Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Does India need a super regulatory body for higher education?




New Delhi: The National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) Bill is all set to be sent to the Union Cabinet for approval next month. If approved, the much discussed proposed legislation will clear the first step towards the centralisation of higher education in India.
 Although the bill would have to clear many legal and constitutional hurdles before it becomes a full-fledged law, it has already sparked a debate across the country on the merits and de-merits of centralising higher education.
The NCHER is the outcome of recommendations made by the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) and the Prof Yash Pal Committee. While the NKC suggested the dissolution of all the regulatory bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education, the Medical Council of India and the Bar Council of India; the Yash Pal  Committee recommended that all regulatory bodies be brought under the purview of the NCHER.
Although the government says that the proposed bill was aimed at improving the standards of higher education in the country, experts fear that it would only create a super-powerful regulatory body called the NCHER. It will have a chairman and six members, supported by a collegium.
Many academecians expressed fear that the entire higher education system will come under the control of these seven individuals. Right from seeking approval to set up a college to the release of grants, every single process will have to pass through the NCHER. Some experts even apprehended that the proposed commission would be an isolated organisation with no democracy.
India is the third largest higher secondary education system in the world with 480 universities including 25 Central Universities, 231 state universities, five institutions established through state legislation, 100 deemed universities,  31 Institutes of 'National Importance' and 22,000 colleges.
Once the bill is cleared, all these institutions may come under the control of NCHER. Experts argue that centralisation of all these institutions would only complicate the higher education system in the country. Due to their size and nature, the NCHER will have to focus more on administrative matters than raising the academic standards.
For instance, presently the UGC allocates funds and give academic directives to the all universities in the country. While the AICTE oversee the technical education, especially the engineering, the MCI regulates the medical education in India. Later, the NCHER alone will have to address to all these areas.
The NCHER will also play a crucial role in the appointment of vice-chancellors for different universities in the country. The state governments will be forced to appoint a vice-chancellor from the list of five individuals proposed by the NCHER. Experts say that this may lead to political interference and favoritism.
Experts fear that through the NCHER, the  higher education system in India would be centralised to the extent that even the state governments will have no control on important matters.
Now the big question arises -- In a democratic set up like ours, can we afford to have a super-powerful body regulatory body like the NCHER in the name of improving the quality of higher education? Or, should we empower the existing regulatory bodies?
Source: Hyderabad News Syndicate

Malaysian Temple Libraries for Indian Culture


Hindu temples throughout Malaysia should set up libraries to allow devotees to gain knowledge of Indian customs and traditions, an ethnic Indian minister has said.
Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister M. Saravanan has been quoted in Makkal Osai, a Tamil newspaper, as saying that temple committees should also look into conducting religious and moral classes for youngsters.
He said parents must encourage their children to attend these classes so that they could be well-versed in Indian practices and traditions, The Daily Star reported.
After attending a donation drive for the Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple in Serdang, Kedah state, Sarvanan said many youngsters face social problems as they lack proper guidance from their parents and teachers.

Malaysia's nearly two million ethnic Indian community, a bulk of them Tamils who came here during the British era, face socio-economic problems like high incidence of divorce, crime rate and destitution, media reports have said.
 

'Implement Manipur Libraries Act'


Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network/span>


Imphal, March 29 2010:

 Manipur Library Association (MA-LA) urged the Government of Manipur to implement Manipur Libraries Act 1988 at the earliest.

It was listed in the recommendations of a two-day National Seminar on Promotion of Public Library Service through legislation in North East, India held in Imphal on Saturday and Sunday.

The seminar was organized in collaboration with Department of Art and Culture, Government of Manipur and RRLF, Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

The recommendations also included the constitution of a committee with LIS experts along with other members to look into the provisions of Manipur Public Libraries Act.

The association stated in the recommendation that a drastic change is needed in the organization, management and services of the public library system because of the application of ICT in its creation and services.

It further stated that the RRRLF be more generous, liberal timely extension of financial support and both infrastructural grants and other grants for seminars, workshop, training programme to the North East states.

It also included the passing of Public Libraries Act in all the eight states of North East.

Only Manipur and Mizoram are said to have passed the Public Libraries Act.

The two-day National Seminar on Promotion of Public Library Service through legislation concluded on Sunday.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

