The Internet as a networked system has been rendered more complex than ever before as human endpoints are grafted into the system via increasingly pervasive and personalized networked devices. According to the United Nations, the Internet is a transnational enabler of a number of human rights, and as such, access to the Internet has been…

Discusses the use of computer networking such as the Internet for the creation and dissemination of copyright works. Topics include the need for data structures for organizing and identifying units of digital information; and the copyright status of original works of authorship structured as digital objects. (LRW)

Describes the development and activities of the Center for Electronic Texts in the Humanities, established by Princeton University and Rutgers University to provide a national focus for the development, dissemination, and use of electronic texts in the humanities. Sidebars explain the Text Encoding Initiative and Standard Generalized Markup…

Reviews proposed legislation of the 101st Congress and discusses other factors that contribute to the national information policy. Highlights include federal information sources in electronic format; the Paperwork Reduction Act; legislation for the development of a National Research and Education Network (NREN); and the role of the Government…

Reports on conferences held by federal agencies in 1991 and 1992 that addressed issues of public access to electronic government information. Topics discussed include agency information dissemination programs; public access to federal computers; security controls; and user charges. A working draft policy framework on public access to government…

Since its humble beginning, Digital Past, a centralized local history digitization initiative at the North Suburban Library System (NSLS), a multitype consortium in Wheeling, Illinois, has now grown into a large centralized collaboration that consists of 32 libraries and a museum as its primary contributors. With Digital Past, there are various…

Describes GovDoc-L, a computer-based electronic mail information resource available to librarians and others interested in government information issues. Electronic mail network communication is discussed; the management software package called LISTSERV, which is used to maintain GovDoc-L, is explained; costs are considered; and subscribers are…

Discusses the growing trend of federal agencies permitting online public access to their computers. Highlights include examples of public access programs, differences in agencies' stands on dissemination of information, agency computer networks and databases that are the basis for the National Research and Education Network, and security…

Web 1.0 has demonstrated immense powers for connecting learners, teachers, and materials. How much more broadly will this connective matrix grow under the impact of the openness, ease of entry, and social nature of Web 2.0? This article examines openness, microcontent, social software, and social bookmarking (blogs, wikis, trackback, podcasting,…

For the purposes of this digest, productivity is defined as ways in which library and information services can assist agencies, industries, and individuals in producing goods and services effectively and profitably. Two fundamental issues that affect productivity are access and control; two major strategies for improving productivity are…

The proceedings for the 1990 forum provides both summaries of introductory and special remarks and 10 papers together with the full text of the following papers: (1) "The Changing Information Landscape: Opportunities for Better Management" (Jeff Bingaman); (2) "Managing Scientific and Technical Information in the 1990s" (D.…

Argues that making agricultural information produced by the federal government in electronic formats available through private vendors may lead to inequitable access for its users and challenges the federal government's role in the dissemination of agricultural information. An information public for agricultural information is defined, and…

This volume is designed to provide planners and policymakers with a single volume reference book on efforts to define and develop policy for the National Information Infrastructure. The sourcebook is divided into five sections: (1) official documents; (2) vision statements and position papers; (3) program and project descriptions (all sectors);…

Introduces the Educational Research List (ERL-L) in the BITNET/Internet network. How to subscribe to ERL-L is explained, and some other lists of interest to educational researchers are described. The future of network technology is projected, including virtual conferences on educational research. (SLD)

The use of information networks for business and government is expanding enormously. Government use of networks features prominently in plans to make government more efficient, effective, and responsive. But the transformation brought about by the networking also raises new concerns for the security and privacy of networked information. This…