It should come as no surprise that a large share of this year's business books focus squarely on the 2008-09 financial crisis and security-backed mortgage implosion. Investing books followed the trend as either alarmist titles advocating selling stocks, or books urging readers to take advantage of this time to buy undervalued investments. An…

Magazine publishers weathered the difficult recession year of 2009 with admirable resilience. Although several magazines failed and many saw reductions in advertising revenue, a number of new publications have been launched as industry professionals continue to demonstrate their ability to adapt to new technologies and difficult business…

In February 2008, the faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University made history, unanimously passing a revolutionary open access mandate that, for the first time, would require faculty to give the university copies of their research, along with a nonexclusive license to distribute them electronically. In the press, Harvard University…

Since the early 1990s, Carl Malamud has made it his business to return to the public what is rightfully theirs: free access to public information. Despite legislation that mandates such access to government information, some categories of information have been excluded, notable among them court opinions (with the exception of the U.S. Supreme…

In a time when information self-service and enhanced competition have sent libraries of all types into an oftentimes desperate search for a renewed sense of purpose, a fundamentally important question takes center stage: How can libraries connect with the deepest aspirations of their service communities? This article describes a new library…

The current economic crisis has naturally reached into one's pocket and made many people anxious about their own finances. As consumers ride out these treacherous times, where can they go to find advice on managing and paying down their debt, protecting their investments, incomes, and retirement plans, and applying for mortgages in a tight credit…

Explores several pitfalls that can defeat technical and management consulting endeavors in organizations, highlighting directions given to a consultant concerning a problem, the "solution machine," the relationship between client and advisor, feedback and flexibility, unmade commitments, and the narrow view of a problem. Fourteen references are…

Suggests decision making techniques that can be used to estimate the consequences of choosing alternative courses of action, to select an optimum strategy, or to determine how sensitive predicted outcomes are to particular assumptions. Microcomputer use, quantitative techniques, and examples involving item reordering and adoption of word…

Explores microcomputer revolution and assesses role of microcomputers in libraries. Highlights include characteristics of three types of computers (mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers); hardware limitations of microcomputers (storage capacity, processing speed); advancing technology; the local area network; software problems; and…

Discusses the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services (WHCLIS). Topics discussed include conference issues, including keynote speakers, procedural difficulties, and the failure to attract media attention; and substantive issues, including a recommendation to establish an office to focus on children and youth literacy, and…

This article briefly discusses two librarians exploration of Linux. Andrea Baker and Amy Daniels were tired of telling their students that new technology items were not in the budget. They explored Linux, which is a program that recycles older computers, installs free operating systems and free software.

Discusses recent changes in the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), arguing that the adoption of the well-recognized codes for thesauri has created confusion because the LCSH is not a true thesaurus. The distinction between subject headings and terms are clarified and a possible solution to the problems with the LCSH is suggested. (5…

Addresses issues of safety and security in libraries. Topics discussed include keeping library collections safe; patron behavioral problems; factoring loss into the budget; staff theft; access versus security; apathy regarding library crime; a need for a unified security apparatus; preventive measures; staff and patron safety; and a…

Reviews ten Web sites that are designed to answer basic legal questions for the layperson. They provide resources on a broad range of legal topics, such as divorce, real estate, and criminal justice, as well as legal forms and information on finding a lawyer. (LRW)

We all hate jargon that we do not understand. It leaves us feeling confused, frustrated, and belittled. We simultaneously wonder why we do not know what the terms mean and why the speaker does not explain them or use more understandable language. Communication between those "in the know" and those not in the know has always been an issue and will…