Ohio will soon implement a pilot program to help police enforce civil-protection orders designed to stop violent and harassing behavior. A newly created database will standardize the completion of protection orders, giving officers the ability to instantly access them and determine the content of their varying provisions. Presently, law enforcement can only determine whether an order has been issued.

The VanGo! Museum on wheels program, developed by the Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, brings original works of art to students and other community members, who may lack the opportunity to visit an art museum. The rotating exhibitions, which travel to schools and community centers, target a broad range of people and tastes. The museum provides classroom curriculum ideas to supplement visits; the tour is currently featuring "Art Counts: Math in Art."

A recent survey by the national Land Trust Alliance has charted the dramatic growth of conservation trusts, protected lands that preserve sensitive natural areas and notable landmarks. Trusts usually administer property that has been donated by private individuals, purchased by the trust itself, or set aside through easement agreements. Nationwide, trusts control over 37 million acres, a figure that does not include publicly held lands.

Individuals wanting to participate in the micro-lending phenomenon need look no further than Kiva Microfunds, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that facilitates loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries. Visitors to Kiva.org can browse online for businesses that suit their interests, and make a loan using their credit cards. The monies are then sent to a local organization, which funds and oversees the enterprises. Loan amounts can range from $25 to $1,000 and are typically repaid within six to 12 months. More than 13,000 people have lent over a $1 million in this manner.

Scotland may join the trend towards specialty courts by authorizing a specific court for environmental crimes. Government officials have announced that this type of crime may best be dealt with by prosecutors and adjudicators with expertise in environmental issues. Supporters have pointed to examples of environmental courts and tribunals in other countries.

Across the country, hundreds of municipal and college libraries have placed radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in their books and other materials to make their operations more efficient. RFID lets patrons self-check out books, and allows librarians to track down missing or misplaced books, keeping collections in better order. A good system can also free up librarians to give more varied assistance to patrons, and decrease repetitive physical motion associated with checking out books. One of the newest adopters, the St. Joseph County Public Library in South Bend, Indiana, will start using the system next year.

In this week's Management Insights column, Stephen Goldsmith explores the fight for urban accountabilty. Can taxpayers win?

In this online event, sponsored by the Government Innovators Network and the NIJ, a panel of drug treatment and court experts discussed research on adult drug court outcomes and costs, and the factors that affect program implementation and impact. View the archived multimedia presentation of this November 13 online discussion.

INNOVATIONS: TECHNOLOGY | GOVERNANCE | GLOBALIZATION, a new journal from MIT Press about people using technology and new modes of organization to address global challenges, is accepting papers for its Spring 2007 issue on microfinance and technology. Learn more.

Newsletter produced by: Brendan St. Amant and Vanessa Ruget (researchers and writers); Joellen Secondo (editor).