English Corner
KlausGraf - am Sonntag, 7. Februar 2010, 23:44 - Rubrik: English Corner
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Now CC Australia’s Jessica Coates shares a promising government initiative in her home country. The Victorian Government has become the first Australian government to commit to using Creative Commons as the default licensing system for its public sector information (PSI). Many of its reports and other works will use CC BY, which she explains is becoming the preferred license for Australian PSI.
http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/20619
http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/20619
KlausGraf - am Freitag, 5. Februar 2010, 20:31 - Rubrik: English Corner
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The following is a letter drafted by the Advocacy Committee of the ICMA and mailed today to Kings College. It represents our unease at the potential loss of so valuable a position and our hopes that the relevant authorities will reconsider their position. Many thanks to James D'Emilio, Chair of Advocacy and his committee for working so diligently on this. Colum Professor Rick Trainor. The Principal
King's College
The Strand, London WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom
principal@kcl.ac.uk
Professor Jan Palmowski, Head
School of Arts and Humanities
King's College
The Strand, London WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom
jan.palmowski@kcl.ac.uk
Dear Profs. Trainor and Palmowski:
We are writing on behalf of the International Center of Medieval Art, an organization with over five hundred members in twenty countries, to express our dismay over the reported plan to eliminate the Chair in Palaeography at King's College. We understand the financial challenges facing educational and cultural institutions, but we believe that this would be an ill-advised and short-sighted action with negative repercussions for a broad spectrum of disciplines, programs, and professionals in the Humanities, and, therefore, for the wider public that enjoys and benefits from the presentation of the European historical and cultural heritage in diverse settings and media.
Palaeography is not an everyday word, and the idea of dedicating oneself to the study of "old writing" can easily be caricatured as the most esoteric of pursuits. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is only through handwritten manuscripts and documents that the history and written culture of the Middle Ages was recorded, and the legacy of classical antiquity transmitted. The edicts of kings, the sentences of judges, the contracts of merchants, the meditations of nuns, the debates of schoolmen, the songs of poets, and the wills of ordinary women and men come down to us in handwriting that must be authenticated, deciphered, contextualized and interpreted, with the patient and careful application of visual skills, linguistic expertise, and understanding of the material technology of writing. Acquiring such knowledge and experience is a painstaking task demanding intellectual rigor and a rare combination of skills, and the corps of scholars who study and teach in this field are at the heart of the Humanities. The methods and skills they teach are valuable tools across many disciplines in the contemporary university, but, for those in the Humanities, the loss of their expertise would silence a thousand years of European civilization.
Remarkable though these skills are, they are not the whole story of what makes palaeography a critical discipline, for it does far more than provide a "service" to students of the history, art, literature, music, and learning of the past. In a world before printing, writing was a fundamental technology, and the study of the written word is itself a door to understanding the European past. To investigate writing, education, and literacy in the Middle Ages is to penetrate to the core of the processes that sustained the culture and institutions of medieval Christianity, and that laid the foundations of modern states, cities, universities, and commercial enterprises. It is sadly ironic that it would be an educational institution, and one with such a distinguished history, that would deal this blow to the study of written culture.
We urge you to reconsider this decision. King's College has a long history of distinction in the fields of medieval studies, and Francis Wormald, Julian Brown and Tilly de la Mare, past holders of the chair of Palaeography, have been among the most renowned scholars in this discipline. The present chair, David Ganz, is a distinguished historian and philologist, well-known to many of our members. The extraordinary collections of the British Library, the proximity of the manuscript collections at Cambridge and Oxford, and the concentration of faculty and students in the region make King's College, London an ideal venue for the only established chair in Palaeography in the United Kingdom. We sincerely hope that the Chair will flourish for a long time to come.
