience. Unsurprisingly, they further argue that =20
consulting with elderly users (via focus groups, etc) is a critical =20
step in interface design. Even though this seems an obvious =20
requirement, there's an implication here that even now, designers can =20=
forget this crucial step. They also find that visual icons have =20
higher value among the elderly as visual cues -- and that novice =20
users benefit the most from an emphasis on iconography. - TH
Cohen, Laura B.. "Finding Scholarly Content on the Web: =46rom Google =20=
Scholar to RSS Feeds" Choice: Current Reviews for Academic =20
Libraries 42(Web IX)(September 2005): 7-17. - After a hiatus, Laura =20
Cohen is back in the Choice special Web issue with another nicely =20
organized overview of current web technology useful for academic =20
research. Bombarded as we are with news of recent innovations, it is =20
hard to see the forest for the trees sometimes, and this article =20
takes the step back for you. In her discussion of search engines, =20
concept clustering, scholarly content in the deep web, blogs and RSS =20
feeds, she always does a thorough job of describing what behaviors to =20=
expect from the tools and what particular use they can be put to in =20
an academic setting. Librarians in other types of libraries should =20
read it, too - while the sample searches and subjects are appropriate =20=
for the intended readership, the knowledge to be gained about web =20
technology is good for all. For further exploration, Cohen appends a =20
complete list of sources cited. - JR
Crawford, Walt. "Investigating the Biblioblogosphere" Cites & =20
Insights: Crawford at Large 5(10)(2005): 2-13. (http://=20
cites.boisestate.edu/v5i10b.htm). - In this article, Crawford ranks =20
top library Weblogs (blogs) on various criteria (see the Wikipedia =20
entry for blogosphere to help decipher the article's title). Over 200 =20=
blogs were winnowed down to 60 finalists using a weighted "reach" =20
formula that took into account Bloglines readership data and =20
AlltheWeb, Google, and MSN "link:" search data (see the analysis =20
spreadsheet). Blogs were then analyzed on a variety of criteria =20
(e.g., starting date, frequency of posts, total and average length of =20=
posts, and number of comments) for specific periods in 2005 (see the =20
expanded spreadsheet). Blogs were then grouped by "reach" into three =20
groups. Needless to say, this study provoked considerable comment, =20
especially by library bloggers (blogging is one of the most personal =20
forms of publication and ego investment is likely to be high). One of =20=
the most interesting follow-up postings was "Library Blogs and Google =20=
PageRank" by Michael Lorenzen, whose analysis suggests a different =20
rank order for library blogs, although some blogs, such as the =20
ResearchBuzz, remained top blogs in the biblioblogosphere. - CB
Dueze, Mark. "Towards Professional Participatory Storytelling in =20
Journalism and Advertising" First Monday 10(7)(4 July 2005)(http://=20
www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_7/deuze/). - Dueze surveys the =20
potential of the Web -- the "graphic interface" of the Internet -- to =20=
change how stories are presented, perceived and can be modified. =20
Media professionals in particular are faced with "fascinating =20
opportunities as well as vexing dilemmas." The same might be said of =20
the majority of us, as we face the Web, yet Dueze's analysis of the =20
meaning of narrative, visual display of story, and the relationship =20
between 'connectivity' and 'content' is insightful. It can be boiled =20
down to the new ascendance of participation in the narrative =20
experience, which blurs the line between community (or social =20
interaction) and the Web as a pipeline or utility. The challenges of =20
being distinctive in the new media are 'supercharging' the dialogue =20
about how to use the Web, which has been an ongoing theme in all =20
media professions' witness Jay Rosen, Dean of Journalism at NYU's =20
remark on Blogs: "The system was, 'here's our news, take it or leave =20
it;' now, sovereignty over the story is shifting." (New York Times, =20
April 1, 2004, p. E3). Dueze presents the history of media, =20
broadening the exploration with recent examples of hybrid forms of =20
storytelling. He pulls theoretical analysis back to the real-world =20
challenges facing media professionals, who now have to grapple with =20
ideas like "co-creation" with customers, Blogs that rebut the press, =20
