Table of contents: issue46

Book Review: The History and Heritage of Scientific and Technological Information Systems

editor — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Charles Oppenheim takes a look at this series of personal and researched historical analyses of the history of computerised information retrieval systems, and finds it makes fascinating reading if you are interested in such things.

This 420-page paperback includes the papers of a 2002 conference on the history of information retrieval systems. It comprises 33 contributed papers (with remarkably little overlap), together with details about the contributors and an excellent index. The papers are organised in five broad sections - interdisciplinary perspectives, organising and managing information, chemical informatics, national developments and developments in international systems (such as INIS and AGRIS).

Book Review: ARIST 39 - Annual Review of Information Science and Technology

editor — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Michael Day reviews another recent volume of this key annual publication on information science and technology.

The Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARIST) is an important annual publication containing review articles on many topics of relevance to library and information science, published on behalf of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST). Since volume 36 (2002), the editor of ARIST has been Professor Blaise Cronin of Indiana University, Bloomington.

Book Review: Memory Bytes - History, Technology, and Digital Culture

editor — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Ingrid Mason takes a look at this collection of essays and analyses how these authors contribute to our understanding of digital culture by placing digital technology in an historical context.

It seemed a good idea to look at the definition of 'digital culture' offered in Wikipedia [1] and consider this alongside the ideas presented in this text. The definition was marked for possible deletion, then, a few days later the definition had changed, and the matter seems settled (for the moment) [2].

Book Review: Managing Electronic Records

editor — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Lise Foster finds much to think about in this wide-ranging collection of essays on the fast-developing field of electronic records management.

As someone with some theoretical knowledge and technical skills getting involved in the practicalities for the first time, I found considerable food for thought in this book.

Book Review: E-metrics for Library and Information Professionals

editor — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Elizabeth McHugh learns about the importance of locally produced e-metrics and how they could be produced using available technologies.

The sub-title of this book provides a broader explanation for those who may be puzzled by the use of the term "e-metrics". The book suggests that to reach a real understanding of how digital and virtual library collections are used and who is using them, generating data on a local level as well as employing vendor-generated data which conforms, or otherwise, to emerging standards, is important for libraries.

Delivering Digital Services: A Handbook for Public Libraries and Learning Centres

editor — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Towards the end of the Pantomime season, Bruce Royan finds a golden egg among the goose droppings.

There is no shortage of guides to the delivery of e-services in learning centres, although often their emphasis is on academic rather than local authority institutions [1]. In the public library field, it could be argued that more than enough journal articles and monographs on the topic have already been churned out in the 8 years since the publication of New Library: the People's Network [2]. Is there really room on the shelves for one more?

Book Review: Developing the New Learning Environment

editor — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Stephen Town welcomes this new text on a key issue for the future of academic librarians, and suggests some broader questions for consideration.

This work promises to 'capture' and 'critically discuss' the changing support role of librarians in the current 'rapidly changing environment' where boundaries between roles are 'becoming increasingly blurred'. There is clearly a market for such a work, given that librarians in many educational contexts are indeed faced with new forms of learning environment and a significant growth in electronic, distance and blended learning.