*****netWork: The Newsletter of the OLC Automation & Technology Division*****
In this issue:
1. LITA Session Identifies Top Tech Trends
2. DIY ~ Remote Access to Subscription Databases
3. VPN Technology for Remote Staff Access
4. IT Department FAQ--Humor
5. Technology Cartoon Sites (more than one cartoonist)
6. Technology Cartoon Sites (single cartoonist)
7. Password Security Part One: Why Do Libraries Need It & How Much Do They Need?
8. A New Look at Groupware in a Library Setting
*LITA Session Identifies Top Tech Trends*
At the Midwinter Conference of the American Library Association in Washington, DC,
on January 14, 2001, LITA held its third annual discussion of trends you need to be
aware of in planning for your library. Here are the 5 most important current trends
identified by Karen Coyle, Clifford Lynch, Eric Lease Morgan, Thomas Peters, Joan Frye
Williams, and Tom Wilson.
Trend #1:
The group is still keeping a close eye on trends in e-books, but the picture has remained
murky as to what formats and reading devices will continue to be viable. Microsoft,
Adobe, and Gemstar have emerged as major players. The group did agree that, in a
variety of ways we can't even foresee yet, e-books are giving birth to the concept of the
book, not as fixed and unchanging, but renderable in a variety of forms.
Trend #2:
In today's electronic, quick-response world, libraries may not be able to rest solely on
their free-access laurels. Although in the days of the digital divide, libraries are even
more important as an open and equitable public-access point for the world of information,
a large part of our clientele are getting used to speed and demanding convenience. They
are becoming used to having convenient options if they're willing to pay for them.
Trend #3:
Users are asking "Why can't the library's catalog search a million items as fast as Google
can search a billion?" and they may soon be asking "Why does the library take the time to
tell me how many centimeters tall a book is, but nothing about whether it's any good or
not?" If we continue to see the world solely through the prism of the library catalog, will
we be looking at that world all by ourselves?
Trend #4:
How can we "automate the shop floor" of the library? The shortage of library
professionals means that the jobs of those we do have need to be "reprofessionalized,"
and the productivity of laborious functions like physical inventory (collection)
management must be increased. Radio Frequency Identification technology used to track
library materials is already being implemented. Could Speedpass automatic payment
technology help? Libraries must look to functions in industry comparable to those we do,
in order to survive and thrive.
Trend #5:
Will attempts to "repatriate" the Web be successful? Yahoo's imbroglio with France over
the sale of Nazi memorabilia on its auction site and Germany's attempts to fight neo-Nazi
hate speech on the Web raise the question "How 'world wide' is the Web?" The group did
not believe that ultimately countries would be successful in enforcing national laws in an
international arena, but already these attempts have resulted in changes in what some
major Web players allow through their sites.
For more information, see the LITA website at www.lita.org. Note: This information is
from “2001: a Technology Trends Odyssey” located at
http://www.lita.org/committe/toptech/mw2001.htm. We invite you to visit this website
for a bibliography of additional sources on these trends.
**************************************************
*DIY ~ Remote Access to Subscription Databases*
Tracy Strobel, Web Applications Supervisor
Cleveland Public Library
Tired of depending on vendors to supply you with a way to authenticate users for remote
access to subscription databases? Or are you avoiding offering remote access all together
because of the potentially tricky technology involved with authenticating your patrons?
There are easy to use tools that can help you expand your online resources to patrons at
home, work and school.
One such tool is EZProxy (http://www.usefulutilities.com/ezproxy). This handy piece of
software, developed specifically for libraries, works by operating as an intermediary
server between your users and your licensed databases. The link to a database from your
Web page is preceded by your Ezproxy URL. When your users connect to your Ezproxy
server, it then connects to your licensed databases. Since the Ezproxy server is on a
server on your network, your database vendor (who is doing IP authentication) sees the
requests as coming from an IP address on your network, so it permits access. A
customizable page requests your patrons' library card number and checks it against a
predefined scheme before granting access to the database.
So what do you need to make it work?
> A Web server
> The EZProxy software (just $495.00)
> A day to install and configure the software
Database vendors are increasingly willing to permit remote access but often don't have
the technical infrastructure to create and support a means to provide it. With tools like
EZProxy, we can take control of remote authentication and open our online resources to
our patrons from anywhere, anytime.
