Category: Libraries

EU Advocate General Issues Opinion on Library Digitization

The European Union's Advocate General has issued an opinion on library digitization.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

Here's an excerpt:

Next, the Advocate General considers that the directive does not prevent Member States from granting libraries the right to digitise the books from their collections, if their being made available to the public by dedicated terminals requires it. That may be the case where it is necessary to protect original works which, although still covered by copyright, are old, fragile or rare. That may also be the case where the work in question is consulted by a large number of students and its photocopying might result in disproportionate wear.

However, Mr Jääskinen makes clear that the directive permits not the digitisation of a collection in its entirety, but only the digitisation of individual works. It is particularly important not to opt to use dedicated terminals where the sole purpose of doing so is to avoid the purchase of a sufficient number of physical copies of the work.

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Driving With Data: A Roadmap for Evidence-Based Decision Making in Academic Libraries

Ithaka S+R has released Driving With Data: A Roadmap for Evidence-Based Decision Making in Academic Libraries.

Here's an excerpt:

Over the past decade, libraries have expanded their use of various types of service assessment. Initially popularized by the LibQUAL+ service, there is now a robust library assessment community, including dedicated assessment librarians and coordinators at many institutions, who are charged with examining existing services and user perceptions with the purpose of documenting the value of the academic library's collections and services and identifying opportunities for improvement. At some institutions, assessment has become an important element of how libraries establish their key priorities on a regular basis.

Today library leaders must do more than build and manage collections, improve the quality of existing services, and find the funding to support this work. In addition, the library leader is called upon to reconsider or reassert the roles and objectives of the library in a changing information environment and to develop the strategy, services, spaces, and staffing to support these roles. In the remainder of this paper, therefore, we will be focusing on the use of data, including the types discussed in this section, to establish strategy and lead to a decision about future directions.

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Web Accessibility Toolkit

ARL has released the Web Accessibility Toolkit.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

On the third annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (#GAAD), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is proud to announce the availability of a new resource for the ARL membership and the library community—a Web Accessibility Toolkit for research libraries. ARL's toolkit shares the fundamental goal of GAAD, which is to "raise the profile" of digital accessibility and provide resources for improving access to information to "the broadest audience possible." The toolkit aims to:

  • Promote the principles of accessibility, universal design, and digital inclusion.
  • Help research libraries achieve digital accessibility.
  • Connect research libraries with the tools, people, and examples they need to provide accessible digital content.

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"Four Facets of Privacy and Intellectual Freedom in Licensing Contracts for Electronic Journals"

College & Research Libraries has released an eprint of "Four Facets of Privacy and Intellectual Freedom in Licensing Contracts for Electronic Journals."

Here's an excerpt:

This is a study of the treatment of library patron privacy in licenses for electronic journals in academic libraries. We begin by distinguishing four facets of privacy and intellectual freedom based on the LIS and philosophical literature. Next, we perform a content analysis of 42 license agreements for electronic journals, focusing on terms for enforcing authorized use and collection and sharing of user data. We compare our findings to model licenses, to recommendations proposed in a recent treatise on licenses, and to our account of the four facets of intellectual freedom. We find important conflicts with each.

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WIPO Talks Collapse on Copyright Exceptions for Libraries Issue

World Intellectual Property Organization talks on copyright exceptions for libraries have collapsed over EU concerns.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

Discussions by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Standing Committee on Copyright & Related Rights (SCCR) broke down in the early hours of Saturday morning 3 May, after the European Union (EU) attempted to block future discussion of copyright laws to aid libraries and archives fulfill their missions in the digital environment. . . .

The meeting ended in disarray at 1:30am on Saturday morning, after the EU tried to have crucial references to “text-based” work on copyright exceptions removed from the meeting conclusions—a move viewed by other Member States and library and archive NGOs present as an attempt to delay, if not derail, any progress on copyright exceptions at WIPO.

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"Librarian, Heal Thyself: A Scholarly Communication Analysis of LIS Journals"

Micah Vandegrift and Chealsye Bowley have published "Librarian, Heal Thyself: A Scholarly Communication Analysis of LIS Journals" in In the Library with the Lead Pipe.

Here's an excerpt:

This article presents an analysis of 111 Library and Information Science journals based on measurements of "openness" including copyright policies, open access self-archiving policies and open access publishing options. We propose a new metric to rank journals, the J.O.I. Factor (Journal Openness Index), based on measures of openness rather than perceived rank or citation impact. Finally, the article calls for librarians and researchers in LIS to examine our scholarly literature and hold it to the principles and standards that we are asking of other disciplines.

