Category Archives: Information Technology and Information Literacy

OCLC/RLG Programs Meeting Talk

Posted on October 17, 2007 by Timothy Burke

I kept meaning to put this essay up over the summer, but I, uh, got distracted. Did I say that I wasn’t kidding about the title of this blog? Anyway, this is a talk I gave at the the Research … Continue reading →

Applied Googling

Posted on September 14, 2007 by Timothy Burke

For various reasons, I got interested today in the campaign to kick Coca-Cola off of college campuses, in response to allegations about the actions of company franchisees in India and Colombia. I may have some comments on the campaign itself … Continue reading →

Posted in Information Technology and Information Literacy | 4 Comments

The Trouble With Harry

Posted on July 23, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Harry Reid will really lose any semblance of enthusiastic support from me if he can’t muster the good sense to get out of the RIAA’s pocket. The Democrats have got to get clear on this point in general. You can’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Information Technology and Information Literacy, Politics | 1 Comment

Pedant

Posted on July 19, 2007 by Timothy Burke

I’m consistently in favor of academics adapting their conversation and rhetoric to the discourse of a wider public, of rejoining many general conversations. On the other hand, if we don’t know more than everyone else about certain kinds of issues, … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Information Technology and Information Literacy | 6 Comments

Criticality

Posted on July 13, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Henry Farrell pointed out this week that Facebook seemed to have hit a point of phase transition somewhere in the last couple of months, broadening rapidly beyond undergraduate and graduate students. I created a page this last autumn when I … Continue reading →

Posted in Information Technology and Information Literacy | 1 Comment

Online Tool Kit

Posted on June 11, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Stirring myself now from my traditional post-graduation coma + catching up on deferred life maintenance. One thing that caught my eye today as I did my bloggy rounds was a very nasty blogspat involving Acephalous. As one of the comments … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Information Technology and Information Literacy | Comments Off

Online Review Systems and the Service Economy

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Timothy Burke

I’ve already had a couple of recommendations to look at Angie’s List and Checkbook Magazine since posting earlier today about my homeowner blues. There have been some interesting discussions about Angie’s List in the past six months, particularly at Greg … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumerism, Advertising, Commodities, Domestic Life, Information Technology and Information Literacy | 11 Comments

Money Pit

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Pardon my banality, but what is it with expensive home repairs that causes them to come in waves? Within a week, we’ve found that our water heater needs replacement, we need a termite treatment (they’re not inside the house, thank … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life, Information Technology and Information Literacy | 5 Comments

Archives, Nations, Ownership

Posted on April 30, 2007 by Timothy Burke

I have ambivalent feelings about debates over the ownership of physical objects that have sacred or heritage value to one group or institution and knowledge-producing value to another group or institution, such as the struggle over Native American remains held … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Information Technology and Information Literacy, Intellectual Property | 18 Comments

Fun With Intellectual Property Issues, No. 340 in a Series: Aluka

Posted on April 24, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Regular readers have heard me complain before about the straight-up weirdness of the way the cost of research falls on institutions of higher education. Universities directly or indirectly subsidize faculty to carry out research through a variety of means: sabbaticals, … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Africa, Information Technology and Information Literacy, Intellectual Property | 7 Comments