July 2023 – Page 2 – DigitalKoans

"Open Access Initiatives in European Countries: Analysis of Trends and Policies"

Of the total journals (n = 25,231) published worldwide and indexed in Scopus, 53% are published in European countries, with 23.7% being OA journals. In total, 34% of the OA repositories (n = 5,714) are in European countries. The proportion of OA journal papers has grown significantly in all European countries, with a 14.3% annual growth rate. The average proportion of OA publications in European countries is significantly higher (39.07%) than the world average (30.16%), with a clear inclination for making research literature openly accessible via the green OA route (79.41%) compared to the gold OA route (52.30%).

https://doi.org/10.1108/DLP-06-2022-0051

| Research Data Publication and Citation Bibliography | Research Data Sharing and Reuse Bibliography | Research Data Curation and Management Bibliography | Digital Scholarship |

Licensing Librarian at Center for Research Libraries

The Licensing Librarian will serve as a licensing expert to the CRL/NERL Licensing Team and as such will review and negotiate licensing agreements for electronic resources and services, ensuring that they align with CRL policies and practices along with NERL core values of transparency, sustainability, equity, reproducibility, and flexibility. This position will also be responsible for creating and maintaining license records. Center for Research Libraries (CRL) Based in Chicago, IL, the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) is an international consortium of university, college, and independent research libraries collectively building, stewarding, and sharing a wealth of resource materials from all world regions to support inspired research and teaching.

https://tinyurl.com/5vnpvt3e

"Comparing Different Search Methods for the Open Access Journal Recommendation Tool B!Son"

Finding a suitable open access journal to publish academic work is a complex task: Researchers have to navigate a constantly growing number of journals, institutional agreements with publishers, funders’ conditions and the risk of predatory publishers. To help with these challenges, we introduce a web-based journal recommendation system called B!SON. A systematic requirements analysis was conducted in the form of a survey. The developed tool suggests open access journals based on title, abstract and references provided by the user. The recommendations are built on open data, publisher-independent and work across domains and languages. Transparency is provided by its open source nature, an open application programming interface (API) and by specifying which matches the shown recommendations are based on. The recommendation quality has been evaluated using two different evaluation techniques, including several new recommendation methods. We were able to improve the results from our previous paper with a pre-trained transformer model. The beta version of the tool received positive feedback from the community and in several test sessions. We developed a recommendation system for open access journals to help researchers find a suitable journal. The open tool has been extensively tested, and we found possible improvements for our current recommendation technique. Development by two German academic libraries ensures the longevity and sustainability of the system.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00799-023-00372-3

| Research Data Publication and Citation Bibliography | Research Data Sharing and Reuse Bibliography | Research Data Curation and Management Bibliography | Digital Scholarship |

Digital Humanities Librarian at University of Kansas

The Digital Humanities Librarian collaborates with faculty, staff, and students on the use of digital humanities (DH) scholarship, tools, and methods. Duties will include project consulting and development, working with course instructors to incorporate DH into the classroom, and providing training for faculty, staff, and students in digital humanities tools and methods. The position requires a broad familiarity with the digital humanities, including the capacity of the field to amplify stories by and about underrepresented groups. Working closely with colleagues as a part of the Institute for Digital Research in the Humanities (IDRH) and KU Libraries, the successful applicant will contribute to a collaborative approach to digital scholarship that raises the visibility of digital humanities on campus and enhances KU’s reputation in the DH community.

https://tinyurl.com/29bjf9vn

"Policy Recommendations to Ensure That Research Software Is Openly Accessible and Reusable"

There is now an opportunity to expand US federal policies in similar ways and align their research software sharing aspects across agencies.

To do this, we recommend:

As part of their updated policy plans submitted in response to the 2022 OSTP memo, US federal agencies should, at a minimum, articulate a pathway for developing guidance on research software sharing, and, at a maximum, incorporate research software sharing requirements as a necessary extension of any data sharing policy and a critical strategy to make data truly FAIR (as these principles have been adapted to apply to research software [12]).

