Month: February 2013

Appraising our Digital Investment: Sustainability of Digitized Special Collections in ARL Libraries

ARL and Ithaka S+R have released Appraising our Digital Investment: Sustainability of Digitized Special Collections in ARL Libraries .

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The research reveals that understanding the continuing costs for sustaining digital collections is a challenge across libraries. Responsibility is frequently dispersed among departments, and staff time and other costs are rarely allocated expressly to these activities or accounted for project-by-project. Almost universally, libraries are funding this activity out of their base budgets, suggesting that they will continue to need to shift funds from other things in order to support this as a priority.

While libraries are supporting these collections within their operations, the study's findings also reflect concern over sustainability, with librarians citing lack of funding and staff capacity as major challenges to sufficient investment in their digital collections. . . .

The three-part survey, designed with input from the ARL community, was sent to all ARL member libraries in the US and Canada and completed by 89 library directors, a response rate of 70%. In addition to the institutional perspective provided by library directors, library staff responded to other sections to offer insight into activities and costs for all of their institution's digitized collections, and questions about individual projects.

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

The Preservation of Complex Objects: Volume 2, Software Art

Preservation of Complex Objects Symposia (POCOS) has released The Preservation of Complex Objects: Volume 2, Software Art.

Here's an excerpt from:

This volume considers the preservation of software art. At first inspection, preservation of software art may seem like an esoteric concern for ephemeral objects. But, as with all of POCOS, it challenges many of our expectations about collection management and preservation. There are complex technical challenges about the interdependencies of software, operating systems, hardware and users. It introduces the inter-subjectivity of meaning and the contexts of performance which defy simplistic approaches to documentation and representation. It crosses the boundaries of institutional genre and raises disconcerting questions about policy and competence. So there is a real sense that software art is a topic for the avant-garde of digital preservation: it pushes the boundaries not for its own sake but in order that all can progress,

| Digital Curation Resource Guide (XHTML website; over 200 resources) | Digital Scholarship |

"Linking Things on the Web: A Pragmatic Examination of Linked Data for Libraries, Archives and Museums"

Ed Summers has self-archived "Linking Things on the Web: A Pragmatic Examination of Linked Data for Libraries, Archives and Museums" in arXiv.org.

Here's an excerpt :

The Web publishing paradigm of Linked Data has been gaining traction in the cultural heritage sector: libraries, archives and museums. At first glance, the principles of Linked Data seem simple enough. However experienced Web developers, designers and architects who attempt to put these ideas into practice often find themselves having to digest and understand debates about Web architecture, the semantic web, artificial intelligence and the philosophical nature of identity. In this paper I will discuss some of the reasons why Linked Data is of interest to the cultural heritage community, what some of the pain points are for deploying it, and characterize some pragmatic ways for cultural heritage organizations to realize the goals of Linked Data with examples from the Web we have today.

| Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications | Digital Scholarship |

Library Technology Coordinator at University of North Alabama Library Services

The University of North Alabama Library Services is recruiting a Library Technology Coordinator.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

This position provides technology leadership in the following areas:

  1. Identification of emerging technologies that have the potential to provide new or improved library services;
  2. Integration of library discovery (currently EBSCO EDS);
  3. Oversight of current ILS and leadership in transition to webscale solution;
  4. Integration of other library technologies such as ILLiad, EBSCO A-Z and LinkSource, OpenURL, EZproxy, etc.;
  5. Comprehensive exploration of new technologies to streamline workflows and enhance library services, including but not limited to web programming, mobile applications, digital collections, etc.;

| Digital Scholarship |

New York University Launches Initiative in Data Science and Statistics

New York University has launched its Initiative in Data Science and Statistics.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

New York University officially announced the launch of its Initiative in Data Science and Statistics. The university-wide effort includes the creation of the Center for Data Science, the first such program in the United States.

