NewsLink Issue 29/March 2002 =========================================================================== NewsLink is a free weekly e-mail newsletter featuring news and resources for the information industry. If you are receiving this issue as a forward and would like to become a subscriber, please visit our Web site at https://www.infotoday.com or send a blank e-mail to join-infotoday@lists.infotoday.com. =========================================================================== SPONSOR - ECNext =========================================================================== ECNext: Making e-Content Work for You™ Looking for market research? Get more for your money at the ECNext Knowledge Center. Buy individual chapters and articles. Subscribe to materials you use regularly. Coordinate access for users throughout your organization. Or establish a corporate account for added value. Click here to start saving now! http://www.ecnext.com/commercial/newslink.shtml =========================================================================== IN THIS ISSUE =========================================================================== 1) WELCOME 2) ITI SNAP POLL 3) NEWSLINK MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT 4) NEWSBREAKS 5) FEATURED ARTICLES 6) CONFERENCE CONNECTION 7) BOOKSHELF =========================================================================== 1) WELCOME =========================================================================== Welcome to the March issue of NewsLink, Information Today, Inc.'s FREE e-mail newsletter for library and information professionals. By now all of our NewsLink subscribers should have received information about our spring conferences and exhibitions. We hope that you will join us, whether it's at CIL in Washington, D.C., InfoToday 2002 in New York, or Internet Librarian International in London. Recently, we've been increasing the resources for school library media specialists and educators available through the MultiMedia Schools site. MMS sponsors are now beginning to share success stories--how their products and services are working in schools and districts around the country (https://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/SuccessStories) -- as well as white papers presenting their views on, and solutions to, important national education and technology issues (https://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/WhitePapers/default.htm). This is in addition to the regular editorial content that includes lots of live links and full-text columns and articles. Check out what's happening! Looking for SEC information? Check out Paula Hane's spotlight article on SEC Info. The site, which experienced difficulties and has been down for a few months, is now back online. Paula takes a brief look at its unique features and how it compares to what's out there already. If you have any comments or suggestions on any special content you would like to see covered or on how to improve this newsletter and the information held in it, please reply to newslink@infotoday.com. Best wishes, Tom Hogan, Jr. =========================================================================== 2) ITI SNAP POLL =========================================================================== Many government agencies and some companies are removing information from their Web sites in response to concerns about security. Is this restricted access to information justified under our current circumstances? Please comment at https://www.infotoday.com. =========================================================================== 3) NEWSLINK MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT =========================================================================== SEC Info Is Back Online By Paula J. Hane Gary Price, the information scout who produces The Virtual Acquisition Shelf & News Desk (http://resourceshelf.blogspot.com), dropped me a note recently to mention that SEC Info was back online. Hmm, I don't think I know about this one. There's SEC EDGAR, EDGAR Online, FreeEDGAR, LIVEDGAR, 10K Wizard, etc. So I went to check out the site, of course. Coincidentally, I needed filings for a Canadian company and was pleased to notice that my newly discovered site offered both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) EDGAR database and the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) SEDAR database integrated into a single free service (http://www.secinfo.com). It claims to be the only worldwide site with combined U.S. and Canadian filings. Designed by Fran Finnegan, a former Wall Street investment banker, the service originally launched in March 1999 with U.S. filings and then later added the Canadian database. SEC Info is produced by the software development firm Finnegan O'Malley & Company, Inc., which is headquartered in San Francisco. The site experienced some problems in October 2001 and went down for a few months, but is back up now. Here's how the site is described: "We've designed our service for business and Wall Street professionals who need the quickest access to important information: investment bankers, commercial bankers, money managers, research analysts, traders, brokers, investors, securities lawyers, accountants, CEOs, CFOs, product managers, et al. As such, we have no ads nor fancy graphics to distract you, take up bandwidth, or insult your intelligence, but instead offer our service on a subscription basis after you exceed a usage threshold." I talked with Finnegan, who clarified that they are working out the details of a subscription business model that will be offered "in a month or two." (Actually, it's not really "they." This is essentially a one-person operation for the time being.) The service will remain free for the majority of its users. Only the heaviest serious users will be asked if they would like to sign up for a subscription. Finnegan says the fee will be no higher than what is charged by 10K Wizard or EDGAR Online. He also explained that his company has phased out of its software development business and is totally dedicated to the SEC Info site. He stressed the flexibility and ease of use of the site, and its superior capabilities compared to the competition. "I really know the content. The other systems are so superficial. Check on a name like Carl Icahn and you'll see the depth and the links that we offer." Searching on the site is fairly broad