Digital Public Library of America Names Beta Sprint Review Panel Members

The Digital Public Library of America Steering Committee has named the members of the Beta Sprint Review Panel.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

After a careful selection process, the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) Steering Committee is thrilled to announce the eight members of the Beta Sprint Review Panel. The panel will convene in early September to review the Beta Sprint submissions. The creators of the most promising betas will be invited to present at the October 21, 2011 public plenary meeting in Washington, DC.

The panel is composed of public and research librarians and experts in the fields of library science and information management from around the country:

  • Patsy Baudoin, MIT Libraries
  • Maeve Clark, Iowa City Public Library
  • Laura DeBonis, former Director for Library Partnerships for Google Book Search
  • Eli Neiburger, Ann Arbor District Library
  • David Rumsey, David Rumsey Map Collection
  • Michael Santangelo, Brooklyn Public Library
  • John Weise, HathiTrust
  • Jessamyn West, library technologist

Read more about it at "Digital Public Library of America Steering Committee Announces 'Beta Sprint.'"

| Digital Scholarship |

Digital Resources Library Librarian at Texas Tech University Libraries

The Texas Tech University Libraries are recruiting a Digital Resources Library Librarian. Degree: "Masters degree in Library Science from an ALA accredited program or international equivalent."

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Manages and leads in the continued development of Texas Tech's Digital Library, overseeing the digitization lab, metadata staff. This tenure-track Library Faculty position focuses on highly innovative virtual library assessment, research, outreach, marketing and collaborative/development activities and initiatives relative to digital resources.

| Digital Scholarship |

Data Privacy Legislation: An Analysis of the Current Legislative Landscape and the Implications for Higher Education

EDUCAUSE has released Data Privacy Legislation: An Analysis of the Current Legislative Landscape and the Implications for Higher Education .

Here's an excerpt:

With the ubiquity of mobile devices and the increases in data breaches, Congress has responded with bipartisan support for comprehensive privacy legislation. As of August 2011, 18 bills have been introduced in the 112th Congress concerning data privacy. . . .

These privacy bills generally fall into three distinct areas: comprehensive online privacy protection, geolocation and mobile devices, and data security and breach notification. If enacted, many of the bills have implications for data collection, storage, and use that could affect higher education and campus IT operations and academic research.

| Digital Scholarship |

Digital Repository Specialist at Purdue University Libraries

The Purdue University Libraries are recruiting a Digital Repository Specialist. Degree: "MLS or MIS from an ALA accredited institution, or equivalent combination of education and experience."

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Digital Repository Specialist position exists to support the creation of unique digital collections in Purdue University Libraries. 75% of his/her effort is dedicated to the development of HABRI Central, a grant-funded online resource focused on the health benefits of the human/animal bond (H/AB), while 25% is responsible for assisting with the maintenance and development of other collections.

HABRI Central represents a unique collaboration between a library, a publisher, and a disciplinary center. It is comprised of a bibliography of published and unpublished literature relevant to H/AB studies, a repository of full text and data resources, an online publishing venue, and digital community workspace built on the HUBzero software "platform for scientific collaboration" developed at Purdue University.

| Digital Scholarship |

Content Clustering and Sustaining Digital Resources

JISC has released Content Clustering and Sustaining Digital Resources.

Here's an excerpt:

This eBook presents case studies from 11 digital projects managing digital resources for Higher Education. One strand of case studies look at the skills required to build and sustain digital collections, with a focus on how universities embed digitisation as a strategic activity within their core work. The second strand draws on case studies examining how digital silos can be broken down, as users demand increasingly sophisticated resources that cluster or aggregate related content from different areas of the Internet. The projects were funded under the JISC eContent Programme for 2009-11.

| Digital Scholarship |

Digital Preservation Librarian at University of Iowa Libraries

The University of Iowa Libraries are recruiting a Digital Preservation Librarian. Degree: "Master's Degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited program." Salary range: $43,000-$46,000.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Reporting to the Head, Preservation Department, the Digital Preservation Librarian establishes policies and best practices for the long-term protection and access to digital materials and advises on all phases of the life cycle of digital content with the aim of long-term retention and access. Working closely with staff in Library Information Technology, Digital Library Services, Preservation, and other library departments, as well as with partners at other institutions, the Digital Preservation Librarian will:

  • Research, plan, and develop the digital preservation program for the University Libraries' collections of enduring value in digital format: review existing library practices and analyze needs and establish policies and best practices for the long-term protection and access to digital materials of all types, both created and acquired by the library. Digital collections to be preserved include text, images, datasets, audio-visual resources, Web pages, and ephemera.
  • Assist in the ongoing development of requirements and specifications, including formats and metadata, for digital material the library solicits, accepts, or purchases into its collections. Advise both library staff and external content creators on strategies and the practical implementation of those specifications.
  • Advise library staff about digital initiatives on all phases of the life cycle of digital content, including research datasets, with the aim of long-term retention and access; provide training or orientations. Identify digital storage needs and recommend storage medium.

| Digital Scholarship |

"ArXiv at 20"

ArXiv founder Paul Ginsparg discusses the pioneering twenty-year-old disciplinary archive in "ArXiv at 20."

