Month: April 2011

Recommendations for Implementation of Open Access in Denmark: Final Report from the Open Access Committee

The Danish Agency for Libraries and Media and Denmark's Electronic Research Library have released Recommendations for Implementation of Open Access in Denmark: Final Report from the Open Access Committee.

Here's an excerpt:

The consultation process about the Open Access Committee’s recommendations indicated wide support for the principle of open access to publicly funded research. There is an express desire for research results from a small country such as Denmark to become as visible as at all possible, nationally as well as internationally. Barriers to access must therefore be broken down, and this would contribute to ensuring that Denmark remains an interesting partner internationally. It is therefore the recommendation of the Open Access Committee that as far as possible there should be Open Access to the results of publicly funded research via green Open Access with built-in quality assurance in the form of peer review by the scientific journals. This means that research articles, after a peer review process in the existing journal system, will be published in parallel in an institutional or subject specific repository, to which there will be open access. This parallel publishing could be put into practice with a limited deferred period, during which the articles would solely be accessible in the journals.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography |

"Prospects for Systemic Change across Academic Libraries"

James G. Neal has published "Prospects for Systemic Change across Academic Libraries" in the latest issue of the EDUCAUSE Review.

Here's an excerpt:

Similarly, we must raise the question of why the overwhelming majority of academic libraries in the United States continue to maintain a full suite of technical services operations. The acquisition, management, cataloging, preservation, and digitization of library resources—the mass-production aspects of library work—should be integrated into a network of regional service agencies. This would enable efficiencies and quality that may not be achievable on the local level. But more important, doing so would release staff resources to be focused more aggressively and productively on working with the user and on partnering in the learning and research work of the campus.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

Web Services Developer at University of Maryland Libraries

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The University of Maryland Libraries is seeking a web designer to join their Digital Technology & Interface Services (DTIS) department on the College Park campus. DTIS develops and supports web-based services designed to meet the research needs of students, faculty, and staff of the University of Maryland, as well as other libraries in the state of Maryland.

Responsibilities include designing interfaces and library applications for the web and mobile devices, creating design prototypes, and providing design expertise and consultation to Libraries' staff. Other responsibilities include support and oversight of the Libraries' website, investigating existing and emerging technologies, and administering ancillary web utilities such as traffic analysis and link checking.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications |

Current News: Twitter Updates for 4/7/11

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Malloy-Rabinowitz Preservation Librarian; Head of Preservation and Digital Imaging Services at Harvard Library

The Harvard Library is recruiting the Malloy-Rabinowitz Preservation Librarian; Head of Preservation and Digital Imaging Services.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Harvard Library seeks a creative and forward-thinking professional to serve on the Library's senior leadership team in the new position of Head of Preservation and Digital Imaging Services, with responsibility for developing a seamless continuum for the long-term preservation of traditional collections and digital content across Harvard University's 21st century library system. . . .

Reporting to the Associate Director for Library Services, this role develops, leads, and administers programs and services that meet and anticipate the preservation and conservation needs of the Harvard Library's circulating, digital and special collections. . . .

Establish the strategic directions and consolidated, innovative programs and services for preservation, conservation, and digitization initiatives that enhance and align Harvard Library's diversified preservation and conservation functions to ensure long-term access to all collections throughout their life cycles.

Achieve a strategic balance in the care of traditional, physical collections and digital materials, including an emphasis on imaging services in the service of preservation reformatting.

Manage and develop levels of digital imaging services in response to requirements reflecting the University's many constituents.

Bring a demonstrated knowledge of and affinity for IT services and play a proactive role in the complex, multidisciplinary arena of digital preservation; lead in developing the Harvard Library's digital preservation strategy, establish protocols on all phases of the life cycle of digital content.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications |

Heading for the Open Road: Costs And Benefits of Transitions in Scholarly Communications

The Research Information Network has released Heading for the Open Road: Costs And Benefits of Transitions in Scholarly Communications (annexes).

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

This new report investigates the drivers, costs and benefits of potential ways to increase access to scholarly journals. It identifies five different routes for achieving that end over the next five years, and compares and evaluates the benefits as well as the costs and risks for the UK.

