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[ECP] The Scout Report -- January 19, 2007

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=======
The Scout Report
January 19, 2007
Volume 13, Number 2
-----
A publication of the Internet Scout Project.
Sponsored by University of Wisconsin - Madison Libraries.
=======

== I N T H E S C O U T R E P O R T T H I S W E E K ========

====== Research and Education ====
1. Tufts University OpenCourseWare
2. Office of Sustainable Fisheries
3. Northeast Document Conservation Center
4. Hearing America: A Century of Music on the Radio
5. Women Physicians, 1850s-1970s
6. Travelers in the Middle East Archive
7. Research Channel
8. Political Database of the Americas (Last reviewed in the Scout Report on
January 13, 1998)

====== General Interest ====
9. World Health Organization: Child and Adolescent Health and Development
10. Council on Library and Information Resources
11. The Urban Age Institute
12. Mark Twain's Mississippi River
13. CineFiles
14. Oral History Project in Labor History
15. Buffalo Bill Historical Center
16. Louvre Atlanta: The Royal Collections

====== Network Tools ====
17. OpenTalkLive 3.17
18. jetAudio 6.2.8 Basic

====== In The News ====
19. Despite criticism from some quarters, anticipation and excitement about
upcoming Olympic Games continues unabated

====== Research and Education ====

1. Tufts University OpenCourseWare [pdf]
http://ocw.tufts.edu/

The number of universities who are placing course materials online for the
generally curious is growing, and the OpenCourseWare site provided by Tufts
University is another fine example of this type of educational initiative.
As with other OpenCourseWare sites, institutions can elect to include a wide
range of materials, including lecture notes, syllabi, extensive
bibliographies, and various media presentations. The materials here are
divided in a number of ways, and most visitors will find it easy to navigate
the entire site. First-time visitors will want to go ahead and click on the
"Courses" heading, which will return a complete list of all the currently
available course materials. Ranging from an introductory course on
agricultural science and policy to a "physics for humanists" course, there
are a number of real finds here. Finally, visitors can use the "Help" tab to
learn more about the specifics of this initiative. [KMG]

2. Office of Sustainable Fisheries [pdf]
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter/aquaculture/

Seafood is becoming popular again. Very popular, it would seem. But there
are a number of potential problems with this development, one of them being
the fact that a number of oceans and seas across the globe have been
depleted of some of the most popular species. Stepping in to address some of
these challenges is NOAA's Office of Sustainable Fisheries. With an emphasis
on domestic aquaculture production, the Office is interested in developing
this production method as a way "to reduce dependence on seafood imports,
provide jobs for economically depressed coastal communities, and increase
regional food supply and security." On their site, visitors can look over
different policy documents (such as the National Aquaculture Act of 1980)
and also browse through hundreds of resources regarding aquaculture.
Visitors can also look over the proposed 10-Year Plan for Aquaculture and
many a fact sheet. [KMG]

3. Northeast Document Conservation Center [pdf]
http://www.nedcc.org/

Founded in 1973, the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NDCC) was
created to address the rapid deterioration of older paper-based documents in
a number of institutions across New England. On their website, visitors can
learn about their conservation and imaging services, and also examine some
of their fine resources intended for members of the preservation community.
The "Resources" area is a good place to start, as it contains a number of
suggestions for preserving private and family collections and also contains
a set of additional web-based resources and links. Beyond those materials,
there are a number of digitized leaflets here, such as "Assessing
Preservation Needs: A Self-Survey Guide" and "Preservation of Library and
Archival Materials". The site is rounded out by an excellent disaster
assistance section that includes an online disaster planning tool called
"dPlan" and a set of general guidelines for archival institutions that may
be coping with such situations. [KMG]

4. Hearing America: A Century of Music on the Radio [QuickTime]
http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/radio/index.html

As one of the lyrics by the Brothers Gershwin goes: "They told
Marconi/wireless was a phony." Of course, the wireless world of the radio
and its galaxy of musical choices has changed from the transmission of mere
Morse code in its early decades to today's overwhelming choices afforded by
different satellite radio companies. This recent documentary by the American
RadioWorks program explores the history of American radio, and how it has
been the site of many a cultural battle over the past ten decades. This site
allows users to listen to the entire program, and it also includes a number
of nice web features. These include maps that chart the growth of AM and FM
stations from 1922 through 2006 and some engaging essays, such as "Radio
Fights Jim Crow" and "Sex, Race and Rock & Roll". [KMG]