INDIAN CULTURAL PORTALS TO THE WORLD

INDIAN This pathfinder includes information about culture in India. Created and maintained by the Asian DivisionCollections and Services Directorate Art India (http://www.artindia.co.in/)Online version of the quarterly magazine dedicated to art and aesthetics of India mainly focusing on the visual arts. Includes contents and select articles from current issue. Print version available. Art India Net (http://www.artindia.net/index1.html)Directory of online information on various arts of India. Lists dance (Bharata Natyam, Odissi, kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohinniattam, chau), music (Carnatic and Hindustani), yoga, therapy, counseling site, and performance aspects sites. Provides links to photography, video, puppetry, and arts-oriented businesses. Birla Academy of Art & Culture (http://www.birlaacademy.com/)The Birla Academy of Art and Culture is involved in "collecting, preserving and displaying museum objects, holding exhibitions of Indian and international art objects, organizing cultural performances and educational programmes of varied nature." To encourage and help young artists, the Academy organises the All India Annual Exhibitions, one man shows, group shows and kala melas. The museum includes ancient terracottas, Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan sculpture, illuminated manuscripts in palm-leaf and paper from western India, Rajasthan, Orissa, Nepal and Tibet, miniature paintings from Rajasthani, Mughal and Pahari schools, Tibetian and Nepalese thankas, and textiles. The Web site features events calendar, sample images from collections, promotional video, discussion forums and online gallery. Buddhist women across cultures (http://www.netlibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=5635)Includes bibliographical references (p. 299-306) and index. Center for Cultural Resources and Training (http://ccrtindia.org/)Agency under the Department of Culture that continues the work of an earlier program at the University of Delhi to propagate culture and the arts among college and school students. Primarily serves as a teacher-training facility with headquarters in New Delhi and regional centers in Udaipur and Hyderabad. The Web site provides information on scholarships, the audio and video resources produced under its auspicies, and annual reports (1999-2000). Children's Book Trust (http://www.childrensbooktrust.com/)India's largest children's publisher, Children's Book Trust of India was founded in 1957 in Delhi. CBT also operates a library, the Indraprastha Press, a doll museum, a children's center, sponsors international writing and painting contests for children, and publishes a children's magazine, "Children's World." The site describes their operations with photos and pictures of book covers along with ordering information. Some of the titles are in Hindi. Cooking for the Gods (http://www.arth.upenn.edu/nalin/nalin.html)Presents information on the "Cooking for the Gods" museum exhibition, a project of the History of Art Department at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Explains that the exhibit displays implements and images used for home worship into their ritual setting in Bengal. Features images of objects in the exhibition, including shrines, implements, utensils, ritual instruments, architecture and ornaments, and votive objects and toys. Notes that a major contribution of the exhibition is the context of ritual into which the objects have been reestablished. Highlights a sampling of ethnographic images. Department of Culture (http://www.indiaculture.org/)Agency responsible for the promotion and support of India's cultural heritage, including promotion of literary, visual and performing arts, and administration of libraries. Includes extensive organization information, activities, database of grant recipients, web newsletter "Sanchari," and annual reports since 1998 (in PDF format). India - A Country Study (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html)Presents information on India, provided by the U.S. Library of Congress. Includes information on India's geography, economy, society, transportation, communications, government, politics, and national security. Discusses the country's history, ethnic groups, religion, international trade, land use, foreign affairs, and armed forces. India - Countrywatch.com (http://www.countrywatch.com/cw%5Fcountry.asp?vcountry=78)General informaton on India. India Cultural Information (http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/%7Eagenhtml/agenmc/india/culture.html)Highlights details on the culture of India, created by Shashi Mohan and Navulur Kumar. Includes information on Indian classical music, literature, cooking, film songs, and the national anthem and flag. India Development Information Network (http://www.indev.nic.in/)Information resource for social and cultural development issues in India. Offers a comprehensive database on major and minor development work carried out by NGOs and governmental agencies with links to 2,500 organizations in India. Includes four databases focusing on organizations, projects, documents, and statistics. Features biweekly news on topics such as aged, agriculture, children, development, education, environment, health, human rights, media, population, poverty, science and technology, water, and women (archived since March 1999). The India resources page (http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/ind/index.htm)Title from web page (viewed on July 2, 1998). India--Culture (http://www.accessasia.com/xroad/xrincul.html)Offers a collection of Internet resources on culture in India, provided by Access East, LLC. Covers such topics as Indian art, classical arts, classical dance, Vedic culture, languages of India, Indian music, and Indian recipes. IndiaConnect (http://www.indiaconnect.com)Contains information and links to Indian politics, civilization, and culture. Indian Council for Cultural Relations (http://members.tripod.com/)Contains material produced by Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the apex cultural body of India with the mandate of cultural diplomacy. Provides links to web resources on arts and art forms of India. Archived from January 1998. Indian Culture (http://www.indianchild.com/culture%20%5F1.htm)Indianchild.com offers a collection of Web sites featuring information about the culture of India. Categories include monuments, festivals, temples, religions, languages, and more. This information is intended to provide homework assistance to students of all grade levels. There is a brief description of each site. Indian History Sourcebook: Sir Monier Monier-Williams: The Towers of Silence, 1870. (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/india/1870-monier-parsees.html)Presents "The Towers of Silence," written by Monier Monier-Williams (1819-1899) in 1870 and published online by Paul Halsall as part of the Internet Indian History Sourcebook. Examines Muslim culture in India. Indian Museum, Kolkata (http://www.indianmuseum-calcutta.org/)The Indian Museum, founded in 1814 in Calcutta, is the oldest institution of its kind in the Asia Pacific region and repository of the largest collections of museum objects in India. The Web site features a history of the museum and overviews of the galleries in archeaology, anthropology, music, Egyptian, art, zoology and coins. The Web site gives basic information on the conservation program, library, lectures, events and calendar of activities. International development and the social sciences (http://www.netLibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=41865)Includes bibliographical references and index. Internet Movie Database: India (http://indie.imdb.com/Sections/Countries/India/)Your IMDb guide for India. This area contains a list of interesting reports based around the 15,188 titles in the IMDb from India (including international co-productions). In English. Reports on more than 15,000 movies from India, old and new, including international co-productions. Jammu and Kashmir: Cultural Heritage (http://jammukashmir.nic.in/culture/)The Directorate of Information of the Jammu and Kashmir government offers information on the cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir, a state in northern India that is also claimed by Pakistan. The topics covered include the cultural background, handicrafts and textiles, people and life style, fine arts, dance and music, and fairs and festivals of the area. Lalit Kala Akademi (http://www.lalitkala.org.in/intromer.htm)Founded in 1953 by the Department of Culture, Government of India as an autonomous body, the Akademi promotes and coordinates study and research in the fields of creative visual arts. Includes brief descriptions of the Akademi and its regional centres, lists of publications with abstracts, and a searchable database of artists. Several of the pages were under construction when reviewed. Literary India (http://www.netlibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=6272)Includes bibliographical references and index. National Gallery of Modern Art (http://www.ngma-india.com/)Inaugurated in 1954, the National Gallery of Modern Art collects works representing changing art forms over the last century and a half and features Bengali artists and styles. In addition to exhibition activities, the gallery organizes exhibitions abroad, lectures and conferences on modern art, and maintains a library of books, periodicals, photographs and audiovisual materials. The Web site includes a history of the gallery, biographical sketches of several prominent artists (Nandalal Bose, Amrita Sher Gill, Jamani Roy, Abanindranath Tagore, and Rabindranath Tagore) and the names and addresses of 100 eminent artists. National Museum of India, New Delhi (India) (http://www.nationalmuseumindia.org/)Presents information on India's largest museum including extensive descriptions with sample images from the collections in archaeology, anthropology, Central Asian antiquities, decorative arts, manuscripts, and paintings. Includes administrative departments (conservation laboratory, exhibition cell, library, modelling, photography, public relations, and publications), and the National Museum Institute. Nineteenth Century London Stage: An Exploration. (http://artsci.washington.edu/drama-phd/19title.html)Presents information about drama and the theater in nineteenth century London, England, compiled by the School of Drama at the University of Washington. Discusses how daily life in Great Britain, women, and economics were portrayed in plays. Examines life in and around the Royal City of London Theatre. Provides information about the representation of India and Indian culture, landscape, and theatre interiors in engravings. Lists nineteenth century playwrights, performers, artists, and engravers. Contains a bibliography and links to related Web sites. Outlook India.com (http://www.outlookindia.com/)On-line version of Indian news weekly magazine consists of articles, essays, and feature stories on politics, economy, culture, literature, art, cinema, sports, etc. Archived from October 1995. Prachina Bikaner Cultural Center and Museum (http://www.prachina-museum.com/about.htm)Cultural center and museum founded in 2000 that works to revive the folk performing arts and oral traditions of the Bīkāner region. Initial activity has concentrated upon the documentation of the Bikaner Museum in the Junagarh Fort, a former residence of several rajahs of Bīkāner. Contains royal costumes and textiles, family portraits of the former rulers, and the legacy of their patronage which survives in Bīkāner's contemporary arts and crafts. The site gives the historical overview of Bīkāner and selected photos of the museum. Rhetoric and ritual in colonial India (http://www.netLibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=10025)Includes bibliographical references (p. 341-356) and index. Salarjung Museum, Hyderabad, India (http://www.salarjungmuseum.com/)The Salar Jung Museum originated from the 40,000 Indian, European, and Asian objects collected by Salar Jung, a Prime Minister of the Nizams of Hyderabad. It now serves as the state museum of Andhra Pradesh. The museum also has a rich collection of printed books and manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu, a children's section, library and rare manuscripts collection. The Web site presents basic overviews of the collections, a calendar of events, and basic information about visiting the museum. Surabhi (http://www.indiasurabhi.com/)Popular television program on the state-run Doordarshan channel that explores the culture of India. The site includes information resources and previews episodes featuring Indic art, craft, performing arts, religion, cuisine, monuments, etc. Some pages not available or under construction when reviewed. Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (http://tibetanarts.org)Web site of the cultural and academic school in Dharamsāla, India, dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan song, dance, opera, music, painting, carpentry, and crafts. Provides general information on history, staff, and departments. Profiles ongoing and past projects. Includes video tour (.ra) and photo gallery of the Institute; news and tour information. Unpacking culture (http://www.netLibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=6921)Includes bibliographical references (p. 373-406) and index. The children of India (http://www.netLibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=49525)Introduces the variety and richness of culture in India by describing the daily lives of children from different regions and social levels. soc.culture.indian.karnataka. (news:soc.culture.indian.karnataka)The Usenet newsgroup soc.culture.indian.karnataka is in the general topic area of society and covers the specific topic of Karnataka's culture, history, and present society. This group is an open forum.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Library Catalogues KLAS