The report suggests that policymakers who are seeking to promote increases in access should encourage the use of existing subject and institutional repositories, but avoid pushing for reductions in embargo periods, which might put at risk the sustainability of the underlying scholarly publishing system. They should also promote and facilitate a transition to open access publishing (Gold open access) while seeking to ensure that the average level of charges for publication does not exceed c.£2000; that the rate in the UK of open access publication is broadly in step with the rate in the rest of the world; and that total payments to journal publishers from UK universities and their funders do not rise as a consequence.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography |

Systems Librarian/Instructor at McNeese State University’s Frazar Memorial Library

McNeese State University's Frazar Memorial Library is recruiting a Systems Librarian/Instructor (position readvertised).

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Systems Librarian/Instructor reports to the Library Director and provides leadership for planning, implementing, and managing library systems, digital services, and information technologies; cataloging department operations including the supervision of cataloging department staff; serves on a variety of internal and external committees; and provides staff technology training. The Systems Librarian/Instructor serves as liaison to one or more academic departments and serves as the Library’s LOUIS System Administrator.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications |

Open Access: What You Need to Know Now

ALA Editions has released Open Access: What You Need to Know Now by Walt Crawford.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

Crawford helps readers understand what OA is (and isn't), as he concisely

  • Analyzes the factors that have brought us to the current state of breakdown, including the skyrocketing costs of science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM) journals; consolidation of publishers and diminishing price competition; and shrinking library budgets
  • Summarizes the benefits and drawbacks of different OA models, such as "Green," "Gold," Gratis," "Libre," and various hybrid forms
  • Discusses ways to retain peer-review, and methods for managing OA in the library, including making OA scholarly publishing available to the general public

Peter Suber said of the book:

Walt Crawford has done something difficult and useful. He's written a short, accurate, independent introduction to open access. I recommend it to researchers and libraries everywhere, and hope it corrects misunderstandings that have held back this good idea for years.

An excerpt of the book is available.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

Current News: Twitter Updates for 4/6/11

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Library Technology Specialist at Canisius College’s Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library

Canisius College's Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library is recruiting a Library Technology Specialist.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Responsibilities:

  • Support the administration of the integrated online library system.
  • Support the library’s digital services, including website maintenance and web OPAC, online databases and campus portal.
  • Provide support to other online library systems as needed.
  • Support patron access to digital resources. Provide training and support for staff and be the point of contact for digital resource vendors.
  • Plan and implement website and digital resources usability studies.
  • Share in the management, oversight and contribution to the library’s social networking, mobile and electronic presence.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications |

Peter Suber Wins 2011 L. Ray Patterson Copyright Award

Peter Suber has been named as the winner of the 2011 L. Ray Patterson Copyright Award by ALA's Office for Information Technology Policy's Copyright Advisory Subcommittee.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The annual award recognizes contributions of an individual or group that pursues and supports the Constitutional purpose of the U.S. Copyright Law, fair use and the public domain. The award is named after L. Ray Patterson, a key legal figure who explained and justified the importance of the public domain and fair use. Fair use is a key exception of the copyright law that allows for the use of a copyright without prior authorization and helps to promote learning, new creativity, scholarship and criticism.

Professor Suber is being recognized for his work in the open access movement that began in academia in response to increasing costs of scholarly journals. His goal is to provide free, public access to scientific information for the public good as well as provide an alternative venue for scientific publishing, one outside of the price-inflated research journal marketplace. Suber is a professor of philosophy at Earlham College, a senior researcher at Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), and a Fellow at Harvard University Library’s Office for Scholarly Communication. He also is member of the Board of Enabling Open Scholarshipand serves as Open Access Project Director at Public Knowledge.

Among his colleagues in our nation's capital, Suber is regarded as a leader in the quest to protect open access.

"There is no greater champion for open access than Peter Suber," Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge, said."The open access concept — that the public should have access to research that is paid for with tax dollars — may seem to be common sense, but it is not widely accepted in Washington. Peter has led a multi-year crusade to implement the idea, often in the face of determined corporate opposition. The American Library Association chose well in selecting Peter for this splendid award."

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography |

"DataStaR: A Data Sharing and Publication Infrastructure to Support Research"

Gail Steinhart has published "DataStaR: A Data Sharing and Publication Infrastructure to Support Research" in AgInfo Worldwide.

