Contents and leader iResearchnformation SUMMER 2022 l Issue 120


The challenge of measuring scholarly communication


David Stuart on new ways of measuring research, providing a more realistic picture of scholarly communication?


Bright future for libraries in the cloud


10


Siân Harris looks at what role cloud-based services play in libraries today, including their benefits and limitations


Featured case study: a ‘set and 15 forget’ single sign-on solution


OpenAthens has created a portal that gives users the easiest, most direct journey to the resources they want


‘It just frustrates me to see research not being read and used’


Kudos co-founder Charlie Rapple shares her passion for accelerating the dissemination – and impact – of science


A mastermind of taxonomy 18


Helen Lippell explains why organisations should learn more about taxonomies, ontologies and metadata - and describes her love of a good quiz...


Working towards a fairer playing field


19


Figshare founder Mark Hahnel describes the company’s beginnings and raison d’être – and his wider hopes for scholarly communications


16 4 Letting go of the way we worked pre-pandemic


Antonia Seymour talks about how not being bound by location means we need to re-think how we work


Early sharing not the only driver for preprint use


22


Sowmya Swaminathan discusses the implications for publishers in helping to foster open research practices


Conference highlights early-career research barriers


‘If scientists are successful, we are successful.’ That was the message of Miriam Maus, at PubCon – IOP Publishing’s staff conference


Another extraordinary year for citation impact


Nandita Quaderi explains how the pandemic continues to affect the citation network, and introduces a new kind of citation distortion


African scholars facing economic crunch


Oluchi Ojinamma Okere outlines how researchers in sub-Saharan countries are being hamstrung by economics


News


A tumult of tales from the scholarly communications industry


Suppliers’ directory 29 26 25 24 23


As summer arrives in the northern hemisphere in a haze of sweltering days and long, languid evenings, thoughts in the scholarly communications industry turn to all things metrics. At the end of June, Clarivate publishes its Journal Citation Reports, and in these pages we feature the key highlights of the release, an explainer by editor-in- chief Nandita Quaderi – and David Stuart’s broader feature on the use of metrics in academic publishing. On page 10, in a wide-ranging


piece, Siân Harris looks at what role cloud-based services play in libraries today, their benefits and limitations and what challenges remain – it’s an area that looks set to dominate discussions in the field of library services for years to come. We are delighted to have secured


three interviews with key players in the industry – with Kudos co- founder Charlie Rapple, taxonomy guru Helen Lippell, and Figshare founder Mark Hahnel; all three offer a plethora of insights into this fascinating industry. On a personal note, this is will


Editorial and administrative team Editor: Tim Gillett tim.gillett@europascience.com +44 (0) 1223 221040 Specialist reporters: David Stuart; Siân Harris Design: David Houghton/Zöe Andrews


Advertising team Senior account manager: Lexi Taylor lexi.taylor@europascience.com +44 (0) 1223 221039


Corporate team Head of content: Mark Elliott Managing director: Warren Clark


Research Information is published by Europa Science Ltd, 4 Signet Court, Cambridge, CB5 8LA l ISSN 1744-8026 Tel: +44 (0) 1223 211170 l Fax: +44 (0) 1223 213385 Web: www.researchinformation.info


Subscriptions: Free registrations available to qualifying individuals – register online at www.researchinformation.info Subscriptions £180 a year for six issues to readers outside registration requirements. Single issue £30. Orders to Europa Science Ltd, RI Circulation, 4 Signet Court, Cambridge, CB5 8LA Tel: +44 (0) 1223 211170 Fax: +44 (0) 1223 213385 ©2022 Europa Science Ltd.


While every care has been taken in the compilation of this magazine, errors or omissions are not the responsibility of the publishers or of the editorial staff. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers or editorial staff. All rights reserved. Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned are not formally endorsed by Europa Science Ltd, which does not guarantee or endorse or accept any liability for any goods and/or services featured in this publication.


Cover: Underawesternsky/Shutterstock.com


Subscribe online for FREE at www.researchinformation.info/subscribe


www.researchinformation.info | @researchinfo Summer 2022 Research Information 3


be my final issue of Research Information – by the time you read this, I will have flown on to pastures new. My eight years at the helm of Research Information have been an absolute joy, and I’ve enjoyed making the acquaintance of so many brilliant people along the way. There’s every chance I’ll stay in


contact with many of you in the months and years to come, but in the meantime I wish you all the very best and thank you for making my séjour so enjoyable and rewarding.


@researchinfo 20


Leader: Tim Gillett A changing view


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34