Library Catalogues KLAS Libraries' On-Line Public Access Catalogues This is a page of links to libraries currently using the KLAS® on-line catalogue. Libraries using WebOPAC Version 3 - KLAS Version 7 Alabama Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Arizona Braille & Talking Book Library Braille Institute Library Services Broyhill Center for Learning Resources (Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute) California State Library - Braille and Talking Book Library Catalog Colorado Talking Book Library Delaware Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Florida Braille and Talking Book Libraries Georgia Library for Accessible Services Idaho Talking Book Library Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service Indiana State Library - Talking Book and Braille Library Kansas Instructional Resource Center Kansas Talking Book Library Catalog - A service of the State Library of Kansas Long Island Talking Book Library (Suffolk & Nassau County, NY) Louisiana Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library Mississippi Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Montana Talking Book Library Nevada Talking Book Services New Mexico Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped New York Public Library - Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Ohio Braille and Talking Book Libraries Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Oregon Talking Book & Braille Services Perkins Secondary Program Library Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library (Massachusetts) Rhode Island Talking Books Plus San Francisco Public Library - Library for the Blind and Print Disabled South Carolina State Library - Talking Book Services for People with Disabilities South Dakota Braille & Talking Book Library Utah Library for the Blind Vermont Department of Libraries, Special Services Unit Washington Talking Book & Braille Library Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library Wolfner Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (Missouri) Keystone Systems, Inc. - (Keystone) provides library automation software to libraries, businesses, and institutions with complex demands. Products and ServicesKLAS®, the Keystone Library Automation System - offers a flexible and reliable automation solution to libraries, businesses, and institutions. Keystone's staff provides all training and support for KLAS. Keystone programmers have designed KLAS to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. KLAS is written in Progress, a fourth generation language with a relational database management system. The combination of Keystone's experienced programmers and Progress makes KLAS an easy to use, flexible, reliable library automation system. KLAS v 7.0 combines the functionality of version 5.0 with the ease of use of a graphical user interface (GUI) based format. KLAS programmers designed v 7.0's workflow to be more streamlined leading to increased efficiency and productivity. Primary KLAS Modules: Each KLAS module is designed to be easy to use, yet provide all the functionality needed to efficiently operate your library. KLAS' modules are integrated: every function is available from every screen no matter what module you are working in. Command lines and quick access keys allow users to jump quickly from one function to another with the touch of a key or click of a mouse. You may examine more detailed information about the primary KLAS modules: Catalogue Management Module Circulation Control Module Patron Services Module OPAC Module Serials Control Module Keystone's Primary Services To make the transition to KLAS seamless, Keystone Systems offers a full range of services in data systems design and implementation, including: Consultation Planning Implementation On-Going Support Data Conversion Data Enhancement Custom Programming System Integration MARC Import Networking Communications Outsourcing Main Computer Operations --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nano based RFID tags