Here's an excerpt:

DataStaR, a Data Staging Repository (http://datastar.mannlib.cornell.edu/) in development at Cornell University's Albert R. Mann Library (Ithaca, New York USA), is intended to support collaboration and data sharing among researchers during the research process, and to promote publishing or archiving data and high-quality metadata to discipline-specific data centers and/or institutional repositories. Researchers may store and share data with selected colleagues, select a repository for data publication, create high quality metadata in the formats required by external repositories and Cornell's institutional repository, and obtain help from data librarians with any of these tasks. To facilitate cross-domain interoperability and flexibility in metadata management, we employ semantic web technologies as part of DataStaR's metadata infrastructure. This paper describes the overall design of the system, the work to date with Cornell researchers and their data sets, and possibilities for extending DataStaR for use in international agriculture research.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography 2010 |

Head of Digital, Reformatting & Vendor Services at Yale University Library

The Yale University Library is recruiting a Head of Digital, Reformatting & Vendor Services (three-year term).

Here's an excerpt from the ad (STARS requisition number: 12617BR):

Under the direction of the Director, Preservation Department and Chief Preservation Officer, the Head of Digital, Reformatting & Vendor Services (DRVS) plans and directs the activities of DRVS, including, but not limited to: microfilming, scanning text and conversion of audio and visual materials; overseeing the monograph binding and mass deacidification operation; and is an integral and collaborative member of the Preservation Management Team (PMT). . . .

  1. Facilitates access and long-term preservation of materials for format conversion.
  2. Plans, manages, and oversees the planning and performing of format conversion activities.
  3. Sets format conversion priorities on the full range of library and archival materials, in conjunction with subject specialists/selectors and curators.
  4. Establishes vendor relations and negotiates contracts for the full range of format conversion activities, commercial binding, and mass deacidification contracts.
  5. Works in close collaboration with the Library’s information technology offices, Cataloging and Metadata Services, and members of the University’s Office of Digital Assets & Infrastructure (ODAI), in development of metadata, monitoring of digital preservation metadata trends, and the ongoing development and updating of technical specifications regarding digital information capture.
  6. Works with Preservation Management Team (PMT) members to provide information and recommendations to subject specialists/selectors and curators regarding preservation implications on the acquisition of fragile paper and multi-media items, commercial binding, and mass deacidification.
  7. Trains and supervises a team of support Clerical & Technical (C&T) staff, students, and interns.
  8. Manages the Digital Reformatting & Vendor Services (DRVS) budget.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications |

Current News: Twitter Updates for 4/5/11

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Visiting Digital Preservation Coordinator at University of Illinois Library

The University of Illinois Library is recruiting a Visiting Digital Preservation Coordinator.

Here's an excerpt from the ad (click "Search Jobs"):

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign seeks applications for a Digital Preservation Coordinator. The incumbent will provide a range of preservation services for digital content as well as support for digital products produced through other preservation reformatting functions. The Digital Preservation Coordinator reports to the Head of Preservation and serves all of the University Libraries by coordinating digital preservation and access services. This is a full-time, regular, academic professional position. . . .

This position plays a key role in preserving the University of Illinois Library's valuable and unique collections by enhancing the University's capacity to preserve and provide access to digital documents, programs, and data sets, as well as images and media materials preserved through the Preservation Unit, by supporting the Preservation Librarian in all digital preservation efforts. The incumbent will report to the Head of Preservation, and maintains a number of critical working relationships with units and groups that are engaged in preservation, curation, and access to digitized content; including Library units such as Digital Content Creation, Content Access Management, the University Archives, Visual Resources, the Systems Office and appropriate campus units.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications |

Reinventing Research? Information Practices in the Humanities

The Research Information Network has released Reinventing Research? Information Practices in the Humanities.

Here's an excerpt:

Humanities scholars are often perceived in very traditional terms: spending a lot of time working on their own and collaborating only informally through highly-dispersed networks. Unlike most scientists, they have no long tradition of working in formal, close-knit and collaborative research groups. Humanities scholars have also sometimes been presented as "depth" rather than "breadth" researchers, preferring to spend significant amounts of time with a few items, rather than working across a broader frame. In terms of information sources, text and images held in archives and libraries tend to dominate, with less of an association with new web-based technologies (although this is changing with the increasing visibility of digital humanities).

