Audiovisual research collections and their preservation

The basic problem of primary audio and video research materials is clearly shown by the survey: A great and important part of the entire heritage is still outside archival custody in the narrower sense, scattered over many institutions in fairy small collections, and even in private hands. reservation following generally accepted standards can only be carried out effectively if collections represent critical mass. Specialised audiovisual archives will solve their problems, as they will sooner or later succeed in getting appropriate funding to achieve their aims. A very encouraging example is the case of the Netherlands. The larger audiovisual research archives will also manage, more or less autonomously, the transfer of contents in time. For a considerable part of the research collections, however, the concept of cooperative models and competence centres is the only viable model to successfullly safeguard their holdings. Their organisation and funding is a considerable challenge for the scientific community. TAPE has significantly raised awareness of the fact that, unless action is swiftly taken, the loss of audiovisual materials is inevitable. TAPE’s international and regional workshops were generally overbooked. While TAPE was already underway, several other projects for the promotion of archives have received grants from organisations other than the European Commission, inter alia support for the St. Petersburg Phonogram Archive, and the Folklore Archive in Tirana, obviously as a result of a better understanding of the need for audiovisual preservation. When the TAPE project started its partners assumed that cooperative projects would fail because of the notorious distrust of researchers, specifically in the post-communist countries. One of the most encouraging surprises was to learn that, at least in the most recent survey, it became apparent that this social obstacle is fading out. TAPE may have contributed to this important development

Achieving sustainable construction in the developing countries Of Southeast Asia

Sustainable construction is a way for the building industry to move towards achieving sustainable development, taking into account environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues. Differing approaches and differing economic markets lead to different priorities. This paper presents the construction scenario of Southeast Asia and the developments in sustainable construction taking place in the region. Barriers to the implementation of sustainable construction are discussed. A list of recommendations was proposed to drive sustainable construction in the region. In conclusion, the status of sustainable construction in Southeast Asia is still in its infancy. The lack of awareness, training and education and ineffective procurement systems are among the major barriers for sustainable construction in the region. In some countries public policies and regulatory frameworks do not encourage the development of the construction sector. Besides the needs for capacities, technologies and tools, total and ardent commitment by all players in the construction sectors including the governments and the public at large are required in order to achieve sustainable construction in South-East Asia

Digital library research : current developments and trends

This column gives an overview of current trends in digital library research under the following headings: digital library architecture, systems, tools and technologies; digital content and collections; metadata; interoperability; standards; knowledge organisation systems; users and usability; legal, organisational, economic, and social issues in digital libraries

3D Data Processing Toward Maintenance and Conservation. The Integrated Digital Documentation of Casa de Vidro

During the last decade, 3D integrated surveys and BIM modelling procedures have greatly improved the overall knowledge on some Brazilian Modernist buildings. In this framework, the Casa de Vidro 3D survey carried out by DIAPReM centre at Ferrara University, beside the important outputs, analysis and researches achieved from the point cloud database processing, was also useful to test several awareness increasing activities in cooperation with local stakeholders. The first digital documentation test of the Casa de Vidro allowed verifying the feasibility of a full survey on the building towards the restoration and possible placement of new architectures into the garden as an archive-museum of the Lina Bo and P.M. Bardi Foundation. Later, full 3D integrated survey and diagnostic analysis were carried out to achieve the total digital documentation of the house sponsored by the Keeping it Modern initiative of Getty Foundation (Los Angeles). Following its characteristics, the survey had to take into consideration the different architectural features, up to the relationship of architecture and nature. These 3D documentation activities and the point cloud processing allowed several analysis in a multidisciplinary framework

The European Union Budget: The European Cup of Economic Affairs- UK vs France. Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series. Vol. 1, No. 3, December 2005

[From the Introduction] The first EU budget was drafted in 1988 under the so-called “Delors Package I.” Its budgetary headings and monetary distribution have remained unchanged until 14th July 2004, when the Commission adjusted its traditional model to a new system of headings to adapt the budget to an evolutionary economical environment. The budget of the European Union distinguishes itself from other international bodies by its exclusive system of the so-called “own resources.” This system is composed of the revenues obtained by (1) the Common Customs duties collected under the external tariff; (2) the levies in imported agricultural products; (3) the Value Added Tax revenue; and (4) the Gross National Income based resources. The EU budget sets out and authorizes the total amount of revenues and expenditures annually deemed necessary by the European Community and the European Atomic Energy Community. However, the EU budget is a seven-year multi-annual spending plan articulated around a ¨financial framework¨ that ensures the control of the evolution of the budget expenditure. The budget is drafted and implemented under the ¨Financial Programming and Budget¨ Directorate General and is supervised by the European Parliament and the Court of Auditors. The EU budget not only rests on the three basic accounting principles: unity, annuality and balance, which guarantee its economic efficiency, but also on the composition of its revenues, the so-called “own resources.