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This report by the NTIA and the Economics and Statistics Administration is based on the 2001 U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. It demonstrates the rapidly growing use of new information technologies across the nation with the rate of growth of Internet use being two million new users per month. More than half of the nation already is online. The Executive Summary of this report provides a glimpse of some of the findings which include: 1) Children and teenagers use computers and the Internet more than any other age group and 2) that Internet use is increasing for people regardless of income, education, age, race, ethnicity or gender.
This is the third survey that provides a profile of behavior and attitudes about Internet use and non-use. Five major areas are highlighted in this report: Internet Users and Non-Users: Who is Online? Who is Not?; Media Use and Trust; Consumer Behavior; Communication Patterns; and Social Effects.
In his presentation at the October 2002 CENDI meeting, Mr. Cooper indicated that the heart of homeland security is information collection and dissemination. Three objectives are considered essential by the Administration for homeland security: 1) integrate the federal government; 2) integrate the federal with the state, local and tribal entities; and 3) integrate the government and private sectors. A scientific and technical directorate responsible for R&D related to weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, biological and radiological) is included under the proposed legislation. Information analysis and an infrastructure for security information is a new directorate that would need to be created. Mr. Cooper reviewed DTIC's Current Focus web site and NTIS's Homeland Security Information Center and indicated that by building on existing initiatives such as these, the new directorate would achieve a faster presence. In addition to documents, geographic information systems, videos, the work of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and the National Mapping initiative are very important for homeland security information. Mr. Cooper outlined three challenges that must be achieved for disseminating homeland security information: the development of a two-way flow of information among first responders and other levels of government; the involvement of private critical infrastructure community; and keeping the average citizen engaged and informed.
The OMB/OIRA has been asked by Director Ridge to draft a definition of "sensitive homeland security information" within the existing law and policy in order to know what it is, how is it to be shared and with whom, and how long does it hold this status. In his October 2002 presentation to CENDI, Mr. Chenok indicated that this information is unclassified and that R&D results are not affected. The guidance is needed to ensure a consistent understanding of what it is and that when it is applied to individual agencies, it will be similar. The E-government Bill (Electronic Government Act of 2002) has a standards process that allows for a more systematic review of information standards, including the changing of limited distribution materials to publicly releasable.
At the October 2002 CENDI meeting, Ms. Coe provided an update on the status of product development and new distribution mechanisms for traditional and new NTIS products. NTIS now offers the capability of searching 750,000 bibliographic records from 1990 forward to the public for free. Many documents are available for download without cost from the originating agency's web site. A Homeland Security Information Center (HSIC) has also been developed by NTIS. This Center includes information in three key areas: health and medicine; preparedness and response, safety training, food and agriculture; and biological and chemical warfare. The content for this site was created by searching and selecting sites from the existing NTIS collection of materials. An e-learning site has also been developed by NTIS to support e-government initiatives. NTIS provides the system and staffs the help desk. In addition to these efforts, NTIS hosts and provides operating support for the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) distance learning system. NTIS acts as a service provider for the IRS, Customs, Labor, and the Social Security Administration's "National Save for Your Future" site.
At the August 2002 CENDI meeting, Dr. Lynch reviewed several issues that are common to both the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) and CENDI and raised the possibility of joint opportunities between the two organizations. The issues reviewed include permanent public access; digital preservation; examining roles of libraries and commercial publishers; economics of digital preservation; institutional repositories; the use of public key infrastructure (PKI) and authentication; and security and preservation. He believes that partnerships will be critical in developing the science and technology critical infrastructure.
The purpose of the Science, Technology and Law Program of the NRC is to examine ways in which science is used in the courtroom and the impact that legislation has on the work of scientists and engineers. Ms. Mazza provided some background information on the OMB’s charge to develop data quality guidelines for information disseminated by the Federal Government to the June 2002 CENDI meeting. She detailed some of the National Academy of Science’s and other scientific organizations’ concerns about the implementation of these guidelines in the various agencies. A series of workshops were held in 2001 and 2002 to discuss the effect of the "Shelby" Amendment on public access to research data. The National Academy of Sciences and other scientific organizations participated in the workshops. Ms. Mazza ends by briefly listing some of the key questions that remain after the workshops. These include the impact of data collected before October 2002; the impact on the work of grantees both intramural and extramural; and agency resources needed to respond to requests.
