Month: May 2012

Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog (May 30, 2012)

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

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010: "This bibliography portal demonstrates that citation lists continue to play a role in research, in spite of the availability of powerful Web and digital library search engines and the near-extinction of print bibliography publishing. Summing Up: Recommended." — J. A. Buczynski, Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries 45, no. 1 (1997): 58. | Digital Scholarship |

Data, Network, and Translational Research Librarian at University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Ebling Library

The University of Wisconsin-Madison's Ebling Library is recruiting a Data, Network, and Translational Research Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

  • Implement a research network (VIVO or similar semantic web application) on campus and collaborate with developer community
  • Provide consultation services and assist faculty, staff, and students with devising data management strategies and writing data management plans
  • Work with campus Research Data Services to develop guides for best practices in regard to data management and provide training & instruction
  • Respond to queries about the NIH public access policy and assist faculty & staff with policy compliance

| Digital Scholarship |

Free a Book: Unglue.it Launches

Unglue.it has launched.

Here's an excerpt from the Frequently Asked Questions:

Unglue.it is a place for individuals and institutions to join together to give their favorite ebooks to the world. We work with rights holders to decide on fair compensation for releasing a free, legal edition of their already-published books, under Creative Commons licensing. Then everyone pledges toward that sum. When the threshold is reached (and not before), we collect the pledged funds and we pay the rights holders. They issue an unglued digital edition; you're free to read and share it, with everyone, on the device of your choice, worldwide.

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

Scholarly Communications Officer at University of New Mexico Libraries

The University of New Mexico Libraries are recruiting a Scholarly Communications Officer.

Here's an excerpt from the ad (posting number: 0815672):

Working in a team-oriented and highly electronic environment, the Scholarly Communications Officer will play an important role in an organization that is committed to re-conceiving the academic research library as a key partner in new modes of scholarly communications. The Scholarly Communications Officer will take full advantage of and contribute to the evolution of scholarly publishing practices within the academy, and will provide guidance, policy development, and advocacy on copyright issues, fair use, privacy rights, open access, and other information policy issues to the Office of University Counsel and the University and Library communities.

| Digital Scholarship |

"Issue Brief: 21st-Century Collections: Calibration of Investment and Collaborative Action"

The Association of Research Libraries has released "Issue Brief: 21st-Century Collections: Calibration of Investment and Collaborative Action."

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

Carton Rogers, Vice Provost and Director of Libraries at the University of Pennsylvania, chairs the ARL Transforming Research Libraries Steering Committee, which originally requested the issue brief. According to Rogers, this paper provides directors with an excellent overview of emerging and horizon issues and the challenges of building 21st-century collections. "The paper's emphasis on networked resources, teamwork, and cross-institutional collaboration underscores the need for new roles and new competencies for our workforce, which is currently a key focus of the committee's agenda. We encourage discussions of the shared future projected in the report, its implications for library staff, and for the ongoing support of research, teaching, and learning on our campuses."

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 | Digital Scholarship |

Manager, Data Management Services at Johns Hopkins University’s Sheridan Libraries

Johns Hopkins University's Sheridan Libraries are recruiting a Manager, Data Management Services.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Manager of Data Management Services manages a team that provides data management and planning services, including both data management consulting and technical staff. This position also provides consultative data management planning support to JHU Principle Investigators.

| Digital Scholarship |

Librarians at Miami University Libraries Adopt Open Access Policy

Librarians at the Miami University Libraries have adopted an open access policy.