James D' Emilio,
Chair of The Advocacy Committee, International Center of Medieval Art
King's College
The Strand, London WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom
principal@kcl.ac.uk
Professor Jan Palmowski, Head
School of Arts and Humanities
King's College
The Strand, London WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom
jan.palmowski@kcl.ac.uk
Dear Profs. Trainor and Palmowski:
We are writing on behalf of the International Center of Medieval Art, an organization with over five hundred members in twenty countries, to express our dismay over the reported plan to eliminate the Chair in Palaeography at King's College. We understand the financial challenges facing educational and cultural institutions, but we believe that this would be an ill-advised and short-sighted action with negative repercussions for a broad spectrum of disciplines, programs, and professionals in the Humanities, and, therefore, for the wider public that enjoys and benefits from the presentation of the European historical and cultural heritage in diverse settings and media.
Palaeography is not an everyday word, and the idea of dedicating oneself to the study of "old writing" can easily be caricatured as the most esoteric of pursuits. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is only through handwritten manuscripts and documents that the history and written culture of the Middle Ages was recorded, and the legacy of classical antiquity transmitted. The edicts of kings, the sentences of judges, the contracts of merchants, the meditations of nuns, the debates of schoolmen, the songs of poets, and the wills of ordinary women and men come down to us in handwriting that must be authenticated, deciphered, contextualized and interpreted, with the patient and careful application of visual skills, linguistic expertise, and understanding of the material technology of writing. Acquiring such knowledge and experience is a painstaking task demanding intellectual rigor and a rare combination of skills, and the corps of scholars who study and teach in this field are at the heart of the Humanities. The methods and skills they teach are valuable tools across many disciplines in the contemporary university, but, for those in the Humanities, the loss of their expertise would silence a thousand years of European civilization.
Remarkable though these skills are, they are not the whole story of what makes palaeography a critical discipline, for it does far more than provide a "service" to students of the history, art, literature, music, and learning of the past. In a world before printing, writing was a fundamental technology, and the study of the written word is itself a door to understanding the European past. To investigate writing, education, and literacy in the Middle Ages is to penetrate to the core of the processes that sustained the culture and institutions of medieval Christianity, and that laid the foundations of modern states, cities, universities, and commercial enterprises. It is sadly ironic that it would be an educational institution, and one with such a distinguished history, that would deal this blow to the study of written culture.
We urge you to reconsider this decision. King's College has a long history of distinction in the fields of medieval studies, and Francis Wormald, Julian Brown and Tilly de la Mare, past holders of the chair of Palaeography, have been among the most renowned scholars in this discipline. The present chair, David Ganz, is a distinguished historian and philologist, well-known to many of our members. The extraordinary collections of the British Library, the proximity of the manuscript collections at Cambridge and Oxford, and the concentration of faculty and students in the region make King's College, London an ideal venue for the only established chair in Palaeography in the United Kingdom. We sincerely hope that the Chair will flourish for a long time to come.
James D' Emilio,
Chair of The Advocacy Committee, International Center of Medieval Art
KlausGraf - am Donnerstag, 4. Februar 2010, 21:57 - Rubrik: English Corner
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http://poeticeconomics.blogspot.com/2010/01/google-books-settlement-open-access-to.html
"I wonder how many other authors hadn't thought about their chapters being included in Google Books?"
I had thought on it since the first coverage of the Settlement and made a suggestion that authors should make their "inserts" (this is the name of such contributions in the Settlement language) Open Access.
See in English
http://archiv.twoday.net/stories/6074287/
See in German
http://archiv.twoday.net/stories/5598988/#5599382 (2009, March 22)
Rainer Kuhlen speaker of the Urheberrechtsbündnis has spoken with Google on this topic. The Urheberrechtsbündnis is aware of the fact that in most cases German authors are copyright owner of their book chapters (§ 38 UrhG = German Copyright Act).
I think due to publisher's lobbyism there will be only an opt-out for "inserts" in Google Book Search but no an Open Access possibility like in the books case.
Please remember that I was able to make two books of mine free in Google Book Search (in the frame of the "partner" program of Google). I did not send PDFs or books to Google - Google used the scanned books of the library program. I also made the two books free in HathiTrust.
