To keep this paper within measurable compass, I propose not to discuss the history of British Patent Law except to point out that the 1624 Statute of King James, which covered the…
Abstract
To keep this paper within measurable compass, I propose not to discuss the history of British Patent Law except to point out that the 1624 Statute of King James, which covered the original law of patents in a single clause, has been replaced in the 1949 Act by 103 clauses followed by three formidable schedules, this being the 32nd Patents Act to be placed upon the Statute Book.
In preparing this short paper, I have deliberately compared the working of an industrial library with that of a public library rather than with the library of a Government…
Abstract
In preparing this short paper, I have deliberately compared the working of an industrial library with that of a public library rather than with the library of a Government Department, because any small differences which exist are less marked in the case of comparison with the latter. I hope, however, that none of my public library friends will interpret this as in any way belittling the fine service which we have come to expect from them.
It is now over twelve years since I presented a paper to the Northern Branch of Aslib comparing the working of an industrial library with that of a public library. Since then…
Abstract
It is now over twelve years since I presented a paper to the Northern Branch of Aslib comparing the working of an industrial library with that of a public library. Since then, there has been a considerable growth in the number of special libraries and this, together with the counter attractions of employment openings elsewhere created by the industrial situation, has resulted in considerable difficulty in obtaining the desired type of library staff. The present time, therefore, would appear to be appropriate to re‐examine the staffing problem, particularly as it affects special libraries.
It has been a great pleasure to have listened to Mr. Mathys' most interesting paper on the patent specification as a source of information, and I have the added pleasure of having…
Abstract
It has been a great pleasure to have listened to Mr. Mathys' most interesting paper on the patent specification as a source of information, and I have the added pleasure of having been asked by Mr. Mathys to explain how a seeker after information contained in English patent specifications can track down the specifications he wishes to read. Mr. Mathys suggested that I should explain some of the principles of the Patent Office classification and some of the practical results obtained. However, I propose to alter to some extent this logical order of presentation. After reviewing three lines of attack for locating a specification, I shall briefly review the historical development of the Classification key, that is the book in which the scheme of classification is disclosed, then I will show how a hypothetical Mr. X can locate specifications that disclose inventions relating to frying‐pans, and finally I will give a short resume of the principles underlying the scheme of and method of classifying patent specifications. I have adopted this inverted form of presentation because more people wish to use a classification system to find some specific item, than wish to study such a system as an abstract entity. No difficulty arises for a person who knows the patent number of a particular specification he wishes to read. He merely enters the Patent Office Library or one of the several provincial libraries that are supplied with copies of specifications, and quickly finds what he wants amidst an orderly numbered sequence. Alternatively, he can send 2s. 8d. to the Sale Branch of the Patent Office and obtain a copy by post.
Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).
All items listed may be borrowed from the Aslib Library, except those marked, which may be consulted in the Library.
THE generic term “reprographic” is intended to cover all the methods of making copies or reproductions and also the equipment related to these processes. The steady growth of all…
Abstract
THE generic term “reprographic” is intended to cover all the methods of making copies or reproductions and also the equipment related to these processes. The steady growth of all these methods has resulted in a close relationship between them, so that it is now almost impossible to refer to one without the other, especially where economics are being considered.
In a paper by a then prominent member of the Northern Branch of Aslib, who is not unknown to many of us here, given to the Scottish Branch in 1953, the author deplored the use of…
Abstract
In a paper by a then prominent member of the Northern Branch of Aslib, who is not unknown to many of us here, given to the Scottish Branch in 1953, the author deplored the use of what he called ‘a starting rail’ in the writing of papers and reports, alluding metaphorically to the early aeroplanes, to enable the writers to get off the ground, before embarking on what they hoped would be steady, level flight of fact or fancy. This he would probably apply to speakers as well, but I make no excuse for building for myself what almost amounts to a launching platform, and extending the metaphor to the more up‐to‐date rocket and IRBM and ICBM rather than the early aeroplanes, before letting go and venturing into unexplored space, which is in this case ‘The use of Trade Literature’, for that is the region I have been told to explore this morning. Unexplored it certainly is for, like all good research workers, my first reaction in starting to prepare the paper was to examine what others had written about the subject. Precious little! I found that most of the works on special library technique dealt with the subject in a paragraph at best and in two or three lines at worst. If I had strung all the extracts together and amplified and extended them I should not have occupied more than about five minutes of your time. So most of what follows is either original, empirical, borrowed from other practitioners, pinched in other words, or ad hoc. For the benefit of those who have not had a classical education, I will explain that ad hoc means in effect designed to fit a particular or peculiar set of conditions.
AS J. L. Hobbs shows so clearly in his recent book, the interest in local history is growing enormously at present. The universities, training colleges and schools, as well as the…
Abstract
AS J. L. Hobbs shows so clearly in his recent book, the interest in local history is growing enormously at present. The universities, training colleges and schools, as well as the institutions of further education, are all making more use of local studies—geographical, economic, social and historical—in their regular courses, in their advanced work, and in their publications.
Health scientists and urban planners have long been interested in the influence that the built environment has on the physical activities in which we engage, the environmental…
Abstract
Health scientists and urban planners have long been interested in the influence that the built environment has on the physical activities in which we engage, the environmental hazards we face, the kinds of amenities we enjoy, and the resulting impacts on our health. However, it is widely recognized that the extent of this influence, and the specific cause-and-effect relationships that exist, are still relatively unclear. Recent reviews highlight the need for more individual-level data on daily activities (especially physical activity) over long periods of time linked spatially to real-world characteristics of the built environment in diverse settings, along with a wide range of personal mediating variables. While capturing objective data on the built environment has benefited from wide-scale availability of detailed land use and transport network databases, the same cannot be said of human activity. A more diverse history of data collection methods exists for such activity and continues to evolve owing to a variety of quickly emerging wearable sensor technologies. At present, no “gold standard” method has emerged for assessing physical activity type and intensity under the real-world conditions of the built environment; in fact, most methods have barely been tested outside of the laboratory, and those that have tend to experience significant drops in accuracy and reliability. This paper provides a review of these diverse methods and emerging technologies, including biochemical, self-report, direct observation, passive motion detection, and integrated approaches. Based on this review and current needs, an integrated three-tiered methodology is proposed, including: (1) passive location tracking (e.g., using global positioning systems); (2) passive motion/biometric tracking (e.g., using accelerometers); and (3) limited self-reporting (e.g., using prompted recall diaries). Key development issues are highlighted, including the need for proper validation and automated activity-detection algorithms. The paper ends with a look at some of the key lessons learned and new opportunities that have emerged at the crossroads of urban studies and health sciences.
We do have a vision for a world in which people can walk to shops, school, friends' homes, or transit stations; in which they can mingle with their neighbors and admire trees, plants, and waterways; in which the air and water are clean; and in which there are parks and play areas for children, gathering spots for teens and the elderly, and convenient work and recreation places for the rest of us. (Frumkin, Frank, & Jackson, 2004, p. xvii)