5. Women Physicians, 1850s-1970s
http://archives.drexelmed.edu/womanmd/

For many decades, women who sought to become doctors were turned away at
many institutions. This was not the case at the Woman's Medical College of
Pennsylvania. Beginning in 1850 the school trained thousands of women
physicians who would later go on to teach in a diverse set of countries
across the world. The story of these women and this institution is told in
great detail through a set of primary documents on this website. Created by
the Drexel University College of Medicine, this digital collection provides
access to over 27,000 pages of materials. While visitors are free to use the
search engine to locate specific items, they may do well by beginning their
journey here by looking at one of the five thematic subject areas offered
here. They include "Student Life", "Missionary Work & Public Health", and
"Early College Years". The "Early College Years" is quite a pip, as visitors
can browse the materials by date range or by format, such as diaries,
booklets, and satires. [KMG]

6. Travelers in the Middle East Archive
http://timea.rice.edu/

As Edward Said demonstrated in his landmark work, Orientalism, the ways in
which the Middle East has been represented by outsiders (particularly those
in the West) has had a tremendous influence on how this region of the world
has been viewed by others. For anyone with an interest in Western
interactions with the Middle East, this fascinating and engaging online
digital archive includes travel guides written by Western visitors,
photographic and hand-drawn images of Egypt, and some interactive GIS maps
of both Egypt and Cyprus. With funding from the Institute of Museum and
Library Services, the Travelers in the Middle East Archive (TIMEA) includes
over 15,000 pages of text, 800 images, and 150 historical maps. Visitors
with an interest in how such projects are created and maintained will also
appreciate their papers and presentations section, which includes pieces on
their work. Along with other materials included here, one of the highlights
of the site must certainly be a first-hand account of travels through
Palestine and environs written by H. Rider Haggard, who is probably best
known for his series of late 19th century adventure novels set in Africa.
[KMG]

7. Research Channel [Windows Media Player]
http://www.researchchannel.org/

It's quite a hike to listen to a lecture at Princeton and then take a long
plane ride (or an even longer journey on a cruise ship) over to the
University of Hawaii to hear a talk on globalization in the Pacific Rim.
Never fear, gentle reader, as the Research Channel website is here. The
Research Channel organization has been in existence since 1996, and with
over 70 participating members, they have created this website to provide
access to a prodigious array of talks, conferences, lectures, and so on.
Visitors to the site can go ahead and get their feet wet by just joining
their programming in progress at the "Now Playing" link, or they can look
over some of their 3000 titles currently available for viewing. If all of
this seems a bit overwhelming, one can just take a look at some of their
newer programs, which have included presentations from Texas A&M University
on using general chemistry principles and a talk by the Nigerian ambassador
to the United States on oil production and drug trafficking. Finally,
visitors can also sign up to receive their monthly electronic newsletter,
"Think Forward!" [KMG]

8. Political Database of the Americas [pdf] (Last reviewed in the Scout
Report on January 13, 1998)
http://pdba.georgetown.edu/

Georgetown University's dominance in the fields of international relations
and political science is well-known, and they also have a number of
compelling digital projects that draw on their expertise in these areas. One
such project is the Political Database of the Americas, which was created
and maintained by the Center for Latin American Studies. Working with the
Secretariat for Political Affairs of the Organization of American States,
they have created this database which includes a wide range of documents
from countries located in the Americas. Within the database, visitors can
look up national constitutions, judicial documents, and information on civil
society. It's a tremendously helpful resource, and the materials are
available in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. As a resource for
students (and teachers) of political science, political economy, or the law,
it will definitely merit several return visits. [KMG]

====== General Interest ====

9. World Health Organization: Child and Adolescent Health and Development
[pdf]
http://www.who.int/child-adolescent-health/

Along with groups such as the United Nations and the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation, the World Health Organization's Child and Adolescent Health and
Development (CAH) division is concerned with the health and well-being of
those who range in age from the newly born to age nineteen. It is, as they
point out on their website, a rather large group of individuals, and all
told, it comprises approximately 40% of the world's inhabitants. From their
homepage, interested parties can learn about their primary areas of focus,
and also look over a thorough list of their recent publications. Other
sections include those dedicated to providing data about nutritional
portraits of infants in different parts of the world and neonatal care.
Visitors will also be glad to learn that the site and its materials are
available in Spanish, Russian, French, and English. [KMG]

