The problem in many big organizations is that people who want to innovate don't really know how or they feel their efforts won't be rewarded. In his new book, Innovation as Usual, IESE Prof. Paddy Miller explains the processes that leaders can employ, such as "stealthstorming," to release the innovative capacity of their organizations.
Friday, May 24, 2013
VIDEO (2:36) Releasing Innovation: A Challenge for Leaders
The problem in many big organizations is that people who want to innovate don't really know how or they feel their efforts won't be rewarded. In his new book, Innovation as Usual, IESE Prof. Paddy Miller explains the processes that leaders can employ, such as "stealthstorming," to release the innovative capacity of their organizations.
Technique Helps Robotic Vehicles Find Their Way, Help Humans
From ScienceDaily, 14 May 2013:
In a paper recently published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, Weisong Shi, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science in the College of Engineering, describes his development of a technique called LOBOT that provides accurate, real-time, 3-D positions in both indoor and outdoor environments.
<clip>
Scientists believe small ground robotic vehicles have great potential for use in situations that are either uncomfortable or too tedious for humans. For example, a robot may become part of industrial operations, assist senior citizens or serve as a tour guide for an exhibition center. Keeping a robot as small as possible enables it to move through narrow passageways, such as tunnels.
Read full article.
In a paper recently published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, Weisong Shi, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science in the College of Engineering, describes his development of a technique called LOBOT that provides accurate, real-time, 3-D positions in both indoor and outdoor environments.
<clip>
Scientists believe small ground robotic vehicles have great potential for use in situations that are either uncomfortable or too tedious for humans. For example, a robot may become part of industrial operations, assist senior citizens or serve as a tour guide for an exhibition center. Keeping a robot as small as possible enables it to move through narrow passageways, such as tunnels.
Read full article.
The Library of Unborrowed Books - interesting
Jesse M writes (DCPLive, 22 May 2013):
The Library of Unborrowed Books, a project by Stockholm-based artist Meriç Algün Ringborg, displays hundreds of books that have never been borrowed from the Center for Fiction’s library, calling into question what subjects in any contemporary moment have ‘currency’ or desirability, and bringing attention to topics and stories that have been temporarily overlooked.
The concept made its debut in 2012 at the Stockholm Public Library in Sweden, where it aroused great public and critical interest.
Read more.
The Library of Unborrowed Books, a project by Stockholm-based artist Meriç Algün Ringborg, displays hundreds of books that have never been borrowed from the Center for Fiction’s library, calling into question what subjects in any contemporary moment have ‘currency’ or desirability, and bringing attention to topics and stories that have been temporarily overlooked.
The concept made its debut in 2012 at the Stockholm Public Library in Sweden, where it aroused great public and critical interest.
Read more.
IBISWorld - Where Knowledge is Power
As the world’s largest independent publisher of U.S. industry research, IBISWorld’s team of expert analysts covers 700 different market segments. Each industry report is presented in an objective, easy to understand format, providing hard-to-find answers to top market research questions. Each market report is available online in HTML and PDF format.
IBISWorld industry reports are ideal for finance professionals, management consultants, business brokers, entrepreneurs, libraries; anyone in need of industry research.
http://www.ibisworld.com/.
REPORT (May 2013): Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
"Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy (May 2013), a report from the McKinsey Global Institute, cuts through the noise and identifies 12 technologies that could drive truly massive economic transformations and disruptions in the coming years. The report also looks at exactly how these technologies could change our world, as well as their benefits and challenges, and offers guidelines to help leaders from businesses and other institutions respond. We estimate that, together, applications of the 12 technologies discussed in the report could have a potential economic impact between $14 trillion and $33 trillion a year in 2025. This estimate is neither predictive nor comprehensive. It is based on an in-depth analysis of key potential applications and the value they could create in a number of ways, including the consumer surplus that arises from better products, lower prices, a cleaner environment, and better health."
BOOK (2012) The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, Second Edition
Published: ALA Editions, 2012
184 pages, softcover
ISBN-13" 9780838911129
Vampires, zombies, ghosts, and ghoulies: there are more things going bump in the night than ever. So how do you wend your way through all of them to find the ones that interest a particular reader? RA expert Spratford updates her advisory to include the latest in monsters and the macabre, including (1) Lists of recommended titles, authors, and sub-genres, all cross-referenced for quick reference (2) Tips for effectively practicing horror RA, with interview questions for gauging a reader’s interests, and (3) An expanded resources section, with an overview addressing the current state of horror lit, and suggestions of how to dig deeper.
As both an introductory guide for librarians just dipping their toes into the brackish water of scary fiction, as well as a fount of new ideas for horror-aware reference staff, Spratford’s book is infernally appropriate.
VIDEO (3:00) Global trends: The world is changing faster than at any time in human history
Animation describing some of the trends and changes we're seeing in the world around us.
Scientists develop advanced biological computer
Source: Phys.org, 24 May 2013, written by Kevin Hattori
Using only biomolecules (such as DNA and enzymes), scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed and constructed an advanced biological transducer, a computing machine capable of manipulating genetic codes, and using the output as new input for subsequent computations. The breakthrough might someday create new possibilities in biotechnology, including individual gene therapy and cloning. The findings appear today (May 23, 2013) in Chemistry & Biology (Cell Press).
Read more.
Using only biomolecules (such as DNA and enzymes), scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed and constructed an advanced biological transducer, a computing machine capable of manipulating genetic codes, and using the output as new input for subsequent computations. The breakthrough might someday create new possibilities in biotechnology, including individual gene therapy and cloning. The findings appear today (May 23, 2013) in Chemistry & Biology (Cell Press).
