Digital Amnesia - is there a cure?

Tweet No, I'm not suffering from amnesia. In fact, I've been so busy that I've neglected this blog.  But today, as I reflected on a very  important conference I attended at the University of British Columbia in September on the topic of digital amnesia (among other things), I knew I had to share some of what went on.

Talk about convergence! Over 500 individuals from over 110 countries converged at a UNESCO Conference, The Memory of the World in the Digital age: Digitization and Preservation, September 26-28, 2012.  Read a summary of the conference and find a webcast of the plenary sessions here.

It was a stimulating and informative three days that concluded with a plenary session at which participants discussed the main product to emerge from the conference, the UNESCO/UBC Vancouver Declaration.

You can still participate in refining the Declaration by going to the communication and information webpage, downloading and reading the declaration, and then sending your comments and/or observations directly to UNESCO.

Rather than repeat here the contents of a blog just posted to the Center for Information Research and Innovation, you can read more about the conference by following this link.

Virtual Conference Rescheduled to May 10 - same time, same place

Tweet New experiences can be exciting or frustrating... the unexpected grid problems in Second Life last evening can be placed in the latter category.  Eager presenters and participants of the 3rd Annual VCARA Conference found they could not reach SLIS Island to attend or present.

The strangest part from my point of view was the fact that I could reach our neighbor, Stanford, and look out to where VCARA should be, only to see water.  Hmmm....

Not knowing when we'd finally be able to get in, who would keep trying that long, and if the grid would continue to be available once we started, a decision was made to reschedule for May 10, 5:30 to 8 p..m. SLT.  SLURL remains the same: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SJSU%20SLIS/104/27/33

Hope to see you all there!

3rd Annual Virtual Conference on VCARA in Second Life - this evening - join us - it's free

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Join us for the 3rd Annual Virtual Conference—Exploring and Developing Career Opportunities in the Digital Age--on SLIS Island this evening (April 26) from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. pacific. It's free!  Check out the conference schedule at http://amazon.sjsu.edu/html-pfranks/VCARAconf2012/ConferenceSchedule.pdf

Tweet If you have not been introduced to Ted, the Records Manager, I'd like to introduce you now.  Tax time is over... and the wait for a refund (if you're lucky) has begun.  I wonder if you've done a better job filing and retaining your tax documents than Ted's colleague.  Check out this video.

April is Records and Information Management Month

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Each year, records management professionals around the world raise awareness about records and information management by promoting records related events. The RIM initiative was developed by ARMA International. Records managers interested in hosting their own RIM events can find promotional materials and ideas by visiting the ARMA International web site.  

This year, the School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University will host 2 "free" events -- to which all records and information managers (and others) are invited!

April 26, 2012, 5:30 to 8 p.m. pacific:
Third Annual Virtual Center for Archives and Records Administration (VCARA) Conference

Exploring and Developing Career Opportunities in the Digital Age

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SJSU%20SLIS/104/27/33

Two practice sessions for those new to Second Life (or just rusty) will be held:

• Session 1:  Wednesday, April 11^th at 7 PM PST
• Session 2:  Wednesday, April 17^th at 7 PM PST

To learn more or to RSVP to the practice sessions and/or the conference send an email to patricia.franks@sjsu.edu

April 30, 2012, 10-11 p.m. pacific
MARA Guest Lecture as part of the SLIS Colloquia Series 

Access to Public Records: tensions between the right-to-know and the protection of privacy and the role of Records Management in addressing these issues

Presenter: Trevor Lewis, Former attorney and current Record Analyst & Local Records Program Coordinator. Vermont State Archives & Records Administration
Location: Live from Vermont, using Collaborate

• To learn more, visit the following page, and scroll to the bottom.  A link to the live conference can be found there. http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/slis/colloquia/2012/colloquia12sp.htm

• Work teams: feel free to have one user log in and project the session to the group. 

• If you have questions or would like to RSVP, send an email to patricia.franks@stny.rr.com 

Introducing Google Apps Vault

Tweet Google has released the Google Apps Vault, a new e-discovery product that allows you to archive, retain, and preserve user email and on the record chats for $5  per user per month. Read more

After 244 Years Encyclopedia Britannica to Stop Printing Books

Tweet By now you may have heard that the Encyclopedia Britannica has finally decided they can no longer afford to print books.  According to Britannica's president, Jorge Cauz, the print set represents only 1% of the company's total sales.  A new set was printed every two years, but the 2010 32-volume edition is the last.  A digital encyclopedia and other education education tools will be the company's new focus.  Read more here.   Now, if you have a chance, become familiar with the 'new' Britannica.  You'll note that Britannica is available for the iPad and smart phone (both iPhone and Blackberry), Britannica Online for Kids is designed specifically for 8-15 year-olds, and RSS Feeds and Widgets enable the content to be delivered right to your browser or home page.  There is even a section for "school and library" sites. Paraphrasing an old slogan, "this isn't your father's encyclopedia Britannica!"