10. Council on Library and Information Resources [pdf]
http://www.clir.org/

Based in Washington, DC, the mission of the Council on Library and
Information Resources (CLIR) is "to expand access to information, however
recorded and preserved, as a public good." Not surprisingly, they do an
excellent job of fulfilling this mission, and persons interested in their
work will appreciate learning about their website and its many offerings.
The materials on their site are contained within four primary sections,
including "Publications", "Activities", "Awards", and "News". The
"Publications" area is a rich source of information for persons working in
the fields of archive management, information science, and other related
fields. Here visitors will find their annual reports, their in-house
bimonthly newsletter, and full-length reports. Visitors can view a
chronological list containing all of their reports, or they can look through
thematic sections, such as "Managing Economic Challenges" and "Perspectives
on the Evolving Library". Aspiring scholars will also want to look over
their fellowships and awards, as there may be one that may be used to
further their own scholarly work. [KMG]

11. The Urban Age Institute [pdf]
http://urbanage.org/

Around the world, policy experts and concerned citizens continue to ask:
What can be done about the problems of the world's cities? Of course, the
problems of cities differ widely, and simple answers are in short supply, if
they are any to be had at all. Based in San Rafael, the Urban Age Institute
has been exploring some of these issues over the years, and their website
contains some of their various findings and musings on a number of pressing
urban matters. On their website, visitors can learn about their various
research objectives, some of the events they sponsor, and also consider an
extensive list of complementary websites. Finally, clicking on the
"Articles" section will take visitors to the current issue of their
magazine, "Urban Age". Additionally, visitors can browse through previous
issues at their leisure. [KMG]

12. Mark Twain's Mississippi River [RealPlayer]
http://dig.lib.niu.edu/twain/

In a very real way, Samuel Clemens cut his teeth on the Mississippi River as
an apprentice steamboat captain in the late 1850s. Years later he would draw
on these experiences for a number of the works he would write under the
name, "Mark Twain". This multimedia website created at Northern Illinois
University explores his time in and around Big Muddy through a number of
interactive maps, historic images, and audio content. By clicking on the
"Twain's Life and Works" section, visitors can read a number of essays
written by Gregg Camfield of the University of the Pacific on such topics as
the economic importance of the river during Twain's life, as well as other
pieces on related topics. Moving along, visitors can perform detailed
searches across the entire database and also listen to songs from the
period, such as "Steamboat Bill". [KMG]

13. CineFiles
http://www.mip.berkeley.edu/cinefiles/

The Pacific Film Archives at Berkeley has been collecting all types of film
ephemera for decades. Over the past few years, they have worked to place
this material online for the use of film historians and persons with a
general interest in cinema. The CineFiles site serves as a database of
reviews, press kits, festival and showcase program notes, newspaper articles
and other documents from their collection. On their homepage, visitors can
perform simple searches, or also perform a filmographic search to search for
films by title, subject, genre, and so on. To get visitors started, they
have included several sample searches that will be most illustrative. From
a 1927 Variety review of Buster Keaton's masterpiece film "College" to an
interview with John Cassavetes regarding his 1974 film "A Woman Under the
Influence", the CineFiles collection is quite engaging and useful. [KMG]

14. Oral History Project in Labor History [pdf]
http://www2.roosevelt.edu/library/oralhistory/oralhistory.htm

Labor history is a field that has enjoyed a resurgence of interest,
including significant attention from journalists, scholars, and curious
members of the general public. This particular set of labor history
documents is primarily concerned with oral histories compiled by Elizabeth
Balanoff in the early 1970s. Three decades later, several librarians at
Roosevelt University received a $10,000 grant from the Illinois State
Library to digitize these interview transcripts. Interviews include Irving
Abrams, who was a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, and Joseph
Keenan, who served as the secretary of the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers. This fascinating collection is rounded out by a number
of interview transcripts from conversations with faculty members at
Roosevelt University on the subject of faculty participation in university
government. [KMG]

15. Buffalo Bill Historical Center
http://www.bbhc.org

As a member of the Museums West consortium, the Buffalo Bill Historical
Center is itself comprised of five separate museums, including the Buffalo
Bill Museum, the Plains Indian Museum, and the Cody Firearms Museum. For
those who may not be able to make it to their location in northeastern
Wyoming, there are a number of online features that will provide as a
suitable substitute for the actual experience of being there. Visitors can
feel free to browse the online guide to their research library, and they
will most certainly want to look at some of the online exhibits. Some of
these online exhibits include features on Buffalo Bill himself, and others
(such as those within the Cody Firearms Museum section) feature information
on Winchester collectibles and firearms-related sayings.
[KMG]