etc. This is one of those articles where media analysis meets =20
cultural studies, and the result is worth reading for anyone who =20
manages digital media and conversations. - TH
Hands, Joss. "E-Deliberation and Local Governance: The Role of =20
Computer Mediated Communication in Local Democratic Participation in =20
the United Kingdom" First Monday 10(7)(4 July 2005)(http://=20
www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_7/hands/). - Hands evaluates how =20
local government Web sites in the United Kingdom are actually =20
operating during a period when 'e-government' is being pushed more =20
and more. The Web sites are designed to encourage and facilitate =20
democratic deliberation, and are accumulating a great deal of =20
information on how users view government Web sites. He poses the =20
question, "To what end, and on whose terms, are citizens being =20
encouraged to engage local government via computer-mediated =20
communication?" To find out what the user traffic tells us, he =20
examines 469 local government Web sites, reviewing the contextual =20
evidence. He finds that while interaction is being encouraged, it =20
remains limited and leans toward individualistic expressions rather =20
than a communal dialogue where many people share common interests and =20=
discussion streams. - TH
Hill, Michael. "Libraries Offering Audiobook Downloads" Associated =20
Press (via Yahoo! News) (26 August 2005)(http://news.yahoo.com/news?=20
tmpl=3Dstory&u=3D/ap/libraries_book_downloads). - I work in a military =20=
library and audio books are wildly popular with my customers, who are =20=
often on the move and lack the time to read dead.tree literature. And =20=
though we don't offer these yet at my library, what could be more =20
convenient than downloadable audio books -- available for checkout =20
7/24/365? Basically, all the customer has to do is go to a library-=20
specific website, browse the virtual stacks and download something =20
that looks good. After three weeks or whatever standard loan period =20
has been established, the downloaded files expire -- e.g., go dead =20
and can no longer be played. The downloadable audio books space for =20
libraries is dominated by OverDrive and OCLC's NetLibrary. People can =20=
listen to the books on their computers or on portable media players. =20
One huge fly in the ointment is that these library download services =20
are geared toward Windows users, meaning the files are not compatible =20=
with Apple's operating system or the iPod -- which holds the lion's =20
share of the portable media player market. While iPod users can still =20=
listen to audio books purchased from Audible.com or the iTunes store, =20=
they will not be able to take advantage of the free service offered =20
by their libraries -- although some libraries are buying and loaning =20
out compatible media players to their customers. - SK
Hirschheim, Rudy. "The Internet-Based Education Bandwagon: Look =20
Before You Leap" Communications of the ACM 48(7)(July 2005): =20
97-101. - Fascinating questions are raised in this article about what =20=
exactly we're getting when we shift from a traditional classroom =20
environment to web-based instruction. Are we providing a better =20
product or are we merely tailoring it to fit the medium, and is that =20
necessarily a good thing? The author warns against a "more =20
standardized, minimalist product targeted for a mass market". He goes =20=
on, "the new delivery mode is pushing change, and universities must =20
consider if they are happy with the direction being taken." The best =20
outcome is "a judicious mixture of Internet and lecture content". - LRK
Marmion, Dan, Eric Flower, and D. Scott Brandt, et. al."Celebrating =20=
25 Years of CIL Magazine" Computers in Libraries 25(7)(July/August =20
2005): 10-15. - Trip down memory lane for a number of contributors to =20=
Computers in Libraries in celebration of the magazine's 25th =20
anniversary. Originally called Small Computers in Libraries, the =20
magazine happily shook off the "Small" bit in 1989. Included along =20
with the reminiscences are a number of magazine covers down through =20
the ages, demonstrating not only how far our technology has come but =20
our graphic skills as well! Lovely. - LRK
Morrison, Heather. " Dramatic Growth of Open Access: Revised Update" =20=
The Imaginary Journal of Poetic Economics (20 August 2005)(http://=20
poeticeconomics.blogspot.com/2005/08/dramatic-growth-of-open-access-=20