**************************************************
*VPN Technology for Remote Staff Access*
George Lenzer
Network Systems Supervisor, Cleveland Public Library
How many times have you found yourself in need of accessing internal resource on your
network while at a remote location? You have your laptop with you and an Internet
connection, but you just can't get past the Internet security of your network. Perhaps it's
time that you consider Virtual Private Networking (VPN) for you and your remote staff
users.
The basic idea behind VPN is to use the Internet as a conduit, or tunnel, to your internal
network. The remote staff user connects to their ISP (dial-up, DSL, or even another
Internet connected LAN) as usual, and then establishes a connection to their home
network using a VPN client. The client requests the set up of an encrypted, secure tunnel
with the VPN device on the home network. Next the VPN device on the home network
checks against some type of authentication mechanism (NT Authentication, Cisco or
UNIX based authentication) to make certain that the remote user is a legitimate user. If
the authentication procedure is successful, the VPN device sets up the tunnel and the
client is connected.
VPN connections are identical to being connected to an Ethernet jack within the physical
plant of the home network. Your remote user will have an IP assigned from within their
home network for the VPN connection. They will be able to use some resources on your
network, such as printers, shared files or thin client servers. Your remote user will have
access to all the resources behind your firewall. The tunnel itself is encrypted to ensure
that the VPN traffic is safe for traversing the Internet. The only limitation to this type of
connection is bandwidth. You wouldn't want to use a 56K VPN connection to install
software, but you can use it to open a small MS Office document.
VPN can be a very useful solution to allow trusted remote users full access to your
internal network resources without the need for a dedicated point-to-point connection. In
today's Internet connected libraries, VPN is a great fit for the road warrior.
For more information, try these Web sites:
Microsoft: Virtual Private Networking: An Overview
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howitworks/communications/remoteac
cess/vpnoverview.asp
VPN Insider.com
http://www.vpninsider.com/
Cisco Hardware and VPN Clients Supporting IPSec/PPTP/L2TP
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/cmatrix.shtml
**************************************************
*IT Department FAQ*
(courtesy of the IT Department at Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library)
Q: What is a “geek,” really? I don’t see you guys with pocket protectors!
A: Well, this is a highly subjective question. There are many categories of geeks and
even sub-categories of geeks. Virtually none come outfitted with pocket protectors.
However, we have attempted to compile a short guide to the definitive, broad
characteristics of an official geek.
1. Quake, caffeine and lack of light rate the bottom rung on Maslow’s pyramid.
2. You know that Archie and Veronica are NOT comic characters and you don’t look for
a gopher in your yard
3. Linus Torvalds, Larry Wall, Mark Minasi and/or Richard Stallman are minor deities in
your universe
4. Your favorite shopping site is ThinkGeek.com
5. Your tax refund is ALWAYS spent on computer hardware. Who needs vacations?
6. There are more computers in your house than chairs
7. Your pet is named “Packets”
8. Your kids all have stuffed Tux penguins
9. Actually, you don’t have kids. You have PDA’s and workstations with human names.
Your favorite is Hal.
10. You have a bumper sticker that says “My website was /.”
We hope this is somewhat enlightening. If not, you may require a geek-to-human
interpreter.
**************************************************
*Technology Cartoon Sites (more than one cartoonist):*
CartoonBank.com: www.cartoonbank.com: This is the New Yorker’s collection and is
one of the best collections I found. It is strictly one panel cartoons and not a strip unlike
many of the other sites listed here. The index includes cartoons on computers, the
Internet and technology.
Very Funny Pics.com: www.veryfunnypics.com
This site also has some nice cartoons (including a section on Microsoft), but there is a lot
of advertising that pops up as well. At least three ads opened when I hopped onto a link
for the archives and it seemed to be the norm when I was moving elsewhere in the site.
Bamdad’s Math Comics Page: www.csun.edu/~hcmth014/comics.html
Yup, this site is full of cartoons that are math-related. But don’t worry they can be
enjoyed by anyone, not just the mathematically inclined.
Microsoft Editorial Cartoons: http://cagle.slate.msn.com/microsoft/
This site is, as the name implies, editorial cartoons on Microsoft.