At the February 2002 CENDI meeting, Mr. Uhlir provided an update of the activities related to public domain information that had occurred since his last presentation to CENDI in June 2001. He mentioned that a symposium was being planned for September 5-6 2002 at the National Academies of Sciences to discuss the U.S. environment and solicited suggestions for issues and speakers.
This background paper was presented to the National Academy of Sciences in September 2002 for the U.S. National Research Council's Symposium on the Role of Scientific and Technical Data and Information in the Public Domain. The paper examines the role scientific and technical data and information in public-private partnerships. Mr. Maurer discusses the theory of public domain, the roles of scientists, technology transfer offices, universities, governments and corporations and their respective transactions in public domain issues. He also discusses the problems and choices regarding over-patenting, restrictive licenses, moral risk, and leadership. Mr. Maurer concludes by saying that it is still not clear whether universities need to own intellectual property rights in order to transfer technology effectively and that the current system encourages universities to: (a) use exclusive licenses where they are not needed to transfer knowledge,; (b) use non-exclusive licenses where the public interest would be better served by placing discoveries in the public domain; and (c) over-rely on “running royalties.”
Information Access Alliance is a coalition of six leading library organizations in the US and represents the interests of these institutions as mergers among scholarly and legal publishers occur. The Web site contains information on the impact of publisher mergers on the market for STM journals and provides a link to a recently released white paper "Publisher Mergers: A Consumer-Based Approach to Antitrust Analysis."
The OMB Bulletin that establishes the requirement within government agencies to identify resources of value to the public using the Government Information Locator Service (GILS) metadata standard.
This Act establishes in the Government Printing Office a means of enhancing electronic public access to a wide range of Federal electronic information.
Outlines responsibilities of government agencies to implement GILS and provide progress reporting and feedback mechanisms.
Access to and Services for Federal Information in the Networked Environment is a white paper whose goal is to guide higher education and other institutions, such as state and public libraries, in the development of strategies for providing access to and services for federal information by their constituencies using the powerful and rapidly expanding global information infrastructure. It addresses issues of service, access, collections, preservation, and infrastructure at the enterprise-wide or institutional level.
This site links to segments of Web pages for twenty-five information related private and not-for-profit organizations. The links connect to documents on information issues, standards, and policy both within and external to the organization. A final section links to Web sites on U.S. laws and statutes related to information issues.
GODORT is a forum for librarians concerned with access to and management of local, state and federal documents. The Governments Documents Round Table (GODORT) represents librarians from all types of libraries. A boolean search interface provides access to this extensive Web site covering state, national and international government documents policy, legislation, communication, associations and related events
This assessment presents issues in improving public access to electronic Federal Government information from the Federal Depository Library Program and Federal Government information in general. Media types, formats, performance criteria, costs, and national federal policy for electronic information products are discussed.
This report was prepared for the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science and the U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents to assess the status of electronic publishing among U.S. government agencies and the formats in which this publishing is being done. This is the result of interviews and surveys with over 120 agencies, offices, programs, and experts. This report is part of a project to ensure transition to a more electronic Federal Depository Library Program. Key findings are in the area of policy and planning, permanent public access, authenticity issues, and product characteristics (including the most common formats).
This web site provides access to the recent report, "Falling Through the NetI II: Defining the Digital Divide" which details the increasing differences between the cyberspace "haves" and the "have nots". Access is also provided to previous reports in this series: Falling Through the Net: A Survey of the 'Have Nots' in Rural and Urban America, July 1995 and "Falling Through the Net II: New Data on the Digital Divide," July 1998. A series of fact sheets regarding Internet access and technology availability for different segments of the population are provided.
This web site provides the green paper from DG-XIII on the importance of government information dissemination to the public. The green paper identifies the U.S. model of free flow of government information to the public (the Freedom Information Act, the Paperwork Reduction act, OMB Circular-A130, etc.) as the preferred model. Emphasis is placed on the importance of free information flow to the European economy, democracy, global competitiveness, and the continued integration of the EU. Comments are being received until July 1999. The site also includes minutes from the meetings held in various countries and the lists of attendees.
