tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72043432024-03-08T12:58:24.434-05:00Info EdifaceIn 1624, Sir Henry Wotton, citing the Roman architect Vitruvius, maintained that fine architecture exhibited "Commoditie, Firmenes, and Delight." Information professionals must heed Vitruvius; build solutions that are useful, lasting and elegant.Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1142620892711273182006-03-17T13:41:00.000-05:002006-03-17T13:41:32.720-05:00Oh the shame, and a new toy<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">I have gotten away from this blog, while I was off sowing other electronic seeds. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. I will try to do better.<br/><br/>I am writing this using my new(ish) toy: the <a href="http://performancing.com/firefox">Performancing </a>extension to <a href="http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/">Mozilla Firefox</a>. It allows me to blog from any screen in my browser, and to any of my 6 blogs. I'm hooked.</div>Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1139257765783387492006-02-06T15:28:00.000-05:002006-02-06T15:46:51.710-05:00But is it better than the movie?The New York Times reports on a new survey by Jupiter Research that reveals that Internet users are more likely to cut back on their book reading than on their magazine reading. Even though magazines are more like online content, they seem to persist. Jupiter analyst David Card points out a substitution, not a channel shift effect. See article <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/06/business/media/06drill.html?ex=1296882000&en=bab1fad09ab2f180&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss">here</a>.Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1128437409686320392005-10-04T10:31:00.000-04:002005-10-04T10:50:46.956-04:00Wild (Library)Thing, I think I love youFor the last month, I've been drawn into the vortex that is <a href="http://www.librarything.com">LibraryThing</a>. I feel compelled by the collector's need for completeness to enter all my book holdings into this devilishly accommodating application; to make sure that all entries have LC classification numbers; to electronically march through my shelves like Sherman to the sea (hey, isn't there a new Doctorow book on that? I'll have to pick it up...).<br /><br />But most disturbingly, I think LT has bred a new sport: competitive cataloging! How many books can I catalog in an hour? a day? How deeply have I waded into my cataloging backlog? How good is the metadata? Am I tagging consistently with others? with myself? Do I have cover art for all the books I could? Do I include books to sell? Condensed books? Books in storage? Romance novels? Tales of the ribald? What will the cyber-neighbors think?<br /><br />And how do those people ahead of me on the list find the time to enter so many books so quickly? Are they human? Am I? Can I afford to take the time to go shopping with my wife tonight, or will my position in the pantheon of LT catalogs slip because of my neglect? CURSE YOU TIM SPALDING! (Wait, I'm sorry...Don't take away my privileges. I will atone by entering more books)<br /><br />They say recognizing you have a problem is the first step to solving it. I'll bet that's in a book somewhere. Let me check my tags. I'll get back to you. [ <a href="http://www.librarything.com/profile/msensiba">http://www.librarything.com/profile/msensiba</a> ]Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1123858321776926752005-08-12T10:18:00.000-04:002005-08-12T10:52:01.810-04:00Still Waters in a Rough SeaLast Wednesday, I was watching David M. Levy's presentation on DVD entitled "<a href="http://www.c-spanstore.org/shop/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=184430-1">The Experience of Reading</a>," a part of the Library of Congress series "The Digital Future." Levy's presentation was both thought provoking and invigorating.<br /><br />David Levy is a Professor in the Information School at the University of Washington. He is the author of <em>Scrolling Forward: Making Sense of Documents in the Digital Age</em> [<a href="http://www.dlib.org/dlib/may02/05bookreview.html">review</a>]<br /><br />Of particular interest was Dr. Levy's viewpoint that the digital maelstrom may be changing the way we read (more shallowly rather than more deeply), and that contemplative time and space are essential to good scholarship and good mental health. Discussions of Library as Place need to incorporate the traditional environmental value of libraries: quiet places to study, think and reflect. Highly recommended.Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1098136407746246532004-10-18T17:33:00.000-04:002004-10-18T17:53:27.746-04:00The Pixillated Representation of the Sky is Falling!Finnish scientist Dr. Hannu Kari of Helsinki University of Technology recently reiterated his prediction that the Internet would collapse by 2006. The collapse will be precipitated by increased incidences of viruses, spam, trojan horse and security breaches. The professor warns that the only effective prophylactic to these cyber-diseases is increased individual and collective vigilance and exposing of nefarious plots.
