The Buzz

Would you like to answer library patrons’ reference questions anytime, night or day? Tutor.com’s new online reference tools, Ask A Librarian and Ask A Librarian Express, enable libraries to provide just that: one-to-one, Web-based reference service, 24/7. Ask A Librarian software offers stable connections, a simple interface, and on-demand tracking and reporting features. Ask A Librarian Express is a complete 24/7 full-service product for libraries, combining Ask A Librarian software with degreed librarians from Tutor.com’s Librarians By Request service. With Ask A Librarian Express, libraries can begin running an around-the-clock service in just a matter of weeks with no training, no administrative hassles, and no redistribution of staff time, according to the company. www.tutor.com.

The Library of Congress (LC) plans to launch the World Digital Library (WDL), an ambitious project that will digitize significant primary materials from national institutions across the globe. Search-engine giant Google has agreed to donate $3 million as the first partner in this public-private initiative. With an emphasis on materials representing non-Western cultures, WDL would complement LC’s effort to create a national network of institutional partners to build a preservation system for collecting digital material. “Google supports the World Digital Library because we share a common mission of making the world’s information universally accessible and useful,” says Google cofounder Sergey Brin (below).

A new version of Canvastic, the text and graphics publishing tool for grades K–8, is being offered free of charge to educators who purchase or recommend software for their school or district. Canvastic enables students and teachers to publish their work in a variety of presentation formats, and includes tools for creating maps, diagrams, and graphs, as well as importing pictures and text. The just- released Canvastic 2.0 features a new word processing tool for integrating text with student-created graphics and more than 200 new templates. To access the free offer, visit online at www.canvastic.com/techteacheroffer.

The percentage of women in the U.S. information technology (IT) industry has declined by an alarming 18 percent in the last eight years, with females now comprising barely one-quarter of IT workers, according to U.S. Department of Labor figures. So Cisco Systems and the National Center for Women & Information Technology have created a comprehensive digital library designed to give students, parents, and educators the tools to learn more about careers in high-tech fields and the importance of girls’ participation. www.ncwit.org/cisco.

The new PLUS V-339 DLP (digital light processing) projector is the first to feature dual color mode technology, enabling users to switch between two mode settings for optimal presentation. Vivid mode is recommended when very natural color reproduction is desired, such as when viewing richly colored digital photographs or DVDs, while dynamic mode emphasizes clarity and is ideal for projecting in bright locations. Weighing 2.8 pounds, the highly portable 1300-lumen projector also sports quick setup and teardown features. The V-339 also adjusts picture distortion with automated source detection and keystone correction. $1,995. www.plus-america.com.

Free one-year access to OneCalendar, a Web-based organizer, is now available to educators. A joint initiative of Scholastic and Trumba, OneCalendar’s creator, the special offer is intended to enhance home-to-school communication. With OneCalendar, teachers can contact parents about upcoming events, homework assignments, and other news. Families who use the calendar can add important dates of their own and correspond directly with the teacher about the schedule. To learn more about the offer, visit www.trumba.com/schools.

Manually comparing your library’s holdings with the universe of available book titles is so 20th century. So Bowker and H. W. Wilson have joined forces to create a unique online collection development tool for libraries: Bowker’s Book Analysis System. The product electronically compares a library’s collection to the H. W. Wilson Standard Catalogs (a collection of five Wilson databases of available books for libraries) and provides reports that librarians can use to identify gaps and duplicates within their collections. Pricing starts at $1,400 for K–12 libraries. www.bowker.com.

Ready to broadcast your message to the world? Just about the hottest thing going, podcasting allows you to create and broadcast digital audio files to your friends, students, and potentially millions of listeners online. The Podcast Factory includes all the hardware and software needed to record and edit your own program, add music, and create and upload MP3 files with RSS feeds. A professional audio interface brings to your computer both microphone and instrument inputs, plus headphone and stereo outputs—all via a simple USB cable. The Podcast Factory is also compatible for use with popular music software, such as Apple GarageBand and Sony Acid. $179. www.m-audio.com.

Thomson Gale has added a new feature to its database resources: podcasts. InfoTrac on Thomson Gale PowerSearch and its Student Resource Center, Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center, and History Resource Center now include weekly radio addresses by President Bush, from January 2005 to the present. Users can access podcasts immediately or download them for later listening to supplement their research. www.thomson.com.