Category «Features»

National Digital Library System – Early Childhood Education and Family Literacy

David H. Rothman’s latest commentary on the DPLA states his position clearly: Priority One of a national digital library system should be early childhood education, bolstered by family literacy. Other areas also count, but early childhood education is dearest to him and among those especially likely to give the taxpayers the most for their investment. We could use tablet computers and good old-fashioned tutoring and mentoring from librarians, educators, and volunteers to help the disadvantaged–parents as well as children.

Read more

Subjects: Features, Internet Trends, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Library Software & Technology, Mobile Tech, Technology Trends

Using tablet computers, e-libraries, and family literacy initiatives to encourage young children to read

David H. Rothman continues to articulate and comprehensively document the case that a public national digital library system should serve people of all income levels and all ages, centenarians included. In this article he focuses on how books for young, disadvantaged children are one area where it could make a special difference, and how better-off families would benefit along the way.

Read more

Subjects: Features, Gadgets, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Library Software & Technology, Mobile Technology, Reference Services

Taxonomies and Thesauri

Gail Rayburn, Taxonomist, Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, shares her recent presentation comprising a comprehensive, well documented analysis and guide addressing core components including: what is a taxonomy, taxonomy structure, scope notes, hierarchical relationships, synonyms, acronyms, qualifiers, sample taxonomy entries, and taxonomy development.

Read more

Subjects: Features, Information Management, Libraries & Librarians, Library Software & Technology

Learning to Live Without a Statistical Abstract: Thinking about Future Access to Government Information

The U.S. Census Bureau anticipates that budget cuts will likely dismantle the entire Statistical Compendia division. James T. Shaw’s presentation focuses on why there is no truly good alternative to the Statistical Abstract in terms of providing both convenience and breadth, either from other government or commercial sources. He provides descriptions of and links to other statistical sources and methods to mine available data moving forward.

Read more

Subjects: Features, Government Resources

ShoppingBots and Online Shopping Resources 2012

Marcus P. Zillman’s guide, great for holiday and year round shopping, comprises a comprehensive listing of shoppingbot and online shopping resources and sites on the Internet. Comparison shopping for books, electronics, gadgets, clothing, green products, hotels? Looking for coupons, discounts, vouchers or last minute deals? Do you want to support local, regional or national products and services? Marcus’ wide ranging listing highlights reliable, efficient sites and services to compare and contrast your shopping choices, and to make the experience more cost effective and satisfying, now and year round.

Read more

Subjects: E-Commerce, Features, Gadgets, Search Engines, Search Strategies, Shopping

The Digital Death of Copyright’s First Sale Doctrine

An important copyright case won’t be argued in the Supreme Court, which on October 3, 2011 declined to review Vernor v. Autodesk, a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision involving the applicability of copyright’s first sale doctrine to transactions involving software and other digital information goods. Law professor Annmarie Bridy discusses the wide reaching impact of the first sale doctrine, without which there would be no free market for used books, CDs, or DVDs, because the copyright owner’s right of distribution would reach beyond the first sale, all the way down the stream of commerce.

Read more

Subjects: Copyright, Features, Intellectual Property, Legal Research

Law Periodical Publishing Practices and Trends

Law librarian, criminal defense attorney and prolific author Ken Strutin brings into focus how electronic access to scholarly information is impacting library collection policies as well as professional publication formats, and as a result, how a new legal research environment is developing. Ken’s article provides a selected collection of resources about the law review publishing process, emerging trends in the information cycle, and practical guides for developing an article and getting it to press.

Read more

Subjects: Features, Law Library Management, Legal Research, Publishing & Publishers (Legal), Tech Update

The FLARE Index to Treaties Extended

The FLARE Index to Treaties (FIT), launched in March 2009 on the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies web server has been extended to cover about a third more treaties and conventions. In the past two years the Index has established itself as a valuable finding tool for the international lawyer. It is a fully searchable database now indexing and listing over 2,000 of the most significant multilateral treaties concluded from 1353 onwards and a number of significant bilateral treaties signed between 1353 and 1815. This article, by Steven Whittle and Peter Clinch describes the background to the extension and technical aspects of the updated implementation employed to deliver new content and finding features.

Read more

Subjects: Comparative/Foreign Law, Features, Government Resources, International Legal Research, Legal Research, Treaties & Agreements
➤