Read more.
ARTICLE (2013) Finding Their Way around: International Students’ Use of Information Sources
Alzougool, B. et al . (2013) "Finding Their Way around: International Students’ Use of Information Sources." Journal of Advanced Management Science, 1 (1), 43-49 doi: 10.12720/joams.1.1.43-49
There has been some research on the information behaviour of international students that is related to their academic issues (e.g. coursework and patterns of library use). However, little research has explored other non-academic issues (e.g. access health services and accommodation) of international student everyday life. This paper therefore explores the sources of information that international students rely on for academic and everyday living as well as the patterns students use in accessing these information sources. By analyzing interview data from a series of 7 focus groups, this study shows that international students rely on a wide range of information sources and display different patterns in using these sources depending on the source type, origin and amount as well as the students’ education level. Some practical implications to effectively provide information to international students are suggested.
There has been some research on the information behaviour of international students that is related to their academic issues (e.g. coursework and patterns of library use). However, little research has explored other non-academic issues (e.g. access health services and accommodation) of international student everyday life. This paper therefore explores the sources of information that international students rely on for academic and everyday living as well as the patterns students use in accessing these information sources. By analyzing interview data from a series of 7 focus groups, this study shows that international students rely on a wide range of information sources and display different patterns in using these sources depending on the source type, origin and amount as well as the students’ education level. Some practical implications to effectively provide information to international students are suggested.
BOOK (2013) Books in Motion: Connecting Preschoolers with Books through Art, Games, Movement, Music, Playacting, and Props
Published: ALA Neal-Schuman
224 pages, softcover
ISBN-13: 9781555708108
Librarians and educators can shake up storytimes, help children stay healthy, and encourage a lifelong love of reading with Dietzel-Glair’s easy-to-use resource. Demonstrating exactly how to use children’s books to engage preschool-age children through movement, it’s loaded with storytimes that will have children standing up tall, balancing as they pretend to walk across a bridge, or even flying around the room like an airplane. Presenting hundreds of ideas, this all-in-one book is divided into five sections:
- “Art” spotlights titles that are natural hooks for art or craft activities alongside ideas on how to create art just like the character in the story, while an appendix includes art patterns that can be used as coloring sheets;
- “Games” includes searching games, follow-the-leader games, and guessing games to enhance the books in this section;
- “Movement” features books that kids can jump, stomp, clap, chomp, waddle, parade, wiggle, and stretch with;
- “Music” chooses books perfect for activities like shaking a maraca, singing, dancing between the pages, and creating new sound effects;
- “Playacting” lets kids pretend along with the characters in these books, whether it’s washing their face, swimming with fish, or hunting a lion;
- “Props” encourages storytime leaders to bring out their puppets, flannelboard pieces, and scarves—these books have enough props for everyone in the program to have a part.
New White Paper: Linking Structured Data
Title: Linking Structured Data
Authors: Michael Hausenblas, Michael Kerrin, Michael Pizzo, Evelyne Viegas and Neil Wilson
Source: Microsoft Research publications database, 24 May 2013
Abstract:
This whitepaper explores how OData can be used to expose data within an RDF triple store through an end-user oriented model, and consumed by a broad range of consumer-oriented tools and applications.
In order to better understand how RDF data could be exposed and consumed by OData clients in a real world example, we went from theory to practice by focusing on some scenarios from the British Library which publishes its metadata on the Web according to the Linked Data principles.
As of today there are not many common tools and consumer-oriented applications to browse, query, and analyze this RDF-based data. It is exactly this limitation that this paper tries to overcome by allowing rich and integrated development environments to directly import and/or access the RDF-based Linked Data.
Full text paper (PDF, 22 pages)
Authors: Michael Hausenblas, Michael Kerrin, Michael Pizzo, Evelyne Viegas and Neil Wilson
Source: Microsoft Research publications database, 24 May 2013
Abstract:
This whitepaper explores how OData can be used to expose data within an RDF triple store through an end-user oriented model, and consumed by a broad range of consumer-oriented tools and applications.
In order to better understand how RDF data could be exposed and consumed by OData clients in a real world example, we went from theory to practice by focusing on some scenarios from the British Library which publishes its metadata on the Web according to the Linked Data principles.
As of today there are not many common tools and consumer-oriented applications to browse, query, and analyze this RDF-based data. It is exactly this limitation that this paper tries to overcome by allowing rich and integrated development environments to directly import and/or access the RDF-based Linked Data.
Full text paper (PDF, 22 pages)
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Are kids who take music lessons different from other kids?
Mark Witten writes (Medical Xpress, 23 May 2013):
Research by University of Toronto Mississauga psychology professor Glenn Schellenberg reveals that two key personality traits – openness-to-experience and conscientiousness—predict better than IQ who will take music lessons and continue for longer periods.
Read more.
Amazon expands Kindle tablet sale to 170 countries
 |
| Image: The Amazon Kindle Fire tablet is displayed at a press conference in New York on September 28, 2011 |
From Phys.org.org, 23 May 2013
Online retail titan Amazon announced Thursday it is expanding sales of its Kindle tablet computers to "over 170 countries and territories around the world," and its Appstore in nearly 200 countries.
Read more.
BOOK (2013) Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived
Published: Walker & Company, 29 January 2013
240 pages
ISBN-13: 9780802717566
Over the past 180 years scientists have sifted through evidence that at least twenty-seven human species have evolved on planet Earth. And as you may have noticed, twenty-six of them are no longer with us, done in by their environment, predators, disease, or the unfortunate shortcomings of their DNA. What enabled us to survive when so many other human species were shown the evolutionary door?
Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived by acclaimed science journalist Chip Walter tells the intriguing tale of how against all odds and despite nature’s brutal and capricious ways we stand here today, the only surviving humans, and the planet’s most dominant species.
Drawing on a wide variety of scientific disciplines, Walter reveals how a rare evolutionary phenomenon led to the uniquely long childhoods that make us so resourceful and emotionally complex. He looks at why we developed a new kind of mind and how our highly social nature has shaped our moral (and immoral) behavior. And in exploring the traits that enabled our success, he plumbs the roots of our creativity and investigates why we became self-aware in ways that no other animal is. Along the way, Last Ape Standing profiles other human species who evolved with us and who have also shaped our kind in startling ways – the Neanderthals of Europe, the “Hobbits” of Indonesia, the Denisovans of Siberia, and the recently discovered Red Deer Cave people of China, who died off just as we stood at the brink of civilizations eleven thousand years ago.
Last Ape Standing is an engaging and accessible story that explores the forces that molded us into the peculiar and astonishing creature that we are.
VIDEO (5:09) "I'll Fight You For The Library" performed by Taylor Mali - worth watching!
"I'll Fight You For The Library" performed by Taylor Mali as part of the Page Meets Stage Series at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City on April 29, 2009.
ARTICLE (2013) What I wish I'd known about building teen services from scratch
Author: Gretchen Kolderup
Posted: In The Library With The Lead Pipe, 22 May 2013
In brief:
During my first professional position I found myself building a teen services program from scratch at a public library in a small town. In this article, I reflect on some of what I learned through that experience, including the value of data, the importance of having a vision, how much relationships matter, and the value of professional community. I conclude with a call for dialogue among other builders of teen services to share our experiences and lessons.
Read full article.
Posted: In The Library With The Lead Pipe, 22 May 2013
In brief:
During my first professional position I found myself building a teen services program from scratch at a public library in a small town. In this article, I reflect on some of what I learned through that experience, including the value of data, the importance of having a vision, how much relationships matter, and the value of professional community. I conclude with a call for dialogue among other builders of teen services to share our experiences and lessons.
Read full article.
The National Children's Museum, National Harbor, Prince George's County, Maryland, USA
From the National Children's Museum website:
The National Children's Museum inspires children to care about and improve the world.
Designed primarily for children age 8 and younger, the National Children’s Museum (NCM) is a nationally recognized cultural and educational institution serving children and families onsite and through national partners and programs. The Museum’s exhibits and innovative educational programs spark the imagination and celebrate the true power of children, motivating them to become people who make a difference in the world.
Designated by the United States Congress in 2003 as the only national museum focused on children, NCM houses exhibits and programs that honor kids’ voices and reflect themes that speak to them as they learn about and engage with the world around them.
Read more.
BOOK (2013) Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography, Volume One: Not for Turning
Published: Penguin Books, SA, May 2013
ISBN-13: 9780713992823
Not For Turning is the first volume of Charles Moore's authorized biography of Margaret Thatcher, the longest serving Prime Minister of the twentieth century and one of the most influential political figures of the postwar era.
Charles Moore's biography of Margaret Thatcher, published after her death on 8 April 2013, immediately supercedes all earlier books written about her. At the moment when she becomes a historical figure, this book also makes her into a three dimensional one for the first time. It gives unparalleled insight into her early life and formation, especially through her extensive correspondence with her sister, which Moore is the first author to draw on. It recreates brilliantly the atmosphere of British politics as she was making her way, and takes her up to what was arguably the zenith of her power, victory in the Falklands. (This volume ends with the Falklands Dinner in Downing Street in November 1982.) Moore is clearly an admirer of his subject, but he does not shy away from criticising her or identifying weaknesses and mistakes where he feels it is justified. Based on unrestricted access to all Lady Thatcher's papers, unpublished interviews with her and all her major colleagues, this is the indispensable, fully rounded portrait of a towering figure of our times.
VIDEO (57:26) LibValue: Assessing the Value of E-books to Academic Libraries and Users
This webcast, recorded April 18, 2013, describes research conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on how libraries and library users value e-books. Presenters include Paula Kaufman, Dean of Libraries and University Librarian; Tina Chrzastowski, Chemistry Librarian and Professor of Library Administration; and Lynn Wiley, Head of Acquisitions and Associate Professor.
Webcast slides available at https://www.libqual.org/documents/Lib....
IEEE Now Provides Open-Access Option for All Peer-Reviewed Journals
From IEEE, 22 May 2013:
IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, today announced that all IEEE-owned peer-reviewed journals now offer open-access (OA) publishing options – the latest sign of OA's growth as it continues to transform the scholarly research publishing industry.
Open access allows all technologists and the general public to access research articles online for free, as opposed to the traditional scholarly publishing model that requires paid subscriptions. By removing these access barriers, OA publishing can help gain more exposure for new concepts that can advance research and scientific applications. Additionally, studies have shown OA publishing may increase article citations.
IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, today announced that all IEEE-owned peer-reviewed journals now offer open-access (OA) publishing options – the latest sign of OA's growth as it continues to transform the scholarly research publishing industry.
Open access allows all technologists and the general public to access research articles online for free, as opposed to the traditional scholarly publishing model that requires paid subscriptions. By removing these access barriers, OA publishing can help gain more exposure for new concepts that can advance research and scientific applications. Additionally, studies have shown OA publishing may increase article citations.