NCLIS has three major areas of focus: national and international infrastructure, federal aid to libraries, and access to government information. The presentation included the most recent activities -- Internet and children, federal aid to libraries, journal pricing, and the survey of government electronic information products.
An overview of the federal information technology context was presented, along with the discussions that led up to the vision of the Digital Government. The program's goals, current status and plans are described. The connection of the initiative with other groups such as the Federal Web Consortium and the Government Information Technology Services Board, and activities such as the Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA) are described.
Proceedings from a briefing hosted by AAAS and Federal Focus, Inc. on the amendment to the Office of Management and Budget's Circular A-110 (Freedom of Information Act) which requires public availability of data produced under an award by the government. The program for the workshop is presented with links to the texts of the presentations. A copy of the letters to OMB and to Congress are also available.
This is the homepage for the NSF Digital Libraries Initiatives. It presents information about the purpose of the initiative, previous awards and their results, announcements of upcoming proposal schedules, and announcements of related meetings/workshops. Links are generally provided to the sites for funded projects.
This report is a reprint with editorial changes and supplementary material of a report originally published in February 1982. The Commission hopes that the new generation of individuals debating and implementing government information policy can benefit from the orginal work of the Task Force. The initial report was the result of a two-year study of the interactions between government and private sector information activities. Two primary issues were identified: (1) the critical importance of information resources, products, and services in our economy and society; and (2) differing viewpoints concerning the role of government in providing those information resources, products, and services. The historical context of the conflict between public and private sectors with regard to this topic is provided as well as some preliminary suggestions on steps to be taken to implement the principles and recommendations. The findings of the Task Force are:(1) In favor of open access to information generated by the Federal government; (2) In favor of reliance upon libraries and private sector organizations to make readily available information that can be distributed by the Federal government; (3) In favor of a leadership role for government, rather than a management role; and (4) In favor of limiting direct government intervention in the marketplace.
This discussion summarizes the issues surrounding access to Federal information by posing several questions that illuminate the problems involved in this task. The discussion covers the meaning of access, the types of information, the integrity of access and delivery and barriers to access. His last and most poignant question was "how can Federal libraries and information centers effectively meet their role to serve the government entity for which they were created and also serve the general public for access to government information."
This report documents the results of the Commission's research, interviews, public meetings, and other fact and opinion gathering efforts regarding the closure of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). The report also includes the Commission's findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The Commission recommended that NTIS be retained at least temporarily until a more thorough study can be made; that the Department of Commerce be allowed to use the money in its Supplemental FY 2000 budget request to keep NTIS operational; that Congress should authorize an appropriation of $5M for FY 2001 to sustain NTIS; and that the final decision on NTIS not be made solely on the requirement that it failed to recover its operating costs primarily through the collection of fees.
This Circular establishes policy for the management of Federal information resources and includes procedural and analytic guidelines for implementing specific aspects of these polices. The policies apply to the information activities of all agencies of the executive branch of the Federal government. The Circular gives the background for establishing policies, provides definitions and basic considerations and assumptions and explains the Information Management Policy. This Circular rescinds the following OMB Memoranda M-96-20; M-97-02; M-97-15; and M-97-16. The Transmittal provides updated guidance on improving the management and acquisition of information technology to directly support agency strategic missions, as well as the implementation of an investment review process that drives budget formulation and execution.
This report submitted by the A-130 Implementation Guidelines Group for Scientific and Technical Information, is an analysis of OMB Circular A-130 as it applies to Scientific and Technical Information (STI). In this analysis the Group suggests a redefinition of life-cycle planning that would be better suited to information content management and would support a wide variety of agency missions. The following recommendations were made by the Group: Clarify "life-cycle planning" for information usability; Develop guidelines to ensure information integrity for the public good; Clarify guidance concerning public access to agency information; Resolve conflicts between A-130 objectives and those of other Government initiatives; Sponsor an effort to develop a selected mode of operation for Government information services; and Institutionalize interagency cooperative efforts for information sharing. A definition of Scientific and Technical Information (STI) is also provided.