‘Puter Toons Postcard Rack: http://microimg.com/postcards/cardrack8-4x.html
If you enjoy these cartoons, you can send them on to lighten someone else’s day.
**************************************************
*Technology Cartoon Sites (single cartoonist):*
Business and Computer Cartoons: www.glasbergen.com
All by Randy Glasbergen, the name of the site says it all.
Cran and Lerma Cartoons: http://toons.net/xstrip.asp
Topical ‘Net-related comic strip by Nik Scott.
The Official Dilbert Website: www.dilbert.com
If you need a Dilbert fix, this is the official site of the strip by Scott Adams.
The Fifth Wave: www.the5thwave.com
These comics by Rich Tennant can also found in some of the computer oriented books
part of the IDG …For Dummies series.
Geek-O-Rama: www.geek-o-rama.net
Terry McElligott pens this cartoon aimed at, you guessed it, geeks. It also has links to
other sites of interest to “geeks”.
Geeks: www.happychaos.com/geeks/
Julie Sigwart puts this comic out that seems to be from the frustrated techs point of view
(as in…”how many times do I have to explain how to use the scroll bar?”, etc.)
Helen, the Sweetheart of the Internet: www.comicspage.com/helen/
Peter Zale, an Ohio native, puts out this strip from the point of view of a female
computer tech.
Joy of Tech: www.joyoftech.com
Dilbert-like in feel but more techie-oriented.
Kevin and Kell: www.kevinandkell.com
Online syndicated comic strip by Bill Holbrook about a techno-savvy rabbit and the shewolf he married after meeting in a chat room.
Net-Wits: www.bminteract.com/netwits
Web frustration humor by Bill Morrison.
Off the Mark: www.offthemark.com/computers.htm
A comic by Mark Parisi that includes a section on the joys and frustrations of owning a
computer.
User Friendly: www.userfriendly.org
Daily comic strip about a small, hard-working ISP by Illiad.
**************************************************
*Password Security Part One: Why Do Libraries Need It & How Much Do They Need?*
Matt Hoffman, Network Administrator
Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library
At some point, the security of any network comes down to whether someone knows a
user name and password combination or not. Depending on the rights and permissions
assigned to that user account, someone can do massive damage or very little damage. If
you are running a tightly controlled high-security network, say, for a legal firm or
hospital, it’s easy for employees to see why secure passwords should be necessary. But
in a library environment, it’s pretty typical to see that your staff doesn’t think that they
have anything worth securing, and that’s where things fall apart.
Most of us in the library technology world do have some sort of network security plan in
place. It’s necessary these days to have some sort of protection for your own, and others,
networks. Many libraries will have firewalls between your network and ISP, public
machines locked down tight with group policies, antivirus software installed, and locks
on the door to your server room. These things are basically transparent to our staff, so we
set them up and proceed on our merry way. But when it comes to passwords, we often go
soft; our staff personnel don’t even understand why we have passwords to begin with, let
alone having to make them complex or changing them periodically. So, we give them
some default password and hope that nobody else figures it out.
This is where it is very important that you begin thinking about making your security
plan include passwords that are of higher complexity. NT can be set to require a
password to be a certain minimum length. This is a good start. The longer the password,
the more difficult it is to figure out. Staff should be instructed to create passwords that
contain more than just words, names, dates, etc. A complex password should have a
combination of letters, numbers, and non-alphanumeric characters (e.g. punctuation
marks) to make it hard to crack. There is a method of enforcing password complexity in
NT; however the kind of password complexity it will want to see is probably beyond
what you want to put your users through.
Unfortunately, passwords are a weak link in any security plan. At some point, one of
your users is going to leave their password lying around on a scrap of paper where
someone who shouldn’t be seeing it can easily find it. It’s inevitable, so your staff should
be instructed to be as careful as possible with their passwords. A hacker would love to
luck into just such a situation; however, they often employ other means to get your
passwords. There are a number of readily available applications out there that can be
used to crack your passwords (Lophtcrack is a good example). It’s really not a matter of
if your system gets hacked, but when. So, it’s important to make things as difficult on an
intruder as possible.