Here's an excerpt:

On arXiv, we have seen some of the unintended effects of an entire global research community ingesting the same information from the same interface on a daily basis. The order in which new preprint submissions are displayed in the daily alert, if only for a single day, strongly affects the readership on that day and leaves a measurable trace in the citation record fully six years later.

| Digital Scholarship |

Digital Projects Professional at University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Rasmuson Library

The University of Alaska Fairbanks' Rasmuson Library is recruiting a Digital Projects Professional. Degree: “Masters of Library Science (ALA accredited or foreign equivalent) with an emphasis in Digital Librarianship” (see ad for equivalent non-degree qualifications).

Here's an excerpt from the ad (posting number: 0062471):

The ideal candidate will have experience in the practices of Digital Asset Management, Project Management, software development/integration, digital preservation planning, and a deep knowledge of library data standards. The ideal person will already have experience working with many types of software used in library environments such as Content Management Systems, Institutional Repositories, and Integrated Library Systems.

| Digital Scholarship |

University of North Texas Receives over $800,000 in Two Grants Related to Digital Data Curation

The University of North Texas has received over $800,000 in two Institute of Museum and Library Services grants related to digital data curation.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The University of North Texas Libraries and UNT's College of Information have received more than $800,000 in grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to address the challenges of curating and preserving digital information and new requirements from the National Science Foundation and other agencies that fund university research on long-term management of research data for possible review and use by future researchers and scholars.

Dr. William Moen, associate dean for research in UNT's College of Information, and Dr. Martin Halbert, dean of the UNT Libraries, successfully applied for two grants from IMLS' Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, which supports efforts to recruit and educate the next generation of librarians and faculty members who prepare them for future careers, as well as supporting research related to library education and staffing needs, curriculum development and continuing education and training. . . .

The first grant of $624,663 from IMLS is for a three-year project to create four graduate-level courses in digital curation and data management. The first two courses will be taught during the summer of 2012. All four courses will be taught beginning in the summer of 2013, said Moen, the principal investigator for the grant. . . .

The second IMLS grant of $226,786 will fund a two-year investigation of the new roles, knowledge and skills that will be required of library and information science professionals to successfully manage research data cited in articles in scholarly journals — not just the publications.

UNT researchers, led by Halbert, will conduct two national surveys of officials at NSF and other funding agencies; college and university vice presidents for research and campus research officers; faculty of library and information science programs; academic librarians; campus IT managers; provosts and chief academic officers; and key researchers at universities and publishers of faculty research. The surveys will focus on college and universities' current data management plans, policies and practices; expectations and beliefs about data management; and preparation needed to archive data.

During the two years of the project, UNT researchers will also conduct focus groups in conjunction with several professional meetings. Personal interviews will be scheduled with selected individuals from the focus groups.

Read more about it at "Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Grant Announcement June 2011."

| Digital Scholarship |

Systems Librarian at Georgetown University Library

The Georgetown University Library is recruiting a Systems Librarian. Degree: "Master's degree in Library Science."

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Georgetown University Library seeks a Systems Librarian to hold a leadership role in the management, support, and administration of the Library's suite of information management systems. This position will play a key role in developing strategies and implementing the next generation library management systems, services, and resources. Within a team environment, this person shares the responsibilities in the planning, development, and management of the Library's technological infrastructure, electronic resources, and web presence, and strategically assesses, selects and implements established or emerging technologies that enhance the Library's ability to support teaching and research at the University.

| Digital Scholarship |

Carl Malamud Issues Complaint about Smithsonian Institution’s Terms of Use and Licensing Policy

Carl Malamud has put up a website, What Would Luther Burbank Do?, that contains a complaint about the Smithsonian Institution's Terms of Use and Licensing Policy. The complaint concerns a take down notice that Mindy Sommers received from the Smithsonian Institution regarding her Vintage Seed Catalog Digital Collage Sheet Five.