Rice, Korean collaboration produces printable tag Long lines at store checkouts could be history if a new technology created in part at Rice University comes to pass. Rice researchers, in collaboration with a team led by Gyou-jin Cho at Sunchon National University in Korea, have come up with an inexpensive, printable transmitter that can be invisibly embedded in packaging. It would allow a customer to walk a cart full of groceries or other goods past a scanner on the way to the car; the scanner would read all items in the cart at once, total them up and charge the customer's account while adjusting the store's inventory. More advanced versions could collect all the information about the contents of a store in an instant, letting a retailer know where every package is at any time. The technology reported in the March issue of the journal IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices is based on a carbon-nanotube-infused ink for ink-jet printers first developed in the Rice lab of James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry as well as a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science. The ink is used to make thin-film transistors, a key element in radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that can be printed on paper or plastic. "We are going to a society where RFID is a key player," said Cho, a professor of printed electronics engineering at Sunchon, who expects the technology to mature in five years. Cho and his team are developing the electronics as well as the roll-to-roll printing process that, he said, will bring the cost of printing the tags down to a penny apiece and make them ubiquitous. RFID tags are almost everywhere already. The tiny electronic transmitters are used to identify and track products and farm animals. They're in passports, library books and devices that let drivers pass through tollbooths without digging for change. The technology behind RFID goes back to the 1940s, when Léon Theremin, inventor of the self-named electronic music instrument heard in so many '50s science fiction and horror movies, came up with a spy tool for the Soviet Union that drew power from and retransmitted radio waves. RFID itself came into being in the 1970s and has been widely adopted by the Department of Defense and industry to track shipping containers as they make their way around the world, among many other uses. But RFID tags to date are largely silicon-based. Paper or plastic tags printed as part of a package would cut costs dramatically. Cho expects his roll-to-roll technique, which uses a gravure process rather than ink-jet printers, to replace the bar codes now festooned on just about everything you can buy. Cho, Tour and their teams reported in the journal a three-step process to print one-bit tags, including the antenna, electrodes and dielectric layers, on plastic foil. Cho's lab is working on 16-bit tags that would hold a more practical amount of information and be printable on paper as well. Cho came across Tour's inks while spending a sabbatical at Rice in 2005. "Professor Tour first recommended we use single-walled carbon nanotubes for printing thin-film transistors," Cho said. Tour's lab continues to support the project in an advisory role and occasionally hosts Cho's students. Tour said Rice owns half of the patent, still pending, upon which all of the technology is based. "Gyou-jin has carried the brunt of this, and it's his sole project," Tour said. "We are advisers and we still send him the raw materials" -- the single-walled carbon nanotubes produced at Rice. Printable RFIDs are practical because they're passive. The tags power up when hit by radio waves at the right frequency and return the information they contain. "If there's no power source, there's no lifetime limit. When they receive the RF signal, they emit," Tour said. There are several hurdles to commercialization. First, the device must be reduced to the size of a bar code, about a third the size of the one reported in the paper, Tour said. Second, its range must increase. "Right now, the emitter has to be pretty close to the tags, but it's getting farther all the time," he said. "The practical distance to have it ring up all the items in your shopping cart is a meter. But the ultimate would be to signal and get immediate response back from every item in your store – what's on the shelves, their dates, everything. "At 300 meters, you're set – you have real-time information on every item in a warehouse. If something falls behind a shelf, you know about it. If a product is about to expire, you know to move it to the front – or to the bargain bin." Tour allayed concerns about the fate of nanotubes in packaging. "The amount of nanotubes in an RFID tag is probably less than a picogram. That means you can produce one trillion of them from a gram of nanotubes – a miniscule amount. Our HiPco reactor produces a gram of nanotubes an hour, and that would be enough to handle every item in every Walmart. "In fact, more nanotubes occur naturally in the environment, so it's not even fair to say the risk is minimal. It's infinitesimal." Co-authors of the paper include Rice graduate student Ashley Leonard; Minhun Jung, Jinsoo Noh and Gwangyong Lee of Sunchon National University; and Jaeyoung Kim, Namsoo Lim, Chaemin Lim, Junseok Kim, Kyunghwan Jung and Hwiwon Kang of the Printed Electronics Research Center, Paru Corp., Sunchon, Korea. --- Image Caption: RFID tags printed through a new roll-to-roll process could replace bar codes and make checking out of a store a snap. Credit: Gyou-Jin Cho/Sunchon National University ---

Publisher Experiments With 'Free' And Sees Book Sales Increase 20x

from the not-bad dept We've pointed to numerous studies, at this point, that have all found that, when done right, free ebooks can greatly increase the sales of physical books (and, in some cases, even of ebooks). Here's another empirical example of that in action. Chris Anderson points us to a blog post by someone at a mid-list niche publisher, talking about how successful its experiments with "free" ebooks have been. In this case, the publisher would offer up the first book in a series as a free ebook, and found that it drove massive increases in sales: One of our free titles was the #1 download on Amazon for the entire month of February. The subsequent sales of books 2 and 3 in the series increased by a rate of 20 to 1. For this series, digital sales are approaching 20% of the total product sales distribution and growing. With the visibility of the digital sales on Amazon, we have seen a substantial increase in print sales to the brick and mortar book chains. In this one instance, digital is driving print sales. Basically, what this publisher realized is that with most books, obscurity is a greater threat than "piracy," and free helps deal with that: Much of the talk by the big 6 publishers has been stress over cannibalization of print sales, or the idea of replacement sales, by ebooks. For midlist publishers such as ourselves, I believe we fight against substitution. We capture the "browser" market. If our title is not available or visible, a customer will simply substitute for another one in the genre. Free gave us the visibility that we could not purchase.

