Month: March 2011

Open Access: "Recent Watershed Events"

Peter Suber has published "Recent Watershed Events" in the latest SPARC Open Access Newsletter.

Here's an excerpt:

OA has the momentum of thousands of forward steps every year, in every academic field and every part of the world. But some developments are larger than others, and some are large enough to count as watershed events. I've noticed an upswing in watershed events recently and want to point out half a dozen of them. Pointing them out doesn't amount to a prediction, any more than tremors predict earthquakes. But if you were too preoccupied with local noise to notice these tremors, take a moment to notice them.

(1) The Publishers Association (PA) and Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP) announced a meeting to take place in London at the end of this month: "PA-ALPSP Journal Publishers' Forum: Open access: the next ten years" (London, March 31, 2011)
http://www.alpsp.org/ngen_public/article.asp?aid=341706 . . . .

(2) The world's largest peer-reviewed journal is now an OA journal, PLoS ONE. . . . .

3) PLoS ONE's success in attracting submissions, revenue, and reputation inspired a raft of imitators from high-quality, high-prestige publishers.
http://blogs.plos.org/plos/files/2011/01/Welcome-Nature2.pdf
http://poeticeconomics.blogspot.com/2011/01/plos-one-now-worlds-largest-journal.html. . . .

(4) In the same month that the Nature Publishing Group (NPG) launched Scientific Reports, its PLoS ONE rival, it issued an important new statement on OA in general.
http://www.nature.com/press_releases/statement.html . . . .

(5) In October 2010, Ten major institutions founded the UK Open Access Implementation Group to "coordinate evidence, policies, systems, advice and guidance, to make open access an easy choice for authors and one that benefits all universities…."

(6) The three largest commercial publishers now publish full OA journals, not just hybrid OA journals.

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Discovery Systems Librarian at University of Alberta Library

The University of Alberta Library is recruiting a Discovery Systems Librarian. Salary range: $77,740-$129,436.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The University of Alberta Libraries, with a long tradition of service excellence to the University and its communities, seek a dynamic individual for the new position of Discovery Systems Librarian. Working in a team environment in Bibliographic & Information Technology Services, the Discovery Systems Librarian will be responsible for a suite of discovery and retrieval systems designed to help expose the Libraries' rich collections and for supporting student, faculty, and library staff through leadership in technology and services planning, project coordination, and operations support. Discovery systems and services include the University of Alberta Libraries / NEOS online public access catalogue, “next-generation” faceted discovery tools, federated / meta- search tools for exposing content across separate silos (eg., licensed electronic resources, local repositories of digitized content, etc.), OpenURL link resolvers and related products (eg., recommender services), proxy servers / services, and ancillary products such as citation management services. The Discovery Systems Librarian has responsibility for system-wide implementation, configuration, integration, and oversight of such systems and services, including supervision of specific assignments of programmers and other staff.

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Current News: Twitter Updates for 3/3/11

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Digital Initiatives Applications Librarian at University of Alberta Library

The University of Alberta Library is recruiting a Digital Initiatives Applications Librarian. Salary range: $55,770-111,458.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The University of Alberta Libraries seek a Digital Initiatives Applications Librarian to work as a member of the Digital Initiatives working group. The Libraries' digital initiatives are expanding and diversifying quickly, presenting a need for constant innovation and adaptation while maintaining existing systems. Each new project brings new problems to solve, and development needs to be guided by knowledge of current operations and foresight of future needs.

Responsibilities will include managing day-to-day applications of the Libraries’ digitization projects, institutional repository, digital preservation platform, and open-access publishing platform; shadowing and acting as backup for the Digital Initiatives Technology Librarian; participating in special Digital Initiatives projects, including coordinating project staff; developing and documenting best practices for management operations; ensuring compliance of operations with Trusted Digital Repository practices; enhancing and providing feedback to developers on management tools; and consulting and working with external partners to share content and metadata.

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The British Library’s Strategy 2011-2015

The British Library has released The British Library's Strategy 2011-2015.

