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Weekly News Digest
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March 9, 2017 — In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today.
CLICK HERE to view more Weekly News Digest items.
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University Conforms to Justice Department Accessibility Standards
According to Inside Higher Ed, on March 15, 2017, the University of California (UC)–Berkeley “will cut off public access to tens of thousands of video lectures and podcasts in response to a U.S. Justice Department order that it make the educational content accessible to people with disabilities.” This includes more than 20,000 audio and videos files that are currently on YouTube, iTunes U, and webcast.berkeley. After March 15, only users with UC–Berkeley credentials will be able to view them.For more information, read the article.
ALA and Cox Communications Spread Digital Literacy
The American Library Association (ALA) and Cox Communications joined forces to help students from low-income families access digital literacy training and resources at their local library and at DigitalLearn.org. This partnership provides students with more educational and career opportunities. “Those who receive formal digital literacy training (as opposed to informal assistance from family or friends) are significantly more likely to use the internet to pursue economic opportunities and cultivate social ties,” according to the press release. Cox Communications is working with libraries in Tucson, Ariz.; Topeka, Kan.; and Baton Rouge, La. to pilot the project.For more information, read the press release.
Librosso Flags Discounted Kindle Ebooks
Librosso is a new free service that alerts readers to discount Kindle ebooks. It searches for titles that are discounted by at least 50% and sends subscribers the list. Readers can subscribe to only the categories they wish to get updates on, such as Biographies & Memoirs, Literature & Fiction, and Science Fiction & Fantasy.For more information, view Librosso’s social media profiles: Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.
Cenveo Publisher Services Helps Publishers With Peer Review
Cenveo Publisher Services launched peer review management services for journal publishers. The services are customized to each publisher’s workflow and business requirements and can be purchased as a standalone supplement or integrated with Cenveo’s full-service journal production model. Publishers can access regular performance reports, with information such as submission numbers, processing times, and decision rates. The company has dedicated staffers for peer review who maintain deadlines, communicate with reviewers, and streamline responses to authors.For more information, read the press release.
edX Adds More MicroMasters Programs
edX introduced 16 new MicroMasters programs in fields such as business analytics, digital product management, cybersecurity, and data science. Twelve universities are offering courses in the new programs to students from around the world. New collegiate partners include Boston University, the University of Pennsylvania, TU Delft (Delft University of Technology), and the University of British Columbia. The programs are free to try.For more information, read the blog post.
Cambridge University Press Celebrates International Women's Day
Cambridge University Press is making some of its feminist theory and women’s history content free on International Women’s Day (March 8, 2017). Chapters from 100-plus books will be available online. They cover topics such as Darwin’s correspondence with women, Virginia Woolf’s relevance today, an introduction to feminist theory, and language myths.For more information, read the press release.
NPower Introduces Registered Apprenticeship Program
The Department of Labor signed an agreement with NPower, a nonprofit that helps military veterans and young adults from underserved communities achieve economic prosperity, to develop a Registered Apprenticeship program. This IT Generalist program will train young adults and veterans for in-demand technical careers in Jersey City, N.J. (with the aim of expanding to other states, according to Kathryn Harriman, NPower’s marketing manager).For more information, read the press release.
FCC May Walk Back Broadband Privacy Rules
According to Inside Sources, “Senate Republicans introduced a measure Tuesday to repeal internet privacy rules passed by the Obama administration’s Federal Communications Commission [FCC] that make it harder for service providers to collect data for targeted ads from their subscribers.”For more information, read the article.
FOIA Request System at the FBI Goes Automated
According to TechCrunch, the changes to the FBI’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request system have taken effect, replacing the standard email system with an online portal. “According to the bureau, the new online portal transitions the agency from a manual system to an automated system that will help it handle its large volume of requests, though detractors argue that the new web portal creates additional barriers to those seeking information from the FBI and makes tracking the paper trail more difficult,” the TechCrunch article states.For more information, read the article.
ARL Keeps Tabs on Library Statements Affirming 'Core Beliefs'
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) compiled a list of statements by and posted signs from its member libraries that express their commitment to foundational values of the library profession, including diversity, inclusion, access to information, privacy, and social justice. For example, the University of Washington Libraries displays “Hate Has No Home Here” posters, and the MIT Libraries issued a statement, “MIT Libraries Stand Committed to Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Social Justice.”For more information, read the list.
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Brandi Scardilli
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