Charles W. Bailey, Jr. – Page 13

"PLOS Receives $3.3M Grant to Support Open Access Publishing & Business Model Transformation"

PLOS has been awarded a $3.3million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, underscoring its commitment to pioneer a shift away from traditional publishing models. The 3-year funding package from the Gates Foundation will support PLOS’ transition towards APC-free publishing by enabling authors, funded by the foundation, to publish with PLOS without facing APC barriers, and to contribute to open access publishing options for authors who do not have access to funding. This 3-year grant offers support while PLOS is actively working on new publishing models grounded in open science starting with an ongoing research & design project.

The grant will also support improvements to enhance the capture and dissemination of funding metadata and to experiment with the posting of peer reviews alongside preprints during the evaluation process, promoting greater transparency in scholarly communication.

https://tinyurl.com/3a79595s

Data Services Librarian at Texas A&M University

In this role you will curate research data from Texas A&M University, ensuring compliance with university, funding agency, and government requirements. You will provide expert guidance on data curation, management, and preservation, collaborate with faculty and students on research projects, and develop innovative data services to enhance our academic community. This includes cataloging data, assisting with data management plans, applying funding agency and governmental requirements, coordinating with departments to meet data needs, enhancing data quality, and ensuring compliance with privacy and security requirements. Additionally, you will ensure data quality, integrity, and security, maintain standards and protocols for data management, and provide training and support on data planning and best practices.

https://tinyurl.com/mrx4ckzj

Digital Projects Archivist at Northeastern University

Reporting to the Director of the Humanities Center, Boston, and working closely with colleagues in the Digital Scholarship Group, the NULab, NU’s Archives and Special Collections, and the Centers for Digital Scholarship, the Digital Projects Archivist will work across the digital archives projects affiliated with the Humanities Center to develop shared resources and approaches, such as metadata standards and best practices, project documentation, ethics guidelines, community partnership workflows, digitization plans, preservation and sustainability plans, and lab structures. This position will work across and within these digital archives, implementing the shared strategies as possible and facilitating increased collaborations and shared approaches. Some of the Digital Projects Archivist’s work will also be allocated to grant-funded projects. The Digital Projects Archivist will also advise Northeastern faculty who are considering creating digital archives.

https://tinyurl.com/4edmtrc6

Paywall: "Preserving Digital Humanities Projects Using Principles of Digital Longevity"

This chapter reports on a large, global survey undertaken by the Endings Project and introduces the “Endings compliance” toolbox, guiding librarians and archivists in assisting DH scholars to frame their work for cost-effective preservation. The chapter argues that collaboration among technologists, scholars, librarians, and archivists throughout the project lifecycle is essential to address longevity challenges in DH work, particularly for preserving complex web applications. Clear indicators of project completion are necessary, along with contingency plans for potential disruptions. Libraries and archives can avoid the pitfalls of complex software stacks through such collaboration, and by adhering to known preservation principles.

https://tinyurl.com/rta7scyd

"Publishers are Selling Papers to Train AIs — and Making Millions of Dollars"

[Roger] Schonfeld [VP of Ithaka S+R] and his colleagues launched the Generative AI Licensing Agreement Tracker in October. It includes information about licensing deals — confirmed and forthcoming — between technology companies and six major academic publishers, including Wiley, Sage and Taylor & Francis. Schonfeld says that the list documents only public agreements, and that there are probably several others that remain undisclosed. . . .

Some scholars have been apprehensive about deals being made without their knowledge on content they produced. To address this issue, a few publishers have taken steps to involve authors in the process.

https://tinyurl.com/56zwe54p

Metadata Manager [ICPSR] LEO-GLAM at University of Michigan

The Senior Associate Librarian joins ICPSR’s Metadata and Preservation unit to manage and oversee the ICPSR metadata catalog. You will play a key role in shaping the digital library catalog’s metadata records, ensuring high standards of metadata quality, discoverability, interoperability, and re-use. Working with teams across ICPSR, you will develop cataloging and metadata policies, review and update metadata with an eye to quality, optimize metadata workflows, and support discoverability, interoperability, and access to ICPSR’s extensive data collections. You will work collaboratively with the Senior Associate Librarian managing standards enhancement; you will report directly to the Unit Director.

https://tinyurl.com/4vywzbee

India: "One Nation One Subscription: Boon and Bane?"

