Electronic journals and the paradigm shift: 1995 Spring forum of the Canadian Serials Industry Systems Advisory Committee

Abstract

Since 2006, Research Online, the University of Wollongong's open access institutional repository has utilised Bepress' Digital Commons software to make available published research outputs and digital theses. This article discusses the outcomes of recent academic demand for its use as a publishing tool of university journals and conference proceedings. The Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice is provided as an example. Digital Commons includes the editorial management software, EdiKit, which assists in managing submissions, editorial functions, and peer review. Also considered are changes to scholarly communication patterns arising out of the new open access, electronic only, publication regimes.     

Preserving Open Access

Abstract

Libraries have an established track record of preserving the scholarly record, but this stewardship role has generally been exercised over materials the library has purchased or otherwise acquired. With open access publishing, the library’s role in preservation is less certain, as libraries may facilitate access to a wide array of freely accessible materials without ever obtaining any copies. Additionally, the open access landscape includes many small noncommercial publishers with limited resources that may not be able to invest in long term preservation and access. In this column, Courtney McAllister, Electronic Resources Librarian at Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale University, discusses preservation concerns and strategies for open access publications and how libraries may be affected by unstable or unpredictable long-term access.     

Newsletters for Networks

Abstract

In the previous installment of this column, Donnice Cochenour wrote about Project Muse, Johns Hopkins University Press's project to provide electronic access to its journals. This column will explore OCLC's collaboration with publishers who are making traditional print publications available electronically. Serials Review interviewed Andrea Keyhani, Manager of Electronic Publishing at OCLC, about traditional print publishers' interests in electronic distribution of journals, OCLC's solution to publishers' migration to electronic distribution, enhancements to their Guidon software, and libraries' costs and archive concerns.     

Women's & Gender Studies Journal Database

Abstract

The Women's & Gender Studies Journal Database (WGSJD) at Rutgers University is a user-oriented, discipline-based database that provides quick access to journal titles available online. It is also a union list of journal titles, print and online, in the area of women's and gender studies at Rutgers University Libraries. The author describes this database and its value-added service in the context of Rutgers University Libraries' information system. Discussion also includes its advantages and disadvantages, the changing roles and areas of responsibilities for subject selectors, and how the database fits into future developments of the library's information system. Serials Review 2002; 28:261–266.     

Scoring the Quality of E-Serials MARC Records Using Java

ABSTRACT

In 2015, the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (UIUC) adopted a policy of cataloging electronic serials in the online catalog to represent the Library's large electronic journal holdings. Historically there had been no consistent policy of cataloging e-serials at UIUC, so this decision also required retroactive cataloging of the Library's existing holdings. In order to add the more than 100,000 titles to which the library has access, batch searching and bulk loading records are necessary. This can be particularly challenging with serials records, due to bibliographic changes (such as title and publisher) and record duplication in OCLC WorldCat. This column describes a Java program, written by the author, which aids in selecting high-quality records from batch searches to be bulk loaded into the catalog. The program scores the quality of Machine-Readable Cataloging Record (MARC) records based on data in a select number of fields and discards records that fail to meet minimum criteria, such as correct format or language of cataloging. The program ultimately ensures that certain base criteria are met, while creating more efficiency in the process of bulk loading e-serials records.     

Developing a Freely Accessible/Open Access Resource Management Policy at Duke University Libraries: A Case Study

Abstract

Freely accessible and open access resources present unique challenges for librarians working with electronic resources. Due to the fact that many of these resources lack high-quality metadata or the technical support provided by traditional publishers, making them discoverable and maintaining access over time can be tricky. Creating a policy allows for a systematic approach to the management of freely accessible/open access (OA) resources, alleviating problems surrounding lack of staff time or expertise. Many of these resources are already important parts of collections and will only continue to grow in importance. Freely accessible/OA resources allow for a more diverse representation of content, both by subject and format type, and allow a wider array of authors to have their work appear in library collections. This case study will provide a review of freely accessible/OA policies in other libraries, describe why these resources are important to add to our collections, discuss challenges libraries face with managing these resources, and explain how Duke University Libraries is addressing some of these challenges through the development of a policy.     

Cultural Anthropology and Open Access—Interview With Dominic Boyer,Cymene Howe,and Marcel LaFlamme

Abstract

In this installment of “Conversations,” Dominic Boyer, Cymene Howe, and Marcel LaFlamme, of the Cultural Anthropology editorial team, discuss the ins and outs of publishing a gold open access journal in the field of anthropology. Highlights of the discussion include Cultural Anthropology’s move to open access, the ethics of open access, the growth of international readership, ongoing publishing challenges in open access, and the role libraries can play with open access publishing.     