Taught by faculty from across the university, the Center for Data Science two-year master's graduate degree program will begin accepting applications in February 2013, with classes commencing this fall. NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences will house the Center for Data Science, and Yann LeCun, CIMS Silver Professor of Computer Science, Neural Science, and Electrical and Computer Engineering, will serve as its inaugural Director.

| Research Data Curation Bibliography, Version 2 (XHTML website; over 200 entries) | Digital Scholarship |

Current News: DigitalCurationNews Twitter Updates for 2/20/2013

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Electronic Resources Librarian, Data Projects and Partnerships at North Carolina State University Libraries

The North Carolina State University Libraries are recruiting a Electronic Resources Librarian, Data Projects and Partnerships.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Electronic Resources Librarian, Data Projects and Partnerships:

  • Takes a lead role in describing and providing access to print, electronic, and manuscript resources, with a specialization in the Libraries' digital repository and user discovery systems.
  • Oversees data operations across the Libraries' systems. . . .
  • Consults on metadata schema and workflows with staff engaged in repository and digital collections projects across the Libraries

| Digital Scholarship |

The Thinkpiece "Libraries, eLending, and the Future of Public Access to Digital Content"

IFLA has released The Thinkpiece "Libraries, eLending, and the Future of Public Access to Digital Content".

Here's an excerpt:

In October 2012 IFLA therefore commissioned an independent consultant, Civic Agenda, to prepare a 'thinkpiece' to inform discussion at a meeting of experts from the library and publishing sector. This meeting took place over three days at IFLA Headquarters in The Hague in November 2012. The thinkpiece was the starting point for discussions on desirable characteristics for public access models for library digital content, library user expectations' regarding eBooks, and the relationship between libraries and publishers in the eBook age. During the meeting participants focused on the role of copyright, licensing and legislation in access to digital content like eBooks, as well as reviewing advocacy campaigns and the potential for IFLA as an advocate for library access to eBooks.

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 ( paperback and PDF file; over 3,800 entries) | Digital Scholarship |

Coordinator, Digital Library Services at Florida Virtual Campus

The Florida Virtual Campus is recruiting a Coordinator, Digital Library Services.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

This position will be part of the Digital Services workgroup, which helps the libraries of the public colleges and universities of Florida create, manage, maintain and preserve digital information resources. The incumbent will provide support for one or more of the following: digital special collections and archives, electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), archival finding aids (EADs), electronic journals, and/or other born-digital and retrospectively digitized materials. S/he will work with commercial, open source, and locally-developed content management applications such as DigiTool, Archon, the Open Journal System (OJS), OAI data and service providers, Fedora, Islandora and Drupal. The incumbent will develop and provide expertise to FLVC and library staff in one or more specialty areas as required; examples of these areas include resource description (cataloging and metadata), audio and video formats, archives and records management, and scholarly communications.

| Digital Scholarship |

Removable Media and the use of Digital Forensics

Miriely Guerrero has self-archived Removable Media and the use of Digital Forensics in Deep Blue.

Here's an excerpt:

Overview of preservation threats facing removable media, both magnetic (such as 3.5 and 5.25 floppy disks) and optical (CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc.). Includes a literature review of digital forensic techniques relevant to the ingest and accession of born-digital content on removable media.

| Digital Curation Bibliography: Preservation and Stewardship of Scholarly Works (EPUB file, PDF file, paperback, and XHTML website; over 650 entries) | Digital Scholarship |

Current News: DigitalCurationNews Twitter Updates for 2/19/2013

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Stanford Digital Repository Operations Manager at Stanford University Libraries

Stanford University Libraries are recruiting a Stanford Digital Repository Operations Manager.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Stanford Digital Repository (SDR) Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring operational excellence across the processes, policies and technologies necessary to ensure successful and trusted management and preservation of digital content over time. Stanford University Libraries' (SUL) SDR manages hundreds of terabytes of assets, and is extending services to include data stewardship of all formats of scholarly information, deposited and reused by an increasing array of depositors both within and beyond Stanford University. As the SDR services and content base expand dramatically, the SDR Operations Manager will play a pivotal role in codifying SDR operations as a trustworthy digital repository, operating at scale, that meets the needs of the University for a secure, sustainable store of authentic, digital information. . . .

This is a four-year, fixed-term position with possibility for extension.

| Digital Scholarship |

"A Case for the Public Domain"

Clark D. Asay has self-archived "A Case for the Public Domain" in SSRN.

