The link might be a little old but I can't resist a good Google maps mash-up:
http://contexts.org/socimages/2009/09/28/u-s-requests-to-remove-books-fr...
Posted: September 29, 2009 6:09 pm | 0 comments
Tags: censorship, libraries, mash-up
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/07/30/high-school-student-1.html
So basically...
Paper: 1
DRM: 0
Posted: July 31, 2009 9:13 am | 0 comments
Tags: 1984, amazon, don't push the red button, Kindle
Kid keeping a lending library of banned books in his locker
My favorite comment:
" #1 posted by joebobfunguy, May 24, 2009 6:37 AM
And I thought I was counter culture for selling pot."
Posted: May 24, 2009 11:39 am | 1 comment
Tags: awesomeness, banned books, teens
http://digg.com/people/How_Four_Librarians_Beat_the_Patriot_Act
:D
Posted: April 25, 2009 10:23 am | 0 comments
Tags: the bush years
This Worcesterite will be there in style. Don't forget to say hello!
Posted: March 30, 2009 11:09 am | 0 comments
Tags: conference, Digital Commonwealth of Massachusetts, shout-outs
Just some ideas spurred by this silly Apple concept video from the 80s. The last 20 years have certainly expanded computing power but at the same time I think this demonstrates how we've moved toward more viable human-computer information interaction... also, c'mon, a bowtie?
I know playing futurist is a bit like a one-person checkers game, so bear with me:
Free wireless internet, everywhere. Large battery capacity and a hand crank or some easy way to optionally live off the grid. Uses free and open source software, physically the devices has no proprietary ports. Data is shared via bit-torrent between devices to decentralize server and power load. It wouldn't just zoom. You should be able to resize the image based on needs, maybe using a nano-scale projector (that didn't overheat) or some sort of non-clunky goggle or other ocular enhancement. Annotation, ala Skim or Youtube's new commentary function (pop-up video style) it would have built in analog capture functionality for use i ... more »Posted: February 22, 2009 11:25 am | 0 comments
Tags: Digital Libraries, Internet Archive, Kindle, Miro, Mobile Devices, olpc, superfluous futurism
I've got a bone to pick with a recent article I read feature on Library stuff.
It's pretty simple. Wikipedia, love it or hate it, is not a monolithic entity. It's diverse by definition. That's the point. Information quality lies on a spectrum. Yes, there are vandals, yes, you can do silly things like cite an edit you yourself made. There are inherent flaws...
BUT
Making blanket statements like "[Wikipedia] ultimately lessens the quality of whatever you were trying to do" ignores the very nature of Wikipedia itself.
There are in fact some very high quality articles on Wikipedia. Not all of them. Some. But you'll only be able to say that through direct comparison with other sources.
Don't confuse Wikipedia with lazy academics. Go ahead and start your search with Wikipedia. Do the work, come back and make it better!
Posted: February 15, 2009 2:17 pm | 1 comment
Tags: digital culture, research, Wikipedia
http://cleantechnica.com/2008/11/19/free-solar-powered-wifi-coming-to-a-...
If you've been reading my blog, I think the pattern should be pretty clear by now: Chris has idea, thinks it's original > finds contrary evidence the next day or in this case, weeks later > mild depression.
Ok I made the last part up :P
I'm actually really happy to see this implemented and still think Librarians should play a vital role in maintaining and promoting community based internet service in a sustainable, wireless manner. Yeah, yeah, RF whitespace and secret Google plans might be on the way, but the FCC simply moves too slow, we have to take this into our own hands. It's gonna happen, mark my words!
Posted: November 19, 2008 8:32 am | 0 comments
Tags: internet, solar power, wifi
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/10/17/eff-sues-to-overturn.html
Usually I don't do this sort of "advertising" thing, but the Electronic Frontier Foundation is a pretty awesome non-profit and they deserve a donation if you've got the bucks. They've been fighting tooth and nail against this whole "oh hey, we're going to illegally wiretap and spy on US citizens, ps - immunity, lol" thing that the NSA has been doing lately.
I wish I was making that up.
Posted: October 17, 2008 9:36 am | 0 comments
Tags: electronic frontier foundation
Dear Library and Information Scientists,
I am sorry about "inventing" ideas that have already been done. It's kind of hard to keep track (just sayin').
Love,
Chris
PS - Librarything is pretty awesome.
Posted: October 5, 2008 8:53 pm | 0 comments
Tags: apology, green, gslis
