Report and Recommendations from the Scholarly Publishing Roundtable

The Scholarly Publishing Roundtable has released the Report and Recommendations from the Scholarly Publishing Roundtable.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

An expert panel of librarians, library scientists, publishers, and university academic leaders today called on federal agencies that fund research to develop and implement policies that ensure free public access to the results of the research they fund "as soon as possible after those results have been published in a peer-reviewed journal."

The Scholarly Publishing Roundtable was convened last summer by the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology, in collaboration with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Policymakers asked the group to examine the current state of scholarly publishing and seek consensus recommendations for expanding public access to scholarly journal articles.

The various communities represented in the Roundtable have been working to develop recommendations that would improve public access without curtailing the ability of the scientific publishing industry to publish peer- reviewed scientific articles.

The Roundtable’s recommendations, endorsed in full by the overwhelming majority of the panel (12 out of 14 members), "seek to balance the need for and potential of increased access to scholarly articles with the need to preserve the essential functions of the scholarly publishing enterprise," according to the report. . . .

The Roundtable identified a set of principles viewed as essential to a robust scholarly publishing system, including the need to preserve peer review, the necessity of adaptable publishing business models, the benefits of broader public access, the importance of archiving, and the interoperability of online content.

In addition, the group affirmed the high value of the "version of record" for published articles and of all stakeholders' contributions to sustaining the best possible system of scholarly publishing during a time of tremendous change and innovation.

To implement its core recommendation for public access, the Roundtable recommended the following:

  1. Agencies should work in full and open consultation with all stakeholders, as well as with OSTP, to develop their public access policies. Agencies should establish specific embargo periods between publication and public access.
  2. Policies should be guided by the need to foster interoperability.
  3. Every effort should be made to have the Version of Record as the version to which free access is provided.
  4. Government agencies should extend the reach of their public access policies through voluntary collaborations with non-governmental stakeholders.
  5. Policies should foster innovation in the research and educational use of scholarly publications.
  6. Government public access policies should address the need to resolve the challenges of long-term digital preservation.
  7. OSTP should establish a public access advisory committee to facilitate communication among government and nongovernment stakeholders.

Read more about it at "Scholarly Publishing Roundtable Releases Report and Recommendations" and "Scholarly Publishing Roundtable Releases Report to Congress."

ALA Report: The Condition of U.S. Libraries: Trends, 1999-2009

ALA has released The Condition of U.S. Libraries: Trends, 1999-2009.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

At every turn, news reports and research indicate fairly dramatic changes in U.S. library funding, services and staffing – most occurring in the last 18 months. According to a new report prepared by the American Library Association (ALA), libraries of all types are feeling the pinch of the economic downturn while managing sky-high use.

Compiled from a broad range of available sources, The Condition of Libraries: 1999-2009 presents U.S. economic trends (2009), and summarizes trends in public, school and academic libraries across several library measures, including expenditures, staffing and services. The report also highlights trends in services provided to libraries by library cooperatives and consortia.

“This report was prepared to inform and assist library leaders as they plan in these very difficult times,” said ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels. “It succinctly brings together diverse strands of data from the past decade to provide a useful benchmark for the library community and its advocates.”

As communities and academic campuses develop future fiscal plans, it is clear that all types of libraries are visibly hard hit. In a fall 2009 report prepared by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 34 states had reported cuts to higher education, which impacts academic libraries; and 25 states had cut funding to K-12, which impacts school libraries. Total state budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2010 are $178 billion, and FY2011 are estimated to be roughly the same.

Public libraries also have been affected. While the full impact of the economic downturn remains fluid and the data challenging to assemble, what is known is that flat funding has been an obstacle—perhaps even a chronic problem—for many libraries this entire decade. Confirming evidence from a 2006 ALA study of public library funding, a 2009 survey conducted as part of the Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study revealed a worsening of funding – about 20 percent reported flat funding continuing in FY2010 and a majority reported budget reductions. Of those with budget cuts, about 20 percent reported 5-to-10 percent reductions in FY2010 from FY2009.

Library trends include. . .