This work provides guidance for information providers in establishing accessible Websites and acquiring the appropriate hardware and software needed by people with disabilities. Internet access using large print, voice, and Braille is the book's focus. Information on funding opportunities, equipment options, and suppliers of adaptive equipment is also provided. Another useful inclusion is the list of Websites and libraries that are in the process of providing library access to persons with disabilities.
The Access to Public Information Program (APIP) is a program designed to encourage innovation and pilot projects that will increase access to and delivery of Federal networked government information. Partnerships among Federal agencies, libraries, education communities, and the private sector are encouraged. The Web site describes the mission and various APIP initiatives.
This is a memorandum to remind heads of executive departments and agencies to establish clear privacy policies for all Web activities and to adhere to them. Clear notice must be given if technologies that track the activites of users over time and across different web sites are used. The presumption should be that these technologies will not be used at Federal web sites nor by contractors when operating web sites on behalf of agencies unless there is a compelling need to gather the data on the site. In addition, appropriate and publicly disclosed privacy safeguards for handling of information derived from this technology must be clearly posted and personal approval obtained from the head of the agency. All Federal web sites and contractors when operating on behalf of agenccies must also comply with the standards set forth in the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998.
A Pew Internet Project Report on who visits government websites, what they are looking for, and the different types of government website users. A case study is provided. A summary of study findings and a case study are provided.
Minutes from a presentation by Eve Marie Lacroix, Chief, Public Services Division, National Library of Medicine at the CENDI meeting April 21, 2000. Ms. Lacroix summarized the development of MEDLINEplus, a consumer health web site. The service initially had 22 health topics and now has over 365. Pilot studies were conducted in public libraries to determine user needs. All sites are reviewed in this database. Acquisitions and cataloging are database-driven and performed remotely by using Cold Fusion and the Oracle database. Although contractors perform the initial selection and cataloging, a second level review is always performed by NLM staff. Other developments under consideration are pre-formulated searches of MEDLINE, a terminology server, the inclusion of newsfeeds and a medical dictionary.
Minutes from a presentation by Joanne Silverstein, Head of R&D, Information Institute of Syracuse University at the CENDI meeting on March 14,2000. Ms. Silverstein discussed the issue of how organizations manage e-mail in their customer support function. A survey of executives showed that not-for-profit and commercial organizations have different approaches to this problem. The not-for-profits are more open, providing contact names, free form comments, and anonymous input mechanisms, while for-profits seek control through registration and the use of forms. She also summarized the findings of a study to analyze electronic customer service in the Department of Education. The results of the study indicated that both a plan and an advocate are needed. The real customers and the most effective level of centralization must be identified. First decide what you want to do and then examine software requirements.
Minutes from a presentation by Dr. Donald Lindberg, Dr. Elliot Siegel, Julia Royall, National Library of Medicine at the CENDI meeting on April 6, 1999. Dr. Lindberg provided an overview of several NLM nformation projects including PuBMed which has over 339 journals linked to MEDLINE to the full text articles; the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Genome Anatomy Project with deals with gene expression and changes at the cellular level; the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) and the Metathesaurus which have 1.3 million terms and 850 institutional users; the Visible Human data project; international health-related projects which include the use of Smart Cards; MEDLINE which is now available on the Internet and has tremendous public usage; MEDLINEPlus a new service that caters to patients, families, and the public; and a project that involves MEDLINEPlus and public libraries. Public libraries have been teamed with medical libraries in the same geographic region to analyze the public's health-related issues and questions in libraries. NLM is also involved in telemedicine projects that involve satellite communications, cable TV and telephone/modem applications. NLM's involvment in the Multi-lateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) was presented by Dr. Siegel an Ms. Royall.
This is the executive summary for a larger report on public information dissemination conducted by the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. The report concisely summarizes the findings and provides a lengthy list of strategic and other recommendations to improve the condition of government information dissemination in the United States.
Senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman requested this study be made because of the complexities of providing information using emerging electronic technologies. In the report, NCLIS calls for the recognition of government information as a national resource that should be planned and managed accordingly. The findings and recommendations by NCLIS are meant to serve as a strategic plan for reform in the the way government creates, stores and disseminates information. This comprehensive study undertaken by NCLIS was begun in June 2000 consists of 4 volumes. Volume 2 was recently released in March 2001.
