Information Science
Friday Fun: 30 things to tell a book snob
Posted by John Dupuis on April 26, 2013 I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a book snob, a strange thing to say for a lifetime comics/science fiction/fantasy/horror/mystery fan, but there you go. Perhaps more precisely, I’m a snob about books versus other media. But in my defense I’ll maintain that I’m getting better as I get older — more tolerant and accepting and…
Around the Web: Librarians dealing with data, Unbundling the university and more
Posted by John Dupuis on April 23, 2013 Dealing with Data: Science Librarians’ Participation in Data Management at Association of Research Libraries Institutions Unbundling the University Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS): Search Result : Librarians, Archivists, Conservators And Curators (511) Open access: four ways it could enhance academic freedom Social Justice Librarianship Putting the “Expert” in Subject Expertise Making Things Happen and Getting…
Friday Fun: Mobile phone technology set to revolutionise things we already do quite easily
Posted by John Dupuis on April 19, 2013 After a week like this, I think we all need something a little on the lighter side. Mobile phone technology set to revolutionise things we already do quite easily One of the biggest launches at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is the I-open; an app which allows you to open your front door…
WANTED: Suspects in the Boston Marathon Bombing
Posted by Greg Laden on April 18, 2013 
The FBI has released an electronic wanted poster for you to look at. Somebody knows these people. Do you? You know what to do: (click on the picture of the FBI web site to go through to the FBI web site) Here’s an enhanced video of the scene: One of the guys might be wearing…
Around the Web: Access Copyright sues York University
Posted by John Dupuis on April 16, 2013 Since I work at York University, I’m going to refrain from commenting on this lawsuit. However, as is my practice I’ll be creating and maintaining a list of relevant articles and resources here to help me stay current on the matter. I am not attempting to create a comprehensive list. General Statement of Claim against…
Interview with Peter Binfield and Jason Hoyt of PeerJ
Posted by John Dupuis on April 14, 2013 Welcome to the most recent installment in my very occasional series of interviews with people in the publishing/science blogging/computing communities. The latest is with Peter Binfield and Jason Hoyt of PeerJ. PeerJ is a new startup in the scientific publishing industry, using a rather unique business model whereby authors will be able to pay one…
Around the Web: Yet more librarian angst, The business of literature and more
Posted by John Dupuis on April 13, 2013 Librarians as faculty? It’s a red herring. Why I think faculty status for librarians is (generally) a bad idea Library employees protest changed title As Role of Librarians Evolves, Some Colleges End Their Faculty Status Stratification and losing faculty status Gender, “thought leaders”, ego, and subversion Unpacking “faculty status” Postscript: faculty status and “administrative bloat”…
Friday Fun: Welcome to My Massive Open Online Cult!
Posted by John Dupuis on April 12, 2013 McSweeny’s is brilliant at skewering fads. And there is no bigger fad in higher education than Massive Open Online Courses. MOOCs, as they are known. Now I’m not quibbling with whether or not MOOCs are an interesting and potentially extremely valuable addition to the landscape of higher education, because I think they are. What I…
Why your friends’ privacy settings matter more than yours
Posted by Frank Swain on April 11, 2013 In the age of life-casting offered by Google Glass, you’ll need to pick your friends wisely. As the first of Google’s goggles are dispatched, we’re starting to see serious conversations arise about the implications of always-on feeds beaming every moment onto the cloud. I’ve seen a few articles expressing alarm at the idea we’ll be…
The Trouble With Physics
Posted by Chad Orzel on April 10, 2013 
For something related to the book-in-progress, I was reading Raymond Chandler’s classic essay “The Simple Art of Murder” last night, and stumbled across the following quote, where he laments the number of stories in print in the mystery genre in 1950: In my less stilted moments I too write detective stories, and all this immortality…