A single-window purchasing entity, INFLIBNET, has been tasked with negotiating with the top 30 publishers out of a pool of 70+ originally identified publishers. The balance 40+ are expected to be closed in due course. . .

In Phase1, approximately 6,300 institutions and 18 million students will gain access to all the resources of the 30 publishers, at no cost. . . .

There is a budgetary allocation of around US$ 750 million for three years.

https://tinyurl.com/376k2dsa

See also: “Can ONOS Transform Indian Research?“

Vice Provost and Director of the University of Texas Libraries at The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas Libraries, with nine campus locations, is one of the greatest libraries worldwide. A member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), UT Libraries’ collections are the 14th largest among ARL institutions, with more than 24 million total library materials, including physical volumes, electronic resources, and other items, and the UT Libraries have been ranked 14th in the ARL Library Investment Index. UT Libraries’ excellence reflects 140 years of dedication by librarians, staff, faculty, students, and donors to build a top academic research library by assembling distinctive and comprehensive collections, offering exceptional services, and creating dynamic spaces to support and inspire students and scholars.

The next Vice Provost and Director will join UT at a time when the University aspires to become the world’s highest-impact public research university. The University’s strategic plan aims to make UT the best place to learn, grow, and work; prioritize community impact through partnerships; and change the world through transformative learning, research, and experiences for students, faculty, and staff. UT Libraries is a critical contributor to and driver for the success of this plan. Working with colleagues across the University and within UT Libraries, the next VP and Director will extend the extraordinary record of the UT Libraries, championing and advancing the work of the organization and UT writ large.

https://tinyurl.com/4sft4v5x

"Cancelling the ‘Big Deal’ at a Public University: A Discussion of STEM Faculty Perceptions of Cancellation and Post-Cancellation Usage Data "

This article discusses how faculty, staff, and students at the University at Buffalo (UB), a public Carnegie R1 university, were impacted by the cancellation of the Elsevier ScienceDirect Big Deal package. After the cancellation, UB participated in a multi-site study which included interviewing faculty about the effect of the cancellation on their research and teaching. In general, the faculty were supportive of the cancellation. There was frustration expressed with the current structure of the publishing industry, particularly with the exorbitant pricing of journal subscriptions. Later analysis of usage data at UB post-cancellation was conducted; unsurprisingly, the data showed a decrease in usage on the ScienceDirect platform and increase in requests for unavailable articles. Although the cancellation of the ScienceDirect Big Deal package had a direct impact on UB, the initial outcome was not exceedingly harmful and could be addressed through mitigating measures such as the quick fulfilment of requests for unavailable articles.

https://tinyurl.com/4duy8k8f

Artificial Intelligence + Books Collaborative Research Services Coordinator at Northeastern University

Authors Alliance and Northeastern University Library are partnering on a grant funded project to develop a plan for a public-interest book training commons for artificial intelligence. The Project Coordinator, a full-time 12-month position situated at the Centers for Digital Scholarship at the Northeastern University Library, will manage the overall timeline, deliverables, and network of contacts and stakeholders throughout the course of the grant. Responsibilities include handling basic AI research as requested by the project team and stakeholders and maintaining project website and publishing project updates. The Project Coordinator will also manage the project calendar, setting up regular project staff meetings and Project Advisory Board meetings; help plan, organize and run two workshops on both a remote and local level

https://tinyurl.com/2m9xf6xw

“Developing a Public-Interest Training Commons of Books“

"Early Electronic Journals: A Preservation Survey"

In 1994, the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) published a print directory containing information on every electronic journal that could be identified, anywhere in the world. Thirty years later, this study surveys the current availability and preservation status of those 443 journals. While a significant number of these journals are no longer available, the results indicate that independent preservation efforts by individuals and small groups were a major factor in preserving many of the remaining publications.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2024.102989

