Info Ediface

Oh the shame, and a new toy

2006-03-17T13:41:00.000-05:00

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.

I am writing this using my new(ish) toy: the Performancing extension to Mozilla Firefox. It allows me to blog from any screen in my browser, and to any of my 6 blogs. I'm hooked.

But is it better than the movie?

2006-02-06T15:28:00.000-05:00

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 here.

Wild (Library)Thing, I think I love you

2005-10-04T10:31:00.000-04:00

For the last month, I've been drawn into the vortex that is LibraryThing. 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...).

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?

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)

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. [ http://www.librarything.com/profile/msensiba ]

Still Waters in a Rough Sea

2005-08-12T10:18:00.000-04:00

Last Wednesday, I was watching David M. Levy's presentation on DVD entitled "The Experience of Reading," a part of the Library of Congress series "The Digital Future." Levy's presentation was both thought provoking and invigorating.

David Levy is a Professor in the Information School at the University of Washington. He is the author of Scrolling Forward: Making Sense of Documents in the Digital Age [review]

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.

The Pixillated Representation of the Sky is Falling!

2004-10-18T17:33:00.000-04:00

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.

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.

Of course, the NIAIDs I refer to are commonly known as books. The network is down; would you care to read a book?

[via ArsTechnica]

A Swimming Pool of Serials

2004-10-15T10:13:00.000-04:00

Duke University Press's recent decision to withdraw several of its journals from Project Muse 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?

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.

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.

[via Resource Shelf and Peter Scott's Library Blog]

An Idea Idea Idea Idea Whose Time Has Come

2004-10-14T11:52:00.000-04:00

WestLaw has announced a de-duplication feature that identifies, tags and sorts duplicate copies of articles in its search results.

[Via WisBlawg]

Google Print: Warts and Beauty Marks

2004-10-14T11:15:00.000-04:00

More information is emerging about Google Print, 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, Library Journal and School Library Journal are publications available through Google Print [Beauty]. Check out more forensic information on Google Print at: "The Rundown on Google Print" [via librarian.net]

Visualizing Research

2004-10-14T10:52:00.000-04:00

In a 13 page white paper entitled "Online Research Browsers", 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.

This paper provides fertile ground for further study.
[via BeSpacific]

Something You Just Don't See Every Day

2004-10-14T10:31:00.000-04:00

A refreshing view on intellectual curiosity:

"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.)

[via Anita Sharpe at Worthwhile]

Cool Tool: YouSendIt

2004-10-14T10:13:00.000-04:00

Many people face the constraints of their email systems when trying to send or receive large files. YouSendIt 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 Robin Good]

The Economics of Helping

2004-10-13T16:20:00.000-04:00

Librarians, 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?

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.

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.

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.

Political Fact Flap

2004-10-12T10:40:00.000-04:00

I'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, FactCheck.org, 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?"

Ohio is the Land of Milk and Honey?

2004-10-11T16:39:00.000-04:00

OCLC has announced that it is opening its entire database of some 52 million records to web search engines like Google and Yahoo. In a masterful and extensive piece of work, Gary Price and Stephen Cohen 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 Clusty, 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!

The Autograph Line Forms on the Right

2004-10-10T17:38:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, I was pleased, and a little humbled, to learn that Info Ediface was reviewed on Web Junction by Betha Gutsche. Other than registering the blog at a few directories, including LibDex, 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 LIS Blogsource, which refers to Michael Stephens' (Tame the Web) mention of the Web Junction article --"Tech Focused Library Blogs." I will be giving a talk for the WSU Student Chapter of SLA 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.

Heady with this newfound cyber-fame, I self-googled Info Ediface 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 BlogShares. My market cap wasn't too high, so I have some work to do before the IPO.

Vitruvius has left the building.

Wagging the Tail

2004-10-10T16:25:00.000-04:00

From the "I thought it was just me department": In the October 2004 issue of Wired, Chris Anderson's article, "The Long Tail," 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.

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.

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"?

