Library Data NEWS
Data storage and control are important for researchers
Researchers fi nd it very important to be in control of what happens to their data. They want to control who has access to the data, and under which conditions. They also express a clear need for help in storing the research data they use daily. These are some of the fi ndings of a review commissioned by SURFfoundation in the Netherlands into recent literature sources from the Netherlands, the UK, elsewhere in Europe, the USA and Australia. The study, What Researchers Want, also found that storage and preservation are distinct issues for researchers and that storage of data is a more immediate concern. According to the study, several factors play a role in making storage successful. Tools and services must be in tune with researchers’ workfl ows, which are often discipline- specifi c (and sometimes even project-specifi c) and the tools and services must be easy to use. Another observation is that researchers resist top-down and/or mandatory schemes, favouring a ‘cafeteria’ model in which they can pick and
NEWS in brief
Turkish university chooses EBSCO Middle East Technical University (METU) has selected EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) from EBSCO Publishing. EBSCO Discovery Service was among the discovery services evaluated as the university sought to move away from federated searching. METU librarians are said to have determined that EDS has strong content and an impressive development schedule.
choose from a set of services. In addition, researchers must be in control of what happens to their data, who has access to it, and under what conditions. They want to be sure that whoever is dealing with their data will respect their interests. Another requirement is support. Researchers expect tools and services to support their day-to-day work within the research project. The benefi ts of the support must clearly visible – not in three
years’ time, but now and support must be local, hands-on, and available when needed. These identifi ed requirements
will be taken further in a new SURFfoundation project, CARDS (Controlled Access to Research Data, Stored securely). In this project, researchers at fi ve universities in the Netherlands will receive support for the effective management of their research data. The fi ndings will also be available to other universities early 2012.
Collaboration looks at possibilities of open metadata
OCLC Research and the University of Cambridge are working together on a six-month, JISC-funded investigation into the value of making collection metadata openly available in a sustainable manner.
The COMET (Cambridge OPen METadata) project will release a sub-set of bibliographic data from Cambridge University Library catalogues as linked
www.researchinformation.info
data in multiple formats. This activity will test a number of technologies and methodologies for releasing open bibliographic data including XML, RDF, SPARQL, and JSON. COMET will document the availability of metadata for the library’s collections that can be released openly in machine-readable formats. It will also look at the barriers that
prevent other data from being exposed in this way. To enhance linking options, records will be enriched using two OCLC Research services to assign FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) and VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) headings. This will allow for effective information retrieval and semantic interoperability.
Access Innovations provides semantic tools to AACR The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has selected Access Innovations to enhance the discoverability of journal content on the HighWire platform and across the AACR organisation. Access Innovations’ semantic tagging and indexing tools will enable AACR readers to make connections between related information currently residing in disparate websites.
English universities get cloud investment The Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) is investing £12.5 million to deliver effi ciencies to universities and colleges through shared services in cloud computing infrastructure and applications and the innovative use of digital technologies in England.
The Endocrine Society teams up with Charlesworth Group The Charlesworth Group has announced an agreement with The Endocrine Society to promote and sell the society’s journals in print and online throughout China. It will also develop sales with consortia, academic institutions and corporations.
APR/MAY 2011 Research Information 5
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