Here's an excerpt:

Over the past several decades open license movements have proven highly successful in the software and content worlds. . . . This Article argues that this IP-based approach, while perhaps helpful in the beginning, is no longer necessary and in fact prevents the movements from reaching their full potential. The IP-based approach has this effect by causing significant transaction costs without offsetting benefits, resulting in a tragedy of the anti-commons. The IP-based approach also creates the risk of IP trolls in the future, especially in the copyright sphere. . . . The Article then examines the benefits of a public domain approach and argues that such an approach would reduce the wasteful transaction costs, limit the possibility of IP trolls, still satisfy the purposes of those that contribute materials under open licenses, and better align with the normative tenets of such movements. To conclude, the Article assesses the merits of a "Public Domain Act" that would help address obstacles that currently exist in dedicating materials to the public domain and posits some theoretical implications relating to innovation based on the experiences of the open license movements and the arguments of this Article.

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

Digital Projects Coordinator at Georgia State University Library

The Georgia State University Library is recruiting a Digital Projects Coordinator.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Georgia State University Library seeks a leader for the Library's digitization program. Responsibilities include managing personnel for digitization projects and, in coordination with other library personnel, seeking grant funding for digitization projects.

| Digital Scholarship |

The Demographics of Social Media Users—2012

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has released The Demographics of Social Media Users—2012.

Here's an excerpt:

A late 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project shows that young adults are more likely than others to use major social media. At the same time, other groups are interested in different sites and services.

Internet users under 50 are particularly likely to use a social networking site of any kind, and those 18-29 are the most likely of any demographic cohort to do so (83%). Women are more likely than men to be on these sites. Those living in urban settings are also significantly more likely than rural internet users to use social networking.

| Digital Scholarship Overview | Digital Scholarship |

Current News: DigitalKoans Twitter Updates for 2/17/2013

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Web Archiving Service Manager at Stanford University Libraries

Stanford University Libraries are recruiting a Web Archiving Service Manager.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Web Archiving Service Manager is responsible for driving the definition, rollout and ongoing support of Stanford University Libraries' (SUL) Web Archiving service. The Service Manager will work directly with Stanford librarians, faculty and researchers to run web harvesting tools in order to collect web content to be archived in the Stanford Digital Repository. The Service Manager will lead efforts to identify and assemble existing technologies, employ current methods, and then maintain and enhance the service over time, responding to the inevitable changes in the Web's technology and likely increasing demand for capturing sites in support of the University's needs for research, teaching, library collection building, as well as regulatory compliance.

| Digital Scholarship |

"SSRN and Law Journals—Rivals or Allies?"

Ian Ramsay has self-archived "SSRN and Law Journals—Rivals or Allies?" in SSRN.

Here's an excerpt:

The author identifies and evaluates the respective merits of publication in law journals and publication on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN)—the largest open access repository for legal scholarship. This evaluation leads to the conclusion that at this stage of the evolution of law journals and SSRN, there are advantages in authors publishing both in journals and on SSRN. However, publication on SSRN can have particular advantages for authors in smaller countries.

| Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications | Digital Scholarship |

Head of Library Systems and Technology at University of the Pacific Library

University of the Pacific Library is recruiting a Head of Library Systems and Technology.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Reporting to the Assistant Dean of the University Library, this position is responsible for the overall coordination of systems and technology applications services for the University of the Pacific University Library. This position blends a user-oriented approach with a commitment to exploration of new technologies to support a variety of service platforms and applications and to develop and expand the University Library's systems and technology applications program. As part of the Access & Discovery Services Division of the University Library, the Systems & Technology Applications Unit supports the University Library's network infrastructure, staff and public computer equipment and software, databases and applications, the University Library's discovery service (POUNCE), online catalog (PacifiCat), digital collections, and web environment as well as the Information Commons and the Multimedia Studio.

| Digital Scholarship |

De Gruyter Adopts Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND License for Open Access Content

De Gruyter has adopted the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND license for its open access content.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

Effective immediately De Gruyter and Versita will be publishing all Open Access content under the uniform application of Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND. This means that publications may be copied, disseminated, and otherwise made public by users under the following conditions:

  • The name of the author/copyright owner must be mentioned in the manner requested by the author/copyright owner.
  • The publication and its content may not be used in its Open Access format for commercial purposes.
  • The publication and its content may not be edited, modified, or otherwise changed. . . .

In 2012 De Gruyter and Versita published over 10,000 Open Access articles in some 300 journals. Since 2009 a large number of books and book chapters have also been published under the Open Access standard.

| A Look Back at 22 Years as an Open Access Publisher | Digital Scholarship |

Current News: DigitalKoans Twitter Updates for 2/14/13

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