As part of sharing requirements, federal agencies should specify that research software should be deposited in trusted, public repositories that maximize discovery, collaborative development, version control, long-term preservation, and other key elements of the National Science and Technology Council’s "Desirable Characteristics of Data Repositories for Federally Funded Research" [13], as adapted to fit the unique considerations of research software.

US federal agencies should encourage grantees to use non-proprietary software and file formats, whenever possible, to collect and store data. We realize that for some research areas and specialized techniques, viable non-proprietary software may not exist for data collection. However, in many cases, files can be exported and shared using non-proprietary formats or scripts can be provided to allow others to open files.

Consistent with the US Administration’s approach to cybersecurity [<14], federal agencies should provide clear guidance on measures grantees are expected to undertake to ensure the security and integrity of research software. This guidance should encompass the design, development, dissemination, and documentation of research software. Examples include the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s secure software development framework and Linux Foundation’s open source security foundation.

As part of the allowable costs that grantees can request to help them meet research sharing requirements, US federal agencies should include reasonable costs associated with developing and maintaining research software needed to maximize data accessibility and reusability for as long as it is practical. Federal agencies should ensure that such costs are additive to proposal budgets, rather than consuming funds that would otherwise go to the research itself.

US federal agencies should encourage grantees to apply licenses to their research software that facilitate replication, reuse, and extensibility, while balancing individual and institutional intellectual property considerations. Agencies can point grantees to guidance on desirable criteria for distribution terms and approved licenses from the Open Source Initiative.

In parallel with the actions listed above that can be immediately incorporated into new public access plans, US federal agencies should also explore long-term strategies to elevate research software to co-equal research outputs and further incentivize its maintenance and sharing to improve research reproducibility, replicability, and integrity.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002204

| Research Data Publication and Citation Bibliography | Research Data Sharing and Reuse Bibliography | Research Data Curation and Management Bibliography | Digital Scholarship |

GIS and Data Analyst at Washington University in St. Louis

The GIS and Data Analyst is a key member of the libraries Data Services team who, in coordination with colleagues, provides research support, educational outreach, and project management related to data with a focus on GIS. Duties include research consultation, development and management of workshops and training programs, direct outreach to faculty and students to assess and support data service and GIS needs, coordination with the university’s larger GIS program, and the development of other workflows that support the use of GIS technologies on campus, and selected project work.

https://tinyurl.com/9ujuawjc

"Trends in Research Data Management and Academic Health Sciences Libraries"

Spurred by the National Institute of Health mandating a data management and sharing plan as a requirement of grant funding, research data management has exploded in importance for librarians supporting researchers and research institutions. This editorial examines the role and direction of libraries in this process from several viewpoints. Key markers of success include collaboration, establishing new relationships, leveraging existing relationships, accessing multiple avenues of communication, and building niche expertise and cachè as a valued and trustworthy partner. [Article includes case studies.]

https://doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2023.2218776

| Research Data Publication and Citation Bibliography | Research Data Sharing and Reuse Bibliography | Research Data Curation and Management Bibliography | Digital Scholarship |

Data Services Librarian at Carleton University

Reporting to the Department Head, Research Support Services, the Data Services Librarian participates as a team member within one of the Research Support Services Subject Teams and is also a member of the Data Services Group. The incumbent participates in the design and delivery of library data services to support teaching, learning and research activities at Carleton University. The incumbent is responsible for providing general reference and instruction for data, which includes collection development and reference specialization. Working closely with the Data Services Group, as well as with colleagues within the Department and across the Library, the incumbent develops, manages, and delivers library services related to data as well as research data management.

https://tinyurl.com/2bt9nxsh

"Building a Framework for Open Research Skills at the University of York"

