Month: January 2010

Librarian (Digital Collections Technology) at National Transportation Library

The National Transportation Library is recruiting a Librarian (Digital Collections Technology). There are two positions.

Here's an excerpt from the first ad:

The Digital Collections Technology librarian develops a vision for information technology and identifies opportunities to use emerging technologies to improve and enhance library services. The librarian is responsible for leading the development and enhancement of digital repository services, information organization, digital curation, and tools/software that facilitate discovery and use of NTL resources.

RITA is looking for a seasoned professional who is motivated and self-reliant and who can share his/her expertise in servicing and maintaining digital library systems and networks which include digital preservation, storage and retrieval of media and the general metadata; and managing digital projects, including selection or evaluation of materials, digitization, quality assurance, and metadata creation with skilled professionals who ensure the safety and fairness of the transportation industry.

Here's the second position ad (must be current or former federal employee with status or a veteran who qualifies under VEOA).

Perceptions 2009: An International Survey of Library Automation

Marshall Breeding has released Perceptions 2009: An International Survey of Library Automation.

Here's an excerpt:

Libraries make significant investments in technology in order to automate their libraries and deliver information resources and services through their Web sites. The integrated library system (ILS) for most libraries represents the most critical component of a its technology infrastructure and can do the most to help or hinder a library in fulfilling its mission to serve its patrons and in operating efficiently. As libraries consider their automation strategies, such as moving to a new ILS, it’s helpful to have as much data as possible to make an informed decision. One aspect of that data might involve some measure of the perceptions of libraries that use that those products regarding such things as the quality of the ILS, the company involved, and its customer support. In order to produce data that portrays some of the general perceptions that libraries have about these questions, I have conducted a major survey for the last three years. This survey records each library's satisfaction level with their ILS and the company involved and probes at levels of interest in open source ILS products, one of the major issues brewing in the industry. The survey aims not only to provide libraries with helpful information regarding the products in the field, but might also serve as a tool for the companies involved to glean information on areas of strengths and weaknesses that will help them make any needed improvements.

The Public Domain Manifesto

COMMUNIA has released The Public Domain Manifesto and seeks organizations and individuals to sign it. The Creative Commons, James Boyle, and Lawrence Lessig are among the current signatories.

Here's an excerpt:

  1. The Public Domain is the rule, copyright protection is the exception. Since copyright protection is granted only with respect to original forms of expression, the vast majority of data, information and ideas produced worldwide at any given time belongs to the Public Domain. In addition to information that is not eligible for protection, the Public Domain is enlarged every year by works whose term of protection expires. The combined application of the requirements for protection and the limited duration of the copyright protection contribute to the wealth of the Public Domain so as to ensure access to our shared culture and knowledge.
  2. Copyright protection should last only as long as necessary to achieve a reasonable compromise between protecting and rewarding the author for his intellectual labour and safeguarding the public interest in the dissemination of culture and knowledge. From neither the perspective of the author nor the general public do any valid arguments exist (whether historical, economic, social or otherwise) in support of an exceedingly long term of copyright protection. While the author should be able to reap the fruits of his intellectual labour, the general public should not be deprived for an overly long period of time of the benefits of freely using those works.
  3. What is in the Public Domain must remain in the Public Domain. Exclusive control over Public Domain works must not be reestablished by claiming exclusive rights in technical reproductions of the works, or using technical protection measures to limit access to technical reproductions of such works.
  4. The lawful user of a digital copy of a Public Domain work should be free to (re-)use, copy and modify such work. The Public Domain status of a work does not necessarily mean that it must be made accessible to the public. The owners of physical works that are in the Public Domain are free to restrict access to such works. However once access to a work has been granted then there ought not be legal restrictions on the re-use, modification or reproduction of these works.
  5. Contracts or technical protection measures that restrict access to and re-use of Public Domain works must not be enforced. The Public Domain status of a work guarantees the right to re-use, modify and reproduce. This also includes user prerogatives arising from exceptions and limitations, fair use and fair dealing, ensuring that these cannot be limited by contractual or technological means.

