March 2024 – DigitalKoans

ARLIS Electronic Resources & Repository Librarian at University of Alaska Anchorage

In this role, you will handle the following on a daily and ongoing basis: manage access to databases subscriptions, EBSCO Discovery Service, EBSCO Publication Finder, EZproxy authentication server, ILLiad document delivery, VuFind library search engine, ARLIS website, domain registration, system administration, content curation, and usage analytics. Managing the digital repository will involve developing and maintaining procedures for organizing and preserving repository content and data that adhere to current best practices.

https://tinyurl.com/3fhr6d55

"Harvard Law School Digitization Project Publishes Nearly 7 Million Court Cases Online"

The Caselaw Access Project, also known as CAP, aimed "to make all published U.S. court decisions freely available to the public online in a consistent format, digitized from the collection of the Harvard Law School Library," according to the project’s website. . . .

CAP launched in 2015 through a partnership with Ravel Law, a legal research and analytics startup company. Per the terms of the partnership, CAP received financial support in exchange for Ravel obtaining eight years of exclusivity with the caselaw documents, according to Harvard Law Today, a school-run publication.

https://tinyurl.com/mrxpy558

Video Archivist and Post Production Specialist at University of Southern California

We are currently seeking a Video Archivist and Post Production Specialist to join the USC Digital Repository within the USC Libraries. The Video Archivist and Post Production Specialist will be responsible for the digitization, preservation, and quality assurance of new and existing collections archived within the Digital Repository. The position would inspect, process, and restore/repair audio visual materials and operate the equipment and software required to handle the materials.

https://tinyurl.com/27a43b2v

"TDM & AI Rights Reserved? Fair Use & Evolving Publisher Copyright Statements"

Earlier this year, we noticed that some academic publishers have revised the copyright notices on their websites to state they reserve rights to text and data mining (TDM) and AI training (for example, see the website footers for Elsevier and Wiley). . . .SPARC asked Kyle K. Courtney, Director of Copyright and Information Policy for Harvard Library, to address key questions regarding these revised copyright statements and the continuing viability of fair use justifications for TDM.

https://tinyurl.com/4prkfbb3

Director of Digitization at Clemson University

Clemson University Libraries invites candidates for a Director of Digitization and Digital Projects to join its Collections & Discovery Division. Clemson University’s Digitization Services department actively collaborates with Clemson’s Special Collections and Archives, colleagues across campus, and external partners, including the South Carolina Digital Library, the National Park Service, and local cultural heritage institutions. This position will provide strategic direction for the work of Clemson University’s Digitization Services department and will develop best practices and provide oversight for the digitization, discovery, and preservation of digitized archival, cultural heritage, and research materials. This individual will directly supervise the Digital Lab Manager, as well as other Digitization Services staff members as needed.

https://apply.interfolio.com/143486

Ithaka S+R Report: Censorship and Academic Freedom in the Public University Library

[W]e spoke to 10 library leaders from five states with restrictive policies, comparing their experiences to five library leaders in five states without such policies.[2] Based on these interviews, conducted in September and October 2023, we find that:

Academic library collections are not being directly censored by policy or subject to large-scale, systematic content challenges.

Decisions around collection building are, however, being influenced by state and university policy and politics.

University academic freedom policies continue to serve as a defense against content challenges.

University and library leadership require an extensive amount of political savvy, balancing commitments to different groups with sometimes differing values or perspectives.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, programs, and units in universities and their libraries are being eliminated, renamed and/or reorganized in a number of states. Even among interviewees who suggest that the underlying services and their impacts will be unhindered, a critical issue is that many of their employees are scared, which is impacting the workplace.

Library directors in certain states feel it has become more difficult to recruit and retain top talent, especially when prospective employees or their family members are LGBTQ+.

Library directors are seeking opportunities to speak to others at peer institutions about these issues without drawing public attention. They do not want organizations to speak for them or advocate on their behalf, out of fear that it will draw negative attention to their libraries.

https://tinyurl.com/9e48w9a7

Electronic and Media Resources Librarian at Northeast College of Health Sciences

Reporting to the Library Director, the Electronic and Media Resources Librarian (EMRL) is responsible for the day-to-day management of the library’s electronic resources: databases, e-books, e-journals, access and discovery tools, LibGuides, and EZproxy configuration. The EMRL takes part in the acquisition, development, and supervision of the media collections in physical and digital formats, to include use of media materials and collections by students, faculty and staff with special emphasis on curricular uses of media; and anticipates technology/ format migrations and upgrades and identifies older materials for conversion and preservation.

https://tinyurl.com/2ruz2umj

"Use ‘Jan’ to Chat with AI without the Privacy Concerns"