16. Louvre Atlanta: The Royal Collections [Macromedia Flash Player]
http://www.louvreatlanta.org/en/exhibition/Year%201
Great friendships can lead to wonderful partnerships, and the kinship
between Michael Shapiro and Henri Loyrette is a fine example. As director of
the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Michael Shapiro had worked with Henri
Loyrette, the director of the Musee du Louvre, on a presentation of
Impressionist works in 1999. A few years ago, they proposed a collaborative
partnership that would allow different pieces from the Louvre to be
displayed in a new wing of the High Museum. Over the next three years, the
Louvre Atlanta initiative will do just that, and this website offers some of
the highlights from the first year. Visitors to the site can interact with
some of the magnificent paintings and sculpture acquired by Louis XIV and
Louis VXI, including a very lovely secretary from 1780 and an exquisite vase
from the Sevres Porcelain Manufactory. [KMG]

====== Network Tools ====

17. OpenTalkLive 3.17
http://www.opentalklive.com/

Software that allows users to talk with other distant individuals is not
unusual these days, but some of these programs can be rather expensive.
Fortunately, OpenTalk Live is free, and allows users to talk with up to 100
people at a time. While the program may seem to be suited for socializing,
one can imagine that could be used for effective videoconferencing in either
the worlds of businesses or higher education. This particular version is
compatible with computers running Windows 98 and newer. [KMG]

18. jetAudio 6.2.8 Basic
http://www.cowonamerica.com/download/

Contained within a streamlined silver package is jetAudio 6.2.8 Basic. It
presents a welcome alternative to other multimedia players, and it allows
users to utilize a number of equalizers, speed controls, and of course, the
cross-fade option. Additionally, for the truly brave, the application also
includes a synchronized lyrics display for karaoke. This version is
compatible with computers running Windows 98, Me, 2000, and XP. [KMG]

====== In The News ====

19. Despite criticism from some quarters, anticipation and excitement about
upcoming Olympic Games continues unabated
UNEP Reaffirms support to "Green" Olympics in Beijing
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=498&ArticleID=5491&l=en

British Olympic official warns of Chinese "superstate" ahead of Beijing
Games
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/15/sports/AS-SPT-OLY-Chinas-Might.php

Olympics Threaten City Projects Cash
http://www.thisisbradford.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1124350.mostviewed.olympics_threaten_city_projects_cash.php

Olympics race: Chicago vs. the world
http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=23478

GamesBids.com
http://www.gamesbids.com/english/index.shtml

Chicago 2016 [Macromedia Flash Player]
http://www.chicago2016.org/

Back in 1896, Pierre de Coubertin and a number of physical culture devotees
helped breathe new life into the Olympics. While these games in Athens
certainly helped restore and recreate a number of palaces of sport from the
world of ancient Rome, few of the other features we now associate with the
modern games were in place. Today, even the bidding process to host either
the Summer or Winter Games can be a contentious affair, and other skeptics
continue to doubt the long-term benefits of hosting the Olympics. This past
week, a number of news agencies began reporting on the excitement
surrounding the 2008 Summer Olympics. The hubbub surrounding these games has
started already as the United Nations Environment Programme and the
International Olympic Committee reaffirmed their support for creating a
"green" friendly environment for the 2008 games and those in the future.
>From other quarters, there was mention of other more immediate concerns. For
example, the British Olympic Association's chief executive Simon Clegg
expressed nervousness about the "sporting superstate" of China due to their
very impressive showing at the 2004 Games in Athens. With a year and a half
until the Games begin, there remains plenty of time to engage in a bit of
fun speculation about how each nation will perform at what promises to be an
exciting Summer Games. [KMG]

The first link will take users to a press release from the United Nations
Environment Programme which talks about their interest in creating a "green"
friendly Olympic Games. Moving along, the second link will take users to a
piece from the International Herald Tribune that talks about the emergence
of China as a "sporting superpower". The third link leads to a piece from a
daily newspaper in Bradford (UK) which voices concerns that government
sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympic Games will threaten local community
development funds. The fourth link leads to a piece from Monday's Crain's
Chicago Business which provides background information about Chicago's bid
to host the 2016 Olympic Games. For a bit of speculative and informed
commentary about future Olympic sites, the fifth link is a real find.
Created and developed by Robert Livingstone, the GamesBids site provides in-
depth coverage of cities' efforts to host future Olympic Games. The final
link leads to the official homepage for Chicago's 2016 bid to host the
Games, complete with links to news and events surrounding their efforts.
[KMG]

====== ======
== Index for January 19, 2007 ==
====== ======