The library as digitorium New modes of information

The library as digitorium New modes of information creation, distribution and access Cathrine Harboe-Ree University Librarian Strategic www. monash. edu. au Michele Sabto Manager, Monash University e. Press Andrew Treloar Project Manager, Information Initiatives

Monash University • • Established 1960 50, 000 students (8, 600 off campus) 5, 300 staff Six Australian campuses + Malaysia and South Africa • Centres in London and Prato www. monash. edu. au 2

Monash University Library • • Eight libraries 250 staff (plus casuals = 20 EFT) 2. 8 million items 440 databases 20, 000 e- journals (10, 000 print) 145, 000 e-books 20 million searches on catalogue in 2002 www. monash. edu. au 3

Monash University Library as “Digitorium” • Actively embracing new roles – Engaging further upstream in the communication process • Supporting pedagogical changes – Addressing needs of on and off campus and transnational students • Supporting scholarly activity – Promoting and preserving Monash University research output • Partner in information management – Working collaboratively across university www. monash. edu. au 4

Digital foundation • Endeavor’s Voyager system (1998 -) – 600 student-use computers (1: 58) • Significant web based database (2. 8 million items) – electronic databases, electronic journals (licensed and owned), electronic books (licensed and owned), thousands of web links • Main access to all resources www. monash. edu. au 5

Transforming the catalogue • New resources list (SQL query) – Weekly automated lists of new books, videos, CDROMS, microforms and tapes • E-journals list by faculties (SQL) – By 225 e-descriptors in 2004 • Database of databases (SQL) – Subject sorting (e-descriptors in 2004) – Supplementary information, such as service alerts and license limitations – Contains administrative metadata www. monash. edu. au 6

Content creation • Monash Exams database – Scanned externally then catalogued by library – 14, 000 links to PDF files in past exams database – 1. 35 million hits in 2002 • Monash University Lectures Online – – – Streaming audio from 33 theatres across five campuses 130 courses in both semester 1 and 2 in 2002 Over 5, 000 hours of recordings 150, 000 extended live audio streams delivered Video streaming requested (whose responsibility? ) www. monash. edu. au 7

Transforming reserve services • Online readings and reserve – Web pages created (manually, to be automated in 2004) – Links to electronic resources available through the catalogue – Links to over 120, 000 pages of material digitised and catalogued by the library (and copyright controlled) – Over 430, 000 accesses in last 12 months www. monash. edu. au 8

Transforming scholarly communication • Promoting institutional research output • Open or affordable access • Our response to Peter Suber’s “serials and permissions crises” • Holistic approach adopted at Monash – – Digital repositories E-theses Electronic publishing Ultimately, learning objects and research data www. monash. edu. au 9

Digital repositories: current • International movement to build institutional repositories of research output • Using eprint. org software from Univ. Southampton • Monash trial commenced 2003 – Pre and post prints www. monash. edu. au 10

Digital repositories: issues • Software not easy to use for self-publishing • Copyright clearances a nightmare • Software not flexible enough for multiple use, eg. for electronic theses or open access publishing • Difficult to achieve critical mass – Cultural, technical and organisational issues – Query business case www. monash. edu. au 11

Digital theses: ADT • Australian Digital Theses Program (ADT) http: //adt. caul. edu. au based at the University of New South Wales – 22 participating universities (not Monash) – Federated approach involving National Library – Uses software developed at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (NDTDL) – Similar issues to digital repositories • Monash’s response covered later in this presentation www. monash. edu. au 12

Monash University e. Press • 2 -3 year prototype funding • Modelled on overseas initiatives, drawing on library expertise (“just advanced librarianship”) • To publish electronic journals, conference proceedings, monographs and “other” • Launch in October 2004 • Attracting Dept. of Education Science and Technology research credits • XML native files supported by metadata and using flexible and extensible DTDs www. monash. edu. au 13