Reference Books or Google

Teenagers today spend most of their time online. But do they really know the dangers that lurk out there? Who among you would rather pore over a stack of reference books in the library, when ‘Google Books' can take you straight to the very page you want to read? We have long since bid farewell to letter writing to friends and family, with the entry of e-mail, SMS and the now hyped social networking sites. India is a developing country, but we are not too far behind when we talk in terms of the World Wide Web. India is the fourth largest user of the Internet. When compared to the total population of internet users in our country, the age group14-25 is the one who spend most of their time online. Undoubtedly, the internet is extremely useful and many of us will agree that we would be handicapped without it, but unfortunately, it brings with it, its share of evils, which are well publicized these days. By large, India is still a conservative nation. While merely talking to a person of the opposite sex is no longer considered “taboo”, it is still frowned upon in most households. The internet provides youngsters with an outlet, as here they can easily interact with whomever they wish, without their parents knowing. They can be unrestrained under the cloak of anonymity and may say or do things that they would probably have never done if they were face to face with the person. Technology-imposed distancing encourages insensitive behaviour as one cannot see the impact of one's words or actions. With increasing awareness and use of the internet and mobile phones, there seems to be an alarming increase in cyber-crime. Today, online safety is the talk of the town and many people are concerned about the well-being of our youngsters who are exposed to a lot of nasty material on the internet. Several articles and campaigns have targeted this vulnerable group and certain ground rules are drilled into their heads. Do's and don'ts Never give out personal information (such as your full name, home/school address, telephone/mobile number and personal e-mail id. You would be surprised at how easy it is to track an individual with any one of these details! Never accept nor open mails from strangers. It just spells trouble as it could be a virus, annoying material or a porn link. 41% of youngsters in Chennai have reported to have received unwanted pornographic material as a link or an advertisement. Never meet up alone with someone you have just known through the internet. As you cannot actually see the other person, you may not know who they actually are. Pedophiles and sex abusers find it easy to prey on youngsters, by winning their trust, pretending to be age-mates. Talk to a trusted adult in case anything on the net makes you uncomfortable. These methods to use the internet safely are all fine and good, but what do teenagers think of these restrictions? Talking to a few sixteen-year olds who are avid internet users, I got a little more insight into how exactly they view the problem. Well at first, you would be pleased to know that today's youngsters seem to be pretty mature on realising the need for cyber safety. They agree that meeting up with a stranger is “stupid” and someone who enters an open chat room is asking for trouble. Talk to people only on your friends list and accept friend requests only if you know who that person is. Friends of friends should be added only if they are known to you as well, or you have met them before. Talk it out The only problem seems to be the “talk to a trusted adult” part. Most young people would not go to their parents about problems online as many parents are not familiar with the workings of the net and hence would overreact. They might fly off the handle and ban their children from using the internet, something which teenagers would rather not risk. Moving on to teachers, there are very few with whom these youngsters would feel comfortable in confiding in. On the brighter side, school counselors, if they are approachable and if they interact closely with the students, get the teens' vote for divulging information about their online concerns. A small note – schools are encouraged to invest in a good counsellor as today's youngsters seem more willing to open up to them. Basically the youth feel that they are well-equipped to handle most issues by themselves. They can block unwanted people on the net and in the case of girls, who receive messages or calls on their mobile phones, from boys or men they do not know, guy friends, older brothers and fathers are always there to scare them off. Only if problems escalate, for example if someone consistently sends disturbing material, then they would probably take it up with the school counsellor, who would communicate the same to their parents. Teenagers prefer if this goes through the counsellor first as they feel that the counsellor will be able to phrase things in such a way that parents do not “freak out”. In case things have to be taken up with the police, young people say that they will most definitely need their parents' support. When asked about the most vulnerable age group, it was unanimously agreed that instead of having age as a criterion, internet experience should be used as the yardstick. New users to the internet at any age are easy targets. Another thing is that more awareness programs should be focused at parents, teaching them how to deal with problems that their children may face. Plain parental monitoring or forbidding the use of the internet is NOT going to help. If children can sneak and use mobile phones without their parents' knowledge, using the internet on the sly will be like a walk in the park for them! What parents can do is create an atmosphere of trust so that their children will feel comfortable to approach them. They should know their teen's friends and importantly take time to listen to their children. Safety on social networking sites have been dealt with a good number of times, but an issue in which many teens are the perpetrators and yet do not consider serious is “cyber-bullying”. By definition, it refers to any bullying behaviour that takes place through electronic means, such as sending threatening texts messages, posting unpleasant things about people and circulating unpleasant pictures and videos of someone. Sounds familiar? What is the harm in teasing someone you may ask; they should just take it in their stride and be a sport. Well, harmlessly pulling your friend's leg is very different from posting rude and derogatory stuff on the net, which can haunt the victim 24/7. Cyber-bullying can be a lot more upsetting than normal bullying as it spreads widely and has a greater degree of publicity. The problem is also that most young people will not complain about such instances, for fear of being bullied even more, especially if school mates are involved. The solution lies with the teenagers themselves, who should learn to be more sensitive and respect others even online. It would help if you took a little time to put yourself in the shoes of the victim and feel their hurt, instead of adopting technology's cold indifference. Be human! In conclusion, here is a simple piece of advice, do not do things online, that you would not do in real life. Treat people on the internet as you would if you were dealing with them face-to-face. You would not accept a lift from a stranger; in the same way, treat everyone you do not know personally on the net as strangers. Most importantly, be yourself! Do not become someone else you are not, just because the internet offers you the opportunity to do so – it is too much trouble and besides, there is no need to. At the end of the day, it's the real you that you should celebrate being, and not your cyber-alter! Online helplines www.watchoutkid.com www.safeteens.com www.kidsmart.org.uk www.watchyourspace.ie www.thinkyouknow.co.uk www.netsmartz.org www.chatdanger.com www.webwise.ie www.thatsnotcool.com www.livewires.com www.webwisekids.org www.netbullies.com www.2smrt4u.com Online abuse can be reported to report@watchoutkid.com Cassandra Sundaraja is a III B.Sc Psychology student at WCC