Every author who is rights holder (concerning at least the online rights) can TODAY decide to make its books free in HathiTrust if there are copies in HathiTrust. After some days and few mail exchange and a permission fax they are gratis OPEN ACCESS.
I hope that in the near future all authors which are rights holders will have the same possibility like me to make their scanned books FREE in Google.
For "inserts"/book chapters I have not tried the following: Become a Google Book Search Partner (like me) and send Google offprints or PDFs of your articles. (If you can use publisher's PDF is a question of contract and national law.)
Tired of Harnadian Open Access orthodoxy (mandates, request buttons, IR not Central repositories and the whole other boring shit)? USE GOOGLE AS THE OPEN ACCESS "REPOSITORY" OF YOUR CHOICE!
Update: http://archiv.twoday.net/stories/6185222/
HathiTrust: "we don’t have any way right now to open access to individual chapters or “inserts”."
"I wonder how many other authors hadn't thought about their chapters being included in Google Books?"
I had thought on it since the first coverage of the Settlement and made a suggestion that authors should make their "inserts" (this is the name of such contributions in the Settlement language) Open Access.
See in English
http://archiv.twoday.net/stories/6074287/
See in German
http://archiv.twoday.net/stories/5598988/#5599382 (2009, March 22)
Rainer Kuhlen speaker of the Urheberrechtsbündnis has spoken with Google on this topic. The Urheberrechtsbündnis is aware of the fact that in most cases German authors are copyright owner of their book chapters (§ 38 UrhG = German Copyright Act).
I think due to publisher's lobbyism there will be only an opt-out for "inserts" in Google Book Search but no an Open Access possibility like in the books case.
Please remember that I was able to make two books of mine free in Google Book Search (in the frame of the "partner" program of Google). I did not send PDFs or books to Google - Google used the scanned books of the library program. I also made the two books free in HathiTrust.
Every author who is rights holder (concerning at least the online rights) can TODAY decide to make its books free in HathiTrust if there are copies in HathiTrust. After some days and few mail exchange and a permission fax they are gratis OPEN ACCESS.
I hope that in the near future all authors which are rights holders will have the same possibility like me to make their scanned books FREE in Google.
For "inserts"/book chapters I have not tried the following: Become a Google Book Search Partner (like me) and send Google offprints or PDFs of your articles. (If you can use publisher's PDF is a question of contract and national law.)
Tired of Harnadian Open Access orthodoxy (mandates, request buttons, IR not Central repositories and the whole other boring shit)? USE GOOGLE AS THE OPEN ACCESS "REPOSITORY" OF YOUR CHOICE!
Update: http://archiv.twoday.net/stories/6185222/
HathiTrust: "we don’t have any way right now to open access to individual chapters or “inserts”."
KlausGraf - am Mittwoch, 3. Februar 2010, 21:29 - Rubrik: English Corner
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http://www.indicommons.org/2010/02/01/welcome-the-u-s-national-archives-to-the-commons/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/3874714878/in/set-72157622070929269/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/3874714878/in/set-72157622070929269/KlausGraf - am Mittwoch, 3. Februar 2010, 20:28 - Rubrik: English Corner
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You may sign the petition online by following this link:
http://www.petitiononline.com/spkcl10/petition.html
http://www.petitiononline.com/spkcl10/petition.html
KlausGraf - am Mittwoch, 3. Februar 2010, 14:00 - Rubrik: English Corner
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http://britainloveswikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
Britain Loves Wikipedia is a scavenger hunt and free content photography contest running in museums and cultural institutions across the UK through February. The aim is to increase the number of pictures available to illustrate Wikipedia articles, and to inspire new articles.
Britain Loves Wikipedia is a scavenger hunt and free content photography contest running in museums and cultural institutions across the UK through February. The aim is to increase the number of pictures available to illustrate Wikipedia articles, and to inspire new articles.
KlausGraf - am Sonntag, 31. Januar 2010, 14:17 - Rubrik: English Corner
We have just finished implementing what we are calling "Digitize and Download". Listening to feedback from our customers, many people only wanted the digital file, not a paperback or hardcover copy of a book. In the past, the digital file was only available after a book was digitized and a reprint of that book was created.