This article is a must read. [via Joi Ito]

Labelling Electronic Resources: Batteries Not Included

2004-10-09T09:43:00.000-04:00

On Christmas Eve, some forty years ago, Santa delivered to me the object of my desire: Big Bruiser. Big Bruiser 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.

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?

The citation was for a period outside the library's subscription

The publication is embargoed

The publisher wants you to pay cash for access to the article

The database does not include all articles from the publication

The database that was supposed to have the resource has since dropped it

The library's/database's/publisher's server is down

Your ID won't let you access the publication from a remote location

The database offers only the abstract of the article, not full text

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?"

Sometimes It Is About the Size of the Seats

2004-10-08T16:26:00.000-04:00

I was reading a story in today's New York Times 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.

Sometimes it IS about the size of the seats.

Jesse McKinley and Joel Topcik, "You Can Buy a Seat, but Can You Fit in It?", The New York Times, Oct. 8, 2004, p. B1.

Does Removing the Middle Link Make the Chain Stronger?

2004-10-08T16:06:00.000-04:00

Google 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 Amazon.com'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.

Librarians have long viewed the rise of the Internet and the monster search engines like Google and Yahoo 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.

Edward Wyatt, "New Google Service May Strain Old Ties in Bookselling," The New York Times, Oct. 8, 2004, p. C3.

Vitruvius Unmasked!

2004-10-08T13:32:00.000-04:00

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.

Search Inside the Search?

2004-09-17T11:41:00.000-04:00

Amazon.com announced this week that it was entering the Search Engine Wars with its own search engine service, A9.com. 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.

Competition in the search field continues to drive innovation, with new competitors like A9.com, Vivisimo and KartOO bringing new approaches to searching, and with Google and Yahoo adding features like searching WorldCat. Better tools should lead users to better, more focused results. Stay tuned.

"Amazon to Take Searches On Web to a New Depth", by John Markoff, The New York Times, September 15, 2004, p. C6.

Book Life Number Accelerator?

2004-09-10T13:33:00.000-04:00

I rediscovered this funny little site the other day: Book-A-Minute. It provides VERY short encapsulations of classic works. If you could read all works this fast, your Book Life Number (see July 23 entry) would sky rocket. Got a few seconds to dust off War & Peace? Here's the entry:

Leo Tolstoy

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.

THE END

The same people who offer Book-A-Minute also have Movie-A-Minute. Big fun.

Keeping an Eye on Censorship

2004-09-10T11:21:00.000-04:00

Sonoma State University's Project Censored 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,

According to Project Censored, the top 5 stories for 2003-2004 were:

Wealth Inequality in 21st Century Threatens Economy and Democracy

Ashcroft vs. the Human Rights Law that Holds Corporations Accountable

Bush Administration Censors Science

High Levels of Uranium Found in Troops and Civilians

The Wholesale Giveaway of Our Natural Resources

Whether you agree with the tenor or verity of these stories, they represent important issues to be explored and discussed.

The panel of judges for this years list can be found in the Metro Times, September 8-14, 2004, p. 18.

According to Mr. Webster

2004-09-10T10:43:00.000-04:00

In Sunday's New York Times Magazine's "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 The Atlantic Monthly and editor of the newsletter Copy Editor: Language News for the Publishing Profession, and author of Your Own Words. 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).

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.

On Language: Dictionaries--Just because they say it doesn't make it so, by Barbara Wallraff, The New York Times Magazine, September 5, 2004, p. 18.

September 11 Remembered

2004-09-09T18:26:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, September 11, libraries across America will be hosting programming as part of the September Project. Participants will share and discuss their ideas about democracy, citizenship and patriotism.

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.

Attend a September Project program in your local library.

Quick: What's a Wiki?

2004-08-22T13:45:00.000-04:00

The number of library-related blogs is growing rapidly, as practitioners explore their usefulness in the profession and for their patrons. A related technology, the "wiki" has gained national prominence because of a July 29, 2004 article in the Wall Street Journal: "'Wiki' May Alter How Employees Work Together" [Premium Content].

