The Harvard Library Lab, managed by the Office of Scholarly Communication (OSC) in the Harvard University Library (HUL), is just getting off the ground, and will have up to $1 million to support projects proposed by Harvard students, faculty, and staff.
The Library Laboratory at Harvard Law School was established a year ago, and recently announced a new co-director. Its projects range from the practical to the whimsical, such as the Harvard Library Hose, which generates a Twitter post for each book checked out from libraries across Harvard, including the book's title, its author, and a link to its Harvard catalog entry.
Harvard Library Lab: a focus on openness
The new Harvard Library Lab was established last month; its first projects will be funded in January.
The lab will be funded by part of a $5 million grant the library received from the London, England-based Arcadia Fund in April 2009. Up to $1 million will be used for the Library Lab in the first year of the program, according to HUL spokesman Peter Kosewski.
Stuart Shieber, the Faculty Director of the OSC and the Welch Professor of Computer Science at Harvard, told LJ that part of the lab's aim is to support projects that promote openness—that is, projects that are sharable as much as possible, as well as projects that help make Harvard's information resources more accessible to the general public.
"We expect a lot of the proposals will come from librarians because, obviously, they have the most knowledge of what the opportunities are for improving services," said Shieber, architect of the pioneering Open Access Resolution approved in 2008 by Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Please find attached Harvard Library Lab Guidelines dated 15 July 2010 The OSC, in a document [PDF] regarding the lab's details and guidelines, gives examples of the kinds of projects that might qualify for support, including innovative mobile apps for existing library systems, customizable search applications for electronic resources, applications improving browsing capability for digital resources, or improving print-on-demand capabilities.
The document also states that the Harvard Library Lab's efforts would be guided by four main principles: entrepreneurialism (supporting projects via a "bottom-up" proposal system), scalability, openness, and experimentation.
Source | http://osc.hul.harvard.edu/
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
25 Important Legal Issues Every Librarian Should Research
Most people don’t think of librarians as legal entities, but the fact is there are a number of legal issues that are important for librarians to understand. Whether you’re dealing with copyright or disabilities, the best way to protect yourself is to be informed. Be sure that you’ve brushed up on these important issues.
1. Filters: Many public libraries are under pressure to filter Internet access to patrons. Whether or not you do so can have legal implications for your library.
2. Accessibility: It’s important that libraries comply with the Americans with Disabilities act in order to make accessing the libray easier for people with disabilities.
3. Accessible website and written materials: Accesibility in your library also extends to your website and written materials. Make sure you’re in compliance with this resource.
4. Privacy: As many libraries become more technologically savvy, the issue of privacy will often come up. You will have to be careful about publishing your patrons’ information, images, and more.
5. Freedom of information: According to the First Amendment, the government is allowed to restrict information in the library. Find out what you can do about it and how you have to comply.
6. Children on the Internet: Your library may be held responsible for offensive content accessed using the library’s computers, so it’s important to find out how to protect yourself.
7. Employee rights: Just like other employment entities, libraries have to be well aware of employment law, avoiding discrimination and wrongful treatment of library workers.
8. Hate meetings: Your library’s meeting rooms and computers may be used in order to spread and promote hateful speech and thoughts. Additionally, you may find that hateful literature is requested. Find out how to deal with this issue before it comes up.
9. Book removal: Librarians have to be careful about removing books from a library’s collection. You will find that you often do not have unrestricted authority to remove offensive library books from your library.
10. Licensing: Public use of electronic resources will almost always require a license, so it’s key that you fully understand how to use the licenses that have been granted to your library.
11. Information liability: If a patron uses your library resources to learn how to build a bomb, and then uses the bomb to harm people, can your library be held partially responsible? Find out the exact legalities and how you can protect your library and resources from this issue.
12. Digitizing material: By creating digital collections, you may be violating copyright law. Be careful not to violate any copyright laws as you make information more available.
13. Library policies: You may make the rules in your library, but that doesn’t mean they are legal. Ensure that your library policies are legally enforceable with this resource.
