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<p align="center"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">OPLIN 4cast #22 -
September 19, 2006</span></b></p>
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<p>The <em><b>OPLIN 4cast</b></em> is a weekly compilation of
recent headlines, topics, and trends that could impact public
libraries. You can subscribe to it in a variety of ways, such as:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>RSS feed</strong>. You can receive the <em>OPLIN
4cast</em> via RSS feed by subscribing to the following URL: <a
href="http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?feed=rss2">http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?feed=rss2</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Live Bookmark</strong>. If you're using the <a
href="http://www.mozilla.com/">Firefox</a> web browser, you can go to
the <em>4cast</em> website (<a href="http://www.oplin.org/4cast/">http://www.oplin.org/4cast/</a>)
and click on the orange "radio wave" icon on the right side of the
address bar. </li>
<li><strong>E-mail</strong>. You can have the <em>OPLIN 4cast</em>
delivered via e-mail (a'la OPLINlist and OPLINtech) by subscribing to
the <em>4cast</em> mailing list at <a
href="http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/OPLIN4cast">http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/OPLIN4cast</a>.</li>
</ul>
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<p class="style4">This week’s <em>4cast</em><b>:</b></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">1. <b><strong>No Librarians at
Microsoft High </strong></b></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Microsoft just opened a new, experimental high school in
Philadelphia to see if it can design a better educational experience
based on its own management practices. The part that's caught some by
surprise - there's no library. </p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/ptech/09/07/school.of.future.ap/index.html?section=cnn_topstories"
target="_blank">Windows HS: Microsoft designs a school system</a> (CNN)</li>
<li><a
href="http://features.lisnews.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/11/1842228&from=rss"
target="_blank">School of the Future: Libraries Not Needed</a>
(LISNews)</li>
<li><a href="http://schoolof.info/infomancy/?p=259" target="_blank">The
End of Libraries</a> (Infomancy)</li>
<li><a
href="http://thinklab.typepad.com/think_lab/2006/09/school_of_the_f.html"
target="_blank">School of the Future Opens... Debate Follows</a>
(think:lab)</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2. <b><strong><b><strong>Facebook
Saves Face, Then Looks for New Ones</strong></b></strong></b></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,
the popular social network website (second only to <a
href="http://www.myspace.com/" target="_blank">MySpace</a>), recently
fended off a PR disaster when its users protested changes to the site
that stirred privacy fears. Not to be discouraged, Facebook now plans
to open up registration far beyond the 18-22 demographic and bring
social networking closer to the mainstream. </p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://acrlblog.org/2006/09/07/facebook-news-feed-backlash-reveals-student-privacy-concerns/"
target="_blank">Facebook news feed backlash reveals student privacy
concerns</a> (ACRLog)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/09/11/facebook-to-allow-open-registrations/"
target="_blank">Facebook to Allow Open Registration</a> (TechCrunch)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/12/technology/12online.html?_r=1&oref=slogin"
target="_blank">Site Previously for Students Will Be Opened to Others</a>
(New York Times) </li>
<li><a
href="http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/archives/2006/09/facebook_more_f.html"
target="_blank">Facebook - more faces!</a> (Stephen's Lighthouse)</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">3. </span><span
style="font-size: 14pt;"><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong>Help
Your Website Help You </strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Is your library paying way too much for website statistics that
don't tell you very much? Or worse yet, have you forsaken web stats
altogether? Understanding how your visitors use your site can only help
you make it better, and Google now offers a powerful stats tool called <a
href="http://www.google.com/analytics/" target="_blank">Google
Analytics</a>, which is freely available for anyone to try. </p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/archives/2006/08/whats_happening.html"
target="_blank">What's happening on your website?</a> (Stephen's
Lighthouse)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.lifehacker.com/software/web-publishing/geek-to-live-improve-your-web-site-with-google-analytics-200935.php"
target="_blank">Geek to Live: Improve your web site with Google
Analytics</a> (Lifehacker) </li>
<li><a href="http://analytics.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The
Official Google Analytics Blog</a> </li>
<li><a
href="http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/librarianinblack/2006/09/googles_webmast.html"
target="_blank">Google's Webmaster Central</a> (LibrarianInBlack)</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">4.</span><span
style="font-size: 14pt;"><b><strong> Working Towards a Beta Tomorrow </strong></b></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Alpha, beta, gold... wha? Companies like Google that want to test
new software on a mass scale often release a "beta" version, both as a
wink to the user that the product is still being refined, and a license
to the developer to continue making tweaks based on real-world feedback.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_stage"
target="_blank">Development stage</a> (Wikipedia) </li>
<li><a
href="http://www.techsource.ala.org/blog/2006/09/building-a-better-beta.html"
target="_blank">Building a Better Beta</a> (ALA TechSource)</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p> -- <br>
</p>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Joel Husenits
Managing Editor
Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
2323 W. 5th Avenue, Suite 130
Columbus, Ohio 43204
Phone: (614) 728-5252
Fax: (614) 728-5256
E-mail: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:editor@oplin.org">editor@oplin.org</a>
Web: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.oplin.org">www.oplin.org</a></pre>
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