A "wiki" is a computer's answer to Stone Soup: users build content collaboratively and entries are corrected, expanded and "riffed" upon to grow the wiki's content base organically. A well-known example of a wiki is the Wikipedia, the "free encyclopedia."

A fine introduction to all things wiki can be found in Searcher magazine:

Quickiwiki, Swiki, Twiki, Zwiki and the Plone Wars, by David Mattison, Searcher, Vol. 11, No. 4, April 2003.

The article provides explanations of the technology, a glossary, and lots of links.

While the wiki may not be the ideal mechanism for a patron's scholarly research, it may be quite useful in building students' collective understanding of a topic, in sharing professional information and insight about a particular topic, or in expressing the accumulated thoughts of a work group on a given project. The wiki may be worthy of librarians' careful consideration.

Klaatu Barada Bookto

2004-07-26T19:36:00.000-04:00

A robotics laboratory in Spain is reportedly working on a robotic librarian.

It is to come with a speech-recognition and seeing capacity that should allow it to make out the name of a book when spoken to it and to identify the title on the shelves. When it becomes mobile, it will deliver the book to the eager reader.

via LISNews.com

Will the robot deliver Asimov's "I, Robot" (or the Will Smith DVD), or will patrons be subject to cyber-censorship?

While the concept of Marian "The Cyborg" Librarian seems ridiculous on its face, other businesses have used service kiosks to great success. A recent Fast Company article looked at the successes of a company called Kinetics, Inc. in placing self-service kiosks in airports (for self-check-in) and in McDonalds. The McDonalds franchisee who installed the kiosks reports higher than expected usage (45-50% of customers use them), higher average sales per transaction, and the need to hire additional employees (both to help customers use the kiosk, and to cook the additional food that customers are ordering).

Libraries should take note of this "if you build it, they will come" phenomenon; new, attractive services will bring in patrons, who will need other services. The Message: innovate, and hire!

The Toll of a New Machine, by Charles Fishman, Fast Company, Issue 82, May 2004, p. 91.

So Many Books...

2004-07-23T15:41:00.000-04:00

The publication of the NEA's Reading at Risk study, and my impending birthday, got me thinking about just how little time there is left to read all those books. The analyst in me devised a metric: the Book-Life Number. Your Book-Life Number is your remaining life expectancy in years times the number of books you expect to read per year. The categories used in Reading at Risk are as follows: Light Readers read 1-5 books per year; Average Readers read 6 books per year (a book every other month); Moderate Readers read 6-11 books per year; Frequent Readers read 12-49 books per year (at least a book a month); and Avid Readers read 50 or more books per year (about a book a week). For purposes of the calculation, I've used 3, 6, 8, 30 and 50 books per year respectively. Here's the table:

**Book Life Number**
*Age*	*Light*	*Average*	*Moderate*	*Frequent*	*Avid*
15	180	360	480	1800	3000
25	153	306	408	1530	2550
35	126	252	336	1260	2100
45	96	192	256	960	1600
55	72	144	192	720	1200
65	51	102	136	510	850
75	30	60	80	300	500

So what's the point? "So many books, so little time." Your Book Life Number has several different interpretations:

At any age and reading level, there are woefully few books to read in your future. (My Book Life Number of 960 looks incredibly puny.) Therefore, choose wisely and read well.
If possible, accelerate your reading pace. If I could move from being a Frequent Reader (which I am now) to an Avid Reader (which I once was), I'd be able to read another 600+ books in my life. What a positive impact they could have!
Weeding is your friend. If your personal collection (reference books aside) is much larger than your Book Life Number, it's time for some weeding. Again, choose wisely. At my age, my future reading could be held on five 6-foot bookcases. I own many more books than that. I believe this is termed "bibliomania." I must remember, and so should you, that the local library has far more books than you could read, or own, so take advantage of it.
The average American reads 6 books per year. The median age of Americans is 35 and rising. Therefore, America's "average" Book Life Number is 252, and shrinking. What impact will this have on future libraries: their acquisitions, their collection mix, their marketing?
A 15 year old Avid Reader has about 3000 books ahead of him/her. How should we advise this person to maximize the fulfillment they achieve through a life of reading? And what is to be done for young readers who are "less than avid?"
As another birthday looms, I "lose" another 30 books from my Book Life Number. Did I read 30 books last year? Were they worth it? Now that the pool has shrunk, what will I choose next? What will be the last book read? (It seems that there's a book to be written about this topic: Last Books of Famous People.)