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Think Local and go Open

Open source technologies are making significant inroads in governments around the world, avers Gopi Ganapathy, President & CEO, Essentia, US (www.essentia-corp.com). This is as a result of open source providing significant benefits such as low cost, flexibility of use and modification, lack of vendor lock-in, and most important of all the ability to create drive a vibrant local economy of solution providers in innovation, development, deployment, training and support, adds Ganapathy, during a recent interaction with eWorld. “It is pure and simple economics. Times are tough, the amount of work needed to generate what we did just two years ago is doubling, we need to get productive and efficient without compromising our ability to innovate. Open source is the way.” Our conversation continues over e-mail. Excerpts from the interview. Why should India pay attention to open source? It saves us time, money and gives high quality IP (intellectual property) created by the best minds in the business to us for free to use as we like and innovate. For instance, Open office instead of MS office saves $300; and DimDim webchat is a free service provided to Indians. The world is changing around us (flat world, Internet, recession, bottom of the pyramid, etc.). Two macro trends with strong consensus are that the world's growth will come from emerging economies with India in the top three leading the charge. Just like the industrial revolution powered the western world, information technology will power the emerging countries in the 21st century. Economic power will be driven by businesses that innovate and capture niche opportunities in low-income, high-growth, globally-connected, and information-dense environments. Software powers this information age and open source provides the only avenue for emerging economies to build from a strong baseline of disruptive, IP rich, state-of-the-art open source applications and infrastructure that is freely provided by the developed countries to further localise, customise and innovate so as to meet the needs of the local environment. Think Tier-2, Salem-optimised solution, developed and deployed to meet their exact needs with its unique practices, lingo, and economic drivers by Salem innovators. Dr Kalam recognised that for India to move forward and achieve its ambitious goals of becoming a world power it needs not only physical infrastructure, energy and open markets but also affordable software, controlled and innovated locally and inserted into every aspect of our economy, be it government services, public education, MSME businesses or household brands. To quote, “In India, open-source code software will have to come and stay in a big way for the benefit of our billion people.” And also about the need for controlling our own destiny rather than rely on Redmond (Microsoft) or Redwood City (Oracle) to control software innovation and face the same detrimental effects of dependence on the Middle East for oil. To quote Dr Kalam again: “Further spread of IT, which is influencing the daily life of individuals, would have a devastating effect on the lives of society due to any small shift in the business practice involving these proprietary solutions. It is precisely for these reasons open-source software needs to be built, which would be cost-effective for the entire society.” What have been the significant examples of innovation driven by open source in recent times? Every major innovation in the last few years would not have happened without open source. YouTube which was founded in February 2005, reached 30 million video views/day in March 2006 and jumped to 100 million video views by July of 2006 and currently broke through a billion views per day. That's at least 11,574 views per second, 694,444 views per minute, and 41,666,667 views per hour. It is completely built on open source such as Linux, MySQL, Apache, and Python. Twitter is built on open source all the way from infrastructure such as Linux, Hadoop, Scripe and Kestrel. The amazing Amazon Cloud Service (55 million customers, 1 million partners/resellers) disrupts the mainstay of traditional IT (i.e. systems, OS, hardware, networking, storage) with a pay-per-use model that is extremely inexpensive and provides a world-class IT infrastructure to rapidly build and deploy innovative products and services by anybody in the globe to serve any global region for about $75/month. It is built from the ground up on open source (Linux, Oracle, C++, Perl, Mason, Java, Jboss, Servlets, etc.) Even Google leverages open source in almost every service they build including search, mail, chat, maps, etc. Hear Chris DeBono talk about Google's dependence on the open source model and how they have embraced it for many of their recent offerings like Android (mobile phone operating system), WebOS, and so on. DimDim (popular Indian video conferencing) and Zoho (popular Indian Google Docs) clone are leveraging both the open source model and building blocks. Does open source get due attention from CTOs and system integrators? Open source continues to grow as companies proactively look for open source solutions. Let me cite the findings of a recent industry wide survey: 75 per cent of respondents say their companies are very open to the use of open source software using it in “many situations” or “proactively using open source whenever possible.” 81 per cent of respondents say their companies are likely to use open source projects that have a commercial support option. 86 per cent are likely to use open source that is offered under an open source licence with paid support as an option. Is open source getting leveraged by major corporations with considerable benefits? Open source is seeing a gravity-defying year during the deep recession in 2009 according to Matt Asay, well known open source blogger. Examples of Fortune 500 companies that have realised significant gains with the use of open source are listed below: ETrade was able to cut $13 million a year from its tech spending by switching to open source software. H&R Block, Men's Wearhouse, and Shinsei Bank are all now paying customers of SugarCRM, which posted record revenue in the third quarter. Office Depot has been steadily moving from IBM and Sun solutions to running Linux on its servers, with about 400 servers running Linux software from Novell. The Los Angeles Times has been steadily aggregating collections of images and video using Alfresco's enterprise content management system. Open source is now trusted by serious antagonists and sceptics such as the US Military due to its power as an innovation platform with full control. For example, open source software is now formally blessed for all information technology systems in the US Department of Defence including the Navy and the Marine Corps. “It's not just a question of cost that drives the US military to buy open source. The increasing scope and complexity of military software requirements requires the use of open source. The biggest benefits come down to innovation and flexibility. The department recognises the importance of open source software to the Warfighter and the need to leverage its benefits throughout the Department of the Navy,” according to the memo issued by Navy CIO Robert Carey. Notable recently-announced programmes such as the Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS), and organisations such as the Defence Information Systems Agency (DISA) and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) are setting policies and infrastructure in place for using open source technologies in mission-critical applications. What do you see as the emerging open source success stories in India? Professor Rahul De/IIM Bangalore has studied the broad leverage India can derive with just a minor open source adoption along the lines of the successes seen in IT@School Kerala and LIC and projects about Rs 10,000 crore of savings with just basic open source adoption. IT@ School project by the Government of Kerala saved Rs 49 crore with open source. LIC saves Rs 42 crore annually with open source. New India Assurance saves Rs 80 crore with open source. In what areas of open source is cutting-edge work currently happening? Cutting edge innovation has been happening in open source from day 1. Open source tools are simply modern replacements for traditional tools developed and franchised by proprietary vendors during the client-server era (pre Internet). They are better, faster, have higher quality and better security and yet freely available. In every market and every vertical you will see open source tools. For example, Kaltura open source video server technology for everyone to have the opportunity to create their own YouTube for an optimised, localised vertical/ market/ social network/ group. You know how much like Google it has become to find anything useful in YouTube; people just use it as their personal video library and avoid paying the high bandwidth costs – searching through and finding what you want has so much clutter that fresh folks can only stumble upon interesting things. The cutting edge innovation in open source is happening around the business model. The idea of giving away ‘core IP' (i.e. core value proposition) for free and building an economically sustainable long-term business has always been a challenge. Red Hat (open source enterprise linux) distributor is the only public open source company tracking to $1 billion in annual revenues. There are a few sub $20 million/3 years open source companies, including Essentia, that are seeing explosive growth. The next few years will see major successes. Any other points of interest. The open source model is a method of creating software where the source code is openly shared and that will appear very strange to both current software users and the large emerging group looking to leverage computers, application (both consumer/ business) in their homes and businesses. For, this is in stark contrast to how conventional software providers such as Microsoft closely guard the source code to products like Windows Vista. People who create any given open-source software project usually don't work for one company. The creators are typically a community of software developers — often thousands of them — spread across the globe. Open source harnesses the power of the community for rapid collaborative development, peer feedback, distribution, full lifecycle transparency and flexible licensing models. The open source software development approach is more democratic than proprietary software, and the debates are public. The community tends to regulate itself and focus on longer-term rather than short-term goals. Adoption of open source needs some deep understanding to really leverage open source as it becomes pervasive. Initiatives to adopt open source, be they through integration of open source and proprietary technology or starting a new initiative, require a sound strategic planning that takes into account the business, legal and community aspects of open source business. Adoption of open source software comes with several considerations and obligations: support, velocity of change, future capabilities and roadmap, some functional gaps with regard to enterprise, understanding of intellectual property and licensing models. Essentia specialises in providing this know-how, enterprise-hardened technology, hosting, management, training and support to MSMEs interested in incorporating IT into their day-day activities to become more efficient. dmurali@thehindu.co.in

Web Resources in Social Sciences

A Three Day Seminar - Gear up to meet new challenges: Experts to librarians Srinagar, Mar 16 (PTI) Library science experts today asked professionals in the field to gear up to meet the new challenges posed by the expanding role of libraries. "The role of libraries and library professionals is changing and exponentially expanding. Therefore, professionals will have to act as good mediators between users and resources available online or otherwise," Usha Munshi, a library science expert said while addressing the inaugural session of a 3-day seminar at the University of Kashmir. Munshi, from the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, said "you are committed to generate, preserve and disseminate resources, with widest dissemination as the mission in mind." The three-day seminar titled "Web Resources in Social Science Research" is being organised by the University's Department of Library and Information Sciences in collaboration with Indian Council of Social Science Research and UGC's Academic Staff College.

