The DPLA Beta Sprint Review Panel announces results, invites creators of nine projects to present at the October 21st Plenary Meeting.
“The [nine] selected projects were invited on the basis of recommendations made by an independent review panel composed of public and research librarians and experts in the fields of library science and information management. The panel met in Cambridge, MA on September 18, 2011 to discuss the 38 final Beta Sprint submissions.”
From our Press Release
Google and the Israel Museum launch unprecedented Dead Sea Scrolls Project.
“The oldest known biblical manuscripts will be available online in a high-resolution format thanks to a partnership between Google and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. The Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Project, to be launched today, features searchable, fast-loading images of five complete Israeli scrolls of the Second Temple Period, the time of the birth of Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism. The pictures come with explanatory videos and background information on the texts and their history.”
From Gianluca Mezzofiore’s article, “Google digitises Dead Sea Scrolls”
University of Michigan continues orphan works digitization project unabated by lawsuit.
“The Orphan Works Project is an effort to identify the rights holders of out-of-print U.S. works published between 1923-63. The university intends to share digitized online versions of orphan works — that is, works whose rights holders cannot be identified or contacted — with authenticated U-M users via the HathiTrust Digital Library when copies also reside in its print collection.”
From Lynne Raughley press release, “U-M Library Orphan Works Project undaunted by lawsuit”
Mike Kelly raises concerns about privacy in Kindle library lending.
“The joy among front-line librarians about Kindle lending is more than understandable. They now can give thousands of unhappy patrons a resounding ‘yes’ when it comes to their Kindles. But their influence over the privacy policy of Amazon is nil. And it will likely remain at zero, even as Amazon becomes more deeply enmeshed in library operations and as librarians actively enable that role.”
From Mike Kelly’s post, “Kindle Library Lending: A Triumph of Practicality Over Principles”