Systems Specialist/Library Systems & Application Administration at University of Kansas

The University of Kansas Libraries are recruiting a Systems Specialist/Library Systems & Application Administration.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

This position works as part of the Application Administration team providing key foundational support for systems supporting scholarly information and related services. This position collaborates with IT and library professionals in the installation, configuration, upgrade, maintenance, development, delivery and support of systems supporting scholarly information and related services at KU, including library-wide information services and resources. This position also acts as a business analyst to document the Libraries’ technology needs for presentation to the Libraries’ and IT leadership.

This position's primary role supports systems and services associated with library management and scholarly communications including the Integrated Library Management System (ILMS) and catalog, interlibrary loan system, institutional repository, visual resources software, off-site storage (annex) management system, and other vendor and open source applications related to teaching, learning and research at the university. Products currently in use include Voyager, Illiad, Luna Insight, DSpace, Open Journal Systems, Extensible Text Framework, CNRI Handle Server, etc.

Data Dimensions: Disciplinary Differences in Research Data Sharing, Reuse and Long Term Viability

The Digital Curation Centre has released Data Dimensions: Disciplinary Differences in Research Data Sharing, Reuse and Long Term Viability: A Comparative Review Based on Sixteen Case Studies.

Here's an excerpt:

This synthesis study, commissioned by the Digital Curation Centre from Key Perspectives Ltd, forms a major output from the DCC SCARP Project, which investigated attitudes and approaches to data deposit, sharing and reuse, curation and preservation, over a range of research fields in differing disciplines. The aim was to investigate research practitioners’ perspectives and practices in caring for their research data, and the methods and tools they use to that end. Objectives included identification and promotion of ‘good practice’ in the selected research domains, as expressed in DCC tools and resources. The approach combined case study methods with a survey of the literature relevant to digital curation in the selected fields. . . .

This synthesis report (which drew on the SCARP case studies plus a number of others, identified in the Appendix), identifies factors that help understand how curation practices in research groups differ in disciplinary terms. This provides a backdrop to different digital curation approaches. However the case studies illustrate that "the discipline" is too broad a level to understand data curation practices or requirements. The diversity of data types, working methods, curation practices and content skills found even within specialised domains means that requirements should be defined at this or even a finer-grained level, such as the research group.

Project Manager, Digital Asset Management Infrastructure at Yale

The Yale Office of Digital Assets and Infrastructure is recruiting a Project Manager, Digital Asset Management Infrastructure.

Here's an excerpt from the ad (STARS #8680BR):

Yale's Office of Digital Assets and Infrastructure (ODAI) is charged with developing a digital information management strategy for Yale and building digital collections and technical infrastructure in a coordinated and collaborative manner across the entire campus. Programs include the development and deployment of large-scale digital asset management systems, long-term preservation repositories for Yale digital content in all formats, cross-collection search capabilities to enable discovery of collections hosted by numerous departments and many other innovative initiatives.

Reporting to the Digital Information Architect, manage the core projects comprising the ODAI infrastructure and related support services. This includes but is not limited to digital asset management systems, digital library systems, knowledge management systems, media processing systems and storage systems. Coordinate activities within the ODAI and across distributed work teams assembled from ODAI staff, faculty and staff from academic units, academic partners, University service providers, external solution providers and consultants.

Jammie Thomas-Rasset's File Sharing Fine Drops to $2,250 per Song from $80,000 per Song

Michael J. Davis, Chief Judge of the Minnesota United States District Court, has ruled that Jammie Thomas-Rasset's file sharing fine be reduced to $2,250 per song from $80,000 per song.

Here's an excerpt from the ruling:

After long and careful deliberation, the Court grants in part and denies in part Thomas-Rasset's motion and remits the damages award to $2,250 per song—three times the statutory minimum. The need for deterrence cannot justify a $2 million verdict for stealing and illegally distributing 24 songs for the sole purpose of obtaining free music. Moreover, although Plaintiffs were not required to prove their actual damages, statutory damages must still bear some relation to actual damages.

