The OPLIN 4cast

1. Online copyright issues
In some cases, the same copyright laws apply to online documents and videos as the traditional versions. Here are some of the latest legal trends.

• 5 Things Librarians Should Read about Copyright and Sharing Instructional Materials (OEDB)
• Copyright Office discovers web forms, online submissions (Ars Technica)
• New Orphaned Works Act would limit copyright liability (Ars Technica)
• Fair Use Synchronicity (Scanblog)

2. Second Life Competition?
Lively by Google : “This exciting experience lets you interact and express yourself with avatars, within rooms you create.” Sound familiar?

• Google Tries To Go Lively With Its Own Virtual World Effort (PaidContent.org)
• Google ventures into virtual reality with ‘Lively’ (Yahoo News)
• Lively: Google Launches Virtual World (Read Write Web)
• Google Launches Virtual World Called Lively (Tech Crunch)

3. The latest report from OCLC: Library funding

• Latest OCLC research report identifies factors that drive public library funding support in the United States
• OCLC Report Suggests Ways To Generate New Library Support (Library Journal)
• From Awareness to Funding: A study of library support in America (OCLC)
• New OCLC Research Report on public library funding released (LIS Wire)

4. The growing Internet
We’ve mentioned before that online traffic is increasing. Here are some numbers: 11 billion online videos were watched in April, 12 billion in May. Although we haven’t tested it yet, Quantcast supposedly shows you how your site ranks. When checking out the Internet Growth Statistics link, make sure to check out the growth charts.

• Quantcast
• IP Traffic to ‘double’ every two years (iTnews)
• ISPs prepare for video revolution (c|Net)
• Internet Growth Statistics (Internet World Stats)

1. Netflicks copycat
A new Time Magazine service, based on the Netflicks model, will be available in September.

• A Netflix of Magazines? (Freakonomics)
• Maghound (Time)
• A Netflix for Magazines (LIS News)
• Time Inc.’s Maghound Set to Debut in September (Folio Mag)

2. Are books really dying?
Some people still actually like to read the paper form. But for how long?

• A cyborg at the Sedona Library (Sedona.biz)
• Are books history? (Infoworld)
• A Tangled Info Web (Newsweek)
• Introducing the digital version of the paperback (MWord)

3. New Top Level Domains allowed.
Once you find out what’s available, don’t forget to run a domain name background check before buying.

• Biggest Expansion in gTLDs Approved for Implementation (ICANN)
• Web Domains Could Expand Broadly Under New Plan (Wall Street Journal)
• .confusion: ICANN opens up Pandora’s Box of new TLDs (Ars Technica)
• ICANN Proposes Sweeping Changes to TLDs (read Write Web)

4. It’s like you’re actually standing in front of the bookshelf
Zoomii is an online “here’s what I am reading” tool that also allows you to browse Amazon “shelves”. You get the opinion of the estimated 15 percent of the book-buying public who go to Amazon to get their reading material. Go ahead…browse the shelves.

• Zoomii
• Hands on: Zoomii breathes life into Amazon’s bookshelves (Ars Technica)
• Zoomii - a real Bookstore Online (Tech Vibes)
• Zoomii – A virtual bookshelf (Startup Meme)

This early edition of the OPLIN 4Cast foreshadows the OPLIN website and database changes effective tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM. We think you and your patrons will be pleasantly surprised at how intuitive and how useful the new websites and databases are.

As always, we welcome your feedback.

1. The new place to search databases articles
Before: The user would go to oplin.org and either type their search term into the OneSearch box, or they would click on the “databases” link down the side and then conduct their search.

Now: Users will be directed to http://ohioweblibrary.org for a new search interface that will bring back not only their search results, but a list of sources and other possible subjects to assist with narrowing the search.

NOTE - A new Ohio Web Library logo should replace any instance of the OPLIN logo on your web pages. The new image, which should be linked to http://ohioweblibrary.org , can be found here:

Low resolution (for on your web page)
http://www.oplin.org/oplin/logos/owl_logo.gif

High resolution for print materials or for enlarging:
http://www.oplin.org/oplin/logos/owl_logo_hires.tif

(Someone had difficulty with that link because of browser settings, so if you need to, you can use this link instead: http://oplin.org/oplin/logos/owl_logo_hires.zip )

Additionally, there is a widget available for use on your web page. Simply paste this code as one line where you want it to appear, and users can conduct searches right there from your web page.

<script language=”JavaScript” src=“http://oplin.org/common/owl_widget/owl_search.js”></script>

2. Oplin.org is now just for you!
Before: All information for librarians and the public was mixed together in one web page.

