Following up on the theme of Open Source Software, Shirl Kennedy at DocuTicker/ResourceShelf has posted a list of some very nice add-ons for Firefox users.
Daily Archives: May 28, 2008
A Strategy for Openness
[Cross posted on Freegovinfo]
The New York State Office for Technology and the New York State Archives, has just issued a report that “examines how the state can provide choice, interoperability and vendor neutrality in electronic document creation while ensuring electronic records are preserved and remain accessible.”
“The report [“A Strategy for Openness: Enhancing E-Records Access in New York State”] recommends establishing a statewide, cross-government Electronics Records Committee to address, in a formal, long-term and collaborative manner, all aspects of electronic record creation, management and preservation. The committee would facilitate state agency adoption, place the vendor community on notice of the state’s strategic direction and long-term commitment for technology openness, and ensure this commitment is institutionalized throughout the state enterprise and survives government leadership transitions. Another recommendation suggests the committee develops and publishes a final open records policy, and begins issuing a series of standards and guidelines for implementing the policy.”
Hat tip to the terrific BeSpacific blog
ATMs for Books – the Espresso Book Machine & Zinio for magazines
Jason Epstein, Chairman of On Demand Books, has a letter to the editor in today’s Wall Street Journal, “Books Have a Bright Future and Not Just a Digital One.” Mr. Epstein discusses the machine he calls the Espresso Book Machine, which “automatically prints, binds, and trims one copy at a time, on demand, quickly . . . “ I would love to have such a device in our library, so that we can purchase more monographs on demand and less on speculation.
There’s also an article by Jon Swartz in today’s USA Today about a new service, Zinio, that offers digital versions of over 750 magazines. The story, “Zinio puts hundreds of magazines a click away – Digital versions give readers new options,” is interesting but I see less of a need for this at the law library than the ability to download and rapidly print books. Although the story notes that “. . . Zinio offers for free 120 ‘digital classics’ such as Moby Dick, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Great Expectations through its website . . . The books are downloadable.”