Jan is a free an open source application that makes it easy to download multiple large language models and start chatting with them. There are simple installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Now, this isn’t perfect. The models aren’t necessarily as good as the latest ones from OpenAI or Google, and depending on how powerful your computer is, the results might take a while to come in.

https://tinyurl.com/4m8p4b82

Licensing and Accessibility Librarian at University of North Texas

This position is responsible for collaboratively negotiating library contracts and ensuring those contracts meet all applicable state laws, adhere to UNT policy, and advance library needs. Alongside another librarian the LAL helps create and maintain documentation and uses the Sierra ILS and ERM to record metadata and contract information. The LAL evaluates the accessibility and online security of library resources and works collaboratively with ITSS and other university departments to ensure materials adhere to required standards.

https://jobs.untsystem.edu/postings/81245

"The Fair for Research Software Principles after Two Years: An Adoption Update"

It should be noted that while the many activities listed here support increasing FAIRness of research software, most of them do not address aspects of all four of the FAIRness of research software foundational principles. . . . This reflects that the FAIR4RS Principles are aspirational and high-level, and do not contain detailed guidance on how to achieve them. This is because specific technologies and tools are always changing, while the principles are intended to be long-lasting. Consequently, additional work is needed to make it simpler for people wanting to follow the FAIR4RS Principles to know how to practically do so. The following initiatives are assisting in achieving this, with some of these initiatives specifically addressing the range of opportunities for future work identified in 2022 by the FAIR4RS Working Group, which developed the FAIR4RS Principles.

https://www.researchsoft.org/blog/2024-03/

Library Publishing Specialist at Purdue University

Supporting the Libraries goal to broaden availability of open scholarship to advance equitable and financially sustainable access to scholarly resources, this position supports Open Access publication of original scholarship at Purdue University. As part of the Libraries Publishing Unit, this position manages and maintains continued publication series, provides guidance and training to editors, and serves as liaison between clients, vendors, and the Libraries Publishing Unit.

https://tinyurl.com/36hxcpbx

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Ends APC Support and Requires Preprints

For over a decade, our foundation has championed transparency, access, and equity in scholarly publishing by working with publishers and journals to develop more open and accessible research publishing practices. But our quest for a truly equitable and inclusive scholarly publishing ecosystem remains incomplete. Today, we’re announcing a refreshed policy for our grantees that we hope will help foundation-supported breakthroughs reach the field in the fastest and fairest way possible.

At its core, the policy will:

End the foundation’s payment of individual article publishing fees such as APCs—paving the way for more equitable publishing models

Require grantees to share preprints of their articles—breaking free from journal constraints while prioritizing access to research and preserving grantee publishing choices

https://tinyurl.com/mtba833c

2024 Fedora Technology Assessment Report

The Fedora Program Team, in collaboration with the Technology Working Group, designed a project to understand the specific Fedora-related priorities of using institutions, along with the capacity and available resources of both individuals and institutions to contribute to the Fedora community between 2024 and 2026. They collaborated with the Research and Innovation Division at Lyrasis to survey Fedora users. Responses were collected between November 2023 and January 31, 2024, and analyzed by Leigh A. Grinstead, Senior Digital Services Consultant from Lyrasis, an independent, nonprofit, research group.

https://tinyurl.com/2s4b4rec

Lead Librarian for Research Strategies at Cornell University

This position is based in the John M. Olin Library, currently reimagining services and facilities. As a central research hub for the College of Arts and Sciences, this is an important location at the heart of campus; the person in this position will strategize research services and directions for the humanities and social sciences and will contribute to research services across Cornell’s large and complex Library system.. . . If you’re interested in how AI and/or critical digital literacies interact with research, this would be a great opportunity to develop innovative services and hold a leadership role in public services at a major research institution.

https://tinyurl.com/eeb24e8y

"On the Fast Track to Full Gold Open Access"

The world of scientific publishing is changing; the days of an old type of subscription-based earnings for publishers seem over, and we are entering a new era. It seems as if an ever-increasing number of journals from disparate publishers are going Gold, Open Access that is, yet have we rigorously ascertained the issue in its entirety, or are we touting the strengths and forgetting about constructive criticism and careful weighing of evidence? We will therefore present the current state of the art, in a compact review/bibliometrics style, of this more relevant than ever hot topic and suggest solutions that are most likely to be acceptable to all parties–while the performed analysis also shows there seems to be a link between trends in scientific publishing and tumultuous world events, which in turn has a special significance for the publishing environment in the current world stage.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.08313