College and University Libraries

  • While student enrollment at colleges and universities has declined since 2004, library use continues to increase. During a typical week in 2008, academic libraries reported more than 20.3 million visits, up from 18.7 million in 2006. They also provided more than 498,000 informational services to groups attended by more than 8.9 million students and faculty, up from 471,000 sessions attended by 8.3 million in 2006;
  • In fall 2008, 72 percent of academic libraries reported providing library reference service by e-mail or the Web, about the same as in 2006; and
  • Operating expenditures rose modestly during the period 2002 to 2008.

Systems Librarian/Library Technology Manager at Illinois Institute of Technology

The Paul V. Galvin Library at the Illinois Institute of Technology is recruiting a Systems Librarian/Library Technology Manager.

Here's an excerpt from ad:

Design, implement, and manage a broad range of information technology-based systems and services for the Galvin Library, three branch libraries, and IIT Archives. Collaborate with library staff on the development of technology-supported services in support of teaching, learning, and research.

Director, Integrated Library Systems at University of Southern California

The University of Southern California Libraries are recruiting a Director, Integrated Library Systems.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Director, Integrated Library Systems (ILS) provides leadership in the planning, implementation, and management of the USC Libraries’ core library information systems and software such as the ILS and related systems such as open URL resolvers and electronic resources management systems, ensuring that these services support the USC Libraries Strategic Plan. The Director, ILS supervises the ILS unit and works collaboratively with library personnel and campus users to identify, recommend, implement, test and maintain software and provide user and operational support for library systems. The Director is also responsible for identifying gaps in service and recommending enhancements and improvements to address these areas. . . .

Reporting to the Associate Dean with responsibility for technology, the Director, ILS manages the ILS unit and has responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the ILS (SirsiDynix Unicorn/Symphony) and will assume a leadership role in envisioning and defining services and/or improvements that could be provided by the ILS. The Director, ILS works closely with the Director of Technical Services and Director of the Digital Library and consults with Library administrators and colleagues to establish priorities within the department for maintenance, software upgrades and other enhancements; administers, directs, and reviews ILS systems; assesses internal and external user needs, participates in the strategic planning process and identifies new services and/or improvements for ILS users in consultation with Public Services and Technical Services personnel; supervises technical staff responsible for the functions of library systems; serves as the technical liaison to the ILS managers in USC’s Law Library and Health Sciences Libraries; tracks projects and ensures that new services, upgrades and enhancements approved by the Dean’s Cabinet are implemented in a timely fashion and tested prior to release; defines and refines processes and procedures related to the ILS unit and its interaction with users of the ILS system both internal and external to the USC Libraries; develops and manages the budget for the ILS unit and ensures that services offered by the ILS unit meet users expectations for cost and timeliness.

"Google Book Search and the Future of Books in Cyberspace"

Pamela Samuelson has self-archived "Google Book Search and the Future of Books in Cyberspace" in SSRN.

Here's an excerpt:

The Google Book Search (GBS) initiative once promised to test the bounds of fair use, as the company started scanning millions of in-copyright books from the collections of major research libraries. The initial goal of this scanning was to make indexes of the books’ contents and to provide short snippets of book contents in response to pertinent search queries. The Authors Guild and five trade publishers sued Google in the fall of 2005 charging that this scanning activity was copyright infringement. Google defended by claiming fair use. Rather than litigating this important issue, however, the parties devised a radical plan to restructure the market for digital books, which was announced on October 28, 2008, by means of a class action settlement of the lawsuits. Approval of this settlement would give Google—and Google alone—a license to commercialize all out-of-print books and to make up to 20 per cent of their contents available in response to search queries (unless rights holders expressly forbade this).