Here's an excerpt:

Our vision is supported by five key themes which set out the strategic priorities for the Library:

  1. Guarantee access for future generations.
  2. Enable access to everyone who wants to do research.
  3. Support research communities in key areas for social and economic benefit.
  4. Enrich the cultural life of the nation.
  5. Lead and collaborate in growing the world's knowledge base.

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"Breaking Down Link Rot: The Chesapeake Project Legal Information Archive’s Examination of URL Stability"

Sarah Rhodes has published "Breaking Down Link Rot: The Chesapeake Project Legal Information Archive's Examination of URL Stability" in LLRX.com.

Here's an excerpt:

In analyzing a single sample of these original URLs at annual intervals, the prevalence of link rot was 8.3% in 2008, within zero to twelve months of the content being harvested. One year later, twelve to twenty-four months after the content was harvested, link rot in the same sample was found to have jumped to 14.3%. In the most recent analysis, in 2010, link rot was found to be 27.9%. In other words, link rot increased from about one in every twelve archived titles in 2008, to one in every seven titles in 2009, and finally to about one in every 3.5 titles in 2010.

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Digital Repositories Librarian at Virginia Tech Libraries

The Virginia Tech Libraries are recruiting a Digital Repositories Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Virginia Tech Libraries invites applications and nominations for candidates who will bring vision and creativity to developing, promoting, assessing, and sustaining a digital repository (DR) for the university’s unique resources. The Digital Repositories Librarian will provide modern, web-based repository services, oversee daily management, instruction, promotion, and long-term planning for the repository, and coordinate digital reformatting operations that preserve and improve access to resources. . . .

Responsibilities:

Rapid deployment of a multi-media research database and digital repository, working with two new positions also being advertised–Digital Technologies Development Librarians, the Digital Library and Archives (DLA) staff, and others. Develop repository policies, procedures, workflows, and services. Oversee digital repository collections and services, including developing and securing content, communicating with and providing support to contributors and users, and evaluating and maintaining quality control of the processes, collections and services provided by the unit. Collaborate with and support liaison librarians in their efforts to recruit and collect scholarly content. Share a deep knowledge of the scholarly process and an avid interest in the future of digital research, including open access and preservation. Manages new repository team; develops standards, goals, and expectations for evaluation of the team and carries out that evaluation. Works collaboratively with others to develop and expand mutually beneficial infrastructures and services related to digital repositories, preservation, and other digital initiatives. Reports to the DLA Director and assists in shaping overall strategy and direction of the department.

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Current News: Twitter Updates for 3/2/11

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Digital Technologies Development Librarians at Virginia Tech Libraries (Two Positions)

The Virginia Tech Libraries are recruiting two Digital Technologies Development Librarians.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Working both independently and in teams, provide technical leadership and programming expertise to advance digital library infrastructures, collections, and services through application development and applied research. Identify and develop new and existing technologies for these purposes. Play a key, strategic role in advancing the libraries' digital information infrastructure; and impact Virginia Tech's scholarly communication methods, digital library services, and the management and preservation of Tech's digital intellectual output. Contribute to developing new digital library services and work with partners to share solutions to mutual challenges. Collaborate closely with personnel from several library departments to achieve the goals of the positions and the libraries. Select and/or develop tools that support the ongoing assessment of digital library initiatives and services. Participate in library planning and serve on library-wide committees, task forces, and teams. Be active professionally and contribute to developments in the field. Report to the Director, Digital Library & Archives and will assist the DLA Director in shaping overall technology development strategy and direction. The librarians may be involved with applications such as, but not limited to, Drupal, DSpace, ETD-db, Fedora, ImageBase (a VT Libraries' developed application), LOCKSS, and other associated applications, tools, and specifications.

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Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, 2010-2015

Cisco has released Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, 2010-2015.

Here's an excerpt:

Global mobile data traffic will increase 26-fold between 2010 and 2015. . . .