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<br />Whether Dr. Kari's arguments are persuasive or not remains to be seen. But since more and more libraries have grown Internet dependent, a contingency plan needs to be developed ASAP. I propose the maintenance of a cadre of "Network-Independent Analog Information Devices" which will insulate libraries from cyber-attacks and Internet outages. These low-power devices are portable and readily available in a variety of subject packets. Generally, no special instruction of patrons is needed for their operation beyond that provided in most elementary and middle schools. These devices carry with them some storage and distribution concerns, but have proven to be reliable for long-term information preservation.
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<br />Of course, the NIAIDs I refer to are commonly known as books. The network is down; would you care to read a book?
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<br />[via <a href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20041018-4318.html">ArsTechnica</a>]Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097851856570474442004-10-15T10:13:00.000-04:002004-10-15T10:50:56.570-04:00A Swimming Pool of Serials<a href="http://www.dukeupress.edu/index.shtml">Duke University Press's </a>recent decision to withdraw several of its journals from <a href="http://muse.jhu.edu/">Project Muse</a> raises several questions of the viability of individual publications, and of group efforts like Project Muse. From Duke's perspective, it would seem that they think they can generate more revenue outside of Project Muse than by staying within it. Of course, they will have to market their journals (individually or collectively), as well as arrange for indexing, delivery, archiving and the like. These are difficulties, but not insurmountable ones. The real question is, in the era of the "big deal," will Duke's offerings, no matter how high their quality, be viable to academic subscribers? Will it be a choice between Duke and Project Muse, given that funds are limited? If so, which one wins?
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<br />From Project Muse's perspective, their mission just got a little tougher, in that they lost some of their premium content. So Project Muse is now less valuable in the eyes of the academic subscriber as well.
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<br />240,000 8oz. glasses of water will fill the average swimming pool. But you can't swim until you pour them together. The power of the database is in its COMBINED content. Federated searching technology may allow individual titles to be virtually combined ("poured together"), but that dream has yet to be fully realized. Publishers and librarians need only look as far as the major search engines: people use them because of their ability to harvest content from a wide array of sources. Databases help users do that too, sometimes with the bonus of additional focus, selection and distillation. Individual publications, sadly, do not.
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<br />[via <a href="http://www.resourceshelf.com/2004/10/effect-of-open-access-and-downloads.html">Resource Shelf</a> and <a href="http://xrefer.blogspot.com/2004/10/open-letter-from-duke-university-press.html">Peter Scott's Library Blog</a>] Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097769583725682372004-10-14T11:52:00.000-04:002004-10-14T11:59:43.726-04:00An Idea Idea Idea Idea Whose Time Has Come<a href="http://west.thomson.com/news/releases/SeeArticlesOnce.asp">WestLaw</a> has announced a de-duplication feature that identifies, tags and sorts duplicate copies of articles in its search results.
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<br />[Via <a href="http://wisblawg.blogspot.com/2004/10/westlaw-introduces-de-duplication.html">WisBlawg</a>]Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097767389725343822004-10-14T11:15:00.000-04:002004-10-14T11:23:09.726-04:00Google Print: Warts and Beauty MarksMore information is emerging about <a href="http://print.google.com/">Google Print</a>, Google's "inside the book" endeavor. Google has announced that Google Print is a book marketing tool; it has no intention of linking to library holdings. [Wart] On the other hand, <em>Library Journal</em> and <em>School Library Journal </em>are publications available through Google Print [Beauty]. Check out more forensic information on Google Print at: "The Rundown on Google Print" [via <a href="http://www.librarian.net/stacks/000934.html">librarian.net</a>]Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097766184820731972004-10-14T10:52:00.000-04:002004-10-14T11:03:04.820-04:00Visualizing ResearchIn a 13 page white paper entitled "<a href="http://zillman.blogspot.com/2004/10/online-research-browsers-internet.html">Online Research Browsers</a>", Marcus P. Zillman, Executive Director - Virtural Private Library(tm), examines a number of research oriented browsers that help the user visualize relationships between related sites. In addition to descriptions of and links to various browsers, Zillman lists about 3 pages of links to Virtual Private Library(tm)'s Subject Tracer(tm) Information Blogs, topic-specific collection points available for RSS syndication.
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<br />This paper provides fertile ground for further study.
