Building a Scholarly Communication Center


Book Description

Building a Scholarly Communication Center is a unique guide based on the successful model for planning the scholarly communication center at Rutgers University. The planning process at Rutgers is used as the springboard to identify issues, potential problems, and solutions in planning and development.




The No-nonsense Guide to Research Support and Scholarly Communication


Book Description

This accessible and highly practical book provides an introductory guide to the world of research support in the academic library. Academic libraries have seen huge changes in recent years thanks to the increasing availability of information online but they are now undergoing another shift. As libraries move away from providing access to existing information and towards helping users create new knowledge there is an opportunity for them to develop new services for the research community. To do this successfully libraries need to have a knowledgeable workforce who are equipped to provide the support that researchers need. Information professionals are increasingly being asked to advise their users on issues such as open access and research data management but are often doing so with little or no formal preparation. Outlining the reasons why library staff need to develop a knowledge of research support and guiding them through the key information on each topic, The No-nonsense Guide to Research Support and Scholarly Communication provides an ideal primer for those who seek to work in this area or those who have acquired these responsibilities as part of a wider role. The practical nature of the book means readers can dip into it or read it from cover to cover as needed. It includes practical checklists of knowledge and skills, international case studies by practitioners from around the globe, end of chapter references, how-to sections, activities and links to freely available online training materials. The book covers: - scholarly communication, open research and the research lifecycle - research data management - open access - disseminating research - metrics and measuring impact including the Journal Impact Factor, H-Index and Altmetrics - career paths in research support - why and how library staff at all levels can get involved in the process of doing research and sharing their outputs. The book will be essential reading for academic librarians who have had research support duties added to their role with little or no formal training or those who have taken on a newly created role and are unsure of how best to use their existing skills or develop new ones suitable for a role in research support. The book will also be of interest to public librarians who may be dealing with supporting their own research communities and those who are considering taking on a career in this growing area but are unsure where to turn for guidance including students studying for postgraduate library qualifications and those who have undertaken qualifications in publishing.




Stories of Open:


Book Description

Peer review processes in scholarly publishing are often hidden behind layers of opacity, leaving authors--and even reviewers--with many questions about the process. Open peer review is one way to improve the practice. It can shorten the time between manuscript submission and publication, hold reviewers accountable for their work, make more apparent the hidden labor of reviewing and editing, allow for collaborative discourse between authors and reviewers, and more. Even with these benefits, open peer review is not widely accepted or understood. Few academic librarians have experienced it, and each implementation can be different; anything open is highly nuanced and contextual. Ultimately, when we discuss "open," we must discuss the stories around it. What is the aim? What are the pitfalls? What are the gains? And are we trying to simply replicate a broken system instead of reinventing it? Stories of Open: Opening Peer Review through Narrative Inquiry examines the methods and processes of peer review, as well as the stories of those who have been through it. Eleven chapters are divided into three parts: * Part 1: Orientation. This section offers a conceptual frame for the book, providing details about narrative inquiry as a methodology and the author's worldview and research approach. * Part 2: The Stories (The Story Middle). What is the standard experience of peer review in our field? This section shares stories told from a variety of viewpoints and roles--author, editor, and referee--and explores how these roles interact, the tension between them, and the duality and sometimes multiplicity of roles experienced by any one individual. * Part 3: Coda. These four chapters tie the stories to the idea of open and look in detail at the research method, as well as imagine how we might move forward--reflecting on our past stories to create future ones. When we open ourselves to others' experiences, we reflect on our own. Stories of Open offers questions for reflection at the end of many chapters in order to assist in the continued exploration of your own experiences with peer review, and encourages the use of these reflections in creating new and improved peer review methods. This book is also available as an open access edition at https://bit.ly/ACRLStoriesofOpen







Meeting the Needs of Student Users in Academic Libraries


Book Description

Meeting the Needs of Student Users in Academic Libraries surveys and evaluates the current practice of learning commons and research services within the academic library community in order to determine if these learning spaces are functioning as intended. To evaluate their findings, the authors examine the measurement tools that libraries have used to evaluate usage and satisfaction, including contemporary anthropological studies that provide a more detailed view of the student's approach to research. The book takes a candid look at these redesigns and asks if improvements have lived up to expectations of increased service and user satisfaction. Are librarians using these findings to inform the evolution and implementation of new service models, or have they simply put a new shade of lipstick on the pig? - Takes an honest look at learning commons in academic libraries and discusses what is working and what is not - Explores behind the statistics as to why users come to the library; does the librarians' concept of 'the library as place' match user perception? - Looks at the anthropology of the user to gauge satisfaction with the services and space provided by the library via recent survey findings




Building Science Graphics


Book Description

Building Science Graphics: An illustrated guide to communicating science through diagrams and visualizations is a practical guide for anyone—regardless of previous design experience and preferred drawing tools—interested in creating science-centric illustrated explanatory diagrams. Starting with a clear introduction to the concept of information graphics and their role in contemporary science communication, it then outlines a process for creating graphics using evidence-based design strategies. The heart of the book is composed of two step-by-step graphical worksheets, designed to help jump-start any new project. This is both a textbook and a practical reference for anyone that needs to convey scientific information in an illustrated form for articles, poster presentations, slide shows, press releases, blog posts, social media posts and beyond.




Libraries in the Information Society


Book Description

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. It is the global voice of the information profession. The series IFLA Publications deals with many of the means through which libraries, information centres, and information professionals worldwide can formulate their goals, exert their influence as a group, protect their interests, and find solutions to global problems.




Academic Library Development and Administration in China


Book Description

As the Chinese economy develops, academic libraries continue to evolve and provide indispensable services for their users. Throughout this growth, the scientific and cultural dialogue between China and the United States has made it necessary for each country’s libraries to understand each other. Academic libraries often act as catalysts for progress and innovation; proper management and applications of these resources is key to promote further research. Academic Library Development and Administration in China provides a resource to promote Sino-U.S. communication and collaboration between their academic libraries. In considering the relationship between China and the West, this publication serves as a timely reflection on the expanding global field of information science. This publication is intended for librarians, researchers, university administrators, and information scientists in both the U.S. and China.




The Science of Science Communication III


Book Description

Successful scientists must be effective communicators within their professions. Without those skills, they could not write papers and funding proposals, give talks and field questions, or teach classes and mentor students. However, communicating with audiences outside their profession - people who may not share scientists' interests, technical background, cultural assumptions, and modes of expression - presents different challenges and requires additional skills. Communication about science in political or social settings differs from discourse within a scientific discipline. Not only are scientists just one of many stakeholders vying for access to the public agenda, but the political debates surrounding science and its applications may sometimes confront scientists with unfamiliar and uncomfortable discussions involving religious values, partisan interests, and even the trustworthiness of science. The Science of Science Communication III: Inspiring Novel Collaborations and Building Capacity summarizes the presentations and discussions from a Sackler Colloquium convened in November 2017. This event used Communicating Science Effectively as a framework for examining how one might apply its lessons to research and practice. It considered opportunities for creating and applying the science along with the barriers to doing so, such as the incentive systems in academic institutions and the perils of communicating science in polarized environments. Special attention was given to the organization and infrastructure necessary for building capacity in science communication.