Measuring Usage: A Comprehensive Analysis of a Social Work Journal Collection

Abstract

This study examines what can be learned about a library’s electronic social work journal collection from usage statistics, survey data, faculty publications, and an examination of open access (OA) availability. A collections analysis was completed using data from two sources: a custom report by 1Science and results of a faculty survey on top journals for teaching. After creating a list of journals important to social work, top journals were identified by article downloads, faculty-authored publications, and references to faculty-authored papers. A publications analysis using faculty websites and author searches in Web of Science was also completed, to provide local, contextual data. SHERPA/RoMEO was used to determine the journals’ OA level and archiving policy. Library coverage for the journals was also included in the analysis. Results show that the McGill University Library has access to almost all of the journals identified as important to social work. Nearly one-third of publications authored by the McGill University School of Social Work since 2006 are OA, and more than half of the faculty in the school have at least one article published in an OA journal. While this is a good start for librarians who want to help faculty and students understand OA publishing and access, there is room for outreach in this area. While these results will aid librarians supporting faculty, students, and practitioners in the field of social work, a secondary aim of the study is to demonstrate a method that can be used by librarians undertaking similar analyses in other fields.     

Elsevier science digital libraries symposium

Abstract

This article discusses the growing need for tools or systems that will provide more effective management of and improved user access for journal collections, especially for e-journals. The author briefly describes initial efforts at the local library level to develop management systems and mentions the rise of vendor-supplied solutions, which have become very popular. In spite of the current popularity of vendor-based solutions, the author argues that there is still a niche for locally developed journal management systems. One such system, developed at the author's home institution, Taylor University, is featured as a case study.     

Open forum on acquisitions research and statistics: ALA Midwinter,Washington, DC,February 17, 1997

ABSTRACT

A number of libraries respond to e-resource access problems by using trouble ticketing systems that track the initial problem report (trouble ticket) along with related correspondence and resolution. University of Maryland, College Park librarians undertook a study of a random sample of e-resource problem trouble tickets to (a) understand the nature of problems reported and the degree of success with which Acquisitions troubleshooting staff were able to meet users' access needs, (b) develop best practices for troubleshooting, and (c) compare University of Maryland results with those of other institutions that have conducted similar studies. While the results suggest recommended local best practices for University of Maryland troubleshooting staff, comparing results across institutions was problematic because of lack of shared vocabulary for e-resource access problem types.     

An Interview with Terry Reese

Abstract

In July 2005, Bonnie Parks spoke with Terry Reese, digital production unit head at Oregon State University’s Valley Library (Corvallis). In this interview, Reese shares his views on topics ranging from electronic journal management to the impact Google Scholar might have on the way libraries provide access to information.     

The 5K Run Toolkit: A Quick,Painless, and Thoughtful Approach to Managing Print Journal Backruns

Abstract

Increasingly, academic libraries are choosing to discard or place in storage print journals that are now available online. The identification of these titles and related collection analysis activities are often time-intensive. The approach at the University of Saskatchewan Library was to develop an online toolkit that combined available data from disparate sources including the integrated library system, SFX link resolver, and OCLC's WorldCat and then present them in a collaborative open source environment. This paper demonstrates how the careful combination of existing data presented in a simple online format allowed subject specialists to make accurate print journal deselection decisions quickly and painlessly.     

One for Nine: The Shared Cataloging Program of the California Digital Library

Abstract

In 1999, the California Digital Library (CDL) began a new cooperative venture, the Shared Cataloging Program, to improve access to its growing collection of electronic resources. Now known within the University of California (UC) as the SCP, the Shared Cataloging Program, based at UC San Diego, distributes ready-to-use cataloging records for all electronic titles licensed by the CDL to each of the other eight (soon to be nine) physical UC campuses. The SCP is the result of an intensive systemwide planning process fostered by a desire for an innovative approach to providing traditional bibliographic access to large numbers of electronic resources. It was launched out of pragmatic necessity along with an institutional commitment to the cooperative ideals of labor-savings, experimentation, and the search for “best practices.” This article will describe its genesis, current operation, one library's use of the records, and issues for future development. Serials Review 2002; 28:4–12.     

Making Shared Print Management Happen: A Project of Five Canadian Academic Libraries

ABSTRACT

Five academic libraries in Ontario (Canada) are collaborating in a shared last print copy repository project. The project, called Keep@Downsview, aims to consolidate and rationalize low-use print materials held by the partner libraries and ensure long-term preservation of these important scholarly materials in Ontario while still providing access via document delivery and ILL. In doing so, each of the partner institutions demonstrates its commitment to the stewardship of print collections for future generations while repurposing valuable space on campus. This article describes the background, rationale, challenges, and lessons learned for this unique Canadian project--which leveraged funding from the province of Ontario and the University of Toronto's high-density preservation facility at Downsview--and the commitment of all partners to preserve the scholarly record in Ontario.     

Open Dialog: SciELO’s Approach to Open Access Publishing

Abstract

For over 20 years, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) has been engaged in an ambitious program of open access journal publishing. In Brazil and 15 other countries, society journals and other publications rely on SciELO for online publishing infrastructure and a platform that gives visibility to a global audience. SciELO’s network of national level collections has expanded to 16 countries and provides an alternative model to approaches centered around commercial publishers or new open access journals.