Read full announcement.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
BOOK (Oct 2012) Makers: The New Industrial Revolution (by Chris Anderson)
Published: Crown business, 2 October 2012
272 pages, hardcover
ISBN: 0307720950
Wired magazine editor and bestselling author Chris Anderson takes you to the front lines of a new industrial revolution as today’s entrepreneurs, using open source design and 3-D printing, bring manufacturing to the desktop. In an age of custom-fabricated, do-it-yourself product design and creation, the collective potential of a million garage tinkerers and enthusiasts is about to be unleashed, driving a resurgence of American manufacturing. A generation of “Makers” using the Web’s innovation model will help drive the next big wave in the global economy, as the new technologies of digital design and rapid prototyping gives everyone the power to invent -- creating “the long tail of things”.
Hoffmann Collection of Northern Sotho Cultural Heritage in the framework of the German-South African Year of Science 2012 / 2013
 |
| Berlin Function, 11 April 2013 Dr Buhle Mbambo-Thata (Unisa Library), Dr Wolfgang Krogel (Berlin Mission Archives), Marié Coetzee (Unisa Archives) Image: Unisa Library, University of South Africa |
The cultural
event also included the first screening of Dr Annekie Joubert’s documentary film
The making of a missionary, Carl Adolf Gustav Hoffmann 1868-1962,
a photo exhibition and a podium discussion.
 |
| Hoffmann film brochure Image: Unisa Library, University of South Africa |
Combined
teams of South African and German researchers and archivists of the Humboldt
University in Berlin, the University of South Africa, the University of Pretoria
and the Evangelisches Landeskirchliches Archiv (ELAB) have worked
collaboratively over the past two years under the leadership of Dr Annekie
Joubert of the Humboldt University on the Hoffmann Research Project. The goals
of the project were to unlock and to prepare the comprehensive collection of
Northern Sotho cultural heritage left by the Berlin missionary Carl Hoffmann as
a National Cultural Treasure; and to exchange this endangered heritage that is
scattered in different institutions in Germany and South Africa through the
digitisation of archival materials.
Carl Hoffmann
worked as a Berlin missionary in the Duiwelskloof area for more than thirty
years. He contributed many article on Northern Sotho culture and language
issues in German scientific journals. He published in both German and Northern
Sotho languages and is an acknowledged artist and authority on Sotho history,
language, culture, legends, myths and fables.
The Project
increased the public awareness of Germany and South Africa as research partners
by sharing the fruits of unique academic co-operation in the field of Social
Science and Humanities (Indigenous Knowledge Systems & Archival
Repositories).
 |
Hoffmann Researchers photographed in Berlin, 10 April 2013
Back: Prof Gerrie Grobler (Unisa) and Anke Moelleken
(Humboldt University )
Front: Prof Inge Kosch (Unisa), Dr Annekie Joubert
(Humboldt)
and Prof Lize Kriel (Pretoria University) Image: Unisa Library, University of South Africa
|
Unisa was
represented at the cultural event in Berlin by Dr Buhle Mbambo-Thata and Marié
Coetzee (Library Services), Prof Inge Kosch and Prof Gerrie Grobler (African
Languages). Their visit to Germany was made possible by funding from the German
Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Post written by Marié
Coetzee, Manager: Archive
Services, Department of Library
Services, University of South Africa coetzma@unisa.ac.za
Mais non! French universities may teach in English
Jamey Keater writes (Phys.org, 22 May 2013:
National Assembly on Wednesday was taking up an education reform bill that would allow public universities to hold some courses—like science or economics classes—in English, a plan that has alarmed language purists and the political far-right alike.
Read more.
National Assembly on Wednesday was taking up an education reform bill that would allow public universities to hold some courses—like science or economics classes—in English, a plan that has alarmed language purists and the political far-right alike.
Read more.
BOOK (2013) The Afterlife of a Restless Soul: But is God Really a Woman?
Published: Outskirts Press, 6 April 2013
289 pages, paperback
ISBN-13: 9781478708766
Outskirts Press of Denver, CO announces the publication of a new book titled The Afterlife of a Restless Soul: But is God Really a Woman? by Princeton author, John F Brinster. This is his sixth book written in the past decade in the fields of science and philosophy relating to mind function and behavior.
As a book of fiction, science, and satire it describes how the soul of a hard and fast atheist professor unexpectedly must maneuver in heaven following untimely death. It emphasizes deteriorating world condition and desired changes and, although it is laced with elements of humor, it represents a serious review of atheist vision of a world of widespread conflicting religious beliefs. It emphasizes how religious differences have led to endless bitter conflict and suffering throughout the planet. It is intended to encourage reexamination of education that often influences vulnerable minds in unreal and imaginative directions, hopefully to lessen extreme and militant religious violence. The protagonist questions the existence of a higher power that would allow such human behavior. The controversial subtitle But is God Really a Woman? is consistent with modern feminist movements. The professor considers fundamental female characteristics as a basis for superior feminine development and recognition, suggesting that if there were a god it must be female.
Brinster is a phi beta kappa, magna cum laude graduate of Princeton University in physics. A founder of several high tech companies, Brinster was member of a Palmer Physical Laboratory research team at Princeton University during wartime that developed the atomic bomb and other weaponry. He was assigned responsibility for missile instrumentation including the preparation and firing of five captured German V- 2 missiles for initial upper atmosphere exploration at White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico, working closely with Werhner von Braun, the father of space exploration. At Princeton, he studied with many twentieth century Nobel physicists such as Einstein, Wheeler, Feynman, and Pauli and, as a neighbor of the Institute for Advanced Study, had frequent contact with Einstein and Oppenheimer. In 2006 he made a study of Einstein ideology, published as an op/ed by the Philadelphia Inquirer as Albert Einstein’s Cosmic Reverence in conjunction with the Einstein annus mirabilis anniversary. His most recent nonfiction analysis of the increasing worldwide secular trend is entitled The Precarious Human Role in a Mechanistic Universe (Xlibris).Upon retirement he promoted the study of the human mind at principal NJ universities as part of “the decade of the brain”. As a critic of imaginative thought and hearsay teaching, the need for reason is found throughout his writing.
