DrWeb's Domain

Main Page - Digiwik: The Digitization Wiki

Main Page - Digiwik: The Digitization Wiki.

Main Page

Welcome to DigiWik, the digitization wiki!

Digiwik is designed to be a repository of digitization information for use by individuals, museums, libraries, researchers, and any other entities with digitization needs. More information and background is available on the About page. The following FAQ is designed to help you get started. If you have further questions, contact the administrator at Digiwik@gmail.com .

This site, announced today on WEB4LIB among other places, is promising.. I've been on record "opposed" to the open-format wiki platform like Wikipedia for the purposes of factual data and information; I strongly prefer the authoritative sourced materials, produced by cabals of authority.. but, it's not anything against the great collaborative and self-correcting aspects of wikis in general; I strongly encourage us to explore that medium, while at the same time, encouraging mechanisms within the wikis themselves to have "open" or "closed" wikis; that is, a vetted gateway to editorial and publishing means within the wiki, that ensures content is factual and validated, no more or no less than a good newspaper would do any day on a single article of news...

OA Librarian: Announcing...OA Librarian!

OA Librarian: Announcing...OA Librarian!.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Announcing...OA Librarian! OA Librarian is a blog with two purposes.

The blog is designed to gather together major search sources for freely available information in library and information science. See the top right hand corner of the blog, which features links to the DOAJ LIS journal collection - 52 titles as of today, along with links to E-LIS and D-LIST, as well as key advocacy resources particularly relevant to libraries and librarians. The result is a combined pathfinder / news resource blog. The idea is to bookmark the page, for handy reference particularly to the free resources, a tool which will become of greater importance as the OA resources grow.

L.A. Renews Its Libraries as Modern Civic Centers - Los Angeles Times

L.A. Renews Its Libraries as Modern Civic Centers - Los Angeles Times.

L.A. Renews Its Libraries as Modern Civic Centers
More than just housing books, the new and refurbished branches bring people together.
By Noam N. Levey, Times Staff Writer, November 27, 2005

On a dusty, hot summer afternoon in South Los Angeles, 13-year-old Joseph Robinson and 9-year-old Franklin Flores are in a favorite place — huddled in front of a computer terminal playing RuneScape together.

For the boys, one black and one Latino, the new Ascot branch library at Florence Avenue and Main Street is their daily meeting place, a refuge from a gritty neighborhood where interracial tensions recently sparked violence at a local high school.

In the Pico-Union neighborhood, older residents go to their new branch for a library-sponsored Coffee and Conversation, which brings together strangers to talk about Iraq, immigration or whatever topic may be in the news.

And in Chinatown, dozens of immigrants flock to the 2 1/2 -year-old branch for a weekly citizenship class at which, between gossiping with friends, the students prepare for the test by shouting out answers to questions about the Constitution, communism and the Supreme Court.

This is the new face of public libraries in Los Angeles — versatile and thoroughly modern places that have fueled a 70% explosion in library usage over the last decade.

It was not always so. For years, cramped and crumbling branches testified to a civic purpose sapped by riots, tax revolts and urban decay.

Today, Los Angeles is nearing the completion of a $317-million modernization program to build and renovate 63 branch libraries, finishing them on time and under budget. Librarians from as far away as Singapore and Sweden have come to see what the city has accomplished.

Great story, rebirth and renewal.. it is possible to transform book warehouses and "older" style library environments into real people spaces, community information commons, and safe havens in a busy, often scary world.. especially for the teens and children and new immigrants.. kudos to LA for this leadership...

The News-Review - News: Should transgendered men be allowed to use women’s restrooms?

The News-Review - News: Should transgendered men be allowed to use women’s restrooms?

Should transgendered men be allowed to use women’s restrooms?
TRUTH OF YOUTH
November 28, 2005
Comments (13) Print Email Subscribe

“We are living in a time when many things that we know to be true are starting to evolve and change. ‘Transgender’ is a relatively new term coined in the 1970s that pertains to someone who exhibits the appearance and behavioral characteristics of the opposite sex.

