Link Smorgasbord, February 2014
Adobe’s change of DRM could end old e-readers’ compatibility with e-book stores
Fortunately Adobe backpedaled a little bit on this one, but this is one of those underlying issues about DRM. Now it makes sense that they wanted to rework their encryption, because to be honest, it was laughably easy to get around (if I have to buy a book with DRM one of the first things I do is remove it so that I can read it on the device of my choice and have a back-up copy). Changes are still going to happen, but now the onus is on the publishers and ebook vendors if they are going to force a DRM that is incompatible with a large number of existing devices, and on the device manufacturers if they plan on providing any sort of firmware updates in response.
See more:
Adobe: We Didn’t Mean to Use DRM to Break Your eBook Readers
Noisetrade
Free books, audio books, and music. Tip suggested but left to your discretion.
Four Libraries Offering Cutting-Edge Digital Services
Well, the title is pretty self-explanatory.
Placer County Libraries Join Zip Books Program
In other terms, this is a patron-drive acquisition program for libraries facilitated by Amazon. Why Amazon? I have no clue, I'd think it would make the most sense to use the library's primary vendors who still generally give better prices than Amazon does, and then go to online retailers for books not offered there, but that's just me. Personally I like patron suggestions, but as someone who has experience with collection development, weeding collections in particular, I'm dubious of automatically making any patron purchase request under $35. On the flip side, it may be a great way of curating title suggestions.
Making the Mobile Web Safer with HTTPS Everywhere
Specifically, HTTPS Everywhere is now available for mobile versions of Firefox.
Sony selects Kobo to bring its world class ebookstore to Sony Readers in the US and Canada
Sony Reader Store closing, using Kobo Store instead
Professor Candy Schwartz's Words of Wisdom
I had Professor Schwartz while working on my MLS, she's a brilliant and fantastic woman.
This Is What a Librarian Looks Like
Many of you have probably seen this, it was a very popular article shared around for a few weeks. I like it, it shows a range of library faces beyond middle aged woman with glasses, cardigan, and hair in a bun. Shockingly some people, including other librarians, were incredibly upset and offended by this (and others were just jerks).
See more:
Slate’s This is What a Librarian Looks Like: This is why we can’t have nice things
This Is What A Librarian Looks Like: Ur Doin’ It Wrong Culture Must Die
Lovecraft's Monsters enhances the mythos
My review was featured on the publisher's Tumblr! :D
Invest in libraries; they are windows into digital literacy for adults (Commentary)
Looking at some of the importance of libraries for adults, not just the children. This is something that most of my career as a librarian has involved, as strive to help adults with digital literacy.
Library Consortium Tests Interlibrary Loans of e-Books
Meanwhile, in academic library land, dealing with e-books, DRM, and Inter-Library Loan.
Why Apple's Recent Security Flaw Is So Scary
There are security flaws in any OS, but I personally find Apple OS security flaws scarier as their users often believe they don't ever need to worry about security at the same time that iOS popularity has skyrocketed with the success of their mobile devices.
Open Access Honesty
So I hadn't realized that Amazon charged the publisher whenever "free" books are sold. I like his conclusion, "So here's my simple, unproven postulate: in the long run, full disclosure about pricing and an honest relationship with readers will be in the best, mutual interests of authors, publishers, readers, and libraries. And customers will prefer a distribution channel that enables that honesty."
Fortunately Adobe backpedaled a little bit on this one, but this is one of those underlying issues about DRM. Now it makes sense that they wanted to rework their encryption, because to be honest, it was laughably easy to get around (if I have to buy a book with DRM one of the first things I do is remove it so that I can read it on the device of my choice and have a back-up copy). Changes are still going to happen, but now the onus is on the publishers and ebook vendors if they are going to force a DRM that is incompatible with a large number of existing devices, and on the device manufacturers if they plan on providing any sort of firmware updates in response.
See more:
Adobe: We Didn’t Mean to Use DRM to Break Your eBook Readers
Noisetrade
Free books, audio books, and music. Tip suggested but left to your discretion.
Four Libraries Offering Cutting-Edge Digital Services
Well, the title is pretty self-explanatory.
Placer County Libraries Join Zip Books Program
In other terms, this is a patron-drive acquisition program for libraries facilitated by Amazon. Why Amazon? I have no clue, I'd think it would make the most sense to use the library's primary vendors who still generally give better prices than Amazon does, and then go to online retailers for books not offered there, but that's just me. Personally I like patron suggestions, but as someone who has experience with collection development, weeding collections in particular, I'm dubious of automatically making any patron purchase request under $35. On the flip side, it may be a great way of curating title suggestions.
Making the Mobile Web Safer with HTTPS Everywhere
Specifically, HTTPS Everywhere is now available for mobile versions of Firefox.
Sony selects Kobo to bring its world class ebookstore to Sony Readers in the US and Canada
Sony Reader Store closing, using Kobo Store instead
Professor Candy Schwartz's Words of Wisdom
I had Professor Schwartz while working on my MLS, she's a brilliant and fantastic woman.
This Is What a Librarian Looks Like
Many of you have probably seen this, it was a very popular article shared around for a few weeks. I like it, it shows a range of library faces beyond middle aged woman with glasses, cardigan, and hair in a bun. Shockingly some people, including other librarians, were incredibly upset and offended by this (and others were just jerks).
See more:
Slate’s This is What a Librarian Looks Like: This is why we can’t have nice things
This Is What A Librarian Looks Like: Ur Doin’ It Wrong Culture Must Die
Lovecraft's Monsters enhances the mythos
My review was featured on the publisher's Tumblr! :D
Invest in libraries; they are windows into digital literacy for adults (Commentary)
Looking at some of the importance of libraries for adults, not just the children. This is something that most of my career as a librarian has involved, as strive to help adults with digital literacy.
Library Consortium Tests Interlibrary Loans of e-Books
Meanwhile, in academic library land, dealing with e-books, DRM, and Inter-Library Loan.
Why Apple's Recent Security Flaw Is So Scary
There are security flaws in any OS, but I personally find Apple OS security flaws scarier as their users often believe they don't ever need to worry about security at the same time that iOS popularity has skyrocketed with the success of their mobile devices.
Open Access Honesty
So I hadn't realized that Amazon charged the publisher whenever "free" books are sold. I like his conclusion, "So here's my simple, unproven postulate: in the long run, full disclosure about pricing and an honest relationship with readers will be in the best, mutual interests of authors, publishers, readers, and libraries. And customers will prefer a distribution channel that enables that honesty."
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