tower@AI.MIT.EDU (Leonard H. Tower Jr.) (06/10/89)
We got this brochure into the office.
Thought many of you migth be interested.
Consider printing it out, and giving it to your local librarian(s).
enjoy -len
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Common Knowledge
How Libraries Can
Share the Wealth
Libraries were created to share, but have become isolated and
strangled by their dependence upon information merchants for many of
their basic needs.
Common Knowledge provides an alternative.
Through this non-profit, membership-driven organization, a database is
being created. This database contains copyright-free, public domain
information. Members are encouraged to pool machine-readable
non-copyrighted information such as bibliographic records, indexes,
holdings information, bibliographies, directories, government
publications, or specialized databases to format a "Universal Index".
This index will be as rich and varied as the membership is active.
Members, national and international, have access to all data
contributions. All information will lie forever within the public
domain: easily accessible, as knowledge must be.
Common Knowledge was formed on the tenet that the time has come for a
long-term alternative to information merchants. At this time, the
development of Common Knowledge lies in the hands of its members. The
present membership hails from 38 states, the District of Columbia, from
Belgium, England, British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec.
Seventy-nine percent of the members are librarians or information
scientists. The remaining segment includes journalists, consultants,
publishers, students, retired librarians, software developers,
computer scientists, systems analysts, and representatives of the
Federal government and organizations such as OCLC, UTLAS, CLSI, and
Pacific Bell.
STRUCTURE
The Governing Board of Directors consists of nine members responsible
for decision-making. The members are: Mary Johnson, Technical
Services Manager for the Orange County Public Library, Robert Newhard
of Library Futures, Eric Anderson, Director of the Ohio Valley Area
Libraries, Kevin Hegarty, Director of the Tacoma Public Library, Brian
Campbell, Systems Librarian for the Vancouver Public Library, Robin
Alston, consultant to the British Library, Wesley Doak, State
Librarian of Oregon, Carol Liu, Assistant Manager of the Central
Library (Queens Borough Public). The ninth director is yet unnamed.
Three sub-boards advise the Governing Board of Directors (by
consensus) on separate issues. The Organizational Board (32 members)
advises on organizational development. The Technical Board (14
members) advises on matters such as standardization of data entry, a
critical issue since the Universal Index grows from multiple sources.
The Issues Board (12 members) was formed specifically to examine the
issue of the inclusion of bibliographic utility records in the
database. The copyright issue of vendor-constructed library catalogs
is a cloudy one for many librarians. Legalities need to be closely
examined to determine whether or not vendor-built catalogs belong to
the vendor, or to the library which paid for the service, often with
public funds.
A few years ago a project like Common Knowledge would not have been
possible. The transfer of information to digital form is a fantastic
opportunity to continue the time-honored library goal of providing
enrichment. If inexpensive computing, hypertext techniques, and
artificial intelligence are used to further this goal of enrichment,
and can be accomplished through a cooperative effort, then so much the
better.
The time has come, technologically, to reconsider how to access and
distribute information. The time has come to emancipate libraries from
repeatedly paying for publicly available information.
Replication and distribution of structured text costs less than
one cent per megabyte, a megabyte equaling one million characters:
approximately 500 pages of information. Using 680 megabyte CD-ROM
as the initial medium (with user software and regular updates) is
a logical choice for a cheaply available "Universal index".
It is not just time to transfer the ownership of public domain
information, it is time to remove it completely. Much of the world's
knowledge is being peddled to the public through information
merchants. The public, through an individual and organizational
effort, can be responsible for gathering, keeping, and distributing
public domain information.
MEMBERSHIP
Common Knowledge needs visionaries. This ambitious project requires
dedicated individuals, organizations, and financial support.
membership annual dues rates are as follows:
General public, students, and other interested persons (newsletter
only):-----------------------------------------------$1
Librarians, information scientists, and others who actively
participate:-----------------------------------------$10
Libraries (open to the public at no charge):---------$100
Non-profit corporate institutional sponsors:---------$1,000
For-profit corporate sponsors:-----------------------$10,000
FIRST PRODUCT
The present version of the Common Knowledge database, the Universal
Index Version 0.1, consists of approximately 432,000 Library of
Congress records (English language works published from 1984 through
1988) and 10 minutes of tutorial sound. This database and its user
software currently sell for $100.00 per set. A second copy of the
Universal Index for the same building costs only $10.00. It is the
goal of the organization to maintain low prices, making Common
Knowledge a viable option for every size of library.
The database is available to members only.
The Universal Index is certified to run on Hitachi or Amdek CD-ROM
drives, or any BiblioFile hardware with 640K. The Common Knowledge
Research and Development staff will continue to examine and certify
other vendor equipment for proper environment conditions to ensure
quality performance. It is also presently considering formatting the
Universal Index using High Sierra standards.
A VHS video tape on Common Knowledge is available for circulation,
free of charge. It includes interviews with members regarding
organizational philosophy and goals. The tape is also public domain
material, free to be copied.
For a membership application and video loan information, write:
Common Knowledge
Jefferson, MD 21755, USA
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Common Knowledge
Universal Index CD-ROM Disc
and User Software
ORDER FORM
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Organization: ____________________________________________________
(Ship to) Address: _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Telephone: _______________________________________________________
Purchase Order #: ________________________________________________
Quantity (each set $100): ________________________________________
Additional sets used in same building (at $10 each): _____________
Amount enclosed: _________________________________________________
Mail to: Common Knowledge
Jefferson, MD 21755, USA
Telephone: (301) 695-3100
Recommended CD-ROM drive environments:
Hitachi, Amdek, or any BiblioFile product with 640K RAM.
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Common Knowledge
Individual Membership Application
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Daytime Telephone: _______________________________________________
Best Time To Call: _______________________________________________
Occupation: ______________________________________________________
Employer: ________________________________________________________
Annual Dues:
General Public (Newsletter Only): ____________________ $1
Participating Members: _______________________________ $10
Comments, suggestions, opinions?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Office Use Only: Enrolled on: _____________________________
By: ______________________________________
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Common Knowledge
Organizational Membership Application
Organization: ____________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Daytime Telephone: _______________________________________________
Best Time To Call: _______________________________________________
Occupation: ______________________________________________________
Employer: ________________________________________________________
Dues:
Library (open to the public) _________________________ $100
Non-profit organization: ___________________________ $1,000
For-profit organization: __________________________ $10,000
Comments, suggestions, opinions?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Office Use Only: Enrolled on: _____________________________
By: ______________________________________
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enjoy -len tower@AI.MIT.EDU (Leonard H. Tower Jr.) (06/29/89)
Forwarded-For: sac@apple.com (Steve Cisler) I just returned from the American Library Association convention in Dallas where the Common Knowledge non-profit group had a booth, an organizational meeting, as well as volunteer supporters who publicized it. I helped plan a session entitled "More technology--less access" and with some difficulty we were able to have someone speak about the goals of Common Knowledge. There have been previous efforts at inter-library cooperation. Some have worked; some still do. Many have tended to make a transition to for-profit status and the idealism of the early phases changes to something quite different. Response to the speech was quite positive. Many suggestions for public domain databanks have been made, and they have had offers of help from various groups. They had a successful business meeting on 6/26, and they hope to drum up popular and professional support during 1989. A few of the board know of the advantages of systems such as Usenet to spread news and make contacts; others are not interested. Ditto for librarians as a profession. So don't expect to see any members on the Net for awhile. However, those of you who sympathize with their goals may be able to help once they get organized. I'll try to keep people posted, as I am personally interested in the success of the organization. Steve Cisler Apple Library 408 974 3258