The Court has labored to fashion a reasonable limit on statutory damages awards against noncommercial individuals who illegally download and upload music such that the award of statutory damages does not veer into the realm of gross injustice. Finding a precise dollar amount that delineates the border between the jury's wide discretion to calculate its own number to address Thomas-Rasset's willful violations, Plaintiffs' far-reaching, but nebulous damages, and the need to deter online piracy in general and the outrageousness of a $2 million verdict is a considerable task. The Court concludes that setting the limit at three times the minimum statutory damages amount in this case is the most reasoned solution.

This award constitutes the maximum amount a jury could reasonably award to both compensate Plaintiffs and address the deterrence aspect of the Copyright Act. This reduced award is significant and harsh. It is a higher award than the Court might have chosen to impose in its sole discretion, but the decision was not entrusted to this Court. It was the jury's province to determine the award of statutory damages and this Court has merely reduced that award to the maximum amount that is no longer monstrous and shocking. Plaintiffs have seven days from the date of this Order to decide whether to accept the remittitur or request a new trial on the issue of damages.

The Court denies Thomas-Rasset's motion for a new trial based on the admission of evidence collected by MediaSentry. It further denies her motion for a new trial based on Plaintiffs' failure to produce certified copies of the sound recordings deposited with the Copyright Office.

Finally, the Court grants Plaintiffs' request to amend the Judgment to include a permanent injunction.

Read more about it at "Court Reduces 'Shocking' File Sharing Award" and "Judge Slashes RIAA's $1.92 Million Fine against Minnesota Mom."

"Five Dozen Doctoral Students Chose Bits and Bytes over Ink and Paper"

In "Five Dozen Doctoral Students Chose Bits and Bytes over Ink and Paper," Kathleen J. Sullivan discusses Stanford University's ETD program.

Here's an excerpt:

Most of the Stanford graduate students who uploaded their dissertations—47 out of 60—chose to display their dissertations in their entirety.

Most of the students—52 out of 60—selected the "attribution non-commercial" license from Creative Commons. . . .

More than half of the doctoral students—36 out of 60—chose to release their dissertation immediately. Ten of them chose to delay the release for six months; nine chose a one-year embargo; five chose a two-year delay.

Web Services Librarian at Dominican University

The Rebecca Crown Library of Dominican University is recruiting a Web Services Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Web Services Librarian will lead in the planning, usability testing and assessment of the Library's web site and services. This position will guide a redesign of the website following current best practices in web graphics, layout and navigation and be responsible for ongoing maintenance of web resources.

The Web Services Librarian will be responsible for maintaining electronic resource subscriptions and work with database vendors as appropriate, creating reports and compiling statistics as required. The Librarian will pursue new tools and applications to promote library web services, participate in the planning and implementation of other library digital and online instruction initiatives. This position will collaborate with Information Technology and the Office of Marketing and Communication departments.

Amazon to Release Kindle Development Kit for Active Content

Amazon will release a beta version of the Kindle Development Kit next month.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

For the past two years, Amazon has welcomed authors and publishers to directly upload and sell content in the Kindle Store through the self-service Kindle publishing platform. Today, Amazon announced that it is inviting software developers to build and upload active content that will be available in the Kindle Store later this year. The new Kindle Development Kit gives developers access to programming interfaces, tools and documentation to build active content for Kindle—the #1 bestselling, most wished for, and most gifted product across all categories on Amazon. Developers can learn more about the Kindle Development Kit today at http://www.amazon.com/kdk/ and sign up to be notified when the limited beta starts next month.

"We've heard from lots of developers over the past two years who are excited to build on top of Kindle," said Ian Freed, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. "The Kindle Development Kit opens many possibilities–we look forward to being surprised by what developers invent."

The Kindle Development Kit enables developers to build active content that leverages Kindle's unique combination of seamless and invisible 3G wireless delivery over Amazon Whispernet, high-resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper, and long battery life of seven days with wireless activated. For example, Handmark is building an active Zagat guide featuring their trusted ratings, reviews and more for restaurants in cities around the world, and Sonic Boom is building word games and puzzles.