Dean of Libraries and University Librarian at University of Virginia

Reporting to the Executive Vice President and Provost, Ian Baucom, the Dean of Libraries will direct a library system known internationally for historically significant collections in many disciplines, and including the notable Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library. The Dean will supervise the deployment of digital resources, specialized laboratories and service centers that support research, scholarship, and online publications. They will oversee the strategic development and implementation of policies, programs, and services that enhance the academic and research endeavors of the University community. The Dean of Libraries sits on the Dean’s Council with the deans of the University’s 12 Schools. The Dean is also responsible for the success of Library Advancement and represents the Library serving as a strategic leader in state, regional, and national library leadership discussions. The Dean of Libraries oversees seven library locations and a staff of approximately 225, as well as collections that include more than 5 million print books, 2.9 million E-books, hundreds of thousands of journal subscriptions, and substanial holdings in many other formats. The Dean leads a senior leadership team of dedicated professionals and directs the allocation of a budget of more than $40M.

https://executivesearch.virginia.edu/dean-of-libraries

"Internet Archive Copyright Case Ends without Supreme Court Review "

After more than four years of litigation, a closely watched copyright case over the Internet Archive’s scanning and lending of library books is finally over after Internet Archive officials decided against exercising their last option, an appeal to the Supreme Court. The deadline to file an appeal was December 3.

https://tinyurl.com/6j4ukfmp

DigitalKoans Posts Resume on 12/9/2024

DigitalKoans Posts will resume on 12/9/2024.

"Google Shows off AI Tool for Reading Handwritten Text by Rewriting It Digitally"

Imagine writing by hand in a paper notebook, then showing the notes to your camera to instantly make them searchable and organize them in context with previous notes on physical pages. If you’re like me and have particularly messy handwriting, InkSight could help turn your chicken scratch into typewritten text that is still accurate to what you scribble.

https://tinyurl.com/2dt685ba

Research Support Librarian (Evidence Synthesis) at Tulane University

Reporting to the Associate Dean for Health Sciences, the Research Support Librarian (Evidence Synthesis) will coordinate and manage the Matas Library’s Systematic Review Service, providing support and expertise to evidence synthesis efforts in the Tulane University School of Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and National Primate Research Center. Working with the Health Sciences team, the incumbent will develop and implement services in support of this service, including instruction sessions. This role includes delivering virtual and in-person consultations, developing collaborative partnerships, and engaging in continuous learning to stay abreast of new trends in evidence synthesis and scholarly communication. Additionally, the librarian will participate in research support efforts across the Downtown Health Sciences Campus.

https://apply.interfolio.com/156678

"Daily Life in the Open Biologist’s Second Job, as a Data Curator"

Background

Data reusability is the driving force of the research data life cycle. However, implementing strategies to generate reusable data from the data creation to the sharing stages is still a significant challenge. Even when datasets supporting a study are publicly shared, the outputs are often incomplete and/or not reusable. The FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles were published as a general guidance to promote data reusability in research, but the practical implementation of FAIR principles in research groups is still falling behind. In biology, the lack of standard practices for a large diversity of data types, data storage and preservation issues, and the lack of familiarity among researchers are some of the main impeding factors to achieve FAIR data. Past literature describes biological curation from the perspective of data resources that aggregate data, often from publications.

Methods

Our team works alongside data-generating, experimental researchers so our perspective aligns with publication authors rather than aggregators. We detail the processes for organizing datasets for publication, showcasing practical examples from data curation to data sharing. We also recommend strategies, tools and web resources to maximize data reusability, while maintaining research productivity.

Conclusion

We propose a simple approach to address research data management challenges for experimentalists, designed to promote FAIR data sharing. This strategy not only simplifies data management, but also enhances data visibility, recognition and impact, ultimately benefiting the entire scientific community.

https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.22899.1

Research Professional 2 (Data Curation) at University of Minnesota Libraries (Term)

The University of Minnesota Libraries, in partnership with the Association of Research Libraries, invites applications for a collaborative and partner-oriented Special Programs Manager, to work closely with the Data Curation Network (DCN) and the Realities of Academic Data Sharing (RADS) teams. Through generous funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (LG-254930-OLS-23), the Special Programs Manager will be funded until July 31, 2026.