This article discusses the glowingly optimistic predictions about the future of books in cyberspace promulgated by proponents of the GBS settlement and contrasts them with six categories of serious reservations that have emerged about the settlement. These more pessimistic views of GBS are reflected in the hundreds objections and numerous amicus curiae briefs filed with the court responsible for determining whether to approve the settlement. GBS poses risks for publishers, academic authors and libraries, professional writers, and readers as well as for competition and innovation in several markets and for the cultural ecology of knowledge. Serious concerns have also been expressed about the GBS settlement as an abuse of the class action process because it usurps legislative prerogatives. The article considers what might happen to the future of books in cyberspace if the GBS deal is not approved and recommends that regardless of whether the GBS settlement is approved, a consortium of research libraries ought to develop a digital database of books from their collections that would enhance access to books without posing the many risks to the public interest that the GBS deal has created

University of Tennessee, Knoxville Gets IMLS Grant to Study Value of Academic Libraries

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville School of Information Sciences has been awarded an IMLS grant to study the value of academic libraries. It will collaborate with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Libraries and the Association of Research Libraries.

Here's an excerpt from the press release :

Carol Tenopir, a professor in the School of Information Sciences, is the lead investigator on the project; Paula Kaufman, University Librarian and Dean of Libraries at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is a co-principal investigator; and Martha Kyrillidou, Senior Director for Statistics and Service Quality Programs, is leading the project from ARL.

The three-year grant, entitled "Value, Outcomes, and Return on Investment of Academic Libraries (Lib-Value)," will work to enrich, expand, test, and implement methodologies measuring the return on investment (ROI) in academic libraries.

"There is an increasing need for academic librarians to demonstrate the return on investment and value of the library to the various stakeholders of the institution and to guide library management in the redirection of library funds to important products and services for the future," Tenopir said. Academic libraries actively participate in the many changes in scholarship, such as the move to e-science, collaborative and participatory scholarship, and focus on new materials such as data, multimedia, and born-digital assets. To remain relevant and central to the academic mission in the future, academic librarians need to be able to demonstrate the value that the academic library provides to the campus community using proven methods of measurement that will allow librarians to determine where their efforts should be concentrated and how funding should be allocated.

The results of the study will provide evidence and a set of tested methodologies and tools to help academic librarians demonstrate how the library provides value to its constituents and ROI to its funders, and to measure which products and services are of most value to enhancing the university’s mission. This project will greatly expand upon earlier studies to consider multiple measures of value that the academic library brings to teaching/learning, research, and social/professional/public engagement functions of the academic institution.

To ensure that the process will be rigorous, realistic, and highly visible in the academic library and university community, an experienced team of academic librarians and outstanding researchers bring their leadership, built on many years of experience, to the project. Two well-known researchers in the library field will serve as consultants: Bruce Kingma, an economist at Syracuse University, and Donald W. King, a statistician at the University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill. Additional project participants include: Gayle Baker, Ken Wise, Rachel Fleming-May, Regina Mays, Crystal Sherline, and Andrea Baer at the University of Tennessee; Tina Chrzastowski at the University of Illinois; and Henry Gross, Gary Roebuck, and David Green at ARL.

Digital Programs Archivist at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The J. Murrey Atkins Library at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is recruiting a Digital Programs Archivist.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Responsibilities:

  • Collaborate in planning, creating, and managing digital collections
    • Implement quality control procedures
    • Prioritize and coordinate digital production
    • Investigate, plan, and manage format conversions and migration
    • Investigate and provide leadership in the implementation of appropriate metadata standards
  • Maintain and expand web applications on the Special Collections Website using standards-compliant markup, emerging web technologies, and best practices.
  • Collaborate in the planning, development, and implementation of electronic records preservation and access, particularly for University Archives related collections and manuscript collections
  • Provide leadership in defining preservation and access protocols for born-digital materials
  • Identify and collaborate with technical partners in Library Systems, UNC Charlotte ITS, and the College of Computing and Informatics to design and implement creative applications for access and preservation

A Landscape Study of Shared Infrastructure Services in the Australian Academic Sector

JISC has released A Landscape Study of Shared Infrastructure Services in the Australian Academic Sector.

Here's an excerpt:

In parallel with these investments, it has become evident that users in the higher education and academic sectors in Australia are choosing to use main stream Web 2.0 technologies in their daily work activities. However there is limited knowledge about who is using which Web 2.0 technologies and for what purposes. Moreover there is little information about why specific tools and services are chosen when institutional or nationally-funded services are available. JISC recently funded a study in the UK to investigate the adoption of Web 2.0 services by the higher education and academic sectors. The aim of this report is to survey the situation in Australia and hence enable comparisons with the UK. This survey therefore focuses on the current and active users of Web 2.0 tools and services in Australian Higher Education institutions and aims to identify what they are using and why.

