Month: October 2012

Current News: Twitter Updates for 10/31/12

| Digital Scholarship |

California Digital Library Launches eScholarship PLUS

The California Digital Library has launched eScholarship PLUS.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

The California Digital Library is pleased to announce a new print-on-demand (POD) and ebook distribution/sales service for books and journals published in eScholarship, the University of California's open access (OA) publishing platform. This service will enable publishing units within UC to develop hybrid OA business models for their publications. Books and journals enrolled in this service will be freely accessible via eScholarship while simultaneously offered for sale in POD and ebook formats via self-branded ecommerce storefronts and through retail affiliates such as Amazon.com.

In order to support this new publishing model, eScholarship has contracted with Lulu to provide a POD/ebook publishing and ecommerce platform. Working with the Lulu-powered platform will offer many significant advantages to publishing units.

| Digital Scholarship Overview | Digital Scholarship |

Library Server Specialist at California State University, Northridge Library

The California State University, Northridge Library is recruiting a Library Server Specialist.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Under general supervision, the Library Server Specialist oversees the Linux servers run by the Oviatt Library; administers, programs, troubleshoots and maintains virtual servers provided by campus Information Technology; installs applications and patches; develops Bash, Perl, PHP and SQL scripts to automate tasks and monitor system performance; monitors servers for potential security issues/intrusion attacks; provides programming and other support to Library Systems staff; works with central Information Technology staff in managing the Library's virtual servers hosted by central IT; works on special projects, and performs other duties as assigned.

| Digital Scholarship |

Coordinator of Discovery Services Librarian/Lecturer at University of North Carolina Wilmington Library

The University of North Carolina Wilmington Library is recruiting a Coordinator of Discovery Services Librarian/Lecturer.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The person in this position works in the Information Technology and Systems Division and coordinates the planning, management, development, implementation and continuous assessment of Randall Library's web presence, ensuring that services provided meet users' information and research needs and expectations, enhance the user experience, and support the Library's strategic plan.

| Digital Scholarship |

Measuring the Impact of Digital Resources: The Balanced Value Impact Model

King's College London has released Measuring the Impact of Digital Resources: The Balanced Value Impact Model.

Here's an excerpt:

This document synthesizes information from the whole Impact Assessment sector and then proposes the Balanced Value Impact Model as a means to effectively carry out an Impact Assessment relating to the benefits of digitization and digital resources in general. It seeks to help the communities identified above to provide a compelling argument for future work. Thus, you will find in this document information on:

  • Where the value and impact can be found in digital resources,
  • Who are the beneficiaries gaining from the impact and value,
  • How to measure change and impact for digital resources,
  • What makes for good indicators of change in people’s lives,
  • How to do an Impact Assessment using the Balanced Value Impact Model, and
  • How to present a convincing evidence-based argument for digital resources?

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 | Digital Scholarship |

Digital and Web Services Librarian at Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology

The Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology Digital and Web Services Librarian is recruiting a Digital and Web Services Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Digital and Web Services librarian will have responsibility for the integrity, organization, and currency of the SIAST library web presence. The librarian will also provide training and guidance to website content editors across the library and create user-orientated documentation and reference guides to enable them to easily perform web-related functions; this includes ensuring that best practices for web content writing are followed. The librarian will: conduct training seminars and user group information sessions addressing website maintenance and policies, use of new technologies, etc.; provide support for library areas in organizing and presenting information. This librarian also coordinates digitization projects library-wide, works with other librarians in setting standards for the creation of content and metadata, and represents the library to other groups around SIAST.

| Digital Scholarship |

UNT Libraries: Open Access Fund Research Report

The University of North Texas Libraries have released the UNT Libraries: Open Access Fund Research Report.

Here's the abstract:

This report discusses Open Access (OA) funds created at universities in order to assist faculty authors with Article Processing Charges (APCs). Building on the research initiatives of the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), thirty North American universities' OA fund initiatives were reviewed on their sponsors, eligibility, reimbursement criteria, and stipulations related to the fund. In addition, fifteen OA journal funding models and twelve hybrid journal funding models were reviewed on their average APCs and their licensing policies. This report serves as a framework for building upon emerging best practices and outlining possible approaches and considerations for the University of North Texas.

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

Director—Library Technology Services at Middle Tennessee State University Library

The Middle Tennessee State University Library is recruiting a Director—Library Technology Services.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Contribute to the Walker Library strategic and operational plans through the development and implementation of effective technology systems that advance the capability for delivery of services and support of the productivity systems of the Walker Library. Direct the implementation and support of a wide variety of technology in the Library to include: hardware and software for public and staff computer use; server administration; support network architecture within the library; interfaces with the integrated library system (ILS) and other third-party enterprise systems. Consult with library professionals regarding placement of social media, web site support and the integration of web based library productivity software.

| Digital Scholarship |

Curating for Quality: Ensuring Data Quality to Enable New Science

The UNC School of Information & Library Science has released Curating for Quality: Ensuring Data Quality to Enable New Science.

