Paper-based optical discs

contributed by Michael G. at 03:38 PM on June 02, 2004.

This is kind of an old story, but I think it was interesting, and haven't been around much to post it earlier.

Sony announce new optical discs made of paper

The discs are compatible with the next generation DVD technology (blue lasers?), which can store up to five times as much data as current (red laser) DVD technology. The discs are made of 51% paper, which reduces production costs, and allows for easier destruction of discs, making them more secure.

Humanity's greatest secrets; hidden beneath the NY Public Library

contributed by Michael G. at 03:17 PM on June 02, 2004.

ER star Noah Wyle has signed on to play the title role in TNT's upcoming fantasy telefilm The Librarian, which will be executive produced by Dean Devlin (Independence Day), TNT announced. Wyle will play the caretaker of a repository of humanity's greatest secrets hidden beneath the New York Public Library, which includes everything from the Golden Fleece to the Ark of the Covenant, the network said.

Considering the country's reading habits, there are probably as many great human "secrets" in the public holdings of the library as there are in the mythical secret library.

Google vs. Libraries, Part 724

contributed by Michael G. at 02:04 PM on April 30, 2004.

Someone on one of the list-servs I subscribe to brought up this very interesting article, re: Google and the value of libraries:

"Without an IPO price, or even an accurate number of shares, it's hard to say how much Google is worth. But based on the information provided, analysts predict that Google will be valued at $22 billion to $28 billion." [ article ]

"My guess is about 300 years until computers are as good as, say, your local reference library in doing search," says Craig Silverstein (Google director of technology). [ article ]

So, Google is worth $22 billion to $28 billion, but it will be about 300
years before they are as good as your local library and its librarians in
doing research.

So, what are libraries worth? What is a librarian worth?

Comments (2) | Categorized in: Form: News

Graduate Salary Figures

contributed by Michael G. at 01:56 PM on April 01, 2004.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has recently released it's annual survey on starting salries by academic major. Though the survey refers specifically to undergraduate majors, it is heartening to note that Information Science students should expect to receive an average salary of around $41,000. As I'll soon be graduting with my Masters in Information and Library Science (hire me!), that means I should be expecting what, $60,000?

Comments (2) | Categorized in: Form: News , Topic: Librarian Stereotype

Self-Appreciation is still a kind of appreciation

contributed by Michael G. at 04:42 PM on March 03, 2004.

April 20 has been declared National Library Worker's Appreciation Day. Who is doing the declaring? The American Library Association Allied Professional Association. I suppose this sort of self-promotion has worked for cheese ("Ah, the power of cheese") and pork ("the other white meat"), among others, so why not librarians?

Be a Librarian for a Day!

contributed by Michael G. at 11:31 AM on February 19, 2004.

On one of the list-servs I read someone brought up this Women's Day Magazine Be a Librarian for a Day Contest. The response from the librarians on the list, to paraphrase our Attorney General, is more than a little hysterical.

These "Be a Whatever for a Day" contests are fairly common. When you win a contest to be, say, an airline pilot for a day, no resonable person should expect a) that you'll actually be flying a plane, or b) that single day will be enough training to be able to replace a real pilot.

It's just a stupid contest!

The thing I'm more bothered about is that the Grand Prize, the day in the library and a Women's Day T-shirt is lsited as having a retail value of just $25. I'm spending quite a bit more than that on schooling to eventually put me in a library, and if I knew all I would have had to do to get my foot in the door would be to write a winning 700-word essay, I'd certainly have rethought the path the last several years of my life have taken.

Restoring Reader's Privacy

contributed by Michael G. at 12:23 PM on February 17, 2004.

Whatever your take on John Ashcroft, you can certainly get behind any movement to ammend Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, the part of the legislation that allows the federal government to collect information from booksellers and libraries on the habits of readers.

A group of these librarians, booksellers, and authors have gotten together to begin, among other things, a national petition to encourage repealing section 215. For more information, check out their website, the Campaign for Reader Privacy.

New facilities for GPO

contributed by Michael G. at 01:58 PM on February 10, 2004.

I like the currentPublic Printer of the United States, Bruce James. He seems a very forward thinking sort of fellow, and in his year and a half as Public Printer, has run the Governmenr Printing Office (GPO) like the business it is suposed to be. James will announce plans later today for a new, modern facility for the GPO.

Napster; an academic database?

contributed by Thomas L. at 10:19 AM on February 08, 2004.

Here is an interesting development; Univ. of Rochester has purchased access to the Napster (now owned by Roxio) Network and is offering use of it to students for free. I am not sure if this is a forward thinking act by an insightful university, or a desparate marketing ploy by an irrelevant company, but it certainly changes the meaning of an 'academic database.' I wonder when Harvard is going to buy the Apple Itunes Music Store?

Frightening CI?

contributed by Kaura G. at 06:13 PM on February 06, 2004.

IBM's new WebFountain knows about your wife's best friend... go to article

WebFountain sifts through the online data to discover patterns that even the most dedicated librarian can't find.

The article states that they are using the information in a constructive manner, but I find the implications frightening.