Additional Source: National Vital Statistics Report, National Center For Health Statistics

We are not alone: Additional support for and insight into Reading at Risk

2004-07-21T18:33:00.000-04:00

An OECD study from 2000 amplifies and extends the findings of "Reading at Risk." The study was conducted with 15 year olds in the 30 member countries of the OECD by its Programme for International Student Assessment. The study's overall conclusion vis-a-vis reading is that avid readers perform better. ("Practice makes perfect.") After you've read the entirety of Reading at Risk, check this out.

PISA - Home Reading activities and engagement in reading

The High Price of Delivery

2004-07-20T11:17:00.000-04:00

In a funny, and sobering, Flash movie, the ACLU envisions the database of your future: personal information at the fingertips of any "headset jockey" you come in contact with. Note the reference to library records midway through. Will requests for extra mushrooms alert the DEA?

ACLU Summer Surveillance Campaign

via The Importance of...

IA Hall of Fame: Richard Saul Wurman

2004-07-17T13:53:00.000-04:00

Richard Saul Wurman is an information architect, visionary and inspiration to those who try to make information more accessible. The first time I was knowingly exposed to his genius was in his book, Information Anxiety. After reading just a few pages, I realized that Wurman was truly on to something. I also found out that he was the progenitor of the ACCESS Guides, which I had already become enamored of, but had not taken notice of their founding father. Through many more Guides, Follow the Yellow Brick Road, Information Anxiety 2, Information Architects, Understanding USA, and 1000, I enjoyed his unique take on the world and let him be my guide through it.

Wurman further contributed to the stocks and flows of the world's knowledge by creating and chairing the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conferences, which brought together many of our greatest achievers and intellectuals to share and explore their fields.

Sadly, many of my favorite Wurman books are no longer in print. But I hear he's now working in the complex field of human health information. For that I am grateful, and expectant.

I hereby nominate Richard Saul Wurman into the Information Architecture Hall of Fame.

Wi Fi? Why Not?

2004-07-16T16:14:00.000-04:00

Wayne State's libraries are adding wi-fi this summer. Some campus libraries are already on line. In anticipation of the arrival at Purdy/Kresge, I was curious what other hotspots were in Southeast Michigan. I looked at several directories of hotspots (none of which was comprehensive) and came to the following preliminary conclusions.

There is a crying need for a more searchable, comprehensive list of hotspots.
Commercial hotspots far outnumber non-commercial ones. Whole chains of commercial establishments (e.g., Starbucks, Panera, Borders, Kinko's and lots of hotel chains) routinely include hotspots, usually for a fee.
Most commercial hotspots cost money to access. Panera (free) may be the exception for now; it currently costs $2.99 to access T-mobile in Starbucks for 1 hour, $9.99 for a day, or $29.99 for a month (that's a lot of lattes).
Very few listed hotspots are in libraries. One wi-fi directory, JiWire, lists 15, 342 hotspots in the United States, of which 256 are in Michigan. Of these, only 466 of the U.S. entries were libraries, 9 in Michigan (none were listed for Wayne State). Two possible interpretations of these library statistics: 1) libraries that have hotspots aren't getting the word out to wi-fi directories (e.g., Wayne State?); 2) not many libraries offer wi-fi. While publicizing/advertising is something libraries generally don't like to do (or are not good at), people looking for a hotspot are not going to automatically sniff out the library's connection (or appreciate its purist intentions).
Most libraries that were listed offered free access (no surprise there). Wi-Fi-Freespot specializes in listing free hotspots, of all kinds.