This case study describes the development of an open research skills framework at the University of York. The framework responds to a need for more comprehensive training, clarity and understanding around open research practices across disciplines at York, in line with the University’s commitment to the long-term development of an open research culture. The framework was developed by Library, Archives and Learning Services (LALS) in partnership with practitioners from different disciplines across the University’s research community. We summarize the background of open research activities at York since 2020, describe how the project was initiated and progressed during the summer of 2022, then provide an overview of the framework itself including areas for future development and consideration. We conclude with some early indicators of usage and reflections on the project, and we hope that this case study will prove useful for research support staff who may be considering developing a similar framework for their own institution.

https://doi.org/10.1629/uksg.618

| Research Data Publication and Citation Bibliography | Research Data Sharing and Reuse Bibliography | Research Data Curation and Management Bibliography | Digital Scholarship |

Executive Director, Academic Preservation Trust at University of Virginia

The University of Virginia Library and the Academic Preservation Trust (APTrust) seeks applicants for an Executive Director. The APTrust is a robust consortium of higher education institutions and similar entities committed to the creation and management of a sustainable environment for digital preservation of scholarly and cultural resources. What makes the consortium resilient is our collaborative culture, transparency, and ongoing collective consideration of the challenges that digital stewardship presents. We develop, adopt and promote collaborative solutions and best practices in digital preservation.

https://tinyurl.com/mr2frrvh

SPARC: "Oppose Section 552 That Will Block Taxpayer Access to Research"

The U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) has released an appropriations bill containing language that would block implementation of the 2022 updated OSTP policy guidance (the Nelson Memo) that would ensure immediate, free access to taxpayer-funded research. If enacted, this will prevent American taxpayers from seeing the benefits of the more than $90 billion in scientific research that the U.S. government funds each year. . . .

Write to Congress

Look up contact details for your Representatives and Senators, then customize the text in this template letter.

Call Congress

Look up contact details for your Representatives and Senators, then call the office and tell them to remove Section 552 of the House CJS bill.

https://tinyurl.com/3mbbmwxw

| Research Data Publication and Citation Bibliography | Research Data Sharing and Reuse Bibliography | Research Data Curation and Management Bibliography | Digital Scholarship |

Discovery Services Librarian at Utah State University

Utah State University (USU) Libraries seeks a collaborative, innovative, and service-minded Librarian to manage the record ingestion and metadata transformation routines for the Libraries’ electronic and print resources. The Discovery Services Librarian will oversee the discovery and access of electronic resources and streaming media, as well as advise and assist on the bulk metadata transformation routines for print resources. The successful applicant will work in a dynamic, collaborative environment with support for professional growth and development.

https://tinyurl.com/7emw7evv

"Mastodon over Mammon: Towards Publicly Owned Scholarly Knowledge"

Twitter is in turmoil and the scholarly community on the platform is once again starting to migrate. As with the early internet, scholarly organizations are at the forefront of developing and implementing a decentralized alternative to Twitter, Mastodon. Both historically and conceptually, this is not a new situation for the scholarly community. Historically, scholars were forced to leave social media platform FriendFeed after it was bought by Facebook in 2006. Conceptually, the problems associated with public scholarly discourse subjected to the whims of corporate owners are not unlike those of scholarly journals owned by monopolistic corporations: in both cases the perils associated with a public good in private hands are palpable. For both short form (Twitter/Mastodon) and longer form (journals) scholarly discourse, decentralized solutions exist, some of which are already enjoying some institutional support. Here we argue that scholarly organizations, in particular learned societies, are now facing a golden opportunity to rethink their hesitations towards such alternatives and support the migration of the scholarly community from Twitter to Mastodon by hosting Mastodon instances. Demonstrating that the scholarly community is capable of creating a truly public square for scholarly discourse, impervious to private takeover, might renew confidence and inspire the community to focus on analogous solutions for the remaining scholarly record—encompassing text, data and code—to safeguard all publicly owned scholarly knowledge.