This Brief discusses broadband or high-speed Internet access by residential home owners. Broadband access has the potential to transform the Internet in terms of what it offers and how it is used. The paper gives an in-depth look at some of the broadband technologies including cable, digital subscriber line, and satellite. The pros and cons of open access are discussed at length.
Minutes from a presentation at the CENDI meeting on December 6, 2000. Ms. Godwin discussed how FirstGov has transformed the way in which government deals with the public and how it has served as a catalyst for changing other government Web sites. The management structure of this site is through interagency and private partnerships. Many of the portals were developed by interagency groups and cut across federal information for certain audiences or topics.
This project was created to serve as a benchmark of the effects of the Internet globally. The study examines the influence of the Internet on social, political, cultural, and economic behavior and ideas as measured by the attitudes, values, and perceptions of both Internet users and non-users. This report is meant to be yearly and will survey the same individuals each year to explore how the role of the Internet evolves. The project is not restricted to any particular method of accessing the Internet or to the Internet in its present form. The World Internet Project was created and organized by the UCLA Center for Communication Policy and includes the UCLA Internet Project and similar studies in countries worldwide. The United States, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Sweden, and Taiwan were participants in the first year of the World Internet Project. This year (2001) the project will expand to another 15 countries including China, Australia, Germany, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Finland, Russia, India, and Brazil. The findings of the report have been categorized into five broad areas: Internet use and non-use:(1) who is online, who is not, what are users doing online?; (2) Media use and trust; (3) Consumer behavior; (4) Communication patterns; and (5) Social and psychological effects.
This White paper summarizes some of the insights from the RAND Workshop held November 6-7, 1997 in Washington DC. The authors point out that a secure communications system between the government and individual citizens for the transmission of sensitive information needs to be created.. This system should have strong provisions for privacy, integrity, and authentication. The Government also needs to promulgate security standards that can be adopted by non-governmental users. Several components of a secure system including identity, authority, and certificate authorities are discussed at length. The Social Security Administration, the U.S. Postal Service, and state departments of motor vehicles were pointed out as being agencies that would benefit from such a system. In conclusion, the authors provide a summary of the primary issues that would need to be resolved before such a system could be put in place. These include the responsibilities of certificate authorities; private key management and protection; legal status of electronic transactions; key escrow laws and standards; cost issues; relations among certificate authorities; e-mail addresses for all citizens; and equal access to government services. In conclusion, the authors suggest that the best approach to the problem is an incremental, experimental one and that success will largely depend on education and training.
This is the fourth report in the series on Falling Through the Net: Toward Digital Inclusion. The extent of digital inclusion is measured by looking at households and individuals that have a computer and an Internet connection. The digital divide is measured by looking at the differences in the shares of each group that is digitally connected. Data is also provided on high-speed access to the Internet. The Report 's main sections include: (1) Household access to computers and the Internet; (2) Use of the Internet by individuals; and (3) Internet access and computer use among people with disabilities. Overall the percentage of US digital inclusion is rapidly increasing as witnessed by the increased share of households with Internet access, increased number of users online, and increased number of individuals using the Internet. The traditional "have not" groups are also making significant gains. Regardless of income level, sex, age, race, or education, Americans are increasingly becoming part of the information technology revolution. However, a digital divide still exists. This divide is especially evident between those with different levels of income, education, racial and ethnic groups, age groups, those with disabilities and those without, and single versus traditional families. Americans use the Internet primarily as a means for communication through e-mail. Other uses include online shopping and job hunting.