Here's an excerpt from "Miami University Librarians Pass Open Access Policy":

On Monday, the librarians at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio affirmed their commitment to the principles of Open Access by voting in favor of an Open Access policy. The policy, based on Harvard University's Model Policy, will increase access to librarians' scholarly articles. Librarians will begin depositing their scholarly output in the Scholarly Commons, Miami's institutional repository. Miami University Libraries is the first department on Miami's campus to successfully pass an open access policy. "I am so proud to work at Miami today," said Jen Waller, Interdisciplinary Research Librarian and Chair of the Libraries' Scholarly Communication Working Group. "My colleagues' vote in favor of an open access policy allows the Miami University Libraries to be a leader in Open Access on the Miami campus. Additionally, the adoption of this policy will allow librarians here to gain first hand knowledge of how facets of open access work, which will greatly improve our outreach efforts to faculty on campus."

| Open Access Bibliography: Liberating Scholarly Literature with E-Prints and Open Access Journals | Digital Scholarship |

First Issue of the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication Published

The Pacific University Library has published the first issue of the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, which is an open access journal under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

Here's an excerpt from the What is in a Name? Introducing the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication:

The Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication (JLSC) was founded to both recognize and embody this increasingly prominent role of libraries in shaping the future of scholarly communication. Recognize, in that we believe that scholarly communication librarianship has become a core service area for academic libraries, and is deserving of an intellectual home. The increase in seminars, articles and dedicated conferences—like the notable IMLS-funded Library Publishing Services: Strategies for Success10 project—all demonstrate the growing interest in library scholarly communication initiatives, and the need for a dedicated venue for exchange. Embody, in that this is a journal published by an academic library, with an editorial board of library scholar-practitioners, devoted to open, free and flexible communication of knowledge in our field. And in the interest of keeping the channels of communication as open as possible, we also recognize that there are other stakeholders, such as publishers, technologists, and research funders, who play an integral role in determining the future of scholarly communication. Our profession is best served by engaging in honest dialogue with them, and we hope that the work we publish will reflect these types of discussions and collaborations.

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

Association of American Publishers Issues Statement on Georgia State University E-Reserves Copyright Case Ruling

The Association of American Publishers has issued a statement on the Georgia State University e-reserves copyright case ruling.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

At the same time, we are disappointed with aspects of the Court's decision. Most importantly, the Court failed to examine the copying activities at GSU in their full context. Many faculty members have provided students with electronic anthologies of copyrighted course materials which are not different in kind from copyrighted print materials. In addition, the Court's analysis of fair use principles was legally incorrect in some places and its application of those principles mistaken. As a result, instances of infringing activity were incorrectly held to constitute fair use. . . .

The Court's ruling has important implications for the ongoing vitality of academic publishing as well as the educational mission of colleges and universities. Contrary to the findings of the Court, if institutions such as GSU are allowed to offer substantial amounts of copyrighted content for free, publishers cannot sustain the creation of works of scholarship. The resources available to educators will be fundamentally impaired.

| E-science and Academic Libraries Bibliography | Digital Scholarship |

Digital Resources Librarian at Sam Houston State University Library

The Sam Houston State University Library is recruiting a Digital Resources Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Position will provide leadership in planning, selection and organizing digital projects for an institutional respository. Creates digital collections including metadata for applications such as photographic collections, archives, manuscripts, music and video; develops guidelines for access and use. Supervises the training of staff and students in imaging technology including image editing software and other digitization software and hardware.

| Digital Scholarship |

"Implementing DOIs for Research Data"

Natasha Simons has published "Implementing DOIs for Research Data" in the latest issue of D-Lib Magazine.

Here's an excerpt:

Research is increasingly collaborative and global in nature, and efforts to manage the vast amounts of research data generated daily require global solutions. The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) system provides a means of persistent identification of research data collections and datasets that is global, standardised and widely used. The Australian National Data Service (ANDS) partnered with DataCite to offer a DOI minting service. At Griffith University, implementing DOIs raised governance questions common to other institutions that encouraged discussion and collaboration.

| Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography 2010 | Digital Scholarship |

"Issue Brief: GSU Fair Use Decision Recap and Implications"

ARL has released "Issue Brief: GSU Fair Use Decision Recap and Implications."

Here's an excerpt:

Although the decision is certainly not perfect (the use of bright line rules for appropriate amount under factor 3 is particularly troubling), Judge Evans has written a thorough and thoughtful analysis of the issues, and her opinion represents an overwhelming victory for Georgia State individually, a major defeat for the plaintiff publishers and for the AAP and CCC, and overall a positive development for libraries generally. The substance of the opinion is not ideal, but it is far more generous than the publishers have sought, it establishes a very comfortable safe harbor for fair use of books on e-reserve, and libraries remain free to take more progressive steps.

