NEW RESOURCES

Central Jersey: New Jersey Network collection added to American Archive of Public Broadcasting . “The American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) has released the New Jersey Network (NJN) Special Collection, featuring more than 3,000 streaming programs from New Jersey public television dating from 1971 to 2011. The growing collection will eventually include nearly 25,000 items representing 40 years of programs from one of the largest producers of local public television in the United States, covering governmental, cultural and historic affairs, according to a press release.”

Reno Gazette Journal: Millions of images in RGJ photo archives now available to public through UNR library. “The University Libraries has added the [Reno Gazette Journal]’s photo collection dating back to 1959. It is the largest publicly available collection of photographic documentation of the development and social history of the region. The unique visual resource consists of almost two million negatives compiled by at least 117 photographers through the decades.” Unfortunately only about 750 of the images are online in their entirety, but the metadata for an additional 350,000 images has been aggregated and made available as well.

University of Sussex: Launch of online oral history collection reveals untold story of the BBC . “David Attenborough, Esther Rantzen and Harold Wilson are just some of the prominent figures who appear in over 600 hours of recorded interviews from across the BBC, as part of a new project led by academics at the University of Sussex. The online catalogue, made available today, reveals a hidden history of the Corporation from its earliest years and has been unveiled as part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations. The unique new collection gives free public access to over 470 hours of audio and 159 hours of video interviews.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

ArtsHub: Powerhouse acquires photography archive worth $1.6 million. “The Australian Centre for Photography (ACP) in NSW has been in hibernation since 16 December 2020 following a decision to ‘stem the risk of ongoing financial losses and protect the capital in an investment fund it considers vital to its long-term viability’. Throughout 2021, the ACP held extensive consultations with the community to assist the Board in identifying future pathways and use of the ACP Fund. Today, that future has been delivered by Powerhouse, which announced the acquisition of the archive and fund of ACP.”

AROUND THE INTERNET WORLD

University of Maryland, Baltimore County: UMBC Special Collections receives more than 12,000 volumes from Parapsychology Foundation. “UMBC Special Collections has been given an extraordinary gift of one of the world’s largest collections devoted to parapsychology, from the Parapsychology Foundation, Inc. in Greenport, New York. The acquisition will be known as the Eileen J. Garrett Parapsychology Foundation Collection. It includes documents related to hauntings, poltergeists, out-of-body experiences, and séances, as well as spirit photographs and much more.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Australian Geographic: Tortoiseshell database a ‘game-changer’ for critically endangered marine turtles. “Seizing a tortoiseshell product is one thing, but knowing the original poaching location of the turtle it came from is another. The problem facing law enforcement and conservation agencies is that to catch these criminals in the act, they need to know where to look and in what regions to focus scarce resources. This is where ShellBank can help. Put simply, it is a global ‘bank’ of seized or donated tortoiseshell products.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

World Economic Forum: A third of children have adult social media accounts, UK regulator finds: How can we improve child safety online?. “Most social media channels have age restrictions designed to stop children under 13 from creating their own profiles – but Ofcom’s data suggests these restrictions are easy to bypass. That is less surprising when it becomes clear that many parents are actually helping their children to set up social media profiles before their 13th birthday.”

The Diplomat: Can the Social Media and Poster Campaign Against Xi Jinping Make a Difference?. “Facing threats from the Chinese government’s massive surveillance efforts and the regime’s attempts to intimidate and influence its overseas diaspora around the world, individuals can best protect their identities and ensure their safety by engaging in anonymous and leaderless social media campaigns. However, those actions also have their limitations.”

North Carolina State University: Positive YouTube Videos Help Deflect Blame From Sharks. “In a new study, North Carolina State University researchers found more people shifted blame for shark bites away from the animals after watching positive YouTube videos about them. They also saw greater support on average for non-lethal strategies for responding to incidents in which a shark has bitten a person.”

OTHER THINGS I THINK ARE COOL

Ars Technica: Slow Roads offers a chill, endless driving experience in your browser. “A few days ago, an Edinburgh, Scotland-based developer named Anslo announced Slow Roads, a free, easygoing driving game with procedurally generated scenic landscapes that runs in a web browser.” I’m terrible at driving games except for Super Tux Kart, but I discovered to my delight that there’s an auto-driving mode for Slow Roads. It’s nicely relaxing to spend a few minutes watching a car zooming through a generated landscape. Good afternoon, Internet…

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