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) was mandated by PL103-40 in 1993 to create and maintain online access to appropriate publications distributed by the Superintendent of Documents. This mandate has proven to be a challenge in the digital age. Over the past few years GPO has been transitioning to an electronic dissemination program. This transition is being felt across the entire Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The FDLP was created to assure current and permanent public access to information published by the U.S. Government regardless of form or format. The FDLP now serves four functions: depository of publications, assurance of current and permanent public access, provision of locator tools, and promotion and facilitation of use. The deposit and access functions have been most affected by the transition to electronic publications. These two functions have been reinvented with the creation of a digital FDLP based on traditional library collection development principles, an interdependent set of locator tools, user interfaces, links to content on agency servers, a digital archive, and various kinds of metadata. Assuring the official integrity of the information and keeping that information available and permanently accessible have been the two greatest challenges in charting the digital future of the FDLP. The electronic transition that began in the mid-90’s has been guided by three factors: the overall trend in Government to adopt electronic media for communicating with the public; the rapid adoption of electronic media in libraries generally; and the clear direction of the Congress to implement greater electronic access and to seek reductions in the cost of disseminating information. Although the FDLP’s depository and access functions have been impacted significantly with the electronic transitioning of GPO products, it continues to play a vital role in assuring public access to government information.
This Committee report presents four targeted findings and recommendations to the President and Congress on the importance of digital libraries. The Report is one of a series developed by the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee on key contemporary issues in information technology. PITAC is charged with providing the Federal government with expert independent guidance on maintaining America's preeminence in high performance computing and communications, information technology, and Next Generation Internet R&D. The findings are as follows: (1) The full potential of digital libraries has not yet been realized; (2)The Government can and should do more to further the science, technology, and creation of digital libraries; (3)Digital technologies bring significant technical and operational challenges to the issue of preservation; and (4)The legal issues surrounding intellectural property rights need to be addresses immediately. PITAC's four recommendations are as follows: (1) Expand and support digital library research in metadata and metadata use, scalability, interoperability, archival storage, and preservation, intellectual property rights, privacy and security, and human use;(2) Create lare-scale digital library testbeds for research and development; (3)Provide the necessary resources to make all public Federal material persistently available in digital form on the Internet; and (4) The Federal government should continue to play a leadership role in evolving policy to deal fairly with intellectual property rights in the digital age.
As part of the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) mandate to collect and preserve the record of biomedicine, NLM formed a Working Group on Permanence (WPG) of electronic information. The WPG has developed a model based on NLM's electronic publications to address a user's need to know whether a resource he/she creates, uses, or cites will remain available, unchanged, and in the same location for future access. In this process the WPG developed recommendations for: levels of permanence suitable for different categories of NLM information; "methods of recording and communicating permanence levels; and procedures for ensuring that permancence levels are implemented." According to the author, three main concepts behind this system are: identifier validity (IV) - the extent to which a resource's identifier will remain the same over time and retrieve the same resource; resource availability (RA) - the degree to which users can be assured that a given resource will be there the next time it is needed; and content invariance (CI) - the degree to which the content of an electronic resource could change. Under the rating of identifier validity there are two possibilities: transient and guaranteed. Under the resource availability rating the possibilities are: no guarantee or permanently available. Under the rating for content invariance the possibilities are: dynamic (content can change anytime through revisions or be completely replaced); stable (minor additions or corrections to be expected); or unchanging (content will remain the same over time). In addition to these categories, the terms growing or closed are used for newsletters or databases to indicate that material is still being added or that the resource is no longer growing. A simplified rating system was developed to assist NLM staff to replace the initial system. The ratings for permanent resources are permanent - unchanging content; permanent - stable content; permanent - dynamic content; and permanent - not guaranteed. All of NLM's major resources on the Web were examined and were categorized by resource category and given a default rating when possible. For the creators of information, a drop-down menu based on the resource category was developed. Guidelines were also developed to assist staff in using the rating system. MARC records will be created for resources that are rated permanent and will be placed in the online catalog. The WGP recommended that permanence coordinators be assigned for each major program area to ensure that the rating system is implemented consistently. The systems development phse of the project is scheduled to begin in January, 2001.
The Government in the United Kingdom has set a goal that everyone who wants Internet access should have it by 2005. This report by the House of Commons Information Committee examines both the parliamentary and communication infrastructure in the context of its interactions with the public. The report identifies areas where the House can assist in meeting public expectations as well as improve its public image. The report sets forth a draft set of five Principles for Information and Communications Technologies.