Given the consumer economics of the wi-fi-hotspot, it appears libraries may be missing an opportunity to reach a vital segment of the populace, at least vital to the economic health of libraries. The logic goes something like this:

Wi-fi hotspots are accessed by people with portable, wi-fi enabled devices.
Wi-fi devices are relatively expensive (i.e., not everyone can afford them yet).
Wi-fi commercial access is expensive to the consumer.
Wi-fi library access is (usually) free to the consumer.
Consumers prefer to pay less.
Hence, consumers with wireless devices would prefer free access, like that offered in libraries.

Hang on, here's the kicker...

Offering wi-fi access would attract users of wi-fi devices. (If you build it, they will come).
These users presumably are more well-off than the average patron (by virtue of owning relatively expensive devices).
Therefore, libraries would attract more well-off patrons, while still providing services to the rest of the patron base. These new patrons may be important constituencies for future millage increases, fund raising and political support. And just like the commercial enterprises offering wi-fi, libraries may reasonably hope to "sell" these new patrons other services, once they're (literally) in the building.
CONCLUSION: Wi-fi is good for libraries and patrons.

I don't have hard evidence for all these points, but I don't think the argument is at all far-fetched. Creating an information environment that is valued by all segments of the community can only serve to strengthen the library's standing in its community. And hopefully help fill its purse.

How long can I check this kid out for?

2004-07-16T10:52:00.000-04:00

Children in Osaka, Japan will now receive the same protection as the books in our higher-tech libraries. Children will be fitted with RFID chips to enable tracking them in the event of an abduction. This sounds like a noble and vital policy, but the future implications for criminal or governmental perversion of the intent of the policy are frightening.

Japan: Schoolkids to be tagged with RFID chips, by Jo Best, Special to CNETAsia, Monday, July 12 2004

Why Information Literacy instruction may not be taking hold

2004-07-14T10:17:00.000-04:00

Dr. Richard Restak, in his book The New Brain: How the Modern Age Is Rewiring Your Mind, puts forth the argument that the brain works best when processing tasks serially, not by switching between tasks ("multitasking"). Multitasking reduces accuracy and efficiency, according to Restak. Restak's point of view is supported by research at the University of Michigan and Carnegie-Mellon. The Michigan study concluded that tasks performed simultaneously took 50% longer than if they had been performed sequentially.

So the next time you see people working on the computer while "cranking tunes," you may rightly wonder whether that well-crafted diatribe you issued on the intricacies of searching subscription databases really sunk in.

Driving? Maybe You Shouldn't Be Reading This, by Robin Marantz Henig, The New York Times, July 13, 2004

More evidence for NEA Study

2004-07-14T10:08:00.000-04:00

This gem appeared in an article about Jeopardy whiz Ken Jennings:

Even more-old-fashioned games like "Family Feud" expect little more of contestants than that they match the lowest common denominator. When a young man on a recent episode of "Feud" was asked to name something that women love to do and men hate, he replied, "Read." He was deemed correct: at least three people in the audience survey gave the same answer.

Survey says: ARGGGH!
O.K., Alex, Smart Nerds for $1 Million, by Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times, July 13, 2004

Cool CATS

2004-07-12T14:57:00.000-04:00

lib-web-cats is a directory of library Web pages, online catalogs and profiles for libraries worldwide. Maintained by Marshall Breeding of Vanderbilt University, the database is an invaluable tool, especially when researching library automation systems. One use is to identify libraries who have migrated from your old vendor to your new one. Checking with people at these institutions could save you a lot of migration heartache.

"Send Over the Hi-Lo, Fred! We've got more thesauri for the warehouse!"

2004-07-12T14:49:00.000-04:00

Taxonomy Warehouse - A Comprehensive Web-Directory of Taxonomies is a database of thesauri, ontologies, classification schemes, authority files and taxonomies. The database classifies the taxonomies by subject (a taxonomy of taxonomies?) and lists basic information about them. Some taxonomies can be purchased through Taxonomy Warehouse; links are also provided directly to the publisher's web site.

3 Sites to Tickle the Inner Librarian

2004-07-12T13:34:00.000-04:00

On the lighter side, you may want to explore one of these three sites when there's a lull at the desk:

The Onion. Hilarious takes on the topics of the day. Clever enough to make you wonder if the entries just might be true. Example: "D.C. Site of First Homeless Depot." Political, but non-partisan. Besides, it started in Madison, Wisconsin, as many wacky things do. (Go Badgers!)

