There has been a bucketload of commentary about the recent announcement by HarperCollins about limiting the lending of eBooks in libraries, all well worth wading through. Meredith Farkas, on the Information Wants To Be Free blog, puts this in the broader context of problematic e-content licensing models. The post and ensuing comments covers many of the issues the library world has been grappling with when procuring electronic resources — a debate well worth having.
Google has announced that Google Editions [1], its eBook store, will launch internationally in the first quarter of 2011 (or first half, depending on who you ask).
Apparently Google is adopting a ‘universal ‘ approach by relying on browser-based access rather then getting embroiled in the ePub vs. PDF vs. proprietary formats debate. Other technical and legal details are still a bit unclear.
1. And then, of course, they went and renamed it Google eBooks but now you can read more about the formats and other technical details.
Multimedia Information & Technology vol 36 no 2 is now available at www.cilip.org.uk/mmit
The May issue features a special focus on technology in schools covering interactive devices in primary schools using music; interactive handhelds and learner response systems in secondary schools; technology and learning difficulties; and ICT in primary education. Other features include roving reference library services in higher education; digital signage; and Google Wave. Kate Lomax’s ‘Best of the Blog’ concentrates on the recent Public Library Modernisation review.
Chris Leftley reviews Digital Information: Order or Anarchy; Kevin Curran critiques Bite-Sized Marketing; Ken Cheetham gives his views on Mastering Photographic Composition; and Antony Brewerton reviews The Gold Diggers film.
The news section covers the Pingar search platform for dynamic searches; the latest version of Camtasia’s screen recording tool; I am learning’s use of online games; video-linked musical workshops for remote schools; a new digital publishing research project; World Maths Day; making YouTube secure for classroom use; how Soundbooth Plus transforms ICT resources into language labs; and a new author hotline website. The BFI’s new COI collection, Police and Thieves, and Design for Today, are showcased.
Kevin Curran’s technology round-up includes thoughts on credibility of websites; an update on Google Books; how best to ensure secure passwords; software to set up meetings easily; a free tools to create worksheets and lesson pages and to publish them online; plus Text 2.0 – the way that tablet PCs will use interactive eye-tracking technology.
The August issue will include a special focus on public libraries.
Comments or contributions are welcome. Please contact the Managing Editor, Catherine Dhanjal with article or news suggestions, or images of multimedia in use. We are interested in your article suggestions for projects where you have used technology in a research/library/information setting. If you have any difficulties with online access, please contact me. If you do not currently subscribe, contact catherine.dhanjal@theansweruk.com for subscription information.