Here's an excerpt:

1.1 The Smithsonian Institution's Terms of Use and Licensing Policy are in violation of 17 U.S.C. § 105 (the "works of government" clause of the Copyright Act) and 20 U.S.C. § 41 (the "increase and diffusion of knowledge among men" clause of the Smithsonian Charter). . . . .

6.1 Injunction. That the Smithsonian Institution be instructed to cease and desist all further "take down" notices until this matter has been thoroughly investigated.

6.2 Investigation. That the Board of Regents investigate and analyze the intellectual property policies of the Smithsonian Institution to determine if such policies are in violation of the Copyright Act or the Smithsonian Charter.

6.3 Restitution. That the Smithsonian Institution work with the community to create high-resolution scans of the Seed Displays source material that is not under copyright by external, non-governmental entities and that such high-resolution scans be released on the Internet with no restrictions on use.

| Digital Scholarship |

Digital Collections Librarian at the Country Music Hall of Fame

The Country Music Hall of Fame is recruiting a Digital Collections Librarian. Degree: "Master's degree in library/information science from an ALA-accredited program."

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Country Music Hall of Fame seeks a Digital Collections Librarian to assist in the development of a library plan for digital preservation and data curation. . . .

  • Develop a strategic plan to increase access, creation, and use of digital collections that will provide the Foundation and its constituents with a 21st century library environment.
  • Acquisition, cataloging, storage, maintenance, preservation, access and record keeping for periodicals (electronic and print), electronic serials, e-books, electronic press releases, databases, and other electronic resources as needed
  • Oversee clippings scanning project and store electronic clippings, maintain clippings database
  • Mine the web for information and resources appropriate for inclusion in the CMF Library collection

| Digital Scholarship |

Google Books Bibliography, Version 7

Digital Scholarship has released version 7 of the Google Books Bibliography, which presents over 325 selected English-language articles and other works that are useful in understanding Google Books. It primarily focuses on the evolution of Google Books and the legal, library, and social issues associated with it, especially the Google Book Settlement. To better show the development Google Books, it is now organized by year of publication. It primarily includes journal articles, e-prints, magazine articles, and newspaper articles. This version expands coverage of law review articles and legal e-prints. Where possible, links are provided to works that are freely available on the Internet.

The following recent Digital Scholarship publications may also be of interest:

| Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview |

Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog (July 31, 2011)

The latest update of the Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog is now available. It provides information about new works related to scholarly electronic publishing, such as books, e-prints, journal articles, magazine articles, technical reports, and white papers.

| Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography 2010 | Institutional Repository Bibliography | Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

Electronic Resources and Digital Scholarship Librarian at SUNY Geneseo

The SUNY Geneseo Library is recruiting an Electronic Resources and Digital Scholarship Librarian. Degree: "Master's degree in information and/or library science from an ALA-accredited school or an ALA-approved foreign equivalent."

Here's an excerpt from the ad (approval to fill number: 2233):

SUNY Geneseo seeks a service-oriented, versatile and dynamic librarian to provide leadership for organizing and accessing digital collections, serials, and providing knowledgebase maintenance, licensing, and usage analysis of resources. This librarian will also play an integral role in shaping and implementing the Library's vision to support the creation of and access to scholarly research and publishing, and provides leadership and technical expertise:

Plays a central role in developing digital collections and the provision of digital scholarship services, including the implementation and operation of tools to support e-research, teaching and learning, scholarly communications, and planning the development of a Digital Media Lab.

| Digital Scholarship Publications Overview |

"Talking about the Public Domain"

Walt Crawford has published "Talking about the Public Domain" in the latest issue of Cites & Insights: Crawford at Large.

Here's an excerpt:

Ah, the public domain: Where creative work is supposed to wind up after a limited period during which the creator has exclusive control over distribution and copying. An ever-growing pool of literature, music, photography, video and art that we can use not only as inspiration but also as the direct basis for new works, annotating, deriving or just plain redistributing.

What a wonderful thing.

Too bad it's basically been frozen for quite a few years now, with almost nothing new entering the pool (except government publications—which start in the public domain) and things tagged with the Creative Commons CC0 license. Oh, and probably a few cases where a creator's been dead more than 70 years and has works produced since 1923.

Not only has it been frozen in the U.S., there are laws and treaties that would appear to shrink the public domain pool—which should, by any rational reading of the Constitution, be flatly unconstitutional.

| Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography 2010 | Institutional Repository Bibliography | Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

Digital Archivist at the New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is recruiting a Digital Archivist. Degree: "Masters degree in Library Science or Archival Enterprise/Studies or other relevant field."

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The New York Public Library's Manuscripts and Archives Division (MSS) seeks an experienced archivist to lead its efforts to manage the Library's existing born digital archival holdings and expand its capacity to collect electronic records.