<br />[via <a href="http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/006802.html">BeSpacific</a>]Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097764540446903412004-10-14T10:31:00.000-04:002004-10-14T10:35:40.450-04:00Something You Just Don't See Every DayA refreshing view on intellectual curiosity:
<br /><blockquote>"Moving between fields is the way to be creative. Keep your fingers in a lot of pies. I do it because I'm curious. I'm the only person I know who goes into a poster session [at a scientific meeting] and stops at the first poster I have no idea what it's about. Find a poster you don't know anything about and look at it for a long time, and you might learn something totally different." -- Nobel Prize winning molecular biologist Kary Mullis (from Creators on Creating.)
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<br />[via Anita Sharpe at <a href="http://www.worthwhilemag.com/entry/2004/10/12/thought_for_the_day_tuesday.php">Worthwhile</a>]Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097763607897172532004-10-14T10:13:00.000-04:002004-10-14T10:20:07.896-04:00Cool Tool: YouSendItMany people face the constraints of their email systems when trying to send or receive large files. <a href="https://s1.yousendit.com/default.uplx">YouSendIt</a> allows the sender to upload megafiles (up to 1 GB), with the service sending only a link to the intended recipient. After 7 days, the service deletes the file. The result? No email file size restrictions. Best of all, it's free. [via <a href="http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2004/10/12/files_too_large_to_email.htm">Robin Good</a>]Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097700626300987422004-10-13T16:20:00.000-04:002004-10-13T16:50:26.303-04:00The Economics of HelpingLibrarians, by job design and by nature, are helpers. We give of our intellect, drive and persistence to our patrons in search of the right materials, or the proper answer. Our involvement enables our patrons to select their next steps: to stay on the current path or to take the fork in the road. This transaction, be it through reference, acquisitions or cataloging, has value. Without us, people wouldn't get as far as fast down their road, or wouldn't even be on the right road. Their research wouldn't be as complete or accurate, their insights wouldn't be as keen. The $64,000 question is: how should this help be valued?
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<br />The value of help has always been difficult to quantify. Absent an explicit charge ("The Doctor is In. Questions: 5 cents") or a gratuity (TIP = To Insure Progress), rarely is a value assigned to the help a helper gives. Other helping professions have similar problems: teachers, nurses, public servants. Unfortunately, the lack of value imputed to helping transactions involving these professions makes it harder to attract new people into them, harder to retain skilled practitioners, and harder to motivate the helper to help.
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<br />Helpers don't generally enter the helping professions with designs on monetary power. However, failure to value the helping transaction accumulates into failure to value the helping institution. Once the institution is devalued, its long-term viability is threatened. Without the helping institution, individual helping transactions cannot be completed and the patrons are not propelled as quickly or directly down the right road. And everybody loses.
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<br />Economists might argue for taxes to cover opportunity costs or externalities, or for shadow pricing schemes. These may be desirable or even necessary. But sometimes a smile and a "thank you" would suffice.Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097592775229696142004-10-12T10:40:00.000-04:002004-10-12T10:52:55.230-04:00Political Fact FlapI'm not overly (or overtly) political, and often find the televised political "debates" to be theatre of the grotesque. But an interesting offshoot of this political season is the high profile the presidential/vice presidential debates have given the art of fact checking. One site, <a href="http://www.factcheck.org/">FactCheck.org</a>, operated by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, has been drawn into the maelstrom by virtue of a misstep by VP Cheney in his debate with Sen. Edwards. Wrong URLs aside, the incident pointed out that many people do indeed seek the facts behind politicians' statements, and there are sources out there to aid them. Like the library. Perhaps libraries should advertise with yard signs and 30-second spots: "We [heart] fact checking. Our business since George chopped down the cherry tree. Or did he?"Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097527940187156832004-10-11T16:39:00.000-04:002004-10-11T16:52:20.186-04:00Ohio is the Land of Milk and Honey?