Conference Keynote Paper by Barbara Fister: Decode academy - excellent
Abstract:
Developing both the skills and the disposition to engage in inquiry is a ubiquitous if ill-defined goal of higher education. Libraries are a space, physical and social, where students practice a number of inquiry skills they can use after graduation to make a living – and, more importantly, to make a difference. But it’s hard to take the long view. Students are focused on completing assignments as efficiently as possible. Faculty want to cover content. Administrators want strong retention and completion rates. Who has time to think about what comes next? The information universe that librarians invite students to use is so complex that learning just enough to complete academic tasks saturates our instructional efforts, distracting us from a fundamental question: what experiences do we provide that support long-lasting and meaningful learning? How will what students learn in our libraries today help them make meaning in the information universe of the future?
Read the text of a talk presented at the annual LOEX conference, held in Nashville, May 3, 2013.
Developing both the skills and the disposition to engage in inquiry is a ubiquitous if ill-defined goal of higher education. Libraries are a space, physical and social, where students practice a number of inquiry skills they can use after graduation to make a living – and, more importantly, to make a difference. But it’s hard to take the long view. Students are focused on completing assignments as efficiently as possible. Faculty want to cover content. Administrators want strong retention and completion rates. Who has time to think about what comes next? The information universe that librarians invite students to use is so complex that learning just enough to complete academic tasks saturates our instructional efforts, distracting us from a fundamental question: what experiences do we provide that support long-lasting and meaningful learning? How will what students learn in our libraries today help them make meaning in the information universe of the future?
Read the text of a talk presented at the annual LOEX conference, held in Nashville, May 3, 2013.
BackTweets - Search for Links On Twitter
BackTweets is a twitter time machine which enables you to search through a tweet history for tweets that link back to your site.
As a free web app, BackTweets lets you search through a tweet archive for URLs sent via twitter. URLs are found regardless of the form they were tweeted in and include: full URL links, shortened URLs and URLs without the WWW prefix.
BackTweets is a great tool for tracking your social media pulse- see how many people are talking about you, who is talking about you, and what they are saying.
Vitamin C kills drug-resistant TB in lab tests
 |
| Oranges are a good source of vitamin C |
Vitamin C can kill multidrug-resistant TB in the lab, scientists have found.
The surprise discovery may point to a new way of tackling this increasingly
hard-to-treat infection, the US study authors from Yeshiva University say in Nature Communications.
Read full article.
Making Open Education Easy: New Course Frameworks from Lumen Learning Offer Blueprints for Teaching with Open Educational Resources
From an announcement by Lumen, 22 May 2013:
PORTLAND, Oregon and Salt Lake City, Utah (May 22, 2013) – Lumen Learning and Instructure broke new ground for open education today with the introduction of six open course frameworks that make teaching with open content easier and more effective than ever before. Now freely available for anyone to access through the Canvas platform, these frameworks serve as blueprints instructors can use for designing and teaching general education courses based exclusively on open educational resources (OER).
Read full announcement.
PORTLAND, Oregon and Salt Lake City, Utah (May 22, 2013) – Lumen Learning and Instructure broke new ground for open education today with the introduction of six open course frameworks that make teaching with open content easier and more effective than ever before. Now freely available for anyone to access through the Canvas platform, these frameworks serve as blueprints instructors can use for designing and teaching general education courses based exclusively on open educational resources (OER).
Read full announcement.
Paperless public library to open in Texas
Source: Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2013, written by Jenny Hendrix
A groundbreaking paperless public library system will open in Texas this year, the BBC reports. Bexar County's $1.5-million BiblioTech project will open its first library branch without a single print book.
Instead, the BiblioTech library will have 100 e-readers for loan, and an initial selection of 10,000 digital titles. The library itself will have a host of computer stations where patrons can study, use the Internet, and learn computer skills.
Read full article.
A groundbreaking paperless public library system will open in Texas this year, the BBC reports. Bexar County's $1.5-million BiblioTech project will open its first library branch without a single print book.
Instead, the BiblioTech library will have 100 e-readers for loan, and an initial selection of 10,000 digital titles. The library itself will have a host of computer stations where patrons can study, use the Internet, and learn computer skills.
Read full article.
British Columbia makes free online textbooks available
Rosanna Tamburri reports (University Affairs/Affaires universitaires, 22 May 2013):
Postsecondary students in British Columbia may get a bit of a break when it comes time to buy their textbooks this fall. In the first move of its kind in Canada, the B.C. government said it will make available up to 20 free and open online textbooks for some of the most popular first- and second-year university and college courses.
Read full article.
Postsecondary students in British Columbia may get a bit of a break when it comes time to buy their textbooks this fall. In the first move of its kind in Canada, the B.C. government said it will make available up to 20 free and open online textbooks for some of the most popular first- and second-year university and college courses.
Read full article.
Next Generation Knowledge and Information Management Conference 4 & 5 July 2013, Johannesburg, South Africa
Sild Conference and Training is inviting you to attend The Next Generation Knowledge and Information Management Conference scheduled for the 4th and 5th July, 2013 at the FNB Conference Centre, Sandton, Johannesburg - South Africa.
The premier Knowledge Management forum is aimed at exploring the knowledge and knowledge process organisations are using the boost creativity, innovation, and competitiveness. Regardless of where you are in your KM journey, this is an opportunity to learn how the best of the best are applying KM to promote the development and sharing of new ideas and build strategic advantage.