Mental Floss. Not a humor publication per se, but if you don't find humor in its articles, layout or general attitude, your bun is wound just a little too tightly. More a print publication than a website, MF still has some interesting electronic content (Fact of the Day, Quiz of the Day). In the Current Issue: "6 Tricky Song Lyrics You'll Never Get Wrong Again" and "Essential Physics for Parties."

Cartoon Bank. For a more genteel chuckle, this site offers a wealth of classic New Yorker cartoons and covers. Content is searchable by topic or artist, but browsing is every bit as fun. You can even order framed reprints of your favorites, like Peter Steiner's "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog." Hours of enjoyment.

I'm Sorry Orrin, We Can't Allow You to Jeopardize the Mission

2004-07-09T17:07:00.000-04:00

It's not quite HAL, but the Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004, a music copyright-related bill sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch, might have you singing "Daisy." The Act would allow punishment of aiders and abetters of copyright infringement (including libraries with computers?). The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has drafted a mock complaint based on the bill that should make you laugh, weep, or at least sit up and take notice.

Copyright infringement is serious. Copyright legislation that cuts with a chainsaw where a scalpel should be used is not.

This editorial lays out the absurdist particulars:

Allow Me to Induce Myself, by Eliot Van Buskirk, CNET Reviews, July 7, 2004.

The 'Rithmetic of Reading. And Writing.

2004-07-09T10:59:00.000-04:00

The National Endowment of the Arts, based on a Census Department study, has issued a sobering report, Reading at Risk, which notes that reading is declining, in every geographic region, within all age and ethnic groups and at all educational strata. The report states that only 56.6 percent of those surveyed had read any book during the previous twelve months. Reading of literature (novels, short stories, plays, and poems) has declined even more dramatically.

While Internet usage presumably involves some reading, reading terse, factual information does not replace reading literature, because the material does not have the same personal and cultural resonance. The reader's dilemma is comparable to choosing a television commercial over an epic film, or listening to a jingle as opposed to a symphony. With the easier, more pervasive choice, long-term satisfaction is lost.

And what does this phenomenon imply for the future of the written word? Are the people who do not read the same people who do not write (or write well)? Has our collective depth of thought about important things (philosophy, art, science, politics) reached that of the proverbial mud puddle? Is it any wonder that people come to the library for the free computers, and nothing more? This is spiritually exhausting. I must read now.

Fewer Noses Stuck in Books in America, Survey Finds, by Bruce Weber, The New York Times, July 8, 2004, p. B1.

Report to the Librarian General, soldier!

2004-07-08T20:08:00.000-04:00

A new GAO report revealed that the Department of Defense requested $19 billion to operate its 2,274 business system databases. The databases, which are used for inventory and procurement, grew up in separate departments and had their own appropriations for development and maintenance. As such, they don't interrelate and are seen as less than perfect guardians of the public purse. It sounds like they need some librarians to integrate this information, or at least search it effectively.

DOD Business Systems Modernization: Billions Continue to Be Invested with Inadequate Management Oversight and Accountability, GAO Report: GAO-04-615.

Software Take and Take

2004-07-08T19:53:00.000-04:00

The Business Software Alliance reports that of the $80 billion of software installed on computers in 2003, only $51 billion was obtained legally. The BSA estimates that a 10% reduction in software piracy across Europe would result in 250,000 new jobs and $23 billion in additional tax revenue by 2006.

Industry survey finds 36 percent of software sold in the world last year was pirated, by Paul Geitner, AP Business Writer, from the Detroit News, July 8, 2004.

Global Software Piracy Study

Worldcat Turbo

2004-07-08T13:16:00.000-04:00

In a new pilot program, Yahoo and Google both have the capability to search OCLC's WorldCat for books in libraries. In a limited test of 2 million titles (those held by more than 100 libraries), users can use the search engine to search for information. The search engine returns an entry "Find in a Library:" with the title of a book. Clicking on the link brings up WorldCat's list of libraries holding the item (you supply the geography you're interested in). If you click on the "i" button, you'll get library hours/basic information; if you click on the library name, you'll be taken to the item listing or the library catalog.