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LJ 2014 Movers & Shakers

Library Journal has released its 2014 list of Movers & Shakers.

Here's an excerpt:

Welcome to the 2014 LJ Movers & Shakers. The 50 individuals recognized here are passionate about what all types of libraries can do to enhance lives—for adults, teens, schoolchildren, infants, and toddlers. If there's a common theme among their profiles, it's that as much as the library is a place to go, it is also a place on the go—to wherever patrons or potential patrons are.

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"Keeping Up With… Augmented Reality"

ACRL has released "Keeping Up With… Augmented Reality."

Here's an excerpt:

At a minimum, libraries will need to be prepared to support augmented reality if and when it becomes more prevalent in textbooks and other print materials. But, while these materials are certainly relevant to the work of academic libraries, there are also several interesting library-specific augmented reality tools in use at various institutions. ShelvAR, developed by the Miami University Library, is an excellent example of how augmented reality can increase the efficiency of libraries' existing workflows. Available for use with any iOS or Android device with a camera, this app can scan any tagged library materials and overlay a red X over any item that is out of place on the shelf.

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"Impact of Public Domain Resources On Public Libraries in the United States"

Anne Arendt and Dustin Fife have published "Impact of Public Domain Resources On Public Libraries in the United States" in the Journal of Librarianship and Information Science.

Here's an excerpt:

Ownership and rights issues relating to electronic resources can be a source of angst, confusion and litigation. This is due in part to the automatic copyright many individuals receive, including in the United States, upon creation of an original work. However, there are options available for relaxing these rights. One of these options is Creative Commons Zero. . . . Based on the above, this document researches the awareness, complexity and effects of Creative Commons Zero and related licenses on libraries as perceived by library directors and managers across the United States. In order to accomplish this, a quantitative survey was administered in an anonymous web-based format.

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"Copyright in the Digital Age"

Kyle K. Courtney has self-archived "Copyright in the Digital Age" in SSRN.

Here's an excerpt:

The goal of this chapter is to provide the fundamental instruction for some of the most popular topics facing law libraries in the digital age. Whether it is scanning chapters for e-reserves or accessing databases online, knowledge of copyright law can help mitigate risk, and enhance our patron's services. As librarians, we want to provide whatever our patron's desire. But, we also must balance the law versus the patrons needs. Fortunately, copyright law does not always restrict a patron's uses. In many cases a solid understanding of copyright can help ease a patron's fears, or provide legal alternatives to a patron's request, or help educate the community at large.

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Best of Both Worlds: Museums, Libraries, and Archives in a Digital Age

The Smithsonian has released the Best of Both Worlds: Museums, Libraries, and Archives in a Digital Age by G. Wayne Clough.

Here's an excerpt:

The review in this document illustrates how many cultural institutions have already found innovative applications for digital technology, but it is more than just a matter of "using." Digital technology will also change the basics of how these institutions work as we move forward. Collections will be shared across institutions through the linked data cloud; the public will participate in the creative activities of cultural institutions through engagement platforms; and informal education will merge with formal education. Cultural change is never easy, and while an institution might be able to avoid it for a while, this time it will be so big that no one will escape in the long run.

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"Mining for Gold: Identifying the Librarians’ Toolkit for Managing Hybrid Open Access"

Jill Emery has published "Mining for Gold: Identifying the Librarians' Toolkit for Managing Hybrid Open Access" in the latest issue of Insights: the UKSG Journal.

Here's an excerpt:

In 2012, the author and colleagues surveyed eight publishers that had been involved with the Publishing and the Ecology of European Research (PEER) project to learn about the state of hybrid journal publishing. At the same time, one of the key questions asked to a panel of librarians at the International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers May 2012 Meeting was what role librarians would play if scholarly publishing shortly went open access (OA) across the board? From the survey of the market, and the rapid OA developments in the UK and EU that include hybrid OA, a picture has begun to emerge of what roles librarians can play with regard to supporting hybrid OA publishing at their institutions. This article focuses on developing new partnerships within a given institution, looks at new budgetary models and the tracking of local scholarship creation. Current pertinent standards are highlighted.

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"Digital Copyright and Public Access: Why the Knowledge Principle Dictates a Fair Access Right for Public Libraries"

Jenny Lynn Sheridan has self-archived "Digital Copyright and Public Access: Why the Knowledge Principle Dictates a Fair Access Right for Public Libraries" in SSRN.