The debate over the use of restrooms and locker rooms has arisen recently because Multnomah County and the cities of Portland, Lake Oswego and Beaverton have gender laws that enable businesses — such as health clubs with specific areas for certain genders — to require a person to document their gender.

This is a teen column from a news site in Oregon.. but, the headline caught my eye.. and I had to blog this one...

WSOCTV.com - Charlotte News - Highest Wages In East, Lowest In South

WSOCTV.com - Charlotte News - Highest Wages In East, Lowest In South.

Highest Wages In East, Lowest In South
POSTED: 2:11 pm EST November 29, 2005
UPDATED: 2:35 pm EST November 29, 2005

WASHINGTON -- Americans have been migrating south and west for decades, but it appears they've been leaving some high-paying jobs behind.

While there are many pockets of wealth in the South and West, the states with the highest wage earners line the East Coast, according to Census data released Tuesday.

Connecticut, with a median household income of $56,409, supplanted New Jersey as the country's highest wage state in 2003, the most recent year available. New Jersey slid to second, at $56,356, followed by Maryland, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Mississippi had the lowest median income, at $32,397. West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana and Montana rounded out the bottom five. The median household income for the nation was $43,318.

Thomson Scientific Launches Web Citation Index: New Scholarly Index Directs Researchers to Valuable Content from Repositories - Thomson Scientific

Thomson Scientific Launches Web Citation Index: New Scholarly Index Directs Researchers to Valuable Content from Repositories - Thomson Scientific.

THOMSON SCIENTIFIC LAUNCHES WEB CITATION INDEX: NEW SCHOLARLY INDEX DIRECTS RESEARCHERS TO VALUABLE CONTENT FROM REPOSITORIES

Philadelphia, PA, USA - London, UK - November 28, 2005 - Today, Thomson Scientific, a business of The Thomson Corporation, announced the launch of Web Citation Index™—the multidisciplinary citation index of scholarly content from institutional and subject-based repositories. Web Citation Index transcends the capabilities of traditional Web search engines, providing users with a robust citation-based discovery vehicle for preprints, technical reports, dissertations, proceedings, and other gray literature. It is the result of a collaborative program between Thomson Scientific, NEC Laboratories America (NEC), and seven major institutions: Australian National University, California Institute of Technology, Cornell University, the Max Planck Society, Monash University, University of Rochester, and NASA Langley.

Thanks to Peter Scott's Library Blog for the pointer to this one.. it will be worth watching to see how many program partners and repositories become involved in this new effort...

Bookselling This Week: New Booksellers Shed Light on "Opening" Experience

Bookselling This Week: New Booksellers Shed Light on "Opening" Experience.

New Booksellers Shed Light on "Opening" Experience
November 22, 2005

Former librarians Kimberly Diehm and Jennifer Graves are preparing to open The NeverEnding Story Children's Bookshoppe in Las Vegas, Nevada, in February 2006. Here, they share their experiences in gathering information to help them make the decision to become booksellers, about writing a business plan, and in finding financing.

By Kimberly Diehm and Jennifer Graves

In December 2004, we were children's librarians with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District who became obsessed with the dream of one day owning our own children's bookstore. Once we realized we both had this same dream, we weren't too sure how to proceed. But after basking in the excitement of the thought of being entrepreneurs for a few days, we decided to search on the Internet for information about how to operate a bookstore. The search provided us with two very important links -- Paz & Associates and the American Booksellers Association -- both of which were exceptional in the information they provided for new booksellers.

We decided to sign up for the Paz & Associates' new booksellers class, which was being sponsored by ABA at BookExpo America in six months' time. While we waited for that, we took a weekend trip to Los Angeles with a listing in hand of all of the area's children's bookstores. We wanted to get an idea of what these stores looked like, their programming, their books and sidelines, and how they were designed. When we returned to Vegas, we searched our library for books about how to write business plans. These helped somewhat, but we felt we needed more help. That's when we found our local Small Business Administration (SBA) and all that they had to offer.

A good article on some children's librarians starting up a bookstore.. I put it under the "Books" and "Libraries" categories.. if you haven't signed up, you may want to read the Bookselling This Week newsletter by e-mail, sign-up here..

ArchiveGrid -- About ArchiveGrid

ArchiveGrid -- About ArchiveGrid.

