Start off the week right

Yup, read this blog & you'll start off your week on the right foot - really! A few things that I have my eye on:

1. TechCrunch highlighted QuickMuse today (see their posting at http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/06/12/quickmuse-famous-poets-throw-down/), which is an interesting concept - get poets online on a specific date and time - give them a time limit and watch them compose online... if you've got the time (the site loads slowly and isn't very full-featured, but be patient & go to the archives), it's interesting to watch the playbacks of the poem creation process - the next "event" will be on June 14th at http://www.quickmuse.com/ ... it makes you wonder if libraries might take advantage of web technology to do something like an online poetry slam
2. They also highlighted Platial.com (calls itself the People's Atlas) - an interactive online mapping, event, etc., mashup - e.g., see what's happening in Middletown, CT and map your way to it, add your own information to the system (pictures included, too)
3. I'm frustrated by the defeat of the Net Neutrality act - see ALA for more information as to why... Also see the ALA article on CALEA, which denotes that:

“We are disappointed that the DC circuit court of appeals supported the FCC in extending CALEA to Internet access and Voice over IP. Although the decision has no direct effect on libraries because the FCC previously determined that it is not in the public interest to cover libraries, we agree with our co-petitioners that the decision is damaging both to civil liberties and technology innovation.

“Libraries rely on nonprofit private networks like county or state networks to connect to the Internet. The FCC’s order suggested that these private networks had some CALEA obligation despite the fact that CALEA expressly excludes them. We are pleased that the court rejected that notion and made clear that private networks indeed are, and will remain, exempt from CALEA.

“Libraries remain concerned that the court deferred to the FCC’s reasoning extending CALEA to entities providing the facilities that connect private networks to the Internet. Again, libraries have an interest in seeing nonprofit networks remain in service and we do not want non-profits to be saddled with unfunded mandates for new surveillance technologies..."

BTW, Open House Day went off fairly well this past Saturday. Kevin Johnson's portrayal of African-American Civil War soldier was great, the tours of the library and museum were also informative and drew in a grateful crowd, who now know a lot more about what we have to offer them. And that's what it was all about.

P.S. The Blogshop blog address is http://cslblogshop.blogspot.com and the wiki is http://cslblogshop.wikispaces.com.