To search for these items, enter "worldcat" and then the title or keyword of the sought item. Results don't always come to the top, and some items aren't yet offered, but these are minor complaints.

The power and convenience of this technology is breathtaking. I can't wait for the entire 54 million record collection to be included.

Pilot Brochure | Pilot Quick Facts | Pilot Frequently Asked Questions

Muse-brary? Lib-seum? Holy Mass Media, Batman!

2004-07-03T09:59:00.000-04:00

The Museum of Television and Radio is a treasure trove of bleary-eyed viewing pleasure for the boob-tube addicted. While termed a "museum," MTR could just as rightfully be called a library. And as a library, it faces some of the same challenges as its more traditional, paper-based brethren:

Collections are incomplete. Some of the true gems of television history were never saved.
Computer systems are inadequate. Users report the systems at MTR are slow and finicky, particularly when show titles are involved.
Access to outside resources is problematic. Patrons of MTR don't have access to the Internet, so tools like IMDB are not available to researchers. And the MTR site itself does not offer its catalog online.
Access is restricted by time and resources. Inquiries for information are only fielded between 4:00 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.
Copyright is a big issue. The museum has many items in its collection that are no longer shown on television because of the high cost of music royalties.
People need people. When research gets hairy, museum curators, not-so-distant cousins of librarians, are frequently called on to intervene, oftentimes with great success.

The Museum of Television and Radio is located at 25 West 52nd Street in New York, New York and 465 North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, California.

Where Old Television Goes to Its Final Reward, by Alessandra Stanley. The New York Times, July 2, 2004 (may require free registration).

Safe Harbour

2004-07-01T15:56:00.000-04:00

In my previous life as a consultant, I regularly came across the Harbour Report, the Gutenberg Bible of automotive manufacturing statistics. Fast Company recently featured the Harbour Report and its impact on the automotive world.

I was struck by the reasons, implicit and explicit to the article, that the Harbour Report achieved its preeminence.

(1) The Report is written by someone who has lived and understands the subject matter. Jim Harbour was Chrysler's director of corporate manufacturing engineering. He's since retired from the consulting company he founded, Harbour Inc., but his tradition is carried on through his family.

(2) The Report's credibility is at least partially attributable to its longevity. The Report was first produced in 1981 and has been produced in its current form since 1993.

(3) The Report gets much of its information directly from its subjects. Manufacturers contribute information because they see the value in it for themselves.

(4) The Report presents objective facts. Users value the information because the Harbours don't have a hidden agenda. They seek to provide a true picture of automotive manufacturing. The Harbours don't even own stock in auto makers or parts manufacturers, so that their objectivity is beyond reproach.

(5) The Report provides value. It provides information about things manufacturers care about, such as "hits per labor hour." While somewhat pricey at $495 per copy, everybody who's anybody in the automotive industry wants their copy.

The characteristics that make the Harbour Report successful are also valuable to librarians as they evaluate other sources of information for credibility and value.

The Truth Shall Set You Free, by Chuck Salter. Fast Company, Issue 82, May 2004, p. 78.

"Free Speech is Hard, Midge. And Costly."

2004-06-29T18:17:00.000-04:00

In a triumph for artistes and first amendment lovers everywhere, Judge Ronald S. W. Lew of the Federal District Court in Los Angeles ruled against Mattel, Inc.'s position that artist-photographer Tom Forsythe violated copyright laws by producing provocative images of its doll, Barbie, with a series of household appliances. Forsythe sought to explore "Barbie's power as a beauty myth." Judge Lew ordered Mattel to pay Forsythe's legal fees, which exceed $1.8 million.

Can steamy pictures of Ken and G.I. Joe be far behind?

This case seems to encourage artistic expression, while discouraging legalistic repression.

Judge Says Artist Can Make Fun of Barbie, by Bill Werde, The New York Times, June 28, 2004.