Content & Licensing Specialist at Ontario Colleges Library Service

OCLS is seeking a Content & Licensing Specialist to support our suite of Content & Licensing services, with a primary focus on eResources Management. Reporting to the Manager of Content & Licensing, the successful candidate will work with electronic resource vendors to support the acquisition, renewal, licensing, and administration of electronic resources on behalf of the colleges; assist with updating and maintaining the information sharing and collaborative tools that support those activities; and provide customer service directly to the staff of the Ontario college libraries.

https://tinyurl.com/yu5jxa4n

"Guest Post — Making Sense of Open Access Business Models "

As part of my work to help not-for-profit publishers with their open access (OA) transitions, I have developed a classification system for OA business models. Considering the different models as broad groups with shared attributes enables us to have more effective discussions about what types of model are the best fit for each publisher, taking into consideration the discipline in which they publish, the geographic diversity of their authors, existing institutional and funder relationships and mandates, and of course the types of content they publish. . . .In the rest of this blog post I’ll give you a short summary of each category and describe what I consider to be the archetypal business model within each of them.

https://tinyurl.com/6cdda452

Library Applications Analyst at University of Adelaide

Key elements to this role are assessing and advocating for improvements to library systems and related processes, thorough documentation of systems including key interfaces with university systems and seizing opportunities for library technologies to positively impact teaching, learning and research outcomes.

https://tinyurl.com/ekep4su2

"Human-Centered Explainable Artificial Intelligence: An Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (Arist) Paper"

Explainability is central to trust and accountability in artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The field of human-centered explainable AI (HCXAI) arose as a response to mainstream explainable AI (XAI) which was focused on algorithmic perspectives and technical challenges, and less on the needs and contexts of the non-expert, lay user. HCXAI is characterized by putting humans at the center of AI explainability. . . . This review identifies the foundational ideas of HCXAI, how those concepts are operationalized in system design, how legislation and regulations might normalize its objectives, and the challenges that HCXAI must address as it matures as a field.

https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24889

Systems Librarian at United States Naval Academy

We are seeking a Systems Librarian GS-1410-09/11 to join our dynamic team at the United States Naval Academy’s Nimitz Library located in Annapolis, MD. This job is predominantly onsite with limited telework opportunities. Must be able to report as needed on weekends and after hours.

https://tinyurl.com/mw97maue

"Exploring the Potential of Large Language Models and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GPT): Applications in Library and Information Science"

The presented study offers a systematic overview of the potential application of large language models (LLMs) and generative artificial intelligence tools, notably the GPT model and the ChatGPT interface, within the realm of library and information science (LIS). The paper supplements and extends the outcomes of a comprehensive information survey on the subject matter with the author’s own experiences and examples showcasing possible applications, demonstrated through illustrative instances. This study does not involve testing available LLMs or selecting the most suitable tool; instead, it targets information professionals, specialists, librarians, and scientists, aiming to inspire them in various ways.

https://doi.org/10.1177/09610006241241066

Digital Stewardship Librarian at Amherst College

As part of a collaborative, dynamic, and diverse team, the Digital Stewardship Librarian coordinates the planning and implementation of digital preservation strategies, digital records management, and research data support for the library and the college. Works with colleagues in IT and the library to develop and implement policies, procedures, and workflows for data management and preservation that are consistent with best practices in the profession. Works with colleagues in Archives & Special Collections and across the college to facilitate digital records transfer to the Archives. Consults with departments and faculty on best practices for managing research data.

https://tinyurl.com/2w7pfkva

"Introducing HathiTrust’s New Strategic Vision"

The new strategic directions acknowledge this by prioritizing work in the following ways:

Enabling broader, more expansive access to the collection, including lawful access to copyrighted materials.

Expanding and diversifying the subject matter and sources of the collection, while reaffirming our focus on books and serial content.

Taking an ambitious, proactive approach to the stewardship of metadata and content, with investments in existing and emerging technologies to enrich the metadata, content, and user experience.

Adopting a renewed focus on the development of flexible and resilient technical and organizational infrastructure.

https://tinyurl.com/bdnnrcw7

Digital Imaging Specialist at National Agricultural Library

In this position, you will work with staff on selection and coordination of materials for digitization, ensuring that all digitized information, including corresponding metadata, is processed according to the digitization master plan, is of appropriate quality, and is consistent with prescribed standards.

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/782891400

"Training in Open Access for Doctoral Students: Results of a Survey of Current and Recent Students and Supervisors"

The large majority of current and recent doctoral students and supervisors indicated there was no mandatory open access training at their institutions. More than half of respondents thought they had good or excellent understanding of open access, with those who had completed training more likely to highly rate their understanding. Only 27% of respondents felt the level of training offered was sufficient.

https://doi.org/10.47989/ir291679