<a href="http://www.oclc.org">OCLC </a>has announced that it is opening its entire database of some 52 million records to web search engines like <a href="http://www.google.com">Google </a>and <a href="http://www.yahoo.com">Yahoo</a>. In a masterful and extensive piece of work, <a href="http://www.resourceshelf.com/2004/10/oclc-opens-up-entire-worldcat-database.html">Gary Price and Stephen Cohen</a> analyze the facts that are known so far and make suggestions to the parties concerned. Of their suggestions, I'd really like to see OCLC's content crawled by <a href="http://clusty.com/">Clusty</a>, to bring some subject structure to the mammoth database. I believe this announcement will have momentous implications for OCLC, search engine companies, Internet searchers, and libraries. Stay Tuned!Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097446359915996142004-10-10T17:38:00.000-04:002004-10-10T18:12:39.916-04:00The Autograph Line Forms on the RightEarlier this week, I was pleased, and a little humbled, to learn that <em>Info Ediface </em>was reviewed on <a href="http://webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=7598">Web Junction</a> by Betha Gutsche. Other than registering the blog at a few directories, including <a href="http://www.libdex.com/weblogs.html">LibDex</a>, and putting my blog address in my email signature, I hadn't really marketed the site. Equally interesting to me was how interconnected the blog world is. I actually found out about the review through an RSS feed of <a href="http://www.lisblogsource.net/archives/000355.html">LIS Blogsource</a>, which refers to <a href="http://www.tametheweb.com/ttwblog/archives/000400.html">Michael Stephens'</a> (Tame the Web) mention of the Web Junction article --"Tech Focused Library Blogs." I will be giving a talk for the <a href="http://www.lisp.wayne.edu/sla">WSU Student Chapter of SLA </a>this Thursday entitled "Blogs and Blogging for Librarians--What's the Fuss?" so this should be a good illustration of the networking inherent in blogging.
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<br />Heady with this newfound cyber-fame, I self-googled <em>Info Ediface </em>to see what other fetid corners it had seeped into, if any. One of the first hits I saw was for a fascinating simulated stock market for blogs called <a href="http://www.blogshares.com/blogs.php?blog=http://infoediface.blogspot.com%2F">BlogShares</a>. My market cap wasn't too high, so I have some work to do before the IPO.
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<br />Vitruvius has left the building.Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097442173567249362004-10-10T16:25:00.000-04:002004-10-10T17:02:53.566-04:00Wagging the TailFrom the "I thought it was just me department": In the October 2004 issue of Wired, Chris Anderson's article, "<a href="http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail.html?pg=2&topic=tail&topic_set=">The Long Tail</a>," shines a bright light on the economics of media distribution. Anderson points out that there is constant and continuing demand for the 99% of media titles (books, CDs, DVDs, etc.) that don't ever make it to your local Wal-Mart. With digital content online, the economics of delivery of the "other 99%" to the consumer is virtually identical to delivering the hits, and therefore savvy marketers appealing to a niche stand to make as much money, or more, than traditional media retailers. This article is chock full of interesting and thought provoking concepts. For example, Robbie Vann-Adibé, CEO of Ecast, a digital jukebox company whose players contain over 150,000 tracks, says that 99% of the top 10,000 titles sell/rent at least once per month. Most people assume only 20% do.
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<br />Lovers of klezmer music, Godfrey Reggio movies, and/or Dutch-born detective fiction authors rejoice! Your tastes are not strange affectations, but expected (and lucrative) minor detours from the main media highway.
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<br />Librarians have had a feel for these concepts for years, maintaining significant book collections and periodical backfiles against the day a patron would request the title. Will electronic resources enhance libraries' ability to deliver non-best sellers to their patrons? And to further surprise and delight their patrons with "just the right thing"?
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<br />This article is a must read. [via <a href="http://joi.ito.com/archives/2004/10/07/the_long_tail.html">Joi Ito</a>]Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097330687355736822004-10-09T09:43:00.000-04:002004-10-09T10:04:47.356-04:00Labelling Electronic Resources: Batteries Not IncludedOn Christmas Eve, some forty years ago, Santa delivered to me the object of my desire: <strong>Big Bruiser</strong>. <strong>Big Bruiser </strong>was a large white tow truck, a technological marvel of its time, with lights, sirens and motorized winches and cranes. I felt as if my heart would burst from excitement. Unfortunately, Big Bruiser needed some big batteries, and lots of them--more than we had in the house. So although I could play with my new toy, it wasn't quite as promised. Batteries were not included.
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<br />I can therefore sympathize with researchers who, upon finding that the library subscribes to an electronic resource, are met with the disappointment of not being able to obtain the article they seek. The look in their eyes reminds me of how I felt that Christmas. What do you mean it doesn't work? Why can't I get the article?
