Steven
I completely agree, hence the original question about places to which libraries
already disclose such data.
I certainly don't want to create a situation where you're all asked the same
questions yet again.
We could therefore either open up one of the existing data sources, or collect
the definitive record once in some new place (which may be a page on your own
site, XML marked up for harvesting and parsing by machines...) and have all
those people who already ask you the questions look there for the answer
instead. You would still probably have to answer funder-specific questions, but
at least duplication of the core questions would be reduced.
I think I lean towards the latter, as getting any of the existing sources into a
form suitable for re-use by ANYONE other than the organisation collecting the
data is probably a bigger job... ...and that's before we start getting their
terms and conditions altered, so that third parties are actually allowed to
build upon the data...
Paul
Quoting Steven Heywood <[log in to unmask]>:
> If Joe Bloggs is moving house or going to work away from home for a while
> there should be some mechanism for his finding the nearest convenient
> library and a link to more detailed information without his having to find
> out which council is involved. I think that should be a matter of principle
> regardless of the terms of the directive.
>
> Library authorities submit data about the number, location and disposition
> of their libraries to quite a few centralised agencies (I can't provide a
> definitive list; it's all a blur of requests for the same information
> measured and/or expressed in slightly different ways). Rather than creating
> yet another data submission point - and bearing in mind that these days more
> management time seems to be spent collecting, collating and submitting data,
> statistics and reports than is spent on service development, staff
> development or marketing services - perhaps one, other or all of these
> central agencies could publish this data in a form useful to the general
> public and which could be marketed as a single point of reference.
>
> Steven
>
>
> Steven Heywood
> Systems Manager
> Rochdale Library Service
> Wheatsheaf Library
> Baillie Street
> Rochdale OL16 1JZ
> Tel: (01706) 864967
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/libraries
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Miller [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 23 May 2005 11:27
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Reliably locating UK libraries for the public - PSI
> implications
>
>
> Adrian
>
> that is my reading of the Directive, too. I am not, though, a lawyer.
>
> Under that reading, the sorts of information that I was talking about would
> appear to fall fair and square within scope.
>
> We potentially do ourselves an awful lot of (different) favours by getting
> our
> collective act together to disclose this type of information up front,
> rather
> than running around trying to fulfil a barrage of PSI (and some FOI)
> requests.
>
> We might also help a real live user to find something they wanted... :-)
>
> Paul
>
> Quoting Adrian R D Norman <[log in to unmask]>:
>
> > It seems to me that the PSI Directive will apply from July 5 to all public
> > libraries, but only to the small subset of information which is not deemed
> > to be covered by the exemptions for:
> >
> > Education and Research Establishments and
> > Cultural establishments.
> >
> > If the information is held or provided by a public sector body which
> > supports or provides services to a library, such as the London Libraries
> > Development Agency or a Local Authority, it will presumably constitute PSI
> > within the meaning of the Act.
> >
> > Has anyone assessed the implications and provided guidelines on how to
> > respond to requests for such information for commercial reuse?
> >
> > Adrian Norman
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael Clarke
> > Sent: 20 May 2005 16:42
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Reliably locating UK libraries for the public ?
> >
> > London Libraries Development Agency led the development of this resource
> > on behalf of the 33 London local authorities
> >
> > http://www.londonlibraries.org.uk/will/default.aspx
> >
> > It includes maps, opening hours, access information, details of any
> > special collections and is linked to a search tool for all London public
> > library catalogues (well, almost all - it will shortly be completed
> > with the addition of the remaining couple of authorities not currently
> > on board).
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Paul Miller
> > Sent: 20 May 2005 16:17
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Reliably locating UK libraries for the public ?
> >
> >
> > All
> >
> > can anyone who provides such data for their own institution give me an
> > idea of the range of places to which UK libraries routinely send things
> > like their address, opening hours, etc? Is the picture very different
> > for public and private institutions?
> >
> > On the flip-side, does anyone have anything better than a gut feel for
> > how their visitors discover where they are? Is there a single definitive
> > source to which someone might turn in search of a library (how
> > comprehensive are some of the paper directories, for example, and do
> > members of the public use the service finders on their local authority's
> > web site)?
> >
> > Does the Public Sector Information Directive coming on-stream in July
> > change anything?
> >
> > I'm interested in the ways in which the cultural sector disseminates
> > basic information about itself, and if the rise of third party services
> > such as Google Maps (and the interesting applications people are
> > beginning to build upon it) perhaps offers tools that we might harness
> > to our advantage.
> >
> > There's a more detailed post on this topic, with some examples, on one
> > of the Common Information Environment's (CIE) blogs at
> > www.common-info.org.uk/thoughts/archives/2005/05/more_thoughts_o_1.html
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any information that you can provide.
> >
> > Paul
> >
> > ---
> > Dr Paul Miller
> > Director, Common Information Environment
> >
> > e: [log in to unmask] m: +44 (7779) 669542
> > w: www.common-info.org.uk/ AIM/ iChat/ Yahoo!: ciedirector
> >
> > Participate in the "CIE Thoughts" Blog at
> > www.common-info.org.uk/thoughts/ Keep current with the "CIE News" Blog
> > at www.common-info.org.uk/news/
> >
> > <
> >
>
>
> --
> Dr Paul Miller
> Director, Common Information Environment
>
> e: [log in to unmask] m: +44 (7779) 669542
> w: www.common-info.org.uk/ aim/ iChat/ Yahoo!: ciedirector
>
> Participate in the "CIE Thoughts" Blog at www.common-info.org.uk/thoughts/
> Keep current with the "CIE News" Blog at www.common-info.org.uk/news/
>
> This e-mail and any attached files are confidential and may also be legally
> privileged. They are intended solely for the intended addressee. If you are
> not the addressee please e-mail it back to the sender and then immediately,
> permanently delete it. Do not read, print, re-transmit, store or act in
> reliance on it. This e-mail may be monitored by Rochdale Council in
> accordance
> with current regulations.
>
> This footnote also confirms that this e-mail message has been swept for the
> presence of computer viruses currently known to the Council. However, the
> recipient is responsible for virus-checking before opening this message and
> any attachment.
>
> Unless otherwise stated, any views expressed in this message
> are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views
> of Rochdale Council.
>
--
Dr Paul Miller
Director, Common Information Environment
e: [log in to unmask] m: +44 (7779) 669542
w: www.common-info.org.uk/ aim/ iChat/ Yahoo!: ciedirector
Participate in the "CIE Thoughts" Blog at www.common-info.org.uk/thoughts/
Keep current with the "CIE News" Blog at www.common-info.org.uk/news/
|