https://tinyurl.com/837ku9a2

Search Journal Open Access Policies: "Sherpa Services Combined Into New User-Friendly Platform: Open Policy Finder"

The new platform will allow users to:

Check if compliance with funder open access policies can be achieved with a particular journal

Get a summary of publishers’ open access archiving conditions for individual journals and books

To see funders’ conditions for open access publication

https://tinyurl.com/tzjpnu46

Search Polices

Open Research Manager at PLOS

You will have strategic and tactical oversight of a subset of PLOS’s goals to measurably increase the adoption and impact of open science (research) practices by researchers, understand the impact of these practices, and to influence policy in this area. You will use your research, collaboration, and community-building expertise along with a deep understanding of Open Science to identify evidence-informed opportunities to achieve these goals within the PLOS portfolio and in the wider research community. You will bring a creative and resourceful approach including an ability to bring people together to develop solution opportunities that both support PLOS’ mission and meet community needs.

https://tinyurl.com/mtzcr4vt

"The Chatbot Optimisation Game: Can We Trust AI Web Searches?"

Those wanting a firmer grip on chatbots, then, may have to explore more underhand techniques, such as the one discovered by two computer-science researchers at Harvard University. They’ve demonstrated how chatbots can be tactically controlled by deploying something as simple as a carefully written string of text. This “strategic text sequence” looks like a nonsensical series of characters – all random letters and punctuation – but is actually a delicate command that can strong-arm chatbots into generating a specific response. Not part of a programming language, it’s derived using an algorithm that iteratively develops text sequences that encourage LLMs to ignore their safety guardrails – and steer them towards particular outputs.

https://tinyurl.com/2wuvuur9

Library Systems Analyst at University at Buffalo

Deploying, upgrading, documenting, troubleshooting, monitoring, securing, optimizing, testing, and maintaining the libraries’ virtual servers. . . .

Creating and maintaining in-house database-driven websites that sustain and/or deliver library-related content.

Monitoring and optimizing database and digital asset management system performance to ensure fast access and retrieval of assets while maintaining data integrity and security.

Protecting the libraries and larger university infrastructure from attacks and vulnerabilities.

Planning and implementing systems support for digital strategies initiatives.

https://tinyurl.com/utt7tt29

STM: Trusted Identity in Academic Publishing: The Central Role of Digital Identity in Research Integrity

As the digital landscape evolves, the foundational trust that has long supported academic publishing faces new vulnerabilities. Rising cases of identity fraud and integrity breaches are challenging the scholarly community to protect research integrity without imposing unnecessary burdens on genuine contributors. In response, STM Solutions released Trusted Identity in Academic Publishing: The Central Role of Digital Identity in Research Integrity, a new report analyzing the role of digital identity in scholarly publishing and presenting a foundation for the development of guidelines and recommendations to enhance trust through technology.

https://tinyurl.com/5n9y8v75

Report

GIS Support Specialist at Rice University

As a staff member of Fondren, the GIS Support Specialist manages the day-to-day functions of the GIS/Data Center (GDC), which provides a central location on campus for faculty, staff, and students to work with GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and use geospatial data. Typical duties will include managing schedules for staffing coverage of the GDC, scheduling and providing reference appointments with GDC patrons, preparing for future appointments by researching GIS tasks and searching for data, authoring and updating instruction materials, and working with staff on campus regarding mapping. . . . The GIS support specialist also provides training through classes and one-on-one instruction with geospatial/numeric analysis, display, and management.

https://tinyurl.com/ej7uy2ap

The Cost and Price of Public Access to Scholarly Publications: A Synthesis

As part of our project to investigate “reasonable costs” for public access to United States federally funded research and scientific data, we have developed a synthesis report focused on the multi-model scholarly publication ecosystem that facilitates public access as required by the Nelson Memo. This paper outlines the historical developments that have shaped the current landscape, the key financial (cost and payment) stakeholders in the system, and the models and approaches that have developed in the continued shift to public and open access.

This paper is a companion to the February 2024 report, The Cost and Price of Public Access to Research Data: A Synthesis.

https://tinyurl.com/232vaw49

Report