About ArchiveGrid

ArchiveGrid will be the ultimate destination for searching through family histories, political papers, and historical records held in archives around the world. Hundreds of libraries, museums, and archives have contributed nearly a million collection descriptions to ArchiveGrid. Scholars searching ArchiveGrid can learn about the many items in each of these collections, contact archives to arrange a visit to examine materials, and order copies.

This web site will keep you informed of ArchiveGrid progress. Over the next several months ArchiveGrid visitors will find images of the most recent prototypes and have the opportunity to provide comments on the ArchiveGrid design progress and potential features. Please take a moment to look at the newest designs and let us know what you think. We want to hear from you.

ArchiveGrid is being developed by RLG, a not-for-profit membership organization of over 160 universities, national libraries, archives, historical societies, and other institutions with remarkable collections for research and learning. In addition to a range of collaborative activities that address members' shared goals for these collections, RLG develops and operates databases and software to serve the information needs of all libraries, museums, and archives.

See the topics, people, groups and places that will be found in ArchiveGrid.

The design of ArchiveGrid is funded in part by a generous grant from the Earhart Foundation.

Wishyouwerehere.com: Blogs From the Road - New York Times

Wishyouwerehere.com: Blogs From the Road - New York Times.

Practical Traveler
Wishyouwerehere.com: Blogs From the Road
By FRED BIERMAN, Published: November 27, 2005

READING an online travel blog will perhaps never have the romance of receiving a dog-eared postcard in the mail, but intrepid travelers armed with digital cameras are finding that keeping a blog on the road can be a compelling and viable way of maintaining contact with friends and family.

A travel blog is a real-time online journal that allows users to post text and photographs to the Internet and share the Web address with whomever they want. As travelers have become more comfortable with the Internet and digital cameras have become more affordable, blogging has become increasingly practical and popular. All over the world, travelers can stop in an Internet cafe, upload their photos and share them with friends and family (and interested strangers) instantly.

Three years ago, Ali Waters, a 29-year-old computer programmer from North Norfolk, England, was looking for a way to keep in touch during his travels across the globe.

Good article.. see http://www.travelblog.org/ for some of the best of these...

Kansas City Star | 11/26/2005 | Library puts audiobooks on the Web

Kansas City Star | 11/26/2005 | Library puts audiobooks on the Web.

Library puts audiobooks on the Web
Play files at home or on the road
By JAMES HART, The Kansas City Star
Posted on Sat, Nov. 26, 2005

The Kansas City Public Library has joined a service that lets customers download audiobooks from the Internet and listen to them on some personal computers and MP3 players.

NetLibrary’s eAudiobooks program offers more than 1,300 recordings. While the total is relatively small and many recent best sellers are not available, the lineup does include some popular novels, foreign language lessons and the unabridged Bible. Customers can access them from home at any hour of the day by visiting www.kclibrary.org . There is no charge.

Globetechnology: Flash drives make any computer 'personal'

Globetechnology: Flash drives make any computer 'personal'.

Flash drives make any computer 'personal'
By BRIAN BERGSTEIN
Friday, November 25, 2005 Posted at 11:49 AM EST
Associated Press

Students at Eastside Preparatory School in Kirkland, Wash., are getting class materials in a new way this year: on a tiny flash-memory drive that plugs into a computer's USB port.

Small enough to wear on a necklace, this "digital backpack" can hold textbooks, novels, plays, study aids, the dictionary, graphing-calculator software — almost anything, really.

Falling prices in computer memory have made these little flash drives — also called pen, thumb or key drives — into enormously powerful tools that are on the verge of changing the concept of "personal" computing.
...
"What's your personal computer, anyways?" computing pioneer Bill Joy said in a speech that touched on the trend at a recent conference. "Your personal computer should be something that's always on your person."

Xooglers: Google goes electric

Xooglers: Google goes electric.

Monday, November 21, 2005
Google goes electric

There's a lot in the news these days about Google Print... er, Google Book Search. People wonder how Google could so arrogantly assume that they can scan books that are under copyright and offer up snippets to online searchers. I'm not going into the details of the discussions that led to that decision here, but I'd like to offer my own observations on the culture that bred it.