Click here for more information (brochure).
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
BOOK (2013) Workplace Culture in Academic Libraries: The Early 21st Century
Published: Chandos, 2013
374 pages, softcover
ISBN-13: 9781843347026
Blessinger and Hrycaj focus on various aspects of workplace culture in academic libraries from the practitioners’ viewpoint, digging into the questions of what conditions contribute to an excellent academic library work environment and what helps to make a particular academic library a great place to work. The book’s 14 chapters cover various aspects of workplace culture in academic libraries such as:
- Overview of workplace culture
- Service assessment
- Workforce diversity
- Physical environment
- Interaction between departments
- Tenure track and academic culture
- Generational differences, including mentoring and coaching
College and Undergraduate Libraries (Volume 20, Issue 1, 2013) Now Available
Some of the articles in this issue:
To read this issue:
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wcul20/current#.UZwMlZAaJjp
- Contextualizing Information Literacy Enrichment Through a Common Reader in a First-Year Experience Seminar by Sarah Fay Philips & Emerson Case (pages 1-24)
- Adjunct Faculty and the Library: A Challenge for Change by Susan Avery (pages 25-39)
- Developing a Topic-Centered First-Year Seminar with an Emphasis on Information Literacy at a Large Regional University by Wendy L. Chambers, Lisa P. Smith, Jessica N. Orvis & Christopher Caplinger (pages 52-71)
- Health Literacy: A National Responsibility—Our Brothers’ Keeper by Lana W. Jackman (pages 95-106)
To read this issue:
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wcul20/current#.UZwMlZAaJjp
World not ready for mass flu outbreak, WHO says
Jonathan Fowler reports (Medical Xpress, 21 May 2013):
The world is unprepared for a massive virus outbreak, the deputy chief of the World Health Organization warned Tuesday, amid fears that H7N9 bird flu striking China could morph into a form that spreads easily among people.
Read full article.
See also:
Estimates reveal low population immunity to new bird flu virus H7N9 in humans (Medical Express, 21 May 2013)
The world is unprepared for a massive virus outbreak, the deputy chief of the World Health Organization warned Tuesday, amid fears that H7N9 bird flu striking China could morph into a form that spreads easily among people.
Read full article.
See also:
Estimates reveal low population immunity to new bird flu virus H7N9 in humans (Medical Express, 21 May 2013)
VIDEO (0:32) High Fidelity - Using Google Glass to Move Avatar Head
High Fidelity is obsessed with low latency and as part of the Google Glass Explorer Program, we've managed to use our Glass to animate our avatars head. Featured in today's Google i/o talk "Voiding Your Warranty: Hacking Glass" - more info at: http://highfidelity.io/blog/
PAPER (2013) Realigning Higher Education: From Starting Them Off to Keeping Them Going
R. David Lankes is a professor and Dean’s Scholar for the New Librarianship at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies and director of the Information Institute of Syracuse. He delivered a paper titled Realigning Higher Education: From Starting Them Off to Keeping Them Going at the future Professioriate Program, Hamilton, NY (USA).
Abstract:
The recent attention to MOOCs has highlighted strains in traditional models of higher education, including cost, pedagogy, scholarly communication, the role of tenure, and the appropriate incorporation of technology into teaching and scholarship. In this presentation Prof. Lankes will explore the larger shift in higher education from preparing students for their first job, to being an institution of lifelong learning.
Slides:
http://quartz.syr.edu/rdlankes/Presentations/2013/FPP-Lankes.pdf
Audio:
http://quartz.syr.edu/rdlankes/pod/2013/FPPs.mp3
Abstract:
The recent attention to MOOCs has highlighted strains in traditional models of higher education, including cost, pedagogy, scholarly communication, the role of tenure, and the appropriate incorporation of technology into teaching and scholarship. In this presentation Prof. Lankes will explore the larger shift in higher education from preparing students for their first job, to being an institution of lifelong learning.
Slides:
http://quartz.syr.edu/rdlankes/Presentations/2013/FPP-Lankes.pdf
Audio:
http://quartz.syr.edu/rdlankes/pod/2013/FPPs.mp3
Texas Conference on Digital Libraries (May 2013) - Presentations & Posters Now Available Online
Many presentations, posters and material from keynotes, panels and a workshops of the Texas Conference on Digital Libraries (TCDL), held 7 - 8 May 2013 in Austin, USA, are now available online.
https://conferences.tdl.org/TCDL/TCDL2013/schedConf/presentations
https://conferences.tdl.org/TCDL/TCDL2013/schedConf/presentations
Internet cable from Cuba to Jamaica comes online
Peter Orsi reports (Phys.org, 21 May 2013) that a new branch of the Venezuela-to-Cuba undersea fiber-optic cable has reportedly come online, linking the island to nearby Jamaica, increasing Cuba's potential international communications bandwidth and providing a backup for the main line.
Read more.
Read more.
BOOK (2013) The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Published: Penguin Books, SA, April 2013
ISBN: 9780349139067
Paperback
In this brilliant and original book, Malcolm Gladwell explains and analyses the 'tipping point', that magic moment when ideas, trends and social behaviour cross a threshold, tip and spread like wildfire. Taking a look behind the surface of many familiar occurrences in our everyday world, Gladwell explains the fascinating social dynamics that cause rapid change.
Bill Gates is once again the richest man in the world
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| Brendan Smialowski /AFP/ Getty Images / May 7, 2013 |
According to the Bloomberg's Billionaires Index, Gates, 57, who co-founded and led Microsoft to the top of the tech world before retiring from day-to-day operations in 2008, has a fortune valued at $72.7 billion.