This report suggests that such perceptions may be out of date. In each of our case studies we found researchers working with new tools and technologies, in increasingly collaborative environments, and both producing and using information resources in diverse ways. There is a richness and variety within humanities information practices which must be recognised and understood if we are to provide the right kind of support for researchers.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

Duke University Press: Survey of Library E-Book Acquisitions

The Duke University Press has released the Survey of Library E-Book Acquisitions.

Here's an excerpt:

We e-mailed an online survey to all Duke University Press librarian contacts associated with electronic collections. Of these approximately 750 recipients, over 100 followed the link and completed the survey. We posted a different link to the same survey on the Liblicense (Licensing Digital Information: a Resource for Librarians) and ERIL (Electronic Resources in Libraries) e-mail listservs, as well as the Duke University Press Twitter feed, producing over 160 additional responses. This report compiles the results of these efforts, totaling 265 surveys.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

Consultant/Advisor II/Repository Administrator at Cornell University Library

The Cornell University Library is recruiting a Consultant/Advisor II/Repository Administrator (three-year term appointment). Recruiting range: $49,630-$60,660.

Here's an excerpt from the ad (job no. 14436):

The Repository Administrator is primarily responsible for the daily administration and management of a range of repositories operated by Cornell University Library (CUL). Responsibilities include monitoring submission queues, processing and ingest of content, evaluating logs and audit messages, generating statistics and other reports, and engaging with a broad range of users and staff to meet service agreements, troubleshoot problems, and improve operations. Repositories that the Administrator will work with include: 1) arXiv.org, an automated and open electronic archive and distribution server for research papers serving physics, computer science, mathematics, and other scientific communities. Begun in 1991 and operated by CUL since 2001, arXiv is intensively used by researchers worldwide, currently receiving 6,000 submissions per month and some 5 million hits per week. 2) Project Euclid, an electronic publishing platform providing services to over 35 international publishers of mathematics and statistics literature. Euclid currently hosts 64 journals and nearly 1.5 million pages of content, both open access and subscription controlled. Euclid is a not-for-profit service operated jointly with Duke University Press. 3) eCommons, Cornell University's institutional repository, provides long-term access to a broad range of Cornell-related digital content of enduring value. eCommons currently uses the DSpace software. 4) CUL Archival Repository (CULAR), a preservation focused repository currently under development. CULAR will provide a reliable, cost-effective, scalable, and manageable way to store terabytes of digital content currently under the stewardship of CUL.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications |

Alliance for Taxpayer Access Sends Letters to U.S. Officials about Third Anniversary of NIH Public Access Policy

The Alliance for Taxpayer Access has sent letters to Francis Collins (Director, National Institutes of Health), John Holdren (Assistant to the President for Science and Technology Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy), and Kathleen Sebelius (Secretary of Health and Human Services U.S . Department of Health and Human Services) regarding the third anniversary of the National Institutes of Health's Public Access Policy.

Here's an excerpt from the letter to John Holdren :

To build on this achievement, and further enhance the value of the public's annual $60 billion investment in scientific research, we ask that you consider immediately expanding the NIH Public Access Policy to U.S. departments and agencies with extramural research budgets of $100 million or more.

This expansion will provide connections to additional crucial resources that our nation's scientists require to carry out truly comprehensive scientific research in this digital age. With PubMed Central fully operational at the National Library of Medicine, the infrastructure is already in place to help facilitate implementation of an expanded policy, and it's proven to be extremely cost-effective. The NIH estimates that its annual operating costs for the system are about $3.5 million annually—which amounts to only ~1/100th of one percent of its overall annual operating budget.1 This is a small price to pay to ensure that all taxpayers have access to this body of information and increase our collective return on the taxpayer's investment in scientific research.

Economists who have studied the potential impact of providing greater access to publicly funded research outputs on the return on those investments have consistently concluded that economic benefits would be boosted. In a recent study focusing on U.S. R & D expenditures, economists noted that the return on each dollar spent on taxpayer—funded research could be increased by as much as 5% by making the results more broadly available.2 When applied to our annual collective $60 billion dollar investment in scientific research, this represents a significant benefit to the public and the nation's economy.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography |

Current News: Twitter Updates for 4/4/11

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Digital Projects Librarian at Auburn University Libraries

The Auburn University Libraries are recruiting a Digital Projects Librarian. Minimum salary: $44,720.