https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230207

Data and Information Literacy Librarian at Xavier University

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Public Services, the successful candidate for this full-time position (37.5 hours/week) will develop and launch a data literacy program supporting student needs for finding, managing, interpreting and incorporating data into their research. Services will include data discovery, curation (publication, visualization, storage, etc.), and data management (citation management, ethical use, etc.) to assist student research, scholarship, and data literacy.

https://jobs.silkroad.com/Xavier/apply/jobs/3049

"NISO Approves Working Group to Develop Recommended Practice for Operationalizing Open Access Business Processes"

The volume of OA content has proliferated in recent years, but the systems and workflows currently used by publishers and librarians were designed for traditional, pay-to-read models. Business processes are currently inadequate to address the requirements of—for example—transformative agreements, which require complex financial management and the tracking of authors and publishing outputs across large institutions. Libraries face challenges in managing micropayments and assessing the financial impact of such agreements, and authors often have difficulty determining whether their manuscript is eligible for OA publication under agreement terms. These complexities also impact publisher editorial and financial systems. As a result, organizations often adopt manual processes for managing these agreements, giving rise to inefficiencies across the ecosystem.

NISO’s Working Group will address the problem by identifying gaps in the infrastructure for OA publications and agreements, developing terminology to describe the surrounding processes, and outlining best practices for exchanging data and analytics and metrics. The work will focus first on the metadata required for exchange prior to publication as well as for article-level financial transactions, and then address reporting following publication. As the new Recommended Practice will be of interest to publishers, libraries, authors, funders, and OA advocates and community initiatives, the group is seeking volunteers representing a range of stakeholder groups from across the scholarly communications industry.

https://tinyurl.com/ywb7cu3e

Associate Director or Senior Associate Director, Digital Humanities Center at Barnard College

Reporting to the Faculty Director of the Digital Humanities Center (DHC), this position provides leadership and coordination in the strategic planning and implementation of policies, systems, programs, and services to support the DHC’s mission. The Associate Director’s responsibilities include designing, implementing, and assessing Center services and programming that enable transformative digital humanities pedagogy and research at Barnard. The AD collaborates with faculty on implementing DH methods into specific courses, develops and leads workshops for digital humanities methods and tools, and partners with other Centers and BLAIS staff on shared programs such as the Thinking Digitally Summer Institute. The AD supports a portfolio of digital humanities research projects and works with BLAIS colleagues to provide infrastructure, maintenance, and preservation of digital humanities scholarship. The AD oversees all DHC operations including the budget, digital infrastructure, workflows, programming, and staff (currently 1 Post-Baccalaureate Fellow, and graduate and undergraduate student workers.)

https://tinyurl.com/2s3htyfh

"How Are Exclusively Data Journals Indexed in Major Scholarly Databases? An Examination of the Web of Science, Scopus, Dimensions, and OpenAlex"

As part of the data-driven paradigm and open science movement, the data paper is becoming a popular way for researchers to publish their research data, based on academic norms that cross knowledge domains. Data journals have also been created to host this new academic genre. The growing number of data papers and journals has made them an important large-scale data source for understanding how research data is published and reused in our research system. One barrier to this research agenda is a lack of knowledge as to how data journals and their publications are indexed in the scholarly databases used for quantitative analysis. To address this gap, this study examines how a list of 18 exclusively data journals (i.e., journals that primarily accept data papers) are indexed in four popular scholarly databases: the Web of Science, Scopus, Dimensions, and OpenAlex. We investigate how comprehensively these databases cover the selected data journals and, in particular, how they present the document type information of data papers. We find that the coverage of data papers, as well as their document type information, is highly inconsistent across databases, which creates major challenges for future efforts to study them quantitatively. As a result, we argue that efforts should be made by data journals and databases to improve the quality of metadata for this emerging genre.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.09704

Applications Administrator-Library at The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries

The Application Administrator would be responsible for implementing, managing, and integrating applications on the Libraries’ servers. They would also be responsible for collecting and preserving the data generated by Libraries’ applications.

