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PLOS Launches New Labs Division to Develop Publishing and Software Prototypes
The Public Library of Science (PLOS) last week launched PLOS Labs, a new division that will develop software prototypes and coordinate open-source development projects aimed at generating “disruptive ideas and products for scientific communication.”
More Data Please! President Obama Signs Open Data Executive Order and Releases Open Data Policy
Update 1: Report About New Policy From Federal News Radio (Includes 10 minutes of Audio) Update 2: Reaction to New Policy (via Free Government Information) From The White House: The Executive Order declares that information is a valuable resource and strategic asset for the Nation. [Clip] Under the terms of the Executive Order and a [...]
SLJ Reviews Information Literacy Courseware ResearchReady
What is ResearchReady? The new information literacy courseware is “just about everything we try and teach condensed into a single convenient, Web-based and tablet-friendly can,” according to SLJ columnist Jeff Hastings.
Research: 2012 Ebook Usage Reports
LJ and SLJ present the most up to date data on how libraries and their users are adopting ebooks
and the driving factors behind purchasing and usage activity in the public, academic,
and school (K-12) markets.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY!
Ebook Platforms
EBL Touts Its Versatility | Series: Exploring Ebook Options
Ebook Library (EBL), the library ebook platform launched in 2004 by Australian company Ebooks Corporation, has had worldwide success. More than 600 institutions, encompassing thousands of libraries, around the world now use EBL.
The majority, 81 percent, are academic libraries, with another 15 percent of the client base made up of special, government, and corporate libraries; the remaining four percent are split between public and school libraries. Higher education institutions large and small, including three LJ will look at more closely—the University of Texas (UT) at Austin; Wellesley College, MA, one of the famed “Seven Sisters” schools; and Fairfield University, CT—are among EBL’s many clients.
3M Makes Its Presence Felt | Series: Exploring Ebook Options
It was a coup when 3M announced in June, just three months after Penguin Group had severed its relationship with OverDrive, that it had brought Penguin tentatively back into the library ebook fold through a pilot project with the New York Public Library (NYPL) and the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL). The deal typified the way 3M has made its presence felt in the library ebook market, from striking such notable content deals to bringing its considerable experience as a technology company to bear on the development of its 3M Cloud Library platform and hiring away LJ reviews editor Heather McCormack.
New Streaming Ebook Platform StarWalk Kids Goes Live
Starwalk Kids, a digital streaming service available by subscription, launched October 10 with a curated collection emphasizing nonfiction. “We think this is the future of digital media for schools because it’s device neutral and offers simultaneous access,” says StarWalk co-founder Liz Nealon.
K-12 News
SLJ Reviews Information Literacy Courseware ResearchReady
What is ResearchReady? The new information literacy courseware is “just about everything we try and teach condensed into a single convenient, Web-based and tablet-friendly can,” according to SLJ columnist Jeff Hastings.
Librarians Take Aim at Pew Study on Parents and Libraries
A recent national report from the Pew Research Center that stated that most parents consider libraries important for their children has attracted some criticism from the library community, which is concerned that the findings are based on a skewed sample and put too much emphasis on reading.
Self-Published Ebooks not a Solution for K-12 Schools
While self-published titles may be an option for public libraries when it comes to acquiring ebooks, not so for schools, according to SLJ columnist Christopher Harris, who lays out the ongoing challenges for ebook adoption in K-12.
Pew Study: Why Parents Love Libraries
The vast majority of parents with children younger than 18 feel libraries are very important for their kids, leading to higher-than-average use of a wide range of library services, a new national report from the Pew Research Center shows.
Create Your Own Magazines with Flipboard | screencast tutorial
Now anyone can create a beautiful digital zine of customized content, thanks to Flipboard. In a highly touted feature, version 2.0 of the iconic newsstand app allows users to select content they find on Flipboard to create magazines on any interest or topic. SLJ’s screencast shows you how to make your own publication in the image-rich format, add articles, and publish to the world or select subscribers.
Roy Tennant: Digital Libraries
The Post-MARC Era, Part 2: Where the Problems Lie, Part 1
In Part 1 of this series I looked at what has become the inevitability of change in our fundamental bibliographic metadata standard MARC. And by MARC I really mean the collection of technologies, rules, carrier formats, and what have you that could be hung off that rubric. However, as I turn to identifying specific problems [...]
I, For One, Welcome Our New Software Overlords
As reported by CNet and elsewhere, Adobe is make a dramatic move to “cloud-only” versions of its famous Creative Suite of software applications. Creative Suite includes such programs as Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, among others. Suffice it to say that most creative professionals rely on Adobe software on a daily basis. And it’s quite possible [...]
The Post-MARC Era, Part 1: If It’s Televised, It Can’t Be the Revolution
Please note: This series of posts outlines my opinions and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of my OCLC colleagues or of OCLC as an organization. Also, these opinions are held regardless of any impact the paths I suggest may have on my employer. You will not be able to stay home, brother. You will [...]
“If Everything Goes As Planned”
I ran into this the other day, someone was once again saying “If everything goes as planned.” We’ve all said it. But here’s the thing: it never does. So why don’t we spend just as much time learning what to do when things inevitably stray off our path as we do to create the plan [...]
