Newsstand 

The new RLG DigiNews is out.

Feature Article:
Emulation vs. Migration: Do Users Care by Margaret Hedstom and Clifford Lampe

The December D-Lib Magazine is out. As usual, lots of interesting reading. This one caught my eye: A Framework for Building Open Digital Libraries by Hussein Suleman and Edward A. Fox

Abstract:
Digital Libraries (DLs) have traditionally been positioned at the intersection of library science, computer science, and networked information systems. The different underlying philosophies of these three fields has had an unsettling influence on the development of DLs. While library science is fairly mature, networked information systems are constantly evolving to keep pace with Internet innovation. DLs are thus expected to demonstrate the careful management of libraries while supporting standards that evolve at an astonishing pace. This architectural moving target is a predicament that all DLs face sooner or later in their lifecycle, and one that few manage to deal with effectively. To exacerbate this problem, there has been a general desire for systems to be interoperable at the levels of data exchange and service collaboration. Such interoperability requirements necessitated the development of standards such as the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set and the Open Archives Initiative's Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH). These standards have achieved a degree of success in the DL community largely because of their generality and simplicity. Informed by those lessons, this project is an attempt to consistently extend known interoperability standards to form the basis of a framework of components for building extensible DLs. [read more]

Year in Books 

From Publishers Weekly--The Year in Books 2001

This is the debut of PW's "The Year in Books," an annual review examining noteworthy trends in books and publishing. This approach includes highlighting titles that we discern to be of exceptional quality and also citing books that are important for other reasons--because they have spearheaded a wave of similar books, encapsulated a notable point of view, stood apart from the pack or just sent buyers rushing to the checkout counters. We've also included titles that, despite their potential, failed to take off for various reasons. We hope that highlighting them here might give them a second chance. [read more]

The Web--Ten Years Old 

What will the Web be tomorrow?

A Web gadfly points his stinger, Jeffrey Zeldman interview

State of the Web: Glass half full, Tiffany Shlain interview

Charting the Web's next transformation, Tim Berners-Lee interview

Libraries in the Political World 

An axe to the root of our culture

Julia Lewis reveals how the government is forcing libraries to sell -- and sometimes pulp -- great works of literature in the name of vibrancy and multiculturalism. [read more]

Libraries and Archives Online 

Russian Archives Online

Technology News 

Xerox's Palo Alto Lab to become independent company

XEROX said today that it is transforming its Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) into an independent company.

The move sets the stage for "key strategic partners" to invest in the laboratory while ensuring that Xerox continues to control access to the center's research and technology, the company said in a statement.

Last year, Xerox announced plans to create the wholly owned subsidiary and said it would seek strategic, noncompetitive partners for PARC. The company said today active discussions are under way with potential investors.

The new company, which is expected to begin operations after Jan. 1, will continue to generate a stream of inventions, creating opportunities for Xerox and future investors to market PARC-developed technology commercially.

Xerox said it expects that PARC employees will transfer to the new company after the first of the year. A search for a CEO of the new company is under way.

Founded in 1970, PARC has developed such technology as the graphical user interface, client/server architecture, laser printing and Ethernet.

Xerox officials could not be reached for further comment.
(link via Hack the Planet)

Publishing 

Is Self-Publishing the Answer? by Mark Ortman

With several thousand manuscripts being submitted to publishing houses each week, only a very small percentage are selected. Persuading a publisher to finance and distribute your book is often a frustrating experience filled with rejection letters and delays. Even then, limited promotional backing for first-time authors often restricts the books potential. Unless you are a celebrity, a prolific writer, or have a proven track record, chances are slim of your gaining the favor of a commercial publisher.

All is not lost. Consider how Wayne Dyer (Erroneous Zones) James Redfield (Celestine Prophecy) and Richard Bolles (What Color is Your Parachute) got started. Publishers failed to see the value of their message. As a result, they self-published. Self-publishing has become one of the fastest growing segments in the publishing industry. [read more]

Copyright 

The Public Domain: Publisher Beware by Lloyd L. Rich

The purpose of this article is to provide publishers with an overview of the "public domain" and to make them aware of some of the complexities involved in determining whether a work is in the "public domain".

It covers:

• What is the Public Domain?
• Works That are Automatically in the Public Domain
• Protected Works that Enter the Public Domain
• Term of Copyright Protection
• Statutory Formalities
• Derivative & Combined Protected/Unprotected Works

[read more]

Ý

Electronic Publishing 

Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography, Version 40

This bibliography presents selected English-language articles, books, and other printed and electronic sources that are useful in understanding scholarly electronic publishing efforts on the Internet. Most sources have been published between 1990 and the present; however, a limited number of key sources published prior to 1990 are also included. Where possible, links are provided to sources that are freely available on the Internet.

Business in the Digital Age 

End Game Emelie Rutherford inteview David Weinberger

...Weinberger's epiphany in "The Hyperlinked Organization" chapter of The Cluetrain Manifesto is simple: Businesses don't consist of slots on an org chart or entries in a database. Businesses are made up of people. And people define and organize the business by continually discussing, literally and metaphorically, what their company is really all about. The internet's influence is killing traditional business structures and allowing these human hyperlinks to organize businesses. Web Writer Emelie Rutherford recently caught up with Weinberger and he clued her in to business' big secret, that we are all human. "Here's some news for today's business pharaohs," Weinberger said. "Your pyramid is being replaced by hyperlinks. It was built on sand anyway." [read the interview]

History of the Internet 

From Google Groups 20 Year Usenet Archive

Google has fully integrated the past 20 years of Usenet archives into Google Groups, which now offers access to more than 700 million messages dating back to 1981. We believe this to be the most complete collection of Usenet articles ever assembled and a fascinating first-hand historical account.

Stanford celebrates 10th anniversary of first U.S. Web site

Ten years ago, a Stanford University physicist created the first U.S. Web site -- three lines of text, with one link to e-mail and another link to a huge scientific database.

Paul Kunz's basic Web site, which first appeared Dec. 12, 1991, was the first U.S. site on the World Wide Web, which was then just a year old. [read more]

Electronic Paper? 

New Video Screen Is Like Paper by Justin Pope

The picture is small, and it's far from crisp, but Dutch researchers claim they've taken an important step in the race for a video screen with the properties of a piece of paper.

The device, described in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature, is fired by plastic transistors that are flexible, potentially inexpensive to make and work well enough to constantly refresh a screen to create moving images.

Since the 1970s, researchers have tried to find a way to combine the best qualities of paper - lightness, flexibility and a sharp contrast that makes it easy to see - with the refresh capabilities of video. [read more]