The latest issue of Online Currents (Volume 25 Part 2) contains the following material:

Articles

The art of conversation: All of us are smarter than any of us – Keith De La Rue

We all like to have a chat with friends from time-to-time. Recent research is showing that this is not only a good thing to do, but that conversation can actually improve the performance of groups, help us to be more innovative, and even make us individually smarter. In this follow-up to his December article, “Communities and Collaboration” (2010) 24 OLC 287, Keith De La Rue looks closer into this basic element of collaborative working, and examines how to get the best out of it. This includes an overview of research findings, a look at some relevant tools and group facilitation techniques, and how emerging social media tools can contribute to the conversation.

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The Semantic Web: An introduction for information professionals – Matt Moore

The “Semantic Web” is a term that has been in common use for a decade. This article examines what the Semantic Web means for information professionals and provides an overview of some of the core technologies, such as RDF. It then explores the network of linked data that has arisen from using these technologies, before concluding with three suggestions for information professionals wanting to explore and exploit the Semantic Web for their own work.

To purchase this article, complete the Individual Article Sale order form and email it to [email protected].

Charity begins online: Giving over the internet – Bill Browne

The internet has made possible different approaches to charity and charitable giving. As well as the old staple of making a lump sum donation by credit card or cheque, donors can make microloans, support a charity through internet shopping or even have a donation made on their behalf without paying anything. In addition, terms integral to the internet like “crowdsourcing” and “peer-to-peer” take on new meaning with “crowdfunding” and “peer-to-peer donations”. This article examines approaches to charity either aided by or made possible by the internet.

To purchase this article, complete the Individual Article Sale order form and email it to [email protected].

Bibliographic software: A cite for sore eyes – Jon Jermey

“Proper” bibliographic referencing when written out was, and is, a time-consuming process. This article reviews the features of the software now available, looking at free and commercial products and how they might meet the needs of different users.

To purchase this article, complete the Individual Article Sale order form and email it to [email protected].

Company News

  • A brief look at business happenings

Around the Blogs

  • A collection of musings and thoughts on the worlds of libraries and information

Bookshelf and Journals

  • A selection of recommended publications

Databases and Aggregators

  • New, recent and updated systems, services and online collections

Conferences, Meetings and Seminars

  • Conference papers
  • Upcoming conferences

For the pdf version of the table of contents, click here: Online Currents Vol 25 Pt 2 Contents