Although the UK leads Australia in the development of collaborative eResearch services, the results of the survey indicate that the adoption of Web 2.0 technologies in the higher education sector in Australia is not significantly dissimilar to the situation in the UK. Users prefer to use Web-based services that are already adopted by the wider community and that are free, robust, simple to sign on to, and easy to install and use. Examples include: FaceBook, YouTube, Skype and Twitter. Although the most active use of Web 2.0 has been by early adopters (people who are not afraid to try out new tools, experiment with them and promote them to colleagues and peers), this situation is changing as more Web 2.0 technologies are becoming broadly adopted by mainstream users. Because Australia has not had the same level of investment in cyberinfrastructure and lags behind the UK in the development of services, it has been able to take advantage of services developed in the UK and USA (e.g., RoMEO, Shibboleth) – as well as the recent explosion of free, open source Web 2.0 technologies. In some ways, this delayed investment has been an advantage because there is not an established pool of services that is being superseded by commercial and open source Web 2.0 technologies.

See also the related report: Shared Infrastructure Services Landscape Study: A Survey of the Use of Web 2.0 Tools and Services in the UK HE Sector.

Project Manager Library Digital Programs at Johns Hopkins University

The Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins University are recruiting a Project Manager Library Digital Programs (position duration is until July 31, 2014 with the possibility of extension).

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The project manager is responsible for managing project communications, tasks, timelines, resources, fundraising, and grants for the Data Conservancy (DC), a $20 million project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Project Manager will reports directly to the Executive Director of the Data Conservancy and will be authorized to act on the Executive Director’s behalf when necessary.

White House OSTP Asks for Additional Comments on Open Access until Jan. 21st

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has requested additional comments about its public consultation on public access policy.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

Many of you expressed a desire for more time to engage in the Public Access Policy Forum post-holidays. We heard you! While Phase III ended on January 7th, we have launched a two-week bonus period for all of you who signed off for the holidays. Therefore, all three phases of the Forum will remain open through January 21st.

In hopes that you will continue to build and respond to the thoughtful comments of your peers, we ask you to visit the Public Access Policy Forum portion of our blog to see all relevant posts and submit your comments in the appropriate forum:

In addition, be sure to check out the many comments and proposals submitted to our publicaccess@ostp.gov inbox, to which you are also welcome to submit comments or documents. Some comments are just text; some have links to documents that have been submitted.

Indiana University Gets $2.38 Million Grant from Mellon Foundation for Kuali OLE

Indiana University has been awarded a $2.38 Million Grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for the Kuali OLE (Open Library Environment) project.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

IU will lead the Kuali OLE (Open Library Environment) project, a partnership of research libraries dedicated to managing increasingly digital resources and collections. Together, these libraries will develop "community source" software that will be made available to libraries worldwide.

Kuali OLE (pronounced Oh-LAY) partners include Indiana University; Florida Consortium (University of Florida representing Florida International University, Florida State University, New College of Florida, Rollins College, University of Central Florida, University of Miami, University of South Florida and the Florida Center for Library Automation); Lehigh University; Triangle Research Libraries Network (represented by Duke University and North Carolina State University); University of Chicago; University of Maryland; University of Michigan; and the University of Pennsylvania.

Large academic research libraries such as these manage and provide access to millions of items, using software to track interrelated transactions that range from ordering and paying for items to loaning materials to library patrons.

As the nature of library collections expands to include more digital materials—including leased electronic journals and digitized photograph collections—libraries are increasingly interested in developing management software for these resources, said Interim Ruth Lilly Dean of University Libraries Carolyn Walters.

"Libraries now create, lease and share digital materials, but the systems in place for cataloging and tracking these items are based on print collections," said Walters. "With this project, we benefit from working together with a community of academic libraries that want to change the way that information is managed in the scholarly environment."

"Research libraries are in dire need of systems that can support the management of research collections for the next-generation scholar," said Robert H. McDonald, executive director for the project and IU's associate dean for library technologies. "This approach demonstrates the best of open-source software development, directed partnership resource needs, and a market of commercial support providers to truly align with the needs of research libraries within the higher education environment."