Senior Program Developer, Library Technology at Lehigh University

Library & Technology Services (LTS) at Lehigh University is recruiting a Senior Program Developer, Library Technology.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Senior Library Services Developer on the Library Technology team will work on the Kuali Open Library Environment (OLE) project, as well as other library technology projects. The Kuali OLE project is a multi-institution collaboration working to build a community-source next -generation library management system platform based on service-oriented architecture technologies and design principles. This Senior Developer will play a lead role with high-level responsibilities for major programming and design deliverables, including representing Lehigh University on the Kuali OLE Technical Council. The Senior Developer must work with agile development teams at multiple institutions around the world, as well as with subject matter experts from the other LTS teams. The Kuali OLE project will produce software for use on the Lehigh University campus and beyond. The bulk of software developed by the Senior Developer will be used within Lehigh University connecting Kuali OLE to enterprise services and applications used on campus.

Cornell Establishes Collaborative Business Model for arXiv Repository

The Cornell University Library has established a collaborative business model for the arXiv repository.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

arXiv will remain free for readers and submitters, but the Library has established a voluntary, collaborative business model to engage institutions that benefit most from arXiv.

"Keeping an open-access resource like arXiv sustainable means not only covering its costs, but also continuing to enhance its value, and that kind of financial commitment is beyond a single institution's resources," said Oya Rieger, Associate University Librarian for Information Technologies. "If a case can be made for any repository being community-supported, arXiv has to be at the top of the list."

The 200 institutions that use arXiv most heavily account for more than 75 percent of institutional downloads. Cornell is asking these institutions for financial support in the form of annual contributions, and most of the top 25 have already committed to helping arXiv.

Institutions that have already pledged support include:

  • California Institute of Technology
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • University of Cambridge (UK)
  • CERN – European Organization for Nuclear Research (Switzerland)
  • CNRS – Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France)
  • Columbia University
  • DESY – Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (Germany)
  • Durham University (UK)
  • ETH Zurich – Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (Switzerland)
  • Fermilab
  • Harvard University
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Imperial College London (UK)
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Max Planck Society (Germany)
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Oxford (UK)
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Princeton University
  • SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
  • Texas A&M University . . .

The proposed funding model is viewed as a short-term strategy, and the Library is actively seeking input on a long-term solution. Currently, Cornell University Library supports the operating costs of arXiv, which are comparable to the costs of the university's collection budget for physics and astronomy. As one of the most influential innovations in scholarly communications since the advent of the Internet, arXiv's original dissemination model represented the first significant means to provide expedited access to scientific research well ahead of formal publication.

Systems Librarian at George Washington University Law School

The Jacob Burns Law Library at the George Washington University Law School is recruiting a Systems Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Reporting directly to the assistant director for information services, the systems librarian’s responsibilities include administering the library’s interdepartmental systems, particularly the ILS, and providing configuration advice and technical support for the library’s departmental systems; coordinating installation, upgrade, maintenance, and troubleshooting of library systems and services with IT staff, users, and vendors; coordinating data backup and system security; providing operational support to internal systems users; collaborating on the implementation of the ILS webpac and related discovery tools; facilitating systems training opportunities; monitoring systems user group discussions; serving as a general liaison to other campus libraries regarding library systems; and assisting with technology planning, project implementation, and other duties as assigned.

Metadata and Systems Librarian at Colorado College

The Colorado College Tutt Library is recruiting a Metadata and Systems Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad (Posting #021):

Reporting to the Library Director, the Metadata and Systems Librarian assumes the role of principal investigator and coordinator of technological initiatives that will help shape the future of Tutt Library. Serves a key role in planning cataloging and systems projects and ensuring resource accessibility, functionality and reliability. Provides leadership in integrating digital information technologies, serving as a resource on national and regional initiatives and supporting Colorado College participation. Works with librarians and staff in a highly collaborative and collegial environment to serve the students and faculty of Colorado College.

Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog Update (1/20/10)

The latest update of the Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog (SEPW) is now available. It provides information about new works related to scholarly electronic publishing, such as books, e-prints, journal articles, magazine articles, technical reports, and white papers.

