sept06ff.indd


G a r y  P a t t i l l o  

Gary Pattillo is reference librarian at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, e-mail: pattillo@refstaff. 
lib.unc.edu 

Data deluge 
Some journals may someday be composed primarily of raw data. This is one 
possible conclusion drawn from a Microsoft Research report entitled “Towards 
2020 Science.” The reports states that, because of the scale of scientific data, “we 
believe that attempts to solve the issues of scientific data management by build­
ing large, centralized, archival repositories are both dangerous and unworkable.” 
Instead, a more distributed model of archiving raw data may emerge. 
Scott Carlson, “Lost in a Sea of Science Data,” Chronicle of Higher Education, June 23, 2006, Volume 52, Issue 42, Page 
A35, chronicle.com/free/v52/i42/42a03501.htm. July 1, 2006 

International conference on the book 
The Fourth International Conference on the Book will take place October 
20–22, 2006, at Emerson College in Boston. “The conference will address a 
range of critically important themes relating to the book—including the past, 
present and future of publishing, libraries, literacy and learning in the informa­
tion society. Main speakers will include leading thinkers and innovators in the 
areas of publishing, editing, librarianship, printing, authorship and information 
technologies, as well as numerous presentations by researchers and practitioners. 
Publishers, librarians, academics, teachers, authors and associated professionals 
are all welcome to attend.” 
The Fourth International Conference on the Book, www.Book-Conference.com. May 28, 2006 

Pick an atom, any atom 
With an estimated 1080 atoms in the universe, you can guess a randomly picked 
atom using only 266 properly chosen yes/no questions. Information theorist 
Claude Shannon’s equation states that a question with N possible outcomes can 
be answered with log N bits of information. log 1080 is about 266. 
Charles Seife, Decoding the Universe: How the new science of information is explaining everything in the cosmos, from 
our brains to black holes (Viking, 2006), pp. 65-66. 

Amazon.com library processing 
Amazon.com announced it has launched Library Processing, enabling its library 
customers to receive Machine­Readable Cataloging (MARC) records and essen­
tial preparation services for books and other media. When library customers 
order products from Amazon.com, they will have the option of including spine 
labels, barcodes, and Mylar jacketing as part of their order. Each library will be 
able to manage its processing profile online. Amazon.com estimates it usually 
takes about three days longer to receive items when Library Processing is ap­
plied to orders. 
“Introducing Library Processing,” www.amazon.com/libraries. July 31, 2006 

C&RL News September 2006  534