Should copyright of academic works be abolished?From the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) websiteThe conventional rationale for copyright of written works, that copyright is needed to foster their creation, is seemingly of limited applicability to the academic domain. For in a world without copyright of academic writing, academics would still benefit from publishing in the major way that they do now, namely, from gaining scholarly esteem. Yet publishers would presumably have to impose fees on authors, because publishers would no longer be able to profit from reader charges. If these author publication fees were actually borne by academics, their incentives to publish would be reduced. But if the publication fees were paid by universities or grantors, the motive of academics to publish would be unlikely to decrease (and could actually increase) – suggesting that ending academic copyright would be socially desirable in view of the broad benefits of a copyright-free world. If so, the demise of academic copyright should probably be achieved by a change in law, for the “open access” movement that effectively seeks this objective without modification of the law faces fundamental difficulties.
Technologies employed to control access to, or use of, digital cultural collections: Controlled online collectionsFrom the D-Lib Magazine websiteThis article describes the results of a survey investigating the use of technological protection measure (TPM) tools to control patron access to, or use of, digital cultural materials made accessible by U.S. archives, libraries and museums. Libraries reported using a broader range of systems than archives or museums including repository software, streaming media servers, digital library software and courseware. In terms of controlling access to collections, most respondents reported using IP range restrictions and network-ID based authorisation systems. Some reported restricting access to approved terminals or individual user registration systems. In terms of controlling use of collection items, respondents reported reliance on resolution limits, clips and thumbnails, and visible watermarking. A lower percentage reported use of click-through license agreements. Few institutions reported using new technologies to control access or use such as pop-ups, disabling right click copy and save functionalities, invisible watermarks, viewers or cross-institutional authentication systems.
A Summary of International Reports, Research and Case Studies of Digital Literacy, including implications for New Zealand of adopting a globally-recognised digital literacy standard (Note: PDF)
From the New Zealand Computer Society (NZCS) websiteThe European Union Expert Group has stated that digital literacy is an essential life skill and that “the inability to access or use ICT has effectively become a barrier to social integration and personal development”. Addressing digital literacy through government-sponsored initiatives not only improves productivity at a national, organisational and business level, but it can bring social and personal benefits to all citizens.
This review looks at international research and case studies of digital literacy to identify and predict outcomes when applied in the New Zealand context. It has summarised research from academics and leaders in the area of digital literacy, ICT and productivity. It has also reviewed a number of case studies related to ICT skills programmes around the world, including initiatives in Europe, Middle East, Africa, South America and Asia. These studies represent national-level programmes within government agencies or large organisations as well as grass-roots, community-driven initiatives. While there are numerous studies available, only an indicative selection have been outlined in this report as they emphasise key aspects of successful initiatives echoed throughout all the studies.
The Collaborative Imperative: Special Collections in the Digital AgeFrom the Association of Research Libraries websiteAs special collections face a new renaissance in the Digital Age, research libraries are challenged to reconsider institutional practice, and especially the collaborative imperative that connects institutions, digital communities and the users we serve. Nine "Principles to Guide Large-Scale Digitisation of Special Collections" are proposed:
- Distinct collections demand extra vigilance in digitisation
- Libraries must respect any donor-imposed restrictions on the digitisation and use of materials
- Libraries should seek the broadest possible user access to digitised content. This includes patrons of other libraries and unaffiliated researchers
- Libraries should receive copies of all digital files generated from their collections, with the option for complete local access to the files (to the extent that copyright law allows)
- Any enhancements or improvements to the digitised content should be shared on a regular basis with the supplying library
- Restrictions on external access to copies of works digitised from a library's holding should be of limited duration
- Libraries should refrain from signing nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) as part of digitisation negotiations
- Libraries should ensure that the confidentiality of users is protected in the vendor's products
- Libraries should refrain from charging fees or royalties for access to or non-commercial use of public domain materials held in their collections
Role of public libraries in supporting and promoting digital participation (Note: PDF)
From the Museums Libraries & Archives websiteThis report has been prepared to support the MLA in demonstrating the role that public libraries have in supporting and promoting digital participation. The report presents data from an online survey of library sector representatives. The results can be used to inform future planning and ensure a more strategic approach to the delivery of digital participation by libraries, including a more targeted approach and more consideration of how the offer is marketed to local communities, particularly the disadvantaged and digitally excluded who do not always have access to online media and marketing.
The use of metadata for educational resources in Digital Repositories: Practices and Perspectives From the D-Lib Magazine websiteThe wide availability of educational resources is a common objective for universities, libraries, archives and other knowledge-intensive institutions. Although generic metadata specifications (such as Dublin Core) seem to fulfil the need for documenting web-distributed objects, educational resources demand a more specialised treatment and characterisation. In this article we focus on the use of learning-object specific metadata in digital repositories, as they are primarily incarnated in the LOM (learning object metadata) standard. We review relevant standards and practices, especially noting the importance of application profiling paradigms. A wide-spread institutional repository platform is offered by DSpace. We discuss our implementation of LOM in this system as well as our interoperability extensions. To this end, we propose a potential LOM to DC mapping that we have put into use in DSpace. Finally, we introduce our implementation of a LOM ontology, as a basis for delivering Semantic Web services over educational resources.
2009 Mobile Web Trends ReportFrom the Quantcast Measurement Service websiteThe lines between computers, phones, browsers and operating systems are blurring. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the growth of the Smartphone market and the rapid rise of mobile consumption of the 'real' web - not the browsing of specialised, simplified sites watered-down for yesterday's mobile phones, but the consumption of the mainstream Internet, on mobile computing platforms that are increasingly going toe-to-toe with our desktop PCs.
The report highlights overall growth trends, market share of web consumption across device manufacturers, operating systems and browsers, and provides a review of the top gifted devices of the 2009 holiday season based on post-holiday web-consumption increases. In addition, the report sheds light on anticipated 2010 developments in the mobile arena.
Report and recommendations from the ‘Scholarly Publishing Roundtable’ From the Association of American Universities (AAU) websiteThe ‘Scholarly Publishing Roundtable’ was convened to examine the current state of scholarly publishing and develop consensus recommendations for expanding public access to the journal articles arising from research funded by agencies of the United States government.
After recognising the progress that has already been made in expanding access to scholarly literature, the Roundtable began its work by identifying a set of principles, shared across the full range of member perspectives, which should continue to inhere in scholarly publishing as it evolves. These principles are:
- Peer review must continue its critical role in maintaining high quality and editorial integrity
- Adaptable business models will be necessary to sustain the enterprise in an evolving landscape
- Scholarly and scientific publications can and should be more broadly accessible with improved functionality to a wider public and the research community
- Sustained archiving and preservation are essential complements to reliable publishing methods
- The results of research need to be published and maintained in ways that maximise the possibilities for creative re-use and interoperation among sites that host them