Read full article.
Academic publisher sues librarian blogger for millions
Ariel Bogle writes (Melville House, 20 May 2013):
“Beall’s list“, created by University of Colorado metadata librarian Jeffrey Beall, collates the academic journals which he regards as questionable. His hard work on outing journals whose business and academic practices are less than reputable has caught the eye of one of the publishers he named and shamed, and now he’s being sued.
Read full article.
“Beall’s list“, created by University of Colorado metadata librarian Jeffrey Beall, collates the academic journals which he regards as questionable. His hard work on outing journals whose business and academic practices are less than reputable has caught the eye of one of the publishers he named and shamed, and now he’s being sued.
Read full article.
Is a MOOC a Textbook or a Course?
Justin Reich asks (Education Week, 19 May 2013): "What exactly is a MOOC?" In his discussion of this concept, he comes to the conclusion that the term avoids simple definition.
Read full discussion.
Read full discussion.
Monday, May 20, 2013
The university of the future: Marching toward obsolescence?
Source: Education Futures, 8 April 2013
Interesting interview of John Moravec by Carlos Scolari for a project on pedagogical inovation and disruptive practices in higher education at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona). The aim of the project is to produce a document on the “university of the future,” including diagnosis, trends, and proposals for moving forward.
Interview: http://www.educationfutures.com/2013/04/08/uni-future/
SyndiFeed - Keep Up With All Your Favorite Sites
http://syndifeed.com/.
SyndiFeed is a way to keep up with all of your favourite sites, blogs and news sites all in one place. Add almost any website to your account and pull in all the latest content.
Found something the world should know about? Like it or share it with your friends on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Haven't got time to read something right now? Click the bookmark icon to save it to your read later folder and come back to it at any time. Because it uses RSS technology, it works with almost any website that provides an RSS feed. You can no also import your subscriptions from Google Reader using our importer tool. Use the discover tab to find new websites and content that you can add to your account.
Ex-Nokia team makes rival smartphone Jolla
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| The smartphone has interchangeable back panels that alter the phone's software |
Source: BBC News, 20 May 2013
A company made up of former Nokia employees has shown off Jolla, a new smartphone with a custom operating system known as Sailfish.
The software has been built from the remnants of MeeGo, a project abandoned
by Nokia in 2011 in favour of adopting Windows Phone for its handsets.
The Jolla phone - pronounced Yol-la - is due to be released by the end of the year, and will only be sold online.
Read full article.
BOOK (2013) Reflecting on the Future of Academic and Public Libraries
Published: ALA Editions, 2013
256 pages, softcover
ISBN-13: 9780838911877
Academic and public libraries are much different today than they were even 15 years ago. With even bigger changes on the horizon, what lies in store? This volume offers ideas to academic and public librarians about the future of library services. Editors Hernon and Matthews invite a raft of contributors to step back and envision the type of future library that will generate excitement and enthusiasm among users and stakeholders. Anyone interested in the future of libraries, especially library managers, will be engaged and stimulated as the contributors
- Examine the current state of the library, summarizing existing literature on the topic to sketch in historical background
- Project into the future, using SWOT analysis, environmental scans, and other techniques to posit how library infrastructure (such as staff, collections, technology, and facilities) can adapt in the decades ahead
- Construct potential scenarios that library leaders can use to forge paths for their own institutions
BOOK (2013) Practical Digital Preservation: A How-to Guide for Organizations of Any Size
Published: ALA Neal-Schuman, 2013
352 pages, softcover
ISBN-13: 9781555709426
This very practical guide, offering a comprehensive overview of best practice, is aimed at the non-specialist, assuming only a basic understanding of IT and offering guidance as to how to implement strategies with minimal time and resources. Digital preservation has become a critical issue for institutions of all sizes but until recently has mostly been the preserve of national archives and libraries with the resources, time and specialist knowledge available to experiment. As the discipline matures and practical tools and information are increasingly available the barriers to entry are falling for smaller organizations which can realistically start to take active steps towards a preservation strategy. However, the sheer volume of technical information now available on the subject is becoming a significant obstacle and a straightforward guide is required to offer clear and practical solutions.
Each chapter covers the essential building blocks of digital preservation strategy and implementation, leading the reader through the process. International case studies from organizations such as the Wellcome Library, Central Connecticut State University Library in the USA and Gloucestershire Archives in the UK illustrate how real organizations have approached the challenges of digital preservation.
Key topics include:
- Making the case for digital preservation
- Understanding your requirements
- Models for implementing a digital preservation service
- Selecting and acquiring digital objects
- Accessioning and ingesting digital objects
- Describing digital objects
- Preserving digital objects
- Providing access to users
- Future trends
This is an essential handbook for anyone involved in digital preservation and those wanting to get a better understanding of the process. It’s also a useful guide to digital preservation basics for students studying library and information science, archives and records management courses and academics getting to grips with practical issues.
VIDEO (1:19) The way-finding station, Bird Library, Syracuse University
If you've ever asked yourself, "What does Fine Arts Limited Access mean, anyway!?" when looking for a book of illustrations, or tired of wandering the library looking for something when you are not even sure that you are on the correct floor, we have a tool for you!
The way-finding station is a large touch screen mounted on the wall between pages cafe and the elevators on the first floor of Bird Library. You can use it to locate a book by call number or find what areas certain subjects or collections are located in.
Hybrid mirrorless interchangeable lens camera
TOKYO — Panasonic on June 20 will release a hybrid mirrorless interchangeable lens camera LUMIX DMC-G6 that enables you to take a high-definition still/moving images.