Now with the new "Digitize and Download" model you can order just the digital file. The cost is the same as a soft cover book $20, but you save big on the shipping costs, and we'll all save a few trees in the process. In many cases shipping costs which is out of our control far exceed the cost of the book.
Here is how it works:
1. Find a book you'd like to purchase
2. Under the "options" section for that book select "Digitize and Download +$18.05" (Total cost = $20.00) and finish the checkout process.
3. We then send the request to the library partner to Pull and Digitize your book.
4. Once that is completed (3-4 weeks typically) you will receive a link to the email address supplied during the checkout process, providing you with a link to your book.
5. Once a book is digitized the future download price is $1.95 with instant access.
Help us spread the word!
Tell your friends and associates, that you can now order a digital copy of any book on KirtasBooks.com.
http://www.kirtasbooks.com
Now with the new "Digitize and Download" model you can order just the digital file. The cost is the same as a soft cover book $20, but you save big on the shipping costs, and we'll all save a few trees in the process. In many cases shipping costs which is out of our control far exceed the cost of the book.
Here is how it works:
1. Find a book you'd like to purchase
2. Under the "options" section for that book select "Digitize and Download +$18.05" (Total cost = $20.00) and finish the checkout process.
3. We then send the request to the library partner to Pull and Digitize your book.
4. Once that is completed (3-4 weeks typically) you will receive a link to the email address supplied during the checkout process, providing you with a link to your book.
5. Once a book is digitized the future download price is $1.95 with instant access.
Help us spread the word!
Tell your friends and associates, that you can now order a digital copy of any book on KirtasBooks.com.
http://www.kirtasbooks.com
KlausGraf - am Samstag, 30. Januar 2010, 19:34 - Rubrik: English Corner
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KlausGraf - am Samstag, 30. Januar 2010, 15:33 - Rubrik: English Corner
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King’s College London is undertaking what they call ‘strategic
disinvestment’ and have recently informed Professor David Ganz that funding for his Chair in Palaeography will cease from 31 August this year, when he will be out of a job. This is part of a wider context whereby all academic staff in the School of Arts and Humanities at King’s have to re-apply for their own jobs before the 1st of March. They think this the “most humane way” of losing 22 academic posts.
This is the only established chair in Palaeography in the UK
(previously held by Julian Brown and Tilly de la Mare). The more
people who write in protest the better.
The people to write to are:
Professor Richard Trainor, MA DPhil FRHistS AcSS FKC
The Principal
King’s College
The Strand
London WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom
principal@kcl.ac.uk
copied to:
Professor Jan Palmowski
Head of the School of Arts and Humanities
King’s College
The Strand
London WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom
jan.palmowski@kcl.ac.uk
--
George FERZOCO
gpferzoco@gmail.com
See
http://archiv.twoday.net/stories/6162072/
disinvestment’ and have recently informed Professor David Ganz that funding for his Chair in Palaeography will cease from 31 August this year, when he will be out of a job. This is part of a wider context whereby all academic staff in the School of Arts and Humanities at King’s have to re-apply for their own jobs before the 1st of March. They think this the “most humane way” of losing 22 academic posts.
This is the only established chair in Palaeography in the UK
(previously held by Julian Brown and Tilly de la Mare). The more
people who write in protest the better.
The people to write to are:
Professor Richard Trainor, MA DPhil FRHistS AcSS FKC
The Principal
King’s College
The Strand
London WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom
principal@kcl.ac.uk
copied to:
Professor Jan Palmowski
Head of the School of Arts and Humanities
King’s College
The Strand
London WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom
jan.palmowski@kcl.ac.uk
--
George FERZOCO
gpferzoco@gmail.com
See
http://archiv.twoday.net/stories/6162072/
KlausGraf - am Samstag, 30. Januar 2010, 14:42 - Rubrik: English Corner
