"Puttin' the 'rarin' back in librarian since 1993", this blog is run by one Jessamyn West and focuses on all things libraryish... whether it's filter failure or the Special Library Association considering changing its name to SLA (do they really want to get confused with the Symbionese Liberation Army? Evidently!)
I was lead to this site by an article, "Telling All Online: It's a Man's World (Isn't It?)" in the November 28 issue of the New York Times (not linking to it directly because it will go away in a few days, probably, but it's in the Technology/Circuits section.) Anyway, the article's claim is that men are more prominent on the blogging scene. This site refutes that idea, being a portal to the blogs of dozens of women. Frankly, I had no idea men dominated blogs; I've seen plenty of both; anybody can set up a blog pretty easily, and heck, this is one too, and gee, I'm female... don't know what's going on at the Times, but it's not like it's a slow news week or nothing. I think I ate too much turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!
A project by education professor Alison Druin at the University of Maryland to make children's books from all over the world available online. While it remains to be seen how widely this will actually be used, it is a cool idea, and it sounds like they have thought about the way their intended audience looks for books. "One of our most interesting findings was how kids wanted to look for books based on how they made them feel... No library in the world has shelf labels that say 'happy books,' so the kids are rating the books on how they make them feel."
--> www.icdlbooks.org
--> Online children's library makes searches easier (SF Chronicle)
I've mentioned this site before for its news coverage, but it is important in its own right. For one thing, the webmaster updated it today — a Sunday! That's dedication. Seriously, this is the most comprehensive resource of its type that I've found so far. "The Center has a four-fold mission: to encourage more women and girls to study computer science and/or information systems and to pursue careers in IT; to enable all women and girls to use IT comfortably and knowledgeably; to assure that the richness and breadth of women's lives and concerns are fully represented and readily available on the Internet; to foster research concerning the relationship between gender and IT."
OK, actually the page doesn't have a title, and it has a fair sprinkling of misspellings... the danger of relying on Microsoft Word to create your web pages! Look past that for an interesting survey of technological and social issues facing women in the military, by a student in Women Studies 582 at San Diego State.
A four-week summer residence program at MIT to introduce women high school students to the fields of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
--> wtp.mit.edu/
A business incubator with a twist: this one focuses on women in tech fields. "The WTC is a project of the Three Guineas Fund, a social justice organization whose mission is to create economic opportunities for women and girls. The WTC is an expression of the economic side of that mission ... The long-term goal is to use this platform to create an entrepreneurial imagination that is educated for and focused on social change philanthropy benefiting the community as much as it is focused on business success. The WTC provides a rare space where women’s business ideas are given top priority and serves as an international model for breaking down structural and cultural barriers to sustainable power for women."
One of the women on SFWOW helps run this organization which, true to its name, encourages the mentoring of girls and young women to encourage them in their education and future careers. "Maximizing the benefits of our local and global community network, our intentions at www.mentorgirls.org include nurturing a web-based resource destination where prospective and seasoned mentors, role models, and volunteers can evaluate and strengthen their contributions to local and online communities. By providing relevant resources to women who seek to make impact by helping bridge digital opportunities and helping empower communities, we are supporting every effort to get involved and make a difference in a girl's world."
From the United Kingdom, this pink-and-blue site aims to lure teenage girls into the IT arena via a competition to design a cool website for a pop star. Behind ITBeat is a variety of organizations, including IBM, the British Department of Trade and Industry, and various music industry figures. More details are available from ZDNet.co.uk.
--> www.itbeat.com
A website and e-newsletter about research databases and search engines, run by professional researcher Tara Calishain. Geneology databases, photo collections, changes to the inner workings of Yahoo or Google... all is revealed here.
"The APC WNSP supports women networking for social change. Our programme work areas include training, participatory research, policy and advocacy in gender and information technology, information facilitation, and regional programme support. We strive to challenge the inequities faced by women, especially in the south. "
--> www.apcwomen.org
A set of internet-related training resources aimed particularly at women, this page is part of a joint initiative by six organizations working in developing countries in the Southern Hemisphere.
Not strictly for information technologists, or, for that matter, women, this site is noteworthy in part because it was created and is run by a librarian who goes by the nom de plume of "Electra". As one might expect, this is a great reference site, with tons of information for the jobhunter.
What aren't more girls choosing computer science? This paper from a group at the Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada tries to answer that very question.
--> www.wcer.wisc.edu/nise/News_Activities/Forums/Klawepaper.htm
"The on-line home for women technicians to connect with each other." Part of the WomenTech Project funded by the National Science Foundation. The WomenTech Project is run by the Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science (IWITTS).
