Google puts scientific research tools in the hands of journalists
(memeburn.com): The rise of cloud computing and the wealth of public data allows journalists and scholars to do some serious computer-assisted reporting, or as it is commonly known, “data-driven story telling”. When you want to take your story into new, more informative territory, then these are some tools that you… Read More
Editorials: To sign or not?
(the-scientist.com): Only a few major journals continue to print anonymous editorials representing a publication's point of view. Most opt instead to run articles signed by staff or outside experts -- and many in the scientific, medical and publishing communities say that's a good thing. Major scientific and medical journals have… Read More
Testing Jan Velterop’s Hunch About Green and Gold Open Access
(archivists.org): Velterop (2010) has conjectured that more articles are being made Open Access (OA) by publishing them in an OA journal ("Gold OA") than by publishing them in a conventional journal and self-archiving them ("Green OA"), even where self-archiving is mandatory. Of our sample of 11,801 articles published 2002-2008 by… Read More
Research suggests that search engines could tap into users’ need to be entertained
(technologyreview.in): Search engines are designed to help people get things done: find a local business, plan a vacation, or understand an unfamiliar concept. This focus is demonstrated by how search businesses measure their own performance--by how quickly a user find the page they were looking for. It's considered bad if… Read More
Libraries must remain free and open to all
(toledoblade.com): Some people think that public libraries are no longer relevant. They would reduce public funding of these long-standing institutions. These individuals don't see the necessity or profundity of Andrew Carnegie's words, "Open to All," which are carved and forever enshrined above the doorways of the numerous libraries built in… Read More
Older Adults and Social Media
(pewinternet.org): While social media use has grown dramatically across all age groups, older users have been especially enthusiastic over the past year about embracing new networking tools. Social networking use among internet users ages 50 and older nearly doubled—from 22% in April 2009 to 42% in May 2010. Young adults… Read More
Millions use online library services
(publicservice.co.uk): A total of 28.3m people accessed library information and services online in the first 6 months of 2010, Socitm has said. Socitm, the association for public sector ICT professionals, said that this has risen from 20.9m in the same period during 2009. Their website takeup service, which has been… Read More
Tackling the Data-Driven Funding Challenge — a New Skill for Nonprofit Managers
(scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org): Can you measure your mission? Many nonprofits are being asked to provide metrics of success in order to keep and attract donations and funding. When it comes to fundraising and donors, it’s no longer enough for non-profit organizations to talk about the relative value of their mission, activities, and… Read More
New science blog networks mushroom to life
(scientificamerican.com): The science blogosphere is shrinking and growing at the same time. Today, the Public Library of Science (PLoS) starts a new network called PLoS Blogs. A nonprofit publisher of open-access journals focused on biological sciences, PLoS will fold its three existing blogs under its new network, managed by Brian… Read More
Beijing International Book Fair looks at the future of the printed book
(english.peopledaily.com.cn): One of the main topics of discussion at last week's 17th Beijing International Book Fair was not whether the printed book was dead - for some that was a given - but whether publishers might be about to die with it. Among the stands of the world's publishing elite… Read More