Additionally, your network does have vital information on it that you wouldn’t want
someone tampering with, even if the data actually is a matter of public record. Human
Resources and Payroll information are just two areas that you would not want
unauthorized personnel to have access to. The damage that could be done there alone is
worth the security. Doubtless you should have set up your system so that only certain
accounts have access to specific resources, but why take the risk? Making life difficult
on hackers is always a good thing.
Remember, network security should be viewed as being similar to preventative medicine;
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You don’t want your data hacked, other
networks attacked, or your time wasted. Password security is a basic and necessary part
of your overall security plan, and is relatively simple to implement if you can get the
support of your staff.
Next issue: What to do and how to do it
**************************************************
*A New Look at Groupware in a Library Setting*
Shawn Walsh, Network Administrator
Hubbard Public Library
“Chat” is a word that usually invokes some sort of emotional reaction in the public
library sector. Whether you love or hate it, it is a medium is joined at the hip to Internet
access. Many librarians link chat to teenagers who tie up computers (just to instant
message the person sitting two computers away), or to cyber stalkers preying on innocent
children.
However, chat has some concrete benefits for libraries. As chat has evolved, it has
become heavily used in the corporate world for use in business communication. This
attention has brought new features to the simple chat program; these features include
whiteboards, video and audio communication, peer-to-peer file sharing and desktop
control, just to name a few. These changes have changed chat into what is more
commonly referred to as “groupware,” although the question remains: what good is
groupware in a library setting?
The main advantage is that groupware provides inexpensive communication between
library buildings and/or systems. Since most libraries have a T1 line, we can take
advantage of all the features of a freeware chat client. This is where groupware can
really shine for a public library.
Take the example of a rural branch library with limited staff and a difficult reference
question to answer. In this case, the reference librarian has exhausted his/her reference
collection and that of their colleagues. They could call around to neighboring libraries,
tying up a library phone line, and depriving other patrons of services. Alternatively, they
could send out emails to those same neighboring libraries and wait a day or more for a
response, but we know most patrons want their information as soon as possible.
Therefore, our groupware-savvy librarian starts up the groupware client. Instead of
contacting neighboring libraries, our librarian has access to librarians anywhere in the
state, or even the world. Soon enough our librarian has the answer and another patron
has received prompt accurate service that libraries always provide.
Groupware can also provide other money and timesaving services. Groupware can
allow a library staff member to be in two places at once. This is done by allowing staff
members to attending meetings or workshops without leaving the confines of the library.
The obvious savings in travel time and expense are appealing, particularly when the
weather is unpleasant or budgets are tight.
Internet-based groupware is still somewhat in its infancy, but it would truly behoove
libraries to get in on the ground floor, instead of trying to play catch-up. Good examples
of chat/groupware clients include:
* ICQ (http://web.icq.com/)
* AOL Instant Messenger (http://www.aolinstantmessenger.com)
* Microsoft Network Messenger (http://messenger.msn.com/)
* Yahoo Messenger (http://chat.yahoo.com/)
*Trillian -a messaging client that allows a user to be on *all* the aforeMentioned networks simultaneously (http://www.trillian.cc/)
It is also worth mentioning Microsoft Net Meeting
(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/netmeeting/default.asp), which represents an
excellent Internet-based groupware product. Several other products that Lotus, Novell,
and Microsoft produce that are excellent, but are rather costly and would likely be
overkill for a typical library application.
It is important to mention some of the failings of groupware, so it is understood that
this is still an emerging technology. Firstly, video over the Internet is choppy at best, and
is not conducive to good face-to-face communication. However, it does offer a timelapsed idea of what emotions you co-viewer is expressing. Secondly, sound (except the
costly voice-over-IP solution) is akin to talking on a two-way radio, with its
asynchronous communication. Yet it is still is far cheaper than a phone call to Canada or
even to a neighboring state. Perhaps the greatest pitfall is the learning curve, which can
be daunting. In my experience, most library personnel are more than able to learn if they
have hands-on training. Finally, most of the chat/groupware programs available today
have a proprietary format which make them completely incompatible with each other; but
this can be remedied with a program like Trillian which allows a user to use multiple chat
clients at once.
Chat and groupware need to be revisited by libraries. The potential benefits for
patron service and communication are extensive and, as the Internet evolves, groupware
will likely become the dominant form of online cooperation. Despite the current
drawbacks to chat/groupware, the benefits far outweigh the problems.