Here's an excerpt:

The National Science Foundation sponsored a workshop on September 10 and 11, 2012, in Arlington, Virginia on "Curating for Quality: Ensuring Data Quality to Enable New Science." Individuals from government, academic and industry settings gathered to discuss issues, strategies and priorities for ensuring quality in collections of data. This workshop aimed to define data quality research issues and potential solutions. The workshop objectives were organized into four clusters: (1) data quality criteria and contexts, (2) human and institutional factors, (3) tools for effective and painless curation, and (4) metrics for data quality. . . .

The workshop identified several key challenges that include:

  • selection strategies—how to determine what is most valuable to preserve
  • how much and which context to include—how to insure that data is interpretable and usable in the future, what metadata to include
  • tools and techniques to support painless curation—creating and sharing tools and techniques that apply across disciplines
  • cost and accountability models—how to balance selection, context decisions with cost constraints.

| Digital Curation Bibliography: Preservation and Stewardship of Scholarly Works | Digital Scholarship |

"Suing HathiTrust"

C.E. Petit has published "Suing HathiTrust" in Scrivener's Error: Warped Weft.

Here's an excerpt:

This is an initial review only of the third segment of the Google BookScan lawsuits, generally known as the "HathiTrust suit" and formally known as Authors' Guild, Inc. v. HathiTrust, No. 11-6351 (S.D.N.Y.) (Baer, J.). The first two segments were the Authors' Guild's lawsuit against Google, and the publishers' lawsuit against Google (which were later consolidated… and at this writing may be severing). As a side note, the HathiTrust matter was referred to Judge Chin for further consolidation with the existing GBS suits, but was rejected as not sufficiently related… and inconsistent with Judge Chin's elevation to the Second Circuit, although the rejection did not emphasize that issue.

| A Look Back at 23 Years as an Open Access Publisher | Digital Scholarship |

Lead Programmer/Analyst at SUNY College at Cortland Library

The SUNY College at Cortland Library is recruiting a Lead Programmer/Analyst.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Applications Administrator will provide support and development of all Library IT services including the library management system (Aleph), Libguides, Library portal and website, EZProxy, Interlibrary loan software (Illiad) and OCLC.

| Digital Scholarship |

"Digitization of Cultural Heritage—Standards, Institutions, Initiatives"

Kalina Sotirova, Juliana Peneva, Stanislav Ivanov, Rositza Doneva, and Milena Dobreva have self-archived "Digitization of Cultural Heritage—Standards, Institutions, Initiatives" in the NBU Scholar Electronic Repository.

Here's an excerpt:

The first chapter "Digitization of Cultural Heritage—Standards, Institutions, Initiatives" provides an introduction to the area of digitisation. The main pillars of process of creating, preserving and accessing of cultural heritage in digital space are observed. The importance of metadata in the process of accessing to information is outlined. The metadata schemas and standards used in cultural heritage are discussed. In order to reach digital objects in virtual space they are organized in digital libraries. Contemporary digital libraries are trying to deliver richer and better functionality, which usually is user oriented and depending on current IT trend. Additionally, the chapter is focused on some initiatives on world and European level that during the years enforce the process of digitization and organizing digital objects in the cultural heritage domain. In recent years, the main focus in the creation of digital resources shifts from "system-centred" to "user-centred" since most of the issues around this content are related to making it accessible and usable for the real users. So, the user studies and involving the users on early stages of design and planning the functionality of the product which is being developed stands on leading position.

| Digital Curation Bibliography: Preservation and Stewardship of Scholarly Works | Digital Scholarship |

"Evaluating Large Image Support for DSpace"

Marius Nel, Kyle Williams and Hussein Suleman have self-archived "Evaluating Large Image Support for DSpace" in the UCT CS Research Document Archive.

Here's an excerpt:

Access to large images in digital libraries is desirable from a preservation perspective and may even be a requirement in some domains, such as cartography. However, providing access to large images often poses a problem as a result of the size of the images as well as the limited screen real-estate for displaying the images. Even when these issues are addressed, there is a lack of evidence about how well large image related tasks can be performed in a digital library. In investigating this, a survey was conducted in order to identify well-performing large image support tools and the best of these tools was integrated into DSpace. A user study was conducted in order to evaluate how well large images could be supported in a digital library and it was found that users were able to successfully and easily perform tasks related to large images.

| Institutional Repository and ETD Bibliography 2011 | Digital Scholarship |

Systems Programmer/Analyst at University of Michigan Library

The University of Michigan Library is recruiting a Systems Programmer/Analyst.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

NOTE: This position is a TWO-YEAR, TERM-LIMITED appointment.