Electronic monitors can now be borrowed free of charge for a week

Anyone interesting in finding out just how much wasted energy their household appliances are costing them each day can now do so by borrowing special energy readers from libraries in Leeds. As part of the drive to improve energy efficiency and protect the environment, Leeds Library and Information Service has now taken on a stock of energy readers which show how much energy an appliance is using and how much it is costing when it is switched on and also how much is being wasted when it is left on in standby mode. The readers can monitor any electrical appliance from washing machines and tumble driers to lighting and heating as well as everyday items like kettles, mobile phone chargers, hair straighteners and games consoles. These monitors can now be borrowed free of charge for a week by all Leeds library members and are available from 22 libraries across the city. The project follows a successful pilot scheme carried out last year in Otley organised by Leeds City Council, Otley Town Council and SURE (Sustainable and Renewable Energy in Wharfedale). The pilot produced hugely encouraging results, and if those results are matched by the new readers each home could see a reduction in electricity use of 5% which across Leeds has the potential to save 772,200 kilowatt hours per year which equates to 404 tonnes less carbon dioxide being produced. The readers show the cost of using an appliance as well as leaving it on in standby mode, so therefore encourages users to make sure household products such as washing machines and dishwashers are being used with full loads each time as well as things being switched off properly when not in use to save money and energy. Figures from the Energy Saving Trust show that UK households now spend up to 8% of their electricity bill on standby power, which is taken across the country is equivalent to the annual output from two-and-a-half large power stations. Leaving lights on unnecessarily is another big energy waster, costing the UK £170m pounds each year. The new service also fits in with the international WWF Earth Hour which takes place on Saturday 27th March. Some of the world's most iconic landmarks will be joined by buildings all over the world, including those managed by Leeds City Council, in turning their lights completely off for one hour to promote the campaign against climate change. Leeds City Council executive member for Leisure Councillor John Procter said: "We are pleased to be able to offer these new energy readers for our library users to try out. With these readers you can actually see for yourself how much energy you are using and possibly wasting and what it is costing you. "I am keen to try one out for myself at home as I'm sure like most people I will be shocked at the figures. We all need to do our bit for the environment so using these free readers is a great way to start and may also help you reduce your energy bills too so can bring real benefits in both respects." For more information on the energy readers, contact Leeds City Council's Sustainability Communications Officer Amanda

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Cotsen Children’s Library

Traveling to India usually involves a long plane ride and maybe even a rickshaw. But for two hours on Saturday, local children journeyed to the subcontinent without leaving Princeton. Through the World Story Festival, an annual event at the Cotsen Children’s Library, local children made masks, marveled at a LEGO sculpture of the Taj Mahal and watched a special performance by Kalaa, the University’s classical Indian dance troupe. The event, organized by Patricia Sever ’11 and Dana Sheridan, Cotsen’s education and outreach coordinator, featured a wide variety of India-themed educational programming. “I mostly chose India because it has a really fascinating culture and history,” Sever said. “There’s great food, beautiful music, and I just thought that it would be a lot of fun.” Small details that made the experience seem real were highlights for the voyagers. Eight-year-old Sanjiv said that his favorite part of the event was “doing the whole simulation by getting your passport and going to the baggage claim ... and going [to the other stations] to see all the other places.” While event coordinators wanted to ensure that all the kids had fun, they made efforts to include an educational component in the program. Even the more overtly educational aspects of the event, though, were well received by parents and children alike. Eight-year old Anirudh Kirshnaprasad said he particularly enjoyed the station where participants learned how to write their names in Hindi. “I want to learn to write my name in different languages and speak the different languages, too,” he added. “It was well organized, well thought-out [and] really informative,” said Tina Biswas, a mother of two, who added that her family often tries to attend family-oriented events at the University. Biswas, like several others, said she heard about the event through princetonkids.com, a website that compiles information about family-friendly opportunities in the Princeton area. “[The Festival] is a great service that the community offers,” said Lenora Ziegler, who brought her two young children with her to the program. “It’s great to expose children at this age to an academic environment. It makes them comfortable.” John DaCruz, a local resident who brought his children Sofia and Jay, said he thought the event was “fabulous,” adding that “the dancing was very good ... It kept the kids’ interest.” Six-year-old Sofia agreed with her father, saying that she enjoyed the festival and would love to attend future events. Steve Chastain, who attended the program with his three youngest children, echoed both Biswas and Krishnaprasad, saying that it was the “hands-on aspect” of the festival that really appealed to him and made him think of bringing his family to attend. Sever said that she was pleased with the event’s outcome. “I don’t know what turnout was like last time, but it was pretty good,” she said. “The kids seemed like they had fun, and the adults seemed like they had fun, so I thought it was a success.” Beyond the activities’ educational and entertainment value, families were lured by the event’s cost. “Free is my favorite price,” Chastain said. “Free is very good when you have four kids.”

Reduction in the collection of Library cess

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has found that owing to non-adoption of uniform rate of property tax in the newly-annexed areas of grama panchayats, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation has incurred a loss of Rs 19.68 crore. The C&AG report, which was tabled in the Assembly on Monday, has said that the revenue loss of Rs 19.68 crore was incurred during the period from 2001-02 to 2007-08. Owing to the shortfall in collection of property tax, there was also a reduction in the collection of library cess to the tune of Rs 98.44 lakh. Though it was brought to the notice of the government in October 2008, it has not given any reply till May 2009. The Kerala Municipalities Act of 1994 stipulates that the government may by notification unite the territorial area of panchayats geographically lying adjacent to a municipal area with the municipality. It also states that when any village, panchayat area is constituted as, or included in a municipality, all taxes, fees or other charges levied in that area under the enactment or regulation then in force shall, from the date of constitution or inclusion, as the case may be, cease to have effect and all such taxes, fees or other charges shall be levied in that area in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules, regulation and by-laws made thereunder. The rate of property tax prevailing in the areas of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation is 18 percent of the Annual Rental Value (ARV). The grama panchayats of Attipra, Kadakampally, Ulloor, Nemom and Thiruvallom were annexed to the Corporation with effect from October 1, 2000. The property tax levied in these panchayats was six percent. According to the provisions of the Act, the property tax should have been levied at the prevailing rate of 18 percent so as to have a uniform rate in all areas falling within the Corporation. The report said that the Corporation had recommended to the government to retain the existing rate of property tax (6 percent) in the annexed areas till the next general revision of tax so as to avoid hardships to the people and to avoid unnecessary public agitations. The government agreed to this proposal. The Standing Committee of the Corporation, in 2003, had recommended to bring about uniformity in the rates of property tax. But the council had not so far decided on the issue. Thus, out of 86 divisions in the Corporation, property tax was collected at the rate of 18 percent of ARV in 50 divisions and six percent in the remaining 36 divisions in violation of the Act. Owing to the adoption of non-uniform rates, there was a revenue loss of Rs 19.68 crore, the report said. TRANSACTION AUDIT The C&AG has found that the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation lost Rs 1.83 crore allotted in March 2007, owing to delay in the reconciliation of accounts with that of District Treasury. The government allotted Rs 1.83 crore to the Corporation under General Purpose Fund. Even though the Corporation was in receipt of government sanction, it did not initiate timely action to get the amount credited in its account. The failure in internal control mechanism in carrying out timely reconciliation of accounts and follow-up action by the Corporation resulted in a loss of Rs 1.83 crore, the report said. trivandrum@expressbuzz.com

