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<p align="center"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">OPLIN 4cast #72 -
September 18, 2007</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/" target="_blank">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. In <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/"
target="_blank">Internet Explorer 7</a>, click on the same icon to
view or subscribe to the <em>4cast</em> RSS feed. </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.<strong> Supply, Demand &
Reality </strong></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>A new ALA report titled "<a
href="http://www.ala.org/ala/ors/publiclibraryfundingtechnologyaccessstudy/0607report.htm"
target="_blank">Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding
& Technology Access Study</a>"
finds that space limitations, flat budgets, and inadequate staffing
(among other factors) have America's public libraries struggling to
keep up with the public's appetite for Internet-based services.</p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iv39JmUs4nA9qR7S8e9J0o61yAWQ"
target="_blank">Despite demand, libraries won't add PCs</a>
(Associated Press)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201805936"
target="_blank">U.S. Public Libraries Pressed By Public Demand For
Internet Access</a> (InformationWeek)</li>
<li><a
href="http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/archives/2007/09/ala_study_on_in.html"
target="_blank">ALA Study on Internet Use</a> (Stephen's Lighthouse)</li>
<li><a
href="http://ntrls.blogspot.com/2007/09/ala-release-report-on-technology-access.html"
target="_blank">ALA releases report on technology access</a> (North
Texas Regional Library System) </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2.<strong> Throw the eBook at 'Em </strong></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Amazon
and Google are taking different approaches as they enter the eBook
business later this year. The Kindle is a proprietary, stand-alone
device that will connect wirelessly to an Amazon eBook store. Google,
on the other hand, will simply index select titles and charge people to
access/download them (a project separate from <a
href="http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?cat=139" target="_blank">Google
Book Search</a>). Most observers seem to scoff at anything
eBook-related these days. </p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/technology/06amazon.html?ex=1190260800&en=781238d168b2686b&ei=5070"
target="_blank">Envisioning the Next Chapter for Electronic Books</a>
(New York Times)</li>
<li><a href="http://techdirt.com/articles/20070906/080606.shtml"
target="_blank">Still Not Betting On An eBook Revolution</a>
(Techdirt) </li>
<li><a
href="http://www.alleyinsider.com/2007/09/e-books-yet-aga.html"
target="_blank">e-Books, Yet Again -- Amazon Gears Up To Fail</a>
(Silicon Alley Insider)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=7071" target="_blank">How
Amazon' s Kindle might HARM e-books, unless...</a> (TeleRead: Bring the
E-Books Home) </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">3. <strong>Go Free or Go Home </strong></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>The New York Times is <a
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/business/media/18times.html?ex=1347768000&en=880b1ab05717fa9d&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss"
target="_blank">ending its TimeSelect subscription service</a>,
and will make all of its current content and most of its archives
freely available on its website. Some are interpreting this as another
sign that people are increasingly unwilling to pay for online content.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSWEN101120070918?feedType=RSS&feedName=internetNews&rpc=22&sp=true"
target="_blank">New York Times to end paid Internet service</a>
(Reuters)</li>
<li><a
href="http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/09/will_anyone_pay.html"
target="_blank">Will Anyone Pay for a Newspaper Online?</a> (O'Reilly
Radar) </li>
<li><a
href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/18/the-end-of-the-pay-for-content-model-is-nigh/"
target="_blank">The End Of The Pay For Content Model Is Nigh</a>
(TechCrunch)</li>
<li><a href="http://searchengineland.com/070918-100331.php"
target="_blank">Search Traffic Influences The New York Times To Drop
Subscription Fees</a> (Search Engine Land) </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">4.<strong> This Fog is Getting
Thicker (and Wikipedia is Getting Larger) </strong></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>The English version of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/"
target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> recently published <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Hormiguero" target="_blank">article
number two-million</a>. That's kinda big.</p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201806121"
target="_blank">Wikipedia Publishes 2-Millionth Article in English</a>
(InformationWeek) </li>
<li><a
href="http://lifehacker.com/software/lifehacker-top-10/top-10-wikipedia-tricks-298696.php"
target="_blank">Top 10 Wikipedia Tricks</a> (Lifehacker)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.scholastici.us/2007/09/10/beyond-wikipedia-20-references-you-cant-do-without/"
target="_blank">Beyond Wikipedia: 20 References You Can't Do Without</a>
(Scholastic.us)</li>
<li><a href="http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/blogs/?p=501"
target="_blank">Wikipedia is HUGE!</a> (UW Libraries Blog)</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
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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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