14. Banned books: Many books can be offensive to library patrons and parents of young patrons that visit your library, and books are often challenged by groups and individuals. How you deal with the removal or preservation of a book is important.
15. Software lending: If you’re lending software out to patrons, be careful that your policies do not violate any legal issues. Considerations to pay attention to are licensing, copyright, and liability.
16. Bulletin boards: Your library’s bulletin boards may be used as a community resource, so it’s important to consider whether or not you’re violating free speech with your bulletin board policy.
17. Latchkey kids: Often, libraries find that children are left to do homework and entertain themselves in the library. Consider how your library could be held liable if something were to happen to a child on the library’s property.
18. Reproduction: It’s important for libraries to respect copyright law when making reproductions for their collections and archives. Additionally, your library may need to monitor patron usage to ensure that they are not violating copyright laws.
19. Video performance: Consider whether allowing patrons to watch videos individually or in a group performance voilates the copyright laws of the motion picture.
20. Game night: Like video performance, allowing copyrighted video games to be played in the library and with library resources may violate copyright law.
21. Homeless people: Educate yourself on the legal rights of homeless library users, particularly solicitation, harassment, odor, and helping to provide homeless people with resources.
22. Fair use: Educate yourself on the law surrounding fair use so that you can understand when usage is fair, and when it violates a work’s copyright.
23. Public domain: Learn about public domain so that you can provide copyright-free resources to your patrons. It’s especially useful to learn how to identify a work in the public domain.
24. FBI in the library: The FBI can use your library as a resource for investigating the public’s usage of your resources, so it’s important to know how to deal with it. One librarian has come up with a few technically legal signs that you can use to let patrons know they may be monitored.
25. Rude patrons: Be careful when dealing with rude patrons. Be sure that you know the laws regarding issues like defacement, theft, violence, and trespassing.
source- http://www.bestcollegesonline.com/blog
1. Filters: Many public libraries are under pressure to filter Internet access to patrons. Whether or not you do so can have legal implications for your library.
2. Accessibility: It’s important that libraries comply with the Americans with Disabilities act in order to make accessing the libray easier for people with disabilities.
3. Accessible website and written materials: Accesibility in your library also extends to your website and written materials. Make sure you’re in compliance with this resource.
4. Privacy: As many libraries become more technologically savvy, the issue of privacy will often come up. You will have to be careful about publishing your patrons’ information, images, and more.
5. Freedom of information: According to the First Amendment, the government is allowed to restrict information in the library. Find out what you can do about it and how you have to comply.
6. Children on the Internet: Your library may be held responsible for offensive content accessed using the library’s computers, so it’s important to find out how to protect yourself.
7. Employee rights: Just like other employment entities, libraries have to be well aware of employment law, avoiding discrimination and wrongful treatment of library workers.
8. Hate meetings: Your library’s meeting rooms and computers may be used in order to spread and promote hateful speech and thoughts. Additionally, you may find that hateful literature is requested. Find out how to deal with this issue before it comes up.
9. Book removal: Librarians have to be careful about removing books from a library’s collection. You will find that you often do not have unrestricted authority to remove offensive library books from your library.
10. Licensing: Public use of electronic resources will almost always require a license, so it’s key that you fully understand how to use the licenses that have been granted to your library.
11. Information liability: If a patron uses your library resources to learn how to build a bomb, and then uses the bomb to harm people, can your library be held partially responsible? Find out the exact legalities and how you can protect your library and resources from this issue.
12. Digitizing material: By creating digital collections, you may be violating copyright law. Be careful not to violate any copyright laws as you make information more available.
13. Library policies: You may make the rules in your library, but that doesn’t mean they are legal. Ensure that your library policies are legally enforceable with this resource.
14. Banned books: Many books can be offensive to library patrons and parents of young patrons that visit your library, and books are often challenged by groups and individuals. How you deal with the removal or preservation of a book is important.