Now: Since the public doesn’t know what an “OPLIN” is, we moved their tools away from oplin.org, to http://ohioweblibrary.org and now the only thing left on www.oplin.org is information you will need about OPLIN products, services and support.

There is a new layout and design and a very handy search box to help you find exactly what you need.

3. More for you at ExploreOhio
Before: Discover Ohio was the source for authoritative Ohio information. Often, though, it was confused with the Ohio Department of Travel and Tourism.

Now: We changed the name and the look, but you will still find all of the same great info! After July 1st at 8:00 AM, check out http://exploreohio.org

4. Statewide Databases are changing.

1.) [NEW PURCHASE] Facts on File Science Online will be http://www.oplin.org/facts

2.) [NEW PURCHASE] Worldbook will be http://www.oplin.org/worldbook

3.) [NEW PURCHASE] Worldbook Kids: http://www.oplin.org/worldbook-kids

4.) [NEW PURCHASE] WorldBook Spanish: http://www.oplin.org/worldbook-spa<

5.) [UPGRADE] Wilson’s Biographies Plus Illustrated is being upgraded to Wilson’s Biography Reference Bank, and the link will stay the same: http://www.oplin.org/bios

6.) [UPGRADE] Learn-A-Test/Learning Express has been enhanced to include computer skills training.
Additional software (available free online) is necessary for this to work. You will be prompted to install it if it’s not already on your machine. If you have any questions during installation, please contact the OPLIN Support Center at 1-888-966-7546 or at support@oplin.org.

Unless you have chosen to subscribe to these next three titles on your own, please remove all links to them from your website.

7.) [UNSUBSCRIBED] Ohio Capitol Connection will no longer be available as a statewide database. OPLIN will be including a search of the ohio.gov domain, however. This should provide basic access to Ohio government documents that are freely available on the Internet.
If you wish to continue access to OCC on your own, contact the vendor:
Rotunda, Inc.
21 W. Broad Street, Suite 1000
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614.227.5820 (phone)
614.228.5897 (fax)
info@rotundacollection.com

8.) [UNSUBSCRIBED] Encyclopedia Britannica (which includes Annals of American History, Encyclopedia Universal and World Data Analyst)

9.) [UNSUBSCRIBED] Access Science

Footnotes:

• Since their use has been very minimal lately, OH! Teach, OH! Kids and OH! Teens no longer exist. Instead, we will recommend links to Internet Public Library.

• If any of your links to OPLIN have “controller.php” in them, they will not work after June 30^th. You can find replacement links here: http://oplin.org/databaselinks

1. YouTube is going semi-pro.
There is a spot on their site called the Screening Room. The videos are now longer, better quality and available for purchase.

• Curtains up: YouTube Screening Room makes its world premiere (Webware)
• YouTube raises curtain on indie film screening room (Ars Technica)
• Report: YouTube begins experimenting with long-form video (c|net)
• Could YouTube become hub for feature films and TV shows? (c|net)

2. How private and secure are our medical records?
With privacy always at the front of our minds here in Ohio libraries, patrons viewing their medical records online could certainly push the limits. It may just increase the number of medical reference questions you get as well. (Don’t forget about Consumer Health Complete and Net Wellness!)

• Your Medical Data Online (Technology Review)
• Google Health
• Welcome to HealthVault by Microsoft
• Study: US adoption of electronic health records is abysmal (Ars Technica)

3. Want to feel like Lewis & Clark?
While not available in the US yet, it’s likely that each one of us will eventually be able to contribute something from our neighborhoods to Google Maps using Google Map Maker.

• Google Map Maker: Unleash your inner cartographer (c|net)
• Google Introduces Map Maker For “Uncharted” Regions (Search Engine Land)
• Google Lets You Change the World with MapMaker (Mashable)
• Google Map Maker: Crowdsourcing Cartography (Read Write Web)

4. A tag cloud is a visualization of word frequencies.
Here’s an idea…let’s go against nearly every Library of Congress subject heading and let the PEOPLE tag information into their own subject categories. How anti-librarian is THAT? Actually, it may be a great idea! At a glance, readers can tell what’s talked about, or tagged, the most. For a funny example of tagging, click here. To see real life applications and creation tools, see below.

• Wordle
• Tag Galaxy - uses photos tagged in Flickr (Try typing in “library” or your city name.)
• Tag Clouds Gallery: Examples And Good Practices (Smashing Magazine)
• OCLC Tag Cloud Builder