There will be nearly one mobile device per capita by 2015. . . .

Mobile network connection speeds will increase 10-fold by 2015. . . .

Mobile-connected tablets will generate as much traffic in 2015 as the entire global mobile network in 2010.

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Daniel J. Cohen Wins 2011 Frederick G. Kilgour Award

Daniel J. Cohen, Director of the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, has won the 2011 Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

With support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Dr. Cohen leads the development of the free, open-source Zotero (http://zotero.org) software for managing and sharing research sources. Zotero is currently implemented as a set of Web browser and word processor plug-ins that can synchronize citations and other information with a public server, which also serves as a social network and discovery platform for fellow researchers. Work is currently underway to develop a stand-alone implementation of Zotero for Windows, Linux and Macintosh operating systems as well as plug-ins for a broader range of Web browsers.

Cohen's scholarship includes the exploration of digital humanities and pursuing new ways to collect and preserve history on the Web. He has directed several archival projects, including the September 11 Digital Archive, ECHO: Exploring & Collecting History Online, and the Hurricane Digital Memory Bank: Preserving the Stories of Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Cohen is the author of four books and has delivered dozens of papers and featured presentations at venues of interest to library technologists.

The Kilgour award, which is jointly sponsored by LITA and OCLC, is given for research relevant to the development of information technologies, especially work which shows promise of having a positive and substantive impact on any aspect(s) of the publication, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information, or the processes by which information and data are manipulated and managed.

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Audio-Video Preservation Specialist at National Archives And Records Administration

The National Archives and Records Administration is recruiting an Audio-Video Preservation Specialist. Salary range: $51,630-$67,114.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

As an Audio-Video Preservation Specialist in the Office of Records Services – Washington, DC, Special Media Preservation Division, College Park, MD, you will perform duties associated with digitizing original archival audio and video records, managing digital surrogates and derivatives, creating technical/administrative metadata, and producing physical media copies.

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Current News: Twitter Updates for 3/1/11

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Assistant Dean for Strategic Technology Initiatives at Illinois State University Library

The Illinois State University's Milner Library is recruiting an Assistant Dean for Strategic Technology Initiatives. Hiring range maximum: $80,000.

Here's an excerpt from the ad (request/posting number: 0703382):

The Assistant Dean for Strategic Technology Initiatives provides vision and leadership to effectively integrate technology into the operations of Milner Library and leads its efforts to develop and implement services-based strategies that utilize technology. The Assistant Dean will work closely with university technology leadership and the university community to shape and implement information technology investments, and plan strategies aligned with the university's strategic plan and students and faculty needs. The Assistant Dean provides direction for Milner Library's technology departments, and coordinates planning of services with Library departments and units. The Assistant Dean communicates with University information technology groups and ensures that Milner Library's technological goals and activities synergize with those of the University.

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NEH Issues Call for Proposals for Preservation and Access Research and Development Grants

The National Endowment for the Humanities's Division of Preservation and Access has issued a call for proposals for Preservation and Access Research and Development grants. Application deadline: May 19, 2011.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

Eligible projects include:

  • the development of technical standards, best practices, and tools for preserving and creating access to humanities collections;
  • the exploration of more effective scientific and technical methods of preserving humanities collections;
  • the development of automated procedures and computational tools to integrate, analyze, and repurpose humanities data in disparate online resources; and
  • the investigation and testing of new ways of providing digital access to humanities materials that are not easily digitized using current methods.

NEH especially encourages applications that address the following topics:

  • Digital Preservation: how to preserve digital humanities materials, including born-digital materials, for which there is no analog counterpart;
  • Recorded Sound and Moving Image Collections: how to preserve and increase access to the record of the twentieth century contained in these formats; and
  • Preventive Conservation: how to protect humanities collections and slow their deterioration through the use of sustainable preservation strategies.. . .

The maximum award is $350,000 for up to three years. Applicants whose projects focus on any of the three areas of special interest noted above may request up to $400,000.

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