https://uta.peopleadmin.com/postings/23945

Webinar Recording: "ACRL LDG A Mutualistic View of AI in the Library or a Continuation of Craft by Thomas Padilla"

During this session, Thomas Padilla [Deputy Director, Archiving and Data Services at the Internet Archive] will present a critical and generative position aimed at empowering GLAM professionals on their journey to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with AI. The discussion will cover the individual, organizational, and community impacts of AI in the library landscape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh5PTyBT6AA

Senior Library Systems Administrator at University of Toronto Libraries

Reporting to the Metadata Technologies Manager, the Senior Library Systems Administrator will play a lead role in technical support and problem resolution for the Library Services Platform (LSP), Discovery Services and other related library applications. As a member of the LSP Management Team, the Senior Library Systems Administrator will perform system configurations across all functional areas; create, monitor and provide support for system integrations and import/export processes; run automated jobs to support library functions and workflows; and support peripheral applications related to the LSP.

https://tinyurl.com/4hwb6new

"Spotlight on: Schol-AR "

Schol-AR transforms standard scientific PDF articles into fully digital entities, enabling the inclusion of interactive digital media and scientific data directly into manuscripts. Schol-AR is designed specifically to provide full digital integration in a manner that benefits the publishers, authors, and readers of the research community. An introductory video can be seen at https://www.Schol-AR.io/demo/

https://tinyurl.com/4yvmc29m

Copyright/Fair Use Librarian at Texas A&M University

The Copyright/Fair Use Librarian will coordinate the development and implementation of copyright education programs and best practices for faculty, staff, and students. The selected candidate will provide expertise to users on author rights, copyright laws, fair use, and open access resources. This Librarian will also coordinate change management and informational sessions for faculty, researchers, and students on open access, open educational, and scholarly communication issues on digital platforms. Additional responsibilities may include collaborating with Research Librarians on promoting and supporting the Texas A&M Digital Repository and publishing platforms supported by the University Libraries.

https://tinyurl.com/4c8kav63

Ithaka S+R Draft for Comment: The Second Digital Transformation of Scholarly Publishing: Strategic Context and Shared Infrastructure

The issue that we identified as the biggest gap today is the perceived need for a secure digital identity for legitimate scholars, to help editors triage submissions into more and less trusted categories. We see opportunities for researcher identifiers to be used as the hub for much greater information about digital identity, in part by allowing publishers and other parties to submit markers of identity into identifier records. As examples, publishers that have processed APC transactions using credit cards have substantial signs of verified identity, as do universities that have securely linked an email address.

The boundaries of the scholarly record represent another aspect of research integrity that requires new forms of infrastructure. Of course the record has never had absolute boundaries. But in a subscription landscape, libraries played an important role in establishing the metes and bounds of the scholarly record (and what would be preserved over time) based on their selection decision-making. In a gold or diamond open access environment, libraries may have a reduced role and so other forms of boundary-setting may be required. Journal rankings may increasingly serve to set the boundaries of the scholarly record, although whether that is the right form of shared infrastructure, or whether it has the right governance and business model to allow it to serve this role without fear or favor, is not yet settled.

https://tinyurl.com/mr2ce748

Web Support Specialist at CW MARS

CW MARS has an opening for a web support specialist to provide content management, website design, training, and technical support to our member libraries in the areas of searching and navigating our public online catalog. This position will help lead our migration to a new public catalog front-end (Aspen Discovery layer) and also provide web administration support for CW MARS public and internal/member library websites.

https://tinyurl.com/2p8wzs75

"Instagram Not Liable For Copyright Infringement over Embedded Images"

Two photographers who filed a copyright lawsuit against Instagram after their images posted to the platform appeared on BuzzFeed News and Time via embedding, have lost their case. In an opinion handed down Monday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit referenced its 2007 ‘server test’ precedent, noting that Instagram could not be liable for secondary copyright infringement because when content is embedded, no copy is made of the underlying content.

https://tinyurl.com/4e6npure