Women In Technology International has announced their 2003 meeting:
WITI's 2003 Silicon Valley Conference
Women Leading Reinvention and Innovation for Technology, Themselves, Their companies
> June 25-26th
New San Jose Marriott
San Jose, California
In addition, they have a bunch of chapter meetings this month:
North Bay November 12
Chicago November 13
Houston November 13
Santa Barbara November 13
Silicon Valley November 14
New York Metro November 14
Portland November 14
Thames Valley November 20
Louisiana December 11
For more information, visit WITI's website.
Part of the Gender and the Digital Divide Seminar Series, this presentation covers issues and barriers to the participation of girls and women in science and technology, including socio-cultural issues; role models; curricula and education; and university research and industry employment, as well as potential strategies to address these issues.
Not limited to computers, this is an extensive list of links. Of particular note is her section Websites for Girls.
Triannual event, with the next Celebration scheduled for September 2003. The web site is a bit thin, but you can see who was there last time around and who will be here next, as well as check out their selection of relevant resources.
--> a href="http://www.sdsc.edu/Hopper/>www.sdsc.edu/Hopper/
A women-oriented electronic zine from Australia, with truly wonderful graphics.
Welllll, it's not exactly about women's status in librarianship, but it does suggest using the chaff from dot matrix printers as a wonderful exfoliating body scrub, so it does have something to do with women's relationship to technology. What, we're still not certain.
--> a href="http://www.lipsticklibrarian.com">www.lipsticklibrarian.com
An online Canadian magazine, as well as the website of the organization Wired Woman Society.
--> < a href="http://www.wiredwoman.com">www.wiredwoman.com
Another bibliography compiled by Jennifer Brayton from the University of New Brunswick Sociology Dept., this one deals with the wider issues of the interactions between technology and gender in society.
From the Center for Women and Information Technology at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Lots of news stories, seems to be frequently updated.
This bibliography was compiled by Jennifer Brayton in the Sociology Department of the University of New Brunswick. It includes both paper and electronic resources, and includes many interesting works covering feminist theory and technology.
"It's about Women. It's about the Internet. It's about time." Part zine, part portal, part...oh, I dunno...this is the first website aimed at women I've seen that actually focusses on women's roles in the network economy. "The topic is technology on all levels and we encourage women to grow at their own pace."
Canadian-based organization "dedicated to the growth and development of women in IT."
--> a href="http://www.wiredwoman.com">www.wiredwoman.com
SCWST's three-part mission is to promote equal opportunities for women in scientific, technological andengineering careers; improve social attitudes on the stereotyping of careers in science and educate the public about careers in science and technology; and assist educators by providing current information on careers and career training, science and scientific policies.
--> a href="http://www.harbour.sfu.ca/scwist/">www.harbour.sfu.ca/scwist/
"WiM is a non-profit organization working towards providing support, education, and resources to women involved in new media/internet careers. WiM examines the social implications of emerging technologies, in addition to supporting individuals in their professional and artistic development. As a representative voice of women in new media, WiM offers diverse perspectives, critical commentary, and constructive strategies to influence the future of new media."
--> www.wim.org
The SFWoW mission is to serve, educate, and empower members of the organization and other women on the Internet and in new media industries through professional development and support, expansive and diverse networking opportunities, and intensive community involvement. Members meet both online via their very active listserve (of which I am a member) and offline at coffee klatches, workshops, and other events.
--> www.sfwow.org
The Women of NASA site showcases outstanding women who are enjoying successful careers, and the ways in which they balance personal and professional responsibilities. The main component of the project is the weekly web chat offered each week. Participants have the opportunity to have a dialogue with the featured mentor, and will also find the profiles and transcripts of past chats a rich source of information on NASA women and their work.
An international grantmaking organization devoted to improving women's well-being and working for women's full participation in society on a global basis. Check their page to find out how you can help (or how they might help you).
For residents of the United Kingdom, the Daphne Jackson Fellowships exist to enable high-level scientists and engineers to return to their professions after a career break.
Maintained by BAWIT (Bay Area Women In Technology) on the Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility's server, this page contains several interesting articles on gender issues in computing, communications and networking, as well as the obligatory collection of references to other pages.
The Ada Project, begun at Yale and now maintained at Mills College, provides a variety of useful resources, including extensive bibliographies on various issues relating to women in technology, lists of Calls for Participation in Upcoming Events, Fellowship & Grant information, conference information, and lists of organizations and discussion groups that may be of interest.
--> tap.mills.edu
From Network World, this site features a customized search engine which indexes women/IT-related sites. It also includes a smattering of relevant links and readings.
From Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. "Starting with the experiences of young children, [the websites listed here] trace young women's technological exposure through education to the workplace and out to cyberspace. And they also touch on the treatment of these issues in the law and in key policy documents."
Networking group in Silicon Valley, meeting the third Tuesday of every month. http://www.gracenet.net/