The OPLIN 4cast is a new, weekly compilation of recent headlines, topics, and trends that could impact public libraries. You can subscribe to it via RSS feed at www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?feed=rss2.
This week’s 4cast:
1. COPA Subpoenas Go Way Beyond Google
When the federal government wanted data to bolster their argument that portions of the Child Online Protection Act (COPA) should be renewed, it turns out that they demanded information from a lot more companies than just Google.
- Feds go all out with COPA subpoenas (Ars Technica)
- DOJ Subpoenaed Dozens of Companies in Addition to Google (American Library Association)
2. Legal Movie Downloads Don’t Come Cheap
Movielink and CinemaNow have become the first major online sources for (legal) downloadable movies in the United States. The movies will be available for download on the same day as the DVDs go on sale, but it will cost more to do so.
- Legal movie downloads come to the US (Ars Technica)
- Download Movies Legally, for a Price (PC World)
3. Print Newspapers Going the Way of the Dinosaurs?
More and more readers are surfing to their newspaper online instead of subscribing to the paper version.
- Stop the Presses … Go Online (Wired)
- For Future Readers, Papers Should Look Online (The Washington Post)
4. A Shortcut Through the Fog of Blogs
What’s a blog and how can they help you? Here’s a quick, three-step way to get your feet wet without having to know anything.
- “Bloglines for Librarians in Three (and a half) Easy Steps” by Joy Weese Moll
4b. Creative Commons Licenses
Joy Weese Moll published the above article under a Creative Commons License. Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that provides “a flexible range of protections and freedoms for authors, artists, and educators” in the form of free, voluntary “some rights reserved” licenses.