More than 200 libraries, educational institutions, professional organizations and businesses laid the groundwork for the Kuali OLE project by participating in the original OLE project, a design phase that was supported by an earlier grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and led by Duke University.

Digital Library Software Engineer at Harvard

The Office for Scholarly Communications at the Harvard University Library is recruiting a Digital Library Software Engineer.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The Harvard Office for Scholarly Communication (OSC) oversees the mechanisms by which the fruits of scholarship are communicated within and without the University, with a special aim to increase the availability of the scholarly output of the University and maximize the efficiency with which scholarly materials are made available to members of the Harvard community and beyond. The OSC department of the Harvard University Library (HUL) seeks a programmer/analyst for development and support of the DASH open access digital scholarship repository. This is a unique opportunity to serve as the technical lead on a project to collect and share the University's research with the world. Please Note: This is a one year term appointment with possibility of renewal depending on funding and performance.

Research Data: Unseen Opportunities

The Canadian Association of Research Libraries has released Research Data: Unseen Opportunities.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The purpose of the toolkit is to enable research library directors to raise awareness of the issues of data management with administrators and researchers on campus.

Data are valuable assets that in some cases have an unlimited potential for reuse. The awareness toolkit underscores the need to ensure that research data are managed throughout the data lifecycle so that they are understandable and usable.

"This is a very timely document" says Marnie Swanson (University of Victoria), Chair of the CARL Data Management Sub-Committee. "More than ever, data are a critical component of the research endeavor and this toolkit will help libraries raise awareness in the scholarly community of the importance of data stewardship."

Research Data: Unseen Opportunities provides readers with a general understanding of the current state of research data in Canada and internationally. It is organized into seven sections: The Big Picture; Major Benefits of Data Management; Current Context; Case Studies; Gaps in Data Stewardship in Canada; Data Management Policies in Canada; Responses to Faculty/Administrative Concerns; What Can Be Done on Campus?

Senior Software Infrastructure Engineer at Northwestern University

The Northwestern University Library is recruiting a Senior Software Infrastructure Engineer.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

This position, reporting to the Head of Library Technology Enterprise Systems, works in a highly collaborative environment with library colleagues and external partners on the analysis, design, coding and testing of differently functioning systems in support of the library's enterprise applications. The position also supports digital repository development, digital preservation, metadata, collections and services development to explore, adapt, and implement emerging repository technologies.

National Library of the Netherlands Plans to Digitize All Dutch Books, Newspapers, and Periodicals from 1470

The National Library of the Netherlands has released its Strategic Plan 2010-2013.

In the "Strategic priority 1" section (page 6), the document states that the library intends to ultimately "digitise all Dutch books, newspapers and periodicals from 1470." By 2013, it states that: “10% of all Dutch books, newspapers and periodicals have been digitised (60 million pages by the KB, 13 million by third parties).” (Thanks to ResourceShelf.)

Here's an excerpt:

One of the large, labour-intensive challenges is to digitise all the books, periodicals and newspapers that have appeared in the Netherlands. A component of this undertaking is the digitisation of the special pre-1800 collections for which a number of Dutch university libraries and the KB have together drawn up a project plan. In addition, the KB has collected since 1995 born digital publications (publications which are only published in digital form, such as websites, digital periodicals, e-books, etc.). The KB will intensify this undertaking. The KB aims to be able to offer customers all publications with as few restrictions as possible. Naturally the KB does this in close consultation with publishers and right holder organisations.

Institutional Repository Bibliography, Version 2

Version two of the Institutional Repository Bibliography is now available from Digital Scholarship.

The Institutional Repository Bibliography presents over 700 selected English-language articles, books, technical reports, and other scholarly textual sources that are useful in understanding institutional repositories. This version significantly expands coverage of technical reports and adds a search function (Google index update for version two may take a few days).

Most sources have been published between 2000 and the present; however, a limited number of key sources published prior to 2000 are also included. Where possible, links are provided to e-prints in disciplinary archives and institutional repositories for published articles. Note that e-prints and published articles may not be identical.

