On January 23, during the 2012 American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Dallas, the ALA’s Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) and the Library & Information Technology Association (LITA) announced three public library systems and one high-school library as the winners of its annual contest for projects using “cutting-edge technologies in library services.”
DPLA, Syracuse, Library Blogs Take Part in SOPA/PIPA Protest
By on January 18, 2012
Thousands of websites, from major sites like the social news website Reddit, the Internet Archive’s main site, and the English-language version of Wikipedia, to small personal WordPress blogs, have “gone dark” today as part of a coordinated protest against the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), currently in committee in the House, and the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), scheduled for a Senate vote on January 24. Among the sites taking part are those of Digital Public Library of America and the Syracuse University iSchool, as well as several popular blogs in the library world.
ALA Partners with NetGalley for Member Benefit Program
By on January 17, 2012
Firebrand Technologies-owned NetGalley today announced the launch of a benefit program, in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA), in which ALA members can receive expedited approval and access to NetGalley’s digital galleys.
CES 2012: The Shapes of Things To Come
By on January 17, 2012
Square was in at the 2012 International CES, but a triangle—between content, devices, and connectivity—told the real story.
White House Weighs In on SOPA
By on January 16, 2012
In a statement released on January 14, three top White House technology officials weighed in on the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and other similar bills currently being debated in Congress, coming out firmly against a controversial provision involving website blocking, and saying that “the important task of protecting intellectual property online must not threaten an open and innovative Internet.”
Libraries, Chromebooks, and Google Apps
By on December 22, 2011
Whether Chromebooks will catch on in libraries remains to be seen, but Google Apps, the free-to-use cloud-based suite of office tools at the heart of the Chromebook, has been making inroads in libraries for years, due in part to its relatively low cost compared to Microsoft Office.
Library Copyright Alliance Releases Letter Welcoming OPEN Act
By on December 16, 2011
The letter welcomes a draft bill called the OPEN Act, touted as a potential alternative to the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).
SirsiDynix Unveils New Texting ILS Feature, and New Headquarters
By on December 16, 2011
Library automation company SirsiDynix yesterday announced the release of the latest version (3.4.1) of its flagship Symphony integrated library system (ILS), notably adding the ability for libraries to send SMS text messages.