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog | Digital Scholarship |

Current News: Twitter Updates for 5/14/12

| Digital Scholarship |

Metadata Librarian at University of California, Santa Barbara Library

The University of California, Santa Barbara Library is recruiting a Metadata Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Reporting to Head of Cataloging & Metadata Services (CMS), the Metadata Librarian has responsibility for providing guidance in creating, reviewing and editing metadata for digital collections and born-digital content in the library, working with colleagues to support the discovery of and access to the Libraries' digital content through metadata creation, analysis, enrichment, and maintenance according to local and national cataloging and metadata standards. The incumbent is responsible for planning, managing, and reviewing metadata for Library digital projects and Library-led digitization and data management efforts.

| Digital Scholarship |

Digital Object Identifier (DOI) Now an ISO Standard

The International Organization for Standardization has published ISO 26324:2012, Information and Documentation—Digital Object Identifier System.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

A DOI name is an identifier of an entity—physical, digital or abstract—on digital networks. It provides information about that object, including where the object, or information about it, can be found on the Internet. . . .

ISO 26324:2012 gives the syntax, description and resolution functional components of the digital object identifier system. It also gives the general principles for the creation, registration and administration of DOI names.

The DOI system was initiated by the International DOI Foundation (a not-for profit member-based organization initiated by several publishing organizations) in 1998.

| Digital Scholarship's Digital/Print Books | Digital Scholarship |

Digital Initiatives and Technical Services Librarian at University of California, Riverside Libraries

The University of California, Riverside Libraries are recruiting a Digital Initiatives and Technical Services Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Reporting to the Director and Department Head of the WRCA the successful candidate will be responsible for expanding and managing the existing digital content of the collection (eScholarship, Web Archiving Service, Encoded Archival Description, e.g.); managing the technical services functions of the collection, including engaging directly in the cataloging of materials that require original cataloging, and working collaboratively with the UCR Metadata and Technical Services Department. . . . Currently a digital platform is being considered by the Libraries to enhance state-wide, national, and international access to these unique resources.

| Digital Scholarship |

DCEP Final Report; Centuries of Knowledge: Graduate School of Library and Information Science Data Curation Education Program

Melissa H. Cragin et al. have self-archived the DCEP Final Report; Centuries of Knowledge: Graduate School of Library and Information Science Data Curation Education Program in IDEALS.

Here's an excerpt:

The Centuries of Knowledge grant was designed to increase educational and research capacity in data curation at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We developed the Data Curation Education Program, a specialization within our Master of Science degree program, graduating 38 students to date. New courses developed for the specialization include Foundations of Data Curation, a survey course on the emerging field, and Digital Preservation. We developed the Summer Institute on Data Curation for practicing information professionals, facilitating the development of a community of practice across U.S. and Canadian academic and research organizations. Our outreach and service activities have led to a range of new partnerships that have resulted in student fieldwork opportunities, as well as new collaborative research and education activities resulting in 4 successful grant proposals.

| Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography 2010 | Digital Scholarship |

Lasting Impact: Sustainability of Disciplinary Repositories

OCLC Research has released Lasting Impact: Sustainability of Disciplinary Repositories.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

This report offers a quick environmental scan of the repository landscape and then focuses on disciplinary repositories—those subject-based, often researcher-initiated loci for research information.