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<br /><li>The citation was for a period outside the library's subscription</li>
<br /><li>The publication is embargoed</li>
<br /><li>The publisher wants you to pay cash for access to the article</li>
<br /><li>The database does not include all articles from the publication</li>
<br /><li>The database that was supposed to have the resource has since dropped it</li>
<br /><li>The library's/database's/publisher's server is down</li>
<br /><li>Your ID won't let you access the publication from a remote location</li>
<br /><li>The database offers only the abstract of the article, not full text</li>
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<br />Print resources create some of the same problems, but not usually with the frequency or rapidity of electronic resources. The next time you recommend an electronic resource to a patron, ask yourself: "Are batteries included?"Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097268080953412002004-10-08T16:26:00.000-04:002004-10-08T16:41:20.953-04:00Sometimes It Is About the Size of the SeatsI was reading a story in today's <em>New York Times </em>that had absolutely nothing to do with libraries. It explored, at great length, the shrunken and shrinking size of seats in Broadway theatres. Yet, the more I think about it, the article has everything to do with today's libraries. Ostensibly, the play's the thing; theatergoers are there for the content. But their experience is hampered by the inadequate physical infrastructure of aging theatres. Library patrons come to the library for its content. Is their experience lessened by their surroundings? Lack of space tailored to their particular needs (quiet study and reflection, group work, lively story hours) as well as lighting, signage, decor and creature comforts all can make patrons vote with their feet, in the wrong direction.
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<br />Sometimes it IS about the size of the seats.
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<br />Jesse McKinley and Joel Topcik, "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/theater/newsandfeatures/08SEAT.html">You Can Buy a Seat, but Can You Fit in It?</a>", The New York Times, Oct. 8, 2004, p. B1.Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097267004176004792004-10-08T16:06:00.000-04:002004-10-08T16:23:24.176-04:00Does Removing the Middle Link Make the Chain Stronger?<a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a> has announced its newest endeavor, Google Print, which offers Google users the ability to search the text of books. To date, ten publishers have signed on to the project, which is somewhat similar to <a href="http://www.amazon.com">Amazon.com</a>'s "Search Inside the Book" feature. Publishers are looking hopefully at the project as a way to disintermediate the sale of books by possibly including direct links to the publisher of a book next to the search results.
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<br />Librarians have long viewed the rise of the Internet and the monster search engines like Google and <a href="http://www.yahoo.com">Yahoo</a> as disintermediators of their services as well. Booksellers' and librarians' responses to the "threat" could be similar: 1) embrace the technology, don't fight it; 2) further differentiate yourselves with personal, top-flight service; 3) market your advantages to the hilt. Google Print or Amazon "Search Inside the Book" are to be understood, but not feared.
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<br />Edward Wyatt, "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/technology/08book.html?adxnnl=1&oref=login&adxnnlx=1097266851-zPqsJAe8yjGsP65JTsmp+g">New Google Service May Strain Old Ties in Bookselling</a>," <em>The New York Times</em>, Oct. 8, 2004, p. C3.Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1097253450845157652004-10-08T13:32:00.000-04:002004-10-08T12:37:30.846-04:00Vitruvius Unmasked!When I first started this blog, I chose "Vitruvius" as my pseudonym, both to maintain my anonymity and to underscore my commitment to good information design. As my experience with the weblog medium grew, I realized that anonymity had its pitfalls as well. Therefore, I am coming out of the literary "closet." My name is Michael Sensiba and I am Vitruvius. Ah. The air seems so much fresher, the sun so much brighter. A burden is lifted. Welcome to my blog.Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1095437063133609972004-09-17T11:41:00.000-04:002004-09-17T12:04:23.133-04:00Search Inside the Search?<a href="http://www.amazon.com">Amazon.com</a> announced this week that it was entering the Search Engine Wars with its own search engine service, <a href="http://www.a9.com">A9.com</a>. The service will allow users to store and edit bookmarks, keep track of links visited by page, and make and retrieve notes on visited pages. A9 currently uses Google search results, with Google and Amazon sharing advertising revenue gleaned from the combined effort.
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<br />Competition in the search field continues to drive innovation, with new competitors like A9.com, <a href="http://vivisimo.com/">Vivisimo</a> and <a href="http://www.kartoo.com/">KartOO</a> bringing new approaches to searching, and with <a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a> and <a href="http://www.yahoo.com">Yahoo</a> adding features like searching <a href="http://www.oclc.org/worldcat/">WorldCat</a>. Better tools should lead users to better, more focused results. Stay tuned.