"Hey, Gladys! They're Watching Queer Eye Again!"

2004-06-29T17:54:00.000-04:00

AOL, with U.S. Patent No. 6,754,904, has developed the capability to share your TV viewing habits with other people on your "Buddy List." Using Instant Messaging technology, the system (which at this time requires a TV, a set-top box, a computer, Internet access, and an AOL subscription--WHEW!) could switch your viewing automatically to what your buddies are watching, or at least give you the opportunity to do so. You could also see what other denizens of your Knight Rider chat room are watching (Oh where have you gone, David Hasselhoff?) and whether someone in the room switches to Baywatch instead. (Traitor!)

AOL promises the ability to block this information when you're having a private moment, or a guilty pleasure, but once again even more of our lives will be open to others, with safeguards that may not be safe enough. Stay tuned!

PATENTS: Tuning in to Television, Two Ways, by Sabra Chartrand. The New York Times, June 28, 2004.

Seek, OS, Seek!

2004-06-29T17:35:00.000-04:00

Apple Computer, seeking preeminence in the computer world yet again, has announced that it will borrow technology from its iTunes service for its Tiger Operating System upgrade (due in the first half of 2005). This software will allow users to quickly and easily find information on their hard drives. Steven Jobs said, "It's easier to find a document in a million pages on the Web using Google than it is to find a document on your hard drive." How Steve Jobs got to look at my hard drive mystifies me, but I see his point. The Apple announcement is said to leapfrog developments in the Microsoft's "Longhorn" Windows upgrade and beat it by 1-2 years. Whoever wins the OS wars, the user should benefit. Seeking, finding, organizing and using information is what it's all about.

Apple Putting More Focus on Simplifying Searching, by Laurie J. Flynn. The New York Times, June 29, 2004, p. C2.

All the Hot Chicks are in Reference?

2004-06-29T01:40:00.000-04:00

"Faking Ugly" update: Librarian Haley Holmes was made by the Faking It panel of experts (she actually fooled one into thinking she was a Coyote Ugly bartender). In a show post-mortem interview, Haley vows she will use what she learned from the experience in her career, stating, "I feel that I'm more inclined to look for a job in reference or circulation where I would be able to work with people."

Super Shy to Superfly Update

Adding Insult to Injury

2004-06-29T01:24:00.000-04:00

Harvard Business School's Shoshana Zuboff unveils her recent affliction with "commercial transaction post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD)" at the airport. Too often, what Zuboff terms "transaction crises" also occur in the library. Her taxonomy: transaction starvation, transaction inflation, product tyranny, and relationship mimicry. If you can't see your library in one of these, you either aren't looking very hard or have a first class customer service operation. (Odds are, it's the former). You'll enjoy this article. And maybe wince with recognition.

Small Insults, Heavy Toll, by Shoshana Zuboff. Fast Company, Issue 84, July 2004, p. 84.

Faking Ugly?

2004-06-04T16:45:00.000-04:00

This Sunday, TLC is airing an episode of its reality show, "Faking It," featuring a librarian from Texas. Our heroine is transformed into a Coyote Ugly bartender, including the full bar-dance treatment. While the biblio-babe will undoubtedly pull off the stunt (and nothing else, don't go there), one wonders why these shows don't try to accomplish something really difficult, like transforming a Coyote Ugly bartender into a working librarian. Now, that would be entertaining! ("No, I'd rather chew my own arm off than look that up on microfilm..."). This show might be a hoot, and a holler, but I'm more than a little disturbed by how it perpetuates the superficial stereotypes that the profession has tried to kick to the curb. But now my interest is piqued, so I'll probably watch (and take notes for a future paper) and chalk it up to a guilty pleasure.

Read more about the episode, see: "Super Shy to Superfly"

Welcome!

2004-06-04T00:25:00.000-04:00

This blog is about creating, seeking, finding, organizing, displaying and interpreting information. The information landscape is vast, but it affords us plenty of room to roam. Librarians, computer scientists, information architects, seekers of truth, knowledge and enlightenment, are all welcome here.