Analyze business and user needs and design solutions involving computer systems and software.

Install, configure, test, debug, modify, and maintain systems and software, including Linux-based servers, storage systems, operating system utilities, system-level software, scripts, and custom software applications.

Design, develop, test, debug, modify, and maintain complex software systems.

| Digital Scholarship |

Librarians at McGill University Library Adopt Open Access Policy

Librarians at the McGill University Library have adopted an open access policy.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

McGill librarians are granting the McGill University Library a nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license to exercise any and all rights under copyright relating to their scholarly articles, in any medium, and to authorize others to do the same, provided that the works are properly attributed to the authors and not sold for a profit.

Specifically, each librarian grants a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported license for each of his or her scholarly articles.

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

Data Management Consultant at Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries

Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries are recruiting a Data Management Consultant.

Here's the ad (requisition #: 54815):

Johns Hopkins University Data Management Services (JHUDMS) is seeking a highly motivated, customer oriented, data management professional to join our team. The JHUDMS is a unit within the Sheridan Libraries dedicated to providing research data management services in support of researchers across Johns Hopkins. Service provision includes providing consultative support on data management planning preparation, training and outreach to support better data management planning across the institution, and working with researchers to archive their data in the JHU Data Archive (http://dmp.data.jhu.edu.) The JHU Data Archive uses software being developed by the Data Conservancy specifically designed with data archiving, preservation, and access in mind (http://dataconservancy.org/.) This position will join a two other data management consultants within the team to not only provide service but also to help shape and grow services as we continue to respond to the needs of our community. If you have any questions about the position or services please contact Barbara Pralle at bpralle@jhu.edu.

| Digital Scholarship |

Unix Systems Administrator at University of Chicago Library

The University of Chicago Library is recruiting a Unix Systems Administrator.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

40% – Performs tasks related to the administration of an integrated cluster of networked Unix/Linux server computers, including installation, configuration, maintenance and upgrading of system software, performing data backups and restores, account administration, security and performance monitoring, according to established procedures.

55% – Performs or participates in installation, configuration, testing and maintenance of vended systems on Linux server computers; troubleshoots software and hardware problems to maintain a high standard of reliability; reads and follows documented procedures.

5% – Participates in hardware and software specification, installation and maintenance. Creates and maintains documentation related to the performance of his/her duties.

| Digital Scholarship |

No Ripping: Copyright Office Issues "Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies"

The U.S. Copyright Office has issued the final rule for the "Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies."

Of particular interest is section "IV. Classes Considered But Not Recommended, D. Motion Pictures and Other Works on DVDs and Other Media—Space Shifting," which starts on page 58.

Here's an excerpt:

Proponent Public Knowledge stated a desire to move lawfully acquired motion pictures on DVDs to consumer electronic devices, such as tablet computers and laptop computers, that lack DVD drives. It asserted that consumers' inability to play lawfully acquired DVDs on the newest devices adversely affected noninfringing uses of the works contained on DVDs, and that a reasonable solution was for these consumers to copy the motion pictures into a format that could be viewed on the new devices. . . .

Public Knowledge cited RIAA v. Diamond Multimedia Systems Inc., 180 F.3d 1072 (1999), and Sony Corporation of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., 464 U.S. 417 (1984), in support of its contention that space shifting is a noncommercial personal use, and therefore a fair use. . . .

The Register recognized that there is significant consumer interest in the proposed exemption. Proponents, however, had the burden of demonstrating that the requested use was noninfringing. Neither of the two key cases relied upon by proponents, however, addresses or informs the space shifting activities at issue. . . .

The Register further observed that the law does not guarantee access to copyrighted material in a user's preferred format or technique. Indeed, copyright owners typically have the legal authority to decide whether and how to exploit new formats. The Register noted that while the law may someday evolve to accommodate some of proponents' proposed uses, more recent cases touching upon space shifting confirm that the fair use implications of various forms of space shifting are far from settled. . . .

In urging that space shifting is a fair use, Public Knowledge characterized the copying of motion pictures for use on personal devices as a "paradigmatic noncommercial personal use" that could facilitate a transformative use. It further asserted that integrating reproductions of motion pictures from DVDs into a consumer's media management software was analogous to the integration of thumbnail images into internet search engines found to be a transformative use in Perfect 10, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc., 487 F.3d 701 (9th Cir. 2007).