The bibliography has the following sections (revised sections are in italics):

1 General
2 Country and Regional Institutional Repository Surveys
3 Multiple-Institution Repositories
4 Specific Institutional Repositories
5 Institutional Repository Digital Preservation Issues
6 Institutional Repository Library Issues
7 Institutional Repository Metadata Issues
8 Institutional Repository Open Access Policies
9 Institutional Repository R&D Projects
10 Institutional Repository Research Studies
11 Institutional Repository Software
Appendix A. About the Author

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

Enhanced Publications: Linking Publications and Research Data in Digital Repositories

The Amsterdam University Press has released the SURF Foundation/DRIVER's Enhanced Publications: Linking Publications and Research Data in Digital Repositories.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

The traditional publication will be overhauled by the 'Enhanced Publication.' This is a publication that is enhanced with research data, extra materials, post publication data, and database records. It has an object-based structure with explicit links between the objects. In this book a state-of-the-art overview is given of the structural elements of an Enhanced Publication, as well as publication models, interrelationship and repository issues. The use of Enhanced Publications evokes questions on object models and functionalities. In-depth study is made of these subjects. More practically, a sample is given of datasets in enhanced publications and a demonstrator on how an enhanced publication can be visualised. In the final section, this book deals with long-term preservation issues, linking to the developments of digital repositories that are studied in other books in this series.

Web Services Librarian at University of Miami

The University of Miami Libraries is recruiting a Web Services Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

Reporting to the Director for Information Management and Systems, the Web Services Librarian provides leadership and direction in the design and development of the Libraries' web presence for all services, content, and interfaces; supervises the Libraries Web Administrator. Works with the Web Administrator to co-chair the Libraries Web Team and convene a Content Managers Group for discussions and dissemination of information; develops and recommends policies, standards, and guidelines for web content development, implementation, and management in collaboration with Library and University stakeholders; oversees usability of all user interfaces and web design, and develops guidelines and assessment strategies to provide a superior experience for all users.; coordinates testing, initiates focus groups, develops reports, and disseminates information to necessary staff; collaborates effectively with Systems and Digital Initiatives staff, stake-holders and unit-level managers to conceptualize and determine technologies and design in the delivery of user-centered library services, incorporating web 2.0 technologies to provide new features and functionality; participates as an ex-officio member of the Libraries' Student Advisory Group, and attends Education and Outreach Services meetings for informational purposes; works with Instructional Advancement and participates in programming for the Libraries' Faculty Exploratory to support and promote faculty development and the use of technology in teaching and learning; networks, collaborates and actively participates in local, regional, national, or international organizations regarding related issues; represents and promotes the University of Miami Libraries in local, state-wide, regional, national, or international organizations as appropriate ; serves on/participates in Libraries and University organizations, committees, task forces, and teams as appropriate.

Digital Initiatives and Scholarly Communications Librarian at University of Idaho

The University of Idaho Library is recruiting a Digital Initiatives and Scholarly Communications Librarian.

Here's an excerpt from the ad:

The University of Idaho Library invites applications from innovative and service-oriented individuals for the position of Digital Initiatives and Scholarly Communications Librarian to lead, develop, and maintain digital collections and services. The Digital Initiatives and Scholarly Communications Librarian will work closely and collaboratively with library and university employees to ensure that the University of Idaho Library’s digital initiatives are an integral part of its collections and services. This position will manage and develop a growing collection of digital exhibits, associated web pages, book digitization projects, and work with others on the establishment of an institutional repository. The successful candidate will play a leading role in planning and developing a comprehensive strategy for emerging digital initiatives and projects that support the university’s vision for library services in a land-grant environment.

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Consultation on Open Access

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) public consultation on public access policy completed phase three on January 7, 2010.

Here's an excerpt from "Phase III Wrap-Up":

We sincerely thank every one of you for taking the time to provide such valuable commentary on this topic. As previously mentioned, due to the busy holiday season we will be re-opening the forum for a two-week bonus session beginning immediately. In this final session we will be soliciting comments on all the topics discussed in the three previous phases, and may periodically ask during the course of these two weeks that participants focus on a few key issues that we feel warrant additional attention. . . .