Here's an excerpt:

This Article proposes an alternative model to the conventional copyright theories, focusing on the critical role that access to knowledge resources plays in the dynamic processes at work in the production of knowledge and the creation of new works. This Article proposes a non-waivable "fair access" right exercisable by public libraries in order to realign copyright with its Constitutional justification, and more importantly to support the knowledge creation process for the future of our democratic society.

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Riding the Waves or Caught in the Tide? Insights from the IFLA Trend Report

IFLA has released Riding the Waves or Caught in the Tide? Insights from the IFLA Trend Report.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

In the global information environment, time moves quickly and there's an abundance of commentators trying to keep up. With each new technological development, a new report emerges assessing its impact on different sectors of society. The IFLA Trend Report takes a broader approach and identifies five high level trends shaping the information society, spanning access to education, privacy, civic engagement and transformation. Its findings reflect a year's consultation with a range of experts and stakeholders from different disciplines to map broader societal changes occurring, or likely to occur in the information environment.

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Elsevier Buys Woodhead Publishing, including Chandos Publishing

Elsevier has bought Woodhead Publishing Limited, including Chandos Publishing. Chandos is a major library and information science book publisher.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced it has acquired Woodhead Publishing Limited, an award-winning, UK-based publisher known for its high-quality content in the fields of materials science, food science, engineering, energy & environmental technology, textile technology and biomedicine. The acquisition of Woodhead Publishing also includes Chandos Publishing, which is known for its strong publishing program in library information science and Asian studies.

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Library Publishing Coalition Launches Website

The Library Publishing Coalition has launched a website.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

The Library Publishing Coalition (LPC)—a library led, two-year initiative to advance the field of library publishing—has launched its new website at http://www.librarypublishing.org/. Current LPC activities include development of a Shared Documentation Portal that hosts model documents, compilation of a Directory of Library Publishing Services, and planning for a forum to be held in March 2014.

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"Study on Emerging Technologies Librarians: How a New Library Position and Its Competencies Are Evolving to Meet The Technology and Information Needs of Libraries and Their Patrons"

IFLA has released a "Study On Emerging Technologies Librarians: How a New Library Position and Its Competencies Are Evolving to Meet The Technology and Information Needs of Libraries and Their Patrons."

Here's an excerpt:

This study examines the roles and responsibilities of the emerging technologies librarian to illuminate and maximize the possibilities of the position as libraries around the world provide new content in new mediums to an increasingly tech-savvy user group. This relatively new position is being created as libraries strive to leverage new technologies to update service models in reference, instruction, and access service departments to meet their patrons' point-of-need preferences in location, device choice, and information seeking behaviors. . . . This study's findings will provide an accurate picture of current hiring trends and the opportunity through data analyzed and shared to tailor the hiring process to best meet the realities of this new position and their strengths for libraries. Data from this study will inform hiring practices, competencies, job responsibilities, and future opportunities for libraries and emerging technology librarians around the world.

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"The Characteristics of Journal Editorial Boards in Library and Information Science"

Peter Willett has published "The Characteristics of Journal Editorial Boards in Library and Information Science" in the latest issue of the International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology.

Here's an excerpt:

A study of the members of the editorial boards of 16 leading LIS journals shows that the boards vary markedly in size, in diversity (in terms of both gender and nationality) and in the experience and publication/citation profiles (based on Web of Science data) of their board-members. A typical editorial board member will be male, work in the USA, have published their first LIS article in 1995, and have 9.5 publications and 39 non-self citations to those publications, with the publication/citation profiles differing significantly from those of non-board-member contributors to the 16 journals

.

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"Unintended Consequences: New Materialist Perspectives on Library Technologies and the Digital Record"

portal: Libraries and the Academy has released an e-print of "Unintended Consequences: New Materialist Perspectives on Library Technologies and the Digital Record" by Marlene Manoff.

Here's an excerpt:

Digital technology has irrevocably altered the nature of the archive. Drawing on materialist critiques and the evolving field of media archaeology, this essay explores new strategies for understanding the implications of computer networks in libraries. Although a significant portion of the contemporary literature within Library and Information Science (LIS) addresses issues of technological change, the materialist and multidisciplinary approaches proposed here provide a theoretical basis for investigating the current state of library technologies in new ways. These methods provide insight into the proliferation of digital products and the cycles of platform adoption and replacement that have marked the past decades of library development. They also help to reframe questions about content aggregation and the licensing of digital scholarship.