15. Software lending: If you’re lending software out to patrons, be careful that your policies do not violate any legal issues. Considerations to pay attention to are licensing, copyright, and liability.
16. Bulletin boards: Your library’s bulletin boards may be used as a community resource, so it’s important to consider whether or not you’re violating free speech with your bulletin board policy.
17. Latchkey kids: Often, libraries find that children are left to do homework and entertain themselves in the library. Consider how your library could be held liable if something were to happen to a child on the library’s property.
18. Reproduction: It’s important for libraries to respect copyright law when making reproductions for their collections and archives. Additionally, your library may need to monitor patron usage to ensure that they are not violating copyright laws.
19. Video performance: Consider whether allowing patrons to watch videos individually or in a group performance voilates the copyright laws of the motion picture.
20. Game night: Like video performance, allowing copyrighted video games to be played in the library and with library resources may violate copyright law.
21. Homeless people: Educate yourself on the legal rights of homeless library users, particularly solicitation, harassment, odor, and helping to provide homeless people with resources.
22. Fair use: Educate yourself on the law surrounding fair use so that you can understand when usage is fair, and when it violates a work’s copyright.
23. Public domain: Learn about public domain so that you can provide copyright-free resources to your patrons. It’s especially useful to learn how to identify a work in the public domain.
24. FBI in the library: The FBI can use your library as a resource for investigating the public’s usage of your resources, so it’s important to know how to deal with it. One librarian has come up with a few technically legal signs that you can use to let patrons know they may be monitored.
25. Rude patrons: Be careful when dealing with rude patrons. Be sure that you know the laws regarding issues like defacement, theft, violence, and trespassing.
source- http://www.bestcollegesonline.com/blog
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Librarians Day 2010
The Department of Library and Information Science, Aligarh Muslim University celebrated Librarians' Day 2010 with various activities. Earlier, on 12th August, conducted a Debate on "conventional vs digital libraries" in which Ms Mehnas Siddiqi bagged the first prize and Mr. Muzammil Mushtaq second prize. On 13th August, LIS Quiz was conducted. Four teams namely 'Personality', 'Matter', 'Energy', 'Space' participated and the audience was named as 'time'. The Quiz was focused on Dr. SR Ranganathan, his contribution to Library Science. Team 'Personality' bagged first prize and Mr. Mohamed Musthafa acted as Quiz Master. On 14th August, Prof. PB Mangla, a student of Dr. SR Ranganathan delivered ‘Ranganathan Memorial Lecture’. Prof. Mangla stressed on the need for establishing a National Institute of Library and Information Management as an umbrella organization to coordinate various LIS research activities in the country.
Prof. Shabahat Husain, Librarian-in-charge, Maulana Azad Library presided over the function and Dr. Naushad Ali PM, Chairman, DLIS, welcomed the audience. Certificates and prizes were distributed to the winners.
Prof. Shabahat Husain, Librarian-in-charge, Maulana Azad Library presided over the function and Dr. Naushad Ali PM, Chairman, DLIS, welcomed the audience. Certificates and prizes were distributed to the winners.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Knowledge Divides: World Social Science Report 2010
Social science from Western countries continues to have the greatest global influence, but the field is expanding rapidly in Asia and Latin America, particularly in China and Brazil. In sub-Saharan Africa, social scientists from South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya produce 75% of academic publications. In South Asia, barring some centres of excellence in India, social sciences as a whole have low priority. These are a few of the findings from World Social Science Report, 2010: "Knowledge divides".
Produced by the International Social Science Council (ISSC) and co-published with UNESCO, the Report is the first comprehensive overview of the field in over a decade. Hundreds of social scientists from around the world contributed their expertise to the publication. Gudmund Hernes, President of the ISSC, Adebayo Olukoshi, Director of the United Nations African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP), Hebe Vessuri, Director, Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC), and François Héran, Director of Research, National Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), France, are among the experts who presented the Report during its official launch at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 25 June 2010.