revised.html). - This posting uses various metrics to estimate the =20
growth of open access (OA) materials, such as Directory of Open =20
Access Journals entries, OAIster records, the number of free back =20
issues from Highwire Press, and the number of BioMedCentral titles. =20
One of the most striking statistics is the dramatic increase in the =20
number of OAIster records: there were 3.7 million records in November =20=
2004 and 5.7 million records in August 2005. Two million metadata =20
records for digital works added in nine months! Of course, that =20
number excludes works that are not in OAI-PMH-compliant archives or =20
repositories, such as personal Websites, so it is only a partial =20
measure of self-archiving and other non-journal-publishing OA =20
activities. OA journals listed in the DOAJ increased from about 1,400 =20=
in 2/05 to 1,683 in 8/05; the number of journals published by =20
BioMedCentral jumped from about 100 to 139 in the same period. =20
Clearly, OA is continuing to gain ground at an impressive clip, =20
especially on the self-archiving side of the equation. - CB
Parker, Kimberly, and Daniel Dollar. "E-Terminology: Why Do I Need =20
to Know What You Mean?" portal: Libraries and the Academy 5(3)(July =20=
2005): 421-426. - When historians finally record this stage in our =20
digital research culture, I do hope they go beyond such simplistic =20
statements as, 'and then it all became available online'. The authors =20=
here point out how complicated and confusing access to subscription-=20
based resources can be. "As digital resources librarians," they =20
observe, "we live in a world of platforms, gateways, packages, and =20
aggregations." Their proposed solution, developing "precisely defined =20=
terminology", sounds a bit iffy, but they rightly stress the need for =20=
librarians to help make sense of this mishmash, "distilling", as they =20=
put it, "the important aspects of these definitions for readers". - LRK
Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition. Sponsorships for =20=
Nonprofit Scholarly & Scientific Journals: A Guide to Defining & =20
Negotiating Successful Sponsorships Washington, DC: SPARC, July 2005.=20=
(http://www.arl.org/sparc/resources/Sponsorship_Guide.pdf). - SPARC =20
has long tried to help libraries, universities, professional =20
societies, and others open access to scholarly research and =20
publication. =46rom pieces like "Getting Your Journal Indexed" to this =20=
latest publication, SPARC has tried to advise and assist those =20
starting open access journals and other types of open access =20
publications. Sections of this 59-page PDF include Evaluating the =20
Potential for Journal Sponsorships, Planning the Journal's =20
Sponsorship Program, Negotiating Sponsorships, and Sources Cited & =20
Further Reading. For someone new to creating a financially viable =20
open access journal, publications like this are invaluable. - RT
Singer, David, and Sara Moulton Reger. "The Many Facets of =20
Complexity" IBM Think Research (2005)(http://www.research.ibm.com/=20
thinkresearch/pages/2004/20041130_think.shtml). - No one sets out to =20
make a poorly designed website. One of the inevitable culprits often =20
is unnecessary complexity. The Research Team at IBM looks at =20
complexity from an organizational standpoint, identifying problems =20
and offering possible solutions. Part of a much larger and generally =20
excellent series of reports and articles on Systems Development from =20
the good people at IBM. - LRK
Topping, Darren, and Geraint Evans. "Public libraries in Belfast and =20=
the Troubles, 1969-1994" Library Management 26(6)(2005): 373-385. - =20=
Most of us are familiar with the stresses and stains that normally =20
face an urban library system but what about a system in the midst of =20
a prolonged civil conflict? In Belfast, during the "Troubles", =20
libraries were repeatedly damaged as a consequence (often indirect) =20
of bombings, people were shot at, one library was fire-bombed. The =20
"Troubles" affected service hours, staffing levels and even =20
collection development. The article relates that librarians "had to =20
walk an extremely cautious line in terms of remaining valid within =20
the community and remaining neutral." Often this wasn't possible. - LRK
Current Cites - ISSN: 1060-2356 is hosted by the community at =20
WebJunction.org.
=A9 Copyright 2005 by Roy Tennant
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