Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Google book scanning next episode.

RantWoman is decidedly soap-opera-impairedm at least when it comes to consumption of daytime dramas or even some of the ones that bleed into prime time TV. One reason RantWoman still succeeds in meeting her minimum daily requirement of soap operas is her fascination with the frontiers between technology and older concepts. Today's episode: the following item about Google's efforts to scan all books everywhere.

http://tjantunen.com/2009/09/02/access-denied/

RantWoman herself is not particularly in a position to comment in depth but has put the whole issue on her to-watch list.

In the interest of solidifying her nerd credentials, RantWoman also notes that meaty problems like the ramifications of different approaches to electronic access are exactly the sort of entertainment RantWoman relies on to keep her brain from running out the window during many of her exotic and enxtended transit adventures. RantWoman will somewhere else hold forth on why the bus sometimes compares favorably to stuffy conference rooms as a venue for such mental excursions.

Today though RantWoman will note in passing that, charmed as she might be by electronic access, part of the unique wonders of libraries is putting one's hands on artifacts. In this connection RantWoman notes the New York Times regrets that recently retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter has donated his personal papers to the NH historical society and pointedly disinvited the interested public to put their hands on the papers for 50 years. From extreme access, copyright be ... to no access in one day. Take your pick

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