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Weekly News Digest

March 25, 2013 — 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.

Bibliogo Now Accepts Imports of RSS Feeds From Google Reader

Scholarly publishers, media, and individual content creators use RSS feeds to syndicate content via a standardized XML file format. Scientists, engineers, clinicians and other professionals subscribe to RSS feeds using an RSS reader that enables them to track and view updated information—saved search alerts from search tools like PubMed, journal table of contents, blog posts, news headlines, competitive intelligence, and more—in a single location on the web or on their desktop. They often include full text, summary information or abstracts as well as metadata pertaining to authors, publishers, and publications. While most RSS aggregation software extracts basic information like titles and descriptions, Bibliogo is purpose-built for scholarly research and extracts as much bibliographic metadata as possible from RSS feeds.

“We realized that there are many professionals scrambling for a new RSS application in light of this sudden and unexpected industry development, so we quickly built an RSS feed import function to ease the transition for the new users that are adopting Bibliogo,” said Ian Palmer, head of sales & marketing at Reprints Desk. “While some generic RSS readers may be okay for the average consumer, we know that scientists, engineers, and others need an RSS reader like Bibliogo that accommodates their specific needs for tracking scholarly information, while simplifying the way in which they interact with this information.”

Bibliogo is the all-in-one literature management solution from Reprints Desk that optimizes literature workflows and reduces the number of systems that individuals and corporations need. Bibliogo features include RSS feed aggregation, remixing and publishing; literature monitoring and alerting; collaborative writing and document/reference management for submissions to publications and regulatory authorities, full-text document delivery acquisition of scientific and technical papers; copyright-compliant personal and workgroup repositories for collaboration; controlled distribution; and content curation for sharing in newsletters, intranets, and portals.

Source: Reprints Desk, Inc.

Credo Acquires OnlineTutorSolutions.com

Mike Sweet, Credo’s CEO, says, “Education trends like the ‘flipped classroom’ show that the boundaries between the classroom and the library are blurring, making unconventional educational support absolutely critical. By acquiring OnlineTutorSolutions.com, Credo is able to offer an affordable way for librarians and educators to give all students the support they need to be successful, removing the barriers that hinder those who are unable to find or afford state-qualified tutors.”

Literati is Credo’s flagship solution that combines authoritative scholarly content, innovative technologies, and customizable services to help libraries and educational institutions make the most of limited resources. The company has developed solutions to meet the unique needs of secondary school students, college students, student athletes, and public library patrons. Credo is experiencing unprecedented uptake of Literati in terms of new customers, partnerships, and recognition by prestigious award programs, including a 2013 SIIA CODiE Award for Literati Public.

OnlineTutorSolutions.com offers its students an affordable, convenient, and effective alternative to traditional learning centers. It provides a one-to-one, interactive learning environment based in state-of-the-art technologies. Tutoring takes place over the internet, in the convenience of the student’s home or at their local library. All tutors are state-certified teachers, specially trained to help students achieve academic success.

Source: Credo

SirsiDynix Announces Upcoming BLUEcloud Suite

“The BLUEcloud Suite represents a significant step forward in library automation and a strong direction for SirsiDynix,” said SirsiDynix CEO Bill Davison. “BLUEcloud gives libraries extraordinary value; it delivers the benefits of a next-generation ILS without the risks or costs of migrating to an untested system. The entire suite is available for both Horizon and Symphony, giving libraries the stability they need along with an improved UI and more efficient workflows. Best of all, many BLUEcloud Suite applications, such as Cataloging, Circulation, and BLUEcloud PAC, are included in the price of libraries’ current ILS maintenance.”

The BLUEcloud Suite contains the following major components:

• BLUEcloud Staff includes cloud-based Administration, Cataloging, Circulation, Acquisitions, and Serials applications for the price of ILS maintenance. It also includes premium applications such as SirsiDynix MobileCirc and the powerful Analytics application.
• BLUEcloud Discovery gives your community facet-based searching with BLUEcloud PAC and BookMyne, included in ILS maintenance. It also includes Social Library for Facebook integration and BookMyne+, Enterprise, and Portfolio for robust customization and additional features.
• BLUEcloud Marketplace offers libraries end-to-end eResource management with eResource Central. It also includes the upcoming Global Titles Lists and Global Vendor Access to give libraries instant access to available titles from multiple vendors for the price of ILS maintenance.

Source: SirsiDynix

Alexander Street Partners With Equinox Software to Enhance Evergreen

Equinox is recognized as a leader in Evergreen support, migrations, and software development. Evergreen, which launched in 2006, is a highly-scalable, open source integrated library system (ILS) that helps library patrons locate materials, and aids libraries of all sizes in managing, cataloging, and circulating those materials. The software is currently in use in more than 1,000 libraries globally.

The project is expected to conclude in March 2013 and will be included in the forthcoming release of Evergreen following community review.

Source: Alexander Street Press

IHS GlobalSpec Introduces Datasheets360.com

By leveraging IHS CAPS Universe content with IHS GlobalSpec’s digital media platform, Datasheets360 provides purchasing, engineering, and technical professionals instant, free access to a database of millions of electronics components datasheets. Visitors to datasheets360.com can search datasheets from more than 600 suppliers in more than 400 categories of active and passive electronic components.

For suppliers, Datasheets360 offers multiple opportunities to dominate share of voice for specific parts or entire part categories via contextual ad units, and drive transaction-ready traffic to its site to buy products or request samples. Built to facilitate product consideration and ultimately part procurement, the site represents an opportunity for manufacturers to build brand awareness and position themselves for design wins during a critical phase in the buy cycle and for distributors to drive transactions.

Datasheets360 launch partners include Digi-Key Corp.; Mouser Electronics, Inc.; and Allied Electronics, Inc.

Source: GlobalSpec 

EveryoneOn Launches to Promote Digital Literacy

Often those resources are at public libraries. According to the most recent library technology report from the American Library Association (ALA), nearly every one of the 16,400-plus public library buildings in America offers free access to computers and the internet; 44% of public libraries offer formal digital literacy courses; and one-third of public libraries (34.8%) invite patrons to schedule one-on-one appointments with a librarian to get coaching on digital access. Even at libraries without formal classes, a librarian is usually ready to help people access a computer and the internet. Patrons can also get online assistance through DigitalLearn.org, a new site developed by ALA.

People go to the library to use computers. According to a recent report on Library Services in the Digital Age from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 91% of Americans believe that libraries are important to their community. Survey respondents marked access to technology on par with research assistance and borrowing books—three-quarters of Americans (77%-80%) say these services are very important. One in four Americans went to the library last year to use a computer and the internet. But more important than the numbers are the people. One Colorado resident found resources at his library to learn computer skills and apply for job, students in Cuyahoga County connect with friends and mentors and get homework help, and seniors in Houston are learning that “at least they can’t break it” and that the internet opens access to a world of exploration.

Users can call 855-EVRY1ON or visit everyoneon.org to access a ZIP code search tool to find free computer and internet training classes in their areas. The website also includes information on computer basics, job searches, accessing government resources, and how to connect with friends and family.

Source: Connect2Compete