With 16.05 million pixels, Live Mos sensor and newly developed “Venus engine” built-in, LUMIX DMC-G6 made it possible for ISO25600 high-sensitivity.
And users can take full HD moving images with this camera.
Read more.
Princess Diana museum to close, contents go to sons William, Harry
Diana left personal items to her brother, Earl Spencer, to be "looked after" until her sons turned 30. Her youngest, Harry, will be 30 next year.
The museum's collection includes 28 dresses, two tiaras, priceless family jewelry, along with pictures, letters and home movies.
Read full article.
Human-like opponents lead to more aggression in video game players, study finds
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|
A screen capture from Quake 3 Revolution
|
Video games that pit players against human-looking characters may be more likely to provoke violent thoughts and words than games where monstrous creatures are the enemy, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Connecticut and Wake Forest University.
Read more.
African Library Summit Workshop no 5 - Emerging Library Leaders: A Conversation
It is with great pleasure that the Unisa Library, the IFLA Regional Office for Africa and IFLA Africa Section invite you to the pre-Summit Workshop no 5.
The Title
Emerging Library Leaders: A Conversation
Content of the workshop
Library leadership is fast emerging as a strategic focus area for future growth and sustainability of the library and information services sector. While institutions focus on developing efficient managers and supervisors, there is also the need for visionary leadership, strategic thinking and the ability to advocate for libraries within and beyond one's own institution. This session aims to initiate this crucial conversation between emerging and experienced library leaders on the African continent, so that it becomes an active conversation towards a programme for developing future leaders.
The facilitator of the workshop
Director of Library Services at Rhodes University since February 2012 President of the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) Project Director for the Carnegie Library Leadership Development Grant, UPLS Member of the National Council for Library and Information Services (NCLIS) Former Board member of the National Library of South Africa Former Trustee of the Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust.
She has earned an excellent reputation for proposal writing, grants management and library leadership development in South Africa, which includes the South African Library Leadership Project; Centre for Information Career Development Project (CiCD) and the Next Generation Public Librarians (NGPL) project located at the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), and the Centre for African Library Leadership (CALL) Project at the University of Pretoria.
Her current LIS areas of interest are engaging in library dialogues, continuing professional development, library strategy development, advocacy and lobbying, and libraries on the national development agenda.
The venue
The Pre-Summit Workshops will take place at the University of South Africa, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Date
Tuesday 2 July 2013 from 08:00 to 15:30
Registration fee
(South African Rand) R600 per person (VAT included). The registration fee includes refreshments and lunch.
Registration
Keep in mind: Pre-Summit Workshops on 2 July 2013 are open to all library and information service (LIS) practitioner, researchers and academics, while the African Library Summit 2013 is a top-level meeting of high-ranking officials, including:
· African LIS policy makers
· Senior LIS management, eg executive directors and other senior staff
· Upper-level LIS researchers and LIS academics
If you are already registered for the Summit, you are also eligible to attend a workshop on 2 July 2013.
To request a link to the online registration form, please go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/africanlibrarysummit2013/index.html.
More information on the African Library Summit 2013
More information on the African Library Summit 2013
For more information on the Summit, please visit: http://www.unisa.ac.za/africanlibrarysummit.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Ithaka S+R, RLUK, and JISC Release UK Survey of Academics 2012 Report
Title of report: UK Survey of Academics 2012
Authors: Ross Housewright, Roger C. Schonfeld and Kate Wulfson
Source: RLUK Announcement and Summary.
The survey, funded and guided by Jisc and RLUK and conducted on their behalf by the not-for-profit research organisation Ithaka S+R, received 3,498 responses, (a response rate of 7.9%). The survey covers a range of areas from how academics discover and stay abreast of research, to their teaching of undergraduates. How they choose research topics and publication channels, to their views on learned societies and university libraries, and their collections.
Overarching themes are an increasing reliance on the Internet for their research and publishing activities, and the strong role that openness is playing in their work. Key findings include:
Authors: Ross Housewright, Roger C. Schonfeld and Kate Wulfson
Source: RLUK Announcement and Summary.
The survey, funded and guided by Jisc and RLUK and conducted on their behalf by the not-for-profit research organisation Ithaka S+R, received 3,498 responses, (a response rate of 7.9%). The survey covers a range of areas from how academics discover and stay abreast of research, to their teaching of undergraduates. How they choose research topics and publication channels, to their views on learned societies and university libraries, and their collections.
Overarching themes are an increasing reliance on the Internet for their research and publishing activities, and the strong role that openness is playing in their work. Key findings include:
- Access limitations– While 86% of respondents report relying on their college or university library collections and subscriptions, 49% indicated that they would often like to use journal articles that are not in those collections. (Figure 19, page 37)
- Use of open resources – If researchers can’t find the resources or information they need through their university library, 90% of respondents often or occasionally look online for a freely available version. (Figures 21, page 40.)
- The Internet as starting point – 40% of researchers surveyed said that when beginning a project they start by searching the internet for relevant materials, with only 2% visiting the physical library as a first port of call. (Figure 6, page 22.)
- Following one’s peers– The findings suggest that the majority of researchers track the work of colleagues and leading researchers as a way of keeping up to date with developments in their field. (Figure 9, page 26.)
- Emergence of e-publications– The findings show that e-journals have largely replaced physical usage for research, but that contrasting views exist on replacement of print by e-publications, where print still holds importance within the Humanities and Social Sciences and for in-depth reading in general. (Figure 16, page 34and Figures 10-13, pages 28-31.)
Read full report (PDF, 92 pages)
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