Another Unique Library

PUNE: Nine year-old Dev Basavekar has a plan of action every Friday evening. "I finish my homework and head straight to the Adarsh Mitra Mandal's sports library. They lend me all kinds of sports equipment. I especially like football and throw rings. It's a really nice library. Of course, I have to return the stuff every Sunday evening, as I am supposed to study over the week," he says. In a span of just four months, this unique sports library, set up in Adarshnagar, Dhankawdi, has become the great source of entertainment for over 800 children, mostly from underprivileged families. The origin of the concept, according to Uday Jagtap, a member-activist of Adarsh Mitra Mandal, lies in the belief that no child should be deprived of the pleasure of playing for want of resources. "We are a chawl settlement of over 200 families. Many of these children cannot afford to buy the equipment, so we thought it would be a good idea to set up a library of this kind. The library remains open over the weekend so that it does not come in the way of children's studies. We are happy to observe that it has emerged as a source of development -- both physical and intellectual," said Jagtap. So be it cricket kits, chessboards, volleyball, skates, skipping ropes, badminton racquets or more... there's something for every aspiring sportsman in the age group of 4 to 14 years. "We charge them a nominal fee of Re 1 for each set for a duration of three days," explained Vishal Naik, another member-activist. "The amount may be negligible, but it is important that we don't give away things for free. Children must learn to respect and value good things. Furthermore, the amount we charge is given to an orphanage. We are determined not to use it for commercial activities," he said. The library also houses over 1,200 children's books on subjects ranging from the lives of great men to number games, puzzles, history, fiction and so on. Twelve-year-old Pooja Jagtap and Trupti Bhoirkar are regular borrowers of the chess board and skates. "We just love them. Chess is very good for the mind and increases concentration," said Pooja. "It's important to ensure that children are gainfully occupied in activities they enjoy and are good for them," said Naik. "With the advent of technology, TV addiction is a common problem. Children ought to be outdoors, engaging in sporting activity that aids their overall growth in the right direction." "Besides, we thought an initiative of this sort would bring children together in a positive manner and keep them from seeking harmful activities in the name of curiosity," explained Jagtap. "Given the backdrop of the nuclear family, not to forget the rising instances of suicide amongst students, channelising youthful energies in a meaningful manner is the need of the time. The library is a small step towards a bigger goal." Other activities Established in 2000, the Adarsh Mitra Mandal takes up a number of socially relevant activities including cultural programmes and gatherings for senior citizens and children, plantation etc. The mandal runs the Bhagini helpline, which offers aid and advice to women who are victims of stalking and other forms of sexual harassment. It started the two-and-half-year-old Criminal Adoption Scheme (CAS), a rehabilitation programme for ex-convicts, that encourages them to seek employment and begin their life afresh. Under the CAS, the Mitra Mandal has brought about the rehabilitation of 21 ex-convicts, by facilitating jobs and land for farming. Similarly, the Valmiki Awards, which are instituted every year by the mandal, seek to encourage and recognise the achievements of ex-convicts who have successfully overcome the odds to lead a socially useful and meaningful life.

Borrowing books from the comfort of home

Library hopes to kindle reading flame with e-books Monday, March 01, 2010 Michele AngermillerSPECIAL TO THE TIMES LAWRENCE -- Doing a book report and don't have time to drive to the library? Itching to catch up on the "Twilight" series right this second but don't feel like jumping into a car? The Mercer County Library system will launch an e-books program starting today that will make it easier to get the books you need without the hassle of driving. The new program will give library patrons the option of borrowing books from the comfort of home through their home computers. Holders of library cards can browse titles and check out a book by downloading a copy to their PCs or laptops. According to Ellen Brown, director of the library system, 422 titles will be available in addition to more than 6,000 audiobooks offered now. In fact, e-books are becoming increasingly popular in these tough economic times, Brown said. Managers of Princeton University's semester-long pilot program of the Amazon KindleDX electronic reader are reporting success, with results showing that student participants reduced the amount of paper they used to print course readings by almost 50 percent. Princeton launched its pilot program in the fall to help determine if e-readers can reduce the use of paper at the University without adversely affecting the classroom experience. Fifty students in three courses agreed to participate in the voluntary project -- titled "Toward Print-Less and Paper-Less Courses: Pilot Amazon Kindle Program," managed by Princeton's Office of Information Technology and the Princeton University Library in cooperation with Amazon.com. The e-books can be read on a PC or Mac using free reader software called Adobe Digital Editions. They can also be transferred to popular e-reading devices such as the Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader and the Barnes & Noble nook. Many e-books feature "re-flowable" text, which allows a user to resize the text and alter the display to fit any screen size. The Sony Reader and the nook are designed to look and feel like a book for users on the go. The devices feature a screen that is intended to be easy on the reader's eyes. Popular titles by authors such as James Patterson, Charlaine Harris ("Dead Until Dark") and Robert Parker plus nonfiction titles such as Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" will be available, Brown said. Titles will be added each month. Laura Nawrocik, IT technician for the library, said that there is a five-book limit of e-books at checkout, and the software is designed to allow borrowers to have the books out for seven to 10 days. "The files will stop working when you get to the 10-day period," she said. There will also be an electronic wait list for popular titles, as well as an "always available" list that will include classic books. Users may, of course, return books early. "The library system is trying to extend to its users nontraditional library sources," she said. "In these economic times, the library is trying to lighten the load for its patrons, be it by offering free DVDs and movies, and now the e-books." To check out e-books or downloadable audiobooks, users need a valid library card, a computer and an Internet connection. Once downloaded, digital media can be used on a computer or transferred to popular devices such as MP3 players, iPods, Smartphones, and more

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