The University of Minnesota Press plans to bring most of the books that it has ever published back in print through a program called Minnesota Archive Editions, a partnership with Amazon.com, Google, and BookMobile. There will be no upfront cost from Amazon. Doug Armato is the director of the Univeristy of Minnesota Press. I remember Doug from the time that he spoke at the Charleston Conference many years ago! When speakers had slides and typed papers, Doug had legal-sized yellow sheets of hand-written notes! I think he was at the University of Georgia Press. See “University Press, With Amazon, Revive and Sells Out-of-Print Books,” by Jennifer Howard. Chronicle of Higher Education, Wednesday, November 19, 2008. http://chronicle.com/
http://www.upress.umn.edu/

Interesting article in The Wall Street Journal for November 17, 2009 discussing the Google settlement and its focus on the five million books that are still in copyright but are no longer in print. As part of the settlement, Google will offer to sell these books and share the proceeds with publishers and authors. As we all know, this differs from Google's usual method of making content available free with advertising-supported links. See -- "Markets Declare Truce on Copyright Wars, Google concedes that information isn't free," WSJ, 11/17/2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1222688619008032339.html

For those of you who think that Charleston is always warm, it's freezing cold here today (50s! and supposed to go down into the 20s tonight). Time to bring in the poor plants so they don't get frozen. Or maybe to cover them up with blankets. Have just learned that we are facing other possible budget cuts in our Marine Resources Library. Not much good news out there budget-wise. On the positive side, was just talking to Jared Seay (remember his "You Gotta Go to School for That?" columns in Against the Grain?) who says that he is going to return to his column editing role! We have to hold him to it!

Primary Research Group has published: The Survey of Academic & Research Library Journal Purchasing Practices (1-57440-108-4). The 182-page study presents data about the journals acquisitions and management practices of an international sample of academic and research libraries.
Just a few of the report’s many findings:

• The libraries in the sample acquired a mean of more than 46% of their journal subscriptions in bundles of more then 50 titles.
• The libraries in sample canceled a mean of 53 journal titles in the past year.
• Mean spending on print edition only subscriptions was $130,721, less than a sixth of total spending.
• About a quarter of the libraries in the sample believe that open access has already slowed the increase in journal prices.
• 15.56% of the libraries in the sample have paid a publication
fee on behalf of an author from their institution.
• For 42.22% of the libraries in the sample, all new subscriptions to journals include electronic access.
http://www.PrimaryResearch.com

After a re-organization at ACS, the wonderful Adam Chesler's position was eliminated.
While happy that he doesn't have to shave every day, Adam's nevertheless
looking for new opportunities and welcomes ideas and/or friendly greetings.
He plans on attending ALA in Denver, and can be reached by e-mail at
adam.chesler@cox.net.

Got an email from an alarmed faculty colleague this morning about an article in Inside Higher Education (November 14, 2008). The article is called “Maelstrom Over Metadata,” and is about OCLC and their recently revised “Policy for Use and Transfer of WorldCat Records” Says Karen Calhoun, OCLC’s vice president for WorldCat and metadata services,, “To play the role it is now playing on behalf of libraries, OCLC needs to be a player on the Web, and not just any player, but an influential one. It therefore needs to be a Web company, with data sharing policies and practices appropriate to the Web.”
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/11/14/worldcat
http://www.oclc.org/worldcat/catalog/policy/policy.htm

Be sure and nominate one of your outstanding colleagues for the Leadership in Library Acquisitions Award. Deadline is December 1, 2008! Nancy Gibbs is the Chair of the Nominating Committee and the information is posted on the Conference website Bulletin Board -- www.katina.info/conference/

When you run into Nancy Gibbs (Duke), ask her about her time in Chicago with her two grandkids! Nancy flew in to Charleston for the Conference on Wednesday,. Her son was Chief of Communications for the Obama campaign and Nancy flew in to Chicago on election night to babysit her grandkids so that her son could participate in the festivities. Wow! Talk about close to power! That's what librarians are all about!

Was wandering around the Vendor Showcase on the mezzanine level of the Francis Marion hotel today. Have you visited? There are exhibits and food galore! While picking up some of the many goodies available, I picked up a brief brochure from Alexander Street Press which has a little section that imitates "ATG Rumors" section. Very cute. And they tell me that imitation is the biggest form of flattery. Who said that? Was it was Charles Caleb Colton (1780 - 1832), an English cleric, writer and collector?

Was talking to Erin Luckett with Readex a minute ago. Among other things, she tells me that her brother's wife is due to deliver Baby Boy Luckett tomorrow. Samantha Luckett, Baby Boy's sister, was born during an ALA! I guess these kids love conferences (no doubt it's the give-aways). So, when you see Erin in Charleston, see if she has any pictures of the baby! After Charleston is over, Erin heads to see her new nephew. Happy diapering, Erin!