This paper discusses the social aspects of the digital divide in the United States and examines the library's role in furthering public access to information. The author explains that the digital divide has become more complex and points out three distinct aspects of Pippa Norris's meaning of digital divide: global divide, social divide and democratic divide. Ms. Lynch defines digital divide and provides a brief historic overview of how the meaning has evolved. The author also discusses how the digital divide is measured and uses the "Falling Through the Net" reports from 1995 to the present to illustrate access in the U.S. Ms. Lynch also briefly describes the role of public libraries in providing Internet access.
The Gateway for Resources and Information on Preservation (GRIP) is a website created as a collaborative effort between the National Archives of the Netherlands and the European Commission on Preservation and Access. GRIP is a searchable database of resources on preservation containing selected annotated references to literature, links to websites, projects, organizations and other resources on preservation.
The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) web site provides open access to scholarly journals for primary researchers. Journals must be peer-reviewed or editorial quality control must be used for journals to be included. The goal of DOAJ is to provide a simplified method for access and input to scholarly information that will result in increased visibility and usage. Journals can be searched by subject or title.
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has developed a web site to support and disseminate information about the impact of open access, current trends in intellectual property and copyright issues on higher education and academic research. The web site provides links to ARL's resource guide on the issues and challenges of providing open access.
The Bethesda Statement is a summary of draft principles on open access publishing within the biomedical research community. The principles were drafted at a meeting held on April 11, 2003 at the headquarters of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The intention of the meeting was stimulate discussion on how to proceed in providing open access to the primary scientific literature. The document is comprised of four sections followed by the reports of three working groups. The group is planning to draft a final set of principles in a few months and then will seek to have them formally endorsed by funding agencies, scientific societies, pulishers, librarians, research instituitons and scientists as the accepted standard for publication of peer-reviewed reports of original research in the biomedical sciences.
This article explores the contradictory and redundant economic aspects of the current scholarly publishing situation with a focus on the viability of an open-access model for publishing. The author examines the overlap in content between subscription-based and open access sources. Currently open access journals make up 10-20 percent of online journals The author's close examination of the economic issues of journal publishing is aimed at assisting scholarly associations and their members in determining whether open access journal publishing is the business model that should be followed.
The goals of the Board on International Scientific Organizations (BISO) are to strengthen U.S. participation in international scientific, engineering, and medical organizations and to assist in building capacity in these organizations. BISO serves as the national committee for the International Council for Science (ICSU) and is a board within the National Research Council's Policy and Global Affairs Division. BISO's web site provides access to many of their projects on open access and public domain information. Background papers, symposium abstracts and bios are also available from the web site.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is the result of an initiative at the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunicatiion Union (ITU) meeting held in Minneapolis in 1998. ITU recognized that telecommunications played an important role at the political, social, and cultural level and that the gap between information "haves" and "have nots" was increasing. The United Nations recognized the need for international cooperation among the various national and global initiatives fostering Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for development. In 2001, the ITU, with endorsements from the UN, decided to convene a Summit in two phases with the first phase to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from December 10 to 12, 2003 and the second in Tunis, Tunisia in 2005 from November 16 to 18th. The first phase will address a range of issues related to the Information Society and will adopt a Declaration of Principles and plan of action. The second phase will address development themes in the Information Society, assess any progress that has been made and make any changes to the plan of action from the first phase. The framework for the Summit was endorsed by the UN General Assembly Resolution 56/183 and an intergovernmental Preparatory Committee was established to plan the agenda and organize the Summit. The WSIS web site provides background information on the Summit, funding of the Summit, links to related sites, information on how to participate and the preparatory process for the Summit. WSIS will provide a unique opportunity for all key stakeholders (governments, private sector, civil society, and the United Nations) to assemble and develop a better understanding of the information society revolution and its impact on the international community.
This report examines how Americans feel about their public libraries. While revealing that there is significant support for public libraries, the report also addresses suggestions citizens offer to enhance the library experience.
At the September 7-8, 2005, CENDI meeting Ms. Humphreys outlined the development of the PubChem web resource. Amongst the issues addressed were securing permission from private publishers, and preserving journal formats in documents through the use of XML. In addition, matters of preservation were discussed, notably the assessment that PDF may be troublesome.
This report identifies and proposes strategies for addressing the Intellectual Property concerns of preparing digital libraries.
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