ranging. I was used to having a choice of only company name or ticker symbol. Here, the single search box will accommodate searching by Name, Industry, Business, SIC Code, Area Code, Topic, ZIP, CIK, Accession Number, File Number, and Date. However, there's no way to specify. The system just (smartly) interprets the input. You can also drill down or up hierarchically through the SIC Codes. It includes all 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-digit industries and 5- and 6-digit businesses. You can then, for example, see the list of the 137 registrants in SIC Industry 7375, Information Retrieval Services, which includes companies like EDGAR Online, ProQuest, Hoover's, Amazon.com, and Ask Jeeves. SEC Info's proprietary technology has created within the documents and exhibits more than 1 billion hypertext links, which minimize the time and effort required by professionals to find what they're looking for. So, for example, a current 10-Q will link to a previous 8-K. The linking is what really makes the service stand out from the competition. Some of the link features include the following: • A linked Table of Contents for every filing and document that can be used to jump directly to any of the documents and topics within them • Linked topics within each document and exhibit, such as Business, competition, Risk Factors, and Management's Discussion • Intra- and inter-document links that allow users to jump around within a document and to documents incorporated by reference • Relationship links between registrants, group members, owners, issuers, signatories, and agents • SEC-file links for navigating the numbered "folders" into which transactions and reports are organized • Links into the future for jumping to amendments and forward-referenced filings The home page provides some interesting shortcuts to filings and lists. Some of these are Filings Re: Future Events (tomorrow and thereafter), IPOs, M&A Deals/Tender Offers, Insider Trading, and Recent Filings (today's, yesterday's, the day before). The site does not delete filings, even when the SEC and other EDGAR services do, and you can see the list of those and access all filings. The site also states, "These filings were corrected by the SEC/CSA and SEC Info, but not by other services." SEC Info now takes its place among my options for free securities filings. It's good to have a choice. Donna F. Cavallini, manager of competitive knowledge for the large corporate law firm Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP, said: "The site is my favorite free SEC filing site, bar none. It's one of the few sites which still offers free downloading of alternative formats-e.g., RTF-and a free monitoring service. I also quite like the logical grouping of filings and exhibits by type, which makes looking for particular model language very easy." Price suggested that browsing categories from the top page could be an effective "what's happening"/CI tool. He said: "To be an effective user [of SEC Info] takes some time and practice. That's all. The price is right." He did share another tip, however, that he said I could pass along to readers. Some SEC filings are not filed via EDGAR and are therefore not accessible through the EDGAR database. But, he has found that MSN/MoneyCentral (http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/sec/filing.asp) and Thomson Financial Network are providing free access to non-EDGAR filings. Thanks, Gary. Paula J. Hane is editor of NewsBreaks, contributing editor of Information Today, a former reference librarian, and a longtime online searcher. Her e-mail address is phane@infotoday.com. =========================================================================== 4) NEWSBREAKS =========================================================================== For a complete listing of previous NewsBreaks visit the Information Today, Inc. Web site at https://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/breaks.htm. NewsBreaks from Monday, February 25, 2002. ------------------------ EBSCO Publishing Offers Full Text Through PubMed's LinkOut --> https://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb020225-1.htm Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Copyright Challenge Case --> https://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb020225-2.htm DialogPRO Brings Flat-Fee Subscriptions to Low-End Small-Business Market --> https://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb020225-3.htm =========================================================================== NewsBreaks Weekly News Digest =========================================================================== -- CSA Unveils Two New Engineering Databases -- FAST, Lycos Offer Co-Branded Service -- SciQuest Launches New Products Derived from SciCentral --> https://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/wnd020225.htm =========================================================================== 5) FEATURED ARTICLES =========================================================================== For full-text coverage of the following articles please use the hotlinks provided. ------------------------ INFORMATION TODAY divine Acquires Northern Light By Paula J. Hane Through this latest purchase, divine adds key search technology and content to its extended enterprise solutions. --> https://www.infotoday.com/it/mar02/hane.htm ------------------------ ONLINE Magazine Searching the PCT Patent Files: Another Instance of Faux Full Text By Stephen Adams This short study considers the content of files containing the full texts of patent applications published under the Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT). --> https://www.infotoday.com/online/mar02/adams.htm ------------------------ COMPUTERS IN LIBRARIES Automating the Antiquated: Revolutionizing the Card Catalog By Diana Loreman The David Library of the American Revolution in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, was given marching orders to offer online access to its resources. This librarian tells how she helped overthrow an old card catalog and set up a new system to govern its specialized collection. --> https://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/mar02/loreman.htm ------------------------ SEARCHER Magazine Dialog Pricing Redux: Déjà Vu All Over Again By Mary Ellen Bates Who else but Mary Ellen Bates, the undisputed Dialog pricing