Especially interesting are: "Copyright Renewal for Libraries: Seven Steps toward a User-Friendly Law"; "Data Curation Program Development in U.S. Universities: The Georgia Institute of Technology Example"; "D-Lib Magazine: Its First 13 Years"; "Open Access: Advice on Working with Faculty Senates"; "A Metadata Best Practice for a Scientific Data Repository"; "Metadata Decisions for Digital Libraries: A Survey Report"; "Metadata for Special Collections in CONTENTdm: How to Improve Interoperability of Unique Fields through OAI-PMH"; "Open Access in 2009"; " Paying for Open Access? Institutional Funding Streams and OA Publication Charges"; "Preservation in the Age of Google: Digitization, Digital Preservation, and Dilemmas"; "Technologies Employed to Control Access to or Use of Digital Cultural Collections: Controlled Online Collections"; and "Sticker Shock and Looming Tsunami."

"Open Content Alliance (OCA) vs. Google Books"

Heather Morrison has self-archived "Open Content Alliance (OCA) vs. Google Books: OCA as Superior Network and Better Fit for an Emerging Global Public Sphere" in the SFU Institutional Repository.

Here's an excerpt:

The Open Content Alliance (OCA) is a network of libraries and similar organizations committed to digitizing and providing broadest possible access to books and other materials; over 1.6 million books are already online under OCA principles. OCA is analyzed in contrast with Google Books (as per the preliminary Google Books Settlement, November 2009), using Castell’s network theory and theories of an emerging global public sphere, based on the work of Habermas and Fraser. OCA is seen as a superior network to Google Books, with particular strengths in connectedness, consistency (shared goals), flexibility, scalability, survivability, networking (inclusion / exclusion) power, and network-making power, including the ability to form strategic alliances. The lawsuit against Google Books, and the settlement, illustrate some of the limitations of Google Books as a network, for example the lawsuit per se is a challenge to Google Books’ rights to make decisions on inclusion and exclusion, and illustrates poor connectedness and consistency, two attributes Castells points to as essential to the performance of a network. The respectful, law-abiding approach of OCA is a good fit for a global public sphere, while the Google Books Settlement takes a key issue that has traditionally been decided by governments (orphan books), and brings the decision-making power into private contract negotiations, diminishing democracy. The current Google Books Settlement is fractured on a national (geographic) basis; consequences could include decreased understanding of the rest of the world by a leading nation, the U.S. This works against the development of a global public sphere, and has potential negative economic and security implications for the U.S.. OCA is presented as one node of an emerging library network for the global public sphere, a global public good increasing access to knowledge everywhere, increasing the potential for informed public debate towards global consensus.

Digital Services Librarian at Loyola University Chicago

The Loyola University Chicago Libraries are recruiting a Digital Services Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad (position #8101599 ):

The Digital Services Librarian provides expertise in creating, managing and preserving local digital collections. This position also works collaboratively with electronic resources librarians to support access to online databases, full-text journals. The Digital Services Librarian reports to the Head of Library Systems.

The incumbent will provide support for digital special collections, electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), and other born-digital and retrospectively digitized materials. S/he will coordinate all aspects of each digitization project including developing the workflow and implementing metadata standards. S/he will work with CONTENTdm, OAI data services, and other open source or locally-developed content management applications.

NISO Recommended Practice: KBART: Knowledge Bases and Related Tools

NISO has released KBART: Knowledge Bases and Related Tools (NISO RP-9-2010).

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

UKSG and NISO are pleased to announce the first report by the KBART (Knowledge Bases and Related Tools) Working Group, a joint initiative that is exploring data problems within the OpenURL supply chain. The KBART Recommended Practice (NISO RP-9-2010) contains practical recommendations for the timely exchange of accurate metadata between content providers and knowledge base developers.

The KBART Recommended Practice, a report from Phase I of the KBART project, provides all parties in the information supply chain with straightforward guidance about the role of metadata within the OpenURL linking standard, and recommends data formatting and exchange guidelines for publishers, aggregators, agents, technology vendors, and librarians to adhere to when exchanging information about their respective content holdings.