Here's an excerpt from the ad.

Under the leadership of the Assistant Dean for Library Technology and Technical Services, and working in consultation with other Library departments in accordance with the Libraries' Strategic Plan, the Digital Projects Librarian will assist in coordinating the design, creation, and maintenance of the collections comprising the Auburn University Digital Library as well as other digital initiatives. The Digital Projects Librarian will work across Library departments to assess and develop appropriate standards, policies, and procedures for the Libraries' digital projects and to ensure continued development and maintenance of the Libraries' digital initiatives, which include projects with the Auburn University Special Collections & Archives Department, joint projects with other Auburn University departments, and a library-sponsored faculty digitization program. The Digital Projects Librarian will also represent the Libraries on projects with other institutions in Alabama and the southeast.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications |

Ithaka S+R Library Survey 2010: Insights from U.S. Academic Library Directors

Ithaka S+R has released the Ithaka S+R Library Survey 2010: Insights from U.S. Academic Library Directors.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

Ithaka S+R, a not-for-profit strategic consulting and research service for the academic and cultural heritage community, released today its Library Survey 2010: Insights from U.S. Academic Library Directors, offering a strategic analysis on the state of the library to help library leadership plan for the future. Over 200 library administrators from U.S. based four year colleges and institutions weighed in on issues related to the strategies they are pursuing for their libraries, the management of library collections, the development of new digital collections, and the creation of new services to meet changing user needs. . . .

The survey findings indicated that there is a consensus on key strategic issues, including the clear shift away from print to digital journals and the prioritization of teaching and instruction as core library functions. But, some findings suggest broad divergences not only among library directors but also among library directors and faculty members, as made evident through a comparison with data from the Ithaka S+R Faculty Survey 2009.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography 2010 |

Web Developer 2 at University of Houston Libraries

The University of Houston Libraries are recruiting a Web Developer 2.

Here's an excerpt from the ad (posting number: 066088):

Works as a member of the Web Services Department and in conjunction with the Digital Services Department to design, develop and maintain the many proprietary and open source web applications used within the University of Houston Libraries to enhance the Libraries' virtual presence and digital initiatives. . . .

  1. Manages the customization of the user interface within the Digital Library and related applications
  2. Incorporates appropriate design principles and branding consistent with guidelines established by the UH Libraries
  3. Assists in the planning, designing, development, documentation and ongoing maintenance of the Libraries' internal and external web applications, database interfaces and mobile tools
  4. Assists with quality assurance, accessibility and usability testing of web applications to ensure user satisfaction and compliance with UH Libraries' standards
  5. Acts as a creative team player within Web Services on projects and coordinates with colleagues in the Libraries and UH community as needed

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications |

Reader Privacy Act of 2011

Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) has introduced the Reader Privacy Act of 2011 in the California State Senate.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

Today, California Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) announced the Reader Privacy Act of 2011 – legislation that would require government agencies to seek a warrant or court order in order to access consumers' reading records from bookstores and online retailers.  SB 602 would establish consumer protections for book purchases similar to long-established privacy laws for library records.

"Current law is completely inadequate when it comes to protecting one's privacy for book purchases, especially considering the increasing popularity of online shopping and electronic books," said Yee. "Individuals should be free to buy books without fear of government intrusion and witch hunts. If law enforcement has reason to suspect wrongdoing, they can obtain a warrant for such information."

Many bookstores already collect information about readers and their purchases.  Digital book services can collect even more detailed information including which books are browsed, how long each page is viewed, and even digital notes made in the margins.

Historically, sensitive reader information has come under fire. During the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, Americans were questioned about whether they had read Marx or Lenin. In the years following September 11, 2001, the FBI sought patron information from more than 200 libraries.

Just this past year, Amazon was asked by the North Carolina Department of Revenue to turn over 50 million purchase records including books, videos, and other expressive material. 

SB 602 will update California state law to ensure that government and third parties cannot access Californians' reading records without proper justification. . . .

SB 602 will receive its first hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee in April.

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

Current News: Twitter Updates for 4/3/11

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