First, I accept that Larry and Sergey really are brilliant. I'm sure that on IQ tests, they're off the charts, but that's not the kind of brilliance I mean. I mean brilliant in the sense that they have a vision that burns so brightly within them it scorches everything that stands in its way. The truth is so obvious to them that they have no patience for the niceties of polite society when bringing that vision to life.

A tale of Life a La Google, from Doug.. looks promising; he both sees more from the outside than inside, and he's got a sharp memory.. recommended reading.. he's got an Atom site feed...

New DVD's - New York Times: King Kong

New DVD's - New York Times: King Kong.

Critic's Choice
New DVD's: King Kong
By DAVE KEHR, Published: November 22, 2005

King Kong

A fairy tale as powerful as anything concocted by Charles Perrault or recorded by the Brothers Grimm, "King Kong" had its premiere on March 2, 1933, and has remained a part of Western culture ever since. (And Eastern, too, come to think of it: King Kong met Godzilla in a 1962 film produced by Toho Studios in Japan.) Long one of the most requested films on DVD, the Merian C. Cooper-Ernest B. Schoedsack film makes its debut on little silver discs today in an entirely worthy edition from Warner Home Video, available both as a stand-alone ($26.99) and as part of a box set ($39.92) that includes its only official sequel, "Son of Kong" (1933), and its quasi-remake of 1949, "Mighty Joe Young."

Never has the repressed returned as mightily as it did in "Kong," a film that remains a riot of phallic symbolism in which the Empire State Building is only a supporting player. But the psychosexual undercurrents are only one of many elements that contribute to "Kong's" enduring appeal.

This would be a great DVD to have.. I recently watched the recent broadcast of "King Kong" on Turner Classic Movies, well-done showing and the film holds up well.. I wanted to see it one more time before we get the new Peter Jackson version at Christmas time.. the image is a screencap from the NY Times' story, credited to Photofest...

Top of The Rock

Top of The Rock.

Welcome to top of the Rock™

TOP OF THE ROCK™ is an experience in history and scenery that culminates with unparalleled views of New York City from the newly renovated Observation Deck on the 70th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, in the heart of midtown Manhattan at Rockefeller Center.

Opening our doors Nov 1st. Reserve your tickets now. Special introductory rates until March 31, 2006 – be the first at The Top!

There's a certain peace at 70 stories above the city, and TOP OF THE ROCK'S™ Observation Deck was conceived with the express purpose of keeping that peace uninterrupted. Panels of fully transparent safety glass — the only thing between our visitors and the city — are crystal clear for unobstructed, open-air viewing. Our reserved-ticket system is designed to ensure the deck is never overcrowded.

The view itself is unique and astonishing, unobstructed for 360 degrees and stretching for miles in every direction. It includes a panorama of Central Park and the northern half of Manhattan that can't be found anywhere else. New York's other landmarks are visible as well, including the Chrysler Building, Times Square, the Hudson River, the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty. It is, quite simply, the most spectacular view in New York City.

One of the must do items for the next trip to New York City.. I love the Rainbow Room since it's been re-done, and now this.. 30 Rock, a most spectacular art deco gem.. and now, we can go right to the Top ;) ... Happy Holidays all...

The Charleston Gazette - Today: Dogs, cats die in Mason shelter fire

The Charleston Gazette - Today: Dogs, cats die in Mason shelter fire.

November 23, 2005
Dogs, cats die in Mason shelter fire
Worker injured when gas furnace exploded; TV crew helped with rescue
By Charles Shumaker, Staff writer

An explosion and fire at the Mason County Animal Shelter Tuesday afternoon injured at least one person, killed about two dozen dogs and cats and left dozens of other animals running loose after they were rescued from their cages.

More than 20 cats and at least two dogs were killed in the fire, Mason County Commissioner Rick Handley said.

The fire started a little before 2:30 p.m. when a man repairing a furnace went to light the pilot and there was an explosion, according to a Mason County Emergency Services dispatcher, who would not give his name.

News on this was widely posted on some dog and rescue lists and message boards.. I hope the area gets support, to recover the animals and re-build their shelter...