Web 2.0 - What It's all About - an Aslib Engineering workshop held at at Brunel University

On a warm and promising day last week, Phil Bradley did an excellent job of guiding a room full of 'first-timers' through the essentials of Web 2.0. Essentially Web 2.0 brings things together favourite links, "to do" lists, key searches, contacts, and so on, and provides the ability to share what you've found and stored with friends, colleagues, or just the world in general!

The big advantage is that you clearly do not need any real technical knowledge in order to do this. You can create your own web page complete with blog and even a customised search engine in a matter of minutes. Phil introduced us to some of the best tools available - Pageflakes, Rollyo and Zimbio - as well as offering comparable alternatives from the thousands available. The real benefit of the day (aside from Phil's immense knowledge and experience!) was Time - time to play and experiment without interruption.

So what is Web 2.0 all about? Constant change - forget your ideas of the Internet as it is, we're moving on. Not sure if it's for you or afraid to get started? We left with Phil's advice ringing in our ears: "Just Do It!!!"

For more information on Web 2.0 please see Phil's website.

Phil's presentation on Web 2.o is available to download from Slideshare (another great Web 2.0 tool!)

If anyone reading this was at the workshop, please do share your thoughts with us! Have you started using any of the skills or tools you learned about last week?

Free access to Royal Society Digital Journal Archive

Following a recent announcement from the Royal Society, the Digital Journal Archive, dating back to 1665 and containing in excess of 60,000 articles, will be free online from 1st September to 30th November 2007. During this three month period, librarians and academics will be able to access and download any article from arguably the most comprehensive publishing resource in science.

More details may be found at:

www.publishing.royalsoc.ac.uk/archive

New sports engineering journal announced for 2008

Professional Engineering Publishing, publishers to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, has launched the Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, which will commence publication in 2008. The journal will form Part P of the Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
The launch of this journal comes at a time when academic activity within Sports Engineering and Technology is on the increase. Many Universities, over 20 in the UK alone, offer undergraduate degree programmes in Sports Engineering or Sports Technology. Coupled with the increasing number of global sports engineering associations this is a discipline that is flourishing.

Professor Mike Caine, Loughborough University, has been appointed Editor of the new journal. Professor Caine commented: “There can be no better home for the Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology than that of the Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. I am delighted that the IMechE have elected to publish such a contemporary journal within their Proceedings.”

The Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology aims to become the publication of choice for authors seeking to disseminate original research findings related to the development or application of technology in sports.

The scope of the journal includes but is not limited to papers on:

Equipment used for competition, training, rehabilitation and coaching
Sports equipment related design and innovation (the ideation process, concept creation, embodiment refinement, design for mass manufacture and for sustainability)
The development and validation of instrumentation, processes or software to enhance research activities within sports engineering and technology

The Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology will be available as a combined print and online subscription in 2008. For more information about the journal visit:

http://journals.pepublishing.com/jset

New nanotechnology journal from the ACS

The American Chemical Society has recently launched a new online journal - ACS Nano.

The inaugural issue of ACS Nano was released online August 14, 2007. During 2007, the journal is available on the web at no charge. This is an important new forum for one of the fastest growing and most exciting areas in chemistry and its related disciplines. It provides comprehensive articles on nanoscience and nanotechnology research at the interfaces of chemistry, biology, materials science, physics, and engineering.

The journal also helps facilitate communication among scientists from all these research communities in developing new research opportunities, advancing the field through new discoveries, and reaching out to scientists at all levels.

In addition to comprehensive, original research articles, ACS Nano offers reviews, perspectives on cutting-edge research, conversations with nanoscience and nanotechnology thought leaders, and discussions of topics that are important for the entire community.

To access the journal and learn more about the topic, visit the ACS journal website:

http://pubs.acs.org/journals/ancac3/

New Open Access Scheme from Professional Engineering Publishing

Professional Engineering Publishing - the publishers for the Institution of Mechanical Engineers - have this month announced the launch of a new open access service for engineers entitled "Engineering Open Choice". This option will help authors publishing in any of the PEP journals make their research material open access for just a standard fee.

For more information see the flyer on their website:

http://www.pepublishing.com/pep/guidelines/Engineering_Open_Choice.PDF

Your Opinion:
Is Open Access a good model? Have you used it yourself? Post us your thoughts!

New Internet tutorials from Intute

Nine Internet tutorials for Science and Engineering have recently been released. They are designed by subject specialists to help students develop Internet research skills for their university or college work but would also be of use to anyone searching for information on the Internet in these subject areas.

They are all free of charge and available from the Intute Virtual Training Suite at:

http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk

Here below are the direct links for the individual subject areas

1) Internet for Aeronautical Engineering
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/aviator
By Emma Turner, Kings Norton Library, Cranfield University

2) Internet for Construction
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/cons
By Virginia Havergal, E-Learning Advisor, JISC Regional Support Centre,South West

3) Internet for Earth Science
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/earth
By John Blunden-Ellis, John Rylands University Library, The University ofManchester

4) Internet for Engineering (FE)
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/eng
By Virginia Havergal, E-Learning Advisor, JISC Regional Support Centre, South West

5) Internet for Health and Safety
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/safety
By John Niven and Nicola Harrison of Harley Haddow Consulting Engineers

6) Internet for Information and Communication Technology (ICT)http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/ict
By Martin Callaghan, Head of ICT, John Leggott College, Scunthorpe

7) Internet for Materials Science and Engineering
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/materials
By Nicola Harrison of Intute at Heriot-Watt University

8) Internet Mathematician
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/maths
By Anne Reed, Intute Content Coordinator for Mathematics, The John Rylands University Library, The University of Manchester

9) Internet for Mechanical Engineering
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/mechanical
By Nicola Harrison of Intute at Heriot-Watt University

Web 2.0 workshop - learn from the Master

The Aslib Engineering Committee are organising a Web 2.0 workshop at Brunel University Library on Thursday 6th September 2007, to be led by renowned Internet guru Phil Bradley.

Cost:
Aslib members: £60.00
Non-members: £120.00

Price includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day

Booking Your Place:
Places are limited so don’t delay – please book by Friday 24th August.

To book a place or make further enquiries, contact Rachel Daniels on 01793 785113 or email:

r.j.daniels@cranfield.ac.uk