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<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/15/technology/15search.html">"Amazon to Take Searches On Web to a New Depth"</a>, by John Markoff, The New York Times, September 15, 2004, p. C6. Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1094835422042046762004-09-10T13:33:00.000-04:002004-09-10T12:58:06.873-04:00Book Life Number Accelerator?I rediscovered this funny little site the other day: <a href="http://infoediface.blogspot.com/2004/07/so-many-books.html">Book-A-Minute</a>. It provides VERY short encapsulations of classic works. If you could read all works this fast, your <a href="http://infoediface.blogspot.com/2004/07/so-many-books.html">Book Life Number</a> (see July 23 entry) would sky rocket. Got a few seconds to dust off <em>War & Peace</em>? Here's the entry:
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<br /><blockquote>Leo Tolstoy
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<br />History controls everything we do, so there is no point in observing individual actions. Let's examine the individual actions of over 500 characters at great length.
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<br />THE END</blockquote>
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<br />The same people who offer Book-A-Minute also have Movie-A-Minute. Big fun.
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<br />Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1094830774453911512004-09-10T11:21:00.000-04:002004-09-10T11:39:34.453-04:00Keeping an Eye on CensorshipSonoma State University's <a href="http://www.projectcensored.org/">Project Censored</a> has published its top 25 "censored" stories for 2003-2004. Judged by a panel of journalism/communications/media professors, librarians (including ALA-OIF's Judith Krug and ALA Past President Nancy Kranich) and other notables, the list represents stories that were under-reported in the traditional news media,
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<br />According to Project Censored, the top 5 stories for 2003-2004 were:
<br /><ol>
<br /><li>Wealth Inequality in 21st Century Threatens Economy and Democracy</li>
<br /><li>Ashcroft vs. the Human Rights Law that Holds Corporations Accountable</li>
<br /><li>Bush Administration Censors Science</li>
<br /><li>High Levels of Uranium Found in Troops and Civilians</li>
<br /><li>The Wholesale Giveaway of Our Natural Resources</li>
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<br />Whether you agree with the tenor or verity of these stories, they represent important issues to be explored and discussed.
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<br />The panel of judges for this years list can be found in the <a href="http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=6682">Metro Times</a>, September 8-14, 2004, p. 18.
<br />Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1094828321718269642004-09-10T10:43:00.000-04:002004-09-10T10:58:41.716-04:00According to Mr. WebsterIn Sunday's <em>New York Times Magazine's</em> "On Language" column, Barbara Wallraff (pinch hitting for William Safire) led us to her corner of the literary world. Ms. Wallraff is senior editor of <em>The Atlantic Monthly</em> and editor of the newsletter <em>Copy Editor: Language News for the Publishing Profession, </em>and author of <em>Your Own Words</em>. In performing her daily tasks for these various jobs, Wallraff uses dictionaries, as many as seven at once. Her insights into the vagaries and misconceptions we carry about modern dictionaries make fascinating reading. For example, weren't we taught that the first spelling of a word entry is the preferred one? (Not necessarily true). And that all good dictionaries are basically alike? (No, no, no).
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<br />Ms. Wallraff exhorts the dictionary user to read the fine print: footnotes, end matter, whatever. That's good advice for users of any reference book.
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<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/05/magazine/05ONLANGUAGE.html">On Language: Dictionaries--Just because they say it doesn't make it so</a>, by Barbara Wallraff, <em>The New York Times Magazine</em>, September 5, 2004, p. 18.Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7204343.post-1094769593068292412004-09-09T18:26:00.000-04:002004-09-09T18:48:15.593-04:00September 11 RememberedOn Saturday, September 11, libraries across America will be hosting programming as part of the <a href="http://www.theseptemberproject.org/">September Project</a>. Participants will share and discuss their ideas about democracy, citizenship and patriotism.
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<br />I am proud to be a speaker in one of our local September Project programs. Programs like this one highlight the important position libraries have in American society. Libraries remain the intellectual hubs of our communities. They bring important ideas to our citizenry through programs and materials. They provide a safe haven for individuals to explore important issues, without preconceived notions or agendas imposed by the institution. Libraries are what is good, solid and right in the world, and they need our support and participation.
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<br />Attend a September Project program in your local library.
<br />Michael Sensibahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15986137600207126974noreply@blogger.com