Table of Contents
Foreword – Irina Bokova (Director-General of UNESCO)
Foreword – Pierre Sané (Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences)
Preface – Gudmund Hernes (President, International Social Science Council)
General introduction (Françoise Caillods and Laurent Jeanpierre)
1. Social sciences facing the world
2. The institutional geography of social science
3. Unequal capacities
4. Uneven internationalization
5. Homogenizing or pluralizing social sciences?
6. Disciplinary territories
7. Competing in the knowledge society
8. Disseminating social sciences
9. Social sciences and policy-makers
10. Conclusions and future lines of action
Also includes papers of:
Krishna, V.V. and Krishna, Usha. "Social sciences in South Asia". In: World Social Science Report 2010. Paris: UNESCO Publishing, 2010, pages 77-81.
Khadria, Binod. "Brain drain and brain circulation in South Asia". In: World Social Science Report 2010. Paris: UNESCO Publishing, 2010, pages 124-125.
Download Full-text PDF: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001883/188333e.pdf
Produced by the International Social Science Council (ISSC) and co-published with UNESCO, the Report is the first comprehensive overview of the field in over a decade. Hundreds of social scientists from around the world contributed their expertise to the publication. Gudmund Hernes, President of the ISSC, Adebayo Olukoshi, Director of the United Nations African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP), Hebe Vessuri, Director, Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC), and François Héran, Director of Research, National Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), France, are among the experts who presented the Report during its official launch at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 25 June 2010.
Table of Contents
Foreword – Irina Bokova (Director-General of UNESCO)
Foreword – Pierre Sané (Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences)
Preface – Gudmund Hernes (President, International Social Science Council)
General introduction (Françoise Caillods and Laurent Jeanpierre)
1. Social sciences facing the world
2. The institutional geography of social science
3. Unequal capacities
4. Uneven internationalization
5. Homogenizing or pluralizing social sciences?
6. Disciplinary territories
7. Competing in the knowledge society
8. Disseminating social sciences
9. Social sciences and policy-makers
10. Conclusions and future lines of action
Also includes papers of:
Krishna, V.V. and Krishna, Usha. "Social sciences in South Asia". In: World Social Science Report 2010. Paris: UNESCO Publishing, 2010, pages 77-81.
Khadria, Binod. "Brain drain and brain circulation in South Asia". In: World Social Science Report 2010. Paris: UNESCO Publishing, 2010, pages 124-125.
Download Full-text PDF: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001883/188333e.pdf
Assign Class Nos and Subject Heading more easily
OCLC's Classify service provides a user interface and a machine service for assigning classification numbers and subject heading The database is searchable by many of the standard numbers associated with books, magazines, journals, and music and video recordings. These numbers include:
ISBN (International Standard Book Number)
ISSN (International Standard Serial Number)
UPC (Universal Product Code).
With the help of classify providing DDC class no and subject heading become more easy. With the help of Classify you can search Class no and subject heading for any subject. Classify is based on database of OCLC's large database.
To Classify online go to http://classify.oclc.org/classify2/
ISBN (International Standard Book Number)
ISSN (International Standard Serial Number)
UPC (Universal Product Code).
With the help of classify providing DDC class no and subject heading become more easy. With the help of Classify you can search Class no and subject heading for any subject. Classify is based on database of OCLC's large database.
To Classify online go to http://classify.oclc.org/classify2/
Monday, May 31, 2010
E-Thesis on Islamic Studies
Researchers and librarians working in Islamic Studies will now for the first time have online access to nearly 1000 Ph.D theses in the subject, spanning over ten years. JISC, The Academy and The British Library have combined their resources to bring together Islamic Studies theses from universities across the UK and Ireland.
Up until now this wealth of knowledge has been dispersed across 97 universities and has only been accessible through individual academic libraries and archives. The collection represents nearly half of the 2000 Islamic Studies Ph.Ds written between 1997 and 2006.