Written by Senior Program Officer Ricky Erway, Lasting Impact: Sustainability of Disciplinary Repositories is intended to help librarians support researchers in accessing and disseminating research information. The report includes profiles of seven repositories with a focus on their varied business models. It concludes with a discussion of sustainability, including funding models, factors that contribute to a repository's success, and ways to bring in additional revenue.

| Institutional Repository and ETD Bibliography 2011 | Digital Scholarship |

Web Services Librarian at Stevens Institute of Technology Library

The Stevens Institute of Technology Library is recruiting a Web Services Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

  • Provide leadership and expertise in the management of the library website
  • Oversee the development and maintenance of the library website
  • Ensure that the website provides accurate information, easy navigation and effective user support
  • Ensure compliance with web/ADA standards, institute branding and security policies
  • Support library digital projects
  • Manage the mobile applications suite within the library environment

| Digital Scholarship |

Open Access Bibliography Tops 500,000 File Requests

As of 4/30/12, the Open Access Bibliography: Liberating Scholarly Literature with E-Prints and Open Access Journals by Charles W. Bailey, Jr. has had over 500,000 file requests. Of those file requests, over 439,000 have been page views (either XHTML files for bibliography sections or PDF files for the entire bibliography).

In 2005, the bibliography was published by the Association of Research Libraries in print form, and ARL released an open access PDF file as well. The author then added a web site for the bibliography.

All versions of the bibliography are under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License.

In 2010, the author released a second version of the bibliography, Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography, as a PDF file, a paperback, and a web site under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License. While the first version of the bibliography had a very wide range of included material, the second version, reflecting the rapid maturation of the field, primarily included books and published journal articles.

Since digital publication in 9/9/10, the second version has had over 153,000 file requests. Of those file requests, over 132,000 have been page views.

| Research Data Curation Bibliography | Digital Scholarship |

Head of Information Systems at Folger Shakespeare Library

The Folger Shakespeare Library is recruiting a Head of Information Systems.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Responsible for maintaining the integrity and security of the Folger network and infrastructure, including phone and voice mail systems. Responsible for data security and retention. Responsible for computer operations, including infrastructure, systems, hardware, operational and office operations software, security, backup and protection of data. Maintains integrity of computer infrastructure, including wiring and connections, shared software and files, and configuration design. Performs network troubleshooting and upgrades. Maintains internet and VPN connections. . . . Monitors technology needs of the institution and prepares budget projections to support expansion of these systems. Supports Head of Collection Information Services in administering servers for Library's ILS and digital preservation systems. Supports division specific software and systems and provides technical support to institution's web sites.

| Digital Scholarship |

Georgia State University E-Reserves Copyright Case Ruling (Cambridge University Press et al. v. Patton et al.)

The ruling is in for the Cambridge University Press et al. v. Patton et al. case.

Here's an excerpt from the ruling:

Of the 99 alleged infringements that Plaintiffs maintained at the start of trial, only 75 were submitted for post-trial findings of fact and conclusions of law. This Order concludes that the unlicensed use of five excerpts (of four different books) infringed Plaintiffs' copyrights. The question now is whether Georgia State's 2009 Copyright Policy caused those infringements. The Court finds that it did, in that the policy did not limit copying in those instances to decidedly small excerpts as required by this Order. Nor did it proscribe the use of multiple chapters from the same book. Also, the fair use policy did not provide sufficient guidance in determining the "actual or potential effect on the market or the value of the copyrighted work," a task which would likely be futile for prospective determinations (in advance of litigation). The only practical way to deal with factor four in advance likely is to assume that it strongly favors the plaintiff-publisher (if licensed digital excerpts are available).

Read more about it at "The GSU Decision—Not an Easy Road for Anyone" and “Inside the Georgia State Opinion.”

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010: "SEP [Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography] is compiled with utter professionalism. It reminds me of the work of the best artisans who know not only every item that leaves their workshops, but each component used to create them—providing the ideal quality control." — Péter Jacsó ONLINE 27, no. 3 (2003): 73-76. | Digital Scholarship |

Metadata Librarian at Towson University Library

The Towson University Library is recruiting a Metadata Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Responsible for metadata creation, analysis, enrichment, and maintenance according to local and national cataloging and metadata standards. Plays a leading role in developing and implementing metadata strategies associated with ongoing digitization efforts. Participates in the evaluation of metadata and e-resource management for resource discovery and access. Develops metadata schema for the library website. Provides metadata instruction and documentation for staff, student workers and faculty.

| Digital Scholarship |