Once again thank you to all who participated; your comments and suggestions are genuinely appreciated. Now, for those of you who have been caught up with the holidays or have simply procrastinated, please take some time to share your thoughts as we extend this public forum through January 21th.

Here are the main discussion pages for the three phases:

Alliance for Taxpayer Access Call to Action about White House Open Access RFI

The Alliance for Taxpayer Access has issued a call to action about the OSTP open access RFI.

Here's the press release:

CALL TO ACTION: Let the White House know you support public access to public funded research

Last week, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a Request for Information (RFI) inviting input on "enhancing public access to archived publications resulting from research funded by federal science and technology agencies." SPARC is pleased that the Administration, as part of its Transparency and Open Government initiative, is looking at public access as an opportunity to stimulate scientific and technological innovation and competitiveness.

All are urged to respond to this pivotal opportunity, as individuals and on behalf of institutions and organizations, NO LATER than January 7, 2010. Your input will be critical in helping the administration to form a deep and balanced view of stakeholders’ interest in ensuring public access to publicly funded research.

This RFI will be active for only 30 days, from December 10, 2009 to January 7, 2010. Respondents are invited to comment online through the Public Access Policy blog at http://blog.ostp.gov/category/public-access-policy, where the discussion will center on a single theme for each of three ten-day periods.

December 10 – 20: Implementation

December 21 – 31: Features and technology

January 1 – 7: Management

Email comments will also be accepted, but will still be posted to the blog by the moderator. General comments may also be submitted. See the full Federal Register notice at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-29322.htm for details.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss, please contact SPARC, representing the Alliance for Taxpayer Access.

Heather Joseph, Executive Director
heather [at] arl [dot] org

Jennifer McLennan, Director of Communications
jennifer [at] arl [dot] org

We'll look forward to talking with you, and to working with you on this tremendous opportunity for higher education and American public.

Note: To post comments on the OSTP blog, you must register and login. There are also registration and login links on the sidebar of the Archive for the Public Access Policy OSTP blog category at the bottom right and on the OSTP blog home page in the same location. The current discussion post is "Policy Forum on Public Access to Federally Funded Research: Implementation." As noted in the Federal Register announcement, comments can also be e-mailed to publicaccess@ostp.gov.

Read more about the OSTP RFI at "Obama Administration Potentially a Strong Voice in Open Access Debate" and "Obama's Open Government Plan Includes Open Access for Research Publications."

12/22/09 Update: The current discussion post is "Policy Forum on Public Access to Federally Funded Research: Features and Technology." Comments are entered at this post.

Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog Update (12/16/09)

The latest update of the Scholarly Electronic Publishing Weblog (SEPW) 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.

Especially interesting are: "Dublin Core Metadata Semantics: An Analysis of the Perspectives of Information Professionals," "Enhancing Scientific Communication through Aggregated Publications Environments," "How to Publish Data Using Overlay Journals: The OJIMS Project," "Increasing the Productivity of Interactions between Subject and Institutional Repositories," "Open Access and the Google Book Settlement" and "SCOAP3 and Open Access."

JISC Repositories and Preservation Programme: Final Evaluation Report

JISC has released JISC Repositories and Preservation Programme: Final Evaluation Report.

Here's an excerpt:

This report provides an evaluation of the JISC Repositories and Preservation Programme (RPP) as it reached its conclusion. The Repositories and Preservation Programme was a £14m investment in Higher Education repository and digital content infrastructure running between April 2006 and March 2009. The programme funded a wide range of initiatives to support the development of digital repositories and related activities. The programme was established in order to achieve a number of benefits for the JISC community and related stakeholders.

The aim of this report is to draw together various data sources and provide a high level evaluation of the JISC Repositories and Preservation Programme. The Repositories and Preservation Programme team has taken a benefit led approach to the evaluation of the programme based around the Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) methodology. Twenty one benefits were identified and developed to reflect what the programme sought to achieve. The purpose of the final evaluation was to ascertain whether the benefits had been achieved or are likely to be achieved due to the work of the programme. Data for the evaluation was drawn from a variety of sources.