ARL, EDUCAUSE, and Others Submit Net Neutrality Comments to FCC

The Association of Research Libraries, EDUCAUSE, Internet2, NYSERNet, and ACUTA have submitted comments to the FCC on preserving open internet broadband industry practices.

Here's an excerpt:

In sum, the availability of low-cost, high-speed, nondiscriminatory Internet services is absolutely essential for colleges, universities, research institutions, and research libraries to achieve their missions in the 21st Century. The adoption of enforceable net neutrality principles will ensure equal access for non-profit voices, encourage competition in the online content and services markets, and preserve the cultural benefits that flow from the Internet’s open, democratic nature. By keeping broadband providers from discriminating against educational content and research, by barring broadband providers from raising artificial price barriers to competition, and by preserving open discourse and debate, net neutrality will preserve the principles that have made the Internet successful and transformative. We urge the Commission to adopt the six principles proposed in the NPRM [Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking] and to adopt meaningful enforcement procedures to ensure that they are implemented.

Senior Program Officer at Digital Library Federation

The Digital Library Federation is recruiting a Senior Program Officer.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Digital Library Federation (DLF) seeks to further its mission of enabling new research and scholarship by providing leadership and developing opportunities to facilitate shared actions, resources, and infrastructures to extend, secure and preserve the scholarly and cultural record in digital form.

As a major program of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), the senior program officer reports to the president of CLIR, and will play a critical role in the definition and implementation of CLIR/DLF programs and the evolution of its mission.

Specific responsibilities of the senior program officer will include:

  • articulating the vision of DLF in a way that signifies and promotes its values, particularly fostering a greater awareness of the international aspects of the concept of digital libraries and the need to coordinate all major activity as part of a global effort
  • providing leadership and intellectual direction for the Forum and other programmatic activities
  • working with and expanding the sponsoring organizations
  • identifying and developing strategic partnerships to support goals and programs
  • fundraising, with a particular emphasis on raising funds for the DLF sponsoring organizations, and to work with national funding agencies, private and public, to assure a rational, coordinated approach to project support
  • managing the staff, budget, and assets to accomplish the programs and projects of the organization
  • communicating effectively and persuasively with relevant organizations

Canadian Research Knowledge Network Completes License Agreements Worth $140 Million

The Canadian Research Knowledge Network, which has 73 academic institutions as members, has completed three-year license agreements worth $140 million with 14 scholarly publishers. It is estimated that over $40 million was saved compared to institutional licenses for comparable content.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

Despite major financial constraints and uncertainty worldwide, CRKN continues to meet its goals of providing high-impact content for over 850,000 university researchers and students across the country. “This achievement signals CRKN’s contribution to a fertile research environment in Canada, and ability to maintain advantageous terms and price predictability in spite of turbulent economic conditions,” states Deb deBruijn, Executive Director. “Through strong arrangements with vendors, member participation in these national agreements has been largely maintained from the previous period, and has even grown on some agreements, across all sizes of universities.” Please refer to the Backgrounder for publishers, products and participation levels.

CRKN members have taken advantage of new flexibility offered in the renewal as multiple agreements have been unbundled by CRKN, allowing members to tailor their participation in each separate agreement. Members’ return on investment is high through these agreements. A conservative estimate reflects savings of between 15% to over 50% within the national agreements compared to institutional prices for comparable content, representing savings of over $40 million over a three-year period. In addition, members derive value through superior price protection with caps on annual increases set below market norm, expanded usage terms through the CRKN model license agreement, and the most strategic influence with publishers regarding future services and developments. . . .

In keeping with the International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) Statement on the Global Economic Crisis and its Impact on Consortial Licenses, CRKN seeks to work with strategic partners that demonstrate flexibility, competitive pricing models, and delivery of long-term value. Vendors with whom CRKN works have shown their commitment to members by providing flexible payment terms, making cost containment a priority, and developing forward-looking ways to add value to the relationship. For example, several vendors will now provide support for Shibboleth, an open-source implementation for identity-based authentication and authorization, and will also participate in the recently-implemented Canadian Access Federation, which will provide federated access management services for identity providers (including universities and libraries) and service providers (such as publishers).