Under the direction of the Assistant Director for Archives and Manuscripts, the Digital Archivist will establish the Library's methods and procedures for the acquisition, preservation, description, and service of born digital archives and manuscripts.

| Digital Scholarship Publications Overview |

Opt-In Settlement for Google Books Case?

James Grimmelmann reports that Michael Boni told US District Court Judge Denny Chin at the 7/19/11 status conference that the parties involved in the Google Books lawsuit "have been aiming for an opt-in settlement." The next status conference will occur on 9/15/11.

Here's an excerpt from Grimmelmann's "GBS Status Conference: Opt-in Settlement in the Works?" post:

What that might mean is not obvious. It could mean an actual opt-in settlement, one that binds only class members who send in claim forms. It could mean a settlement in which Google commits to an open-ended offer to all class members. It could mean a narrower, scanning-and-searching-only settlement, so that copyright owners can "opt in" to book sales by striking their own individual deals with Google.

Read more about it at "Judge Concerned with Lack of Progress in Revised Google Settlement Talks."

| Digital Scholarship Publications Overview |

Systems Programmer 1 at Yale University Library

The Yale University Library is recruiting a Systems Programmer 1. Degree: "Bachelor's degree with five to eight years of experience in a computer related field or equivalent work experience and education."

Here's an excerpt from the ad (STARS requisition number: 13562BR):

Reporting to the Interim Director of Web, Desktop and Digital Services, the Systems Programmer directs the software planning, development and deployment, infrastructure planning, implementation and support of the Yale University Library's technical infrastructure. Degree: "Bachelor's degree with five to eight years of experience in a computer related field or equivalent work experience and education."

Responsible for providing high-level server administration and support for Windows servers, SQL database servers and Web servers, managing the production Active Directory and for support of Windows and Macintosh workstations and servers in classrooms, staff, and public areas, and leading in the discovery and use of new computer technologies used in the Library.

Manages support for the Library's workstation infrastructure. Responsible for managing staff, student workers, running the expert user program, intern program, help desk, documentation library along with staff, public, and classroom workstations.

| Digital Scholarship Publications Overview |

E-Journal Archiving for UK HE Libraries—White Paper (Final)

JISC has released E-Journal Archiving for UK HE Libraries—White Paper (Final).

Here's an excerpt:

The aim of this white paper is to help universities and libraries implement policies and procedures in relation to e-journal archiving which can help support the move towards e-only provision of scholarly journals across the HE sector. The white paper is also contributing to complementary work JISC and other funders are commissioning on moving towards e-only provision of Journals.

| Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography 2010 | Institutional Repository Bibliography | Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

Digital Project Archivist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Library and Archives

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Library and Archives is recruiting a Digital Project Archivist. Degree: "ALA-accredited MLS/MLIS, or Masters degree in history or relevant subject/field."

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Library and Archives seeks an experienced Digital Project Archivist to join a team to catalog and to create metadata for two large archival collections. Experience with digitization projects and knowledge of copyright law as it pertains to the digitization of archival collections is preferred. This is a 15 month project.

| Digital Scholarship Publications Overview |

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA): An Assessment

The European Parliament has released The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA): An Assessment.

Here's an excerpt:

The ACTA was motivated by a desire to establish equivalent provisions in international trade agreements containing rules on anti-counterfeiting. This is important at a time when free trade agreements are being negotiated by different parties. For the European Union it is also of importance to protect EU intellectual property rights (IPR) as future EU competitiveness depends on its ability to move into higher value added activities such as those for which IPRs are important. At the same time international agreements on IPRs will only be sustainable when they have the support of all parties. Within the EU the ACTA has also been the source of some concerns regarding the non-transparent way it was negotiated and whether it meets to aims agreed by the European Parliament and Commission that it would be compatible with the existing acquis communautaire and the World Trade Organisation's Trade Related Intellectual Property rights (TRIPs) Agreement.

| Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography 2010 | Institutional Repository Bibliography | Transforming Scholarly Publishing through Open Access: A Bibliography | Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 |

Current News: Twitter Updates for 7/18/11

| Digital Scholarship Publications Overview |

Library IT Analyst at University of California, Santa Cruz Library

The University of California, Santa Cruz Library is recruiting a Library IT Analyst. Salary Range: $45,200-$63,150.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Under the general direction of the University Library Information Technology Systems (ITS) Divisional Liaison, interacts with students, staff, faculty, and vendors, providing support for the University Library's integrated library system (ILS). Additionally, provides backup support for the primary systems administrator for all library servers.

| Digital Scholarship Publications Overview |