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"The Winds of Change: Periodicals Price Survey 2013"

Stephen Bosch and Kittie Henderson have published "The Winds of Change: Periodicals Price Survey 2013" in Library Journal.

Here's an excerpt:

This year, the serials pricing data indicates that prices are increasing at about the same rate as last year. Increases seemed to have plateaued at about 6% for 2013. Data from the merged ISI indexes shows a 6% increase for 2013, unchanged from 2012. EBSCO's MasterFILE Premier and Academic Search Premier show similar results: average prices for titles in MSP increased 5% for 2013, while average prices for titles in ASP increased 6% in 2013, the same increase as for 2012. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), on the other hand, advanced 1.7% for 2012, which means serials inflation continues to far exceed general inflationary pressures and library budget adjustments.

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The Impact of the Supreme Court’s Decision in Kirtsaeng v. Wiley on Libraries

The Library Copyright Alliance has released The Impact of the Supreme Court's Decision in Kirtsaeng v. Wiley on Libraries.

Here's an excerpt:

This paper first provides background on this issue and an overview of the Kirtsaeng litigation. It then summarizes Justice Breyer's majority opinion, Justice Kagan's concurrence, and Justice Ginsburg's dissent, emphasizing the opinions' references to libraries. The paper next discusses the likely arguments of those who may seek to overturn the Court's decision and the shortcomings of those arguments. Finally, the paper concludes that the Supreme Court decision represents a complete victory for libraries, reaffirming the importance of libraries' engagement in policy debates.

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Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy: Creating Strategic Collaborations for a Changing Academic Environment

The the Association of College & Research Libraries has released Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy: Creating Strategic Collaborations for a Changing Academic Environment.

Here's an excerpt:

In this paper, we identify three intersections between information literacy and scholarly communications that have developed as a result of the effects of the digital age on scholarly publishing and on teaching information research skills:

  1. ) economics of the distribution of scholarship (including access to scholarship, the changing nature of scholarly publishing, and the education of students to be knowledgeable content consumers and content creators);
  2. ) digital literacies (including teaching new technologies and rights issues, and the emergence of multiple types of non-textual content);
  3. ) our changing roles (including the imperative to contribute to the building of new infrastructures for scholarship, and deep involvement with creative approaches to teaching).

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U.S. Public Libraries and BTOP [Broadband Technology Opportunities Program]

The American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy has released a draft of U.S. Public Libraries and BTOP. BTOP stands for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.

Here's an excerpt:

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded just over $4 billion to 233 Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) projects. . . .

This pre-publication report from the American Library Association presents state-level library projects underway across the country, and provides a broad (but not yet comprehensive) look at the library improvements and community impacts that are resulting from BTOP funding.

| Reviews of Digital Scholarship Publications | Digital Scholarship |

"Undergraduates’ Use of Social Media as Information Sources"

College & Research Libraries has released a preprint of "Undergraduates' Use of Social Media as Information Sources."

Here's an excerpt:

Focusing on undergraduate students, a survey was conducted to investigate the following: (1) which social media platforms are used as information sources, (2) what are the main reasons for using these social media platforms for information seeking, and (3) what kinds of actions are taken to evaluate the quality of the information gained from such sources. The study provides a snapshot of current trends in terms of the use of social media as information sources. It also sheds lights on the actions that the undergraduate students took to evaluate information from social media, including social networking and video sharing sites that have rarely been studied previously.

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

"Open Access, Library and Publisher Competition, and the Evolution of General Commerce"

Andrew Odlyzko has self-archived "Open Access, Library and Publisher Competition, and the Evolution of General Commerce."

Here's an excerpt:

Discussions of the economics of scholarly communication are usually devoted to Open Access, rising journal prices, publisher profits, and boycotts. That ignores what seems a much more important development in this market. Publishers, through the oft-reviled "Big Deal" packages, are providing much greater and more egalitarian access to the journal literature, an approximation to true Open Access. In the process they are also marginalizing libraries, and obtaining a greater share of the resources going into scholarly communication. This is enabling a continuation of publisher profits as well as of what for decades has been called "unsustainable journal price escalation." It is also inhibiting the spread of Open Access, and potentially leading to an oligopoly of publishers controlling distribution through large-scale licensing.

| Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography (paperback, PDF file, and XHTML website; over 1,100 entries) | Digital Scholarship |