The Register did not agree with this analysis. In her view, the incorporation of reproductions of motion pictures from DVDs into a consumer's media management software is not equivalent to the provision of public search engine functionality. Rather, it is simply a means for an individual consumer to access content for the same entertainment purpose as the original work. Put another way, it does not "add[] something new, with a further purpose or different character, altering the first with new expression, meaning," or advance criticism, comment, or any other interest enumerated in the preamble of Section 107. The Register therefore concluded that the first fair use factor did not favor a finding of fair use. The Register additionally determined that where creative works were being copied in their entirety, factors two and three also weighed against fair use, and that there was an inadequate basis in the record to conclude that the developing market for the online distribution of motion pictures would not be harmed by the proposed uses.

Finally, the Register concluded that proponents had failed to demonstrate that the use of a reasonably priced peripheral, a different device, or an online subscription service to access and play desired content did not offer a reasonable alternative to circumvention. Accordingly, the Register was not persuaded that the inability to engage in the space shifting activities described by proponents is having a substantial adverse impact on consumers' ability to make noninfringing uses of copyrighted works.

Read more about it at "United States Copyright Office: Ripping Is Illegal."

| Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications | Digital Scholarship |

What Open Access Book Has Had over 11 Million File Requests?

What open access book has had over 11 million file requests? Answer: the Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography. As of the end of 2011, it had over 11.9 million file requests.

The Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography presents selected English-language articles, books, and other printed and electronic sources that are useful in understanding scholarly electronic publishing efforts on the Internet. The bibliography covers a wide range of topics, such as digital copyright, digital libraries, digital preservation, digital repositories, e-books, e-journals, license agreements, metadata, and open access.

Since initial publication, the digital versions of the Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography have been freely available. On July 13, 2004, the Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography was put under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License.

The Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography was published by the University of Houston Libraries from 10/25/1996 to 10/17/2006 (versions 1 to 64).

Digital Scholarship began publishing the Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography with version 65 of the bibliography (11/02/2006).

Over the years, the bibliography has been made available in a variety of formats: HTML, Microsoft Word, paperback, PDF, and XHTML. Currently, 80 HTML/XHTML versions and three paperback/PDF versions have been published (Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography: 2008 Annual Edition, Digital Scholarship 2009, and Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010).

The Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography is archived at Digital Scholarship and the Internet Archive. The University of Houston Libraries have an incomplete archive that contains versions 60, 61, and 62.

| Digital Scholarship Overview | Digital Scholarship |

The Current State of Open Access Repository Interoperability

The Confederation of Open Access Repositories has released The Current State of Open Access Repository Interoperability.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

The report provides an overview of the current interoperability landscape in terms of the types of services that are now possible because of recent research and development efforts from throughout the Open Access community. The report covers seven areas of focus for current interoperability initiatives, and it provides overviews of nineteen key interoperability initiatives.

The intended audience includes institutions and repository managers operating at different points in terms of infrastructure, resources, and institutional support. For institutions new to Open Access and repositories, the report aims to provide guidance for getting started and indicates which interoperability initiatives are necessary to implement in order to achieve specific services. For institutions and repository managers already involved in OA and repositories, the report may provide ideas for additional functionality to add to your repository or further services that are possible to provide to your community.

| Institutional Repository and ETD Bibliography 2011 | Digital Scholarship |

ARL Statistics 2010-2011

The Association of Research Libraries has released ARL Statistics 2010-2011.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

ARL libraries are a relatively small subset of libraries in North America, but they account for a large portion of academic library resources in terms of assets, budgets, and the number of users they serve. The total library expenditures of all 126 member libraries in 2010-2011 was slightly more than $4.6 billion; of that total, roughly $3.2 billion was spent by the 115 university libraries and more than $1.3 million by the 11 nonuniversity libraries.

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog | Digital Scholarship |

Information and Emerging Technologies, Instructor at Bowling Green State University Libraries

The Bowling Green State University Libraries are recruiting a Information and Emerging Technologies, Instructor.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Reporting to the Associate Dean, the Instructor of Library Information and Emerging Technologies manages and participates in the day-to-day operations of the Library Information & Technology Services (LITS) unit. The primary responsibilities of the LITS Instructor are to stay current in emerging technologies, to oversee integrated library systems and to work closely with all UL faculty and staff to advance digital initiatives by managing digital projects and systems. Preference will be given to candidates with experience developing innovative web applications and learning objects, creating digital library collections or managing institutional repositories. The LITS Instructor also works with all library departments in supporting the directions of the UL Strategic Plan related to information technology.

| Digital Scholarship |

Current News: Twitter Updates for 10/24/12

| Digital Scholarship |