Draft minutes from the 2010 annual APLIC business meeting held during the conference in April are now available. If you were at the meeting and have any corrections, please send them to Tara Murray.

Understanding How Twitter is Used to Widely Spread Scientific Messages (8 pages; PDF)

by: Julie Letierce and Alexandre Passant and John Breslin and Stefan Decker

From the Abstract:

According to a survey we recently conducted, Twitter was ranked in the top three services used by Semantic Web researchers to spread information. In order to understand how Twitter is practically used for spreading scientific messages, we captured tweets containing the official hashtags of three conferences and studied (1) the type of content that researchers are more likely to tweet, (2) how they do it, and finally (3) if their tweets can reach other communities — in addition to their own. In addition, we also conducted some interviews to complete our understanding of researchers’ motivation to use Twitter during conferences.

The Knowledge for Health (K4Health) project recently conducted a qualitative assessment of health information needs in Uttar Pradesh, India. The assessment was designed to inform stakeholders on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the health information system in the state and to identify priority issues and suggest potential solutions.

K4Health Needs Assessments focus on family planning and reproductive health and other health information needs, and are based on a continuous feedback principle that ensures audience demand for health information is routinely gauged and met. There are three components of the needs assessment: an environment scan, a global online survey, and a multi-country qualitative study conducted in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The World Bank announced yesterday that it is providing free and open access to its data, including the World Development Indicators database, at data.worldbank.org.

From the World Bank announcement:

Recognizing that transparency and accountability are essential to development, the World Bank Group now provides free, open, and easy access to its comprehensive set of data on living standards around the globe—some 2,000 indicators, including hundreds that go back 50 years. The data is available in Arabic, French, and Spanish in addition to English.

APLIC held its 43rd annual conference in Dallas last week. The conference was small and allowed for a lot of interaction with speakers and between attendees. In the coming weeks, we’ll be posting presentation slides, reports from attendees, and business meeting minutes. In the meantime, here is a photo of conference attendees waiting for a ride to the APLIC annual banquet (courtesy of Elana Broch).

From the Announcement:

Click on the “Become a Fan” icon, at the top right of the screen. You’ll then be treated to updates in real time, as they’re issued.

[Snip]

The new Facebook page will post information about all aspects of the Library. Fans will be among the first to know about the latest NLM developments, receive notifications on conferences, guest speakers and other events, and be guided to the vast and various research resources NLM has to offer. They can also read the latest issues of NLM’s popular consumer magazine, NIH MedlinePlus, and its Spanish/English language counterpart, NIH MedlinePlus Salud. Viewers can browse through historical images and contribute to discussions on future projects, all via their favorite social networking site. The page will also lead users to content from NLM’s growing roster of social media sites.

Source: NLM

Join us in Dallas for Population Information Roundup: Tools, Experts, and Networks – including what promises to be a valuable introduction to Census 2010, as well as a presentation from Amy Tsui, the director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health and sessions on DHS tools, immigration trends, and tools to support effective collaboration across organizations. Plus sample a unique twist on local cuisine during our banquet at one of Dallas premiere restaurants: Local.

Register today – mail-in registration closes March 15!

The deadline for mail in registration is March 1. Check the conference web page for a preview of the program and a link to the registration form.

APLIC is pleased to be presenting its 43rd Annual conference this year in Dallas, TX:

Where: Dallas Hyatt Regency
When: April 12-14th, 2010

Join us for: Population Information Roundup: Tools, Experts, and Networks including what promises to be a valuable introduction to Census 2010 as well as sessions on DHS tools, immigration trends, and tools to support effective collaboration across organizations. And sample a unique twist on local cuisine during our banquet at one of Dallas premiere restaurants: Local: www.localdallas.com

Mail in registration is due by March 1st.

More information and the registration form available here:

http://www.aplici.org/conferences/43rd-annual-conference/

See you in Dallas!

Claire Twose
APLIC President

The winter 2010 issue of the APLIC Communicator is here! Check it out for a message from new APLIC president Claire Twose, and preview of the upcoming APLIC conference, membership renewal information, three articles about library moves, and a calendar of events.

If you have comments about the Communicator, or if you’d like to write for the newsletter, please contact me or my co-editor Laurie Calhoun.