Digitech Newsletter :: November 2009

Blyberg Addresses the Ecology of Information at Annual Meeting Libraries are uniquely positioned to serve new roles in the communities we serve, but we need to understand and respond to how individuals are creating their own information environments. That was the message delivered to over 160 METRO members by John Blyberg, Assistant Directory for Innovation and User Experience at Darien Library at METRO's 2009 Annual Meeting. Blyberg's presentation, "Getting Out of the Weeds: Understanding and Managing the Ecology of Information," was the keynote address at the Annual Meeting, which marked METRO's 45th Anniversary of service to libraries and librarians in New York City and Westchester County. View slides from Blyberg's presentation here: http://bit.ly/3pO2QX How Will Your Library Ensure Access to Digital Resources? METRO Hosts Three Workshops to Help You Answer that Question. There are still spaces remaining for the critical Digital Preservation Workshop Series that starts next week. The series, sponsored in part by ExLibris, brings nationally recognized digital preservation experts to METRO to address digital preservation issues and the tools and strategies necessary for policy and plan implementation. Participants attending all three sessions will receive a certificate of completion for the workshop, and those more familiar with digital preservation issues are welcome to pick and choose which sessions they'd like to attend. Register for the entire series here: http://bit.ly/a5f63. Workshops include: November 4, 2009 Assuring Long Term Access to Digital Collections: An Introduction to Digital Preservation Instructors: Tom Clareson (Lyrasis) and Liz Bishoff (BCR) Complete workshop details and registration: http://bit.ly/16buza. December 16, 2009 Risk Assessment for Digital Collections Instructors: Tom Clareson (Lyrasis) and Liz Bishoff (BCR) Complete workshop details and registration: http://bit.ly/vyB07. January 28, 2010 Digital Preservation Tools, Systems, and Services Instructor: Tyler Walters (Georgia Institute of Technology) Complete workshop details and registration: http://bit.ly/3TyDqm. Digital Collection Spotlight: The Resurrectionists at New York Academy of Medicine Each month we take a moment to share digital collections created by METRO members. Recommend a collection for the spotlight by emailing jkucsma@metro.org. Just in time for Halloween, we take a look at a collection featuring body snatchers and murderers at New York Academy of Medicine. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, intense anatomical study, with direct observation of dissection of human cadavers, was an integral part of medical training at Europe's leading medical schools. Educating doctors produced a demand for human bodies that quickly outstripped the supply. In the United Kingdom prior to 1832, where executed criminals were the primary legitimate source for cadavers, a bustling trade in bodies developed, with grave robbers, or "Resurrection Men," supplying the anatomists with illegal, but much-needed specimens. The collection features broadsides, ballads, pamphlets, prints, and more concerning the body-snatchers and murderers William Burke and William Hare, their accomplices, and their victims. Access the collection here: http://nycdigital.org/dmetro/items/show/29. View more digital collections at digitalMETRO, an online directory of digital collections created and maintained by METRO libraries. Leaked SirsiDynix Report Takes Aim at Open Source Software The library Twittersphere has been buzzing with news about a leaked report from SirsiDynix that, according to one NYC blogger, aims to spread "fear, uncertainty, and doubt" about open source software. Here's the summary of the leak as reported on WikiLeaks: This document was released only to a select number of existing customers of the company SirsiDynix, a proprietary library automation software vendor. According to our source it has not been released more broadly specifically because of the misinformation about open source software and possible libel per se against certain competitors contained therein. SirsiDynix is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with one of the largest public libraries in the U.S. (Queens Borough, NY) and this document does illustrate the less-than-ethical nature of this company. The source states that the document should be leaked so that everyone can see to what extent SirsiDynix will attempt to spread falsehoods and smear open source and the proponents of open source. As a follow-up, Marshall Breeding has contacted Clifford Lynch (CNI) to clarify a quote from him that appears in the report where he purportedly said open source ILSes are “stupidest strategies ever undertaken.” Read his explanation here: http://bit.ly/4aqflW. UPDATE: Stephen Abram has posted a response on his blog:http://bit.ly/Z8x1x New Smart Phone and Mobile Computing Special Interest Group Formed from PDA and Handheld Computing SIG After a two-year hiatus the PDA & Handheld Computing Special Interest Group has been reformed with a new name, Smart Phone & Mobile Computing. This new group's inaugural meeting will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2009, from 3:00 to 4:30 at METRO. This SIG is for librarians, from all types of libraries, interested in smart phones and other emerging mobile computer technologies, and exploring innovative ways libraries can use these technologies to enhance staff workflow, provide patron services, and support patrons who use these tools. The inaugural meeting we will use "Ebook Readers and Libraries," compiled by Jamie LaRue as a jumping-off point for discussion. If your library is experimenting with ebook readers, and you would like to share your experience with brief presentation contact nancy.glassman@einstein.yu.edu or 718-430-4108. The meeting is open to all Digitization and Emerging Tech Workshops and Events November: 04 - Assuring Long Term Access to Digital Collections. Details: http://bit.ly/16buza 05 - Using Dreamweaver to Create and Maintain Websites Details: http://bit.ly/xN6V0 09 - Internet Librarian Conference Recap Panel. Details: http://bit.ly/SlT6P 13 - Text Messaging Reference. Details: http://bit.ly/wIDZE 17 - Graphic Design Best Practices. Details: http://bit.ly/LYLIl 18 - Essential Twitter for Libraries. Details: http://bit.ly/1tybLr Add these and other related events around NY and the world to your Google Calendar by subscribing to the METRO Calendar: http://bit.ly/metrocalendar. The complete Fall METRO schedule is now available online here: http://bit.ly/METRO_Fall2009 Newsfeed  The best of October's Tweets from the tweetMETRO feed (http://twitter.com/tweetMETRO): Looking forward to @jblyberg's presentation at tomorrow's Annual Meeting -- Understanding and Managing the Ecology of Info An #il2009 takeaway "Dreaming, Designing, & Using Mobile Library Platforms" (via @librarianbyday) http://bit.ly/3wUxGZ More background on Chinese authors calling out Google Books for copyright infringement http://bit.ly/4gPVCQ Found yourself in charge of your library's website? Sharpen your Dreamweaver skills next wk at METRO http://bit.ly/xN6V0 NYC/NJ/CT libs - Interested in sharing your #il2009 experience with NYC librarians? Email me jkucsma_at_metro_dot_org digitalMETRO (http://nycdigital.org) gets a nod from NYU Health Sciences Libraries news http://bit.ly/2dAAqy Chinese writers join the party in accusing Google of copyright infringement http://bit.ly/K0Yeg Institutional Repository Bibliography, 620 resources useful for understanding IRs http://bit.ly/3dDoWR Digitization may prompt EU to review copyright laws http://bit.ly/24f5X7 RT @moncia: Further on Bobst digitizing: Note no quotes from Bobst staff. We'll digitize but prob. not whole coll. (most still in copyrt) Washington Square News on Abu Dhabi funding of Bobst Library Digitization http://bit.ly/40GOoz Pleased to announce a new digitization service for METRO member libraries... http://bit.ly/85wlS Columbia's New York Real Estate Brochure Collection is this week's digitalMETRO featured collection. http://bit.ly/42r951 A glance at the library e-book landscape (NYT article) http://bit.ly/2D3RZ6 Leon Levy Foundation grants fund digitization for NYC institutions http://bit.ly/1OKZPj RefWorks got you down? Endnote not cutting it? Become an @zotero master at next week's workshop! http://bit.ly/3gmOv METRO's Sep/Oct newsletter is now online (Shelf2Life, Vendor Discounts, Digitization, and more) http://bit.ly/niFGr OITP brief on how public libraries can benefit from fiber optics http://bit.ly/eAnTN Report back from METRO's @omeka workshop by @barnlib http://bit.ly/3gav4z Google's Sergey Bring NYT Op-Ed, "A Library to Last Forever" http://bit.ly/Dxw70 Brooklyn Museum's Deb Wythe talks about William Henry Goodyear and the Paris Expo of 1900 in this short... http://bit.ly/170wKc Designing Storage Architectures for Digital Preservation http://bit.ly/2y0jv8 RT @TAC_NISO: Can learned societies survive in today’s digital world? Schol. Comm Prg @ Columbia U. Oct 22 http://bit.ly/2Dyu2f Interesting read: Queens Public vs. Dynix Corporation http://bit.ly/qxHaw (via @davidleeking) Soften the blow of the 2016 Olympic rejection in this week's featured collection: Mr. Basketball http://bit.ly/3LnZPW Unfinished Symphony: What we don't know about the future of the internet http://bit.ly/CiYZ2 (via @lbraun2000) Chronicle revisits the Library-Catalog Wars http://bit.ly/ykD6H Have other news you think we should be sharing with subscribers to this list? Tweet us at http://twitter.com/tweetmetro.