expert, would dare to compare DialUnit charges to connect-time rates? Through a series of 20 searches, Bates determines if it ever makes more sense (instead of costing more cents) to use DUs. --> https://www.infotoday.com/searcher/mar02/bates.htm ------------------------ MULTIMEDIA SCHOOLS MultiMedia Comes of Age: The Future Is Now in Lawrenceville, New Jersey By Rebecca Gold Take a look at the results of a multimedia and technology initiative, funded by a successful referendum and partnership. --> https://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/mar02/gold.htm ------------------------ LINK-UP Find Answers to Tax Questions By Thomas Pack Find out which sites offer tax advice for free or for a low fee. --> https://www.infotoday.com/LU/mar02/pack.htm =========================================================================== 6) CONFERENCE CONNECTION =========================================================================== Get the latest event information available for the library and information fields in the Conference Connection. The Conference Report/Update gives you an inside look at the most recent information industry events, while the Conference Calendar is updated monthly to provide you with important contact information for up-and-coming industry events. CONFERENCE REPORT/UPDATE ------------------------ CONFERENCE UPDATE: Computers in Libraries March 13 - 15, 2002 Washington Hilton & Towers REGISTER ONLINE NOW! --> https://www.infotoday.com/cil2002/registration.htm --------------------------------------------------- COMPUTERS IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES --------------------------------------------------- Computers in School Libraries is a conference within a conference at the Computers in Libraries event in March. Computers in School Libraries 2002 brings together a series of programs focused on technology and its impact on the practices and practical concerns of librarians and school media specialists in the K-12 education system. Organized and moderated by Ferdi Serim, Editor, MultiMedia Schools, the conference offers participants philosophical reflection, practical how-to tips, and information about the newest products and services designed for the K-12 market. This year, Computers in School Libraries is proud to announce NCS Learn (http://www.ncslearn.com) as the conference sponsor. Headquartered in Mesa, Arizona, NCS Learn offers a total education solution -- proven, comprehensive curriculum, assessment, and enterprise data management systems -- via software or online delivery. NCS Learn is a business of NCS Pearson, a global provider of applications, services and technologies for education, testing, assessment and complex data management. NCS Learn operates as a business of Pearson Education, the world's largest integrated education company. For more information or to register for Computers in School Libraries go to https://www.infotoday.com/cil2002/program.htm CONFERENCE CALENDAR ------------------- MARCH 2002 March 6-8 FLORIDA EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE (FETC) 2002, Orlando, FL Contact: http://www.fetc.org March 1112 EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF INFORMATION SERVICES (EUSIDIC) SPRING MEETING, Paris, France Contact: http://www.eusidic.org March 12-16 PUBLIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, Phoenix, AZ Contact: http://www.pla.org March 13-15 COMPUTERS IN LIBRARIES 2002, Washington, D.C. Contact: https://www.infotoday.com March 18-20 INTERNET LIBRARIAN INTERNATIONAL 2002, London, England Contact: http://www.internet-librarian.com March 2426 THE ASSOCIATION OF INFORMATION AND DISSEMINATION CENTERS (ASIDIC) SPRING MEETING, St. Augustine, FL Contact: http://www.asidic.org March 25-26 WEB SEARCH UNIVERSITY, San Francisco, CA Contact: http://www.websearchu.com March 25-27 INFORMATION HIGHWAYS 2002 CONFERENCE & SHOWCASE, Toronto, Canada Contact: http://www.informationhighways.net For the complete Conference Calendar visit https://www.infotoday.com/calendar.htm =========================================================================== 7) BOOKSHELF =========================================================================== Smart Services: Competitive Information Strategies, Solutions, and Success Stories for Service Businesses By Deborah C. Sawyer Here is the first book to focus specifically on the competitive information needs of service oriented firms. Author, entrepreneur, and business consultant Deborah C. Sawyer illuminates the many forms of competition in service businesses, identifies the most effective information resources for competitive intelligence (CI), and provides a practical framework for identifying and studying competitors in order to gain a competitive advantage. Smart Services is a roadmap for every service company owner, manager, or executive who expects to compete effectively in the Information Age. "Finally, a book that nails down what every service business needs to know about competition and competitive intelligence. Smart Services offers competitive information strategies that firms can put to immediate use." -Andrew Garvin, CEO FIND/SVP For more information or to get your copy visit the Information Today, Inc. Online Store at http://store.yahoo.com/infotoday//smartservices.html. ------------ CyberAge Books 2002/256 pp/softbound ISBN: 0-910965-56-0 Regular price: $29.95 Sale price: $23.95 =========================================================================== SPONSOR - ECNext =========================================================================== ECNext: Making e-Content Work for You™ Looking for market research? Get more for your money at the ECNext Knowledge Center. Buy individual chapters and articles. Subscribe to materials you use regularly. Coordinate access for users throughout your organization. Or establish a corporate account for added value. Click here to start saving now! http://www.ecnext.com/commercial/newslink.shtml =========================================================================== ©2002 Information Today, Inc. all rights reserved. This newsletter is published by Information Today, Inc. Editor in Chief: Tom Hogan, Jr. Managing Editor: Stacey Sochacki Phone: 609-654-6266 Fax: 609-654-4309 Web site: https://www.infotoday.com E-mail: newslink@infotoday.com To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-infotoday-1507063P@lists.infotoday.com.