Monash University e. Press: goals • To provide a more direct link between researchers and readers • To use innovative technology to publish scholarly material • To promote Monash University’s research activities and intellectual capital • To provide a sustainable publishing model • To provide a leadership role within the university • To build partnerships with others www. monash. edu. au 14

e. Press features • Inclusion of audio, video and colour images • Reference linking • Content included in indexing and abstracting services • Forums for reader interaction • Streamlining submission and refereeing processes • Reduction in lead times • Usage statistics • Flexible subscription offerings • Repackaging of content www. monash. edu. au 15

e. Press progress to date • • Manager appointed Committee convened Commissioning policy completed Substantial RFP for software released – Covers content management, publish-to-web, ecommerce and digital rights management • 7 publishing proposals under development • Business plan in development www. monash. edu. au 16

e. Press issues • • Securing appropriately skilled staff Selection and development of suitable software Need to build up critical mass Brand management and marketing Sustainability in small Australian market Managing expectations Need to avoid another silo software solution www. monash. edu. au 17

and next … ARROW • ARROW = Australian Research Repositories Online to the World – DEST funded national demonstrator project > Monash University (lead institution) > University of New South Wales > Swinburne University > National Library of Australia > Plus associates and activity partners www. monash. edu. au 18

Purpose • Identification and testing of software solution/s for integrated institutional digital repositories comprising e-prints, digital theses and electronic publishing • Federated national research discovery services overlaid • Independent scholars’ repository (NLA) • DEST research directory • Other uses possible later www. monash. edu. au 19

ARROW stages • Demonstration (2004) – Developing architecture, selecting, developing and testing software • Deployment (mid 2004 – end 2005) – Populating the repositories • Distribution (mid 2005 – end 2006) – Enabling others to participate www. monash. edu. au 20

ARROW Architecture www. monash. edu. au 21

Activities • Common digital repository infrastructure (2004) – Open standards based services architecture (the ARROW architecture) – Specify, source, develop and install software – Interoperability within and between institutions – 3 ARROW compliant repositories – Documentation of installation and metadata standards www. monash. edu. au 22

Activities – cont. • Incorporating and extending capacity of ADT Programme (2004 -5) – – – Manage theses metadata and submit digital theses Software no less functional than present Incorporating OAI-PMH compliance Data capture from multiple sources Efficient harvesting Interaction with other metadata services www. monash. edu. au 23

Activities – cont. • Creating the e-prints module (2004 -5) – Module to submit and manage e-prints – No less functionality than eprints. org software – Improved management of self-submission and administrative arrangements www. monash. edu. au 24

Activities – cont. • Creating the independent scholars’ repository (2004 -5) – Installed at NLA for people not affiliated with a university – Same software as for e-prints module – Management of content submission from independent scholars – Other possible uses later (images, databases) www. monash. edu. au 25

Activities – cont. • Implementing the electronic press module (2004 -5) – Create or integrate a module to manage an electronic press (journals, conference papers, monographs – selected, not self-submission) – [Monash developing an e-press independently, with a view to integrating functionality when ready. Underlying repository at least to be converged] www. monash. edu. au 26

Activities – cont. • Creating the research directory module (2004 -5) – Utilising annual DEST returns to systematically build repository and showcase institutional output – Web-based database linked into repository and to library resources – Automatic permissions process – Communicating about copyright to authors – Driving cultural change www. monash. edu. au 27

Activities – cont. • Implementing cross-repository resource discovery mechanisms (2004 -5) – Automated harvesting and re-purposing metadata – Applying international standards and specifications – Supported by descriptive metadata (DRM, persistent identification, archiving) – Searching through range of discovery tools (1. NLA; 2. education. au, web search engines) – Web branded interfaces, exposed external discovery services, alerting services www. monash. edu. au 28

Activities – cont. • Populating robust repositories (2005) – – Robust and scalable architecture Effective submission processes Range of content from research areas Advocacy campaign aimed at local researchers (and independent scholars) – Linked to research directories www. monash. edu. au 29

Activities – cont. • Provision of repository services to other institutions (2006) – Hosting repositories of non-consortial members (if practical) – Assisting other institutions to establish ARROW solutions – Documentation and tools – Active support and training www. monash. edu. au 30

Questions? www. monash. edu. au 31