This diverse collection, which has been put online by the British Library via its EThOS electronic theses service, covers fields such as Islamic law, history, politics, finance, anthropology, sociology and gender studies. There are also theses which examine Muslim communities in the UK.
To find more details see visit:
http://ethos.bl.uk/ProcessSearch.do?query=JISC%20Digital%20Islam
Up until now this wealth of knowledge has been dispersed across 97 universities and has only been accessible through individual academic libraries and archives. The collection represents nearly half of the 2000 Islamic Studies Ph.Ds written between 1997 and 2006.
This diverse collection, which has been put online by the British Library via its EThOS electronic theses service, covers fields such as Islamic law, history, politics, finance, anthropology, sociology and gender studies. There are also theses which examine Muslim communities in the UK.
To find more details see visit:
http://ethos.bl.uk/ProcessSearch.do?query=JISC%20Digital%20Islam
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Super disc to store 1,000 times more data than a DVD
Super disc to store 1,000 times more data than a DVD
Tokyo: A Japanese research team has found a material that could be used to make a lowprice super disc with data storage capacity thousands of times greater than a DVD, the lead researcher said.
The material transforms from a black-colour metal state that conducts electricity into a brown semiconductor when hit by light, according to Shin-ichi Ohkoshi, chemistry professor at the University of Tokyo.
The material, a new crystal form of titanium oxide, can switch back and forth between the metal and semiconductor states at room temperature when exposed to light, creating an effective on-off function for data storage.
It is “promising as a material for a next-generation optical storage device”, Ohkoshi said on Monday.
A material that changes colour with light can be used in storage devices as colours reflect light differently to contain different information. His team has succeeded in creating the material in particles measuring five-to-20 nanometres (a five-billionth to 20-billionth of a meter) in diameter.
If the smallest particle is used, the new disc could hold more than 1,000 times as much information as a Blue-ray disc, provided that matching data writing and reading equipment are developed.
A single-layer Blue-ray disc can hold five times as much data as a conventional DVD.
Titanium oxide’s market price is about one-hundredth of the rare element — germanium-antimony-tellurium — that is currently used in rewritable Blue-ray discs and DVDs, Ohkoshi said.
“You don’t have to worry about procuring rare metals. Titanium oxide is cheap and safe, already being used in many products ranging from face powder to white paint,” the professor said. Ohkoshi said it was not known when a disc with the material would be manufactured and put to practical use, adding that he would start talks with private sector companies for commercialization. AFP
Source | Times of India | 25 May 2010
Tokyo: A Japanese research team has found a material that could be used to make a lowprice super disc with data storage capacity thousands of times greater than a DVD, the lead researcher said.
The material transforms from a black-colour metal state that conducts electricity into a brown semiconductor when hit by light, according to Shin-ichi Ohkoshi, chemistry professor at the University of Tokyo.
The material, a new crystal form of titanium oxide, can switch back and forth between the metal and semiconductor states at room temperature when exposed to light, creating an effective on-off function for data storage.
It is “promising as a material for a next-generation optical storage device”, Ohkoshi said on Monday.
A material that changes colour with light can be used in storage devices as colours reflect light differently to contain different information. His team has succeeded in creating the material in particles measuring five-to-20 nanometres (a five-billionth to 20-billionth of a meter) in diameter.
If the smallest particle is used, the new disc could hold more than 1,000 times as much information as a Blue-ray disc, provided that matching data writing and reading equipment are developed.
A single-layer Blue-ray disc can hold five times as much data as a conventional DVD.
Titanium oxide’s market price is about one-hundredth of the rare element — germanium-antimony-tellurium — that is currently used in rewritable Blue-ray discs and DVDs, Ohkoshi said.
“You don’t have to worry about procuring rare metals. Titanium oxide is cheap and safe, already being used in many products ranging from face powder to white paint,” the professor said. Ohkoshi said it was not known when a disc with the material would be manufactured and put to practical use, adding that he would start talks with private sector companies for commercialization. AFP
Source | Times of India | 25 May 2010
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